The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1892-02-03
HELD FOR RANSOM
Little Ward Waterbury Kid
mapped in Broad Day.
ABDUCTED LIKE CHARLIE ROSS.
Six Thousand Dollars Demanded for the
Ohld's Return

The 0Iiscreants Send Letter to His
Father by Little Companion Mrs.
Waterbury Frustrated and IL is Feared
She win Lose Her NIind--The Father
win Pay the Money as Soon as the
Little One is Produced and Make no
FUSS.
NEW YORK, Feb 3.-Ward Waterbury,
the eight-year old son of Charles p.
Waterbury, wealthy farmer of Pound
Ridge, Nestchester county, who was
kidnapped by unknown men while ON
his way to school, has not yet been heard
from.
The boy left home carrying his lunch
basket and his school books, at 8 o'clock
in the morning. AS he did not return at
the usual hour in the afternoon his
mother felt anxious about him. The boy
had always been punctual in returning
home from school, and when supper time
came his father started out to search for
him. He first passed over the road lead
ing to the schoolhouse and then through
the woods which skirt the highway. He
repeatedly shouted at the top of his
voice the name of the missing son, but
received no response.
The father returned home worn out by
his weary search When he got home he
found his nephew, Charles Waterbury,
waiting for him with a letter, which the
nephew said had been given bya stranger
with instructions to deliver it to Charles
Z. Waterbury. 1t read as follows:
"SIE Unless you are prepared to de-
liver the sum Of $4,000 in cash as a
ransom to us, you will never see your
son again. The money to be at Miller's
bridge, in front of Miller's mill, one
mile east of Bradford Courthouse, at
midnight Tuesday,
There was no signature to the letter.
Mrs. Waterbury, who read the letter over
her husbadn's shoulder, screamed my
poor, dear, little Wardn' and sank to the
floor in a faint. 1t was a long time
before she could be restored to conscious
ness Mr.. Waterbury, although much
shocked at the kidnapping of his son,
did not lose his presence of mind He
closely questioned his nephew regarding
the appearance of the man who had given
him the letter
He said an unknown man had given
him the letter The man was driving a
One-horse wagon and two others were
walking behind it. He saw something
in blanket lying in the bottom of the
wagon, but thought nothing of it,
The nephew could not give detailed
description Of the llidnappers and merely
could say that they were shabbily dressed
and one Of them had a beard. Water
bury, after hearing this story, started
for New York, but before leaving sent
Nehemiah Searles nearby neighbOr, to
White Plains to notify Sheriff Duffy of
the kidnapping of his son.
The sheriff sent Under Sheriff Pugsley
and Deputy Sheriff Hart to Miller's
bridge to be ON the watch there at the
time mentioned in the letter when the
kidnappers wanted the So, 900 paid over
to them. The sheriff gave his men orders
to arrest any, stranger seen lettering
about that place. The sheriff men un-
doubtedly reached their destination,
although they had to take a long drive
from Bedford station. Up to this morn
ing nothing had been heard from them.
1t is said that five or six years ago a
man named Joe Hitchcock worked for
Mr. Waterbury as a farm hand, and
finally disappeared with a valuable horse
belonging TO his employer. Hitchcock
was aiterWard captured, the story goes,
and was senteuCed to q term Of five years
imprisonment in Sing Sing prison Far
mer Waterbury and his friends think
that perhaps this man is the leader of the
kidnGppers.
Mrs Waterbury has been prostratcd
since she learned that her young son had
been kidnapped and her friends fear
that she viii lose her mind.
The entire nei-hborhood is in a state
oil freuzi,d excitement.
Mr. N tfrPtuvTN NHl lpu Vu -t iNlD ont