The sun., 1903-11-07
MISS COFFIN FOUND IN OMAHA.
Nay STORY OF KIDNAPPING
SHOWS MINDTO BE AFFECTED.
ueaches Relatives Home, and Says q
Woman with Fearful Eyes" Took Her
Wcst-IIer Parents VIII Go From
East Orange to Bring Her Back.

East Orange to Bring Her Back.
OMAHA, Neb.. Nov. e.-Clara Josephine
co,in, the seventeen year-old daughter OF
rdward ". Coffin of East Orange, N. j..
who disappeared from her home on Tues.
.oseph Grove Of this city. She arrived here
alone late last night on the verge Of ner-
yous prostration Mrs. Grove is a cousin of
Miss Coffin
The cir! tells strange story of her exper-
fences She dec ares that she was kidnapped
from school and taken to New York by a
woman with fearful eyes" who was aided
nv man From them she managed to
escape she declares while they were crossing
the State of Iowa and to reach Omaha.
Her relatives here are inclined to believe
her story to be the figment Of disordered
mind especially because Of her highly
nervous condition, and also because Of the
belief expressed by her father that her
mind had been affected by overstudy.
Although slightly better and more COM
rosed than when she reached Omaha last
night. Miss Coffin is still on the verge of
nervous prostration. and whenever she Is
asked to relate her experience she goes al
most into Mysteries.
Late ldSU evening NT. NTo"e IeCSNod
telegram reading
Meet me at depot. II o'clock tonight.
CLARA COFFIN
Mfr. Grove reached the station few
minutes late, and while he was passing
through the waiting room toward the
trains a young girl suddenly rose from
seat, threw her arms around his neck and
exclaimed Thank God! now am saved
She was on the point of collapse and had
10 he supported to Mr.. Groves carriage.
On the way to the home of Mr.. Grove Miss
Coffin sighed and sobbed and was unable
10 tell her story until long after the house
was reached She continually moaned:
sOh, those fearful, those awful eyesI'
The story she finally told to MIR. Grove
and his wife was about as follows:
Tuesday morning, while was at the high
school In Newark, met, in one Of the corri-
dors. IL strange. dark woman, with most
piercing eyes, which abe h1sd on me. AS
my eyes met her glance trembled from
head to foot, but escaped into a recitation
room.
Again, as I was returning home from
the school, I met this woman on street
near my home Again she transf1ed me
with her eyes, and was powerless this time
She ordered me to go to my home, get some
of INV clothes in grip. get what little money
had and meet her at the depot. l could
not refuse, and followed her instructions
implicitly.
aWe left Newark and went to New York
We went direct to the Grand Central Station
and entered a train. From that moment
knew absolutely nothing until the woman
shook me as we were entering Chicago,
Before leaving New st Iorf hIiry my oapsor apo wha was
went with us. a.,
Il did not have my clothes on, nor did
] eat anything, from Newark TO Chicago.
At Chicago we immediately took q train
but was gradually getting my senses back
and began to look around. still had my
monev- lust few dollars.
Somewhere over in Iowa ! saw time,
my mothers ktnsfolk there. I watched for
an opportunity, wrote Telegram to Mr.
Grove and gave It to the porter, who sent
1t for me.
to change engines there was another train
just alongside. Our train waited lew
minutes and the other train began pulling
out. suddenly ran to the door OF our car
and before the dark woman could see what
was up to, jumped from the train and onto
the rear coach Of the moving train, which
had gained considerable headway. and was
away before the other people could stop
me. I don't know what became OF them and
aO1ss dOnt w Tssz and afYss have de
EAST ORANGE, N. j.. Nov. o.-Mr. Conn
received telegram this morninRfron Post-
master Grove Of Omaha, saying that Miss
Coffin had arrived at his home last night and
that she was safe. Mr.. Coffin inmediateiy
wired his thanks, with the word that Clara
was TO be- cared for by the Groves unit
her parents could come to her.
Cla-a and Miss Hazel Grove, daughter OF
the postmaster, who Ia one year her junior
formed n 81 trong attachment when they met
at the family reunion at Newcastle Ind u.
last summer When the parting came, they
started a correspondence. which has con,
tinued ever since, and Clara often expressed
wish to go and see her friend II If reason
ably certain that she contemplated the tr,p
for she is known to have saved much OF the
lIbcral allowance her father gave her:
The Coffins were deeply affected by tn
good news to-day, and it is feared that the
reaction may prove serious In the. case OF
Mrs. Coffin who has not slept since hel
daughter disappeared They have t1rn,ee ,e
allow Clara to remain quietly in Omaha 70,
At least week. Mr.. and Mrs. Coffin viii
probabIy 90 West and bring her home
after which abe will be placed in the care o.
a specialist for It is believed that her mental
alterations are such as can be cured 10y
treatment She has always been sensitive
and gifted with high powers OF Imagination
Since mere child she has heen in the habit
Of drawing Wills from time to time In whiof
she hauuaathed her paper dolls and latel
hnr more valued treasures to her friends ano
relatives Two OF these wills were drawn
recentlv, one on Aug. 1s, and the other OF
Oct "a Codicils are sealed IN separat'
envelopes, and none has been opened; az .n'
parents deem them to be sacred Severa
of the other wills have been shown. anc
thew exhibit remarkable knowledge O.
LEGAL forms.