Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1883-04-21
miscellaneous.
In PeriIs in the civ.

A few weeks ago Young lady. whom
for convenience will call Miss D.. was
walking through one of the upper and
respectable streets of New York, when
her attention was arrested by human
hand thrust through broken pane Of
glass in the window of house The
hand was moving, and as Miss ID. passed
it dropped crumpled piece of paper to
the sidewalk at her feet Miss ID. picked
up the paper and opened it. On it was
written, as with a burnt match, these
words: For Gods sake get me out of this
house before midnight.
Startled by this most singular occur
renee, Miss ID. turned Immediately back
to her horne, and reported 1t to her father.
After some necessary delay her father
| went to the police station, and al officer
was sent with him to make an investiga-
ton.
On reaching the house and ringing the
bell. the men were received with some
! surprise, and informed that it was a pri-
vate house and their story was listened
to with apparent establishment, certainly
with most evident signs of incredulity.
The lady of the house did not know what
to make of such story as that! The
officer could come in and look where he
| liked.
| The two men went in. They found no
suspicious appearances. Ascending to
the room through the broken window OF
which the human hand had been seen. 1t
proved to be unoccupied. There was no
unbroken pane of glass in the window.
But the officer did quietly notice that the
putty enclosing one of the panes was fresh,
as if the pane had been recently set Dis
covering nothing that could warrant an
arrest, or a further inquiry. the men were
finally compelled to go away.
| But they were not satisfied. Suspicion
remained. Later in the day therefore.
they returned to the house, and proceeded
to make "A more thorough search OF the
premises. And this was what at last they
found.
| Down in the cellar three young girls,
half dead with fright. One of them said
she was the girl who had broken the pane
of glass in the window of the room where
she was locked up. and had dropped the
crumpled piece of paper with the writing
on it to the lady who was passing. And
this was the story she went on to tell to
the officer.
In the morning of that day, she said
she was going through that street, when
the door OF this house suddenly opened.
and a well-dressed and entirely respects
BILE looking woman rushed out, in state
of great excitement, and called to her.
my child is taken suddenly and violently
ill.," said the woman, ''the servants are
out, and have nobody to send for the
doctor. Would you be willing to gop"
Who would, who could, refuse such a
request under such circumstances Ger
tainly, the girl said, she would 90.
well, come In them" said the woman,
land will give you the doctors address"
The girl little suspecting the terrible
trap which had been set for her, assembled
the steps and went in. No sooner was
she in than the door was sprung upon her !.
In an instant the truth flashed upon her
mind. She was prisoner; for what in
famous purpose the reader can readily
imagine. She was conducted to the room
above and locked in, like victim to be
delivered up to sacrifice. In her horror
over her situation, she broke the glass,
and threw her cry for help out of the win
dow. 1t was her only chance. And it
saved her.
| Her companions in the cellar had had
somewhat similar experiences. What a
| utu IL Was w HdI thCiC diO III hu-
man form A few hours more and it
would have been too late. And this in
plain daylight. in a respectable thorough
fare. in the year of our Lord 1888.
Thus it is that innocent young souls are
hurled into the waters and swallowed up
with no one to save. How many "mys-
FERROUS disappearance" receive by such
an incident as this their explanation.
1t is true story, and one that | felt
ought to be told as warning to young
girls of "perils in the cities ~ ga.