The record-union., 1893-02-04
OAKLhND'S RUNAWAY GIRL.
She Seems to be Better Than Her
Prosecutors.
Being without Home. She starts Out
to Make Her Living in an
Honest Way.

A telegram was received by Chief
Rodgers on Thursday from the Oakland
police, giving description of a 15-year-
old girl named Carrie Graf and stating
that she was a runaway from Oakland.
Shortly after the receipt of the telegram
Officer Cox met a girl on street answer
ing the description exactly, and took her
to the police station. On the way there
the girl protested there must be some
mistake, and when questioned att the
police station she gave another name,
Miss Victor, and stated that she had been
in this city for three weeks.
To prove this she offered to go with Cox
to the landlady of a J-street lodging house,
and she did so. There, by some means,
she represented that she had roomed
there for some time, and Cox was made
to believe that he was mistaken, and,
although still in some doubt. he released
the girl.
Yesterday Officer Higgins learned of
the case, and after seeing the girl decided
she must be the missing Carrie. Higgins
therefore interviewed the Ilandlady, who
was very conservative in her answers,
and finally referred him to the girl her.
self.for further information.
When Higgins knocked at the door of
the girls room he received no response
and found it locked. He was satisfied
she was within, however, and obtaining
a stepladder looked over the transom,
discovering her on the floor close under
the door.
As soon as the young lady found her
self discovered she opened the door and
surrendered, and acknowledged her
name, saying it was properly Victoria
Graft. She was again escorted to the po-
lice station, and the Oakland police were
notified of her apprehension.
About two hours later a telegram was
received from Oakland to hold her until
this morning, when she would be sent for.
THE GIRLS STORY.
To a RECoRD-U UNION reporter Miss
Carrie told her story without hesitation,
and if it be true, which seems very
likely, she should be sympathized with
ana assisted, rather than trailed by the
police.
She says about three weeks ago her
mother, who lives in San Francisco,
placed her with her aunt in Oakland,
where her board was not paid fully
and she was subjected to taunt and insult
until she could stand it no longer. She
resolved to run away and endeavor to
earn her living, and did so at the first op-
portunity. She said she was a stenog-
rapher and copyist, and skillful at crayon
could get along.
In reply to questions she spoke re-
luctantly of her mothers character and
reputation, and admitted that she was
living with man to whom she was not
married, as she had no divorce from her
first husband.
at is a shame," said she, ''for them to
have me arrested; but 1 am only 10, and
/ suppose they have the right. Oh, 1
wish l was of age!
'One thing is sure-they cannot keep
me there, for l will leave the first chance
get, and keep doing so.'
When asked if her mother could not
support her, she answered no; that there
was younger sister, and her mother had
also to support the ''stepfather," who did
nothing for himself.
The girl is unusually bright and we'll
informed for her age, and when found
she had secured room in a respectable
place and would doubtless soon have
found honorable employment
Ii her story is true-and she convinced
her listeners that it was-she is far more
capable of caring for herself than those
seem to be who were instrumental in her
arrest. She Will be taken to Oakland this
morning.