The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-09-23
~KIDNAPPERS SENTENCED.
HARDY AND BLAKE GET II YEARS
AND & MONTHS DAOH.
nlahs Makes . Fun Csuress,on or the PIss t.
steal Little John Conway OF Albany, ana
says Tha, the Details were Arranrea In the
once OF Lawyer warasr IN Thts CITY.

steal Little joins Conway OF Albany, sna
says Ths, the Details were Arranged In the
once OF Lawyer wArnsr IN This City.
ALBANY, Sept 22-Joseph M. Hardy and
henry G.. Blake, two Of the three kidnappers of
little John Conway, to-day pleaded guilty to
the charge OF kidnapping, and were each sen.
fenced by County Judge Gregory to serve q
term Of fourteen years and four months In the
State prison at DAnnemora. This was the
maximum sentence provided The District At
torpey said that no trace had been found of
Albert 8. Warner. the New York lawyer, who
was the instisator Of the plot to abduot the
bov.
There was o largo crowd present In the court
room whom Hardy and Blake wero arraigned,
but there was no demonstration. Blake was
the first to plead, and Hardy. by advice Of
counsel. withdrew his former plea of not
guilty and pleaded guilty, In the hope that suoh
action would tend to mako the Court lenient In
passing sentence. Judge Gregory. however,
did not take the pleas of tho two men into con-
sidcration. saying in passing sentence that such
a dastardly crime should DO dealt with to the
full extent of the law. and that he would thcro-
fore give each OF the kidnappers the maximum
sentence allowed by law.
Both men made confessions which precluded
any other plea but that OF guilty. Hardy's
statement was n labored effort, and devoted
mainly TO attempting to excuse his completely
in the dastardly plan. Blake wrote q straight.
forward confession, fully duplicating Hardy and
Albert s. Warner, the New York city attorney,
who has so successfully eluded capture.
Hardy In his confession tells OF the various
plans that were unfolded in Warmers ONCE In
New York city, designed to raise money by the
thousands for their benefit. The first PROPOSE.
ton was advanced by Blake. He suggested that
d New Work citv hapker Hyinu IN thn s,hrrha
be made a captive. eecreted at somc convenient
place in westchester county. and compelled to
write a note 10 the bank officials saying he was
held for q ransom OF $50. 900, and urging that
the money be paid at once, as his life was in
danger. Hardy says he refused to agree to such
ascheme. as he Z ared the consequences Blake
then suggested that . child of John Rockefeller.
the millionaire. be kidnapped and held for largo
ransom. Hardy likewise demurI cd at this.
Then Warner drew up q fictitious deed to valu-
able Brooklyn real estate. and Hardy agreed to
negotiate q loan on the property named in the
bogus deed with . Brooklyn woman Of means.
Hardy went to Brooklyn, but his nerve failed
him. Blake here made another suggestion
that Poppy" Sawyer q resident Of
this city Of some means, be visited ct
his house by the three conspirators. knocked on
the head to brighten him. and then DO compelled
to write q check for IS. 900. which Hardy was to
set cashed at the bank Immediately. while his
confederates held guard over their victim
until Hardy's return with the money. Hardy
likewise again backed out. and it was finally
decided TO abduct the Conway boy. Hardy say
ing that the least chances Of capture would TO
suit from this operation
Blake says that at Warmers ONCE in New
York city. at 1898 Broadway. on Aug. 8. 1t was
arranged between Warner, Hardy. and him
self to come to Albany on Saturday. Aug. Z.
They were to kidnap the Conway boy the fol-
lowing Monday, and demand q ransom OF $1,000,
which was to be divided equally between them
Hardy. who was young Conway's uncle. was to
point out the child and make his abduction
easy. Warner was 20 take the child away In
a carriage, and Blake was to write the letter to
the boys father announcing the abduction and
demanding the money. This plan was car
ried out ev ontually, but not when originally
attempted.
The men reached here on Aug. Z from New
upon the tree where the ransom money was to
&c left, as well as the place where the child
pike. a few miles from the city. They were to
kidnap the boy the next day, but their plans
failed The plan was given " up at At that hiat time ne
turning to New York. On Wednesday. Aug.
II. they returned again, and another attempt to
however, Aug. l6, Warner secured a carriage.
and with the aid OF Hardy succeeded In ento-
Street near his home. into the carriage. BlaEs
stood on Clinton avenue when Warner drove
by at $3.50 o'clock in the morning with the boy
in the seat beside him, Warner proceeded
along Clinton avenue to the Schenectady turn
pike until he reached the place where 1t had
been agreed to keep the child in seclusion.
Blake then looked up Hardy. and the former
soon afterward sent the ransom letter. TO the
there when the letter srrived and; If possible,
induce Conway not TO go to the police about it
In this Hardy failed, and made haste to warn
his contederates that the kidnapping had been
made public. Hardy, and Blake visited War
ner in the Schenectady woods almost daily.
Bake says that at the time the child was
rescued he and Warner alone were with tho
child, and when they found that the rescuinR
party were In earnest, abandoned the child and
ran away. They continued running for nearly
an hour. whom they eased up and took their
way Ieisurely along until they reached the
Mohawk River and went on to the village Of
ReXford Flats. Here Warner bought q colored
shirt and put 1t on. They left there for Schen-
sctady by boat, reaching there that evening.
Il was agreed that Warner was to go to New
York the next morning on the West shore
road ana Blake was to 60 down In the after
noon and meet Warner in q saloon on the north
east corner Of Eighth avenue and Thirty fourth
street. Warner left Blake then, and that was
the last Blake saw of him. Blake was arrested