Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1921-05-12
BELIEVE STORY
IS ONLY A FAKE
SENSATIONAL STORY OF YOUNG
GIRL BEING BOUND BY BAN
DIT DIsBELIEvED.

G.. G. Nelson was in the city Sun
day and talked about the peculiar
circumstances under which his
young daughter was found bound
and gagged one evening last week.
There is a belief in the neighbor-
hood that the story is pure fake.
In fact the following story appear
ed in the Atlantic News-Telegraph
Tuesday, sent under a date line
from Extra. 1t will be of interest
here; from the fact that the parties
are well kRown in Audubon:
THAT Margaret Nelson, 12-year-
old Oakfield girl, was bound, gagged
and placed in closet in the home
by her mother, Mrs. Chris Nelson,
they afterward telling that it was
the work of an unknown man, is
now the belief of the people of, the
Nelson community.
"These neighbors of the Nelson's
believe that the story of the girl
being slugged and bound by a
strange man when she went up
stairs to make a bed, is fake. The
girl was actually found bound and
gagged by Mrs. Gray, the communi-
ty school teacher, but Il was the
work of the girl and her mother,
say the neighbors.
1.-THE reason for these strange do
ings by the mother and her daugh-
ter, so the neighbors think, was
their desire to so brighten Nelson
that he would quit the farm and
move to Audubon. Mrs. Nelson has
been anxious for some time to leave
the farm, 1t is said.
Explanation is also made Of the
unsigned letter received by Nelson
and which contained threat to alb
duct the girl. This setter was writ
ten by the girl herseIr, is the belief
here. Handwriting or Margaret,
compared with that Of the letter, is
said to show the greatest similar
fly.
1--WE were not after money; 1t
was the girl we want and we will
get her. A little disguise will work
wonders" This was the gist of the
letter.
"The girl was found in the closet
OF the Nelson home last Thursday
evening by Mrs. Gray, the commun-
ity school teacher. 1t was about
dusk and Nelson and his wife were
at the barn doing the chores.
when found, the girls feet were
tied with a pillowcase, her hands be-
ing secured with hair ribbon. In
her mouth was stuffed handker-
chief. Released, the girl told of how
a man, secreted in the room when
she went upstairs, had slugged, tied
and gagged her and placed her in
the closet. She said the man escap-
ed through an upstairs window. She
also said she thought she recogniz-
ed her assailant as man whom she
had seen in Audubon.
1.-THE receipt of the letter by Nell
son followed a couple Of days after
the alleged attack upon the girl.
Believing the story told by his
daughter Nelson appealed to the au-
thorities The sheriff went to work.
Upon his announcement he would
put a detective to work, both Mrs.
Nelson and her daughter expressed
the wish the whole matter be drop
ped.
"Those familiar with the circum-
stances now believe there was no
strange man in the Nelson house,
who slugged the girl. They believe
1t more likely that it was a story
concocted to brighten the father. 1t
also is common belief and report
that the girl and her mother did the
binding and gagging of the former
for the purpose of so alarming Nel2
son that he would move to town"