The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1920-10-22
women STEAL MAIDEN.
GIRL WAS FORCIBLY TAKEN
FROM SCHOOL
Police of Candy Notified To Be
On the Lookout For Dark
Nveiled Pair

Minneapolis, October 21.-Breaking
without warning into the Richfield
school room just before recess time
yesterday afternoon, two tall women
dressed in deep black and wearing
long black wells completely covering
their faces, forcibly removed from the
room Blanche Barker, eleven years
DID, who has been living with Mrs. e.
M. Chandler, $500 Thirty fourth ave-
nue. south. after spirited tussle with
Miss Leila Thayer, the school teacher.
| While the school teacher and crowd
of excited children looked on in aston
ishment, they carried the screaming
child to aelarge black touring car wait
ing outside, were helped into the car
by a crippled driver, and drove rapidly
down Thirty fourth avenue south to-
ward the open country.
+, Deputy sheriffs under Sheriff Earle
! Brown and city police last night were
seeking the two black-clad women, the
black touring car, the crippled man,
and the little girl.
Women Entered Without Making Noise
| Without q warning knock two black
clad women appeared suddenly in the
school room just as the children were
rising from their seats for the recess
period, according to the teachers
story. Their long wells completely hid
their faces. Looking quickly about the
room, they spied little Blanche. sitting
back in corner. They hurried to-
ward her.
Blanche, come with u.s." command
ed the older and taller woman.
The little girl shrank back, fright
ened, Miss Thayer said
mo. no: l don't know you," She
Then the little schoolmaam inter-
vened. Leave the child alone" she
ordered. "She doesn't know you. You
mustn't take her"
The tall woman turned in fury, &C.
cording to Miss Thayer.
Keep your nose out of this" she
commanded sharply. This Is our af-
fair, not youFs."
Teacher Barred Pathway.
But the little school teacher stood
her ground hardly.
st is my affair" she retorted. "The
child is under my care. l will not let
her CO."
without another word, the two wo-
men made for the child, took her be-
tween them and started for the door
But the school teacher, highly indig-
nant, stood in the way. She seized
the little girl and attempted to hold
her back. But the two women were
too strong for her. Some of the chill
dren, excited by the struggle, started
10 cry. The school teacher, despair
ing OF retaining the child, turned her
attention to the older woman. She
seized her black veil, lifted it and
gazed full into her face.
Jerking the veil down, the woman
turned back to the child, rushed with
the other woman out the door, put the
screaming child into the waiting tour
ing car, and the three 5drove..of be-
hind the crippled driver, down Thirty
Fourth avenue south, toward the open
country.
Sheriff Quickly Told.
Miss Thayer, quieting the fright
ened children, hurried to the nearest
telephone to inform Mrs. Chandler
that the little girl had been taken
forcibly from the schoolroom. Mrs.
Brown and John Calvin, captain or
police. who at once started in search
for the women, the touring car. and
the child.
Little Blanche Barker has been liv-
ing with Mrs. Chandler in Minnea polls
for three months. For six years prev
ious to that time, she lived in San
Francisco with Mrs. Bertha Barker
who adopted her when her parents
died. Mrs. Chandler said last night
Mrs. Chandler, who was an old friend
Of the little girls family, decided four
months ago that she would like to
have Blanche. So she wrote Mrs.
Barker in San Francisco. Mrs. Bark
er answered that she might have
Blanche If she would pay her way to
Minneapolis. This she did, and the
little girl came here.
Return Of Girl is Asked.
She was here Just two weeks, &C
cording to Mrs. Chandler. when Mrs.
Barker sent q letter asking that she
be returned at once. For this request,
Mrs. Chandler said, she gave no ade-
quate reason. Mrs Chandler then got
in touch with the San Frandisco Child
Welfare league. Leaeue| officials
promptly answered, Mrs. Chandler
said, advising her to ignore the re-
quest. This she did.
T. Two weeks ago, Mrs. Chandler said
! asst night, relatives Of Mrs. Barker
at Candy, Mimi, and at Peterson,
Mimi, sent her letters urging her tc
send the little girl to them for visit.
These invitations were declined.
Although the police searched the
lneighborhood yesterday afternoon for
the touring car, and watched all out
going trains, no trace was found OF
the women or of the little girl. Po-l
lice Of Candy and of Peterson have
been Informed of the little girls re-
lmoyal.