The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-08-19
BARNUM ATTACKS
LAX DISCIPLINE
Blames Matteawan Asylum Au-
thorities for Escape of
Harry Thaw.
DENIES HIS COMPLETELY
Accused Guard Makes Statement
Stoutly Claiming Innocence
OF Conspiracy.

Matteawan, y. Y, August ls.-At-
tack!ng the Mattcawan Asylum au-
thoritles for their laxness of admins
tration, and maintaining that he Is
innocent OF completely with Harry X.
Thaw in his plot to escape. Howard
II. Barnum. for seventeen years an
asylum attendant. made a statement
tonight giving in detail his move
ments when Thaw made his dash for
liberty Barnum Is blamed by tho
asylum authorities for allowing Thaw
to escape.
Barnun's statement. which was
made through his attorney. Ferdinand
"a Hoyt OF Matteawan, after explain
ing that as keeper OF the rear gate
it was his duty TO admit any person
who had business at the hospital. con-
tinues.
For some time Harry Thaw has
been assigned by the superintendent
as an assistant in the storeroom, and
It has been the custom for the keeper
In charge to permit him at certain
times in the day TO exercise in the
outer yard This yard Is surrounded
by high board fence. In which there
is one gate. and there is nothing but
this fence between the yard and the
road. They have been in the habit of
allowing Thaw the liberty of this yard
several days every week. and his
presence there is q usual occurrence"
Barnum then describes at length the
manner in which Thaw dashed through
the gate to the automobile wait 'ng
outside when the keeper admitted the
m!lkman, and the statement continues:
"Thaw has access to the yard and is
permitted at will to go to any part of
it. l had nothing to do with regu-
lating his movements. and ne was in
the habit OF going out TO the gate
when opened and closed it, time and
time again. He was given access to
the yard by the storekeeper with the
knowledge of DR.. Kieb, the superinten-
dent
Did All He Could.
None of the attendants is permitted
under the rules to carry amy firea rms
or weapons of any kind. and the gate
is so wide that it is impossible for any
man guarding it to prevent patient
darting out If he felt so disposed From
the time that Thaw came up behind
and leaped from the gate to the time
that he was in the car, only brief in
terval elapsed, and / did all that any
one could possibly have done under
the conditions. I tried to pursue him,
called after him, and when | saw this
NSS VI HO use, gave an alarm at once.
Thaw was permitted to use the
yard and to go out to the gate. and l
have never been warned or informed
by anybody not TO permit him to do so.
He had been doing this for some time
with the knowledge of practically
every one had no hint or intimation
of Thaw's intention to escape. When
he flew past me. was for an instant
struck dumb with surprise, and then.
recovering myself. called to him,
started in pursuit. and then gave the
alarm.
The efforts of Superintendent DR..
Kieb to implicate me in the affair
without the slightest ground is unfair.
and IT seems that they are trying their
best to shift tho blame from those re-
sponsible for the system which made
1t easy for the escape and rendered II
practically impossible for me or any
one else in my position tc prevent it,"