The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1908-04-12
ROBBERS MAKE
BOLD ATTEMPT
At KIDNAPPING
Thugs Employ Hack to Garry
Away Victor Balm, a
Stranger, as Victim.
PLAN IS FRUSTRATED
BY SALOON KEEPER
USES WEAPON IN TRYING TO
BRING DOWN DESPERATE
EXCITEMENT ON STATE ST.

Robbers attempted to kidnap Victor
Bain, an intended victim, and carry
him away in a hack from Kennedv's
saloon at 327 South State street last
night about 10 O'clock. They were
frustrated by the saloonkeeper, who in
terfered with drawn revolver The
story OF the attempt TO carry Balm off
to place where he could be robbed is
IKE chapter from a sensational novel.
IL was the most daring crime vet at
tempted by the gang of crooks nov in
Testing Salt Lake.
BAN, who is a stranger in the CITY
wandered into Kennedys saloon A few
minutes before the attempted kidnap-
ing He was followed by a shOrc man.
wearing a brown stiff hat and a suit
of black clothes
As he entered the door, the piano
player was rafting off rag-time tune
which pleased Balm, and he asked the
musician to have drink with him.
Then, turning and seeing the man who
had followed him, he invited him to
share his hospitality.
Balm paid for the drinks with a $50
goidpiece, exhibiting at the time Il
handful of coins.
In Hands of Strangers.
Pocketing the change, he walked to-
ward the rear of the saloon, where tile
piano is located. Halfway there. ne
began to stagger, as though suddenIy
affected by drink or drugs. Seeing this.
the short man said TO Kennedy:
Take care Of him for a minute. will
you? I'll get hack and take him
home"
Thinking that the two men were sc-
quainted, Kennedy agreed TO watch
Balm while the short man was looking
for the vehicle
The rObber soon returned in a hack.
Mliich was driven into the alley at The
side of the saloon. But when IN effort
was made TO take Balm from the side
door and put him into the vehicle. he
resisted. The struggle attracted Ken
nedy's attention and he went to the
door
There he saw a confederate Of The
robber perched upon the seat with the
driver
The short man was already in the
hack, and was endeavoring to drag
Balm inside
These are not my friends" shouted
Balm, as he struggled to free himself.
I don't know them"
Convinced that Balm was in the
hands of thieves, the saloonkeeper
drew a revolver and ordered the man
IN the hack TO free his victim Startled
at this turn of events. the short man
leaped from the hack and ran awav-
fence in the rear of Ken
nedy's place. As ne was disappearing
over the fence, the saloonkeeper fired
R shot at him.
Escapes in Crowd.
While Kennedy was engaged with
he short man, the man on the seat of
he hack grabbed the reins from the
hands Of the driver and attempted To
irive out Of the alley. Someone. who
lad been attracted by the cOmmotiOn
1t the door, seized the horses by the
pit and tried TO hold them. At that.
he thief took up the whip and dashed
he horses. The excited animals broke
way from the man who held them
md dashed out of the alley to State
treet. Al Third South street the thief
eturned tire lines to the driver and.
Without checking the fast-movfng
iorses, leaped TO the street. He was
Don lost in the crowd
When the police arrived both of the
hieyes had disappeared.
The hackdriver, "Red" Rowe. was
AIKEN to police headquarters. He ex-
lained that he did not know the
nleVes They mad engaged him, he
aid, to take a drunken friend home.
nd he had gone TO Kennedy's saloon
Without an idea that robbery WAS
contemplated. Until Kennedy inter-
cred, he said, he still believed that
he man on the seat with him and the
hort man inside of the hack were
iends of Balm. The police believed the
story and released him.
The police think that Balm was
rugged before he went to Kennedv's
7loon, and was followed by the
lieves, who had planned to rob him.