Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1905-10-27

Brattleboro and on Jan. "a Justice New
ton put him under bonds In the sum OF
5000 for his appearance in county court
In default of bail Kent was taken to New
fame Jail. When the news of his capture
reached Governor Sticlkney that official
ordered his return to Windsor to complete
his sentence in state prison for the MIL
ton burglary The sentence was COM
pleted Aug. 1. 1902, and on the following
day Sheriff wilkins took Kent to New
fame to await trial for the theft Of money
from his cousins. In less than 10 days
Kent escaped from Newfane Jail by tear
ing up the floor so that he could get into
the cellar and making a hole In the cellar
wall.
The next episode in which he was in
volved was one of the most remarkable
in medical records. The night OF Dec. 6,
1902. found Kent in Brattleboro, a desire
to see his mother having prompted him
to come to town that he might board the
narrow gauge train for West Townshend,
where his mother lived. When near
Sand HILL north of Williamsville station,
he saw DR.. George X Roberts, now of
Brattleboro, looking at him. Feeling that
the doctor was about to capture him,
which was true. he jumped of the rear
end Of the train. The train was going
at the rate of 20 miles an hour and Kent
executed somersault two or three times,
landing with his head against n railroad
tie. Although the night was bitter cold
the conductor did not have the train
stopped. Everybody felt certain that Kent
was dead.
Late that night Kent appeared at
farm house two miles distant and asked
to be taken to DR.. p. p. White in the
village of Williamsvile DR.. White
found that Kent's skull had been frac-
tured on the top and a piece OF rotten
wood had been driven into the brain
Il, - nF NNn
Kent to Newfane. Next day DR..
| Roberts saw Kent standing in a store in
Newfane and he made n further examina-
ton Assisted by DIR. White he trepanned
the skull and found that the wood had
been driven from the top OF the head
diagonally through the brain to the base
| Of the nose. piece OF wood two and
seven lights inches long and an inch In
| diameter was removed. two and one
| fourth ounces OF brain tissue were cut
of and a piece OF gauze Just yard square
was packed into the opening and after
wards gradually removed as the opening
| filled.
Kents trial for the robbery from his
cousin. took place at the April term OF
! court. 1908. On April 2s he was sentenced
| to hard labor in the state prison at Wind
sor not less than two years nor more
| than two and a half years. Afterwards
he was transferred to the criminal ward
|
| On Aug IL, OF this year. Kent
escaped from the asylum. unlocking
| three DOORS which led him to an attic
window which was not barred. He reach
| ed the roof by way OF the window and
| let himself down to the ground, wearing
nothing but shirt He swan the
| Winooski river and remained In hiding
all next day. when he stole suit OF
clothes and came back TO this county.
| The key with which he unlocked the
doors in the asylum he made from a wire
and from n piece OF steel which he took
from the sole OF one OF his shoes.
Nothing further was heard OF Kent I'M
til Sept. 80, when he assaulted Llewellyn
| Kent OF West Townshend. relative
The two went to Rockingham with a load
| of potatoes and started home with load
OF provisions In the evening George
Kent. son Of Ilewellyn. heard some one
groaning and found his fathers wagon
overturned a short distance from the
house. with a pool OF blood under It. Co
ing a little farther he found his father
lying near brook. his nose broken and
his head and face badly cut. Llewellyr
| Kents story was that the horses ran away
during a row between the two men. that
the wagon was overturned on top OF him
and that Elroy. instead OF extricating him
stole his pocketbook. containing IS.
Sheriff F. II. Tracy of Montpelier came
to this county at once on learning OF the
| West Townshend fracas and he and
| Constable Harry w. Cobb OF Putney and
others searched a week for Kent with
out finding any trace OF him. The search
was kept up afterwards under the dlrec-
ton OF Constable Cobb, but no tidlngs
from Kent were received until Monday
morning, when Sheriff Tracy was notified
OF Kent's capture In Haddam.