Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-11-24
WAS HELD CAPTIVE
BY CHATTANOOGANS.
CH|CAGOAN SAYS
Tennesseans Deny Kidnap-
ing Accuse Distributor of
Breaking Contract That
Meant Business Failure

CHICAGO, Nov. 22.-Everett
Leonard, 55-year-old Chattanooga
manufacturer, and ! IS son. Willard
81, alleged to have made Robert
Naylor, a Chicago distributor,
prisoner. through the persuasion OF
handouts and revolvers, and held
him a prisoner for &c days in their
Chattanooga home in an effort to
collect a debt of $4,000, today were
charged formally with assault with
intent to commit murder, carrying
concealed weapons and kidnapping.
They were arrested yesterday out
side the building where Mayor mas
an Office, and, according to the po-
lice, were armed with three reVolv-
ers. plenty of cartridges and the
handouts. They had come. the po-
lice say they admitted, to get the
money or get Naylor."
The elder Leonard, in his cell at
the detective bureau, denied Mayor
had been kidnapped.
Kidnapping Denied
''It was nothing Of the kind ne
said st don't wish to be discour-
teous. sir, but I'd rather not discuss
the affair until I see my attorneys.
Naylor called the police yester-
dav and said he had received tele-
gram that the Leonards were
coming to get the money or take
him back to Chattanooga. Across
the street, he said, the two men
were waiting. The detectives went
out and arrested them.
zone false move and you re
through" Naylor declared they
greeted him with on the previous
visit in October, and pointed reVolV.
ers at him. He said he told thell
he couldn't pay them. .
NThere we sat through the morn
ing and afternoon" he salo: L, II
anyone came into the outer once ne
was told that I was out. flhdliy !
was given the choice between a pul'
let and a trip to Chattanooga. IL
didn't take me long to make up lily
mind. So,,+t,
'I was released from the hahuCuih9
and given a chance to can my Jus
moss acouaintances and friends anu
tell them that I'd be out OF TOWN. vi
business indefinitely. My teIeSldiii9 ,
to NV wife in Indiana were censored
as TO the destination. Then we went
to the train. ,-, /, =
In Chattanooga Naylor declared ne
was held a prisoner for tWenty-si&
davs in Leonard's home. lie salo
he was not mistreated in any way,
hut was kept under surveillance. All
communications he sent out were
censored. he asserted.
He said he was taken on numer-
Gus visits to bankers and loan sharks
in a kahn effort to obtain funds TO
satisfy the accounts the Leonards
wanted settled. If the money was
not paid, he said, the Leonafds told
him their company would be broke,
and explained that it would be un,
pleasant for the man who should
cause that condition.
Signed Anything
"I was held a PRISONS until L
signed a sheaf of agreements prom
ising to pay Leonard specified sums
at specified periods. Both of us
knew it would be impossible to meet
the payments. But I'd had enough
of Chattanooga and I'd have signed
anything to get away"
Naylor said he had been back in
Chicago about six days when one
of the payments fell due. Then came
a telegram that they were coming for
the money or for him, he asserted.
Leonard and his son will be ar
raigned tomorrow in the South Clark
street branch of the municipal court.
The elder Leonard says he has
many acquaintance among Chicago
business men. In his home town he
said he was authorized TO carry
weapons.
CHICAG0AN BROKE CONTRACT,
CHATTANOOGANS DECLARE
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn, Nov. %.
Friends Of Everett and Willard
Leonard, of Chattanooga, under ar
rest at Chicago for threatening to
kill Roger Naylor, president of the
Santex company, admitted last night
that Naylor had been kidnapped and
kept prisoner in the Leonard home
here for three weeks.
1t is stated the elder Leonard and
Naylor had an agreement in which
products Of the sanitary pad plant,
operated here by the Leonards,
should be shipped to the Santex
company and that part of the pro-
ceeds should be sent back to Leon.
ard. 1t is contended that Naylor
preached his agreement and was at
tempting to defraud the Leonards,
who went to Chicago and forced
him to return here, where he was
compelled to sign a contract. 1t is
contended also that Naylor failed
to stand by the contract and it was
the intention of the Leonards to
kidnap him again and bring him to
Chattanooga with the view of com
polling him to pay money alleged
to be due.