The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-11-11
IS. Worcester as shields.

time started for town. Others of the
force came in on the 500 train.
In the first chase. both of the shots
which Sheriff Cook fired took effect
one in each of the convicts. One was
struck in the hand, the other in the
leg above the knee
SHERIFF COOKS STORY.
In speaking of the affair to a re-
porter, Sheriff Cook said: Each of
those men are heavily. armed. Each
has two long pistols. One of them is
a rather small man of dark complex
ion, the other a larger fellow and white.
They both said That old gray-headed
man hit me- When went in through
the door / had pistol poked in my
face, my gun was taken away from
me, and I was ordered to keep quiet.
They kept me that way all the time
try around here; asked about the
trains. And from the extent of their
inquiries 1 should say they intended
to keep in a SOutheasterly direction.
overheard them say in a. whispered con-
su1tation that they must keep away
from the railroad tonight. They are the
kind of men that will not be taken
without selling their lives dearly. They
have each been wounded before, one of
them in the arm, the other in the heel.
The one that | shot in the leg got some
turpentine at the house and put on the
place. I saved my watch and $12 in
money by secreting them before the
men searched me-"
WANTED TO KILL THE SHERIFF
In speaking of the parleys with Chief
Stahl and his own situation. Sheriff
Cook said:
Having searched me. the big man
told me to sit down. He asked me if L
was the sheriff. L told him 1 was not.
Il am looking for the sheriff. he
said. I want to kill him.
.'Under the circumstances I think it
was proper for me to lie.
"'I answered him that I was only a
farmer He said he would take me
along with them to steal horses and he
would also use me to shield him from
the bullets of the men outside
1.-The little man had taken Worces-
ter's shoes and the big man wanted TO
take mine / said to him that 1 was an
old man and he was young and could
get along without better than /. Be
sides, I could not walk and shield him
from bullets without shoes. This SEEM
ed to settle the shoe question, and the
conversation ended for while. Until
Worcester recovered consciousness the
little man gave me his entire attention.
The big man also kept his gun handy,
but I had no intention of putting up a
fight
when Stahl came the big man told
me to call him into the house. He said
he wanted more guns and another
shield.
but I wanted Stahl to stay outside
and called out that he could talk to me
from there. He was about 25 yards
away Stahl took the hint and came no
nearer From that time until dark we
parleyed, the big man swearing and US
ing shocking language. Mrs Worcester
was in great distress and her husband
mOaned constantly.
FINALLY it was decided to leave the
house and 1 was commanded to take
the womans arm. The convicts got be-
hind US and in that order we marched
to the COW field. Mrs. Worcester was
half fainting and crying all the time.
She tried to scream, but I put my
hand over her mouth When we came
to the hedge the big man got over it
and turning upon us snapped his gun
at me 1t was the gun I had used on
him four hours before, the one with the
bad cartridge.
BOY KEPT UP HIS SHOOTING.
Williams was not captured. When |
he saw me taken he stood off from the !
house and the eonvicts kept out of his |
sight. The boy, Carl Englar kept pop |
ping his little gun at the window, and |
the big man started to shoot him, but |
the little man advised him to wait for
bigger game. 1t was a close call for the |
boy for the big man was ferocious- He !
is about the worst man l ever saw. He |
places no value on human life. He is |
about 60 and his pal is probably %. I |
could not get q good look at the little |
mans face, only I saw it was dark |
and swarthy. The other is fair
MRS. WORCESTER'S STORY.
Mrs Worcester when seen by a re- |
porter half an hour after she had been |
released was scarcely able to control her |
nerves. Il was sitting here" she said |
when I saw some man peering through |
the window for a moment. He had a |
terribly terrorized look on his face,
such as never saw. Then I heard |
them coming in through the window |
and saw them beating my husband over
the head with the butt of a revolver. |
He had asked them what they meant |
0y coming in that way and had started |
10 get his gun. He was knocked down, |
and lay there insensible for & consid- |