STOLEN BABY FOUND

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8360, 21 February 1913, Page 10

STOLEN BABY FOUND

STRANGE KIDNAPPING STORY TOLD IN COURT. TAKEN TO EAST GRINSTEAD. MOTHER MADE HAPPY AGAIN AFTER TWO DAYS. LONDON. January 12. The story of the kidnapping of a blue-eyed six-weeks-old baby from its home in Blackfriare shows that the perils feared by many London mothers are not entirely non-existent. In the case under notice, however, the mother is made happy again, for she recovered her infant after two days, during which time it had been taken to East Grinstead. Mrs Sweet, of Lancaster street, Blackfriars, was taking her infant for an airing on Friday last when a tall and well-dressed young woman spoke to her and expressed great admiration for the child. The stranger asked to be allowed to visit Mrs Sweet’s house to see the boy, and her manner was so agreeable that Mrs Sweet did not object. She mentioned that she was too daughter of a farm bailiff in the country. On Sunday afternoon the stranger called at the Sweets’ house. She made friends with the other four children, but most of her attention was devoted to the baby, James. She asked to be allowed to take the infant out with her, and produced some new baby clothes, which she presented to the mother. Ultimately Mrs Sweet w-is persuaded to entrust her baby to her charge. The woman was followed by one Cf Mrs Sweet’s nephews, who saw her enter a tramcar with the child. When the mother heard this she became alarmed. Time passed, and the stranger did not return. The police were informed, and the mother’s suspicions turned to frantic grief.A widespread search was made, and every possible due was investigated, but nothing more was heard of the baby or the strange woman until Tuesday afternoon, when the woman calmly entered Mrs Sweet’s house without the child. The meeting was a dramatic one. Mrs Sweet was m the hall when her sister-in-law, Mrs Owen, who was Standing on the doorstep, recognised the woks an coming along the street. Directly stranger entered the hall Mrs Owen shut the door. “WHERE IS MY BABY?” “I have brought back your baby’s shawl,” the woman said, and handed the mother a brown paper parcel in which the shawl was wrapped. “But where is my baby? What have you done with my baby?” cried the mother. “Oh, that’s all right,” was the easy reply. “It is with good friends. If you will come with me I will take you to it.” Mrs Owen suggested that a policeman should be called, whereupon the woman “You won’t take me to the police station, will you? What is all this fuss about?” “She seemed to be under the impression that Mrs Sweet had given her the baby to keep,” said Mrs Owen. “I sent for the police, but the poKceman said he could not arrest her in the hall, so we got her into the and she walked with him to the police station.” Later in the day the woman was brought before Mr Cecil Chapman at the Tower Bridge Police Court. She described herself as Kathleen Reed, aged twenty-two, a housemaid, of Now Town, Copthorne, Sussex, and she was charged with kidnapping James Sweet. HOUSEMAID TELLS HER STORY. Detective-sergeant Hodson said that, after being cautioned at the police station, the girl said. 1 am employed as a housemaid at the Tower Bridge Hotel. On Sunday, about 2.30 p.m., I left the hotel, and took a nightdress, a shirt, and roller, Mid a flannel, which were baby’s clothing. I then went to Mrs Sweet. I gave her the baby’s things, and die washed it in front of me. I asked her to let me take it out. She said it was not washed. I waited in the room till she washed it, and then took it out. I told her I should not be late, and that I would be back by 5 or soon after. I walked to the Elephant and Castle, and then got a tram and went to Fulham. I left the baby at Kilkie street with a Mrs Crowhurst, and paid her 4s, and asked her to look after it until Tuesday. I stayed there till about 9.20 p.m., and then returned to the Tower Bridge Hotel. I became anxious about the baby, and asked my mistress if I could go out on Monday. She allowed me to do so. 1 then went again to Fulham and saw Mrs Crowhurst and got the baby. I then took it to New Town Copthorne, where 1 stayed with it all Monday night at the house of Mrs Allen. I told her it was my child and asked her to look after it for me. I agreed to pay her for the keep of it. I jeft there about 7.30 a.m. to-day, and went and saw Mrs Sweet, and she brought me to the police station. I took the child because I liked it. 1 have a young man, and he wanted a baby. I have a friend who had a baby on November 10th last. I was going to have that, but it died. I wrote and told my young man that he had a baby. His name*is George Yaughan, and he works on a farm at Germonton, New South Wales. 1 have also told my mother that I have a baby, and she made me t lot of things for it. Before being charged Reed said, “I bought some things for a baby before Christmas. I intended to have a baby from someone, but I did not intend to steal one.” The child, it was stated, was at the home of Reed’s mother. Mr Cecil Chapman remanded Reed for a medical report regarding her mental condition. Mrs Sweet went to East Grinstead the same night with a detective to bring the child home.