The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1900-10-11
UNCONSCIOUS
KIDNAPPED
Gronnio Says He Found a
Lost Baby and Took Her
for Kindness.
BUT SHE BEGAN TO CRY
And Then He Was Arrested
And All This Time the
Mother Was Search
ing.
BUT SHE BEGAN TO CRY

Giuseppe Gronnio, of No. LAG Seventh
street, is prisoner at Police Headquar-
ters charged with kidnapping. He is held
to await extradition by the New York
authorities, on complaint of John Sheehey,
of No. IA Hester street, New York City.
Mr.. Sheehey charges that Gronnio kid
mapped his two and a half years old
daughter Anna yesterday afternoon from
the street near her home and brought her
to this city. The man was arrested as he
was leaving an Erie ferryboat yesterday
afternoon at five o'clock, by Patrolman
O'Connell of the Seventh street station He
and the child were taken to the station
house and kept there while the little girls
mother was running about from station
to station in New York City begging the
police to find her darling.
She was notified last night at Z o'clock,
and she hastened to this city at once At
the station house the happy mother kissed
her baby between her sobs She was
overjoyed and laughed and cried in turn
while the case was explained to her. She
supplied details that completed the
story.
Mrs. Sheehey, at $3.50 yesterday after
noon, dressed Annie, and the little one
went to the street to join some other
children in their games. She had been
with them only short time when she
was lost. The anxious mother asked the
other children where Annie was and none
knew. Mrs. Sheehey became greatly
alarmed and went to the station house
nearest her and asked that an alarm be
sent out for the lost baby. She visited
many other station houses but failed to
notify Police Headquarters. For this rea-
son adjoining cities were not notified
and the police here knew nothing of the
case.
While Patrolman Mcconnell was stand
ing at the Erie Railroad ferry, a. boat
came in from Chambers street. A
passenger rushed up to him excitedly and
said he believed a kidnapper and his
victim was on board the boat. He based
his belief on the fact that the child was
well dressed and her companion, man
was poorly dressed. In addition to this
the little girl seemed anxious to break
away from the man and cried almost the
entire trip across. The man glanced about
anxiously and seemed to be very desirous
of Quieting the child.
O'Connell went aboard the boat and saw
the man mentioned with a pretty little
girl. He asked who the child was and
the man replied that he had found her in
the streets in New York City. The officer
was not satisfied and took the pair to the
station house. The New York authorities
were notified and they in turn notified
Mrs. Sheehey. She and her husband came
here and the little family were happily re-
united.
Gionnio is an Italian He cannot speak
English and heStold his story this morning
to Chief Murphy through an interpreter.
He has a wife and three children at
home. He said he was returning from
work in New York yesterday afternoon.
At the corner of Centre and Chambers
street he noticed little girl at his heels
who had been following him for several
blocks. He is a fatherly person and he
kindly asked the child where she was
going. She was unable to tell him.
He decided to bring her to a policeman
and took her up N his arms, continuing
toward the ferry. He reached the ferry
to bring the child here and give her to a
policeman. The scene on the boat de-
scribed to the officer by a passenger
proved his undoing. He said he took the
child up purely out of kindness and had
no intention of stealing her the police
here believe that his story is true.
A warrant has been issued by the New
York authorities and he will be extra
dited.
Counsellor Arthur Arehibold, of No 25S
Washington street, who has been engaged
to defend Gronnio, will make an effort to
have the prisoner extradited today so that
the case may be quickly disposed Of Mr..
will be made out against his client, who
feels his OOSjfiOn keanlv