Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-09-30
TALE STRANGE ONE
Mre. f.. u. Berry Tells K"wanee r.
Itce Of kidnapping OF H+ra+lf
and Children.
TAKEN BY A HORSE TRADER
Kept Under Guard Four Weeks TraN-
cling From MarshalItown to
Kewanec.

Kidnapped with her two little chill
dren. on Il country road. near Mar
shalItown, Iowa, and taken to kcwa-
nee in a movers wagon by a horse
trader, is the substance of a tale told
the police of the latter city by Mrs.
Z. d. Berr, a gOod-lOoking young wo-
man of alb ldt 24 years. While camp
ing with the horse trader several miles
northeast of Kewanec. Mrs. Berry es-
caped Tuesday. while Haskell, the ira
der. was in Kcwapee. and with her
children made her way II the home Of
Richard Wantland, living near town.
Fearing lest Haskell upon discover
ing her escape. would search the neigh
borhood for her. Mrs. Berry and her
children hid in the upstairs apartments
of the house Mrs. Wantland went to
Kewanee and told the police of the
strange affair. and an officer brought
Mrs. Berry and her children to the
city and detained them while he telc-
graphed. to the sheriff of Marshall
county, stating that Mrs. Berry and
her children had been found. The, tel
egram was evidently turned over to
Mr. Berry, for an answer was received,
dren be sent to Searshoro at once.
They were given tickets to Burling-
ton Iowa, and left apparently over
joyed at their deliverance.
Tells of Experience.
Mrs Berry told the following story
to the police: With her children. a
girl aged and a boy > years old, she
left her home in Marshalltown, Iowa,
four weeks ago, to go to SearsbOrO. to
visit her brother. Haskell, with whom
she was slightly acquainted, was at
the time camping along the road at
the outskirts of Marshalltown, ami
CHANGING to meet Mrs. Berry volunteer
cd to give her and the children a ride
to Searsboro in his covered wagon.
Mrs. Berry accepted the invitation
and the party started. but instead of
going toward SearsborO Haskell head
ed his team east toward Illinois. All
might they travelled, and when Mrs.
Berry ascertained Haskell's intentions
it was too late for her to protest. as
Haskell guarded her closely. They
Travelled nights in the covered wagon
and camped out during the day along
the roadside, all the time making their
way eastward.
| Finally they reached Galesburg and
spent Sunday there 10 days ago. There
| Mrs. Berry had a chance to write a
flew lines and dropped letter to her
brother at Searsboro, telling of her
misfortune. She said she believed
Haskell would so to Peoria, and dis
closed this information in her letter.
Kept ViEiIant Watch.
Instead of going toward Peoria. Has
kell headed toward Kcwance, having
lSuspiciOned, as Mrs. Berry believes,
that an effort was being made to over
take him The greater part of last
week the party was in camp west of
Kcwanee. Haskell all the while keep
ing a vigilant watch. Monday they
started on and moved to a point few
miles east of the city on the Lake
street road.
Tuesday Haskells untiring watch
and he left Mrs. Berry and the children
land started toward Kewanee. Profit
ling by this. her first opportunity to
free herself. the woman, after telling
of her plans TO her children, fled from
the camp and asked admission at the
Wantland home.
Police Doubt Her
The police are inclined TO doubt the
ltruthfulnesS of Mrs. Berry's story and
favor the opinion tha- she willingly
1nf 10