Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1922-02-23
GIRL RING THIEF
CAUGHT At STATION
THROUGH A JUROR
Back in Jail, She Describes
Escape-Took Lunch at
Expensive Hotel After She
Got Away

Gladys Howard, alias Gladys Rog-
ers, was back in the Fulton county
Jail Wednesday, having enjoyed
about forty-eight hours of freedom
following her sensational escape
Monday from an ante room at the
courthouse after she had been sen
fenced to serve twelve months at the
state farm for stealing a valuable
diamond from local jewelry store.
She was recaptured Wednesday
morning at the Terminal station as
she was about to take train for
Birmingham. J. L. Kelley, a barber
at the Terminal station, who had
been serving as juror in the Grim
1nal division of the superior court
and had seen the woman at her
trial, recognized her in the Terminal
station restaurant. He followed her
to the train and, aided by the con-
ductor, held her until Deputy
Sheriffs Lee Whatley and Fred
Smith arrived to take her back to
the Jail.
There wasn't anything difficult
about getting away from the court
house the other day." said Gladys,
talking with newspaper men at the
Tower. Zone of the bailiffs was
writing at a table and the other was
standing over by the window. 1
just stepped outside the door, turned
the thumbbolt and walked out of
the courthouse. Somebody told the
newspapers that they saw me stop
and give beggar some money as l
left the courthouse, that isn't so. l
was in too big hurry to stop for
anything.
Wired for Money
ST wired my mother in Birming-
ham for some money and when it
came, I got ready to leave Atlanta.
1t was just my luck to get caught
at the Terminal station.
''They sure have got an accommo-
dating policeman Oh duty at the
Terminal station. The man who
recognized me told the officer who
/ wa and asked him to arrest me,
: but the policeman wouldn't do it..
That's what I call a real nice man.
''Betty Andrews tells me they
raised the roof when they found out
I had escaped from the courthouse.
Betty was in the room with me and
the two officers when 1 locked the
door and got away. She says one Of
the bailiffs went to the lavatory
door after a while and called out:
Come on. now, Gladys, don't fool
with me, I'm hungry and want to
go to dinner
GLADYS wasn't studying about
dinner just then; she was getting
away from there as fast as her feet
could make it, laughed the young
woman.
Lunch at Fine Hotel
She declined to say where she re-
manned in hiding after her escape
Monday, although she declared that
on Tuesday she took lunch at a
leading hotel.
eff the police want to catch me
any time, they needn't look for me
in any of these cheap joints" she
remarked.
II don't know how I'm going to
do twelve months at the state farm"
she sighed, regretfully. Maybe
won't have to stay that long"
Her escape from the courthouse
staged within the past few months.
IN 1aII
charge of stealing jewelry, she es-
capped from police headquarters, and
was recaptured in st. Louis.
The circumstances of her capture
at the Terminal station Wednesday
morning were rather unusual.
e How Capture Was Made
Mr.. Kelley was eating breakfast
in the Terminal station restaurant.
Among the other persons in the res
taurant, he recognized the Rogers
woman, and without attracting at
tention, slipped out to notify Police
man w. II. Morgan, who was on
duty at the station, that the fugitive
was there. The officer was doubt
full as to her identity and hesitated
to make an arrest.
Meantime, the woman, noticing
the presence Of the officer and Mr..
Kelley, who were watching her
rather closely, left the restaurant
ard slipped out Of the station, going
around by an outside passageway to
the railroad tracks, where she board
ed Seaboard train for Birmingham.
Mr.. Kelley followed her and also
boarded the train. While he was
going through the coaches, the wom'
an stepped off and attempted to es,
hut L CHI n
conductor, who was standing beside
the train, and the latter seized her
by the arm, holding her until Mr.
Kelley came up. She was then taken
to the waiting room and detained un'
til the deputy sheriffs arrived.
Conductor Holds Her
He held her until Deputy Sheriffs
Lee Whatley and Fred Smith came
from the courthouse and escorted
her back to the Jail.
The girl is said to have told Depu-
ty Whatley mot to get fresh with
her. as they We're walking from the
waiting room of the Terminal to a
waiting motor car.
Efforts on the part of city and
county officers and local Pinkerton
operatives to locate the woman
proved Of no avail and it was gen.
orally conceded that she had left
town.
The city was combed thoroughly
for her the night of her escape and
all day Tuesday, but it remained for
the Juror with the retentive memory
to catch her and claim the $50 re-
ward offered for her capture by
Sheriff Lowry.
Considerable excitement was caus
ed when the girl made her escape
from the courthouse Monday. She
had been locked up with two bailiffs
and Betty Andrews.
1t is reported that all had been
talking about various happenings in
court when the Howard woman sud