The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-02-03
IDA LEFT HOME.
Miss Morris, Aged IS, Comes to
Topeka
With f. w. Benedict. Recently
Bereaved,
TO CARE FOR HIS CHILD
Mrs. WOlfrey, Her Aunt, Follows
the Couple,
Charging Benedict With Kid
naping the Girl.
A HOT CONTROVERSY.
Ending In Personal Encounter
at Benedict's Home.
But Miss Morris Stays and AS
serts Her Rights.

| W olfrey to F. W. Benedict as he open
ed the door to his home at 812 West
Fifth street
She isl he answered.
i want to see her. and Mrs. Wolfrey
marched straight through the house,
gIanc1ng around every room as she
went, searching for her niece, Ida Nor
ris.
What do you want?'' asked the girl
who was standing on the stairs leading
from the sitting room to the second
floor.
81 want you," said Mrs. Wolfrey. The
girl turned and started to run upstairs,
but Mrs. Wolfrey was too quick for
her. She grabbed the young lady's
skirts, reached over the bannister, pick
ed her up under one arm and with her
va1fse in the other hand started to the
back door. the girl struggling to free
herself and Benedict expostulating with
her. She was determined and kept on
her way.
Mrs. Wo1frey is large, powerful wo-
man about five feet ten inches tall and
will weigh in the neighborhood of $50
pounds. She was amply able to keep
the struggling girl securely tucked I'M
der her arm as she strobe through the
house
Benedict, seeing that his entreaties
We're in vain, rushed ahead of the wo-
man and took his stand in front of the
door.
Let me pass" shouted the woman
with her burden still struggling under
her arm.
1T will not" replied the man and he
stood firmly in front of the door.
Mrs. Wolfrey was still carrying the
valise in her left hand. She suddenly
dropped the girl and with the valise
for weapon she started for Benedict.
She struck him over the head and
shoulders with the valise, never caring
for the damage to her property. The
young man defended himself as best he
could but the woman was much larger
and stronger. She struck him, according
to the stories told since the affair with
such force that his eye was BACKED and
his nose bruised. When the girl inter-
fered the woman slapped her, and large,
burning red spots on her face were the
result.
AS the fray was in progress an ex-
pressman, who had come with some
baggage, raped at the front door. Ida
Morris escaped through the side door.
marched boldly in with the express
man.
Mrs wolfrey glanced round at him.
The man stood there in amazement.
I'll give you IS to get a policeman"
shouted the woman.
IT don't know where to get one,"
said the man and he left as he came
A piano man came in as the express
man was leaving and while the trouble
was going on and after viewing the
scene for a few moments he also left
in the wake of the expressman without
seeing the piano in the parlor.
When the Mrs. Wolfrey found that
her efforts to obtain possession of the
girl against her wishes were in vain,
she left and made her way to the police
station. The story is related by Ida
Morris and others.
Mrs WoIfrey lives at Rock Creek, in
Jefferson county on the line of the San
ia Fee running to st. Joe. Her husband
is section foreman and Ida Morris is her
Is year old niece. F. w. Benedict is q
brakeman on the Santa F'e running be-
tween Argentine and Newton. Ida Nor
ris' father and mother live in Argen-
tine.
A week ago today F. w. Benedict's
wife died. He had to have some one
to take care of his little girl, Bessie,
while he was away from home. He
went to st. Joe and on his return stop
ped at Rock Creek to visit friends. Miss
Morris was staying with her aunt.
where she has been for some time, and
friends for several years and Miss Nor
ris used to visit Mrs. Benedict while
she was living.
Mr.. Benedict asked Miss Morris if she
would come to his house and take
care of his little girl. He has a house
keeper, an elderly lady who does the
Homework, but he says he wished some
one to care for the child who had more
time to look after it.
Miss Morris said she told him she
thought she would prefer to stay where
she was as she was well acquainted in
Rock Greek.
Miss Morris is Is years old and a de-
cidedly handsome brunette. She says
that she has not lived at home for
three years, but has worked for her liv
ing and stayed at her aunt's part of
the time. She considers herself well
able to care for herself.
Wednesday night party was to be
given in Rock Greek, so the story goes
as told by Miss Morris, and she was
invited That evening Benedict was in
vited to attend the party and take sup
per with a. family that were friends of
his and Miss Morris. The young lady
was also invited, but Mrs. Wolfrey said
she should not take supper with the
family where the two were invited.
Miss Morris said she would. and when
Mrs Wolfrey said she would not, Miss
Morris became indignant at what she
said was usurping of authority upon her
aunt's part and told Benedict that she
had changed her mind and would accept
the place as nurse to his little girl
Mrs. Wolfrey refused to give her con-
sent, but as Miss Morris claims she is
of lawful age and able to make her
own decisions, she was all the more de-
termined to accept the position. She
said she would no longer remain with
her aunt
Miss Morris and Benedict attended
the party that night and at 1923 they
took the train for Topeka. When they
arrived here at II o'clock a policeman
was waiting for them and as they
stepped off the train at the Santa Fe
depot he told them he was looking for
them.
What for?" asked the girl.
81 have a telegram from Rock Creek