Los Angeles herald., 1907-07-08
GYPSY CHIEF
LOOKING FOR
STOLEN CHILD
On His Way to Los
Angeles After the
Abductor
Boy Dressed as Girl Was
Sold to Him as
His Wife
Foster Father Now Seeks to Recover
Youth Who Was Married
In Los Angeles as
Woman

Elias Leo Lahan, an Arabian nomad,
and his Romany BRIDE" Persia, are
said to be again on their way to Los
Angeles where they were married
eleven months ago. first in the Romany
fashion and later under American laws,
license having been granted by the
county clerk.
In close pursuit follows Warshaw,
chieftain Of South American band of
Ramanies, and PerSia's foster father,
bent upon revenge. Back of 1t all turks
story of gypsy cunning, a story of
romance and mystery. The curious fea-
ture of the tale is that Persia, the kid
naped bride, is in -eality a white boy,
now II years old, who was stolen from
his parents fourteen years ago.
Twice kidnapped and compelled for
fourteen years to masquerade as a girl,
the youth knows nothing of his paren-
tage. He is being held a prisoner,
Warshaw claims, by the Arabian who
bought him as his wife, and when the
| foster father and Lahan meet the reck-
oning will be swift, sure and final.
| A few days ago Warshaw arrived in
St. Louis, only to find that Lahan and
the boy had departed three days before.
! In his extremity he Lisregarded Ro-
many customs and appealed to the po-
| lice, telling them his strange story.
Persia Stolen In Los Angeles
Persia, he says. was stolen from him
at Los Angeles by American gypsies
who, following the custom of the Ro-
many tribes, trafficked in the boy by
palming him off on Lahan as beauti-
full white girl, the grandest wifely prize
in the eyes of these wandering people.
Smouldering with passion, Warshaw,
standing among his subjects in their
st. Louis camp, told the romance of
this stolen white boy of beauteous as
pect, who for fourteen long years played
the role of Persia, the daughter of War
shaw. That he was stolen by gypsies
from white parents when 8 years old
Is admitted by Warshaw, who says the
boy was given to him.
Boy Dressed as a Girl
With the commercial instinct of the
gypsy, Warshaw took the boy and
dressed him as girl. His value as a
chattel was enhanced by the deception.
The child's hair was never cut. The
long braids of golden Lrown grew un-
til they reached his waist. Gold coins
were interviewer in the fair locks, after
the fashion of the Servian gypsies, the
race from which Warshaw sprang.
Thus apparelled, Persia passed readily
for a beautiful young girl and made
much money telling the fortunes of
credulous white persons. The pseudo
girls beauty caused her to be much
sought, but to all offers Warshaw, for
obvious reasons. turned l. deaf ear.
Finally the tribe came to Los Angeles.
That was little less than year ago.
Here Persia was kidnapped, Warshaw
says, by an American gypsy of another
band, ignorant of the boys true sex.
When he discovered the truth, however
he continued the deception and later
sold the girl to Lahan.
81. Warshaw Finds Trail
why the Arabian and the boy prison
er-wife are returning to Los Angeles
Is not known. but that they are on their
way here was discovered by Warshaw
through some one of the curious under
ground channels of information that
have served the Romantics well in the
past.
So certain was he of the accuracy of
his information that he parted with
his four horses to secure money to con-
tinue the pursuit which already has
led him over thousands of miles and
has made him almost penniless. This
time Warshaw is coming alone. The
band is left behind. In speaking of his
plans the chieftain said:
Three days gone. Eli and the girl
here, then they go on way to Los An
geles. They are 20, 80, 40 mile from
here. send my wagons back on boat
to San Antonio to my woman. / go
after Eli. I will get him, and them
A shrug of the shoulders suggests what
might happen if the gypsy chief ever
meets the Arabian.
Boy Sold as a Wife
"No matter, Persia boy or women.
exclaimed Warshaw, "he belong to
Warshaw. Joe Adams chief Of Ameri-
can gypsies. he saw Persia in Los An
geles eleven month ago. He get Persia
and sell to Eli for wife. Eli married
man. He says to Persia he single. Then
he get paper in Los Angeles to marry
and he take Persia. Joe Adams, he fool
Elmo wife.
ELI, he very mad. He pay $500 for
Persia. He try to keep me from get
ting Persia. Lose his money. Joe
Adams write me I'll has Persia and
they here. I come from Chicago. Find
them gone"
Warshaw says that he has followed
the camp fires of Elias band from Los
Angeles across the Mojave desert, toll
FL Paso, thence to Galveston and Hous-
ton, then northward into Tennessee,
back again into Indian Territory,
through Missouri and into Illinois and
Continued ON Pare Three.)