The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1921-12-16
THREE CRIMINALS FIGHT
WAY FROM PRISON
"TWO-GUN TOMMY" O'CONAOR, DOOMED
70 HANG YESTERDAY - BEAT DOWN
GUARDS, SCALE HlGH WALL AND
ESCAPE IN TWO STOLEN AUTO.

/ NAtAt<tNt''Fa wv H. UllItf ~ NlUHtE
nor, Two tunman," sentenced 20 be
hanged Thursday for murder and
two other notorious criminals, to-
day escaped from the county Jail.
I fighting their way past half dozen
guards. most OF whom were beaten In
10 unconsciousness by the despera-
does IN their dash for liberty.
Starting in the fourth floor "bull
pen. where the prisoners were exer-
cising al II O'Clock this morning. the
break for freedom led down five floors
through the hasement, into the jail
yard. and over a l2-foot wall to
Z street. where an automobile was con-
+ flscated. The driver. pistol poked
into his face. was told to 'DrIve like
helle
A few minutes later the machine
crashed into a telephone pole. but the
! bandits continued their flight. O'Conv
nor commandeered another ear and
when last seen the murderer. who has
boon characterized by the police as
fChicago's most desperate gunman,
I was headed toward the South Side un-
derwOrid, armed for battle Two 9TH
er prisoners who attempted to es-
cape win the trio were captured In
the Jail grounds.
The escape. carried out Ii broad
+ daylight. was the most sensational in
this part Of the country in many
years, and apparently was carefully
planned. II was successful despite the
met tnat sevefaf iailers refused to
heed the threat OF O'C0nnor's pistol
Z and risked their lives IN trying TO OBJ
atruet his dash for liberty
The two men who escaped with
o'CODnor we're Edward barrow,
charged with q $4,000 robbery and
James la Porte. alleged 20 have been
/ implicated In $4,000 robbery.
8C0nnor had been In trouble with tho
police on many oecasl0ns, but his ap-
parent Immunity from conviction
earned him the tale Of Lucky Tom
/ my"
Last sprlHg half dozen detectives
went ID OConn0rs honse 10 question
I him about o crime. While they. were
there Eaiiceman Patrick 0'Neill was
shot 10 death and oCOnnof. later con-
victed af the murder. escaped despite
the presence nf half dozen officers,
most of whom were suspended for
EAHtiN ARNtfENt NfHtiktHIHs
After several weeks. TOmmy's pro-
verbal luck failed. for he was cap
tured in 81. Paul, brought back here,
convicted and sentenced TO hang.
sevonty-aye prisoners we're exercis-
ing In the ~buli pen" when o'Connor
and his pals made their break
I David Strauss was the only guard
10 the room at the time One Of the
men. according 10 Strauss, suddenly
whispered something "a O'Connor.
+ The Ave prisoners In the Jail break
simultaneously jumped on Strauss.
OConnor drawing revolver which
had been smuggled to him. A sack
was placed over Strauss head and he
WAS beaten into uneonsciOusness.
0'COnnar repeatedly brought down the
I butt OF the pistol on the guards head.
I Hearing the commotiOn, two other
guards rushed into the bull pen"
/ O'ConuoF ordered them 10 throw up
their hands, but they refused and
spfang forward. Apparently afraid
that the sound Of shooting would
bring so many guards that escape
would be impossible. O'connOr did not
fife The guards were beaten into un-
consciousness.
One OF the guards had the keys to
the Jail and these we're taken from
him The i've men dashed for the
freight elevator. but ran into an as
sistent taller Pointing the revolver at
him O'Connor shouted stand back,
or IN blow you to heil'"
The taller sprang at O'Connor, but
the criminal felled him and continued
hla fight
Down % the basement, past two
more guards. the convlcts fed. and
then started to scale the l2-foot wall
surrounding the Jail Here two OF the
prisoners trlped and we're captured at
the foot Of the wall, but O'Connor and
the other two got over safely.
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