The morning call., 1891-08-23
a Father KidnapS His Son and ESCAPES
to The Old Country.
A Long Chase, During Which Every Effort L
Made to Place the Pursuers on a Wrong
Trail, Successful at Last

sprees, being absent from home for days.
He lost social caste. but his family stood
high, says the Cincinnati Commercial-Ga-
Zette.
Eight years ago boy was born to Con-
way and his wife. Conway seemed anxious
to have the youngest son brought up his
way. During the early months of 1890, and
even up to July 1st, Conway was unusually
reticent about his business affairs; in
fact the family was utterly ignorant
Of what he was doing. Mrs. Conway
had number of fine mich COWS, and
several neighbors purchased their supply of
milk from her, the boy delivering it. On
the evening of July q 1890, he started to
carry some milk TO neighbours house. Not
returning, brother went in search of him.
Not finding the child about the streets, the
father was sought, but he also was missing.
1t was concluded the two were together,
and the only worry was that the child might
be abused. Failure to return at all that
night led to the discovery that father and
child had been seen In the company of two
men who had been about the town several
days. 1t was then thought Conway had
gone into the country on trading exped-
tlon-a not unusual thing. Several days
absence begot alarm. 1t was found at the
bank that Conway had checked out nearly
all his cash. Foul play was suspected, and
tHS otiodiHS anu NOuu6 lOT lODp distances
were searched. Then the case was put into
the hands of Captain J. C.. Grammar with
orders to find the missing regardless of cost.
Captain Grammar began his work in
Springfield. He found that the two men
with whom Conway had last been seen were
from Louisville and had been in his employ !;
that Conway had for a year been quietly
diSpoSIng OF every valuable he could with
out attracting attention, and Grammar at
once concluded that Conway had taken the
boy away on religious grounds, a theory
which proved to be the correct one. Then
began chase. the details of which would
require columns to tell. Conway was easily
traced to Louisville, but there all clews
were lost. The pair appeared to have
dropped out of sight, when member of
THE BUREAU In DENVER
Sent word that such a couple had been seen
in that city about ten days after Conway's
disappearance. Thiiher Captain Grammar
went, and after two days found where they
had stopped and traced them to San Fran
cisco. Trail was again lost, but on false
clew Detective Hates was sent TO Victoria,
b. c. While at Victoria Captain Grammar
received word that Conway was at Salem,
Oregon. On Hates arrival there he found
that the officers had been mistaken, but
definitely learned that his prize had turned
back and had been seen near Louisville
The search was again commenced at the lat
ter place, and it was made reasonably GER
tain that Conway had come to Cincinnati
where he met certain parties from Spring.
field, and sought to make some arrangements
about two or three pieces of property, but
was unsuccessful.
Captain Grammar and Detective Hates.
under orders from the family, gave up
everything else and devoted their entire at
tentlon to the work OF locating Conway.
Every conductor entering or leaving Gin
cnnati was seen, and at last a Little Miami
conductor was found who gave valuable
clew. He remembered that Conway was on
his train with ticket for Columbus, Ohio
He described man and boy perfectly, related
an instance Of Conway's brutality that had
occurred on the train. and thus enabled the
detectives to trace their man to Columb bus
But here new difficulties arose. 1t seemed
impossible to get further trace of the miss
ing. False clews carried Grammar and Hates
10 Baltimore, to Washington, Philadelphia
and Detroit. and in one instance to Harper's
Ferry. W. Va.
Bafiied, but determined, the detectives re-
turned to Columbus and began again. One
evening while interviewing railroad men
Captain Grammar missed his footing and
fell heavily against a man who was disposed
at first to be ugly. a saloon was sought and
the man Modified. While in the saloon it
developed that the man was railroader-a
Panhandle brakeman. In pursuance of the
policy TO ask every railroad man about Con-
way, the man was Intercepted aud proved
to be rich find. He had seen Conway and
the boy, and told how the two were fixed in
his mind by the boys pleading to be taken
to his mother, whom the old man asserted
was dead. The brakeman was able to put
the detectives In communication with the
conductor of the train on which the kid
naper Travelled. and by his aid Conway was
tracked into Philadelphia.
1t was now February of 1891, and Captain
Grammar was prepared TO renew the search,
when Mrs. Conway received letter post
marked at Louisville. 1t was from
THE MISSING BOY,
And said he was well, in school, and that
papa has quit drinking" The tone and
words Of the letter were those of a man the
chirpgraphy that of child. The letter was
handed over TO Captain Grammar, who made
microscopic examination of it. The en-
yelope was hard, but the letter paper pecu-
liarly soft. On one corner of this was found
these words, stamped there by hand blow
OF stamper, on the envelope: dublin,
June Ii, 1891" 1t was decided this was
Dublin, Ireland. and that the letter had been
mailed TO some one in Louisville who had
reposted il there. A few days later another
letter was received, this time postmarked at
Danville, KY. ItcOntained photograph of
the boy, the accessories in which afterward
led to results in Ireland.
1t was decided at once to 90 to Ireland.
AS precautionary measure Captain Gran
nan went first to New York, and began a
had changed his money in New York, and
that he had most probably called On priest
for assistance, and that this priest would
likely be somewhere in the neighborhood of
Castle Garden. On the preteXt of securing
the priests kind offices for some expected
friend from over the ocean, for whom they
could not wait, Grammar and his New York
correspondent visited and talked with many
priests, finally reaching Father Doyle. To
each priest they casually spoke of Conway
as an acquaintance who had recommended
them to some priest whose name they had
forgotten. Father Doyle remembered Con-
way, and said he had stopped several
days under his care. Doyle told them that
Conway had exchanged some $1,000 of
United States money for draft in English
money at 81 Nassau street, on the Bank of
Ulster, at Belfast, Ireland, and carried with
him in United States money about $1,000
1t was found Conway had sailed in the
steerage of the City of New York. Mrs.
Conway was communicated with and de-
clded to accompany Grammar to Ireland
one consulted her attorney, who advised
divorce proceedings and an injunction
against Conway to prevent any transfer of
property, and suit was hastily brought
Plalntlf was granted all her prayers,
including the, custody of the child.
Thus armed she started for Ireland in com
rany with Captain Grammar on the steam-
ship Nevada, May 9th last.
Grammar went to Belfast and found Com
way had exchanged his draft for one on a
Cork bank. At Cork it was ascertained that
the draft had been cashed, and Conway
was again lostto sight. Dublin was searched.
the first thing being visit to all the photo
graph galleries.
WITH But LITTLE DELAY
The maker of the proof sent Mrs. Conway
was found, but he could give no information
beyond having heard the boy speak of an
Aunt Lizzie. Then began visits to churches
in Dublin and the adjacent county
Ior the register containing the record
OIL MI. Conway's baptism. That was
found in rural church, and the
Aunt Lizzie was speedily located. 1t
did not take long TO find that Conway
was making his home with his sister. and
that the boy was in st. Joseph's Seminary at
Clondaikin. The best legal counsel was
consulted, and it was found that it would be
practically impossible to procure the bow by
any legal process. Strategy was determiu ed
on. captain Grammar, under the cover of
night scaled the walls TO find them. two feet
VIDE at the top. covered with broken glass
ana sharp iron pickets. He found the