The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1907-08-27
"Slippery Let's"
By EDMUND G. KINYON.


avail. and then. drawing their re-
volvers, fired point-blank at short
range. Let's paid no attention to
their commands, but lodged into the
crowd and made his escape. to the
great chagrin of the two redoubtable
officers, who were again Obliged to
take up the weary trail.
The pursuit led them hundreds of
miles over the country, doubling here
and there. The man had a sweet
heart living at Ottawa, and it was
surmised that he might go there to
visit her. A watch was accordingly
set, and sure enough he did that very
thing, hazardous and foolhardy as 1T
may seem. He was quickly captured
by the local police, who lodged him
In the county jail. Court was about
TO convene, and 1t looked as though
Let's journey to the penitentiary
would not be much longer delayed.
But Let's had no serious thought
or digging coal for tho State. He
was confined in a small steel cell
opening into a steel corridor. in
which during the day he was allowed
to mingle with the other prisoners
for exercise. One night he rugged up
a dummy figure and stood it in his
cell. When the jailer, all unsuspect-
ing, came to lock the prisoners in.
Let's fiattened himself against the
wall In dark corner of the corridor
and waited. The jailer, with a care
less glance at the dummy, fastened
the cell and turned to pass out
through the corridor door. Let's,
following noiselessly behind, actually
wriggled under the mans arm and
leaped through the office into the
street! The jailer, recovering in
stantly from his surprise, dashed at
ter him, revolver in hand, and fired
at the fleeing man rs he passed under
strong electric light; but Let's
sprang away uninjured and soon es-
capped from tho town. 1t was then
that the bafiled pursuers commenced
to refer to him as Slippery Let's"
With untiring energy the Santa Fe
o1hcers again took up the trail and
resumed their weary hunt. Months
passed, and Let's was heard of down
In the State of Texas. The trail be-
came warm, and he was finally To-
Gated In small town, where he had
secured employment. Or. German,
the chief, lot wishing to take fur
Their chances, went himself to arrest
the man and convey him back to
prison. He learnt where Let's was
boarding and sent a couple OF local
officers into the house while he re-
m To ri
men returned, leading their prisoner
between them. The fugitive evident
ly did not fully comprehend the i'm
port OF his arrest, for he walked
along quietly until he caught sight
OF German; then, like q flash, he re-
peated his former tactics, threw off
his two captors, and bolted. Ger
main knew we'll the desperate
character OF the man, and was pre-
pared for just such an occurrence.
His revolver, Ihich he knew we'll
how to use, came into instant play,
but Let's ran off unframed, lodging
along the street seeking for cover.
1t was daylight and the struggling
village afforded him no hiding place.
so that he was quickly run down and
captured.
Handcuffed and manacled, "Slip-
perry Let's" was taken back to OF
tawa and lay in his cell for five
months awaiting trial. When the
court was convened he was tried and
convicted and day fixed when he
should receive his sentence-a term
OF years in the State penitentiary.
Before the date arrived Let's again
escaped from the all. BY the use OF
tools smuggled In by confederates,
he accomplished thl seemingly impos-
sible feat of tearing q hole through
tho steel floor Of his cell. Then no
dug down into the hard earth and
tunnelled long distance to the foun-
dalton wall. This wall was construct
ed OF large granite blocks set I'm &C.
ment. The enterprising Let's re-
moved one of the blocks and crawled
through to liberty
For several months after this the
fugitive kept under cover and the de-
tectives could get no trace OF him.
Thon n clue developed and he was
once more locatod-this time work
Ing as q farm hand I'm Michigan. To
avoid frightening his quarry the chief
decided not to send HIS men to make
the arrest, but asked the local sheriff
TO take him into custody and to
guard him day and night. The
sheriff drove 20 the farm where Let's
was employed and found HIS man
working In the field. lie readily
agreed 70 accompany the sheriff, but
all the time HIS fertile brain was
seeking an avenue Of escape. As they
approached the house, Let's asked
TO be allowed to enter and get his
overcoat, az the weather was cool.
The sheriff agreed and stood In the