Year: 1874

tions:


Inever thought Of going away until after
they coaxed me and gave me presents
Then I let them take me over the river to
get my ponies. Elmer Harrup went to
school with me. One day he told me
grandmother was at his house and wanted
to see me. l didn't see her, but did see
woman there that day, and she gave me
some presents; do not know whether they
were from mother or not; writing desk,
pocket-book with fifty cents in it, and other
things, and they coaxed me to write to moth
er and told me how to write, and did write
q letter, but did not say that wanted to
go away; that is what they said but they
did not tell the truth. Afterwards Mrs.
Belts, my mother, came down and I saw
her at that house and she said that if
would 70 and stay with her she would give
me span of ponies and that I could come
back with the ponies when wanted to.
They would not allow me to take the presents
away from Harrup's house because they
did not want pa to see them. Then after
three or four days saw mother again and
she and the woman induced me 60. I told
her would because I wanted the ponies.
l didn't care how went so long as could
get my ponies. So had to put on girls
clothes and Harrup's housekeeper and
Harrup's boy took me up above Cogeps
Mill and into Tams Bixby's skiff and we
went up to place little below Trenton.
On the way across the river heard the
boy and woman talking about throwing my
hat into the river so as to make father
think was drowned. Then they took me
to Eau Claire in carriage. Got there in
the night. Old man Fields took me round
back Of the house, put me in window, then
crawled through the window after me and
brought me up the back way to the third
story Of the house, and locked me in a room,
and they kept me locked in all the time I
was there except they took me out on the
piazza once and took me down to play on
the piano, but never let me outside the
house. They brought my meals to me in
the room. Fields and the woman wouldn't
let me write. thought 1 would 60 back
again to Red Wing as soon as I got the
ponies. Fields left some things at the
hotel to raise money to carry me off with.
A lawyer named Meggett came into the
room one day in hurry and said there
was an officer in town from Baldwin, ex-
pecting every moment some legal papers to
arrest certain parties with and he told
them to run me off quick into another state,
and if they couldn't do that to run me up
in the woods as quick as possible.


Truax, the keeper of the house, that
same night about IL o'clock, took me out
the back way and through alleys up to the
railroad, where we met Field, and he hid
me out in the rain by the freight house un-
til the cars came. Then he took me in the
back end Of the car secretly and put me in
the water closet, and hid and made me stay
there until we got on the journey. They
changed my name; called me George Mol
ster, and other names, and Field didn't let
his true name be known while we were
travelling. When we got to St. Louis he
took me to Madam Darts house. Madam
Dart is sister of old man Field. There
they gave me all wanted and petted me.
Gave me pony to ride and beer to drink.
I saw betting and gambling and horse-rac-
ing, and saw them sell pools. Field said
the man who sold the pools made ten cents
on dollar. also saw fight near Madam's
house. The race track is owned by Madam
Darts husband. They wouldn't let me
write to papa, but got some paper and
did write to VIM. Linderman, my old play
mate, but Field took the letter away from
me and would not let me send it. And he
gave me . knife, and 4 good many times
told me in case anybody came after me to
cay would rather kill myself than 90 hack
again, and he told me to use every means I
could to make them belive that did not
want to 70 hack, though wanted to when
got the ponies.


A polieenan took me to court in 81.
Louis; Field then called me back Of tho
door and again told me to swear I didn't
want to 10 home and think the chief Of
police heard him. All said there Field
made mo say. He told me to say was
abused at home, and that father had abused
Ars. Belts and been unkind, but that WAS
not true % ever knew Of. I knew never


was abused at home BY any Of Mr.. Gra-
hams family nor by father, and my step