The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-08-18
AGAIN ESCAPES FROM ASYLUM.
". y. LEE MISSED AT WARDS
ISLAND WEDNESDAY,.
Had Not been Caught ut Last Accounts.
Although It Was Suspected That He
. Was stu on the Island-TrentOu Police
Are warned 10 Look Out for Him.


William J. Lee, who was for long time
accounted insane In New Jersey and sane
In New York, and who escaped three times
from the New Jersey State Insane Asylum
at Trenton, but was finally adjudged insane
here and sent to the Manhattan State
Hospital on Wards Island, escaped from
that asylum on Wednesday night. When
the attendants made the rounds OF the
hospital about bedtime Wednesday Lee was
missing. A search was begun at once and
kept up all day yesterday, covering the
island, but at last accounts he had not
been caught.
Two States having declared that Lee
Ia insane, IL he has got of the island at
all he may have made for Connecticut.
He got into trouble in New Jersey and
in this city because Of his proclivity for
writing threatening letters to Judge Gar
rett D. W. Vroom Of the Court OF Errors
and Appeals at Trenton, Frank o. Briggs
and other persons. The Trenton police
were instructed yester day to look out
for him and a policeman was posted at
the home Of Judge Vroom. although he Is al
his country no 9 at Como, N. j.
One man who had been to Wards Island
last night said that he had heard there that
persons who said that he had not. Assist
ant Superintendent Rowe Of the hospital
said that he did not believe that Lee had
got of the island. After one Of his escapes
from the Trenton asylum it was charged
that he was assisted by former employee,
seven locks being unfastened to free him.
Lee was first missed about $50 O'Clock
on Wednesday night" DR.. Rowe said.
THAT is about the time that the patients
are put to bed. 1t frequently happens
that a patient gets out Of ward and is not
found for two or three hours. There are
some 5000 patients on the island.
we have been unable to find Lee, how
ever. We began q search at once and
kept it up all night. We have had a large
force hunting for him to-day. Personally
do not believe that he IL of the island.
There is a good deal of vegetation and
the island is quite large, 80 it is difficult
matter to cover the ground thoroughly
Fifteen men were engaged in the search
on Wednesday night. At daylight force
Of thirty attendants, all the men available
for the Job, were sent out to scour the
island systematically. They beat the Is
land all day and at dusk reported that they
had been unsuccessful.
II Lee got OF the island, he probably
used rowboat. Other men who have
taken free leave OF the island have usually
picked up a rowboat on the shore 1t
would take strong swimmer to get to the
Manhattan or Long Island shore.
When Lee was arrested, on March 20, he
was picked up by Detective Sergeant Tinker
at the Mount Morris Hotel, at 239e Third
avenue, where he had been living. At the
hotel 1t was said last night that his trunk
was still there, but he hadn't called for 1t
yesterday.
Lee was arrested on the complaint OF
Judge Vroom, who went to District Attorney
Jerome and said that Lee had been writing
him threatening letters. He had also sent
a copy Of four page letter to each of the
five trustees Of the Trenton asylum, threat
ening, as they interpreted 1t, to kill one OF
them IL they didn't either formally dis
charge him from that institution or resign
from the board,
Justice Mccall appointed DR.. Valentine
Wildman and Police Surgeon John j. Quig-
ley to inquire into Lees sanity. With Dr.
Gregory, head Of the Bellevu e psyche.
pathic ward, they agreed that Lee Is dan.
gerous l,inatic. Two other physicians testi-
fed that he was sane. On the report Of
Referee James ]. Nealis, Justice Mccall
signed an order committing Lee to the
Manhattan State Hospital
When Lee was adjudged insane in New
Jersey he said that 1t was conspiracy to
get the Phoenix Iron Works away from him
and TO prevent him from exposing the
methods Of certain Trenton politicians
When the Trenton Trust and Safe Deposit
Company refused to cash checks he had
drawn to pay for the Phoenix Iron Works
he threw a brick through the bank window
Judge vroom was attorney for the estate
that sold the Phoenix Iron Works and he
was also president Of the board Of managers
OF the asylum In which Lee was confined.