The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1911-07-27
ESCAPED INSANE CRIMINAL REYNOLDS
IS CAUGHT At NORR|DGEWOCK
Sheriff Mooers and Deputy Brophy Made the
Capture Story of the Man

+ Intire home and entering the kitchen
the sheriff asked Reynolds a few
pointed questions.
Reynolds at first denied that he was
the escaped lunatic but Sheriff Mooers
told him he guessed he had better
take him along, anyway Then Rey-
thing. He had cut his name from his
clothing wherever It had been placed,
leaving holes, though the hole in his
shirt had been sewn up. After his
capture he told the story OF the es-
cape from the asylum.
CAUGHT SPECTACLE PEDDLER.
One rather ludicrous incident of the
search for Reynolds was the capture
Of an inoffensye spectacle peddler
carrying couple of satchels and an
umbrella, this man having inviting
ly terrorzed whole neighborhood
so that the farmers We're guarding
their homes with shotguns.
Saturday night last Sheriff Mooers
began to get telephone calls about
ten o'clock, people living about two
miles from the scene of the capture
of Reynolds notifying him that an in
sane man was trying to secure lodg-
ing for the night. Acting promptly.
as he always does, the sheriff re-
sponded to the plea to come as quick
ly as he could. With Deputy Charles
H. Chute and Dr.. H. C. Taggart he
left in Dr.. Taggart's automobile, and
they figured that they would come up
with the stranger at a certain place.
Arriving there, the automobile was
run into an open space beside the
road. the lights extinguished and the
three occupants set about searching
for the man who had made all the
trouble. While the deputy had gone
up ahead some distance Sheriff
Mooers thought he would 90 back and
look about the school building He
found that the doors and windows
were locked, and then going to the
outbuilding he flashed his light and
pushed against the door. The door
partially opened and then it was
quickly closed by somebody on the
inside
The sheriff blew his whistle three
times. but Deputy Chute failed to hear
it, Dr. Taggart came running, though,
and when told of the discovery he re-
turned to the auto and blew the horn.
This quickly brought the deputy sher-
if 10 the scene. Placing his foot in
the jamb OF the door Sheriff Mooers
again flashed his light and the door
was forced open. 1t didn't take long
for him to find out that the man inside
was not the one whom he expected TO
find. for he proved TO be spectacle
peddler who was travelling about the
country with a good sized stock in
trade. The peddler was asked to give
an account of himself and he said that
the people about there were scared
and SO he was forced to seek shelter
for the night in the outbuildiug.
He was given a ride in the car bach
10 a house where there was a tele-
phone and then the sheriff determined
to investigate a bit and learn why one
woman had complained that the ped
dler was crazy. He called up her
house on the phone and ne said she
thought the stranger was insane be-
cause he told another woman that he
couldn't sleep at her house because
her beds were full OF hairs,
Now it WAS the spectacle peddler s
: turn to explain and he did so to the
satisfaction of everybody. He said this
woman had told him she couldnt
: keep him that nigh, because her beds
: were fun of hayers-she might hav,
J. said lawmakers and saved lots O
j trouble-and so he reported this q
) the next house where he called. Their
t. was simply a misunderstanding an
II many a hearty laugh was heard {
both ends of the telephone line Whe
the matter was Strengthened out
O But the peddler was disgusted an
he made no attempt to conceal HI
= feelings when he was allowed to e,