The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1913-08-20
HARRY K. THAW
is AT LIBERTY
Stanford Whites Slayer Makes
Sensational Escape
DARING DASH IN AUTOMOBILE
Five Confederates Help Get Noted
Prisoner Away From Matteawan
Asylum-Thaw Rushed Out Of State.

Prisoner Away From MatteaWan
Asylum-Thaw Rushed Out Of State,
Harry X. Thaw, the slayer OF Stan
lord White, escaped from the hospital
for the criminal insane at Matteawan,
n. Y, last Sunday morning.
A dart for liberty through an open
gate, dash into the open door of a
powerful automobile that stood CULVER
ing outside, and a flight like rocket
for the Connecticut state line, thirty
miles away, accomplished his escape.
He is still at large and the hospital
authorities felt certain he is outside
the state. Once beyond its boundaries
| Thaw is free. Only months, perhaps
years, OF litigation can bring him
back to Matteawan and then only in
one eyent-that he be adjudged in
sane in the state to which he has fed.
Five men at least were actually
concerned in the escape besides Thaw.
The attendant of the hospital who had
charge of the gate has been placed
under arrest charged with aiding and
abetting the escape. -
The shades were drawn in Mattea-
vans dormitories and the inmates
were getting their second sleep when
Thaw left his room. He was fully
dressed. The milkman's cart was
rumbling on the road outside as he
walked through the storeroom and into
the yard of the asylum grounds.
Barnum sole attendant at the road
gate, was pacing back and forth.
Long yea of residence at the
asylum and repeated declarations by
Thaw that he would never attempt to
obtain his freedom except by legal
means had established the madman'
status as "trusty." There was little
out of the ordinary in his appearance
even at so early an hour.
six-cylinder Packard touring car
black and sixty-horsepower, followed
by a limousine, also black, loafed
lazily along the road as the milkman
drew near the gate. Thaw, apparent
" unconcer ed, waited till Barnum un'
locked the flte and swung it wide to
let the mil nan enter. At the same
moment the two cars drew up on the
further side of the road opposite the
gate and st ID still.
AS Barnun stepped aside for the
milkman to drive inside the grounds
he heard the gravel crunch beneat'
Thaw's feet, and looking up saw the
madman fash past him straight fol
the waiting cars. With a shout Bar
mum started in pursuit, but a flying
leap landed Thaw safe within the car
The great wheels were slowly turning
before the keeper had fairly reached
the roadway. They were throwing III
cloud of dust before he had gone
twenty-five feet.
Down the roadway the cars sped
Barnum dashed madly back into the
ground and locked the gate.
"Thaw's gone-escapedl he shout
ed, bursting into DR.. Keib's presence
And in moment the hunt was on.
The great black car flashed like ;
IJnunupTDOlJ lulOu6Il plOl III NV wv
} miles east of Matteawan. along the
road to the Connecticut line. Early
risers in the little hamlet saw three
men-and Thaw-crouching low to es
cape the sweep of their rush through
the air. They were going seventy
miles an hour. They were ten minutes
out of Matteawan. Stormvillf
marveled at their speed and watched
them melt away in the dust of thu
state road.
One of the queer kinks in the pres
ent situation is that even if Thaw i
located and caught in some othe
state than New York there is grea
doubt in the minds of the authorize
that he can be brought back to TIN
state. He has legally been adjudged
: public menace and for this reason IN
has been confined in Matteawan, bu
he is not legally murderer, as lur!
has acquitted him of any crimina
: charge.
AS the matter stards now there /
I good reason to believe that Thaw vii
3 20 scot free for the rest Of his lif
I unless he attempts to re-enter Nev
l York state. The plan of escape ha
: been perfected for several months
: There is no question of that. Dr.
RAYMOND F. C. Kieb, superintendent
of the asylum, believes that tn
method of escape was planned seN
/. eral months ago. DR.. Kieb has bee
: superintendent since June II. He we
I appointed after the legal proceeding
! involving Thaw. which caused the dis
! missal of DR.. John Russell, the fol
| mer superintendent, against whor
j some testimony was brought tha