Evening star., 1905-10-06
MISSING BOY IS FOUND
Return of italian for Whom
There Was Long Search.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
WAS KIDNAPPED AND HELD IL
DAYS FOR A RANSOM.
Son Of Brooklyn Contractor-No
Clue to the Kidnapers-Lad Un-
able to Furnish Description.

NEW YORK, October 6-The abandon
ment of Tony Marendino by the persons
who had kidnapped and held him for ram
som. and the return of the little Italian boy
to his parents, which occurred last night
has given the police no clue to the kidnap-
ers. So impressed with fear of the persons
who had stolen him was the little fellow
that he either could or would give no other
description of his captivity than a mass
of confusing contradictions, out of which
the police could extract nothing that would
point to the identity of his captors. He
had even been so schooled by them that he
called them papa" and mamma" but de-
clared, upon closer questioning that they
were not his real parents.
Inc boy. who is six years old was found
on Sd avenue trolley car last evening
where he had been abandoned by two men.
he was turned over to the police, who rec
ognized him as the son of an italian con-
tractor in Brooklyn. He had been missing
twelve days, and In the meantime his cap
tors had endeavored first to extort $500 and
then 10000 in ransom from his parents
When the child was gently questioned Inv
the police he said:
The Boys Story.
I was taken away from my home by two
men who shoveled dirt for my father. They
made me get off my papa's doorstep and go
with them. They took me to railroad
station where we had to go UP stairs. Then
they went on some other cars and we went
10 stable. They hid me there. After a
While they took me to my cousins house
| had good time"
MS cousins name, he said was Papfto
and he did not know the rest of bis ,a,,,o
but his cousin had shoveled dirt for ron,,.s
Ia.her ana the latter had fired, him
When asked where his cousins house was
the child replied: In New York.
,hinoush the chiid told the police many
.hlngs OF seeming Importance, he wouId
coHtradlct them in the next sentence His
parents. whose conduct In the case has rnvs
tiueu the ponce, have not secured from him
police. A o1o tiie
Schooled to Make Replies.
In reply to one question by the police the
Child said that he had been at his fathers
nome yesterday, but when his father. who
was present, spoke to him angrily. he con-
tradicted himself. The police believe he was
scheoied to make confusing replies.
Ihey also believe that the manner In
which he was abandoned indicates that the
man who held him for ransom also had
something to do with the abduction of Tony
.Mannino more than year ago. The Man
nno boy was abandoned on ferryboat and
could give the authorities no clue to his alb
ductors
The boy, Tony Marendino, today said
1urther that In the house where he was
kept a prisoner in upper Manhattan there
were woman and another boy also kept
prisoners by man and woman who had
held him captive, and that they were try
ing to escape Tony said his captors had
threatened to kill him If he made a noise
and had beaten him with stick but that
he had plenty to eat and a good place to
sleep.
Suspect Arraigned.
The Brooklyn police today arraigned Fal-
voire Pitonia Of that city In court and ac-
cused him of having acted as go-between
for the kidnapers of the Marendno boy.
They asserted that Pitonia had told Fran
cesca Marendino, the father of the kid
naped boy, that If he paid the money de-
marded Pitonia would receive a compensa-
ton.
Pitonia was held in 5000 bail, which
was promptly offered by Marendino, the
father of the boy Tony. When the police
questioned the character Of the bali Ma
rendino excitedly demanded in court to
know why he was not allowed to give bail
for his best friend" The bail was refused
pending an inquiry.
The police suspect that Marendino paid
the ransom demanded but Mrs. Marendino-
denied It today.