Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-08-16
Ottumwa Woman Receivers
Baby From Husband.
DETAILS OF THE AFFAIR
Mrs. J. A. DoWney Secures Her Baby
in Ridgeway, Mo-, Where 1t Is Said
to Have Been Taken by Its Father
The Mothers Story.
From Tuesdays Daily.

The details of kidnapping affair
in which Ottumwa parties are directly
interested have just been made pub
lie, the story having been related to
Courier reporter by Mrs. ]. A. Downey,
the mother of the child in the case,
this morning. Mrs. Downey returned
from Ridgeway, Mo-, Sunday evening,
where the finale of the little drama
was enacted. 1t began in this city,
last Friday morning, when Mr.. Down
ey is charged with having kidnapped
his little 1S-months old daughter, Gar
nett, and took her to the home of his
mother, Mrs. M. w. Downey, who re-
sides in the suburbs of Ridgeway.
Mrs. j. A. Downey followed her hus-
band and baby Saturday, and by very
cleverly arranged plans, assisted by
the marshal and other friends at
Ridgeway, succeeded in getting the
baby away from her husband and the
home to which he had taken it.
Mrs. Downey in speaking of the az
| fair this morning said: ut is not
necessary for me to explain that my
husband and l have been having trou-
BILE. This has been going on for some
time, but | do not care to speak of
that at this time"
Mrs. Downey then related the story
of the kidnapping of her child and it's
subsequent return to the home OF
Mrs. T. C. Tolbert, 1884 West Second
street, the mother of Mrs. Downey,
wit whom she is now staying.
Mrs Downey stated that last Friday
her husband took the baby and went
to Ridgeway. Mo-, to the home of his
mother, Mrs. M. w. Downey. The
wife and mother said she understood
| from the trouble that had previously
ensued that her husband had left her
anu that it was his intention to keep
the child. She said she was deter
mined that he should not have it,
and accordingly boarded train for
Ridgeway, Saturday morning. She re-
manned at a hotel conducted by Roy
Prater, until o'clock Saturday even
| ing, when she called at the parental
Downey home. She said she found
her husband and baby We're there,
and according to her plans she pre-
tended she had called for a friendly
visit. Mrs. Downey said that her hus-
band and his mother evidently thought
that she had made up her mind that
! she could stay away from her family
and that she had come to remain per-
manently.
Mrs. Downey says that was what
she wanted them to think. When it
came time to retire, she and her hus-
band and baby occupied one room. Mr..
Downey, soon after going to bed, fell
into a sound sleep, and shortly after
midnight, when he was awakened by
the crying of the child, he found that
| the mother had outwitted him and
had flown with the baby. Mrs. Down
ey said she reached the hotel about
2 o'clock in the morning, and was
there fully a half hour before her hus-
band came up. She had previously
made all arrangements to be admitted
at any hour of the night and said it
was thru the kind assistance of the
landlord and the city marshal that she
was permitted to carry out her plans
so successfully.
To the reporter Mrs. Downey told
how, after retiring with her husband
and baby, she waited until the former
had fallen asleep, when she began to
prepare for the flight. She said she
just put on her clothing, piece at a
time, often being compelled to lie
down during the dressing act to pre-
vent her husband from detecting her.
She carried her shoes out of doors
during one of the times when she was
up, and at an opportune time hid her
husbands pantaloons in order that
he would be delayed in his fight
should he discover her. She had no
clothing at hand for the baby, and &C
cordingly wrapped her underskirt
about the little one When all prep
arations had been made she started
for the hotel. She said the baby cried
as she was leaving the house, and she
thinks that must have awakened the
sleeping husband and father. Mrs.
Downey said she did not stop to see.
She did not even stop to put on her
shoes. She picked them up as she
ran and later, after almost reaching
the hotel, stopped long enough to slip
them on.
Mrs. Downey is well known in OF
| tumwa, and has the sympathy of her
numerous friends. She made her
statement of the case today without
any reluctance, whatever, in view of
the fact that she desired that the
4 truthfulness of the case be known. She
did not .esire to censure her husband
publicly, explaining that the trouble
which had led UP to the kidnapping
has been brewing for some time.
Mrs. Downey said that she was mar
ried to Mr.. Downey three years ago.
Her husband was formerly employed
at the packing house of John Morrell
& Co., and lately was in the employ of
the Ottumwa Iron Works.
The mother said this morning that
she wished to especially express her
gratefulness to the many friends at
Ridgeway, who assisted her in her I'M
dertalling. She said that when she
went to the depot to return to Ottum-
wa, she was escorted by the marshal
and number of citizens who were de-
sirous of protecting her should she
| need it.
/ Frad K1Oppjpp at Underwood 1oet =,