The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1872-06-15
THE MYSTERIOUS PRISONER
HIS RELEASE ON TWELVE THOUSAND
DOLLARS Bail.
The story OF his Abduction from Cana
dn-A Nut for John Bull to Crack

was recently kidnapped in Canada and car
rled to Detroit, where he was arrested, Is es-
iablished at last. He was no other than DR..
J. Rufus Bralton, of Yorkville, In this State,
who left his home In October last about the
time President Grant delegated to Merrill the
power that had been delegated to him by Con-
gress to arrest and imprison citizens at his
will and pleasure. At the December term of
the United States Court true bill tor con-
spiracy and for being connected with the
hanging of jim Williams was found against
DR.. Bratton By the grand jury. He was
brought to YorkvilIe on Monday last In charge
of the somewhat notorious detective, Joseph
| d. Hester, and lodged in jail.
On Wednesday last, as already reported In
THE NEWS, q motion was made before Judge
Bryan Tor the release of DR.. Bratton on bail,
and the amount was fixed at twelve thousand
dollars. The required security being prompt
| ly furnished, the doctor was released, and
now awaits his turn for trial at the August
| term of the court.
A Grant Newspaper Account OF the Kid
nnpping-Chioroform Used-The Vic
tim Pronounced Guilty of Eleven
Murders on the Authority OF Detroit
Reporter who Saw It in his Face.
From the Detroit Post, June 81
Upon the arrival of the Great Western Rail-
ferry boat Union at the Michigan Central dock
In this city, about ten o'clock Tuesday nlgnl,
three men LETT the boat, and, entering hack,
were driven rapidly TO the Central Police Sta
,ion, where two of them alighted, the third
remsining In the carriage. Approaching the
sergeant 10 charge, one OF the strangers au-
nounced himself as United States detective,
and stated that his companion was his pris-
oner, at the same time exhibiting reqn!stion
for his arrest from Governor Robert h. Scott,
of South Carolina. The officer was Joseph G.
Hester, of the United States Secret Service,
and his companion was one Of the most noto-
rious Ku.Klux leaders In South Carolina,
whose operations at the head OF an organized
| gang of outlaws have been a long series Of
murders, outrages and acts OF violence upon
the persons aud property Of loyal and peacea-
ble citizens of that state. The third stranger
who remained seated in the hack-was 4. B.
Cornell, an officer from Columbia, S. c., who
had been on the track OF the outlaw chief
since his hurried departure from the South
several weeks ago, aud 10 whose detective
skill may be attributed In great sasure the
credit oil this important capture.
The prisoner was tall, gannt Sontnerner,
about forty-fve years of age. His hair was
slightly ttnged with gray, and he had keen,
piercing black eyes. which indicated shrewd-
ness, intelligence and determination. He was
dressed In plain suit OF gray mixed clOtn,
with black sloucn hat, and his whole appear
ance was that of respectable well-to-do iarm-
er. When asked his name he replied that he
was q prisoner and would not divuge his true
name, but for the present would be known as
James Simpson. He gave his nativity as Ala
bama, aud his occupation as that of farmer.
'.Simpson" was then taken Ia the Captains
Office aud carefully searched, when it waN
found that he had Sl08 IS In money, watch,
pocketbook, and surgeons lancet, but carried
no arms and had no papers which gave any
clue al to his right name. He steadiasly per-
sisted ln denying his Identity, but 1t !s EVIL
dent to the most casual observer that he was
not an Innocent mau. He seemed greatly
detected by his capture, and his Whoie de-
meanor was that Of d desperate man hunted
down by his pursuers and seeing no means OF
escape. Simpson was placed In cell and
permitted to remain until shortly after mid
night. Then detectives Hester and Cornell
took him away in close carriage, stating
that they would place him in jail for safe keep.
Ing until morning, when they would bring
him before United States Commissioner Da.
vIson. In detective parance, however, this
was only ''stall," as they at once drove to
the Russell House, where they quietly regis
tered and were shown 10 room Ill aud re-.
maiued until morning, when tne trl0 were
driven to the Like Shore and Michigan SOnlh-
ern depot and took the Buffalo express, which
leaves a. half-past seven o'clock.
The officers wele very uncommnnlcatiVe IN
regard to their prisoner, and seemed extremely
| fearful lest he should by some means escape
them, or be taken from their custody by o
| writ of habeas corpus. This doubtless ac-
counts for the secrecy Of their movements and
| their sudden departure. In regard to the
| manner In which Simpsons capture was ef-
| iected. the following facts have come TO the
| knowledge of our reporter, despite the strenn-
ons efforts which were made to keep the affair
dark. 1t seems that the Ku-KluX leader had
| been closely tracked since his departure from
South Carolina, but had succeeded In keeping
out OF the way OF his pursuers until safely In
Canada. For some two weeks past he has
| been stopping In LondoH, Ontario, on the line
| of the Great Western Railway, although close
y under the surveillance of the officers all this
| time When the decisive moment arrived,
Simpson was arrested and hurried on board
| the cars, and In order 10 insure quiet trip,
| and prevent 'accidente," he was kept under
the Influence OF chlorCfOrm unLil safely on this
| side Of the river.
By this time "Simpsun" Is well on his way
| toward South Carolina, where, If he does not
| escape, or Is not rescued by his friends, he
will be tried under the "Ku-Klux act" He Is
| said to be one of the most desperate of The
| horde Of outlaws and desperadoes whose acts
ure to rep'etlon for months past, there being
no less than eleven indictments pending
| against him for the crime of murder alone.
4 H4RROWING SCENE.