The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858, 1854-03-25
From the Cleveland Herald.
The Martha Washington Case-Burtor.s Afsstey
Stroke.

Amasa Chaplin, Lorenzo Chaplin, and Earle
The whole affair was one of the most skilfully
managed and promptly executed police move
ments on record. 1t must be horne in mind
that these suspected men have all the money
| and influence necessary to keep in their service
a crowd Of desperadoes ready to do their bid
ding; that spies are constantly on the track of
| Sidney &. Burton, burning 70 take his life at
any corner and that the officers of Justice have
| been watched, and their movements logged
hourly for months past.
| Now that the arrests are made. il may not be
improper to slightly lift the veil which to the
public has latterIy covered this matter from
common observation. Sidney c. Bnrtor, as
well as all lOokers-on, was deeply pained at the
sudden termination of the Martha Washington
trial he had necessarily been closely identi-
tied with the case. discovering in the investiga-
ton OF a business matter. strong evidence of the
commission Of murder and arson. ard he end
| Others knew that the abrupt termination of the
trial before the L. s. Court had deprived the
prosecution Of very important testimony. There
was one universal regret, that in iustice to the
pnblic, and in justice to the accused full ard
complete, and satisfactory investigation had
been thus prevented
! No sooner did the jury bring in their verdict
| than Burton was on the move; he visited one
| of tue State Prisons, having received curious
and valuable letter from an inmate, who knew
more about the burning OF that boat than he had
yet divElged. In the investigation Of this mat
ter the indefatigabie Burton travelled the length
and breadth Of the Union. Canada. and some of
the isles of the sea, having Travelled day and
night over twenty thousand miles. three hun
dred Of these miles solitary and alone on q
mule, and gaining facts connected with the
burning Of the Martha Washington, as startling
J in their nature as their disc 'Osure TO him was
singular and unexpected. Evidence bearing
upon this matter has been most wonderfully
suppressed, trembling witnesses of the tragedy
of that be!isb plot have been found where hr-
man ingenuity could scarcely imagine and a
/ train of circumstances has been laid which when
detailed before a court, will weave tale Of
desperation too strange for belief Burton re-
ceiyed the advice Of our most prominent fcde-
raj authorities: members OF Congress cncour-
aged his heart and engthened his hand the
authorities of Arkansas declared that this deed
of blood committed in their territory should be
brought to light. and its perpetrators punished.
All being prepared, flying visit to Arkansas
and Burton returned. awaiting the papers from
| the Executive of that State. We confess to
! trembling when the express package containing
| the requistion was delivered to Burton, and he
| jumped upon the cars to lay the document be-
! fore oar Executive. The adventure was peril
Gus, aud the least }eoh might explode the en-
! tire plan and involve those actively engaged in
peril.
| Burton's arrest for perjury, few dav9 since,
was but the commencement Of a series ol annoy
auces which now are suddenly cut short and
the threats of vengeance received by every
mail. and the stealthy steps which ever follow
ed after him. have but quickencd and nerved
Burton in his almost superhuman efforts to
bring the guilty. whoever they may be, to JUS
ticc save bis own life and restore peace to his
anxious family.
/ Burton. took Governor Mcdll's warrant to
Cincinnati. and Sheriff Higdon and officer Bow
| en-, by their admirable Skill planned and exc
cutcd the arrest Of the accused detailed in
| the Commercial:
| kissanc. Holland. Cummings, and Rufus Cha
| pin were at the Walnut Street House. Rufus
Chaplin was so sick that he could not be rcmov-
ed. Earle was at WeStcOtts shoe store on Fifth
street. Amasa Chaplin was at his place Of bus
mess above Clayton's jewelry store on the cor
ner of Coiumbiana and Sycamore streets. Lo-
renzo Chaplin was in y shoe shop on an alley
between George and Seventh streets, west Oh
Plum street. In the space Of twenty-five min
utes these men were arrested, conveyed to an
omnibus which was in waiting near the Ross
| House. handcutfed, and on their way to Arkan-
sas,
! While these arrests were being made, Lyman
Cole was taken at Oxford. and the probability
is that during the day Adams Chaplin was cap
turcd in northern Illinois. and is also at this
time Or his road to Phillips county. Arkansas.
Officer Bruen is Burtons accredited agent.
and has the prisoners in charge. kissane oh
jcctcd TO entering the omnibus, but was forced
INTO it. Heavy irons were prepared bOtj tor
the hands and feet Of the parties in limbo On-
| ly the haudcuts we're used in the omnibus. To
give an idea of the secrecy with which this at
| air was conducted, We may state that We are
! informed these .rJnS were IN the Sheriff Office
notified that they were required to be on hanu
| IN the morning. but knew not for what pur
pose.
| Nothing could have been more utterly uncX-
! p' cted to the Martha Washington individuals
than their arrest yesterday morning. When
told that they were prisoners in the name of th
state Of Arkansas, their astonishment and con
sternatiOn knew no bounds. The first intima
ton they had Of BurtOns coup d'etot was the
finding themselves suddenly together handcuf
fed. and handed in to the omnibus in which
they were driven away en- route for Helena.
Arkansas.
On the road to Lawreucehurgh. where the
boat was waiting. every effort was made to de-
lay the omnibus, in the hope, it is supposed, OF
Il rescue. John Huntington. the driver. states
that the party offered him $500 to drive slow +,
Some distance below the city toll-gate keep
er-an acquaintance of some of the Martha
| w
stage ten niles before he was able to get a
message. which was shouted out to him to be
brought back to friends in the city.
The Gazette says William kissanc and
Capt. Cummins were about taking their morn
ing bitters at the bar of the Walnut Street
House, where they boarded, when Tom IIigdon,
the Deputy Sheriff. entered, and having inform
ed them that he had bad news to communicate
to them, produced the warrant from the Cover
nor. The rosy flush of excitement on tue cheek
of Kissane was changed to a deadly pallor and.
very much Disconnected, he exclaimed: "My
God. what can do this is too bad" He was
allowed to 90 up stairs and bid his mother good
bye, and change his clothing, and Capt Cum
Minis also went to his room to bid his wife
goodbye, both no doubt supposing that they
were not to be Immediately removed. Some
person having witnessed their arrest in the bar
rOOm walked out into the Office, and there sat
Holland, to whom he spoke saying that kis-
same was again in trouble. Holland, laughing
pitched into Robert Shaw the day before. just
as he had deserved" supposing he had refer