The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1905-02-02

He1l-the deepest, blacklist tor
ments Of a hell rivalling a canto OF
Dante's xnferno-was the portion yes
terday Of a mother who sat In the
office Of Chief Of Police Leroy Waller.
Anguish unspeakable tore the
heartstrings Of the suffering woman
an agony Of shame and sorrow
which rarely falls to the lot Of a man
or a woman.
The horror of the tale told there
the awful burden of grief and woe
bore down even the stout-hearted
chief who was not ashamed of the
manly tears which flowed in unison
with those of the mother.
It was a tale AID scene which gave
one woman more punishment than
the Almighty Mercy has promised to
the sutfering-that scene of a negro
prizefghter describing to a mother
the sacred birthmarks on the body of
her daughter-marks which should be
known only to the one who listened.
The woman whose lot it was to
suffer an earthly punishment. besides
which the future holds no terrors, is
Mrs. A. Willford, whose home has
been in Minot, N. d.
The negro prizefighter who lewdly
pictured the nudeness of the daugh-
ter was Jolly" Rogers, held in jail
on a charge of vagrancy and sus-
pected of completely in a robbery.
The girl whose awful fall brought
such horror and grief to her mother
was Mrs. Edward Rusk, whose body
lies in suicides grave at Occur
dAlene.
Back of the dreadful scene of yes
terday is a story of mothers devo-
ton and daughters waywardness
which woald take the pen of lola
to depict in soaring letters.
Three years ago Annie Willford,
then barely Is years of age, was a
happy, bright. pretty school girl in
the city of Fargo, N. d. TO her fond
mother she was joy and a bless
ing To her schoolmates and friends
she was admirable and delightful.
At that early age she was in high
school, regarded as one of the most
promising pupils. The rosy future
of class honors, brilliant debut and
the happy home of a successful mar
riage, all seemed hers.
Six months later the bright young
girl fell. She broke the hearts of
parents and friends and then ran
away from home. TO the social
circles of her school girl life she be-
came n synonym of blacklist shame.
All turned from her.
But not the mother. Grief stricken
as she was FRUSTRATED by her daugh-
ter's dishonor, yet Mrs. Willford was
a true mother. The world had brand
cd her daughter. but to the mother
Annie was still child---a way
ward child who needed more than
ever mothers tender care.
Mrs. Willford followed her child.
She found her under shocking contki-
tions--an inmate of an immoral
house
But the mothers heart still beat
for the babe she bore--who had a soul
TO save.
When others turned away In scorn
the mother placed her arms about the
frail one and talked to her of the
hopes of the future. She won her
daughter back.
To avoid the stain and to save the
erring girl from the freely expressed
scorn, the mother moved to Minot,
N. ID. There, short time later, al
though not yet 16 years of age, An
ME Willford married,
Again the perspective of her future
took roster hue The past seemed
buried. Life to the mother was once
more worth living.
But cruel fate had not yet done
with the suffering woman, A blow
10 times more bitter was to fall
Two months after her wedding
Annie ran away from home, husband
and mother. She disappeared one
night and for more than two years
she succeeded In avoiding that mother
who sacrificed all that life held for
her In another effort to reclaim her
Maynard ono.
For two years and three months
the mother followed her daughter in
a pursuit which ned half way across
the continent. For 81 long, weary
months she followed the girl from
city to city. from state to state. and
from the frozen north to the sunny
SOUTH always seeking. yet never find
Ing.
TO find her daughter was the one
absorbing aim of Mrs. Willford's life.
To this sho sacrificed home. friends
and a small fortune.
From the Dakotas to st. Paul, from
st. Paul to Chicago, she traced the
girl. Each city she reached gave
her additional disappointment. In
some manner the daughter learned OF
other places.
Following persistently. devotedly,