Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1906-04-16
While Enroute to
Penitentiary Un-
der Four Years
Sentence.
BREAKS CHAIN ABOUT HIS
NECK.
Deputy Sheriff in Pursuit and
Capture Believed Certain
--- Murderer Price in
Prison for Life.

| ~ POI ~ vi OLA ~ AoOhClOt WAhC DClA6
brought to the territorial penitentiary
in this city, from Portales, Roosevelt
County, by Sheriff w. M. Cox and
Guards Charles P. Mitchell and Ed
ward Johnson, made his escape in a
most daring manner Saturday after.
noon by jumping through the window
of passenger car Of the toilet room,
while the train was running at least
thirty miles an hour. He made the
break for liberty at the time the train
was about four miles south of Texline
on the Fort Worth & Denver road.
Choalts success in getting away was
all the more remarkable because of
the fact that he was chained together
with the rest Of the prisoners with a
heavy trace chain. When he went to
the toilet room, the rest Of the prison.
ers followed as far as the door. Sher-
| if Cox, who was taking every precau-
tion to avoid escape, considering it
best not to unlock the chain. After
Choalt had gone inside the officer who
was standing near the door of the car,
: heard the chain rattle and snap as II
lit had been broken, and Immediately
made an investigation. He found upon
entering the toilet room that Choalt,
who is a powerfully built fellow, had
sprunk the lock on the chain, which
had been securely fastened around
his neck, and had in that manner lib
Grated himself from the chains.
Officer in Pursuit.
AS soon as the train reached TeXline
Sheriff Cox ordered Guard Edward
Johnson to get off at that station, pro-
cure a horse, and go in pursuit of the
escaped prisoner. 1t was not known
| whether he was injured as the result
of his flying leap from the train, but
Sheriff Cox is confident that he will be
captured. The country in that vi
cinity offers little chance for escape,
and Edward Johnson, the officer in
pursuit Is said to be one of the best
In Roosevelt County.
Choalt was being brought to that
penitentiary to serve term of four
years for robbery, and Sheriff Cox be.
lieves that if he was not fatally in
jured in his jump from the train he
will be recaptured and made to serve
the term for which he was sentenced
by Judge W. H. Pope at the recent
term of the Roosevelt County District
Court.
Among the five prisoners brought
here by Sheriff Cox and Guard Nit
chell yesterday was Elmer G. Price,
age 2G years, convicted Of murder and
sentenced for life. Price is the news
agent who shot and killed Conductor
Frank Curtis on train running be-
tween Roswell and Portales on March
30. According to the evidence brought
out in the trial, the murder was a pre-
meditated one, and was the result OF
some little trouble between the two
men, Price did not do his work in
satisfactory manner, and Curtis repri.
manded him. The latter took offense,
and a few days later, the murder took
place.
Quick Work of Court.
| Sheriff Cox was on the train at the
time the shooting occurred, and imme'
diately arrested Price. The conviction
of Price is record breaker in that
he was sentenced just thirteen days
from the time he did the shooting.
The remaining prisoners were con
victed and sentenced as follows: Jesse
West aged Is years, convicted of the
larceny of mules and sentenced to
three years; William Walker, colored
age SO years, convicted of handling q
gun in a threatening manner anG
sentenced to / year; William Malone
age 20 years, convicted of robbery and
sentenced to two years; Oliver Lavel
le, age % years, convicted of robbery
and sentenced to three years.
Sheriff Cox said this morning that o.
the six prisoners convicted in the dis
trict court at Portales during the re
cent term, not one was native o.
Roosevelt County. Men of the stamI
of these convicts come into Roosevelt
County to work with railroad gangs
and do similar work and 1t is usually
by this class of men that the crimes
are committed
| Sheriff Cox informed the penitenti