[Indexed as: (Burling & Moot Cases cases), “Child Stealing,” Providence Gazette (R.I.), Jul. 13, 1822]

Another instance of this new and horrid species of kidnapping has occurred in our city. On Monday afternoon, between 1 and 2 o’clock, the son of Mr. Burling, first teller of the City Band, aged 11 years, was crossing the Bowery, to Broom-st. on his way to school, when a coach that was passing, having two men it, suddenly stopped, one of the men sprang out, seized and took him in, and drove on till they reached nearly to Kingsbridge, a distance of about 12 miles. Here they were prevailed upon by the cries and supplications of the lad, and for some reason, to set him down on the road, where they left him and drove on. – He wandered about till near night, when coming in sight of a house, he sat down in the road fronting it, until he was discovered by some of the occupants, who, after learning his situation, kindly took charge of him for the night, and yesterday morning brought him to his anxious parents, whose distress for his unaccountable absence may well be imagined.

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On Friday afternoon, a daughter of Mrs. Elisha S. Moot, of about five years old, was induced by a young beggar girl, of the name of Short, to accompany her from Jacob street, near her father’s house, the girl having promised her cherries, and on Sunday morning the child was recognized by a lad at the Catherine market, who, in consequence of the advertisement, had the wretched girl taken up, and the child restored to its anxious parents. The little sufferer was almost starved, had part of her clothes taken from her, and stated she had had no food but some bread, and had slept under a stoop the two nights she had been from home; that the girl who stole her away, had frequently beat her, and through she had passed by the house of a near relative, she was prevented by fear from going to the door. The depraved though youthful beggar, was committed to Bridewell by the police officers.