The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1909-04-29
Man Who Escaped From County
Jail in November 1906 Ar.
rested in Racine Monday
VEITCH MAKES GOOD PROMISE
Sheriff From Whom Birk Escapes Per-
sonally Brings Him Back to the
County Jail to Serve the Re
mainder of His Sentence

DR.. John H. Veitch, former sheriff of
the county and at present under sheriff
made good a promise Of two years
standing on Monday afternoon when
he delivered to the county jail John
Birk man who had escaped from the
Jail during the time he was sheriff
and Birk is now in custody serving the
remainder of sentence of six months
imposed upon him in the Circuit Court
on Sept. %, 1906. Birk was captured
in Racine on Monday afternoon and
DR.. Veitch and Sheriff Gunter went to
Racine and brought him back to Ke-
nosha to serve the remainder of the
sentence.
The capture Of Birk after he had
been at liberty for more than two
years is probably the closing chapter
in very sensational case It was a
case that resulted in the arrest of
former Sheriff Veitch on charge of
permitting Birk to escape, but he was
never forced to plead to the charge
against him. At the time of his con
viction Birk was sentenced to pay a
fine of $100 and costs or spend six
months in jail and after his arrest
Judge Belden received proposition
from the former sheriff that as the
man had escaped from his custody he
would himself pay the fine, but the
court did not accept this proposition
and the matter was finally allowed to
drop. However, DR.. Veitch was direct
ed to return the man to the county
Jail and he promised the court that he
would keep up the search for the fell
low until he was found.
Birk walked out of the county jail
on the afternoon of Nov. 6, 1906, and
at that time he had served only lit
tie over a month Of his sentence. He
went directly from Kenosha to Chi
cago and had lived there until a short
time ago when he returned to his old
home In Racine and accepted a posi-
ton with one of the Racine factories.
Veitch had been on the lookout for his
return to his former home and he was
notified on Sunday through the sheriff
Of the county that Birk was in Racine
again. Birk made no objections when
arrested and stated that he would 4re-
turn to Kenosha to serve the sentence
just as soon as he had chance to say
good bye to his wife. The officers
went with him to his home and he
changed his clothing and at once came
to Kenosha He is making no effort to
pay the fine assessed by the court and
it is understood that he will pay the
full penalty in the county Jail.
The Birk case came up in August of
1906 and the man was charged with
stabbing Roscoe Silver, teamster.
The assault was particularly vicious
one and Birk was arrested on a charge
of assault with intent to go great
bodily harm. 1t was found that he had
very influential friends behind him and
a hard fight was made for him in both
the Justice and Circuit Courts and he
was finally permitted to plead guilty to
charge of assault and battery. Silver
who is still living in Kenosha was con
fined to his bed for many weeks but
he has now entirely recovered from
his injuries.
Birk has lived an exemplary life
since his escape from Jail and has a
wife and two children whom he has been
taking excellent care of. He declared
that he was urged to escape by hangers
on about the Jail and when the oppor-
tunity presented itself he simply
skipped.