The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1894-08-17
STOLEN BY GIPSIES.

Jennie Finch Carried Away from Her
Home at the Age of Ten Years and
Mourned by Her Family as Dead,
Suddenly Appears to Them.
1t frequently happens that the correctness
of saying, ''rruth is stranger than felton,"
is brought yivdly to mind, but probably
never before has Owosso realized the force
of this trite saying as this week, when it
was learned that Mrs. Jennie Finch D'Kloe,
a sister of Mrs. Arthur Chipman and John
Finch, of this city, and who had been
mourned as dead for eighteen years, had
been found. Nevertheless the story is true.
The first news of the long lost sister was re-
ceived by Owosso relatives last Thursday
and on Saturday they met.
The story is an exciting one and full of
interest from the beginning. Eighteen
years ago, Jennie Finch, girl of ten years,
lived in Grand Rapids with her parents.
Near them lived man by the name of Bart
ley German, burglar and gipsey. One even-
ing German went to Finch's house and asked
that Jennie might go to his house and take
went out for the evening. Mrs. Finch con-
sented and Jennie went. After she had
been there while she was induced to go to
bed aud sleep with the baby. She was
awakened by the Germans early IN the
morning and made to dress in clothes which
they brought her. Her mouth was then tied
so that she could not cry out and she was
taken to the railway station, From the sta
ton, which was near her home, she saw her
mother for the last time. Once on the train
she was made to sit between German and
his wife and was closely watched so that it
was impossible for her to speak to any one.
From Grand Haven she was taken to Mil
waukee and in Wisconsin their gipsey life
was commenced. The story of the cruel
hardships which she had to undergo during
this time is painful to hear. Her treatment
was no better than that of dog. She was
compelled to do the heavy drudgery of camp
life, carry water, attend the baby-until one
day she saw the fiend German strangle it,
and could only wonder when it might be her
turn to be treated the same way.
Twice she was rescued. The first time
some hunters heard her cries of pain and in
vestigating the matter, took her away from
the Germans and left her at farm house.
The next morning however as she went
about the yard German, who had been
watching her, seized her and carried her
away. This time she was frightfully abused,
the climax of violence being only reached
when by furious kick the brute had dislo-
Gated her hip. In this condition she lived
nearly a year when one day passerby
heard her groans as German was whipping
her and reported the matter to officers. The
officers took her away and placed her in the
hospital at Quincy, Ill.
During the next few years great deal of
her time was spent in hospitals. She also,
during this time, testified against German,
when he was tried for the murder of his
wife, and saw him hung. The larger part
of the time she was IN the New York and
Cincinnati hospitals and after she was able
to go out again she met and married Nicho-
las D'Kloe, brick mason, with whom she
has lived in Cincinnati, the past few years.
She had tried a number of times to find
her family by writing but part of the let
ters were returned to her through the dead
letter Office and some she never heard from.
Recently however she was able to go to
Grand Rapids and look for her people, and
at last got trace of an aunt near Ovid from
whom she learned of her brother andIsister
in Owosso and her father and another
brother in Lansing. Her mother had died
In the belief that she was dead.
Mr.. DKloe reached Owosso, Wednesday
morning and is now visiting with the rela-
tives here. If he can find employment at
his trade he will locate here.
The rejoicing at the reunion of the family
can be better imagined than described.