Show J JI j. j I SLAIN IN UTAH PEN PENH Bra Brawl wE in Penitentiary Pen Ya Yard rd Leads eads L H I To F Fatal atal Knifing if ing of Young Inmate i h J JL 1 IT L i 1 rr m rn lr 11 n s V Ay c cI t 1 i f r rN n N Jj M fi f J t W t fj 1 Al t i Jk f I h l II I J f. f Y i f w t f-t t f t i t v f tl L X f. f tt f o U v-M v 0 f fM 7 j g H fi J iJ l no Y f 1 I i. i W d. d 1 I I x- x t Vt w i J t 7 A j I I 1 t I q t t I fA f fy r t h i t j 1 tr d t J w t 1 ilL i r t k Yo f y z zI I 1 I 6 f. f O I IO I L i i n g f- f fc c ll 4 JA 4 F 4 v I w i L' L 7 j 4 tM t I 7 c h N V 4 v W S l S l XH 1 Ei q 4 w rM S A Z Top view of portion of state prison yard where slaying occurred Lower ower airplane the e prison The arrows point to the death scene in hi each picture Upper inset 24 who fatally slashed Ora Thornton 24 lower Fe Felon Ion Claims He Found Weapon i iBy By BOB HALE HALE I Because he incorrectly be believed a fellow prisoner inked finked and prevented him and a partner from escaping last lat November Or Ora a Thornt Thornton Thornton Thorn Thorn- ton 24 state prison inmate inmate t lay dead at the penitentiary Wednesday his throat throat and and tand a abdomen ab abdomen ab- ab domen slashed five times witla a crudely made knife The fellow prisoner Rich ard Cotti 24 whom the victim vic vie tim called a double crossing stool a fe few v mi minutes utes b before forthe fore for the knife flashed flashed readily ad aci admitted ad killing Thornton shortly short short- ly lv after 8 a. a m m. in a prison y yard rd alleyway while oth other i convicts l looked on A coro coroners coroner's ers er's jury imp impaneled at the th prison returned a a ver Vel diet that Cotti stab stabbed ed Th Thornton Thorn rn ton in s self lf Found Cotti told a coroners coroner's jury called In tho the prison gymnasium three hours after the slaying he struck at Thornton after tho the latter had sWung swung at him with fists Cotti he found testified the tho knife apparently fashioned from a a apiece apiece piece of ot butcher knife in his cell Tuesday night After wielding it ha be threw it over the north wall It was recovered by a guard He intimated he knew h who placed the knife knie in h his hb cell but de declined dc dined elined to say who it was Bad blood existed It was was was' learned between Thornton and Cotti once friends at the prison Prison Frison Cliques Prison cliques it also was wa learned entered into the fatal stab atal bing 4 The slaying was not witnessed by prison guards or officials Thornton was carried to the tho prison hospital by other convicts Dr S. S H. H Besley prison physician was call called d and pronounced Thornton Thornton Thorn Thorn- ton dead The Tho convict Dr B Besley sley testified was killed by a knife wound just under the heart Thornton was slashed twice in lathe the neck twice on oa oatho tho the right leg Dr Besley testified Hid Weapon After the killing kUling Cotti tried to bury the knife then ran with It to o othe the wall and threw It over Apparently calm lm Cotti then strolled near the tho alleyway He was was taken into custody by Jesse Walton captain of the prison guards Locked In Cell Cotti Colli answered Mr Waltons Walton's questions as to whether he wielded the knife with maybe Cotti then was locked In lii hi his cell awaiting investigators Prison officials summoned Justice Justice Jus Jus- tice of ot the Peace Fred Lindbeck Lindbeck- County Attorney Harold E. E Wal Wa Wallace lace J. J Allan Crockett deputy county attorney and Loto Lote B. B Ki Kiu Kin Continued on PaZ Pare Two yo Column On c FELON E ON IS SLAIN AT- AT T. T UTAH PRISON l C I r on II nue d from 1 age 0 Ori ne n ney Investigator fo for att attorneys attorney's at at- t torney's office o it t was learned CoUI was blamed by bi Thornton Thornt n for lor squealing iq li g last November when Thornton and his partner P Dewey Miller sawed out of a cell early in the tho morning and were Vero found in the yard yd near the hole or solitary confinement block attempting to remove bricks from a R. wall wan that their way to the outside 1 j. j r Placed In Hole A guard discovered them and both were placed in the hole for p punishment Actually i it Vas vu le learned prison officials did not receive a tip Thornton and Miller planned a break bleak A guard happened to find lind Ulem in the yard it was learned While WhIlo the tho Investigators quizzed eMU in fn his cell a a. coroners coroner's jury wiSs hastily summoned and at 11 a av m. m the inquest began in strange surroundings Benches were lined up 11 in the prison gymnasium a table was carried carrl car car- rl ned ried d in for Justice of oC the Peace Lindbeck and a battered p piano no stool served as the tho witness chair ir t 1 tf t f Swears veara Jurors justice of of the 1 wore in as the tho jury C. C O. O Anderson AnderZen Ander Ander- son Zen 1136 Milton avenue lack Jack Mads Mad- Mad s sin sent n 1990 McClelland street and andRay andRay andRay Ray W. W Hansen Westminster avenue Thomas Oliver Southa South a State te street who had been sum- sum m ned was excused only three jurors juror being necessary With Mr Wallace conducting the examination Dr Besley was the fist first witness He testified to arriving Ir ing Ig at the hospital and finding linding T Thornton ornton dead and described the then was called iA A dark stocky man of oC Central American descent he was calm as ashe he lip hI ry t t. t Dont ut Vant Want Trouble He said ho he l left ft his his' cell about 8 ri s' s m. m and went into the alleyway ex Brown another inmate approached approached ap ap- preached him and told him the words around your youre you're-a a rat Cotti t testified VT 1 don trouble I want to tob tob tobe b be left alone alope Cotti said ho told Brown Thornton then approached and CottI Get ready to meet your I aker the witness said IC 1 Claims Self-Defense Self Thornton at me and I ducked and hl him with the knife said Then n nit lilt me with a rock rock andI and I struck him again H His Bs s leg came caine caine up up and nd the knife kniCe struck it Then Thin he fell down all broody and I walked back up the yard rd Then I rubbed d' d the blood bloo of off the Ufe knife and threw it over the lI Coill said zaid later he first tried to rythe knife then bet- bet tK of it T D Td d you seany eA J l In Thorntons Thornton's possession 1 asked mr M. M Wallace allace C Tells of Quarrel I dont dan know if he had any any replied ottI then told of oC a 8 quarrel with T Thornton ornton Tuesday the thep p prison son yard Thornton and Rex Brown came ii tip toe and Thornton called me nie a fik fk and said zaid I turned him in on onh h hs at empted attempted escape Cotti said yle ope o said Thornton called him profane pro pro- fane names ames a. a end and d that I took them b because thought a aman man who would cel call another those some lome owe weapon to protect himself J Made Maae Knife Cotti who vho previously sly testified he found the wc weapon pon later said ald he ade the knife in his h cell Tues Tues- but at still ll later explained U made was prison parlance Actually he said aid he made the blade more secure rho The he knife has a a. small thin blade about three inches long attached to toa toa a wooden wood en handle of the same length insisted found the knife In his cell but said he did not care to answer when asked if it he knew vYrn put it there t Rex nex z Brown 30 was called but butR R this point the prisons prison's unwritten Wv dont JAr dont talk talk entered T uI didn't see see- anything Brown Mid sId 1 2 I want to talk to Dewey Miller iUler before I say anything he insisted He was wu excused t Saw Tart Part art of f Fight Dewey ewey Miller r lIer was called n next add dd said Bald he v a parl of the fight tween n. n Thornton Th r ton and Cotti e Herald e he be would rather n not f aner an- an per er a a. qu question if he saw wield a i knife Wilier r apparently p an educated educates un said laid both men squared off simultaneously and a fight was in In- evitable e. e Thornton was unarmed Miller Mid hid Ernest rn st Brennan whom Cotti CoUi said sale vJ his friend was called and ands andI s I l had told hi hint him Tuesday h h CoU U had bad been threatened by Brown Bown iown j Took rook No Part l Jn his his' testimony Cotti had in in- that Bennan an had bad no part In Inthis tl this tJ affray Brennan's J just St a good kid trying r 1 Jurors Probe Knife Slaying g. g If i S 4 A 3 c 4 4 S jr jrp p 4 4 c A c q t t I I i t fj I V VI 4 S 24 I 5 k e p 4 S 5 t 4 S c t t S P 5 Y 4 Above coroners coroner's T j jury ry which he heard rd te testimony testimony- in the knife slaying of f Ora Ti Thornton t at the state prison prison- sh shown as it waited for the inquest at the prison Left Lef to right Thomas Oliver South St State street C. C O. O Anderson 1136 Milton avenue Jack Madsen Madsen Mad Mad- Madsen sen 1990 McClelland avenue and Jt Ray y M. M Hansen Westminster avenue S Mr rr Oliver was vas excused only three b being eing impaneled Below Justice of the 0 P Peace ace Fred Lindbeck o ex-o officio ex-officio c coroner shows the lq knife fo allegedly wielded by Richard Cotti Diagram of Prison Frison Killing 5 S S' S S S S 54 5 4 SS' SS T 47 5 5 4 y 5 t 5 5 Y S S I C Cr r I 4 0 C S 5 5 f S x I 4 I Sf 7 4 I t f 1 M 14 jr 4 S 'S 1 t r 4 4 h I I k S S 'S 5 K s1 s 1 q I y t 5 5 2 jf A 4 SM Y S F FI S n. n The above phot photo diagram m where the fatal stabbing occurred at the state tate prison Wednesday with the version artists sion of the affray The knifing of Ora Thornton 24 by Ri Richard hard Cotti 24 occurred at the east end of vay an alleyway t 1 i. rui running between n cellblocks cellblock No 1 and No Ijo 2 to do what hes he's supposed d and I dont don't want him mixed up in this 2 Thornton and Cotti CoUI served time together at San Quentin prison CalIfornia Cal Cal- fornia an A Associated Press Press' dispatch dis dUs- patch pitCh said ald S I Once Found Knife Prison officials there there said there was no apparent animosity between the two although a knife once on e was Wal found in Thorntons Thornton's cell ceiL Thornton hornton was paroled from San Quentin April 3 1934 1931 after serving Bin since e March 3 1928 on a year 10 robbery sentence Cotti Ferguson entered en en- I en-I San Quentin December 22 1932 on a grand theft charge chargo and served 18 months Sentenced for Robbery Thornton was admitted to the Utah 4 A prison April 2 1935 from Third h rd di district court Ho Hob was s sen sentenced n- n to an indeterminate e term of from five ye years ra to life for robbery following his conviction in Judge James ame W court of rob rob- b- b ng Henry Beaman service station of oC Cotti was committed at the Utah prison July 22 1935 under under- a a. a sen sentence terice tence ence of five years to life for or at- at a ry He Re was wa convicted in ri Third district court ourt of invading the he Hoover drug store West Second South street last June 21 and attempting to rob David B. B Hoover year old proprietor Mr Hoover was struck over the head lead with a revolver when he frustrated frustrated frus true the attempt Cotti was was captured captured captured cap cap- a few blocks ck from the store An accomplice escaped Cotti Cott has a criminal al record dating back to November 1933 In El EI Centro Centro Cen Cen- tro Cal CaI City Detective Jack Brown said Cotti Cott r recently wrote Mr Hoover asking the druggist to aid in him-in s seeking leniency from the state pardons pardons pardons par par- dons board Thornton Thornton's crime crimp career accordIng according accord accord- ing lug t to police department records started b back ck more mora than 10 years ago on September 16 1925 when he was arrested in Lo Los Angeles on on a grand larceny charge Thi Three Thre e days daya later he was released December 15 ir 1925 he be w waS was arrested arrested l in Los Angeles geles county on a burglary charge and was wu arrested again April 1 u aaa as a probation violator He was sent to the Preston school of industry industry industry indus indus- try May y 6 1926 1928 and on oh February I 2 was sought after his escape After his arrest I rest in Lo Los Angeles county on a robbery charge he was sentenced on November 25 1927 1921 to five years year to life in San prison where he arrived d March arch 3 1928 and was paroled a month later I Turing ln u up 1 in Salt La Lake h he was arrested O October tober 14 1934 on ona o oa a charge of carrying concealed weapons and given 30 days in th the city j jail tl January 29 1935 he wa was arrested on a charge a of armed r rol robbery rob rob- b- b bery sentenced two days later 1 to toan toan an indeterminate term in the state stat prison and nd entered prison April 2 1 1935 S |