New-York tribune., 1903-02-23
POLICE RESCUE GIRL.
Think They Haze Found Ba"a
of "Cadcfs.
BATTERED DOWN DOOR TO GET IN,

u, the basement of No. ~ Lexngton-aVe' III
rear room, Roundsman Ward and fatroiilihh
clincber of the East Twenty -seconp-st sta'ioi''
last night found ffteen-year-oid Theresa fiai''
ton who has been missing from her nome s"'e
,as+ Monday morning She pale, weak ana
emaciated and told pitiful story OF ABUSE at
tho hands of men whom she charged with
drugging her. OBTAINING her against her WIN
and forcing her to live a life of shame
Tho GIRL is one of the three daughters of Mrs.
Margaret Hamilton of No. 402 East Twenty
fourtb-st. Her husband, driver, is ill in
hospital.
Last Monday morning Theresa left the house
to look for work with Kitty Gerian fifteen years
old of No. 40 East Twenteth-st. Theresa dld
not return, but late that evening the Gerlan
girl called on Mrs Hamilton and asked if her
daughter had reached home. On being informed
in the negative, she went away, but the next
day returned and made the same inquiry.
Theresa still being absent, the Gerian girl told
Mrs Hamilton that when she and Theresa had
started to look for work they had first gone to
a place in East Eighteenth-st.. where they saw
a sign Girls Wanted In the street they were
met by fashily dressed man. who asked if
they wished to obtain work. The girls replied
In the affirmative and ne told them TO meet him
in the reception room of SiXth-ave. depart
Inent store at one o'clock. The girls kept the
appointment and so did the man. he having an
other with him. They told the girls to
meet them later at Twenty -seventh-st. and
Sixtf-ave. The second appointment was also
kept
You girls must be hungry one Of the men
said. Come and have dinner on me-"
The girls accepted, and taken to a house
on the north side of Twenty y-seventh-st, between
Sixth and Seventh aves. Going into back
he pir she number
colored men. and Immediately she turned and
ran back into the street. She said Theresa Ham
ilton also tried to run away, but was detained
On hearing this story. Mrs. Hamilton hastened
to the East Twenty-second-st. station. a visit
was made to the house indicated in Twenty
seventh-st.. but trace of the girl could be
found A second visit later was equally fruit
less.
In some manner it came to Mrs. Hamilton's
ears yesterday that her daughter was d prisoner
in the basement of the Lexington-ave house.
She hurried over there and found Roundsman
Ward and Patroman Clincher. To them she
told her fears and asked that the place be
searched.
Ward and CIncher walked to the basement
door of the house, which is on the southwest
corner of Lexington-ave.. and Knocked. There
was no response but the reflection of lights
was on the drawn shade and voices could be
heard The policemen put their shoulders to
the door. forced it open, and entered.
men. who said they were Eugene Schurman, of
No. 1853 Lexington-ave.; Henry Cohen, of No.
IS Lexing gton-ave. and Frank Miller artist and
sign painter, also of No. IS Lexington-ave
In a rear room was found Theresa Hamilton.
deathy white and weak from the treatment
which she alleged had been her portion since
the previous Monday. To her mother and the
officers she said she had been detained short
while at the Twenty-seventh-st house and had
then been forced to accompany the who
had accosted her and Kitty Gerian to the place
where she was found, She charged Cohen with
aSSauting her
Captain Gallagher ordered the three men
locked up the charge of abduction, and sent
his detectives out to look for the man who had
accosted the two girls. and who had gwen the
name of Thomas Cristan. The girl was sent to
the Chldrens Society rooms
Later another visit made to the Lexing-
ton-ave. house basement, and while there
young girl, who said she was Mary Graham,
fifteen years old, and that her home was at
Vernon-a ave, Long Island City, walked in. She
also taken to the Childrens Society rooms
and detained a witness
The police believe that a gang has been
eartfed who make their living by preying on
young girls.
The house at No. IS Lexington-ave is kept
by Mrs Todd. who herself occupies the third
floor. Mrs. Todd is about seventy years old.
She said that two years ago she made
rangement with Miller whereby he had the
basement of the house free of rent in exchange
for furnishing heat to the whole house Since
then, she says, she has not set foot in the base
ment. The doors leading upstairs have been
locked and bolted, and whenever she tried to
gain entrance from the front Miller always told
her to keep out: that he was performing his
part of the agreement and that she had no
right to enter his place.
Mrs. Todd added that about year ago Miller
inherited $1,000. and spent some of it in in
stalling expensive furniture Cohen, she said,
was sort of attendant Miller.
In connection with his business Miller has
number of signs exhibited, of which, Mrs.
Todd says, projected beyond the building line.
She complained to him about this. and threat
ened to inform the Bureau of membranes.
Go ahead" Miller told her she said; they'll
never do anything I have pull with Senator
T. D. Sullivan
Mrs. Todd declared that she did complain to
the bureau, but that, Miller had prophesied,
nothing heard from the bureau.