The Portland daily press., 1894-11-09
A KIDNAPPING CASE.
The Maud Woodbury. Matter Before
Judge Strout.

MI. and Mrs. Spaulding Apply for a Writ
of Habeas Corpus--The Judge Grants 1t
The Deputy sheriff Cannot Find the
Girl.
On September 26th. Mrs. Julia Woodbury.
was broHgh before Judge Hall of the SUI
perior court at Augusta charged with kid
mapping her daughter and put under bonds
until the next day, when she was again put
under $1,000 bonds to await the action OF the
grand jury. This is the story of the case:
About ten years ago little child was left
at the home of Mr.. Charles Spaulding, at
Church Hill, few miles from Augusta.
The mother Mrs Woodbury. of this city,
paid the child's board fer some time. Since
then Mr.. sand Mrs. Spaulding have sup
ported the child and have come to regard
her as their own. ..ssLast spring .Mrs. Wood
bury decided that she wished to get
possession of her child, but Judge Hall de-
cided in favor of Mr.. and Mrs. Spaulding,
with the provision that the mother should
have the child with her not less than four
weeks in each year, bu. not to take the
child from attending school. Along in
but as SC hool was in session it is said Mr.
Spaulding would not allow the mother to
have her wish. He did. however. agree to
bring the child to Augusta on a Saturday
night, and .eave.here until Sunday night,
This he did. but when he came to the
mothers house. he was told that the child,
together with the mother was calling on d
friend. He then told the lady staying at
hah Int h..
next Monday morning. True to his word he
was on hand early Monday morning to take
the child to school. But she was not there
neither was her mother. This fact aroused
the suspicion of Mr.. Spaulding. and, accord
ingly. lie obtained an order from the Judge
to restore the missing child. Itwas put in
to the hands of Deputy Sheriff H. r. Morse
OF this city, TO investigate, but in vain.
The whereabouts of the mother could not
be ascertained. nor of the child either. 1t
now appears that Mrs. Woodbury. left Au-
gusta carly that morning accompanied by
the child. She undoubtedly left the girl.
whose name is Maud, in some school; for
she returned without her and was arrested.
and at once appeared before the court as
has been mentioned aobye.
Yesterday Charles A. Spaulding and
Josie Spaulding OF Augusta made applica-
tion before Judge Strout of the Supreme
court, in this city, for writ of habeas
corpus representing that Maud f. Wood
bury, alias Maud Murphy, was unlawfully
restrained of her liberty by Mother Mary
Theresa, Sister Superior, SO called, at St.
Joseph's Academy, Deering. They claimed
that they were entitled by law to her
custody.
Judge Strout ordered the writ to issue.
and it was placed in the hands of Deputy
Sheriff Bucknam to be served, and he was
ordered to report in court at p. m.
Sheriff Buchanan went to Deering and
there the Sister Superior of St. Joseph's
Academy declared the girl was not in the
house, but had gone away some time ago.
Upon further questioning of the inmates,
Mr.. Buchanan was told they understood that
Miss Woodbury. went to Boston several
weeks ago. Mr.. Bucknam then visited the
various Catholic Institutions of the city,
but failing to find the girl returned the
writ to court with the information the girl
could not be found.