New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-01-12
|HE|RESS KIDNAPPED
BY TOO ARDENT WOOER
Young Leader Of Society Forced
Into Taxicab, Bound and
Rushed Through Streets.
GIRL SAVED BY ACCIDENT
Chauffeur Runs Into Soldiers
Monument in Allentown, Her
Abductors Are Caught
and She Is Rescued.
tBv Telegraph to The Tribune. ]

duQ DIG 4S NCoCuV0'
[By Telegraph to The Tribune
Allentown. Penn, Jan. 11.-Prospec-
| tive heiress Of a fortune valued al
more than $1,OOO.OOO, Miss Anna
Steckel. daughter of Reuben p. Steckel
retired business man of this city
was kidnapped late this afternoon al
her home In West Walnut street She
WAS forced by two men into a waiting
taxicab. where her arms were pinioned
and her head thrust under blanket
Then there was thrilling ride through
the streets Of the city, the trip ending
In Centre Square. where the automoDiie
ran into the Soldiers Monument, the
girl was rescued and the abductors ar
rested.
At the police station the kidnappers
were identified as Samuel Sinclair, SUI
pervising inspector Of state highways
with headquarters in this city, and X.
Walter Starr, a senior at Lehigh Uni
versity, South Bethlehem. Both were
committed to jail in default of $3,OOO
bail.
The girl was taken to her home and
is in a serious condition as the result
of her experience.
Miss Steckel is twenty-three years
old and Is a leader of the exclusive set
of young society folk in Allentown
She is a graduate Of the Allentown Col
lege for Women and of Vassar Col
| lege and member OF the Lehigh
Country Club and the Allentown AS
sembly. She Is an attractive brunette
and talented. The kidnapping Is al
legged TO be due TO Sinclair's infatua-
ton for the young society leader.
Sinclair is thirty years old, a member
of a prominent family Of Quakers OF
Kennett Square. Penn, and graduate
of Swarthmore College. where he was
star football player and athlete. Starr
is said 10 be a son OF Professor starr
member OF the faculty of the Philadei-
phIa Dental College. Sinclair Is c'Vi'
engineer ard was assigned TO Alien
town over a year ago by ex-Highway
commissioner Hunter TO superlh'ehu
the construction of state ROADS In Le-
high County.
Met at a Card Party.
sinclair's manners and appearance
in addition To his family connexions
soon won him a place In local society
and while a guest at card party ne
| was introduced to. Miss steckel. lie
became a frequent caller at her nome
and was a welcome visitor for time,
hut Miss Steckel. 1t is declared, tired OF
hin, some months ago and asked him ia
cease his calls.
The ardent young sutton. however
declined 10 be cast aside and repeated
Iv tried 70 see her. insisting thet she
| must marry him. 1t is asserted that
| when Miss Sickle declined last week
once and for all TO marry him. ne de-
clared: "I'n get you yet"
Miss Steckel admitted she was AFRAID
NJ Sinclair. but to-day. when she mad
not seen him for several days. she ex-
pressed the hope that she was rid oil
him.
Niss Steckel had been on shopping
tour. and on her way home at 4:3o
o'clock this afternoon she saw TAXI
cab standing at the curb opposite hef
home. She gave 1t only passing atten-
ton. and, unlocking the front door OF
her home, stepped into the vestibuif
and stopped to pick up several letters
which had been dropped there by the
postman. Just then she was grabbed
by the arms by two men. whom she
recognized as Sinclair and Starr.
Thinking the whole affair was Joke
Miss Steckel laughed at the men, but
when she found herself being dragged
| into the street she realized the seri-
| BUSINESS of the situation and began to
scream for help. One Of the men
clasped his hand over her mouth to
suppress her cries. and In less than a
minute she was forced through the
open door into the waiting taxicab.
Now drive as fast as you can into
the country" was the order the taxi
| cab driver received.
Chauffeur Disobeys Orders.
The chauffeur was c. w. Sherer, OF
West Bethlehem. who said he was EN-
gagged at noon by Sinclair and Starr
| to drive the taxicab "for a wedding.
He declared he had no knowledge OF
| the plans of the abductors and that
when he heard the girls screams he
decided to put the party into the hands
| Of the police.
| Instead OF driving through side
streets into the country. as he had
been ordered, Sherer turned into Ham
ilton street, the city's main thorough
fare, and drove the car at top speed
toward the police station. In the mean
time the girls arms had been pinioned
and a blanket thrown over her head
but the chauffeur was able to hear hei
appeals for help. which attracted ths
attention Of persons on the sidewalks
DodRing teams and trolley cars
Sherer rushed his cab down the busy
street until he reached Centre Square
where Charles Boyle, a policeman
was stationed. Sherer tried to check
1.-THE automobile, but he was going sc
fast that b ran II into the Soldiers
Monument. Then. calling Boyle. b,
told the latter there was something