A Woman, a Stolen Boy, and a Vow to 'Cut Old Good's Heart Out'

DENVER, Aug. 24 — [Special] — Mrs. James C. Gibbs, wanted for abduction in Seattle, was arrested about 1:30 last evening at The Belvidere, corner Fifteenth and Curtis streets, by Officers Anderson and Knapp.

Pretty little Johnny Barrow, the child whom she stole, was with her when the officers arrived, and the couple are now in the charge of Mrs. Likeness at police headquarters.

Mrs. Gibbs was very indignant when arrested, and said that the authorities may send the child back to Seattle a hundred times, but she will recover it. The disappearance of the child caused quite a sensation in Seattle, where all concerned are well known.

Mrs. Gibbs was seen by a reporter. She was holding the child in her arms as the visitors arrived and would allow no one to touch him through fear that they would separate her from her charge. She gave the following version of the story:

'Johnny is the child of my late sister, Mrs. Marion Barrow. She was burned to death in Seattle three years ago, and her husband being dead I took the homeless boy. In Mrs. Barrow's will she left all her money, which amounted to only a few hundred dollars, to Johnny, and named a well-known business man, John E. Good, as guardian. I did not like Good. He was mean enough to allow my sister to be buried by a charitable organization, when she left money enough to cover all expenses. He wanted the child to enable him to get hold of the money bequeathed by my sister. He also had other children of his own, and when the money would have been all spent he would have turned Johnny on the street. Blood is stronger than water and I determined to have the child. On Monday, August 15, I went to the Good house and found no one at home but my nephew. He willingly accompanied me first to Tacoma and then here. The police may send the boy back, but I will go back, too. I will cut old Good's heart out rather than let him keep the lad.'

The chief of police of Seattle has been notified of the arrest.

The story printed above has some foundation in fact but is unreliable in several particulars. The mother died from the effect of burns received. She was living in rooms over John E. Good's brass foundry on Jackson street and Railroad avenue at the time. Mr. Good was very kind to her during several days that she lived after being burned, and undertook the care of the boy after she died. Mr. Good is a responsible business man and has the reputation of being a good citizen. Those who know him will not believe the story told by Mrs. Gibbs that his motives in taking the boy were purely mercenary. Several days ago the Post-Intelligencer became aware that a woman from Seattle had been arrested in Denver charged with the abduction of a child from Seattle. The police at that time denied any knowledge of the case. It is probable that they know nothing of it. The dispatch was not received until 3 o'clock this morning, at too late an hour for Mr. Good to be seen.