Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1910-04-22
Men Were Serving Life Terms
in the Federal Prison at
LeavenWorth-Feared That
Others Have Escaped
COUNTRYSIDE ALARMED
BY THE SIREN WHISTLE
Once Clear of the Prison Yards
the Daring FeIons Deserted
the Engine and Vanished in
the Woods

LEAVENWORTH, Kas., April 21.--Five
life convicts, heavily armed, made a
daring escape from the federal prison
here this morning. Within a short time
two of the men were recaptured.
SIREN WHISTLE BLOWN
AS soon as the escape OF the two men
became known the siren whistle at the
prison was sounded as a warning TO
farmers in the surrounding country to
be on the lookout. This whistle can be
heard for miles and it's use caused con-
sternatfon. At the same time heavily
armed. guards were thrown around the
prison to prevent further attempt at
escape.
STOLE AN ENGINE
The first report indicated that the
life men who got away had forcibly
taken possession of a switch engine that
had been run into the prison yards. They
had instantly pulled out at high speed.
Once clear of the prison yards the con-
victs deserted the engine and made a
dash for the woods.
At IL a. m. the three still at large were
surrounded in the brush within a short
distance of the prison and it was believed
all would be taken.
The men recaptured were Bob Clark,
sent up from Tyler, Tex, and John
Gideon, of Moscow, Idaho.
The three others were Thomas A.
Hating, sent up from Allen, Okla; Arthur
Hewell. from Caddo, Okla, and Frank
Grigware, one of the men who held up a
Union Pacific mail near Omaha last fall.
FRIGHTENED THE ENGINEER.
The break for liberty was cleverly plan
ned and its execution most daring. Two
of the convicts were at work in the car
penter shop. the others in the tailor shop.
A Union Pacific switch engine had back
ed into the prison yard. At the sound OF
the whistle the men dashed into the en-
closure and made toward theengine. Lev
cling dummy guns at the engineer they
climbed into the cab and compelled him
to reverse his engine, .-.s
The engine, with the convicts aboard,
rushed through the west gate into the
open country and was so0h speeding to-
ward the woods. When few minutes
later the escape became known the
whistle at the prison beloved a warning
to farmers for miles, about to be on the
lockout.
When the engine had gone half mile
the FIVE men jumped and made for the
the others and were captured.
Every available guard started after the
other three men. A half mile further on
the trio were surrounded in the woods.
No shots had been fired at IL o'clock
when the guards began to close in. 1t
was believed the convicts only weapons
were guns made of wood and painted in
the carpenter shop.
STOLE FIREMEN'S CLOTHES.
Imitation weapons taken from Clark
and Gideon had been recently made. The
caAnders showed bullets protrudlng
when the men covered Harry Reed d
guard. with the gums" and forced him
to enter the engine cab with them, the
only other guard struck Katning over the
head, causing a wound from which blood
flowed freely. Rating was stunned but
scrambled into the engine just as it was
getting under way. The guards inside
the prison do not carry weapons.
Hating was employed for five years as
an engineer on the Lake Shore railroad
and he assumed the leadership when the
engine started. He directed Charles Cur
tain, the engineer, to throw her wide
open" and told Fireman Willard Heeter
to shovel coal las she had never shoveled
before"
Six miles northwest Of the prison the
engine was KILLED
The desperadoes forced the engineer
and fireman to disrobe and two of the
convicts appropriated the garments. They
started to force the guard to disrobc
also. but Hewet said enough time had al
ready been wasted and the men plunged
into the woods The trainmen then fired
the engine and rushed it back to the
prison.
Hewett. Hating and Clark were leaders
of the mutiny at the prison here on
April is. 1901, when one guard was killed
and two guards were injured.