The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-03-07
ITALIAN BANKERS SON GONE.
WRITES TO HIS FATHER TO SEND
ALONG RANSOM MONEY.
Unsigned Letter Fixes the Amount at S3OI-
OOO-BOy Is IA n AblebOdled and
Went OF Willingly With q Man who
Called Him by His First Name.

Went on Willingly With q Man who
Called Him by His First Name.
Antonio Bozzufi, the fourteen-ye ar-old
son OF John Bozzufl, a private banker
with bank and residence at First avenue
and Sixty-third street, has been missing
since Sunday and men who say they have
kidnapped him are writing to his father
demanding $40, 900 ransom. The father
says he has not got more than half that.
The missing boy rs tall and strong and
looks IS. He was employed by his father
on various business errands. On Sunday
afternoon the banker gave him $40 and
sent him to the drug store of A. j. Ditmar,
Sixty-second street and First avenue,
which is a post Office sub-station, to buy
five cent stamps. According to the drug
gist the boy bought the stamps. A little
later, about 8 O'Clock, his aunt, Mrs. Julia
Merlini, saw him going south on First ave-
nue. at Sixtieth street. He was accompanied
by a tall hook nosed man, who wore a
cap and who apparently was about so years
old.
Mrs. Merlini asked the boy where he was
going. He replied that he was just walking
down the street with a friend and would be
back in a few minutes. The stranger at the
same time remarked: "Come along, Tony
The boy turned his back on his aunt and
went on.
The following morning Giacchino Boz
zuff1, a brother Of the father, who lives in
the same house with him and is associated
with him in business, found a letter writ
ten by the missing boy under the front door.
1t was written in Italian, and Is thus trans
lated by the boys father:
DEAR FATHER: l am in Brooklyn. II you
want me to come home safe send the money
that Is asked for. / hope you will get this
before you get the letter from the gentleman
/ am with.
letter sent from Station G, New York Post
Office, also written in Italian, and sub
stantially as follows:
DEAR FRIEND: We have your boy. II you
desire to have him brought back to you safely
send us $40, 900. We are people who perform
deeds. IL is not, necessary to say what We
will do. If there is no money forthcoming
the boys life is in jeopardy. Our scope is no
vendetta. Wei need the money. Your brother
is to go out on the night Of March 8. He Is to
go north on First avenue u ntil he meets a man
who says: Where is the Brooklyn Bridget"
He Is to give the money to this man and the
boy will be returned safe and sound,
There was no signature, only a dash at
the conclusion Of the letter. Mr.. Bozzufl
turned it over, together with the letter from
his son, to the Detective Bureau. Detective
Sergeant Petrosino was put in charge Of
the case.
Petrosino saws the father seems not at all
anxious to assist the police now, and that
the entire family seem Indifferent. The
father became angry at the suggestion
made by the detectives that the boy himself
might, be in with others In a plot to bunco
the banker.
Petrosino proposed to the uncle OF the
boy that he should obey the instructions
in the letter and march up First avenue
as directed, but the uncle refused fatty
to do so, and said he feared that the gang
might do him harm for ~betraying them.
The detectives working on the case say
they haven't any clues whatever, and are
of the opinion that If the banker pays no
attention to the letters and is patient the
boy will come home in the near future.
Young Buzzuffi returned to this country
last October after studying for several
years in an academy in Italy. 1t was his
intention to study for the priesthood and
after returning from Italy he continued his
studies at st. AIMS Academy, Seventy
sixth street and Lexington avenue.
His relatives didn't consult the police
about him until Monday night, Late Mon
day afternoon the father went to the offices
of Cesare Cont, the downtown Italian
banker, and told of his sons disappear
ance. A representative Of the banker took
him to Police Headquarters in the evening.
Petrosino said last night that the father
and relatives OF the missing youth say that
he never did anything before to give them
any worry and that he was an exception
ally devout Christian.