The Mena weekly star., 1911-08-03
Grabbed at Her Home by Maekei Man, Is Threatened With Der1h Blindfolded and Led Away. Thea
 Turned Loose Unharmed.
All Night Hunt With Blood Hounds Fails to Bring Capture of Miscre- ant, Though Several Shots Were
 Fired at Fleeing Mar.

An attempted kidnapping, or worse, of i3-year-old girl, Gerald inc, the eldest daughter of Deputy U. s. Marshal ]. L. Holt and
 Mrs. Holt, last evening, followed by an all-night man-hunt with blood hounds, was the basis for intense excitement in Mena during the night and today.
 Though several of the officers were in sight of fleeing man, and at least four shots were fired at him, he evidently has made his es- cape, Sheriff Thornton and his deputies believing he has before now left this part of the country. The fact that no detailed descrip- ton is possible, as he wore a mask and the child was blindfolded most of the time, makes the appre- hension now seem almost hopeless.
 The story of the attempted kid- mapping, as related by little Gerald inc herself, is about as follows:
 At just about 8 o'clock, before it was really dark, Geraldine went out into the back yard to the toilet. Her father at the time was milking the COW only about 50 feekx away. Without seconds warning, q man jumped into the door, plac- ing one hand over her mouth, grasping her throat with the other. AL the same time he warned her That if she made sound he would kill her. He then pulled a biind-
 fold of some coarse, scratching material over her eyes. He then led her out through the alley, and as near as she could tell, down the alley between the residences of Judge J. D. Shaver and H. A. Bab- cock. All the time the man held her tightly by the arm. the other hand on her throat.
 Geraldine says that he talked about taking her away. and she, to allay suspicious of an attempt to escape, for which she was watch
 ing, agreed with what he said. telling him she had wanted to run
 away from home anyway.
 After some wandering about, which seemed to her an hour. the
 man stopped and told her what she was to do.
 He gave her handful of matches and told her she was to go to a
 house he would point out, 90 to the kitchen and ask for food, pre-
 lending she was an orphan, and that the dress she wore was given
 to her. Then she was to hang around untiI tle people were quiet and set the house on fire and join him, he saying he would be watch-
 ing her all the time. He then re- moved the bIindfoId.
 At first the little girl could not
 see, but as her sight came she saw she was in front of the c. K. Bill kingsley house at 709 Fourteenth street. The man then directed her to go to 'the big white house where the light was and do as she was told" again warning her he would watch her and if she did not do as he said lie would kill her. ix not that night, at another time.
 Geraldine said at first she thouehs she would run, but concluded tt was best to walk away quietly un- | til she could find help. She passed the residence of w. I. Green, but feared to turn in for fear her cap- tor would see her, though she saw him climb over the fence of the U. F. Standcfer place and go into | the orchard. She recognized the | A. W. Holmes house as the one to which she was directed, but sought | to get into the first one she could. and tried the R. Golf residence. but found no one at home. Sire then went next door to the Holmes resi- dence and was admitted.
 According to the Holmes ss 5sse < was by this time Sc overcome by fright that it was some time before she could tell who she was or Of the trouble. When she did, an eff fort was made to phone for 0fli-- cers, but the phone refused to work. Then the child renaafneJ with some of the family while others went to the w. I. Green
 home and phoned for officers, ana to Geraldine's home. where she hau
 been missed and was being sought by telephoniHg to the neighhors. Soon thereafter Mir. HoA to- gethcr with Officer Dave Goodnes and k. J. Jackson went to the scene and began a systematic searoh Of the neighborh00d. A further alarm sent in and Sherif Thornton. Dep- |uty Sheriff Norris and doxen or 90 citizens came out in allt0mohiles- X campaign then was arranged.