Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1919-1980, 1921-02-05
Daniels Jailed for Forgery;
Kidnapping Tale Recalled;
Salem Police Offer Expose


to be thrillingly near the grand
finale of the dime novel; career
of Lewis Edward Daniels, 23 year
old Salem bridegroom, who claim
ed to have been whisked away from
district on January Z, placed on
the Shasta Limited. drugged, and
then to have awakened on a ferry
boat in Oakland bay, was related
by the police this afternoon when
it was announced that Daniels has
again disappeared from Salem.
This time Daniels is safe. Thieves
and robbers and drug dispensers
cannot harm him. Anxiety may be
felt for his future. but his activi-
ties will not be kept secret.
Daniels is in Jail at Pocatello,
Idaho, charged with the forgery OF
four checks, of which Salem mer-
chants were the victims.
Expose is Made
With the announcement of Dan
iels' arrest came what Chief of
Police Moffitt believes to be a con-
elusive expose of the wild story
related to the police by Daniels
on January 10. Southern Pacific
agents, after staging a lengthy in
vestigation have been unable 20
procure any evidence to substan-
tiate the kidnapped" mans tale,
and Daniels own story was, at diff
ferent sittings refreshingly diver
sified, according to the police. For
example, Chief Moffitt said, at no.
two times did his description of
his "captors" tally so that they
might be recognizable as the char
acters previously mentioned. A
note which, Daniels said he was
forced to write to his wide under
duress in which he explained that
he was going on a long journey
and didn't know when he'd re-
turn, was never received by Mrs.
Daniels.
Death Threatened; Claim
Culel MOllllL Sdlu tOudS siAaI hS
had at first given but little Gre
dence to Daniels story, but ne had
investigated it thoroughly with a
view to giving the youth a square
deal. He added that, in the light
of present developments, he is con
vinced there was no truth in Dan
iels' drawn out declaration that
he had been abducted from Salem
at the point of a gun.
Breaking in on the police jan
uary 70, Daniels told them he had |
just come back from California,
whence he had been taken by two |
men. His abductors had approach |
ed him while he was in the Ore |
gon Electric station here. he sail,
and had ordered him to enter q
waiting taxicab or be killed. Sub
sequently he was given a joyless
joy ride about the city while his
IS year old bride, a daughter Of
Mr.. and Mrs. F. R. Dickson, 1918
Front street, waited for him TO re-
turn with the railroad tickets
which were to carry them away
to a farm in Swan Valley Idaho,
which Daniels says he owns.
Drugged on Train
Daniels didn't return. Nobody
has yet disputed that fact. II was
the following Tuesday that his
wife received a telegram from him
in San Francisco, in which he said:
"Am stranded. Wire money for me
to come home on" Later Daniels
told Chief Moffitt that he really
didn't need this money. but mere
" wished to ascertain if his wife
was all right, the idea being. pre-
that if she forwarded
him funds, she was still unharm-
ed.
No conversation took place
while he and his mysterious COM
taxi-cabbed about Salem :
stated. Al SAP in the af-
-srnoon. he said. he was driven to
the southern Pacific depot AMI
was placed on the Shasta Limited
The porter was ordered to make
nm his berth and he was ordered
to retire. A few minutes later one
of the men held a handkerchief I
saturated with drug. over MS G
face. and subsequently he was tne
victim Of arrested cereoratlon.
When he awakened, he insistea'
he was on a ferry boat crossing
Continued on Page FiFe-)