The Topeka state journal., 1916-09-21
Come to Town in Autos; Over
power Sheriff Carroll.
Batter Down Jail Doors and
Drag Out Prisoner.
VICTIM A BRUTAL MURDERER
Bert Dudley, ex-COnVict, Shot
Aged Couple Dead.
Dragged Bodies Away; Took
Possession of Farm.
TO GET LIFE SENTENCE TODAY
But Incensed POpulace Take
Law in Own Hands.
With Rope Around Neck, Dud-
ley Pleads Innocence.
But Incensed POpulace Take
Law in Own Hands.
With Rope Around Neck, Dud-
ley Pleads Innocence.
SHERIFF'SWIFE PLAYS HEROINE
Secretes Jail Keys From MOD,
Calls Fire Department.
Mob Fires Shots Into Body:
None Is Identified.

Olathe. Kan. Sept. 21.-Bert Dud-
lev. the murderer of Henry Muller an
aged German, and his wife, was taken
from the Johnson county jail here
early this morning by masked mop
and hanged to a telephone pole
The mob came to Olathe in motor
cars. supposedly from near Snlwel'
where Muller had lived. Sheriff Lon
Carroll refused to give up Dudley and
tho mob overpowered him. Then they
battered down three jail doors. sew
eral shots were fired, but none was
injured. ,,.-..-a..
The murder, of which Dudley was
convicted last Tuesday. was commltteu
near StilweH, seventeen miles south
east of here, August 20. Dudley, VINO
was an ex-convict, was employed as d
farm hand and killed Muller because
of an alteration over team OF hnules
which he wished to borrow to do some
road work. Mrs. Muller was klllec i1s
when she asked Dudley what had be-
come of her husband.
Hid Bodies in a Cellar.
The crime was not discovered IoI
several days. Dudley, after having hlo
the bodies in an abandoned celleI
1ived at the Muller h ome with boy
Ivbo1r-he had hired to aid in the farm
works. When he endeavored to sell
load of wheat from the farm an IN
1reetieation was started that led to dis
ccVery of the murder
The Jury which coNEAlcted MN Was
out only fifteen minutes.
Mob Well Organized.
The mob was well organized and ap
narentlv led by one man. 1t came lntt
Olathe quietly. the lights of the doze1
motor cars dimmed by coats thrown
over them and the license tags re
moved One man went to the Jal
first and called Sheriff Carroll Whos'
residence is there, out of bed with tn
story that a man had been hurt in
motor car accident AS he came dow
stairs. he was seized from behind. H
fred two or three times with his re
voIver. but was overpowered and hi
hands were tied behind his back
Mrs Carroll, the sheriffs wife, RAJ
out a back door of the Jail with tn
KEYS and threw them in the grass
Members of the mob, unable to fin
them, broke into a garage opposite tn
Jail and began battering down tn
doors three of which separated then
from Dudley. Carroll was taken int
the Jail by the mob and was silen
witness of the work.
Threw Water on Mob.
Mrs. Carroll. who was outside tn
iail. called the fire department. a
undersheriff and a. G. Carberry, tn
citv marshal. The fire department
threw streams of water upon the me
still outside until they were forced t
desist by a display of revolvers. TIL
undersheriff and Marshal Carberr
were overpowered, tied and taken int
the Jail. Just as the door to Dudley
cell was broken down, some on
struck Carberry in the back of tn
head with a revolver and rendere
him unconscious.
Dudley was taken out and his hand
tied. H was asked if he had com
mitted the crime.
so help me God, did not do it,
he is ddoted as having said.
Denies He Committed Crime
I-e was taken to the motor cars,
block from the Jail, and the mob wer
to the edge of town on an extensio
of the road that, coincidentally,
known as Dudley street. The cor
victed mans feet were tied and h
was again asked whether he had CON
mitted the crime. Again he denie
it, being quoted as saying:
mo, did not do it,
A 40-foot rope was thrown over a
arm of a telephone pole and he wa
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