The Mena weekly star., 1913-04-03
TO PRISON FOR
 LOVE OF MOTHER
M. 5. Chance, an Escaped Oklahoma Convict, Surrenders After Having Served in Mexican Revolution
 A Girl in the Case.

Oklahoma City, March 30.-Be- cause he loved his widowed mother more than he loved liberty, NJ. s. Chance, who escaped from the state reGormatory at Granite June 1, 1910, has voluntarily returned to prison to serve the remainder of 2-year term for horse theft. There was an additional incentive which brought this young man from ranch in California to the governor of Oklahoma. It was a girl. Some day that girl expects to become his wife.
 Chance returns to Oklahoma when g years old, the hero of revolution in Mexico. He was soldier in the remnant regiment of Col. Medley, a deserter from the United States army.
 Mother Needs Him, Too.
 T didn't need to tell that little girl in California that was all escaped convict" says Chance, for she probably would never have known it, so well did l conceal my identity. But l am glad that my name will not have stain when l return to claim her. 1 wanted most of all to see my mother and four little sisters. My mother is old and Ill and she needs my care and at tention. Since leaving one sister has died of tuberculosis and an other one is ill.,"
 Chance pleaded guilty to horse stealing at Sulphur in 1909, and was given a sentence of two years ill prison. He served nine months and eight days in the penitentiary at McAlester, pending the erection of the reformatory at Granite, and was transferred to that institution in May, 1910.
 T didn't stay at Granite long enough to get acquainted with the warden" says Chance. T don't even know his name. Four days was enough for me with so many chances. Another chap and 1 fled one day. For four days and nights my comrade and l were in hiding in and around Fl Paso. He was a bad fellow, so I deserted him and went into. Mexico"
 Joined Rebel Band.
 Near the line of California Chance struck up with Capt. Jack Stanley when he was planning to raise an army to capture the ad- joining state of Mexico and annex it to the United States. The first day out they engaged in four bat ties with the Mexicans. Stanley was killed in the fight. Chance and some of the other cowboys then scattered over California.
 Chance went under an assumed name. He let his muStache grow. He associated occasionally with men in California whom he had known in Oklahoma, but never was rec ognized. Every meeting with these men, however, was signal that he had better move into another community, and he was constantly changing jobs.
 With Bandits in Youth.
 Chance, when a boy, was associ- ated occasionally with Bert Casey, one of the worst outlaws in the Indian country.
 Young Chance is a stepson of the late Judge Scott Hawkins of Tisho- mingo, who for eight years pre- sided over a tribal court of the Chickasaw nation. His mother nov has a valuable farm near Sulphur, and Chance expects to operate the farm when he gets his liberty.
 He came direct to the governors 1 office in Oklahoma City and freely | made statement of his career and | intentions. Governor Cruce was so much interested in the case that he dictated a letter to Warden Clyde | Reed of the reformatory, request GI,4 ,,,,n iel, n,ixan |