The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1901-07-10
Jus STICE SPRINTS
Ii ghtning Indictment Of a
Man Accused Of
Abduction.
MARY MAHoAEY'S ExPE RIEHCE
Man Hires Her as a Nurse and
Tries to Drug Her in the
Central Railroad Yards.
MARY MAHOAEY'S EXPE RIENCE

Central Railroad Yards.
/ Roundsman Higgins, Of the First precinct
/ police station, came upon a young man
}and little girl in the freight yards Of
1.-The Central Railroad at CommunipaW
He was attracted to the pair by the child $
}acreams. He asked what they were doing
/ there. The girl denounced the man amid
/ flood of tears and asked the policeman
| to take her home to her mother. The
man remained sullen and silent and both
| were taken to the station house.
The man described himself as Harry
/ .Mackin. twenty-seven years old, of New
Durham, The girl said she was Mary
Mahoney, eleven years old, of No. 102
EsWashington street, Borough of Manhat-
tan, New York City. She said that the
man had stolen her away from home and
had later attempted to assault her. She
said that last evening about six O'Clock
I a man made a careful canvass of the,
neighborhood in which she lived, seeking
a girl whom he might engage as a nurse
for his sick wife and infant child. He
made inquiries of number of people and
honey, who occupied a couple of rooms in
the tenement house at No. 102 Washing
ton street. The man was told that Mrs.
Mahoney was a widow who had been in
this country only four years and that she
had had hard time supporting her four
small children. The man made minute
inquiries about the character of the fam
lily and obtained the best of recommenda-
Ia lo1 ToI,n
81 am looking for a little girl eleven
or twelve years old to go to my home as
nurse" said the stranger, ''and have
been told that perhaps you would let me
have your daughter Mary. l shall treat
her as one of my own. Here is an appli-
cation l have made to the New Jersey
State Board of Children's Guardians so
you need have no fear"
The man showed a regular application
properly filled out, in which were mem
toned as references three presumably
reputable residents of New Durham. He
held out other inducements and painted a
glowing picture of the happy home the
child would have if she went with him.
Mrs Mahoney thought well of the plan
and consented. The man promised to pay
Mary 81 per week.
MARY says IHdC the HAL LOOK nSr 10 Tile
Central Railroad ferry and crossed to-
Communipaw. They then walked along
the tracks to Lafayette. Here the man
took her into an ice cream store and
bought her ice cream. He later took her
INTO a saloon and bought her soda water.
Then they returned to the railroad yard.
The man seated himself on the ground
and pulled Mary toward him asking her
T1,r1
then drew from his pocket handkerchief
and placed it over her mouth. 1t caused
a burning sensation on her lips and she
screamed the louder. 1t was then Hig-
gins was drawn to the pair.
When they arrived at the station the
man refused to make any further state
ment than that he had engaged the girl
with the mothers consent but that when
he started home he took the wrong ferry
and was lost. He protested that his in
tentions were perfectly honest, but re-
mained silent when questioned about the
details of the scene in the railroad yard,
as described by the girl
Investigation of the papers found in mis-
pockets showed that he was Herbert Nc
Neal, fireman, employed by the West
Shore Railroad, and that he lived on
Fisher avenue New Durham. The appli-
cation to the State Board of Childrens
Guardians shows that he has wife Kate
ana two children, Frederick and William,
six and three years old, respectively.
He was arraigned before Acting Police
Justice John P. Mccormick in the First
Criminal Court this morning and remand
cd for further examination The police
are Investigating the case.
Chief Murphy this morning said that
he would turn the case over to the New
York authorities because there McNeal
can be prosecuted for abduction, as 1t is
a high misdemeanor to take any female
child under the age of fifteen years out OF
that State under such circumstances.
Here McNeal could be tried for assault
and battery and perhaps on more ser
ious charge, but the Chief thinks the
proper place for him is New York.
Mary Mahoney remained at the station
house all night and today her mother
came and took her home. The meeting of
the two was very affectionate and affect
ing.
Chief Murphy communicated with the
New York City authorities and the mat
ter was at once taken up by the District
Attorneys office. McNeal was indicted.
Chief Murphy was informed that a true
bill had been found.
McNeal will not be held on charge Of
being fugitive from Justice and will be
held to await extradition to New York.
1t is likely he will be taken there to be
tried on a charge of abduction within
week.