The evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1907-1908, 1907-08-28
KIDNAPPEDBOY
FREED AFTER
S WEEKS
on New York IL" Sta
tiOn--POlice Suspect Father
Paid Ransom Demanded.

NEW YORK, Aug. 2s.-Dressing
their little stolen victim in new
clothes. new shoes and hat, members
of the Black Hand Society, who Kid
mapped 6-year-old Michael Gala, or
II McDouga1 street, Brooklyn. on July
% last, turned the child loose on the
stairway Of the Sixty-ffth street t
ton of the Second avenue a
today before dawn.
There the little chap vas found by
the ticket agent and turned over to
the police. Then he was taken to the
rooms of the ChlldI ems Society and
his father, John Gala, was called TO
come for him..
While the father denies he compro-
missed with the ~kidnappers Of his SON,
the police are of the opinion that he
is not telling all he knows and that
he paid a ransom TO the child stealers
to insure him against torture and
murder.
When on July % the boy was stolen
1t was learned by the police that a
strangs ar had hapI ened along the street
and given the boy a penny. Some or
the child's playmates heard the man
say:
"come with me and I will give you
some pennies"
Since thai date the police have never
ceased to search for the kidnappers.
They were of the opinion that the boy
had beer brought to New York and was
being kept prisoner in one of the Italian
sections of the city.
When the boy was taken to the East
Sixty-seventh Street Police Station, last
night, he was very proud of his new
clothes and hat and shoes. He wanted
to show them to the policemen and to
strut about in them. 1t was plain his
kidnappers had not treated him harsh
Nv. When he gave his name and adj
dress the police searched his pockets
and found a piece of brown paper on
which was written, "Giovani Callla'
Fulton street, Brooklyn
s'They gave me pennies to come" the
boy told the police. "A big man gave
them to me. He said he was going to
take me to my grandmother. l went
He took me to a house where there were
three men, one woman and another
boy, and they kept me. When l cried
to go home they rave me bags of
candy, with pretty rings and other
things in the bottom. They didn't want
me to cry"
The boy tried to describe the men.
but could not. Neither could he de-
scribe the woman nor the boy. The
police have an idea, however, that the
second boy Is another kidnapped child
being held for ransom.
The police messenger found Gala in
his barber shop. The shop was dark
and the father was sitting in a corner,
his head in his lands n sobbing.
."Do you expect your boy home2" the
messenger asked, believing Gala had
information that his son would be re-
turned and hat he was keeping vigil
at that hour to greet him.
mo. I do not" answered Gala. i
wish my boy would return. | would
give all | have for my sons safe return
I fear they have murdered MIN.
When Gala was told that his son
was safe he danced for joy. He seized
his ha and started for the police sta
lion. Arriving there he was informed
that little Michael was in the rooms of
the Children's Society. The boy was
asleep when the father tiptoed into the
room filled with sleeping children. When
he opened his eyes and saw his father
he seized him about the neck and gave
a glad cry.
II got no letters from the Black Hand
Society before / lost my son, but after
he was stolen / received two" said the
boys father. "They demanded $1,000
and threatened to murder my son I'M
less the money was paid. | was in
structed to give the money to a friend
who would call for it.