IN PRISON.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 307, 28 December 1935, Page 4 (Supplement)

IN PRISON.

FATAL GUN BATTLE.

TWO DEAD IN CELL

Two negro prisoners accused of attacking white women were killed in two gun battles in their cell in a prison at Southern Gretna, Louisiana, on the west bank 01 the Mississippi. The fight began when Sheriff Frank Clancy, who had been told that a sun had been smuggled in to one of the prisoners, went to the cell of Henry I<reedman, aged 24, and David Hart, aged 22. Before Clancy could begin questioning the prisoners one of them fired pointblank at him. The bullet struck a steel bar on the cell door and was deflected. Clancy was seriously wounded. Two deputies and a gaoler hurried ,to the cell when they heard the shooting and opened fire. Both negroes fell to the ground and the prison officials gave them up as dead. Coroner Odom arrived to pronounce them dead, when one of the negroes jumped up. grabbed a gun that had fallen to the floor and opened fire on the coroner. The bullet missed its mark and before the negro could fire again another prison official had shot him dead. The I other negro was already dead.