New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-02-04
r1VE> UP WITHOUT RANSOM.
v,nv.ppERs RETURN WARD WATERBURY

U-a+ L =
r.arod SON who was kidnapped OH MONDAY AFTER
noon at Poundridgc, Westminster county, was re-
Unod ,o his parents home at o'clock ycster
r,orring bv Lewis Close. clam-digger of
~. c,orwich Conn. MIR. Waterbury had just
,urn.d from his frutless errand TO Millers
,.;dn. at Redford. where he had gone 10 meet the
l;dnoppers of his son at midnight according to
,beir own appointment made IN letter demand
me SC. 600 for the safe return of the boy. OS
,ensibly he went alone. but really he was accom-
named by posse Of rcsolutc farmers. who were
prepared for any emergency
Millcr's bridge spans Il stream that flows through
IN isolated region. No trees are near 1t. There
,re some shrubs within gunshot of the
snot, however. A man standing on the
hrdrr on a clear night, is marked
oh;ect for good marksman in the shrubbcry.
AR Waterbury had dark lantern with him when
hs went to the bridge. The plan was to turn
,le dark lantern upon the man or men VINO should
rcct him on the bridge. This would make them
i sure target for the farmers IN the shrubhery
But the men did not come Mr.. Waterbury
walked up and down the iron bridge until 80
o'clock Then hc gave up the search and drove
home. Millcrs bridge is five miles from Mr.
Waterburys house. The farmers dispersed and
some of them drove back with Mr.. Waterbury.
When Mr. Waterbury returned home, his wife
onened the door before he had alighted from Ills
wagon 1t was nearly 5 o'clock in the morning
Mr.. Waterbury told his wife that Ward had not
been found The mother. worn ont with grief,
tainted. Just at this moment other carriage
wheels were heard and moment later steps were
heard on the front piazza. Then there was a
loud knock at the door. Mr. Waterbury sprang to
the door and opened it. There upon the front
stems stood his little son Ward with Mr. Close
dirrctly behind him. Ward sprang into his fathefs
arms
When they had rcgaincd composure. Close told
,bo,n how hp came TO have Ward. lie said that
at O'Clock that morning he heard violent
knocking at the front door, lie went to the front
door and opened it. boy stood there. Mr..
Close said: WHO are you"
"Wby. am Ward Waterbury," replied the boy.
Mr. Close knew the Watcrburys, because lie had
visited their house while selling clans. lie had
heard that Ward Waterbury had been Kidnapped.
Where did you come FROM asked Mr.. Close
A man brought me here on his back said
Ward Mr.. Close Immediately turned his atten-
ton toward the road which runs i'll front Of the
house There was no man there. lie must have
run away" said Ward. Ward then told Mr.. Close
how he had been kidnapped and returned. lie
ended by saying 81 want to 90 home right away
Mr. Close thought he had better take the boy
home at and not wait until daylight. lie
hitched up his horse and wagon, took Ward in with
him and started. Mr.. Closes house Is In East
Stanwich. This is about five miles from Mr. Water
bury's home.
Ward then told the story of his capture wmc
his father and mother listened in amazcment lie
said that about o'clock on Monday afternoon he
was outside of the schoolhouse playing with some
other children. They about to start
for home. Two men approached on
font They asked Ward to show them
the way to a cross road Ward went with them |
They told him he was bright boy and remarked |
that he was polite TO them When they got Ward |
ont of sight and hearing, they took him roughly |
by the arms and said Here now, young fellow,
YOU come along with us, and don't you make
No noise neither Ward was much terrified. |
The men had promised him candy for his troable |
in showing them the way and the sudden Gruiness
of their tones was a shock 20 him. lie CRED out
in alarm and tried to run away, but they held
him tight and forced him to 90 along with them
They went across lots, striding rapidly along
through fields patches of woodland, over hills ana
along desolate country roads. They evidently
knew their way well enough, for they did not
hesitate for a moment.
IL was growing dark, and Wards legs were
tired and his feet sore from the forced
march. Finally, the boy was unable 10 go any
further Then one of the men carried him. ward
was so tired that he gradually fell asleep in spite
of his terror When he awoke he found himself
in room. II was scantily furnished ward
was lying on an untdy bed with his clothing on
dhe men had pulled his rubber boots off.
Where l ?" said Ward
"Oh, you are safe enough, don't you fear said
bne Of the men.
Ward begged to be allowed TO 20 home, hut
the only laughed at him. The boy was
hungry. The men seemed to have some food III
the house and they gave some Of it to Ward. lie
was too frightened TO notice the Surroundings
Finally he fell asleep and did not awake untlI
morning. lie knew it was daylight because light
was streaming through the closely drawn blinds
lie could not look out Of the windows, nor would
the men allow him TO 90 to the door. lie was
kept in this one room all day. The men stayed
there with him. From the description Ward was
able to give of the contents of the room, the
house might have been any one of the hundred
small houses in the backwoods
The men seemed uneasy toward nlghtfall on
Tuesday. They had evidently expected some one
who did not come AS night advanced the un-
easiness Of the men increased They had been
telling Ward all day that they looking for a
carriage to come and take him home. One Of the
men remarked to the other: " lie has gone back
on us sure" Finally Ward put to bed again
and fell asleep How long he slept he does not
know. but hc was aroused by one Of the men who
said to him " Come now, we are going TO take |
you home"
Ward got up and dressed himself. II was
pitch dark lie could not distinguish anything. |
The two men took him by the and started |
90 walk Ward walked with them through the |
gloom until his feet and legs gave out again. |
Then the men took turns carrying Ward on their
backs. Ward said they must have walked for |
niles The men were angry about something and |
kept swearing from time to time Finally one |
0! tie men went away and the fellow who was
Carrying Ward soon stopped in front of gate