The Peru Gazette

Eric Babbie

By John T. Ryan

Peru –  A mowing machine was cutting forage this morning along the Barney Downs Road. The operator, Eric Babbie of Adirondack Farms, said the Pottinger NOVACAT ST12 can cut about 300 acres of hay daily. The machine cuts a 36-foot swath and operates at 10 to 12 miles an hour.

Babbie was mowing a beautiful cover crop of triticale and peas. There’s alfalfa growing underneath and in a few weeks it will be harvested.

A recent Sun Community News story begins: “The locally produced film ‘Garrow’ is continuing to sell out shows across the Adirondacks, and starting Saturday will begin a six-day run at The Strand in Schroon Lake.” Click here for that story.

Several weeks ago retired New York State Police Troop B Commander John “Jack” Lawliss submitted his memories of the ten-day manhunt for Robert Garrow. He does not agree with the version portrayed in the movie.

John “Jack” Lawliss’s comments:

There have been several books written and a movie made about ROBERT GARROW, one of the most vicious killers in NY State history. I have read the books and seen the movie, I was also personally involved in his capture at Witherbee, N.Y. on August 9,1973. I can personally attest to the fact that the books and movie do not accurately portray the circumstances regarding the ten day manhunt, one of the most intensive manhunts in NY State history and his subsequent wounding and capture.

In the summer of 1973, I was a BCI Lieutenant stationed in Albany with offices at Division Headquarters and 41 State Street. I was assigned to the NY Sate Organized Task Force with the position of Field Lieutenant. We had six offices located in central, southern and western NY.

On Sunday evening, July 29, 1973 at about 7-30 PM I received a telephone call at my home In Ballston Spa from Col. Donald Brandon, the officer in charge of all NY State BCI personnel. I was ordered to contact all available members of my units in central NY and report with them to Captain Joseph Gillespie at a command post established at the Fire Station in Wells, NY at 6-00 AM the following morning. He advised that a large State Police detail was being formed to conduct a manhunt in the lower Adirondacks for a subject that was wanted for several vicious murders, the subject was on foot and armed with a hunting rifle. I contacted about 16 of my personnel and related this information. They were advised to bring suitable clothing for the detail a personal rifle/shotgun if available, as our units were not equipped with shoulder weapons. I packed my bags, took my 308 cal.semi-auto and left for Wells at 4-00 AM. I would not return until the evening of August 9th.

At 6-00 AM, 7/30/73 I met with my detail at the Wells Fire Station and was briefed by Captain Gillespie. The wanted subject was ROBERT F. GARROW, DOB 3/4/36, a White Male, 5’11, 200 lbs. stocky/muscular build, balding, wearing dark rim glasses, green work pants and a blue shirt. He was armed with a 30-30 rifle and a hunting knife. He was wanted in connection with the murder of three young people and the abduction of a forth who was still missing and presumed dead. The previous day he had abandoned his vehicle and fled into the woods near Speculator. His last address was Syracuse and he had relatives/friends in Schenectady and the Port Henry/Mineville/ Witherbee areas of Essex County. My assignment was to supervise and direct my unit in checking all buildings both occupied and unoccupied for any sign of the wanted subject and to insure he was not holding anyone hostage in their homes. They were also to respond to any possible sightings or complaints of suspicious persons or noises. Troops B-D-G were assigned to work 12 hour shifts ; day shifts from 8-00 AM to 8-00 PM the night shift, 8-00 PM to 8-00 AM. My detail was assigned the night shift. uniform patrols had established road blocks on main roads throughout central and northeastern New York and BCI personal were checking all of his relatives and contacts and completing the investigations of the multiple murders he was suspected of. Many people on vacation in the area cut their vacation short and left. The local people were living in fear, with many men staying home from work keeping a firearm close at hand. For the next several days our detail comprised of three men in each car was busy checking hundreds of buildings, homes and campsites as well as responding to numerous calls to check on suspicious persons, noises, barking dogs etc. The manhunt was on national news and pressure was building on law enforcement to apprehend this very dangerous individual before he harmed or killed another person.

Our first big break came on the afternoon of Monday, August 6th when a camper from Ohio reported his 1968 white Pontiac sedan bearing Ohio plates had been stolen from a campsite in the area. The information was immediately dispatched throughout NY State and neighboring jurisdictions. Later that evening, Ms. Betty Baker the proprietor of a small gas station/store on Route # 28 between North Creek & North River called stating that a suspicious man had bought gas that evening and had paid her in cash. He was driving a white car with Ohio plates, he left driving North on route #28 she had written down the plate #, it was the stolen Pontiac. She was very fortunate to be alive.

During the night of August 6/7, a vehicle answering the description of the stolen car ran a road block near Indian Lake and was pursued North on Route # 28 by a State Police patrol, the patrol car sustained a broken fan belt and was disabled. Due to poor radio communications /dead spots/ in the mountainous areas and a disabled police car, this information was not received at the command center for over an hour. On receiving the information and knowing that Garrow had relatives in the Port Henry area, an area I was very familiar with, I instructed my detail to head for Essex County and meet me in Port Henry. A command post had been setup by B Troop Commander, Major Donald Ambler in the Moriah town hall, village of Port Henry. I arrived at the command post about 6-00 AM. Patrols were scouting the area for the stolen Pontiac and it was discovered abandoned on Chipmunk Street in the Town of Moriah about 1/2 mile east of the Hamlet of Witherbee and the home of his sister, Mrs Agnes Mandy and her family on Wasson Street.

The Mandy home had been placed under surveillance for a couple of days fearing that Garrow may pay an unwanted visit. The back of the home bordered Tom Mountain a wooded area surrounded by a horseshoe road with no side road outlets. Major Ambler was concerned that Garrow may have entered thru the rear of the home obscured by woods and was still in the home. He, with a detail of uniformed Troopers, entered and searched the home, he was told that Garrow had been there for a short time but left. Garrow was now without transportation and it was feared he would attempt to obtain a vehicle, he knew the area and residents, having lived there in his youth. The whole area was on high alert and griped with fear. Patrols saturated the area without success.

On Thursday morning, August 9th, I was near the Mandy residence with Essex County District Attorney John McDonald in my car. Trooper Karola approached me with a young man, David Mandy, age 16, son of Agnes Mandy and Nephew of Robert Garrow. Karola related that he had been at the rear of the Mandy residence when David Mandy came out of a wooded area with a bag containing food, when questioned he refused to gave an account of what he was doing. I asked the DA to give me a few Minutes alone with Mandy. After explaining “the facts of life” to the young man, he admitted he know where his uncle was and was bringing him the food. He further agreed to take us to his uncle on Tom Mountain.

I relayed this information to Major Ambler and requested all available manpower as we would have to cordon off the area placing officers within sight of each other on the horseshoe road surrounding the mountain to avoid his escape. if he got across that road he would again have miles of wilderness to hide in. The Major was at first concerned about pulling the road blocks to get the men needed for this operation. After some conversation, I convinced him that it was our best chance. We would hunt him like a deer, put sentries out to block his escape and send a detail with the dogs to go in and flush him out, his nephew would guide us to his location.

The Major approved the plan and a detail of men was assembled near the Mandy residence, I advised them to give me time to put the sentries in place before moving in. This horse shoe road known as Silver Hill Road, starts in Witherbee and is about 1 1/2 miles long, it circles Tom Mountain and comes back to Wasson street just West of the Mandy residence. The men were placed on posts to insure Garrow could not cross the road without being seen. They were all equipped with rifles or shotguns and instructed to take whatever action was necessary to ensure he did not escape. These men were mostly Troopers but there were also local Police, Deputies, Forest Rangers and conservation officers involved. The last Officer on post, Conservation Officer Hilary /Guy/ LeBlanc was stationed near the end of the roadway in sight of the west end of Wasson Street.

After everyone was in place the detail went in, I kept circling the Silver Hill road insuring that everyone stayed alert and in place. About an hour after the detail went in, I was on the road checking the watchers, as I neared Conservation officer LeBlancs location, I could hear him shouting and then several shots were fired. I proceeded to his location, he stated that Garrow had started to come out on the road, he shouted for him to drop his rifle and put his hands up, Garrow turned and started back into the woods. LeBlanc fired four shots at Garrow with a 12 gauge shotgun loaded with buckshot. He said that he was sure he hit him but Garrow continued back into the woods. I radioed the detail as to what occurred and instructed all fixed positions to stay in place while the detail with the dogs came to the scene. They went into the woods and found Garrow down and wounded with injuries to his back, arm and a broken ankle. An ambulance that had been placed on standby took Garrow to the CVPH medical center in Plattsburgh.

One of the most intensive and massive manhunts in the history of NY State was over and a vicious murderer captured alive. Conservation officer Hillary LeBlanc was the hero of the day and was commended for his actions. Garrow stated that if he had been able to shoot his rifle, he would have shot an officer as he wanted to be killed by police rather than go back to prison. At trial Garrow was convicted of several murders and sentenced to life in prison.

Garrow’s convictions:

June, 1973 Alicia Hauck, age 16, a High School student murdered in Syracuse, her body was later found hidden in a cemetery behind Syracuse University.

July 14, 1973 Daniel Porter, age 20, is murdered in Warren County, his body was found tied to a tree on July 20th.

July 14, 1973 Susan Petz, age 21, camping companion of Daniel Porter abducted and later murdered, her body was found in a mine shaft in Mineville .

July 29, 1973 Philip Domblewski, age 18, tied to a tree and stabbed to death, three other teenagers were all tied but were able to escape and notify police. This initiated the massive manhunt.

Garrow was also a suspect in the murder of Mrs. Michael Slovak, age 60, wife of a Schenectady surgeon, stabbed and robbed.

Garrow had a lengthy criminal record dated back to his teen years, he had been convicted of robbery, rape, burglary larceny and assault.