The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-04-27

of four or five years, was arrested and
Jailed at Columbia on suspicion OF hav-
ing stolen the child.
Mr.. Dunbar was telegraphed that the
child answered the description of his
missing son. and hastened to Colum-
bia The child was ragged and dirty
and showed no recognition of Mr.. Dun
bar, though he stated he believed 1t
was his He sent for his wife and she
arrived during the night, finding the
child asleep.
Identified by Mother
She expressed her belief it was her
child, but in view of the Importance of
what she said, and fear that the kid
naper would be lynched. she delayed
positive identification till morning. The
child was then washed and dressed, and
Mrs. Dunbar gathered il to her bosom
as her long lost boy. He finally called
her mother" and she no longer doubt
CD. There was great rejoicing in the
little town where 5000 persons had as
sombled to witness the reunion of par
ents and child. and 1T was feared Wal +
ters, the alleged kidnaper,f would be
turned over to Judge Lynch, but the
llob listened to reason.
The Dunbars hastened to return to
Louisiana by way of New Orleans and
were given great ovation all along
the way. Arrived in New Orleans Gov
ernor Hall WAS requested to make re-
QUESTION on Governor Brewer for the
return of Walters to Opelousas for trial
on a kidnapping charge, conviction on
which in that state means death. But
Governor Brewer had received scores
cf telephone and other messages from
the sheriff and other officers of Column
bia in which 1t was insisted the Dun
bars We're mistaken in their Identified
ton and that the child was not theirs
at all, but the son of a woman In North
Carolina. It Is claimed by numerous
citizens of Columbia and vicinity that
they saw the child last July in company
OF walters. and that as the Dunbar
child was stolen in August, this could
not be the Dunbar child.
Governors Attitude
King solomon was in no worse pre-
dicament" says Governor Brewer,
when he was called on by two women
who claimed the same child. Solomon
had the child and both claimants before
him-I find the child in the hands of u
woman who says and believes she is
it's mother, and she declares she Will
die before she gives 1t up. The old man
who claims it is in jail at Columbia,
charged with stealing 1t from the Dun
bar home, and 1 am inclined to side
with the mother. ! hope she has made
no mistake, but / am bound to protect
the old man, Waters, in what he claims
are his rights and interests. l will hold
up the requisition few days, anyhow,
and see If / can get at the truth of the
matter"
The day Mr.. and Mrs. Dunbar went to
Columbia and identified the child as
their son there We're thousands present.
They had come from far and near. and
the excitement was great Threats of
lynching were freely made, but the
ministers and the officers of the law
managed to keep down the mob spirit.
and the law was permitted to take
its course.
Change of Sentiment
Since the departure of the Dunbars
with the boy there has been great
change in sentiment. and many of those
who were foremost in their denuncia-
tion of the alleged kidnaper are now
championing his cause for the reasons
stated-that is that Walters was in
that section with the same child, as he
claims and as several reputable citizens
testify. a month before the Dunbar
child was stolen. If that be true, IT
necessarily follows that Mrs. Dunbar
is mistaken in her identity of the boy.
Eut she wild never be convinced shc
is mistaken. and he will be taken from
her only "over her dead body" she de-
clares, and her husband backs her up
in that determination, as do the citizens
o. their home town.
The case is without a parallel in the
history of this section of the country,
and Governor Brewer admits freely that
he is "'up in the air.