The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1918-10-10
YOUNG MAN WHO GREW
UP IN SKOWHEGAN
On the Whole An Interesting Career

The escape OF our former citizen,
Manford Galway, at Thomaston, Sept.
=. renews some interesting history,
II should DE remembered that Cal
way was captured after a brief lib
erty and returned To Thomaston,
where he doubtless resumed his
work on the highways at which he
was employed when he and his COM
panion, Beal. got away The events
which led to his residence at Thorn
aston were as follows:
In June, 1916. Manford Galway was
arrested charged With breaking, en-
tering, and larceny from the stores
Of James Hilton in Norridgewock, and
W. p Ordway and Fred Avery in
Skowhegan. He was arraigned in
the municipal court, plead guilty and
was bound over in the sum of $500 to
await the action Of the grand jury at
the September term of court He
with the thefts. plead guilty and was
committed to Jail In April of the
following year, he was released, hav-
ing been placed in the custody of
Probation officer Ernest c. Butler.
Soon after this, on May %, occurred
the Randall Nye fire and on June
4. the Clara Brown fire Suspicion
pointing to Galway, he was returned
to Jail by the probation officer on
June 5th and arrested the following
day charged with completely in the
two fires above mentioned and plac-
ed under bonds in the sum of $500
to await the action of the grand jury
at the September term While
awaiting trial he rang the electric
bell in the Jail indicating that there
was trouble among the prisoners.
When Mrs Chute, the turkeys wife
went to investigate he jumped by her
as she opened the door, and made
aware of that fact in a rather spec
tacular way The fire alarm was
blown. automobiles were assembled
and a big posse went in search. He
was traced out toward East Skowhe-
gan, seen several times. but sue
ceeded in getting into the woods and
eluding his pursuers. He was cap
tured late the following afternoon, by
Chief of Police Thompson, in the vi
cinity of Herrin Mountain, and i'm
mediately returned to Jail.
Halton r. Post escaped with Cal
way and got safely out of town. He
was captured about three weeks later
by the police department in East
Cambridge. Mass Post was in Jail
for passing worthless checks, He is
now serving sentence of not less
than one nor more than three years
at Thomaston.
At the September term, the grand
jury ltpbi ltu an lidINAHl'ilN dbdliiNN
Galway for assault with intent to kill
at the time of his breaking out of
jail To this he pleaded not guilty.
He was also indicted on three other
counts: Escaping from county Jail,
to which he pleaded guilty, and set
ting fire to the Nye, Brown and Cleve-
land homesteads, TO which he plead
ed not guilty He later changed his
plea of not guilty to guilty of set
ting the Nye fire and assault on the
sheriff and was then sentenced for
breaking jail, not less than 3l2 years
nor more than seven at hard labor at
Thomaston: for burning the Nye
place. not less than 10 years nor
more than II. the latter being recon-
mended: for assault on an officer, not
less than 212 years nor more than 3;
making a maximum penalty OF 81
Years at hard labor Immediately
after sentence was passed. he was
taken TO Thomaston
Correction