Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1898-01-18
A Hard Case.

A Hard Case.
In the PEE DEE OF week ago, we
made brief mention OF a kidnapping
case in which little son OF Rev. F.
M. Coleman, formerly stationed here,
was one of the principals. We now
publish later and more detailed
statement, gathered from the daily
press, regarding the abductor and his
crimes, as follows:
Two years ago he was converted at
the Williams revival there and ever
since that time has had strange
fascination for little Earl, and has
sought his company at every oppor-
tunity. He was forbidden at last by
Rev. Mr.. Coleman to see Earl except
at his fathers house. Mrs. Coleman
says that Champlaiu had been there
most of the time during the day and
had at last been given to under
stand that he was not wanted. He
afterwards followed Earl when the
boy went skating and dogged his
footsteps until he caught him in front
of the house.
After his incarceration in the city
bastile and while The Jail was sur
rounded by a mob bowling for his
punishment at their hands, Fred
Champlain related to Rev. E. j
Lockwood, his former pastor, his
motive for the horrible crime. What
the nature of the confession was the
minister then refused to divulge. But
the next day when the prisoner was
confronted by the father of the lad
he had planned to ruin, Champlain
weakened before the fiery accusa-
tions poured upon him by the indig-
nant parent, and related story too
vile and disgusting for the imagina-
tion to depict. According to it, he
has been Turing the Youths of the
city for years to lives of shame, and
through fear or by instilling in them
morbid fascination for him, had de
graded them so they would stoop to
crafty his own evil passions.
All this while .he has been posing
as an active and conscientious mem
Der of the church, and had so won
the confidence of the Rev. Coleman
| that he had been received into the
family and treated as a member of 1t,
being accorded every consideration
Though in nearly every instance he
has been successful in corrupting the
innocent children about whom he
had thrown his vile influence, he
admits that in little Earl he had me
more than his match, for the careful
training instilled by loving parents
had thwarted his purposes.
Since being bound over and wheI
informed that Rev. Coleman woult
prosecute him to the full extent o
the law and would endeavor to Sc
cure conviction on each and ever.
count of which the criminal is guilty
| Champlain broke out in awful de
nunciations of the minister and swor
that if he were ever released fro M ja
or penitentiary, he would kill tn
minister on sight and yet obtail
possession of the boy.
Rev. Coleman has announced hi
determination to spare no means t.
secure the conviction of ChamplaiI
and though it would be far easier t
secure a conviction on one coun
alone, he Intends to prosecute th
the case fully and send the criminf
up for as long o period of time q
possible. Those who know Chan
plains determined and desperat
; chara cter say that only a lite sci
tence to the penitentiary will iasur
5 any safety to the minister, as tn
criminal will surely do hilu violene
v if ever he obtains his liberty. AS th
| the case now stands, Champlain he
. violated three provisions of the Grin
/, inal code, the penalty of each bein
9 ten years-abduction of a youn
child for immoral purposes, sod ON
!, and assault with intent to kill. 4
- the fiend has so long been carryir
: on his awful practices and has nun
g bered so many victims in this cit
i, Rev. Coleman has the sympathy an
e backing of the entire public.
r Approaching that at Cedar Fal
e he was unable to accomplish his end
he planned to kidnap the boy al
. take him to some distant point. D
v Moines was the place selected. 5
!. carefully had he planned that he he
y spent some time in that city choosir
!, a place where he should be free fro
d interruption.
it
70 Married.