The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-01-19
SALTWATER NEWS.
Warden WoIfer Explains the Escape
of Brown.


OF Brown.
In an interview with Globe repre-
sentative yesterday, Warden Wolfer, Of the
Minnesota state prison, said: 81 read an
article appearing in the G o b e of Sunday
last under the heading is This the First? re-
from the prison. in which the statement is
made under prominent head lines that the
escape of Beianger and Mcdonnell from Still
water arouses suspicion, with further state
ment that the G o is not sure that they
are the only escapes which have taken place
and that the Belanger episode is not only not
the first, but may be only one of many
that have occurred In the last few years.
The article also in its closing paragraphs
says: Nor has the G o any information
to indicate that the escape of young man
from saltwater about three years ago was
ever reported to the board of managers 2
These statements are so manifestly unfair as
well as untruthful that l do not mind telling
you the actual facts in the case. The G O b e
has always appeared fair and honest in its
publications, but in this case it either has
been greatly imposed upon or is actuated by
a spirit of great unfairneSs, to say the least.
In the first place, Mcdonnell did not escape
from Saltwater with Belanger. In fact,
no such prisoner is serving time in this in
stitutton. 1t is also true. as formerly stated,
that Belanger is the only prisoner that has
escaped from the confines of this prison since
l have been warden. young man by the
name of James Brown, United States prison.
er, committed from the United States district
court of Texas, did escape or walk away from
the prison, but at that time he was assigned
to duties outside of the prison enclosure in
the capacity of a truSty. A reward Of $50
was promptly offered and was published in
the l o b e and other papers the following
day. The warden is required by law to offer
reward in case of prisoners escape, which
was promptly done in this case, we'll as
that of Belanger. it is plainly evident that
if the G o e had no information that the
escape was ever reported it was because the
writer did not consult it's files. 1t is true this
young man was arrested and committed to
the workhouse in st. Paul There were three
claimants for the reward, police sergeant,
patrolman and third from the authorities
of the workhouse at st. Paul. These claims
were submitted to the board at its next reg
ular meeting, and in view of the fact that
there were three claimants for the reward,
two for having made the arrest and one for
having identified the prisoner, the board de-
cided that the claim of the workhouse author
tiles the most valid, inasmuch they
identified the prisoner, the police officials
having passed him through their hands with
out knowing he was an escaped convict, not
wlthStanding his description and reward had
been published In view of the disputed
claim for the reward the board ordered me
not to pay it,"
Judge Williston, of the district court, met
the claimants against the Saltwater Street
Railway company at the court house yester-
day morning. to discuss plans whereby the
property could be disposed of and thus be
was proposed for the sale of the property
without the formality Of readvertising the
property 1or sale, and the claimants sharing
the proceeds. Many of the proprietors were
ready to agree to that proposition, but others
refused to accept it, ana nothing was done.
1t Is highly probable that the judge will ask
for bids for the property this week. and that
it will be disposed of in the near future. A
number of people have been here to look over
the property, and it is rumored one man ex-
poets to purchase it with view of operating
an electric line between this city and st. Paul,
connecting with the St. Paul and White Bear
line at Mahtomedi.
CIV Nod
eral cases were called for trial but little was
accomplished. The hearing of cases will
probably begin in earnest today.
Sam Short and Richard Munro have been
received at the prison from the United States
circuit court in St. Paul, to serve two years
each for counterfeiting