The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1921-12-15
TOMMY O'CONNOR
CHEATS MOOSE
Two Gun Man to Have
Been Hanged Thursday
Breaks Jail.
HELP OF OFFICIALS?
Distinguished" Leader of Gun
Men Said to Have Had Aid of
Officials in Get Away.
(By Associated Press Leased wire.l

gun-man and killer, was to have been
led today to the death cell in the Cook
county Jail, there to await his hanging
Thursday morning for the killing of a
policeman, but instead he was leading
a combined force Of 5000 police and
deputies merry chase, after a sensa-
tlonal escape from the Jail. Four Jail
guards were overpowered by O'Connor
and four other prisoners but O'Con-
nor's reputation as a killer suffered
when he failed to use revolver which
had been struggled to him.
The Jail break was characterized bv
Chief of Police Fitzmorris as frame
up" between O'Connor and the Jail Off
Gals and the chief ordered his men to
bring in O'Connor dead, not alive.
Searching inquiries also were started
by States Attorney Grove and Sheriff
Peters. The sheriff suspended three
guards and also offered reward of
$500 for O'Connor's apprehension.
Jail Guard David Straus, Darling
Dave" O'Connor and several prisoners
were to be questioned again today.
Straus was quizzed at length but failed
to satisfy the prosecutors and was re-
moved to an outlying police station.
All Jail rules were violated in handling
the prisoners, according to a member
of the states attorneys office,
Hundreds of reports have been re-
ceived by the police of O'Connor's hid
ing place, but no direct trace of the
fugitive or his two companions, Edwin
barrow, his cell-mate, and James La
Porte, convicted robber, has been OBJ
tanned. O'Connor picked three able
confederates. barrow, awaiting trial
for 100000 robbery, knew the in
terror of the Jail; La Porte, convicted
of $4,000 robbery, was aware of the
positions of the guards; and Sponagel,
a convicted "tea store" bandit, was
picked because of his massive frame
and strength.
The most generally accepted theory
to explain O'Connor's possession of
the revolver is that at the last minute
he obtained it from some other pris-
oner in the "bull pen" who would be
less carefully watched. The prisoners
had just been released from their in
dividual cells to mingle in the morning
exercise period when the rush for lib
erty was started. O'Connor whipped
out gun and showed it into Guard
Straus' ribs. barrow took the kew
from the guard. The, guard was car
ried inside, bound and gagged. ,O'Con-
nor forced the otheE prisoners to the
end of the cell block, in the meantime.
O'Connor, barrow, La Porte. Spon-
agile and McDermotts then ran out of
the cell block down the stairs to the
third floor. There they found two
guards who were subdued and. taken
down the back stairs, bound and gagged
and thrown into the cell just vacated
by O'Connor.
The quintet used freight elevator
in getting to the basement where they
forced guard who was watching some
TRUSTEES" clean the kitchen, to part
with. his keys. These opened door
leading into an alley in the rear of
the jail. O'Connor, barrow, La Porte
and Sponagle were forced to climb
shed and drop into another alley.
Sponagel broke his ankles when he
dropped to the ground. McDermott and
number of other prisoners also tried
to escape but they were stopped by
other guards who had in the meantime
seized rifles. Four automobiles were
Communicated by O'Connor as he fed
and two Of them were wrecked. Inves-
LEGATIONS started Immediately after the
escape and dozen prisoners were
placed in solitary confinement.
Chief Fitzmorris today threatened to
suspend any policeman who tries to
capture O'Connor alive and promised
promotion to the man who brings him
in dead.
"He will never surrender so long as
he can shoot,A the chief said, "and 1
don't want my men to take any chan
ces." Fitzmorris was bitter in his de-
nunciation of conditions at the Jail.
He charged O'Connor was literally
Showed out" of the jail by some off
cial inside. Somebody in authority at
the jail let him go Free" the chief said.
at was deliberate conspiracy. They
gave him everything but a road map
and street directory"