The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-08-11

Lurcd on Way Home From
Church. She Says-Still
Held Prayer Book.
Catherine Larkin. thirteen year.o,d
daughter of Martin Larkin. Kings
bridge station letter carrier. OF $751;
Broadway. The Bronx. who strangely dis.
appeared In front of Public school 7.
230.h street and Kingsbridge avenue.
last Friday morning at o'clock as she
aas Oh her way home from st. Johns
catholic church, was found at 80 f. NJ
Yesterday In 4 small vault In the schoo,
yard
The child had been made a prisoner.
she ID. by George W. Webb. a West
Indian negro. 20 years cid. who Is as
s!stant janltor Of the school lie lured
her into the school. from which she was
graduated in June. she said, BY telling
her that he had something interesting to
show her In her old classroom. Then.
.As ga .. he tried & attack her.
The ,,tle girl fought desperately. but
saws Webb succeeded In glggng and
brdns her. He ;hen put her into the
vault
without Food - Hours.
Ths child insisted that during the
sg.;,-two ana i half hours she was a
prisoner the negro did not come near
her and that she had nothing to eat. AS
she BEGAN Il fast on Thursday night to
pr,par, for communion on Friday morn
ms s1e had been nincty-hve hours with
ogt food and was nearly famished.
lie. physical condition was pitiablc
To child tod her brothers. Thomas
Lar,n lu assistant corporation counsel
Of Manhattan. and Eugene l.. Larkln. a
rta. estate dealer, and other members OF
tk. family that she was sure she would
Uay, gone insane had she not read her
PRAYER book during her long confinement
Webb, the negro, was locked up for
kidnapping. II, denied tina; he knew
nov the glrl got into the vault and up to
ate n1ur thu detectives had not sue
ct-I"d IN getting him to confess.
Catherine who is OF a very religious
turn Of mind. attended the A. NJ mass
At 81 johns Church with her sisters.
Mary, r. and Annie, IS. She did not
cave with her sisters when they started
nome NtTl, Olt lpllOWeu AFTER completing
aer dcyotlous
The fact that she was last seen BY
benjamin CarswoI OF 23ith street and
Eussar!dge avenue and by nun near
the school led Acting Capt. Andrew
Wines ~ the Bronx detective bureau
md Defective Edward Tierney 10 sus-
r-c' that somebody around the building
snew something Of her whereabouts
First Searches FniIcd
Talks with Webb confirmed their sus-
p.oons and the building Vas searched
m.1y times without results.
IN.ce Commissioner Woods took
personal interest IN the search and he
vent 20 he school yesterday afternoon
VIII N.Ee., Tierney, Capt. Carey Of the
homicide bureau, Lieut. Grant Williams
and Sergt. Harry \ Taylor.
As they were walking in an alleyway
On the north side OF the building they
passed ore~ metal frame hatch studded
WITH oulseye classes covering vault
about feet 8 inches deem and feet
square Two u the bullseyes were miss
ms Taylor thought he heard sound
and peer.ng through one Of the holes he
"a" an eye of the girl looking up at him
she was crouchins in a corner OF the
vault
Mister. please" the child said family.
here she isl" shouted Taylor, and
eve the usually imperturbable detective
got excited
Pulled Little Prisoner Out.
District Superintendent John Lavelle
unlocked the heavy paddock and swung
,peh me match. y moment later Taylor.
"Ihes and Ticrney had pulled the for
,otn Httle hgure to the surface. The
.ni1d had her prayer book still in her
nand and there was a piece Of rope around
"rist. She was unkempt and her cloth
hg was soied Her face was d scolored
from bruises.
Commissioner Woods clasped the girl
N MS arms and ran with her TO his
d."ng automobile, n which he hur-
ried with her 10 the Larkin home One
~ Wr Larkin brothers was so excited
nat he smashed a glass In the front door
IN order 10 turn the lock
pr Thomas Martin OF 307 Bailey ave-
nue. was sen. for. The child was put to
ped after she had told her story. She was
not questioned closely because of her
condition
According to her brothers. she said
'nat Webb stopped her in front OF the
scAoo and said he wanted to show her
something that would interest her He
,ooH nor 10 the second floor, she said,
ehere he tried 10 attack her. She re-
ss'sd MIN with all her strength.
Hands Tied behind Her Back.
men he gagged her. using what ap-
peare1 10 he part Of an old shirt re
ued her hands behind her back ard then
''..'ed her TO the vault ard locked her in.
me girl said that she got tn gag gu,
81 h"r mouth by rubbing 1t for a long
l''Nr against the side of the vault She
,u'!!n remember how she freed her
hands
Many times, she said. she heard the
T,amI # feet above tho vault. hut she
p'h dare to cry out. fearing the negro
Rad 'etuned
Just prayed and prayed that some.
"'If would ind ne" she said.
Nen1ers or the Larkin family said the
=" u had not been misused.
'i-Nd eds of PERSONS have taken par.
~ search for the child, the priests Of
'ohnS having Irged all par.shioners
PEW lc'Nate In the hunt
chh was taken TO The Bvonx detec-
we nur''u several hours before the girl
vas FOUND and was held thcre because his
tp,'eS o: his movements were not salts
IS believed that ne cropped tho bound
''a INTO the vault, Which was ventilated
''tF pN the holes for ,ba missing hulIs.