The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1920-09-07
OFFICERS SPREAD WIDE NET FOR
C0NVICTS WHO STOLE AUTOMOBILE
AND ESCAPED AT HEBRON SUNDAY
Car Seen Going West of Hebron
After Ball Players Of Prison
Team Disappear
ONE CONVICT A 'LIFER'
Harry Smith, Former Resident
of Bismarck, and William
Singheim Get Away

Sheriffs, chiefs of police and othel
officials throughout western Nortl
Dakota and eastern Montana are
searching today for the two convicts
who escaped at Hebron Sunday night
This afternoon no trace had beel
found on the fleeing men.
The two vino escaped were Harry
smith, formerly a resident of Bis
marck, who was sentenced to life i'm
prisonment in 1916 for the murder o1
his wife, being received at the prison
from Grand Forks county, and Will
liam Singheim, of ROlette county, re-
ceived at the prison in 1918 to serve
a three-year term for auto theft.
Play Ball Game
The two convicts were members OF
the prison baseball team which play
ed the Hebron team at Hebron Sun
day afternoon. 1t was the last SEIZED
uled game of the season outside the
prison grounds, and it is believed the
two convicts had planned to make
their getaway on this last day out
side the prison walls.
The team was to return to BIS
marck from Hebron on Northern Pa
cific train No. T. The train was four
hours late, not leaving Hebron until
after p, m. There was large crowd
of townpeople at the station, 1t be-
ing an unusual sight for the people
to see a baseball team composed OF
cOnvicts.
Steal Chiefs Car
The prisoners, who are members OF
the team, are considered "trusties
when out on trip. They are put on
their honor not to escape. When the
train pulled out the two men were
found missing, and a search was
started.
1t was learned that the automobile
of Chief of Police Fred Klein OF he
bron, had bten stolen while he was
attending the Evangelical church. The
car, an Overland, was parked In front
of the edifice.
II am sure, that it was the con-
victs that stole my car" said Chief
Klein over the telephone to Tribune
reported. "The convicts were around
the streets while waiting for the
train.
Seen Going West
1.-TWO men made inquiries of He
bron people as to the best road to
take out of town to the west, asking
particularly about the Red Trail, its
course and it's condition. We got a
report from man who saw two men
in an automobile three miles west or
Hebron Sunday night which tailed
with the description of my car. They
also were seen going through Rich
ardton."
Immediately after the escape of the
convicts was discovered sheriffs ana
others officials over large area were
notified.
Chief Klein said that his car was
painted dark blue, had spotlight
There were two new Portage tires
on the rear and a tire rim.
Nothing else in the town was miss
ing, so it is believed that the con-
victs did not obtain guns. Their pur-
pose, in the opinion of Klein, was to
drive west as far as they could safe
ly, and then catch a train, either
east or west However, no trace OF
the car has been found, and it is pos
sible that they drove it into the Bac
Lands.
No blame is attached to any one of
the prison guards, according to Beech
er Stair, son and assistant of Warden
l.. l.. Stair He said the prisoners
were put on their honor when taken
with the ball team and had lived up to
their trust in the past.
No disciplinary measures toward
prisoners "has been taken as yet,' he
added