The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1889-03-11

BABY SPELLMAN.
The Story Of Its Alleged Abduction Told BY
the People Charged with the Crime.

CHICAGO, March 1O.-George Henney
and wife. who abducted little Lucy SPELL
man, of Kansas City, on Feb. 26, were ar
rested in Chicago to-day. They were found
in ''furnished-room" house, No. 80 West
Madison street, with the child in their pos
session. The case was first published as an
episode likely to give rise to an inter-
national question between the English
government and the new administration at
Washington. Henney and his wife are
English and English subjects, and it was
thought they left Kansas City for the old
country with the eighteen-months-Old
child, thinking that if they could place the
ocean between it and its mother they were
safe. Daisy Spellman, the mother
of the child, Immediately notified
the police in Kansas City up
on discovering that the Henneys
had gone. The police in New York were
telegraphed to intercept the kidnapers, and
descriptions were sent to all other Ameri-
can cities. Secretary Blaine was inter-
viewed in Washington as to the inter
national bearing of the case, and all the
newspapers in the country printed his state
ment. Agent Mcmillan, of the Kansas City
after prosecuting an unsuccessful search
for the missing child and the abductOrs, re-
turned, late Saturday. night, to Kansas
City. Unmindful of this hubbub, it ap-
pears that for the last few days Henney has
been repairing the oorcasings and window
frames In the house at S44 West Adams
street, where DR.. Phillips lives. Shortly
after noon to-day Mrs. K. nj. Roundy went
to the Desplaines-street police station and
gave information that the Henneys were
rooming with her in Madison street. An
officer at once went with Mrs. Roundy and
placed the abductors under arrest.
Henney. had registered his correct
upon namsd Ms HSsndys S SsnS book 70 1Ps Ss
officer. Two hours later Mrs. Henney was
seated in the cell corridor at the station,
with the baby in her arms, while her hus-
band was pacing back and forth on the
fellow. with typical British mutton-chop
whiskers He was greatly excited, and
burst out crying during an interview. His
wife is tall. and thin, and dark. She has
black eyes, very sharp and bright thick
looking middle-aged woman. Both use the
cOckney accent.
II had just read the papers when the Off
Ger came," said Henney so when he COM
menced asking me questions, told him
with him. God knows this is the first time
was ever in trouble. never meant to do
any wrong, and my wifei is as good woman
as lives: We love the child, and have
own. That's all the truth there is to the
story they tell about us. Abduction or kid
naping never entered our heads"
Hit never entered hour 'eads," repeated
Mrs. Henney.
Il came to this city to get work" said the
man, lust as any wOrkingman would come
had been thinking about it some time,
and came on the spur of the moment, just
as any man would who felt the response
bility of q family"
"How about the baby?n he was asked.
The whole story is very easily told. 1
am a carpenter by trade, and did not have
good luck in Kansas City, and was glad to
earn money in any honest way. Some time
last July we read an advertisement in q
paper for boarding place for q child. We
answered it, but heard nothing more until
nearly two months. On Sept. s, q woman
called upon u.s."
had taken from his vest pocket. ON it was
an ltemiZed statement of the baby's board
bill with dates and figures.
1--WE agreed to board the baby for 50 a
week, and two days later, Sept TO- the
| woman brought the dear little child. The
| woman who brought little Lucy was not
| Daisy Spellman, but Daisy Spellman's
| mother. l do not know her name. Her
| first husband was Spellman, but she married
! again. We kept the baby until Oct. 16, and
during that time we grew to love it. Its
| mother visited it once or twice a week. but
| not Oftener. She is not married, and re-
| ceives letters addressed Miss Daisy Spell
| man. Once she told my wife that the
child's father wanted to get it, but that it
was not to be given up to him on any ac-
count. She would never tell the fathers
name.0
II don't think shc cared very much for
| the baby-not as much as she should care, v
broke in Mrs. Henney.
''On Oct. 16, the child's grandmother
| again called upon us. She said she was
| starting for California, and wanted to take
the baby with her. We gave her the baby,
but she returned with it in few days. on
Oct. p and begged and prayed my wife to
keep it. We did not want TO do so very
much, because there was $40 owing on the
baby's board. She then told us TO take il
! and keep it for our own, and to this we con-
sented. So we left on Thursday, and in
tended to come to this city. We never
| thought of going to England. / came
through, on Thursday morning on pas
senger. train, and my wife and the baby
| started the next night"
Inspector Elliott, of the police. says the
Henneys will be kept confined until the
| Kansas City authorities are heard FROM
However, no charge will be entered against
them. Inspector Elliott says further that
Agent McNillen. of Kansas City, told him
the mother would not prosecute the Hen
neys, and only wished to recover her child