The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-11-04
FOR A BRUTAL MURDER
Barring & McSweeney's Prisoner Is
Wanted in Altoona.
THEIR PRIVATE JAIL OPENED
The Prisoner Makes Known His Illegal
Detention in q Novel Method aud
habeas Corpus Proceedings Leadto
Disclosure Of the Whole Story.

The identity Of the prisoner whom
Barring & McSweeney have been detain-
ing since last Tuesday in their office in
the Commonwealth building has at last
been ascertained and in a rather sin
gular manner. His name is Frank Will
son and he Is wanted for murder in AL
tona.
At O'Clock on the above named even
ing Barring and McSweeney with three
manacled prisoners alighted from the
Delaware. Lackawanna and Western
train, got into a cab and drove to their
office. The three men were locked up in
one Of their suite of rooms and guard
placed over them. Next day they were
taken out for breakfast to a nearby res
taurant, but after that nothing was
seen of them in public until Saturday
afternoon, when Wilson was taken be-
fore Judge Archibald on writ of habeas
corpus.
1t now develops that Wilson's fellow
prisoners were two of Barring G. Nc
Sweeney's detectives. They were re-
leased, of course, sometime Wednesday.
but Wilson was put in irons and held
a prisoner in the office. But notwith-
standing the vigilance of his watchers
he managed to open communications
with the outside world.
The building occupied by Hill & Con-
nell's furniture store Is separated from
the Commonwealth building by an area
way about ten feet in width. Just OPP
posite the Barring & McSweeney office
the mattress department Of the furni-
ture store Is located and the girls en-
ployed there on several occasions saw
the handcuffed prisoner through the
window and during Thursday several
other employees Of the store witnessed
the same sight.
Communicated with Them.
The prisoner also saw them and on
Friday communicated with them by
writing in large letters on slips of paper
and holding them up to the window to
be read. He told in this laborious way
that he had been illegally arrested and
was being detained Illegally. No war
rant had ever been read to him and he
had never been given hearing.
Il. A. Bone, one of the clerks, inter-
ested himself in THE prisoners behalf,
and laid the case before Attorney
George NJ. Watson, who Immediately
proceeded to have Wilson released by
habeas corpus proceedings. Judge
Archibald granted a writ, and at 4.3C
Saturday afternoon Deputy Sheriffs
Jay and Price Brought Wilson before
the Judge. The prisoner was hand
cuffed and closely guarded by the de-
teotives, when he entered court. Upon
seeing this Judge Archibald somewhat
sternly said:
Take off hts handouts. A prisoner
must not be brought into court hand
cuffed In that way"
After removing the handouts Detec-
tive McSweeney retired to the corridor
with his attorney, Joseph O'Brien, and
after a few minutes conversation, re-
turned and asked Judge Archibald tc
exclude the reporters as 1t would de-
feat the ends of justice to have the
particulars of the case published.
No Star Chamber Procedures.
II do no. think a Judge would be
justified In excluding them. This pro-
ceeding must necessarily be public, and
the reporters may remain" was the
judges reply.
Mr.. Watson opened the argument by
denounclng in strong terms the man.
ner in which Wilson had been held In
custody.
This man." he said, "was arrested
and brought to this city and impris-
oned here without any regard for law
or Justice. The warrant was not
backed until today. after these habeas
corpus proceedings were begun. The
prisoner has no objections to going to
Altoona for hearing, but he does OBJ
ject to being locked and shackled In
that office for four days more"
Mr. insolvency stated that, acting
under the directions Of District At
torney Hammond. of Blair county, he
had arrested Wilson on the charge OF
stealing a gold watch. He was des-
perate character. on that account they
had to handcuff him while OBTAINING
him here. pending an effort to arrest
the prisoners pals. He is in reality
wanted for murder, not watch stealing.
Judge Archibald told the detectives
that lnasmuch as they had a warrant
he would remand the prisoner to their
keeping. providing they turned him
over to the Blair county authorities for
a hearing before Wednesday next. Nc
Sweeney promised to take Wilson to
Altoona today.
The prisoner Is q young man appar-
emily 26 or q years of age and muscular
and seems to be quite intelligent He
says that he was employed as a coach
man by an Altoona lady. hut lost his
work recently and started for New
York with two men who promised to
secure him a position. While on a
train bound for New York, as he sup
posed, he and his companions were ar
rested on the charge Of stealing a
watch. He was brought to this city,
where he discovered that his pals were
detectives and that they had him in
custody for a murder committed In AL
toona. He does not know. he says,
who the victim was.
M'Swccucv Was Silent
McSweeney refused to divulge any,
thing concerning the crime for which
he had arrested Wilson, alleging that 1t
was necessary to keep silence in order
to entrap Wilson's accomplices.
In answer to a query sent from the
Office yesterday the Altoona Tribune
wired as follows:
Altoona, Pa, Nov. 3.-Frank Wilson IL
charged with being implicated in the muir
der OF Henry Bonneke. whose dead body
was found In his little home in this city
on April last. He had been struck on
the head and gagged. Robbery was the
motive Of the murder. Other parties are
implicated, but the detectives refuse to
say whom they are at present Wilson
was arrested on railroad train last Mon
day night at Stroudsburg by a representa-