Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1910-06-25
Charley Higer Kidnapped.

Last Saturday evening some
time after dark, Charley Higer,
the eleven year old son of VIM
Higer, of West Milbrook town
ship, went out to feed the seper-
ated milk to the calves. The
father was in the house when he
heard the boy cry in alarm in
words that sounded like Papa
don't let them steal me. - Mr..
Higer hurried out the door and
called, but getting no answer
made his way to the calf lot.
The feeding had not been finished
and no boy was to be found. Mr..
Higer instructed Mrs. Higer to
load the shot gun, turn out the
lights and shoot any strange
person coming about the house.
He then mounted horse and
started in pursuit while Mrs.
Higer got action over the phone.
When the word reached Carl
Kohler's place it found Jake
Rohner there spending the even
ing. Jake and his brother Emil
live about three quarters of a
mile from Higers. Jake immedi-
ately left for home to get the gun
and join the chase. When he
reached home he found the mis-
sing boy there with his brother
Emil and the three returned to
the boys home, thus relieving
the awful anxiety of the parents,
Now for the boys story. While
feeding the second calf asshort
heavy set man with black face
ran up behind him, threw an arm
around his body. started off with
him saying, / am going to steal
you" The boy cried out, Papa
don't let him steal me- and
then his mouth was covered and
he was prevented from answer
ing the calls of his father. He
was carried first southwest from
the house, then circling around
west of the house and making off
north. They passed over two
corn fields, the kidnapper carry,
ing the lad over them and made
him walk on the grass. About a
half mile north of the house they
came to a horse tied inside the
pasture. After making some
preparations the kidnapper got
on his horse and rode away first
making threats of murder if the |
boy told of what had happened or
if he returned to his home. The |
Rohner light was pointed out to
the boy and he was told to make
for it, which he did. The par
ents fully believe the boys story |
but there is a growing feeling on
the part of the public that the |
boy is romancing. While there |
are some things that look suspi-
cious, the alarm first given to the |
parents and conscious feeling
on their part, that the boy had
been kidnapped, followed by
such vivid story on the part of
the boy, strengthen the conten-
ton that things happened just as
the boy claims. From the first |
cutlery to the arrival of the boy |
at the Rhoner home, there is
little evidence to support the |
boys story. The mans tracks
across the field were said to be
no larger than those made by the
boy. The hoy says the man had
a very small shoe cut open so he
could wear them. The tracks
were made from lister ridge to
lister ridge, a distance of IL
feet, rather long steps for a
short >man carrying an eleven
year OLD boy and were longer
steps than the boy could take un
less he ran. The horse was tied
inside the pasture. but no evil
dence could be found as to where
the horse entered or left the pas
ture, as not steeple was miss
ing or had been pulled. The man
had three revolvers, yet the boy
says he tried several times to get
out his knife to fight him with,
but the man would pull his hand
out of his pocket every time he
put it in. The boy easily tracked
the route over which he was
taken. bur never could only one
set of tracks be found The
horse was dark with white hind
feet and all them tied up in rags
to muffie them and thus prevent
clatter when hurrying over the
roads. When the horse was
reached some sort of tin shoes
were fastened to the kidnappers'
shoes before he mounted, pre-
sumably to Kill the scent in case
of being followed by blood
1,4o |