The Topeka state journal., 1911-09-27
ON A MAN HUNT.
Posse in Pursuit Of q Pacific
Coast WalIingford.
j. Grant Lyman, Promoter, Es-
capes From a Hospital.
HEWAS UNDER ARREST
On Complaint of a Lot of Los
Angeles Investors.
They Lost $4,000 on a Panama
Land Scheme.

San Francisco, Sept. 27.-Dr. J. Grant
Lyman, promoter and organizer of en-
terprises involving millions, is headed
across the foothills for the Siskiyou
mountains today with a federal posse
in pursuit. With Lyman is L. B. Thor
nett, a hospital nurse who aided in the
promoters escaping from an Oakland
hospital where he was held by the fed
eral authorities, Sunday night Law
renee Gatfndo, the chauffeur who
drove the two men to Sacramento, af-
ter the escape has been arrested and
has confessed.
Lyman was arrested by postoffice
officials in San Francisco September 8
or complaint of Los Angeles investors
in Panama land scheme who declar-
ed they had been defrauded of S5O,O00
The promoter attempted to escape ar
rest ana injured his knee, necessitating
his detention at an Oakland hospital
pending his recovery.
It was learned that Lyman was known
to exclusive social circles in several
American cities, that he had promo
ted various land, mining and develop
ment schemes and that on two other
occasions he had been in trouble with
federal officials. The escape from the
hospital involved the drugging of
nurse, C. w Courtwright, and a plot
BY which Thornett a previous ac-
quaintance of Lyman was employed as
a nurse in the hospital according to
the federal officials. The promoter,
who on account of his genial good ma
ture was allowed unusual privileges at
the hospital asked the nurses in charge
at 1880 Sunday morning to be allow
ed to go to te hat room. Half hour later
when the patient did not return the
nurses investigated and found that
Lyman had disappeared, an open win
dow revealing the method of his es-
cape United States Marshal Elliott
mmediately was notified and the po-
lice called in to aid in the search
which may end today in an encounter
between Lyman and Thornett who are
known to be armed and the posse con-
sisting of United States deputy mar
shals, Shasta county deputy sheriffs
and state police.
Lyman at the time of his escape
used crutches- Whether the serious
ness of his injury was exaggerated to
aid in this intended flight has not
been determined. But he is of portly
build and in i'll health and accustomed
to luxurious living as he is, faces a
disagreed bic adventure in seeking
salty in the inhospitable canons of the
Siskiyou mountains.
Gatino, who lives in Oakland, is a
youth of good reputation and it is be-
lieved he did not know he was aiding
in a fight from justice in taking Ly-
man and Thornett to Sacramento. The
federal authorities are still withhold
ing part of Gatino's story, but it is
known that two machines were used
in the journey to Sacramento, one of
which was obtained at Marysville
Two women are known to have been
with the fugitives at the time of the
escape but the federal officials have
failed to learn their identity.
The Redding posse is headed by
Sheriff Montgomery of Shasta county
Paul Arnerich. deputy United States
marshal of San Francisco, left early
today to Join in the pursuit