Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1899-07-13
charaad with kianannlna . child.

Patrick RAINY, an old man who has long
resided near Malaga, was arrested at
\ Barnsboro on Friday night last with a
child in his possession, and after question
ing by the citizens, was committed to Jail
to await further investigation, and is now
in Jail awaiting legal transfer to Philadel-
phla authorities on the serious charge OF
kidnapping,
The facts are about as follows: When
RAINY was paying toll at the BaFnsboro toll
gate, Mr.. Davis, the toll gather, was sur
prised to see little girl on the seat beside
him holding the lines. Knowing RAINY by
sight. and rec0llecting that when he went
up few days before that he was alone, he
questioned the child, girl of about eight
years, and she said she lived at Darby,
Pa. with her mother. Rany, who Was
much under the influence OF liquor, drove
to the hotel, and made arrangements to
stay all night With stories of kidDappers
| fresh in his mind, Davis informed some of
the citizens of his fears, and they went to
| interview RAINY, who IN the meantime had
put his horse and wagon under the hotel
| shed. He at first said nothing about the
child, and when questioned about her, was
not explicit The child was then brought
| from the wagon and questioned, and said
her name was Della Lewis, that she lived
at Darby. Pa, with her mother, and gave
the street and number. She was scantly
clad. and without hat or shoes. The peo-
Die concluded it was best to bring him to
Woodbury., and Esquire Shuster gave them
the legal authority. A telegram was sent
to the child Is mother to come down next
day.
At the further investigation on Saturday,
the girls aunt. Miss Anna Lewis, said the
child left home at IL 10 a. m, Thursday,
to carry dinner to Johu Cowden, one of her
erandmother's boarders, who works at Gar
rett,s mill She took the dinner there, but
on her way home stopped near the Hotel
Buttonwood to play Nellie Mcclure, aged
Eve years. who lives at the hotel, said she
saw Della 20 away with the man, and had
told hershe better not get into the wagon.
A small boy informed the Lewis family
that he had seen Della driving the wagon
towards the city, the man sitting beside
her
RAINY, who has many friends at Malaga,
where he is a sma farmer and Junk dealer,
and is held in general regard TOR his strict
honesty, has told some of his friends who
have visited him in Jail, that he went to
mother, aud took load of junk and truck
along. When on the road home be stopped
at hotel and drank some beer. When he
came out the little girl was at the wagon
and wanted to drive He refused to let
her have the lines. She then asked for a
ride, and he allowed her to get in the
wagon. She rode on the seat beside him.
He stopped at another hotel, and after that
was conscious OF nothing until he was across
the river. Then be thought, as he had to
90 to Darby the next Saturday, he had
better take the child home, and return her
then; that the idea Of taking the child
child never entered his mind.
A THIRD PATTY.
Il seems that while passing through
Philadelphia, RAINY engaged man named
Zufita, to work on his farm. This man
was to come down next day. But be
followed the old man that night, and was
at Barnsboro when the arrest was made.
He was at Woodbury. next day, and finally
his act ioDs became suspicious, and the
officers put him under arrest too.
There is a suspicion that either the old
man was the victim of plot, and by stop
ping at Barnsboro for the night, escaped
serious consequences.
Rany's neighbors say he is hatdwork
ing, thrifty and honest. That he is by no
means drunkard and not known as a
drinkeT, and they do not believe he had
any wrong intentions in the matter. He
has lived there many years, and since the
death of his wife has lived alone