Thomas Hamilton Blanck

Arrest In October 1894, Blanck attempted to rob the "Mug Saloon" in Seattle, Washington, an event in which a bartender, Charles Birdwell, was killed. A law enforcement officer was also grazed in the neck during the incident. A Seattle detective named Cudihee arrested a suspect a few days after the Birdwell killing, who gave his name as Tom Blanck. Blanck reportedly then confessed to many additional crimes.

Confessions made Blanck admitted to having committed an 1890 burglary in Fairhaven, Washington, in which he had been pursued by a policeman, Peter Brugh. Blanck claimed he shot Brugh twice while making good his escape. Blanck had also shot and killed a friend during a poker game that year, in Weiser, Idaho. Besides a con man named Frank Hart who helped Blanck, several other convicts also escaped: Servius Rutten (convicted murderer); William Holmes (murderer); C.W. Brown (counterfeiter); R.H. Ford (burglar); Charles William (burglar); and William Cosgrove (petty larceny).

Death Cosgrove and Rutten were quickly recaptured on March 18, 1895, and Holmes was caught on March 21. Later that same day, in Orillia, Washington, Blanck obtained food from James Nelson. Deputy Sheriffs John Crow and John Shepich were notified and pursued Blanck near Kent, Washington. Charles Newell then joined Crow and Shepich, creating a three-man posse. Finding himself cornered, Blanck fired and wounded Shepich. Blanck was ordered to come out of the brush and was shot dead when the posse purportedly thought he had a second gun. The jailer's stolen pistol and keys were found on Blanck's body.

Aftermath Hart, who had helped Blanck escape from prison, was not himself recaptured until May 4, 1908, in Seattle.