Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1897-09-01
THE BABY AND
THE WHARF RAT.

IN HE announcement In the daily
newspapers several years ago
a that the 3-year-old daughter OF
Millionaire George Ainsley had been
kidnapped caused not only intense ex-
citement. but wild CONSERVATION
throughout the city. Thousands Of
parents were concerned for days about
their little ones. and elder brothers and
sisters received strict instructions TO
keep watchful eyes on the younger
members Of the families. while nurse
maids were sternly admonished to new
er leave their charges for an instant.
This state of affairs continued for
few days; then interest in the case
waned. No more children were stolen,
and newspaper reporters were unable
TO find any further clews. The toilers
of the press labored strenuously with
the police. but results were not salts
factory. and finally the men who had
spent days and nights deavorinC 10
find some trace Of the child were called
10 other a~sigrz1ents. while all but one
of the Detectives, who had been in
structed to follow up the case. were or
dered to the investigation of other
criminal matters.
Rahy AinSley had been Kidnapped i.
the public park The nurse had taken
her for an outing on n pleasant after
noon and had sauntered 20 bower
like retreat. where. beneath the shade
of spreading shrubbery she had rested
for time on n settee as she watched
the little girl. who. with childish aban-
;;uu, played among the bushes and
flowers. An acquaintance happened
by. and in the conversation that en-
sued the nurse forgot the baby for
few minutes When she thought of her
charge again there was no answer to
her call. a haSty search followed I'M
mediatcly, but the little one could not
be found; and no one about the park
remembered having seen her. The
nurse hunted dPSpairingly for half an
hour. ami then informed the policeman
whose beat was on the park. In TWEEN
ty minutes dozens of officers and detec
tlves were searching the city, and by
supper time thousands of citizens had
learned of the mysterious affair.
During the week following it was as
certained that a newcomer to the 1tal-
ian colony had been seen on the day Of
the kidnapping. in the district given up
TO the sons and daughters of the sunny
peninsula. leading n little girl by the
hand He was unknown to the law
abiding residents of that section except
by the name of Giovanni. Where he
came from. or with whom he lived.
could not he learned. as he had been
.
four days, and was always alone. The
girl apparently went along with him
willingly. and two of the persons who
called at police headquarters stated
that they heard snatches of his conver
sation, In substance that il she would
be "A good girl he would take her to see
n lot Of pretty birds and some mon
keys. SO the baby blindly trusted him.
The police became satisfied that the
child was hidden somewhere In the
Italian section of the city and searched
every living place they could learn of,
but her whereabouts were not brought
to light, and even the reward offered
by the heart-broken father for her re-
covery proved unavHlling, although 1t
was afterWard ascertained that Clio
vaunl would have been glad to return
the child for that sum had he not been
IN fear of Imprisonment for a long term
on account of the intense feeling his
deed had aroused.
So the fnther and mother suffered.
waiting Hnxiously day by day for some
word of hope. In anguish lest news of
the baby's death reached them, yet
y-fn ha he h,a tnE
earth rather than be brought up in
life Of sorrow and shame.
Dennis O'Donnell. "12-year-old by de
grace o God" first attracted my at
tention in police station. He, with
five other street Arabs. had been caught
playing craps" In PIE alley and had
been brought before the sergeant by
two officers. | was in the captains Of
fee. and we smiled as we saw She raga
mullins arranged In line before the
desk and heard them tearfully explain
ing that we wusn't doin' ting" but
paid little further attention to them un
III we heard an angry voice exclaim:
''Youse t'ink becuz deyse holes in me
clothes / don't luv me mudder."
So original remark from n stree,
Arab called us at once into the guard
room We wanted to see what man
Her of boy II was who lived in the
street and yet was proud Of loving his
mother and We found Dennis with his
hands cIenched tightly and ready to
fight Mt once with one of the big blue
coated men who bad arrested him. The
captain demanded an expla nation from
N ft.r.
aud was told that Dennis had tearfully
pfcaGrd To hn a;iuwcd to GrpnII Ia.
peace because his mother would fee
badly To learn that he was in trouble.
when tho officer tauntingly replied.
you're a nice hoy to talk about your
mother"
That stirred all the antagnnism IL
the lads nature and he Immediately
answered back and prepared to admin
lister punishment to the man who, ht
thought. had offered insult to Mrs
O'Donnell
The argun mt proved effectual Will
the captain. and Dennis was granted {:
privilege not extended to the otht
boys. They were sent to cells for l.
few hours, where they might repent.
but he was asked In to the captains of
fee to tell why he played craps II
Pie alley II he loved his mother.
And his explanation was that h.
did 1t to get few more cents than he
could earn by selling papers because
they needed money to live.
But" asked the captain, don't you
lose rs much as you maker
'lndade ! dsn't," answered the lad |
proudly, "hecuz ! know how to cheat |
de oder boys"
No, he did not believe this to h.
wrong, and l am sure he was honest
n bis opinion, The theory Of the edg-