The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1911-04-04
PAYS BIC RANSOM
KidnapperS Get $4,000.
to Return Baby.
POSSES ARE ON THE TRAIL
Masked Men Break Into House OF
Las Vegas, N. H., Lawyer and
Take Child From Mother at
Point of Revolvers.
POSSES ARE ON THE TRAIL

Las Vegas. n. NJ, April Twelve
thousand dollars in cash was paid on
Thursday at midnight by A. T. Rogers,
a wealthy attorney of this city, as a
ransom 70 recover his baby, which
was kidnapped few days ago ana
carried to the~mOuntains.
The money was paid over at a spot
in the foothills designated by the Kid
nappers, who took every precaution
not to be trapped
The crime, which was the boldest
and without parallel in the southwest,
has stirred the people OF Las Vegas
and the surrounding country to a
frenzy.
Though the child was stolen night
before last and the threats of the alb
ductors that they would Kill the babe
if any report was made to the authori-
ties. the news of the abduction didn't
become known until an hour after the
child had been surrendered and the
kidnappers had escaped with their
ransom.
Frantic Moshsr Tried to Bride Fiends.
At the time OF the kidnapping the
child's father was absent from the
city. The two masked men force1
their way into the home OF the fash
ionable residence and demanded tne
babe. The frantic mother tried to
bride them with jewels, silyerware and
what money was in the house, but the
demand for $4,000 or for the child
resulted in the little fellow being
taken. The bandits left note telling
how the money was to be paid.
The note directed that a red lamp
should be hung on the rear window OF
the house at IL o'clock at night II the
money was TO be turned over. Failure
TO do so was to be taken as a refusal
and would result in the immediate
murder OF the child, according to the
threats in the note. which directed
that the money be in bills OF $40 or
less.
<The terror stricken family let no
one into the secret, got the money
and at the appointed hour, William
Rogers, an uncle of the Kidnapped
child, drove to the lonely mountain
spot with the cash.
Money Paid; Child Returned.
Three bandits emerged from their
hiding places with leveled Winchesters
and took the money, which they care
fully counted in the glare OF the auto
mobiles lamps. and finding the full
amount in the packages Of $4,000 each,
directed the uncle TO a point fifteen
miles in the opposite direction, where.
beside the road. wrapped in blanket,
the child was found asleep and none
the worse for its experience.
The babe was returned to its par
ents in Las Vegas as fast as the auto
mobile could burn up the miles. Then
the officers we're notified Immediately
posses were organized and northeast
ern New Mexico is being secured by
bodies Of armed men.
The bandits have been trailed TO the
Bad Lands near the Oklahoma line,
and with the posses but eight hours
behind them and bloodhounds follow
ing the trail. their capture seems GER
tain. It ia believed the kidnappers,
who are four In number. will be lynch
ed il taken alive.
The stolen child is a grandson of
Judge Henry L. Waldo, the Kansas
City millionaire, who is on his way 10
Las Vegas on a special train. He has
offered $4,000 reward for the capture
of the bandits, while Las Vegas and
citizens have increased the reward by
$4,000.