The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1903-05-08
KIDNAPPED
HIS DAUGHTER
John P. Bradley, Of Phi1adel.
phia, Takes Possession Of
His Child Last Sunday.
RODE AWAY In AUTOMOBILE

RODE AWAY In AUTOMOBILE
Several Years Ago. Mother-in-Law
had Possession of Offspring Under a
Verbal Agreement, but Father Came
Here Sunday and Spirited her Away.
Lawyers say it was not "a Crime.
The automobile has at last found a
place in the annals of local romance
and perhaps crime. John P. Bradley,
of Philadelphia, last Sunday tried to
kidnap an infant daughter which had
been in the care Of his mother-in-law
since the death of his wife, some two
years ago. Mrs. Bradley died in 1901,
and since that time her child has beer
tenderly reared by its grandmother
Mrs. Mary L. Robson, of James street
this city, and two maiden aunts who
dwell with her.
Bradley called at the home of Mrs
Robson last Sunday and had long
talk with the child. He had come t6
Morristown in an automobile, but
walked to the home of Mrs. Robeson
leaving the machine in charge of a
chauffeur short distance away. There
is an enmity between Mrs. Robesor
and her son-in-law, dating back to the
time Bradley began courting pretty
Kittie Robson in this city some eight
years ago. Mrs. Robson declined tC
see Mr.. Bradley, and the meeting be.
tween father and child was held on the
stoop of the Robson house. The lit
tie one seemed pleased to see her par.
ent. When he was ready to leave he
walked from the stoop to the front gate
and pulling trinket of some kind
from his pocket asked the young girl
to come for it. She ran to the gate
Just at that moment the automobile
pulled up before the house and Bradley
grabbed the youngster in his arms and
ran toward the auto. The aunts had
witnessed the man0uyreS of the man
and the machine and suspected that
something of the kind might happen.
They ran toward Bradley and succeed
ed in getting their hands on him be-
fore he was able to get the machine
started. He shook them off, however,
and giving orders to the chauffeur, he
bundled the little one in his arms and
then rode away at speed which pre-
cluded the probability of capture
Various reasons are assigned for the
act of the parent, and none of them
are to his credit. 1t is said that Mrs.
Robson, who was acquainted with her
daughters infatuation for Bradley
when he first came to Morristown as a
book agent, was strongly opposed to
the marriage which followed. Suisse
quent events seemed to Justify the
prejudice, for within short time after
the wedding, it is alleged, Mr.. Brad
ley's habits became such that Mrs.
Bradley left him and returned to hel
mother. Marian, the child who was
forcibly taken by Bradley, was born in
Morristown while Mr.. and Mrs. Brad
ley were living apart. Later on the
troubles of the unhappy pair were
patched up and Mrs. Bradley went to
Philadelphia to live with her husband.
She died shortly after this. After the
death of his wife, it is said, that Mr..
Bradley entered into an agreement
with Mrs. Robson that gave her pos
session of the child until she was four
teen years of age. The agreement was
a verbal one and might have been re-
pudiated by Bradley at any time. If
such agreement was made he kept it
in the manner above stated.
Mrs. Bradley before her marriage
had been a stenographer in the law
Office of then Attorney Mahlon Pitney,
now Supreme Court Justice. Attor-
neys were consulted and they averred
that there had been no crime commit
ted by the father in taking possession
of his daughter in the manner told
above.