Year: 1868

From the Milwaukee Wisconsin.


In January last there was given to the
readers of the Wisconsin the details of a
most singular story, the return of a child to
its mother-the child having been stolen
when an infant in Prussia. At the time
we mentioned that the matter was being in
vestigated by the parents. On Saturday
the head of the family to which the child
was returned visited us. He says that the
boy has been an inmate of his family ever
since ne came from Prussia, and that day
by day the mother became more and more
attached to it, firmly insisting that it was
her own, and neglecting the boy whose
place the new conner had taken. The new
boy was very well contented for a time in
his new home, and seemed TO appreciate
the attentions of the mother, apparently
striving hard to merit her love so gener-
ously given.


As the time drew near to receive answers
to letters written to Prussia, the boy ap-
peared to grow uneasy and restless, and to
watch the arrival of the letter-carriers with
no little interest. Two weeks ago Saturday,
he asked permission of the mother to go to
Berlin, in this State, to pay a visit to some
friends of the family, which was granted,
the boy promising to be away from home
only three days. He was dressed in new
clothes, furnished by his mother, and had
a handsome little sum of money from the
same source. The boy did not return
home as he had promised, and the mother,
anxious for his safety, wrote to the friends.
She received letter in reply that the boy
had not been there at all. This news,
while it gives the still confiding mother
great pain satisfied the father in the belief
from the first, that the boy was an imposter.
He could not convince the mother of this,
however.


On Thursday last the looked for letters
from the old country came to hand. The
friends of the family expressed surprise at
what had taken place. They had carefully
investigated the affair, but could make
nothing of it. The woman referred to as
having, on her death-bed, confessed that
she had stolen the child from motives of
revenge, had died few weeks before, but
she certainly could have had nothing to do
with the affair, for during her illness friends
were with her all the time, who enjoyed
her utmost confidence. and who would have
known it had she been interested in the
scheme. The friends felt confident that
the boy, aided, perhaps, by those who
wished to be freed of him, having learned
some incidents in the history of the family
here, had taken the opportunity to impose
upon them.


The disappearance of the boy about the
time the letters were expected from Prus-
sia would strengthen this belief. Upon
going away it was found that he had taken
nearly every article of value which had
been given him, besides which there are
smaller articles of value which could be
easily carried away which have disap-
peared from the house, and can now be
traced very near to if not directly to the
boy. Ifthe affair was "put up" job, az
detectives say, it was certainly skillfully
done, and has been productive of much
misery to the family imposed upon. Ef-
forts will be made to find the boy, which
we trust will be successful. An expose of
the whole affair would no doubt follow
such capture. The father, who gives us
the information regarding the affair, thinks
the boy has made couple OF hundred dol
lars out Of it. He cares nothing for the
money, of course, but fears the effect upon
the mind Of his wife will be serious.