Stevens County tribune. (Morris, Minn.) 1877-1880, 1879-01-09

Inc feoPIa transcript pubt1sheS the 1od-
lowing remarkable story:
For some weeks past there has been living
at DIR. I. w. Johnson's, No. 10 South Mad
ison street, a servant. girl named Maggie
Lahre. She is German, is 10 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
o'clock, went to Mr.. Benton's grocery, on
the corner of Fulton and Madison streets,
almost directly opposite the police station.
She wore light shawl about her head and
no other wraps. At the corner, by the
grocery, she was knocked down and
put into a sleigh by two men
in masks. They drove with her in an in
sensible condition until they were nearly
outside the city limits on Elizabeth street.
Then, becoming conscious, she screamed for
help, and the rufians forced some drug into
her mouth and gagged her to prevent any
further outcry. 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 tree and set fire to
her clothes, evidently intending her destruc-
ton. But they were interrupted in 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 extinguishing 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
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.
Yesterday morning DR.. johnson was no
fed of the whereabouts of the girl, and of
some of the circumstances attending her dis
appearance. He drove out to where she was
and brought her back with him in his coupe,
leaving her at the reeidence of her parents,
No. PIT Merriman street.
ALI day yesterday she lay unable to speak,
but in full possession of her senses. Much
of the above related facts we're 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. ar. .-E Eg 81.
In connection with the incidents attending
the abduction, there are other circumstances
related by the family which involve the case
in still deeper and darker mystery. 1t makes
the story as thrilling as the adventure of a
heroine of fiction.
About seven weeks ago woman, unknown
to Maggie, and heavily yelled, met her one
night on the street and accused her of being
the wife of Philip Buergi, son of the gro
Ger at No. 1900 South Adams street. Mag
gle denied it, but the woman insisted that
| there had been secret marriage. She said
further that she had a 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
at DR.. Johnson's, Maggie sat down to hers.
She noticed bitter taste about the tea, and
sat the cup by. Upon emptying the teapot,
when she came to wash the dishes, she found
vial labeled laudanum in it.
The next evening as she was walking on
Adams street, near Chase's mill, some IN
known person threw acid in her face. She
was taken into Mrs. Eckley's store, near by,
condition. ~
Another similar attempt was made at DR..
Johnson's house the next night. The acid
was thrown into her face upon her opening
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 IN
til she was kidnapped, Thursday night; but
she lived in hourly dread, and never suffered
the 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 cold
one, and it is scarcely probable that they
will succeed in dispelling the mystery that
surrounds the case. Il fLE
After little research they will most likely
issue pronunciamento that the whole story
is fabrication, as they have done in other
cases where depredators gave them the
slip.