Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1902-09-15
NAN NHUNTN STANTON COUNTY
Lswsry Wslch Abducts Anna VillawA al
the Psint of q Revolver.
KEEPS HER CAPTIVE SEVERAL HOURS
Citizens Turn Out and Now Have Hin
Surrounded in a COrnfieId-
Threatens to Emulate
Harry Tracy.

1ONs NbDss sept lfs-NOptNldl lbi-
egram. THE city of Stanton is intensely
excited over a sensational abduction which
occurred last night and a large posse of
citizens under the lead of the sheriff is
now engaged in manhunt which has
every indication of terminating in
tragedy.
Anna Villawa, young woman employed
as a domestic in the family of w. 5.
Borner, near the city, was the victim.
She was sleeping in an upstairs room Of
the BoTner home, with little daughter of
her employer. About IL o'clock last night
she was awakened by the presence of
someone in her room. 1t was speedily
made apparent to her that the visitor was
Lowrey Welch, young man who was smit
ten with her, but whom she had refused
to marry. Welch had placed a ladder to
the window and entered the room.
Welch commanded her to dress imme-
diately and accompany him. She protested,
but he emphasized his command with
revolver and also told her that he would
blow her brains out If she made any out
cry.
The little Borner girl was awakened by
the conversation and welch speedily silenced
her by threatening IL she made any fuss to
kill her. Miss Villawa and the little girls
father. Frightened out of her wits the lit
tleone cuddled up in bed and did not dare
to raise the alarm until called this morn
ing by her father.
Carried Her Down Ladder.
In obedience to welch's command Miss
Villawa dressed and Welch carried her down
the ladder, and this was the last seen of
her until 1 o'clock this afternoon. when she
staggered into the home of her brother, two
sIoz yl Ros,
mediately on reaching the house, but was
soon revived sufficiently to tell of the oc-
currences of the night and forenoon, though
prostrated from excitement and the treat
ment she had been subjected to.
After leaving the Borner home, she
stated, Welch had taken her out over the
country, threatening to kill her II she
raised any alarm or attempted to escape.
sne nad no opportunity to get away from
Welch until about noon, when in the pas
ture OF James Brown. While In there Brown
came near them and Welch, fearing they had
been seen and were pursued, gave her the
chance she had been looking for and she
fed, never stopping until reaching the
home of her brother. Brown, in fact, had
not seen the couple and was not searching
for them.
When the alarm was raised by the Bor-
ners in the morning the farmers in the
neigbborhood armed themselves and Joined
in the chase, Word was sent to town, and
people from Stanton also participated. The
first seen of Welch was by two of the search
ing party about four miles southeast of
Stanton. 1t was then the middle of the aft
ernoon. They sent boy for assistance and
made an effort to keep in sight of Welch,
who was armed with a gun in addition to
the revolver he had displayed at the Bor
ner home. They kept on Welch's trail, and
several shots we're exchanged between
Welch and his pursuers, none Of which took
| effect.
Chase WeIch Into COrnheId.
Others Joined them and they forced
Welch to head toward town. The last seen
of him was just before dark when he en-
tered large cornheld. just across the
river from Stanton.
The sheriff and a posse made an ef
fort to surround the field, but there was
not sufficient force at hand to complete
the circuit at once, but 1t is thought Welch
| is still there and will be captured in the
morning.
While Miss Villawa was with him he
showed her his gun revolver and a plenti-
| full supply of ammunition and made his
brags that in case any posse came after
| him he would show. that the famed Harry
Tracy was not in 1t with him. The citi-
zens are also amply armed and thoroughly
aroused and unless Welch weakens there
will surely be bloody work when they come
| together.
Welch was in Stanton Saturday and had
| been drinking considerable.
The Lincoln bloodhounds will be here
In the morning and will be put on the trail.
| 10 eariOuaIV I'll the a.
suit of her experience and her brother re-
fuses to allow her to see any one and little
has leaked out concerning what occurred
while she was with Welch, but enough
! has leaked out to make 1t plain she was
shamefully mstreated She will probably be
sufficiently recovered by tomorrow to permit
Of her telling the whole story.
| nnIIMTEoo MAnTIMl IC LEI n