The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-09-22
80 Years Experience Teaches
COnOiCt That Crime DOeSn t Pay
Western Outlaw, long in
Prison, Wants Parole to
Be Shoe Repairer.

KANSAS CITY. Sept. 22.-Wil-
liam La Trasse, known to an ear
uer generation as one of the most
daring and dangerous train rob-
bers and outlaws of the west, nov
a convict in Kansas state prison
wants his freedom again-convinced
after thirty-six years of expert
ence that crime doesn't pay.
La Trasse is now close to so years
old Since he was ID he has been
fighting the law-end, usually, los
ing.
Now, declaring that he is through
with trying to beat the law and
insisting that his one ambition is
to take up the trade of repairing
shoes, which he learned in prison,
he has asked for a parole.
The state parole board will hear
his plea Oct. II.
La Trasse grew up back Of the
yards in Kansas City, Kan, a
young rowdy whose only playground
was the street.
Kills in Street Fight
At IA he got into his first serious
trouble, slugging man in a street
brawl and injuring him so badly
that later he died. The boy fled
to Texas.
Then, before the year was out.
La Trasse was arrested while trying
to stage a highway robbery III st.
Joseph, Mo. Authorities sent him
back here and he was sentenced to
the penitentiary for ten years.
After he had served seven years
Of his term La Trasse was released
He came back to Kansas City and
INDUCED in a series of holdups and
store robberies. Efforts to catch
him were futile, however.
Then, on Christmas eve in 1910,
La TraSse tied a black handkerchief
over his face, took a revolver in
his hand and climbed on the rear
platform of a Missouri Pacific
passenger train that was just en-
tering the outlying yards in Kan
Sas City en- route for Omaha
Holds Up Passengers
He methodically went through the
cars, barking Hands up, every
body!" and collecting the money and
yaluables of the passengers.
A trainman tried to interfere and
got bullet in the shoulder. La
Trasse then opened a vestibule door
and jumped off when the train
slowed down at a crossing
Despite his mask, however, he had
been recognized, and a few days
later he was arrested at his home,
and was sentenced to ten to twenty
one years in prison.
A week later, while he was being
held in the Kansas City Jail await
ing transfer to the penitentiary, a
prisoner in his cell feigned illness
and asked a jailer to come in and
attend to him.
When the jailer entered he was
slugged and La Trasse and several
others escaped.
Arrested in Illinois
Months later La Trasse bobbed up
in Illinois, where he was arrested
for highway robbery. Illinois
authorities sent him back to Kan
sas, and he was lodged in the state
prison.
This time Kansas managed to
keep him locked up until 1915,
when he and fou other convicts
escaped from prison by hiding
under coal cars being taken from
the yard
For a year La Trasse enjoyed his
freedom. Then he took part in a
holdup in Chicago, was caught and
was sent back to Kansas. This
time Kansas authorities seemed to
have got the knack of keeping him
behind the bars a little better; they
managed to hold on to him until
1924.
In that year his mother became
seriously i'll, and some kindhearted
official gave La Trasse permission