Evening star., 1921-12-12
ORDERED TO SHOOT
|0'CONNOR ON SIGHT
Chicago Police Chief Scores
Negligence in Escape
Of Murderer.
By the Associated Press,

CHICAGO, December 12.-Lucky
Tommy oCounor. gunman and killer.
who was to have been led today to
the death cell In the Cook county Jail
to await hanging Thursday morning
for the killing of policeman, instead
was leading the combined force of
5000 police and deputies a merry
chase. after a sensational escape from
the county Jail. Four jail guards were
overpowered by O'Connor and four
other prisoners. but O'Connor's repu-
failed to use q revolver which had
been smuggled to him.
The Jail break was characterized by
Chief of Police Fitzmorris as a
"frame-up between O'Connor and Jail
officials" and the chief ordered his
men to bring IN O'Connor dead or
alive" Searching inquiries also were
Grove and Sheriff Peters The sheriff
fered a reward of $500 for the appre-
hension of O'Connor.
An Jail Rules Ignored.
Jail Guard Davis Straus. Darling
Dave" O'Connor. the gunman's BROTH
er, and several prisoners were to be
questioned again today. Straus was
add anything Of Importance and was
held in a police cell. All Jail rules
were violated in handling the pris-
oners. according to member of the
, state attorneys Office.
Hundreds of reports were received
place." but no direct trace of the
fugitive or his two companions. Ed
win Darrow, his cellmate, and James
La Porte, convicted robber, had been
. obtained early today.
In investigating reports of plans to
, ficials say they learned that Satur-
day night a man drove an automobile
to the side of the Jail and paced up
and down the street for three hours.
Rush for Liberty.
to explain O'Connor's possession of
the revolver is that, at the last min
ute, he obtained 1t from some other
prisoner in the bull pen, who would
be less carefully watched. The pris-
oners had just been released from
the morning exercise period when
the rush for liberty was started.
The series of accidents that befell
drivers of automobiles commander
ed by O'Connor in his flight also has
helped to conceal his flight, police
Of the jail. went dead" within a
block through overeagerness of the
driver to obtain speed. The next two
crashed into the. curb in rounding
corners too rapidly and the fourth,
containing man and two women.
vanished entirely.
I O'Connor's companions left him
after the disaster to the second auto
mobile, fnaking their escape on foot.
Punishment for Capture.
Chief OF Police Fitzmorris today
threatened to suspend any policeman
who tries to capture O'Connor alive
fwho brings him In dead.
|: "He will never surrender SO long az
The can shoot" the chief said. -''ani
don't want my men to take any
tchanceS."
Fitzmorris. was ~. bitter in his denqn;
Charged Charge " Oconnor WAS literally
showed OUT Of the jail by some ofi-
| efal inside, Somebody in authority
Int the jail let him go free" the chief
i,said. ut was deliberate conspiracy
i They gave him everything but a road
map and street directory: ,,..,
listatus II he remains at liberty past
the hour set. for his hanging. !Thurs-
day was cleared up today by the an
announcement Of Assistant; States At.
torney Lloyd Heath, who prosecuted
| lOConnor, that he would appear be-
fore Judge Kickham .Scanlon Thurs
be prolonged. Mr.. Heath said this
would be dene at each term Of court