Herbert Owen Skaggs Bank Robber

Herbert Owen Skaggs was born on 14 Sep 1903 in Indianapolis, IN to John Benjamin Skaggs 1864-1932 & Eliza Felor ( Some have her last names as Pervis) 1870-1935.

Herbert was a Tile setter a person who laid tile, not a bad profession. 

On 5 Oct 1922 he married in a Methodist church in Indianapolis, IN  to Ruth Breeden, he was 21 and she was 19 years old. 

Ruth was born 15 Nov 1905 to James Breeden & Lilly Bastic in Indianapolis, IN. 

Herbert & Ruth had 2 children I know of, Lillian & Helen.




As Herbert was growing up and reach age 17 he had gotten himself into some trouble and was sent to the Indiana Reform School. Called the Farm. I found him in the 1920 US Census.

1920 US Census Indian 
In 1933 he got himself into another scrap of some sort I do know the details but he was Inmate #43896 in Atlanta State Prison.

Then in 1938 he was arrested for Bank Robbery and received on 27 Oct 1938 to the Louisiana State Prison as Inmate #29574 he received a Federal sentence of 10 yrs to run concurrent and Minimum 14 yrs to Maximum 28 yrs, he was 35 years old.

Louisiana State prison Record



It states that he escaped and was wanted, in the upper right hand corner of his record.


Louisiana State prison Record

He had tried to get a Pardon but it was denied in Oct 1939. It says he was transferred on 27 Oct 1938 but doesn't say where. I found him in the 1940 US Census in Leavenworth Prison as Inmate # 55312.



He either lied about his age or they just got it wrong, he wasn't 27. He mus of gotten out in the late 40's early 50's I found him living in Kansas City with his brother Lee Skaggs.




His wife Ruth died on Christmas day 1955 in Indianapolis, IN  at age 50.


Herbert moved to Florida in his later years dying 16 Feb 1973 in Okeechobee, Florida at age 69.



I found one newspaper clipping on Herbert and the bank robbery.










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