The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1879-01-08
STEALING A SERVANT GIgL.
The alleged Operations of u Brace Of
Rfusyed Hiaaapers at Peoria.

Ihe alleged Operations of Erace Of
MASKED Hianapers at Peoria.
The Peoria TRANSCRIPT publishes the fol-
lowing remarkable story:
For some weeks past there has been living
at DR.. I. w. Johnson's, No. no South Mad
ison street, a servant girl named Maggie
Lahre She is German, is IS years Of age.
! OF medium height, and moderately good
looking. The doctor says that she is one Of
the brightest girls that ever worked in his
house. Last Thursday night, she, at about
s o'clock, went to Mr.. 'Benton's, grocery, on
the corner of Fulton and Madison streets,
almost directly opposite the police station.
She wore q light shawl about her head and
no other wraps. At the corner, by the
grocery, she was knocked down and
III MASKS. They drove with her in On in
sensible condition until they were nearly
outside the city limits on Elizabeth street.
Then, becoming conscious, she screamed for
help, and the rufhans forced some drug into
her mouth and gagged her to prevent any
further cutlery. The drug did not render
her entirely unconscious, but they went on
with their hellish Designs dragging her from
the sleigh when they reached the bridge
across Dry Run. Then they took her be-
tween them, and having bound her hands,
proposed to tie her to a tree and set fire to
her clothes, evidently intending her destruc-
ton. But they we're interrupted III their
work BY the approach of somebody. Their
intention of tying her to the tree was aban-
doned, but they set fire to her dress. BY the
blaze she was able to burn the thongs that
bound her hands. Then with snow
she succeeded in extingushiug her
burning garments. At this juncture she
fell insensible in the snow. Then she was
picked up by Mr.. John Essex, who lives in
Richwoods, and whose approach had fright
ened off the villains. Mr.. Essex took her to
a house near by, where she was cared for
during the night. He saw the sleigh, and
the men who did the deed dragging the wo-
man between them, but before he came up
they had fed.
All day yesterday she lay unable to speak,
but in full possession of her senses. Much
of the above related facts were obtained from
account of the affair written by the girl
herself with slate and pencil. The terrible
ordeal through which she passed seems to
have deprived her OF the power of speech. It
is hard to tell what the denouement Of the
affair will be.
In connection with the incidents attending
the abduction, there are other circumstances
related by the family which involve the case
instill deeper and darker mystery. 1t makes
the story as thrilling as the adventure Of a
heroine of fiction.
About seven weeks ago q woman, unknown
to Maggie, and heavily yelled, met her one
night on the street and accused her of being
the wife Of Philip Buergi, o son Of the gro
Ger at No. 1.6OO South Adams street. Mag
gle denied it, but the woman insisted that
there had been a secret marriage. She said
further that she had o better right to him
than Maggie, and threatened to have her
life.
Tuesday night, two weeks after the above
occurrence, an attempt was made to poison
her. After all the family had eaten supper
OF DR.. Johnson's, Maggie sat down to hers
She noticed a bitter taste about the tea, and
sat the cup by. Upon enptying the teapot,
when she came to wash the dishes, she found
| o vial labeled iaudannm in it.
The next evening as she was walking OF,
| Adams street, near Chase's mill, some I'M
| known person threw acid in her face. She
was taken into Mrs. Eckley's store, near by,
| where she lay for some time in an insensible
| condition. II
Another similar attempt was made at DR..
Johnson's house the next night. The acid
was thrown into her face upon her opening
I the kitchen door. The perpetrator made
good his or her escape by the back way.
From this attempt until the abduction the
girl enjoyed short season Of immunity nm
til She was kidnapped, Thursday night; but
she lived in hourly dread, and never suffered
tho door to remain unlocked, except as she
was obliged to pass in and out about her
work.
The police were put in possession of the
facts yesterday, but the scent is rather q cold
one, and il is scarcely probable that they
will succeed in dispelling the mystery that
surrounds the case. @ ..s#
After q little research they will most likely
issue a pronunciamento that the whole story
is a fabrication, as they have done in other
cases where depredators gave them the
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