The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1919-07-12
GREENWOOD CEMETERY
STELLA VAUGHN TELLS
STORY OF KIDNAPPING
DETAINED IN OUTSKIRTS
OF MASCOT.
Siezed by Gross Eyed Woman
and Held for Three Weeks
in Locked Room,

in Locked Room.
Knoxville, July l2.--(Special.)-A
strange story of kidnapping was related
to Sheriff Cate and his deputies here
by 12-year-old Stella Vaughn. The al
legged kidnapping occurred at Mascot.
The story may result in the appre-
hension of supposed booteggers.
Thread by thread her simple, child
like story was obtained by officers in
the county Jail. Stella. sitting quite
primly in her chair, straightforwofdly
answered all of the questions put to
her.
| Vaughn, at Mascot, by a strange wom-
an; how she had been taken &c
Paper Town" an outskirt OF Mascot
and detained. and how she had finally
made her escape when her captor, tax
ing her along. boarded train toi
| Knoxville Thursday morning and lef'
little Stella momentarily- alone in the
| Southern railway passenger depot, un-
| raveled before the officers expert ques-
| tioning
Vaughn, left his home at Mascot to
plant of the Aluminium Company OF
America, the child remained at the
aunt's home. While the child's aunt
was out shopping. a strange woman
whom the child describes as being
| "cross eyed" entered the house and
told little Stella she must come with
her. according to the child's story.
II told her that / didn't want to &c
| with her, but she made me go anyway
| said Stella to the officers.
With tears in her eyes, at the re"
memberance of her treatment, Ste!la
| told five sympathetic officers that she
| had been locked in a bedroom each
| night, and that the "cross eyed wom-
an had not allowed her outside of the
house probably for fear she would
get away.
"she was the most particular thing
about me getting out you ever saw
| explained Stella.
The child told OF room which she
said was always kept locked, and which
she was never allowed to enter; Ihe
| shades were pulled over the windows
| in such a manner that 1t was in1pos,
| sihle to see into the room. Stella sac
| the "cross eyed woman and her nus
band, whom she called pa" slept II
| this room ~
| Officials questioned the child very
closely about this room, and she re-
| plied she remembered that sometimes
| men were taken into the room, stay
| ing for about half an hour ana ther
going from the house. Other things
| she told to officers and which are MOI
revealed led them to express the be-
| lief that sufficient evidence had beer
| supplied by the child's story to cause
| arrest and possible conviction OF the
| man and woman on a charge of sell
| ing whisky.
Stella told of the treatment received
during her approximate three weeks
| stay in "Papertown." She said she
was made to do work about the house
during the day. and when night came
| and the work was finished she was
| locked in her room, alone.
"She gave me for breakfast a piece
of square cornbread. an egg and a cur
of coffee. and for dinner another piece
or cornbread with a little piece OF
| butter and a little bit of meat, '%Stella
| told the officers with tears in her eyes
The child also asserted that she had
tried to make her escape on more than
| one occas sion, but the woman threat
| ened her. Thursday her captor de-
cided to come to Knoxville. bringing
| Stella along. The first lap of the
| journey was made In a buggy. 1.-THE
| second station out of Knoxville she
left me in the waiting room at the
depot and told me to wait there for
| her. While she was gone into announcer
room ! ran away. 1t was the first
| time had had a chance to run away"
| explained the Child.
| She was found on the street and
taken TO the county Jail, where Sheriff
| Cate and deputies took her in charge
| The father was located at Maryville
He came to Knoxville late Thursday
afternoon and aided in getting the
| story from the child.
stella offered to lead the officers Ia
the house where she had been confined
| The officers expect to make arrests or
a charge of kidnapping. and they as
| sure that the mysterious room will
| DO thoroughly investigated