New-York tribune., 1921-12-10
Arkansas Bandit Sen.
fenced to Die Traps
Guard, Locks Warden's .
Family in Deserted Cells
Murdered by Pal
TO Avenge Crudge
Convict Took Six With
Him i'm Auto Dash for
Freedom; 4 Captured
Special Dispatch to Tho Tribune

LITTLE ROCK, Ark, Dec. 9.-Tom
Slaughter, bank robber and proud pos
J SCISSOR of two notches on his gun for
Killings, who was to have been ex-
ecuted in the electric chair next Fri
day, bolted the penitentiary here last
night. Not satisfied to go alone, he
penned up half dozen guards and
the warden and his family and
freed as many of the convicts as wanted
to take eFrench leave. After leisurely
changing to civilian clothes and help
ing himself to supplies, this prize
Arkansas prisoner loaded six of his
comrades into an automobile that be-
longed to the warden's wife and drove
away.
Companion Takes Revenue
Late tonight Slaughter was killed in
the fastness of the Saline County hills
, He was shot from behind by one of the
] white men whom he led to liberty.
The report of Slaughters death was
confirmed by Sheriff j. j. Grow of Sa-
; line County, leader of one of the many
posses on the killers trail.
wv Oii4y 10 oiduSusSI UcdQ, DuC one
OF the negroes who fed the prison with
him is dying in the hills beside the
bandits body, while the white com
pamon who shot him down from behind
and the three other negroes are in
custody. The other white man is miss
ing.
Second White Man Is Missing
The man who killed Slaughter is J.
r1 rf TO ~
serving a three-year term for forgery.
The scene of the shooting is fourteen
miles northwest of Benton, in the deep
woods. Howard, according to state
ment he made at the Jail in Benton
late tonight, had been biding his time
to turn upon Slaughter. az left with
him with the intention of killing him
the first chance / got" ne is quoted as
saying. Slaughter fell with two bullets
in his head and another through the
body. -
The negro who is dying beside
Slaughter's corpse received his wound
after the flight from Little Rock dur
ing the battle between four officers in
the main street of the town and the
bandits fleeing in their automobiles.
Bandit Gets Pistol by Trick
Slaughter had IN some way obtained
revolver and secreted it in his cell.
Last night he feigned illness and in
duced a guard on the floor to come in
trusty entered bearing the covering
Slaughter grabbed him by the throat
and at the same time covered the guard.
He marched them to the next corridor,
where he caught another trusty off his
guard by giving the correct password.
Putting all three men in stockade
and locking the door, Slaughter pro-
ceeded to open all the other cells and
hold council meeting with his fellow
prisoners. Six elected to follow him
to freedom, but the rest decided to stay
six negroes awaiting execution for in
citing the riots at Elaine year ago.
Slaughter said he would like to kill
all those who voted to remain, but in
stead he herded them back into the
bullpen and locked the gates.
With his six assistants Slaughter in
vaded the hospital and made prisoner
of the nurse on duty there. Driving
her before them, the seven crossed to
the penitentiary office, where Warden
E. H. Dempsey and his family sleep.
They forced the nurse to awaken Mr..
and Mrs. Dempsey and their two chill
prisoners back to the lookup.
Leisurely Select Clothes
With the keys safely turned on all
who might spread the alarm, Che seven
fugitives took their time about sorting
out the mufti suits from the commits
sary, getting something to eat, taking
all the tires off of an extra automobile
that might have caused them trouble
later, and saying goodby. Besides kiss
ing the warden's two children in fare
we'll, Slaughter went out to the kitchen,
fried some eggs and made coffee and
carried these in to the warden an9 mis-
family behind the bars.
With everything set, Slaughter and
his companions cranked their car and
drove away. 1t was then $3.50 o'clock
this morning, five hours after the ruse
that put the trusty in Slaughter's
power.
Slaughter's career of crime began
when he was fourteen years old. Be-
sides unnumbered bank robberies, he
murdered sheriff in Texas and a
trusty at the prison farm at Tucker
who blocked his plans for escape while
serving life term.
The negroes who went with Slaughter
are Jack Buster, Jim Wells, Willis Can
non and Clifton Taylor, all lifers. The
Whito mon xyoro Hoxuord opJ CLo vi %