Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1905-08-30
LOVE AIDS IN ESCAPE
Irate Son Tells of Mothers I'm
faithfulness and Elopement
with Burglar.
Statement Leads to Arrest of Turnkey
on Charge of Aiding Federal
Prisoners.

La Crosse, Wis, Aug. 2S.-[Special.l
Love, an elopement, an irate son. look
ing for revenge upon the man who had
ruined his mother and his fathers fam
ny-these, it now develops, are the
C 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 Cum
ningham, Trainor and James G.. Crane
were arrested at Winona, MINI, charged
with holding up a man on a Burlington
train and robbing him of 500 The trio
were in bed at hotel when arrested
and were taken so by surprise that kits
OF burglar tools were found in their
possession. Inspector Frazier of the
postoftice department had worked up
case against the trio for blowing the
postoftice safe at Stoddard, nine miles
from here and asked that they be
turned over to the United States au-
thorltles. 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-
yised rope made of his bedquilts. 1t
was supposed at that time that saws
were sent to him by a mysterious wOm-
an who had passed bananas in to him
by permission of Turnkey Childers.
Used Heavy Tools.
On the night of August is Trainor
escaped by digging up huge rocks in the
corner of his cell, an operation that
must have taken heavy tools. and pass
bic 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 in 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 d 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
of Cunningham and Trainor by the pay
ment of $500. This statement was made
by the woman on July u. The son
noticed that Cunningham escaped a few
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 in return for some cheap
jeWeIry that doubtless had been stolen
The mother fell desperately in love with
Trainor and he was given job at the
hotel. After a time a daring robbery
was committed in the town and Trainor
fed. With him went the wife and moth
er. She has been with him ever since
living in the best of quarters in Chicago
deyoting her life to TrainOr and help
ing him out of every scrape into which
he has gotten.
Another Woman in the Case.
The second woman, who came here
just before Trainor escaped, claims to
be Cunningham's wife. The visit of
Trainor's so-called wife here was not
known to the secret service until long
after she had been here. Although she
had talked with Turnkey Childers 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 q
huge bar of steel was found i'm Cranes
bed, also saws, indicating that he 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
go, the remaining two made life for
Childers miserable until he carried out
the rest of his compact
Arrest of Turnkey
Childers was asked to come down TO
the federal building late Saturday. Aft
er a consulta ton with Inspector Frazier
United States Marshal Jones walked in
and arrested him. His bail was fixed at
$500 and the examination September 4
Then he was taken back to the iaI and
put III TIC cell 1IuIuOE Hd0 OccuDIoG
the Jail from which Childers had come
q few minutes before as custodian.
Inspector Frazier today stated that on
the night Cunningham escaped he FRA
zier) left for Chicago on the Burlington.
and a 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 bribe a local attorney. Of,
fering him $500, then 81 900, if he would
get Cunningham and Trainor out by us
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
a couple of days before. They had been
turned over to Childers, who took care
of them. Cranes cell is on the first
floor, showing conclusively that someone
must have given him the bar from tha