The evening world., 1904-04-15
Mrs. Batter Believes Her Child
Has Been Abducted and Has
Asked for Arrest of Michael
e. Fitzgerald.
The GIRL WAS MARRIED.
Couple Arrived on Cedric Accom-
panied by Brides sister-clash
Between Inspectors and Detectives
Press Agent Yarn Suspected.

Upon the arrival OF the Cedric from
Liverpool to-day there ensued a long
Aebate between detectives OF tho Po-
lice Department and inspectors OF the
Immigration Department as TO the dis
position to be made of three passen-
gers whom It was desired to hold.
The three under observation were
Michael Il. Fitzgerald. a theatrical per-
farmer. a United States citizen. who
has been in England for some years,
and two sisters, Margaret and Cath
erine Batter, OF Liverpool. girls who
have been doing q turn" with Fitz-
gerald.
When the Cedric left Liverpool last
week Mrs. Batter, the mother OF the
girls. had q warrant sworn out for Fitz-
gerald charging him with abduction.
II, developed. however. that this charge
wal erroneous. as Fitzgerald had mar
RED Margaret prior to sailing. and the
younger sister had acted as bridesmaid
md accompanied them to this country.
Mrs. Batter did not know OF this. ana
sailed on the Campania following the
Cedric.
Police Notified by Cable.
Owing 10 a cablegrnm received here
notifying tho police and immigration
authorities of the charge against Fitz-
gerald. there were Betecuve-sergennts
Moody. Lesson and Altman at the pier,
az well as several inspectors from Ellis
Island.
AS soon as the vessel locked the de-
tectIves went on the boat In search Of
the trio and easily found them. The
immigration authorities followed. TIL
latter we're most mysterious. as Com
missioner williams, fearing that the
whole matter was n press agent yarn,
had ordered his men not 10 say any
thing about he case.
The detectives could make no arrest
on board the vessel. but were assured
by the inspectors that the trio would
be Detained. Fitzgerald was notified OF
the fact that he was detained. and he
promptly told the inspectors they had
no right TO hold NJ any American cit
izen. Fitzgerald said he was an Amer
lean citizen. and his wife. by her mar
ringe to him. also came under the same
privilege.
A wrangle followed between the In
vpectors and the detectives. and II was
then said that Fitzgerald and his wife
would not be held. TIL younger girl,
however. Il was said. would be detained
By the Ellis Islanders to wait the
arrival OF her mother.
Fitzgerald Was Satisfied.
Fitzgerald appeared to be perfectly
satisfied with this understanding. but
the inspectors gave out n story that he
was afraid to land. ms lie expected to be
arrested. In consequence. they said.
Fitzgerald had consented TO go TO Ellis
Island. where he would remain until the
comedy Is Strengthened.
Fitzgerald. his wife and the little sis
ter Catherine later went to Ellis Island
OF their own voliticn and not through
force OF circumstances. Fitzgerald is n
native of Trenton. n. j. For some years
he has been abraod doing a club-swinG-
ing act. Both of the girls are young,
about seventeen to twenty, and are
rosy-cheeked, fresh-looking young Eng
ushwomen.
As the matter stands neither the i'm
, migration people nor the police know
where they are at and will be unable to
do anything except. think until Mrs.
Batter arrives on Sunday.
ArriSals ON Cedric.
Among the passengers who arrived
to-day on the steamer Cedric from Law
erpool and Queenstown were:
Sir Alfred Arnold. former member of
Parliament; Capt. A. c. Bell, Aide-de-
Camp 70 Lord Mimic: William Green.
tenor, en- route to the Cincinnati musi-
cal festival: Sir Thomas G. Shaugh-
messy. OF the Canadian Pacific Railway;
X. Biehynden. COMMISSIONS for India
at the st. Louis Exposition; Louis
Vidal. the Dutch Commissioner at st.
Louis: Capt. Fl. L. Rokeby and the
Right Hon. Thomas Sinclair. 4 Privy
! Councillor for ireland.