Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1905-09-01
Irate Son Tells of Mothers I'm
faithlulness and EIopement
with Burglar.
SENSATION AT LA CROSSE.
Statement Leads to Arrest of Turnkey
on Charge of Aiding Federal
Prisoners.

ily-these, it now develops, are the
auses that led to the arrest of Turn
key Merch Childers of the La Crosse
county jail late Saturday night, charged
with voluntarily permitting the escape
of Andrew Cunningham. and Homer e.
Trainor from the Jail on August 1 and
August ., respectively. The st. Paul
sons information given the secret serv-
ice through Postoffice Inspector Frazier
led to the clues leading up to the arrest
Childers occupies the cell formerly as
signed to Trainor.
Were Federal Prisoners.
1t was about six weeks ago that Gun
ningham, Traiuor and James G.. Crane
were arrested at Winona, Mimi, charged
with holding up man on Burlington
train and rObbing him of $50. The trio
We're in bed at a hotel when arrested
and were taken SO by surprise that kits
OF burglar tools were found in their
possession. Inspector Frazier of the
Dostofiice department had worked up a
case against the trio for blowing the
poStoffice safe at Stoddard, nine miles
from here, and asked that they be
turned over to the United States au-
thorltIes This was done and they were
placed in Jail here in La Crosse. On
the night of July 80 Cunningham es-
capped by saving through bars in the
corridor and dropping from the third
story window by means of an impro-
vised rope made of his bedquits. 1t
was supposed at that time that saws
were sent to him by q mysterious wom-
an who had passed bananas in to him
by permission of Turnkey Childers.
Used Heavy Tools.
On the night of August Is Tranor
escaped by digging up huge rocks in the
corner of his cell, an operation shat
must have taken heavy tools. and pass
ing down between the parts of the dou-
ole floor he made his way to the engine
room and out into the world, a free
man. The peculiar thing about both
escapes was that although heavy tools
must have been used i'll both instances,
no trace of them was left behind.
When the second escape was made
inspector Frazier set upon an investiga-
ton. And here the plot involving the
elopment came in. He received word
from st. Paul that son of a mysterious
woman, who had visited the Jail here
had something of interest to say to him
He went there and was told that the
woman had told her son on July 27
that she had arranged" for the release
of Cunningham and Trainor by the pay
ment of $500. This statement was made
by the woman on July y. The son
kIOIlCeu IUdl cunningham eScdDeu Il lew
days later and then Trainor got away
and deciding that his mother had told
the truth he informed the department,
because, as he put it, he would like to
see Trainor hanged" He did not wish,
however, to have his mother prosecuted.
Woman Loves Robber
His story was to the effect that
Trainor and his pals dropped into
Clarksburg, w. Va, one day some years
ago and into the hotel and saloon owned
by the St Paul mans father. Trainor
had just been released from prison at
Columbus, as was afterwards shown.
He first met the boys mother that day,
and although they had no money, pre-
vailed upon the father to allow the band
TO stay there i'll return for some cheap
jewelry that doubtless had been stolen.
The mother fell desperately in love with
Iralnor and he was given job at the
Dotel After time a daring robbery
was committed in the town and Trainor
fled. With him went the wife and moth
er. She has been with him ever since.
living in the best of quarters in Chicago,
devoting her life to Trainor and help
ing him out of every scrape into which
ne has gotten.
Another Woman in the Case.
The second woman, who came here
gust before Trainor escaped claims to
be Cunningham's wife. The visit of
Trainor's so-callcd wife here was not
known to the secret service until long
after she had been here Although she
had talked with Turnkey Chiders and
the two remaining men in prison, Child
.erS never told the sheriff of it.
With data received from this clue In
spector Frazier worked up the case
against Childers. The arrest would prob
ably not have been made for some DAYS.
but for the fact that Friday night
huge bar of steel was found in Crates
bed, also saws, indicating that lie also
was to have escaped. 1t is thought also,
though Inspector Frazier will not talk
on the subject, that when Crane found
he could not get away, he peeped on
Childers. Having first let Cunningham
SO, the remaining two made life for
(hilders miserable until he carried ont
the rest of his compact.
T Arrest of Turnkey.
Childers was asked to come down to
the federal building late Saturday. Aft
er a consultation with Inspector Frazier
United States Marshal Jones walked in
and arrested him. His bail was fixed at
$1,000 and the examination September 1
Then he was taken back to the iail and
put in the cell Trainor had occupied in
the Jail from which Chlders had come
Il few minutes before as custodian.
AlSDcCluI i IdHicI lbudI stated that
the night Cunningham escaped he Ora
Zicrl left for Chicago on the Burlington.
and queer incident in connection with
the affair is that he knows that Cunning
ham went to Chicago on the same train,
the latter, however, riding on the trucks
or engine tender. Cunningham was seen
near the depot when the train came in
and asked where the engine would stop.
+ Tries to Bride Lawyer.
1t also develops that the woman in
the case, known as Mrs Cunningham
attempted to bride a local attorney, of
fering him $500, then $1,000, if he would
get Cunningham and Trainor out by MS
ing his influence and money with Child
,ers The lawyer refused.
The bar of steel found in Cranes cell
FRIDAY night was one of three removed
from a third-story cot in a maniac's cell
\ couple of days before. They had been
turned over to Childers, who took care
of them. Cranes cell is on the first
hoor. showing conclusively that someone
must have given him the bar from the
outside. Childers is suspected. The
plan evidently was to 'lay out" Under
Sheriff w J. Scott, who, by the way.
is superintendent of public property
OF the state at Madison Mr.. Scott,
since the second escape and the sus-
ricion falling upon Childers, has been
spending every minute watching Crane,
sleeping on cot near the cell door Mt