The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-02-11
KIDNAPPING Is EXCITING
AND OFTEN PROFITABLE

kidnapping Is perhaps the most exciting
form OF crime eXtant That Il can he
extremely profitable goes without saying.
Many people will doubtless he surprised
TO hear that. although the professional
kidnapper does not flourish I'm England to
any considerable extent his depre ations
are nevertheless source Of no little trou-
BILE As general rule, he is a creature
who will stop at nothing so long as he
can gain his own ends
Not long ago one OF the fraternity went
abroad expressly TO steal a chld-the
daughter OF rich parents He succeeded
in his mission and. after being hotly pur-
sued across the continent. took his victim.
concealed i'm a trunk. 10 lodgings In Lon
don. He had no wish TO have the child
himself Indeed he kidnapped IL for no
other purpose than TO serve a friend. The
metropolis, II may be observed, Is one OF
the homes of the man who mas done his
kidnapping abroad. He settles down with
his prey i'm some foreign colony, imagin-
ing himself secure. but il is pleasant TO
note that Il Is usually not long before he
receives "A visit from a member OF the
extraditon department Of New Scotland
Yard.
The individual who has the best reason
10 fear the kidnapper today is, OF course,
the millionaire who visits out OF the way
places. 1t will be news to the majority
OF people to learn that the movements OF
most millionaires are carefully noted by
phlnderers. quite recently an enormously
wealthy man left England Tor lonely
spot i'm the south Of Europe. Fortunately
for him he had the good sense 10 traNei
in a style which was far from being luNu-
rious Having been warned OF the oai-
gers To which he was exposing hlmseli,
he wore only his oldest clothes.
Arrived at small and Isolated hotel IN
a mountainous district, II soon became
apparent that th. re- was something IN
the air" Three mysterious Foreigners
who appeared ON the scenc tNlhctu th'
deepest int rest in the millionaire. TheN
sat next Co him at table and chatted WIN
him on every possible occasion, Dut. az
good luck would have &c. his seedy attire
aud parsimunious habits at length threw
them OF the scent
Th could not bring themselves TO be
lieve that he was the rich man theN
wanted and under the impression that
another guest was the millionaire thcN en-
tered his bedroom ou. night ana carried
him OF. They soon discovered their mis-
take-their prisoner was poor CONNER
cial traVelor-snd in very short space
We're back at the hotel Go reCttfy their
error. The man with the money bags,
however. had I'm the meanwhile departed.
lie was tracked. all the same. The gang
came up with him in large town ia
France ana, hflNE Nlluhlt iN kluuhU hiHif
robbed him of several thousand dollars
OF. IN fact. every penny n had with hini.
Shortly after the kidnappers returned
10 the hotel mentioned and took posses
sion OF A.. The only visitor was cef-
tain prince. and he was ultimately con.
Veyed away and kept IN captivity until
the sum of xJe1 I'm gold was forwarded u"
purchase his liberation. ~ WAS discoN
cred eventually that tho proprietor of the
hotel in question Was IN league With th@
kidnappers and that Tor every guest
stolen he received monetary reward.
One of the biggent cOups ever cpnten-
pisted bv q kidnapper was that ~ seizing
the only daughter 90 y nan who ~ So rich
his name ts household word that be
does not know about his Own income. ~
this Instance the wouiu-he kiduapper.
who had he not been quite 80 rockies.
might have succeed a IN fulfilling hk Oh
tcct intended to ask Sn.9W.0n ior his
prize but. being unable Co. effect the cap-
lure single handed. ln rash moment he
wrote to "a man OrrunNing htgh position
ln an important public company. asking
him 90 assist in his Urnl ~. This person
was to receive cool million for his ser
vices but a. II 80 hapuencd. he was 90
appaiied az the idea that he comm ini-
cated with the police, the result being
thai tbs vl0t Naz frustrated,