The Washington times., 1904-07-29
WIDOW ARRESTED,
BEFR|ENDED GIRL
Queer Abduction Case Kept
Quiet in Court.
AUNT MAKES MUCH TROUBLE
Southern Beauty and Pittsburg Man
the Principals in Gu
rious Romance.
AUNT MAKES MUCH TROUBLE

NEW YORK, July 29.-Out of a pc
culiar abduction case which was heard
behind closed doors by Magistrate
Pool in the West Side court there de
veloPed a story in which a rich Pitts
burg man who is seeking a divorce
from his wife and a Southern girl fig
ure
Virginia II. Bowles. the daughter of
John F. Bowles, a planter OF Salem,
Va. came to New York two years ago
to finish her education. She went to
live with her aunt, Mrs. Margaret e.
Cheeks, at the Biltmore apartments. IS
West Fifty-eighth Street, and was en-
tered as a student at a private school
near Riverside Drive
introduced to Pittsburger.
In November. 1868, she was intro
duced by a friend of her aunt to the
young man from Pittsburg. who is said
to have made a fortune in the iron in
dustry. They met at a theater party
and the Pittsburg man asked permits
sion TO call.
On December last, according to Miss
Bowles, she accepted an invitation TO
the theater. After the show they went
TO hotel, where. she says, the Pitts
burg man assaulted her.
The following day the man told the
girl that he would provide for her until
he could secure divorce from his wife
and then would marry her. Miss
Bowles agreed to this proposition. and
COINS home took her aunt into her con-
hdence.
Life Made Unhappy.
In the next three months Mrs. Cheeks,
the girl says. made her life so unhappy
that in March. with the assistance of
her negro maid. Fanny, she ran away
and went to. Chicago, where she lived
for about two months with friends.
Then she received a telegram from the
Pittsburg man asking her TO meet him
at the Hotel Lexington, in Chicago.
He failed TO keep the appointment,
but sent second telegram telling the
girl 10 wait there. and that he would
meet any bills she might run up.
The young woman obeyed his instruc-
lions so well that sitter three weeks the
management, failing to get payment, re-
quested her 10 move.
Met the Widow.
It was then that the young woman
met Mrs. Gertrude Taylor, 3, widow, who
was also living at the Lexington. The
girl told her that she had no place to
go. Mrs. Taylor, who was going that
night TO ST. Louis for a few days. offered
the stranger the use OF her own apart
ment. When she returned she heard the
whole story.
Rather than see the poor girl turned
out into the street said Mrs. Taylor,
Il agreed TO take care of uer until she
could find another home. We consulted
my lawyer and he went with Us to Pitts
burg 20 see what could be done
The man refused to recognize Vir-
ginia but after we had been in that city
two days hts lawyer offered the girl
81 200 to sign a full release. This offer
was. of course. refused, and we came
on TO New York to prosecute the man.
Aunt on the Trail.
We stayed at the Waldorf, but Vir-
ginias aunt soon discovered US and We
had 10 move. We were Obliged to leave
the Hotel Navarro also. and here 1 am
under arrest on a criminal charge and
without a place TO go.
Mrs. Taylor and Miss Bowles regis
tered on Monday at the Hotel Cumber-
land, Fifty-fOurth Street and Broadway.
On Tuesday Mrs. Cheeks and Herman
Weilbacher, whose home is in Baltimore,
and who had been Miss Bowles' sweet
heart, made several attempts to see Miss
Bowles. but she refused to admit them
On Wednesday afternoon Weilbacher