Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1886-11-25
KIDNAPPED.

has been pIacticed for hundreOs oi
yeaIs. There are doubtless to-day I'D
this country score Or more OF Charley
Ross cases, but as the parents are not
rich and prominent, and the search not
aided by legislative action and the unit
ed press they are seldom heard of by the
great public.
The case of Willie Albright, an Eng
lish lad, was full of strange adventures.
He lived at Sheffield with his parents
until five years of age. His father was
employed in great factory there ana
his mother was a dressmaker for the
neighborhood. They lived in cottage
in the suburbs of the town, and at the
age of four the boy was permitted To
run about the neighborhood a good
deal. At FIVE, when he was kidnapped,
he was sent to the stores to make pur-
chases, and knew all the streets clear
to the factory in which his father work
ed. One day in 1861, about 2o'clock in
the afternoon, he was sent to store
three blocks away after some buttons.
Before ne reached it a strange man ac-
costed him and asked his name. lie
then gave Willie some sweetmeats and
| asked him to go and look at Punch
and Judy show ia the town, promising
to return with him in half hour. The
boy eagerly set off with him, and was
taken to the railroad depot and placed
on a train in charge Of a middle-aged
woman who gave HIM some more sweet
meats and was very kindly spoken. Size
said the show had moved away ana
they were going after It., and the mover
ty of the child's position prevented him
feeling any anxiety. When the detec-
tives came to take the case up, as they
did two days after the boy disappeared,
tbey got no clue whatever. Although
he had walked mile or two hand In
hand with the abductor along crowded
streets. NOBODY remembered seeing the
pair. They had gone openly to the
railroad station, but no one there had
noticed them. The guard on the train
dimiy remembered woman and a child
in a compartment, but could give no
description. AS the Albrights were
poor and lowiy, no great stir was Great
ed, and no great effort was made by the
detectives to restore the boy to his par
eDtS.
The boy was taken from Sheffield to
Liverpool, being so well treated on the
way that he had no thought or his
home. at Liverpool he was told that
his name was John Manton, and that
the woman was his mother. When he
disputed the point he was soundly
whipped. His hair were cut close, his
dress entirely changed, and a hquld
was rubbed on his skin which turned IL
dark. Except when he asked TO go
home, or denied that his name was
John Manton, he was kindly treated,
and after he had been beaten seven or
eight times he accepted the new name,
and ceased to refer to his parents.
Young as he was this was stroke OF
policy on his part. lie realized that he
had been stolen from home and he kept
repeating to himself that his true name
was Willie Albright. and that he lived
at Sheffield.
After a couple of. weeks lessons in
tumbling and tight-rope walking were
given TO the boy. He was never per-
mitted to 60 out alone or to converse
with strangers. and it soon came natu'
raj for him to call the woman mother
In the course of a couple of months the
past seemed dream to him, and be
would have forgotten all about it had
.. he not kept repeating TO himself: 81
am not Johnny Manton, but Willie AL
bright, and they stole me away from
Sheffield" He was in Liverpool SIX
weeks before he knew the name OF the
city. When he had been taught no"
to dance, sing, tumble, and walk
:. tight rope-a matter of three months
' time-he was taken around the country
with a small show, which the woman
!. owned in part. The novelty of trave
was so agreeable that he almost forgo
his situation, and was for two or three
wears quite coutent. There was no on'
to teach him how to read or write, bu
he was quick witted, and could reason
beyond his years. He had hopes that
the show would some day reach Shef
O field, and he would slip out and rur
J, home but the people of course CAREFUL.
avoided the place. Once, when the.
: were showing al Doncaster,a few mile
, away, Willie observed a man who's
face had a familiar look, gazing at hin
8 ia an honest manner, and present..
heard him say to j friend:
1.-THE laddie keeps me thinking of tn
child who was stolen away from neigh
= Dor Albright; hut of course it can't b
the one."
). The boy was about to call out ina
his name was Willie Albright, Whe
the woman, who always kept an eagl
eve on him, came closer, and intimidat
IL ed him. The show then hurridly pack
ed up and left the place. The boy no.
realized more fully than ever that hi
it RIGHT name was Albright, and that