The evening times., 1899-07-20
FIGH1ING FOR 4 CHILD
Passengers. on a Train Uphold a
Mothers Possession.
Wife Separated From Her Hus-
band Captures Her Little Daughter
Seen the Child for Five Years.
Had Been Married Eight Years.

Derby, Conn, July 20.-Extraordinary
circumstances, under which Mrs. George
Rowell yesterday obtained possession of
her daughter Georgia, six years old, from
whom the mother had been separated for
five years, is the only topic of conversation
here today. There is sorrow in the home
of Mr.. Rowell, who, in trying to regain
possession of his child, was forcibly eject
ed from train by those who went 10 the
mothers assistance in reply to her cries
for help.
Rowell heard of Georgia's disappearance.
and jumped on train as it was moving
| away from the station, at z O'Clock last
night. He found his wife, from whom he
was separated, sitting with their daughter
on her lap. Rowell grabbed the child and
made dash for the car platform. In re-
sponse to the mothers screams he was
held by passengers and the child taken
from him. The train was stopped, and the
child being returned to Mrs. Rowell her
husband was elected from the car.
George Roweil is son of Luzon Rowell,
who for twenty years was the tax collector
| here. He is a superintendent in the
| Driggs-Seaton Gun and Ammunition Com
| pany's shops. He was married eight years
| ago to Emma Decker, the daughter of a
widow who had lived here several years.
The early married life of the young
couple was happy one, but clouds finally
appeared. Georgia was born, but even
this did not suffice to brighten the home.
Rowell and his wife finally decided that a
separation was inevitable, and four years
ago Mrs. Rowell left here, and II is believ-
ed, went to New York city to- live. Her
next appearance here was this afternoon.
Georgia has always been in the custody
of the husband, although there had never
been any court proceedings He was fear
ful, however, that some day his wife would
attempt to get possession of the child, and
therefore he hired a governess, Miss Grace
Cromwell, who was always watchful of her
charge.
Rowell was absent from his home this
evening. and Georgia, with Miss Cromwell,
had started for Bradley'S greenhouses,
short distance from their house. They had
walked about a hundred yards when car
riage drove up and Mrs. Rowell jumped
out, seized the>child and hastened back to
the carriage, which was driven away at
! furious gait. Miss Cromwell screamed and
ran in the direction the carriage had gone.
Pursuit was useless, however, and she ran
/ home.
The husband returned ten minutes later
! and the young woman told him the story.
! He rushed out of the house and hurried to
the New York New Haven, and Hartford
Railroad station in time to see the o'clock
train putting out He climbed aboard and
! found his wife with her arm around Geor-
| sia RoweIl leaned over the seat and lifted
| the little one into his arms. He darted for
! the door but the woman's screams brought
the passengers to their feet, and men jump
ed for RoweIl and held him.
L. F. COLES, the conductor of the train,
had pulled the bellrope, and as the train
| slackened speed, demanded that the child
/ be returned to its mother. Rowell refused
| and made another effort to free himself as
he held Georgia tightly TO his breast.
Among those who were holding Rowell
was George W. Beach, superintendent OF
the Naugatuck division of the New York,
New Haven and Hartford railroad. He
! finally succeeded in freeing Georgia from
her fathers grasp and carried her back TO
/ Mrs Rowell, who was now almost hysteri-
cal. The tears that coursed down her
cheeks fell on the child's face as Georgia
cried for her father.
Some of the men passengers and the con-
| ductor forced Rowell out OF the car and
then 10 the ground Coils pulled the bell
cord. and the father stood beside the track
until the last car was lost 10 sight.
| Mrs Rowell came here at a quarter past
| 10 o'clock this morning. She went TO \.
! d. Baldwin's livery stable and engaged a
carriage. She rode out to her former home,
and for some hours drove around the neigh
borhood, apparently awaiting an opportu-
| nifty TO see Georgia.
The woman's mother died several years
! ago, and 1t cannot be learned here where
Mrs Rowel has been living in New York.
| 1t is believed that her destination last night
was that city, although she would have had
| TO change cars at Bridgeport, Conn.