Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1905-10-04
he SWORE NOT To TELL.
La Crosse Prisoner Accuses Turn
key Of Helping Robbers.
TOOLS GIVEN IN BLANKET.
Gang Permitted Private Interviews
with Prisoner.

LA CROSSE, Wis, Sept 3O-[Spe-
cial. Former Turnkey Childers this
afternoon denied all charges concerning
the escape of two members of the Fay
gang from the jail in his charge. He
occupied the stand all afternoon. Dur
ing the testimony he admitted having
once served two years in Waupun.
He Swore Not to Tell
LA CROSSE, Wis, Sept. 3d. Spe-
cial. l-"Will you solemnly swear before
God and man that you will assist Cum
ningham and I to escape and if we fail
| in one attempt help us in another, never
trick or betray before or after we make
our escape, never revealing to anyone
what took place between us, so help
you God"
This, according to James Crane, the
third member of the Eddie Fay post
office robber gang, Of which Cunningham
and Trainor escaped from the La Crosse
county Jail, is the oath administered
| Turnkey Merch Childers of the county
! jail before handing him $500 for assist
on trial before the United States court
| for the western district of Wisconsin,
charged with allowing the men to get
! out.
Gave Prisoners Tools Needed.
! Another prisoner, in for horse theft,
| testifes that Childers gave Cunningham
| huge stone hammer and chisel in q
| blanket, and that saws were given
Trainor with Childers' knowledge or
! consent.
Homer e. Trainor, Andrew Cunning
| hQJ nd To (i,o11 tod +
| Winona in July charged with having held
! up man on a Burlington passenger
! train. Later they were turned over to
| Postof1ce Inspector Fraser, charged with
| burglarizing the postoffice at Stoddard,
| Wis. They were put in the La Crosse
county Jail for safe keeping. On the
night of July 81 Trainor escaped and
on the night of August 10 Cunningham
| escaped.
Before the escape there were two wom-
en- from Chicago at the Jail, one claiming
to be Mrs Trainor, the other Mrs. Gun
ningham. These women have not been
! located by the postal authorities. Mrs.
Trainor is the wife of prominent mer-
chant at Shullsberg, Va. She ran away
with Trainor some years ago, it is al
her, in st. Paul and he gave officers the
clue resulting in the trial now pending.
Note to Sheriff Strayed.
The case opened late yesterday after
noon. The first sensational bit of testi-
mony was that of Rudolph Steiner who
said he saw Cunningham work with
saws and knew he was planning an es-
| cape. He wrote note to the sheriff and
! gave it to the turnkey to give the sheriff,
but it was never delivered. He hard
Childers tell Cunningham to come down
to the ladies' apartment and take a bath
one Saturday before the first escape.
William Arid, in for alleged horse
stealing, was on the floor with Cunning
ham before Trainor escaped. He cor
roborated Steiner. He identified a pho
tograph of Mrs. TraiDor as the woman
who was with Cunningham alone with
ChllderS' consent and without the sher-
ifs knowledge. Arid swore they always
had tip when there was to be a 'frist'
or search Of the cells. After Trainor's
escape he was moved with Cunningham
to the first floor.
Tools Brought in Blanket?
cunningham called for a new blanket,
stating his was dirty" continued Arid,
land in couple Of days Childers
brought it. Childers put it inside Gun
ningham's cell and then left. / went
into the cell to talk with Cunningham
and found him unfolding the blanket.
In it were a huge stone hammer and a
long chisel. Then he had also long,
sharp instrument to get the cement out
1fOlH USLWCeu the SlOueS III the uOOr.
''When the hole was ready 1 asked
Cunningham how he was to get out
when once under the floor. He said
there was an opening into the engine
room. Then he babe me goodbye, say
ing we had been brothers, and he
thanked me for not having peeped.
Then he undressed himself, soaped him
self with CASTLE soap and slid through
the hole, taking his clothes with him.
He said to watch him and he would sig
nal from the outside when he was free
L did and l saw him."
James Crane. the third of the band,
was called next. eve had been in jail
only a couple of days." said he, when l
asked Childers what chance there was
Of seeing Cunningham and Trainor. 1
was arrested with them, although I had
not been with them. [ knew the men
in Chicago.
Oath Is Administered.
"Childers said, L will watch my
chance A short time after he came
and said Do you want a bathr I took
the hint and answered Yes Childers
took us to the woman's department and
| there | found Cunningham. Trainor
came in later. Childers went outside
and we three had a consultation and
| then we called Chlders in.
''Trainor said, we will have to swear
you first Childers said 'All right
Then Trainor had Childers hold up his
| right hand and administered the oath.
Say $500 Was Handed Over.
''Then Trainor handed Childers $500
and Cunningham did the same and we
were taken back to our cells. They had
| the money in their pockets. [ did not
want to get out, because [ was not
mixed up in the Stoddard deal.'