The evening times., 1899-03-22
KIDNAPPED GERALD
LAPlbER FOUND
Stolen From His Home in Chi
cago Nine Months Ago.
Abducted by an Insane Couple Liy-
ing in Painesyille, Ohio.
Child That Had Lived in n Happy
Home Found i'm SIuaIOr
and Misery.

Chicago, March 22.-Little Gerald Lapi-
ner, who was kidnapped May 80, 1898, from
the sidewalk in front of his parents resi-
dence, 4S35 Prairie Avenue, has been found
in Painesville, Ohio, in the possession of
an old insane couple. This kidnapping
and search is second only to the Charlie
Ross mystery. Publicity brought about
the recovery of the child. Innumerable
clews have been run down. The weary
mother and discouraged father have trav-
eled all over the country and have spent
$4,000 in their search.
The father today is almost insane from
joy. He burst into the Office of Police
Captain Colleran crying: We've found the
boy, captain, We've found the boy, God
bless you, you can have anything I've got!''
He then showed the captain the tele-
gram from Mrs. Lapiner, which contained
the simple statement that she had found
Gerald.
Lapiner's excitement was so great that
he could scarcely articulate. Recently the
police received letter from Miss o. c.
Ferris, of Painesville, Ohio who wrote
that she had read in the papers the story
of the kidnapping OF the little boy and
was certain he was in Painesville in pos
session of a mysterious old couple who
appeared insane
Mrs. Lapiner left for Painesville yes
terday, and today identified her offspring.
He was in squalor and filth in a hut just
outside the town. He recognized his moth
er and ran to her crying: Mamma, mann
MAJ
The kidnapers were placed under ar
rest. Gerald Lapiner is three years old.
He was playing in front of the Lapiner
house in Prairie Avenue on May 30 when
woman was seen TO pass the child. She
leaned over and said something to him.
She seized the little fellow by one hand
and again whispered something to him.
The child went with her gladly.
The entire police force began a search
that has continued until today. The faith
er first believed the child was stolen for
ransom, but as no word came this idea
was given up.
Several children of the neighborhood saw
the woman taking the child away and gave
the police good description of her.
The woman was traced to Forty seventh
Street and Grand Boulevard. where, it is
believed she entered a carriage An hour
later carriage containing woman and
a child answering their description stopped
at Adams Street and Wabash Avenue. and
the occupants boarded a Lake Street ele-
waited train.
At Fifty second Avenue they hurried out
of the car TO buggy that had been waiting
in the vicinity in charge of young man.
and they disappeared in the direction of the
suburban town of Austin.
Here all tangible clews disappeared The
child was heard TO call for papa in the
IL" train, and was repeatedly quieted by
promises of candy. 1t was believed by the
police that the woman was hired to kdnap
the child, for before she led him away from
was.
Mr.. Lapiner is worth 100000. and he
said: Il will give 81 600 TO anyone that
will return my son to me. l will ask no
questions. There will be no prosecution l
promise that, but / will take the case in
my own hands, and no Judge or jury will
find me guilty for what l might do
Mr.. Lapiner is an insurance adjuster. and
all the big companies with which he is con-
nected helped in the search for the stolen
boy.
Several letters were received by Mr. Lap
iner from different towns offering TO re-
turn his son If certain specified sums of
money were left at designated places
1t is evident now that these letters were
written by swindlers who did not know
anything about the whereabouts OF the
missing child, their schemes being to get
possession of the ransom and give no re-
turn for it.
Lost children in numbers were discovered
and returned to other parents in the course
of the search for little Gerald. but the
boy especially sought after remained un-
found