The sun., 1904-07-29
BEFRIENDED GIRL; ARRESTED.
OIEER ABDUCTT0E CASE, KEPT
QUIET IN POAICE COURT
southern Girl and PittsburE Man the
Principals, but = New York Aunt and
Chicago widow Are Interested
Widow Prisoner on Aunps Complaint.

Chicago WIDOW are interested
widow Prisoner on Aunrs Complaint.
Ont of a peculiar abduction case which
was heard behind closed doors by Magis
trate Pool in the West Side court yester-
Jay there developed a story in which q rich
pjttsburg man, who is seeking divorce
from his wife, and a Southern girl figure.
Virginia H. Bowles. the daughter of
John p. 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, 6S West Fhty-eighth
,treot and was entered as a student at q
private school near Riverside Drive.
In November. 1903, she was introduced
NV friend Of her aunt to the young man
lSrom Pittsburg, who is said to have made
"a fortune in the iron industry. They met
at theatre party and the Pittsburg man
usked permission to call.
n Dec. 3, last, according to Miss Bowles,
she accepted an invitation to the theatre.
After the show they went to a hotel, where.
she says, the Pittsburg man assaulted her.
The following day the man told the girl
that he would provide for her until he could
secure a divorce from his wife and then
|,would marry her. Miss Bowles agreed to
this proposition, and going home took her
aunt into her confidence.
In the next three months Mrs. Cheeks.
the girl says, made her life 80 unhappy that
fin 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 ap-
pointment, but sent q second telegram
telling the girl to wait there and that he
would meet any bills she might run up.
The young woman obeyed his instruc-
tions so we'll that after three teeks the
management. failing to get payment. re-
quested her to move.
1t was then that the young woman met
Mrs. Gertrude Taylor, a widow, who was
also living at the Lexington. The girl
told her that she had no place to 60. Mrs.
\ Taylor, who was going that night to st.
Louis for few days. offered the stranger
the use OF her own apartment. When
she returned she heard the whole story.
Rather than see the poor girl turned
ont into the street," said Mrs. Taylor last
night. Il agreed to take care OF her until
she could find another home. We con-
Pittsburg to see what could be done. The
. man refused to recognize Virginia but
after we had been In that city two days
his lawyer offered the girl 81, 200 to sign
full release. This offer was, OF course, re-
fused. and we came on to New York to
prosecute the man.
We stayed at the Waldorf. but Yirginia's
p aunt soon discovered us and we had to
W. move We were obliged to leave the Hotel
\. Navarro also, and here I am tonight under
, arrest on criminal charge and without a
place to 60
Mrs. Taylor and Miss Bowles registered
on Monday at the Hotel Cumberland, Fifty
fourth street and Broadway. On Tuesday
Mrs. Cheeks and Hermann WeilbachsT.
whose home is In Baltimore, and who had
been Miss Bowles's sweetheart, made sew
- eral attempts to see Miss Bowles. but she
refused to admit them.
On Wednesday afternoon Weilbacher
called at the hotel twice, and the second
time had a conversation with the girl
through the keyhole.
Soon after he left, Mrs. Cheeks called up
on the telephone, but her niece refused to
talk to her. Not long after Mrs. Cheeks
drove to the West Forty-seventh street
police station and complained that her
neice, a girl Of IL, she said, had been alb
Quoted. Plainclothes men Tracy and GILES
and man in uniform were sent to the Cum
berland with her. and after forcing their
way into Mrs. Taylor's apartment arrested
her on a charge OF abduction.
Miss Bowes was detained as a witness,
and with Mrs. Taylor was locked up in the
station until nearly midnight, when Magis-
trate Mayo admitted them to hail in 81 600
each.
When the case came up in the West Side
police court yesterday. Magistrate Pool
barred everybody from the examination
room but those directly interested.
Mrs. Cheeks and Weilbacher testified
that Miss Bowles was under 1s. The girl
herself says that she will be 20 in October,
but as neither side could back up their
statements with legal proof the hearing
was adjourned until Tuesday afternoon,
in order that the girls father may be
brought on.
Mrs. Taylor has several letters purport-
ing to come from Mr.. Bowles, advising
his daughter to remain with Mrs. Taylor
Yesterday she showed this telegram:
Letter received. VIII say want you TO
take full charge of Virginia. Letter will
follow. JOHN p. BowLEs.
.his. SHhchb hlsO says IHht
Bowles's authorization to look after the
girl.
Mrs. Taylor, who was released on 81 900
bail will have to leave the Cumberland
this morning Miss Bowles was paroled
by the magistrate in the custody Of Mrs.
NJ. Smith. a probation officer, who took
her yesterday afternoon to the Hotel Well
ington.