Democratic Sentinel, Volume 1, Number 21, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 6 July 1877 — MARY MASTERSON. [ARTICLE]

MARY MASTERSON.

I The Story of Her Long and Weary Trip lo St. Louis. [From the Philadelphia Times.] \ Detective Umstead has returned to j this city from St. Louis, having in charge the little girl Mary Masterson and her abdnetor, the woman Fannie Brown, alias Pelee, alias Pollard. It will be remembered that tlie little girl was stolen from her home on Charles street, on the 11th of April last. Nothing was known of their whereabouts until about a week ago, when a dispatch from Chief of Police McDonough, of St. Louis, informed the Chief of Police of this city that he had the woman and child in custody. The kidnapping woman had a hearing before Alderman Carpenter. She is about 60 years old and her features are weazened. During the hearing this Madame Frochard kept her eyes closed, except when some particular point in the evidence was given, Ann White, k the grandmother of the child, testified to the abduction, the particulars of which have been published. Tlie little girl, a bright, d rk-eyed, intelligent child, then gave her testimony in a clear and distinct manner. She said that she met tlie prisoner after leaving school, who gave her pennies and candy, and induced her to get into a street car with her. The first night they stopped iu the city, and next morning wont to Annapolis, thence to Washington, where the prisoner said she had n brother living. Mrs. Brown forced the witness to beg in the streets, sleeping in the sonp house at night. After two or three days they went to Baltimore and slept at the station house. They begged every day, testified little Mary, the old woman whipping her when she refused to ask for money. They stayed in Baltimore one week, and then a kind gentleman gave them a pass to Indianapolis. On the way the conductor gave them food. From Indianapolis they went to St. Louis, traveling on foot part of the time and getting passes over the railroad the rest. The child said she was treated kindly by the farmers and others on the way, but that on many occasions the old woman would whip her. On reaching St. Louis they stopped with the Sisters of Charity, who gave them supper and lodging every night. While it was light the child was forced to beg, and told to say that her name was Mamie Brown, and, if asked, that her father was death The old woman had told her that her grandmother and father were no more. Patrick Masterson. the little one’s father, gave his testimony, which was not material to the case. Detective Umstead detailed his trip, and said that on arriving at St. Louis, in company with Detectives Thomas Hennessy and P. F. Lawlor, of St. Louis, he had discovered the truth of the girl’s statement. At the conclusion of the testimony the Alderman committed the prisoner in default of $3,000 to answer at court the charge of enticing the girl from her home. The little one was taken charge of by her father and grandmother, her mother being dead.