The Indianapolis times., 1929-08-07
Two Conyicts Killed in Gun
Battle as Guards Cut
Off Escape.
BY BARRY J. HOLLOWAY
United Press STAFF Correspoudcpt


LANSING, Kan, Aug. 7.-Of1cials
of the Kansas state penitentiary to-
day were investigating the source of
weapons used by six convicts in
break late Tuesday which resulted in
the death of two of the conSpirators
and the wounding of guard and
another convict.
-Four prisoners, captured Tuesday
night after four-hour chase and
a. gun battle near the business Sec
ton of this village, will be brought
before prison officials in an effort
to clear the mystery.
William Webb, 80, barber by
trade, and Robert Collins, 80, a
farmer. are dead. They were shot
in g. spectacular pistol duel when
they refused to surrender to r. H.
Hudspeth, deputy warden, and
Arthur Graham, assistant day cap
tain.
The break occurred as the six we're
being brought from mine within
shadow of the prison walls. AS the
men reached the top of the shaft
they produced weapons and forced
the four gaurds on duty and four
TRUSTEES to accompany them.
Use Guards as Shields
Compelling the eight to act as
shields from the gunflre of the
guards stationed in towers nearby,
the prisoners started On the run for
nearby highway.
Two long blasts from the peniten-
tiary siren brought more than
hundred armed guards and citizens
to the prison walls.
The eenvicts reached the highway,
stopped a car and were in the act
of boarding 1t when they were over
taken. Deputy Hudspeth and Cap
tain Graham, hearing the sirens
warning. anticipated the fugitives'
dash for the principal road between
Leavenworth and Kansas City, Kan,
and were prepared to meet them
there.
Three of the men, John Edwards,
alias Eddie Jenkins, of Oklahoma;
Charles Cheatham and o. G.
Schultz, escaped, while J. B. Knight,
a e-termer, and Collins and Webb
fought it out with the two officers.
Collins, lanky farmer from Ar
kansas City, furnished a bit of
drama. Graham and Hudspeth
each shot the man in the breast
near the heart. He continued fir
ing a minute-then turned and ran
to small knoll near the road.
Turns Gun On Self
"I would rather die than go back
to that hole" he shouted, and
turned his own gun to his body. He
was dead when officers reached him.
The bullet penetrated his heart.
Collins was serving his second
term at Lansing. He had been
sentenced from ten to fifty years for
bank robbery. A bullet from Hud-
speth's pistol felled Webb. knight
was found lying at the side of the
road, slightly wounded, clenching a
knife under his shirt.
John Heslop, one of the. guards
forced by the convicts to accom-
pany them, suffered slight wound
in one leg from stray bullet.
The three remaining convicts
were found several hours later. con-
cealed in a clump of weeds less than
100 yards from where their two
companions fell.
The break was in no sense
mutiny, Warden M. F. Amrine said
today.
The psychological effect of
prison outbreaks at Leavenworth
and in New York undoubtedly had
much to do with it." he said. ut
does not call for general investiga-
ton, however, as it was the plot of
only few and not mutiny.
Learning of prison outbreaks
elsewhere probably gave the men
courage. Those participating we're
daredevils. I will make thorough
investigation into the source of their
weapons. I believe these we're
brought in by relatives or smuggled
in by TRUSTEES