The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1920-03-12


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Bloodhounds today are trailing
through central North Dakota four
convicts who escaped last night from
the state penitentary near here by
tunneling through wall of the prison
building. One Of the fugitives was a
lfe-termer for murder and the other
three were serving three and five
years terms for grand larceny
The four men who escaped were:
Arthur Buck, 26, sentenced from
Ward county for life on a charge of
murder; had served two years.
Ray Burke 26, sentenced from FL
lendale for three years for grand lar
ceny; had served nine months.
John Stupard. "a, sentenced from
Mountrail county to five years for
grand larceny; had served two years.
Charles Breyer, Is, sentenced from
Cass county to three Years for grand
larceny; had served nine months.
According to Charles Mcdonald,
warden. evidence indicated the men
escaped shortly after the evening
meal and while the noise of their op-
eratiOns was drowned in the tramp
OF the other convicts mounting stairs
overhead on their way to the mid
week moving picture show Mr.. Nc.
Donald declared the escape was dis
covered within forty-fve minutes aft
er it occurred
+ Evidence found by the warden led
the official to believe the four men
first hid in a small elevator shaft
used for a dumb waiter in connection
with the convicts dining room on the
second floor concealing themselves
until the room had been cleared Mr..
'McDonald Said they apparently then
moved to sink closet across corner
of the room from the elevator, where
hole about fifteen inches square was
found in the interior wall Of plaster
and lath. The hole leads under tar
papered roof to a brick wall facing on
a second tarred roof. A hole Of similar
dimensions to that in the closet was
tunneled through the one thickness
OF brick, directly under stairway
leading to the PRISONS auditorium on
the third floor. ~ u
A rope, with large iron hook at
tached, which had been a part of the
elevator mechanism was found near
the prison wall after the escape. The
warden believes the >fugitives used
this rope to let themselves down from
the roof and to scale the yard wall.
Immediately on discovery of the
escape four bloodhounds which are
kept at the penitentiary were taken
to the wall opposite the dining room,
where the rope was found. The dogs
picked up a trail and led the officials
northward. Parties comprising eight
men were deployed through the coun-
try and deputies were dispatched east
and west on outgoing trains. Today
additional officers were sent north and
south on trains running both sides of
the Missouri river.
Mr. Mcdonald has been warden at
the prison since December, 1918. He
rendered his resignation about a
month ago and it was accepted with
the understanding that he serve until
a successor would be appointed.
Last nights escape was ascribed
largely to the fact that the regular
guard on the dining room being i'll
a new man was in charge. The four
c0nvicts who tunneled their way to
liberty were missed shortly before
the regular S:45 check. The last prev
ious check at o'clock, had shown
them present the warden said.
According to descriptions furnished
by Mr. Mcdonald, all Of the escaped
<,fr INN n1nvi0n ond
had hair of medium chestnut color.
| All were said to have been clothed in
the regulation prison khaki when last
seen at the institution. -s. p
The Identification records showed
Buck five feet eight and one-eighth
inches in height and weighing 1856
pounds, marked chiefly by amputation
of the first finger on the right hand
above the. third joint. Stupard is five
feet four and one-fourth inches in
height, weighs 142 pounds and is of
a short muscular build. Burke is five
feet six and three-quarters inches in
height and weighs 144 pounds. Brey-
er, the largest of the four. stands five
feet eleven and three-fourths inches
| and tips the scales at 16O and one-half
pounds. Although tall. he was said to
be of muscular build, and prison at
tcndants judged he ,1iust have had
difficulty in squeezing through the
holes fifteen inches square. H.
>, Mr.. Mcdonald said patrol on the
walls is not maintained at night
though in force during the day.
Movies" are shown at the peniten'
tiary every Thursday and Sunday
night and it was during the midweek
performance that the escape took
place.
General notification was sent
throughout the state but the incident
was not generally known in Bismarck
until this morning The prison is 10
Gated about two miles east OF the city
BUCK is BAD MAN
Arthur Buck is real bad man
He was member of a gang Of tire
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