Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1920-08-01

ever that mysterious sound was repeated.
this time little louder, 4 little more
ominoUs. 1t came from the nursery and
it was a sound which she has hard work
to describe. 1t may have been n cough or
baby's muffled cry-she cannot tell
Now really alarmed she shook her sleep
ing husband into wakefulaess and asked
him TO go and sec if anything was wrong
with the baby.
Il got out of bed" says Mr. Coughlin,
land hurried into the nursery. There
stood the crib against the wall on the side
of tho room farthest from tho window.
but, to my amazement, saw that it was
empty. Little Blakeley was gone!
Il stood there like n man in a trance.
gazing at that empty crib. The covcrlets
were folded neatly back, as they would
have been by n mothers hands reached
out my hand and touched the bedding-it
was still warm from contact with my sons
little body.
i could hardly believe my eyes. Tho
thought that Blakoley had been stolen
that he had been carried away almost from
our arms-was incredible. NV wife was
calling anXiously to know what the matter
was, but the words with which 7 would
have answered her stuck in my throat.
'Of course the baby was somewhere in
the house-that was the idea which per
sisted even in the face of that empty crib
Perhaps David and Mclean had taken him
into their room. hurried cross the han
to where the two boys lay sleeping, but
Hlakelcy was not there.
Downstairs rushed and out of the bac,,
door From there l saw something that
sent Chill through my heart. 1t was a
ladder leaning up against the house and
with tho top resting on the sill of the omen
nursery window ! ran 10 the highway
and looked up and down, but there was no
sign OF life to be seen in any direction.
Nor could hear any sound OF automobile.
motorcycle or other vehicle.
by this time Mrs. Cough:n had thrown
on wrap ana come out on the sleeping.
porch behind the nursery. | called ~ Ln-
that Hlakely had been k!dnappcdNthat
someone had climbed into the nursery and
stolen him '"'
The maid, the only servant in the lousc
that night, was awakened by tlc co,nr,o
toh she came down from hur room an
inc thifd floor and gave wha, c0nf0r, sl,n
W. Li'0' N''SliIE WING lclcplOncI
70 the police"
Long before sunrise the Norrstown no.
nee members OF the State cons,abulary
detectives and hundreds OF ne!yhi,or. ~
me CoAghlins began to search for tho kid.
nnappers me only tangible clues were tbe
iootrrints o! Il man ana a woman found
near the foot Of tho ladder Their pogitjou
indlcated that both man and woman b,d
<liIhned the ladder II was thought ma,
inc man had stood on ono OF tile uppor
funES while the woman entered the roon,
and passed out the sleeping child. rrnh.
noly some cry the baby had made bcrorc
It's sounds could be nunled with 4 blonknt
Coughln. '''' -
Police dogs and bloodhounds were
yrousnt from nearby kennels and pn, ON
Inc scent furnished by tho tolltaIr ,,n,
rrints Much was hoped from the work
o! me dogs, but il awaited nothing. for thn
trail they followed seemed 10 and ind,
Geniy gust outside the Cougnlln gr0una.
There are number o. tniur; ,,l,i.b l,,,,
70 ne belief that the crime WIS mo-.
carefully planned, and that pcrha,s H.
details we're even rcheuIscd some Tim. hc