The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1902-03-24
Think NEGRO
KIDNAPPED Her
Pretty Annie Stein Has Been
Missing for Over a Month
and a Half
RELATIVES DISTRACTED
She Spent Night With the
Colored Man and His
White Wife in Their
Home.
RELATIVES DISTRACTED

Was pretty 13-year-old Annie Stein kid
Mapped or did she leave home of her own
accord? Is she now detained somewhere
against her will or is she staying away
voluntarily? Does negro named Smith,
who lived on Cook street, know anything
about her, and if so, where is he2
These are the questions the Jersey City
police are endeavoring to answer in or
der to solve the mystery surrounding the
strange disappearance Of the child from
her grandmother's home at No. 5S6 New
ark avenue over a month and hall ago
There are several strange features con-
nected with the case, not the least OF
which is the fact that although so long
a time has elapsed since the child disap-
peared, no report of the matter was made
to the police of the Third precinct until
Saturday last.
The missing girl is a daughter of Jacob
Stein who lives in the Lafayette section
Since July last she has lived with her
grandmother, Mrs. Elizabeth Stein, who
conducts a flower store at the address
given above On the day mentioned Mrs.
Stein sent her granddaughter to deliver
a pillow of flowers to a customer on Bald
win avenue The flowers were delivered,
but the little girl never returned.
Pstrolman Paul Stein, of the Commun-
. ipaw avenue station, who reported the
fact of little Annie's disappearance to the
police is an uncle of the missing child.
He gave as reason for not reporting
the matter sooner that he himself had
conducted vigilant search in the hope
of locating her, but without avail.
Annie's father is cripple and her
mother is dead For two years prior to
making her home with her aunt the girl
had been an inmate of the House of the
Good Shepherd. nj Eighth street, Newark
Her grandmother says that she was not
inclined to be wayward and since she has
lived with her the child has had few
companions and went out but little.
Another strange circumstance in con-
nection with the case is the fact that it is
said by the missing girls relatives that
she had stopped at the house of a colored
man named Smith, who lived in ook street
with a white woman, said to be his wife.
Inquiry at the house of the man re-
vealed the truth of this statement.
Smiths wife,. who IS well known in the
neighborhood, said that Annie had stayed
there one night, but finding she was not
wanted had left. Incidentally Mrs. Smith
said that her husband had also disappear
ed, although she does not believe that he
is outside of the city.
'.If my husband has taken that girl
away l will kill him., Mrs. Smith declar-
ed to Detective Clark, who is at work OF.
the case. The woman said that her black
husband had for some time neglected anu
abused her and had not contributed to
her support IN three months. She said
she was married to him by Justice of the
Peace Roe eight years ago and that he
always carried the marriage certificate
with him. She expressed fear that he
would destroy the document and claim
that he lad married little Annie.
Patrolman Stein says that when ne
heard that his niece mad been at the
negros house he went there one day and
saw Smith, who dropped to his knees and
cried, ."I amt got her"
The grandmother of the missing child
says that a negro came to her store son.e
time ago and asked her il she had a rela-
tive, young child named Annie, who
was missing. On being questioned he
said that the reason he asked was be-
cause he had given her shelter at his
home one night. He declared positively
that he did not know where she was.
The missing girl is pretty and well de-
veloped for her years. She has a dark
complexion, dark eyes and short dark
hair. When she left home she had on
a blue polka dot shirt waist blue Tam
O'shanter hat and black shoes and stock
ings.
The nero Smith is well known among
the1eoIored population of the lower Hud
son City section. He is about forty years
of age and earned living doing odd jobs
for Newark avenue merchants