Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-04-07
WOUNDED MEN ARE RECOVERING
Claim Is Made That Guards Fired No
Less Than Ten Shots at the Fleeing
Observation-Disclosures Decline to Dis
cuss the Neutrality-suspicious. PEG.
Pile Surprised.
Special to Times-Reputlican

They are not dangerously wounded, but
are in considerable pain. A special to
the Gazette from independence states
that nothing was known there of the
escape of the sixteen dipsomaniac pa
tents from the asylum until inquiry
was received from Cedar Rapids. The
asylum authorities are very reticent on
the subject, but 1t is learned that the
guards blame the shooting to G. w.
Russell, wealthy farmer. whom they
induced to accompany them in their
pursuit OF the escaping patients. Mr..
Russell denies the charge very emphat-
ically, however, and the fact that Miner
and Crowley were both wounded by
bullets from revolver substanciates
Mr.. Russell's claim. It Is said that the
guards fired at least ten shots at the
men.
Five OF the patients were captured
yesterday at Otterville, and it is be-
lieved that an effort will be made to
apprehend the others and return them
to the asylum.
Public sentiment Is considerably
aroused, and it is expected that an Of
ficial investigation will he made by the
board OF control. The men were not
convicts, had committed no crime, and
the asylum officials will undoubtedly
have hard time to explain the neces-
sity OF even shooting at them. The
guards claim, 1t is said, that they shot
into the air. So far as can be learned
Miner and Crowley were the only pa
tients struck by the bullets.
Particulars of the escape Of the men
were hard to obtain, but 1t appears
that the men were being taken for a
walk in charge of two attendants.
After they had walked the usual dis
lance and were ordered to turn back
Miner and Crowley with fourteen 9th
ers kept walking on.
One of the attendants followed them,
farm houses, where he succeeded in
getting the farmers to arm themselves
with shotguns merely for effect and aid
in the pursuit
The men say they were followed for
about two miles and finally when the
attendant was tired of trying to get
them to obey his command he fired into
the crowd.
Miner states that three shots were
fired at him, two of which passed on
each side In close proximity and the
third striking him in tie back of the
leg between the hip and the knee.
Crowley was hit in about the same
place.
Miner says that at tie time he was
shot about ten shots had been fired at
the party, and the majority of the men
turned OFF from the road into the brush.
followed by the attendant and the
farmers. He and Crowley turned Off
in the other direction and made their
way back to independence, proceeding
directly to the depot. which they
reached about o'clock. Miner had
made up his mind to come back to Ce-.
dar Rapids. The train was late a couple
of hours. but they sat In the depot after
they had bought tickets and waited.
On the way in from the country they
did not meet any one VINO knew them,
and it seems that II any of the asylum
messengers were looking for them they
failed to find them. On the arrival Of
the train they got aboard and came to
Cedar Rapids. reaching this city about
S o'clock. They made their way to the
home OF Mr.. Miners brother, 1888
North Third street west, and a short
time thereafter DR.. Fitzgerald was
called to dress their wounds.
The bullets lodged In the legs Of both,
but do not appear to be causing them
much pain.
Complain Of Treatment.
The men say they had been intend
ing to leave the asylum for some
time. They claim they do not receive
treatment which will effect cure for
inebriety, and that some who are sent
there for from fifty to sixty days are
kept there for six months. Miner states
that man named Rose was sent to
the institution from independence and
had been there for a considerable length
of time Roses brother had got out q
petition, numerously signed, he says
which after receiving the approvalof pa
role from the governor. was submitted
to the superintendent, but the man
continued to be detained there. The
men claim that the treatment received
Crowley both emphatically asserted
lllStl Al tiiSy were u 20 UdCh tueJ WOuiQ
rather be killed than remain at the
asylum.
They say that six men who were
employed in the industrial department
escaped last Tuesday night and have
not been heard of since. There are
about sixty inmates in the inebriate
department and it is their opinion that
under the present method of manage
ment efforts to escape from now on viii
be frequent. They claim they are not
treated right and that one needs to re-
main there but short time before he
becomes entirely dissatisfied with the
place.
Miner is about forty years of age
and claims he was sent to the asylum
in the first place for spite. He says
that he had not been drinking for three
months before he was committed, while
Crowley admits that he was a heavy
drinker and that he was as anxious to
be cured as his relatives were that he
should be. He is about thirty five
years of age. The remarkable thing "a
bout it all Is that both men walked the
distance they did after being shot,
without asking for medical attention.
They were shot when they had reached
a point two miles northwest Of the
hospital and the walk from there to the