The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-07-03
NO DOUBLE TOWN
Oklahoma Crooks Walked Into
Arms of Police.
Thought They Were Crossing
River Into Country.
HADDODGED OFFICERS
Gave Sheriff the Slip on Way to
Lansing.
Laughingly Tell Reporter Story
of Their Experiences.

L
prisoners from Logan county. Okla.
convicted of grand larceny and on
their way to Lansing under charge of
Sheriff John Mahoney. escaped from
Santa Fe train No. at the Topeka
depot at o'clock last evening. and
succeeded in eluding all efforts at cap
ture until midnight, when they were
picked up near the Santa Fe junction
in. North Topeka by Patrolmen Chas.
Smith and Frank Penney.
The two. recaptured prisoners were
confined in the cage. inside the bull
pen" at the city prison, and this morn
ing, in spite of their reverses, appeared
to be in the best Of humors. Frank
Tie, the little man who had slipped his
handouts and who babe the Okla
the train, was as happy as meadow
lark. He talked freely to the reporter
about their escape of yesterday.
Tells His Story.
"Of course we got away" he said,
when that sheriff went off and left us
alone in the seat together. slipped
my bracelets before he got to the door:
We simply walked to the rear door Of
the coach and climbed down the steps.
AS I looked back 1 saw the sheriff
start towards US, so bid him goodby,
and the young fellow laughed heartily
and the dismay depicted there.
1--WE walked right out into the
street and up the track block TIL
we came to barn, and we went In
there and stayed until dark They
were all around us and walked by US
several times. Why, one big guy
actually stood within a foot of me.
He nearly stepped on me. AS soon as
it came dark we hiked for the sub
urbs. We struck bridge and went
ri, SrnnnSQd were
getting out Of your bloomin burg, but
we walked right into another town
and into the arms of bunch or cops.
1--WE told them we were farm hands
working for old man Gordon and were
happy on our way to Wichita. / had
a pair of old gloves in my pocket, and
blamed If those guys wasn't going to
| let US CO. but one of them was hard
headed and held out for return trip
| to the cave on a chance shot Tney
| searched us but I had the bracelets
hid we'll up under my sleeve and they
never got wise to 'em.
1.-The desk sergeant spotted the pref
| ty trinkets in second and the foam
was off the beer.
sNo more of these double towns for
mine. Let them be all in one piece
after this
Chief Eaton said this morning that
| he handcuffed the prisoners together
| last night, using the new Burdick
tional Sheriffs' association, and this
morning Frank Blair. the larger of
| the two crooks, handed the Guns
| through the bars, remarking that they
| "were too big.
IT clinched those handouts tight as
| wax on that fellows wrists last night.
| said the chief. They are about the
slipperiest customers 1 ever had In
| the jail here"
Had Six Prisoners.
The Oklahoma sheriff had six pris-
oners, Blair and Tie and four negroes
He guarded the first two and his
| deputy had charge of the negroes
| When the train stopped here Sheriff
Mahoney left his prisoners in the car
seat and went to the door to get a
| glimpse Of Topeka. They left their
seats and started slowly toward the
rear of the. car. The sheriff saw
| them. but paid little attention, as he
| supposed they were going after a
| drink of water. When they reached
the rear door Frank Tie, the smaller
man of the two, slipped his handcuffs
and waved his hand at the sheriff
shouting Goodbye, old man." as he
| dropped off the rear platform of the
| car. He was followed by Blair. The
pair of them mingled with the crowd
| on the platform for a moment and
then disappeared behind some freight
cars standing in the yards. Sheriff
Mahoney pursued them until they
were lost from view and then went to