The Pacific commercial advertiser., 1900-12-29

FOR RANSOM
$4,000 Paid for Son
of Millionaire.
EXCITEMENT At OMAHA
Edward Cudahy's Fifteen Year Old
Boy Seized and Held
"a Hours.

OMAHA, Dec. 2o.-Omaha is stirred
TO the depths by the kidnapping or
young Edward Cudahy Tuesday even
ing and his release earl this morning
only on the payment of $4,000 in gold
by the father as ransom. The story
he tells of his thirty hours of captivity.
the proof he gives that an organized
gang of kidnapers has been watching
his fathers house many weeks, and the
feet that he was abducted only when
the plottefs found they were unable to
seize one of his sisters. have spurred
the police to their utmost endeavors to
capture the guilty parties
MIR. and Mrs. Cudahy are so rejoiced
over the return of the boy that they
consider $4,000 we'll spent but will give
the authorities whatever assistance lies
In their power. and have also employed
skilled private detectives to join in the
pursuit. Mr.. Cudahy also announced
tonight that he would pay $4,000 reward
for the apprehension of the abductors,
or pay 5000 for one and $4,000 for two
OF them.
At 3 O'clock Wednesday a horseman
rode past the Cudahy mansion on Thir-
ty-eighth street and threw a letter into
the lawp. A servant noticed the action
and seefng the letter. found it contained
the INFORMATION that the young man
lad been Sddnaped and was safe, and
was being held for ransom. Three
hours later Mr.. Cudahy received
through the mails "a second communica-
tion detailing the condition under
which the lad would be surrendered
to himself.
The condition named was that MI
Cudahy should deposit S25, 900 in gold
coin in place indicated, about five
miles north of the city, on a lonely
road leading up the bank of the Mis-
souri, rver
Mr.. Cudahy, shortly after supper, en-
tered a light road buggy, and, after Sc
curing the money, started out entirely
alone for the place of meeting of the
kidnapers. To identify himself he had
attached to the dashboard of his buggy
red lantern, which was one OF the
conditions of the letter.
Mr.. Cudahy drove north on the Sher-
man avenue road to point about five
. miles north of the city, where he found,
near the road a white lantern suspend
ed from a snort stake urlNen the
ground. This signal he had been watch
7 ing for as the place to leave the mon
ey. The lantern was near the river
bank. but when Cudahy arrived nobody
was in sight. He at once alighted. plac-
: ell the bag of gold conveniently neal
I the stake, and, without waiting for de
e velopments. secured the horses rein
and returned to the city without hear
II ing a sound.
?. That the bandits were near the spo
: and at once secured the valuable pack
e age cannot be doubted. for about
e o'clock this morning the young mai
4 rs.II breathlessly UP the front door o
:. Mis- fathers home and rang the bell fo
e Admission.
e 1.-THE boy came in so suddenly the po
IS lice knew nothing of ii until a membe
8 Of the family went to the stables an
, informed them that the young man ha
N returned and that their services coul
l. be dispensed with.
ell Mr.. Cudahy was asked what reaso
" ne had to believe the abductors wcul
return his son, after he had paid SIS
he 600.
E. Would they not rather keep him an
y demand another s25, ,000?" was asked.
or We had to take chances on that" h
I'd replied
r. Young Cudahy, in telling of his expt
es riences, said: 1T happened while we
ne oa my way from Captain RuStin'S. Ju!
ne as I got in front of General Gown
Sc residence, two doors from home, tw
g. men sprang in front of me and thru
ne pistols in my face. One of them saft
o I am the Sheriff Of Sarpy county, al
IN want you. You are Eddie MCGEE, ar
or you have stolen $500 from your aun
or Come with us. Don't make any outer
he for 1t won't do any good I supposed
er was a case Of mistaken identity az
be that all would be cleared up in a fe
SIX minutes, so I went with them witho'
'rs struggle. I was put into a carria;
I'D and we drove off
lie Finally the vehicle came to a stan
be still, after We had passed what / cou
an tell by the smell to be the packin
en- house district in South Omaha. Th
or lifted me out. tied my hands behir
me. and led me up a fight OF ricke
ch stairs into n room that had n dam
d. musty smell, where 1 was chained to
EN- chair.
OF I'm this uncomfortable position
he spent most Of the twenty-four hours
ed my incarceration. though at one tin
ew for a period of about five hours,
res should judge. the chains from n
an. wrists were removed, and I was pC
DE, mitted to lie down on the floor.
II soon az I vas chained TO the chair o
lon of the non went away. but he kept
idv ''--- 49, ~------ How minutes, when
cry would tap lightly upon the door a
to would engage my guardian in a VIII
lse, pered cOnversa ton. 7 could not cat
the word Of what they said. After ca
I'VE one Of these interviews the man on (
lay outside would go away. and after
re- moment or so could hear the tinkle
tit a telephone bell, which sounded a 10
ion way off, I believe thev were in te
res phonic commuuira tion v-ifh some d
. sCrs in Omaha m 'i7c fr-7e.
ssrTba man rvbn f-f~ - a--ar