The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1920-10-13
C0UCHIlN KIDNAPPING
! MYSTEIE:. CONTINENT
Child Taken From Crib and
4 Nationwide Search Wa. i
All in Vain

! Norrisown, Pa, Oct. 13-The trial
of Augusta Pasquale on charges OF
kidnapping Blakely COughlin, later,
swindling the child's father of $12,z
900 upon promise to restore the baby
recalls one of the most daring and
INSCRIPTIONS acts in criminal history.
On the morning of June 2, the pub
lie was informed that but a few hours
earlier a stepladder has been placed
against the second story window OF
1.-THE Coughlin summer home in Curran
Terrace and the 10 months old blue
eyed Blakely stolen. A littlewhimp-
err had been heard by Mrs. George
H. Coughlin, his mother, who asked
her husband to go into the adjoining
room to see whether Blakely was ill.
Coughlin found the crib empty. :. The
ladder leaning against the house fur
nished the only evidence that it. was
an act of premeditated Kidnapping.
Searching parties were Immediate
ly organized and the woods secured.
Finger prints were taken on an ex-5
tensivey scale. The County Commits
sioners Of Montgomery county Offer
ed reward of $1,500. The reward
was increased the next day by Cough
lin to $500. Pictures Of the stolen
baby were flashed on motion picture
screens in three states, while largeI
posters stuck prominently upon posts
and fences announced the reward.
Former employees and scores of sus-
poets were arrested and detained for
investigation. Letters demanding va
rious sums began to pour into the
Coughlin home from all parts of the
country, some quoting innumerable
passages of Scriptures, others advis-
ing the Coughlins to study Spiritual
! ism. Scores Of kilograms from Chiefs
OF, Police stated they were positive
, they had found Blakely and were
holding the kidnappers.
| On the verge of collapse, June 10,
Mrs. Coughlin made a personal ap-
peal to all women and children OF the
country. IF there is a strange baby
in your neighborhoodl please, Oh,
please! find out where he came from
for he may be my child!" A week
of sleepless nights and father and
mother were under the care of physi-
clans.
| Four days later, 1.-The Crank" alias
Pasquale, was heard from. In let
ter postmarked Atlantic City, he told
Coughlin Blakely was in his possess
sion, and would be returned to him
for the sum of $4,000. Coughlin in
interview with the press demanded
photograph and clothing worn by
the child when kidnappeo as proof.
"The Crank became peeved by what
he termed unnecessary delay, and
penalized the father by doubling the,
amount of ransom. d.
Coughlin asked the police to drop
their work in the case, as he pre-
ferred to deal with the alleged kid
NAPIER alone, by means Of inserting
advertisements to which "the Crank"
Invariably replied by telephoning and.
letter writing. Police warned that
he would be swindled. Thursday.
June 18th, found Coughlin at the end
Of his resources. Having faith, in
the "sportsmanlike qualities" of his
correspondent, he deposited $4,000
under an abandoned troliy station in
Swedeville. three miles from here, the
Monday night previous. He had
waited three days for Blakely to be
returned to him before making the
result public. He was now discour-
aged, he said and believed Blakely
dead. The entire matter was again
in the hands of police. "A &
Underline personal direction OF Ma
jor Lynn G. Adams, superintendent
Of state Police, Chief Eiler Of the
Norristown authorities and Captain
Couder Of the Philadelphia detective
bureau. traps were laid for the
Crank" Numbers Of the $50 and
1900 bills which made up the ransom
were given to department store own
ers here and vicinity. with orders
to hold anyone spending them. Short
ly after, note was received from
"the Crank demanding another 81 B.
900 ransom. This demand, the writ
er said, was the result Of "misund-
erstanding' and intimated he should
not be blamed for the disappearance
of the ransom-money because the sec
ond part Of the agreement was not
fulfilled. Authorities advised to tell
the press he was willing to negotiate
with ."the Crank and that another
|tS12.OOO was available. July passed