The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1922-09-15
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CRIMINALLY INSANE INMATES (
FROM THE ST. PETER HOSPITAL
Two Desperate Fellows Procured Revolvers,
Threatened Guards; National Militia Com
pany Was Called Out r.

Armed with two brand new thir-
ty- eight caliber liver Johnson re-
volvers and lots of ammunition,
and supported "in the rear" by ac-
completes with hack saws to saw
the bars, two patients in the Grim
inal ward Of the State Hospital for
the Insane at st. Peter threatened
for more than two hours this morn
ing to deliver the $50 inmates OF
the building to their freedom.
The two patients, 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 pres
ence of mind and courage OF an
other attendant, John Kitchenmas
ter, would have succeeded in deliv-
ering themselves and their inmates
and placing the city of st. Peter and
the surrounding community in a
panic.
Guns Struggled In
The guns and saws were SNUG
gled in to Forbes, better known Vas
the 'cornfeld murderer" who was
given life sentence in Saltwater
for the famous murder near Glen
coe in 1918, and Bowen, negro,
serving 40 year Saltwater SEN
tence for first degree robbery. Both
were committed to the insane ward
at st. Peter from Saltwater. .
According to authentic informa
ton from St. Peter two masked ac-
completes, driving a Hudson auto
mobile, brought the revolvers, am
munition and saws to the two ring
leaders last night. Nurses walking
in the vicinity OF the building late
last night were said to 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 struggled through
the windows.
The Zero" hour in the hospital
war was set for 7:30 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 Galbraith, the first of
I'VE IOIlUWluS dhu
pointing the gun In his face ordered
him to turn over the keys.
GaIbrafth Compiled Quickly
Galbraith promptly complied with
the demand, and by use of his keys
the two men were able to open the
first door and get down to the main
floor gate. The turnkey system, in
use in the building, prevented them
from passing through the lower
gate to the outside. At this point
they called for John Anderson, chief
attendant, who was in an office just
off the main gate. Anderson came
to the door, and at the point of, the
gun was told to open the big iron
gates.
Before he could decide whether TO
risk his life and do his duty, or
play safe and let them out, John
Kitchenmaster, another attendant
off duty. at the time and in the office
with Anderson, rushed to the main
gate and jerking Anderson away,
slammed shut the second wooden
door before the desperate negro had
a chance to cover him.
Leaders in Retreat
The leaders then retreated to the