The Washington herald., 1909-05-17
Kidnapping Not a Crime.

Editc- The Washington EerRld.
BY your kind permission, desire &c
prove through tHe columns Of The Wash
ington Herald that Kidnapping is not a
crime Boyle and Mrs. Boyle have been
sentenced 10 serve in the Allegheny (Pa-)
Penitentiary for life and twenty-five
years. respectively, for dep.iving father
and mother of the presence IN thelr
household OF their little son. Willie Whit
Ia until the captors received a ransom OF
$1,000 for his return to the parents low
ing embrace.
This trfjng offense was called a great
crime by the newspapers OF the country.
as was also the cases Of Cudahv and
Charley Ross. the last the most notable Of
al. because that boy was never re-
turned 10 his parents.
Pennsylvania Is not satisfied with send
ing the chief to serve life term. but
is having their statute changed making
this sort Of Offense punishable BY death.
This is ali strange 10 the writer. in view
Ct the fact which appeared IN a uewS
Item IN your columns OF the date OF Nav
8. announcing that the great government
OF the United States OF America. the lead
Of in point OF Christian civilization. has
exacted monthly ransom OF SO from a
poor Russian mother since she came to
our shores. nearly one year ago. with a
family of four small children. the young-
est Of which. a mere babe. being since
that time detained OF Ellis Island be-
cause Il has 'TingWOTm. and To pay
this excessive ransom this poor mother
has stinJed and starved herself and the
other three children. she all the while
'scrubbing floors twelve hours a day IN
the city OF Chicago" in order &c meet this
government requirement or have her babe
taken from her and returned 10 the moth
e. country and there cast adrifI. a help
less. diseased waif. dependent upon corr
dit!ons, whatever they may be. in an
overcrovGed land; and because this
poor. starved mother has fallen sick ana
is no longer able to comply with the gov
er1ment ransom requirement. having
faiisd 10 make the April payment. this
much bossted best government is max
ing ready. and probably has done so BY
this time. 70 actually kidnap this Rus
sian babe and carry x back across the
waters 70 fare the fate OF the neglected.
never again TO be seen BY mother and
other near relatives.
Il this be right 10 demand and receive
OF a peasant this ransom OF SO. Il was
right for Boyle and wife 70 demand and
receive the Sl0oO0 ransom for the return of
Willie Whitla and nos be punished
Wherein lies the diherence-what constf-
tutes the crime-the stealing and conceal
ing the child Or the dema nding and re-
ceiviug the unearned dollars for the re-
-
acts constitutes the gist Of the crime. and
il cerlainly was rot the receiving Of the
money. for the parents gave that 70 freely
and would have given the whole world
had they possessed the same. rather than
be forever robbed Of the presence. asso-
citation. and love OF their child That be-
ing true. they were punished FOR the
crime Of kidnapping alone.
Think for one moment Of the United
States government rObbing a widowed
mother for ten months. and because she
falls sick IN consequence Of being robbed.
and therefore has nothing more 10 be
robbed OF. now takes body snd soul an
afflicted infant from this mother and. Al
United States expense, carries Il back 20
a foreign shore. away from its starved.
sick mother. who cannot follow the child.
being too poor 10 purchase one mile OF
railroad transportation FOR herself and the
other three children, and there pitch into
the lap Of Russian charity. afflicted. un-
named uncared for unloved. despised. /
because il Is IN some ones way. and there
eft 10 fare the fate 0f neglected children.
which is bad even in a good country.
All the while this scene is being en-
acted a bunch OF dividend g-abbers'' are
busy ascertaining their shares OF the
loot" from ocean-going and railroad
lines, the donated stock OF