MANIACS AT LARGE.

Gisborne Times, Volume LIX, Issue 9572, 25 July 1923, Page 5

MANIACS AT LARGE.

FIERCE BATTLE WITH WARDERS PRECEDES ESCAPE. NEW YORK. July 23. According to a message from Chester, Illinois, armed posses recaptured all but 11 of 2G insane criminals, many of whom are murderers, who escaped from he Illinois criminal insane hospital. Two guards were stabbed and one maniac shut dead in a battle preceding the escape. Seventy-five inmates were in an open-air cage for exercise, when they attacked the guards and wrenched the bars apart with wooden benches. Other guards, who rushed to the scene, prevented wholesale escapes, but L’b eluded pursuit overnight, causing panic in the surrounding neighbourhood., all the houses being barricaded.—A. and N.Z.C.A.

TWENTY-FIVE STILL FREE. (Received Jnlv 24. 5.5 n.m.) NEW" YORK. July 24. A message from Chester, Illinois, says the asylum authorities now admit the number of re-captured insane cabled to-day is incorrect. Twentyfive are still at large.—A. and N.Z. C.A. Fl' RTHIf 11 SEXSATI ON A L DETAILS 227 INSANE CONVICTS TAKE PART IN RIOT. ESCAPEES PEL! EYED TO BE ARMED. (Received July 24. 7.45 p.m.) NEW' YORK. .July 23. The officials at- the asylum at Chester, ill inois, also admit that 227 insane convicts participated in the not. The majority of those who escaped are believed to bo armed and all are desperate characters. Business lias been suspended in all the neighbouring towns while armed guards patrol Hie streets, and shops and dwellings ".re barricaded and large forces are ‘-‘•curing the hills in search of the missing men.—A. and N.Z.C.A.