The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-04-01
STORY OF STEVENS GIRL
DETAILS ABOUT HER RETURN TO
HER MOTHER IN TEXAS.
Years Ago She Was Kidnapped ny
ley Industrial School

Considerable interest was aroused in this
vicinity a few weeks ago, by the finding of
a young girl. Carrie Stevens. at the Hadley
Industrial School. She had been kidnapped
from her home in Ell Paso. Tex, several
years before. and the story OF her restora-
ton to her mother is one of more than
usua! interest. A correspondent tells the
story in the following words:
THE story of the mysterious disappear
ance Of the little Stevens child from FL
Paso over six years ago, the discovery
of her in Indiana a few days ago, and the
last chapter enacted to-day, when the
child. now a well-grown girl, was restored
TO her mother. is a more romantic cpl
fode than could be found in the world of
fiction
"a telegram received last Monday con-
tanning the tidings that the child had been
found at Danville, Ind, and requesting
the details of her disappearance first
brought the story to the public mind
again. Several people who
the circumstances were found, and the de-
tails OF the story were published last Mon
day. Mrs. Anna Stevens, the mother, who
has been living In Mexico for several
years, was informed by wire of the find
ing of her daughter, and yesterday ar
rived In I'll Paso. In the meantime a
country peace officer who had gone East
on official business was delegated to bring
the child TO FL Paso, and she arrived here
this morning.
The girls full name is May Carrie
Stevens. She Is a well-grown, finely formed
girl. and though only eleven years of age
looks 70 be full two years older. She was
neatly, even prettily, dressed I'm a large
red felt hat. trimmed with ribbons of the
same color, a dress OF some dark material
and smart wooden jacket. Her face is not
only a pretty one, but its expression de-
short, she has ali the evidences of a child
who has been we'll trained, well nurtured
and kindly treated. Her attitude toward
her mother was that OF one who would be
affectionate but had not quite accustomed
herself to the changed conditions Of her
life.
MRS. STEvENs'S STORY.
Mrs. Stevens is a well-appearing woman
with regular. handsome features. In re-
Spouse 10 the request for a detailed ac-
count OF the disappearance of her daugh-
ter and the facts surrounding the case she
told the following story:
The stories that have been published
recently about my daughter and myself
have been so full of errors that 1 am glad
TO give the true story; | was married when
bridge foreman. L was married In San
Antonio. and after our marriage my has
band and / travelled a good deal over the
road. We finally settled i'm Fl Paso and l
lived here for seventeen years. My eldest
daughter was named Victoria and Is now
Mrs. Clark. The other child is this enc.
Her fun name Is May Carrie Stevens. Her
father died when she was a year and a
half old. leaving me In straitened circum-
tance. i took n house and made my living
BY keeping furnished rooms.
" IL was during this time that / met Mrs.
Taylor. who subsequently separated me
from my child. She was introduced TO me
by her husband. a brakeman. who had
been an old friend of my husband. Before
her marriage she had been an actress. She
visited me a good deal and We became
quite Intimate.
she fell very much in love with my baby
and spent hours with her. Ny children
were both taken Gown with scarlet fever
ard ! was hard pressed 10 take care OF
them and the household affairs. It was al
this time that Mrs. Taylor begged ne 20
give her my little Carrie. While / was hav-
Ing "A hard time 20 get along. there was no
reason why i should part with my child
and I declined. The children were Just re-
covering from their sickness when Mrs.
Tayicr said she was going 20 Valentine,
Tex. and asked me 10 let her take the
baby with her. as the trip would benefit
her. 1 consented. and they were gone a
week or 30. When they returned the child
was - improved that when Mrs. Taylor
Suggested later that 1 let the little one xc
with her 10 visit her brother at AlDu.
ouerque ! again consented. That was OF
SUNDAY. Aug. s. iEs5. II was the last tim
saw my baby until this morning. Mrs
Taylor had promised 10 write me from
dag TO day about my little one. but - NJ
letter came after some days had gone
~ ! became anxious and wrote to her q