The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1924-11-15
C0NVICTS WHO
ESCAPEDTAKEN,
RETURNEDHERE
Art Smith and VIM. Bergman
Enjoyed Liberty Little
Less Than One Year
MADE DARING ESCAPES
Recaptured in Northern Min.
nesota by Chief Keeper
Osjord Of Prison


man, convicts who effected daring
escape from the North Dakota State
penitentiary last January 6, were re-
turned to the prison today after hav-
ing been captured at International
Falls, Minnesota, a lumber town in
the northern part of that state. The
capture of Smith and Bergman al
most cleared the slate of the prison,
one convict, Frank Newton, being at
liberty, and his capture is expected
soon, Warden j. J. Lee said today.
Chief Keeper G. X. Osjord Of the
prison captured the two prisoners,
tracing them in northern Minnesota
after Warden Lee had received a
"lead" through Deputy Sheriff Flatos
of Sargent county. Ever since the
escape of the men the prison officials
have been tracing the pair through
officials by other means, the warden
said.
Smith was serving 20 years in pri-
son at the time of his escape, having
been sent up from Ramsey county,
and Bergman was serving a five-year
term for automobile theft, from
Barnes county. 1t was Smiths Sec
ond escape. he having made a daring
dash for liberty in 1921. Bergman,
according to the warden, would have
been pardoned or paroled by this
time if he had not escaped. The two
prisoners will be charged with es-
Gaping and additional time given
them. and their hair will be kept cut
short for a year, the warden said.
Both returned with Osjord without
trouble.
A Daring Escape
The escape of Bergman and Smith
was one Of the most daring in many
years. They were working in the
prison kitchen last January. Secur-
ing saws, they sawed bars from the
butcher shop window, and climbed
over the railroad gate. Jack Lon
gree, who tried to escape with them,
suffered broken ankle in the 20-foot
drop from the gate to frozen ground,
( gave all his money to Smith and sur
rendered.
After several days searching in
northern Minnesota, Chief Keeper
Osjord located Smith in Jail at In
ternational Falls and nabbed Berg
man as he entered intending to seek
Smiths liberty on bond. Both were
under assumed names.
Returns To Search
After Warden Lee received the clue
to the whereabouts of the pair, he
sent Osjord to northern Minnesota,
where the convicts were supposed to
be working on a road camp. When
Osjord got there the foreman recog-
nized the picture of Bergman, but
informed Osjord that the man, using
the name of Jack Maloney, had left
four days before. Bergman, he said,
was riding in an open Ford runabout,
with home made box on it. Osjord
came home, but two days later was
sent to Big Timber, Minnesota, on re-
ceipt Of more information.
Osjord secrctcd himself in hotel
room and watched from the window
for an entire day. He finally located
an automobile answering the descfip-
ton of Bergman's. There was no Of
ficer in Big Timber. While waiting
in the hotel, Osjord engaged two
strangers in conversation, and it de-
veloped that man named Dale had
been arrested on minor offensc and
that "Big Jack" who proved to be
Bergman, was going to International
Falls to get him out. Osjord hurried
to international Falls and showed
pictures of the convicts to the sheriff.
The sheriff told him to look the pri-
soner over. Osjord did, saw Smith
reading book but did not let it be
known he recognized him. As he and
officers were preparing to go back
to Big Timber to get Bergman, the
convict drove up in his automobile.
Osjord hid behind the door as Berg
man came in.
Seeing Bergman, Osjord motioned
the sheriff he was the right man and
the sheriff pulled his gun. Osjord
then stepped up and said "Hello
Bergman" The convict fell back,
taken by SUNRISE, but could not
deny his identity. The two came
back without trouble.