Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1915-08-01
TWO CONV|C7S
ESCAPE FROM
PEN|TENT|ARY
Elmer Jones and Albert Olson
Make "Get-Away' Early
Last Night.
JONES SENT UP FOR
NOTORIOUS CRIME
Were Returning Cows to Pasture
When Escape Was Accomp
lished.

lished.
Elmer Jones and Albert Olson, two
convicts from the state penitentiary,
sent up for five and seven and one.
half years respectively, escaped from
the penitentary last evening".
The two men were sent to the peni-
tentiary pasture about 700 o'clock
last evening to return the COWS, when
they made their escape. Olson has
been doing the work for the past two
years, and has always been regarded
as a model prisoner. The escape was
discovered at once when the men did
not return at 500 o'clock. and a
hasty search was made for them. The
prison whistle was sounded immed.
lately and dragnet of prison guards
and officers sent out at once. The men
evidently took the old horse which
was usually used when driving the
cattle back to the pasture, and used it
to assist them in their escape: The
horse was located in the pastuEe
shortly after 10 o'clock so they did
not get very far with the animal.
oSOuI lIic NouI1Iy.
Warden Talcott had men securing
the country last night in an effort to
locate the escaped convicts. Messag-
es were sent to all the outlying towns
at once, and dragnet set that will
make it almost impossible for the men
to get very far. Descriptions of the
men were also wired to the sheriffs
of all surrounding counties. The two
men had barely an hours start when
the escape was discovered. Officers
in automobiles were sent out on roads
leading. in all directions in an effort to
head them off.
The Jones Case,
Elmer Jones was sent up for one OF
the most heinous crimes in the his
tory of the state. Jones, with Mrs.
Jane Sogge, his mother-in-law, and his
wife, Betsy Jones, were all convicted
at the same time.
The murder was one Of the most re-
voting in the criminal annals of the
state. On October II, 1914, Betsy
Jones, daughter of Mrs. Hans Sogge.
was taken to an OrhOuse and there
gave birth to child. Two days be.
fore the birth Of the child, she had
been driven from home with her moth.
er, brothers and sister by father
crazed with drink.
This happened repeatedly during
her delicate condition.
Awful Climax.
Then came the awful climax in her
life.
Soon after the new born ;.fant had
been killed through abandonment un-
der the most grucsomc and awful con.
ditions, Betsy, her mother and hus.
band who married the girl soon after
the child's birth. were arrested and
charged with murder in the first de-
gree.
They were confined in separate cells
in the Benson county Jail at Mime
waukan and made confessions which
were read into the record by the sher.
if of that county.
Jones began serving his five year
sentence April II, this year, and it is
stated the case against Mrs. SOgge
and Mrs. Jones has been appealed.
Jones was only married two days
before the crime with which he was
charged took place. His record at the
penientiary has been very good, and
since he began serving his sentence a
number Of friends, who felt that he
was more sinned against than SHINING
have taken great interest in his case.
The Olson Case.
Olson was also sent up from Ben
son county and began serving a seven
and one-half year sentence December
21. 1918. The charge against him was
second degree rape. The case was
also an interesting one and attracted
wide attention at the time.
Olson's record before coming to
the penitentiary was anything but a
savory one. The man is ignorant and
his family record back of him is one
that few, if any people, would be glad
to have.
Warden Talcott is of the opinion
that Olson was the instigator of the
plan to escape, and persuaded Jones
to make the break with him.
Penitentiary Methods.
Visitors to the penitentiary last eve
ming were amazed at the business-like
and efficient methods used in setting
net for the escaped men. There
was not the slightest semblance OF
disorder or excitement. Warden Tai.
colt was busy issuing orders, and each
and every one of them executed with
the greatest promptness.
In less time than it takes to tell
about it, every town within the tele.
phone radius was notified of the es.
cape. Men on horseback and in auto.
mobiles were speeding out on roads
in every direction. Descriptions of
the men were placed in envelopes
and caught the first mail out. BY the
time this is read every police officer
in the country will be in possession
of full description of the men and
will be on the lookout for them.
vrho oonoro1 ho1iof LAST night was