The sun., 1900-12-20
CUDAHY BOY KIDNAPPED 7
sOy or wEAITHY OMAHA PACKER MAS
NO. LETTER ASKS ron RANSOM.
ONE Belief That the Letter Il the work Of .
Practical Joker -Tathsr Believes Son Has
Bsen Abdscted and VIII Pay Reward for
III. Return Thorough Search Being Made.

Practical Jokr-Father Beuevee Son has
B.en Abdscsed and VIII Pay Reward for
lis Return Thorough Search Being Made.
OMAHA. Neb., Dec, 10 Two hundred police
men half IA many civilians and a number OF
detectives aro tonight searching for tho
Dftecn-, ear old son OF Edward Cudahy. the
wealthy packer. who has been missing twenty
four hours The indications are that the
boy has been kidnapped and Ia being held
for ransom Mr. Cudahy has received note
demanding SIS. 900 for the return OF his son,
but there Is some question ~ 10 whether
this is TO be taken seriously or whether II
was sent as q practical joke by some one
not approaching the gravity Of the case.
The police admit that a letter has been
received. which reads In substance:
NH 4. A. CupAHY: We have your son;
he Is safe: we will take good care Of him and
return him to you for consideration OF
$4,000; we mean business. JACK
The note also designated n time and place
for exchanging the lad and the ransom. but
this the police withhold, Opinion Is divided
as to the genuineness OF the letter.
The Cudahys are taking the matter very
seriou sly. Michael Cudahy OF Chicago.
President Of the Cudahy Packing Company.
had an interview with billy" Plnkerton
to-day and ten Of the latter's best sleuths
have started for Omaha to work on tho case.
Edward Cudahv. Jr.. is l6 years old and
the Only son Of T.. A. Cudahy of 5,s South
Thirty-seventh street. He has been student
at Creighton University. and Il quiet. In
dIstrious boy OF the best habits. He left his
home shortly after supper last night with
some books to go to the home Of Mrs, C. B,
Rustin, three blocks distant. at POS South
Thrty-sev street.
Upon delivering the books he was 20 re-
turn home. lie did not DO 81 and his absence
finally caused the parents to make inquiry
Of the Rustins. 1t was found that he was
met at the door by Drlfred Rustin. TO whom
he said. There are your books" The doctor
thanked him and the boy wort away at once.
The doctor did not notice which way lie turned.
He was accompanied BY his dog. which o.ile
home without him. This thoroughly alarmed
the family.
The police were Immediately notified.
They inquired at all the hospitals and gave
orders 10 patrolmen all over the city to be
on the lookout.
we fear" said Mr.. Cucahy to the rolicc,
that the boy has been kldnarped There
has been no trouble whatever. ana the boys
habits are Of the best. OF course he may
Siy.sn us scers unHittinslI Il he docs
When the boy left home he had little IL
SiIsse SS - trace as 0Vl oi h@ o' had been ioaRd
this morning. II he was seen after leaving
the Rustin home, no one has as yet impaired
the Information TO his people or the police.
Chief of Police Donahue took hand in the
eIair this morning. calling early at the Cudahy
h's 70 ia s ias so ss e was
apparent that he had adopted the theory
ot dnSppnS There was an, an unusual n.f
In from their beats and the city was divided
into districts. a pstrolman being assigned
a ,hoToush 1G h,. search Tor Tho missing boy. The
conductors on the Farnam and LsAysnwarth
street car lines were closely QUESTIONED.
town last night he would in all likelihood
have been recognized by the conductors.
Edward Cudahy. the father. told the police
TO spare no expense In their quest, and he
engaged dozen or more men to aid n the
near and far; Each telegram contained ,ls a
rs years Of age; weight. 100 pounds; height
sltIn; no-e, ,retrousss' Hs wore a gray
Melville sears. attorney for Mr.: Cudahy,
was called 70 the residence az an early hour;
and assigned them to districts in the same
landed his lines beyond the city aI limits and and
ever. the search had developed absolutely
told the police to-nisht that while passing
rear OF the Cudahy Home last evening, he
saw a covered wagon standing In the shadow
wagon and was talking TO another man who
was passing they spoke in low tones. lie
did not attach much importance to II until
he heard of the disappearance Of young
:. Stanley RoseWater. son Of City Engineer
Rosewater. recollects seeing a vehicle stand
Ing two or three nights near the Cudahy
home but this was a trap and not closed
All boys known to be playmates OF young
and II IL said that one Of them is missing
The haunts OF local criminals are under sur
ohe %s sGk
but nothing was found. 1t has been tenssntcd
by two strange men. who kept queer hours
she sHs people %Trs 20 Of Happy "Hcov shs police
searched the cottage a fortnisht ago. but
R Edward ard Cudahy. sr,. say. he will ray.
hs return q h; '2pn MI GHdaHhy say. he
but he inciines to the theory, Of abduc,iSn.
Many rHmoTs are n circpplatIoip IN ihe Sty;
OF Them them. One detective is working on the
theory that the boy is a member OF some OF
the 1umeroas clans Ian, an. and bands Of y,,nS yo9,nS
himself for a while. but the reputation OF the
lad does not Justify this:
He ls OF stuulOus nhDits anu spenUs gTtHt
deal OF time reading at the public libraries.
He has been reading great deal about the
Phillppines and some Of the detectives are
looking UP the theory that he has gone to
Manila.
great favorite with his rich Chicago uncle,
Michael Cudahy. and frequently received
parents knew nothing about The police
argue that II this is true some OF the stories
told of the young mans wild while be-
yond the parental control may be true.
Another theory Is that the boy has been
kidnapped, not by men. but by young touehs
who have dug caves In the hills in the sub
urbs of Omaha and have caused the police
considerable trouble. Chief Of Police, Dona-
hue gave his men instructions to raid every
den Of this kind and carry TO Jail every young
ster found. As a result thirty or forty young
toughs are In lail tonight but no clue Of the
missing lad has been found,
The boys mother suggested that the big
dog th1t was with him last nipht. be taken
out along the route to tho Rustin home on
the possibility that he would furnish a clue.
A servant took the dog. and with two de-
tactives started over the route, The animal
showed great excitement ard two blocks
from the Cudahy residence, at a spot sh AIDED
by numerous trees. broke from his restraint,
bounded rack and forth and barked turiously.
Charley Rosewater, neighbor's hoy,
saws that he saw n closed carriage stand ne
nj this spot for several nights Many de-
tactiyes believe that the kiduappers stood
a., IA. hp hnr ba