Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1909-04-08
HUMAN MONSTERS
DESP|CAbLE PLOT
THE BODY OF HAROLD MOON Is
FOUND IN THREAD
LAKE.
FOIL EASY MONEY PLOT,
Heartless Scoundrel Attempted to Ex-
tort Money From the Grief Stricken
Parents, But Failed.

The mystery surrounding the disap-
pearance of Harold Moon, the 10-year-
old son of Mr.. and Mrs. Luman N.
Moon, FIVE weeks ago, was solved Sat
urday morning when the body OF the
missing lad was found in Thread lake.
In order to facilitate the search which
had been in progress at the lake for
several days, the sluices were re-
moved from the dam and the water
was lowered to a depth of two or
three feet
The discovery of the body was made
by Bert Robson. one OF the members
OF the searching party, who was in
the boat alone. He Immediately noti-
fed the other searchers, and after
the inanimate little form had been
taken from the shallow water, 1t was
placed i'm an undertaker's wagon and
conveyed TO the morgue.
While the search was being made
Human n. Moon, the father. had been
lured to Delavan, Wisconsin by a
scoundrel who professed TO be kid
naper holding the boy for ransom,
whose blackmai letter follows:
"Mr. and Mrs. Lyman Moon. these
can get your boy Harold returned 10
his home before the week is at the
end. The boy will be in the vicinity
OF this town the rest of the week,
and | do this at his request as he Is
tired of this life and wants to come
home If you don't comply with this.
you will not see him soon. This
needs no reply, and II you tell any
person or make any attempt at arrest
you surely will fail to get him alive.
This is what you are TO do. On
next Friday night at $3.50 or o'clock,
you fix Ii so you can get here at z: 80
d. m. that night At a time stated by
yourself go to street called Wal
ward avenue TO a place with small
cannon in the center 1t is across
from the Hotel Delavan. Put $500 in
the mouth and return to Hotel Della
van and inside of an hour your boy
will be there o. X. 1t is all off II
you fail TO do as asked. Dictated by
your SON."
Mr.. Moon at once left for Delavan
On his arrival in Chicago he consult
ed with a detective agency telling
his story and showing the anonymous
letter he had received. Then. accom-
panied by Detective Charlesworth, he
hurried to the Wisconsin city. In
stead of leaving the money in the can
non as directed in the letter. Mr.
Moon prepared the following note:
81 know not who you are, but II
you have the boy write the names oil
his brothers and sisters, the name oil
a book received at his last birthday
and who he sleeps with when at
hoTe, 7 will produce the $500 and nc
questions asked"
This was placed in the cannon
mouth and City Marshal Fleming and
Detective Charlesworth stationed
themselves where they could watch
unseen About $50 o'clock large
man darted up to the cannon, seized
the letter and vanished into the dark
ness
Acting on the orders OF Mr. Moon
the officers made no attempt to fol
low him, as the frenzied father feared
such action might be discovered ant
result In harm TO the boy.
The officers got good look at thu
man, however, and are confident O
his identity.
What charge may be brough
against him is now being debated b.
! the authorities. Though he sought Il
extort money he did not, and canno
be charged with abduction. What Il
J do in the case is a puzzle to the auth
! critics.
Immediately after receiving tn
news of the finding OF his sons bod,
Mr. Moon left for home. ar~