Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1885-09-18
Lawrence Iirainerd's Escape.

TIE St Paul Pioneer Press of Thurs
day gives the following additional partIc-
ulars of the escape of Mr. Brainerd from
the officers who were bringing him East
\ friend Of Brainerd's, in st. Paul had
been tclcgraphed To to be on the alert
and endtavur to take Brainerd from ms
captors. The friend accordingly sent de
tective O'Connor to meet the party at
Minneapolis O'CUnnur called to his aid
another officer and Minneapolis attor-
ney and secured from Judge Young of
the District Court a writ of habcas corpus,
calling upon the custOdians of Brainerd
to deliver him over to the local police au-
thOrities. The officers, possessed of the
documents awaited the arrival Of the in
coming train which bore Brainerd and
the detectives vino had him in charge.
The latter anticipating some scheme at
Minneapolis made arrangements for
alightug from the cars before reaching
the MON depot at that city, and accord
ngly jumped of at the Western Avenue
Bridge. The trio, unObserved, boarded
street car and after II hurried meal had
been INDUCED in at Il restaurant, the par
ty leisurely walked to the Union depot.
They had not been at the depot more than
ten minutes when Detectives O'COnnOr
and Quinlau, accompanied by Bralnerd :
friend, who had been somewhat disap-
pointed by their nOn-appearance when the
Manitoba train arrived, reached the depot
IA second time. Sauntering lciSurely into
the gentlemen's waiting room, the friend
of Braiuerd readily Identified him and
pointed HIM out to the detectives. The
Minneapolis and st. Paul officers were
unnoticed by Brainerd's custodians. The
Boston officials about this time stepped up
to the ticket office and We're purchasing
tickets for Chicago by the train, which
was to leave i'll less than half an hour,
when the local officer, seeing the oppor
tunity, stepped quickly up TO Bralnerd
and in II few words, uttered i'll Il low tone,
informed him of their business and told
him to accompany them. There was no
occasion for using the writ of habeas cor
pus, inasmuch as Brainerd was not at
that particular moment III the custody OF
the man who had captured him.
Bralnerd appeared exceedingly nervous,
and at first disposed not to accept the prof
fered freedom, After a very little per
suasion, however, Brainerd said II
you are my friends, take me by force,
This command was instantly oOtyeu, ana
the prisoner was hurried to hack, winch
had been provided for the occasion, ana
in less than Il quarter of an hour Brantru
and his new cuptors were beyond the CITY
limits and Fastening 10 ~. fuul: Inc
run To the latter city was made III less
than forty minutes, and when they ar
rived there Braintrd, almost prostralel as
the result of the exciting occurrences Oh
the mast five DAYS, was turned over to the
custody of his st. Paul friends and was
spirited away to some spot of safety, not
definitely known. In the meantime the
Boston detectives, who appeared terribly
surprised when, after purchasing their
tickets to Chicago, they found that their
captive had taken sudden leave, insti-
tuted search for their missing game.
Hon John Il. WOOlley, as counsel for Mr..
Stranahan, who had signed Brainerd's
bond, was Immediately advised of the
facts. The search through the night
proved unavailing, Yesterday morning
The detectives learning that party AN
swering the description of Brainerd was
at Osseo, visited that point. In some way
or other Constable Chandler of Osseo had
learned of the facts, and, for some reason
as yet unexplained, that officer arrested
the detectives They We're shortly after
ward released, however and returned TO
Minneapolis with Mr.. Woolley. The oti-