The record-union., 1892-04-23
GRACE MURPHT'S CASE.
Constable Burr Arrives From Fresno
to Take the Girl Back.
A vigorous Opposition is Met With,
However. and She is Still Here
Charged With Petty Larceny.

Constable Burr of Sanger, Fresno
County-on whose telegram the girl
Grace Murphy was arrested on the north
bound train by the police of this city
Thursday arrived yesterday to-
take charge Of the girl.
He held a warrant charging the little
miss with.petty larceny.
But the Constable did not have as easy
time of it as he expected. lie was
closely questioned at the Police Station
regarding the anxiety of Mrs. smith
from whose place the girl ran away-to
get the child back again, despite the fact
that the latter was on her way to her
mother, who lives in Seattle. Some kind
ladies, too, who had read the girls story
in the RECoRD-U UNION, were on hand and
objected to the Constable taking her
away without giving some evidence of
her guilt.
AT all events, the girl was not taken
away and the Constable is still here. 1t
is not improbable that he will go home
without her
Constable Burr, in speaking of the girl
TO REcoRD-UNIoN reporter, gave quite
different account of her TO that given by
herself He says he has no interest or
concern In the matter but to do his duty.
However, he thinks it fair to state the
other side of the case, as he understands it.
The girl has been away from her
mother since she was years old, and she
Is now IA. She was given in charge TO
her grandmother, who sent her TO Mrs.
Smith, after a time, to be cared for and
taught to be industrious. Mrs. Smith
works vineyard, and has two or three
hired assistants. The Smiths are we'll
to-do, reputable family, and are esteemed
in the Fresno community as correct and
truthful and humane people.
The girl was employed in running
errands, going to town with money,
cashing checks for money, etc. Her
duty was largely in the open air, and
hence she is sunburned and freckled.
Pat Normiil, the foreman at the vine-
yard-whom the girl says prosecuted
her-Mr. Burr says is good man, hard
working and of good moral character
This foreman tried to keep Grace from
running around with men he thought
she should not associate with, and hence
Grace complains of him. Mrs. Smith, he
believes, did her duty by the girl and
tried to train her to good associations.
She trusted her with important matters,
and placed confidence in her to inspire
her with pride. He cannot think that
Mrs. Smith ill-treated her or worked her
too much. 1t would not comport with
the character OF that woman and her rep
utation in the community. A hired girl
Mrs. Smith had for a time, named Stock
we'll, she thought not exercising d right
influence over Grace, so she withdrew
her from association with her. There
were men, too. whom the girl Grace ac-
cepted as friends and advisers, who Mrs
Smith thinks not the wisest of counselors
for girl of Grace's age. One of these,
Mr.. Devine, and another who took The
girl away, Mrs. Smith thinks ill-advised
her.
Believing that Grace had been run off
by some one for bad purposes Mrs.
smith sought to stop her and charge of
petit larceny was preferred. A more Sc
rlous charge might have been laid, but it
was not Mrs. Smiths wish TO do so.
In short, she has no desire TO keep the
girl If her mother, who l<eeps some sort
of public house, is proper person to
have charge of her, and of that Mrs.
Smith had not had evidence to counteract
doubts entertained. If the mother in
Seattle is a proper woman Mrs. Smith
viii, says Mr.. Burr, interpose no obiec-
ton to Ter transfer, but she promised the
grandmother to care for and train the
child and does not wish to abandon the
trust to total stranger without knowing
she is a proper person, even though that
person is the girls mother, since for
twelve years or more she has not mani
fected concern for the training OF her
child.