The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-08-19
A Man Claiming to Be the
Escaped Lunatic
Is Arrested at CoaticoOk, Prov
ince of Quebec.
ROGER O'MARA IS DOUBTFUL
Sure Person Under Arrest Is
Not His Ward.
And That He Is Nowhere i'm the
Dominion.

Coaticook. Aug. 19.-Harry K. Thaw
is under arrest here. He will be ar
raigned at Sherbrooke as a fugitive
from justice in the United States.
The final disposition of the prisoner,
however. rests with the Dominion gov
ernment.
Thaw was arrested this morning at
Hermenegilde-G Garford, a village near
here. An hour before, he had driven
across the line from New Hampshire.
He admitted his identity and COM
placently declared he could not be ex
tradited as he had committed no
crime.
Two men who are supposed to have
accompanied ThaW in his spectacular
flight from the insane hospital at Mat
teawan, N. Y. last Sunday, morning
were in his company and were detained.
They were charged with being under
suspicion of having committed an Of
fense against friendly nation The
two men. one of large build and the
other a smaller man, at once retained
counsel and refused to disclose their
identity.
The $500 reward for Thaw-s arrest be-
longs to Sheriff B. H. Kelsea of Cole
brook, n. H. who recognized Thaw on
a Maine Central train last night. After
the fugitive had left the train at Here
ford, kelsea pursued him to Hermene-
gilde-Garford. where at the request of
the sheriff a Canadian constable placed
the fugitives under arrest.
Hires an Attorney.
HermenegiIde-G -Garford is a small viii
lage two miles south of this place and
Thaw was brought here. Though he
had already admitted his identity to
Sheriff Kelsea. he at first denied that
he was the man who escaped from
Matteawan. Later he freely admitted
the facts of which the police We're al
ready convinced. He said, however
that he would fight any effort to ex-
tradite him and retained Attorney J.
Shirtliff of this place to look after his
interests. Shirtliff had long confer
ence with, his client before he was ar
raigned at Sherbrooke this afternoon
Thaw will probably be taken from
Sherbrooke to Montreal.
Hector Verret, Kings counsel of
Coaticook is acting for Sheriff Ke1sea
who is the actual complainant in the
case. Kelsea charged that Thaw was
a fugitive from justice and demanded
that he be held for the United States
authorities The police Immediately
after Thaw's arrival here about six
o'clock this morning sent a message
to the superintendent of the Mattea
wan hospital notifying him of the ar
rest and giving a description of the |
prisoner. The superintendent replied |
asking that the man be held.
UphoIds His Plans.
Thaw's companions were not put IN
Jail but appeared to be under surveil- /
lance, presumably in custody of their I
the Peace Dupey this afternoon and |
was remanded to Sherbrooke jail. He |
will appear before Judge Mulvena, |
extradition commissioner probably |
tomorrow.
Thaw refused to talk after he had |
seen counsel and nothing was learned |
by the police of his flight UP to the |
time that Sheriff Kelsea recognized |
him on Maine Central railroad train |
that was taking him from Northern |
Thaw not made inquiries of the sher-
iff regarding the country. through |
which he was passing he probably |
would have been in Quebec this after |
sailing for England without having |
had his idintity suspected.
The fugitive and his two friends at
tracted no attention throughout the |
long days ride from Portland. They |
occupied seats in the smoking car and |
kept by themselves until T'haw inquir-
ing of a stranger the location of the
county seat, was directed to Sheriff !
Kelsea for an answer The sheriff |
guessed Thaw's identity and Thaw |
whence he intended to sail for Europe. |
Planned to go Abroad.
"I cannot be extradited and it |,
would be a waste of time for you to |
with me. 1 am going abroad |
and will sail from Canada" said Thaw.
Thaw expressed a wish to get to the
Grand Trunk railway line which
would take him to Quebec. It was
explained to him that he was then !,
approaching the Canada border and
that the Grand Trunk line lay about
Is miles west of the Maine Central. |
II he wished to reach the Grand |
Trunk he would have to drive across
country by team or automobile. Thaw
inquired the best place to leave the
train and finally decided to get off at
Meantime one of the men
who had accom- panied Thaw left the
train at ColebrOOk, n. NJ, and at
tempted to get an automobile for the
purpose of packing Thaw upon the
other side of the line. Sheriff Kelsea
also left the train at Colebrook and
when Thaw's companion left the town
in an automobile the sheriff followed
him in another car.
Meantime Thaw had gotten off at
Hersford just over the Canadian line
and not finding his companions start
ed out to look up a conveyance for
himself. He had much difficulty in
finding one but finally reached a farm
hause and awakening the occupants
induced the head of the house to
drive him to Coaticook. For this he
promised to give the man 50.
The Arrest.
They made their way rather slow
Y by team and by the time they
-eached Hermenegilde-Garf two
niles south of this place. Sheriff KeI-
seas car had overtaken them. Kel-
sea told Thaw's driver who his fare
was and then hunted up constable,