The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1896-06-11

The above headlines introduce, in the
New York Recorder, the article we re.
print below. 1t will be recognized by
our readers as sequal to rather sen.
sational affair which occurred some
months ago, in which a daughter ap.
peared at the home of her father in this
county and succeeded in abducting the
children referred to. The Recorder
says:
Miss Flora A. Sprinkle, % years old, q
remarkably handsome brunette, stylish.
ly dressed, who is an artist at West 43d
street was compelled to appear in the
Yorkville court recently as a prisoner
on the charge of kidnapping two little
girls from Mount Grab, Brown county,
Ohio.
When the story was told to Magis.
trate Crane he granted Miss Sprinkle an
honorable discharge, and acquitted her
of any wrong. doing in the matter, and
said that her conduct in the matter was
deserving of the highest praise.
The two children whom she was
charged with kidnapping were Iva
Sprinkle, aged IL, and sylvia Sprinkle,
aged Z. Two prettier or more hand.
somely dressed tots were never seen in
the Yorkville Police Court, as they fol.
lowed her into court.
Miss Sprinkle was arrested on com.
plant Of her half.brother, Thomas j..
Sprinkle, who arrived from Ohio Wed.
nesday armed with power of attorney
from the father of the children to bring
them back to their home in Mount
Grab. The two children are half.sisters
to both Thomas and Flora Sprinkle.
The alleged kidnapping took place on
Feb. "a last. Flora visited her step.
father in Ohio, and, according to her
statement, he allowed her to take the
two children to New York. Apparent.
ly regretting his action, he sent Thomas
to New York to bring the children back.
When Thomas visited his half.sister's
apartments he found them living in
luxurious surroundings, but demanded
that Flora turn them over to him. The
children wept and implored not to be
taken away from their half.sister.
Thomas then went to the Yorksville
Court and secured warrant for Flora's
arrest.
"Judge," she said, II have more
means than the father to take care of
these children.
"But their father wants them back"
replied the magistrate.
"But they don't want to 60 back, I"
replied Miss Sprinkle.
The children were then brought up on
the bridge before the MAGISTRATE.
"Do you want to 60 back ?" he asked
them.
"No we don't" replied the oldest one,
sobbing. "He doesn't treat us right"
"See?" interjected Miss Sprinkle. 81
can show you that am able to take
care of these children" as she produced
a bank book. She said that q wealthy
woman on her deathbed left her com.
Portable competency.
Miss Sprinkle wept as she pleaded for
the children. She said that she never
was in q police court before, and her
grief and the evidence of refinement
marked in her appearance and language
excited the sympathy of every one IN
court.
81 took these little girls away because
! love them," she said, "and I would
have brought them up a. ladies and
given them an education and placed
them in social surroundings, which
they could not obtain in Ohio"
II am sorry,"' replied Magistrate
Crane, "but the law allows me no al.
tentative. You have no legal right to
the children and their father can claim
them"
"You have done no wrong and I will
not entertain any complaint against
you," continued the Magistrate.
The little children, when led out of
court, cried bitterly and clung to the
dress of Miss Sprinkle. They v i'll prob.
ably be taken to Ohio today by Thomas,
who has been stop9ing at the Hotel
Vincent, corner of AID street and Third
avenue.