ATTEMPT TO KIDNAP DUTCH CHILDREN.
Romantic Details.
A "Standard " correspondent wires from Arnhem the following extraordinary story: A remarkable trial commenced yesterday before tbe tribunal of this city, the facts detailed in which are very romantic.
The prisoners are Mrs Bulkley-Becking, the widow of an English professor who resided at the Hague, a lady of fifty-five years, wealthy, and who has a wide reputation for philanthropy ; Mr Kloppers', a man of forty four years ; and Miss Schlingemann, a connection of Mrs Bulkley by marriage. They are charged with attempting to obduct the two children of Mr Hoek, a resident at Apeldoorn. ln 1870 Mrs Bulkley's daughter' Mary married Mr Hoek, and she became the mother of two boys, Henry William, born in 1878, and Martinus,- born In 1880. At first the entire family lived together, but : some unpleasandness arose,and the young people took up their abode elseawhere. To the child Henry Mrs .Bulkley waa the godmother, and she took so great a personal interest in his education us gave umbrage to her son-in law, who said she was spoiling the child. In I882 Mrs Hoek died, under circumstances which excited her mother suspicions. The little boy Henry told his grandmother something about
His Mother's deathbed.
which deepened the old lady's indignation and alarm ; and Mr Hoek's subsequent proceedings in engaging a Miss Van Espen as governess, and his demenanour on the death, created an intense feeling of hostility on the part of Mrs Bulkley. Regarding herself as in a measure responpible to the memory of her deceased daughter for the bringing up of the children, she proceeded to tho school where little Henry, then six years old, was a boarder, and carried him off to England, whore she placed him in the charge of the Rev. Mr Ellington. Mr Hoek followed, recovered his child, and took him home to Holland. After this time whereever the children were taken Mrs Bulkley followed them—to Switzerland several times—until finally she conceived
A Desperate Project
for obtaining possession of her grandchildren She engaged Kloppera to go with Miss Schlingemann to London, where they hired from Messrs Cox and King the steam yacht Cecile, Captain Hayman, for five hundred pounds per month. The yacht was provisioned for several weeks, bountifully supplied with children's clothing and toys, and sent to Ymuiden. Kloppers next proceeded to Amsterdam, and engaged two or three men to assist him in
"A Dangerous Affair Concerning A Mad Person." After a preliminary visit to Apeldoorn the hired men concluded that eight men would be required to carry out the project. While some of them were discussing the matter in the streets of Amsterdam they were overheard by the police, who so managed that two of their number should be of the abducting party. When the party visited Apeldoorn a second time and learned the real object of their expedition, and that Mrs Bulkley was prepared to pay three hundred guilders to every man engaged, the officers informed a magistrate, who wrote to Mr Hoek. That gentleman accordingly took the neccessary measures to defend his premises. On the evening of September 29th, 1885, the conspirators went to Mr Hoek's nouse, provided with sticks, cords, a quantity of pepper, and other articles for their purpose. Mr Hoek soon came upon them, aud although oue of the policemen whispered to him,
"Be Quiet we are Policemen."
three of Kloppers's men seized him, a struggle ensued, and soon there was a general melec. The police of Apeldoorn, hearing the noise, appeared on tbe scene; and the conspirators fled. Mrs Bulkley and Miss Schlingemann were waiting close by in a carriage, and when Kloppors, failing in his objeot, joined them, they drove rapidly away to Arnhem, where they were arrested two days later. On their interrogation of the prisoners yesterday morning they admitted the facts.
Mrs Bulkley said she knew what she had done was an offence against the law, but it. was no offence morally. Miss Schlingemann said she was only influenced in what she did by sympathy for Mrs Bulkley. One of the most important witnesses yesterday was the surviving daughter of Mrs Bulkley. Tho Court refused to allow counsel for the defendants to put any questions as to the relations between Mr Hoek and his governess, as to Mr Hoek's quarrels with his late father, and as to the last moments of Mrs Hoek. Several witnesses testified that Mr Hoek'a conduct towards his children was rough, and that he was not giving them a good education. They stated that when all the efforts to reconcile Mrs Bulkley and Hoek had failed, he declared that he would rather kill the children than allow them to have any further intimacy with their grandmother. The trial waa again adjourned.
Auckland Star, Volume XVII, Issue 70, 3 April 1886, Page 5
