The Washington herald., 1907-09-08

After having been missing from home
FOR more than three hours, supposedly in
the possession Of a negro. little Ger
trude Miller, two and a-half years Old
was found about 11:30 o'clock last night,
about ten blocks from the home of her
parents, Mr.. and Mrs. c. B. Miller. 216
Seventh street southeast, apparently un-
hurt, and none the worse for her trip
whether Il wSs a case CT kidnapping
the police OF the Fifth precinct who
worked on the case are undecided, but
there are number of features to the
girls DISAPPEARANCE from in front Of the
Eastern Market. st c and Seventh streets
southeast. that indicate she did not wan
der away by herself.
She was found by Mrs. Fannie Willis
i2l0 Tenth street southeast, who discov-
cred the little one In front of her home
crying loudly and apparently seeking 20
find her mother. who was In a tense
state Of hysteria about mile away
Mrs. Willits Notifies Police.
Mrs Willis, who lives in the last house
on Tenth street. heard the youngster's $
cries shortly after Il o'clock and took her
into the house. As the baby is unable to
talk beyond llsping a few words, Mrs
Willis could learn nothing from her. and
at once notified No. 5. The patrol wagon.
IN charge Of Special Officer J. c. Morgan.
and manned by a number OF policemen
and the little girls father. hurried to the
Willis home, where they found the child
fast asleep.
The Miller home faces the Eastern Mar
ket on the Seventh street side. and as
the Miller family has lived there since
March, nearly all the market people know
the little girl There are seven Of the
Miller children, the oldest Of whom is
thirteen years OF age. The girl who was
thought to have been kidnapped was in
the charge Of her brother Howard. aged
eleven years. The two had been PLAYING
about the corner OF Seventh street and
North Carolina avenue, which is a tri-
angular piece Of ground. bare but for the
market stands erected there The little
girl had fallen down a number Of times.
and Peter Craig. n colOred truck gar
dener who has a stand on the corner,
told Howard to take his sister home.
Negro Disappears with Girl.
About this time a negro, described as
being about thirty years old. about five
feet eight inches tall. well dressed. gave
Howard a dime and told him 20 go buy
nickel's worth Of cakes and bring back
FIVE pennies. OF which the negro promised
Howard one. Howard undertook the com
mission, and returned. according 70 Craig
within five minutes from the time Craig
advised the boy to take the little one
home. This was shortly after O'Clock.
Meantime. colored gil said she had
seen the negro pick the little girl up and
carry her away starting toward sixth
street.
On North Carolina avenue. between
Sixth and Seventh streets is fire sta
tion and all the firemen know little Ger
trudc. AS some Of them were in front OF
the station ali the time. and saw no one
carrying the child away. il is hard 10 ex-
plain how the negro could have proceeded
to the vicinity Of Sixth and c streets,
where May Lehman, sister-in-law Of
Mrs. Miller. saw a colored man answer
ing the description Of the man who dis
appeared az the time the little girl was
missed from The market.
Further. # she did go. or was taken
west on North Carolina avenue, she would
have been headed away from the place in
which she was found. which Is three
blocks east and ten blocks south Of the
Miller home
Although II is not positively established.
Il is believed by the colored man Craig
that the negro who sent Howard away
20 buy cakes is a negro who has worked
about the market for some time carrying
baskets. The police are seeking to estab-
lish connection between the purchase OF
the cakes and the girls disappearance.
Homecoming of the Missing One.
After 1t was learned last night that the
little girl was missing. her father. who Is
a machinist at the navy yard. with Bi-
cycle Policemen Springman and Guilt
name. began thorough search, the
mother. with consoling neighbors, remain
ing at home. When the lights Of the No.
5 patrol wagon loomed up. coming from
the east on Seventh street. the mother.
cleaT-eyed but tense, was one % the
crowd that prayed for the baby girls re-
turn home.
When the father emerged from the rear
oA tie MdSOt. Win tht youngest IN MS
arms, the mother could utter not a word
nor move muscle Not until she had
the sleeping little one in her arms did
the tenseHess relax, and her sObs averted
the hysteria.
The child is a beautiful infant. with
curly. fiaxen hair and clear blue eyes.
She was dressed in a little blue gown.
with black shoes and stockings. and she
was urettv whom Sbe csrno homo offhouuh
she was visibly tagged. And SO sleepy
she barely knew where she was. she
put a little, chubby arm about her sob
bing mothers neck, murmered, Mamma, -
and again went sound asleep, while the