The Washington herald., 1917-06-11
ATTACK KIDNAPPERS?
CONTINUED FROM PAGE ONE.

NS%'AA-'N A%D mn 4 aNS N-'H"
hiding place to aid his men. In two
days he has not slept.
That the prisoners were once in the
hands of the mob, there is no longer
a doubt. Sheriff Webb in his state
mcnt this afternoon plainly stated that
the men were turned over to the mob
by him. His story follows:
yesterday morning. AS soon as 1
got word that the baby's body had
been found, 1 got two automobiles and
rushed the prisoners into it,
Were they willing to go?"
willing? You couldn't have gotten
them away IL you tried. They were
frightened pale. We drove at break
neck speed. No, l hadn't any place
in mind. just drove and drove fast.
| wanted to get where 1 could lock
But nobody would take them in.
We went from town to town and
every where there was a jail l asked
for admission and they all refused. l
didn't blame them. I wouldn't want
to take prisoners into my Jail here,
if I was sure that in a few minutes
a mob would be there to do violence.
i avoided going through the main
parts of towns because I knew there
would be trouble. We swerved around
the edge of every place and all the
time the prisoners were pale as death.
Mrs. Adams sat with me. Her lips
were tight and her eyes wide, but she
when we were outside of Stockton.
US. They were orderly and made their
plans known to me at once.
III give them to you,' | told the
men, If you promise to return them
to me, just as l gave them to you
fellows ID needed only their word.
l said l didn't want trouble but, by
God, If they wanted 1t they could have
it They assured me there would be no
useless trouble without confession.
and Claude Piersol and they took
them to Stockton. I don't know what
they did. l didn't want to know
what they said, and as long as don't
know whether Piersol was guilty or
not, l could do my work better. I
asked him no questions; I had plenty
Of business in hand. / kept my eyes
and hands busy.
II don't know what the men did to
Piersol in the town square. l under
stand they put a rope around his neck
confession. When they took him out
of the car he threw up his hands
and said. I know you are going to
kill me. l don't care how. Here / am.
Go ahead: But when you go home
tel my folks that didn't do this
guilty, Of conspiracy and intended to
do kidnapping, but so help me God, I
had not anything to do with the
Keet baby. don't know any more
about II than II there never was such
e. e child That's ALL so now go to
THE men who came for Piersol were
stopped short. They decided 10 con-
vince themselves further and they
tried the rope. I heard from the
it so tight about his neck that his
face began to look dark and his tom
que protruded, but as long as he
could talk he said he was innocent.
That settled it, guess. l know
they VIII never convince me that
Maybe Something will iIAs sopTInSs 9e Ss0nS; me-
that he did. But now, I feel he is
innocent of the Keet crime. "
THE four prisoners left, after my
deputy went with PiersoI, Adams and
the mob. / took to the Stockton jail
Allie Adams, c. Letus and Maxis
Adams and Sam McGInnIs THE
deputy took Piersol and Adams away
and locked them up. I don't Know
where. I can't say.
Eyes, the mob in Stockton has dis
persed. 1 don't believe there will he
any more trouble, unless Something
new comes Up to change the, minds ~
the men who got hold Of PiersoI last
night.
"The uncertainty because of his ac-
tions at what seemed to be his Ia =,
hour is keeping them back. However,
] am ready to start at any minute
when I hear from my deputies"
ut was the widest ride / haya aver
known, he said. The, sheriff rubbed
MS hands over his forehead and SEEM
ed dazed by the memory Of the ex-
perience.