Arizona republican., 1921-12-12
TWO-GUN MAN UNDER SENTENCE IF DEATH LEADS PRISON BREAK
Slayer Of Policeman Characterised Most Dar- ing Chicago Gun Man; Fights His Way Through Guards From Fourth Floor Of Jail To Street And Escapes In Stolen Auto; Sentenced To Hang Thursday
IRepubIIcan A. P. Leased wIrel

CHICAGO, Dec. 11.-Tommy O'Conner. two-gun man. sentenced to be hanged Thursday for murder. and two other notorious criminals today escaped from the county jail. fighting their way past half a dozen guards. most of whom were beaten into<un- consciousness.
 Starting in the fourth floor "buil pen" where the prisoners were ex- ercising at II a. m-. the break for freedom led down five floors. through the basement into the jail yard and over a twelve foot wall to street where an automobile was confiscated and the driver threatened with pis- tol. and told to drive like hell"
 Shortly afterward the machine crashed into a telephone pole. but the bandits kept going. O'Connor com mandeered anoth~r car and when last seen, the murderer who has been characterized by the police as Chi cago's most desperate gun man. was headed toward the south side. armed for battle. The others went on foot
 The escape. in broad day light. ap- parently was carefully planned Sew eral jailers risked their lives in try ing to stop O'Connor.
 The other two who escaped were Edward Darrow. charged with a s60. robbery. and James LaPorte. alleged to have been implicated in a $3o, 1000 robbery. ,O'Connor had been in trouble with the police on many occasions but his apparent fmmun- ity from conviction earned him the title of Lucky Tommy"
 Last spring detectives went to his house to Iestion him. While there Policeman Patrick O'Neil was shot to death and O'Connor. later con- victed for murder. escaped. To Hang Thursday After several weeks he was cap convicted and sentenced to hang Thursday.
 Ssventy-five prisoners were exer- cising on the fourth floor bull pen today when O'Connor and his pals made their break. Besides the three who got away. two safe blowers and gun men tried to escape. but were captured.
 David Strauss was the only guard in the room. The five prisoners sud- denly jumped on Strauss O'Connor drawing a revolver which had been smuggled to him. A sack was placed over Strauss head and he was beat en into inconsistencies.
 Edward Jefferson and Charles Moore. guards. rushed into the bull pen. O'Connor ordered them to throw up their hands. but they sprang for the murderer. O'Connor hit Jefferson on the head with the pistol. The other prisoners beat Moore into inconsistencies.
 Wrestling the jail keys from Jef- ferson. the five dashed for the freight elevator. They ran into Frank KordeckL an assistant jailer. Pointing the pistol at Kordecki, OConnor shouted:
 Stand back. or I'll blow you to hell'
 KordecIi. however. sprang at O'Connor. but the criminal hurled him to the floor.
 Down to the basement, past two. more guards. the bandits fled and then started to scale the 12-foot wall. Two were captured there. Robert E. Grove, states attornev. immediately began a personal inves- | tigation and Chief of Police Charles | Fitzmorris assumed charge of the chase His instructions were:
 shoot to kill and aim straight" O'Connor was in court yesterday over certain legal matters and it is believed that the escape may have been planned then. Darling Dave, l Tomny's brother. was questioned by the police tonight He was in court and talked to Tommy yesterday.