The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1870-08-17
From the New Orleans picayune, August 10.

From the New Orleans Picayune, August 10.
At an early hour on Tuesday morning
Mr.. Thomas Bgby succeeded in finding his
| lost child. After weeks of intense anguish
happiness is at last restored to the bereayed
| family, and the parents clasp their little
one in their arms. Its dreary wanderings,
the scenes it has passed through, the treat
cannot now be described; and the public
will be content to know that it is found,
and the long search and the dreary watch
! ings are over.
1t disappeared from its home on the
morning OF the 9th of June. 1t will be
recollected that the child, in company with
| its little brother and young lady, MISS
Rosa German, were playing on Howard
street between Lafayette and Poydras at the
time in question. Suddenly the fire bells
rung out, and the young lady, who had the
child in her arms, handed it to the little
boy, saying, "Hold Molly while l see where
the fire is"
"Let me take the boy" said voice near
them, and, turning around, Miss Gorman
discovered two wOmen--a mulattress, tall
and very pretty, and low-set, heavy nc
gress. 1t was the mulattress that spoke,
and, extending her arms, took the child.
She had been seen in the street frequently
| before, and frequently noticed lavlshlnS
carcsscs on the baby, which, from its cum
ming ways and delicate beauty, usually eX-
cites attention even from strangers. Miss
German went In the direction of the fire,
and the two women, one of them carrying
the child and accompanied by its little
brother, walked around the corner, up
Lafayette street to the corner OF Dryades.
Here the mulattress stopped, and giving
the little boy some money, told him to go to
! the fruit stand and get some bananas for his
sister. The boy went, but when, 4 moment
afterWard, he returned to the place, the
| baby and the woman had disappeared.
From that day until this [Tuesday) morning
no trace of them could be found. Immense
rewards were offered for the discovery OF
! the child and the arrest of the abductress
The entire city was stirred with popular cX-
citement, and young and old united in the
I search for the stolen child. Day by day as
the hunt proved unavailing" the sympathy
of the community augmented, and no popu:
lar event or public calamity ever engaged
more fully the feelings and sympathies ol
the masses. Conjecture runs riot as to the
motive Of the abductress and her Intentions
affecting the little ono. Some said she was
an enemy of the family, and her purpose
was revenge.
Others, whose imagnatlons were excited
by voudou superstitions, lelt that the child
| had been stolen for sacrifice in fetish rites
The celebration of this strange mystery on
the following 24th Of June gave colorine
to the supposition, and an intense fear
seized upon the public. But reflection re-
lievcd this idea of much Of its terror, and
the public finally settled down in the con-
yiction that it was taken for some personal
motive, whatever that might be. In the
mean time the police and number OF cItl-
Zens were incessant in the prosecution OF
the search. Officers were sent off in every
possible direction, and placards and publ
cations describing the child, and reciting the
circumstances of its abduction, were scat.
tered broadcast through the land. News
from Cincinnati, st. Louis, and other cities,
came in, but the information was not rella-
bic. The excitement en3endered here was
felt with almost the same intensity else
where. But OF no avail. The child seemed
to have as etf'ectualy disappeared as if it had
sunk into the bowels of the earth. Hope OF
finding it had almost died out. Some be-
| lieved it dead-all thought it finally lost.
Early yesterday morning the news spread
like wildfre through the city that the child
was found.
Just where it had been discovered nobody
seemed to know, though almost every one
had some wcll-authenticatcd but improba.
bic story. Finding it impossible to make
connected statement from the flying rumors,
or to weld into connected history the dis
jointed and irreconcilable stories, q reporter
of the PlcayIne proceeded to Digby's house,
on Howard street near Lafayette, to obtain
the news from the first hands. He found
quite crowd OF people around the house
"a one-story frame building), but learned
that MIR. and Mrs. Digby had gone in car
riagc with their newly-found baby to the
office of the superintendent of police. Pro
cceding thither he found the party, and saw
for the first time the child about which there
has been such excitement, and in which the
entire community is interested.
The mother held her little one tenderly
in her arms, her eyes suffused with tears o.
jov, and her whole countenance radiant
with an unspeakable happiness. The IA
ther was quite beside himself, and coulc
give but little information as to where the
Child was found. 1t was up town some
where, however, and he could drive to the
house. In answer as to how he had fount
the badly, he replied that gentleman-a1
elderly man-had called at his house early
in the morning, about half-past O'Clock
and informed him that he had child at hi
home that he was quite sure was his dig
by's).
the latter wanted to 60 with the gentleman
but he, remembering how often she hat
been bitterly disappointed before, insisted
on her remaining at home, and got ready a
once to 60 himself. "Little did think, ,
said he, q was on my way to find my little
Mon" He remembered that they got int
q Jackson-Street car, but could not say just
where they got out-somewhere near Jose
phine and Chestnut streets, he thought.
The house was quite an elegant one, and
on entering with the gentleman he saw
lady walking up and down the side latticet
gallery with child in her arms. He coult
scarcely believe his senses. Either That Wa
his long-lost, lons-sought-for baby, or he
was dreaming. Fearing less he might be
mistaken, he looked steadily at the chile
for some moments, and, catching her III NH
arms, said, in answer to an inquiry IRON
the lady, eyes, madam, this is my baby
Suppose" suggested the LADY, ~ n,, snt
should not prove to be your cnl1d; Lnel y,
/ promise to return her, but Know III
Mon," he answered, as he ran out OF the
| honse to take her to her mother.
| A mothers instincts are intallible. Mrs.
Dipby did not hesitate moment. 1t wa:
her child. Clasping 1t in her arms, the itt.
lie one m,Irmured. :. Mamma mamma ! q
1t was u mutual recognition.
MIR. Digby reached home with the child
without the fact Of discovery becoming ge
nerally known. Soon, however, the news
spread throughout that part OF the town.
and people focked to the house from an ai.
| rections, The narrow street was hteraly
crowded with an eager mass OF human De-
ings; white and black, young ana olo, up
Deared equally delighted, and were uni
yersal in their congratulations. Inc po9i
mother was almost wild with delight. she
kissed her child, pressed it to her bosom,
and almost smothered it with caresses:y Hel