Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1870-04-23
THE LOST CHILD FOUND.

advertised and searched for diligently by
parents, friends and city authorities, coulo
not befound, and was given up for deaC
or lost beyond discovery. On Thursday
morning however the child was found aliy,
and well. The facts are related as fol
morning:
Last Wednesday evening a young man
| named Jane DOherty. assistant steward on
board the steamer William Kennedy, called
at the residence of Mr.. Burns, when some
| conversation occurred relative to Nellie, dur
ing which Mr.. Burns asked Doherty not to
lead him astray, as had so often been done,
| but if he thought he right he should be
glad to hear what he had to say. In low
tone of voice. as if speaking to himself,
| Doherty uttered the words, finger in her
| mouth when asleep" and hestating for mo-
| ment he told Mr.. Burns that he thought he
knew something of his child being at house
in Institute place, where he sometimes called
when in the city, and spoke of its wearing
rubber slippers. The matter of the finger in
her mouth and the rubber slippers led Mr..
Burns to believe that the child must be his
lost Nellie, but it being late and quite dark, he
preferred waiting till daylight before visiting
knew nothing of the character of the inhabi-
tants. Before leaving Doherty stated that a
Mrs. Bowman kept the house where he had
seen the child with Mrs. Lizzie Chase and
heard her call it Nellie. His attention was
first called to the fact of the child being lost
by reading printed notice about it, which
was shown to him by his brother six or seven
days since. After some further conversation
Dohcrty left the house.
Yesterday morning Mr.. Burns called at the
Chiefs office, and relating the fore going facts
substantially, asked Deputy Chief Quinn to
let him have an officer to visit Institute place,
and officer Houghton of the Second Police
was accordingly detailed by Capt. Vinal for
that duty. Previously, however, the officer
and Mr.. Burns visited the steamers William
Lawrence and William Kennedy in search of
Doherty, whom they finally found, and he
accompanied them to Institute plabe.
A Mr.. Burns and his companions turned
into the place, where several children were
at play, officer Houghton and Mr.. Burns
at the same moment, almost, discovered
! Nellie, when Mr.. Burns rushed for and seized
I her in his arms, at the same time showing her
| Photograph of himself, and asking her who
that was. She promptly replied Papa" He
| next entered the house with the officer, and
going up stairs, saw Mrs. Chase and asked
her if she claimed the child, how she came by
it, &c. Mrs. Chase did not make any direct
reply, but said her husband was at sea- and
asked if she had got to be taken away. Some
thing was said about her confessing to having
taken the child and telling the whole story, to
which she made no response, but produced
the hood and cloak worn when she was first
missed. Mrs Chase was ordered by officer
Houghton to put on her shawl, as he wanted
her to. go with him to the Second Police
l,ft& Al
heard a man named Patrick Murray eXclaim
'Nellie !" or something like it. He was ask
ed what made him call her that name, and re-
piled that every one called her Nellie. His
manner induced the officer to take him to the
Station, but he was soon after released from
custody.
The news of finding the child spread rapidly
through Court square and the immediate vi
cinity, and but few minutes elapsed before a
crowd of several hundred persons, all anxious
to see the lost one, assembled in front of the
Station. Nellie looked bright and happy,
and stroking her fathers face, repeatedly
exclaimed, Papa Papa"
Mr.. Burns being DESTROYS to reach his home
at the earliest moment. carriage was pro-
cured, and with Nellie, accompanied by Off
Ger Houghton and Lieut.. Twombly, he left
the Station. As they left, Mr.. Twombly lift
ed the little girl so that all corfd see her, and
the clapping of hands and three cheers for
the lost child signified the JOY of the crowd.
On the arrival of Mr.. Burns with Nellie at
his house on Shawmut street, men, women
and children residing in the neighborhood
f1ocked to his residence by hundreds, and soon
the street was fairly filled with a gratified
crowd.
The mother of Nellie was up stairs when
her husband reached the house, and before
- - ,ba 1la,, ,nl
my child my child" and the scene that fol-
lowed was quite affecting.
The people outside requested to see the
child, and as soon as her face could be washed
Nellie was exhibited from a window, and
greeted with applause and cheers from the
crowd. During the afternoon and evening
many persons called at Mr.. Burns's house and
congratulated the parents on finding their lost
child.
The arrested woman, Mrs. Chase, states
that she found the child three weeks ago on
the Common, and Mrs. Bowman, with whom
she boards, states that Mrs Chase brought
the child to her house three weeks ago and
claimed it as her own offspring.
Mrs. Chase also states that she came from
Portland few months since, and that her hus-
band has been absent about six weeks. She told
Capt. Vinal, after her arrest, that the reason
she had not taken the child to the Police
station was because she had no clothes decent
enough TO wear to the station. She also as
serts that she had no knowledge of the child
being advertised or anything being said about
it in the newspapers.
The following is copy of letter post
marked April l6, and directed to ''Mr. Burns,
l6 Shawmut street, Boston," and was duly
received by him:
BosroN, April 16.
SIR Your daughter has been in good hands
ever since she left your house. She will be
returned to you Immediately on the following
conditions: LIST, That you will send 5000 to
the address below, with written promise not
to prosecute, and the remainder of the re
ward of $500 to be paid when the child is de-
livered, and unless the promise is sent nothing
can be done in the matter. No counterfeits
or marked bills will be received. I'd, l think
you ought to allow me for the childs board.
1t will be no use to arrest persons sent for
letters to the office, as they will know nothing
about the affair. My place of address is j. @.
A. SMITH, Boston Post Office.
In reply Mr.. Burns wrote the following:
GIVE me my child and will comply with
your Wishes" and put it in the Post office,
where an officer has constantly been on the