This Week in Canton History

Submitted by Canton1 on

CANTON HERALD-October 19, 1961: One of the two escapees from Van Zandt County jail on Oct. 2 was sentenced to two years in the penitentiary at Huntsville in acting Judge Gordon Wynne’s District Court room Monday morning. The other escapee who took part in the jailbreak was acquitted of charges of robbery in the same court last week, but is being held in the county jail pending trial for stealing an automobile and breaking jail. The two escapees were captured near Terrell on Oct. 3 after forcing their way out of the Canton jail the day before. As they pass through Myrtle Springs on their escape route they had allegedly stolen a pickup truck from Leon Bridwell, which they abandoned before their capture. The jailbreak initiated one of the largest man hunts ever staged by law officers from Van Zandt, Henderson, Kaufman and Smith counties as well as officers of the State Department of Public Safety. L. F. Sanders of Canton served as court appointed counselor and obtained an acquittal for his client. Representing the other was Terrell attorney Robert Ramsey.

Funeral services for Dyde Manning, 73 who died Sunday night at his residence in Wills Point, after a long illness were conducted at 10 o’clock Monday morning at Eubank & Co. Wills Point. Rev. Ben Allen Pierce, pastor of Russell Memorial Methodist Church in Wills Point; officiated. Interment was in White Rose Cemetery. Mr. Manning, Wills Point Postmaster from 1924 until 1936, was a surveyor, registered public Accountant and cattle farmer.

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