Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1913-08-26
THAW WINS FIGHT
TO STAY IN JAIL
Blunder Nearly Throws Him Into
Hands of New York
Officers.
RUMORs OF KIDNAPPING
Town Excited Over Report Of I'm
pending Battle in
Streets.

sherbrooke, Que, Aug. 22.-Until
Wednesday of next week, barring
unforeseen developments, Harry
Kendall Thaw will remain in the
Sherbrooke jail. On that day he is
to be arraigned in the superior court
on writ of habeas corpus. Between
now and that time his battery of
Canadian lawyers hope to perfect
plans not to thwart deportation, but
to submit to it gracefully-to a
point selected by Thaw.
This in brief was the status last
night of Matteakan's fugitive, ar
rested on Tuesday near Coaticook,
Que, and committed to Jail here on
defective warrant. Ignorant of
the moves made by his lawyers,
Thaw has spent his time pacing the
length of the narrow corridor in the
Sherbrooke Jail and was not even
aware that the writ Of habeas cor
pus in his case was served on the
jailer yesterday afternoon and that
but for timely telephone message
he would have been produced in
court yesterday with the bench va
cant.
This incident, variously described
as blunder, a case of absentmind-
edness and an error due to hurry,
arose after Superior Judge Globens-
ky failed to specify in writing that
the writ was returnable before him
next Wednesday.
He had set this date in chambers,
hut the writ reading "instanter"
when served ON the jailer set that
official into instant action, and he
had called carriage and ordered
Thaw to dress for an outing when
telephone message from the Judge
Informed him that the latter was
leaving for Montreal. not to return
here as a circuit Judge until next
week. .... .. %.
Meanwhile District Attorney Con-
ger of Duchess county, New York,
Deputy Attorney General Franklin
Kennedy of Albany and others prim-
arily interested in getting Stanford
Whites slayer across the line seized
on the possibility of Thaw's immed-
late production, and sought to find
another judge before whom to ar
raign him. But Mr.. La Force, gov
ernor of the Jail, declined to sur
render the prisoner until he had
consulted with Sheriff Aylmer. The
sheriff, after reading the writ care
fully, said that while no time for it's
return was stated, he had understood
from the court that Wednesday was
the day. and he allowed that Thaw
had better stay in Jail.
Rumors sprouted meanwhile that
the New York authorities were try
ing to kidnap Thaw. that an auto
mobile was ready to whirl him to
the New York line. that an open
clash, perhaps street battle, was
imminent. AS matter OF fact, the
officers from New York were as
much surprised as anyone. They had
protested at postponing the proceed
ings until Wednesday. but, their
protests failing, had decided to bide
their time, hoping that when ar
raigned Thaw would be released as
q fugitive and promptly snapped upI
by the immigration authorities as
an undesirable.
Thaw's lawyers said last night
that they were well satisfied with
the events Of yesterday. They feel
now that Thaw's fate, SO far as the
Canadian officers can influence it is
practically settled. The departure
for Ottawa early yesterday morning
of w. L. Shurtleff was the first step
In plan to procure Thaw's removal
from Canada without prolonged le-
gal proceedings.
All OF the lawyers profess to be-
lieve that the minister Of the inter
Tor will accede to the request that
Thaw be permitted to nominate his
destination" in return for submit
ting without further protest to de-
portation.