Putnam patriot., 1921-08-05
CLAIMS REVOLVER
WAS FLOURISHED
Step-Mother of Place Boy Says
That the Mother Used
Threats
Child Taken BY Feree.-Seeond Time
RE Was kidnapped"

The mother came to my home on
Tuesday of last week with a revolver
in her hand and uttering threats
against me. She took her son from
me by force"
That is the way Mrs. Charles Place
of West Woodstock explained the
kidnapping" case told in last weeks
issue of The Patriot. Last weeks
story was obtained from the police
who heard the story of the mother.
Mrs. Annie Emelia Place. The step
mothers version was given in person
to The Patriot this week.
According to the step-mother. Mrs.
Charles Place. the boy who was being
taken to Providence by his mother
when stopped by Putnam police. had
been living at West Woodstock for
two years and was perfectly happy.
Last week Tuesday the child's mother
drove up to the Place home and de-
manded the boy on the grounds that
the father, who had been given Gus
tody of the child by the divorce
courts, was now dead and the step
mother had no right to him.
The step-mother, Mrs. Charles
Place. argued with her unexpected
visitors. hoping all the time that the
uncle would put in his appearance.
But the boys mother was in a hurry.
apparently. According to the step
mothers story. her visitor produced a
revolver from her waist and said,
You turn that boy over TO me at
once without any more talk. II YOU
want trouble ] am here to make IL.
Now stop talking and get my sons
clothes together.
The step-mether. frightened. hur-
riedly collected the clothes into a bun
die and Mrs. Annie Place drove off
with her eight-year-old son. She
seemed to have no desire to take with
her her 2l-year old boy.
When the uncle heard Of what had
happened, he got in touch with the
Putnam police and had the mother
brought to the local police court.
Sheriff Charles +. Aver declared that
If the boy had been given over to the
custody Of the uncle by the probate
+ court. the mother had no right 10 in
terfere. The boy was sent home
with the uncle. Luther Place, and was
turned over By him to the step-moth-
err
Il feel it my duty to keep the boy
so that he may have the proper care,
said Mrs. Charles Place This Is the
second time that the mother has tried
To steal the child Years ago, before
| was married to MIR Place, the boy
was being kept by his father at a
boarding house and was very happy.
But when the child was four years
old, his mother came to the boarding
house one night and actually stole
him. The boys father felt badly
about the happening and did his best
to find trace Of the wife whom he had
divorced, but his search was unsuc-
cessful. Several years later his son
was returned 10 him by an orphan
asylum in Boston.
1T seems that the mother had been
taken sick ANA was confined in a hos
pital. She had the boy taken 70 an
orphan asylum and there the boy evi-
IDENTIFY didn't receive very good treat
ment. When he was sent to me be-
was in truly pitiful condition.
took him into the home of his father
and. II | do say ii myself he has been
brought up the way child should
be He has always been well fed and
nave done my best for him"
The uncle. Luther Place, said Il
was made administrator of my broth
er's estate by the probate court.
realized that the child had been well
taken care Of by his step-mother and
so gave her charge over him. ! am
sure that she viii bring him up better
than his mother could.