Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-08-18

1ully dressed. Inc mlikmdn s cart
was rumbling on the road outside as
he walked through the storereom and
into the outer court or yard of the
asylum grounds. Barnum, sole at
tendant at the road gate was pacing
back and forth when Thaw closed
the storeroom door behind him. ano
apparently did not grasp the signl-
heance OF Thaw's early rising.
Long years of resident at the asylum
and repeated declarations by Thaw
that he would never attempt to OBJ
tain his freedom except by legal
means had established the madmans
status as "trusty". There was lit
tie out of the ordinary in his appear
ance even at that early hour in the
court yard and if Barnum saw him
as to this, no one save the hospital
authorities could say. tonight, and
they refused to talk, he raised no
question.
} \ six cylinder touring car black and
CO. horsepower, followed by limousine
also black, loafed lazily along the
road as the mill<man drew near the
gate, Thaw standing a few feet away,
apparently unconeerned waited until
Barnum unlocked the gate and swung
it wide to let the milkman enter. At
the same moment the first of the two
cars drew up on the further side of
the road opposite the gate and stood
still its engine throbbing. As Barnum
stepped aside for the mil<man to drive
into the grounds, he heard the gravel
crunch beneath Thaw's feet, and look
ing up, saw the prisoner flash past
him straight for the waiting car
With shout Barnum started In pur-
suit but a flying leap landed Thaw safe
within the car The @reat wheels We're
slowly turning before the keeper had
fairly reached the rea1way.' They were
throwing up a cloud { aJst before he
had gone 20 feet Down the road the
cars sped In a whirling cloud of dust
that spread over their trail and biotted
them out of sight For a moment Bar
mum shaded his eyes with his hand and
) watched them then with the first great
blot on his character i'm 20 years as Keep
er. he dashed madly back into the
ground and locked the gate.
"Thaw's gone-escaped. he shouted.
bursting into DR.. Keibs presence. And
in a moment the hunt was on.
The great black car flashed like "a
thunderbolt through Stormvile 10 miles
east of Matteawan, along the road to the
Connecticut line. Early risers in the lit
tie hamlet saw three men-and Thaw-
crouching low to escape the sweep of
$ their rush through the air. They We're
$ going 20 miles an hour. They were 10
minutes out of Matteawan.
| Stormville marveled at their speed
and watched them melt away in the aust
. of the state road. The limousine had
z been left behind. At the speed which the
: black ear travelled through Stormviiie it
should have reached the state line with
in half an hour.
Barnum's breathless declaration at the
D asylum brought DR.. kieb to his feet like
+ a pistol shot Within moment he was
standing at the telephone and as Barnum
poured the story into his ears repeated
1t over the wire to police headquarters.
Il Matteawan became the center of wild
ening ripple of telephone and telegraph
alarms as DR.. Kieb planned pursuit.
He might as well have tried to. chase a
12-inch shell. The 10 minutes start the
. high power of the car in which Thaw
made his flight, the nearness of the Con-
neetcut state line toward which Thaw
was heading and the inferior power OF
the pursuing cars made the chase hope
less. Five minutes ride away he met
William Flanagan, liveryman. II
saw him. Flanagan shouted. "He was
near Fishkill Village and going 60 miles
an hour. | saw him coming and Just had
time to crowd my horses over To oae side
of the road. He'd have hit me sure just
let him keep on; he'll break his neck"
Flanagan recognized Thaw, he said
! sitting on the rear seat of the black car
The other automobile WAS trailing the big
car. DR.. Kieb realizing the futility of
the chase called it off and went back to
Matteawan.
Before starting DIR. kieb notified Dis
trct Attorney Conger. Sheriff Honbrook
and County Judge Hasbrouck. The coun-
ty authorities telephoned to points in the
eastern part of the county. None of the
towns near the state line however. were
! able to give any Information about the
two cars. The last definite news was
Stormville.
After Thaw left Stormvile he had
two routes open to the Connecticut
r line. one by way of Luddngtonville
Carmel and Brewster to Mill Plains,
five miles beyond Brewster. The other
was by way of PaWlins to the state
. line. The latter is the best road for an
, automobile. The road by Brewster
/ wouid have taken him over a rough
, country part of the way and would
have been more liable to have caused
his halt by telephone. Just before Brew
stcr is reached, however, there is a
back read leading to the Connecticut
I | line and which would have taken him
, away from all observation until the
+ Connecticut line was reached Which
: road ne took no one knows
! | According to the account given by
d.. kieb, when Barnum opened the
, gate to allow the entrance of the milk
: man, he allowed ii to remain open, and
50 far as DR.. Kieb could judge, had