The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-09-24
A VERY DARING WOMAN
Mrs. Manchester Kidnapped Her Daughter on
Penn Avenue.
FLED With her Child IN A CAB
Went to Pittston, Where She Took a
Delaware and Hudson Train-Her
Husband Gave Chase, but Was an
Hour Behind and Lost Track of His
Wife and Child - History of the
Manchester's Troubles.

Manchester's Troubles.
At 3 o'clock Saturday afternoon, on
Penn avenue. opposite THE TRIBUNE
office, as daring kidnapping feat was
perpet-ated as ever has occurred in this
or any other city.
AT the hour named cab ratified
down Penn avenue, woman about 80
years OF age. dressed In deep mourning.
sprung from the vehicle while it was
in motion, caught up little girl from
the sidewalk. thrust her into the cab
and ordered the driver to drive off in q
hurry. The child screamed. the woman
tried to stifle its cries and the cab
driver put the whip to the horses and
turned toward the West Side.
Tae full particulars Of the case are
as follows: On Monday, Sept II, q
woman, 80 years old apparently, dressed
in heavy mourning and wearing a deep
veil, engaged rooms at the ST. Charles
hotel. Shortly after her arrival she
asked Mr.. Keogh to ring for a messen-
ger boy. Scarcely day passed without
messenger or two being sent by her.
She registered as Mrs Anna Veig,
Sioux City, Ia. The result Of her mes
sages brought her stepfather, Jacob J.
Swanger, of 906 Eynon street. to the
hotel.
The name she attached to the regis
ter was a fictitious one, her proper
name being Mrs John Manchester.
Her husband is painter emplo yed at
the car shops Of the Delaware, Lacka-
wanna and Western railroad company
and he boarde d at banners boarding
house, 219 Linden street. They have a
little daughter. Nettie, Z years old, and
this is the child that was abducted
Saturday.
MRS MANCHEsTER'S ACTIONS
Returning to the woman at the st.
Charles hotel, an account Of her actions
is interesting. She did not let day
pass without sending out several mes
sages receiving as many In return.
Landlord keogh said that he thought
she was female detective. Her man.
ner was mysterious and she was ex.
tremelY non.co communicative. She
would sit for hours as if expecting a
visit from somebody. and was very i'll
at ease.
AT noon Saturday she ordered Mr..
Keogh to send for a cab and asked to
have 1t at the hotel at IL. 80 sharp.
The cab arrived from Nealis' livery
and was driven by James Mcnamara,
an attache Of the stables. Before
leaving the hotel the woman paid her
bill and ordered the porter to carry q
heavy satchsl to the cab.
She went outside and directed the
driver to proceed down Penn avenue to
Pine Brook. After that she ordered
him to make tour of the city. and
about o'clock she told him to retrace
his steps to the hotel, at least that is
the story told by McNamara He be.
lleved that she was sent out by Mrs.
Duggan on some child-saving expedi-
tion.
When the cab got to the point where
the abduction occurred the woman
leaped out as 10 related. The act was
witnessed by large crowd of people
and excitement ran high, although no
one interfered.
The kidnaper was a West Side girl
before her marriage eight years ago
TO John Manchester. who came here
from Easton. Their welded life has
been a stormy one aud she left home
three times altogether
LIVED ON PENN AVENUE.
Before her last disappearance, which
was in the latter part OF August. Mrs.
Manchester lived with her husband on
Penn avenue. She was an omnivorous
reader Of yellow. covered literature and
dime novels aud her hus band attributes
her mad caprices to this cause. He is
painter employed at the Delaware.
Lackawanna & Western railroad car
shops and makes good wages.
In August when she left home he
learned that she bought ticket for
Chicago Then he broke up house and
went boarding with banners OIL Lin =
den street.
His little daughter was with him
and he spared no expense to clothe her
and make her contented. He heard that
his wife had returned TO the city and
that her intention was to steal the
child. Then he gave orders to Mr..
banners wife to keep the child within
doors Later he was told that his wife
was not in the city and the news made
him relax his vigilance.
Saturday afternoon Mrs Thomas
Gllhool. Of 63S North Main avenue, a
daughter Of Mrs Danner, visited the
residence Of her father and took the
daughter Of Mr.. Manchester out for q
walk She had been out of the house
on the street Only few minutes when
the cab drove along and the child was
snatched from her by its mother, Mrs.
Gilhool resisted the attempt Of the fu-
rious mother but was powsrless to pre-
vent the abduction.
She then went to the car shops and
notified Mr.. Manchester of the hap.
pening. who pursued his wife to Pitts
ton, but could not overtake her.
The woman, when the cab reached
the West Side, in answer to the drivers
question, told him to drive to Wilkes
Barre. He refused to 70 there and she
asked him to drive her to Pittston. He
did this and let her off at the Delaware
and Hudson depot at Cork lane.
Her husband was an hour behind
time and lost track of her. He mott
fled Chief Of Police Simpson, but moth.
ing had been heard Of the woman up 20
last night. He thinks she will travel
west and, If possible, will send an Of