Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1917-08-20
TRUSTY PREVENTS
A JAIL DELIVERY
Fred Ragsdale Summons Pc,
lice Officers When Prison
ers Overpower Jailor.
RELIGIOUS WORKERS THERE
Thirty-five Men, Released to
Hear Preaching, Attempt
to Gain Liberty.

Loss OF blood and the proba bile kill
lrg of several people was prevented
yesterday afternoon when the fidelity
OF trusty coupled with the quick
actor OF the Tulsa police department
aVerted an attempted Jail delivery by
prisoners of the courty Jail.
About 3 o'clock Jailer AL Gilbert
had entered the first corridor of the
lail in company with n band from the
Mission Of Redeeming Love" who
We're to hold religious services before
the inmates. Several of the prisoners
VINO were in the runway, having been
left out of their cells, made so much
noise that II interfered with the meet
ing. In an effort to quiet the riotous
ones the jailer unlocked the door to
tee runway and entered.
Jailcr Is Attacked.
Immediately he was grabbed by
three of the prisoners who quickly re-
lieved him of his keys and gun. They
made a rush for the door TO the out
side corridor but finding il locked re-
turned and forced the jailer and the
band of religious workers who includ-
ed three men and woman INTO cells.
While these events were transpiI
Fred Ragsdale. who was asleep in the
front office. BY this time the band
of religious workers and ,ailer were
locked in a cell but The cry and noise
had been sufficient To awaken the
Il usty. Several of the prisoners in
Guiding the one with the keys had re-
turned to the corridor door and was
trying to find the key to open it.
Ragsdale knowing that a fight was
l. 4 hot hAyN
ties ror county officers were present
to aid sent cali to the police station.
He then broke open a desk in winch
was locked two sixshootcrs and taking
them in his hand went to the corridor
door and demanded the prisoners to
return to their cells.
Riot Call Sounded.
In the meantime every officer al
the police station had been ordered TO
the county Jail and a call TO everV
patrolman on the beats to rush "
the mace was made. Within a few
minutes after the trusty had sen'
the call over a score of the bluecoats
and plainclothsmen had surrounded
every possible means of escape from
the courthouse with drawn reVolVers
ready to demand surrender or any
man who left the building.
city Detectives Carmichael and Lewis
then entered the building and find
ing the elevator to the top floor upon
which the Jail is located locked re-
sorted to secret stairway to gain
entrance to the sheriff office. Upon
reaching the top they found the trusty
ready TO fire upon any of the prison
ers who opened the corridor door.
Lewis and Carmichael went to the
door and with sledge hammer broke
| hn. OF a r. af
this operation the prisoners became
aware of the presence of the Officers
and by the time access to the jail
had been gained they were all quietly
reclining in the cells.
Religious Workers Scared.
Jailer Gilbert and the religious
workers were then liberated and
found to be uninjured. However
when auietude had been restored and
the prisoners securely barred from en-
| trance to the outside world once more
the religious workers decided thai
meetings at that time were unneces'
I sary and made themselves CONSPICUOUS
! by their absence.
one peculiar incident of the event
was that in nearly every court room
of the building some order of religious
meetings were being held. Although
every policeman on duty was arount
the building and several hundred peo-
pie present few of the worshipper'
had any knowledge of what was goinl
on or how near they were of being
in the midst of a gun battle.
Sheriff Mccullough IN commenting
on the affair stated that only the
| fnithfulness of Ragsdale and the quick
arrival of the police prevented seriou!
, happenings. Gilbert is a good man,
| he said. ''but was simply caught in &
position that sometimes occurs II
handling desperate men,"