The Palatka news and advertiser. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1908-19??, 1910-06-17
Kidnapped
By LOUISE B. CUMMINGS
Copyright, 1910, by American Press
Association.

Job wilkins was altogether too ten
der hearted for a sheriff. He lived in
a town not far from the Canadian Dor.
der with his wife and children and
only accepted the position because no
one else would take 1t. Besides hay
ing nothing but the house he lived in,
he needed the pitiful salary attached
| to the office.
One night citizen Of the place was
waylaid, sandbagged and robbed. A
man named Fletcher was suspected and
arrested. Fletchers wife went to Mrs.
wilkins with pitiful story of her
husbands innocence and persuaded her
to beg the sheriff to let Fletcher Of.
When Wilkins came home he found
Mrs. Fletcher at his house. She told
SO straight story and begged 80 hard
that Wilkins, since he had no power TO
let his prisoner go free, agreed to fur.
nish bail for his appearance in court.
wilkins signed bail bond for $4,000.
and Fletcher was released from jail.
Fletcher disappeared. 1t was evil
dent that 1t was his purpose to jump
his bail, and to pay the bond would
take all Wilkins had-his home. He
heard of Fletcher's flight few days
after it occurred, and, setting a watch
on Mrs. Fletcher, she and her hus-
band were traced to a Canadian vii
lage dozen miles beyond the border.
Something must be done to save
what little wilkins possessed. Be.
sides, the sheriff was very wroth at
having been tricked. He thought over
the different ways by which the crimi-
nal might be brought back and deter
mined that he would try to kidnap
him. This he preferred to using the
process of extradition, which he con-
sidered hopeless.
Wilkins interested a friend of his
named Parker, who agreed to help
him. Unfortunately for their plan the
village where Fletcher lived was the
heaquarters Of troop Of mounted po-
lice. To go into a town right under
the noses Of these men, capture man
protected by British law and carry
him twelve miles was a risky under
taking.
At nightfall the two men, having
hired the fastest team they could find,
crossed the st. Lawrence river by fer
ry. They agreed to pay the ferryman
a good sum to be on the Canadian
bank at the time of their return and
be ready to push off at moments
notice. They hired another team at
village midway between the river and
their point Of attack. This team was
to be ready and waiting for them in
the road on their return.
Wilkins and Parker drove into the
town where Fletcher lived soon after
bedtime. Fletcher's house had been
located, and, pulling up before the
door, Wilkins alighted and knocked.
Presently Fletcher In nightclothes
opened the door. Wilkins cowed him
at the point of a pistol, then threw his
strong arms around him and literally
carried him, kicking and struggling, to
the wagon. With ropes ready they
bound their prisoner and were driving
off when Fletcher's wife appeared at q
window, screaming loud enough to
wake the whole village. AS they dash
ed through the streets sashes were
thrown up and people put out their
heads to see what was the matter,
lights appeared, there were cries Of
"Stop emp and presently church bell
began to sound an alarm that reused
the police force.
BY this time they had reached the
outskirts of the village and were clat-
tering southwark along the turnpike.
Wilkins kept looking backward, but
could see no followers until they had
covered a mile. Then the sound Of
horses hoofs on the stones told him
that the mounted police had started on
their pursuit Down came the whip on
the horses launches, and they nearly
doubled their pace.
For five miles it was a steady chase.
Their team was q good one, and the
police We're mounted on Indifferent
horses. Nevertheless the latter had
gained a little at every milestone.
When they drew near the village where
they expected to find their relay team
their pace was considerably diminish
ed. Looking ahead, there stood the
team ready beside the road. Their
pursuers were not quarter of mile
away. Pulling up beside the relay they
hustled their prisoner from one team
to the other and were of before their
pursuers came up.
The sergeant Of police, seeing that the
kidnapers had secured fresh horses.
sent several of his best mounts to make
a dash for them. Wilkins horses,
though fresh, had load to pull, and
this made an even race. Bullets be-
gan to whistle past them, but they
galloped on, their pursuers maintain
ing their distance behind them. Then
a bullet pierced one Of the horses.
This looked as though the game was
up, but the animal seemed goaded to
gallop the faster.
Finally from a rise In the ground
the kidnapers could see the dim out
lines of the river. 1t was an incline
straight down to the ferryboat, which
they could see on the near shore. The
horses had been obliged to walk up the
rise, which had brought their pursueFs
dangerously near them. Now wilkins
pushed them down the incline In spite
Of the danger of their stumbling and
falling, the sound horse now dragging
the wounded one. Pulling up beside
the ferryboat, they hurried their man
into 1t, the ferryman pushed on. ana
the police appeared on the top Of the
rise an eighth Of mile away.
When the court met to try Fletcher