New Ulm review., 1922-09-20
CRIMINAL INSANE
ATTEMPT ESCAPE
DESPERATE CHARACTERS AT
STATE HOSPITAL PLAN
WHOLESALE DELIVERY. n,
GUARD FORCED TO HAND OVER
KEYS TO ARMED MEN
BUT SCHEME FAILS.

Armed with two thirty-eight calibre
Iver Johnson revolvers and lots of
ammunition, and supported by ac-
completes with hack saws to saw the
bars, two patients in the criminal
ward of the State Hospital for the In
sane at St. Peter threatened for more
than two hours last Thursday morn
! ing to deliver the $50 inmates of the
building to their freedom.
The two insane men, Charles Forbes
and William Bowen, negro, forced
the keys to the gate on the upper floor
of the building from an attendant at
1880 at the point of "a revolver, and
except for the presence of mind and
courage of another attendant, John
Kitchenmaster, would have succeeded
in delivering themselves and their
fellow inmates from the asylum and
placing the city of St. Peter and the
surrounding community in great
danger.
Guns Struggled In.
The guns and saws were smuggled
in to Forbes, better known as the
"corn6eld murderer" who was given
life sentence in Saltwater for the
famous murder near Glencoe in 1918,
and Bowen, negro, serving 40 years
Saltwater sentence for first degree
robbery. Both were committed to the
insane ward at St. Peter from Still
| water.
According to authentic information
from St. Peter two masked accom-
plices, driving a Hudson automo bile,
brought the revolvers, ammunition
and saws to the two ring-leaders last
night. Nurses walking in the vicinity
of the building late last night are said
Ito have seen them driving away and
identified them as masked men. A
ladder, not the property Of the hospital,
was found within the courtyard that
surrounds the criminal ward by en-
ployees this morning. The patients
sleep on the first floor of the build
ing and by use of the ladder the
weapons were smuggled through the
windows.
The 'szero" hour in the hospital
war was set for 1880 a. m. and promptly
at that hour, just as the last of the
[patients had filed into the third floor
day room from their breakfast on the
lower floor, Bowen, the negro, the
last in line, turned upon Albert Gal
braith, the first Of five attendants
following them, and pointing the gun
in his face ordered him to turn over
the keys.
/ Galbraith Complied Quickly.
1 Galbraith promptly complied with
the demand, and by use of his keys
the two men were able to open thu
first door and get down to the mair
floor gate. The turnkey system, il
J use in the building, prevented then
from passing through the lower gat,
, to the outside. At this. point the,
called for John Anderson, chief at
!. -.Itendant, who was in an office Just Of
4 the main gate. Anderson came 10th,
Edoor, and at the point Of the gun wa
J, told to open the big iron gates.
Before hek could decide whether t.
I flrisk his life and do his duty, or pla,
safe and let them out, John Kitchen
: master, another attendant off dut,
at the time and in the office witt
Anderson, rushed to the main gat
and Jerking Anderson away, slamme,
shut the second wooden door befor
!, the desperate negro had chance t,
/ Icoyer him.
i Leaders in Retreat.
i The leaders then retreated to tn
E third floor for war council. Sheri1
/ Charles Norman Of st. Peter an
t Michael Dempsey, chief Of police
Continued on page g..