The Lubbock avalanche. (Lubbock, Tex.) 1909-1922, 1922-02-07

Brite Mitchell, sheriff Of Crosby
county. left Lubbock Saturday, jan
uary 2s, for Austin, where they re-
ceived proper papers FOR the return
Of Sam Gates, who broke jail IN
Lubbock, Friday, September 80,
1921, with Hughlett Smith which
case is well known to Lubbock peo-
pie.
The Officers received their papers
N Austin Sunday morning and left
Immediately for San Antonio, where
they caught n Southern Pacific train
for III Paso, then on 10 Riverside,
California, where officers had Gates
in Jail. Reaching that place Tues.
day evening at 300 O'Clock, and
went directly 10 the jail whore they
found that the Officers had the right
man.
Among the first things they in
nuired into In their first cOnversh-
ton with Gates was the manner by
which he had gotten out OF the jail
in Lubbock, and he confessed before
sheriff. Holcomb, Mitchell and the
sheriff Of Riverside county, Cali
fornia, and Deputy Sheriff Boat
wright who captured him, that he
and Smith worked out plan for
turning the combination on the Jail
with a belt made Of strips of their
cot, opening the other doors and
locks with a mechanical device con-
structed Of the lumber in the cot,
using az n guide TO direct their work
on one OF the taps they had 10 take
or small looking glass which was
fastened 20 long cot rail. The
wrench they constructed ~ two
pieces Of the cot, making V shape
instrument Of IL. pounding The tap
of after several tedious attempts,
and when they finally reached the
top Of the jail and the open wind
ows. made n ladder of what sheet
ing and other cloth they had in
their cell and swung 20 the ground.
Much interest has been shown IN
this delivery, but the Sheriff told
an Avalanche reporter that the con-
feseion from Gates was but little
different 90 the plan II was thought
they had used 20 get out Of the cell,
a. some Of the instruments, includ-
ing a small steel bar about the size
Of n pencil which they used In some
manner, was left IN the cell, to-
gether with parts of the cot
Gates and Smith parted al Lub-
book and have not heard or seen
anything Of each other 20 this time.
Gates made his way 90 Seminole by
night. taking two nights and part
~ the third morning 20 reach that
place, and caught q mailhack TO
Midland. While on 'he mailhack
Gates sold his watch 90 the driver
for enough to pay his fare 20 ~
Paso, and claims that when he step
ped from the train there he passed
by three policemen who failed 20 be-
attracted By his presence, and he
made his way into Mexico unmolcsi-
ed From there we have no further
report on his rounds until his ar
rival al lndio, California, where be
worked three months In the +. J.
Tebo restaurant. where he made
many friends II ~ said that he
told an intimate friend Of his being
wanted IN Texas for forgery who
told another friend, and the news
finally reached the deputy sheriff,
who recalled that he had received n
card from Holcomb, Of Lubbock, and
a. the card had been misplaced he
wired Holcomb and received inStruc-
tons 20 arrest and hold Gates until
his arrival. Gates was arrested, and
locked that night in the Caliboose at
Indio, and carried 90 the Riverside
Jail the following morning, wherc
he was interviewed by a Reversible
Review reporter and stated that he
had been an attorney in Texas for
five years, and had killed his law
partner, Judge Burton, a full ac-
count Of which was published in
the Sundays issue Of the Review,
together with the untruthful report
that he had become tired Of dodging
the law and had given up TO deputy
Boatwright. The following Wed
nesdny's issue Of the Review pub
lished another account Of the ac-
count, giving an account Of Sher-
ifs Holcomb and Mitchell, and dep
uty sheriff Boatwright's statements
concerning the prisoner. The ar
ticle Is quite lengthy. and headed
biggest Liar from Texas Asserted
with sub-hend: Lone Star State
Sheriff Is Emphatic about Sam W.