Earl Bircham, 1952 February 1

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‘eb. 1, 1952. (Photograph in each

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1952 and

THE LOULSVILLE COURLER-JOU
“(Photograph in each issue. )

Feb. 1, 1952.

RNAL, Louisville, Ky.

Jan, 18, 1952 and

-JOURNAL, Louis:

each issue. )

Bircham, a white l9-year-old native of Tennessee was a professional
theif, During the space of six years, he escaped from prisons in
Tennessee and Kansas no less than five times. His last escape, from
a Kansas institution, occured while he was a trusty in the prison
laundry and, putting on a guards uniform, calmly walked through the
gates to freedom. He went to Louisville, Ky., and was driving a
stolen automobile down the wrong side of a one way street when two
Louisville patrolmen, John Tennyson and John A. Ross attempted to
stop him. Bircham ran from his car and in a gun battle with the
pursuing officers, Tennyson was killed and Ross wounded. Bircham:
was disarmed and captured by an ex-Marine when he fled sorkmdtics
agkx through the Marine's back yard. ven though he confessed to
hold-ups that had netted him over $200,000, he xkxims denied that
he had killed Tennyson and wounded Ross deliberately and stated that
if he was guilty of the crime, it was accidental and he did not de-~
serve the death penalty. His execution was delayed while his case
was taken to the U. 5, Supreme Court on two different occa$ions ands.
while awaiting the outcome of one appeal, he attempted to tunnel his
way out of the death cell. Converted to religon, Bircham died in
Kentucky's electric chair on Feb. 1, 1952, with a prayer on his

BIRCHUML, Tard a, ay es Veo GS ae

Bircham, a white l9-year-old native of Tennessee was a professional
theif. During the space of six years, he escaped from prisons in
Tennessee and Kansas no less than five times. His last escape, from
a Kansas institution, occured while he was a trusty in the prison
laundry and, putting on a guard$s uniform, calmly walked through the
gates to freedom. He went to Louisville, Ky., and was driving a
stolen automobile down the wrong side of a one way street when two
Louisville patrolmen, John Tennyson and John A. Ross attempted to
stop him. Bircham ran from his car and in a gun battle with the
pursuing officers, Tennyson was killed and Ross wounded. Birchan :
was disarmed and captured by an ex-Marine when he fled zorkmdrix
ieagkx through the Marine's back yard. ven though he confessed to
hold-ups that had netted him over $200,000, he mkximm denied that
he had killed Tennyson and wounded Ross deliberately and stated that
if he was guilty of the crime, it was accidental and he did not de-
serve the death penalty. His execution was delayed while his case
was taken to the U. 5, Supreme Court on two different occasions ands.
while awaiting the outcome of one appeal, he attempted to tunnel his
way out of the death cell. Converted to religon, Bircham died in
Kentucky's electric chair on Feb. 1, 1952, with a prayer on his

BIRGHAM, Zar] D, EL / TS A
Bircham, a white l\9-year-old native of Tennessee was a professional
theif. During the space of six years, i
Tennessee and Kansas no less than five
a Kansas institution, occured while he was a trusty in the prison
laundry and, putting on a guardés uniform, calmly willed through the
gates to freedom. He went to Louisville, Ky., and was driving a
stolen automobile dow the wrong side of a one way street when two
Louisville patrolmen, John Tennyson and John A. Ross attempted to
stop hin, Bircham ran from his car and in a gun battle with the
pursuing officers, Temyson was killed and Ross wounded. Bircham
was disarmed and captured by an ex-Marine when he fled zodandckx
uamict through the Marine's back yard. liven though he confessed to
hold-ups a had netted him over $200,000, he xtxom denied that

t 40 ennyson and wounded Ross eaiipenaales and stated that
if he was nies f the crime, it was accidental and he did not de~
serve the death penalty. His execution was delayed while his case
was taken to the U. 8, Supreme Court on two different occasions and,
while avaiting the outcome of one appeal, he attempted to tumel his
way out of the death cell, Converted to religon, Bircham died in

Kentucky's electric chair on Feb. 1, 1952, with a prayer on his

LLLSOSE