The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-12-12

A seventh convict, Earl
Thayer, Oklahoma City. still
was at liberty. Thayer, who
was not a member of the
group, escaped during confu-
sion after the break.
Thomas 3. White, grim, tight
Tipped, 5O-year-old warden, faced
possible amputation of his left arm.
His shoulder was mangled by shot
gun slugs, fired by Green when the
prison mead risked his life to save
an 16-year-old girl after he had
been kidnapped from his Office by
the criminals.
Two prison guards, Captain
James Calvin and Irwin w. Mooney,
were wounded slightly.
Machine Guns Mounted
Machine gun muzzles glowered
down from the top of the four high
walls. Guards were armed heavily
with riot guns. Work went on as
usual in the workshops and fac
tories.
Piece by piece, composite pic
ture of the break was brought to-
gether by E. H. Eckholdt, secretary
to the warden-a picture of six des-
perate men determined to risk all
in an attempt to gain freedom.
For six hours these criminals ter
rorized the countryside. They kid
naped three persons, forced their
way into the home of an aged
farmer. Emerson G. Salisbury, 70,
used his house as fort and stole
two automobiles.
The break, so we'll planned that
the convicts knew every step, oc-
Cured at 9 O'Clock Friday night in
Warden Whites own Office" Eek
holdt said. White, three prison
clerks and myself found ourselves
face to face with the criminals re-
volvers and shotguns. We were
forced to accompany them right
through the prison main gates to
the highway, almost 500 yards away
from the wall
Forced Into Car
The warden was forced to go with
the six desperadoes as they COM
passing motorcar and
headed for the country.
The penitentiary burst into ac-
ton. Alarms were sounded The
3 ,000-odd prisoners set up a clamor.
Two companies Of infantrymen
went from the nearby army camp
to aid the search for the escaped
The men made their way over
muddy roads to the farm home of
Joseph Gates, about three miles
southwest Of Leavenworth, where
their automobile stalled in a ditch.
They entered the house and kid
mapped Gates 18-year-old married
daughter. Mrs. Elizabeth Gates
Phillips, and his young son.
Outside the house, they decided
to divide. Three men went on foot
into a cornfleld, where they later
were captured.
The three ringleaders Of the plot.
Curtis, Durrill and Green stayed
with White and Mrs. Phillips. They
forced four Leavenworth youths
from small coupe and started
away.
Warden Is Shot
Mrs. Phillips. however. ran down
the road, screaming Historically.
White, fearing the girl would be
shot, grappled with Green. Green
him in the shoulder. The
criminals abandoned the warden at
this point.
The three criminals, with pursu-
ing poSsemen close at hand, went
six miles farther to Saisbury's
home. They forced their way in and
started firing ON arriving troopers
and guards. Salisbury escaped to
safety by climbing through a win
dow.
For almost an hour, the be-
convicts exchanged shots
with possemen who surrounded the
mouse. Then four guards rushed the !
door. In an upstairs room, the
-hree men we're found dead.
Green, seeing the game vas up, !
shot and killed Curtis and Durrin
and then took his own life" said |
Coroner Theodore Sexton Of Leav-
county, after an inquest. |
Curtis and Durill had been shot !
through the right ear.
"a wound, showing powder burns, /
vas in Green's head about an inch /
above his ear. We found gun /
yrasped in Green's right hand.