The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1908-05-16
A Message by Telephone.


ing, when there was a ring at my tele
phone.
Are you Dr. Murdockr came a
child's voice.
"yes."
"I'm'- couldn't make out the
name.
"Who?'
Again the name was tumble.
"Speak louder" said.
81 don't dare. They'll hear me-"
"Well, what is It? Why do you tele-
phone meT'
You're our family doctor. I've called
you up for mother often. This after
noon was passing a carriage stand
ing by the sidewalk. Two men pushed
me in It and carried me of. Come here
and get me out"
"WhereT
IL don't know"
Cant you tell me something about
itT
'T saw Washington street on lamp
post. The next street sign i saw was
Burnett
Repeat that"
"Burnet."
"All right. Go on"
"We didn't turn out Of Burnet I
kept looking Mt the street names, and
after we crossed Chestnut
That was the last word ! got. l
called again and again without any
reply. only the buzzing common In tele-
phones. 1t occurred to me at once that
child--I couldn't tell from the voice
whether II was boy or girl-bad been
kidnapped and had got hold Of tele-
phone only to be stopped In time to
prevent my getting definite informa-
tion. I called up police headquarters
and told my story, and after few min
utes' consultation among them they
requested me to go with them for
search. A carriage containing three
men In plain clothes soon drove up to
the house. and we started for Wash
ington street. turning thence into Bur
net and, crossing Chestnut, stopped to
survey the locality. r,
Meanwhile we had come to the con-
cusion that the kidnapers must have
taken the child to house of good
class since It contained telephone.
| The houses near where we stopped
were fine residences. 1t was the month
| of August. and. while there were
lights in most Of them, one had evil
IDENTIFY been closed. A policeman
walked around 1t and reported that a
ray of light came through a crack In
an upper story. was requested to
ring the bell and ask IL doctor had
been called for. rang, but received
no reply. Again and again I.pushed I
the button. and at last the door was
| opened. and a woman stood in the
opening. asked her II a doctor had
been called for, and she said no.
The policeman in charge of the squad
was with me. carrying my bag of
medicines. He pushed into the vesti-
bule.
"Shall ! strike n light, doctor?" he
asked. And without waiting for a
reply he lit the hall gas Jet. We saw
that the woman was old and of forbid
ding appearance.
"Say," said the policeman, "we've
been telephoned that there's child
sick in this house. and the doctor
must see him"
At the mention of the child aud the
telephone the woman drew long
breath. This was enough for the po-
llceman. He ordered the house sur
rounded and. directing the woman to
follow, went upstairs to a bedroom
where he found telephone. ! went
with them.
81 thought So" he said at seeing the
phone.
Taking up the receiver, he called uI
the nearest police station and In @
few minutes couple more men re
ported. Then commenced searching
of the premises. We soon came upor
a man In bed, who was routed out, and
both he and the woman were taker
along with us. We went from garret
to cellar without finding anything
We were looking about In the laundry
when 1t occurred to one of the men tt
raise the lid of stationary vast
tub. 1t was fastened. The man called
upon the old woman for something t.
pry It open with. She turned pale
Two men grasped the cover and lift
ed 1t.
There, lying In the tub, was boy
about six years old He was insensi
bic. having been given an anaestheti,
to prevent his crying out. / recognized
Eddie Thornton, the child of one o.
my clients.
| took measures to revive the boy
and he soon came to his senses. TIL,
man and woman. on being questioned
said they had never suspected that |
boy of six would know how TO use |
telephone. though they had forgotten
the phone when they put him wher
1t was. The woman heard him. as sh
supposed talking to himself, but soon
suspecting that he might be up I
some mischief, rushed into the room
and took away the receiver.
went upstairs. telephoned the boy
parents, who were In frightful cond
tion of mind, and told them the news
Then I drove Eddie home.
Since this episode have recon
mended al! parents TO accustom thei