 Reviews for the film were positive and focused on the novel methods used to attract the audience to the theater . The Moving Picture World stated , " A <unk> picture which becomes more thrilling as it proceeds . The convict is supposed to have escaped and the way he is chased and surrounded <unk> no good for him . But somehow he manages to <unk> the steadily increasing army of pursuers until they are gathered around him , when he calmly shows a motion picture announcement , and the reason for all this melee , in which the whole countryside took part , becomes apparent . " The requirement that the fleeing " convict " be continually assisted as a part of the plot may have been lost on The New York Dramatic Mirror reviewer . The reviewer writes , " Perhaps , in real life , things might not happen so <unk> for the convict unless the carriage , the boat and the automobile were previously arranged for him . Even then , Fate might <unk> have some disagreeable card up her sleeve . In the film , at any rate , everybody bit nicely . They pursued the escaped convict in increasing crowds until he led them to the theatre he was advertising . There they all <unk> bought tickets to the show and , no doubt , enjoyed it hugely . They did if it was as good as the film is . The least interesting sections of the film are the telephone messages exchanged by agitated police officials ; but they set off the <unk> adventures of the convict with <unk> contrast . " Walton of The Moving Picture News identified the set up and assistance to " the convict " and states , " In spite of the Thanhouser folk joining in the racket and the peculiar readiness of carriage and automobile and boat to help the gentleman in a costume , not used in this state for some two years , the audience did not ' catch on . ' When the revelation came , at the door of the New Rochelle picture show , the theatre rang with laughter . We were all ' <unk> ' and we enjoyed it . " 
