Madison times. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1884-1???, 1886-10-23
A KIDNAPPING SCHEME.
A Fortune Supposed to be Made by Spiriti"o
zray ". III. TdnderbHt.

A Fortune Supposed to be Made by Spiritino
Auay W. III. TdnderbaE
NEWARK, n. j., October S.-The urnal,
OF this city, published this afternoon the
story OF an attempt TO kidnap the late
William II. Vanderbilt in August, 1855.
The journal vouChes for the narrative and
saws it has all the proofs in its possession,
Iut is under pledge not to divulge names
ut present. The story OF the plot is put in
the mouth OF the man who tried to do The
kidnapping The plan was to kidnap Van
derbiit and keep him Tor sufficient time
for his absence to affect the London and
Paris stock markets, and sell on the rise
consequent upon his sudden return to So
cietv. 4 foreign nobleman was to be the
decoy. The millionaire was to be enticed
to the neighborhOod OF a certain house in
a fashionable but lonely part OF New York,
which was already in the hands Of the
leaders There he was to be quickly and
cxpeditously quietcd and dragged into the
house. A few minutes later a Eearse would
leave the house with n coffin. 1t would be
taken down to the river side, where tug
was in waiting, and the unfortunate geU-
tlcman would be at sea in two senses. The
man who tells the story says he was to re-
ceive $50 900 for his share in the work.
arrested, powerful friends would effect his
escape.
1t was hoped, in addition to affecting
the stock market, to get ransom money to
the extent OF 81 500, 900 out Vanderbilt
In describing the leader OF the conspiracy
the narrator says:
"The undoubted leader of the gang was
en- adventurer, pure and simple. OF good
family, a brilliant conversatlOnalist and
| linguist, and with a solid education, he
| finds an easy entrance to the best society.
At the same time he is well known to the
| police OF Europe, and is suspected OF the
| most fragrant crimes, but has never, to my
knowledge, been arrested. Such n man
| can, Of course, always find associates in
| any kind OF society, and with money, ol
/ which he always appeared to have plenty,
| although personally | don't think he had
much at that time, could find plenty oi
material to work out his plans. In regard
to my friend, | do not think he would Join
in an actual robbery for the sake OF The
money, but | fancy this man, hearing o
his past adventures, imagined lie was tht
| right man to engineer the scheme through
and on reading his character and love o
travel and adventure had invented tht
story OF the intended conquest to enlist hi
sympathy and excite his desires. Inoticec
that nearly all the men that | saw at th,
time | met him looked to my friend as the
leader, and with the exception OF one o
two did not appear to know any OF tn
higher powers who, / think, always KEEP
pretty well in the background"
When asked to go more into details tn
man who was to do the kidnapping said:
"Of the men l can say nothing. The,
were in my opinion, doing nothing wors
than is being done legally in the stock mark
| :, yaI ,,,f
depressed by far more nefarious ways b.
I rich people, and numbers OF hOnset me
and women ruined by them. You will II
member tnat it was not intended to hur
Vanderbilt, only to squeeze his money bag
q little and no more than he had constant
ly done to others. / think the idea was
e splendid one, and could have only bee
assured that the plotters intended to b
4 | honest to the workers, they would haV
| had my sympathy, if not my aid. As it i
c | will saw nothing that will lead in III
n least to their identification. or the local
n | ties I will say the place of meeting was in
J. small store between Fifth and Sevent
4 avenues, not far from Forty second stree
e The men assembled one at time. enterir
\ | the store like purchasers, gave a sign an
. passed into the rear room from which
a small stair case led to room above. I'll
,i man who kept it has moved, and | don
l. know where he has gone. OF the 9th
II house | will only say that it is close
v Fifth avenue, in a good neighbOrhood u
!, town, and conveniently placed for the pu
, pose it was takenf for, and was then vacln
n but is now let.
re oDon't YOU think" was asked. at won
It have been difficult to get Vanderbilt out
re the way you have described"
Di I'm the ordinary course OF things, "
Of but this man according to his assertion al
)r from what | know, was so intimate wi
ri 1 him that with his unbounded assUran
" and genius believe he could do anything
il only given time to act. OF course ii n
T. done on the first attempt it would be tri
ne again and again"
Is "In reference to the leaders OF this stran
IN chapter in lifes drama, without disclose
ee them, / will saythat, ,bymeans uf an incessa
Or espionage, found that my friend had tC
Id me the exact truth concerning them. |
t. known made inquiries about and watch
to the straT ge nobIeman OF whom he h
is spoken, and found that he had in no W
-s. oyerrated his powers OF fascination or
en- extent of his introduction into New GC
he or Washington society. He was, nay
re the boon companion OF many OF the fl
lis and the richest people in the metropo
NJ Accidentally know something of his form
no life, and knowing that, / know he wo
as stick at nothing But cunning and Gle
ch as he is, his career is almost ended. NJ
oil der will out. Several men who stand v
ry and honorably before the nation, and "
re, have since fallen from high estate-be
Ter detected in dishonest political intrigue
,al we're closely allied with this man, an
to think, supplied the ready money on WI
i've he worked. The plot fell through at
he last moment owing to cowardice on
er part OF one OF the leaders. Before anot
lily arrangement could be made Wander
no died"
led The Journal says the man who gave
ac- story and letters to it has left the coun
md Before he left he said after he was well
!. OF the way, when he could not be injr
by the other conspirators, the letters
Ino,oaa r,;gbt he ovpn tn Insnprtnr Ryr