Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1920-07-02
Returned Convict
Not to Suffer
for His Escape


Boston, July Herman L. Barney,
the convict who gave himself up last
night after SO days of freedom from
the state prison. from which he es-
capped through ventilator. will not
be punished for his escapade, or for
his. part in assisting two other long
term conyicts to freedom at the same
time, Warden Shattuck decided to-
day. The warden said Barney's sur
render was entirely voluntary, and
for that reason he would not be pun
ished.
The convict's story Of his where
abouts during the past month, how
ever were secuted by the warden
Instead of having worked on a Yer
mont farm for his health. as he
stated, Warden Shattuck said he was
convinced that Barney, leader of
group of automobile thiering gang
sters in this city before he\kiIled
local policeman, had not left metro
politan Boston until he went to Yer
mont to surrender and to divert sus-
picion from those who had sheltered
him. His hands, his clothes, his
weight land general appearance. the
warden said, belied the store Of life
on farm near Brattleboro
Barney refused to name hts en-
ployer or to give the exact location
of the farm on which he said he
worked
chance which took him to Brattleboro
after his escape. His flight from the
state prison, he said. was alone,
both Harry Manster, another SLAYER
OF policeman. who is still at large,
and Charles Ward. a Negro who sub
sequently surrendered, having pre-
ceded him over the wall by Is min
utes.
Barney said he hiked over the
tracks of the Boston & Maine rail-
road from the yard in the rear of
1.-THE prison to Lexington, without
shoes, having lost his in the ESCAPE.
friend there supplied him with an
other pair he said. He jumped a
freight at Littleton, dropped off at
Hrattleboro and, after hiding in the
woods for a day, came out and asked
Tor job. getting place on a farm.
Except for the friend at Lexing-
ton barney said he saw no one he
knew, nor anyone who suspected his
identify On one occasion while he
was sought by police throughout
New England with orders to shoot on
sight, Barney said he joined an auto
mobile party and went from Brattle-
boro TO Northampton for Governor
Coolidge's home coming after his
nomination for the vice presidency.
Commission of Corrections Sanford
l.. Bates. issued statement this af-
ternoon after questioning Barney.
we are still at loss" he said, Ito
account for the reason why Barney,
according to his statement, telephon-
ed to Dist. Atty Tufts on Tuesday
morning rather than to the prison.
and why il was that we were not
notified until late Wednesday night
that he had been heard from"
The convict was returned to the
prison last night by Dist. Atty. Ma
than A. Tufts of Middlesex County.
who said he had met him Yesterday
morning near Brattleboro, Vt. by ap-
polntment made over the telephone
Tuesday morning. In a prepared
statement which he has since said
he did not wish to amplify. Dist.
Atty. Tufts said he notified Warden
Shattuck of Balpey's surrender after
their arrival in Cambridge Barney
made the trip. he said. without irons
or other restraint. and was permitted
to visit his mother and father in
Arlington before he was surrendered
to the prison officials. The district
attorney who said he had never met
Barney previously. expressed the
opinion that "he has been blamed for
many things which he never did"