The Brattleboro reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1907-1912, 1908-08-07
KENT STILL
A FREE MAN
Was Probably in This Town
Saturday Night.
INITIALS "E. X. FOUND
ofhcers Think lie Slept IN ou,building
Near Railroad Track on Goodall
Farm-Man Described as Kent Was
Fair Haven Deputy Sheriff.

Il
Although reported from time to tim
during the past week as being in Burling
ton, Bennington, Bpoklinc, Bnitlcbor
aud DummcRton, Chesterfield, y. II.
Northhrll, Mass, and Collingwood
Conn, and strenuously pursued by Oil
een in these aud adjoining towns, Elro,
Kent, who is supposed 10 have murdered
Mis-, Della Congdon IN East Nalhngtorl
was, up 10 late hour last night, a. ire,
a man as the day that he escaped iron
the state insane hospital at Waterbury
July II, Although thep j. wide differ
ence of opinion among the officers who
have been searching FOR the fugitive as 10
where he = likely 10 be ia hiding, il i
generally believed by those who are most
familiar with kcnts habits that be spent
last Saturday night in a tobacco barn in
/ the rear Of the GOodall place, about two
miles north Of this village. Deputy
/ Sheriff 4. w. j. Wilkins, who is proba.
! bly, rs familiar with kent's habits a. any
/ officer ia the state, says that he is posi-.
/ tive that the escaped lunatlc slept IN the
/ tobacco barn. lie bases his belief on the
| TACT that the initials +. n. were found
/ carved ON the inside of the barn directly
opposite a bunk which had the appear
ance OF having been used recently. Mr.
Wilkins says that there is no mistaking
the initials because Kent has a peculiar
way OF making the letter e. and the
one which was found in the tobacco barn
Monday corresponds exactly TO that
which was discovered day or two after
the murder in a barn in East Walling.
ford as well as the one which Kent
carved on lawn mower which he used
at the state hospital.
When the Refoner went 10 press last
week Friday the authorities Of Rutland
county were searching the mountains in
the vicinity OF East Wallingfod with
bloodhounds, momentarily expecting TO
discover Kent. After two days OF ardu-
GUS labor, however, the dogs, as well as
the men, became thoroughly tired out
and the man hunt was temporarily aban.
doned. Interest in kent's whereabouts
was awakened at this end OF the state
Saturday night when a report was re.
ceived in Brattleboro TO the effect that |
the fugitive had called at the home of his |
cousin, Mrs. Warner Kathan, in Putney
This news reached here about 0 o'clock |
and Sheriff Wilkins at once called up the 1
home Of Mrs. kathan by telephone, as
certaining that the man who was seen to /
call at the kathan house was not Kent |
at all, but an unknown tramp. Later IN
the evening a story was circulated to the |
effect that Kent had been seen short
north OF Brattleboro on the
road and Sheriff c. j.
Knapp started out in an automobile to
learn the truth OF this story. He went
only short distance, however, before be-
ing told that there was no truth to the
yarn and the party returned to Brattle-
boro in about an hour.
Sheriff Wilkins started out Monday
morning on a tnp through Dummerston
and Putney to see if he could get any in
formation which would lead to kent's
,apture and it was on his way home that
ne was told that the man had cut his
initials in the Goodall tobacco barn. Mr..
Wilkins stopped there and made a thor
lugh investigation of the premises, salts.
ying himself, as has been stated before,
.lso learned that Warner Thomas, son OF
ieorge II. Thomas, had seen strange
ooking man near the tobacco barn about
o'clock Saturday night. Thomas was
N his way to pasture between the rail I
Dad track and the river to look after
ONE cows when the man started sudden
y from the bushes between the track {
nd the barn as if he were frightened. {
When he found that Thomas was not 60 t
ng to interfere with him the man ap-'
eared reassured and walked short dis |
ance away. {
Sheriff Wilkins reported this matter to a
he states attorney, r. A. Lawrence, of d
.utland Monday night and learned from $
he states attorney that a burglary had t
lken place early that morning at a lum-
er camp in Brookline, from which it was
opposed Kent had stolen a rifle. Mr..
lawrence told Sheriff Wilkins that he
ould send posse of officers with two
loodhounds to Newfane the following fl
ay and gave the local sheriff authority d
, have the men and dogs come to Brat a
eboro in case they could not find any r,
all in Newfane. Deputy Sheritfs A. N. al
eonard of Wallingford and j. H. Policy 5,
Fair Haven, accompanied by w. j. 81
7iltsie of Poughkeepsie, N. Y, who was $,
charge of the dogs, reached Newfane p
,out 10 o'clock Tuesday morning. max c
g the trip from Manchester by automo- p,
lie. They made several unsuccessful at ia
mpts to strike Kent's trail in the vi cl
nifty of Newfane and /Wardsboro, but ci
'ilkins could get in communication with II
em. 1t was the intention of the latter lie
have the dogs taken to the tobacco SC
I'm on the Goodall farm in an effort to
art trail from there.
This town was aroused again Wednes-
y morning by story told by +. b.
olman, who drives the stage between
lesterfield and BrattleDoro, TO tne ell be
It that Kent had been seen about $3.50 st
the home of NJ. H. Chickering, about Pl
lie beyond the suspension bridge. Ac- se
riding to Mr.. Holman a man appeared lit
Chickering's barn and told Mr.. Chick to
ng's boys that he was looking for Elroy &c
mt and that he had found tree upon tic
lich Kent had cut his initials. He was tir
d that Kent was armed. whereupon rel
E man placed one hand upon his hip
cket and said that he was prepared
that. The stranger said further that
had come across the suspension bridge
rth of Brattleboro, but when it was br;
ygested that he communicate. with hel
eriff Wilkins the man stated that he hel
,uld not return to Brattleboro. Mr.. dol
Imam drove up just as the stranger left
S leaving the Chickering farm and was mo
v sure that he answered to the de-
iption of Kent When this story was "w
d at Brattleboro Deputy Sheriff M. P.
Wis started out with G. H. Thompson boo
H. E. Harris to see if they could To- boo
e the stranger. After searching the lin,
ds and woods on both sides of the sus-
lsion bridge for an hour or more they
ne across the man walking up the rail >
d track near H. R. Browns farm. A t
rt conversation with him proved con- sun sun
sively to the local men that they had
discovered Kent, but were talking Y
h Deputy Sheriff Policy of Fair Haven An
0 had come to Brattleboro from New A
e with Sheriff Wilkins the previous 20
ming and was doing a little detective s
* on his own account in the hope of But