The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1889-09-28
THE TRUTH TOLD.
Mrs. Gurley, Now in Prison, Gives the
Correct Version Of Annie Red
mond's Abduction.
The Child Was Stolen to be Trained
in Theatrical Company Which
Was Organizing.
Motives which Led the Woman to Make
the ConfessIon-A Thrilling and In
teresubg story.

One of the most sensational cases of an
abduction of a child since the days of Char
ley Ross was that of little Annie Redmond
about year ago, and which finally Te-
suited in driving the father insane. The
fact in the case were made public Wednes-
day for the first time. Mrs. Josie Gurley,
who Was convicted of abductiDg the little
one and sentenced TO Joliet prison for five
years for the crime, has made q confession,
which she claims is the only true story.
Mrs.Gurley had jGst been informed of
Harvey Gurley's incarceration for bigsmy,
and her anger against Guriey, 10 save
whom from the prison she had perjurt
herself, she said, led 10 the confession Her
story in brief is as follows: Prior to the
abduction a friend of Harvey Gurley
named Dick Ryan, GnTley, MIS-. Parsons
and ANNE A lien were IN connection with
a man named AcGee OF Toledo, OHIO, get
ting up a theatrical company. Mctiee wrote
them that to complete the company they
must procure a bright little girl who could
learn To sing and dance Acting upon THIS
Ryan planned the abduction OF the Redmond
child. Annie Allen was not an aetrees.
but Was stsge-struck. and the c0nspiratOrs
agreed 10 secure her place IN the troupe
for her aid in stealing the child Gurley
was promised 500 by Ryan for bis services
the ABDUCTION the child came to play about
10 o clock and was soon eBticed away by
Annie Allen, who was met further down
the street by Gurley and Mrs Parsons
Here a carriage was in waiting and all
four entered and were driven 10 the home
OF Mrs. Parsons. In the meantime the
child had been rendered almost uDcon-
seious from the effects OF eating drugRed
candy. Two days later the child was
brought TO Mrs. Gurley's home on State
street
Continuing Mrs. Gurley said: 81 did
not learn that the child was a stolen one
until one day in November. | WAS out for
wsIk and called at Mr; Parsons, having
came along who saw the child and ex-
claimed. That is Anna Redmond Mr..
Parsons pushed the child into the house
and shut the door and then, turning TO the
mar, said with laugh, you are mlstskrn,
that i my sons little daughter The mo
U,eIt he hsd passed On Mrs Parsons new
into terrible rage and bundled me OF
home with the child l was so Mustered
and scared at what | had heard and the
she'kIs inc lost 'nsS Child that hat all 'H the pa.
peTs were talking about hat j
hsTdly knew what 70 do. When Gurley
heard that 1 had taken the child out "a
Mrs Parsons and that the man had recog
terrible beattDg and used ne So
cruelty that | could rot get out tf bed
for three days Dick Ryan came to
the house sud then both threatened me II
said a word about the child. They saId
they would kill me. Ryan first tried 10
teach the child 10 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. IL was Ryan's original intention To
have the company ready to start ON jan
uary l. snd 1t was the intention to take the
child along and teach her the part she WAS
To perform. Some kind OF play where
child is stolen from its home. something
iDttTfrred with Ryan's plans and The dste
was changed To May /. One day Gurley
came home and said he was going 10 put
the child in an orphan asylum and leave
her there until they were ready for the
road. Well, the child was discovered in
February and the theatrical scheme of
Ryan and Gurley fell through. Mrs Cur
ley says that Gurley often beat her, and
that she was afraid he would kill her, and
that she was led TO tell the stories she told
prior 10 and az the time of the trial by the
cOnspirat6rs. who would send her threat
ening notes in the food taken 70 her at the
all