The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-09-25
Topeka Police Called to Lyon
County to Capture Man.
Leslie DuclO Tried to Commit
Suicide When Gas Was Used.

Enporia. Kan- Sept. 25.-Lester
Duclo, the mad" plumber, who held
police officers at bay on a farm near
Reading yesterday and attempted to
kill himself, after tear gas bombs had
been thrown into the farm house, in
which he was hiding, may recover
from his injury Duclo is in an EN-
poria hospital suffering from a bullet
wound in a lung. He was ca ptured
after a hard fight with a sheriff S
posse aided by detectives from To-
peka, who brought the gas bombs to
Rea ding.
DucIo suddenly became insane Sat-
urday, doctors say, when he ordered
Frank Pagan, owner of the farm, off
the premises, then locked the doors
and windows and armed himself
with a rifle and shot gun After att
tenFbts to dislodge the man had failed
officers resorted to the bombs. An
! insanity charge will be placed against
Duclo if he RECEIVERS from his wound,
County Attorney Boynton said today.
The effectiveness of tear bombs
thrown by Topeka police was not for
Lyon county, when his officers found
themselves unable to dfslodge Leslie
Duclo, d plumber, from his home in
Reading Sunday.
After Duclo had barricaded himself
in his house and with rifle had stood
the officers off for twenty-four hours.
Sheriff Gibson called Capt Jesse Hill
and requested that he bring a coEec-
tion of tear bombs to the scene. Cap
tain Hill, Detective Charles Holman
and Patrolman Alvin Murphy drove
to Reading, broke window of the
house by throwing a coupling spike
thru it and then tossed a tear bomb
inside Unable to Withstand the gas.
Duclo attempted to commit suicide
by shooting himself with his rifle.
then gave himself up. He was taken
to an Emporia hospital, wnere it was
said he may die.
Threatened to Shoot Relatives.
Duclo resided on farm with Frank
Fagan, distant relative. According
| to Fagan, he had imagined for a long
time that officers were looking for
him. When Sagan came nome from
work Saturday night, he found that
Duc1o had locked the doors. armed
himself with a Winchester rifle and
refused to allow his relative to enter
the house. Pagan notified Sheriff
Gibson. who, with two deputies. at
tempted to dislodge the man. But
Duclo was obstinate and threatened
to shoot any one who approached.
The officers guarded the house Sat
| urday night and Sunday morning.
Phoned Topeka Police for Help.
About 1 o'clock Sunday afternoon
Abou 1 O'Clock Sunday afternoon
Sheriff Gibson telephoned Captain Hill
and requested that he bring some tear
| bombs. The house which they found
! the Lyon county officers besieging
was a two-room structure and the man
| besieged had a 30-30 Winchester. and
was compelling the attacking party to
keep close under cover.
There were no windows in the west
side of the house and friendly kaffir
field enabled the besiegers to get up
close to the structure. The coupling
spike broke the glass in the south win
| dow, but it was necessary to cut the
| screen before bomb could be thrown
thru it. Detective Holman procured
| a hatehet and crawling under the win
dow, close to the side of the house
managed TO chop away enough of the
screen so he could throw a bomb.
| But the first bomb hit the edge OF
a bed, which Holman had not seen
and part of it bounced out the win
dow. Ducio took a shot at the Topeka
! officer just as he threw the bomb
but missed. The bullet struck the sill
splinters from which dropped upon
| Holman's hat. Duclo then stuffed
pillows in the window to prevent more
| bombs being thrown in. but the gas
| forced him to retire to the other room
| and Holman landed another bomb in
| SIDE fortunately 1or the Officers, tnt
partition between the two rooms die
not go to the ceiling and the gas socr
pervaded the whole building DuclC
frequently shot thru the thin west sid,
of the house, but as he could not see
thru the boards. his shots went wild
| There was silence for some time af
ter the throwing of the second bomb
Then the officers heard DucIo cry out
Believing he had taken refuge in tbs
basement, they rushed to the door
Duclo called to them to come in, bu
they found the door locked Holman
kicked open the door and they found
the man lying on the floor. The riff.
was still in his hands but he made n,
further attempt to use it.