Evening star., 1939-07-26
Seven Convicts
Fell Guards,
Seize Woman
Virginia Wife Later
Released as Felons
Escape in Her Cor
By the Associated Press.

by the Associated PreSS.
THORNBURG, Va, July 26.-
Seven of % Federal prisoners en-
route from Atlanta to Pennsylvania
escaped from Department of JUS
tice bus near here today after over
poWering four guards, taking their
arms and communicating an auto
mobile.
The guards were beaten and
stretched on the floor of the vehicle
while the prisoners donned their
gray caps and drove for about a
half hour over side roads of the
heavily travelled Richmond Wash
ington highway until they encoun-
tered a private automobile driven
by Mrs. Ruby Lee Thurston of
Guinea, Va.
Stopping her car, they forced Mrs.
Thurston into the bus, and one OF
the group drove her car behind the
bus for several more miles before
she was released unharmed. Six
from the bus then joined the man
in the car and drove of.
A blackjack and two revolvers
were reported taken from the guards,
three of whom were brought here
for medical attention. Chris Laur-
son, officer in charge, called Vir-
ginia State police and F. B. I. au-
thorities, who broadcast the alarm.
The is prisoners who remained on
the bus did not attempt to join in
the escape and were taken to the
Fredericksburg (VaD Jail.
The guards treated here were be-
lieved to have suffered only super
fetal injuries, although they were
severely beaten. They were Clinton
E. Campbell, w. E. Godschalk and
H. Glenn Cunningham. who were
treated by DR.. Roderick Dew.
The Seven Fugitives.
Authorities named the seven as
follows:
Charles F.. Cole, Chattanooga.
Tenn, serving a three-year sentence
for transporting stolen car in in
terstate commerce: Gerald Mon
tague, Paducan, KY, serving
three-year sentence for automobile
theft; Luther Morris of Paducah,
KY. under five-year sentence for
post Office robbery; John Gibson of
Big Stone Gap, Va, serving four
year sentence for passing counter
felt coins; Hugh Penny. Big Stone
Gap, Va, serving four years for
stealing from railway box car:
Walter Smith of Cincinnati serving
three years for breaking into a post
Office, and Raymond Walker of Co
lumbus, Ohio, serving three and
half years for automobile theft.
The guards were overpowered a
few miles south of Thornburg. One
riding In the rear of the bus was
overcome first, and attacks on the
other three quickly followed.
The convicts apparently averted
attention of passers-by by wearing
the guards caps and laying the
guards on the floor Mrs. Thurston,
en- route to visit an aunt at Thorn
burg, was stopped on a country road.
Mrs. Thurston Uninjured.
Taking the car along. the convicts
then started toward the village of
Smell and drove about three miles
before turning up another side road,
where Mrs. Thurston was released
and the bus, containing the guards
and Is other prisoners, was left.
Mrs. Thurston, taken to the home
OF her aunt. was uninjured but
highly nervous from her experience.
The fugitives, en- route to Lewis
burg. Pa. were serving sentences
ranging up to five years.
Maj. H. B. Nicholas, superintend-
ent of the Virginia State police,
concentrated officers in the Fred
ericksburg Richmond area and
broadcast the alarm over the State.
The commandeered car was
black coach. bearing Virginia license
tag number 267-886. The fugutives
were dressed in blue prison garb.
Sheriff T. Wilson Seay said the
group of prisoners spent the past
four nights at the Henrico County
Jail in Richmond and left this
morning shortly after o'clock.
tieJ "Cio llle HloSC Oruerly group
OF Federal prisoners we have had
here" the Henrico officer said. Il
compllmented them while they ate
breakfast this morning on their
orderly manners while in Jail"
Sheriff Seay said they were not
handcuffed, although Federal pris-
oners frequently were brought in
fettered.
Hunoer Stones Showino