Pine Bluff daily graphic. (Pine Bluff, Ark.) 1893-1942, 1916-04-26
CONVICT KILLED
At DESARC WAS
noted FEUD|SI
Now Declared "Charles 0W
ems" Was Really John
Hatfield. ~

Little ROCK, Aplll Go.-- nat tlle
convict known as Charles Owens. VINO
died in the pententiary Monday nifht
from gulshOt wounds received in
hattie with officers at DesArc Sun
cay, was John Hatfield, Virginia
feudiat, and was wanted in Virginia
for the murder of a sheriff at Logan
courthouse % years ago, is the decla-
ration of John Perdue. arrested at
DeVall's Bluff last night,
Purdue, in addition to declaring
that Owens was feudist of con-
siderable note. said that the notorious
"Blackie" Williams. the Oklahoma
outlaw, who was sent tel the Arkansas
penitentary for 16-year sentence
for killing d policeman in Fort Smith,
was with Owens" as a member OF
the gang of alleged timber thieves
who participated in q gun fight with
Sheriff r. e. l.. Spradlin of Woodruff
county April 16. Purdue said that
another escaped convict believed to
he j. II. Crabtree who. with Owens
Williams and 81 other Conviets, es-
caped from the state convict farm at
C,lmmins January II, was a member
of the gang.
Posse After Men.
Sheriff Alvin Harris at DcS Arc
Tuesday said that the two men be-
lieved to be Williams and Crabtree
were surrounded. The two men were
said to be in a cabin boat on the
White river between DeValfs Blum
and Clarendon. Deputy sheriffs said
that the two men are within three
miles of DeVall's Bluff. Their motor
boat, which they used in GLIDING
Sheriff Spradlin and his posse, has
been abandoned. Purdue said.
Owens" or Hatfield, when he WAS
received at the pcnitentiary to begin
a life sentence for murder, gave his
home at Virginia. Monday, when
told that he was dying, he admitted
that Owens" was not his name, but
refused to give any information CON
corning his history. He said he had
no relatives who would be sufficiently
Interested to bury his remains. Mlhe
body was buried in the penitentlary
graveyard Tuesday morning.
According to Purdue, Owens was
a confessed desperate. Purdue sale
that owens" had admitted having
killed 10 men. He said Owens was
a nephew of Anse Hatfield. noted
Virginia feudist. The man was %
wears old and was working in log
gins camp in White county when ne
was sent to the Arkansas penlten
tiary.
Purdue Tells Of Gang.
Purdue told officers that there wa
an escaped convict named Charles
Brown with "Blackie" Williams. Pen
itentiary officials are inclined to be
lieve, however, that if any or til
men who escaped with Williams ar
with him the other man is J. ri. ira D
tree. Crabtree was sentenced 10
three years from White county 70
burglary. He and Owens" wer
friends while in the penitentiary and
tosether with ''Blackle' Williams, es
caped. Purdue also said the ehtlr
party consisted of seven men, bu
pretended that he did not know tn
identity CT the others.
warrant for Purdue's arrest o
charges of timber thefts was issue
two weeks ago. He was arrested a
De Wallis Bluff about $3.50 o'cloe
Monday night by Deputy Sheriff c. S
Minton. The deputy, who had bee
on the watch for the party since n
he'd heard Of the gun battle in tn
White river bottoms near MGClella
April Is, saw Purdue get out OF
small boat. He covered Purdue Wit
q rifle and Purdue surrendered with
cut resistance.
Purdue was turned over 20 Sherr
Spradlin and was taken to August
Tuesday morning.