The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-10-01

gram Indlcated. The prisoners were
treated with shameful indignities. In-l
many days after their arrest, they were
allowed no exercise and when they
were finally permitted to leave their
cells it was only to be marched around
the Jail yard with redcoat on each
side, and the drunken sheriff viewing
the proceedings and waving his hand
when he desired that they should turn
about.
Immediately upon learning of the
state of affairs, Mayor Bracket, with
William Lochren and Eugene NJ. Wilson,,
St started IT. ID, for Fort Garry by special train train
from there. It was deemed expedient
for Mr.. Lochren to remain at Pembina
so that In case Messrs. Bracket and
Wilson were arrested some one might be
left free to fight in, their behalf, but
Messrs. Bracket and Wilson hurried on
to Fort Garry in order to be present at
the preliminary hearing Appearing
promptly arrested, but was soon iber-
ated. He made every effort to incrimi-
nate himself as the responsible party
in the arrest, in order that the other,
prisoners might be released, but without
avail. He bore with himea letter from
Bishop Whipple to the bishop Of the
Church Of England at Fort Garry, but
upon presenting it., was haughtily in;
formed that he and the prisoners had
been guilty of a crime against Her
Majesty, the Queen, and tina the
churchman would have naught , do
with him.
For several days Mayor Brackett
was not allowed to communicate in any
way with the prisoners. but finally he
was permitted to hold brief converse
tions with them, always, however, In the
presence Of the sheriff. In one Of these
interviews the resourceful Hoy secretly
informed Mr.. Bracket that he had sue
ceeded in obtaining key to the dun
geon in which he was confined and that
he proposed to Hget out of there If
he had to strike down his guard in or.
der to do so. Mayor Bracket begged
Hoy not to prejudice the chances Of
and Hoy finally consented to refrain
from any attempt to escape.
Messrs. Bentley, Merriam and F1etch-i
er were confined in a room twelve feet
square, lighted and ventilated by only
one window and with two officers in
the room day and night, while three
guards patrolled outside the prison all
the time; Hoy and Keegan were kept
in a dark. foul dungeon in the bastion
of the fortress, so fearful was the at
torney general of an attempt to rescue
the prisoners by force. Under the close
confinement Mr.. Fletcher IS health be-
came seriously impaired and grave
fears were entertained for him.
4 1. i.
At the preliminary hearing before
the aged Judge McKeagney, bail was
refused to all the prisoners. In explain
ing his action Judge McKeagney stated
that he was entirely in the power of
the attorney general and his party, who
. had accused him of accepting large
bride in certain case which had been
, tried previously, and he feared that If
he did not accede to. their wishes by
refusing bail to the prisoners from Min
nesota Clarke and his party would de.
nounce him publicly and cast a blot
i upon his reputation which all the
i water in the Red river would never
wash away. The refusal of bail aroused
, the most intense Indignation, not only
| in Minneapolis, where the newspapers
were fairly boiling over with indip-
nation, but among the better classes
in Manitoba as well. The trial of the
prisoners was set for Sept. Is.
Mayor Brackets attempts to fur
nish bail for his unfortunate fellow
Minneapolitans were untiring, but un-
successful. At first it appeared that
no lawyer in Fort Garry could be in
duced to undertake the defense of the