Evening Republican, Volume 18, Number 277, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 November 1914 — WOMAN CAUSED SOME EXCITEMENT [ARTICLE]

WOMAN CAUSED SOME EXCITEMENT

Acted Queerly at M. E. Church Sunday Morning While Looking < For Little Daughter. Mrs. Amanda Kernahan, a wo-' man 48 years of age and the mother of “Dottie” Kernahan, a pupil at the Monnett School For Girls, came to Rensselaer Sunday morning and after visiting the IMonnett School and learning that her little daughter was at the M. E. church, went there and caused considerable excitement during the morning service. Believing that she was either insane or intoxicated she was taken to the jail and restrained there until’about 5 o’clock in the afternoon, when she was taken by Sheriff Hoover to the Monnett Home to see her daughter and she left for Chicago on the 7:06 train.

The visit of the woman at the home was not altogether unexpected, for the deaconesses had been advised by the little girl’s father that the woman was apt to put in ar/ appearance and. might possibly try to take the child away with her. (Dr. Curnick was delivering the morning sermon when the woman, a stranger to the entire congregation, entered the church. She brushed by Marshal Shesler, one of the ushers, when he offered to find her a seat and seated herself about half way down the center aisle. She was chewing gum and caused considerable attention by looking over the church. A little later she moved down the aisle and sat on the front seat. Dr. Curnick observed the queer actions of the woman and asked her if there was anything she wanted but she did not reply. When she stood upland looked over the audience he again asked her if she was looking for any one but she remained quiet.

At this time two of the deaconesses left the auditorium of the church and went to the north vestibule and the woman * followed, while Marshal Shesler followed her. Dr. Curnick also followed and a hasty explanation was made and he returned to the auditorium and told the bewildered congregation that the woman had come from Chicago to see her little daughterHer conduct was such as to indicate that she was suffering some mental drangement or Was under the influence of liquor and Marshal Shesler and others thought it was the latter. The woman was taken to the jail and left there until the late afternoon, when Sheriff Hoover, who had been in the country, returned and she told him that if she could see her daughter she would then return quietly to Chicago. Accordingly he took her to the home and she spent an hour with the little girl and then seemed content to return to Chicago.

The little gijl was placed - in the Monnett School for Girls by her father,, who is a minister and who has been paying for her keeping. It is understood that they had formerly lived in Minneapolis and that they became separated because the mother’s conduct was not proper. He is said to be engaged in missionary work in Illinois. The mother claims that it was only recently that she learned Where her daughter was and she made statements against her husband and talked freely with the reporter for The Republican. She left the impression that she is not a suitable person to have control of the little girl and it Is hoped she makes no effort to take her from the Monnett School, where she is surrounded with such splendid influences and is receiving a Christian education. When Mrs. Kcrnahan arrived at J he depot Sunday evening she id not have sufficient money to buy a ticket to Chicago and tried to get the agent to give her credit for a ticket, but this, of course, could not be done, and she boarded the train without a ticket.