The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1874-09-15
A Chase for n Child.

When Mr.. Cahill died in Worcester,
Mass, four years ago, he left q notably
pretty child. Everybody who saw the lit
tie girl was enraptured with her, and the
widowed mother lavished upon the pet all
she could earn. During two years Mrs.
Cah;ll labored industriously, and little
Nellie grew in beauty and Brightness
Then the widow married Martin Power,
and perhaps her love for him somewhat
blunted her affection for Nellie. During
the honeymoon the daughter was sent to
stay with Mr.. and Mrs. Dougherty, who
Springfield Mass. The Doughertys at once
became attached to the girl who had pre-
viousIy so won all hearts, and begged to
have ner left with them little longer
blinded by the spell of her marriage-to
grant the request, and so Nellie lived for
several months in Springfield.
AS the time passed on the Doughertys
became less and less inclined to give up the
little beauty, and Mrs. Power began in
about the same ratio to long for her daugh-
ter. The Doughertys moved quietly away
to the suburbs of Springfield, taking Nellie
with them, and letting Mrs. Power know
nothing about their location. The mother,
with all her old regards for Nellie revived
by the possibility of losing her. began a
search which ended in finding the family.
She demanded the child, and the Dough-
ertys caught at the first pretext to pre-
vent its delivery. They said that 800
was due for its board, and that it would
not be given up until that was paid.
Mrs. Power employed lawyer, and a
legal battle was begun for the possession of
Nellie, who was closely guarded against
sureptitious capture. 4 writ of habeas
corpus was served on Mr.. Dougherty, but
he Appeared before Judge Pardee without
Nellie. He said she had gone to New
Britain, Conn, with his wife. He was in
structed by the judge to produce her in
court on the following day. He did not
appear, however, and long search by of
ficers for the family and child was unsuc-
cessful. The mother went to her home in
Worcester, despairing of ever seeing Mel
lie again.
On Wednesday last Mrs. Power was in
Hartford, and there she met Dougherty in
the street. She few to lawyer, and he
got out writ. This was sent to where
the Doughertys had been living, but the
neighbors said they had picked up their
furniture and moved away that same day.
The case had, by this time, really interest
ed the authorities, and detective was put
upon it, with instructions to find the mis-
sing family. He learned that they had
taken the steamboat for New York on
Thursday afternoon, and that Nellie was
with them. Mrs. Power was sent by the
midnight train for New York with the
writ, so as to arrive there before the steam
boat. She was consequently OH the dock
when the Doughertys went off the boat,
leading Nellie between them. The girl
ran to the mother, who held her fast in a
joyous embrace. The Doughertys tried to
forcibly regain Nellie, and the melee
brought on the interference of the police
men. The mother triumphed, however,
and on Saturday started for home with the
girl. She reached Worcester safely, and
the Doughertys have not been seen since,
either at New York or there.