The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-06-01
Child of Wealthy Parents Is
Stolen From Cradle.
Maid Asleep, Parents Attending
a Country Club Dance.
MAKES A MYSTERIOUS TRIP
Father Makes Long Tour to
Find Kidnapers, but Fails.
OYer-ZealOuS Friends Followed,
Frightening Agent Away.

springfield. MO-, June 1---LlOyo
Keet. 4 months old son of ]. Holland
Keet, is still in the hands of the kid
napers who stole him from the Mead
owmere Place home on Wednesday
night while a maid slept in an adJoin-
ing room and his parents were attend
ing the opening ball Of the Springfield
Country club.
Mr. Keet returned to the home be-
tween 4:30 and o'clock this morn
ing after driving for more than six
hours thru Green county presumably
carrying the ransom money which is
thought to have been demanded by
the captors of the baby. 1t is ru-
mored that $4,000 was the sum de-
manded for the return of the infant
At the Keet home it was impossible to
obtain a statement regarding the mys-
ferrous trip made by the father. Re
ports from small towns said that more
than a dozen automobiles had fol-
lowed the Keet car thru those places.
Mr.. keet had requested that he not
be followed and 1t is thought that
over Jealous friends of the banker
trailed him, fearing that his own life
might be endangered. The presence
of the number of automobiles doubt
lessly prevented any negotiations be-
tween the lldnapers and the parent of
the boy.
Absolute Silence on Plans.
In response 20 a number of queries
heDuDl-
can this morning after the return of
Mr.. Keet to the home on Picwick,
1t was said that no information could
be obtained.
I'VE are not doing any talking; that
is the order and that order is going to
be obeyed," Joe keet, a younger
brother of J. Holland Keet, said.
Whether another communication had
been received from the kidnapers by
the members Of the family could not
be learned.
It was said that it would be impos-
sible to see the nan who had just re-
turned from the night tour.
Mr. Keet made the drive in an open
roadster and shortly before leaving
had the machine overhauled to guard
against any mechanical trouble arising
20 interfere with the trip
In spite of the requests of the fam
lily, particulars regarding the letter
and the trip were learned by scores
of friends yesterday and today.
Storm Intercepted Plans?
The failure of the kidnapers to in
tercept Mr.. Keet during his midnight
and early morning drive is laid to
three or more causes by persons hold
ing to different views. The most gem
orally credited presumption is that
automobiles either attracted by curl
osity or a desire to befriend the un-
fortunate father followed his car as 1t
left the city and were in close proX-
unity to the route taken by him. An
other theory which has considerable
following is that the first letter was
merely a feeIer and that the kidnapers
had no intention of meeting Mr.. keet
on the first trip. Another theory is
that on account of these severe storm
which came up at the time the trip
was about to start the kidnapers were
frustrated in the plan they had ar
ranged to deliver the baby.
The delivery of the letter attracted
much attention during the day. 1t
was addressed to Mr.. Keet at the Hol-
land bank, of which he formerly was
vice president. Efforts on the part of
the postoffice employees to locate him
enabled many others to learn of the
letter and before the letter was in the
hands of Mr.. Keet it was generally
known that such a missive had been
received and in a general way it's pro-
visions quickly became public.
Received a Second Letter.
There was a rumor this morning
that a second letter had been deliv-
cred. Mr.. Keet could not be reached
for confirmation or denial. Calls by
telephone to the Keet residence were
switched to the party line and callers
were denied admittance.
1t was evident that Mr.. Keet was
determined that all further plans for
securing the return of the baby were
to be absolutely secret. The postoff1ce
department also will cooperate in
keeping the messages a secret, it was
understood.
A sleepless night ending with a
dawn of shattered hope and eXpecta-
ton left Mrs. Keet, the beautiful
young mother, distracted and faint
The family circle was reduced to only
immediate relatives. Mr.. Keet, the
baby boy J. H. Keet, jr., who is nearly
3 years old, Mrs. Keet and Mr.. Keet's
mother, Mrs. Kate H. Keet, composed
the party They were counseled bN
other relatives and immediate friends
but no information regarding future
plans could be secured today. Mrs