Hanford Journal Hanford, Kings Co., California Friday, 3 APRIL 1896 ************************************ A CRUEL FATHER -- The Excuse Offered by Clara BRANDON For Leaving Home -- A Rumored Abduction Leads to the Location Of a Much Wanted Criminal -- The Girl Has Been in Fresno -- Miss Clara BRANDON, who was supposed to have been abducted, has been found and her statement puts a different face on the story from that first reported. Warrants had been sworn out before Justice Rainey, over in Fresno county, and Constable J.W. ESREY of that township went in search of W.T. DOWNING and Frank FORGEY, on the charge of abduction. The complaints were sworn to by Israel BRANDON, the father of the girl. Constable ESREY and Deputy Constable CRUTCHER of Fresno arrested these men near Collis, Fresno county, and took them to the court of Justice Rainey. Miss BRANDON was taken to Fresno by DOWNING and FORGEY and has been stopping with FORGEY's mother, in the southeastern part of the city. She gave her version of the alleged abduction to Constable ESREY, and as he had no process of law by which to take her home, she is still with Mrs. FORGEY in that city. "It did not amount to much of an abduction," said Miss BRANDON. "I was the one who planned my flight from home and my brother and Mr. FORGEY assisted me. I could stand my father's treatment no longer and I resolved to leave home. I asked my brother to assist me and he hesitated at first. I then told him that if he would not help me I would leave on my own account, as I had determined to remain at home no longer. "He then said he would help me rather than let me go alone. We planned everything and my brother and Mr. FORGEY drove up to our place near Lemoore about 8 o'clock in the evening. I had packed my belongings and boldly left the house. My father was around, but I do not think he saw me leave. We came to Fresno and I have found a good home here with Mrs. FORGEY. "I will never go back home to live. If the law compels me to return, I shall leave again at the 1st opportunity. My father has been very cruel to me. He has threatened a number of times to kill me and he has repeatedly said that he hated the ground I walked on. We have been living in a wood-chopping camp on the river, about 8 miles from Lemoore, where my father has been working. My mother is living there. I have 3 younger brothers and sisters. I shall look about for employment and earn my own living." The arrest of DOWNING on this charge has brought him to the attention of the officers. It seems that he is a muchly wanted man. There are some 4 or 5 charges of burglary standing against him. The Constable at Sanger holds 2 warrants for him, while Constable SPENCER of Selma has another warrant. DOWNING was bold in his burglaries. While at Sanger he robbed a house near there, getting a watch and a few dollars in money. The money was lost a few hours later, in a poker games; the watch was pawned and the proceeds also went in the game. He then went to a house within half a mile of the 1st robbery and ransacked it, finding a few dollars, which he also invested in poker. Officers were after him before morning, but he got wind of their movements and escaped. Constable SPENCER's warrant is for a burglary committed near Wildflower, in Fresno county. The officers claim that the men cannot be held on the charge of abduction and they are anxious to catch DOWNING on some of the other charges before he escapes again. -------------------------------------------------------- LOCAL PARAGRAPHS -- -Mrs. W.T. LYON and her mother, Mrs. H. ALLARI, drove over from Selma on Wednesday, returning to that place on Thursday. -W.T. LYON has gone to the northern part of the State on a business trip and will be absent from his post on the 'Journal' for a few days. PORTER MICKLE has his announcement elsewhere in this issue as a candidate for Marshal of this city. He has been a resident of Hanford for 16 years and is too well known to nearly all our people to need a special mention. He was engaged in business here for many years and was always upright in his dealings. In all public enterprises he has been a leading spirit or lent a helping hand. He has the ability to make a god Marshal and promises to fill it to the best of his ability if elected. DEPUTY SHERIFF F.J. WALKER returned Wednesday evening, in company with is wife, from Livermore, where Mrs. WALKER has been receiving treatment at the sanitarium of that place since October, 1894. All her friends will be pleased to learn that Mrs. WALKER has fully recovered from her sickness. O.T. GRISWOLD returned Wednesday night from the Gooler mining district in the Mojave country. Mr. GRISWOLD, although having spent considerable time digging for the precious metal, returns with no flattering reports. The remainder of his party will reach Hanford in a few days. Transcribed by Dee Sardoch To see more old newspapers, visit http://www.newspaperabstracts.com/