Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1911-04-12

the recovery of the ransom money Is
but another testimony of the skill
and resourcefulness OF the chief Of
the territorial mounted police
That the guilty parties. in planning
the kidnapping. were attempting. by
working upon the love of Mr.. and
Mrs. A. L. Rogers for their little son.
by placing the little ones life in
jeopardy. to draw upon the ample
purse strings OF the wealthy Judge
Waldo, is the belief of the officers
Conflicting stories told by VIII ROg-
ers, together with suspicious actions
on his part and unexplainable eireum-
stances encountered by the mounted
police and detectives in their efforts
to unravel the mystery of the crime
led to their being shadowed several
days ago. II was not, however. until
Captain Fornoff arrested Virgins this
evening and secured his story. that
any evidence sufficient to warrant an
arrest could be obtained. When an
officer went to interview John Rogers
tonight he was in attendance at a
meeting and banquet of the Elks and
the visit of the officers caused a COM
motion in the lodge room.
Joe Virgins. who was pardoned
from the New Mexico penitentiary
some time ago by former Governor
Otero. while serving a sentence of
nine years for murder, asserts that he
received letter from Will Rogers
while employed as miner at Madrid,
the Santa Fe county coal camp.
do you want to make $4,000 east
ly?" the letter inquired, 'if so come
to Las Vegas and see me-
Bringing his wife with aim, Wig
gins came to Las Vegas about sixty
days ago. He leased small house
which is located on the Romeroville
road, near the southern line Of Yves,
Las s-,gas. the county seat Virgins
says that WIN. Rogers came to him
and rented the house for three days,
March 30. 80 and 81. These are the
days between which the kidnapping and
the payment of the ransom occurred
Virgins states further that Rogers Sc.
cured some rooms for him and his
wife and supplied them with grocer
les.
Virgins told the officers he and
his wife returned to the house after
the child had been restored to his
parents upon the payment of $4,000
to the kidnapers. There the officers
found the trousers and mask worn
by the masked man who entered the
Rogers home az midnight on Thurs
day morning and took the boy from
the arms OF his mother. They also
found two pairs of pantalettes given
the abductor by Mrs. Rogers when
she gave her infant into tho hands of
the kidnapers, in order that her darl-
ing son might not be uncomfortable
for lack of clean and warm clothing.
Wiggins told the officers he and his
wife threw these articles in an out
house on the place. True to his story,
the things were found after a search
by the officers. In spite of Virgins
story that he and his wife had no
further participation In the crime,
than to rent young rogers house, the
officers believe they both were con-
nected with the diabolical plot. The
refusal of Will Rogers to pay Wig
gins his share Of the $4,000 Is believ-
ed to be the cause of Virgins will
ingness to talk. Virgins says Will
Rogers wrote him a letter after the
successful issue of the kidnapping plot.
and cautioned him to burn all the
| letters that he had sent him. Later
viii Rogers drove to his home in an
auto and commanded him to keep 81
/ lence and destroy all evidences of
the crime by moving about the furni-
ture in the room so that it might not
be recognized by the child.
1t was by clever bit Of detective
work that Captain Fornoff brought
about the arrest of Virgins and Sc
cured his story. Saturday after ap-
parently giving up the hunt for the
kidnapers. Fornoff went to his home
in Santa Fe. He went with purpose.
While in Las Vegas he had learned
of the residence of Virgins here In
! the city Knowing Virgins to be an
ex-convict and as his description an
swered closely that Of the man who
entered the Rogers home and stole
the baby. at the point of revolver
| Fornoff believed he had some connec-
ton with the crime.
Accordingly he went to the peniten-
! tiary ct Santa Fe and obtained pic
ture of Virgins.
Today he took the picture to the
home of Mr.. and Mrs. A. T. Rog-
ers and showed it to the child. with
manifest pleasure the little one reach
ed for the picture and babbled:
"That's Mr.. Friend-I love him.
Fornoff didn't wait for more. He
hurried out to Virgins house ant
arrested him. In the afternoon Form
off had little Master Waldo Rogers
mother bring him to where Virgins
was being sweated AS soon as the
little fellow saw Virgins he climbed
| into his lap with the exclamation
"Hello. Mr. Friend; we had some
good times, didn't we? | love YOU
Then Virgins, seeing the game
was up, came across with ms STORY
The arrest of win Rogers ensued. Al
II o'clock tonight the report came
from the hotel that Rogers had con-
fessed, however, 90 far rs known. he
has not implicated his brother John
| Rogers. and IL is probable that the
latter may be innocent Of any part In
the kidnapping. though he is accused
by Virgins Jointly with VIII Rogers.
Will Rogers was suspected for
many reasons from the very beginning
OF the investigation. Santa Fe De-
tective Wells who was stationed near
the place where the money was to be
paid to the kidnapers, saw Rogers
drive to the spot in his auto. Though