Evening star., 1923-02-13
DRUGG|NG OF NUN
AND KIDNAPPING IS
YELLED IN MYSTERY
Makes Escape and Returns
to Frederick Convent
After Abduction.
CARRIED TO BALTIMORE;
BELIEVE RANSOM MOTIVE
Beaten, Rushed Away in Taxi and
Held Prisoner in Dark
Alley Room.
By the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
FREDERICK, Nd, February 10
Policemen in this city and Baltimore
are searching today for a mysterious
man and woman who are believed to
have kidnapped Sister Cecilia, a music
teacher at the Notre Dame Academy
here, yesterday afternoon, and took
her to Baltimore, where she escaped
from q house after being held cap
tive for several hours, and returned
TO the institution in a dazed condi-
.tion.
Stewart Cathcart. a taxi driver of
Baltimore. who brought Sister Cecilia
10 Frederick in his machine last
night, was locked up in Jail. at the
request of Father William ]. Kane.
9Verseer of Notre Dame Convent.
While not believing Cathcart to be
implicated in the KIDNAPPING, the priest
stated that Cathcart gave evasive an
swers to many of his questions.
Ransom Believed Motive.
Sister Cecilia was described this
morning as being in a highly nervous
state, after having passed Il restless
night. Her physician forbade her re-
celving visitors or discussing her eX-
periences, declaring il might prove
dangerous to her physical condition.
Al MS SAdHlndl!On, ne SAID, he FOUND
bruise on the skull. The result of
the blow said to have been inflicted
When she was seized at the convent.
rather Kane believes that Sister Ce-
celia was abducted for ransom, his
basis for this theory being the CONVEX
satfon which the sister said she over
neard while she was a prisoner in the
Baltimore house.
-. Sister Cecilia" said Father Kane.
heard the men in the house where
she was held in Baltimore say, What
ought we get out of the - thing?" ="
This. added Father Kane, would
seem to indicate that ransom was the
motive for the kidnapping"
one disputed point has been cleared
up. Sister Cecilia was with Jane
Roddy. pupil, until 2:O5 pm. yester-
day. She could not have caught the
train on the Baltimore and Ohio
which leaves Frederick at l:55 and
arrived at Baltimore a I about 6:sU. She
must have come or been brought by
automobile.
Driver Taken to Baltimore.
Cathcart. the taXicab driver, who took
the nun to Frederick, went to Balti-
er1ck county sheriff.
According to Sister Cecelia's story,
as rectted to Father Kane, she was
struck over the head with a blunt in
is still In bed today, suffering from
fright as a result of her adventure.
She was able to give Father Kane but
a meagre description of the strangers
and could not name the house to which
she was taken in Baltimore. as in her
hurry to leave the dwelling she did not
properly observe her surroundings.
Father Kane said that the room at
the convent from which the nun had
been taken, showed signs Of a fierce
struggle. The sisters girdle rosary
lay broken on the floor, furniture
was misplaced, vial believed to con-
with a cloth believed to have been
saturated with the drug, and her
veil was discovered in crumpIed
condition.
Sister Sees Strangers.
Sister Cecilia. the overseer said,
first observed the man and woman
about 1 o'clock yesterday afternoon
They were standing near a closed au-
tomobile across the street from the
convent. At that time the sister re-
marked to one of her pupils, Father
Kane stated. that the strangers were
tice them again until the woman
came around to a rear window and
peered through. The nun was alone
in the building at the time, and went
TO- 10 tn the e window .,sk to Investigate: On
a man struck her over the head She
lost consciousness, she stated, and did
not recover until she found herself in
the Baltimore mouse.
On regaining consciousness, Sister
Cecilia said. she found herself di-
vested of her sisters garb She over
heard voices in an adjacent room
talking about money matters. The
persons talking. Sister Cecilia told
Father Kane, sounded as if they were
foreigners, and the words ransom"
and $500 were mentioned. Espying
q hat and coat on the wall Of the
room, Sister Cecilia clothed herself
NJ he h,,tl
ing. She had to pass through an
alleyway, she stated, and on reaching
the street asked a patrolman about
train service for Frederick. When
to that place for the night, she asked
the policeman to direct her TO a
taxicab stand in order that she might
return to Frederick Immediately.
Finds s1I In Pocket.
Cathcart. according to Father Kane.
at first refused to take the sister as
his passenger, as the fare from Bal
timore to Frederick was $50. Sister
Cecilia had only s11 with her, which
she found in pocket of the overcoat
she wore. the priest stated. On learn
Frederick, however, Cathcart con-
sented to take her there.
On arriving here, Sister Cecilia was
in state of collapse. Her collapse,
FAther~kane SAID, was due mostly to
fright. Physicians who examined her,
he said. declared she had not been as
saulted.
Sister Cecilia, whose age on the
convent records is given as thirty
one years, was formerly Miss Marie
Wha1en of Verona. Pa, suburb OF
Pittsburgh. She attended the paro-
chial school at that place and last
August became a sister of Notre
Dame. She came to Frederick last
September Both her parents are
dead. Father Kane stated she has a
sister and brother and believed they
mother, he said, resides in Verona.
Pittsburgh dispatches last night
quoted Father Duwell, pastor OF a
church which Sister Cecilia attended
while at Verona, as saying "She was
a model young lady and was well
thought of by all with whom she