Death in a Cornfield

In Trenton, N. J., stands the New Jersey State Prison, isolated from the city by a 22-ft. wall. On top of the wall last week an electric wire needed repairing. An electrician leaned his ladder against the wall, went up to fix the wire. After him clambered four convicts, thrust him from the ladder, shot a guard atop the wall, dropped to the street outside. Before other guards knew what was happening they had disappeared around a corner, commandeered two automobiles and roared away.

Convict Frank Seibert, who had just begun a 15-year sentence, and Convict Joseph Stoddard, who had two years of a three-year term to serve, headed North and were lost.

Convict James McGrath and Convict John Weirman sped across the Delaware River bridge toward Morrisville, Pa. Near Oxford Valley, Pa., they wrecked their machine, fled into a cornfield. Two airplanes went aloft and began to circle the cornfield looking for the hiding convicts. The afternoon waned.

As it began to grow dark one of the airplanes spotted Weirman, clothed in the white uniform of a prison cook. The police surrounded the field, closed in. Policeman Joseph Campbell Jr. saw a foot sticking out of a shock of corn, ordered its owner out. Convict McGrath came out shooting and Policeman Campbell fell fatally wounded. An instant later his companions had avenged him and McGrath lay dying. Meanwhile, other policemen searched for Weirman. Finally they came upon him lying still on the ground. Desperado Weirman, seeing he could not escape, had put the muzzle of his riot gun in his mouth and blown out his brains.

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