Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1901-01-10
KIDNAPPING OF CuDAHY.
Action of the Victims Fathe,
Criticised by Detectives.
MEN MIGHT HAVE BEEN CAPTURED


Could Have Caught the Outlaws
and That tue Boy Was In No Dam
ger-Dctails of Their Elan 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 ran
som continues to be an absorbing topic
of conversation in Omaha. The case
with which the daring plot was con-
summated and the boldness 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 i'm
priSonment, the wind at Omaha was
due north. The detectives then agreed
that the boys temporary Jail was but
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 We're near to the very den
in which the robbers had confined their
victim when 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 of
the whole case. according to a lead
ing Pinkerton man engaged ON it, is
the ease 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, it 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 a 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 forever-had the de-
sired effect.
1t is now clear that it 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.
ceivng 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 certain point for
the cash to be delivered a 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
it 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 short dis
lance of the rendezvous. In fact. Mr.
Cudahy said, he was within few
yards of the light when it suddenly
fiared up as if just lighted or just un.
covered. These facts make it quite
probable that there was one robber
stationed at the point where the signal
light was to be exhibited and another
on IL bicycle who followed close behind
the Cudahy buggy to be sure there was
no guard following Mr. Cudahy who
would undertake to interfere with the
operation of the robbers Either this