West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1914-01-22
DARING BREAK BY
Three GONVICTS
5iOOd.S Spilled in Oklahoma Pen;
Sewn Persons Killed
GIRL FORCED TO Be SHIELD

Former congrescman, Deputy Warden.
eertiIlon Man, Prlson Sergeant and
the Three cOnvlets Are Dead.
Guard. Girl stenosrapher in War
den's Office and Prisoner Who Tried
to Assist Deputy Are Wounded.
McAlestor, Okla. Jan. 2O.-Seven
persons were killed and three injured
in a pistol battle at the state peni-
tentiary here, which resulted when
three prisoners, armed with revolvers.
sn for liberty.
The dead are: Judge John r..
Thomas, iormor congressman from
( Illinois; ID. c. Oates. assistant deputy
warden; II. c. Godfrey. day sergeant.
ana n. II. Drover. Bertillon expert.
The convicts. Tom Lane, Chiney
Read and Charles Kuntz. managed to
get outside the prison but they were
shot and killed before getting on tho
prison farm.
The three prisoners slipped throuSh
the storeroom and up dark stairway
that leads TO the cage al the entrance
OF the main building. They appeared
at the door of the cage just as the
turnkey was locking the gate after
letting out some visitors.
Thrusting gun in The face OF tho
guard they demanded the keys. After
little parleying they succeeded in
\ getting them and as they reached
4 through the bars TO unlock the gates
the guard, Jack Martin. ran for the
/ warden's room.
Pat Oates. the assistant deuuty
! warden, was the only officer there.
No guns are stored in the Office. but
a guard was dispatched for firearms.
Oates and Martin stepped into
| side room as the convicts entered the
/ first OF the suite OF rooms used by the
officers OF the jail They ran through
! the first room which connects with
the second Both rooms were vacant.
as the news WIS made known that the
men had escaped. Then thev con.
tinued into The last room, which is
Warden Dicks.
In the varden's room was Iud-e
Thomas TALKING 20 a prisoner whom
he had been called TO McAiester 70
'NAANN.A f." W. tA NfiN .hffa HN ffln-
victs rushed into the room and de-
manded th"t eli present nut NJ their
hands. Judge Thomas responded ana
begged that he be not killed. bur IN
the fight that followed he was shot
through the heart.
Godfrey and Clerk Rice were I'm tho
room and they mt up their hands n
the convicts' bidding. AS one OF Tire
convicts made q half turn OF tho body
Godfrey attempted 20 grasp him and
the sergeant was shot through the
head by another convict.
The stenoRrapher, Mary Foster. was
cornered and placing her in their
arms. with Rice In front. the prison
ers attempted 10 beat their way back
TO the front Office and 10 the entrance.
BY this time Pat Oates had secured
gun and as thev attemnted TO come
out OF the warden's Office into the
deputy's Office Oates shot and wound
ed Kuntz. Tho convicta made stand
against Oates and as the officer tr'ed
TO shoot they held the girl and Rice
in front Of them. Watching his
chance one convict threw his ar,n
around the casing OF the door q.
and fell himself 10 the ground.
During the shooting shot went
through the door OF the Office opening
into the entrance into the west wing
OF the building and 10 the far end on
the wing where Drover, the Bertillon
man. was standing The bullet entered
his heart.
Working their way 90 the entrance
and unlocking the front gate the con.
victs pushed the girl and Rice I'm
front Of them right past the tower
where the two entry guards stood and
'No-~ o. ohoot Realizing their
helpless condition these men did not
attempt to shoot.
Getting into buggy that wne
standing a. tho driveway I'm front OF
the prison the men loaded I'm the girl
and Rice and lifted IN the wounded
man and started away.
They were first met by guard who.
not expecting anything of the kind.
wos told ~ nut uD his hands and ne
did 80. They next met the kecner
of tho bloodhounds. Ceorpe Rifchio.
who was riding a horse. Rltchie dis.
mounted and began shooting regard
less Of the girl and Rice. His first
shot hit Lame IN tho head and ne
dropped forward on Rice. Chinev
Read. anewcrinR the fire. was next
shot by Rtohie hs Lane tumbIod
'-.~- '- ir -~~ pi~n threw Read out
shot Oates through the head.
~ o. e guards come runnfng
end q number OF shots had been Gred
at the occupants OF the BUGGY. Tho
girl, who was pros'rafed and also shot
through the th'eh iay IN the buoy
end woe ror,ued fn few minutes
after the firing ceased
Mart 20. tie turnkey was shot in tho
face while making the nrht by tho
side Of Oetes but not seriously hurt.
and another convict by attempting 10
assist Oates was cut in the face.
Life Prisoners Effect Escape.
Moundsv.ile. w. Va, Jan. 90
Louis Hendricks and Grover Smith.
hfc prisoners in Che ponitcntiary here
for murder oacnnrd rrnov cuf q InI.