The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1912-08-02

at intervals. Thus Ostby's movements
i were not greatly restricted. and. sup
structions of Cunningham. he donned
his own clothing and pitched that
+, of his confederates from the win
/ dow OF the wash room.
| How ostby Managed to Escape.
This window is fully twenty-five
feet above the ground, but Ostby
managed the descent with the aid OF
a sheet from his bed Tying one
end of il around a bar. he lowered
himself TO its full length, and sprang
outward. eyading the railing about
the basement light we'll Once on
the ground he gathered up the raj
ment OF his companions and carried
lit 10 a point about a hundred yards
south of the bnilding. II is probable
that at least two trips We're neces-
sary. and on the last Of these he
was discovered by Alhin Eeklund,
an attendant.
CHANGING from window Ecklund
saw a man skulking along in the
shadow of the hospital. He had no
suspicion of Ostby's escape. but ran
10 the front entrance and quietly
followed the stranger When he
reached the corner of the hospital
the fugitive had halted near clump
OF trees and was intently regarding
the building. Ecklund watched the
man for some moments. and then a
slight noise above him attracted his
attention.
Saw Cunningham at Work.
Turning his eyes TO the window
Of The toilet room he saw Cunning.
ham al work on the steel bar, the
negro's presence confirming a grow
ing suspicion that one of the pris-
oners was being aided by an accom-
plice on the outside. Eeklund called
to The other attendants. J A. Palm
quist and Peter Strand. and as he
did 50 Cunningham darted out of the
room
Then the guards reached him he
lay on his cot feigning sleep, but
the alarm was gwen so quickly that
he was unable to remove heavy
slnng-shot that was fastened TO his
right wrist with leather thongs. Fur.
Their search revealed file suspend
cd by n string around his neck and
concealed beneath his night cloth
ing. and The Two saws, one Of them
still unfinished, were found on his
cot The negro offered no resist
ance and quietly surrendered the
tools he had so laboriously manufac
tured.
ostby Dashed For Shelter
AT Ecklund's cry of alarm Ostby
dashed for the shelter of the trees
south of the hospital. The attendant
heard him collide with wire fence.
but the three men on duty We're SO
occupied with searching Cunningham
and quieting the other inmates that
they could not attempt pursuit.
Only few minutes elapsed before
his escape was discovered, but ii
was then too late 10 try to find him
in the darkness.
Ostby made his escape about eleven
O'Clock, and before midnight the au-
thori,ios in all the surrounding
towns had been notified Good de-
scriptions OF the murderer have been
furnished them, and his recapture is
expected hourly
In the morning Cunningham, Park.
er and Sweider were questioned
closely. All confessed, and Cunning
ham added the information that he
had been al work on the bars more
than three weeks. In the opinion
of the hospital authorities the remark
able feature OF the affair is Cunning
hams success in maintaining Sc.
crecy.
Ills desperate character is known
to the other inmates, and they fear
him with fear that is most abiect.
On many occasions they have report
ed him for minor breaches of dsci-
pine. but in spite of their scrutiny
ne was able to work for weeks with
ont detection.
Parker, the fourth member OF the
quartet. has been at the criminal
building only few months. He has
negro blood in his veins, and lost
his reason while preparing himself
for the practice OF medicine In st.
Paul last winter he committed a pc
culiarly atrocious murder. stabbing a
woman companion and then mutilat-
ing the corpse of his victim. He was
arraigned in the district court of
Ramsey county charged with muir
der. and was sent to the hospital
for the criminal insane under the
law enacted by the state legislature
-four years ago.
Since the escape of Ostby it has
been learned that Mrs. Sweider
bought three files at the hardware
store of Nutter Bros. W. f. Nutter.
one OF the members OF the firm, Wis
tied the hospital after the delivery
and Identified the file found on Cum
ningham as Of the same make sold
10 the woman.
Are Gwa;da~ ta Dntar