The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-04-18
TERRY M'GOVERN'S ESCAPADE
THRILLING DASH ron LIBERTY
FROM SANITARIUM.

strait jackets, NinainOus Keepers and =
Knockout Figure IN TeTFy's version
or His EscApe-HOme TO brooklyn
and Pinochle-May he sent Back.
STANFORD, Conn. April I7.-After his
sensational encounter with Young Cor
bett In the Hotel Metropole last night
Terry MoGovern. former featherweight
champion, was hurried to Stamford SAM
tarium Hall here, Sam Harris and DR..
Cramer accompanying him. McGovern
was quite tractable and slept soundly.
He was a voluntary patient. There was
no formal commitment, and as bis case
was not considered dangerous he had the
freedom Of the grounds. After breakfast
Terry said he had impo RANT business to
attend to In New York and expressed a
desire to 60 into the city. DR.. Givens
and the attendants humored him and he
said nothing more Of the New York trip.
After dinner Terry became restless and
wanted 10 60 out for a walk. Accompanied
by the six foot attendant he walked rapidly
TO the northern extremity of the estate.
Suddenly he daTtsd away from the attend
ant. McGovem ran like a deer and easily
distanced the big attendant. Terry plunged
into the woods and the attendant lost sight
Of him. DR.. Givens and several attendants
saw the escape.
According to one Of the attendants at
the sanitarium MoGovern felled his six
foot keeper with a blow on the jaw before
he made his dash for liberty.
DR.. Givens set out in his automobile
to head OF the little fighter. Other attend
ants went TO the various railroad stations.
nf 81 Nu0a nd
Constable Schlechtweg jumped into his
wagon and took up the chase. McGovern,
by keeping to the woods as much as possl-
BILE, got to the Springdale station five miles
from the santtarium and boarded trolley
car for Stamford. His condition attracted
attention, but his identity was unknown.
When he got to Stamford he attempted to
enter the baggage car Of the New York local,
but was sent back to a passenger coach.
There was nothing wild in his behavior
then. He appeared to have perfect control
Of himself. The local left for New York
at ESQ o'clock.
II reoaptured, McGovern will be cent
back 70 the sanitarium under a formal
commitment. "MoGovern il not insane,
but he needs a long rest said Or. Owens
tonight. 1t will be at least six months
before he will be able to leave the sani-
tarium A good deal Of modified exercise
will be prescribed for him. have not yet
a
Of his case. l should say, however, that
his condition Is by no means hopeless
Terry McOovern arrived in town yester-
day afternoon and went direct 70 his home
2OS Eighteenth street, Brooklyn. The first
thing that he did, according TO his aunt,
was to ask for something to eat. He ate
Tavenously and then went out to see some
Of his friends. Terry went into a couple Of
saloons and In one played game Of pinochle.
When The Sun reporter found him In one
Of these saloons the eX-champion appeared
rational enough.
MoGovern seemed surprised that his de-
partuTe from the sanitarlum should have
caused 80 much comment He maintained
that there was nothing the matter with him;
that he felt as good as ever and that he did
not intend 10 return TO Stamford in hurry
II he could possibly avoid it. McGovern
took q good deal Of pride in telling how he
escaped frnm the sanitarium.
Il would have stayed at Sta mford had
not those keepers tired TO put me IN a strait
jacket said McGovem In all - riousness.
III am not nutty and am not going 20 stand
for such treatment. The first thing those
guys did when l got there was 20 make
me be heve that was crazy. But fooled
them One of the keepers, who IS big
Irishman, made a blum TO put the straps
What's your nameP said Peter
Maher,' be N Piled, and with that Knocked
him out with swing on the jaw.
He fell like game 'un, but got up and
tried TO follow me. l just scooted away
and ran like a deer TO the fence. II was
a high AFFAIR. but / scaled IL. The keepers
there we're six Of them-followed me. One
after the other they came, but just tTaied.
Well, you ought to have seen the fun. We
went on for miles and miles. Gee Il must
have been ten or more. was In the lead
and the gee1ers kept coming and coming,
but / was ALWAYS ahead. / could hear
them keepers pufang and swearing. One
Of them, think IL was Maher, threw a
couple Of bricks at me. One nearly landed
on my head. / would not let him get next
80 picked up brick and struck him In the
stomach. / think / caught him, for he
fell like a log. When the keepers saw they
had no chance, they sent an automobile
after me. But ! did not mind this, and
lust gave them the dinly-dink. When the
coast was clear | got on the train and got
back TO dear old Brooklyn town-the only
place for mine.
Last night McGovern went over TO the
Broadway Theatre, Brooklyn, TO see George
F. c9han, Tbo Is playing there this week week
OF the comedian, and initiated his pose.
He slso spoke Of big winnings on the track
last Saturday at Aqueduct, and mentioned
something about his property holdings In
BROOKLYN.
Harris was at the theatre when Terry
called and was surprised when he learned
that McGovern had left the sanitarium.
L am going to try and get him back 70
Stamford n / can, said Harris. At the
tale Of McGovern's thrilling escape Harris
laughed and said
They have no straitiackets nor fences
and no bad keepers such as Terry described.
/ had Terry examined by DR.. Spitzka, a
well known expert on nervous troubles.
He told me that Terry Is not insane; that
he is simply suffering from nervous pros
tration and that he can be cured. He must
20 20 the sanitarum, and l guess l can
humor him to go there when he knows II
will be for his own good"