The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-08-21

Robert BIeakley, the Father of the
Baby, From Whom Mrs. BIeaIIey
Secured u Divorce.
motorman to take on all speed possible
But the abductorS changed their course
lop for Washburn college. They were
lost sight of then by the bleeding
cousin who was faint and smeared with
the wounds inflicted upon him.
Mrs. BIeakIey Is Overcome.
Mrs. Bleakely. who is stenographer
at the A. z. Whiting establishments
arrived on the scene as fast as she
could possibly get there on a street car.
AS soon as she heard the news she
broke into storm of tears and then
regaining her courage she showed her
old determined spirit and brushing
away her tears she tried to solve the
question at once.
When seen by a State Journal re-
porter. Mrs. Bleakely was preparing to
gather together all the evidence nos
sible and make fight on her enemies
She was certain that she knew the
parties but refused to give any names
She did say that Mrs. Barclay was the
woman in the case and stated that she
had attempted many times before to
make the capture.
Il have lived in constant dread of
such thing as this said Mrs.
Bleakely. There have been detectives
and alleged friends hanging around the
house all of the time and I have feared
that such a thing would happen. About
SIX weeks ago got wind of almost the |
same thing as happened today but was
able to stop it and break up their /
plans. They have always been hanging |
around the house and at times 1 have |
thought that some of the most promi- |
nent people in Topeka were in league |
with them in order to take Marian /
from the state. L have always confer
RED with my attorneys on what I have /
seen but they have always assured me
that no one would dare do such rash
act And still 1 know their character
and their determination to take this
dear little babv from me.
- really do have an ideaSWho it isl
and have confidence in the officers to
catch them. After all the trouble !
the courts of Kansas arN Hill
nois and after I have almost died for
the sake of regaininS this little sweet
heart of mine-and then to think that
such unprincipled people would dare do
such thing. And when think that
they dared to do this L fear that they
Will do her harm"
Child Screamed and Kicked.
1t is thought however. that the
baby was in safe keeping and would
not be harmed in the least The
burly man who carried the child to
the buggy did not succeed in quieting
the little thing until they had reached
the alley. The little girl screamed,
yelled and kicked its feet until the
big man could hardly hold her in his
grasp. When they reached the alley
he had succeeded in cramming a
gag in the mouth of the girl and
The whole neighborhood was
aroused in a minute and they sent
numerous calls to the police and
county officials. The police patrol
made hasty run to the scene but
as soon as Chief Eaton saw that the
party had escaped in light buggy he
gave up the chase with the patrol.
However he dispatched a number of
followed the fleeing abductors from
the home of DR.. Keith. The Keith
chauffeur, Mrs. Thompson the mother
of Mrs Blakely and three policemen
composed the party in the first auto
mobile.
Councilman Stanley of the Sixth
ward lives next door south of the
scene of the abduction but he stated
this morning that it all happened SO
quickly he could hardly distinguish
the noise from that of the children
of the neighborhood who were play
ing in the street just outside of the
as he realized that something was
happening and only found the pool
of blood on the floor and heard the
yells of the children who had seen
the men run from the house Mr-
Stanley swore out a warrant for three
John Does" communicated with the
sheriff and the police and conducted
the information part of the
AS far as known the little. Bleakley
girl was dressed in a brown dress,
brown shoes and stockings. She was
bareheaded and her wavy smooth
black hair was down over her shoul-
ders. She is little over five years
old, is slender for her age. She did
not realize what was happening un-
til the men dragged her from the
house and then she screamed at the
top of her voice.
One of the men was dressed in a
dark pair of trousers and wore a
white shirt which was rolled up at
the sleeves. His hat fell off at the
front of the house but 1t had no
initials of any kind inside and only
gave the brand of the maker. 1t was
a soft blue hat crushed in the mid
die
Mr.. BeIInap's Story.
Clarence Be1lnap, the yopng man
who attempted to Illustrate the kid
himself to be game" Had he been !
armed with anything more substantial
than his hands, there is little doubt :
but that he would have given a good
account of himself. and stopped the
outrage. With a rag around his head
and his shirt and coat smeared with
blood, he gave his account of the af-
fair:
night" he said. "Of course / knew
the history of my cousins baby and
the trouble the family had in keeping +
possession of it, but to be greeted with
anything of this sort was the last
thing 1 expected. I was in the house
with my aunt, Mrs. Thompson, and the
baby. when a woman came up to the