Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-06-03
IS CRIMINAL INSANE
MAKE ESCAPE FROM
MICHIGAN HOSPITAL
"a Additional Inmates Let
Out of Wards, but Stay
in Institution.
NIGHT Superintendent
SEIZED THROUGH RUSE
Two Men Recaptured on Nearby
Road-Search Being Made
for Others.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
IONA, Mich, June 3.-Thirteen In
sane criminals, five of them slayers
armed themselves with knives and raz-
ors, imprisoned two guards, threatened
the night supervisor with death and
escaped from the State Hospital for
Criminal Insane early today.
Two of the fugitives were recaptured
on highways a few miles from the in
stitution within few hours while CITY
county and State officers engaged in a
widespread search for the others.
Before leaving the institution the in
mates opened cells releasing "a pris-
oners, but none Of the others joined in
the break. They also cut telephone
wires.
Limited Facilities Blamed.
DR.. Perry c. Robertson, superintend-
ent of the hospital, blamed the break
on the limited facilities which made il
necessary to conflne 18 men with dan
gerous regulations in a ward, rather
than in separate cells.
The night supervisor, Gene Owen
was called to the ward on the third
floor by u. S. Davis and Bert Hill
guards, at 2:30 am. after the latter
had been told by an inmate that some
of the men there were trying to escape
AS they opened the door the three
men were set upon by the prisoners
who had armed themselves with inn
provised knives and with razors. The
two guards were locked in a wash room
- tel rRh Az Il
ing to the front gate.
One of the men held a knife tc
Owens throat and told Guy Carbaugh
guard at the gate, that owen would be
killed unless the gate was opened
Carbaugh let them out They took
owen outside the gate before scatter
ing in different directions.
Sheriff Is Notified:
A guard was dispatched to Ionia,
a mile and a half away, to notify
Sheriff William Franch, who started
the search, aided by officers Of other
counties and State police.
The two men recaptured were Istvan
Csordas, Detroit killer, and Charles
Kenney, committed from Detroit fol
robbery.
One of the first steps taken by Sheriff
Franch and his deputies after they
learned of the break was to telephone
to farm houses throughout the county
for the double purpose of warning them
and of asking their aid in looking foI
the fugitives.
BY sunrise approximately 40 officers
were patrolling the highways, watching
the fields and thickets and warning
motorists.
Ionia County is on the main highway
between Lansing and Grand Rapids and
is a favorite for hitch mixers" The
two men recaptured during the early
hours of the search apparently had in
tended to ask motorists for rides.
Followed Policy.
Some farmers joined in the extended
search, but many of them stayed close
to their own premises keeping a watch
full eye on wooded and bushy places
and the shadowy interiors of their
barns. A shotgun was standard equip
ment as they went about their daily
chores.
DR.. Robertson said that in opening
the gate Carbaugh acted in accordance
with the policy Of the institution. With
out arms he faced the alternative OF
possible death for himself and owen
after which the men could have escaped
by taking his keys.