Evening Republican, Volume 19, Number 31, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 February 1915 — PRISONERS ESCAPED; CARD GAME WENT ON [ARTICLE]

PRISONERS ESCAPED; CARD GAME WENT ON

Mrs. Ida Peterson and "Battle Ax” Gibbons Climbed From Upper Window in Roselawn. The little town of Roselawn, 16 miles north of Rensselaer on the Monon railroad, was filled with excitement Thursday and Thursday night and the interest has not yet subsided. Mrs. Ida, Peterson, whose husband is a section foreman at Lowell, has been living at Roselawn and is alleged to have been living with Clyde Gibbons, better known by the name of “Battle Ax”. The good people of that town were opposed to the alleged relations of 'Mrs. Peterson and Gibbons and affidavits were made, a warrant placed in the hands of Constable. Frank Hatton, of that town. He arrested Gibbons and Mrs. Peterson Thursday morning and they were taken before Justice Whitton, who bound them over to the circuit court in the sum of SSOO each. Unable to give 'bond both were placed in the care of the constable, who arranged to take them to Kentland on this Friday morning, the trip to be made via the milk train to Shelby, thence to Schneider and down to Kentland on the C. & E. I. railroad. All went to Mrs. Peterson’s home to remain duping the night. Mrs. Peterson retired at about 9 o’clock. Constable Hatton, “Battle Ax” Gibbons, Jim Haskell, and “Babe” Dennis engaged in a game of cards. Finally at about 11:30 o’clock Gibbons said that he guessed he would go upstairs and get everything ready to go to Kentland in the morning. Accordingly he went and the constable and the other two men continued to play cards. Gibbons stamped about up stairs for a time, but finally all became quiet. In a half hour or such a matter Constable Hatton decided to look after his prisoners and when he went upstairs he found that both were gone. A ladder leading from the window told of the method employed. The outwitted sleuth got busy and the town of Roselawn was awakened in an effort to locate the missing couple. The home of George Hascall, an aged civil war veteron, was visited. He was accused of harboring the pair. He resented the charge anij^informed the constable that he would get out his old army musket and blow the whole bunch to smithereens if they didn’t leave him and his household alone. The search continued throughout the night but the couple could not be located. “Battle Ax” had not even left an occasional cud of his favorite brand along the highway as a clew for the Sherlock Holmes of the high grass. Justice Whitton is a new official and when the people of the town began to tell him that he was liable on his bond for the delivery of the prisoners and that the constable was also liable, great onsternation reigned and the constable came to Rensselaer to consult Deputy Prosecutor Sands about the matter. Usually the most desirable thing to be atttained In cases of this kind is the permanent departure of the guilty persons and the peace and dignity of the state of Indiana, so far as Roselawn is concerned, will probably be preserved as well as though they had been prosecuted and convicted, to say nothing ofc the saving in way of expense. 'Some people at Roselawn are wondering -what kind of a game of cards was in progress that the constable became so interested he let his prisoners escape.