The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1909-02-04
Returns BEWILOEREO
AND ALONE, TELLS TALE
Says That Woman Coaxed Her to Go
Along For a Street Car Ride-Was
Locked Up In House Where Other
Girls We're Wondering Their Fate
Authorities Notified
Especial to THE TIMEs.l

Especial to The TINES.
Indiana Harbor, Ind, Feb. 4.-By es
Gaping from a South Chicago house in
which she had been locked by an
American woman, little Helen Mataja
of Indiana Harbor probably escaped
living the life of white slavery. The
information she has now given the
police leads them to suspect that there
is a band of women working through
out the northern end of this state, en-
ticing girls of pleasing form and face
away from their schools under prom
Use of remuneration. A good description
has been obtained of the woman who
took the Mataia girl to South Chicago
and her arrest will doubtless follow.
According to the little girls story.
she playing In an Indiana Harbor school
yard several days ago when an Ameri-
can woman stopped at the gate and be-
gan asking her questions. She wanted
to know whether she liked school, how
many more girls there were in school
about 1e years OF age and whether they
all liked their school work. Miss Ma
taja is but II years of age, although
large for her years. and might easily
be taken for a child of 16 or II years.
Taken to south Chicago.
After chatting with the child for
while she gave her some candy, only
to appear on the following day for an
other talk. This time she pulled out
big pocketbook and gave the child a 81
bill This occurred on Jan. 2Sth, and
little Helen did not see her new-found
again until Feb. l. On that date, how
ever the unknown woman stopped at
the school yard and asked the Mataja
girl If she did not want to take a
street car ride to South Chicago. The
child assented. probably thinking that
she would be given more spending mon
ey. and went away without telling her
parents.
Her story of the South Chicago end
of the tale is most interesting. The
woman took her to a large two-story
house in which there seemed to be lot
OF other girls. Whether this was a
house used for immoral purposes the
police have not yet been able to de-
termine, but they believe that such was
the case The American woman took
Helen to a bedroom on the upper floor,
where she locked her in for the night.
Promising to come back late at night
and go to bed with her. the woman left
Helen to her own resources. The child
began to fear that something was
wrong, but remembered the woman
promise to return. She did not see
her friend again until the next morn
ing. and then only for few minutes
A shawl was wrapped around the child
and she was taken to another house
somo distance away. who're she was
again locked in a room. This house
appeared to be deserted and the Mata-
ia girl decided that all was not right.
Makes Her Escape.
She made her escape through an oper
window. necessitating a drop of abou
seven feet to the ground. She had
dime that the woman had given he
and used this in paying her carfare t
East Chicago. from which place sh,
started to walk to the Harbor
In the meantime her parents had be
come greatly alarmed, the stories toll,
by Helen's school friends having
reached their ears. They reported tn
matter to the police and gave sample
Of her clothing and a good description
officer Weifenbach found the chill
walking between East Chicago and In
diana Harbor early yesterday morning
and. on questioning the child decide
that the case should be looked into a
once by his department. An examina
ton was made of the child, but Shove
that no attempt had as yet been mad
TO draw the child into the evil prac
tees of the criminal South Chicag
plotters. officer Weifenbach will g
to South Chicago today. accompanie
by the little girl. and an attempt wi
be made to find the house from whic
she made her eSraOe The aframpt c
white slavery has aroused Chief Hie
gins and he declares that he will do a
in his power to bring the South CHI
cago gang to justice.