The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1897-08-24

ed for Several Days-The Kldnsppers
Contemplate Killing the Roy to Prevent
Detection-The Rescue and Capture of
one of the Men-One of the Parties to the
Crime an Uncle of the Boy.
Albany, N. Y, August 19.-Five year
old John Conway, who has been at the
mercy of kidnappers since Monday
morning, was returned to his parents
shortly after 9 o'clock today through
the efforts Of private detectives and re-
porters in the employ Of The Argus.
The child was abducted by his uncle,
Joseph Hardy, and n. G.. Blake. Hardy
IS been placed under arrest but
lake escaped from his captors and is
Ebeing pursued by a squad of police.
y Early yesterday morning a clue was
secured that a relative of Mr.. Con-
way had some connection with the kid
mapping and an investigation of the
character and reputation Of Hardy
strengthened the belief that if the Con-
way child was to be 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 it was believed that
Blake was his companion in the crime.
Blake was found and taken to the Ar
gus office with Hardy at 4 o'clock this
morning. He was indirectly accused
of knowing where the child was, but
was deeply affronted and apparently
offended at such a suggestion. He was
pressed closely and never given an OPP
pOrtunity to cOncoct or fix a scheme
whereby he could throw his accuSerS
off the track. 1t was seen that threats
would not bring about the desired re-
suits and persuasion was brought to
bear on him. He was offered a big
ransom to tell anything he knew about
the Kidnapping and finally it was made
so large tina he confessed the kidnap-
! ping and said he would take a party
i to where the child was.
If the story, which it is alleged Har-
dy told the chief of police behind closed
doors this morning, is true, the Con-
way child narrowly escaped the sup
posed 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 trifle timid and asked for anoth-
er day. 1t was finally agreed that at
a late hOur last night, they would take
the boy from an old school house where
they had locked him up and would
either drown him or drop him from a
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 opportunity. Hardy evidently kept
Blake Informed of the game, for when
the Associated Press reporter yesterday
afternoon Interviewed Mr.. Conway as
to his ideas Of relatives being mixed
up in the case, Hardy left the house
and met Blake at a hotel. Blake then
disappeared and was not found until
a o'clock this morning. In the mean
time he had, it is believed, visited the
boy.
When the police arrested Hardy this
morning, they took him to the Third
/ precinct station house, but at the re-
quest 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 threatened to pull Har-
dy to pieces. An extra squad Of police
was required to preserve order.
The story of the cover of the boy
is an exciting one, those in charge of
the affair spending three hours in dense
woods and fearing each ONE a pis-
toll ball. When Blake was induced to
show the place where the boy was, a
clever scheme was arranged. A police
clerk, named Matthew Greagan put on
old clothes and drove the Wagon as a
hired man. Detective Reilly was his
assistant and Police Commissioner
Phelan and John F. Farrell, counsel
for The Argus, sat with Blake. When
they had driven out several miles,
Blake called a halt and said he would
find the boy. He disappeared in the
woods, followed by Mr.. Phelan and Mr..
Farrell. They were gone about an
hour and when they returned, said they
had seen the child guarded by a mask
ed man. Mr.. Phelan thought it would
be a serious affair. Blake demanded
the reward Of 81, 500 before he would
! get the child out and then there was
a long parley, Greagan, as driver, Of
! ferlng to go to The Argus office and
get it. While his parley was at it's
height Greagan sprang from the wagon
and followed by Reilly, pistols in hand,
rushed into the place. Greagan called
upon Reilly to cover him and then
grasped the child and ran for he wa
gon. Farrell fired several shots. The
men, finding that they were beaten, re-
treated and the child's rescuers drove
rapidly down the road to the city.
The Schenectady and Troy police
We're notified to watch for Blake.
District Attorney Burlingame and
Mayor Thatcher had Hardy under ex-
animation for almost two hours today
and at the end of the time the district
attorney said: Hardy has practically
told everything but I cannot give it
out now. There We're at least two
other people in the affair and l believe
we will get them all. The penalty for
the offence is twenty years imprison-
ment.'
The child was seen at his home today
noon. after he had been quoted down
he showed little signs of his outing
except insect bites on the face. His
pockets were filled with candy and he
said that he had slept in a nice soft
bed. AS nearly as can be learned from
the child's prattle he was picked up by
Blake on Pearl street and driven to an
old school house. He was kept there
until yesterday then they went further
in the woods as the boy says 'for a
drive" He says that only one man was
with him at the time of the driving, but