CONVICTS IN GUN BATTLE

Greymouth Evening Star, 18 April 1936, Page 3

CONVICTS IN GUN BATTLE

WARDEN SEIZED AS HOSTAGE

LONDON, March 7

Tire storv of a machine-gun battle between prison officers and two escaped convicts with an accomplice racing down a snow-clad road at South Dakctu,’ was told to the “Daily Telegraph” last night by Mr. Leo Craig, President of the Board of Charities and Correction, following a sensational prison break from the penitentiary at Sioux Falls.

A man who v.ys visiting his brother : t) prison overpowered the guards and released him and another convict. They then poked a gun in the warden’s ribs and held him as a hostage while they raced to freedom.

Over the Transatlantic telephone Mr Craig told how th© convicts killed the warden in cold blood as the sheriff and his guards pursued them, firing ma-chine-guns.

“The warden was picked up dead from the side of the road,” he said. “We had no time to call an ambulance. We hurried him back to the hospital by cur, but it was too late. They had shot him.

“The men knew where the guards kept their machine-guns and took them. They were three desperate fellows and went in to the warden and stuck a gun at him, holding him ;;s hostage. In the office were several office-boys, whom they locked in with the keys. WOMEN’S CAR STOPPED. “It was all done so quickly that there was no time to give the alarm. They were well supplied with guns in addition to those they stole, and had a getaway of three or four minutes before the ‘helps’ in the office got in touch, with the deputy-warden. “They got outside and held up two women passing in a car. They all got into this and drove off down the snowclad highway leading out of the city. We notified all police officers within 30 or 40 miles.

“The convicts must have realised that the chase could not last much longer, and tried to turn off from the main highway into a side road. Their car got stuck, and they left it and ran across the fields, where another gun battle ensued. “In the end one convict was killed, the brother who liberated them is in hospital, and the third man surrendered and was tak-an back to the penitentiary.” _____