News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1885-07-30

A letter from Laurel, Md, says: About
a year ago a stranger, % years old,
handsome and fashionably 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 her uncle,
Thomas Dennison, at Geisboro 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 Molie Dennison, the eldest
sister of Miss Millie, and it soon became
evident that he had transferred his adj
miration 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 marriage, and was accepted.
Mr.. Dennison, after inquiring of his
brother, Thomas Dennison, 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. Under
the pretence of desiring to obtain in
formation which would aid him in plan
ming a house which he contemplated
building in LAUREL Brooks, in many
instances succeeded in getting permission
to inspect the houses he visited.
About January the country people
commenced to get excited over numerous
robberies. House after house was entered
by burglars, who always seemed to know
Just where to put their hands on the plate
and other valuables. The burglaries
continued at the rate of two and three
q week all through the spring, and
latterly there was talk of organizing
a Vigilance committee. The country
residents took the precaution at last of
sending their valuabIes to Baltimore and
for safe keeping. 1t is
that forty houses in all were
robbed within a radius of ten miles of
Laurel, the property aggregating near
IS, 600. In February Mr. John Denni-
son 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 1. This was done.
Last Wednesday Brooks, who had
purchased handsome three
story cottage at Laurel and furnished 1t
asked his wife to go to
Washington with him on business. Ar
irving in the city, he left her at friends
house, and said that he had to go to
Baltimore. He was absent from his
wife all night, returning early in the |
to take her back to Laurel. |
Last Saturday he read to his wife in a
Washington paper an account of the
robbery of her Uncle Dennison's house
1t Geisboro Point on the previous
Wednesday. He said that he felt sorry
or Mr.. Dennison, but supposed that it
vas visitation of God on the old gen.
leman, who never would keep up his
church duties properly.
On Saturday Detective Edelin,, who
lad been working up the Geisboro Point
obbery, arrived here and astounded the
-illage by arresting Brooks. It seems
hat Brooks's real name is Harrison, and
hat he is professional burglar, horse
hief and swindler, and is known as such
o the police of all the principal Eastern
1ties. He was arrested last September
iuring his absence from Laurel for
horse stealing near baltimore. While
being conveyed handcuffed on train to !
upper Marlboro prison he threw himself
rom the car window while the train was
,oing forty miles an hour. He struck In
! swamp and escaped uniniured. Moth
urther was heard from him until his
Irrest Saturday. The detective saw
photograph of Brooks at Geisboro Point
md recognized him at once.
The young girl whom Brooks married
8 almost frantic. She states on the
Nights of nearly all the county robberies
Ter husband left the house, saying that
lie was going to Baltimore on business
oy the midnight train.
Brooks has wife in Rappahannock,
Va, according to the police. While in
own he attended church regularly, and
had been mentioned as candidate for
of the Methodist Sunday
chool. The standing of the Dennisons
md their pitiful grief over the affair
proved that they knew nothing of
8rooks's character. Mrs. Brooks will sue
or q divorce.