Milford chronicle., 1913-01-17
KIDNAPERS
TOOK GIRLS Def
Tried Abduction to Win Her
Consent to Marriage.
EXONERATES HIS COMPANION
Samuel Sinclair Says He Loves Miss
steckel and He Tried to Win Her In
Romantic Manner.

According 10 his own statement,
Samuel Sinclair kidnapped Miss Anna
Steckel, OF Allentown, Pa. in cave
man fashion at the practical sugges
ton of the young heiress herself.
He asserted that the girl had told
him she would never marry man
without sufficient spunk to take her ia
spite of herself and do it in a roman
tic manner.
Accordingly, he says. he boldly fol
lowed her into her home. carried hel
to a taXicab and gave orders 10 tae
chauffeur to drive into the country
The driver was frightened by the gisls
screams and drove to the police sta
ton, thus terminating the plan Of tie
love-crazed young clubman.
Samuel Sinclair and X. Walter Starr
are now out on $4,000 bail each, on
charge Of attempted kidnapping.
Sinclair made a statement regarding
the girl. He declared:
Il loved the girl" said Sinclair. "and
/ still love her. l made up my mind
that some day l was going to have her,
but when / proposed to her some
months ago she told me that she would
never marry a man who could no
take her She told me that he must
do it in a romantic manner, and l de
termined to do it,
Il am sorry that l got R. Walter
Starr, my nephew into this. The boy
was innocent. He entered the plan
with me simply for a lark, and l sin
cerely hope he does not get into trou
bic over it
Miss Steckel. who is the daughter ot
Reuben P. Steckel, millionaire retired
business man, bears a slight cut on her
forehead, and her face is scratched
from the struggle in the taxicab with
the two men Chief of Police Bernard |
says that her clothes were torn when
she was brought into the station house
with the men who tried to abduct her
Miss Steckel, suffering from SHOCK
as the result of her brief but exciting
ride in the taxicab was visited by
host of her friends and acquaintance,
and received numerous telephone and
telegram messabes of congratulation
on her escape Her condition is nol
considered serious.
Members of the family, especially
her father, are enraged at the attempt
to abduct her and have determined tnl
prosecute as far as the law will per
nit
Sinclair met Miss Steckel at a card
party and became Immediately enam
ored of her. After that he was a fre
quent visitor TO the Steckel home.
Some time ago, according to init
mate friends of the young social ia
vorite, she became tired of his per
sistent attentions and proposals Of
and asked him to cease his ,
visits. Sinclair refused to be deferred !
by this. Neighbors say that when hi :
rings at the doorbell of the Steckei !,
home We're unanswered he would sit
IN the steps for hours at a time ,
The girl was seized at the door OF Z
Ter home by Sinclair and Starr Thel :
after is Sinclair's nephew and is
ION of DR.. Walter Starr, a widely :,
znown dentist, of III South Seven !"
eenth street, Philadelphia. =
Miss Steclxel at first thought the mer =
we're joking, but when she found that
he was being forced to the taxicab
landing at the curb she tried to
cream. " ~
One Of the men put his hand over y
er mouth to stifie her cries, and ~
Then she was placed in the car - ..
lanket was thrown over her head. =
hen the chauffeur, G. w. Sherer, Of =
Vest Bethlehem, was ordered to drive - 4.
S fast as You can into the country. -