Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-01-12
MOTHER AND BABE
HELD PRISONERS
Sad Plight of Davenport Girl is Dis
covered by Police Department
of Los Angeles.
FORMERLY MARY PICKERING
Insane Husband Heaps Unbelievable
CrueIties Upon His Family
Rescued BY Sister.

geles.
Together with her two-year-old
child she was held prisoner in her
home by an insane husband and when
rescued by her sister, Mrs. H. B.
Campbell, formerly Miss Bessie Pick
ering and officers of the law, both
mother AMI child were famished from
hunger and cold.
Mrs. Lee and Mrs. Campbell are
both daughters of Captain Pickering
who was for years well known Scott
county resident, the family residing
on a farm not far from the Orphans
home. The daughter Bessie married
H. B. Campbell, who for some years
conducted florists establishment at
High street and Eastern avenue. When
the Campbells removed to California,
Mrs. Campbell's sister, Miss Bessie
Pickering accompanied them. In the
west she married George C. Lee on a
short acquaintance, the couple CIV
ing tinge of romance to their brief
courtship by clipping to Palm Beach
to be married
A recent issue of the Los Angeles
Examiner contains portraits of Mrs.
Lee and baby and the following heart
rending account of their sad predica-
ment:
"a story of having been locked in
her home with her 2-year-old baby
and threatened with death by her hus
band if she ventured forth was told
to the authorities yesterday by Mrs.
Mary Pickering Lee when policemen
broke open the door of her home at
$685. Montezuma street and found her
and her baby shivering in the cold,
scantily clad and with almost moth
ing to eat in the house.
Pathetic Story Told.
"The rescue was conducted after
Mrs. H. B. Campbell of II South Los
Robes street, Pasadena, sister had
sworn to an insanity complain against
George C. Lee, her brother-in-law, and
and complaint declaring the baby,
Virginia, dependent. Later in the
day Juvenile Judge Rooves placed the
baby in the custody of Mrs. Camp
bell, who took the child and the moth
er to Pasadena. The warrant for in
sanity up to a late hour last night
had not been served against Lee, the
officers being unable to locate him.
Lee, according to his wife, is a
member of a wealthy family of Cleve-
land, Ohio, and claims to be a de-
scendant of the famous confederate
general, Robert E. Lee. He came
west four years ago, she said, and a
| year later they met. Following d
courtship of two months they eloped
to Long Beach and were married.
Mrs. Lee was formerly Mary Picker
! ing, daughter of a wealthy farmer in
! Davenport Iowa, and prior to her
marriage became heir to $4,000 es-
tate. This, she charges, has been
heavily mortgaged and otherwise dis
posed of by her husband, until she is
now penniless.
| THE rescue yesterday followed a
visit on Monday to the house by Po-
lice Officer Button, at which time the
officer reported that Lee refused to
admit him.
1T was a pathetic story that Mrs.
Lee, pale and emaciated from lack OF
! food told the officers. She said that
following her marriage her husband
| refused to allow her to keep up her
former relations with members of her
family and she drifted from them.
About three weeks ago, she said
! her husband began to act queerly. He
! kept her, she told, continually in the
house, threatened to kill her if she
ventured forth and to kill any mem
Der of her family who came to her
aid. On several occasions, she said
neighbors passed her food and that
with few scant things her husband
brought, was all she and the baby had
to eat.
Mrs. Campbell said she called al
her sisters home on Monday and was
! refused admission. An hour or sc
later they managed to meet at the
home OF a neighbor and there learned
OF her sisters plight and continual
terror in which she lived.
Door is Kicked IL.
Yesterday morning Mrs. Campbell
and her husband, accompanied by
Juvenile Officer Slaton, Patrolmar
Button and Deputy Sheriff Broadwell
went to the home. They found the
house silent. All curtains were drawn
The door was kicked in. Mrs. Lee
wild and disheveled confronted them
The baby was lying upon a disorderee
bed, shivering in the cold
"'Get out of my house screamec
Mrs. Lee. I won't go away, for he
will kill me. Baby and / will sta,
here. We are happy and warm ant
have lots TO eat. Please get out OF
he will find you here and kill you
The officers searched the house ant
found no trace of Lee The only fooC
In the house they found was DO,
of salt and small sack OF sugar.
AS the officers searched the plac,
Mrs. Lee weakly protested and the
baby looked on with wonderment II
her eyes. The child once lisped, as {
draft blew through the broken door
Baby so cold. Baby so hungry
Mrs. Lee at first refused to leave
but when she learned that the officer.
would take her baby anyway, sh,
agreed to accompany her sister. TAX