Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1901-01-12
KIDNAPPING OF CUDAHY.
Action of the Victims Father
Criticised by Detectives.
MEN MIGHT HAVE BEEN CAPTURED

Pinkerton's Men Assert That They
Could Have Caught the Outlaws
and That the BOY Was In No DAN
ger-DesaEIs of Their Plan OF Cap
ture.
The amazing conspiracy resulting In
the abduction of young Eddie Cudahy.
the only son OF the millionaire packer
of Omaha. and the payment of a ram
som continues to be an absorbing topic
of conversation In Omaha. The ease
with which the daring plot was con
summated and the holiness with
which the whole thing was designed
and executed seem almost Incredible
at this day and time, says the New
York Times. From the window of his
temporary prison young Eddie Cudahy
could have seen his fathers packing
houses. provided the curtains had been
removed. In fact he remarked after
his release upon the nearness of his
place of captivity TO the packing houses
because of the pronounced odor.
This phase of the case was the first
clew the pinkertons selected. The boy
related that the odor from the packing
plants was most intense the whole time
he was prisoner. The detectives
sought the local weather bureau and
ascertained that during all of Tuesday
evening and Wednesday and Wednes-
day night, the period of the boys inn
x.vfe f1,a mind on hQ
due north. The detectives then agreed
that the boys temporary Jail was but
a short distance north of the packing
houses, and at once began a search OF
all the vacant houses in the section
that were located in that territory
They are very numerous, but the force
OF searchers were near to the very den
In which the robbers had confined their
victim when a boy who had seen the
horse described as belonging to the
bandits tied at the old house telephon-
ed the police, and the search for the
place was over.
One of the most singular phases or
the whole case, according to lead
ing Pinkerton man engaged on 1t, is
the case with which the bandits Sc
| cured the ransom and the immunity
! from interference which they appeared
to have enjoyed. The Pinkertons point
out that here was the opportunity for
the police to have bagged their game.
and. in fact, 1t was about the only
weak point of the case. so far as the
bandits were concerned. Chief of Po-
lice John Donahue admits. too. that In
attempting to secure the gold deposited
by the frantic father the robbers left
a breach in their plans which would
have resulted in their capture, but he
explains that he was unable to do as
| he desired at this stage of the game
because of Mr.. Cudahy's positive re
fusal to take the police into his conf
dence for fear that they would scare
the bandits away in trying to capture
them and he would risk the life OF
| his son.
Mr.. Cudahy told the chief clearly that
he must keep his hands off until he
| got his boy. Then he would offer re.
ward, and they could go to work on
the case. Chief Donahue did point
out the ease with which the men could
/ be taken while they were trying to es-
cape with hundred pounds of gold,
but the point the bandits made in
their letter demanding the money-that
the police had prevented the father Of
Charley Ross from paying the ransom
demanded and the boy had thus been
lost to his parents forcver-had the de-
sired effect
1t is now clear that 1t would have
been the easiest thing in the world
to have either captured or killed the
daring chief of the outlaw band who
undertook the dangerous task of re-
ceiving the ransom. In fact, the chief
of Omaha's police had figured the case
out very correctly up TO this point. The
letter of the kidnapers explained that
Mr.. Cudahy should take the gold in his
buggy and drive west along the Center
street boulevard until he reached a
point where he should observe Ian
tern tied to a tree or bush by the road
side. The letter did not explain how
far the father would have to go. and In
this there was great cunning mani
tested on the part Of the thieves Had
the letter stipulated a certain point for
the cash to be delivered Gordon Of
officers and civilians would have been
placed around the place. and capture
would have been certain.
AS numerous vehicles passed the
point where the lantern signal was
shown just before and just after Mr..
Cudahy arrived and no light was seen.
1t is quite certain the robbers knew Of
the approach of the Cudahy vehicle
and did not light the signal until the
Cudahy buggy was within a short dis
lance of the rendezvous. In fact. Mr.
Cudahy said, he was within few
yards of the light when 1t suddenly
fiared up as If just lighted or just I'M
covered. These facts make 1t quite
probable that there was one robber