The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-08-19
WHOLESALE KIDNAPPING.
1ax.t.rtous DisappsaraAcs of Children
in chicago,


Hhe chicaoo Reu,ib,tcdn of Monday last says;-
HFor over a year there has not passed single
week in which some fond mother VINO mas
yainly waited and watched with strained heart-
atripgs for the return OF her little darling VINO
has suddenly and without warning been spirited
away from her forever. The anxious searcn-
ing Of the stricken father has IN many case case
met with brt poor success, and the uesolaIon
that has thus settled down upon tnelr once
happy homes is rarely removed. But tne ln,
eyitable grinding OF 1.-THE mills OF tne Boue stnl
goes on, and retributioD, sooner or later, meIe
Question of time. is sure TO overtake the evl,
doer. Events which have very lately transpired
in our city give promise that the mystery OF
these fearful disappearances is at last 10 DC un'
yelled. ,,,,.
the outskirts of Chicago were returning to
their homes from church. 1t was about
O'Clock i'll the afternoon, and tue tatner ana
mother were walking lelsutely along, Whlle
their boy, an unusually Intelligent lad OF ten
wears, strageled q little way ahead. The
parents had passed West Twelfth street, When
they discovered for the first time that their BOY
was missing, and though Information was az
once given 10 the police, and every eXertlon
possible put forth for bis recovery, no tldlngs
was received of the missing child until last
Friday evening, when he walked INTO MS nome
as unconcernedly as though he had been gone
but an hour. ,
The story which he then untolded was of
strangely peculiar character, iia ana tne Hie
absence would I'LL the pages OF trstclass
novel, and eau be touched upon but briefly at
the present time. ,.. !,
had lust turned q corner, hiding him from his
parents, when large man, driving a common
business wagon, stopped near the sidewalk, ana
grasping him around the waist threw him into
the vehicle and having covered him with
broad thick cloth, drove rapidly away. The
boy saws that the man intimidated him by re-
peated threats of killing him in case he should
cry out or make the least noise.
According TO the statement OF inc laQ tDey
drove all night, and about six the next morning
arrived at a large double house, With heavy
stone basement into which he was at once con-
Quoted. He says that he was shown into spa
cious room, i'll which were some sixteen boys
and girls, most of whom were younger than
himself. colored woman with child was
also in the apartment, and she, as well as all the
other inmates of the apartment had her mouth
firmly covered with small plaster:
The object of the strange muzzing seems to
have been TO prevent them making such noise
as would alarm the neigh borhood; for three
times day woman came down tIom the upper
part of the house, and with the aid of warm
water, removed the plaster from the prisoners
mouths, allowing them to feed one at time.
No harm was offered him, or, as he saw, to any
of the rest. The youth said that he stood that
sort of thing as long he could, and last Sunday
morning determined to shift a little tor himself.
Awakening at about 3 o'clock he continued to
break through the sash of one of the windo VS.
without alarming the inmates OF the house,
and thus escaped into the yard. This he found
surrounded by high board fence, and well
shaded with fine trees. Climbing one of these,
he saw that he was not far from a railroad, and,
having descended, he scaled the fence and
waited outside the enclosure until, au early
train passing, he was taken aboard, aud con-
veyed to this city. The plaster was removed
from his face by one of the brakesmeu, and he
was thus enabled to return to his home in a
presentable manner. The affair rests here at
present, but Deputy Superintendent Sherman,
with his accustomed energy and perseverance,
also detailed two experienced detectives who
will spare no pains to ferret out all the details
of this STRANGELY incomprehensibe affair. ThC
lad is in their charge, and they have gone witt
him to the country, following the railroad by
which he returned to town.