Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1913-10-02
YOUNG SON OF NEW METHODIST
MINISTER At MASON CITY
SOME JOKER.
FAST c. a NV. TRAIN
HELD WHILE OFFICERS SEARCH
Wires Kept Hot After Lad Drops Two
Notes Saying He and His Brother
Are Being kidnaped-lnvsstis cation
Reveals Hoax and Victims Conclude
to Laugh With the Crowd.

ter's family who Is bound to develop
into great fiction writer or detec-
tive. He is Master Eugene Wagner.
who arrived Tuesday night but became
famous enough en- route to have all the
sleuths at Cedar Rapids and Belle
Plaine and special traiumen Of the
Northwestern looking for him. He
tried . kidnap stunt Just for KID"
ana It took hold seriously.
Just what the juvenile section OF
the new preachers library will show
when It is unpacked will be Of un-
usual interest and the boys will evi-
IDENTIFY seek 1t out soon, II the lads
Joke Of Tuesday Is a criterion. Al
any rate Gene" decided he would
have some sport and while whirling
over Illinois on the fast Northwestern
train calmly asked his father for q
piece of paper on which TO make some
'notations." That sounded to father a.
as II his son was taking mental
picture Of Illinois and wished to make
If his son was taking a mental picture
Of Illinois and wished to mako note OF
his impressions. At Clinton the lad
dropped a note out Of the window and
as the train was pulling out. tho lad
was noticed to chuckls and take inter-
est in the Iowa Landscape. At Dewitt
he asked his father for another piece
Of paper and on being questioned the
purpose only remarked Il want to
catch another sucker" He wrote the
second note and as the train was dash
the window. Then there was q cross
to- - fhA
tanned and he said he was perpstratins
q kidnap story.
Appeals for Help.
Both notes were appeals for help,
stating that he was being kidnapped.
The first was signed as Cora Garden.
stating she was being kidnapped by
Clarence Hall, and the other which
brought results. read:
"Help-Two boys are being kidnapped
Our father is wealthy. We live in De-
troit. We think we are being taken
to Cedar Rapids. Spare no means,
you will be well paid. Stop this train.
"(Signsd) HALL CAME"
There was little laugh Of the fam
lily and parental admonition to cut out
any more kidnapping stunts, couched in
biblical terms of course, ard the mat
ter was forgotten.
The Mount Vernon note had taken
effect, and the police at Cedar Rapids
were notified and got busy after the
train had left. Wires were kept hot
land Il was discovered that there were
two boys on the train In charge Of an
innocent looking individual who might
perhaps be Clarence Hay but In fact
was Rev. Mr.. Wagner.
Sheriff Gets Busy.
AT Belle PLANE the train was held
fifteen minutes while trainmen. and Of
ficers made q search when the sheriff
espied the dominic and his boys on the
platform waiting for the Mason City
train and demanded to know how many
children he had. "Oh. several" said
sthe preacher somewhat nonplussed at
the familiarity Of the stranger. But
how many boys?" Numbered the off,
Ger. Are these yours7 am looking
for two boys who have been kidnapped.
we have held the fast train fifteen min
utss searching it. Who a:e you?"
Il am a Methodist minister. My
name is Wagner. Here are my three
boys and my daughter. We have
enough not to try to kidnnp any more.
We haven't heard anything of any boys
being kidnapped"
Then Eugene got busy to find a con-
venient temporary hiding place as he
saw visions Of the prison bars. Paul
and silas might have been in Jail but
that was out OF date. II wonder II It
could have been Genes note" said the
sister and the big crowd which had
gathered at the depot platform to see
the kidnaper taken into custody
emitted a great laugh IN which some
peeved train officials finally Joined
when they discovered that 1t was just
practical Joke Of lad with vivid
imagination and deep sense Of humor.