The San Francisco call., 1910-09-04
Stanford Youth Held Captive for
Four Days and Brutally Mis-
treated, Accuses Hazers
NUMERALS 10 BURNED
INTO ARM WITH IRON
Victim Made Prisoner in PalO
Alto, Strapped in Auto and Lib
Grated Near Sacramento
PAUL F0OTE LAUGHINGLY
TELLS THRILLING TALE
Especial Dispatch to The Call


q ACRAMENTO, Sept. 3.-Paul
=. Foote, prospective freshman at
- Stanford university, who disap-
peared mysteriously from Palo Alto
Tuesday night, walked into the Sacra-
mento police station late today with
a four days growth of beard, a raven
Gus appetite and tale that has a
parallel only in the widest fiction.
Kidnapped by four masked men,
strapped in an automobile, robbed of
%5.05, a gold watch and a fountain
pen, blindfolded, kept captive for four
nights and a part of the fourth day,
branded on the left arm with a red
hot iron, and finally turned loose six
miles from Sacramento and forced to
walk into towTl-that is Foote's story
in brief. The straightforward manner
of its telling, the look in his eye and
his appearance make the Sacramento
police, the newspa permen and others
who heard his story believe it's every
word.
Foote is tall. strapping young feI-
low with a good face and a kindly
look. He appears to be big hearted
to fault and was laughing at his
experience when every man who heard
his story was filled with rage at the
men responsible for the crime.
Victim Smiles
Sometimes 1 feel like getting mad
and then 1 have to laugh" said Foots.
smiling. as he walked up street with
the Call correspondent this evening.
Foote doesn't know who his captors
were and has no idea as to why he
was taken away and robbed, held
captive for so long and then turned
loose, penniless. more than 100 miles
from the university.
Il can not believe but that they were
sophomores," said Foote tonight. but
can not understand why they should
brand me with 10 if that were the
case. haven't been at Palo Alto long
enough to get acquainted with many.
II robbery was the motive. I don't un-
derstand why I should be held captive
so long or why they should have given
me back my watch when they turned
me loose today. I don't believe 10
classmen would do it, because don'r
think they are in sympathy with the
hazing that is going on down there"
Foote'S opinion is shared by the
Sacramento police and by City At
| torney Hart. who closely questioned
the youth this afternoon.
Foote tells his story hesitatingly.
preferring not to be made hero but
that he is safe. He has no money to
send telegram.
Taken Prisoner
Il live at SIS Emerson street" said
Foote when asked to tell his story for
The Call this evening. MY room mate
is William DalzeIl. senior. had
written a letter to my folks Tuesday
evening and started to the postofice to
! mail it. AS I left the house noticed
some sophomores short distance
down the street and went around the
block to miss them. I had mailed my
letter and was on my way back to the
room, when four masked men stepped
up to me and said: we want you
Il thought I was in for another haz-
ing and knowing resistance would do
no good 1 went along They put me in
a big black automobile and strapped
me to the seat. One Of them took the
wheel. another sat with him and the
others sat on either side OF me in the
rear seat. As soon as we started they
took my cap and placed a hat with a
veil over my head.
1--WE rode all that night, in what direc-
tion 1 don't know, but evidently toward
San Jose Wednesday morning the
machine stopped and was taken into
a building. They took on my veil and
could see that II was a shack They
took me into the back yard during the
daytime Wednesday There was a high
board fence about the place. I could
see no buildings over it and from all
appearances the place was in the coun-
try. / could hear no sound that would
give me any idea of where was
Il remained here until Thursday at
sundown. Then I was placed in the
automobile again with the veil over