Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1906-05-05
OF New England Burglar from Bridge
water, Mass Hospital.

Bridgewater Mass, May 4.-Arthur
w. Chesterfield of New York CITY,
wanted in Worcester, Fall River. Ever
cit and many other New England citles
and towns for his alleged conhectioii
with a series Of burglaries. some tiiiie
during the early part OF TO-DAY ihauo
mysterious break from the b'luse
water Hospital for the CrlihliithS III
sane. Chesterfeld's room was Ioui'u V"
cant when the attendant iiitue ms
morning round. The door was iockeu
Securely and the bars at the WihdoW
were intact but there was no trace VI
The former occupant. None or the uooi3
| leading TO the outside yard showed amy
signs of having been tempered Will
Surrounding the hospital is hlgh
STONE wall. supposed TO be unscaleaple
/ without the aid of q ladder or rope, but
nothing was found there to show how
| the prisoner could have got out From
all these circumstances the hospitli
authorities thought it probable that
| chesterfield must have had some as
| sstance from outside.
| Chesterfield, who is sometimes known
| as Thomas Fineran, is we'll known to
| the police of several New England
| cities He is supposed to have been one
of gang of five men. who left New
York City for a series of wholesale
burglaries in New England last fail.
Among this group is said to have been
two young men known to the police as
Howard and Carr, who made sensa-
tional escape from the Charles Street
Jail about two months ago with the
oil of cd in h. :
side. Howard has since been recap
| tured. but Carr has so far eluded de-
lection.
1t is claimed that Chesterfield was
seen by policeman in Everett last fall
While in the act of breaking into Il
dwelling. The officer gave chase and
Chesterfield darted into a house and
| pointing a revolver at the housekeop-
or, threatened to shoot her if she did
| not hide him. The frightened woman
| tainted and with the pursuing police
man close behind the young man was
| forced to flee. After a run of several
| blocks he was caught and placed in
| Jail.
| A short time later Chesterfield was
| found guilty Of breaking and entering
and sentenced to the Charles Street
| Jail until officers from Worcester came
| with wrts of habeas corpus and took
| the prisoner to that city where he was
i tried on several counts of breaking anG
| entering and sentenced to state prison
| But even then Chesterfield'S troubles
We're not over for, following closely
/ upon the action Of the Worcester au-
thortics. the Fall River police served
Il a writ of habeaS corpus before the SUI
u perior court on complaint with l
counts of breaking and entering charg-
II ed against him. Chesterfield pleaded
guilty to two counts and volunteered
u information as to where some Of Thu
, stolen property was found, and, il i!
| said, also made statements duplicating
his Companions. Sentence was no
4 passed upon him at the time, such az
ton being deferred until June an,
Chesterfield was taken back to tn,
4 state prison at Charlestown.
Chesterfeid's stay in the state prison
was not Of long duration, however, TO
/, he soon began to act strangely. He wa!
| examined for his sanity and upon tht
report of the alienistS was sent to tht
1 Iiridgcwater hospital for the criminal
~ insane. Here, the hospital authorize!
say, his general health improved ant
| he gave little trouble. but still hat
Authorizations that he was being per
secuted.
At the hospital today the following
description was given Of the missing
man: Aged % years. height 5 feet.
inches. weight III pounds. He h2'
brown hair and blue eyes and when tn
instituJion's attendants last saw hin
he Wore the regulation hospital gar
ments of reddish brown with a brown
striped shirt and slippers. Al the has
Of his right thumb was a small dot 0
indeliblc India ink and a heart pierce,
with a dagger was tattOOed on his RICH
forearm. At the base Of his left thuml
was q small five-pointed star and Their
was a vaccination scar on his lef
4 | arm.