51.   The authorities declined to speculate on why the horse chose its northerly route of escape.

52.   The authorities declined to comment on the case Friday.

53.   The authorities declined to identify the materials.

54.   The Dutch authorities declined to identify the origin of the reports.

55.   The prison authorities have also declined to comment.

56.   The road to the house remains sealed off, and authorities declined to say whether any progress had been made in negotiations Thursday.

57.   They began investigating when the woman, whom authorities declined to identify, first complained about unwelcome attention from Ky last fall.

58.   Wyoming authorities have declined to classify the murder as a hate crime or a murder motivated by hatred of gays.

59.   Prison authorities declined comment, and the Information Center did not describe the source of its information.

60.   Authorities declined comment on the questioning.