Looking back: Prisoners escape; teens lead police on high-speed chase

IDAHO FALLS — EastIdahoNews.com is looking back at what life was like during the week of March 23 to March 29 in east Idaho history.

1900-1925

BLACKFOOT — Three prisoners in the Bingham County Jail escaped, The Bingham County News reported on March 25, 1915.

Night patrolman Drew and deputy sheriff Thompson were admitting two prisoners to the jail when they discovered that three prisoners escaped. They broke a door lock and opened three or four iron doors with a key and escaped through the basement door on the south side of the jail.

“After passing through the outer door, they relocked it on six or seven prisoners, some of whom were asleep when the sheriff discovered the jail break, and none of them would admit to any knowledge of the flight or its arrangement,” the article stated.

The prisoners who escaped were Ray Hembree and W.L. West, who were charged with grand larceny. They killed a cow on the highway near Mackay and brought the carcass to Blackfoot where they sold the hide and meat to private parties.

The other man who escaped was W.M. Burton, who was charged with rape.

The Bingham County Cattle Association offered a reward of $1,000 for the capture of the cattle thieves and Bingham County offered a $200 reward if all three were caught.

The prisoners were reportedly seen around the Porterville Bridge where they stopped at several houses and got firearms, ammunition and food.

Simmons learned the prisoners were camped about three miles up the river at a house occupied by a man named Chapman. Simmons headed that way with Ferdinand Fackrell, Dave Chamberlain, Roy Clark and Tom Hall.

When law enforcement got close to the Porterville Bridge, Fackrell and Chamberlain saw Burton wandering around in the sagebrush. Burton appeared to be looking for the other two prisoners and mistook the officers for them. Fackrell told Burton to surrender, and he did.

Around the time Burton was captured, Hembree and West showed up. Shots were fired and the two prisoners disappeared again.

One of the bullets struck Fackrell in the left ankle. However, Fackrell continued to hold onto Burton until Chamberlain could take the prisoner back to the jail. The bullet shattered the deputy’s bones in his ankle and he ended up getting his foot amputated.

A man named Tex Walker and a woman named Mrs. Burton, it’s not clear if she was related to the prisoner, were arrested for feeding and helping the prisoners after they escaped.

A report later came in that Hembree and West were once again seen camping on the river. Simmons and his deputies took off again to go after the two prisoners.

1926-1950

POCATELLO — The body of a 22-year-old Idaho Falls man was found in the Portneuf River, the Idaho Falls Post Register reported on March 25, 1940.

The body was identified as Laddie “Vern” Johnson. Police believed the man was trying to swim across the Portenuf River on March 5, 1940, after being caught robbing a home.

The homeowner chased him to the river, and after watching Johnson almost make it to the other side, the homeowner ran a block to a bridge to cross the river.

By the time officers arrived, Johnson was nowhere to be found, and it was believed he had escaped. However, his body was later found floating in the river between Clark and Lander streets.

A key was found in the pocket of the suit coat he was wearing. It was a key to a hotel room in Pocatello. In the hotel room, officers found the name “Vern Johnson” on a sweater, which helped them identify the man.

Detective Roubidoux said that on Feb. 12, 1940, Johnson and Roy Powell escaped from the state hospital in Blackfoot. Powell was found by Blackfoot officers.

Roubidoux said that between Feb. 17, 1940, and March 5, 1940, 12 house burglaries could be “definitely traced” to Johnson. He mentioned that others might be traced to him, too.

Officers stated that $150 to $200 in cash was stolen in the robberies. They said Johnson took nothing but cash, leaving valuable jewelry and watches untouched.

Idaho Falls Police Chief C.A. Carlson mentioned Johnson had a long police record. His criminal record included a prison term in California.

1951-1975

PRESTON — Two Preston women were nominated as candidates for the statewide “Mother of the Year” competition, The Preston Citizen reported on March 29, 1951.

Gov. Len Jordan declared “Idaho Mother’s Week” to take place in April 1951. As part of the festivities, an Idaho “Mother of the Year” would be selected.

Two women from Franklin County were nominated to represent their county in the state contest. The women were Lucy C. Tanner and Mrs. Myrtle R. Goff.

Tanner’s husband died, and since he passed, Tanner had “maintained a home and provided for material, educational, and moral needs of her children.” She was an active member of her church and worked in the county treasurer’s office.

Mrs. Goff, the other nominee, was the wife of the city engineer in Preston. She and her husband had 10 kids. Goff had been involved in the American Red Cross for 30 years and was the production chairman in the county for 10 years.

1976-2000

POCATELLO — Teenagers led police on a high-speed chase after they were caught burglarizing Franklin Junior High School, the Idaho State Journal reported on March 29, 1976.

An officer saw two suspects, estimated to be between 16 and 18 years old, on school grounds on a Saturday night. The vehicle fled from the parking lot at a high rate of speed when the officer discovered them, according to police.

They drove six blocks against traffic, forcing several cars off the road. The vehicle was later found abandoned and was impounded. The suspects were not found.

Investigators searched the car and found three butcher knives and assorted meats stolen from the school. Narcotics were also discovered in the car’s glove box, police said.

An undetermined amount of money was taken from the school vending machines, eggs were thrown on the floor, and a glass window was damaged.