Omaha daily bee., 1914-01-21
MUTINY IN OKLAHOMA PEN
Former Judge, Two Officers, Guard
and Three Prisoners Slain.
TRIO MAKES DASH FOR LIBERTY
Armed Prisoners Xii -Four and Die
Themselves in BattIe-Murder-
ers Use Telephone Girl
as shield.

MALESTER, Okl., Jan @-seven per-
sons were killed and three injured in a
pistol battle at the state penltentiary
here late today which resulted when
three prisoners armed with revolvers
made dash for liberty
| One of those killed was John r.
Thomas of Muskogee. formerly United
States district judge and at one time a
member of congress from Illinois. lie
was shot by a prisoner
| The dead.
JOHN r. THOMAS, Muskogee. formerly
! United States district ju ige.
! II. II. DROVER, superintendent Ber-
tillon department
PATRICK OATES. assistant deputy
warden.
| +. c. GODFREY. guard.
| CHINA REED, under sentence of two
years for larceny
TOM LANE. Pauls Valley, under five
year sentence for forgery.
! CHARLES KOONTZ, Comanche county.
serving forty years sentence for man.
slaughter.
The wounded:
John Martin. turnkey, shot through
cheek.
C. L. Wood, guard, shot through arm.
Mary Foster, telephone operator, shot
through leg.
At End of Days Work.
The attempted mutinS occurred at the
end of the days work and was led by
Reed. Lane and Koontz
The three men worked in the tailor
shop, and when their work was ended
they approached the back door of the
office in the administration building.
There they met Martin, the turnkey.
They told Martin they wanted to see
the parole officer. AS Martin opened the
door Reed struck him repeatedly with
large revolver, shot him through the
check and robbed the turnkey of his keys.
Then the three prisoners, all armed with
lIevolvers and shouting to others to fol-
How, ran towards the warden's office.
There they met oates. the assistant war
Iden, and before he could defend himself
Reed shot him through the heart.
Convicts shout Encouragement.
The greatest confusion ensued. Con-
lvicts ran about shouting words OF en-
couragement to the mutneers. BY this
thine the guards were alert and began
firing random shot passing through
a door in the office of Drover, the Ber-
Itillon officer. killed him. He was rushing
to the aid of fellow officers when he fell.
Godfrey, the guard sprang directly
Into the path of the mutineers, dis
charging his revolver at t.em. lie. too
fell victim to Reeds deadly aim
John r. Thomas. formerly United States
district judge and widely known through
Oklahoma, was sitting in the wardens
office, awaiting the return of Warden H.
w. Dick, with whom he had business
engagement
'"rhere must be some trouble outside,
he said as he arose and walked toward
the door of the warden's office. Appsr-
emily mistakng Judge Thomas for the
warden the mutineers fired volley OF
shots at him. He sank to the floor NOR
tally wounded
Turn over Switchboard.
Fearing an alarm might be given by the
telephone operator, Mary Foster, the three
men next gave their attention to the
telephone switchboard. They turned 1t
over. and tried to disconnect It.
You come with u.s." they shouted as
they dragged the girl into the prison yard
holding her before them to keep the
guards from shooting
Shielded by the girls presence and
cheered on by 1900 convicts, the three
men made their way across the prison
yard
Only ore shot was fired at them, and
it struck the girl.
AS she sank to the ground. wounded.
the convicts sprang to the prison gate.
With the keys they had taken from Turn
key Martin. they unlocked it and were
free. Outside the gate the horse and
buggy of Warden Dick was hitched The
three men sprang into 1t.
On the wall guns began to belch forth
at the fleeing convicts. Guards and prison
officials quickly mounted horses and the
pursuit of the convicts began. 1t was
short-lived The heavy load Warden
Dicks horse was pulling soon ended the
fight. The guards were oveTtaking the
prisoners.
You'll never take us alive" shouted
Reed. as he stood up in tne buggy and
fired at the approaching officers. Tho
other convicts bent low to avoid the spat-
tering bullets. Reed fought the fight
alone. Fear-stricken, the others crouched
behind the staggering horse. The guards
norred n msrctless fire into the buggS
The horse fell and the convicts ceased
firing. The three mutineers lay in a
heap in the bullet-riddled buggy, dead.
Prisoners Soon Subdued.
Although the greatest confusion pre-.
vailed among the 1900 prisoners, the
guards soon subdued them and none es.
capped.
Warden Dick was unable tonight to ac.
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