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 LOttie.

Mrs. Burner TRIES to Regain Possession of
the Girl LOttie.
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 result a
writ of habeas corpus was issued at the in.
stance of one Jacob Burner, the woman's
husband, requiring Mrs. Walker 10 show why
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
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 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 it s&as only scheme of Mrs. Burn
er's to get her in her possessiah again to
compel her to lead 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 a FESTIVE look which she recognized as
coming from the use of drugs. She said
-LotGe had been goou little girl while at nei
house and that the child suffered greatly from
| nervousness.
B. Smith testified to having been ac-
ouainted with Mrs. Burner for a number OF
years; had loaned her money and bought
| furniture for her house; said he was aware
that bad influences had been brought to beal
upon the child by Mrs. Burner; showed let
tiers from Mrs. Burner and Lottie, the latter,
| he said, having been written according tC
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 argument:
| in the case in about two weeks, and that the
child in the meantime should be remandei
| to Mrs. Walkers care.