The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-12-13
OF THREE. HUNT FOR
 KIDNAPPED CHILD.
Tot Left in Care of Bridge port Family By Father Is
 Spirited Away
MOTHERS RUSE IS
 HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL
Lures Caretaker Into Crowd of Shoppers, Then Sud
 denly Vanishes

The police of three cities are today searching for four r-years-old Mary Beatrice O'Donnell, who, it is alleged was kidnapped from her guardian, Mrs. George Wheeler, of Hurd' ave- nue, while she was shopping Satur- day night in Howland's dry goods store.
 The father, Charles O'Donnell. one of the most prominent acrobats of the vaudeville stage. formerly of the team Lane and O'Donnell, and now ap-' bearing in Colorado Springs, Colo. in the team of O'Donnell and Blair, has demanded, through his attorney, John H. Casey, that warrants be is- sued for the arrest of Ida R. (Lurie) O'Donnell who, he alleges, was a par ticipant in an abduction. ODOnnell has cancelled all his theatrical en- agreements and is speeding rapidly towards this city to take personal charge of the search for his daughter.
 As a result of the matter being re- ported to the police, thousands of cir culars are being printed with de- scription of the child and it's sup- posed custodian and because of the prominence of the parties involved and the beauty of mother and child the incident will create profound sensation in the theatrical realm.
 Announcement of the facts con- nected with the kidnapping disclose that O'Donnel1, who married Miss Ida R. Lurie, motion picture ac- tress June 20, 1911, not only found it necessary to press a separation suit later but was forced through alleged conduct of his wife to apply to Judge Paul l.. Miller in the Bridgeport pro- bate court to get custody of his child ,rNon the grounds of desertion and neglect. The request was granted by the court last summer and the child placed in, the custody of the father and Mrs. Wheeler.
 O'Donnell, though travelling ex- tensively throughout the country and unable to be in this city often, never denied the mother the opportunity of seeing and visiting the child at the Hurd avenue home, it is said. It is alleged that one of these visits was made Saturday afternoon by the mother, who stated that she would like to take the child down town and buy her some new clothing. Mrs. Wheeler decided to accompany them As she was leaving the house Mrs. O'Donnell is said to have asked the guardian to take another child along that it. might also see the pretty Christmas toys, which was done.
 The; two women were on the street floor of Howland's when some other purchasers engaged Mrs. Wheeler in conversation upon the remarkable beauty of the child she possessed.
 "How many children have your" the stranger asked.
 ~Four,'' Mrs. Wheeler is alleged to have said.
 How beautiful that one is,, said the stranger.
 "Yes! But here also is a beautiful one" Mrs Wheeler is said to have replied.
 As she turned> to point out the O'Donnell girl, Mrs. Wheeler was sur prised to see Mrs. O'Donnell running out side entrance of the store with the girl in her arms. An alarm was given imm ediately but before clerks or others could reach the sidewalk an automobile was hastily turning tho corner into Main street where it was immediately lost to the followers and the police who were called upon to assist in the search. The police inn mediately telephoned to New York and New Haven where all entrances to the respective cities were watched but without success.
 Because of certain remarks made by Mrs. O'Donnell while at the Wheeler home Saturday afternoon, the police are inclined to believe that Mrs. O'Donnell will be found in Chi cago. Her husband has been noti.. fled te make search there on his way East.
 The child is described to the police as aged, four beautiful. with dark (CeHtinued on RAEs Twe.)