Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-12-10
NOTORIOUS BANDIT
LEADS JAIL DELIVERY

LITTLE ROCK, Ark, Dec. g.
Tom Slaughter, notorious Arkansas
bandit and murderer, escaped from
the penitentiary walls at 2:30 O'Clock
this morning, taking with him six
other conVictS, one white man and
five negroes.
An. Outside friend" struggled
revolver to Slaughter in the death
cell.
Thus armed, he outwitted guards
appointed to watch him and took
complete charge Of the walls, throw
ing wide the massive doors Of the
prison and inviting the inmates to
20 with him. He fled in Ford
sedan belonging to Mrs. E. H. Demp-
sey, the warden's wife, after locking
the warden and his family in the
death cell.
At Benton, Slaughter and his
party engaged in a gun battle with
the town marshal, and turning,
headed northwestward.
Slaughter, the most feared bandit
since the days of Jesse James, had
been consigned to the walls after ne
had attempted to shoot his way out
of the Tucker state farm for con-
victs. In this attempt he was cap
tured after killing two trusty guards
and wounding others.
A second attempt to capture
Slaughter as he and his six accom-
plices sped toward Oklahoma failed
at Lonsdale, about 40 miles from
here, according to reports here.
The sheriff and posse waiting In
ambush for the party, were COM
pletely routed and put to flight with
out casualty.
SLAUGHTER, authorities at the peni-
tertiary stated today, is headed for
the rendezvous of the famous out
law band of which he is the leader.
an isolated and strongly garrisoned
ranch near Ponca City, Okla.
The daring getaway was made In
desperate eleventh-hour dash for
life, as Slaughter was slated for the
electric chair just one week from to-
day. On November 8, at Pine Bluff.
Slaughter was sentenced to die for
the killing of Bliss ADHESION, trusty
guard at the Tucker farm in Sep
TENDER.
At the time Slaughter was serving
life sentence for killing Deputy
Row Brown at Hot Springs about
one year ago. His escape today is
the fourth attempt made since his
arrest following the shooting of
Brown.
Slaughter exhibited his usual
strategy and nerve in the escape. He
complained during the day of suf-
fering from a severe chill. Finally,
he asked Herman Vezollie, trusty
guard, to let him have q blanket.
Lying on his bed, in a death cell,
Slaughter feigned that he was I'M
able to get up and take the blanket.
Vezollie gave his gun to Tony Cop
persmith, the other Slaughter guard,
well-known Hot Springs gambler,
and slid back the cell door,, Slaugh-
ter covered Coppersmith with his
gun.
Drop that gun, Tony, or I'll kill
YOU" said Slaughter. With both
guns, Slaughter marched the guards
to the second floor Of the stockade,
where he disarmed the guard there.
Forcing the guards to lie on the
floor, Slaughter liberated the pris-
oners who agreed to join him. Those
who refused liberty, he carefully
| locked up. Among the latter were
the sixfh Elaine race rioters under
! death sentence since 1919.
Slaughter locked Warden Demp'
sey, his wife and three children in
the death cell, apologizing profusely
for causing them discomfort, and as
surfing the warden's wife and daugh
ters that there was no cause for
alarm. After locking them up, he
provided them with a large pot OF
coffee from the penitentiary kitchen
Slaughter ruled as absolute car
for five hours. Arms, ammunition
and wearing apparel were supplied
to the escaping car load. Three OF
the negroes of the party were SEIZED
uled for clectrocution.
| Slaughter, together with six other
convicts who escaped, abandoned the
small automobile in which they es
| capped and took to the woods between
| Benton and Lonsdale, on the Hot
Springs pike, according to word re.
ceived here shortly before noon to-
day. A posse was in pursuit.