Omaha daily bee., 1915-01-07

omA Nntln4sIA-ss

a III THE accounts OF the death last week Of Jim
"a Callahan referred Incidentally 10 the fact that
he had been implicated with the notorious Pat
Grove in the sensational Cudahy kidnapping affair,
although when brought trial for the offense Gala
han had been acquitted. As truth is stranger than
fiction. the story OF the outlaw exploit could well
be taken as piece Of lurid literature invented by
the fervd imagination Of yeliowback dime novel
artist Yet. II currently reported that more than
one Of the jurors who sat In the Callahan case and
heard all the testimony refused TO believe that young
Cudahy stolen away from his parents at all
or that the princely ransom Of shining gold
paid to procure his return.
The disappearance OF the Cudahy boy was re-
ported 10 the police the night of December 49, 1900
but In no way to arouse more attention than the
frequent requests the police to look for
one who has failed return home at the expected
hour The fact was. believe. mentioned in a three
four-line item in morning paper. but not con
sdered by The Bees night of sufficient moment
to call for notice. Soon after the plot had definitely
developed the next morning, we got the inside story
from source in which felt had right TO
place implicit reliance-how young Cudahy had been
kidnapped and being held hostage TIL the demands
of his captors complied with-how the note had
been found in the yard tied to stics-how II gave
directions for procuring the boys by placing
bag containing 900 in gold at spot to be indi-
Gated by the signal Of lighted lantein-what roads
TO take and how the trip must be made-how the
strictest secrecy must be obRerved-the threat OF
bodily harm TO the boy ~ full response these
mands were too long delayed. No time lost in
converting this information into hurried narrative
n
extra. People eagerly snatched the paper from the
newsboys, to whom copies could scarcely be supplied
fast enough. Folks read the story with increduous
amazement, and just laughed loud when they fin
most guIliblo to swallow. The Bee be trying
to Guido the yelowest Of the yellow Journals"
the common remark. What a crazy yarn a
almost involuntary exclamation.
And yet. that first account OF the Cudahy kid
naping printed in The Bee extra had practically all
ha witt r1afa
ton had come to US the telephone. and whether
the misunderstanding at end the other, the
directions given all mixed up. We described the
route TO be Travelled in carrying the gold to its hiding
spot going along the bank of the Missouri river IN
stead OF west the Center street road and this
mistake facilitated the subsequent moves by which
the price secretly deposited according to
Instructions and the kidnapped boy brought back home
without any outside interference.
Chief Of Police Donahue who had the cudahy kid
napng personally in hand told more than
once that he convinced he could have recovered
the boy without giving up any money or could have
taken the ddnapers Immediately after the money was
paid II he had been permitted TO follow his
plans Apprehension the part OF the Cudahys, and
particularly the strain the mother. lest
the threats might possibly be carried out resulted
in positive orders that the police should do nothing
until the boy safely home and by that time the
perpetrators Of the deed had such start pursuit
that the advantage all In their favor suspicion
had attached tho first to Pat Grove and. know
ing his desperate character. the natural impulse OF
those directly concerned to avoid melting him 20
attempts at further reprisals.
have met Pat Grove number OF times since nc
became word-famed the Cudahy kidnaper On
one occasion no had fantastic proposition TO submit
1 10 which he explained at considerable length.
| Never mind what the proposition was-it may some
day furnish the theme for another entertaining story
] but he ventured some passing remarks about his
| Omaha experiences that could leave doubt to
the part he had played He Is. or was then large.
! smooth-faced. ruddy-cheeked fine-iooking man. a
trfle inclined TO be portly HIS hair was beginning
90 streak with gray. He sat in his chair for nearly
an hour dlseourslng freely about himself in rather
boastfal vein referred TO the time when II lifted
] tho KID" and told how he 'plunked the policeman
insisted that he could escaped long
as he wanted 10. The burden OF his story was that
the money he had had was ali gone.
why don't you 20 to work. asked him. You
/ certainly could set Job II you really wanted to-"
| That's easier said than done" answered Grove.
IT can't take the kind OF Job that Is offered A
| friend Of mine wants to work for HIM right now.
tending bar. ana good wages too, but wouldn't have
/ It. Why. ~ TO do that ana some half drunken
hobo in and shot hole through me. he'd go scot
| free but II touched him, I'd be rairoaded
| straight 70 the pen"
l wonder how many know that. because OF the
then defective condition OF Nebraska criminal
| code. Jim Callahan tried and acquitted, not on
charge OF forcibly carrying off and OBTAINING the
| boy, but charge OF highway robbery-steang
the $4,000 that handed by putting the
In fear or terror.