The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-06-18
RIVAL AFFECTIONS,
Mrs Patton Takes Her Child
rem From Their Foster
Parents Care.
EXCITING CHASE IN LAFAYETTE
Little Ones Wiled Away from
School by a Pretsxt = Joe
Locke's Share in the Game.


Lafayette, who keeps a saloon at John
ston avenue and Pine street, We're kid
mapped in broad daylight on Wednesday
by their own mother, who abandoned
them five years ago, and a man who was
a total stranger to them, who claims to
be their step-father.
They were taken from their studies in
the public schools. They fought their
abductors in the streets of Lafayette and
made an attempt to escape. but were re-
captured, thrust into a carriage and hur-
ried away. An angry crowd witnessed
the abduction and it would have gone
hard with the alleged step-father if it
had not been for the presence of a con-
stable who stood off the indignant
citizens n would be rescuers in the
name of the law. 1t has been learned
since, however, that there was no legal
warrent for the taking of the children
by force and that the constable was en-
ployed as a huge bluff to steer the too
inquisitive off the right track in case of
trouble.
1t was 2:3o O'Clock in the afternoon when
a closed carriage stopped at the entrance
to Public School No. %. on Halliday
street. The carriage had three occupants,
two men and a woman. The woman was
Mrs. Lynch, or Patton; one of the men
was John Patton a carriage washer en-
ployed in the Blue Front Stables on Hen
derson street, who claims to have mar
ried Mrs. Lynch within the last four
weeks. while the third individual was
Constable Joe Locke who is attached to
the Second District Court.
& III -..o. 1n%arad tho Sohnn1 alone
and asked to see Julia Lancton, a pupil
in Miss Harvey's class in the Grammar
Department.
That must be my mother. I don't want
to go down to see her. I am afraid OF
her"
The teacher reported to Mrs. Lynch
what Julia had said. Mrs. Lynch re-
piled that the case was urgent. She
wanted to take Julia to see an aunt in
Brooklyn who was dying. The child was
still reluctant to go but Miss Harvey, who
had been impressed by the apparent sim
cerity of the woman, advised her to and
she finally consented. She was hurried
into the carriage, which was Immediately
driven to Annex School No. Ii on Pine
street, between Lafayette street and
Communipaw avenue. The woman again
left the carriage, taking lula with her.
She sent Julia to get her sister and
brother, Mamie and Johnny Lancton,
who were in the classes of Miss Grimes
and Miss Guiop, respectively. She soon
r~eappeared on the steps with a child by
either hand. As the three reached the
sidewalk and were within a ouple of
feet of Mrs. Lynch, Julia let go of the
little girls and and said
Run. Mamie, rum"
She retained her hold on her little
brother, and as she gave the warning to
her sister she started down the street as
fast as her legs could carry her. Patton
and the constable jumped out of the car
riage and started after her. She had
gained nearly half a block on them before
they got well started in pursuit. Patton
easily outstripped the constable who is a
f1eshy man.s When the girl saw that he
was gaining on her she dropped her
brothers hand and increased her speed.
The boy stopped in the middle of the
street and began to cry. Constable Locke
had no trouble in catching him. Mamie
had already been captured by the woman.
Julia was not such an easy victim. She
ran like a frightened deer and was not
overtaken by Patton until she led him a
chase of nearly two blocks When he
finally caught her on a stoop in Lafayette
street she fought him iercely and yelled
at the top of her voice for assistance. AL
bert Shaft. a peddler, and his assistant
responded to her cries and seized her
captor by the thoat. They had nearly
choked him into letting the girl go when
Locke arrived. He was known to Shaft,
who upon his assurance that the man had
a legal right to the girl released his hold
on Patton.
A big crowd had collected by this time.
The children continued their screaming
and called upon the spectators to save
them. Were it not for the fact that
Locke displayed his shield and handled
his billy in an aggressive manner there
would undoubtedly have been "a rescue.
AS it was Locke was frightened and hur-
ried his companions and their prisoners
to the carriage. He did not breathe east
" until they had driven out of sight and
eyond the reach of the crowd.
The history of what preceded this
strange proceeding and the events that
followed the abduction have been learned
from Constable Locke, who, it appears,
was only obeying orders in acting as he
did.
Seven years ago John Lynch died, ieav-
ing a wife and three children. Mrs.
Lynch was either unable or did not care
to keep her children. Julia, the eldest,
who was about six years old, was adopt
ed by James Lancton and his wife, who
was related to the dead father. Mamie,
three years her junior, was sent to a
Mrs Curtin. in New York, a sister of
Mrs. Lynch, while Johnny, a Baby a lit
tie over a year old, was put in st.
JoSeph's Home, in Williamsburg, a Ro-
man Catholic institution. AT the expira-
ton of six months. Mrs. Curtin sent
Mamie back to her mother and she also
was taken by the Lanctons.
A year passed and the boy was taken
seriously i'll in the Home. He was not
expected to live. Mrs. Lynch went to
Mrs. Lancton and asked permission to
bury Johnny from her house when he
that. She brought the dying boy to her
own home and nursed him from the
brink OF the grave back to health and
strength. The three children have lived
with the Lanctons ever since and have
always gone by the name of their foster
Of them, hired out as a domestic For
ilv Of Colonel Robinson, Clerk of the Po-
lice Board. Lately she has been taking
in family washes for q yin -Four
weeks ago she went to Mrs. Lancton, at
her home. No. 26 Monitor street, and de-
IT have been married" she said, Ito. a
nice young man of the name of John Pat
ton. He has a steady Job as a carriage
washer and has liked me up with a nice
home at No. BAL Ninth street"
When Mrs. Lancton refused to give her
all the children she asked for Mamie.
more was heard from Mrs. Patton until
she Kidnapped the children from the
Constable Locke's story IS as follows