Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1917-12-23
Convicted Man Says Death
Was Due to Dose of Laud-
anum Given to Keep It From
Crying,
SEVERAL ABDUCTl0NS
PLANNED BY CRIMINALS
One Banker Was to Be Held
for Ransom of S100,000i
C, A, Clement, Another Of
Band, to Make Clean Breast,
ray MORNING JOURNAL SPECIAL LEASED w,ss,

Springfield, Mo-, Dec. 22.-Claudc
to serve thirty-five years in the Mis-
souri, pententiary for the abduction
of baby Lloyd Keet and now charged
with the infants murder has made a
confession to Sheriff Ward Mackey of
Webster county, the sheriff announc-
ed tonight. The confession implicated
many parties now under arrest and
others who have been mentioned from
time to time.
The kidnapped child died of lauda-
mum poisoning, according to Persons
alleged confession, the drug having
been administered by the mysterious
Riley" to put the child to sleep and
keep it quiet. Riley is named by
'Piersol as the leader of the gang and
the man who plotted the abduction
but he says the man now under ar
rest is not the right Riley.
Tells of kidnapping.
According to the signed confession
Piersol admits his part in the abduc-
ton but says it was Riley who climb
ed into the window of the Keet home
and took the baby. Riley handed the
child to Dick Carter, according to
Piersol, and the latter gave II to a
woman, member of the band Pier
sol took an active part In the abduc-
ton, he admits, but declares he, at no
time. touched the child. He was sta
toned at the Keet home, he says, with
Cletus Adams, Make Adams, Dick
Carter and others he named who have
not yet been arrested.
The baby was taken to a deserted
house on the Greene and Christian
county line and there Piersol says he
took food for the child and guards the
next day. He declares he does not
know when the child was removed to
the Crenshaw house, but thinks it was
taken there the night after 1t was alb
Quoted, when a rain and electric storm
occurred.
Denies Writing letters.
Piersol knew nothing of the plot
to kidnap the child until Cletus Adams
"put II up to- him, according to the
confession, and he denies writing the
ransom letters which experts swore
he penciled The post card mailed to
the father of the kidnapped baby, the
last word he received from the alb
ductors, was mailed by Taylor Adams,
Piersol says.
Piersol denies knowledge OF the
death of the child until after his ar
rest, In the confession he says a
member Of the kidnapping band no.
under arrest called on him at the
county Jail and told him of the admin
istration of the laudanum and the re-
sultant death of the baby.
Riley is going to throw it in the
well at the Crenshaw place. he says
the visitor told him.
Another Confession Promised.
Make Adams, II years old, charged
with the attempt to kidnap c. A.
Clement and recently released from
Jail, was the first person to be arrest
ed as the result of Persons confess
sion. He also expressed a desire to
confess, it is said but no announce
ment of statement from him has
been made. The confession alleged
other abduction plots were contem-
plated by the gang.
1t was planned to kidnap j. Holland
Keet, father of the kidnapped child, at
the time he paid the $4,000 ransom
Piersol says and Ed L. Sanford vice
president of the Holland Banking
company and chairman of the state
highway commission, also was marked
as a victim. Sanford, Piersol says
was to be held for 100000 ransom.