Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1922-05-22
PRISONER ESCAPES BY
DRUGG|NG HIS CAPTOR
Administers Hyacine to Dep.
uty.Shcriff in Drink
of Water.
FIND OFFICER UNCONSCIOUS
Alleged Auto THIEF Durnn Incrim-
limiting Papers Taken From Him
by Authoriucs-NIctirn siumbers
for Twelve Hours.


Especial 20 me Times Dispatch
DANViLI.E. VA. May 2l-wide-
spread search was being made ;his
evening for s l. Ransom. alleged
professional car thief. who. while
h"inS taken from Mhrtinsvillc to
winston Salem. y. C.. TO s,anI trial
tor ne theu of James Wrb;hts ear
'hr"n weeks ago druEEed Deputy
sheriff J. T. Wagner. u High Point.
ana made his escape after bI.ning
up papers said To have been in
eliminating.
ne "cap" was Duld undertake
me Ransom was arrested IN Mar
hnFyill" with the car alleged to hsv,
been stolen ard on Satur lay Wright.
lpr John Dyer and the deputy sheriff
went there. identified m" car. and
Ransom agreed ~ return without
cN,radltlon. Handouts were no; used
'uh the deputy sheriff wnS alone in
the car Win tho man. the car con
'd.ning the other men following in
n. rear.
Wagner Reported Drunk
Arriving in Reihsvi!!e Virgin, could
secure no ,rac. OF tho deputy sheriff
and h!h prisoner and ne FASTENED
on 10 Greensboro. where no word
mad been received Of the deputy and
ms charge Late yesterday word
reached RcidsvlJ. that a drunken
man had been found In wrecked
automobile near spray The man
answered tho description Of tho
deputy sheriff. 50 additional officers
accompanied Wright back and found
Deputy Sheriff Wagner unconsciou.
IN inc office Of tho chief OF police at
Sp-ay
WAGNER had been pronounced
"drunk' hy doctor, but Or. John
Dyer d.tect.d o,hcr symptoms i'm
'nehihtcly There was no reaction
when the physician touched The
comatc deruty's cyebali and after
further examination they came TO the
conclusion that the deputy was SUI
f"rinE from hYacine poisoning Anti
do'"s were applied and after a twelve
hour siunhcr, tho officer came TO him
'elf ana ,old his story.
Wns EnInEinE Pri.on~r.
Hanson had been AN engaging
PRISONER on tho road to Spray from
M1rhusNii!c and he seemed anxious
To- return 10 Winston 10 prove his In
n"cenc". \ few miles outside at
spray. however. Ransom asked II he
could set some water They st.pn.c
., country house and Ransom.
drew some water from Il well. drank
ana asked the officer &! he would
drink wagner replied s'rrma:tvelY.
ana Ransom handed him tho Gun
Ihcy resumed their journey, when the
oilc"r SAID. he was suddenly taken
with n vioient swimming in the head
ana u" last thing ne remembers is
hahs"ne selzins the wheel Of the
car
away Immediately. Before he could
save the situation the car ran into
a bank and broke wheel Ransom.
appears 10 have searched tho officer
ana removed from his pocket Ger.
tain papers found In Ransoin's nos
sersipn when he was caught These
"cr" burned on the road. the ashes
being later found. lie took one OF
th" tw" pistols carried by tho officer
bHt did not modest about 800 in cur
ren'y which the officer was carry
ing Hanson lott tho officer uncon-
scious and made his escape.
Pnssers-By Find Omccr.
fassers-hy found the officer There
waH nothing by which to Identify him
as an oihccr "f the law, 80 4, was
construed that he was merely drunk
ara haG smashed his car. being ur-
an" 10 arrive II. The psssers-by
NOTIFIED a garage in Spray and a ser
wee car went TO the spo, and brought,
IN the supposedly drunken" man
also the car Wagner remained
coma In the garage .or some hours
and as he did not come to. no was
turn% over TO the police. He would
probably have gone TO jail. but FOR
the arrival OF Wright and his com
pahionS. who were alarmed by the
disappearance OF the officer and his
charge.
Notices wete sent out today for
ransom who is described as weigh
inE 200 pounds. lie rs said TO have
been born in Germany, and to have
once been in tho German army n,
is surmiscd that the hyacine pellet
was dropped into the cup by Ran
som after he had drunk the water
and I" have carried on, carefully
planned method Of escape