The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1920-06-08
e,2|LDLESSCOUPLE
Maybe KIONAPERS
New Theory to Explain Stealing
Of COugtIin Baby.
MYSTERIOUS AUTO seen
Police Now Believe Child Was Carried
Off In a Motor car-Mother Is Near
Breakdown.

Breakdown.
Norristown, June 8. - Blakeley
Coughlin, the stolen baby, may now be
bringing Joy by his presence into some
childless home.
His absence, however, is causing
unspeakable sorrow in the home OF
Mr.. and Mrs. George H. Coughlin, his
parents. They have two other chill
dren, but thirteen-mOnth-old Blakeley,
who was stolen from his crib early
last Wednesday morning, was their
baby and their darling, and while he
is gone their home remains desolate.
The police are looking into this la
est theory that the baby may have
been taken, not for ransom, but for
the purpose Of bringing happiness to
a chlldless family Whether some
hear+-hungry man and woman stole the
child themselves, forgetting the Law
and the mothers anguish in their DE-
sire for q son, or whether kidnapers
who saw a chance to sell" the baby
to some childleSs rich couple took
Blakeley the police do not pretend to
know. This is only another guess al
the mystery, anyhow, and the details
yet have to be established.
Though the police are hazy about
this new theory, they have worked out
with q greater degree Of certainty an
explanation of just how little Blakeley
was rushed away from Norristown
and into hiding
The theory settled on now is that
an automobile certainly was used. The
footprints in the ploughed field fit In
with theory, for they are in the direc-
ton of dir road running parallel
with the Sand Hill road, and on this
dirt road several persons saw a mys
terious large touring car the night thu
baby was stolen.
Shortly after the theft Of the DO.
some one told the police a machine
had been standing, without lights o.
license tags, on a road near Black
Horse. little italian village nearb,
In Plymouth valley. Now a man ha'
been found who saw The machine run
ming late at night along this dirt road
He is William Clement HIS wife Is
a nurse, had been out on case and
was expected back Wednesday night
Clement had gone to bed, but was OK
pectlng her a. any time. In the early
morning he heard an automobile NOV
ing along the road, which 10 little used
for motor traffic. He thought 1t must
be his wife returning and got up and
went TO the window. The machine
moved past without stopping, going
slowly, without lights and without Il,
cense tags.
Some Of the people Of the town OF
Black Horse saw mysterious ma
chine, answering the same general de
scription, pass during the early hours
Of morning. Likewise some residents
Of Doylestown saw such car little
later, when dawn he 4 broken. 1t was
without lights, wlthou. license tags
and In 1t were two men ana a woman
the woman holding crying baby.
Not only have the Coughlins offered
large rewards for the baby's return
and indicated their willingness 20 deal
with the kidnapers, but also they have
thrown themselves upon the mercy OF
those who stole the boy.
Mrs Coughlin is rapidly nearing a
nervous breakdown. A physician Is In
daily attendance at the handsome
Coughlin home on Sandy Hill road tc
help the mother bear up. Relativei
express grave fears for her health II
some definite word Of the baby IL not
received soon.
The parents hopes revived when re
ports were received from Dallas, Tex.
that a colored woman was beng held
there after white baby, answering
the telegraphed description Of Blake
ley had been found in her home.
The baby was discovered In the
woman's cabin Saturday. She was un
able to account for her possession OF
the infant. Questioned by the police
the woman made number Of conflict
ing statements. She will be held pend
ing the arrival of a photograph of the
Coughlin boy.
The infant found with the woman Il
a golden-haired boy about fourteen
months old. When discovered he wa
weak from lack of nourlsnment He
has, however, recovered rapidly since
he was given good care.
Norristown police found t. difficult
to believe that a baby kidnapped Wed
nesday could have been carried tc
Texas and turned over to some one
there in such a short time. They ara
however, preparing to make all efforts
n identify the baby