The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-08-28
NEW SENSATION
AT La CROSSE
JAIL OFFICIAL. CHARGED WITH
HELPING PRISONERS ESCAPE.
Federal Government Will Attempt to
Prove that Childers, a Turnkey, Was
Bribed by Wives of Two Notorious
Postoffice Robbers to Give Them
Tools by Which to Escape.

La Crosse Wis, Aug. 2s;-After an inves-
of the second prisoner from the La Crosse
county jail, Postal Inspector E. E. Frazer
caused the arrest of Turnkey NJ. L. Childers on
the charge Of aiding two notorious postofrce
robbers and safeblowers to escape.
While ChllderS has not been charged. with
accepting a bride, United States officers will
attempt to prove that he accepted $500 for
allowing outside friends to smuggle tools to
Earl S: Trainer and Andrew Cunningham
The leading clue which led up to the appre-
hension of the persons involved in the escape
was furnished by the confession Of James Crane,
the remaining member of the trio confined in
Jail here the charge of robbing the post
office at Stoddard, Wis, two months ago.
Two women claiming to be wives Of Trainer
and Cunningham live in Chicago. Mrs. Trainer
Clarksburg, W. Va. Trainer, who at that time
operated in the south as a member OF the
notorious "Blinkey Morgan gang, met her and
estranged her from her husband. Mrs. Gun
ningham is likewise said to be on the inside
in all the gangs movements. Both visited La
Crosse short time before the Jail delivery
of their husbands
Inspector Frazer secured the first clue from
the Of Mrs. Trainer, who is said to be a
resident of large northwestern city, where he
is prominent business The ad-
mitted that his mother had told him she had
arranged for the release Of Trainer She said
it to cost her $500, and that everything
was fixed"
Officers say that $500 was paid for the re.
tease Ol trainer, anu tuaL after HIS eSCape
the screws were put Childers and he was
forced to arrange for the escape Of Cunning
| ham, who got out fifteen days later.
| Childers was Immediately arraigned, pleaded
not guilty and demanded examination. The
hearing was continued until Sept. 8.
| Chlders is serving his second term as turn
| key. Since his arrest 1t has developed thai
| he has a prison record. Thirty years ago he
was arrested for being a member of hold-ul
| gang which operated in this vicinity, and while
serving term in the county Jail escaped thru
a wholesale jail delivery.
La Crosse will entertain between 500 an,
| 1000 knights of Pythias Nov. S. when
school of instruction with rank work will be
| feature of the convention. A. A. Bentley o
this city has been appointed district organize
| for the La Crosse district.
| Commissioners Of the schoolboard Of La Ores
cent must rebuild the structure which was tor
| down by La Crosse contractor. but they vii
not have to pay for the work out of their peck
| cts. This Is the decision Of the court in the ia
| nous La Crescent school litigation, whic
| started when the schooboard, authorized to lie
| a contract for the erection Of new building
made the terms Of the contract include tn
| transfer of the old building, a stone structure
| to the contractor. Work was begun, when tn
| citizens secured an Injunction restraining hin
Suit was then brought against the schoolboard t
| prohibit the fulfllment Of the contract.