The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1901-11-11
C0NVICTS CAPTURE
SHERIFF AND DEPUTY
Pursuing Party Falls Into Hands of Two of the
Escaped Federal Prisoners.
Compel the Officers by Threats to Permit Them to Get Away
Again Safely.

m OPEKA, Kan, Nov. 10.-Sheriff
Cook of this county and Deputy
Sheriff Williams were captured by
two Of the escaped federal penitenuary
convicts this afternoon at Pauline, I'VE
miles south of here, and held for sew
eral hours. The convicts, whose names
cannot be learned, then escaped
through a line Of policemen, going east
AT $50 this afternoon some farmer
boys near Pauline became appraised Of
the fact that the cOnvicts were in the
neighbOrhOOd, and soon had posse Or
ganized, and were chasing the cOnviCts
all over the country. The escaped pTis-
OneIs had no arms or ammunition, and
were compelled to run before the posse,
which was armed with 22-calibre
rifles. small pistols, clubs and
most every kind of small weapons. The
sheriff soon heard of the condition of
affairs and started to the scene. He
soon came up TO the cOnvicts, and both
of the officers fired, wounding the men,
but not disabling them.
The cOnYictS then fed through a
small open space in the timber and ran
into the house of a farmer named
Wooster. The officers followed. Sheriff
Cook thought the convicts had run
around the house, and he darted
through the open door, thinking to sur
prise them at the back door. But IN
stead of this the COnvicts had gone
into the house, and as the sheriff ran
IN he fell right into the arms of the
cOnvicts nearest the door. He was
ordered TO give up his gun, whi-h he
did. Deputy Sheriff Williams had by
this time reached the house, and, not
knowing what had happened, he, too,
was gathered in by the convicts.
Police TO the Rescue.
Before ne was captured. the sheriff
had been thoughtful enough to tele-
phone to Topeka for help. Chief Stahl
with eight officers, FASTENED 10 the
scene, and arrived there after the
other officers had been imprisoned
about an hour.
Chief Stahl Immediately began nego-
uatlons with the cOnvicts to give up
their prisoners and to surrender them
selves. but they could not see it that
way Farmer Wooster then managed
TO get gun, and made an attack on
the convicts, but was laid low by a
blow from the butt of a revolver The
ConVicts broke WOOster's right hand
and cut an ugly cash in his head
The leader Of the cOnvicts then told
Sheriff Cook that lie would be killed il
he made the slightest move looking
toward their capture, and Re promised
TO be good. In the meantime the poiioe
officers on the outside were afraid to
do anything. because the cOnvicts
threatened to kill the imprisoned Of
fcers f they did.
At O'CLOCK the cOnvicts had man
aged to revive Mrs Wooster who had
tainted from fright, and placed Sheriff
Cook and her in front of them as
shields. They then started out, after
first eXaCting a promise from Sheriff
Cook that he would not permit any of
The officers to fire at tLem. Then the
prisoners left the house and arted
down the railroad track. They walked
through Gordon of police officers, who
could easily have captured them. but
the sheriff had given the convictg his
word that they would not be mOlested.
and they We're not
Convicts Make Escape.
After walking down for some dis
lance, The convicts suddenly disap-
peared through a hedge fence. after
bidding the officers a hooking farewell.
One Of the police sergeants in attend
ar5e said he could have easily touched
tie leading convict with his hand as
lhey passed.
The ccnvicts had gotten a good start
before the officers had recovered from
their surprise. Then some of the po-
icemen wanted to pursue, but the
Sheriff would not permit it, as he said
he had promised immunity from arrest
20 the convicts.
The chief of police then started back
% town. but left some Of his men on
the scene and they started on a chase
later on. They expect TO capture the
COnvtcts before morning, as the entire
country is aroused by the stirring
events happening on the usually quiet
Kansas Sunday.
The cOnvicts are well armed, as they
took all the guns in the farm house. in
cludi1g three of the of.cers befors
leaving. They are both white men.