The New York herald., 1874-08-13
STOLEN AT TEE DEAD OF NIGHT"
Struggle Between the Mother and Nurse
at the Home"
FOUND AT DANBURY, CONN.
Arrested for kidnapping and Tried at Might
Narrow Escape from the Blue Laws"
of Flight to New York

rOw.n The particulars OF an unhappy and ILL.,
advised marriage, its subsequent misery and
sorrow and final desertion OF the husband who
seized his child from its mothers bed at the dead
hour OF night and fed. no one knew where. are
given there, and are doubtless fresh In the minds
OF very many. II was on q cold, bleak night IN
March last that the husband, Adam Caldwell,
crazed with drink, sprung like maniac upon his
wife and dragged her over the noOr to the dining
ROOM where he bound her tight and fast IN
heavy chair. Unmindful or her screams, the In
furiated man rushed to the bedside OF the little
girl caught the sleeping innocent in his arms and
hurried out OF the door into the darkness. Unable
to extricate herself the mother passed the night
IN mental agony ndescriDable. Two visitors to
the house in the morning released her. momen-
tary pause at the side OF the empty bed, where
on the previous nightfall she had laid her child
10 Sleep suIficed to awaken her to full realiza-
ton OF the dreadful state Of affairs. Although
a mother, she was utterly childessl Her own
husband, the cause OF so much former misery,
had now gone SO far to carry or the only object
dear to her In this world. Leaving the house just
as 1t Stood hastily donning her wraps, without
means, friends or counsellors, this mother walked
out OF that home to travel the country over in
search OF her lost girl. For days and weeks her
search was fruitless. She visited neighborng viii
lagos In New Jersey, on Long Island in Westches-
ter county, as well as every place in the metropo.
LIS where she imagined the slightest chance
existed OF finding her child. Almost penniless,
she sought the help Of
POLICE AND DETECTIVES
In vain The admonition OF New York's Chief Of
Police to one OF his most experienced ofrcers ITO
work up the case Tor humanity's sake" met with
an Indifferent reception. Lawyers told her that 1t
would be kidnapping for her TO take her child.
should she even hnd the little one. Three months
passed away and still she could obtain no
trace OF her darling At last, however, she OBJ
tained the advice and assistance or an excellent
lawyer, and at the same time met friends who
were willing to render whatever help they could
fD the matter Of discovering the whereabouts OF
the child. warrant OF arrest for abandonment
was obtained from Justice Sherwood, it being the
mothers intention TO procure the husbands ar
rest, that she might serve him with writ OF
habeas corpus compelling the production OF
THE ABDUCTED CHILD
IN court where the question OF It's custody could
be definitely settled But if 1t was easy enough to
procure q warrant it was no easy matter to serv 9
II, for the desired party went over to New Jersey
and thus eluded the officers, four OF whom were at
different times searching for him. Meanwhile
most thorough search was made for the child.
Every public institution the city and county
was visited, but all to no purpose. At last when
mother for its own, and she was overwhelmed
with grief at 'her non-success, letter came
Informing her that her little one was at
an institution for children in Dan5ury, Conn. No
one can ever know the Joy that at this moment
burst Like 1ood upon this poor woman's soul. 1t
was with difficulty that her friends could restrain
her. To Danbury she must go at once, and every
hour she was kept waiting hung like lead upon her
bounding heart The letter above referred to was
received on the afternoon OF Tuesday, the 4th
inst but for certain reasons the mother could
not 60 to where 1t pointed until the afternoon Of
the following day. Tnen, accompanied by the wife
OF one OF the most prominent lawyers OF this city,
she took the quarterpast three train at the Grand
Central depot, and arrived in Danbury at six
O'Clock. The ladies' went to the Wooster House,
where they procured a suit Of rooms had their
supper and then took carriage to the institution
which contained
THE LONG LOST CHILD
The place is about mile from the Wooster House,
and when the ladies' reached 1t 1t was quite dark.
The presiding genius OF the "Home," as it is
called ID Miss Bull lady OF very uncertain
age-after you get above flty-and a-wel, it is
dif1cult to say what kind of face she has. At all
events, she Is not beautiful. Fortunately for
the two ladies, this person was not IN when they
called, else what Is about to be written would
never be chronicled. Not that Miss Bull has
superabundance Of muscle, but that she doubtless
has a temper and q will OF her own.
Arghtng from the carriage, the mother, Mrs.
Caldwell, stepped to the door and asked If Miss
Bull was In. female, stout and buxom, and
answering to the name Of Miss Stokes, replied
that Miss Bull was out, but would probably return
shortly. Would not the ladies step IHY
THIS invitation was Just what they were waiting
ns ir 50 cdm no the IN ASK at they both Pped T1ey
chlldren-smah children; did they take any very
They did; had one with them then-a beautiful
little GIRL with mellow blue eyes and perfect
biIlow OF golden curls.
The mothers heart began to beat faster and
faster, till it seemed as though 1t would break
through It's frai tenement. That the description
just gwen by Miss stokes was OF her own darling
she could not doubt. But how was she TO get the
child in her possession
During the course OF the conversation Miss
leading TO the chamber where slept
The mother tried desperately hard 10 calm her
sell and display no emotion, lest the suspicious OF
the attendant should be aroused. She knew she
was as pale as death, but their only light was a
lamp which Miss Stokes carried in her hand, and
which burned so dimly that the color OF ones face
or the absence OF IL could not readily De dscerned.
"How Old ie this little beauty you SPEAK oiYn In
quired the mother.
"What did you say lts name was YD the mother
asked In a tone OF voice that 80 steady and,
apparently, unconcerned as TO actually astonish
.Jessle; Jessie CALDWELL was the reply.
The mothers heart was now wilder than ever.
There was no longer doubt OF t-she once
more under the same roof with her baby whose
childish prattle and Q8dsome features she had
not heard or seen Tor almost I'VE months but she
must needs be calm, for the child is not yet her
possession, and Miss Stokes who volunteers TO
s'sbow the ladies up 20 the sleeping apartments"
has been reinforced by two others, either OF whom
is larger and stronger than those who seek to OBJ
tain the little head bearing that "bilow OF golden
curls.''
'Lttle Jessie is over here In her bed- said Miss
Stokes, as she LED the way to one corner Of the
room, where stood crib.
The whole party moved in the direction indi-
Gated and the mother OF the child bent over the
crib and turned down the clothes. Sure enough,
there lay her long lost darling. The decisive mo-
mont had NJ last arrived, but the mother seemed
20 hesitate.
.sThat rs your child Mrs. Caldwell; take it,r said
her companion.
Aiss Stokes rushed TO her side, but was too late
for the mother had already
Tup n TrrT r 4