The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-06-24
STOLEN AND SOLD.
A baltimore Child Sold for $500 to a
Woman of VIE Reputation.

heen brought TO light through Fuller s
detective agency of this city, and young
woman restored to her parents after an
absence of many years. just nine years
aDo this May, there resided in Baltimore q
dealer in fancy goods and notions named
Richard Hapgood, with his wife and two
interesting children, a boy and a girl, re-
gpectively aged 6 and s years. The girl,
whose name was Isabelle, was one
evening playing around the garden
in front of her home when she was ap-
uroached BY a woman who spoke kindly to
her and induced her to stroll short dis
lance from the house. That evening when
Isabelle failed to appear, search was made
for her, but without avail The following
dav it was learned that a woman wearing a
heavy veil was seen accompanied by little
girl Of Isabelle's description going toward
the railroad depot. Mrs HaDgood employed
detectives to overtake the woman, who, it
was learned, had got of the train about
seventy-five miles fom Baltimore. Here
all further trace Of her was lost
The mother of Isabelle was almost broken
hearted at her disappearance and remained
confined to her bed for almost a month. at
the expiration of which time, although the
woman was not yet 30 wears of age. her
former luxuriant head of black hair had be-
come completely gray. Almost a year
later, one morning upon opening his mail.
Mr.. Hapgood came across a letter, written
in almost an undecipherable hand and
dated at Baton Rouge, La, reading as fol
lows:
Mister Hapgood-You never done mo
wrong, and as know de lord almighty will
call ell akontable for dey sins dey commit |
will tell you yer chile was stole by dat
woman Martha Sims, who used to see at
yer house. / lived with Martha when she
gone and took yer chile and run away and
lef me to go to New Orleans When YOU
sent her away she swore she wood get square
and SO she has. don't want to have any
ting to do wit de dismiss, only seen as how
zee must worry for de little one as gone
am gone to new York, and have done wild
de Soth and Martha Sims, and write YOU
us jest to free my mind towards zee sir.
]. w.
The mention of the child in connection
with the woman Martha Sims at last let
some light upon the abduction of the girl.
Mr.. Hapgood recalled the fact that Martha
was young octoroon not more than %
years old, quite light in complexion and
handsome forone of her race, and that she
had been employed in his house for almost
two years as a chambermaid and nurse.
The woman has a habit of considering
herself almost as important in
the household as her employers wife, and
Mr.. Hapgood noticed that while he treated
her considerably as a servant she at times
acted as though she was DESTROYS of more
familiar recognition from him. For this
the man thought it high time to rid his
household of Miss Martha, and one day paid
her in full and gave her notice that her
services were no longer required. The
pretty octoroon left, vowing she would
make her employer regret the action he had
taken.
Losing no time Mr.. Hapgood dispatched
a detective to New Orleans in quest of the
octoroon, but he failed TO get on her track
Nine long years went by, and during that
time not word was heard of Isabelle
After leaving Baltimore and locating in
this city for six years past, Mr.. Hapgood
learned from a business acquaintance in
Baltimore that some person had been seek
ing him for the purpose Of giving him in
telligence as to the whereabouts of Isabelle
Hapgood. Mr.. Hapgood hurried to Balti
more about a month igo, and there
learned that colo'ed man was
the party mentioned as seeking
him. The man had informed the
present occupantof the Ehpgood's residence
in Baltimore that Isabella could be found in
possession of white wdnan, formerly of
Norfolk. Va. who was Educating and bring
ing her up as her own, lnder the name of
Sarah Hueston, in or mar New York. Mr.
Hapgood came to this dty and made haste
to place the task of recovering his child,
who must now be abott II years of age. in
the hands of. Fuller's detective bureau. With
a photograph of Isabelb just before her dis
appearance, and pretty good account of
the pretty octoroon md her antecedents,
Supt. Fuller personally took up the case
and at once started TO Baltimore to begin
his investigation.
Within thirteen daJs Mr.. Fuller returned
and reported to his Client that he mad traced
every movement Of Martha Sims since
leaving her former Employers house. and
discovered thatshe had abducted Isabelle,
as suspected. The drl he had located in
name of Sarah Hueston. The woman
claiming to b her mother, Mr..
Fuller ascertaind, was none other
than the mistress of we'll
known Sixth avenue business man
of this city, and ormerly proprietor of a
gilded bagnio on Thirty-frs street. Supt.
Fuller last week ecorted Mr.. Hapgood to
the seminary. on she line of the Erie rail-
road. The fethei of Isabelle was kept in
an adjoining room where he could have a
good view of theyoung girl the detective
was to interview The girl was not made
aware of what she was wanted for until
Mr.. Hapgood WIS fully satisfied she was his
long missing child.
Sarah Huestoi as the girl was known at
the seminary, vas then put under close
questioning as b her memories of her earlier
life. The girl ecollected well the day she
was taken from her home in Baltimore by
the young octoioon woman and her arrival
In New Orleans; then her travelling to the
north and being compelled to work as a
servant with tie octoroon, who represented
she was her amt, and finally her being
placed in the care of the white lady, who
treated her kindly, and whom she has since
been told wtB her mother This lady.
the girl explained, had cared
for her for ever six years. Upon her
left wrist was noticed an ugly scar, as if
from cut. This the girl explained was
received in light her octoroon abductress
had in preventing a colored man, who fire.
quently called upon her, from taking her
away. avowiIg that he would send the girl
back to Baltimore. This incident seemed
TO indicate that the colored man alluded to
must have ben the party signing himself
-. W." who first communicated the fact
that the Sims woman had the child in her
possession to Mr.. Hapgood.
The mlstressof the Sixth avenue business
man who had adopted Isabelle Hapgood
was next visitai, and she produced a writ
ten document ngned by Martha Sims as
the foster-mothsr of Isabelle, which showed
that as a consideration for the full sur
render of the grl she had received $500
cash.
However, Iittli persuasion induced that
woman to express her willingness for the
,,qA -s,-lk