Chat
|
Daily Search
|
My GenForum
|
Community Standards
|
Terms of Service
|
|
|
I got some information from the KBI about my cousin's role in the Macksville bank robbery. Here is the story:
George Raymond Hight was one of five convicts who escaped from the Kansas State Penitentiary at Lansing on May 27, 1941.
Under Hight's leadership, the five spent several weeks digging a tunnel out of the Lansing coal mine, routinely worked by inmates.
Hight, age 41, was a Kansas oilfield worker serving 10-50 years for a bank robbery at Byers, Kansas, in Pratt County. Originally from Dodge City, he had been in Lansing since 1927 and had prior convictions for car theft and burglary, as well as bank robbery.
The other four: Frank Wetherick, age 31, at Lansing since 1933, serving 10-21 years for bank robbery; Lloyd Swain, age 40, an Okie serving life for rape and murder; George Swift, age 36, serving life for multiple robbery convictions; and John Eldridge, age 31, an Okie, serving 10-50 years for bank robbery.
Swift and Eldridge were tracked by KBI Agents to California and quickly recaptured.
Swain was tracked by KBI Agents into Oklahoma and also soon recaptured, but not before he had raped several women in Wichita and a young mother in Arkansas City.
Hight and Wetherick eluded law enforcement until September 16, 1941, when they attempted to rob a bank at Macksville. The KBI had been tipped and 6 KBI Agents and the local sheriff and a deputy were waiting. Hight fired first and the 6 agents returned fire, killing both escapees. In their stolen car were 2 shotguns, 2 rifles, 3 pistols and 200 rounds of ammo. Hight had a .45 automatic in his hand.
Notify Administrator about this message?
Followups:
|
| http://genforum.genealogy.com/ks/stafford/messages/119.html | ||
 |
Link to GenForum Add Forum |
|