The evening times., 1896-08-21
HIS CHILD FOuNG: At LAST
Father Searched the Country
for Five Months.
MOTHER ALMOST INSANE
Little One Had, Disappeared With a
woman From Colorado City and
Was Discovered In a Home of the
Frlendiess In nChicago-Object OF Alb
duction to Get Money.

chicago, Aug. 21.-After searching In
vain for five IN onths for his lost daughter,
Peter Rivers OF Colorado City, Col, has
found his child in Chicago at the Home for
the Friendlcss. Mr.. Rivers learned also
that Jennie McKcnna, the woman VIII is
said TO have kidnapped her, was at Wau-
kesha, and imm ediatcly took steps TO have
her arrested.
Just before n oon on Friday flushed and
strangely excited man rang the bell at
| Mrs. Ellen Jaycox's boarding house in
! Evanston and asked eagerly IL there was
| little girl there by the name of Gertrude
Rivers.
Mrs. Jaycox replied there was not, and
then she was alarmed at the look OF de-
spair that came over the strangers face.
| He appeared about to collapse, when the
landlady hastened To tell him she had taken
| the little girl into Chicago but couple of
days before, and that she was safe in good
| hands.
FIVE MONTHS WEARY SEARCH
The stranger then introduced himself
| as Peter Rivers, and explained that lie
| had spent five months in vain and al
most hopeless search for his child, and
| that he had been reduced from comparative
| afrluence to penury.'" ''
| He said that his wife had nearly lost her
reason over her great misfortune, and that
he himself, through worry an loss O; sleep,
] was almost in the same condition. He had
| Travelled, he said, on false clews all over
| the United States,-and now lie appeared
overioyed at the prospect OF soon meeting
his longlost child.
A little over two weeks ago a woman
applied, to, Mrs, Jayeox for work in an
swer to an advertisement. AS the va
cancy had been just filled the woman was
unsuccessful, but Mrs. Jaycox asked her
to stay for dinner before returning to
Chicago Before she left the woman, who
| gave her name as Miss Jennie McKenna,
said that she had a little girl in h er keeping
by the name OF Gertrude Revere, and that
she would be unable TO support her longer
unless She got work. Mrs. Jaycox then
told the woman she might take the child
to Evanston, and she would keep her till
the woman succeeded in finding work.
Two weeks ago Miss McKenna returned
to Evanston with the girl, who was u
pretty child, seven years old, with dark eyes
and hair. On inquiries from the land
lady the woman said the girls parents lived
in Denver, and that she, being a professional
nurse, had been hired TO care for the little
girl, who, she said, was afflicted with st.
Wits dance. She had taken her TO Hot
Springs, Ark, and when she wrote TO
Denver for money, she said, the girls
parents reverse rsentheranymoney or paid any
attention to the letters
She said she and the girl were compelled
To live with seine nuns at Hot Springs while
Gertrude was receiving treatment, and
finally as She received no recompense, she
tdecided TO keep the girl as security"
Later size went with the child, she said to
Jerseyyile, ILL.,, where her home was, and
finally came to- Chicago with her.
According 10 Mrs. Jaycox, the woman
evidently had the child well COACHED, y FOL
| occasionally she would turn, and, putting
her finger under the girls chin, would say
t-"Isn't that so, Gertrude" and the LITTLE
girlwould look up and nod. The women al
Mrs Jaycox's residence. however, doubted
the story, for Gertrude told them her name
was not Revere, and her healthy, rosy ap
pearance was not that of child ever ar
nicted with a nervous disease.
tat A. CRUEL" SCHEME.
Early this week a letter came to Evans
ton from Miss McKenDa, saying that sht
child be taken to the Home for the Friend
less, and Wednesday, Helen Jaycox, tn
landlad yjs daughter broughther to Chicago
Mr Rivers, the father of thelittle girl, wa
completely overjoyed when he found Ger
,rude at the homes and'their meeting was
touching scene. He declined to discuss TIN
affair, however, TIL the McKenna woman
was in the. grasp. f.tbe law.
: He said, though, that he had received let
ters from Miss McKenna demanding m on
ey, and that he had repeatedly sent money
but 1t was OF no use. The letters he hat
received had been sent SO as to be mis-
leading, and he. never could be sure wher
they Were mailed from. He had, theref ore
travelled, he said, from one end Of tn
country o another in search for his child
A few days ago he was inf ormed by some
nuns In Colorado City that his daughter wa
in Evanston, and he had set out immet
lately on what was perhaps the hundredth
but at last the right clew.
Mr. Rivers Immediately tele graphed tn
joyful news to his wife, and later went t,
the Humane Society to be advised as t.
what steps to take. He said that the Nc
Kenna woman would be taken back t.
Colorado on a requisition and there stant
| xr;al