The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-08-20
KIDNAPPERS 0VERREACHED.
LITTLE JOHN CONWAY is RECOV-
Erred by HIS FRIENDS.

Abducted by Relative For the Pur~
pose OF RnnsOm-The T<idnappers
Wcrc Preparing TO Make Way
with the Child 10 Escape Detec-
tiOn-CRsc worked Up by News
paper RcDOrters-An Exciteina
Chase.
Albany. N. Y, Aug. 19-Five-year-old
John Conway, who has been at the mercy
Of kidnappers since Monday morning, was
returned to his parents shortly after
o'clock to-day through the efforts OF
private detectives, and reporters in tha
employ Of the Kempton Argus.
The child was abducted by his uncles
Joseph Hardy and Fl. G. Blake. Hardy
has been placed under arrest. but Blaka
escaped from his captors aud is being
pursued by a squad of police.
Early yesterday morning a clue was se~
cured that a relative of Mr.. Conway had
some connection with the Kidnapping
and an Investigation of the character ana
reputation of Hardy strengthened tho
belief that If the Conway child was to ba
restored, it would BE through information
given by this relative. Slowly but surely
a chain of evidence was made against
him, and early this morning 1t was be-
lieved that Blake was his companion in
the crime. Blake was found and taken
to the Argus office with
Hardy at 4 o'clock this morning He was
indirectly accused Of knowing where the
child was, but was deeply affected and ap-
parently offended at such a suggestion. He
was pressed closely and never given am
opportunity to concoct or fix schema
whereby he could throw his accusers on
the track. 1t was seen that threats would
not bring about the desired results ana
persuasion was brought to bear on him. He
was offered a big ransom to tell anything
he knew about the kidnapping and finally
il was made so tempting that he confessed
and said he would take the party to where
the child was
II the story which 1t is alleged Hardy
told the police behind closed doors, is true,
the Conway child narrowly escaped the
supposed fate OF Charley Ross. When the
quarry became hot Blake urged that as the
boy would betray them they had better
rid themselves of him. Hardy was a trifie
timid and asked for another day. 1t was
finally agreed that at a late hour last
night they would take the boy from an old
sEnbOl mousse Wnefe Lney na0 locked nlm
| up and would drown him or drop him
from a railroad train. The finger of sus-
plcion pointed at the men and the careful
watch set upon their movements by the
police and the reporters gave them no op-
portunity
Hardy evidently kept Blake informed of
the game, for when the Associated Press
reporter yesterday interviewed Mr.. Con-
way as to his ideas of relatives being
mixed up in the case, Hardy left the
house and met Blake al "a hotel. Blake
then disappeared and was not found until
O'Clock this morning. In the meatime,
he had, IL Is believed, hidden the boy.
When the police arrested Hardy this
morning they took him to the Third street
station house, but a request from the
chief Of police brought him to headquar-
ters. When tho wagon was ready the
squad Of police had great difficulty in
forcing their way to 1t, and the mob i'm
peded the passage OF the horses and
threatened TO pun Hardy to pieces. Am
extra squad Of police was required to pre-
serve order.
The story Of the recovery Of the boV
Is an exciting one. Those in charge OF
the affair spent three hours in dense woods
and fearing each moment a pistol ball..
When Blake was induced TO show tho
place where the boy was a clever scheme
was arranged. A police clerk named Grea-
gon put on old clothes and drove the
wagon as a hide man. Detective Reilly
was his assistant and Police Commissioner
Phelan and John Farrell of the Argus sab
with Blake. When they had driven oun
several miles, Blake called a halt and
said he would find the boy. He dsap-
peared In the woods. followed by Phelan
and Mr.. Farrell. They were gone about
an hour and when they returned said
they had seen the child guarded by "a
masked man. Mr.. Phelan thought Id
would be serious affair. Blake demands
cd the reward Of 81. 900 before he would
get the child out and then there was n
long parley, Greagon, as driver, Offering
to go TO the Argus office and get it.
|. While this parley was at it's hight
Greagon sprang from the wagon and fol-
lowed by Reilly. pistols IN hand. rushed
into the place. Greagon called upon Reil-
ly 10 cover him and then grasped the child
and ran for tho wagon. Farrell fired sew
eral shots. The men finding that they
were beaten retreated and the chids res
euers drove rapidly down the road TO ths
city. The Schenectady and Troy police
were notified to watch for Blake
District Attorney Burlingame and Mayor
Thacher had Hardy under examination for
almost two hours to-day. and az the end
the district attorney said: Hardy practl-
cally told everything. but / cannot give 10
out now. There were at least two other
people m the affair and I believe we can
get them all. The penalty for the offense
is twenty years imprisonment"
The child was seen az his home to-day
After he had been quieted down, he
showed little signs OF his outing except
insect bites on the face. His pockets were
filed with candy ana he said that he had
slept In a nice soft bed.
AS nearly as can be learned from tho
childs prEttle he was picked up by Blake
on Pearl street and driven TO an old
school house. lie was kept there until
yesterday. when they went further In the
woods as the boy says, FOR q drive" Ha
says that only one man was with him at
the time of the driving, but he saw soma
others about IN the woods.
IL was intended 10 arralgn Hardy IN tho
police court this afternoon, but az that
hour there was such a menaclng crowd
In tho building and about Il that the Do
lice postponed the hearing.