The New York herald., 1921-07-08
4 MEN KIDNAP BABY;
FATHER IS ACCUSED
Nine-Months-Old Child Taken
From Pompton Lakes Home
of James Simpson.
MOTHER KNOCKED DOWN
Mrs. Alfred Torrens RecOg-
nizes Husband as One of
Party Throttles Her.

l. IICIs
nursir baby, Margaret Eloyse
Torrens, months old. was snatched
from her crib yesterday morning at
the summer home OF her grandfather,
James Simpson, a Paterson silk manu-
facturer. in the Ramapo Mountains a
mile from the town of Pompton Lakes,
~. j. She was carried off by four men
In an automobile.
The baby's mother. Mrs. Margaret
Torrens, was knocked down by one of
the invaders. With one hand at her
throat, he held the other over her
mouth TO keep her still. She says
that she unmistakably recognized the
leader OF the men as her husband. AL
fred Torrens. whom she married two
years ago against the will of her par.
ents and whom she left in January
last
Ransom Demand Forestalled.
The automobile. after the seizure. sped
along the Ramapo road In a direction
which would take II either to Paterson
or further up into the Ramapo range
The police OF all New Jersey cities and
towns have descriptions OF the men and
have been asked to catch them.
The grandfather OF the baby. James
simpson. is head OF the silk manufac-
turing nrm OF James Simpson a. Co. and
director OF the City Trust Company
and the Paterson Bridge Company. He
said last night that II money was de-
not pay one cent. but that he would
~ necessary spend his last cent 70 cap
ture the kidnappers whom he described
as "murderous bandits"
Chief ef Police Miller OF Pompton
Lakes rode yesterday afternoon up TO
Green Pond. IN Morris county. where
the mother OF Torrons. who lives In
the winter at 236 Seventeenth street.
Paterson. has a summer cottage. He
thought the son might have taken the
baby 10 its grandmother. But Mrs. Tor
rens told Miller she had not seen Alfred
Torrens since last Saturday. The police
chief. on a hint that Torrens was some-
where IN the hills. decided TO spend the
night at Greenwood Lake. II Is not
charged that Torrens had a hand In the
throttling OF his wife. As he is the
father OF the child and there has been
no legal separation some of the New
Jersey authorities didn't see that any
action could be taken against him. un-
less II be for trespaxsing on the prop
eriy OF his father-in-law.
Grnndfsther Threaten. rfght.
James simpson vac at bis Paterson
factory when the baby was taken Ho
was sitting on bench Under a tree be.
side his home when reporters called. Hs
had told his lawyer and the chief OF
Police of Paterson that an his resources
were az their disTosal in bringing thoss
men 10 justice" and. having taken of
his collar. was sitting m shirt sleeves
looking like a very determined gentle.
man.
Il have no revolver" he said. but
have a cane n I Rad been here they
would never have Got the baby. not Willis
had anything left Somebody would
have been kilied"
The simpson home is called Tire
Cedaw. n r. iarEt aione and shinFis
bungalow fet among trees on a hillside
afsINe "a lANe am fHfNfAANAiNA NNf
view of the Eanapo VALLEY and noun.
tainn Mra Tofrtra hah hatrgd ths
baby and placed n in "a crib on a
screened porch and was ironing iis
clothes IA q sumulsr titrtsn 20 ~ o'ciock
yesterday fnofnirE Her mother wa'
RESTING IN another roosn. There vas ne
me about ths piars tNcsrt ths t~c
women ana the hahY A sister rf Mrs.
TorrenA Miss Marcia simunor had
driven over % Po-npton Lakes On q mar.
kctlng trip
Up ths private driveway from ths mAlr
road. winding afaonK eve cedars. came
an Overland car Country club model
with four men aboard ~ sfupied fu
the drive back cf the house Two nfsn
stayed near tn car rhs others entered
the Kitchen Mrs. rorrens looked w
from her ironing Shs SAYS ths mar
Who came IN nrKt wAr her husband
whom she had rot seen since thef parted
slx months aao BE didn't nsy any
thing. bat STROBE through thc house n
the screened porch in front whore the
baby had gone 20 sleep. Tho second
man. sIighter than her husband. who
ls tall and dark--he is half Cuban
wore soldier clothes Mrs. Torrens
sayx. that IL. he had olive drab shirt
and breechss and spiral Putises q the
same color
This man was also silent. The mother
says he Jumped at her. GOV rcd her
mouth and nose with one % hls hands
20 that she could hardly breathe. anu
applying the fingers Of his other hand -
her throat. bent her over until she fct
20 the floor. wh.re Ne held her. Mean.
while. che SAYS. her husband ran
through tho house 20 the porch.
moment later she heard man shout
At that signal her captor released her
Continued on ssrfh Pdcs.