Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1912-12-17
TWO NOTED PRISONERS BEGAN
LIFE TERM SUNDAY
AFTERNOON,
They LOST THEIR IDENTITY
lIcnCciorth They WIN BE Known ns
Conyicts Number 1851 and
1852 at McAlcstcr.
(BY j. BURR GIBBONSD

"lle who enters here leaves all
hope behind
These words were never more in
delibly impressed upon the mind OF
man than in the case Of an unfor-
tunate human being who enters
state prison with death sentence or
life imsrisonment staring him In the
face. This u~uesome foolng was
doubtless experienced by two former
citizens OF Tulsa last Sunday after
noon.
They were Guy D. Mackenzic-per-
haps a victim Of circumstances-a1d
Joe Baker, whose past record indi-
Gates that he is Il criminal at heart.
They were convicted Of the murder Of
Carries r. Reuter- in this city May 3,
and on November l were sentenced to
spend the remainder of their natural
lives in the state pentitentiary at Nc
Alester, Okla, at hard labor.
These young men have now become
lost to the world-so far as the gen
eral public is concerned. From this
time forth, they will be known among
their new comrades and associates as
Convicts No. 1851 and 3S52, They
practically lost the names of their
parents and ancestors when they en-
tered the penitentlary, and as mat
ter OF convenience an account Of their
comlngs and goings. their good efforts
and bad conduct, they have been la
beled like live stock.
Baker and Mackenzie entered the
penitentiary with a gloomy prospect
for the future Should their sentence
be set aside through an error In the
record Of their recen. trial, they Will
always be surrounded by a dark shad-
ow-hard to shake and impossible to
forget. Public sentiment is strong
to regain their liberty through legal
process, possibly some day in the far.
distant future, their sentence may be
reduced to fixed term Of years or
pardon may be granted Their only
lnducement. then, to make a record
record would give them should ge-
ductlon or pardon be secured,
Baker and Mackenzie were taken
to McAlester Sunday by Sheriff. Nc
Cullough. deputy sheriff and news
paper man, the two laGer serving as
guards. The trip was unevcntful so
far as attempts at violence Of max
ing a nescape were concerned, but
many incidents, tragic and comic,
marked the days Journey
The defendants took altogether diff
ferent Views Of the trip and its mean
ing 10 them-they acted differently.
Baker n reckless fellow, who perhaps
never had real serious thought in
his life. conducted himself as would
a small boy from the country who was
going to town to see the circus. Mae
kenzie, almost speechless and in deep
thought throughout the Journey, real
ized the seriousness Of the moment
One would not look more affected II
he were attending his own funeral
Baker, as n matter Of convent
ence," was handcuffed to Washing
ton L. Pemberton, an escaped convict
captured in Tulsa Saturday afternoon.
who in speaking Of his return to the
penltentiary said: "Pm going back
home" Pemberton, a robust young
white man Of "a years, had been sen.
fenced to five years for shooting
deputy sheriff who attempted to ar
rest his brother He was sent up
from Eufaula in November, 1909, and
had but year to serve TO gain his
freedom through good behavior. He
said his hands were sore and his body
Ill last October and when the guards
refused to put him on the sick list
he ran away from a gang Of workmen.
"I know I made a serious mistake"
he said, "but l felt l couldn't stand 1t
any longer"
Pemberton secuted in the Cushing
oil fields for sixty days and finally
came TO Tulsa Saturday to sell his
land to his cousin, Thomas Gllcrease