The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1928-09-10
Running Gunfight from Prison
to River Leaves Trail
Of Death
New Orleans Desperate Leads
Break Of Is Inmates, Full.
fills Promise

Baton Rouge, La, Sept. 1O.-AJ-
Six convicts were killed and ten, in
cluding prisoners and guards, in
jured, in Z break from the incorri-
gible ward Of Louisiana state peni.
tentiary last night that resulted in
only two being At large today. Two
OF the injured may die.
Two men, one . trusty who was
aiding the guards, were shot to death
at the prison at Angola, near here.
Four Of the escaping men were shot
on the Mississippi river and. while
their bodies could not be found, Of
ficials said they were sure they were
dead.
Headed by Cleveland Owen, New
Orleans desperado, the convicts
overpowered two guards, broke into
the ammunition room where they oh.
tanned guns and then raced for Z
launch in the nearby Mississippi riv.
er while they kept W running
gunfire with prison authorities.
Warden Amacker, who was here
when he received . report Of the
break, rushed to the scene and today
was directing IN intensive sea, en-
for the missing prisoners. They are
believed to have deserted :he launch
as soon as possible and struck out
cross-country.
Fulfills Death Threat
Owen, serving IA to 21 year son
tence for shooting q New Orleans
policeman with intent to kill, il
credited by prison officials with en-.
gineering the affair. A few months
ago he and several others escaped
and after they were captured he de-
clared he never would be taken alive
again.
His statement was fulfilled, for he
was one Of the slain. Three of the
others killed were serving life SEN
tences and two Z few years for rob-
berry. All were white.
Walking up to two guards, Owen
suddenly whipped out . revolver
which had been smuggled to him and
the other convicts then overpowered
the guards.
Raid Arms Chamber
Working swiftly the men ran to
the ammunition house, obtained re-
yolvers. aid cAFtridees and raced tc
the river, about 200 yards away.
Meanwhile an alarm had been
sounded, and the prison scarchlixht
picked up the fleeing party. Guns
blazed and three of the convicts fell.
A few convicts survived the heavy
gunfire and reached the river whe re
they wounded Archie Walter, nper-
ator Of . launch, and Communicated
the craft. Three more were killed,
however, before the boat reached q
safe distance from the gunfire.
What happened to the launch aft.
er that was matter Of speculation.
A searching party was organized
Immediately to pursue it.
Arthur Kichen, serving q life SEN
tence for murder, was the first to
die. Arthur Davis, q trusty used
Is guard, Joined in the fight on the
side Of. the prison guards. He was
struck on the head with a gun and
fell, but recovered sufficiently to fire
at Kichen and bring him down.
Jack Broom, another trusty, was
fatally wounded as he interceded
with the escaping men. Witnesses
said Owens pistol ended Broom's 5
life.
Other convicts seized q boat on
the river, but meantime the alarm
had been given and the power
ful searchlight Of the prison was
turned on.
Eight Of the convicts had reached
the river bank and got into tho boat
when concentrated fire from prison
guards killed four Of them. Author
tiles announced that those killed in
the boat were Owen, S. J. Beck,
Stanley Proctor, and Jack Martin,
al serving time for robbery.
Four men surrendered before they
could reach the. boat, but during the
flight Captain John Singleton and
G.. c. Higginbotham, prison officials,
were seriously wounded. and Higgin-
botham was captured and his body
used as Z shield from the bullets Of
the other guards.