Deming graphic. (Deming, N.M.) 1903-1948, 1918-12-27
ESCAPED LIFE PRISONERS
DID NOT ENJOY LIBERTY
Convicted Murderers Serving 90 Year
Sentences Escaped but Returned
Voluntarily to Prison

John aud Charles Parks were in
the county Jail at Silver City. await
ing action Of the state supreme court
on their appeal from a sentence Of WI
years each for second degree murder.
Last week. they made an escape that
was worthy Of our best movie circle.
They gagged and hound the iailor, u.
II. Stowell took his keys, walked out
Of the prison and into II waiting auto
mobile. aud drove away, supposedly
toward Mexico aud lasting liberty.
The usual telephonlng and telegraph
ing resulted. as is frequently the case,
IN no trace Of the fugitiveS being re-
ported by discovers thereof
Thursday evening, about "a hours
after they had made their getaway,
the Parks men tclephOned to sheriff
elect John Casey, at his home In Sill
yer City. that they weir cold weary.
hungry and tired Of being without
the home comforts 10 which they had
grown accustomed while IN Jail and
begged him tO run out to the MangaS
ranch, II miles from Silver City, and
get them. as they were afraid to 90
home In the dark. Casey complied
The crime for which Charlie and
John Parks were convicted Of muir
der IN the second degree was the kill
ling Of ]. Edward Shrimsher, a deputy
sheriff which occurred on October 81.
1917 just on the outskirts Of the town
Of llachita. In southern Grant county.
They had rented carral and some
pasture there and were preparing to
butcher beef for the army camp near
by. Between two and three O'Clock
on the afternoon Of that day, Shrimser
and Walter Birchfleld manager OF the
Victoria Land and Cattle Company,
approached the place In ear. While
Blrchield was out opening the gate,
with his back toward the corral, two
shots were fired. The first OF these
cut the top wire on the fence and the
second struck Shrimser In the breast
killing him almost instantly. Birch.
field wis not an eye witness OF this
actual shooting, The theory Of the
prosecution In the case was that one
or both Of the Park boys had fired on
/ Shrlmser from a corrugated iron build.
Ing which stood IN the corral. shooting
through two Jagged holes cut In the
iron at about the proper height for
this purpose The defense claimed
that Charlie Parks was standing In thu
corral with his Winchester In hi,
hands preparing to shoot an animal
TINT the boys were about to butcher
That when Shrlmsher drove up the,
believed he was there TO get" then
rs he had threatened 10 do: that on
seeing him Charles Parks turned anf
fired the shot that proved fatal.
The trial took place during N,
March term Of court this year. an,
was hard fought ON both sides. IN,
Fark brothers were defended by tn
late H. u. Terrell, assisted by X. X
Scott, and District Attorney Waugh
was assisted In the case by A. d
isenehan 81 Santa Ne. The trial last
s~l several days. One II the feature
was the taking Of the stand by Char
LIE Parks. who admitted doing The
shooting hut claimed Il was ~ sell
defense. The Jury rtumed a vcrllc
81 murler Ia the second degree agplns
both men and they welp each senlenc
ed to 30 years In the penlieniiary.
An appeal was perfected IN the "a
preme court and h pending AZ PRES
enl.