Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1891-12-05
PAID THE RAN SOM.

HbnnROr IbentS, OF hhnNHs NtUy, elVCS bp
$4,000 for ti.c Return of Ills Boy Who
Had Bcen stolen by Kidnapers-One OF
the Infamous tang Under Arrest.
KANSAS CITY, Mo, Nov. 2s. The o
year-old son of David Il. Beals, who
was stolen from his home Thursday
and held for ransom, was recovered
Friday night upon the payment of So
900. The abduction occurred at about
7:S0 o'clock Thursday evening, and
for cunning and reckless daring
it ia unexcelled in the local
annals of crime. When the
chiln was taken from among it's
playmates its father and mother were
not 80 feet from its side, and still the
accomplishment of the deed was natur-
ally the easiest thing Imaginable and
could scarcely fail of being successful
from its very simplicity.
Three weeks ago Wednesday Mrs.
Beals advertised for second girl, and
early the next morning a girl giving
her name as Lizzie Smith answered
the advertisement and applied for the
position. She was pleasing in appear
ance. frank and open in her answers
to the questions asked, and altogether
created favorable impression and
was engaged.
According to custom, all the family
gathered Thursday about 8 o'clock to
eat the Thanksgiving dinner. Lizzie,
the new girl, waited on the table.
After they had finished and the chill
dren had gone to play in the back end
of the hall and the other members of
the family were still sitting around the
II L
out and get Mr. Beals' paper,
which was usually thrown on the
porch, and she left the room. Three or
four minutes afterward door on the
back of the house was heard to slam,
and Mr.. Beals got up from the table
and walked back through the hall to
see the cause. AS he passed the chill
dren he noticed that little David
Junior" was not with them.
where is Junior?" he asked. "He
Just went down stairs with Lizzie"
was the reply.
Upon hearing this Mr.. Beals, know
ing this to be an unusual occurrence
called to his wife and also called for
Lizzie. He opened the rear door
and looked out into the
darkness, while Mrs. Beals went
downstairs to tell Lizzie to
bring the child back upstairs When
Mrs. Beals reached the basement she
saw that the outside door of the base
ment was open, an unusual occurrence
at ny time, but especially so at that
time, as everything had been most
securely bolted since the house was
entered by some unknown person or
persons over n week ago
Then suddenly the truth flashed
upon her. Little David had been kid
naped. In less time than it takes to
tell it the house was in commotion.
The police We're notified in less than
half an hour after Lizzie Smith was last
seen by the family, the railway sta.
tions were guarded and patrolmen all
over the city had been notified and
furnished description of the missing
child and his abductor.
Banker Beals during the afternoon
issued the following notice:
5000 RANSOM.
ITO Whom II May Concern: Return my
child, receive $1,000 and no questions asked.
ID. 4. BEALs."
The ransom money was offered after
q long and serious discussion of the
question as to whether a ransom or re
ward should be offered for the recov
cry of Mr.. Beals' 2-year-old son. A
ransom was finally decided upon.
At o'clock Friday evening a man o.
strange appearance presented himsel
at the front door of the Beals man
sion. He wore false face and wig
and was dressed very like day labor
er. He told the servant who answered
hA hal th,t hn
Immediately Mr.. Beals went to the
door. The man said he was {
detective; that he had fount
the abductress and her accomplices
that they had the lost child in thei
possessions; that they demanded $40
900 ransom, and that he was prepare,
to deliver the child to its parents TO
that amount. Mr.. Beals declined t,
pay the sum and stuck to his origina
offer of So, ZOO. 1t was finally agrec'
that the detective" should deliver th
child for that amount.
At 10 o'clock a ring brought Mr.
Beals to the door. He saw the los
child in the arms of the ruffian who ha.
bargained for the delivery of the child
Mr.. Beals, who had drawn 5000 il
bank notes early in the day in orde
to be ready to fulfill his part o
the bargain, counted out the none
before the eyes of the man an
placed the money in the outer pocke
of the latter's coat. At the same tim
the masked man placed in the arms c
the overjoyed father the lost cnilo
who was sleeping soundly, ignoran
that he was being returned to hi
narentS The ioy of the Dnrants oar
not be told.
Very little is known of Lizzie Smitl
the abductress. The first trace of he
in this city was found when it was di.
covered that she and two men, one {
whom is known here as Albei
King, and who is suppose
to be her husband. rented
cottage about a month ago at 49,
Lydia avenue. The trio occupied th
house only week.