The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-12-09
Double Murderer Reigns
Supreme in Arkansas
Penitentiary and Escapes
For Five Hours Tom Slaughter, Notorious Outlaw, Was
Gar of Prson-Wth Others From Death House
Motors Away in Warden's Auto.

Little Rock, Ark, Dec. 9 (by the A.
P)-Tom Slaughter, man-killer and
bank roDber, wanted in Oklahoma,
Texas, Missouri, Kentucky, and Penn
sylvania, last night took charge of the
prison here, locked the warden, his
family and guard in cells. opened the
gates and doors of the prison, offered
freedom to all prisoners, and after
ruling the place for five hours es-
capped in an automobile at $3.50 o'clock
this morning.
Slaughter, under sentence of death
for the killing of a trusty guard at the
state prison farm, at Tucker. Ark,
where he was serving a life sentence
for the killing of Deputy Sheriff Row
Brown of Hot Springs, more than a
year ago, took six conVicts with him,
four of whom were negroes under SEN
tences of death. Six negroes under
death sentence in connection with the
riots at Elaine, Ark, iE 1919, refused
the opportunity. to escape and re-
mained in their cells.
Posses On His Trail.
Reports received in Little Rock
early today said that Slaughter had
engaged in a gun fight with officers at
Benton, rs miles southwest of here
but that no one was injured and that
Slaughter and his party had turned
northwest from there.
Four armed posses, one from the
prison, one from Benton and two
from Hot Springs, and sheriffS in all
parts of the state today were securing
their sections for the escaped convicts-
An unconfirmed report was received
here that the car had been abandoned
near Benton. After the escape it de-
veIoped that a revolver had been
smuggled to Slaughter in the death
cell where he had been closely guard
ed since his conviction at Pine Bluff,
of the murder of the convict guard.
He Feigned Illness.
Feigning illness, Slaughter sue
ceeded in getting guard to open his
cell door about $3.50 o'clock last night.
He held up this guard and another
standing nearby took their pistols and
then forced them to go ahead OF MIN
to the stockade, where their presence
admitted them and permitted him to
overpower the one guard on duty.
Slaughter then opened the cells and
offered all the prisoners liberty. Only
six took advantage of the offer and
the other two of the guards were
locked up
He next took one of the guards to
the office of the prison with him ana
took possession of it, turning the
guards on duty over to the men who
elected to escape with him. Next he
went to the hospital and forced d
trained nurse to precede him to the
apartments just outside the walls Oc-
cupied by Warden E. H. Dempsey and
his family.
The nurse awakened them and
Slaughter then forced them to ac-
company him to the death cell, where
they were locked up. He told them
he would not harm them and later,
showing a peculiar trait of character,
brought them a pot of coffee with
cream, sugar and cups.
Threw Prison Gates Open.
Slaughter then threw the gates of
the prison wide open and leisurely
set about Outfitting himself and COM
panions with civilian clothes, from
the commissary. What else was done
to kill the time until 2:3O o'clock is
not known, for everyone except the
seven men were locked up. At 2:3e
o'clock Warden Dempsey said he
heard a car move out from the penf-
tentiary and with the aid of prisoners
above, who cut a hole thru the floor,