The Athena press. [volume] (Athena, Umatilla County, Or.) 18??-1942, 1909-04-09
HE LOST HIS NERVE
Milton Lad Plans kidnapping Scheme
but Caves In as Uncle Prepares
to Deposit Money.

Foiled in his attempt to secure
$1,000 from his uncle on a fake kid
mapping scheme which he had worked
up with himself as the alleged victim.
l.. A. Raup, aged 20 years and men,
ber of one of Millions most highly re-
spected families. is held in the county
Jail. The uncle whom he sought to
blackmail lie S. A. Miller. president OF
tue Milton nursery and former mayor
of Milton.
Raup failed to get the money as
planned simply because he lost his
nerve, as the uncle was about to COM
ply with the demands of the myster-
ious letter he had received. 1t is not
believed however, that the young man
would have been aEle to make his es-
cape with the money, even though he
had secured it.
The letter received by Mr.. Miller
was not signed but declared mys-
terious "We" had captured his neph-
ew and was holding him for ransom
of $12O0. He was commanded to take
this sum of money at II O'Clock Mon
day night, out along the railroad track
east from Milton to point where he
would find dim light. Here he was
to deposit the money and after turning
the light around, return home, where
he was commanded to wait until his
nephew appeared before reporting the
incident. Failure to comply with the
demands of the alleged kidnapers was
to te followed by the burning to death
of tbe nephew and also the killing
of Mr.. Miller's little daughter
He lost his nerve. however. and ap-
peared at his uncle's house about 8:l5
that evening. after having spent a
night and day hidden in a deserted
house, the property of his grandfather.
To those at the house he declared be
had been seized by two men and taken
| to a straw stack Sunday night and that
he had escaped from his captors while
they were drinking and playing cards.
His story of the kidnapping was tc
the effect that he had left bis board
ing house to 60 down to purchase some
tobacco and that he was seized by the
alleged kidnapers while on the road.
He said his cantors were Freewater
men.
To an East Oregonian representa-
tive, Raup while not wishing to say
much admitted be had planned the
whole thing himself and that the kid
napers did not exist.
He denies having been inspired to
try the scheme by reading the Whitla
or any other kidnapping stories. insist
ing that he had become badly involv-
ed financially aGa becoming desperate
sought this means Of squaring his az
counts.
Raup said he had no intention of
carrying out the threats contained in
the letter, saying it was his original
intention to skip the country, If bis
attempt to get the money was a fail
ure. He declared that he sought his
uncle for the purpose of making a
clean Ereast of the whole affair and
that he fixed up the other story after
he reached the house and found his
uncle was not at home. He says be
would not have told the story Of the
kidnapping, had his uncle been home,
but be would have told him the truth.
When Miller. who is a brother Of
Raup's mother received the letter, be
secured an automobile and sent man
with the letter to Sheriff Taylor. The
sheriff aud Deputy Bert Wilson i'm.
mediately left in the auto for the
scene of the supposed kidnapiug.
When they arrived at Milton Mr..
Miller ba0 drawn the money from the
bank and was preparing to comply
with the demands Of the letter. About
the same time word was brought that
young Raup bad appeared at bis un
cle's house As ii had Teen practically
decided by this time that Raup wal
at least party to the affair he was
Immediately arrested by Constable
Dykes and taken to Pendleion by the
sheriff and his deputy.
Raup is small, not being more thar
five feet seven inches, but ho looks tc
be the age he claims, twenty years.
His father is dead and his mother
lives in California. With the excep
tion of the last two years which were
spent in Cour ID Alenes. bis entire life
has been spent in Milton and vicinity
| He is an inveterate smoker of cigar
cites and while denying that he il 9
booze fighter admitted he had "gon,
out for time'' on different occasions
| He will probably be held in iai
pending the action Of the grand jury
which will be called Monday.