The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-08-19
ALBANY'S KIDNAPPED BOY.
IBsoLUTEIY NO CLUE YET FOUND
TO LITTLE JOHN CONWAY.
rnyor Thatcher Onors = Reward OF $780,
hoy Pound who says He Was Aaked TO De-
liver tho Message Demanding 50. Rnn-
,om-Vigorou, EFFORTS to FIND tho Missing hoy

manning case remains the deepest OF mysteries.
Not one clue which would lead to its solution
has been found. The police have been reinforced
In their search by several hundred OF Mr.. Con-
ways friends in tho north end OF tho city, md,
IA one after the other OF the half dozen search
,no partics returned tonight from their pill
orimaRes through tho outskirts of tho city and
nearby roads and towns, tho despair Of the
child's parents was pathetic. All hope of trac-
ing the lad has been given up, and only the ex-
nrcsscd opinion OF the police that his
ahiuctors will DO too cowardly TO commit
another crime and do away with the
how gives the parents the slight ray of hope that
their dear one will be returned safe and sound.
Acting Chief Davidson thinks the boy will not
bo found until after his abductors abandon him
nm some public street or highway, and. having
this view. he has sent broadcast through this
and surrounding States minute descriptions of
the boy, and mis- photograph. This afternoon
nostcrs were mailed TO all police officials an
nouncing the offer by the city OF a reward of
$500 for the boy. Mayor John b. Thacher re-
turned to the city this morning, and this after
noon he issued this proclamation:
Five hundred dollars will be paid by the city OF
Albany for the arrest and conviction OF thu person or
persons who kidnapped John Conway. aged 8 years,
tho son OF Michael J, Conway OF this city albany.
on the morning Of Aug, 10; iso', and FOR the return
"H'p JOIN BOYD TEACHER, Mayor.
The action OF the Mayor brought some COM
fort to the Conway home. although Mr.. Con-
hive h offered a reward for m leading
to the discovery OF tho boy who delivered the
M Syrsu TonWnS and several neiEhbors say they
could identify the barcfooted messenger. but
as CT have had no opportunity; He has disap-
Mayors attention was called, to the necessity of
finding tho messenger he said:
IF the messenger who brought the note TO
Mr.. and Mrs. Conway will come forward and
give what inforniatton he may possess to the
AZ fat II IS who we os m'i furnish pdSfhe the n key VI, Which sEe viii T an:
forward at this time and assist the police
He had not presented himself, however, up to
midnight, and IL is the general opinion that he
fears the consequences and will remain quiet.
connected with the abductors. but no light has
been shed upon this phase Of the question:. Tho
local mP PSSeefbSi m nsSs k kspSS1ed AND feq qSe pcrs ise DSs
with which his identity is sought on all sides no
doubt adds to his fears and unwillingness to ad-
NIT that he was the unconscious bearer Of the
S S1Slsds'S' nA' 'Aaael''N 'A' 'N'
elled an important clue, which. 1t was thought
BY the police. would result in finding the boy
Sence. Charles cavansssh. a messenger en-.
ployed BY the Western Union Telegraph Com
pany, delivered a message on Monday morning
ct 1877 Clinton avenue, which Is but a few blocks
from the Conway. residence on Colonie street:
After delivering the message the boy passed
morning. which was shortly before the ransom
demand was received by Mr.. Conway. At the
the messenger boy. One Of them asked him to
deliver a note at the third house on the north
side Of Colonie street. below North Pearl street.
This Is the house in which Mr.. Conway lives.
What followed can best be told in the boys W
words:
took the note. and In q few minutes returned
from inside and handed it back to me. re-
me. One Of them said, Did she read itf I re-
half a dollar and wanted me to return with the
The police Investigated this clue and brought
the boy to, the Conway, house. The older son
Conway said she had answered all calls at the
door on Monday morning. The detectives be-
TO the house and. returning without delivering
1t, told the men as he states.
Then the bare-tooted urchin was pressed into
service by the kidnappers. The messenger boy
m2stache, and he thinks he could identity him.
The second man was short. and the third one
tall and spare. The short man was intoxicated.
down Clinton avenue toward the river.
On the peWspaper train which left hero at
boy tia, answ cred the description of the mise
Ing child. He was with a middle-aged man.
also on the train. and soon noticed the pair as
he passed through. Nothing has been heard at
Police headquarters from Detective Long,
although 1t Is known that the three were on the
train when It passed Amsterdam.
The report that the missing lad had been seen
from Albany, resulted in a ~fruitless search. At
daylight Undertaken Champion. whose office Is
he saM Z tS ssG Soy . 20 sST past q st inc eff SSn St 3 h o!eiec sa 6s
Monday, morning. The youngster was going
SoTn Livi1Esion avenue toward the rsiroad
battle. This lends credence to the story cirSu.
lated that the boy had been taken across tho
T42sr at o Bioeni aHa grove TO s TRhs G fa@R ESss'i howe 5%e
ever, have visited the camp and searched every
failed to find the boy or any clue.
4 letter was received through the mails early
this morning by Mrs. Conway. 1t read:
child is concealed ii a cave. and If You will burn
down the tree in which you were told to put the
TEoa a FRIEND.
At about half past II this morning a telegram
tained the following message:
Am . or.,ryoy.n h"G 1oad si i; u i: 4 IN r 10; 1897 81 i,
Chlds street, In rear. Mrs. ALEXANDER.
es Caledonia avenue.
Two detectives were sent to Troy and found
that there is no such street as that mentioned in
Judge joyce, Gov. Blacks private secretary,
excitement existing over the disappearance OF
me Inc boy might; in itself; neap the lSd's destrno,
ENs 80 ""o NhS NooO "Alh 1 WI e
the kidnappers found their captive a white ele.
plant on their hands. and owing to the great
interest which was manifested in the case BY the
people throughout the country, they realized
that their only hope of personal safety was to
put the boy out OF the way.
Interest in the north end OF the city 10 increas.
Ing hourly. All night the streets were crowded,
AND at midnight hundreds OF people congregated
on the walks discussing the latest rumors. One
wes that the boy, had, been found. and
GGo,sly It proved untrue. Various relatives OF the
SOnWhy family have been SUSPECTED by the DO.
ice Of completely In the abduction. Conway's
prother.in;law, Joe Hardy, was one OF these, bu,
MS herculean efforts on behalf Of the stricken
family seem to disproye such q suspicion. Con
WAYS father and mother quarrclled thirty five
years ago and separated, the mother caring
Tor the children. He has not been seer
p Albany since the war, and when last heard Of
lived In Kingsbridge. 1t is stated that some
EHe ago Conway received a letter from hi
EStaer asking for money, which was refused
Inc father wrote back saying he would max,
me son regret his refusal and would wound hin
n the heart. Some of Conway's friends thinl
this would furnish a good clue to the boys dis
appearance, but Conveys father has not beer
The police have been following another clu,
without avail. 1t WAS said that q canal boa
was Stationed within a few blocks of the Con