Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1904-10-29
A 4-YEhk- ULD BOY
F0NND MURDERED
Child Kidnapped at Phoenixville, Pa,
Found Dead in Vacant House.
SIX GyPSIEs ARE UNDER ARREST

Philadelphia, Oct. 24-with his fore
head crushed and the throat cut, the
body Of 4-year-old Michael Miorski.
who was Kidnapped from near his home
in PhoeniXville, % miles from this city.
Friday night by a band of men sup
posed to be gypsies, was found in an
abandoned farm house a few miles
from Valley Forge. In connection
with the murder six men belonging to
a party of gypsies were arrested by
Chief of Police Carter, of PhoenixvilIe,
and several constables, and after an
exciting time were lodged In the Jail at
that place. Only the courage and quick
action of the police saved the prisoners
from being roughly handled by large
crowd of excited people.
The child was picked up Friday night
by a party OF men who were driving
through the town in two covered wag-
ons. n boy saw them take the child.
but before he could attract any ones
attention to pursue the kidnappers they
had disappeared. All day Saturday and
Saturday night searching parties were
without success. Yesterday morning.
while three men were in the woods
gathering chestnuts, they accidentally
came across the body of the boy in a
deserted house. Nearby lay club with
hair and blood on it. The authorities
were quickly notified, and the entire
police force of PhoeniXville and Vicin-
ity was started out in search of gypsy
bands. During the afternoon one party
came across a company of them and
took them into custody. They are
Henry and Robert Wells, Michael and
Barney Dougherty, Samuel Rigler and
George WolVerton. They all denied
any knowledge of the crime.
The report that the gypsies had been
arrested soon spread through Phoenix
vile, ard hundreds of men and women
gatheredsnear the sail. AS the prison
ers were brought through the streets
there were cries of Lynch them! Burn
them!" The officers drew their revol-
.Vers and kept the angry crowd back.
AT the lookup large crowd was gath
cred, and the officers had difficulty in
getting their prisoners through the
threatening mob into jail. The pris-
oners were badly frightened.
There is a growing belief that the
gypsles had no hand in the murder
Robert NJ. SINNERS returned from
the gypsy camp at Williams Corners
where he made a search for evidence
pointing TO members of the band now
held as prisoners as having been i'm
plicated in the murder. He stated that
he was satisfied that they had nothing
TO do with the crime. A small bloody
shirt was found near the howell wher ,
the body of the murdered lad was dis
covered, which is regarded as an inn
portant clue, and one which may lead
to the arrest of the murderers. A care
full inspection of the locality was
made, and footprints were found lead
ing from there to the Knickerbocker
dam, at Charlestown, where a second
band of gypSies was encamped last
Friday night. Some time late Friday
night that band of gypsies broke camp
and hurried away. Officials are now
securing the country for the missing
gypsies; the belief being that when
they are found light will be thrown on
the murder Measurements Of the foot
nrnts We're taken and conDared witA