Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1900-12-26
twenty-five Thousand Paid for
the Return of Edward A.
Cudahy's Son,
BOY WAS TO HAVE BEEN BLINDED
Unless the Ransom Was Produced at
Fixed Time and Place.
Letter That Threatened the Cold.
Blooded ACCOMPLISHMENTS
of Diabolism-Kidnaped
Boy Tells His Story.

Omaha, Dec. 21.--Uate last night
Cudahy announced that he would pay
$4,000 reward for the apprehension
of the abductofs of his son, $1,000 for
one and $4,000 for two of them.
Omaha, Neb., Dec 21.-There is re-
jOicing in the home Of Edward Cuda-
by, the wealthy packing. house owner
and capitalist of this city. Edward
Cudahy, Jr., who was kidnapped Tues
day evening, after being held thirty
six hours for ransom of $4,000 in
gold, which the young mans father
unhesitatingly paid, has been returned
to his family and the boy and his par
ents are receiving congratulations
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 youth
full son, but also because one or pos
sibly more of their daughters were not
included in the conspiracy which has
caused them so much anxiety and
grief, as a statement of the conspira-
tors, overheard by the lad while he
was in their power, indicates that they
had been attempting for a month to
secure possession of one of his SIS
tiers.
Tells of His Long Ride.
Cudahy has been very reticent
throughout the affair, but has finally
made known the details of long ride
into the country to deposit bag con-
tanning $25, 1000 in gold in place indi-
Gated in a letter written Wednesday
to Cudahy by the outlaws, naming this
condition as a surety for the return of
the boy. In order to do this absolute
secrecy was necessary, and trusted
messenger was dispatched to the bank
TO secure the gold. Cudahy held him
self in readiness, and shortly after sup
per he entered light road buggy, and
after securing the money started out
entirely alone for the place of meet
ing the kidnapers. To identify himself
he had attached to the dashboard of
his buggy a red lantern, which was
one of the conditions of the letter.
Direction He Had to Take.
Cudahy drove north ON the Sherman
avenue road to point about five miles
from the city, where he found, near
the road, a white lantern suspended
from a short stake driven into the
ground. This signal he had been
watching for, it being named as vthe
place for leaving the money. The To-
cation of the lantern was near the
river bank, but when Cudahy arrived
nobody was in sight. He at once
alighted, placed the bag of gold con-
veniently near the stake, and without
waiting for developments secured the
horses reins and returned to the city
without hearing a sound.
Bandits Keep Their Word.
That the bandits were near the spot
and at once secured the valuable pack
age cannot be doubted, for about 1
a. m. yesterday the young boy ran
breathlessly up to the door of his faith
er's home and rang the bell for adj
mission. Notwithstanding the entire
police and detective force of the city,
several Pinkertons from Chicago and
half hundred of Cudahy's own
men have been searching diligently for
q clue looking to the capture of the
outlaws, ever since the return of the
young man. up to this writing nothing
has been developed to give the least
idea Of the identity of the men who
Derpetrated the crime