Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1883-11-02

1AAAo @eAeNAAMs
Mrs. Burton W. Trout and Detec,
tive John Hogan, returned to Elmira
on Wednesday from Canton, Pa, bring
ing with them Mrs. Trout's four-year
old daughter, Myrtle A whom they
captured from her father on the Situr
day morning previous.
1t will be remembered that shortly
alter they obtained possession Of the
child they were arrested for abduction
at Columbia Y Roads at the instance
Of Mr.. Trout, who sought to obtain
custody of the little girl The trial
occurred last Tuesday at Canton, John
B. Stanohfeld made an eloquent and
effective plea for the mother, and the
evidence showing that when she was
divorced from her husband the custo-
dy Of the child was awarded to her, the
trial resulting in her favor. Mrs Trout,
who has resumed her maiden name,
Nellie A. Pratt, stopped
AT THE wYcKoFF HOUSE,
while in the city. To a Telegram re.
porter who called upon her last Fri
day she related in detail her struggle
to get possession OF her child as we'll
as the story Of her domestic troubles
while living with her husband. She
was married on the 9TH of April, 1876,
to Burton W. Trout. at SAKE City,
Iowa. Her father Josiah Pratt, was
then and still is prominent mer-
chant in the place, and Nellie both
before and after marriage conducted
a profitable millinery business, started
with money furnished by her father.
Trout was at the time book keeper in
the County Treasurer's Office and was
a man OF some wealth, owning COM
Portable house and four building lots
in the city and a nice farm just out
side. Their wedding was the grand
est affair Of the kind which had ever
taken place there, and they started 10
life with the brightest prospects. But
Trout's incompatibility Of temper, as
claimed by the wife, together with
A sURLY, DIsAGREEABLE MANNER,
soon brought discord and uuhappi-
ness, which increased in violence and
intensity, until she deemed life was
not worth the living under such cir
cumstances. The trouble continued
after the birth Of their child, and flo.
ally eliminated in suit for divorce
After due process Of law divorce pa.
pers were granted to Mrs. Trout, which
also stipulated that she should have
the custody Of the child. This was :
little over year ago. Afterwards
her husband called upon her, she
says, and demanded possession
Of the child, and upon beinI
refused drew a revolver and threat,
ened to shoot both mother anC
daughter. Help was at hand, how
ever, before the threat could be car,
ried into execution. But some day
later he succeeded injecting possession
Of the little one, and with it left th,
State, before anything could be don,
to prevent it. She suspected that h,
came to Elmira, and concluded
follow. She found no trace Of bin
here, but still
She WATCHED AND WAITED.
A few months ago she went to Can
isteo, where she secured work at dress
making, boarding with a Mrs. Sayag
and making occasional trips to III
mira During one Of those visits sh
called upon Mrs. Allen, the Wate
street clairyoysDt and spiritualisti
medium She says she did not know
Mrs. Allen, never had seen her before
nor did she state the nature Of her or
rand, merely saying that she was 4
trouble and desired sitting. Durin
} the seance Mrs. Allen, while in III
trance state, ii is alleged, describe
! the child and its father. She talked q
if following them, with her eyes al
/ ways upon them, from city to cit,
; from station TO station, even describ
ing the places through which the
passed, until Elmira was reached
Here o new train was boarded, then
brief ride, just how far was not plair
then wanon ride 10 house
which was minutely described and Ia
journey was over. This seance, wheth
B er there was anything TO it or moi
greatly impressed Mrs. Trout, and sh
D became convinced that
THE OBJECT OF HER SEARCH
was somewhere near Elmira. Ate
I returning 10 Canisteo, sbe learne
what she had never heard before, tba
q brother Of her husband resided .
= Canton, Pa Later she ascertaine
{ that her child had been seen In N
a village. II was then that she secure
! the services Of Detective Hogan
0 They found the child at the house I
D James Croiut, nine miles from Oar
ton. They had previously been warne
9 that they would be shot if they al
tempted 10 take II. After dfiyip
l about the vicinity for several hour
= they observed just after daybreak Sal
: urday morning, Trout going towar
o the barn, As he entered they rushe
+ toward the house, caught up the chilli
placed II in the buggy. and droy
rapidly away. The rest has been tol,
i While the mother was relating M
story little Myrtle was nesting iondl
n on her bosom and both eaemod =,