CRIMINALS ESCAPE

Grey River Argus, 25 July 1923, Page 5

CRIMINALS ESCAPE

Only One Recaptured [A. and N.Z. Cable Association] (By Electric Telegraph—Copyright.) NEW YORK, July 23. According to a message from Chester (Illinois) armed posses captured all but eleven of twenty-six insane criminals many of whom are murderers, who escaped from the Illinois Criminal Insane Hospital. Two guards were stabbed and one maniac was shot dead in the battle preceding the escape. Seventy-five inmates wore in an openair cage for exorcise, when they attacked the guards and wrenched the bars apart with wooden benches. Other guards who rushed to the scene prevented wholesale escapes, but twentysix eluded pursuit overnight, causing a panic in the surrounding neighbourhood, all the houses being barricaded. NEW YORK, July 23. A message from Chester, in the State of Illinois, says that the asylum authorities now admit that the number of the recaptured insane people cabled to-day is incorrect. Twenty-five are still at large. DESPERATE MEN ARMED. TOWNS SUSPEND BUSINESS. (Received July 24, 10.30 p.m.) NEW YORK, July 23. The officials of the asylum at Chester, Illinois, also admit that 227 insane convicts participated in the riot. The majority of those who escaped are believed to be armed, and all are desperate characters. Business has been suspended in all the neighbouring towns, while armed guards patrol the streets. The shops and dwellings are barricaded, and large forces are scouring the hills in search of the missing men.