Western Carolina Democrat and French Broad hustler. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1913-1915, 1915-10-14


A. Arthur Carter, the central figure
in the Carter-Mills-Th Thompson mystery
shooting and The Midway park promo
ter sawed his way out of jail and
shook the dust of Hendersonville off
his feet Sunday night.
His sudden going was the more i'll.
teresting by reason of the fact that his
troubles here were about over and he
didn't take great pride i'll returning to
the scene of former operations in
Pennsylvania, where he is wanted for
alleged $4,000 and $4,000 swindle
games in Pittsburg and Philadelphia.
respectfully.
Carter was placed in Jail during the
summer at the instigation Of PennSyl-
vania authorities. He remained there
apparently most compIacently, mean
while arranging every detail of his re-
treat to be taken at the opportune mo-
ment He had been provided with .
wrench and saw with which to effect
an opening, and a small cord to make
his descent from the second story of
the building
All Details of Escape Arranged.
Frank Israel, convicted of selling
liquor, and two Pennsylvania county
boys who were to stand trial on Mon.
day for their life were in the same
cell and could have also made their
getaway, but they declare that they
didn't know anything about Carter's
farewell until they rose early in the
morning and upon looking for him
found a large opening through the
iron bars. One of the prisoners said
that he had been in the jail for about
hot Il
toward an exit had been done during
his stay there
Carter had no doubt arranged every
detail to perfection For several days
a shirt had been hanging in the win
dow, which was quite noticeable tc
some since they couldn't account fol
Carter's wanting to shut out the balmS
sunshine during these frosty days
He no doubt had sawed the iron bars
several days previous for they haC
had been replaced and glued together
with soap crushed into the sawed
parts to hold the perpendicular rods IN
proper place. The shirt, it is thought
was placed over the window so that nc
one would be able to see the work ht
had done on the bars without remoV
ing the shirt and making a close in
spection. He made his descent dow1
a cord that is used in connecting tele
phones. He left his tools in the jail
1t is not known at what hour of tht
night he left the Jail.
A Very ShreWd Man.
Carter is believed to be one of thu
shrewdest men that ever came to Hen
dersonville When in Jail he told ;
representative of the Democrat that ;
supreme court judge of New Yorl
state told him that if he would direc
his genius in the right direction n
would be OF great worth to the world
Garter is said to have figured in man,
criminal records and to have handlet
lots of money. He had hand, So h
boasted, in the noted Becker-Rosen
thai murder case in New York City
He has been chased by detectives il
various states and his picture is In tn
rogues' gallery all over the country
1t is believed that his whereabouts vii
be easy to locate since his record ha
been given considerable publicity.
Carter, a Great Promoter.
Shortly after coming to Henderson
vile and taking up residence In tn
Francis cottage on South Main, Car
ter was visited by a number OF shoot
ing gangsters. About this same tim
he was involved in a gambling game
He later undertook the promotion o
the Midway park. On the secon'
nights operation he was taken int
custody by local officers on tn
strength of papers received iron
Pennsylvania authorities. Local au
thorities were determined to hold Car
ter until the shooting affair had beel
disposed of. This was done on Friday
He was to be turned over to Phila
delphia officer on Monday and Detec
tive Edward L. Farrell was here t
take the prisoner back toPennsylvan1a
He knew of Carter's shrewdness an
was apprehensive that he would escap
at the eleventh hour and he said ina
he proposed to the sheriff that he re
main on duty over night, but tn
sheriff didn't think it necessary. So
licitor Schenck is understood to hav
warned the sheriff to take extra pre-
caution. However. Carter sflentl
bade farewell to Hendersonvil1e.
Carter left several creditors in Hen
dersonville. The heaviest sunere
was the HendersonvilIe Lumber com
pany, who supplied lumber for tn
park buildings.
A Man of Many Names.
In Philadelphia Carter was Wante
in connection with confidence gam
in which he and others are said {
have swindled ]. Ellis Hess. farmel
out of $10000 He was known l
Philadelphia as Frederick Nelson
alias, Albert Carter. Curly Carter, Rob
ert Haysal and C.. A. Stevens. =
Ptttsburg he was known as J. A