Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1875-03-18
THE THEFT OF THE CHILD.

! follows:
THE THEFT OF THE CHILD.
On Wednesday morning a white
woman named Kate Robinson, alias
Glencoe, called to see Mrs. Beck with
on some trivial excuse, and brought
with her the colored woman called
Puss Oakley. Neither Of the visitors
were Of reputable character While
they were in the house Mrs. Beckwith
directed her niece, little girl of ten
years, to carry the child out and give
it some fresh air. The little girl did
so, and the visitors, one of whom was
but slightly aud the other not at all
known to Mrs. Beckwith. took their
leave and soon overlook the little girl
with the child and began talking to
her and attracting the attention Of the
child AS they all walked along together.
Kate Robinson soon turned into side
street and then Puss Oakley took the
child in her arms, the girl still con-
tinuing to walk by her side, and the
two crossed Rock creek, and came
along Pennsylvania avenue until near
the circle, when Puss Oakley left the
little girl on the pavement, telling her
to wait minute, and went into a
house, She soon returned with some
money, and then the girl, who by this
time thought she had gotten far
enough from home, and wanted to re-
turn, told her to give her the child Z;
she procrastinated, begging her to go
on few squares farther, and entered
several houses, from each of which she
came out with money. In this manner
they passed along, the girl begging for
the child and the woman promising,
but delaying until they reached G street,
when the woman gave the little girl
ten cents and told her to go into a
neighboring grocery and buy her ten
cents worth of meal, and then they
would all go back to Georgetown
together. The girl got the meal, but
on returning to the spot the woman
and child were both gone. She hur~
ried back to, Georgetown and related
the occurrences to Mrs. Beckwith.
Some time elapsed before the hus-
band could be reached, and as soon as
the intelligence was communicated to
him he informed the police, and search
for the stolen child began. Kate Rob
inson' vas locked up, and found in a
dsreputable place, but declared that
she had seen neither Puss Oakly nor
the child since she left them near Rock
creek. She was, however, locked up,
and Notwithstanding all inquiries the
whereabouts of the other woman was
not ascertained until yesterday (Friday)
Late Thursday night a denizen of the
division told policeman that the Oak
ly woman had told her some days
since that she was going to Baltimore.
and the ticket agent at the Sixth street
Baltimore depot gave information that
a woman answering the description of
Puss Oakly, with child, had left for
Baltimore on the l. 18 train. Detective
McDevitt, and soon afterward Detective
MeElfresh and Sergeant went over to
Baltimore, and returned to Washington
at clock yesterday afternoon with
Puss Oakly and the child, which was
met at the depot by its anxious and
grateful parents and carried home. The
woman was carried to police headquar-
tiers and held for kidnapping the child
aud for stealing clothing from Mrs.
| Beck with.
1t is now believed that Puss Oakly,
becoming excited over her success in
getting money in the First ward by
carrying the child with her as an incen
tive of charity, determined to carry it
of for the purpose of using it on beg.
/ ging expedition The circumstances of
the Beckwith family render it apparent
" improbable that she expected to get
a large reward from its parents.
HOW THE CHILD WAS RECOVERED.
. Deputy Marshal Frey, of this city,
saw on Fayette street near the Rennert
house, yesterday morning, woman
with sleeping babe in her arms. He
at once concluded from the description
that she was the person sought He
touched her on the arm and said, 81
want You to come with me-" She SEEM
ed startled, and replied. "Oh. you are
.he father of this child" thus virtually
acknowledging herself to be the guilty
party. Marshal Frey asked her what
she meant by stealing the child, to
which she answered that she was going
to take it back. When the marshal
reached police headquarters with the
woman he found Detectives Clarvoe
and McElffesh, of Washington, there,
and it was concluded to be best that the
child should at once be returned to its
mother. A carriage was therefore pro
cured, and the oman and child were
driven to the depot and taken to Wash
ington. Bait. Sun