St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-09-25
sOURED ON HER SPOUSE.
Mrs. Gurley Confesses to the Alb
ductiOn of the Redmond Child.


ductiOn of the Redmond Child.
JOLIET, ILL.,, Sept. 24.-Mrs. Josie
Gurley, who was convicted of abduct
ing little Annie Redmond and sentenced
to Joliet prison for five years for the
crime, has made confession, which,
she claims, is the only true story regard
ing the abduction of the Redmond
child. Mrs. Gurley had just been in-
formed of Harvey Gurley's incarcer-
alton in Wisconsin for bigamy, and her
anger against Gurley, to save whom
from prison she had perJured herself,
she said led to the confession. Her
story in brief follows: Prior to the abb
duction, friend of Harvey Gurley.
named Dick Ryan, Gurley, Mrs. Par
sons and Annie Allen, were, in cOnnec-
ton with man named MCGEE, of To-
ledo, o.. getting up theatrical CONF
pany. MCGEE wrote them that to COM
bright little girl, who could learn to sing
and dance. Acting upon this, Ryan
1-2s PLANNED THE ABDUCTION
of the Redmond child. Annie Allen
was not an actress. but was stage-struck,
and the conspirators agreed to secure
her a place in the troupe for her aid in
stealing the child. Gurley was prom
ised 500 by Ryan for his services in
committing the crime. On the day Of
the abduction the child came out to
play about 10 o'clock, and was soon Ell.
ticed away by Annie Allen, who was
met further down the street by Gurley
and Mrs. Parsons. Here carriage
was in waiting, and the four entered
and were driven to the home of Mrs.
Parsons. In the meantime the child
had been rendered almost unconscious
from the effects of eating druggef
candy. Two days later the child was
brought to Mrs. Gurley's home ON State
street. Continuing, Mrs. Gurley SAID:
Il did not learn that the child was stolen
one until one day in November. l was out
for a walk and called at Mrs. Parsons, having
the child with me. While there man came
along who saw the child and exclaimed:
THAT is Anna Redmond
Mrs Parsons pushed the child into the
house and shut the door, and then, turning
to the man, said with laugh:
lyon are mistaken. That is my sons lit.
tie daughter
The moment he had passed on Mrs. Par
sons flew into terrible rage and bundled me
off with the child. ! was SO fiustered and
scared at what had heard that l hardly
knew what to do. When Gurley heard that
1 had taken the child out he gave me terri
BILE beating, and used me so cruelty that
could not get out of bed for three
days. Dick Ryan came to the house,
and they both threatened me if
said a word about the child-said
they would kill me. Ryan first tried to teach
the child to read and then TO make her sing
and dance, but she would not learn easily.
They whipped her and they made me whip
her because she would not learn. 1t was
Ryan's original intention to have the COM
pany ready to start on Jan, 1, but something
intcrfered with Ryan's plans and the date
was changed to May 1. One day Gurley
came home and said he was going to put
the child in an orphan asylum and leave her
there until they were ready for the road.
Well, the child was discovered i'll February
and the theatrical scheme of Ryan and Cur
ley fell through
Mrs. Gurley says that Gurley often
beat her and that she was afraid he
would kill her, and that she was lead to
tell the stories she told prior to and at
the time of the trial by the conspirators,
who would send her threatening notes
in food taken to her at the Jail.