Adams County news. [volume] (Ritzville, Wash.) 1898-1906, 1904-02-03
KIDNAPPED GIRLS ARE FOUND
FRED MARSHALL EAS SEARCHED
THREE YEARS FOR THEM.
They We're Stolen at Boise-Their Fa-
ther Accidently Meets Them in a
Store at Pendleton, Oregon They
Tell of Rough Treatment - Their
Lives Threatened.

Pendleton, Oregon, Feb. 2.-After
searching three and half years and
spending $4,000, his entire savings,
Fred Marshall, teamster Of this city
has recovered his two little daughters
who were kidnapped from his home at
Boise nearly four years ago. He met
them accidentally in a store here last
Friday, and the shock was SO great
that he reeled and staggered. He did
not make public his find until today.
The story is one Of rough treatment of
the children, and as the father tells Of
his search tears come to his eyes.
Because of threats made by Dan
Clifford the villain who stole them
away, breaking up the family and tax.
ing the wife with him, the little ones
seem afraid to tell all they know.
Bessie said:
"As soon as they carried us from
home they put us in boys clothes; they
named me Dick and Ruth's name was
Tom. We did not like boys clothes,
but we were afraid of the man who
said he would kill us. We were in La
Grande, Meacham, Pendleton and
Echo, where mother died. The man
did not like me as well as he did
Ruth, and said when she grew up he
would take her away and make her
work for him.
"At mothers death the man left
Ruth with people in Echo and he took
me to the mountains above Weiser,
where he kept me in a cabin. l had
to cook for him. He would get drunk
and treat me rough. He told me l
was never to mention my fathers
name, and if did he said he would
kill me. He told me if father ever
saw me he would kill me.
"When saw father in the store l
was afraid Of him, and intended to
run, but soon saw that would not
be hurt. Several months ago was IN
DR.. q. j. Smiths Office and l saw
Grandpa Marshall, but was afraid TO
speak ont, as the man had asid he
would kill me, SO hurried out of the
Office before l was noticed"
Rev. g. w. Rigby OF this city
preached the funeral service of Mrs.
Marshall when she died at Echo a
year ago last August. When he saw
the children he was taken with them,
and tried to get them to go to the
home Of his daughter, Mrs. l.. L.
Cook, on the reservation, near here.
Clifford then disappeared with the
girls and went to Weston. Finally
MIR. Rigby located the little ones at
Weston, and eventually got them to go
to MIR. Cooks. 1t was not discovered
that they were girls until people at
Echo were caring for them.
Marshall sold his home and horses,
getting about $4,000, and spent that in
hunting them. He went to several
eastern states, as his wife had relatives
in Pennsylvania. He had sheriffs
looking for them throughout the coun-
try. He would sometimes get trace
Of them in eastern Oregon, but the
clew was always Of two boys, and
threw him off the track. He thought
they must be in this section and that
is the reason he came and lived at
Pendleton. Many times in his search
he crossed their path, but would miss
them, sometimeS by few minutes.
Last spring he was working at Free.
water, and Clifford was there, but got
out before Marshall saw him. Mar.
shall asid:
ut will not be we'll for Clifford il I
find him. will continue my search
for him. He got away with about
$1,000 Of my money. would never
have given up the search until I found
the children"
Marshall married Ella Andrews
after his first wife's death.