The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-04-21

The men recaDtured were Bob
Clark, sent up from Tyler, Tex. and
John Gideon of Moscow. Idaho. The
three others were Thomas A. Kating,
sent I'D from Allen. Okla; Arthur
Hewett from Caddo. Okla, and Frank
Grigware. one of the men who held up
q Union Pacific mail train near Omaha
last fall The break for liberty was
made about o'clock and was the re-
suit of a cleverly planned plot on the
part of the five conVicts Its execu-
tion was most daring.
Capture Switch Engine.
Two of the convicts were at work
in the carpenter shop and the others
were in the tailor shop. A Union Pa
cific switch engine had backed into
the prison yard. At the sound of the
whistle the men dashed into the yard
and made toward the engine. Leveling
dummy guns at the engineer, the men
climbed into the cab and compelled
him to reverse his engine.
The engine with the convicts aboard
rushed through the west gate into the
open country and soon was speeding
toward the woods.
When the escape became known, a
few moments later, the siren whistle
a the prison was sounded as a warn
ing 70 farmers to be on the lookout
The whistle may be heard for miles
and its use caused CONSERVATION.
AT the same time heavily armed
guards were thrown around the gates
to prevent any further attempt at es-
cape while others started in pursuit.
Take to the Woods.
When the engine had reached a
point half a mile from the prison the
five men 1eaped to the ground and
made for the woods Clark and Gideon
separated from the others and soon
were captured.
Then every available guard, led by
Deputy Lemon. started after the other
three men. A half mile further on the
trio were surrounded in the woods No
shot had been fired on either side up to
IL o'clock when the guards began to
close in on the convicts. Although the
convicts are all desperate men it was
believed their only weapons were guns
made of wood and painted in the car
penter shop.
Fake weapons taken from Clark and
Gideon had been ingeniously made
Even the cylinders showed imitation
bullets protruding- When the men
made their dash for liberty they COW
cred Harry Reed, a guard. with their
guns and forced him to enter the
engine cab with them. But one other
guard, named Burnett, was in the
vicinity He rushed up and struck
Kating over the head, causing a wound
from which blood flowed freely. Kating
was only stunned and running after his
confederates he scrambled into the en-
gine just as it was getting under way.
The guards inside the prison do no.
carry weapons.
kating an Engineer.
Kating was employed for five years
as an engineer on the Lake Shore and
he assumed the leadership when the
engine started. He directed Charles
Curtain, the engineer, to throw her
wide open," and told Fireman Millard
Heeter to shovel coal ''as he had never
shoveled before
When the engine had arrived at a
POINT six miles northwest of the prison,
where the road was sxirted on both
siGes by heavy timber. the engineer and
fireman were instructed to kill the
engine.
Then the desperadoes forced the en-
gine crew to disrobe and two of the
convicts appropriated their garments.
The men started to force the guard to
disrobe also. but Hewett said enough
time had already been wasted and the
men plunged into the woods.
The trainmen then fired the engine
Ell rushed it back Clark and Gideon
were placed in solitary confinement
when returned to the prison. Hewett-
Kating and Clark were leaders of the