Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1913-08-21
DARTS PAST MATTEAWAN AsY.
LUM GATE KEEPER AS MILK.
MAN GOES IN.
5 AIDED IN PLOT TO ESCAPE
Slayer Of Stanford White is Believed
on Board Yacht-Fugitive Is Safe
Outside New York State and
Can't Be Extradited.

Thaw, the slayer of Stanford
White, escaped from the hospital here
for the criminal insane. A dart for
liberty through an open gate, a dash
into the open door of a powerful auto
mobile that stood %quivering outside,
and a flight like a rocket for the Con-
necticut state line, 80 miles away, ac-
companied his escape.
He is still at large and the hospital
authorities feel certain he is outside
Thaw is free. Only years Of litigation
can bring him back, and then only in
one event-that he be adjudged insane
in the state to which he has fled.
Five c~onfederates manned the car
in which Thaw escaped and a big
black limousine, which trailed it past
the asylum gate. The police have their
license and the names under which
they registered at a hotel and are
seeking them.
Boarded Yacht, is Belief.
The hospital authorities believe
Thaw has fled to Long Island Sound
and boarded a yacht waiting with
steam up to rush him to Europe.
A reward of $500 for Thaw's appre-
hension has been offered by DR.. R. F.
c. Kieb, superintendent of the asylum.
Howard H. Barnum, the attendant at
the gate post whom Thaw flashed
past in his break for freedom, is un-
der arrest, and other arrests are ex-
pected to follow in the rigid investi'
cation begun by DR.. Kieb.
The shades we're drawn in the dor
mitories and the inmates were get
ting their second sleep when Thaw
left his room. He was fully dressed
The milkman's cart was rumbling Oh
the road outside as he walked through
the storeroom and into the outer court
or yard of the asylum grounds. Bar
mum, sole attendant at the road gate
was pacing back and forth when
Thaw closed the storeroom door be
hind him and apparently did not grasI
the significance Of Thaw's early ris
ing.
Regarded as a Trusty.
Long years Of residence at the asy
lum and repeated declarations b,
Thaw that he would never attempt t.
obtain his freedom except by lega
means, had established the madman's
status as a ''trusty."
There was little out of the ordinar,
in his appearance, even at so early al
hour in the courtyard, and if Bar
mum saw him-as to this no one save
the hospital authorities can say, ant
they refuse to talk-he raised nj
question.
A six-cylinder touring car, black ant
60 horsepower, followed by a limous
inc, also black, loafed lazily along thu
road as the milkman drew near thu
gate. Thaw, standing a few fee
away, apparently ~unconcerned, waite,
till -Barnum unlocked the gate an,
swung it wild to let the milkman en-
ter. At the same moment the TIVE
cars drew up on the further side o
the road, opposite the gate, and stoot
still, their engines throbbing.
Dashes Out as MiIkman Comes In.
AS Barnum stepped aside for tn
milkman to drive inside the grounds
he heard the gravel crush beneatl
Thaw's feet and looking up saw TIL
mailman flash past him straight TO
one of the waiting cars. With a shou
Barnum started in pursuit, but a fly
ing leap landed Thaw safe within tn
car. Before the keeper could fairl
reach the roadway the cars sped in
whirling cloud of dust that quickl
blotted them from sight. For
moment Barnum shaded his eyes wit
his hand and watchem them, the
with the first great blot on his caree
of 20 years as keeper, he dashed MAJ
ly back into the ground locked tn
gate.
"Thaw's gone--escaped," he shou
ed, bursting into DIR. Kieb's presenc,
And in a moment the hunt was on.