The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1913-08-27
'GENTLEMAN ROGER PEN|TENT
SAYS HE REGRETS HAVING AID.
ED THAW TO ESCAPE.
New York Chauffeur Admits His
Identity, Says He Needs Money and
Thaws Should Help Him. but Re-
fuses to Tell Story of Escape Of
Harry X. Thaw from Matteawan
Prison.

Sherbrooke, Quebec, Aug. o.
Gentleman Roger" Thompson, the
New York chauffeur held under the
Dominion immigration laws as hav-
ing aided Harry X. Thaw, legally
lunatic, to cross the Canadian from
tier, announced from his cell today
that he was 'up against it," and that
IL the Thaw family did not come to
his rescue he would perhaps in JUS
tice to himself, be forced to tell all
he knows about Thaw's escape from
Matteawan and thus complicate the
proceedings under which Thaws
lawyers hope to obtain his release
on a writ of habeas corpus next
Wednesday.
Tonight Thompson removed the
smoked eye glasses he has worn since
his arrest and openly admitted that
the name, Mitchell Thompson" he
had given the authorities was fic-
titious. and that in reality he is
Roger Thompson, car salesman and
daredevil chauffeur, who drove the
black machine which whisked STAN
ford Whites slayer away from Mat
tewan.
sure. I'm Roger Thompson" he
said. IT need money and help now,
and il Is up to the Thaws. / was
framed up" in getting in this case
and they ought to stand by me now.
l haven't cent and If they admitted
me to bail couldn't raise the money.
Even IL / could, l would be arrested
Ii crossed the New York State line.
It's rough stuff. The other four fell
lows mixed up in the game made
their getaway. But stuck to Thaw
to the finish and I'm the goat. That's
pretty hard"
What about the details Of the es-
cape?" he was asked.
Don't ask me-" said Thompson, II
can't talk about that now" Thaw in
cell above Gentleman Roger re-
fused even to admit he had ever seen
him. "Oh. that man." he exclaimed.
You know / can't talk about him."
Counsel has been employed for
Thompson by the Thaw family and it
was through their efforts that his ar
raippuapt to6ay n. n x,;oIotn, 90 +ho
immigration laws was prohibited un-
til Friday next. His lawyer is Louis
st. Laurent of Quebec. It was admit
ted by the chauffeur that 1.-The
Thaws" had retained st. Laurent and
that they expected him (Thompson)
Ito keep his trap shut"
He added grimly that he thought
they ought to do more than give him
lawyer.
"All they want" he said. "is to
keep my case separate from Thaw's.
1 wish 1 hadn't mixed up in it,"
Thaw had a quarrel with his many
attorneys today. They had warned
him to issue no statements but he in,
sisted on talking about what he de-
scribed as an omission on the part
OF newspapers in Canada and the
United States in not printing in full
recent statement of his lawyers
quoting William Travers Jerome as
saying Thaw was sane.
This omission has outraged the
British idea OF fair play" said Thaw.
They believe in a square DEAL" He
hdgeted as he spoke, bit his nails to
the quick and rumpled up a pile of let
ters and kilograms on the pine table
In his cell. On the window sill stood
a bouquet OF wild flowers sent him by
an anonymous woman sympathizer.
over the pine table sprawled the rem
nants C IL meal served by a local ho-
tel. Thaw's appetite apparently is
good. for only bits Of food remained.
But I haven't had thing to drink
but water" he smiled.
Whitawashed walls encompass
Thaw. An iron cot stands in the cell
corner. He makes his toilet In an iron
sink.