The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1896-08-08
CAMPBELL WAS KIDNAPPED
In the Hope Of Extorting Money
From Him
Detective Lees Finds Evidence OF Truth of
the Story, But the Kidnapers
Have Disappeared

! SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. flames A
Campbell, the millionaire sugar planter
of Honolulu who mysteriously dropped
out of sight for two days this week, says
he was imprisoned and robbed by Oliver
w. Winthrop, who attempted to obtain
the capitalists signature to a $40, 900
check as the price of his liberty. Win
throp, who was tried and acquitted last
year on a charge of poisoning woman
in Laurel Hill cemetery of which he was
assistant superintendent, has disap-
peared, and no trace can be found of his
confederate.
Campbell says Winthrop decoyed him
to his house on a slight pretext. Sud-
denly, he says, a masked man rushed
into the room, and, pointing a revolver
at Campbell's head, ordered him to throw
up his hands Campbell says he leaped
at his assailant and felled him to the
floor. The man was dazed, almost
stunned, but, leveling his revolver again
at CAMPBELL, fired The millionaire says
the bullet grazed his temple and passed
through his hat into the wall. Campbell
sprang at the man again, but before he
could reach him he was knocked down
by Winthrop, who struck him over the
head with some heavy instrument The
two men then pounced on Campbell ana
bound, handcuffed and gagged him.
They lifted him from the floor to a bed
and strapped him to it. Captain of De-
tectives Lees, in his investigation after
ward, found evidence of this.
For twelve hours Campbell was kept
in this position, the gag being in his
mouth all the time On Tuesday morn
ing the gag was removed with the eau
tion that if he made any noise he would
be killed. He was told that he would
have to sign check or order for $50 900
before he would be released He was
shown document which they asked him
to sign, and he was also ordered to write
note to his wife asking her to cash the
check and to give the money to the
bearer without asking any questions.
Campbell says he refused even to read
the paper telling his captors that he did
not care what they did to him. He said
that he was an old man, and that they
could kill him before he would submit
to such an outrage. He did not care
much for $20,000 he said. but he would
not be blackmailed or robbed. His cap
tors replied that they would keep him
strapped to the bed as he was until he
did sign the paper. Tuesday passed
with no change in the situation. Either
Winthrop or the young masked man
guarded Campbell constantly. They Of
fered him drink and food, but he refused
everything for fear that they intended
to poison him. He was given every at
tention, but was kept strapped to the
bed all the time and no opportunity for
escape was allowed
When Campbell was first seized and
thrown on the bed, Campbell says Win
throp took $305 in coin from his pockets
and kept it. The younger man, as far
as Campbell knows, did not get any of
the money. When the newspapers pub
lished the fact that Campbell had dis
appeared the millionaire says his cap
tors became frightened and after dark
released him. The police have descrip-
tion of Winthrop's confederate, but no
clue to his whereabouts.
Chief of Detectives Lees and Million
aire Campbell We're before the grand
jury today and it is reported that Oil
yer w. Winthrop. who is accused of hav-
ing kidnapped Campbell. has been in
dicted.