The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1933-05-31
MURDER LAID
TO FUGIT|vES
FROM PRISON
Night Waterman Slain in
Kansas Town; Fleeing
COnViCtS Blamed.
THREE WOMEN SET FREE
Last of Hostages Taken by
II in Penitentiary
Mutiny Released.
BY RICHARD G.. BALDWIN
United Press staff Correspondent


United Press STAFF Correspondent
LANSING, Kan, May 31.-Mur-
der was attributed today to eleven
deSperadoes fleeing from the Kansas
penitentiary, where they mutinied
Tuesday.
Otto l.. Durkee, night Waterman
of Chetopa, Kan, was slain today
by unknown aSsallants, who shot
him on a street of Chetopa and hid
his body in an alley
A few hours before the killing.
one group of fleeing convictS were
known to be north of Chetopa, and
another group south of Cbetopa.
An invalid woman and two girls,
the last of six hostages seized by
the convicts, were released today.
Word was flashed Immediately to
peace officers of four states to shoot
to kill in the search for the flee
ing mutineers.
Kidnapped Warden Released
Three other hostages, Warden
Kirk Prather and two prison guards,
were released Tuesday night near
WEIGH, Okla, by their six captors.
The women, Mrs. M. j. Wood of
Kansas City, Kan, the invalid; her
daughter, Louise Wood, IT; and
Clarice Wears, II, formerly of Hig-
gin, Tex, were set free unframed
at the farm home of William New,
212 miles south of PleaSanton, Kan.
The women and their five captors
arrived at the New farm Tuesday
night and demanded supper for
eight"
Brandishing razors and revolvers,
they forced Mrs. New to prepare
them a meal of bacon and eggs.
Having eaten, the Convicts iso-
lated the home by cutting tele-
phone wires.
When the convicts left they told
the hostages and New and his wife
not to attempt to report their
presence i'll the vicinity.
'If you show your heads outside,
We'll pop you off," the ringleader
declared.
Warden Tells Story
All remained in the house all
night.
After her terrible experience,
made worse by her invalidism, Mrs.
Wood could not be moved from the
farmhouse.
She remained under the care of
Mrs. Margaret New, while New and
the two girls went to Pleasanton to
notify officers.
Warden Prather, and John NSher-
man and L. A. Laws, guards,
told by telephone an exciting story
of their narrowing hours in the
custody of the convicts, who held
guns to the captives' ribs and razorS
to their threats and wrists during
a mad ten-hour ride through Kan
sas and into the Usage hills of
Oklahoma.
The fugitive convicts, including
seven life-term prisoners, rebelled
during a Memorial day baseball
game on the prison diamond.
Avoid Driving in Cities
Cursing and shouting, they dis
armed guards and went over the
wall With the three penitentiary Of
f1cers as their prisoners.
Outside the wall, they divided,
Communicated automobiles and
drove away.
The three women, riding in one
of the automobiles seized, were or
dered to stay in the car.
The convicts spread a reign Of
terror over the peaceful farming re-
gions of eastern Kansas as they
drove madly onward.
Several times they stopped mo-
florists and exchanged cars, adding
to the confusion of the pursuit.
The six convicts who kidnapped
the warden and the two guards
were ring-leaders of the break.
Wilbur Underhill, 80. killer of
three men and suspected of other
murders, started the mutiny, and
was at the wheel of first one stolen
car and then another as he piloted
his companions and the three Off
GERS to Oklahoma.
Guard Laws supplied vivid details
of the flight
They made Prather lie down in
the back seat of the car all the
time" said Laws.
They kept him covered with
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