The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-01-11

PHILA DELPHIA, Jan. 11.-Pennsylya-
MA viii fall in line with the other States
where an effort is being made TO enact
laws prescribing the death penalty for
kidnapping under certain circumstances.
The recent Cudahy kidnapping case in
Oma Ia has put men OF wealth especially
on their guard against meIefactors OF this
kind Il is almost always the children
Of rich men who are chosen as the kid
napers' victims. and yet the parents Of
all classes Of children are in hearty sym
patty with any movement TO wipe out
such a dendish crime. So there is little
doubt that any measure 10 put the quie-
tus on kidnapping VIII receive popular
support
Representative John H Fow, Of the
Seventeenth district has, at the instance
of several we'll known PhiIadeIphians.
prepared a bill which he Will introduce
into the Legislature next week furnishing
the crime Of kidnapping in this State eth
er By the death penalty or an fnDrison-
ment Of twenty years. at the discretion Of
the court
This IS to apply only 10 cases where The
KIDNAPPING OF minor children has been
threatened or actually accomplished. It
does not relate 20 the taking of children
BY near relatives. IS often occurs in
eases growing out Of suits for the Gus
tody Of such children
Mr. Fow's bill reads An act punish
ing kidnaping-Be il enacted etc. That
II any person shall either by force. yio-
Ience, fraud, or deceit take. carry away.
or entice, or cause 10 be taken. carried
away, or euticed, any minor child not be-
ing the father. mother brother sister or
grandparents Of said child. with the in
tent 70 extort money or other valuable
consideration from the parent or rarents
or guardian Of said minor for the restora-
ton OF said child. every such person. shaJi
De guilty Of felony and upon conyicti.n
thereof shall be sentenced AZ the discre-
ton OF the jury 10 either undergo capital
punishment or Imprisonment not less tia u
twenty years at hard labor
This extreme punishment has been left
TO the discretion Of the jury, as KIDNAPPING
varies in the extent OF the crime and the
methods pursued by the kidnapers with
the children who have fallen into their
clutches The death penalty or the twenty
years al hard labor is only intended for
the brutal and cruel. who may main or
otNerv.7e personally injure their captiyes
for the purpose OF eztorting money from
relatives
Mr. FOW stated 10 a representative that
he had been in personal consultation with
several Influential Philadelphiaus who
have children or grandchildren whose
safety may be a stake, should this crime
increase, and all have offered him their
hearty cooperation and support in Sc
curing the passage Of the bill.
There Is now on the statute books Of
Pennsylvania an act furnishing kidnapping
but It has been found entirely inadequate
for the crime. II Was passed in 1915
shortly after the excitement over the kid
naping Of Charley Ross It Furnishes kid
mapping by a maximum Imprisonment OF
twenty-five years. but gives the court dis
erection to limit the Imprisonment 10 two
years-which is entirely TOO mild a pun
fshment for such an offence. In Mr. Fow's
bill the kidusper, If convicted of kidnap-
ing in its graTest form, must suffer the
death penalty or undergo an Imprisonment
Of twenty years-there being no shorter
sentence allowed.