The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-02-07
GLAD TO GET BACK
THAD PENNINGTON TELLS OF HIS
 ESCAPE AND TRAyELs.
Declares That Sheriff Walker Knew Nothing of His Plans to Get
 Away--WfH Re Brought

Dothan, Feb. 6.---(Special) )-Thad Pennington. convicted of killing Lee Faulk in 1904, who escaped from the Houston County jail before officers who were to take him where he might serve his sentence of twenty years. Is today again in the same bastile. He Is en route to Montgomery from Ha- vana Cuba where he was captured by Officer Tom Bryant of the Dothan police force. He is being carried to Montgomery in response to telegraphic orders to that effect from the presi- dent of the state convict board.
 In his cell at the jail the morning Pennington talked lengthily and inter estingly to a reporter concerning his escape and his stay fin Cuba. One thing that I would like to be brought out particularly" he said, "fs the fact that Mr. Walker, who is now dead. but who was sheriff at the time I made my escape, had nothing wheteVer to do with the matter; in fact, he didn't have the slightest mixing of what was going on until after I was gone from the fail. have heard some talk to the effect that he knew of my plans, but nothing in the world is further from the truth. I made my escape In the following manner: When they went to take me from the jail to the court house, and just moment after we left the cell. I asked permission to skep back inside of ths cell and get my tabacco I was granted this permis- sion. and when I went back inside the cell I broke my knife blade off in the snrinR of the door lock. Then, when was brought back to the cell from tke court house, the sheriff thought l was securely locked in, but was not, because I had fixed the lock. That night Jesse Barefield. who was in the same cell with me- and I made our es- .ape through one of the windows. We did not stay together long, however, after getting cut of the jail, and the next heard of Barefield he had shot himself.
 q hung around Cottonwood for about three days, hunting, and then went to my home which is about ten miles from Dothan, stayed there two days and then, becoming alarmed went to west Florida, where l stayed until about Christmas and then came pack home again. On February IS, 1 went to Whitney, Fla, where remained fill May, and then went to Tampa. There l saw two or three men whom knew. but they did not seem to know me: at least they gave me no trouble, From there l went to Green Sprfngs and stayed until July. then hack home again. From home l went to Kissime, Fla. on November 20. At this time l went by the name of Will liam Hay. Soon after l landed at Ha- yana I met Bud Strickland, who is re- sDonsib1e for my having been captur- ed. Strickland shook hands with me and seemed to be very cordial in his attitude toward me. At the hotel where we both stopped he called me by the name of Pennington before crowd. and after that thinking It was no use to use an assumed name, call, ed myself Pennington. Strickland anc | agreed to keep each others where abouts quiet, and I kept my part or tn' contract. -. -..,.,, he came to arrest me. l was slaythl : away because my attorneys thought was best for me to lay low for awhile I was In pretty hard luck, too l h3' been chlorcformed one night Whil' Wh asleep in a tool house at the dock works and my money and clothes m us1a stol on In the American colony in HaVa na met a fellow by the name Of Joni strauss, from Michigan, and told mn mn that I was a fugitive from justice sus gesting mat he turn me over to th' Authorities, but he thought was mere Iv joking, and he did not do anytnlne about it. Yes, sir, am glad 10 p' hack again