The Cecil Whig., 1885-07-11
A BRILLIANT CAREER.
Burglar Brooks Murries Rich Maryland
Girl and Then Robs Forty NeiShbors.

Burglar Brooks Marries IA Rich Maryland
Girl and Then Rohs Forty Neishh"rs.
\ despatch from Laurel, Md, says
About year ago a stranger, IS years
old, handsome and fashonably dressed,
alighted from the Baltimore and Ohio
passenger train at this station and was
directed to the residence Of Mr.. John
Dennison. The village gossip soon
learned that the strangers name was
w. b. Brooks that he had met Miss
Mile Dennison at the house of hcl
uncle, Thomas Dennison, at GcisDoro
Point, and that he had come to visit
her at the suggestion of Mr.. Dennison.
Young Brooks consented to spend
week in Laurel as guest of the family.
He was thus brought into association
with Miss Mollie Dennison, the elder
sister of Miss Millie, and it soon be
came evident that he had transferred
his admiration from the younger to the
older daughter. He continued to visit
Laurel at frequent intervals, except
during the month of September. In
October he took board in Laurel. He
said that he was in the oyster business
in Baltimore. He brought pair of
handsome bays to the village and every
fine day took Miss Mollie out driving.
During the winter he proposed mar
rage, and was accepted. Mr.. Dcnnl-
son, after inquirng of his brother, l'hos.
Dennson, ratified Miss Mollie's choice.
Brooks had been visiting throughout
the county with the Dennisons, who
were well-to do and were on familiar
terms with many wealthy people. Tn
der the pretence of desiring to obtain
information which would aid him in
planning a house which he contcm-
plated building in Laurel, Brooks in
many instances succeeded in getting
permission to inspect the houses he
visited.
About Jan. I the country people
commenced to get excited over numer-
Gus robberies House after house was
entered by burglars, who always seemed
to know just where to put their hands
on the plate and other valuablcs. The
burglaries continued at the rate of two
and three a week all through the spring,
and latterly there was talk of organizing
vigilance committee. The county
residents took the precaution, at last,
Of sending their valuables to Baltimore
and Washington for safe keeping. 1t
is estimated that forty houses in ali
were robbed within a radius Of ten
miles of Laurel, the property aggrrga
ting near $4,000. In February Mr..
John Dennison was taken i'll, and died
on March I, the very day which had
been appointed for the marriage of his
daughter Mollie and Mr.. Brooks.
Brooks promised the dying man to
cherish and protect his girl, and the
father then asked that they be married
one month from that time, on April I.
This was done. Last Wednesday
Brooks, who had meanwhile purchased
a handsome three story cottage at Lau
rel and furnished it completely, asked
his wife to go to Washington with him
on business. Arriving in the city, he
left her at friends house, and said that
he had to 90 to Baltimore. He was
absent from his wife all night, returning
early in the morning to take her back
to Laurel. Last Saturday he read to
his wife in a Washington paper an ac-
count of the robbery of her uncle Den
nlson's house at Geisboro Point on the
previous Wednesday. He said that he
felt sorry for Mr.. Dennison, but sup
| posed that it was visitation of God on
the old gentleman, who never would
keep up his church duties properly.
On Saturday last Detective Edclin,
who had been working up the Gels
boro Point robbery, arrived here and
astounded the village by arresting
Brooks. 1t seems that Brooks real
name is Harrison, and that he is pro-
fessional burglar, horscthief and swind-
Ter, and is known as such to the police
Of all the principle Eastern cities. He
was arrested last September during his
absence from Laurel for horse stealing
near Baltimore. While being conveyed
hand cufIed on a train to upper Marl
boro prison he threw himself from the
car window while the train was going
forty niles an hour. He struck in Il
swamp and escaped uninjurcd. Moth
ing further was heard of him until his
arrest Saturday. The detective SAW 4
photograph of Brooks at Geisboro
Point and recognized him at once.
The young girl whom Brooks married
is almost frantic. She states that on
the nights of nearly allthe country rob
berries her husband left the house say
ing that he was going to Baltimore on
business by the midnight train.
Brooks has wife in Rappahan
mock, Va, according to the police.
While in Laurel he attended church
regularly, and had been mentioned as
a cadidate for superintendent Of the
Methodist Sunday school. The stand
ing of the Dennisons and their pitiful
grief over the affair prove that they knew
nothing of Brooks's character. Mrs.
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