The Newark star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1909, 1909-07-09
FIND BABE AFTER
NIGHT SEARCH ON
MOUNTAIN TOP
Il Got L0sted," Little Sophia
Benechanos Tells the Big
Policemen.
MANY SPENT SLEEPLESS
HOURS HUNTING HER
Child Is Restored to Arms of
Frantic Parents, Who
Feared Kidnapping.

Sophia Benechanos. s1z years OLD.
who lost herself yesterday afternoon,
and for whom searching parties
searched the Essex County Park in the
Orange Mountains all night in vain,
was found early today.
Courtney Early. an employee of the
Edison Company. was on his way 70
work when he sighted the baby on
Crest road toward Montclair. Her
dress and stockings were torn and her
face hands and chubby little legs were
scratched by the briars she had every
where encountered in her long journey
to get back to the spot near Eagle
Rock where she had left her parents.
Mr.. and Mrs. George Benechanos. of 81
Cherry street, New York. early yester-
day afternoon.
Early picked up the tired mite and
carried her until he met Park Police
man Bolger, who had been in one of the
searching parties all night The police
man took the baby to the West Orange
police station, where her father claimed
her later in the morning.
Calls for Mother.
Before the policemen had won her
confidence Sophia called mama.
mama" repeatedly enl cried when there
was no response. The big blue-coated
amateur nurses tried tLeir best to tell
the baby that her mother was coming
for her and would soon be at the sta
ton. Apparently she understood some-
thing of what they said. as she grew
contented long before her father ar
rived. e
Benechanos occasionally does some
collecting in New Jersey for a cousin.
When he came over yesterday he
brought with him his wife and Sophia
that they might enjoy the afternoon
and have dinner at Eagle Rock Early
In the afternoon the baby wandered
away from her parents and when her
absence was noticed was nowhere 10
be found. Benechanos gave the alarm
and in a short time volunteer searching
parties made up of park Attendants and
farmers living in the vicinity were
searching the neighborhood for the lit
tie girl.
Feared Child Was Kfdsarped.
When at dusk it was found that their
efforts had been fruitless, Benechanos
declared that he believed Sophia had
been kidnapped. The police, knowing
the vast expanse of wooded park In
which Sophia might have wandered
away. would not accept this theory.
but believing the child was lost. pre-
pared TO continue the search at night
by torchlight. All night men bearing
torches traversed the rnountainside
hallooing and searching the pools, pits
and underbrush At dawn no trace of
the tiny lost one had been found. Mrs
Benechanos had left baby boy OF two
years at home and was forced TO re-
turn. Her husband spent the night
after he had been worn out by the
search. in Newark.
1t was II O'Clock this morning when
Renechanos walked into the police sta
tion Sophia, washed and fed ana petted
by the policemen, had forgotten her
troubles and was very much at home
on top of the safe in the captains
Office. She cried little under the ex-
citement OF her fathers demonstrative
greeting, but was soon herself again.
He spoke to her in Greek, their native
tongue, but could learn little of her ex-
perience from the baby. In English
the story of rer wanderings would be
contained in the phrase. 'I got losted.r
Benechanos was almost frantic with
Joy when he was told that Sophia had
been found. Mrs. Benechanos, in New
York. had already been notified of the
glad tidings, and just as soon as the
father and husband could compose
himself and thank the policemen he
started back to Cherry street with
Sophia.