The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1896-04-23
SP0F. KIDNAPPED HIS KIDS
sensational Encounter and Sell
Zure on the Farm of
ChdS. Zuberbier.
Gun and Revolvers We're Drawn
but Shooting Was Not
INDUCED In.

O>~~~O~O>~ ~
farm of Charles Zuberbier in the
town of Johnsonville last Wednesday
afternoon, when John Spofford, dis
guised in whig, side whiskers and
minus his mustache, wearing an en-
tire new suit of clothes, seized three
of Spoford's children from their
mother and her relatives, and made
their escape into the country without
being arrested.
1t appears that Spofford heard of
the whereabouts of his wife and four
children through relatives here, or
that he naturally supposed that they
would be at the home of Mr.. Zuber-
bier, a relative. He accordingly came
up from Seymour, Missouri, during
the early portion of last week, and
made the headquarters of his actions
at Marshall. There he engaged two
persons, whose names are unknown,
but for whom warrants have since
been issued under the names of James
Jackson and Frank Herr, and boy,
to go with him to Johnsonville and
rescue three of the four children from
the mother The three men armed
themselves with the latest kinds of
weapons of attack and defense, and
started from Marshall Wednesday
morning. They arrived at the home
of fZuberbier just about noon and asked
for permission to stable their horses
during the noon hour and take dinner
with the family. Both requests were
granted. They represented that they
we're parties from the south and east
in quest of new land for the purpose
of locating settlers.
After dinner the quartette lounged
around the residence for some time
and Mr.. Zuberbier, noticing that they
did not manifest a disposition to leave,
hitched up his horses and went to
seeding quite distance from the
house. Shortly after he left the team
engaged by Spofford was hitched up
and when it was ready to start Spof-
ford, with the two men, seized the
three youngest children, the youngest
scarce two years old, placed them in
the buggy and made their escape. In
their bold attempt at kidnapping they
claimed that they were officers from
Lyon county sent to secure the child
rem. 1t appears that Zuberbier re-
turned to the house before they COM
pleted their work and got out his shot
gun for the purpose of making them
release the children. They, however,
pulled their revolvers on Zuberbier
and forced him to drop the shot gun,
which they afterwards took away from.
him and then made their escape.
Zuberbier at once notified the proper
town officers. 1t appears that T. l..
Gilbert, justice of the peace, was one
of the officers notified, and that he
told Zuberbier that he would see that
the children we're returned. He
started out for Marshall without even
issuing warrant of arrest. Arriving
there he told the county attorney and
sheriff what had occurred and said
that the kdinappers, with their prey,
we're coming to Marshall, and asked
them to make the arrests. They
agreed to do so in case the party came
to that town. Gilbert was sure that
they would and did not pay any more
attention to the matter. He did not
even look around to see whether the
party had arrived. A day passed and
the kidnappers did not show up and
then Gilbert concluded that they
might have taken the train at another
station. It appears that they did.
Instead of driving to Marshall it ap-
pears that Spofford drove to Russell,
and took the southbound passenger at
three o'clock the next morning and
made his escape, with the children,
out of the State before County Attor-
ney Clague was notified and sent out
kilograms ordering an arrest of Spot
ford.
Nothing has been heard from the
kidnappers and it is probable that
Spofford ald the three children are al
their home in Seymour, Missouri.
In an interview with County Attor'