The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-08-20
KIDNAPPED BOY FOUND.
Little John Conway Was Stolen by
His Own Uncle.
A ACoNFEDEaATEE ESCAPES ARREST
After Ilnclng tho Boy In the Hands ct
Newspaper Men, and Demanding
Promised Ransom, lie Fired Oh the
Roseuers nnd Fled.


Newspaper Men, and Demanding n
Promised Ransom. lie Fired Oh the
Reseuers nnd Fled.
Albany, N. Y, AUG. 20.-FIve-year.
old John Conway, who has been at the
mercy of kidnapers since Monday
was returned to his parents yesterday
through the efforts Of private detectives
and reporters. The child was abducted
by his uncle, Joseph Hardy, and II. q.
Blake. Hardy has been placed under
arrest, but Blake escaped from his
captors and is being pursued by
squad of police
Blake was found by reporters yes.
terday and taken to The Argus office.
He at first vigorously resented the
= charge that he knew of the boys
whereabouts Then he was Offered
big ransom to tell anything he knew
about the kidnapping, and finally 1t was
made so large that he piloted the party
some five miles out in the country,
where he left them, and in a short time
returned with the boy in his arms. He
was given stuffed pocketbook for
his ransom, and an effort was made to
arrest him. When he saw that he had
been trapped he pulled u revolver, fired
four shots, and broke away from his
captors, who did not pursue him. but
drove Immediately to the city with the
boy.
Their drive through the city will long
be remembered. Driving down State
street when thousands Of people were
on the streets, the little fellow was held
high in the air, and his rescuers shout
ed, We've got him!" Men, women
and children followed the wagon with
shouts Of JOY to The Argus office,
where little Johnny was placed In tho
window for the benefit Of the admiring
and Joyous crowd.
Ten minutes later he was receiving
the loving embraces and fond kissea
of his mother, who rejoiced as II one
i from the grave had been restored to
her. In fact, the neighbors for blocka
around, who had been In sympathetic
mourning with the parents of the boy
since his mysterious disappearance,
were overcome with joy at his return.
Blake, who will probably be brought
to bay by the police, did not openly
confess that he kidnapped the boy. but
claimed that he knew a party who
knew where the boy could be found.
When the police arrested Hardy they
took him to the Third precinct station
: house, but at request from the chief
of police brought him to headquarters
When the wagon was ready the squad
of police had great difficulty in forcing
their way to it, and the mob impeded
The passage of the horses and threaten
ed to pull Hardy to pieces. An extra
Bquad of police was required to pre-.
yerve order.
1t was intended to arraign Hardy in
the police court yesterday afternoon
but there was such a menacing crowd
In the building and about it that the
police postponed the hearing.
II the story which it is alleged Hardy
told the chief of police behind closed
doors Is true, the Conway child mar
rowly escaped the supposed fate OF
Charley Ross. When the quest became
hot Blake urged that, as the boy would
betray them, they had better rid them
Belves of him. Hardy was trifle timid
. and asked for another day. 1t was
finally agreed that at a late hour al
night they would take the boy from
an old schoolhouse, where they had
locked him up, and would either drown
him or drop him from railroad train
The finger Of suspicion pointed at the
men, and the careful watch set upon
their movements by the police and
the reporters gave them no oppor-
tunity.
District Attorney Burlingame and
Mayor Thacher had Hardy under eX-
animation for almost two hours yester-
day, and at the end of the time the
district attorney said:
Hardy has told everything, but
cannot give 1t out now. There were at
least two other people in the affair
and believe we will get them all. The
penalty for the olfcnse Is 20 years i'm
prisulment."