Norwich bulletin., 1920-08-06
THE CRANK" THE MAN
 WHO GOT THE RANSOM


 l Philadelphia, Aug. 5.-Postal inspec- tors and local police tonight expressed i themselves as thoroughly convinced that "The Crank" identified as Augusta Pas col and known to the authorities as PasQuale, is not only the man who se- cured the $12,0O0 from George H. Coughlin, father of the kidnapped Nor ristown baby, but is the actual abduc- tor of the thirteen months old child. Pascol, who was arrested last Monday at Egg Harbor. N. J., after he had been trapped into picking up a box supposed to contain $10,0OO as further ransom money for the return of the missing boy, is still hidden by the authorities. Under no circumstances, they declare. will his whereabouts be revealed until they have completed their investigation of the story he tells.
 An important development in the case today was the Identification of Pascol as Augusta Pasquale with a police rec ord in this and other cities This also led to an examination of the finger prints of Pasquale file at police headquarters here, with the kidnapper's finger prints found in the Coughlin home and it is asserted by the police that they agree sufficiently to convince them
 
 Pasquale was released from Moyamen- sing prison here last March after serv- ing nine months on charges of break ing and entering, larceny and carrying concealed deadly weapons. He had no money when he left prison, but when Pascol applied for a room in a lodging house here in June he appeared to be plentifully supplied wE>h finds. This was after June IT, when Coughlin de- posted ,000 under deserted trolley station at Swedeland, near Norristown, as instructed by the letter signed "The Crank demanding the money for the re- turn of the child. The money d.sap- peared and no trace of the child was found. Pascol deposited about $2900 in a local trust company and later bought chicken farm at New Gretna, N. J., near Egg Harbor, and also an automo- bile.
 Prior to serving nine months in the county prison here, Pasquale served a term in the Elmira, N. Y, reformatory beginning fp April, 1910. Three years later he was arrested in Newark N. J., for carrying concealed deadly weapons after that in Fairmount Park here as a suspicious character From the time he was released in March until June, when he appeared at the lodging house, his movements are not kroWn The Cough Ii nbaby was stolen on June 2.
 According to George A. Leonard, chief postal inspector Pascol said he did not know anything about the kidnapping but that he was hired by a man to hang the white sheet along the railroad q signal for Coughlin to throw a box con taining s10,000 out of a railroad train window between Camden, N. J., and At lantic City. Leonard said Pascol will not reveal the identity of this man. Postal inspectors and the local police tonight expressed the opinion that a number of persons might have been in- volved in the abduction and are also of the opinion that woman figured in the case and is now caring for the child. The authorities expressed the belief that the prisoner refuses to admit the kidnap- ping because under Pennsylvania law | the penalty for the crime is life impris- onment, while the term for using the mails to obtain money by fraud is five years.
 l Many rumors and supposed clues as to the whereabouts of the missing child are being run out by the police The baby has been reported to be in Atlantic i City and also in Philadelphia.