Weekly Arizona journal-miner., 1905-08-02
SAN BIAS KIDNAPPING STORY
 SEEMS FISHY.

The Los Angeles Examiner publishes an account of the alleged Kidnapping of R. s. LoOmis, a San Franciscan, who is in business in the Republic of Mexico, and who is interested in a banana plantation in the district adia- cent to San Bias, that is believed to be a fake:
 SAN FRANCISCO, July 23-Bound, gagged, and at the mercy of Mexican bandits, B. s. Loomis, a San Francis can, was held a prisoner in the noun tains of CerrO de San Juan near San Bias, Mexico. A promise of the payment of a ransom saved his life, for it was the intention of the robbers to kill him after they had stripped him of all his effects.
 The story of the experience of Loom is told in advices brought here by the Pacific Mail steamer City of Panama. Loomis is the superintendent of the California and Mexican Fruit Company at San Bias, and is well known in this city.
 It was on July 9 that Loomis fell into the hands of the bandits. Accompani- ed by one peOn he was making the trip from Topic, capital of the state of Te- pie, to San Bias In the mountain fast nesses he was set upon by six masked Mexican bandits. Unarmed, he was unable to offer any resistance to the robbers, and was forced to submit to their will. He and his servant were stripped of all their belongings, and then bound and gagged and thrown across horses.
 The Mexicans took their victims to a narrow canyon off the beaten trail of travellers, and there made known their purpose of killing them. Loomis pleaded for his life, and the Mexi- cans Gnally consented to let him live on his promise that he would pay them $2OO. The money was to be delivered at a certain spot on a certain day. The bandits threatened to kill Loomis i if he failed to keep his promise.
 Leaving both their victims bound | and gagged on the ground the desperate highwaymen rode off, Loomis drove in vain to free himself from the cords that bound him. The ropes cut deep into his flesh, and strive as he might, | he found it impossible to loosen the fastenings. For two hours he lay l helpless on the ground, and at last he was released by his servant, who had succeeded in freeing himself. Master and man then made their way to San Bias, where the affair was reported i to the authorities.
 A. A. Talbert, a travelling salesman, who is now in Prescott, and whose home is in Mazatalan, is personal ac- quaintance of the alleged kidnapped American, and when seen yesterday with reference to the story printed in the Los Angeles daily, said:
 ''I know that young man better than I know you, and can tell you all about him. There is nothing in that story, if my impression is correct. I live in that country, and have been a resi- dent there for nearly seven years. know the feeling in the Mexican com munity as affecting Americans, and don't believe word of that report. It was no doubt, printed as correct, but f there is a screw loose somewhere.
 "With a man named George Will Hams he went into the banana business, having acquired his knowledge of the ] culture of bananas while in the Philip pines. Williams was also there dur ing the Spanish-American war. The two young men secured a lease upon a