Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1900-12-21
THERE IS REJOICING IN
THE CUDAHY HOUSEHOLD
OVER THE SONS return.
RELEASED BY HIS CAPTORs UPON
THE PAYMENT OF TWENTY
FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS
TERMS OF THE KIDNAPERS
ACCEPTED BY THE FATHER.
WRITTEN THREAT OF THE DESPE-
RADOES TO PUT OUT YOUNG
CUDAHY,S EYES ALMOST
DROVE HIS PARENTS WILD.
COMPLETE DETAILS OF ONE OF THE
MOST DEVILISH CRIMES SINCE
CHARLEY ROSS AFFAIR.

OMAHA, Neb., Dec. 20-There is re-
joicing in the home of Edward Cud-
ahy, the wealthy packing house owner
and capitalist of this city.
Edward Cudahy, Jr., who was kid
mapped Tuesday evening, after being
held thirty-six hours for a ransom Of
SIS, geo in gold, has been returned to
his family, and tonight the boy and
his parents are receiving congratula-
lions from relatives and friends
throughout the country:
Mr.. and Mrs. Cudahy feel that they
have cause for relief, not only over
the return of their youthful son, but
also because one or possibly more Of
their daughters were not included in
the conspiracy which has caused them
so much anxiety and grief, as a state
ment of the conspirators, overheard
by the lad while he was in their power
indicates that they had been attempt
Qig for a month to secure possession
Of one of his sisters.
Mr.. Cudahy has been very reticent
throughout the affair, and up to this
afternoon refused absolutely to talk,
either of the kidnapping or the pay
merit of the ransom and return of his
son. All information given to the
public has been through his attorney,
Melville Sears, and the statements of
the latter have been very guarded.
Before the real truth of the kidnap-
ing, the return of the boy and the ex-
perience of the latter had been given
to the public at noon to-day, the po-
lice were inclined to doubt the story
that the boy had been spirited away.
This skepticism, however, melted
away when young Cudahy related the
story Of being overpowered placed
in a closed carriage,
BIindfoIded and Bound
and carried many miles from the city
to a place the location of which he
cannot identify, and his father made
known the details of a long ride into
the country to deposit a bag con-
tanning $25, 900 in gold in place indi-
Gated in a letter written Wednesday to
Mr.. Cudahy by the outlaws, naming
this condition as a surety for the re-
turn of the boy.
At o'clock Wednesday morning,
lhorseman rode past the Cudahy man
sion on Thirty eighth street and threw
letter upon the lawn.
A servant noted the action, and Sc
curing the letter found it contained the
information that Eddie Cudahy had
been kidnapped, was safe and was be-
ing held for a ransom. Three hours
later Mr. Cudahy received through the
mails a second communication detail
ing the condition and that the lad
would be surrendered to his father.
Among the conditions named was
one that Mr.. Cudahy should deposit
$4,000 in gold coin in a place indi
Gated, about five miles north of the
city, on a lonely road leading up the
bank of the Missouri river Mr.. Cud-
ahy called into consultation the chief
of police and his friends and discussed
plans looking to the capture of the
gang when they should make an ap-
pearance at the point of rendezvous
named in the letter
The Great Strain on the Family
however, caused Mr.. Cudahy to aban-
don all idea of capturing the men
In whose power was the life Of his
son and decided to at once comply
with all the demands of the bandits.
In order to do this absolute secrecy
was necessary and a trusted messen-
ger was dispatched to the bank to Sc
cure the gold. Mr.. Cudahy held him
SELF in readiness and shortly after
supper he entered a light road buggy
and after securing the money, started
out entirely alone, for the place of
meeting the kidnapers.
Mr.. Cudahy drove north on the
Sherman avenue road to a point about
five miles from the city, where he
found near the road white lantern
suspended from a short stake driven
in the ground. This signal he had
been watching for, it being named as
the place for leaving the money. The
location Of the lantern was near the
river bank, but when Mr. Cudahy ar
rived nobody was in sight. He at once
alighted, placed the bag of gold con-
veniently near the stake and without
waiting for developments returned to
the city with out hearing a sound.
That the bandits were near the spot
and at once secured the valuable pack
age cannot be doubted, for about one
o'clock this morning the young man