The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1929-07-02
BANKER Tells
Weird STORY
OF KIDNAPING
Captive Nearly Week;
Loses $3.50 to AbductorS
at Penny-Ante Poker.
SERVE EXCELLENT WINE
Missing FinanCier Found
Sitting in Own Auto
Reading Newspaper.

EAST ORANGE N. j., July o.
Willard H. Elliott, vice-president of
the Hobart Trust Company Of Pas
sale, today told weird story of be-
ing kidnapped and held captive for
nearly week by men who de-
scribed themselves as Chicago gun
men, and who entertained him by
winning $3.50 from him at penny
ante poker
They served me excellent wine,'
Elliott said in his home today, land
when left they wanted a souvenir
from Inc, so I gave them my belt
with a valuable silver buckle"
Elliott was found early today by
Sergeant Samouckie of Nutley, sit
ting in his own car reading an &C
count Of his kidnapping by street
light.
Taken to police headquarters FL
lott was identified by officers be-
cause of his former connection with
bank there. He was questioned
brifly and allowed to drive to his
home
Consents to Tell Story
Before retiring Elliott telephoned
Mayor John j. Roegner, president Of
the Hobart Trust Company, and
told his employer that he would
report for duty Wednesday after
resting up bit.
The Elliott home at first was
barred, but later Elliott consented to
give his story.
Elliott, prominent in New Jersey
banking circles, disappeared last
Wednesday after gaily waving a
farewell to his daughter Ruth
"On Wednesday I left little Ruth
(his daughter) at the playground"
Elliott said. when I got within a
mile Of my bank, I noticed a gray
sedan following me. In it were two
men, Italians I am sure. one about
% and the other about 35
Frightened by Publicity \
when I reached a driveway op-
poSite a roadhouse on Passaic
avenue, in Passaic, a smaller car
came out of the driveway and pulled
alongside my car. The fellow in
| the small car had a pistol in his
hand. The gray sedan pulled up
on the other side of me, and I
stopped.
The man from the little car came
over and put his pistol in my
stomach and forced me to get in the
back seat of my car, lie down on the
floor and covered me up with a.
rope.
/ was assured that I would not be
harmed if I kept quiet. I couldn't
see much after that, but I believe
my car was driven to a Junk yard
OF some kind, because I saw a paper
press and bales Of paper.
Children Played Around
"The man held a conference here
and decided to take me elsewhere.
I was blindfolded with a handker-
chief, and still in my own car, was
driven about a half-hour and then
taken up on porch.
There was a slight pause, and
then door opened and q feminine
hand, or at least believe it was,
took hold Of my hand and led me
into the house.
THE men took me in a room, re-
moved my blindfold and I saw a.
room with a nice bed in it, but no
| carpet on the floor.
They admitted they we're Chicago
gunner, hired to kidnap me, but
| they said they didn't know why.
They we're acting under orders
They told me if at any time 7
was kept captive I should hear any
gunplay they would leave the back
door open so I could make my
escape that way, because was not
mixed into that
Il was kept in that house until
100 this morning They treated
me very fine. We played poker and
drank wine. My food consisted Of
sandwiches and the most wonderful
coffee.
These fellows took nothing from
me excepting that I lost $3.50 play
ing penny ante. In fact, that cleaned
me out of ready cash.
"On Saturday night I told them
could not stand it any longer and
that I must ind some way to let my
wife know 1 was all right They got
some stationery for me to write my
wife wrote:
I am o. k. Don't worry. Am be-
ing detained. Best love TO you and
Ruth WILLARD
They told me they would mail
that to my wife or see she got it
promptly. She tells me she did not
receive it.
They let me 90 this morning at
1870. They had kept my shoes from
me all the time was there When
they gave the shoes to me they we're
muddy, so one Of the men scraped
the mud with a pistol.
Il was somewhere in Bergen
county I remember seeing milk
bottle with the name Clifton on it.
Clifton is a town near Passaic)
If I hadn't been worried about
my wife I would have had Won
derful time They we're very decent
to me. I heard many conversations
between the men, but they didn't
mention the bank.
when I got away from that place
this morning I drove while and
then got out and looked at my Ii
cense plates. The rear plate was
gone and I looked inside the car and
found the plate wrapped in Pas
sale newspaper that carried a pic
ture of my daughter was look
ing over the paper when the ofncerN
found ma