By Elaine Alice Brown

Ed and I were captured in the evening of Thursday, October 4, 2007, after making our stand in our home since January.

The previous weekend, Dutch/Dan was introduced to us by one of our trusted friends and supporters. He and Dutch/Dan arrived unexpectedly at our home very late one night, around midnight as I recall. Dutch/Dan had been working his way into the confidence of our friend for some time, professing to be a supporter and sympathizer of us and our cause.

Dutch/Dan stayed with us for a day or so, offering to aid us in any way. He claimed to be a bounty hunter, living in New York someplace. I do not recall if he said exactly where. He asked to have some broken fillings replaced, which I did, and for which he paid me (which, of course, was then confiscated). When I told him I wanted to get the rest of my dental supplies from my office, he offered to get them for me. He went back and forth to New York a couple of times during the week, so he said, getting in touch with some associates to assist him in getting the supplies. He scouted out the office to see what kind of security was there – again so he said.

I asked him why he would take such a risk for someone he didn't even know. His answer was, “Because I love you guys.” I remember those exact words.

On October 4, he arrived with four of his associates. Some of them, I don't recall if one or two of them remained at the house, and were in telephone contact. They said there was an alarm on the office door, but they could get around it. Dutch/Dan had told us that he would love to get the supplies out of the office, that it would be a lot of fun to grab stuff from the feds.

They actually brought bags full of “supplies” to the house. They put everything into the garage. I never did get the opportunity to look in the bags. But I assume it was supplies, in case I did open the bags when they brought them in.

Dutch/Dan also brought three pizzas, and we broke out the beer. We all sat on the porch, eating pizza and drinking beer, just relaxing. Suddenly they all jumped us. Dutch/Dan was sitting on my right, and he grabbed me, securing my hands. Once he had me secured, one of the others tasered me on my left knee. The other four had Ed on the floor, they had actually forced him out of his chair, through the front door, and onto the foyer floor. We were immediately handcuffed, me behind my back. My memory of Ed is he was handcuffed in front and shackled foot and waist.

Shortly thereafter, Ed was driven to the Lebanon Police Department. I was kept at the house for about another hour. Our dog, Zoe, was so frightened and confused. Fortunately, she has a very sweet and passive personality, so she was not killed, but was safely taken to the local humane society, as was our cat, Amelia.

I was then taken to the Lebanon Police Department. As we were driving there, on the road leading to our road, we passed six or eight vehicles traveling together toward our house. Also, after we were captured, several men in full battle dress uniform, heavily armed, arrived at the house. Thus, there was a very large contingency of marshals – if that's who they were – gathered to come in. Had we not been subdued as we were, I have no doubt they were prepared to kill us. All this for violating a law that does not exist.

Upon arriving at the Lebanon Police Department, I saw Ed in a holding cell. I was taken to a cell out of sight of Ed. I saw on the wall of the cell “nhfree”, so I knew this was the cell that Lauren Canario had been placed in. Hi Lauren.

One of the marshals kept telling me how glad he was that we were not hurt, that they really did not want to hurt us. Of course, they didn't – think of the bad press it would bring them.

He was shouting at Ed at the police station about how he (Ed) broke the law, etc. This man alternated between concern and verbal abuse. He is the one who kept his hand on me the whole time, from the handcuffing to the police station. I don't know if that is part of their training of if he has a mental problem of some kind. For example, while at the house, he held me by the arm, even though I was handcuffed and surrounded by a number of armed men, he started shouting in my ear about my crime, how I should have paid my taxes, how wrong we were, etc. I told him I would not respond to him, so he should stop talking to me. He said he was going to talk as much as he wanted, and I had no choice but to listen to him. I just tuned him out, praying silently.

After an hour or so, I was taken to the police station. I passed by the cell we were in. We kissed through the metal. That is the last time I saw my husband. I was not told where I was being taken. I was taken to the Wyatt Detention Center in Central Falls, RI (a cosmic joke – that was the city I was born in). Unknown to me, Ed was brought to the same place. I was driven there on Saturday morning, but Ed was kept there for almost a week.

While there, I was kept in an observation room on suicide watch. I was not allowed to get my glasses or my asthma medicine from the house before I left. Friday night I had an asthma attack, and had to have a nebulizer treatment. I was not given my meds until Monday night, and then it was only due to my constant asking and the kindness of a physician's assistant, and after having to have another nebulizer treatment.

I am OK, but Ed has been and continues to be mistreated. He is still in isolation at Elkton, and out mail to each other is being held. My only word of him is from others who have been able to communicate with him.

Dutch/Dan was very good. Ed and I had our suspicions, but we let our guard down. Perhaps the situation was starting to get to us. I know I was starting to get itchy about being unable to leave, and having to rely on others. It had to end one way or another, and so it has.

We know God has a plan, and we all have a part to play in it. He leaves it up to us to decide if we will play that part. Ed and I made the decision to do so. Looking back years ago when we started this, we did not realize that is what we were doing. But now we know why it always felt so right to us; we did what our hearts led us to do. What God has planned for us – all of us – from now on is up to him to let us know in his own time.

That does not mean that I sit here and do nothing. I have met some amazing women, who have opened my eyes to a new path on our quest for freedom. We are working along that road now, in our continuing effort to expose the fraud in our government. Is this why I am here? Only the future will tell.

Be brave, stand up oppression; injustice to one is injustice to all. Anyone who does not fight is part of the problem. That seems harsh, but these are harsh times.

Romans 12:2 says “be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what [is] that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”

May he bless us all, and give us the strength and wisdom to do his will.