The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1903-11-27
Says g Band Kidnapped Him and
sssss Ke It Him Prisoner
#IN sA DEEP, DARK DUNGEON
s Graphic Statement of His Gap
& & tivity, Says One Bandit Urg-
ed the Others to Murder

3 3:46 O'CLOCK Wednesday morning by
Patroiman Joseph Cooke, of the East
Fifty-frst street station. The priest
told a story Of having been kidnapped
BY strange men, chloroformed, bound
and robbed and kept in cellar for
two days, and finally liberated from a
u wagon at the foot Of East Fifty-first
1 street. His narrative was heard by
priests from the Cathedral, q physician
from the Flower Hospital and Civil
ustice George E. Roesch in success.
s sion and they were convinced Of its
truth. Even the police, who have
laughed at the kidnapping idea In
stead of seriously Investigating it,
i admitted after hearing the priests
story from his own lips that he had
z made a strong impression on them,
and declared they would follow up the
q meager clews he was able to give.
THE PRIESTS sTATEMENT.
This business began on the 22d of
& October. Two days before, at the
laying OF the cornerstone of my new
church, l told the people we were 60
$ ing TO get q loan of $4,000 SO we
& could build the new church. Two days
later 7 ricetYcd the first letter de-
manding $4,000 and threatening me
with death If failed to pay it.
5lI took the letter as joke, but
.e made up my mind then that I would
Z go where the letter said on Wednes-
day night. had a revolver, and I
got it out and loaded it.
4 On wednesday I was i'll, at my
fathers house, So could not go. On
the 31St of October I got another let
ter.
/ began to think that it was no
joke. 1 told the other priests and I
!. notified the police at Wakefield. Last
"Wednesday got the third letter by
special delivery. told the police
q about this letter. slept at my
fathers house on Wednesday night
and Thursday night, as I was afraid
Z to sleep In Williamsbridge.
49, On Thursday / went to my lawyer
and signed the mortgages on which
I've were to borrow $4,000 for the
Il church. believe now that the men
who took me away knew that I had
signed these paper and thought I had
4got the monev, |. 13;;is.
. On Friday I went back to Williams
bridge to keep an appointment with
{ Captain Foody. Captain Foody and
the detective left the house about
6:l5 O'Clock. I gave them the let
\ terS.
s:s When the captain left the other
priests were playing cards. l played
p three hands and then / got up and
walked up and down the hall. Sud
denly I heard a knock on the outer
door. opened the door and there
was q man with a beard. He said in
low tone:
Father Joe, you ought to be glad.
We have the one who sent the letters.
The captain sent me to tell you to
come with me-"
WORE A FALSE BEARD.
noticed that the mans beard was
false, and said something about It,.
He said he wore 1t to prevent people
from recongnizing him as a detective.
I will ,ell the other priests" /
said.
"Don't do that" said the man, sit
will spoil it ALL" So I got my hat and
oyercoat and stick and went out with
him.
Near First street and Fourth
avenue we met a boy, who said "Good
evening, Father Joe.' There was
K another man on the corner I asked:
e How do know you are a detec-
+ tive?"
4 He threw back his coat and showed
me a badge Of some kind, and that
satisfied me. Just around the corner
there was a covered wagon, with two
horses. The men was with told me
the man was in there. l looked In
Z and there were two men. One of
them had his hands across each other,
as II he we're bound. I got in and the
wagon started Off with the five of us.
Then the man with the false beard
said:
''Did you bring your new revolver
dlong?" l said, Yes" and took II
out Of my pocket and handed it tc
him. He said to one Of the other
men: 1T is nice new one" The
other man took it and put it in his
pocket, and then one Of them put a
handkerchief over my face. It smelled
very badly, and I knew they were 90.
Ing to do something to me, SO struck
out as hard as could. My fist landed
on one Of the men. think must have
hurt him. In minute l was uncon
sciOuS.
PRISONER IN A CELLAR.
The next thing I knew I was In q
cellar. My eyes felt bad and my head
ached. was on bed but my clothes
had been taken Off. The only light
in the cellar was red lantern. There
was a man standing there with a
beard. He had gun in his hands
and cartridge belt around his waist
i begged the man to give me roy
money.
I had inside my vest 5000, that was
my sisters marriage portion. The
z other men came in with handkerchief,
over their faces with holes cut In 70,
eyes. Altogether I saw nine or ter
men in the cellar while l was there
Once while they we're in the cellar
heard one say: "All New York Ii
upset. The papers are full of thi
matter"
The men always spoke In English
Only one Of them looked like M
Italian. He did not like me. think hi
Is the man struck in the wagon
This man said they should kill me
The others said no, 1t would till tht
cellar with blood and they would bt
traced.
The man I took for an Italian KEEP,