The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-10-28
Prisoners Blind Jailer Bayliss
and Escape.
One of Them Also Assaults Him
With Milk Bottle.
ON MINOR CHARGES.
Men Must Face Serious One il
Captured.
Other Prisoners Refuse to Leave
in Jail.

H. Thompson. Floyd Carter and Jay
Steen assaulted Jailer Henry Bayliss
| with clubs and blinded him by throw
ing handfuls of cayenne pepper into
his face. They then escaped and are
still at large.
The milk bottle with which Under
Sheriff Bayliss thought he was struck
has turned out to be stick of wood
from a wash board which ratified when
is blows fell on him, leading him to
believe in the dark he had been hit
with a bottle. The most dangerous
weapon used in the assault was a worn
out plumbers plunger with a heavy
iron band around the end. This effec-
tive weapon was found broken into
three pieces which attests to the vio-
| lence of the attack. Another club was
broom stick from which the straw
mad been torn, leaving it heavy end
led murderous tool This stick is
smeared with blood. The attack was
| made about 9 o'clock
Bayliss is around about his duties
again this morning with his head
/ handaged and the thick padding soak
cd with blood from the still bleeding
wounds. He told the story as he re-
| calls it to the reporter.
81 had gone into the inner corridor
with the trusty,'' he said "to lock all
the cells and have the boy take out
scrap pail which we keep in there for
the prisoners to throw waste paper
| 1-ito. 1t was not after supper as has
been stated. All the men were in their
cells with the exception of Carter,
whom we have been leaving in the
| corridor alone at night to give water
to the others I glanced along the line
and locked all open doors But
| raTx n n hair
| door drawn to, 1 suppose, for unless
The door is shut tight the bolt does not
| slip. They must have had their door
about a quarter of an inch from set
and I could not see it in the dim light.
When I got into the corridor with the
trusty and he stopped to pick up the
scrap pail quick as flash Carter
slung handful of pepper in my face
1 1t got in my eyes and mouth and nose
snd 7 coul see nothing. Then the
other two sprang out of their cell and
| began striking me. / backed against
. cell door and struck with my heavy
| keys, but missed in the dark and lost
he keys. Hit him harder they shout
ed. throw him over the banister-'
| Kill him. they yelled. They certainly
| we're trying to kill me but I was al
| teost helpless from the pepper and
could not see where to strike as they
! teat me with the long clubs.''
Two men supposed to be escaped
| prisoners were seen at p. m. today
Of Topeka. A posse in automobiles
under the command of Under Sheriff
Judkins at once started to search the
| neighborhood where the men were
seen.
Two Refused to Escape.
The prisoners who refused to run when
the trio made their escape are Tom
Smith and Louis Jackson, both held on
larceny charges.
Thompson and Steen both had told the
,frv to- Lot 44Tr %T~,%
would plead guilty to a larceny charge
and hope for sentence to the Hutchin-
son reformatory. but when they were
taken before Judge Dana they both re-
fused to plead. That incident may be
taken to signify that they had already
begun to plan an escape at that time
and were only waiting.
Carter has already been convicted of
breaking into a Union Pacific freight
car, which it was charged he had en-
tered for the purpose of stealing some
beer. 1t was also charged at the time
that he had intended to get the liquor
to sell. His father visited him in the
parlor cell of the Jail yesterday
Thompson had been employed On
the farm of Louis Leopold near Tecurn-
sch and when leaving to come to Topeka
about a month ago he brought with him
a diamond stud belonging to Mr.. Leo
pold and diamond ring belonging to
Mrs. Leopold. both of which he took
from the room of the farmer.
Upon the information of the delivery.
Sheriff ]. D. Norton and Chief of Police
Eaton sent special men out and had all
railroad stations patroled and every
avenue to escape from the city guarded,
but the three men have not yet been
apprehended. Thompson is a tall, stout.
dark confplexoned man of q years.
Steen is about "a years old, red headed
and of medium build.
There are three Jail deliveries recalled
at the Shawnee Jail.
The last delivery was the most Pc
culiar in the history of any jail and
happened about two months ago, when
Frank Agner, a United States prisoner
charged with counterfeiting. found his
door come unlocked when he was pry-
ing a spoon handle in the crack near
the lock with the purpose of breaking it
off to sharpen for a knife. Agner left
his door stand unlocked all day and in
the meanwhile wrote a note to the
sheriff that he would be back, but had
to see his wife and baby. Of course,
the sheriff instituted a search for him,
but they could not find him and he re-
turned of his own accord within a fort
night.