The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-12-05
{ OGDEN BUREAU.
Business. and Editorial once SO
Utah Loan & Trust Building
Telephone 29S.
Ogden. December ..
THE HERRICK ABDUCTION.
NO DOUBT AS TO THE IDENTITY OF
THE CHILD.
A Pathetic Letter From the Innocent
Vino Was Left Among the s1uaws
& in Idaho-Judge RoIapp's Caien-
dar.

The lateness of the train from the
north yesterday made the day an ex-
cruciatingly long one for Mr.. and Mrs
{. B. Herrick Word was expected
from Ross Fork which would prove or
disprove that the little girl at that
place was their daughter. Although
the mails did not reach the city till
about 2 o'clock, it brought news which
leaves no doubt whatever of the little
girl being the one. Chief Davenport
got letter from w. B. Eldredge Civ
II additional details and enclosed
with II was a letter from the little
girl. 1t was in an envelope which
some other hand had addressed TO the
girls father, but which was in her
own childish handwriting. A peculiar
thing about the letter is that it was
addressed apparently TO some other
party and mentions a "Gean" whom
Mr.. Herrick does not know. Apparently
the kidnaDper represented himself as
Gene" and has told the little girl that
he had returned to ogden. She APP
pears TO have all confidence in what
he told her. In one sentence where
she SAYS TO tell papa about the dis
posal OF q horse. she evidently is for
the moment thinking of some one be-
sides "Gean,' but such a slip is natural
in a little 9year-old. Below is the
pathetic little letter. corrected in part
as 10 the spelling:
Dear sir-Please ask Gean if papa has
gone to the ranch yet. Gean brought
me on TO the Indian reservation. l am
staying TO a mans house. 1t is lone
money to come home. Tell papa to send
me 10 dollars. Tel him that Gean sold
2 horse for l dollar. l have got chile in
my feet l have got a. sore throat
washed today. l am tired. / wish l was
home The people was very good to me:
Tell papa to write as soon as he can.
have one baby. That makes me lone
somer than ever. Tell him, tell him
will come home just as soon as l get
the money. 1 have gone TO Sunday school
one tine 1 have a card for the baby
Let papa read when you see him. y GU
get Herrick's mail and send it 10 him.
Mr. Herrick's mail is in Ogden II papa
has not gone to the ranch send 1t TO the
Ogden canyon to c. B. Herrick.
MABEL J. HERRICK
The final c. B. were evidently Mr..
Herrick's first initials, which were
written very largely and which We're
added with fancy embellishments such
as children will draw. Evidently the
letters were repeated TO emphasize the
initials.
The Herricks were at one time well
off in Sioux City. but met with re-
verses. and came west. Mr.. Herrick
was doing what he could TO give the
children an education. At the time
the little girl left she supposed that
he was going up into Cache valley 10
work on a ranch which her aDductor
represented TO belong to him. This
accounts for the illusions TO the alb
sence of her father in the letter; also
for her writing to some one else
From the letter OF Eldredge TO Chief
Davenport it is learned that the man
struck south from Bannock creek and
had a team and wagon.
Eldredge's letter to Chief Davenport
said the man who brought the girl TO
Bannock creek had come south and
given out that he was on his way to
Ogden. The description of this man
TALES with that given by the Indian
trader He went by the name of E j.
Britton. It seems he has taught the
girl TO give the same name, but in
her letter 10 Britton she refers to Mr..
Herricix as her father. The letter eX-
plains that the girl wrote it to Brit
ton, who had made her believe he was
coming TO Ogden. The last heard Of
Britton ne was at McCammon and had
a gray horse. He said the girl was
being we'll cared for and would be sent
down as soon as the money for her fare
reached him.
A warrant. sworn to by the girls
father was Issued for Britton yeSter-
day, charging him with abduction. All
of the officers are trying to locate the
man. who. besides being an abductor.
is supposed TO be a horse thief, while
it is possible that a crime more serious
than ar-r Of OF these can be proven
against him.