STRUGGLE FOR AN HEIRESS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 60, 27 July 1907, Page 3

STRUGGLE FOR AN HEIRESS.

MOTHER'S CHASE THE WORLD. The romance of the young heiress who ' has been kidnapped sevcarl times by each of her parents in turn is carried a step further by information which has ju*t leached the Australasian world. The little heiress is Miss Muriel Dorothy luiipe. She is eight years old, and when she come of age she will inherit £40,000 and an interest in the wholesale grocery business of the late Hon. .lames Service, who was Treasurer and Premier of Victoria for many years. The child's parents are separated, and for several years they have been eontending for the possession of their daughter. First she was kidnapped by one and then by the other. She has made four journeys between England and Australia. anil th£*latest information is that she is now in Vancouver with her father, who kidnapped her in London on January 23rd last.

The story of the little girl's adventures was told by Mrs Knipe when she was in London last January. Mr and Mrs Knipe and their daughter came to London in December, 1904, but disagreements arose here, and in the following month Jtr Knipe disappeared with the child. Mrs Knipe. remained in England nearly a year searching for them, and she took proceedings in the l-ligh Court to regain possession of her daughter. Before a decision eouhl be reached Jlr Knipe sailed for Melbourne with the child.

Mrs Knipe followed, and it was then agreed that she should have possession of the child as long as she remained in Melbourne. This situation continued for some time, and then, in October last, Mrs Knipe left Melbourne suddenly with the child, and without letting her husband know where she was going. She declares that she brought the child to England to be educated. .Muriel was sent to school at Worthing, and Mrs Knipe took apartments across the road so that she could watch her daughter going and coining. On Jannary 23 last, however, Mr Knipe, who had followed from Melbourne, drove up in <i motor car as the child was leaving school, seized her and drove off.

Mr Knipe and Muriel arrived in Melbourne on March 6 last, and Mrs Knipe followed on April 4. Mr Knipe and -Muriel fled to Brisbane and Sydney, followed by Mrs Knipe, who began legal proceedings against her husband. Before any papers could be served, however, Mr Knipe and Muriel disappeared, and Mrs Knipe has since learned Mint they left for Vancouver on April 12. The Victorian authorities have asked (he assistance of the Vancouver authbut so far there is no record of Mr Kniire and his ifiiughtcr having been caught.