The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-12-27
ABDUCTION OF A CHILD
MRS. s. ID. MILLER LEAVES THE CITY
WITH HER YOUNG son.
All Efforts to Locate the Mother and
Child Prove FutiIe-What
Was Done.

The Indianapolis police were called upon
about $50 o'clock yesterday afternoon to
locate the whereabouts of Sydney Miller,
the s~even-year-old son of. Mr.. Samuel d.
Miller, a well-known young attorney of this
city, it having become known to the fam
lily that the lad had been taken possession
of by his mother, with the probable and
almost certain design OF taking him away
from the city. ~
Mr.. and Mrs. Miller were married in
Washington, d. c., about eight years ago,
afterwards removing to this city, where
Mr.. Miller entered the practice of law.
They resided here for some time, until, at
the insistence of Mrs. Miller. Mr.. Miller re-
moved to New York, where he entered upon
the practice Of his profession. Subsequently.
Mr.. Miller found 1t to his material advan-
tage to return to Indianapolis, which he
did. becoming associated with the law firm
of which his father is senior member, n
with which he has since been connected.
Mrs. Miller preferred to remain In the
East and refused to her hus-
band to this city, the result being that they
have not since lived together. No charges
nave ever been made by either party
against the other and no proceedings look
ing to an annulment Of the marriage have
ever been instituted. Young Sydney was
brought to indianapolis, where he has since
lived with his father, except for about three
months, when he was permitted to visit his
mother in New York.
A few days ago Mrs. Miller, the child's
mother, came to Indianapolis and stopped
followed between Mr.. Miller n herself,
Mrs. Miller urged that she be permitted to
take the boy to New York with her, which
proposition was, however. declined. Mrs.
Miller protested that she had neither pur-
pose nor desire to take the child forcibly
or surreptitiously, and, accepting these rep
reservations as having been made I'm good
faith, the child was permitted to visit her
daily at the hotel. On yesterday afternoon
the nurse took him to Mrs. Miller's room.
by appointment.
The maid states that shortly after reach
ing the hotel Mrs. Miller asked her to go
down stairs and obtain the cash on a small
check, which she did. On returning TO tho
boy had put on their wraps and were pre-
pairing to leave the house. Mrs. Miller ex-
planned that she was going to take the
child for a drive. The maid said thct in
such case she must be permitted to accom-
pany him, to which Mrs. Miller gave a
ready assent. A carriage was summoned
and the three entered 1t. After driving
some distance the girl states that she be-
came apprehensive and insisted upon know
ing their destination. Mrs. Miller's replies
were so unsatisfactory that the girl, accord
ing to her statement, became so greatly
alarmed that she jumped from the car
rage at a point on South Meridian street,
and seeking the nearest available tele-
phone notified Mr.. Miller of what had taken
place. From this time forth the movements
of Mrs. Miller and the lad are somewhat in
doubt.
After some effort the cabman who had
driven the carriage was located and he
stated that after the girl had left the
carriage he had driven TO Jackson place,
where Mrs. Miller had asked him to dis
mount and inquire the nearest point out
side the city at which she could get a Big
Four train, and that acting upon the infor-
nation received in reply TO his inquiries he
had driven to the station at Brightwood,
where Mrs. Miller had left the carriage,
keeping the child with her and he has
returned TO the city.
On the strength OF this information Mr..
Miller ~telephoned Attorney Arthur Brady
east-bound train and to institute legal pro-
ceedings to detain the child until he could
reach that city. This step was taken in the
belief that Mrs. Miller had gone east on
the accommodation train leaving Indianap-
oils at 4:O o'clock. Mr.. Miller went to
Muncie on the knickerbocker special. At
Muncie il was found that neither Mrs. Mil
Ter nor the child were on the train in ques-
ton and nothing further has been learned
OF their whereabouts or probable destina-
ton.