The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-11-28
WHO STOLE Eta PEPPLER =?
MRS. PEPPLER SAYS SHE DOESN'T
KNOW, FOE SHE WAS DRUGGED.

HNVVs run Sht " IN DHtp"EDs
The Five.yenr.oid Child IL In u Hartford
Hotel, Where She Was Abandoned by II
Woman on Triday-She Was an Adopted
Child, ana Mrs. Peppler says Her Hcni
Mother, who Was Thought Dead, Kid
mapped the Little Ono After DrugeinE Mrs.
Peppier ana Sending Her to New Haven.
Chief John Rylands of the bridgeport police
AMI some Of his men are counted good detec-
tives, but neither the Chief nor his men had
hit upon theory up to q late hour last night
to explain tho mysterious disappearance Of
five year-oid Eta peppler
They did not know that the child was proba-
bly, in n Hartford ho,e Mt the time. Mr. Pop
pier also was in Ignorance Of the fact. Mrs.
Peprlcr also said that she did not know whore
the child was. but If the lay Johnson" who
entered the Pratt street house In Hartford on
Friday morning, and left the flve.year- old girl
locked UP in room there. proves to have
been Mrs. Pcppler. US is alleged. the mystery
Of tho action will concern Mr.. pcrpler more
than any one else
The police knew last night that Eta. who is
IN adopted child. was last secn in Bridgeport
at 10 o'clock on Friday morning. The alarm
over her disappearance was given at q o'clock
on Friday evening by Christopher Peppler. tho
girls fos.or father and with 1t he told pecu-
liar story OF the drugging Of Mrs. peppler in
order to accomplish the abduction OF the girl.
Il was druGged on Friday morning" was
Mrs. Pcpnlers story. Last night she reiterated
1t. not knowing that Information OF the dis
covery of the child in Hartford had been made
public. land l haven't recovered from tho
efects OF it yet l was drugged and
persuaded to go to New Haven that
the field might be clear to abduct Eta
by Della kitson. woman Of Ill reputc. who,
according to tho record of the Bridgeport Hos
pital. has been dead for two years That
record lies or am crazy. l could not be mis-
Christopher Pepper Is about 80 years old.
and he lives in = eosey little cottage at 80 Sey-
o HaWey asR and bgSd Gompsns s
Pepper was widow with one child when she
n Tn. eh h s s1 rs has always lived with
Mrs. Peppi"r's mother. Two years after they
were married the Perplcrs decided to adopt a
advertise for adoption in bridgeport By the
Superintendent Of the Poor.
for it was hal! an hour too late. The other
hd was s sT usf yer oS AZ H. sa as
about the boy soon as the
papers could be made out he legally adopted
the child and named her Eta.
Etta's birth marked the shame OF a Bridge
port .:irl who was the daughter Of respectable
Parents. When this woman became charge
known as Della Kitson. She gave up all claim
to the baby aud disappeared.
the next three years was such that they de-
tern;ined to keen Eta in ignorance oil her
Eta thrivei In her now home. and, Mr..
Peppl spent most OF his spare time with the
sshi!i. lls trained his bird dog Bliss to act as
years after Eta was born. she stopped Mrs.
Adopted Sps nj e S ana a au tht s Sa !a a.
s 6 o J.. home. May come to see her OCCASION
Mrs. Peprler brushed the woman's hand of
her again; don't want hsr ever e know that
Della kits4n. from time to. time after that.
Eta health and whether she was happy and
contentcd. Deiia's mother who is II respect
for her grandchiid and on the condition that
she should pot disclose the Relationship. she
~ sTHnlmother isa Catholic md she pro,
child ,Apart from their religion; however. she
Sir. repplers devotion TO the, child was so
marked That is SIid Mrs. pSppler became
mar MAN NAM namea Della 's Kitson had died
II The city h9spi,a Mr. pepplSr felt th st
e easi?Ss tIl her husband that she had seen
Mr.. Pcpplcr found that the record at the hos;
nltal was clear; hat T.. woman who had died
tssTs oH who pin lad " sSS
;Gs; Of 5.f n 2ssss
| this woman when she was at tho hospital. and
| he is Inclined tohcltevs that the Della hitson
| TN. Della kitson who was Etta's mother, were
| different women.
=, Mr. Fepnlu was called away from home o., on
wife met him nt the door. She was crying and
"' Vita has been stolen" sho sa!d. land that
womun. Della kitson, is at the bottom Of it.,
she lhe told her husband the story that last
10 O'clock in the morning I was SURPRISED to
T nsn fs ~ said that Il. wre s Was at
the derot and wanted to see me to talk about
NY Of S comisc knew that Della Kitson was re.
| ported to Ls dead. but as | had several times
seen her during the past two years knew
II she had reformed l was willing to let her
SEQ Eta. tod my servant to wash Eta anu
Then led her W to tho corner; where she
GtM had i't bourht p.aSuts and candy Their:
nearly, every day. and had no fear about her
going home a1nGk; itsor NJ N. dsnot She IGN
large woman. with bright red hair and n full
face She wore a brown dress and q dark
child for nearly an hour. aud then she said:
Lets 40 up to the Italian fruit store on Fair
~ want to buy Eta some candy When
we got t. the fruit store we went into the back
room. and this woman gave mo O. cup of cocoa
to drink There WAS some drug In It, for re-
meN',sr very little OF what occurred later. ~,
her and going to New Haven. We wont to
small frame house about two blocks from the
sleep. When / awoke 1t was half past 2
o'clock. ,
"Dsiia was gone. and the woman OF the
station. remsmber getting on the train. but
eve. ythinc that occurred that afternoon Is very
When got home the girl said to me.
"'Wrll. where Is sheT said.
81 don't know answered tho girl She
| has been away all day Then saw that had
| been made tho victim OF plot to abduct the
| cN,ll IhAt Is MI | Know about It. l want