The Oskaloosa herald., 1913-08-21
THAN. ESCAPES
FROM THE ASYLUM
SLAYER OF STANFORD WHITE
ATTACKS GUARD AND FLEEs.
BIG JAIL PLOT is SUSPECTED
Flight Of Murderer the Outcome of a
Carefully Laid Piot--Wife Of Ma
Mac and Prosecuting Attorney
Believe Lives in Dancer.


Believe Lives in Danger.
New York, Aug. 1S.-Police have
no knowledge of the whereabouts of
Thaw, although they are flooding the
ocean with wireless messages hunting
for the ocean going yacht with a yell
low funnel which is supposed to have
taken him to sea either to foreign
port or else to place him aboard an
other steamer. Investigation in the
asylum is in progress but so far little
information has been secured. Even
If Thaw is apprehended it is pointed
out that he is charged with no crime
outside of New York and cannot be
extradited, and even If he was charg-
ed with the crime New York now has
two governors and an effort to bring
him back would result in a long legal
battle between the governors.
.rs.r. Thaw Seen in PittsfieId.
a7 Pittsfield, Mass, Aug. 1S.--Thaw
evaded the police here early today
after he had stayed at the Lenox no.
tel all night. He left town in an
auto at six o'clock and the police of
surrounding towns have been mott
fed. The man who is supposed to be
Thaw who stayed here last night reg.
istered as p. H. Lewis of New York,
but is said to have been recognized
by several as Thaw. When he left
at six o'clock today he was headed
towards Boston and the police along
the way have been notified. Attor
ney General Swift of Massachusetts
said today he doubted if Thaw could
be extradited and taken back to New
York even IL captured.
Asylum Attendant Arrested.
New York, Aug. 1s.-Harry Kendall
Thaw, slayer Of Stanford White, es.
capped from the Matteawan State Hos.
pital for the Criminal Insane. Il
A warrant will be sworn out charg.
ing Harry X. Thaw with felonious as.
sault on Howard Barnum, the guard
at the gate when Thaw escaped from
Matteawan. This will be grounds
for extradiction proceedings If the
fugitive is captured in another state.
Within an hour after his dash for
liberty he had crossed the line divid-
ing the states of New York and Con-
necticut and he Is beyond the reach
of the New York authorities. 1t Is
believed that extradition is impossi-
Bile and that Thaw's freedom is as
sured unless he is held for insanity
In another state and committed to
some asylum there. Thaw's escape
was one Of the most dramatic affairs
OF the kind ever recorded. After
knocking down gateman, who was
admitting a milkman to the Mattea-
wan asylum grounds, he leaped into
taxicab standing Just outside the
wall. This was headed for the Con-
necticut state line and the moment
Thaw entered the chauffeur put on
full speed and dashed away. Before
half mile had been covered by the
taxicab II overlook six-cylinder
t. touring car that had been moving
slowly, also toward. the Connecticut
line. The taxicab slackened speed
and Thaw lesped out as the smaller
machine drew alongside the touring
car. The door Of the latter was open
and Thaw leaped aboard. As the
door slammed. the touring car speed.
ed away at rate of at least eighty
miles an hour. The machine dashed
through Stormville. N. Y, fourteen
miles from the asylum. without any
diminution of speed and, according TO
late reports, received by the asylum
authorities, crossed the Connecticut
line In the vicinity of New Canaan,
Conspiracy 10 Suspected.
DR.. Raymond Charles Francis Kieb,
superintendent OF Matteawan, be-
lteves that Thaw's escape was the
result of carefully planned and well
executed conspiracy. He received In
formation a few hours after Thaw's
escape that led him to believe, he
said. that the fugitive had been car
ried to a Connecticut seaport town.
where a yacht had been waiting of
shore TO take him aboard.
The superintendent ordered the ar
rest Of Howard Barnum. the asylum
guard who was on duty at the time
the wealthy young slayer broke away
from the institution. to which he was
committed on February /. 1908. Doc
tor Kieb was appointed superintend.
emit on June OF this year, succeeding
Dr. John w. Russell Doctor Russell
was dismissed as the result of an al
legged $4,000 bribery plot for the re-
lease OF Thaw. John N. Anhut. .
young lawyer. lie iow serving a prison
sentence for his participation in the
bribery conspiracy. Because OF the
conditions under which he took once.
Doctor Kieb had taken extra precau-
tons TO prevent just what happened
He has ordered rigid Investigation to
determine just, what attendants. II
any. were involved in the successful
plot to free Thaw.
Fortune Spent to Free Thaw.
Ever since Thaw was sent to Mat.