New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-12-19
KIDNAPPED GIRLS
ANXIOUS TO GO ON
More Concerned Over Vet
eran and Florida Trip
than Returning Home.
CIVIL WAR SONGS HE
TAUGHT, POLICE CLEW
Arrest Followed Children's Sing
ing on Train-Prisoner Dis
liked Their Home Life.

HE said We were going to Florida,
where it is warm on Christmas Day"
Two small girls, Fife James, aged
eleven, bright and standing erect, and
her sister Vivian, aged nine, pretty
and very shy, were telling how 1t feels
to be kidnapped. Etis did the talking;
Vivian would say scarcely word.
"where is Mr.. Gilson?" Fife asked.
The superintendent Of the Children's
Society didn't tell her that the seventy
three-year-old Civil War veteran was
locked up in Police Headquarters
charged with kidnapping the girls from
their home in Lowell, Mass.
"Where did you meet Mr.. ellison
ave have known him for a month.
He knew my fathers parents parents
and Thanksg giving he brought as tur-
key and some cookies. After dinner ne
took US ali to the movies. Friday, after
Thanksgiving, he brought us another
turkey. He knew my father, brake
man. who was killed in wreck. My
mother works in cartridge factory.
She used to keep the store she bought
with the money she got after father
died.
"Mother goes to work at 2:30 in the
afternoon and gets back at 10 at night.
Ne and Hilda, who is in the first grade,
come home from school and find the
baby where mother has left him alone.
All of us go to bed before mother re-
turns. We all sleep in the same room"
when did you see Mr.. ellison again
after Thanksgiving? asked the super
intendent. -.
"He boarded with US for week be-
fore we came away. He didn't pay rent
because he bought US things to eat and
clothes. One day Vivian went with him
TO Boston to get his pension. IL was
SIS. A week ago Friday we started for
Florida. When we reached Albany sis
ter and | had our long hair bobbed.
Mr.. ellison bought US these big red rib
bons. and another Christmas hair rib
bon, and new dresses" said Ellie
proudly.
When asked II their mother knew
they were going away, Fife replied con-
clusively:
mo. we went from school; We just
told Hilda TO run along home and mind
the baby till mother came" Questions
about what mother might think OF the
escapade and Of returning home
brought two shrugs from her erect lit
tie shoulders.
At Police Headquarters David Gill
son, held without bail at the request
Of the Chief Of Police of Lowell, Mass,
said: "A Grand Army man, sir, never
backs away from trouble. | saw how
these girls were being mistreated in
their home and took the only honor
able course.
Their mother never paid any at
tention to them. One day when little
Fife disappeared. Mrs. James said:
Never mind looking for her; she'll
come back. II she doesn't there's no
harm done They are smart little
girls, and can sing all my Civil War
songs. | taught them to play on the
piano. Last week when | told them
that I was going to Albany .hey asked
me to bring them along, so I just did.
1t was time somebody was looking
after them"
Gilsons wsr poems were his undo
ing. IL was because the girls were
singing them on the New York train
that the conductor telegraphed to the
New York police to have detectives
meet his train.