Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1905-10-12
PLAN TO klDNAP ROCKEFELLER.
rat Grove saps 1t Failed Only
through Timidness of Confederate

through Timidness of Confederate.
Butte, Mont, Oct. Z. That plans
mad been laid to kidnap John D. Rock
efeller and hold him for ransom of
$2,ooo,oOO or 100000, and that the
scheme was not executed because of
the tlmidness of one of the plotters at
the last moment, was asserted yester-
DAY by Pat Grove, the notorious out
law under arrest here for his connec-
ton with the kidnapping of the Cud-
ahy boy.
so startling in its holiness was the
plan TO steal the Standard Oil man
mat those who heard it were inclined
to laugh at first. But as the mildest
bandit in this part of the country told
the details and circumstances of his
visit to Cleveland and the prepare
ions that had been made for the great
est kidnapping in the history of the
country, all doubt as to the truth of
the story Grove told vanished
1t may be that John D. Rockefelled
and his family will smile at the sug-
gestion of Kidnapping the richest man
in the country, but those who know
Grove and his adventures say he
would not have hesitated.
Captain of Detectives Henry Dunn
and Officer Henry Haitzenden of Oma-
ha, accompanied by several Omaha
newspaper men. reached Butte yester-
day afternoon and identified Grove.
The recognition was mutual. They
will leave for Omaha Saturday night
Really Is Grove.
Grove was positively identified yes
terday by two detectives from Omaha
When he realized that he could not
avoid standing trial for the Cudahy
kidnapping, the outlaws love of tell
ing of his experiences returned to
him and he sent word to the newspa
per men that he would tell them Of his
adventures. He answered all ques-
lions put to him except in regard to
the kidnapping for which he is under
arrest, and then told Of the plan to
kidnap Rockefeller.
John D. Rockefeller is the Oldest
kid l ever had designs upon" Grove
said, "and if my partner had not got
cold feet we would have made two
millions out of the deal soon after the
Cudahy trick. This is no fairy tale I'm
telling, but the cold truth, and Rookie
teller can thank his lucky stars-and
they have been lucky for him-that he
was not carried oh, gagged and his
son forced to disgorge some of the
coin his father has done others out of.
Gets an Inspiration.
"It was Immediately after the Cud-
ahy affair that my partner and I-nev-
er miI.i my partners name-were ~
ing low in Chicago. We were laugh
ing at the excitement over the Cuda-
by kidnapping and spending our
money recklessly. Kidnapping was SO
easy that suggested that we go after
bigger game, and the idea hit me so
well that decided to go after the big
gest game in the country.
"Then we would have let John D.,
Jr., know what we expected. We would
have let him know in such a way, too,
that it would have made his head
swim. tell you that old man would
have written a letter to his son that
would have brought the money next
day.
ga week after made the suggestion
we took the train to Cleveland and
laid our plans. When we got down
there we went out to his place at For.
est Hill, six miles east of Cleveland,
and sized up the place. 1t was dead
easy. We could have turned the trick
without effort and got away with the
money.
Take Him From Bed.
well, finally we got down the bust
ness. We planned to hold up the
Waterman at the point of pistol, bind
and gag him and get into the house at
night. We had a plan of the entire
place fixed, and it was our plan to lift
the old man out of bed, put him in a
rig and drive off.
eve fixed the thing for Wednesday
night. About 6 O'Clock my partner
said he wasn't feeling well and he
asked me to put it off until the next
night. Well, put it off, and at noon
next day he broke down, got cold feet
and said he thought we were being
watched right then. That settled it.
began to fear he was going to give
the whole snap away about the Cud-
ahy affair, SO lit out. Then went to
south africa, and that was all there
was to 1t.
Maybe" said Grove, smiling, "Tll