The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1900-01-04
THIS NAS
Dub DEED Oh
Il MONSTER
Little ight eir-oid ceeolia Peek
InticSd Amy ~ 4 ssTinglr
THE ENTIRE POLICE FORCE
Il Engaged in an Effort 70 Bun Down
the Fellow. But 80 Ear With
out Success

A bold abduction occurred Yesterday
afternoon right in the heart Of the city.
L4tie Cecilia Peck, the eight-year-old
daughter Of Nicholas Peck who lives
At 1i1S Elizabeth street, IN the East
End. was kidnapped BY stranger,
while she was returning home from the
ST. Aiphonsus school The police spent
a busy night in search Of her and At q
late hour there was no clue to her
whereabouts.
The child was pupil Of St Aiphon-
gus' parochiai school, and at 4 o'clock,
after the school was dismissed In COM
pany with companion, the eleven
year-old daughter OF Henry Rose, who
lives next door to Nj. Peck, she started
to return home. The girls stopped ia
front Of BriukmeieFs gallery, at the
north end Of the Market street bridge,
to look at the picture display, and while
thus engaged they were accolted by a
strange man who asked the Peck gtrl
II she knew where "llr. Smith" lived,
IN her childish Innocence She INQUIRED
IL Mr.. Smith; who lives out on Me-
colloch street, was meant. to which the
fellow returned an Affirmative response.
The Rose girl was not impressed with
the strangers appearance and she said
later thar she detected the odor Of
liquor on him. Her unfortunate school
mate, however. agreed to show the
man where the Mr. Smith she knew
lived. The Rose girl besought her to
come with her, saying. THAT man Is
drunk and hen kill you. This appeal
was counteraeted by the fellows prom
Use to give the child a dime Il she would
accompany him out to Mccolloch street,
and he advised her companion to 80
ahead Of them and that the pair would
rejoln her around the corner"
The AFFAIR at this point took no more
time than It does to describe It. The
Rose child was considerably frightened
and she hurried home. only turning her
head once. when she noticed the man
and the Peck child going out Blgh-
tenth street, past the Terminal depot.
That was the last seen Of the child, 50
far as is known.
The abduction was not learned Of by
the family until o'clock. the Rose
child not saying anything about It until
questioned, and no fears at the child's
absence were entertained by her par
ents because she had been in the habit
Of occasionally visiting her brother.
who works in South Side bakery, and
returning for supper with him. The
police were then notified and every oth-
Ger on the force maintained vIgilant
look out, while telephone inquiries were
made Of the police in surrounding towns.
The lost child is described as being
plump and large for her age. which is
eight years She is quite pretty. has a
fair complexion, with blue eyes and
light colored hair. Her photograph was
left at police headquarters by the dis
tracted father, who ID a respected clti-
Gen. No description Of the abductor is
available, aside from the incomplete
one furnished by the Rose girl who
says he was well dressed, had black
mustaehe. and carried a package wrap
ped in olleloth. This would presume
that he is a peddler. and some believe
ne is foreigner. The little girl wore
black fascinator. It is sincerely
hoped that the child may be speedily
released from the villains possession.
At midnight, Chief clemans and four
or fve. Of his men visited the Terminal
and the Peninsula tunnels, in the
eastern section Of the city, and officers
went to Benwood, but failed to dis
cover any traces Of the missing girl
Favorable reports were anxlously
awaited from other points in the OUT
skirts Of the city. but nome was re-
celved up to . o'clock this morning,
The authorities were Of the opinion at
first that the fellow might be located