The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1916-01-28
Was Sold to ROverS When Her
Mother Died Nine Years Ago.
RETURNS TO HER FATHER
Escaped After Extensive Travelling
and Was Caught by Oakland Au-
thorities, Who Acted on Her Story.
Taken From Orphans Home by
Gypsies, Who Gave Fictitious Names.

Helena, Mont.-When Evelyn Mitch
ell. a sixteen year old girl, who for
nine years has been the slave of gypsy
bands in this country and the old
world, threw herself into the arms of
her father, a ranchman residing neal a
Montana town, it was the first time
either had set eyes upon the other
since the day OF the mothers funeral
In Helena nearly ten years ago. M. l..
Hickman, secretary Of the state bureau
of child and animal protection, escort
ed the girl to the ranch from Glacier
park. where he met her In charge of
Miss G%eorgiana Allen, a Havre school
teacher, who agreed to chaperon the
girl to Montana from a house of de-
tention in Oakland. Cal
III. A. Davee, state superintendent OF
public instruction. who was attending
the National Teachers association. was
besought by the Oakland authorities
to provide escort for the girl back to
Montana. The city paid her expenses.
Superintendent Davee learned that
Miss Allen, a teacher, was shortly to
come home, and the latter went to the
house OF detention, where the girl has
been kept two months TO guard her
against kidnapping by the gypsy band
from which she was taken.
There arrangements were made for
bringing her home, and the teacher and
the girl departed secretly from San
Francisco. e%mbarking ON a steamer for
AcfNrta frDrD ughloh rNntn% 4hau xunnf
by train to Glacier park.
The necessity for keeping their
whereabouts secret was urged by the
girl. who was I'm terror of being seized
by the band.
The history of the young woman
reads like a romance For several
years she has been trying to escape
from the gypsies; but. alone and friend
less, she was given no opportunity I'M
til about three months e when the
Oakland officials secured possession of
her after a desperate fight I'm the
courts. The Marine band. TO which
she was sold for $1,000 in 1912, is rich,
and money was spent lavishly to de
feat justice.
About ten years ago, following the
funeral OF the mother, the girl and a
sister were placed In ar orphans
home. There they remained for per
haps six months, when Evelyn was
taken to Butte and in Judge DOMAINS
court upon the representations OF an
attorney adoption papers were made
out for MARY" Mitchell, placing her
in charge of a couple named Gichi. 1t
developed later that the Gichls were
members of a gypsy band.
Evelyn was an attractive little girl.
and she was soon dressed in rags and
started out as a beggar. Her pretty
face and sad eyes affected the chart
tably disposed. and her collections
were not the least OF the loot Of the
band.
AS the girl grew older she ionged for
a return to American life." as she
called II. Living In wagons or tents
along the highways, half starved and
beaten by the Gichi couple whenever
she did not bring home as much
money as they considered adequate,
her existence was unhappy.
Recently the girl escaped from the
band after extensive travelling and
was picked up by the Oakland authori-
ties on complaint Of the Marine gyp-
sizes. and thus she was given an oppor-
tunity to tell her story in court AS a
result she was consigned to the care
of Matron Rich OF the Oakland Deten-
ton home.