Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-09-04
THAW IN CLAIM
He is A TOURIST
Fugitive Points to Favorable
Clause in Canada Immigra-
tion Law.
HIS HEARING is BEGUN
jerome Confident That Escaped Mat
teawan Prisoner Will Soon Be
on His Way.

Coaticook, Que, Sept. A special
board of inquiry, authorized under the
immigration law to order Harry Thaw
deported, should it find he had been
an inmate of an institution for the
insane, or that he crossed the border
by stealth" assembled at 9:15 this
morning and sent out for a bible to
swear witnesses.
ut may last a half hour and it may
last a week." said the chairman as he
went upstairs.
William Travers Jerome and Dr.
Kieb Of Matteawan stood in front OF
the Grand Trunk railway station,
which houses the immigration head
quarters. La FAMINE of Thaw's coun.
sci did not put in an appearance, and
1t was said he nad left suddenly.
The scene of the secret hearing is
a tiny Office off the immigration deten.
tion room, where Thaw spent the night
under gNaEass~,sss s.sS.v<sss---EzS+z-z<E-
Blake Robertson, assistant superin.
tendent of immigration was the pre-.
siding officer, assisted by Inspectors
Reynolds, William and Garceau.
ALIENIsTS ON HAND.
Two physicians were on hand to
examine Thaw and DR.. Kieb, superin.
tendent of Matteawan, was held in
readiness to testify to Thaw's con
finement ther5 as the insane slayer
of Stanford White.
II is only five miles from here, al
Barford, where on Tuesday, Aug 10,
Thaw was first arrested after his en-
trance to Canada.
Thaw's lawyers, somewhat demoral
iTed by the rapid developments of yes
terday, spent the night in conference
All were pessimistic, and expressed the
opinion an attempt was being made tc
railroad" their client across the line
Thaw was indignant this morning
when he learned reports of his break
/ ing down under the strain was being
circulated, although no reporters were
allowed to see him. He sent this worC
| by a guard, adding that he had re
ceived a message from his mother
| that she was on the way here.
DELAY IN GETTING START.
There was a delay in getting the
inquiry under way and Thaw became
impatient. Four policemen blocked
the entrance to the stairway, and {
woman with flowers for Thaw wal
denied admittance
Better have your machines ready
boys" said Jerome to newspaper men
I'VE will soon be in Vermont" Th,
board went into session at 1855.
The first person examined was Thav
himself Questioned as to his entranc,
to Canada, he sad he boarded a trail
at Rochester. n. Y. His objectiv,
point was Pittsburgh. He bought sew
eral tickets, he said, in that his rout,
was uncertain. He told of hiring twt
farmers to drive him here after leay
ing the train. Thaw was sworn be
fore he testified. The board produces
credentials before formally going int
session, showing it was authorized b,
Acting Minister of the Interior DoheI
ty to deal "summarily" with the case
Thaw was followed on the stan
by H. Johnson, the farmer who drov
him over the border. and deserte
him and B. n. Cadieux at whose I'M
at Barford he stopped late at night.
INSANITY NOT TOUCHED.
The testimony was taken in secre
and only snatches if it could be OF
tanned from counsel. The questionin
up to the adjournment all bore Of
the clause involving entering Canad
by stealth" The point of insanit
was not touched upon. Expecting
quick decision. Jerome reached tn
station platform in a gray car read
to start at an instant's notice on
dash to the Vermont border wit
Thaw.
At noon the hearing was adjourne
until 2 o'clock.
Adjournment came after Thaw hin
self brought out the point that hi
case came under what is known a
tourists laws in the immigration ac
He contended he was a tourist, pas.
ing through Canada, and that unde
section ?, paragraph 4, of the act, h
was exempt from molestation.
The board said it would take tn