The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-01-20
Armed With Revolvers,
They Make Dash for
Liberty.
JUDGE THOMAS
is AMONG DEAD
With Weapons Struggled From
Outside, Convicts Break From
Ranks and Shoot Down
All Who Impede Their
Flight-Finally Killed
by Guards.

McAlester, Okla. January 19.-Seven
men were shot to death and three per-
sons wounded to-day, when three con-
victs attempted to escape from the
State Penitentiary and were slain by
guards. One OF the mon murdered by
tho oonvicts in their mad dash for lib
erty was John r. Thomas. OF Muskogee.
formerly United States District Judge.
and once Congressman from Illinois.
No general attempt was made by
other convicts to join In the delivery.
although the three mutinecrs were en-
couragod by their less desperate fell
lows. who cheered tho onslaught OF the
armed prisoners.
So rapidly did tho three convicts
shoot down those in their path that
they reached the prison cato before the
guards could return their fire. The
desperadoes had taken the keys from
the turnkey. John Martin whom they
had wounded. and had sheltered them
selves through the prisonyard by
holding Mary Foster, a telephone oper-
ator, In front OF them until she was
struck by shot fred by guards.
Outside the gate, the men seized the
horse and buggy Of Warden Dick and
dashed away, only to be shot 10 death
by pursuing guards.
How the men obtained the weapons
and planned the escape has not been
discovered but a rigid inquiry will be
begun soon.
Dead:
John Il. Thomns, Muskoece. formerly
United states District judge.
~. u. Drov-r. superintendent Bcrtil-
Ion department.
patrick ontc>. assistant deputy
warden.
=. Z. Godfrey. guard.
China Heed, under sentence for two
Scnr> for larceny.
rom Lnme. Paul'n valley. under five
year rentcnce for forgery.
Charles Koontz, Comnnche County,
serving forty-ycnr sentence for man.
Slaughter.
Wounded.
john Martin, turnkey. shot through
chcek
g. l.. Wood. guard shot through arm.
Mary Foster, telephone operator, shot
through leg.
Tho men armed with revolvers,
Witch had been smuggied into the
penitcnuary. broke from the ranks
while the prisoners were being march
through the office they fred several
snots at random, one Of the bullets
striking Miss Foster.
Open Fire Judge Thomas.
Next they encountered Judge
Thomas. n visitor TO the pcnitentiary.
In the corridor. ana both of the men
carrying pistols opened fire, several
OF the bullets striking the attorney
and inficting mortal wounds. Oakes
and Drover intercepted the men as
thoy loft the corridor, and were
shot to death. The prisoners. un-
wounded, continued their night. BY
this time talf dozen guards were in
pursuit.. and in "a running battle God
frey and the three men were killed.
at
the end Of the days work. Reed, Lane.
and Koontz worked In the tailor shop.
approached the back door OF the office
In the administration building. There
they met John Martin, the turnkey.
The parole officer. As Martin opened
the door. Reed struck him repeatedly
the cheek and robbed him OF his ReSs
Shoot Him Through Heart.
The three prisoners, all armed with
low them. ran towards the warden'a Of
nce There they met Oates. the assist
ant warden. and before he could do
fcnd himself Reed shot him through
the heart
Tho greatest confusion cnsucd Con
victs ran about shouting words of en-
couragemcnt to the Uutinccrs. Tho
guards hegan hiring. y random shot
passing through = door in the Office oil
brovcr the Bcrtillon officer. killed him
Godfrey. the guard, sprang directly
into the path OF the mutinecrs, dis
charging his revolver Al them. He
too. fell victim to Reeds deadly aim
Judge Thomas was sitting in the
There must 10 some trouble ont.
side" he said, as he arose and walked
toward the door OF the warden's office
Apparently mistakins Judge Thomas
vollcy OF shots at him. lie sank TO the
floor h,ortaily wounded.
Fearing an alarm might be given by
the telephone operator. Mary Foster
ton to the tclephon swtchhoa r,1
They turned ii over and tried to dis
You come viii, us they shouted as
they drhgEed n tns girl into the prison
the guards from shooting.
Shielded by Girl.
Shielded by the girls presence and
men made their way across the prison
yard. Only one shot was fired at them
and it struck tho girl.
the convicts sprang TO the prison gate
With the keys they had taken from
were free. Outside the gate the horse
and buggy of Warden Dick was hitch
cd. The three men sprang into it.
nelnh 4n tho fSr,% W" The the big lss gns bsg
Guards and prison, officials nountc %,
liorses and soon overlook the the prisoners
Reed. ns he stood up, in the buggy and
fired ut the approaching officers. Tho
guards poured n mercilcss fire into tho
fIe horse fell, and the convicts
ceased firing. The three mutinecrs lay
in u heap in the bullet-riddled buggy
dead.
Although there was tho greatest con
fusion among the 1900 prisoners. the
guards. soon subdued them, and none
escaped.
Prison officials tonight were unable
ato account for tho fact that tho con-
victs had obtained revolvers. It lis be-
)icvcd they were sccrcted near the
prison by friends.