The Washington times., 1906-09-16
ALEXANDRIA BOY
ALLEGES TRAMP
KIDNAPPED HIM
Clarence BOWleS Tells
Strange Story of Being
Held Captive.

What motiove had the tramp who is
said 90 have kidnapped little Clarence
Rowles, fourteen years old. OF Alex
andria, ia tying him hand and foot
and keeping him lying In the woods in
Fairfax county from Wednesday 20
Friday aftcrnoon2
That is what the police OF Alexandria
Va. are trying to learn. The Iad tells
q straightforward story OF the kidnap-
ing. and goes into details of the affair,
but he does not charge anything
against the ahductOr except that thc
latter gave MIN but little food. made
him sleep IA the open air with no Gov
ers, and refused 10 disclose his motive
for carrying him on
The case Is one OF the strar gest and
most Puzzliug tile police have ever had
&C deal with. aad they 90 not know
whether 10 believe the boys story OF
the theory that he ran away from
home end spun this wild yarn in
order 10 square himself with the home
folk.
The lads story, as told 10 a represen-
tative Of The Times. follows:
I left my home last Wednesday
shortly after T. O'Clock for the purpose
LtlE
pump house near the Swinging Bridge.
1 walked out The railway track, and
after leaving the tools at the pump
house / met man, who asked me 10
show him the way To catch a freight
car for Richmond lie was a tail.
heayy-built man. with a heavy black
Inustache- He wore black clothes and
a slouch hat. He told me that he was
a machInisJ, and that he lived in Rich
mOnd. ! walked with him up the track
past the icing plant, and ali of a sud
den he seized me and tying my hands
behind me told me I would have to 90
with him. ! resisted as well as
could and kicked him on the shins. but
he held on TO me. I then saw that he
had me in his power. so I went along
with him. lie took me To the woods in
Fairfax county below this city. and
after tying my feet and knees together
laid me on the ground. I stayed in
this position all Wednesday night, all
ThursdSy al Thursday night. and part
of Friday. Yesterday afternoon the
man carried me 10 a field near the
Stone Bridge and left me. Last night
1 heard some boys passing along the
road and called 10 them. They came
TO me and undone my feet and hands.
ana I ran TO my home as soon as I
could. I think I know the boys. They
knew me and called me by name. II
saw the man I am positive 1 could
Identify him.
Given Little 70 Eat.
'"The man seldom left me. He gave
me little TO eat I don't suppose all the
time I was with him, ne gave me a full
meal I asked the man several times
why he was keeping me and he told me
it was none Of my business. told him
I thought 1t was. but he did not give
me any answer"
when the man started after you why
did you not rum" asked The Times re-
porter
7 could not" was the reply. the
man grabbed me all Of a sudden and
held on 70 me"
1T was O'Clock when I reached
home last night, and ] can tell you
was worn out Ny father had been
searching for me ever since Wednesday
night. but he had come to the conclu-
sion that 1 had run away. 1 will new
at run away so long as I have & home
where I can eat ard Sleep" declared
the lad
Young Bowles looked none the worse
for his experience and when seen by
the reporter, stated that he did not feel
at all injured by 1t.