Written by Sam Pakken Bisbee, AZ

Sam Paken

His name was Willie Baker

He was a black man ,Nevada State Heavyweight Boxing Champion

It was election time in Bisbee Phil Olander was Shheriff ,he said that he thought that win reelection and resign so Undersheriff Racshilla

(spelling)would become

Sheriff ,,,,,but he wanted

Bisbee to be able to have a fair election .

My father Savo (Sam)

Was recruited from Bisbee Police Department

To campaign for Sheriffs

Department .(Democratic Party).

It was hunting season and we all met at a Barbeque spot behind Eads Construction

Company Phil Olander wes going deer hunting and was leaving the Sheriff's office responsibility to Racshilla and my father (daytime)

Deputy Lugo (nights)

Willie Baker escaped on Deputy Lugos watch ,he ran around Bisbee for 2days and nights (I think ,correct me if wrong)

Olander was gone deer hunting ,Willie Baker broke into the high school and stole some food.

After chasing sightings of him around town for several days and nights he was spotted in the hills behind the current Cochise County Jail,Sheriff's office.

My father Deputy Paken

Had an elephant hunting rifle and fired a warning

shot into the air and yelled

as loud as he could "Come down off that mountain "

Wellie Baker surrendered).

They said he would do 200 push ups at a time in his cell ,when he went to Florence prison, he was boxing other inmates and won all, or most of the time(what I heard) someone threw gasoline in his cell and he burned to death ,i thought he had a twin brother but not verified.

Jim Willison won the election......Olander being out of town during the

"prison escape crsis",,,,

and a " Big Feed"(terminology of that era") ,where everyone got shitfaced drunk at Elmos bar were considered factors in Sheriff Olanders

loss of the election.

So that's what happened ,o know because I wes staying at Pueblo Courts Motel with my father and attending

Bisbee high school.

The Sheriff's and some other police agencies and an occasional local

businessmen would come to the motel for Hawaiian

Barbeques and play Poker

(Sheriff's got an allowance for their vehicles ,owned

and operated themselves)

so any extra money left over from maintenance

financed the poker game

I went out for football and dad would put Horse liniment il my injuries, because he wes an old Horsecav Sgt.

They had a little blackboard and dad would mark it, CQ,,,Confined to Quarters

When I did something wrong and they all had a good laugh at my expense

CQ. Also meant Artic

Circle Burgers for supper

Not T-bone steak and potatoes,,,,,,had to sit home and study ,,,,no coffee and dognut breaks

with Dad and other police officers, agencies.

Anyway that's how I know about this aforementioned incident.

To the best of my Recollection.........