Another Kidnapping – Aunt Steals Niece From Kingsbury School Grounds
Semi-Weekly Irontonian 30 March 1909
Ironton was treated to a genuine kidnapping case Friday morning, and the case following so closely upon that of Willie Whitla, [see that story on 26 March 1909, Semi-Weekly Irontonian, front page-mm] caused considerable excitement throughout the city.
Belle Melvin, aged 11 years and an inmate of the Children’s Home, was the victim and her aunt, Mrs. Arch Melvin of Catlettsburg, was the abductor.
The little girl was taken from the Kingsbury School grounds shortly before the time for school to begin. Mrs. Melvin approached her niece and two little girls, with whom she was playing, and wanted them to go down the street with her so that she could buy them something.
The little girls refused, but Mrs. Melvin took her niece by the hand and forced her to accompany her, at the same time telling the other children to say nothing about the occurrence.
When the school took up the two companions of the Melvin child, they told their teacher what had happened and she notified Miss Rogers, Matron at the Children’s Home, who in turn notified the police and Home Trustees. No trace of the woman and girl could be found in the city.
Lawrence County, Ohio Children’s Home Book
Inquires developed that Mrs. Melvin had made several requests that the child be turned over to her, but that the same had been refused as she was not considered a proper person to raise her.
The conclusion was at once reached that Mrs. Melvin was the person who had taken the little girl, and the Catlettsburg authorities were communicated with. Shortly after dinner, Chief of Police Carmack telephoned Chief of Police Berridge that the woman and child were there.
A warrant was sworn out for Mrs. Melvin’s arrest for kidnapping. Messrs. McConnell and Mittendorf, of the Home Board, Miss Rogers, Officers Salyards, Mrs. Melvin, and her husband, who recently professed conversation, were found at church where a big revival is being held.
The little girl was with them, and when the Ironton authorities told Mrs. Melvin that they intended bringing the child back with them, began to abuse them at an awful rate, but when informed that if she was not careful she would be brought back to Ohio on a kidnapping charge, she calmed down and agreed to cause no further trouble.
The woman admitted that she and her husband had come to Russell, Kentucky, on Friday morning, secured a skiff, rowed over to Ironton, Ohio, and that Melvin had waited at the willows just above the ferry landing while his wife had gone up to the school building and kidnaped the child. They had made the little one wade from Russell to Ashland where the streetcar was taken for Catlettsburg. When brought back to the Home, last night, the child’s feet were badly blistered from her long walk.
The Trustees of the Home have not yet decided what they will do, but they may have both Melvin and his wife arrested for their part in the affair. The child who figured so prominently in the case is an orphan. Her mother, who was blind, has been dead for several years. Her father is said to have been a prominent citizen of Catlettsburg, who committed suicide over his connections with the child’s birth, and its mother’s disgrace.
Melvin and his wife, who formerly resided in Perry Township, this county, took the child to raise, but they treated her so badly that she was taken away from them and placed in the Home.
After being placed in the Home, the little girl told Miss Rogers that she had formerly been compelled to do most of the housework, including the family wash. When Belle saw Miss Rogers Friday evening she was overjoyed, and rushed to the matron and threw her little arms around her neck and cried for joy.
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