The Penn's Grove record., 1897-08-20
KIDNAPPED FOR RANSOM.
Little John Conway, Of Albany N. Y.
Stolen in the Street.
CHARLIE ROSS CASE DUPLICATED.

lis Father Informed by Letter That Un-
less His Captors Received o b Boy
Would BE Put Out Of the way-Coaxed
Him From His Play, It IL Supposed
Albany Citizens wild with Excitement.
ALBANY, N. Y. (SpeciaD.-The hdnap-
ping Of little John Conway is likely to be
as celebrated IN incident In criminal his
tory as the abduction of Charles Ross. The
police are nonplussed. The parents are
almost crazed with anxiety. Friends are
searching the open country which lies
about the cities Of Albany and Troy, and
dispatches have been sent by Chief Willard
and his representatives to the authorities
Of half a dozen cities.
That the Kidnapping OF the Conway child
Is the result of a plot there Is no question:
That more than one person Is concerned
seems certain. The motives, the where
abouts and all the relative circumstances
Of the theft Of the child are mysteries.
Mr.. Conway says he has no enemies. In
this he is mistaken, for as night train
dispatcher In West Albany, for the New
1OEk SbulIul anu nuu5Oh IlNCL thA C1tt
he has been engaged In two or three labor
disputes and has aroused resentment.
Whether the stealing Of his youngest child
y on act of reprisal or merely caused by
a desire to obtain a ransom OF s3000 can
not at present be determined.
The Conway family. consisting Of the faith
or, Michael j. Conway, his wife and three
children-William, Mary and John-haye
lived in Colonie street for twelve years,
Tl,arr pnvr nAnrrrtV n rnaunu nId fAQhtnnA0
house half way down the hill toward Broad
way. Conway is in receipt of an excellent
salary.
John is five years old, the youngest o!
the family. He Is a verv bright child. and
his father said that tho little u not ony
knew his name, so that be could iee ~
readily, but also where he lived, his nome
number and his fathers name.
The circumstances surrounding yung
Conway's disappearance resemble cbseiy
those attending the kidnapping Of C}arley
Ross. Young Conway's abductors ppear
to have been close Students OF the hoss
case.
On the morning OF his boys disappear
ance Mr.. Conway returned to his hone atter
his nights duties and ate breakfast d usual
with his family. After breakfast thi
retired and The fye-year-old boy yhs ~
lowed to go into the street to ply. he
left the house a little after 8 O'Clock Two
hours afterward Mrs. Conway answtFeda
ring Of the door bell.
A boy fourteen years old and porly
dressed was standing there with Q ptter
addressed to Mr.. Conway. This did 1ot
alarm her, as Mr.. Conway had several mn
under him at West Albany, and In case 7
sickness or u desire to take q few hours N
q man would send him word. This Letter
appeared bulkier than those usualle re-
ceived, and instead Of keeping 1t until ner
husband awoke in the afternoon Mrs. on
way took 1t to his room m he read its on
tents. This was the first intimation pc
parents had Of the kidnapping Of the cbtd.
The affair is q mystery, and even now ~
boys parents would be Of q rs to aceosns
for his absenee from Aass4s ~
ter their plans to the boys fathss NT
manded q ransom OF $4,000 n III Eo1e
secrecy under threat to kill boz
and the father IL these condftionsS
complied with. ny A&
Mr.. Conway read the letter a HE in
fore he had concluded Mrs. Conw&. ,i1fNf-
come historical. Thei ettef sst{9hWn
written. There was no apparef Eredt
to disguise the writing. platW
At first he could not appreciYf her
that his little boy had been stdl ghid q
he rushed out and made hurriet buffi
In the neighborhood. without re- oral +
perate because of the appareni unce +
ness OF his search, he went tot eeds4
but they have been unable to 20 10y
clue to the boys whereabouts IN
ductors. SEAf r.
The police ordered photogrSF E
missing boy to be copied. undf Evta
broadcast with the following de nithS
him: 1iy ~
John Conway, Kidnapped .
years; blue eyes, light colo5sJ
short; wore knee pants, pinkN .u Q
waist, light straw hat with Pinaei
black stockings; button shoes. q
Excitement Is at fever heat y
over the Kidnapping. Hundreda I g
thronged the street ON which thd
ali day long, and watched eve
closely, expecting some ne@s-ef the
tors. The police have had a score Z q rs
that have amounted upon investigf to
nothing at all. Every n Is at I'D
the parents of the lost child are "
crazed with anxiety, and uncertaior ~
what step to take. SW /.
A reward has been offered by e. Ral
paper, and the entire detective ando1 %
force, as well as hundreds Of citiIP III
pursue their search. E,,N