The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1878-11-02
Attempted AbiuctiOn-Two Child
Women In the Hands Of
the Kidnappers.
IOineinnnti Ennnrnr L


duction, the intended victims being two
diminutive specimens of humanity
little women-who together occupy q
little residence in the western part of
the town. Annie and Katie King are
the names of the two little people. They
are small very small, Annie, the
younger, standing about forty-eight
inches in height, and weighing Just as
many pounds as her height in inches.
Katie, the elder, is trihe taller, but
about the same weight. Both are per-
fectly formed, with shapely hands and
feet, good figures and attractive faces.
Annie, the younger, is especially re-
markable for her diminutive size and
for her symmetrical figure, and long,
wavy hair, which falls in heavy masses
about her shoulders, and reaches to her
doll-like waist below.
Their home, which appears to have been
especially built Tor them, is tiny frame
cottage on McKinney-street, near Madi-
son, comfortably and suitably furnished
with low easychairs, the tiniest of cook
ing-stoves, snug little bed, which they
jointly occupy, and is, with It's green
little furnishings and diminutive in
habitants, the veriest dolls house that
one could find in many days travel.
Here they live in comparative quiet,
seldom venturing out except among
their near neighbors and to the home Of
a brother, who lives block away. They
live entirely aone in their little home,
their simple wants supplied by small
patrimony left them on the decease of
fat hon ,arI,, &c 4,
city. Their brother, Mr.. King, is
well-to-do citizen of Dayton, and watches
over them with the kindly care which
a brotherly affection, strengthened by
their tiny helplessness, inspires.
For some time past they have been
troubled with apprehensions as to their
safety. Annie, the younger and
smaller, had frequent occasions to go
up the street and had observed that she
was followed and closely watched by
persons unknown to her. For two or
three nights past they had heard strange
sounds outside their little dcmicile,
which led them to suspect that some
body was watching their home for some
evil purpose. Still, as they are frequently
annoyed by boys, who, attracted by the
novelty of their appearance, occasion
ally proved somewhat annoying, little
was thought of the matter, until on
Friday evening they became 30 alarmed
that their brothers son, boy of twelve
or fourteen years, was sent to spend the
night in the house with them. They
retired about the usual hour, and about
two o'clock they were awakened by a
noise outside the house, and by q bright
light in the room. Looking toward the
windows, they saw three men in dark
clothes, with heavy black boards, one of
the number carrying dark lantern, the
light of which entered the apartment.
AT another window were two more men,
without coats or masks. The helpless
little women were terribly alarmed, and
in their terror screamed for help, and
not knowing what else to do hid them
selves under the bed-clothes. A few
moments later they heard the click of
skeleton key in the back door of their
apartment, and two men silently en-
tered the room, creeping upon the floor.
The boy who was with them, as much
frightened as themselves, was unable
to render them aid, except to discon-
cert the would-be kidnappers by shout
ing Justify for help. Coming into the
room the men crept quietly to the bed
and were evidently preparing to seize
their victims, when Annie, the younger,
sprang quickly from the bed, and, with
her short, lettering steps, ran screaming
as fast as possible in the darkness-for
the villains had not yet turned on the
light from their lanterns-to the door.
AS she passed one of the men caught her
by the arm, but, by good fortune and
strength above that which her little
figure would indicate, she managed to
break from his grasp. She was followed
by the elder sister, Katie, who was
seized by the foot by one of the men,
but who got away, followed by the boy,
all screaming for help. Being well
posted in regard to the location of doors,
and, aided by the light from the moon,
which was still shining, they managed
to elude their would-be captors-whose
plans were evidently upset by the pres
ence of the boy-and they shot out of
door bareheaded and shoeless, and,
scrambling hastily over the fence, made
their way as rapidly as their little
trembling limbs would carry them to
their brothers house, screaming for
help and terribly frightened. Mrs.
King, who had been apprehensive for
their safety, heard their screams, and,
running down stairs, opened the door
for them, and then, with great prompt
ness, tainted in the arms of her husband,
who had got down stairs at about the
proper moment. By the time the ex-
plantations were made, restoratives OBJ
tanned for the fainting woman and Mr..
King ready for the reconnoiter, the
little dolls house was silent, except
from the knot of excited neighbors who
had gathered round in remarkably scant
apparel to investigate. Anexamination
showed that nothing had been disturbed
in the house, thus showing that the OBJ
ject of the invaders was not plumber in
the ordinary sense of the word. Moth
ing was seen of them by any one except
those in the house when they entered,
and it seems that they disappeared as
soon as the women escaped from the
house.
| The object of the outrage is of course
unknown, but it is believed that the in
tenticn was to abduct the women that
they might be used as attractions in
shows at some distant point where they
would not be recognized. They had
been frequently solicited to become
members of travelling parties or go on
exhibition at various points, their
diminutive figures, sprightly appear
ance and intelligence, and the beauti.
! n ~