The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-02-11
She Came to This City i'm Company
with Bertha Cardwell, of
bloomington, Ind.
HER FAMILY is PROMINENT
1T Is FEARED SHE WILL MARRY A
CRIPPLED PEANUT yENDER.
The Girls Seen by Detectives i'm Fred
erick Stanford's Room, but
Later Disappeared.

What became of Helen Scott. of Craw-
louisville Frederick Stanford, OF this city,
and Bertha Cardwell. of Bloomington, Ind,
last night is a question that concerns De-
tectives Colbert and Hauser and ]. II.
Scott. father of the Scott girl.
About 4 o'clock yesterday afternoon the
party was in Stanford's room, No. 10, over
Dinnin's saloon, at Washington and Della
ware streets. When the detectives returned
last night no trace of any of them could he
| found Stuck in the door was a card on
which was written, "Owen-See letter on
table. VIII be back Wednesday-perhaps-
/ Fritz"
The detectives thought the note referred
/ TO letter left in the room and addressed
/ TO Stanfords roommate or some friend who
| had a key to the room.
I II is case of runaway girl, not more
/ than seventeen years of age, member of
/ a wealthy family, of considerable social
\ prominence at Charlottesville, who was
/ bent upon marrying man about fifteen
! years her senior. and against whom the
| girls parents had objections because they
/ knew nothing of him. Stanford is about
thirty-two or thirty-three years of age.
He is a cripple and goes about most of the
time on crutches. He makes a business of
going the rounds of the county and street
fairs and selling peanuts and in other ways
getting money from persons intent upon
/ spending money.
The diappearance of the man and two
girls after being once in the presence of
the detectives due partly to the I'M
usual manner in which the matter was
brought TO the attention of the officers of
the law.
SEEN BY A BUSINESS MAN.
Yesterday afternoon a business man,
| whose name the detectives would not d.
vulge, saw the two girls going into the
entrance to the block in which Stamford
has his rooms Knowing the character of
the place and noting the refined appear
ance of the girls he became somewhat
curious and stopped them. During the brief
conversation the girls told him they were
from Charlottesville.
Half an hour later this business
was at the English Hotel There he met
/ Detectives Colbert and Hauser. He asked
them If they were looking for two girls
from Charlottesville. They "smelled a rat"
the nature of which they did not know,
and they did not acquaint the man of the
fact that they were not in search of such
girls. They asked a few questions. The
business man told them he must go, but
if the girls were wanted they could be
found in room No. 10 over Dinnin's saloon
at Washington and Delaware streets.
The detectives. more out of curiosity than
anything else. went to the room mentioned.
AS soon as they reached the bottom of the
stairs they heard the shouts and laughter
of the girls. There evidently a hilari-
Gus time in progress. They were admitted
TO the main room by Stanford. After the
detectives had stood for a moment in the
doorway, taking in the surroundings, STAN
ford said:
We'll it's all Off
Yes" said Colbert. II guess it's all off"
well, was goin' TO do it this after
noon, said Stanford
Yes" said Miss Scott, who spake for
the first time. I'VE were going to get mar
red this afternoon"
Il know you were" said Colbert. who
knew nothing except what he had learned
from Stanford and Miss Scott themselves
after he had entered the room.
1T was a case of elopement," said Miss
Scott, but it's all off now"
Standard said the proposed marriage
could not have taken place anyway, he
would be unable to get anyone to make
the necessary affidavit for him.
Miss Scott said then she wouldn't marry
anyhow.
During the effort of the detectives to
learn more of the case, Miss Scott alb
ruptly broke into the conversation and
said TO Colbert:
How you ind out about this, any
way"
ALMOST HYSTERICAL.
Colbert sde-stepped for time, not wishing
10 tell her at that time that all he knew
was what he had learned there i'm the room
Miss Scott was persistent. however. and in
fact, became almost hysterical She de-
clared that she had told no one of the pro-
posed marriage-not even her friend Miss
Cardwell of Bloomington, whom her par
ents thought she was visiting. She did not
learn how the detectives knew of the at
fair She said she would go to her aunt's
and then TO her home in Charlottesville
She would not marry now. She asked if
the officers intended advising her parents
of what they knew, and in her apparent
distress, upon receiving answer which
led her to think they would be told, tore
at her hair in frantic manner.
The detectives had nothing against any
of the party, not even reasonable ex-
cuse for taking them TO headquarters
Thinking there misht be something more,
and that the parents of the girl might want
the marriage prevented or delayed. they
planned 10 go to headquarters and tele-
graph to Charlottesville for information
In order TO ease the fears of the girl they
told them nothing would be done and they
might we'll go ahead and get married.
Stanford followed them into the hall and
wanted TO know what they were going TO
do lie was told nothing would be done.
, Leaving the place they went To police
headquarters and telegraDhed TO the city
marshal at Charlottesville. While waiting
: for a reply they were sent out on a burg
larry case. During their absence the fol-
lowing message came from Charlottesville:
Take Helen Scott TO T. b. Bell, 1907 New
man street. Instruct Bell 10 bring her
home at my expense. Do not let them mar
~: girl not OF age-John Brothers city
marshall; j. II. Scott. father"
THE ROOM DESERTED.
IL was nearly O'Clock when the detec-
tives returned from their work on the
burglary case. and upon receiving the mes
sage from Charlottesville they went at
once 10 Stanford's room. All was dark
there. They found the note alluded 10 above
stuck in the door. They went at once to
the home OF II. b. Bell and were told that
the girl had not been seen. The Union
Station was next visited. No one there
remembered OF having seen the two girls
and Stanford. and they did not appear dur
. ing two hours the detectives waited.
The note left in the door OF Stanford :
room is rather peculiar. Some OF the police
, though. IL was left there to throw the de-
tectives of. that IL was 10 advise some
one who might come 10 Stanford's room
and 20 whose room Stanford had access.
II is hardly proba BILE ne would have left a
] letter inside his own room and then left a
note on the outside for one who had means
of getting into the room.
The Cardwell girl seemed TO have nothing
20 do with the affair except 10 act COM
panion 10 Miss Scott She did not know of