The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-11-05
K|DNAPPERS IN CUSTODY
Frenchman and an Italian Woman with
South American Child.
WOMAN PROCESSES INNOCENCE
Disposition of the Trio Is Awaiting Ad.
vices from the Argentine Consul in New
York Between the Lines Is Story
of Romance and Better Days.

No recent police news has attracted a
greater amount of interest than the
case of the two South American kid
nappers which appeared exclusively in
Fridays Tribune. The publicity given
the matter induced the police to arrest
Simon Sacher, alias Jacques" a
Frenchman, and an italian woman,
Seraflna Canate, Friday night. They
are accused of abducting a boy from
Montevideo, Uruguay, in January, 1893
The trio has been residing in the North
End several months and since their
confinement in the police station the
woman is steadfast in maintaining
that the child is hers by birth and that
its father is a shoemaker of Buenos
Ayres named Pettine.
The police department was notified
Oct. 6 by the Argentine consul general
in New York city that Jacques or
sacher and the woman, Canate, were
living in Bulls Head and had placed
the kidnapped child in some institution.
Joseph Cassese, the italian proprietor
Of Lackawanna avenue saloon, was
requested to locate the kidnappers. For
some particular reason he detailed two
countrymen to investigate the matter,
and they reported that Jacques and the
woman had left the city. Meanwhile,
Officer Sartor and Mrs. Duggan, the
Associated Charities agent, were asked
to work on the case.
The abductors were finally found and
Patrolman Sartor was instructed to ar
rest the pair the middle of last week.
The arrest was not made, however,
until after the news of the case was
given by The Tribune.
Effort of the Detectives.
That the abduction of the boy
was shown in the presence in this city
over a year ago of two Italian detec-
tives. They secured the charitable in
stitutions and Italian quarters without
finding even slight clue. Jacques and
the woman had been here previous to
the arrival of the detectives, but had
departed for Philadelphia where they
resided for time, and later at Mana
yunk, returning to Scranton last June
TO Tribune reporter yesterday the
woman reiterated her statement that
the child Is hers, and that its father
Pettine, has made repeated efforts tc
secure it since she left Montevideo
nearly two years ago. She alleged
that he mended shoes on the street and
was worthless fellow. When ques-
toned as to the particulars of her life
when she knew Pettine, she said she
was :, 'show-woman" and had fallen
Evidence that the woman has seen bet
ter days is offered by Jacques, who car
ries in his pocket a photograph of her
and the boy taken three of four years
ago in South America. The picture
shows the woman seated in chair and
the boy standing at her side. She is
dressed handsomely and stylishly, and
it would be inferred from the photo.
graph that she was a woman of caste
and that the well-dressed little fellow
at her side was happy and we'll pro.
vided for. II, as Is supposed, the
woman in the picture and the one under
arrest are the same, further particu
lars of the case may contain interesting
and romantic facts.
Take Their Arrest CoOlly.
The pair have not been locked up ir
the cells, but have been kept under
surveillance in the mayors court room
They take their arrest cody, protest
their innocence and have the boy with
them. Mrs. Canate denies having mad,
any confession to the effect that the
boy was abducted.
Notice of the arrest has been sent tC
the Argentine consul general in New
York. The disposition of the pair will
depend on instructions received from
the consul