The New York herald., 1921-12-10
Tom Slaughter, Noted Killer,
Near Capture When Bullet
Ends His Life.
POSSES GET COMPANIONS
Seven in Little Rock. Ark,
Prison Disarmed Guards and
Locked Them in Cells.

LITTLE Rock, Ark, Dec. 9 (Associated
Press) Tom Slaughter. desperate,
came to the end Of his long career OF
crime tonight in the Saline county
hills. He was shot from behind by
one OF the white men whom he led to
liberty from the State penitentiary
here this morning
The report of Slaughter's death was
confirmed late tonight by Sheriff j. ].
Crow of Saline county. leader Of one
of the posses on the killers trail.
Not only is Slaughter dead, but one
of the negroes who fled the prison
with him in the spectacular escape this
morning is dying in the hills beside
the bandits body, while the white
companion who shot him and the
three other negroes are in custody.
The man who killed Slaughter is j.
c. Howard, who was serving a three
year term for forgery. Howard, ac-
cording to a statement he made at
the Benton Jail late tonight. had been
waiting to turn upon Slaughter.
II left with him with the intention
Of killing him the first chance I got"
he is quoted as saying.
Special Despatch 10 THE New YoRK HERALD.
LITTLE Rock, Ark, Dec. 9.-Tom
Slaughter. one OF the most daring ban
dts and killers the Southwest has pro-
duced in many years, and four OF six
convicts WHO escaped with him from the
State penitentiary here early this morn
ing after he had locked the warden and
several keepers In cells, were trapped
tonight on mountain in Saline county,
about thirty miles south OF Little Rock.
Posses from Little Rock. Benton and
Hot Springs surrounded the mountain
and closed in upon the convicts. with
orders to shoot to kill the instant they
saw Slaughter or any of his compa Mons
All the escaped convicts. especially
Slaughter, who was under sentence to
die December f6, We're regarded as des-
perate men and were we'll armed with
weapons taken from the warden and the
keepers of the penitentiary.
Four of the negroes who went with
him are also under death sentence for
participation in the Elaine riots.
Slaughter had been carefully watched
since he was sent TO prison for what
authorities throughout the Southwest
hoped would be the last time, but in
spite of this some one was able 10
smuggle a revolver to him. Early this
morning he called for guard and
asked for An extra blanket
Disarms Guard in Cell.
y,rt,oc ,t,a o,,ord caroa ha cayerad fba
man with the gun and dsarmed him.
Then he forced the guard TO walk ahead
of him in the stockade. where ne over
powered the one guard on duty. The
guards were tied up and bundled into
cells. Slaughter took their keys and
literally ruled the prison for several
hours.
JangIing his keyes he went from cell
to cell. opening all the doors and invit-
ing all the convicts to escape. Only six
took advantage of the offer. four negroes
and two white men, and the gang easily
overpowered the only two guards re-
manning within the prison.
With this accomplished Slaughter was
in control Of the whole place. He went
In the office and threw the papers about
and after awhile he decided to lock up
all the guards, which he did. Then he
went into the prison hospital and forced
a nurse to show him the way to the
apartments. just outside the walls, occu-
pied by Warden T.. II. Dempsey and his
family.
The nurse awakened the warden. and
Slaughter forced all the family TO march
into the prison and TO the death house,
where he locked them in the cell that
had been his. He promised not to harm
them. and did not on the contrary. he
frequently appeared before their cell
70 ask how they were getting along, and
orce took TO them a pot OF coffee, with
cream. sugar and cups and saucers lie
then opened the outer gates OF the penl-
tcntiary. took his six companions and
went into the commiseary, and set about
outfitting his gang for their escape.
They clothed themselves in complete
civilian outfits
Armed They Flee In Motor Car.
With this done. Slaughter and his
gang took several revolvers belonging 70
the prison. and then an automooile De-
longing 10 Mrs DEMPSEY. hrst stripping
the tires from q roadster belonging to a
son OF the warden. 20 hinder pursuit.
An hour or 30 after the conVicts had
zone other prisoners under direction OF
the warden cut n hole In the flooring or
the death house and the warden escaped
from the cell. Then he telephoned TO
Benton, Hot SPRING. Little Rock and
other places asking that posses be sent
at once after the convicts.
Sheriff Grow of Saline county received
the meseage Just in time to summon ave
deputies before the automobile with the
seyen conyicts came tearing through
Benton. The sheriff and his men began
arjnp and Slaughter and his gang re-
turned the Are. escaping after a hard
battle.
twenty minutes later automobiles
filled with deputies swept out OF the
toun In purs1it of the convicts, and two
hours later they came upon Slaughter's
automobile. the convicts having taken
to the woods on foot. There was blood
on the back seat and several bullet holes
In the woodwork. inside the machine
were the remnants Of two pistols that
had been shattered by bullets.
Della Rcbbfa Rsour-sunday Dinner, Evsnfrg
r-onosrt priee 40 SO Vanderbilt Hotef.-I dI,