National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1881-01-26
A KIDNAPPING STORY.
ALLEGED ATTEMPTED ABDUCTION.
SensationalsStory at the Baltimore and Poto'
mac Depot, and What Came Of It
Ida Sears Turns Up Again
In a New Role.

Loungers about the Baltimore and Potomac de-
pot and the passengers and train men on the New
York express were eyewitness to frst-class
sensation last night when woman, heavily yelled
and dressed in deep mourning, pushed through
the crowd, accompanied by Detective James Me-
Dewitt and demanded the arrest of a lady and gen
tleman, who, together with neatly dressed little
GIRL were about entering car. The yelled woman
stated that these people were going to take her niece
to Philadelphia for an improper purpose, and she
wanted them detained. OF course the parties were
soon surrounded by an interested multitude, see
ing which, McDeyit suggested that the complain
antand her friendswalk Overto Police Headquarters
and settle the matter. All the parties agreed to
this arrangement and allowed the train to move
out of the depot without them. Upon arriving at
Police Headquarters the woman threw her veil
lar features OF Ida Sears, the cause OF several
jealous lovers quarrels about five years ago. Her
story was that the gentleman and lady were not
where they kept an improper house. Last We'd
nesday they came to Washington on visit to her
father and mother, who were the grandparents
their life in Philadelphia induced her niece, the
little girl found in their company, to consent to
accompany them when they returned home. She
had protested against her going, but it seemed of
no avail; and as she knew the course of life she
would pursue she had determined to stop her.
All arrangements were perfected yesterday even
ing for her leaving, but she followed the party to
the depot and secured their detention. All this
time the parties interested kept quiet in the
McDeviu for their side of the story the gentleman
stated that was an outrage in OBTAINING him, but
sun ne would be willing to await the arrival OF the
husband of the woman making the complaint, if
word could be sent him. He was telephOned for,
and the parties possessed themselves in patience
awaiting his arrival
The gentleman's side of the story was to the
effect that he was detective officer in Philadel-
phia and legally married to the lady in his COM
pany. She was cousin of the little girl, and upon
finding how she was treated here he had decided
to take her back with him, where her brother, who
desired to be united to his sister. was now stop
ping; Both their parents were dead, and they had
lived with their grandparents until about two
years ago, when the boy went to live with an
aunt in Philadelphia, the mother of his wife. He
had agreed to his wifes proposition to take
the little girl back with them to Phila-
delphia, and had secured the consent of
both grandparents. For some reason, the woman
who had created the scene at the depot was OPP
posed to the girl leaving the house, and while
under the influence of laudanum and liquor had
followed them to the depot and demanded their
arrest In reply to questions by the detective the
little girl who caused all the trouble said she
in her fifteenth year; that she was tired of living
in the house with her aunt in Washington as she
frequently got tight and raised row with her hus-
band. Not later than Sunday night she raised the
neighborhood in which they lived by fighting with
her husband, and her cousin, not relishing such
an examp. for her, told her she could go to Phila
delphia with her if she wanted to. To this she
cheerfuly asSented, as she wanted to see her
brother, from whom she had been separated for
two years, and besides she was tired of her aunt
Ida. The little girl is bright and intelligent and
seemed very much mortified at her presence in the
detective office. Her cousin, neatly dressed young
woman abouttwenty-fve years of age, corroborated
the story in every particular and said that she had
been careful to obtain the consent of her grand
parents to her taking the little girl with her
While she was talking the husband of Ida ap-
peared and seemed very much astonished at the
turn affairs had taken. His wife picked up cour-
age upon his entrance, and, turning to him, re-
peated her story, asking him to substantiate it.
This he declined to do stating that he was not
quainted with all the details whereupon she re-
preached him with being coward, &c, and de-
void of respect for her. The other parties kept
perfectly quiet during this little interchange con-
jugal congratulations but to the knot of reporters
and operators in the office the was very in
tereSting.
Finally the gentleman came over and stated that,
as they had missed the train, it would be well for
the detective 10 accompany them to the residence
of the child's grandparents and ascertain whose
story was correct. A carriage was called and Nc
Dewitt the lady, and gentleman and little girl got
into it and drove off. Ida and her husband, de-
Ginning TO fill up the vacant seat walked up the
Avenue. The grandparents confirmed the story of
the lady and gentleman and the little girl will &C
cordingly be permitted to accompany them to Phil
adelphia this afternoon.