Leon Reporter, Leon, Iowa
Thursday, October 11, l900

There were lively times in the office at the Park Hotel yesterday morning about nine o'clock. On Tuesday, MRS. WM. DEVILBLISS, of Des Moines, came to Leon armed with a decree of divorce, giving her the custody of her thirteen-year-old daughter, who has been living with her father, WM. DEVILBLISS, a few miles east of Leon. Together with W.R. KLINE she proceeded to Scratch Eye School House where the girl was attending school and took possession of her, bringing her to Leon where she remained all night. Yesterday morning MR. DEVILBLISS came in and while the parties were discussing the case, he suddenly seized the girl and bolted out of the hotel and secreted the girl. He then threatened to have KLINE and his former wife arrested on the charge of kidnapping, but nothing was done. The woman left on the afternoon train for Des Moines after announcing that she would file an information against MR. DEVILBLISS for kidnapping the girl and would also cite him to appear on the charge of contempt of court in refusing to give the custody of the girl to her mother under the Des Moines Court's decree. The girl desires to remain with her father who is well spoken of by his neighbors. This is the second attempt on the part of MRS. DEVILBLISS to secure the girl.

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