The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1900-11-23
TOOK HER CHILD
At POINT OF GUN
Sensational Scene at an Og-
den Academy.
SALT LAKE WOMEN
TERRORIZE SISTERS
Mrs. Vail and Her Mother Sc
cure Little Gladys.

the possession of her only child, aho-
hacked in her efforts by her own /
mother brandishing a revolver TO en-
force her rights in the heart of the |
Sacred Heart academy was an incl |
dent that threw the city of ogden into |
wild excitement yesterday, and closed
another drama of distressing social
drama that had its beginning in this
city almost &, year ago.
The women in the case were Mrs.
Elmer A. Vail and her mother, Mrs.
Mcconnell. both of this city; the scene
of the trouble was the Sacred Heart
academy, and the child was little
Gladys the 7-year-oId daughter of Mr..
and Mrs. Elmer A. Vail, who separated
in this city last February.
Early in the day Mrs Vail and Mrs.
Mcconnell presented themselves at the
Sacred Heart academy in Ogden and
demanded that the child be given to
! them. The sisters refused the demand
! and the women left the institution to
/ consult their lawyer. The sisters re
/ fused to give up the child on the
/ grounds that she had been left there
] by her father and that it would not be
right for them to give her up on the
/ demand of any other person than the
| father.
Carried Off the Child.
After comforting with their attOr-
! neys the two women went back to the
academy and renewed their demand for
the child. Again they were refused
Then occurred the incident that start
ed the real excitement Mrs McCon-
nell. the grandmother of the child
/ caught her up IN her arms and started
for the door. Like wildfTe the report
spread through the building that
( child was being kidnapped, ana the
/ widest excitement took possession O
the sisters and other children. A mum
Der of the sisters sDrang TO the rescu'
/ of the little Gladys, and prepared u
take her by force from the two womeI
/ pushing their way to the door Ine-
seemed in fair way to win, when Mrs
/ Mcconnell turned upon them with
dangerous glitter in her eye and re
voIver in her right hand. This weapon
with its gIistening barrel she flourish
ed i'm such a significant way that IN
Dursuit stopped at once and sisters an
children ran in all directions IN per
feet panic The two women then mad
! of with the child
Put the excitement was not yet over
After leaving the academy Mrs Nc
/ Cornell and Mrs. Vail went direct l
7 the sheriff's office and there told thei
/ story In the midst of it Mrs Mcton
nell fell over in faint from eXhaustlO
4 I and excitement. The sheriff took tn
Z / revolver. which proved to be harm
; less little trinkat of small eaibre an
! unIOaded.
Arrest Attempted.
= The wome, were allowed to depar
Z, with their little charge by the sheriff
but their troubles were not yet Owe
When they reached the depot to tax
= the 80 train on the Oregon Short Lin
Il for Salt Lake they were accosted b
+ Police Officer Pender. who attempte
to arrest them and hold them in Ogde
n on the charge Of kidnapping a chill
l. But the mother, driven to bay refuse
d 90 be arrested. She demanded Of tt
r officer that he produce his warrant Il
y arresting a mother for taking her oW
e child. The officer was taken abaC
10 completely by this mode of attack ar
% before he could pull himself togethl
,SS the women were on the train with II
IL little girl and on their way to Salt LAX
The police office here was notified
= once Of the occurrence. It is stated
= Attorney Lippman that Chief HiltC
= made his arrangements TO arrest Il
n two women on their arrival here, b
- that he explained matters to that o
ffcer and induced him to keep his han
- of. Chief Hilton states that he hi
- no intention Of arTesting the womi
% after he learned how matters stood.
&c Mrs. Wallis Story.
l. The story that Mrs Vail and NJ
Mcconnell told the sheriff in Ogd
was to the effect that Mr. and Mrs. "
were separated in Salt Lake last Fe
- ruary. but that they had never be
ne divorced. Some time after the sepaT
: ton Mr. Vail spirited the little 9
away from her home, and from tn
- time to the present the woman n
s sIe been looking for the child. Just d
-, or two ago they discovered that S
- was in the Sacred Heart academy. a
- upon the advice of their attorne
~ Powers. Straup & Lippman- made
demand that resulted in the sensation
~ scene at the academy yesterday
Attorney Lippman's Statement.
~ Attorney Joseph Lippman was sc
n. last evening and corroborated the ST.
ss / told by the women. although he Y
ir averse to talking about the matter
all He said that he had been N
ok Wallis attorney from the time the On
was taken away. The mother was G
ers tracted. he said, when she came to
he for advice. Her only child was go
he she had no trace Of il: she was with
led money and had no means to put det
me tives at work TO ind her child for
Her fear was that the father wo
~ take the little one OQA VI AAAC GUN
rs altogether and that she would ne
W see it again. This suspense had las
ar for nine months. and when it was
ro- covered that the little girl was =
% % asylum at Ogden, Mr.. Lippman S
All that he advised her just how 70 I
coed. and she was ready for any
are venture.
ma Mr. Lippman said further that \
Vail had for months past been anxi
ac- To sue for a divorce but that ne
in pursuaded her not TO take this
no until she had secured possession Of
Gu child Now that she has the child
slr- suit for divorce. he thinks, VIII be
eys. stituted without delay
will When Mrs Vail arrived IN this
9th from Ogden with her mother and
x is little girl she went at once TO her ap
Of n1ents over the Godbe-Pitts drug ST
OF There she was last night and he W
give have been a brave man indeed
lere would have attempted To take the
on GLADYS from that refuge
l 5e Nothing for Newspapers.
4 a A reporter of The Herald loo
this Mrs. Vail and her mother on the
ks 7oor Of the CfOdbe-Pftts drug
z. Continued o. page =