The times., 1898-09-06
QUEER KIDNAPPING
A Member of Parliament Personally
Assists in It.
From the London Times.)


Our Dover correspondent, telegraphing
last night, states that he has investigat-
ed the circumstances attending the ex-
traordinary case of kidnapping two chill
dren at Hythe by their mother and Mr..
H. c. Stephens, NJ. p. for the Hornsey
Division of Afiddlesex. and has CLEANED
the following particulars from eyewit-
nesses of the scene: The children are two
little boys. aged five and seven. respect
lively the sons of Mr.. Lewis Edmunds.
Q. c. The parents have recently. on ac-
count of some domestic dispute. been
living apart For some little time past
the children had been in a school at
Fekestone, but a few days ago. owing
to the fact that the holidays were draw
ing near, the father decided TO have
them removed 10 Hythe. in charge of a
young lady who had previously acted as
their governess. The place selected was
Sutherland Hose, somewhat large
boarding house facing the sea and at the
corner of a road.
1t appears that Mr. Edmunds had some
idea that an attempt would be made TO
seize the children, for toward the end OF
last week he accompanied the children
and their governess TO Hythe. and stayed
there till Sunday or Monday. when he
returned to London. Mr.. Edmunds gave
the governess his written authority to
take charge of the children this authori-
ty being dated July q.
The children had evidently been watch
ed at Folke5tone, for they had not been
transferred to Hythe many hours before
a stranger called at the house and in
quired if lady and gentleman and two
children had arrived there This and
other circumstances excited suspicion.
Some men were next seen lettering about
the house. evidently watching, and as
the number increased TO four or five,
Mr.. BlaXland. a solicitor. also residing
in the boarding house. thought 1t his du-
ty to communicate with the chief of po-
Iice but the officer held it was not a
case in which he could interfere. The
children were carefully guarded by the
governess. and kept in the house as much
as possible. Yesterday not wishing them
to be too much confined to the house
she allowed them TO play on the lawn in
front The children had not been there
| very long before they were kidnapped.
This took place shortly after midday. The
! house is approached through a gate,
| which leads directly on to the lawn this
being bounded in front by a fence and
some shrubs, and at the side by high
| wall 1t is behind this wall that the gov
erness believes some of the kidnao ping
party concealed themselves, as they rush
| ed in and took her completely by sur
prise.
Seeing that a rush was being made fol
the children, the governess screamed, and
in few seconds wild struggle was tax
ing place on the lawn. The screams OF
| the governess attracted the attention OF
several of the neighbors and people in the
house She stated that the first persons
she saw run in at the gate were the
children's mother and her father, Mr.. Ste
phens, M. p. Mr.. Stephens was gesticu-
lating to those present and exclaimine
that he was member of Parliament, and
| justice of the peace. and that those
with him were Scotland Yard officers. lr
| this way he succeeded in preventing as
sistance from being rendered with suffi-
cient promptness. The youngest child
| was first seized and handed over to one
of the party standing at the gate, who
hurried him off to the carriage and pail
which was waiting little way up tht
street. The young lady. in refer
| ring to the scene, displayed con
siderable nervous excitement. Tht
capture of the second child quickly
followed. and the carriages. of which
There were two, were rapidly driven ava!