Saint Paul weekly Minnesotian., 1859-01-15
THE wIFE-MURDER!
THR EXAMINATION OF LALIYER
He il Co1nni tied for Trial!
HIS CONFESS SION, SO
Inquest On the Remains Found.

lie ~ CO1nxEn CC0o ZOE i HAe~~"
HIS CONFESSION, SO.
Inquest o. the Remains Found.
ARREST OF A WIFE MURDHHER-JUsrlch
TARpY BUT SuRE.-Oficer Jno. W. Orosoy
arrested on last Monday in Prairie du Oheih'
Wis. a man named Lawrence Lalier, q 1er-
man well known to many here, on charge OF
numbering his wife on or about October i4th'
1856. near Lake Johanna, about seven miles
from St. Paul,-and on Thursday evening
last, arrived here with the prisoner, who was
at once confined in the city jail. flfg
The circumstances are about as follows ::
On or about the date above mentioned,
Hannah Lalier mysteriously disappeared, and
Lawrence, hsshusband gave out that she had
been in some tantrums, and he whipped her,
when she set fire to some hay stacks, and a
small shanty near them, and ran away. No
notice was taken of the occurrence at the
time, as he had been known to live unhappily
with his wife, and they frequently quarreled.
He wanted to get rid of her and had talked Of
a divorce.
Lawrence took up with another woman,
and lived with her several months, when he
left Minnesota, and travelled over the south,
working at his trade, and about eighteen
months ago settled in Prairie du Chem.
Here he formed partnership with man
named --, and they carried on aprof-
liable blacksmith and wagon making business.
Lalier bought lot, put up cottage, and was
living with another woman, his first paramour
refusing to follow his fortunes when he left
st. Paul This second woman too, finally
abandoned him, no doubt on account of his
murderous and vindictive nature.
--Success, and time, and his distance from
the scene of the tragedy, emboldens him, it
seems, and making confident of little Ger
man Tailor named Phi Ogesband, divulged to
him the secret that he had murdered his
wife, and related to him how he had quarrel
cd with .her, and struck her blow that
knocked her senseless, and then taking wea-
pom, (perhaps an axe) had completed his
awful crime, and the dead body of Hannah La
lier,w stretched before him. At this crisis his
servant, 1--WE believe twas, he stated, y come in,
and they placed the Efeless and bleeding body
of the woman across horse, took it into
shanty and then set fire to it. The fire COM
municated to some hay stacks, and in short
time all were consumed. The awful crime
was completed, all traces were erased, and
they supposed that it would never be thought
of again. One Phil. Gieser, neighbor, who
had some dangerous suspicious was bribed to
secresy by deal of 40 acres of land, and the
report was circulated and believed, that Han
nah had ran away, and gone to her friends.
Lalier knew the bones of his wife, if found,
would be damning evidence against him,
and he endeavored to get the tailor to 60 up
to the spot, and dig them up and destroy
them. This he refused to do, as he said he
had known the woman in her maidenhood,
and he had scruples against touching her
bones So the matter rested, but Lalier said
if he could "only get those bones away from
there, he was SAFE"
This was his confession, and after sharing
the bloody secret, both men felt suspicious of
each other. One evening Lalier told his part
ner that everything was right with him, only
that Oglesband knew something about him
that swas dangerous for him, and he must
''get rid Of him." he said. Alarmed at this
threat his partner warned Oglesband that
Lalier had designs on him. Oglesband, know
ing that he was deceitful and dangerous
man, felt more alarm than ever He was
very uneasy, and as he told Capt. Crosby,
''was in fear for his life." He tried to sell his
shop and lot, and leave, but times were so
hard he could not. The reason for his fears
were of course communicated to others, and
began to be whispered around among his as
sociates. Lalier was thenceforth man fear
ed and hated, for they saw the mark on his
forehead-the brand of the outcast. At last
aperson coming up from there, last summer,
boasted openly and aloud in a Saloon in st.
Paul that she knew what had become of
Lalier's wife-she didn't run away at all, bit
had been killed." etc. This aroused suspicion
anew, and the terrible rumor came to the ears
of Lalier's brother. He Immediately went to
Prairie du Chen, and told him that the sus-
picion had broken out that he had murdered
Hannah, and that he had better leave there.
In the meantime, information of these facts
had been gained by officers here, and stimuli
taneously letters from Prairie du Chen were
received, stating that he was living there, and
that it was rumored there that he had been
suspected of being engaged in murder in or
near st. Paul. "
Officer Crosby therefore proceeded last
week to La Crosse. and making the trip-9O
miles-overland to Prairie du Chen, arrived
there on Sunday afternoon. He soon found
the man he was after, and laid his plans. On
Monday evening Lalier was in drinking sa
loon, carousing, when officer Crosby tapped
him on the shoulder, and requested him to
step out He was then quietly arrested, and
taken to the jail
The next morning early, they were on their
way to Milwaukee. Lalier, who was heavily
ironed, wanted to know where he was going
to take him, and what for. Crosby told him
Ito st. Paul. At this, Lalier's countenance
fell, and he remained silent for whole dav,
absorbed in his thoughts.
From Milwaukee they proceeded by rail to
La Crosse, and then took Burbanks Express
for this city, where they arrived, after some
delay, on Thursday evening '- '
On the next day (Friday), Chief Crosby
and Capt. Norton went to the place formerly
owned and occupied bY;Laliyer, at the time of