Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1883-09-14
A STOLEN CHILD.
How II Mas Found After Many
.- Years. =
HAPPY SEQUEL OF AN ABDUCTION
A Remarkable Story of Love, Marriage
and Subsequent 0esertion A
Stepfathe1s Long Search
Ends at Last.

i @hAS ~ SeSN-
Sr. Louis, September ia romantic
story of love and demostic infelicity, end:
ing in divorce, the abduction of q lovely
child, the subsequent marriage OF its
mother and Yesterdays recovery of her Off
spring, is an affair involving parties Of
high social and professional standing in
Chicago, Louisville and finally in St. Louis
county.
Some ten years ago, Edward Malone, at
that time rising, young attorney Of the
bluegrass region Of Kentucky, married the
reigning belle Of that section, handsome
young lady, then less than sixteen years
| Of age. After an extended wedding tour
the couple returned home. Mr.. Malone
soon became engrossed in the practice Of
Entering political life, however, there
came radical change in the aspiring at
torney. Indifference and neglect OF his
wife, she alleges, grew to il.treatment, and
| violent abuse at times. On one OF these
| occasions he is charged with having stabbed
his wife in the arm and in the side, where
| the scars were seen yesterday by lady
| friend who heard the wife's narrative.
About the time of this trouble girl baby
was born, and somewhat happier relations
followed between the couple, but the
change was temporary, and the divorce
court was sought as last resort by the
wife. She obtained decree of separation
| from her husband and the custody OF her
| child.
Mrs. Malone was lady Of stately grace
and personal charms, winning her
A Host OF Admirers,
whose attentions to the baby were but
! manifestations of regard for its mother.
During this period OF her life Mrs
Malone made her home al the residence cf
her mother in Louisville, KY, where she
was married to Mr. George Palmerton, An
influential business man Of Chicago.
This union made a new home for Mrs.
| Palmerton and her little girl, then about
! four years Of age, at Chicago. The first
c'oud over her second matrimonial venture
was the death Of her mother as Louisville.
| She dotted on her grandChild, and it was
quite natural the mother should take the
| little one 10 the funeral.
Arriving at the cemetery, Mrs. Palmer.
ION left her child in the carriage while she,
18th other relatives and friends, gathered
around the grave to pay their last tribute
Of respect TO the departed. Returning to
the carriags despair was added to Mrs.
PalmPrtor's grief when she found that her
child had been kidnapped. Search was inn
med!ately instituted. Detectives and po.
lice were engaged TO find the missing child,
but for nearly year and g. half her keep
ers kept the little ones whereabouts
secret. Mr.. Palmerton did all that inge-
nuity Or money could do
TO Unravel the Mystery.
Among his intimate friends and near
neighboTs is Mr.. Thomas J. Wells, an attor-
! ney of this city. This gentleman took
deep interest in the affair, as his wife and
Mrs. Palmerfon were the warmest of friends.
1t was mainly through Mr.. Wells efforts
that the child was finally restored to its
mother u appears that the child when
twelve years of age was to fall heir to
legacy of $4,000 be1ueathed to her by
blood relatives of her mother and this, it is
thought. was the main incentive for her
abduction.
Sy on almost endless correspondence
with Mr.. Maione's relatives il was recently
developed that a sister-in-law of his at
| tended the fGneral at Louisville, and quiet.
| ly slipped awav, unnoticed, with the child,
| while the minister was delivering his last
prayer over the remains of its grandmother.
Another lOrg period elapsed before it was
\ ascertained that the sisterin-law had de-
livered the child over to the keeping Of its
grandmother on its fathers side. Then the
| trouble was TO locate the old lady. She
| was somewhere in the South, and that was
all that could 5e learned until finally
| compassionate relative of the Malone family
wrote, saying that the old lady and child
! were making their home with Grandmother
Malooes daughter who is the wife OF DR..
r White. Mr. HalOse who Is now living
| in Tennessee, took no part in the ab1uc-
ton.
What reasons Dr. White had for
Abruptly Leaving the south
is not known beyond the fact that he has
| said the nalarial influences of the climate
| rendered q change of residence necessary
for his wife health. 1T is probably two
months or more since he first made his sp.
pearaBCe at Bridyetown in st. Louis
county, and now resides in dwelling on
James Cohick's farm, about a mile and q
half east from the village, on the Natural
Bridge ROAD. Although a newcomer, he
has built UP considerable practice, and has
now the esteem of neighbors for himself
and family. Becoming pretty well satisfied
that their information was correct Mr..
Wells and Mrs. Pnlmerton resolved to
make visit To DR.. Whites and rescue the
child at all hazards.
They arrived in the south bound kasnas
City express, and upon coufGang their
| mission to a well-known farmer they pro-
cured a vehicle and driver from Louis De
Halter at BridgetoWn. Mrs. Palmerton
showed calmuess ana nerve, tempered with
lduy-llhe ucllcduCE lLsHl NOl ucT
sympathy and support. Getting into the
buggy they were driven directly TO the
White domicile, where the only person
visible was little girl playing in the
| front yard Mrs. Palmerton could scarcely
restrain her eager impetuOusity long
enough for the buggy to reach the house.
Not waiting for it to stop, she bounded
| out and in an instance was fleeing back
| with her child once more in her arms
! Away the rescuers went. the horses on q
| dead run. until the house vanished from
! sight. The recognition between mother
! and child was almost instantaneous, and
! sffeCtiug 10 degree. Mr. Wells was al
most besides himself with Joy. He drove
| 10 Ferguson with all possible speed, but,
| failing TO catch a train there, he biFed
! smother conveyance. aud paid liberally 20
! he landed as quick as horses could take
! them to the east end Of the bridge. where,
/ once more on Illinois ground, be would
! bid defiance to his pursuers and await the
| first tram north. Mother aud child are by
Il