Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1889-02-21

dignifed bearing almost comical in one
so young. We all took great interest in
her, but she never by any word led us to
suspect that she had been abducted. One
day lady visitor at the institution who
had already noticed the girl forgot it,
and again patting her on the head said:
Sand who is this little girlf"
"Tf you please, I'm the same little
GIRL answered Annie demurely.
Thursday two ladies, one of them
Mrs. Harper, came to visit the institution,
Mrs. Harper had lived next to the Red
monds, on State street, for seven years
and knew Annie well. Mrs. Harper now
lives at 5,e48 Wentworth avenue. In
passing through the ward where Annie
was she was struck by her appearance.
As she passed on she thought the child
looked very much like Annie Redmond.
She said so to her com panion and turned
back to speak to her.
"'What's your name, little oneP' asked
the lady.
"'Flora Dell Gurley.'"
"'What's your other name?'
" Annie Redmond answered the child
simply, with apparently an utter jndiffer-
ence to the import of the question.
"'Do you know me?' asked the visitor.
"'Yes, you are Mrs. Harper said the
child calmly.
OF course immediate steps were taken
to verify the good news, but it was de-
cided TO keep it from the newspapers if
possible, under the idea that publication
might interfere with the arrest of Mrs.
Gurley.
The story that Annie told of her alb
duction was that she was out on the
prairie one day, playing with Mrs. Har
per's children, when lady dressed in
black came along. She seemed attracted
by the children and finally offered Annie
some penn les TO go with her and buy
some candy. Annie went with the lady
to some place on State street, where her
abductor, who proved to be Mrs. Gurley,
kept her hidden. 1t was not very far
from where she was playing, for Annie
remembers walking there. She said she
was kept locked up in the cellar in the
day time, and if she cried she was whip
ped, SO she did not cry after the first day
or so. She was taken out to walk at
night and did not suffer severely except
when she was tied up, but eve- then she
was afraid to cry.
From State street Annie says they
moved to School street, from there to
Sixty-third street and from there to
Throop street, between Sixty-ninth and
SEVENTEEN, where they were living at the
time of Mrs. Gurley's arrest for cruelty
to her. This cruel treatment consisted
of leaving her tied up in tbs basement
all day long.
From Annie's story the Guriey's must
have been in rather poor circumstances,
as Grandma Pearson" presumably Mrs.
Gurley's mother, used to come and see
| them very often and bring them food.
About week ago man who it was
said was Mr.. GQriey called at the home
and asked to see Flora Dell GurIey, but
was refused the permission asked because
he did not have an order from the
Humane society. He was young man,
not over 80, was well dressed, and is de-
scribed as quite good looking. It was
understood that some friend had paid ] S
fine at the Bridewell and he had {, once
called to get possession of the child if
possible.
The two ladies who had identified little
Annie we're kept at the home until late
hour Thursday night, but the chief was
notified and at at once sent Lieut.. Gerald
Starke of the Twenty second stree.
station to the home active measures
we're taken to apprehend Mr.. and Mrs
| Gull
! The mother, Mrs. Redmond, called for
her daughter yesterday morning, accom-
panied by two gentlemen. She was ont
wardly calm, having exhausted all the
possibilities of passion ere this, but she
at once recognized her daughter and
clasped her fervently in her arms. The
! little one at that time did not show much
emotion, but what she did show was OF
unallowed pleasure, and it was with very
contented air, as if she had always known
something of the kind would OCCUR, that
she res ,onded to her mothers eu brace
The most excited OF the party was Mrs
Harper, who danced up ana down in 6
fever of delight, and finally was so much
overcome by her feelings that she had al
attack of chills and fever.
The child on xbeing asked who hel
mother was, at once responded: "Mamms
Redmond" and in other ways the identi
fication was go complete and satisfactory
that the officers of the institution at once
discharged hef end sent her home with
her mother, whose almos5 sto1cal com
posure was fast giving way when she lief
the home and tears of Joy chased eacf
other down her cheeks as she tightly
clutched the little les hand and trudgeC
off to the home so long desolate by little
| Armies absence.