Jamestown weekly alert. [volume] (Jamestown, Stutsman County, D.T. [N.D.]) 1882-1925, 1889-10-17
The Story Of an Abduction.

The Story Of an Abduction.
There is woman now in the city.who
in her broken English, tells an interest
ing and pathetic story OF a mother'slove
and fruitless search for a long lost
child. .....-,
Ten years ago last March rowing.
maraudlng band of Indians we're camped
in Otter Tail county, Minnesota, near the
happy but humble home Of Mr.. and
Mrs. Carlson. A little four year old boy
of the Carlsons was contentedly playing
in his baby way, on the grass plot which
surrounded the imperfect shelter which
his parents called home. A struggling
squaw spied the child. With that un-
controllable impulse peculiar to the yet
uncivllized aborigines, she seized tue
child and carried it back to the camp.
When night approached and the s|aby's
absence was noted, it. was found that the
Indian band had quietly folded up their
tents and stolen away. And with them
the child also disappeared.
Mr.. and Mrs. Carlson made what
search they could with the limited means
at their command, but for a number Of
years not clue rewarded their persist
ent efforts. Still the loss of the child
weighed heavily on the family and the
parental affection for the lost one seem
ed rather to increase than diminish with
the fleeting years.
The grief of the Carlsons, unassuaged
by time, served to keep green in the
memory Of their neighbors the story Of
the kidnapping. About two or three
years ago one of the families residing i'll
the neighborhood removed from Otter
Tall colsntY Mimi. to Bottinesalg county,
Dakota There, it seems, was the home
OF the tribe OF Indians to which the
kidnapping band belonged. There, too,
it seems. were the remaining members
Of the band then residing, and there
they had taken the stolen child on that,
to the Carlsons, woeful night, when un-
der cover of the darkness they retraced
their course towards the setting sun.
But to return-the neighbors few
months ago discovered young Carlson.
now grown to be a bright and supple lad
OF fourteen. They identified him how
it does not appear, but the Identification
was complete and unmistakable. Quick
ly as Uncle Sans inadequate postal ia
cil1ties could do so, the glad tidings were
conveyed to the parents in Minnesota
The husband, then sitting on jury in
an important case, could not get away.
But the impatient mother could brook
no delay. She determined to 90 alone
and at once. Collecting what little
money they could cOmmand--enOngh she
thought for the journey-she set out
for Bottineau county. But on arrival
there she was doomed to meet with
disappointment, and an obstacle
which she had never contemplated
She found the child but was dis
appointed in the expectation that all
that would be necessary for her to do
would be to claim her boy and take him
away The boy was living with a bache'
lor named Miller, a man whom she was
! told had formerly been Catholic priest
but for some reason had been excommu
nicated. He refused to give him up
claiming that he had brought him from
/ Chicago some six years previously.
Mrs. Carlson's repeated demands fol
her boy were met by Miller with persis
tent refusals to give him up. Finally
becoming convinced that the courts were
her only resort, she left Bottineau coun
| ty and set out out for jamestown to sec
Judge Rose. Long before her journey
was completed her money gave ont. Fol
two long days she plodded along the
weary way with only her mothers love
to keep her heart light, while her feet
! grew ever heavier. When she reached
/ jamestown she found that Judge Rose
was at Deadwood attending the supreme
court. There was nothing for her to dc
| but to remain until he returned. She
was without means, and on application
for aid was cared for, by County Com
missioner J. j. Eddy and wife, to whom
she told her story as above outlined.
When Judge Rose returns Mrs. Carl
son will at once apply for an order from
the court, citing Miller to appear anc
show cause why he should not deliver
up the boy.
The seed Wheat Matter.