The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-12-21
DIindfoIded, Driven to a Lonely House
and Chained to the Floor of
One of the Rooms.
STORY AS TOLD BY THE YOUTH
TEXT OF THE SECOND LETTER
RECEIVED BY THE FATHER.
Threats Made to Put Out the Boys
Eyes IL Money Was Not Paid-Po-
lice Chiefs Statement.

OMAHA, Neb., Dec. 20-LaSt night IL was
believed by some people that Edward
Cudahy. jr., the son of Edward A. Cudahy,
the millionaire packer, who mysteriously
disappeared Tuesday night, had merely
gone away from home They took little
stock in the kidnapping and ransom story.
To-day. however. it was positively stated
that Mr.. Cudahy had paid s25,c00 in gold
for the ransom of his son.
The police also were inclined to doubt
the story that the boy had been spirited
away. Their skepticism, however, melted
away when young Cudahy related the story
OF being overpowered, placed in closed
carriage, blindfolded and bound and car
ried many miles from the city TO 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 containing $4,000 in gold n a place
indicated in a letter written Wednesday
to Mr.. Cudahy by the outlaws, naming this
condition as a surety for the return of
the boy
At 8 o'clock Wednesday morning a horse
man rode past the Cudahy mansion, on
Thirty-eighth street, and threw a letter
on to the lawn. A servant noted the ac-
tanned the information that Eddie Cudahy
had been kidnapped, was safe and was being
held for ransom. Three hours later Mr.
Cudahy received through the mails a Sec
ond communication detailing the condition
under which 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 place indicated.
about five miles north of the city, on a
lonely road leading up the bank of the
Missouri river. Mr.. Cudahy called into
consultation the chief of police and his
friends and discussed plans looking to the
capture of the men when they should make
All appearance at the point of rendezvous
named in the letter. The great strain on
the family, however, caused Mr.. Cudahy
to abandon all idea of capturing the gang
in whose power was the life of his son,
and he decided at once to comply with all
the demands of the bandits. In order to do
this absolute secrecy was necessary, and a
trusted messenger was dispatched to the
bank to secure the gold.
COMPLIED WITH CONDITIONS.
Mr.. Cudahy held himself in readiness,
and soon after supper he entered a light
road buggy, and after securing the money
started out entirely alone for the place of
meeting the kdnapers. 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 Sherman-avenue road to
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, 1t being named as the place for leav-
ing the money. The location of the lantern
was near the river bank, but when Mr.
Cudahy arrived nobody was in sight. He
at once alighted, placed the bag Of gold
conveniently near the stake, and without
waiting for developments secured the
horses reins and returned to the city with
out hearing sound.
That the bandits were near the spot and
at once secured the valuable package can
not be doubted, for about / o'clock this
morning the young boy ran breathless up
to the door of his fathers house and rang
the bell for admission. Two policemen
who in the early evening had been placed
near the family mansion had later been
sent TO the stables by Mr.. Cudahy, who
feared that should the men returning with
the boy see the officers they would drive
away without leaving the boy. The boy
came in so suddenly that the policemen
knew nothing of 1t until a member of the
family went to the stables and informed
the policemen that the young man had re-
turned and that their services could be
dispensed with.
Notwithstanding the entire police and de-
tective force of the city, several Pinker-
tons from Chicago and half hundred of
Mr.. Cudahy's own men have been search
ing diligently for a clew looking to the
capture OF the outlaws ever since the re-
turn of the young man, up to IL o'clock to-
night nothing has been developed TO give
the least idea of the identity Of the men
who perpetrated the crime. Young Cudahy
says there were six of the men, but that
all wore masks whenever in his presence.
and that the only one he would attempt
10 identify was the one who kept guard
over him during his incarceration In the
lonely building in which he was held. He
thinks he could recognize this mans voice,
as II differed much from that OF any of the
others.
LETTER FROM BANDITS
That the bandits plan had been carefully
laid cannot be doubted. They had evident
" appointed as a place OF meeting Mr.
Cudahy a point near the river bank In or
der that they might escape in boat should
officers attempt their capture. The word
ing of the letter Of conditions was that OF
an artist. 1t was OF such a nature as TO
leave little for Mr. Cudahy to do other than
follow fits bidding If he could hope for the
safe return OF his son. The letter in full is
as follows
Omaha. Neb, Dec 1e.-Mr. Cudahy: We
have kidnapped your child and demand $25.-
0OC (twenty-fve thousand dollars) for his
safe return II YOU give US the money the