Lonnie Taylor: Reformed Robber after 28 Years in Prison

Lonnie Taylor was born about 1902, I have very little family information on him.

Inmate: #20530 TN State Prison
Rec: 6 Apr 1931
Crime: Robbery
Term: 20 Years
Age: 29

Here is his story through newspaper articles:

link for the above is here, I know it's hard to read. 1931 Robbery.

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/55147877/lonnie-taylor/

He escapes prison and there's this newspaper article where people write in and say where think he is and if he will ever be caught.

What Do You Think??

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/55145570/lonnie-taylor/

Some speculate he hiding in the Smoky Mountains, he gets caught in Louisiana for another crime in Nov 1933.

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/55146591/lonnie-taylor/ 

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/55147669/lonnie-taylor/

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/55146473/lonnie-taylor/

They weren't going to take any chances on him escaping again and brought him into the courtroom in chains. This next article he was interviewed and talks about his life of crime and his sweethearts he had, he never mentions anyone's names.

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/55253579/lonnie-taylor/

1934 newspaper article about an attempted escape where he sends a note to the warden saying he gives up have a guard come get our guns:



https://www.newspapers.com/clip/55146434/lonnie-taylor/


Nov 1938 another attempt to escape this time something goes wrong and 4 inmates shot and a guard.

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/55145224/lonnie-taylor/

Second page to the above:

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/55145070/lonnie-taylor/


https://www.newspapers.com/clip/55145399/lonnie-taylor/

Newspaper reports Lonnie may get electric chair.

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/55146679/lonnie-taylor/

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/55145496/lonnie-taylor/

He gets life and he lost his arm due to a gunshot he received in the attempted escape.

There a book on the Congressional Record:Proceedings and Debates of the ... Congress
By United States. Congress 

Lonnie is mentioned by a judge several times.

https://books.google.com/books?id=js9fOZ0APccC&pg=SL1-PA3103&lpg=SL1-PA3103&dq=%E2%80%9Clonnie%20taylor%E2%80%9D%20%22alcatraz%22&source=bl&ots=Nd12r1TGSP&sig=ACfU3U1glsukN7xmih4ecxC2O6tjr5JQ5w&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjq3cG3hsnqAhWFLn0KHczWBM4Q6AEwAHoECAgQAQ&fbclid=IwAR0xQPf0WxMLL98vmOuqQb02sHRvIR2noIl4wE26UWrRjqwNHs67Sm5SXdU#v=onepage&q=%E2%80%9Clonnie%20taylor%E2%80%9D%20%22alcatraz%22&f=false

He finds God and gets baptized 9 Dec 1955 and in 1956 there is a newspaper article about it.

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/55146153/lonnie-taylor/?xid=637&_ga=2.160904244.821607688.1593876903-1337949228.1570736414

1959 a fellow inmate writes an article about Lonnie.

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/55146213/lonnie-taylor/


August 1959 Lonnie is released from prison and is paroled to Vidor, Texas where his brother has a farm, after serving 28 years behind bars. He was 58 years old.

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/55147750/lonnie-taylor/

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/55150528/lonnie-taylor/

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/55150669/lonnie-taylor/

I must say what a life he had and he must of lived out the rest of life quietly as there are no more newspaper articles about him I found after 1959.