New-York tribune., 1910-06-23
WILL PAY TO GET HIS BOY
DR.. Scimeca Finds Friend to
Meet Kidnappers Somewhere.
TALKS OF $50 AS RANSOM
Too Curious Crowds, He Fears,
May Frighten Away Black
Hand Gang To-day.

Unless curious crowds and synpathiz-
ing friends frighten the Black HAND
artists away, Dr. Mariana Scimeca hopes
at noon to-day to have back his three
and-a-half-year-o boy, who was kid
Mapped from his home at No. Prince
street on Tuesday. Negotiations are
now going on with the kidnappers for
the amount of ransom that must be paid.
The doctor expected his little son back
Yesterday at noon and believes 1t was
only the constant stream of visitors
Prince street house that has kept the
boy away from his mother another day.
He received a letter yesterday morning
at 8 o'clock, making a new demand for
$4,000 and assuring him that the boy
was safe and unharmed. See a
friend the letter said, ''and your son
will be brought back"
DIR. Scimeca at once called into consul
tation his cousin.
Friend to Get the Boy.
1.-The police he said. when talking
Of the letter. would they pay money to
get back my son? No. I take the let
ter to my friend He Is like my brother
He is like a part of my own body, tap
ping himself on the chest He has my
confidence, and he has their confidence.
I expect my boy back at - o'clock to-
morrow
The doctor is rotund little man with
a curly brown mustache. He was kept
in a state of constant excitement yester-
day by the friends who filled the little
apartment to sympathize, while Mrs.
Scimeca sat by a window and wept for
her child The baby. seven months old,
was cared for by neighbors while the
parents sought the lost boy. DR.. Scimeca
was perspiring and excited. but he was
confident that Michael would come safe
ly home if the crowds would only keep
away from the house.
MY wife wants me to pawn her jew
els for money" he said, "but l want the
people to stay away. The Black Hand
watch the house, know it-and they do
not know whether the people are police
or friends. If the people will stay away
I will have my boy"
kidnapners Will Get Some Money.
The doctor was asked If he expected
to give SS, 600 to get back little Michael
He shrugged his shoulders and spread
out his hands.
"I have never seen SS,OOO," he said II
will give what they want. They wrote
$1,000, but they may have meant $500.
They do not know the meaning of fig
ures''
Then you know who they are?' was
asked.
4 suspect many people" the doctor
said. My friend knows them and
knows how to walk among them.
could not do II. They will get 500,
maybe 500. You see what kind of
people they are to put themselves in
danger of the police for $50
But money" he added. What good
is money to me without my boy? They
can have what they want"
Punishment to Come Later.
What are you going to do, when you
get Michael back?" was asked.
DIR. Scimeca exhibited a revolver
strapped to his hip. Il will get my boy
back first he said. Then will come the
punishment"
The little apartment was filled yester-
day with friends. many Of whom came
to offer money to help pay the ransom.
DR.. G.. w Boskowitz came down from
No 14O West list street.
"'Dr. Scimeca is my old friend.' he said.
"and I will do anything I can to help
him. 1 do not know anything about the
kidnappers I read of it in the papers.
But I will give him money or anything
1 can to help him. L knew the little boy.
and I want to see him home
The neighbors soon heard about the
letter that DR.. Scimeca received yester-
day. morning and knew of his hopes to
have Michael back at noon A report
on the block. The police heard it and
got the story that he was in No. II
Prince street. A dozen of them went
the house with a dragnet They
climbed out on the fire escapes and
poked all the mattresses with their
clubs, giving many a piece of bedding
a much needed airing and turning over.
ClsWs in Petrosino's Papers.
When the police did not find Michael
In No. T. they went through every
house on the block. DR.. Scimeca thinks
he might have his boy now If it had
not been for this search.
The Italian squad at the detective bu-
reau was out all day looking for the kid
nappers. Lieutenant Petrosino, who was
killed in Italy year ago. was a friend
Of DR.. Scimeca, and he had tried to find
the men who began TO write threaten
Ing letters to the doctor three years ago.
Petrosino believed that he was close on
the trail of the Black Hand men when