The Topeka state journal., 1914-01-20
Three Convicts Attempt to Es-
cape ct McAlester, Okla.
An Are Killed by Guards In .
Running Fight.
JUO6E JOHN R. THOMAS SLAIN
Three of the Prison Employees
Also Meet Death.
Woman Telephone Operator
Il Shot in the Leg.

=
Il Shot in the Leg.
NcAlester. Okla. Jan. 2o.-with six
lifeless forms. three of them pullet-
rfddled bodies Of convicts. killed IN a
daring attempt at escape. and three
those of prison employees. shot down
while at their post Of duty, lying In
an improvised morgue at the state
prison here early today, g. quiet more
intense than the usual hush Of the in
stitution prevailed. q quiet intensified
in contrast with the events Of last
night when mutiny brought death to
seven persons and injuries to three
In town, few miles distant, the
body Of Judge John r. Thomas OF
4uskogee. q visitor at the prison. kill
ed by q conv1ct's bullet, awaited final
In the prison hospital suffering from
bullet wounds were Miss Mary Foster.
telephone operator at the prison, John
Martin. turnkey and c. L. Wood.
guard. ~lf'.
The bodies Of H. H. Drover, head Of
the Bertillon department. Patrick
Oates. assistant: deputy warden. and
r. c. Godfrey, guard were held for
word a. to their disposition which was
expected to come today.
Pistols smuggled into the prison
and, reaching the hands of Charles
Kountz. China Reed and Tom. Lane.
the cOnvicts who gave up their lives
In their dash for liberty. were the
cause Of the. death-dealing affair.
Secure the Keys.
Today Warden W. R. Dick contin-
ued the searching investigation to dis
cover the means by which the weapons
came within the walls. Word came
from Oklahoma City that a special
commission might be appointed by the
state administration to make thor
ough investigation Of the tragedy.
Armed with their ! pistols Reed,
Lane and Koontz when labor ended
for the day in the tailor shop, where
they worked, made their escape
through a basement storeroom and q
dark stairway to the entry room of
Martin. the turnkey but before he
realized what the presence of the men
meant a shot that passed through his
cheek, floored him. Quickly the men
secured his keys.
With a shout to the other prisoners
forward. Oates. the assistant warden.
was in their path. Reed shot him
through the heart. Near the door Of
the warden's office sat Judge Thomas.
He was waiting to see Warden Dick
on a business matter.
Boys. I am an innocent bystander.
Just here on private business the
Judge called, as he sprang to his feet
and put up his hands. In reply came
a shot from the convicts. He died i'm
mediately. Another shot wounded
Wood. a guard.
Miss Foster, the telephone operator,
then came in for attention from the
three. With an oath they overturned
the switchboard, hoping to disconnect
the wires.
BY this time the greatest excitement
was sweeping through the prison. Con-
victs were shouting cheering words to
the escaping men and guards were
shooting as they ran about to Quell the
outbreak.
Half cringing, as the rifles Of the
guards cracked menacingly from vari-
Gus quarters, the three convicts hesi-
by the hope Of freedom that called from
the gate across the prison yard, the
three went forward dragging Miss FOs-
ter with them. AS they neared the
doorway they lifted the telephone girl
and carrying her as a shield the three
huddled behind her as they pushed
from the building. Godfrey, one Of
the guards, attempted to halt them.
Promptly he was shot to death. A bull
let that went wild passed through the
pert, and killed that official.
Out Of the building Reed, Koontz and
Lane made their way on slow trot to
the gate.
Guards Feared to Shoot.
The guns were stilled. None of the
guards dared shoot because Of the hu-
man shield. the telephone girl. carried
BY the desperate men. A shot finally
rang out and Miss Foster gave a
scream Of pain. The bullet had plowed
into her leg.
Reaching the gate the three men
dropped their burden, after unlocking
the last barrier to freedom and sprang
into buggy. Lashing the horse that
pulled the vehicle the convicts sped
down road. To the east lay q mine
and toward that they headed, The
dash for liberty was short. Guards on
horses quickly came within shooting
distance and a running fight began.
The convicts made a desperate fight as
was all over. Bullet after bullet from
the guns Of the guards found its mark
and when the horse at last fell from q
shot and the guards came up the three
men lay in a blood covered heap in the
carriage. dead.
Within the prison. guards worked he
roically driving the convicts to their
cells and holding at bay those who
threatened to oyerpower them. Order
was soon restored and none of the Other
prisoners went beyond the walls.
-,
Nine Workers Convene.
Indianapolis, Jan. 2O.-The twenty
fourth convention OF the United Nine
Workers OF America met here thi,
morning in first biennial meeting
The rule for holding the convention,
every two years was adopted at tn.
sAsaion here in 1872 T91o onJv hue,