The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1919-10-20
MONDAY, OCTOBER 20, 1919.
VERMONT'S MAN HUNT.

Inc burlington News mas sent q man
into the wilds of Belvidere to get
story of the man hunt that has been
in progress in that vicinity for the past
two weeks and his report contains some
very interesting information. He says
Gotta, large lumberman wanted for
issuing worthless checks, is still as far
from the sheriffs reach as he was at
the beginning and "the entire county
is laughing up its sleeves at the efforts
made by the state attorney and his
officers to capture this lone outlaw
Here is the description given of Gotta
John Gotta, alias Bert Foster, alias
Bert Andrews, was born in Johnston
and has two sisters living in this
county today, one, Mrs. Mrs. Lee Car
penter Of johnson, where he has been
seen twice since the search began.
He left here many years ago and
wandered into the Northwest, where
he made some money and owned a
ranch. One night, when he was return
ing home with some money gained from
the sale of his property, he was way
laid and sandbagged.
He got such a severe blow on the
head that he was mentally unbalanced
and committed to an insane asylum in
the state of Washington, staying there
more than a dozen years. His sister
heard from him at intervals.
About year ago he came back to
his home town, having been released
as cured by the authorities in the west
Last winter he worked in the lumber
camps and this summer was employed
at mill in Belvidere.
About month ago he got an idea
into his head that he needed considera
BILE money with which to retrieve log
| hauler that he had abandoned l6 years
ago up in the Belvidere mountains.
This is where his troubles began TO
he did not have the money and took /
unique method of securing it. II,
would write out check for anywher,
from 500 to $500 in the name of on
of his friends in this county and mai
| it to them.
The day the check arrived or shortl,
afterwards, he would show up at tn
house and demand that the recipient o
his donation split the amount of tn
check with him. This request was al
ways refused and he would go ava,
and try it in another quarter.
\ The first attempt to arrest him wa
! at boarding house when Gotta fired
gun in his room and the officers seat
J tered. After a parley the man agree
!. he would come out of his room in tn
J morning and the officers decided t
wait. 1t is reported that the guar
got interested in game of pitch an
Gotta came downstairs, got his coat
jumped out of second story windo,
and made his escape. A week late
States Attorney Tracy received tel
ephone that Gotta would see him alon
at the house of his brother in law. Tr;
cy went there and induced him to leav
his rifle and revolver with his brother
in-law and agreed to bring him som
clothes the officers had seized Trac
did this but found the man gone whe
he returned. Since then the officer
have not a trace of him and do nc
know whether he is in the woods {
has escaped to Canada.
1t is reported that people in that V
entity are in sympathy with Gotta, flu
\ nish him food and keep him informe
regarding the officers whereabouts.
II The difficulty of capturing ma
/ under these conditions is readily u
II derstood. But the guard which above
Il Gotta to escape from his boardir
house, apparently, was very carele