The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1875-07-26
A CHILD STOLEN TWENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO
JUST FOUND.

left.
A CHILD STOLEN TWENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO
JUST FOUND.
The Providence journal thus tells a
story which seems to be literally true,
and yet Is stranger than any fiction:
MANY of our older citizens will readily
recall the excitement and wonder that
was created, some twenty-three years
ago, at ne sudden and mysterious dis
appearance of Mr.. Jeremiah Perce,
well-to-do grocer on Sabin street, leay-
| ing a wife and two children (all of whom
are now living, and at about the same
time the as sudden disappearance OF
Mrs. Harrington, wife OF Thomas M.
Harrington, who was then living In one
of Mr.. Perce's tenements. Mr.. Perce
left the city on pretense OF going to New
| York to transact business and never re-
turned. 1t was at the time supposed
| that the two had eloped, as there had
been reports of undue intimacy between
them, but nothing certain was known IN
regard to the matterl
A short time afterward-about six
months, as those knowing the facts now
recollect it-Mrs. Harrington returned
| in an apparently penitent mood and had
an interview with her husband, at which
she received permission to take one oil
her children, named Mary, little girl Of
| five years (there were three children In
| all, q sister older and brother younger
than Mary) down street with her, to pur-
chase for her some needed articles OF ap-
parel. and was to return with her by six
| O'Clock that evening. From that time the
father heard nothing from the child or
the mother, until within few weeks,
and they have long been supposed to be
| dead, Nor did the family and friends of
Mr., Perce hear anything from him,
| though the most strenuous efforts were
put forth to discover his whereabouts.
| The Odd-fellows, he having been pro-
minent among them, sent out men In
search for him, in the hope of finding
something concerning him which would
remove the stain from his character, but
without avail, while his relatives sought
for him as unsuccessfully. The family
and friends of Mrs. Harrington also
strove to learn something of her, but her
tracks were effectually covered up, and
they got no trace. Some of her relatives
believed she might have fallen victim
to a railroad and steamboat accident,
there being several of these reported
about that time, while Mr.. Perce's friends
were unwillingly forced to the belief that
he had been murdered. Time passed on,
the missing ones were legally declared
| III. w
ten by all except those intimately inter-
lested.
Very recently, however, public atten-
ton was attracted to the following ad
4 yertisement, inserted In the Providence
Bulletin and Journal:
| WANTED-To know the whereabouts of any
person by the name OF Harding, Studley, OF
Harrington, who has resided in Providence for
the past twelve or fourteen years, or OF any
| x,,ha nj in tn Qnu nj llc
name. A lady in this city who had relatives
with these names is desirous Of hearing from
them. Address Nat G. Barter, Business Man
ager, Sentinel and Pioneer, Fort SCOTT, Kansas.
This was seen the same evening by
Mr.. Harrington, the brother Of the girl
} who had been so long missing, who al
. once forwarded telegraphic dispatch
to the above address, stating that there
were parties of all these names living in
this city, and that one of them had a
daughter stoleA, about twenty three
wears ago, who had never been heard
from.
This was received at Fort Scott at
O'Clock the next morning, and by noon
60, the wonders of the telegraph y dis.
patch in answer was received here,
: which brought to young MIR. Harrington
and his father the joyful news that theii
long lost sister and daughter, whom they
had for SO many years believed to be
dead, was still living. Letters followed
as rapidly as Uncle SANS mail arrange
!, ments would allow, and it was soon as.
certained, beyond the shadow Of doubt
that the news brought by the telegraph
was true. Although so young when she
was taken away, the girl, now married
and the mother OF two children, yet re
memtAred enough of her early lite tc
| assure her relatives in this city of this
had not her mother, who is still living
, put her in posses sion OF other facts. AS
soon as she could make arrangements
she left her home in Fort Scott to pay 8
visit to her relatives, and arrived in this
city few days ago. The joy of hel
) meeting with her father, brother an(
other relatives can be better imagined
than described.
From Mrs. Barton's strange story the
following facts are gathered: She dis
| tinctly remembers her mother promising
, Ter father to take her back at six o'clocl
the day she was stolen. She says sh,
was with her mother two or three days
| before she realized that she was beinl
r taken away from home. She remember
Mr.. Perce joining them, but does no
j know where. not at that age being &C
, quainted with towns, clties, ETC., but l
was somewhere while they were travel
ing, and soon after they lett this city
He, it seemed, had changed his name !,
Charles Pierce the lie as long as e), ant
7 at once taught ner to call herself "Marl
. Perce," threatening her with sever,
( punishment if she called it any thing else
! or il she told any one her name had eve
. been harrington. They spent about ,
, year in Dubuque, Ia, and st. Paul
l Minn., and then went to Texas, wher,
Mr.. Pearce was engaged in raising cat
tie and sheep, at times doing very well
7 and ut times not 80 well.
t Tney remained in Texas. for som,
. years, and then removed to near Baxter
, Springs, Kansas, where Mr.. Perce, who
had been lailin. in health for couple o
years, died, about fourteen years ago
q leaving three sons by Mrs. Harrington
} all OF whom are now living. She says a
one time he was Universalist clergy
{ man, and at another SpirItualist, ane
/" wherever he went he won the respec
: and good i'll OF his fellow-nen. An in
) vestigation into the statement thai
| ~, MI nj ~, :