Los Angeles herald., 1907-05-16
Mothers Long Chase
Ends in Finding
Children
Woman Follows Hu s.
bands Flight Across
the Continent
Mrs. William r. Stewart Declares Her
Beautiful Daughters Were spr-
tied Away from Brentwood
Hall, New York

Two beautiful children spirited away
followed by hurried flights and more
hurried pursuits, fast trips on flying
trains across the continent, shrewd de-
tective work on the part of the wife
and mother. with meeting of all par
ties concerned in Los Angeles yester-
day, more than 5000 miles from where
the flight and pursuit began, are the
exciting incidents which have enlivened
the days Of Mr.. and Mrs. William r.
Stewart Of New York during the past
eight weeks.
NO romance ever written, no plot ever
worked out in the brain Of the most
imaginative author, was ever filled
with more exciting events, escapes and
daring flights than the one which
reached its climax when Mrs Stewart,
mother of the two little girls whom she
claims were stolen by their father, ar
rived here three days ago and began
the last stage of the hunt which ended
in success.
No more shrewd plot was ever de-
vised than the one carried out by Mr..
Stewart to obtain possession Of Alice
and Florence, the bright, sunny-haired
| little daughters. aged 9 and II years
respectively, and had he not been fight
ing against the mother love in addi-
ton to woman's cunning 1t Is prob
| able he would still be able to enjoy
alone the company Of his little girls
and to have them all to himself.
For nearly five years, according to
the woInan's statement, the Stewards
troubles had continued. Their comings
and goings were chronicled in the news
papers, for Mrs Stewart held posi-
ton of prominence in society and the
great love the mother bore for the chill
dren was watched with interest.
Separated Five Years Ago
Five years ago the couple separated.
1--WE found we could not agree, so
decided 1t was better to live apart"
said Mrs. Stewart, "and for four years
we occupied separate apartments but
equally shared the time and company
of the little ones"
Last October it was decided by Mr..
and Mrs. Stewart that it was best to
actually separate and all arrangements
were made. A legal separation was
agreed upon and when the case was
taken to court 1t was decided by the
judge to allow the couple to continue
dividing the time of the two little ones.
1t was decided, according to the state
ments of the parents, that the children
were to be placed in school and that
the father should have charge of them
during the ten months they were study
ing. During the two months vacation
each year the children were to remain
under charge of the mother.
It was also decided by the parents
that the children should be placed In
Brentwood Hall, a fashionable school
in Bronxville, a suburb of New York
For five months the little ones re-
mained in the school, constantly visited
by the father and at odd times by the
mother. Mr.. Stewart, who was promi-
nently connected with New York news
papers, did not have much time to de-
vote to them and at last decided to
take them from the school and bring
them to Los Angeles.
Declares chidrens Kidnapped
"My husbands actions deceived me
greatly" said Mrs. Stewart when seen
after she had found her children yester-
day. "I did not know that he intended
taking the little ones from the school
and when 1 learned that he had done
so I was overcome with fear that he
had taken them to Europe
"About eight weeks ago l received
word from the Brentwood Hall people
that my husband had called at the
school and informed the children that
his mother was dying and that it was
necessary Tor Jnem TO go with MIN at
once If they wished to see her alive.
"Under those circumstances the school
at once gave him permission
to take the children and he kidnapped
them and started westward.
"I Immediately began doing little
detective work. / found that my hus-
band had secured transportation for
Los Angeles and that he had mentioned
this as his objective point to a friend.
Mother Follows Clew
at could not bear to be away from my
little ones. They loved me and knew
they were languishing for their mother.
I made arrangements and came to Los
Angeles. When / arrived here found
my chase had only started. 1t was easy
to follow to Los Angeles, as my hus-
band had often said that he would like
to come to California, but when I Il
reached here / found that had to
search Los Angeles with a magnifying
glass to gain trace of them.
"I at once decided to visit the places
where men In my husbands line are
engaged. After some inquiries found
that he had obtained position with
the e. w. r. Lawrence Advertising
agency at 41O Chamber of Commerce
building. 1 found him there, but he re-
fused to tell me where the children
were. At last found that they had
been placed In q school and at last,
after a great deal of work, found