The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1920-10-16
RICHMOND
OFFICIALS.
GET WORD
OF PLAN!
Where Is Child? New York
Police and Children's
Society ''Pass Buck"

Efforts Of The Star today failed
the sherifrs office here from Ta-
coma last evening that Baby Bobby
Stagg had been surrendered to ths
New York police by Betty Bralnerd.
one OF his alleged kidnapers-
The message. II now appears. may
have been deliberately falsified with
n double sinister purpose--fo fur
ther torture Mrs. George Stage.
Bobby's frantic mother, and to
throw those searching for the baby
momennrily off their guard.
About O'Clock last evening Depu-
ty Sheriff Herbert Beebe says he -
ceised long distance phone message
from a person representing himself
10 be Chief OF Police Harry Smi(h{
of Tacoma. who read him the ~
lowing alleged telegram:
betty surrendered baby 70 New
York police. Baby In charge Of Chill
dren's society. Miss Brnincrd await
ing arrival of officers from Tacoma :
IL was signed. Becbe was In
formed. by Inspector Lahcy, chief
OF New York detectives. and WAS
addressed to the Tacoma E1ksr
lodge.
Today II was learned that the
Tacoma lodge received such selc-
gram. but that II was signed By
William Phillips. Of the New York
lodge Of Eiks. or purported to be.
On its heels this morning. Sheriff
Stringer received the following
message from Police Chief c. A.
Sherry. OF Richmond. VA: Il
We have positive informati0ul
that Miss Brainerd and Edna Rol,
inson and spgg baby have never
been in this city. but all three
went TO New York. We understand
Stagg child viii he returned to its
home on or before Saturday. Oc-
tober 20. and we are fully satisfies
Mr.. Cohen has had no guilty con-
nection with this case"
The New York police and Chill.
drcn's Home officials today. how.
ever. denied that they had the Stagg
baby.
PROCEEDINGS AGAINST
BETTY WON'T HALT
Whether or not Miss Braincr1
has surrendered the child, criminal
proceedings against her and other
alleged principals TO the kidnapping
will not be halted. and the young
Seattle society woman. newspaper
writer and daughter OF Erastus
Rrainerd of Seattle. will be returned
here. II extradition is granted. TO
stand trial. Tacoma authorities an
nounced today.
report that her boy had been found.
does not care. II was said. to drop
the charges against Miss Brainend
and wishes TO have the search con-
tinue for her divorced husband.
George Stagg. and the trained
nurse. Miss Edith Nicholson. alias
Edna Robinson. alias Mrs. Harry
Evans. both OF whom are alleged
to have taken part In the kidnnp-
ing.
Upon receipt OF the mysteriaus
telegram from New York last eve.
ming. Mrs. Stagg was informed by
the Tacoma Elks. For days she
had been on the verge OF collapse.
When the telegram was read to
her she was overwhelmed with Joy
Mrs. Stacg wns able to make the
following statement today:
II was sick In bed. Now am up
and celebrating. We're so clated
we're going to kill the fatted calf. an
you might say.
II wired Bobby's grandma--my
mother, Mrs. Herbert Cunningham.
at Pasco. She will so ahead to New
York for the baby.
WILL LET THE LAW
TAKE ITS COURSE
"she has everything he needs--
suits, caps and everything down 70
stockings.
~ doubt II mother will be able to
put up much OF fight for the extra
dition OF the principals 20 the kid.
naping when she reaches New York.
The fight will all be taken out OF her
once she finds Bobby Is all right.
"of course. we don't feel quite as
toward them as we did be-
fore, but will let the law take ito
course. We will not retrieve any
steps that have been taken to bring
them to justice. think they ought
to be prosecuted. don't your"
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