The Brattleboro reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1907-1912, 1908-10-30


lolls ios the greater part Of the time eve
siaes, spending lons tsfiods riihsf
lIsoa "a IA asg lusls l0I tie insane. Mhn'
illrfe u no doubt VA the ininds VI Ihos'
familiar ailh his HABITS thai lac - INSANE
lses ullaEitlea have made lin . Nriy Jam
cult IMAM 10 appIehend, lie has nsosl
Thorough kn0nlesixv u tbv topography u
his nallse Alalr, aud has elnassl lhe olh
Gets NLea llsry have been 80 near him a.
10 make capture hncm almost a certainly
heat Aas boIn ia Mallinsloid. a village
about Is ns,les south ol Rutland, aud ioi
several days previous 10 tne murder al
Atas lolssion aAd alter hrs cscaI'e ifuin
the asyluin, Mas suVn skulkins about the
outskirts oi the Town, Although lac mas
secn aud held conversation Milh several ol
the villagers with whom hc MAS acquainted
Il Mas moi knoAn that lac had escaped
lOm the asylum and consequently no at
tempt Was made 10 r.aptute han. july
"a ncishbom Of Miss Iunsdon, a deal mute
llylng GA the outskirts ol hast Nalllng
lord, discovered that she had bccn erimln'
ally assaulted aud then iouily murdered,
aud the appearance VI the initials IL
h. carved ON beam IA tie barn adj
joining her house and slgns Of a man hay'
lng slepl VA the hay gave riso TO the sus'
pcion that The man nho committed the
crime might he Kent, This suspicion Was
strengthened whcn comparison OF the mi
tials ~ those cut by Kent ON lawn
mower al the Waterbury institution Was
made. These initials were practically the
same a. those carved on the outbulldlngs
al Mallingiord aud at farms and deserted
oulhonscs which he had occupied aimee
leaving the institution.
Nothing further Was heard from him in
connection with later crimes IA Vermont,
the initials were found carved ON
several buildings along the route which be
would OF Necessity have 10 take IN max
ing his way 10 the southern boundary OF
the state.
10 people living in Braiileborp and vi
einity kent Is We'll known, and list oi his
crimes aud accomplishments would I'LL an
volume. Having been asso,
claled with him as aTtcsiing officer several
times during his interesting career, Dep |
uty Sheriff A. W. j. Wilkins was among |
those summoned TO Pitisheld 10 make a |
positive identification. When Mr.. VII |
llins visited the Pittsiicld station Kent |
was brought before the officers from Yer
mont but did not recognize any OF them
until MIR. Wilkins accostcd HIM, calling |
aim by name. lie frightened up eonsid'
,Iably and seemed glad 10 see a familiar
ace. lie expressed a willingness TO return
% Vermont TO answer 20 the charges
brought against him, without extradition
,apcrs, and the Massachusetts, officers
waived their claims 10 permit Vermont
ustice 10 take its course.
Kent was held at Pittsiield until Mon.
lay morning when he was taken to Rut-
and. On his way north Kent was talka
i've at periods aud ehatted pleasantly
bout impersonal topics all along the
cute. When il seemed To him as II the
iiicers were trying TO pump him as TO his
fhereabOuts after his escape he would
eep quiet, but h. told Sheriff wilkins
AMY incidents about his wanderlngs dur.
* the past three months. lie stated
hat after his escape from Waterbury he
iayed in that neighborhood for short
me, and then the hunt becoming too
tenuous made his way into New York
ate, stopping at Whitehall where he OBJ |
lined employment and making his way !
ON there TO Schenectady. He stayed !
mere for short time and then by the
d OF freights and sometimes walking for !
ing distances, he made his way down 10 c
orth Adams. From there he continued c
wards Boston and remained in some OF c
le suburban towns of that city for some y
me. Then the longing for his native dis.
lets brought him westward again, and l
, remained in Gardner for short time v
ID then came to Greenfield. At Green.
Id he was arrested for drunkenness, but b
as not recognized by the officers at that
ace, the faulty descriptions sent out by
e authorities at the Vermont insane
ylum leading the officers astray. From n
reenfield he went to Northampton and (
rs arrested once there on a similar com Z,
amt to that filed against him at Green :;
Id After his arrest at Northampton he a
it the settled districts and somewhere +,
tween Turner's Falls and Greenfield he H.
tablished a camp, venturing forth at "a
mes but for the most part remaining in =, 70
,lusion. During this retirement, he ., q,
tied to the officers, he obtained his liv- r.