The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1897-08-20
KIDNAPPED BOY FOUND.
Little John Conway Was Stolen by
His Own Uncle.
A CONFEDERATE ESCAPES ARREST

After Placing the Boy In the Hands of
Newspaper Men, and Demanding "a
Promised Ransom, He Fired on the
Roscuers and Fled.
Albany, N. Y, Aug. 2O.-Five- year
old John Conway, who has been at the
mercy of lddnapers 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. c..
Blake. Hardy has been placed under
arrest, but Blake escaped from his
captors and is being pursued by a
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 a
big ransom to tell anything he knew
about the kidnapping, and finally It 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 a stuffed pocketbook for
his ransom, and an effort was made to
arrest him. When he saw that he had
been trapped he pulled a revolver fired
four shots, and broke away from his
captors, who did not pursue him, but
drove Immediately to the city with Che
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 the
window for the benefit of the admiring
and joyous crowd.
Ten minutes later he was receiving
the loving embraces and fond kisser
of his mother, who rejoiced as If one
from the grave had been restored to
her. In fact, the neighbors for blocks
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 a 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 1t, and the mob impeded
the passage of the horses and threaten
a6 fp mil o,4Iv 70, y,fp An,
squad of police was required to pre-
serve order
1t was intended to arralgn 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.
If 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
selves of him. Hardy was a trihe timid
and asked for another day. 1t was
finally agreed that at late hour at
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 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 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 it out now. There were al
least two other people In the affair
and l believe we will get them all The
penalty for the offense is 20 years i'm
prisonment"