The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-01-18
BRIDE SPIRITED AWAY
MRS. ROSIE GAGNIA, AN ALLEGED
HEIRESs, HAS DISAPPEARED.
Her Husband I'm Custody on Suspicion
of Hiding Her-The Woman I'm
known at Evansville.

CHICAGO, Jan. 1.-THE mysterious dis
appearance of Mrs Rosie Gagnia, an al
legged heiress and the seventeen-year-old
bride of George Gagnia, a professional
bondsman, is puzzling the police of this city.
About a month ago Mrs. Gagnia, then Rosie
Wallace, ran away from home in Evans
vile, Ind, and came to Chicago, where she
became acquainted with Gagnia, whom, it
is asserted, on learning that Miss Wallace
was worth $12S Co., married her on Dec. %.
Gagnia says his wife was kidnapped last
night while on her way to the depot to meet
a younger sister. According to the Times
Herald, Mr.. Gagna says his wife was forced
to leave Evansville several months ago to
escape the attention of a minister, who
wanted to marry her. The minister knew
that she was the sole beneficiary of her
mothers will, and it was to get possession
of her money Gagnia says, that he tried
to force her into marriage Gagnia gave
Inspector Hartnett the minister's name last
night, and he is of the opinion that the
clergyman had something to do with his
Wifes strange disappearance.
Rosie Wallace, Mrs, Gagnia's maiden
name, was born near Evansville, Ind When
she was quite young her father went to
California and invested in mining property.
He prOspered from the start, and upon his
return home, about twelve years ago, he
was worth more than 100000. During the
absence of Wallace in California another
child, daughter, was born to his wife. This
child was named Gertrude Mrs. Wallace
never let her husband know of the existence
of this child. After making his fortune in
the gold fields Wallace returned to Evans
vile, where he lived until his death, eleven
years ago.
After the death of Mrs. Wallace, two
years ago she bequeathed $4,000 to family
that had reared the child Gertrude. The rest
of her fortune was left to the daughter
Rosie. OF the estate there was about $35 600
in currency and $4,000 in diamonds The
money and diamonds have been in bank
at Evansville, as, according to the provi-
sons Of the will, Rosie was not to have pos
session until she was eighteen years of age.
Gertrude, the other child, was left nothing.
but the mother in her will requested Rosie
to see that she never wanted for anything.
More than two years ago the minister,
whose name Inspector Hartnett will not di-
Yulge, tried to force his attention on Rosie
Wallace, VINO was one OF the pIetuest girls
in Evansville The minister had known the
girls mother for many years, and officiated
at her funeral. He tried to be appointed
guardian for the children, but failed. Rosie
came to dislike the minister so much on
account of his attentions that last Octo-
Der she ran away from her Indiana home
and came to Chicago. She boarded at differ
ent places on the South side.
About Dec l she met George Gagnia, a
Frenchman of small stature, who is well
known at the Harrison-street station as a
bondsman Gagnia fell in love with the rosy
checked girl, and on Dec. % they were mar
ried by Justice Mahoney at the county
clerk s once. NTdSnld ala not KNOW Wnen ne
married Miss Wallace that she was worth
fiVe-cent piece. And he didn't care He
married her for love- and that love was re-
ciprocated.
few days after the wedding the bride
told her husband Of her large fortune in
Evansville. He at first thought she was
joking. To prove the truth of her words
she went with him to Evansville and con-
WINGED him. On their return they brought
back a transfer of $17,500 from the Evans
Vile bank to the First National Bank of
this city. ARRANGEMENTS were made where
by the balance of the money-$2O OOO-and the
diamonds were to be transferred to the First
National Bank of Chicago Wednesday.
Since her marriage to Gagnia the young
bride has received several anonymous let
tiers. in which the writer threatened to kill
her if she did not leave her husband. One
day last week she was assaulted in the hall
way of the building in which she lives. The
next day woman she knew in Evansville
met her as she was leaving the house and
tried to induce her to run away from her
husband. This woman, Gagnia says, was in
the employ of the Evansville minister.
Tonight the husband of the missing
woman was taken into custody by the police
and will be held until some light is thrown
upon the disappearance of the woman 1t
is not thought that Gagnia has killed the
woman or harmed her in any way. but the
police suspect him of OBTAINING her in some
secret place until he can make arrange
ments to secure her property. Gagnia We
hemently denies that he has any knowledge
of the Whereabouts of his wife and insists
that she is detained by friends of an Evans
Vile clergyman.
Several facts throw discredit upon the
story of the woman being possessed of great
wealth Two bank books showing balances
to her credit, in a Chicago bank and
one in a Carmi, ILL.,, institution, have been
proven to be fakes, and both banks have
declared that they have no such accounts.
Adviees from Evansville late tonight ere
to the effect that the woman is not known
there and there never was any great Wal
lace estate, from which she is said to have
derived her 800, 900.