St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-09-22
CAUGHT BY A DECOY LETTER,
Mrs. Mary Jane Hill, Who Left Her
Family in Kansas,
After Some Strange Transactions is
in the Hands of Detectives.

All day yesterday Detective Hankinson
and two assistants from the Minneapolis
detective force lodged in and out of the
police station. Hanklnson said he was
looking for gang of safe blowers who had
been working his burgh with considerable
success. Early in the day, however. Mrs.
Mary Jane Hill, who lives on East Fourth
street was. at the request of Hankinson.
brought to the station, and, although not
locked up, was kept there till late in the
evening. From Mrs. Hill it was learned
that she accomparied'one John Wilkins to
Minneapolis on Monday. and at his request
called at the postOffice and inquired for a
letter addressed to Jane Foster. When
she came out of the postoffice Wilkins was
not to be seen. but instead she was
confronted by several detectives. She ex-
planned. and after giving her name and
residence was allowed to return home.
From subsequent developments it turned
out that the Minneapolis detectives were in
search of a Mrs. C. F. Winton. of Oswego.
Kan. who had left her husband and three
children. and was supposed to be hiding
somewhere in Minneapolis or St.Paul
home in Oswege, Kan, leaving word she
was going to visit
RELATIVES IN MINNIE APoLIs.
Her husband did not hear from her until
last Thursday. when he received letter
signed by Jane Foster, stating that he
could find out where his wife was by send
ing $500 in letter, addressed to Jane Fos-
ter, Minneapolis. He at once started for
Minneapolis, but after spending several
days in searching for his wife left on Sum
Gay for home, leaving the matter
i'll the hands of Detective Hankinson. A
decoy letter was put In the office,
and Monday afternoon was called for by
Mrs. Hill, with the result as stated above
Yesterday hunt was instituted for Wilkins
who was supposed to know where Mrs
Wintons was stopping. 1t was not
until last evening about s o'clock
that Wilkin was cOrraled, but
at that hour he was seen among the specta-
tors in the council chamber. He had
short conversation with Hankinson, and
finally said Mrs. Winton could be found in
rooms at the corner of Cedar and Seventh
streets. The officers visited the place and
took Mrs. Winton to Minneapolis. where
she will be kept until her husband arrives.
MIR. WILKINS STATEMENT.
John Wilkins, whose address is given as
10 l. llIOl Sllctl, Wu6H S6ou ldSG evening,
said he did not care TO have the matter
gone into very deep in the news
papers. He said he first met Mrs.
Winston at Chautauqua lake about
six weeks ago. She was accompanied
at that time by her husband and the couple
were having some trouble. Mrs. Winton
refusing to go back home with her hus-
band. He formed her acquaintance and
shortly afterward she left for home. The
lady's husband, Wilkins said, was some
thing of crank and the couple
did not get along we'll together.
Two weeks ago, he said. she
arrived in st. Paul, and as he had be-
friended her as matter of course he was
aware of her arrival. Since then she had
been staying at the rooms where the Off
GERS found her. He denied al knowledge
about the letter written to Mr.. Winston and
signed Jane Foster" and saiohe drove to
Minneapolis and took Mrs. Hill along be-
cause she wanted to visit some friends.
He knew Mrs. Hill was not acquainted with
Mrs. Winston, and could not. Imagine why
she would ask for letter addressed to lane
Foster. Mrs. Winston, he said, was little
insane, and all he had done for her had
been out of sympathy. He thought the
story of the $500 was an invention of the
detectives, and hoped for the sake of Mrs.
Hill. and all concerned, that nothing would
be said about it in the papers.