The Chronicle-star combined with the Moss Point advertiser., 1944-06-16
McClanahan
Jail Break
Juiler Beaten. Tied.
AS Convicted Killer.
Companion Escape


Leaving the jailer bound and
unconscious in a locked cell,
Clyde McC lanahan, 10, under life
sentence for the murder of Il. W..
Williamson, of Pascagoula, and
Calvin Charles Mullinax, held for
trial on a similar charge, with
two fellow prisoners staged a
successful jail break from the
Leakesville jail Tuesday.
McClanahan and Henry Dee
Vaughn were captured a few
hours later by Highway Patrol
man Bud Gray in a cattle truck
near Lucedale. on Highway SO.
Mullinax and William Durant, 20,
were taken in the swamps near
Lesksville late Tuesday afternoon
after b~loodhounds had been put
on their trail.
Defiant to the last, McClana-
han and Mullinax, jointly charged
with the bloody death of the pool
hall operator in Pascagoula last
November, declared on their re-
turn to jail that they we're going
to try il again." according to |. S.
Turner, sheriff of Green county
Nice lanahan was tried at the
last term of circuit court in Jack
son county. The jury returned a
verdict of guilty against the slim
Navy deserter, who appeared in
court still clad in MS sailor suit,
after only 20 minutes delibera-
ton Judge L. C. Corban sen
tspeed him to life iinprisonment
The case a8sinst MuIilnax was or
dered continued after severance
had been granted on request OF
the court-appointed defense at
torney, William Elmer.
Durant was being held on
charges of burglary and arson
and Vaughn was recently re-
turned from Oklahoma to face
charges of armed robbery in
0coieS CouIlty.
Attack Jailer
Mullinax and Vaughn made
the initial attack on Jailer Mills
Tuesday morning when he
brought them food. Throwing
him against the wall, they took
the keys from the unconscious
man and unlocked the cell occu-
pied by Mcclanahan and then re-
leased Durant. Another prisoner
was in the cell with Durant, but
he refused to join in the break,
according to the sheriff.
The four youths ran down the
stairs of the court house building
and into the street and although
hey were seen by a number Of
persons they were not recognized
and no alarm was given until the
shouts of a negro prisoner
in the Jail brought officers.
Mills, who had been tied hand
and foot, and around whose neck
a rope had been frightened to pre-
vent him from calling out. had
been thrown across a bunk and
the cell door locked.
I was on my way to town"
Mr. Turner said, and arrived
within a few minutes with KEYS
to the cell and we removed Mills.
If had been any later he would
have been dead"
Taken to his home, Mills was
unconscious for about ten hours
and his condition was extremely
grave. He was considerably mn
proved, however, late Thursday.
Ride Cattle Truck
Clanahan and Durant
thumbed a ride on a cattle truck,
riding in back with the animals,
and it was there Patrolman Gray
found them. About 4 o'clock
Tuesday afternoon, Vaughn was
apprehended in the swamps and
MullinaX was retaken about an
hour later. Vaughn was captured
by Deputy Sheriff j. N. Sowen
and J. j. Denmark, constable and
deputy, took Mullinax.
'The swift recapture of the es-
capped prisoners was due entirely
10 the cooperation of law enforce.
ment officials in this entire sec
ton" Sheriff Turner said, land
to the citizens who formed a
posse TO assist" The alarm wa.
sent out 10 surrounding towns
and counties and officers got busy
Immediately.
McClanahan entered an appeal
from the verdict OF the circuit
court and was being held in
Leaksville jail until arrangements
could be made to remove him and
Mullinsx to the Jail in jackson.
He had attempted to participate
II three jail breaks previously,
HH4CI.-aH.. x-Il CL~~ske IT,