Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1905-03-03


Pursuit of the Fugitives.
The chase up the river was an ex-
citing one, and the news spreading
rapidly, the progress Of the two boats
up the st. Lawrence was eagerly
watched. But the Spray was too fast
to be caught Realizing this, the chief
constable Of Quebec, armed with writ
of habeas corpus from Judge Andrews,
of that city, hurried to Three Rivers
on special train, and, setting out in
boat with his officers, ordered the
Spray TO halt in the queens name. No
attention was paid to the challenge.
Gaynor and Greene were taken to Mon
treal, where Commissioner Lafontaine
committed them to Jail.
The high constable of Quebec hurried
back to Judge Andrews on a special
train and secured another writ ad-
dressed to the Montreal jailer, who sur
rendered the prisoners; and so Gay
nor and Greene went back to Quebec
on special train, feasting their Off
cial rescuers on the way So fearful
were the exiles that they would be kid
naped again, that they asked to be
committed to the Quebec Jail, where
they felt reasonably safe from the Mon
treal and American detectives.
AS the case developed, it was evil
dent that Gaynor and Greene had laid
their plans deeply. The law firm en-
ployed by them included in its mem
bership the premier of Quebec, a son
of the deputy attorney general and the
Canadian minister of Justice. The son
of the eXtradition commissioner of
Quebec was also employed by the fugi-
tives.
The prisoners lawyers appeared be-
fore Judge Andrews and consented to
the vacating of the writ. Thereupon
other writs issued by Judge Caron, who
had had nothing to do with the case,
were served upon the Quebec jailer.
AS soon as he heard of this, Judge An
drews dismissed the writs and ordered
Gaynor and Greene to be taken to Mon
treal.
Judge Dismisses Proceedings.
Now came the final trick. Judge
Caron issued writ of certiorari, COM
pelling Commissioner Lafontaine, of
Montreal, to bring all the papers in
the extradition proceedings into the
court at Quebec for review. Imme-
diately afterward Judge Caron allowed
the prisoners to leave the Jail and go
to live at the Chateau Frontenac. A
few days later the prisoners declared
in court, through their lawyers, that
Mr.. Erwin, the lawyer representing the
United States, had offered to consent
to a dismissal of the case on the pay
ment of 100000. Mr.. Erwin denied
the charge. Greene admitted that he
offered to pay 100000 in settlement.
On August 13, 1902, Judge Caron dis
charged Greene and Gaynor and dis
missed the extradition proceedings.
After this Mr.. Erwin reported the
facts to the United States government
and charged that Gaynor and Greene
had so interested officials connected
with the administration of justice in
Canada that the ends of justice had
been defeated. The United States ap-
pealed the case to the privy council,
whose decision, just rendered, sends
the matter back before Commissioner
Lafontaine, at Montreal. Gaynor and
Greene declare they will go through
the fight all over again on new tech
nical grounds, but it is predicted by
unbiased men qualified to speak that
they will be brought to trial within the
next three months.
Comments on Case.
Friends of the exiles in Quebec, In
Canada. are attempting to create the
impression that the decision of the Brit
ish court "is only another evidence OF
the cringing and trucking policy which
England has of late been following in
her dealings with the United States
Canadian interests being sacrificed in
every instance to the inordinate and ag-
/ gressive demands of the United States, "
That this feeling is not general is
shown by the strong words of leading
Canadian lawyer upon receipt of the
news of the courts decision. "Of all the
infamies that have disgraced the annals
of the administration Of justice in Can
ada" he said, this Gaynor and Greene
case is the worst. 1t has shown us that
our bench and bar are unhappily amen
able to influences which were never sus-
| ptCIGu UGlOIC luaI, iluSu ny Ihc
fortuitous presence of cooperative ele-
ments in the federal and provisional
governments, the good name of ouI
country and of two of its supposed un-
assailable bulwarks have been most
ruthlessly sacrificed for the sake of tenn
porary political and personal triumphs
and the sake of personal gain. Happily
we have in the judicial committee of the
imperial privy council an independent
and impartial tribunal that possesses
the right and the power to set all such
matters straight, to rectify all the
wrongs perpetrated in the name of Brit
ish or Canadian law, and, in this in
stance, to wipe out the stigma that has
been cast upon our system by some OF
our very worst elements. The entire
machinery of the Canadian administers
tion of Justice was paralyzed or prosti-
tuted to the service of Gaynor and
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