Omaha daily bee., 1920-11-20
Suicide Is
Attempted
By Chester
Alleged Kansas City Murder
er Who Escaped From Train
Is Captured by Sheriff
Near Oconto.
Strangles Himself in Cell

Broken Bow, Neb., Nov. 49,
Dennis Chester, alleged slayer o
Florence Barton, Kansas City so
Getty girl, who was captured 81,
iNiles south of Oconto today aftc
escaping from three detectives Mon
Cay by jumping through the window
of train here, attempted to Kill
himself in the county jail by strang
t.,ation late today.
Sheriff V. c. Talbot and his broth
Ar.in-law, former Sheriff Fl. F. Ken
nedy. found Chester unconscious il
his cell. He tore a blanket into
STRIPS, tied one end around a bal
OF his cell and the other around hi,
neck. He then allowed himself te
faii backward with his feet still or
the floor.
The attention of the sheriff's wife
was attracted about S p. m. by a
noise coming from the Jail which adj
ioins the sheriff's living quarters
She summoned her husband and the
latter, with Kennedy, began an in
vestigation. Immediately following
heir discovery they called two ply.
sicians, Drs. George Pennington and
Theodore koefoot, both OF whom
reported that the prisoner stood an
excellent chance to recover,
Captured Friday Morning.
He was captured at 10 this morn
,ng by Deputy Sheriff Harmon and
Dr. ri. Hanson, veterinarian He
was walking along country road
. miles south of this city when the
officers found him after securing
the country since daylight. "A "tip"
that he had spent the night in Ocon-
10 drew the officer to that vicinity
when other members of the posse
secuted the idea that he was in that
vinicinity.
He was Immediately brought to
this city and is being held under
guard in cell in the county Jail, He
refuses to talk of his escape and
when questioned said, Il am not the
one who has the explaining to do.
4 SIX the detectives, they saw i all.
Spent Night at oconto.
Chester stayed in Oconto last
night, wsere he stoeket up on pro-
visions and continued his walk early
this morning. He was dressed in
blue unionalls covering new
sweater. He had also purchased a
warm winter cap. In sack over
his shoulder he carried his provi-
sions consisting OF a half loaf of
bread. cans of salmon and sardines,
cheese and quart bottle of water.
While in Oconto he purchased
razor and was cleanly shaved when
arrested.
At the time of Chester's arrest
Chief Hagen of the Midwest De-
tective agency, Kansas City. was
securing the country i'll the vicinity
of Oconto in an airplane in which
he arrived this morning. He had
not got as far south as Chester be-
fore notified OF the arrest.
Girls Brother in Posse.
kimball Barton. brother Of the.
slain girl, and Howard Winters. who
was with her when killed. were with
Sheriff Talbot Of Custer county
searching the territory north of
,Oconsb.
| Detectives John Farrell and Henry
VI ) of Kansas City were of the
n son that Chester had escaped
this vicinity and went to
ance where they are conducting
l arch. Detectives E. E. Beasley
y up the search yesterday and re-
net d to Kansas City.
>eI ,orts given out BY the detec7
IS accompanying Chester, that he
sas penniless, were proven wrong
when he was seorched by Sheriff
Hamrhon. After making his pur-
chase in Oconto last night he still
; had 81 in his pockets. He did not
have gun.
Sheriff Harmon and DR.. Han
son frs: saw Chester as he was
walking over hill. They drove up
to him and asked directions for
reaching Oconto. DR.. Hanson got
out OF their car and walking up to
him asked the distance and when
informed that it was six miles
covered him with gun. Sheriff
Harmon formally placed him un-
der arrest and shackeled him for
the return to Broken Bow,
Escaped Monday Night.
Chester made his escape from
three Kansas City officers, who were
returning him to the Missouri city
from Great Falls, Mont, Monday
right wien Burlington train No. a
reached Broken Bow. The escape
was perfected by Chester just as the
train came to stop at the depot.
At the time of his escape he was
in company of Detective Beasley in
stateroom on the train, two other
detectives, Farrell and Boyle, having
left the compartment but few min
utes prior. As the train came to a
stop Chester made a lunge through
the double window of the compart7
ment and sped away in the darkness.
Detective Beaslev fired five shots at