The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1914-01-20
COnvicts Kill Four and are
Shot Down I'm Pistol Battle
SENSATIONAL ATTEMPT TO
ESCAPE BRINGS DEATH
TO SEVEN.
Men Armed With Guns Shoot Way
Out of Prison-Several In
jured i'm ARRAY.

three persons were wounded to-
osy when three conviets attmept-
ed 20 escape from the state penI-
tentiary and were slain by the
guards. One Of the men rnur.
dered by the convicts in their mad
dash for liberty was John r.
Thomas, OF Muskooee. formerly
United states district Judge. and
once congressman from Illinois.
Despite the eommotion caused
by the three men In trying to
shoot down every one who came
In their way. no general attempt
was made by other eonviets TO
Join In the delivery. The three
mutneers were encouraged by
their less desperate fellows. who
eheered the onslaught OF the
armed prisoners
DEAD.
John r. Thomas, Muskooee. former.
~ United States district Judge.
-. y. Orover. superintendent ber-
tillon department.
den.
=. C. Godfrey, guard.
China Reed, under sentence Of two
years for larceny.
Tom Lane, PsuIs Valley, under rve
years sentence for forgery.
Charles koontz, Commanche eoun-
". serving 20 years sentence for
WOUNDED.
cheek. .s'
{: 1. Wood, guard. shot through
Mary Foster. telephone Operator,
shot through leg.
SO rapidly did the three con.
Ncts snoot down those in their
path that they reached the prison
turn their IRE. The despersdoe. %
had taken the keys from the turn
key, John Martin, whom they
nad wounded. and had sheltered
themselves through the prison
yard by holding Mary Foster, a
telephone operator In front OF
them until the only shot fired by
guards In the yard hit the girl in
Outside the gate the men seiz.
co tne horse and buggy Of War
den Dick and dashed away, only
70 be shot to death by PURSUING
guards. One OF the conviets
Fought 70 the last, their stolen
horse lashed 20 a gallop BY the
otner two They fired their last
cartridges at the oneomina guards
who poured IN a deadly fire from
horseback.
Even after the three escaped
men were lying dead in the bot
tom oi the eareenlns buggy, the
frightened horse Of the warden
dashed onward until felIed by
puilet from the pursuers.
row the men obtained the .ea-
pons and planned the escape, has
not yet been discovered, but a
rigid inquiry will be begun soon.
Broke From Ranks.
Inc three convicts. armed with Two
reVolverS which had been smuggleo
INTO the penitentiary, broke from the
ranks while the prisoners were being
marched through a courtyard As
they ran through the office they fired
several shots at random. one Of the
bullets striking Miss Foster in ths
ieg Next they encountered former
Judge ThOmes. a visitor TO the Denf
ieniary. In the corridor and both oi
the armed men opened fire. several
OF the bullets striking the aged guest
and inflicting mortal wounds
Turnkey Murdered.
The attempted mutiny occurred al
the end OF the days work Reed
Lane and Koontz worked in the tailor
. shop and when their work was ended
they approached the back door of the
oItlce IN the Administration building
There they met John Martin, the turn
key. They told Martin they wanted
10 see the parole officer. As Martin
opened the door, Reed struck him re
peatedly with a large revolver. sho'
him through the cheek and robbed
him OF his keys
The three prisoners. all armed with
revOlvers and shouting 90 others Il
follow On en-. ran towards the warden.
office. There they met Oakos. the
assistant warden and before he could
defend himself Reed shot him through
the heart
The greatest confusion ensued. Con
victs ran about shouting words OF en-
couraRement 20 the mufineers By
this time the guards were alert auf
began firing. 4 random shot passed
through q door In the Office of bro
yer. the Bertlllon officer. and killed
him. lie was rushing 10 aid his fel
low officers when he fell
Godfrey. the guard. sprang directly
into the path of the mutineers. dis
charging his revolver at them he
100. fell victim 10 Reeds deadly
aim
John " Thomas. formerly United
States district Judge and widely
knOwn throughout Oklahoma. was SD
ting In the warden's office waiting the
return ~ Warden " W. Dick. with
whom he had business engage
menf.
Judge Is Shot
There must be- some trouble out
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