Evening star., 1936-02-09
SEVEN FLEEING
| CONv|CTS CAUGHT
Three Are Still at Large
I After Breaks at Frank
..,,- fort Reformatory.
5y the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
s FRANKFORT. KY. February g.
Seven of the ten convicts who escaped
from Frankfort Reformatory yesterday
and today were captured tonight, while
the remaining three were subjects OF
an intensive man-hunt near Carroll
ton, KY.
Although they at first sent out word
they would die rather than surrender.
the four who escaped yesterday, James
G. Morris, Clarence Crawford, Henry
Frank Coomer and Dexter Anderson.
changed their minds and gave them
selves up to Sheriff Charles Blount and
three possemen at a farm house near
Beattyville.
Three of the six who drove a prison
truck to make their escape this morn
ing were captured near Monterey by
State patr rolmen. They are Lawrence
Taylor. Chester Campbell and Logan
Leasure.
Surround Home.
Sheriff Blount's posse surrounded
the farm home of Dave Coomer. father
of Henry Frank Coomer, following
tip that an automobile answering the
description of one stolen by the fugi-
tives had stalled near the Breathitt-
Owen County line.
Mrs. Dave Coomer, mother of one Of
the fugitives, saw the posse coming
and ran into the house crying. Lord.
they are going to kill my boy"
i Dave Coomer came out and talked
with the sheriff, who said the fugi-
tives would have to come out.
Dave Coomer carried the message
inside, and came out with the fugi-
tives' reply, They would die first"
Sheriff Blount repeated his ulti-
matum. telling Coomer to tell the fugi-
tives the house was surrounded.
r. After few minutes hesitation An
derson appeared at the door and
walked down the steps toward the
sheriff. He was quickly followed by
Henry Coomer. A short while later
Morris and Crawford surrendered.
The guards at the prison were
augmented by State police upon Or
ders of Gov. A. B. Chandler who, with
Attorney General B. M. Vincent, hur-
ried to the place to investigate the
break. Guards and employees were
questioned during the afternoon by
the attorney general under orders
from the Governor to make thor
scugh investigation and pull no
punches"
Drove Truck Through Gate.
r. Vincent, whose inquiry was behind
closed doors, said it had established
that Jess Leasure drove the truck in
which the six rolled through an open
gate from the prison chair factory.
The six who escaped today were
snamed by John Yerkes, chief aid to
warden Elmer c. Deatherage, as Leas-
eure. 26, sentenced from Bell County
for storehouse breaking, and given a
life term under the habitual criminal
law; his brother, Logan Leasure, 81,
serving four years for house breaking;
1Fernice Griffin, 26, sentenced to life
from Madison County for murder;
Chester Campbell, %, serving life for
murder in Jefferson County, and Law
renee Taylor, 81, serving two terms,
life and five years for robbery from
Kenton County, and oscar Pearson,
%, serving life for murder in Jeffer-
son County.
Vincent said he probably would
make his report to Gov. Chandler
Monday. He would not comment on
the inquiry before making his report,
but said that l. A. Schooler, sentry
nearest the stockade gate, had de-
clared he did not shoot as the men
drove of for fear he would kill oc-
cupants of other machines In the
street.