Arrest of Ross Winans at BaltimoreThe Baltimore Exchange of the 15th gives the following account of this gentleman’s arrest:
Ross Winans, Esq., was arrested last evening at the Relay House, as he was returning to the city from Frederick, where he was in attendance as one of the members of the legislature.
When the cars stopped at the Relay, an officer and several soldiers entered the cars, and the officer approached Mr. Winans and asked if he was Ross Winans, to which Mr. Winans answered affirmatively. The officer then said, “You are a prisoner of the United States.” Mr. Winans asked on what charge, and was told that he would be informed in the morning. Mr. Winans then expressed his willingness to accompany the officer, and he was taken from the car.
Gov. Hicks and a number of the members of the legislature were present, and the governor immediately proffered any amount of bail for Mr. Winans appearance, and requested that the officer release him, but met with a refusal.
The arrest created a most intense excitement on the train, and when the news reached this city it spread with great rapidity, and a universal condemnation of the act was expressed. It is understood that Mr. Winans will be detained at the Relay House until this morning, when Gen. Butler will have an interview with him.
Winans, a very rich and well known man, was released in May on parole, but was later arrested in September with other legislators.
Also imprisioned were J. M. Brewer (clerk of the Maryland Senate), George P. Kane (ex police marshall), Sen. John J. Heckert.
Also imprisioned as political prisioners were Frank Key Howard (editor of the Baltimore Exchange), and T.W. Hall (editor of the South).
Ross Winans' crime was this: SUSPECTED of voting for the Wallis resolution (see O.R., Series II, Vol. I, p.686)