Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-04-27
LOTTERY KING MAKES ESCAPE
TAKES FRENCH LEAVE OF HOS
PITAL FOR INSANE.
Believed to Have Been Aided by
Parties on the Outside-Sol-
der Also Escapes.

OmClalS OF the department OF JUSTICE
are aiding in the investigation of the es-
cape from the Government Hospital for
the Insane few days ago Of Louis A.
Gourdain. the so-called lottery king"
who was sent there for treatmet after his
conviction in Chicago and his sentence
to Joliet prison for unlawful acts in con-
nection with the lottery business. Marion
NJ. Parker. a soldier patient. who had
been adjudged insane after he had been
arrested as a deserter. made his escape
with Gourdain. the two using duplicate
keys. a screw driver and bit.
The men received assistance from the
outside" said DR.. White. superintendent
Of the asylum. to a Star reporter. but
1t is impossible for me to tell when or
from whom the assistance was received.
woman. who was heavily yelled had
called on Gourdain a few days before his
the implements which were used to effect
the escape"
Gourdain and the man who escaped
with him occupied rooms on the opposite
building In which insane convicts are
kept, and II Is believed they left their
rooms between 4 and O'clock Tuesday
morning. When the man on watch made
thing all right. but at O'Clock he dis
covered the absence Of the two men and
reported 1t. An Investigation showed
that the men had unlocked several doors
In passing to the basement Of the build
ing. and were careful to lock them after
them. There was a broken basement
window to show how they had reached
the yard.
Planned in Advance.
1t is believed the escape was planned
several days in advance. Gourdain was
considered to be one Of the brightest pa
tents n the institution. and his obedience
to the rules Of the institution had made
him a model patient He and Parker were
particularly close companions. but the
attendants never had the slightest sus-
picion that they were engaged in a con-
spiracy to effect their escape from the
asylum. When 1t was known that he
was gone they were able to recall their
intimacy. and concluded that while they
were together they had discussed plans
for regaining their liberty.
Attendants and others connected with
tives. but were unable to overtake them.
1t was then believed they went from the
rear of the grounds about the institution
to Giesboro. and to the vicinity Of the
steel plant. and that they crossed the
river in a boat.
After he left the asylum SO uncere-
moniously Gourdain wrote a letter to
New York paper. using Riggs House sta
tionery. This induced the belief that he
went to the hotel and wrote the letter,
feeling that no one would recognize him.
Gourdain's Record.
Gourdain gained some notoriety in this
city upon the occasion Of his visit here
for the purpose Of appearing before the
Supreme Court Of the United States to
ask that the sentence imposed on him in
Chicago be enforced. It was stated his
case was appealed. but he said the appeal
had been taken without his sanction. and
he was anxious to be sent to Joliet to
serve his time. He said he had completed
arrangements to build a prison Of his own
outside the walls Of Joliet and perform
the duties he would have imposed upon
him II he were in the penitentiary. The
convicted man announced his coming in
advance. and entertained a number of
newspaper reporters at the Raleigh when
| plished by the long legal document he
brought to file with the clerk Of the Su-
preme Court. and he left the city.
Later he returned to New Orleans
where many OF his younger days had been
spent, and became Ill. It was reported he
was dying. but when the time came for
the Chicago authorities to take action in
his case his physical condition was such
that he was able to be brought here His
mental condition was not good. however
and he was committed to the asylum
At the time Gourdain was in this civ
several months ago he said he was a
lawyer and had conducted a banking
business in addition to being in the lot
terry business. He was we'll supplied with
FUNDS and did not mind spending his
money.