Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1881-08-03
KIDNAPPED BY GYPSIES.

| Snyder, the nine-year- black-eyed,
black-haired boy, from the residence of
his uncle, III. VI. Laws, 3l4 Pearl ST,
Camden, on July 4, which has already
been published in the newspapers, re-
ceived what is believed to be an all-im-
| pOrtant clue in a rather startling reve-
lation yesterday. Heretofore it has
been supposed that he was drowned,
but the return to Camden of another
lost boy who disappeared three days
| after Charlie Snyder puts an entirely
new face on the affair and makes it al
most certainty that the lost boy is
now, with two other lads, being car
rried about the country by band Of
gypsies. This boy who has returned
| tells remarkable story. His name is
Joseph NJ Day, aged thirteen years,
and his parents live at No $50 Bridge
avenue The boy is bright, deep
eyed, white-headed, honest-looking lad,
| of a very domestic temperament and
fond of books. On Thursday, July I,
between 10 and ] ] O'Clock in the morn
ing. he was seated on the front steps of
his fathers house, reading, when an
Italian came along with a monkey and
hand-orgaD. Boy-like he threw down
his book and started after this musical
attraction, which he followed to the
outskirts of the city. This was the
last seen of him in Camden still Satur-
day last. The boys story is that after
he had left the organ-man and had
reached on his return point near Had
don avenue and Federal street, where
houses are scarce and pedestrians few,
large gypsy wagon drawn by four
black horses drove up the road. If
there was one thing the boy was more
afraid of than another it was gypsies,
and he instantly started on run in an
other direction. Before he had gone
far he says two Of the men who had
jumped out of the wagon overlook him
and quick as flash thrust cloth over
his mouth, and thus gagged, carried
him to the wagon and threw him in
and drove rapidly away. After they
had got some distance out on the road
they removed the gag and warned the
boy that if he made any noise they
would knock his brains out. Thus ad-
monished, the lad concluded the best
thing to do was to keep quiet, and he
did so.
THREE STOLEN CHILDREN.
Now comes the strangest part of the
story In the wagon were four gypsy
men and four gypsy women and two
gypsy boys and two boys who were
not gypsies. These latter boys he de-
scribes minutely. One had black eyes
and black hair and both were about
eight years old. They sat in the back of
the wagon, looking over picture book
which the gypsies had given them.
He says he knows they were not gypsy
boys from the difference in the appear
ance between them and the other two
boys, who had the unmistakablv dirty
gypsy look. The black eyed boy,
he saws, wore button CATERS, which
with the other details, describes exact
ly the appearance of little Charlie
Snyder, who disappeared three days
before
The way in which the boy escaped
is described by him in most natural
and vivid manner. They travelled all
the rest of the day and got through
Mount Holly and were near Jobstown
when night came on. The gypsies
drove into meadow, and dismOunting
pitched tent as large as good-sized
room. Several of the men then went
to a potato field, while others lighted
fire with which they presently cooked
some meat and boiled the potatoes
which had been stolen. The other
boys seemed contented with their lot
aud capered about the tent until after
supper when the whole party lay
down to sleep After they had all
begun to snore the lad, who had lain
down but had never closed his eyes,
got up stealthily and crawling over to
a spot where he had seen one of the
women drop knife, with which she
had been cutting meat, secured 1T and
crept back to his place. Then turning
and laboring quietly and looking around
every moment to see that no one was
watching he dug up three or four of
the tent stakes, and by this means rails
ed the edge of the canvas sufficiently
for him to squeeze his body through,
which act was not accomplished any
too soon for when he came to the last
stake he broke his knife and rendered
it useless for further work
LIBERTY WELL EARNED.
After gaining the open air he ran
through the hay field to the road and
looking about in the darkness saw q
light, which he supposed to be at q
farmhouse. Going along the road un-
til he reached the light he came to the
house of Mr. Huston, who, upon
hearing the story, went with him to
the gypsy camp and commanded the
to go away. Returning to
the house the farmer gave the boy sup
per and lodging and upon questioning
him next day learned that he had an
uncle living at Monmouth Junction, q
few miles distant. The boy was kept
at the farmhouse all next day, or until
when he was taken to his
uncle's and information sent to his
at Camden of his safety Word
was sent back that the boy should be
kept until sent for and on Tuesday
Mrs. Day went and brought him home.
Since then he has been visited by rela-
tives of the Snyder boy and in con-
which he had with Mr.. Sny-
der described the appearance of one of
the boys in the wagon in such man.
ner that the father firmly believes him
to be his missing son. A detective
from Mount Holly visited the Day boy
yesterday for the purpose of learning
his story and of gaining clue to the
of the gypsies, who were
to be within twelve miles OF