St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1899-08-23
Kidnapped His own Child.

Boston, Aug. ga case which, at the
outset, promised in every way to eclipse
the famous Baby Clark kidnapping af-
fair In New York, had its announcement
In the home Of John F. Thomas, young
architect residing at 81 Dele avenue,
In the Roxbury district, Monday when
that young man himself produced the
infant, and, with many sobs and tears,
finally confessed to the police that he
alone had been guilty of taking the baby
away.
Thomas had reported to the police that
his 10 months old boy had been kid
mapped. A general alarm was sent out,
and for 10 hours every effort was made
to locate the child. Late Monday the
father notified the police that he had
snatched the child from the arms of the
kidnappers, but when closely questioned
admitted that the whole story was lie.
He gave no excuse for his action in
spiriting away his own child. but II Is
believed that there were domestic com
plicatlons.
The story told by Mr.. Thomas to the
police was extremely ingenious. his
w
that they thought they had another
Marion Clark case on their hands. In
the story told by Thomas, note, which
he claimed was left by the kidnappers
In the baby's carriage, figured quite
prominently, but it happened that 1t
was this very note which proved his
duplicity. Late Monday night he
notified the police that the child had
been found, and at the same time wrote
a letter to one of the local papers, ask
Ing that the story of the Kidnapping be
suppressed, claiming that 1t would shock
his mother-in-law. The two letters were
compared, and the writing found to be
identical, and his confession followed.
If Thomas desired to create sensa-
ton, he certainly succeeded, for his
story was believed absolutely by the po-
lice. Thomas told the officers that he
left the child Saturday afternoon in its
carriage in the parlor OF his house. IIe
went out for 20 minutes, and when he
came back the child was gone, while
In the carriage was a note
The note was as follows: 81 have got
your boy and am going to keep him.
whatever you do. l am acquainted with
you and Mr.. Thomas and have been de-
termined that l would steal Ralph 1
think that Is his name. Now | dare you
to say word outside so will have your
child at my disposal to clear myself. and
you will be a sorrowful woman If you
don't say a word the boy will be happy
wealthy woman. / have never had any
children and you can have another, so
be reasonable and keep quiet, as the boy
may suffer and you will be sorry"
He gave no excuse for waiting nearly
"a hours before calling for assistance
to find the child, but instead told a long
story about mysterious woman, who
frequently admired the child while its
mother was pushing it about in its car
riage In the parkway. He gave the
police to understand that the woman
was somehow connected with the kid
mapping, and for number of hours
every effort was made to locate the
woman described by Thomas.
About o'clock Monday night Thomas
suddenly notified the police that he had
recovered his child, and gave as thrill
ing an account of his rescue as he did
of his loss. He said that he was walk
ing on the street when he saw two men
driving by with the child in the arms
of one of them He said that he rushed
to the side of the carriage and snatched
the boy away and then ran home with
MS prize. AT the same time he notified
the police he sent the letter to a local
paper, and 1t was an easy matter to
the writing with that of the al
legged note left in the carriage, and de-
tect the similarity of the writing.
Thomas is being held by the police |
but has not yet been formally arrested. |
.hough 1t is difficult to see what the |
actual charge could be.