Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-11-15
A RACE FOR A CHILD.
Excited Crowds Pursue a Man .Ac-
cused of kidnapping at Night.
SENSATION ON THE SOUTHSIDE.
The Infant Was at Deaths Door. and the
Mother Says 1t Will
PERISH If NOT RESTORED TO HER

Piercing shrieks of "Helpl Murderl
PoliceP' rang out in the neighborhood of
Twenty-third and Sarah streets last night
Startled pedestrians for several squares
around broke into run and rushed in the
direction of one of the dark thoroughfares,
known as Carey alley. where the terrible
cries issued.
Arriving on the spot the crowd saw Mrs.
Mcfarland wringing her hands in distress
and wildly calling for some one to stop the
flying figure of a man who was rapidly dis
appearing down the street.
The woman had just rushed out from her
house, No. 2S17 Carey alley, and she leaned
against the door for support in the agony Of
her emotion. Suddenly the hurrying pur-
suers who had started after the retreating
man came upon the fugitive struggling in
the arms of two strangers who had essayed
to check him in his flight.
Back and forth swayed the excited COM
batants, and to the horror of the crowd the
little, emaciated body OF an infant almost at
deaths door was seen clutched in the hands
of the man they pursued.
CRUSHED BY THE CROWD.
The child was crushed in the heat Of the
brutal struggle, and the next instant the
grasp on its little form was loosened, the
baby falling to the sidewalk under the feet
of the pushing, cursing men. Its pitiful
cry of pain wrung the hearts of lady BY
ISLANDERS, who were powerless to rescue it
from the melee.
"Hold the kidnapperp' shouted voice,
but the next moment the man tore himself
from the grasp of those who had pounced
upon him, snatched up the child, and ran
like mad through Sarah street, leaving his
pursuers behind. He never paused in his
terrible race till he reached place of
safety, saw that his pursuers were out of
sight, and, taking an unirequented course
through side streets, arrived at 2426 Carey
alley, where he hurried into the house to
escape detection, and left his living burden
in the care of lady.
The man was Burt Connors, and the child
he was accused of kidnapping was his own.
According to the story which he afterward
told to Officer Thompson, his and his wife's
happiness had been wrecked by the presence
OF his mother-in-law, and three months ago
they agreed to live apart, she taking their
1S-month-old bov. Mrs. Connors secured
employment in a Southside factory, and,
with her child, took up her residence with
her mother, Mrs. Mcfarland, in Carey al
ley, while her husband, Mr.. Connors, was
employed as mill worker.
Suspicious arose in the bosom Of the
watchful mother soon after, and great
anxiety seized her for the safety OF the
child. When she was forced to leave her
boy for her days work, her mother, Mrs.
Mcfarland was intrusted with the care Of
the little one. Nothing alarming had
occurred up to last night, when the Incl
dent above related took place.
THE STORY OF THE MOTHER.
This is Mrs. McFarland's story: "The
little boys mother was not at home, and
was watching the child while doing my
work, when Connors walked in. He seemed
to be delighted at the sight of his little boy,
but took up the child and had hardly
turned around when he snatched it from my
arms and rushed out of the house. Then 1
screamed for help and tried my best to stop
him, because the baby was very weak from
illness. The little sufferers life is in great
danger, and 1 am afraid something terrible
will happen from this.
When the weeping mother, Mrs. Connors,
was seen, she affirmed Mrs. McFarland's s
story, and moaned that her poor little boys
life was in peril. She made information
before Alderman Hartman, imploring him
to do something to recover the child.
Squire Hartman told her that he was
powerless. Mrs Connors then made an in
formation against her husband charging
him with desertIon.
Constable Schertzinglu was given a war
rant for Connors, and went to his house,
but failed to find him. The house was
locked. No traces of the child have been
found.