The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1871-08-17
REVENGE FOR A MARRIAGE.
A Young Girl Kidnapped by her Uncle
The Fathers Search for his Lost Child
Found through the Efforts of the Mnsons.
From the Detrott Ffee Press, JulN 30.


Found through the Efforts of the Mnsons.
From the Detroit Free Press, July 90
James H. Baker, deputy sheriff OF
lngham county and q resident of Lam
sing, passed through Detroit last evening
en- route for Suspension Bridge, having
in his care girl ten years old, named
Helen McKibbee, who will be restored
to her father and friends at that point.
The little girls adventures during the
past seven months have been curious
and extended, and she could hardly be
persuaded by her protector that they
were shortly to terminate in happiness
and rest. As Mr.. Baker states her case,
and as little Helen herself relates it, she
hes been made the tool whereby a
vindictive relative struck a most cruel
blow at other relatives for the sake of
revenge. ....- --
About year and a half ago, Helen's
father, who was widower, and residing
at Montrose, Susquehanna county, Pa,
his present address, was married again,
his choice not at all pleasing his relatives,
particularly brother of the former wife,
whose name is Daniel Haywood. This
Haywood is single man, somewhat ad
vanced in age, and was a travelling
agent up to few days ago, being now
travelling to escape ." ..
THE VENGEANCE OF THE LAW.
He made his home with McKibbee,
and the two had many hard words in
regard to the marriage. At length
McKibbee turned him out of doors one
day, and forbade him to enter the house
again. Haywood swore to be revenged,
and declared that no ordinary vengeance
would satisfy the insult which he deem
ed his character had sustained. He re-
mained about the neighborhood, but
McKibbee paid very little attention to
his threats, and instructed his wife and
two daughters to give him no notice.
One evening in September last, while
Helen and her sister, who is about six
teen years old, were returning home
from neighbor's, the road being lone
some and unfrequented, they were met
by Haywood, who leaped from a buggy
and ordered them both to get in, being
so violent in his actions that the girls
dared not disobey him. Whipping his
horses into run, he had taken them
about two miles when the elder girl
leaped out of the vehicle and made her
escape, he being pursued several miles
by some farmers on horseback, to whom
the girl related the matter OF kidnapping.
just how far they rode Helen does not
remember, but it was for many hours,
and then they stopped only for short
time, and she was taken on board the
cars. Haywood impressed it upon her
mind that if she called him by that
name, made any alarm, or dared to hold
With ca, ha, 1ifa
should be the forfeit. He also tried to
threats and his promises of new clothing
and fine iewelry, the little girl rendered
him obedience.
A CHANGE OF NAME.
Helen remembers passing through
Cleveland and her steamboat ride to
Detroit, and then she found herself in
Lansing, and was informed by Haywood
that her home would henceforth be
there. During the evening of her arrival
she was taken to the north end of the
city, and to the house of resident
whose character for integrity, honesty
and manly worth has never been ques-
toned until now. She was there told
that her name had been changed to
Gage, and that she must never tell any
person a word about her other name,
parents or home. The citizen has sew
eral relatives in Lansing, and this Hay
wood is distantly related to each one,
this fact probably inducing him to put
the stolen girl into the hands he did. In
a few days Helen was provided with
books and sent to the Fourth Ward
Union School, her name being upon the
records as Gage.
FRUITLESs SEARCH FOR TIE GIRL.
When the older daughter reached home
and related her story, there was immed-
late excitement. The officers of the law
started out in every direction, neighbors
turned out on the hunt, and the search
was not discontinued until it became
apparent that the kidnapper had re-
moved his victim far beyond the reach
of the ordinary officers. Then the police
superintendents of the principal cities,
and the county sheriffs of all Pennsyl-
vsnis were appealed to, and the father
expended large sum of money within
the month endeavoring to gain clue.
The girl had had her photograph taken
a few weeks before, and one of them was
re-copied, and specimen sent to every
point and to every official where there
was the slightest hope of success but
every effort failed to track the villain
further than to the point where he took
the cars.
APPEALING TO THE MAsoNs.
A firm of lawyers, all of the partners
noted for being equally good detectives,
was then secured by the father, and they
got handbills, advertisements, circulars,
and sought in every way to discover the
girls abiding place; but they got not
even so much as trace. The victims
parents were half crazed with grief the
case gained notoriety throughout the
whole State, and, as last hope, the
lawyers determined to appeal to the
Masonic fraternity throughout the Uni
ted States for assistance. This was in
May last, after seven months of weary
and fruitless search. A circular contain
ing close description Of the girl, and
detailing the circumstances Of the case,
was mailed to several hundred lodges
one of them TO that at North Lansing.
George III. Greene, w. NJ, reading the
circular over, it was passed to some eof the
brethren, and the neighbors of the man
who had the girl in charge came to the
conclusion that Helen was the one sought
after. If not, she was a stranger whose
history had never been told, and about
whose past life no word was ever drop
ped. Determined to proceed cautiously,
one of the brothers wrote to the firm of
attorneys, stating his suspicious, and as
soon as steam could bring them the