Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1880-07-30
AN ABDUCTED DAUGHTER.
And n MOrther's search for Her Kid
mapped child Discovery and Reun-
ION After n separation OF Three
Yenrk.
Cincinnati Enquirer,

Romances in real life are not of III
common occurrence, for they are dali
being woven but one came to the know
edge of an Enquirer reporter to-dG96Ns lass
more than usual beauty and tendmoth.
rs developed in the case betw4 oives a
er and child. The conclSnr natures
finish to all that is betterotion. sooner
and proves that truGit
or later, bears rieRd in McCordsville,
The scene Y north Of the city, and
same fow nlenounme mt now to be
sne .d,np9l% only Of very recent occur.
leuoiu 5assing over the marriage of
elicc' tiles Of the first part-the bride,
Wy lighter Of wealthy citizen, and the
~ band, lifelong acquaintance, but
reckless habits-a little girl was
corn, which grew into most lovable
disposition, and 1T the age Of = years
was the idol of her mother and grand
parents. BY this time the reckless
habits of the father had grown upon
him until ii was ended in domestic
separation, followed by q divorce suit
in favor Of the wife, Mrs. Mary King,
with custody Of the child, which Ind
been christencd Annie. After the di-
vorcc the former husband still fingered
in the neighborhood, making no effort
ut reconciliation, until suddenly he dis
appercd, and with him little Annie.
The mother was frantic with grief upon
learning That her child had been kid
mapped, and it might be expected, in
stitutcd vigorous search, IN which
she was assisted by her father, who
spared neither money nor time in
tracing the missing one. All their
efforts were unnyaiing, and the anna
tcur detectives who worked for a reward,
and, lastly, Pinkcrtons agency, met
with no better success
Over two years passed in this manner,
and the stricken mother finally resigned
herself to the belief that the separation
wns u final one but she wns somewhat
comfortod with the hope that fathers
love would protect the darling from the
evils of life. The search, however, sal
iaiicd the mother that The postmaster
ut McCordsvillc and the express agent,
who were friends Of her former hus-
band knew something of his where
abouts; but Of this she had no direct
proof, md not the slightest hint could
DO obtained from them, Some six
months ago Mrs. Kings father romcm-
hcred TINT old Pete Huffman, ~ he il
called, now living ut Thorntown, was IN
eS-govcrnmcnt detective, and used to
bc quite successful IN working up in
goniously-COncoctcd crimes. AS II lnst
resort Huffman was taken into conf
dcnce, and To him Mrs. King stated
her suspicious Of the postmaster and
express agent. Acting under his nd
vice, the mother wrote letter to her
former husband, inclosing II loving note
for Annie, and in the letter she was
careful to state that she only wanted to
know of her darling's welfare, and
would be content to learn that shc was
in good health and under careful train
ing This letter was left with the post.
muster, with the request that hc for,
ward il, and while the postmaster ne
ccpted the mission, still lac denied
knowledge of the address.
After many weeks weary waiting IN
answer came, but the absence of post
mnrk upon the letter demonstrated TINT
il hnd been ncloScd in one to the post
master or to some other friend, and de-
livcrod To hereunder Instructions. There
was not the slightest intimntion from
what compass ii had been sent Two
moro letters were exchanged with SINH
lnr results All this limo Huffman
kept in the background, and his identity
was not suspected by tho postmaster
or express agent with whom he had bo-
"a, II,
horse-tmdor, Under his advice Mrs.
King prepared n pcculnrly-mNrkcd
box filled with clothing and knick-
knncks for her child and was delivered
to the agent with instructions similar Ia
those received by the postmaster in the
transmission Of the letters.
Huffman contrvcd to be in the depot
nj the time the box was delivcrcd, which
was received prior to the departure Of
the train, hut instead Of marking the
box and shipping il away, the agent
placed il on one side and there il re-
manned for several days under close
surveillance by Huffman or his repre-
sentative. That Huffman managed
this close surveillance day and night
without attracting suspicion, shows
good work. Ono morning, when the
detective was almost on the point Of
despairing in the success of his scheme,
the agent WINS observed boarding the
indianapolis train with the box under
his nrnl, Huffman followed, renewed
negotiations Oh n horse trade. and, to
his ehagrin, found the box still undi-
rooted lie wnsconlidcnt, nevertheless,
that some disposition would he made
Of il That would lead e. success and
upon arrival ut the Union depot he
caused the agent to be Swallowed from
one street 10 another, until he finally
stopped nj an express office, paid the
charges, and painted ON the lid; Pro
hnseo Thomas Platte city, Mo. This,
then, was the assumed name, and this
the address for which anxious parties
have been searching for nearly three
years, A telegram from Huffman
brought the mother and grandfather to
this city, and, armed with the order OF
court, but determined to have the little
one ut all hazards, the three started ON
the fast express for Missouri Arriving
Ut Platte City, Huffman enlisted the
snrvipn4 nf film nnlfpn ,hipr md fur say.