Los Angeles herald., 1906-05-10
TOLUcA GIRL IS
WILD DREAMER
KIDNAPPING STORY A FANClFUL
ROMANCE
Grace Grove Seeks Adventures In BIa
city Then Suddenly Changes
Her Mind and Tries to
Get Home

Grace Grove, the prettiest girl IN
Ioluca, was not kidnapped.
yesterday the ranchers OF the thriv-
ing little ranch settlement were boast
ing of the metropolitan sensation tina
had suddenly been sprung in their
community
The fiendish ABDUCTION Tuesday OF
Grace Grove; her desperate fight and
escape and the pitiable plight in
morning, fainting on the CahuenRa
Pass road, four miles from her faith
er's house, Is q filmy myth
1t was talked about around "tlNe
store" where all Tolucans get their
daily mail and gossip. and It was
talked Of in the stage, Tolucas con-
meeting link with the outside world.
IF they catch them people they
ought to give them old time California
justice" said one rancher sternly.
Police circles were stirred up over
the affair and Sheriff White sent two
deputies flying out to Toluca to trail
the villains. Excitement was intense.
Tells Weird story
A thing so diabolical as the plot to
entrap this young girl could hardly be
conceived. Though the victim, as she
lay exhausted in her little room in her
terday morning by S. Elwell, who
picked her up on the Cahuengo Pass
road. the horrible details were learned.
Grace told of the red automobile IN
which she had been whisked away with
a little old woman and a large young
woman; their thick wells who drove; the
the middle-aged man who drove: the
meeting of a mysterious man under a
palm tree, who handed the driver IAN
awful lot" of money; the stopping at
a richly furnished house; two masked
women bringing her a beautiful even
ing gown; her refusal to drink any
thing and their slapping her; the sud-
den desperate plunge she made for
liberty out into the friendless night;
her flight, alone in the dark, tramp
ing weary miles out of the city to Hol-
lywood and over the pass to Tolucca,
where she fell fainting on the road,
four miles from home-all the partic-
ulars were painfully recited to Deputy
Sheriff Bert Franklin, who went to
work on the mystery.
Regrets Her Flight
Mr.. Franklin ran his clews to the
ground and found-nothing. He had
not been working long before it de-.
veloped that the story of the abduc-
pretty head.
Chatting from the monotony of ranch
life and fired with a desire to see the
entertainments of the outer world Grace
had left her home during the absence
of her parents Tuesday. Coming to
Los Angeles she went out to 1889 West
lake avenue and asked for work, tell
ing the people she was a San Francis
co refugee. She was taken at her word
and given employment. Toward night
she became frightened and telephoned
to her uncle, Joseph Lockard at Holly
wood, telling him what she had done
and asking him to meet her in Holly
wood at o'clock. as she wanted to go
home. Meantime her mother and father
were conducting a frantic search for
their daughter and were on their way
to the police station in Los Angeles
Faints on the Road
Grace met her at the appointed time
and place and was driven to Toluca
within a short distance of her home.
Sneak upstairs and get in bed" was
his advice as he put her down, land
they'll find you all right when they
come in."
1t was the first time Grace had been
out in the dark alone. That and the
fear of facing her wrathy parents
wrought panic in her breast, and she
did not dare go in the house. She wan
dered around near theohouse how long
she does not know, and becoming ex-
| hausted and more frightened tainted or
the road, where she was found by
Mr.. Elwells at o'clock in the morn
ing and taken OF her home
Kipling. in one of his stories, tells OF
the folly of rearing boys and puppies or
the sheltered systeml Such, he argues
will surely come to grief before they
come to doghood and manhood. The
puppy will make himself sick on ole
brown Windsor soap, and the youth
will taste too deeply of the pleasures
that destroy when chance for free.
| dom comes.
Mother Tells Story
"Grace has never been down to the
city without me-" said her mother
plaintively yesterday 'I have never
allowed her to go any place alone.
never let her go to parties and 1 dom
let her have any. 1 have, been very
careful in rearing my children anC
keep them in closely. 1t seems strange
this terrible experience should comt
to her when have been so CAREFUL"
That was before she discovered he
daughter was fibbing.
why, she was so frightened whel
those people in the red automobile
gave her that note telling her to conn
to me, that was hurt, that she want
ed to take the baby with her! But w
are only too thankful to have her hom
again safe" she continued, signing.
Grace whose imagination was mad
to work so hard in explaining her ad
venture, is II, and the eldest of min
children She was the little mothe
while her parents were away. Sh
bears an excellent reputation in tn
valley, and one resident said there wa
some hard feeling among the neigh