The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1900-12-21
ABSORBING
AS FICTION
THRILLING STORY OF A REAL
ABDUCTION.
YOUNG CuDAHY'S ROMANCE
Kidnapped by Ruffians and Held
Until Princely Ransom
Releases Him.
YOUNG CuDAHY'S ROMANCE

/
thousand dollars in gold was the price
paid by Edward Cudahy, the million
aire packer, for the return of his son,
Edward Cudahy, Jr., who was abduct-
ed by gang of kidnappers last Tues
day night.
Yesterday about noon, and several
hours after letter had been left on
the lawn of the Cudahy residence,
another missive was delivered to Mr..
Cudahy at his residence. It came
through the mails and contained
proposition to return the boy safe and
unharmed, providing the sum Of 1885,
900 was paid that night. In the let
ters were full directions as to where
the money was to be left and assur-
ance was given that the missing boy
would be allowed to return home
within few hours Of the time when
the cash was received.
A consultation was held at once and
the matter gone over in details.
Plans were discussed for capturing the
bandits when they should make their
appearance at the rendezvous that had
been designated, but one after another
of these plans was dropped as being
impracticable.
Finally, impelled by the strain
under which the entire household
was laboring, Cudahy decided to COM
ply with the terms offered and ransom
his son. A trusted messenger, sworn
to secrecy, was sent for the money,
which was brought to the Cudahy
residence. After dinner Cudahy had
one of his horses harnessed to light
buggy and taking the money in it
with him, left home for the designat-
ed place at which it had been stipulat-
ed it was to be left. In the buggy he
carried red latern and was alone.
Leaving the house he drove five
miles west Of town on the Sherman
avenue road until he came to a white
lantern that was hanging on a short
stick by the side of the road. This
was the place where he was to leave
the boy rs ransom. Alighting from his
buggy, Cudahy deposited the sack close
by the stick bearing the white light.
Then without seeing anyone he re-
turned to his home.
| Meantime the captors of the boy had
seen the red light coming up the road
and as soon as the buggy disappeared
they took away the money and pre-
pared to keep faith with the father.
The boy was bundled into hack
end set down close by his fathers
house, about O'Clock this morning.
Where he had been, he was unable to
say, but as nearly us he could esti-
mate, he had been taken about five
miles south Of South Omaha.
The cunning of the gang and their
thorough knowledge of the geography
of the city are evidenced in the plans
they laid. Close by the place where
Mr.. Cudahy was told to leave the ran
som for his son, the river approached
the road and it is supposed the men
were on the watch for the millionaire
and saw his red light from boat.
AS soon as he had driven away, and
they had satisfied themselves that no
person was lurking near, they proba-
bly, clambered up the bank, obtained
the sack of money and returned to the
boat again and escaped without leav-
ing any tell.tale foot prints.
There is absolutely no clue to the
identity of the men.
The boy said he was seized by two
men who said he was refugee from
the reform school and that they were
sheriffs from another county. They
took him into closed carriage, threw
shirt over his head and gagged him.
They took him, he believes, to lone
| ly cottage west Of South Omaha,
where he was chained to the floor.
HE was held prisoner until put in
the hack and returned to his home.
While at the cottage he was guarded
by two men and provided with suffi-
cient food.
On the trip to the place Of ilnprison-
ment the men, he says, talked q little
about themselves. He gathered from
them that there were six in the gang.
One of these men came from Mexico
recently and from Denver very lately
and was an expert in the kidnapping
business. When the mysterious house
was reached, one man guarded him
during the greater part of the day.
A second man was in and out OF the
room at intervals. From conversation
between the abductors and himself
the young man learned that the alb
ductors had been seeking to abduct
one Of the members of the family and