The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1908-02-27
MRS. FLEMING
ABDUCTs CHILD
Picks Her Up on the Street at
Fairmont and Brings
Her to This City.

clarksburg and Fairmont were
treated to an exciting kidnapping In
cident Thursday evening. The prin-
cipals in the case were Mrs. Julia
Fleming, wife of w. NJ. Fleming of
Fairmont. and her youngest daughter,
Martha Fleming. aged years.
Mrs. Fleming. heavily yelled. ar
rived here with the child on the $3.50
o'clock interurban street car from
Fairmont. The police arrested Mrs.
Fleming the moment she stepped
from the street car, having received
Information from Fairmont police held
her and the child under guard in the
mayors office until Chief of Police
George Shumaker.. Jack Fleming and
Mrs. Jennings husband arrived at
4:30 o'clock.
Some four months ago Mrs. Flem-
Ing and her husband separated and
since then she has been residing in
Indiana and Wheeling. The Flem-
ings have three daughters. agedg 16. 8
and years, respectively, and the
mother heart of Mrs. Fleming pined
for her youngest child to such an ex
tent that she finally determined to
get possession of her. So she went
quietly to Fairmont Thursday with
that in view.
Shortly after dinner telephone
message reached the home of the lit
tie girl on Main street for her to
go to the house OF her grandmother
on Bridge street. The little girl
started on her way but did not reach
her destination. Parties noticed
Mrs. Fleming standing in the alley
way between the building oe-
cupied by Walters's grocery and that
occupied by the Murphy restaurant
and it is supposed that when the lit
tie girl reached this point that she
was taken by her mother. This was
near 2 o'clock and 1t appears that
the woman and child made their way
through the alley to Main street
where they caught the interurban car
to Clarksburg.
The Fairmont police were notified
of the alleged abduction at once and
telephone messages We're sent to all
the towns around to look out for the
child and its abductor. When Mrs.
Fleming boarded the car to Clarks-
burg she was recognized and within
a few minutes the police were notif-
ed. The police at Clarksburg We're
called and when the car reached
Clarksburg the woman and child
We're detained by Chief Scott.
Mrs. Fleming while detained at po-
lice headquarters awaiting the arrival
of her husband and the Fairmont Of
ticer paid tender attention to the
child, having purchased her bonbons
and the like and the little girl SEEM
ed quite content. Mrs. Fleming APP
peared happy over possession of her
daughter. but somewhat worried over
her detention.
The arrival of her husband was
the cause of q sharp exchange o.
words between them, but he made no
attempt to harm her or to forcibly
take the child from her. After an.
hours persuasion on the part of the
officers she was induced to return to
Fairmont in the custody of Chief
Shumaker, but not without the as
surance from him that he would
take her and the child to his office,
where she would have chance to
take such action as would temporar-
lily determine who was entitled to the
little girl.
With tear-stained face she left with
the officer and her husband, declaring
that she would not give the child up
under any circumstances and that
the law could not take her from her.
Mrs. Fleming claimed that she did
not abduct the child without due adj
vice from her lawyers, who, she said.
told her If she could get the little
girl, 1t would be alright for her to
do so.
The officer arrived with Mrs. Elem
ing at Fairmont at o'clock and a
warrant was issued against her
charging misdemeanor. She ap-
peared before Justice Amos at 9:3O
O'Clock, but by agreement between
counsel the case was continued until
10 o'clock Friday morning. and Mrs.
Fleming was held at the Marietta
hotel under guard.