A story that appeared in the Elizabethville Independent in 1882 about a peddler or tramp that tried to steal a child, a son of Jacob Matter, was re-printed in the Delaware County Daily Times, 28 March 1882:
A Little Boy’s Adventure With a Tramp
The Elizabethville Independent, published in the upper end of Dauphin County says: “A few days ago a peddler, or rather a professional tramp, tried to steal a child, an interesting little son of Mr. Jacob Matter, residing about one mile east of this place [Elizabethville]. The child was at play a short distance from the house on the public road, with several companions, when the tramp happened to pass. He took hold of the little fellow, first persuading him to go along with him and afterwards compelling him to do so. The other children informed the mother of the boy of what had taken place. She immediately started in pursuit and after proceeding about a mile, she overtook the scoundrel, who absconded on perceiving her, leaving the child in the road to be recovered by the mother No effort was made, we believe, to arrest the kidnapper, and this is to be regretted, because the country is running full of pretended peddlers, their packs serving entirely to gain them entrance into the homes of or unsuspecting people, plunder being their prime object when a favorable opportunity presents itself.”
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Clipping from Newspapers.com.