The Lancaster news. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, 1913-08-19
HARRY K. THAW ESCAPES
Makes Sensational Getaway
From Matteawan Hospital.
OUTSIDE N. v. JURISDICTION.
Evelyn Nesbit Learns of Escape
With Terror-Fears He May
De Her Bodily Harm.

Hospital for the Criminal Insane
here at 7:45 o'clock this morning
A dart for liberty through an open
gate, leap into the open door of
powerful automobile that stood
quivering outside and flight like
rocket for the Connecticut state
line, 30 miles away, accompanied his
escape.
Tonight he was still at large and
the hospital authorities felt certain
he was outside the state Once be-
yond it's boundaries Thaw is free.
Only months, perhaps years, of liti-
cation, can bring him back to Mat
teawan and then only in one event
that he be adjudged insane in the
state to which he has fed.
Five confederates manned the car
in which Thaw escaped and a big
black limousine which trailed it past
the asylum gate. The police have
the descriptions of Thaw's confed-
crates and the names under which
they registered at a local hotel Fri
day night and are seeking them.
The hospital authorities believed
that Thaw fed to the shore of Long
Island Sound and boarded a yacht
waiting with steam up to rush him
to Europe.
REWARD OFFERED.
A reward of $500 for Thaw's ap-
prehension has been offered by DR..
r. E. c.. Kelb, superintendent of the
asylum. Howard H. Barnum, the
attendant at the gate past whom
Thaw flashed in his break for free
dom, is under arrest and other ar
rests are expected to follow in the
rigid investigation begun by DR..
Kelb.
The shades were drawn in the
dormitories and the inmates were
getting their second sleep when
Thaw, fully dressed, left his room
this morning. The milkman's cart
was rumbling on the roads outside
as he walked through the store room
and into the outer court, or yard of
the asylum grounds. Barnum, sole
attendant at the road gate, was pac-
ing back and forth when Thaw
closed the store room door behind
him and apparently did not grasp the
significance of Thaw's early rising
WAS A TRUsTY.
Long years residence at the asy-
lum and reported declarations by
Thaw that he would never attempt
to obtain his freedom except by legal
means had established Thaw's status
as "trusty." There was little out
of the ordinary in his appearance,
even at so early an hour in the court
yard, and if Barnum saw him-as
to this no one save the hospital au-
thorities could say tonight and they
refuse to talk-he raised no ques-
ton. a siX-cylinder touring car,
black and 6O-horsepower, followed
by a limousine, also black, loafed
laZily along the road as the milkman
drew near the gate. Thaw, standing
a few feet away, apparently uncon-
cerned waited till Barnum unlock
ed the gate and swung il wide to let
the milkman enter. Al the same mo-
ment the two cars drew up on the
farther side of the road opposite the
gate and stopped, their engines
throbbing. AS Barnum stepped aside
for the milkman to drive inside the
grounds he heard the gravel crunch
beneath Thaw's feet and looking up
saw Thaw fash past him through the
gate to one of the waiting cars. With
shout Barnum started in pursuit
but flying leap landed Thaw safe
In the car. The automobile wheels
began turning before the keeper
fairly reached the roadway and they
were throwing up a cloud of dust be-
fore he had gone 25 feet.
Down the roadway the car sped in
a whirling cloud of dust that quickly
blotted them from sight For mo-
ment Barnum shaded his eyes with
his hands and watched them, then
with the first great blot on his career
OF 20 years as keeper he dashed mad
ly back into the grounds and locked
the gate.
"Thaw's gone-escaped" he
shouted, bursting into DR.. Kelb's
presence. And in a moment the
hunt was on.
RUNNING 70 MILES AN HOUR.
The great black car flashed like a
thunderbolt through Stormville 10
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
escape the sweep of their rush
through the air. They were going
70 miles an hour. They were 10
minutes out of Matteawan
Stormville marveled at their speed
and watched them melt away in the
dust OF the state road.
The limousine had been left be-
hind. At the speed the touring car
was travelling when she passed
Stormville she would reach the state
line within q half hour.
Barnum's breathless declaration
at the asylum brought Dr. Belb to
his feet like a pistol shot. Within n
moment he was standing at the tele.
phone and as Barnum poured the
story into his ears repeated IL over
the wire to police Headquarters.