Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-09-21
Mrs. Julia Anderson Working Her
Way From South Carolina to
Columbus, Miss.
LAYS CLAIM TO KIDNAPPED SON
Found in Destitute Condition at
Depot in Savannah, Where
She Had Been Two Days,

SAVANNAH, Sept 1o.-With lines
Of grief about her mouth and eyes.
Julia Anderson. Of Barneswell s. C..
4 the little boy row held as Robert,
lt@ret son Of Mr.. and Mrs c. P. Dun
thu dT, OF Opelousas, La, whose kidnap-
ing and alleged recovery was the SEN
sation Of the hour when II occurred,
has been found in a destitute condi-
ton in Savannah, on her way TO Co
lumbus. Miss, where she expects to
participate in the fight for the pos
session OF the little boy as a star
witness and one of the principal par
Elephants when W. G. Walters. now
held in Jail on the kidnapping charge.
is brought TO trial in December.
Accusing TO the woman, Walters,
who IL a peddler, kidnapped her little
boy, Bruce Anderson, at GAINESVILLE
in February, 1912, seven months be-
fore the kidnapping Of the Dunbar
child Walters is being prosecuted by
the Dunbars. VINO allege II was their
little boy whom he kidnapped. The
child is now in the possession OF he
Dunbars. and IL claimed by both them
and the Anderson woman.
Without Funds.
Mrs Anderson came to Savannah
from Wilmington, n c. She left Will
mington with but a few cents above
her railroad fare TO Savannah She
was then under the impression that
the case against Walters was to have
been called for immediate trial When
she arrived in Savannah she was
wholly without funds For two days
and nights she remained at the Union
Station, without eating or sleeping.
Too proud TO tell her story the wom
an did noe know which way TO turn
for advice or help. She WAS practi
cally in a starving condition when
her plight was finally discovered.
The evident distress of the stranger
finally attracted the attention of the
matron at the station and the police
officer on duty there. They inquired
into the cause Of her appearance Of
worry and. breaking down. the wom
an sobbed forth the story of her pit
liable plight and OF her desire TO be up
and moving onward toward the scenI
OF the impending battle for the Gus.
tody Of the little boy.
Associated Charities Help.
Touched by the story OF the woman
and convinced of her evident SINGER
ity, the station officials directed Mrs
Anderson to the Associated Charities
where she was provided with food and
shelter. and where arrangements were
finally made for funds to send her a
little farther on her way. Mrs An
derson has gone from here to Jesup
where she expects to secure work. II
is her purpose TO work her way from
there slowly across the state as fast
as she can accumulate enough money
to purchase railroad fare a little far
Their on, ultimately reaching her des-
tination in time to testify at the trial
Of Walters that the child claimed by
the Dunhars as their child is her own
baby.
The fate of the Dunbar child Is
strangely interviewer with the disap-
pearance of her own child, and she
saws the boy taken from the peddler
Walters. and identified later as Robert
Dunbar. is her boy, Bruce.
My little boy, Bruce. disappeared
in February. about the first OF the
month. last year At the time ! was
caring for the father and mother OF
this man W. c. Walters. al Barnes
Vile. The parents of Walters are
both over so years Of age. Walters is
a peddler but when l was there he
was at home. He took a great fancy
TO my little boy. The little fellow
seemed TO love Walters. too,
Walters Takes Boy Away.
In early February Walters took
BRUCE and went to the home Of his
sister at Mayboro. 5. c. There came
a heavy snoWstorm, which bound up
all the roads Walters telegraphed to
me and then wrote a letter, saying
that as soon AS the roads were cleared
and opened he would return. bringing
my little boy back with him. That
was the last | ever heard OF Walters
and Bruce, until l got a telegram in
April OF last year from newspa per
men and attorneys in New Orleans
SAYING that they had found my little
boy. and asking that | come to New
Orleans and identify him. They for
warded me a ticket. | left on the
first train south for New Orleans aft
er l received II. I was met al Mont
gomery. Ala, by James Thompson.
owner of The New Orleans Item
When we arrived at New Orleans
they carried me first TO the home Of a
Mrs. Bilbo. where my little boy.
Bruce. was staying Bruce and an
other little fellow we're playing In the
yard when we reached the place. The
hrst ! saw OF the boy was when he
ran out OF the door to join the other
little fellow in the yard. When ! got
TO the fence called him by his name.
He turned. recognized me and ran
forward To meet me But they would
not let me have him.
But they beat ne. They beat me
even after Mrs. Bilbo had sworn that
little Bruce was given to her in july.
a month OF over before Robert Dun
bar disa ppeared. She Identified. and
proved that she was correct. clothes
sle had made for the child before Au-
gust g. when Robert Dunbar disa p
peaTed.'