St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-09-07
THE BURNER CASE.
Mrs. Burner TRIES to Regain Possession of
the Girl LOffie.

Hrs. Burner TRIES to Regain Possession of
the Girl Lotfie.
Mrs. Harriet Burner, ''the vile procuress,"
who has figured largely Of late in the courts,
comes to the front again in an attempt to
regain possession of the child Lottie Burner,
who was found at her house when she was
arrested in July for keeping house of pros
titution. AS will be remembered, when
Mrs. Burner was arrested and committed
to jail to await the action of the grand jury
the girl Lottie was given into the charge Of
Mrs. T. B. Walker. A couple of weeks ago
Mrs. Burner succeeded in procuring
bail and regaining her liberty. AS a resulta
writ of habeas corpus was issued at the in.
stance of one Jacob Burner, the woman's
husband, requiring Mrs. Walker 10 show why
the child should not be returned to his Gus
tody. The writ was returnable Thursday, but
the case was continued until yesterday
morning, when the hearing began before
Judge Lochren.
The girl 'Lottie," who is apparently thir-
teen years old, was put on the stand and
told pitiful tale. The woman Burner, she
said, had tried by every means possible to
cOmpeI ueT 10 SuOulI I'd TIE 0IuDTdceb
of men; had beaten her and
drugged her, to accomplish her ruin. She
was compelled to write letters to different
men telling them she loved them. She said
Mr.. Burner was cognizanant of the character
of his wife and her mode of making a liveli-
hood, but had raised little or no objection.
When asked her wishes in the matter, the
child showed strong repugnance to being
delivered over to the Burners, and said she
felt sure 1t was only scheme of Mrs. Burn
ers to get her in her possessian again to
compel her to lead a life of prostitution.
The child is decidedly bright for her years,
and answered all questions with intelligence.
Her restlessness and constant uneasiness
showed that her nervous system has been
severely strained. She said that her name
was not Lottie Burner but Lille j. Headley.
Flora Mason, the girl who was also at Mrs.
Burners at the time of the woman's arrest,
testified to seeing Lottie abused and
dragged. She stated that her own ruin had
been accomplished by Mrs. Burner by threats
and violence.
Mrs. Walker testified that when the girl
was given into her keeping July Is, that
there was dark line under the child's eyes,
and FESTIVE look which she recognized as
coming from the use of drugs. She said
Lottie had been GOOD little girl wmle at her
house and that the child suffered greatly from
nervousness.
F. B. Smith testified to having been ac-
ouaiuted with Mrs. Burner for number OF
years; had loaned her money and bought
furniture for her house; said he was aware
! that bad influences had been brought to bear
upon the child by Mrs. Burner; showed let
tiers from Mrs Burner and Lottie, the latter,
he said, having been written according to
the woman's dictation as he had since
learned; he SAID the child once came
into his room when he was in bed
at Mrs. Burners, but thought it was because
Mrs. Burner had told her to, or because of
Ignorance.
At the conclusion of the evidence Judge
Lochren said he would hear the arguments
in the case in about two weeks, and that the
child in the meantime should be remanded
to Mrs. Walkers care.