The Washington times., 1931-12-22
TWO k|DNAPERS
HELD, CONFESS
To PLOT
Poverty Drove Pair to Engage
in Abduction; Gangsters
From N. Y. Sought

(TN.S. eliminating that New
York gangsters played leading
roles in the ambitious con-
spiracy, two poverty ridden
Tenant farmers early today
confessed, police claimed, to
participating in the sensa-
tional kidnapping last week of
Mrs. Nell Quinlan Donnelly,
wealthy "apron queen.
After an all-night grilling, the
two men-William Lacy Brown
ing and Paul Scheidt-delivered
to Chief of Police Seigfried writ
ten statements revealing in detail
their knowledge of and part in
the plot that failed when the
garment manufacturers
and her negro chauffeur were
released unharmed.
Five New Arrests Near
The arrest and confessions of
the two farmers prompted police
to renew their intensive hunt for
the remainder of the kidnapping
gang. .
On the basis of the two prison
ers' oral information, Chief Sieg.
fried dispatched several squad
cars early today to round up five
additional members of the gang.
The chief said two new arrests
are expected momentarily.
One of the men sought is
Marshall Depew, steam-shovel
operator, who induced Browning
to participate in the kidnapping,
according to Brownfhg's nara
i've.
New York Angle
The New York angle of the
conspiracy was disclosed in the
confession of Browning, 42-year.
I'D father of three children, who
S a member of the school board
If Holiday, Kan, where he lives.
Browning said Depew had told
him that two New York gang
'ters were on their way to Kan
Sas City to aid in effecting the
kidnapping and to negotiate for
he ransom.
Both Browning and Scheidt,
owner of the shack near Bonner
Springs where Mrs. Donnelly and
her driver were held captives, i'm
dictated Depew as one of the ring
eaderS in the abduction plot.
Promise of Big Money
Both said that poverty had
lriven them to take a hand in the
zidnaping, although neither par
icipated in the actual seizure of
the millionairess and the chauf-
eur.
The promise of monetary re-
wards, they confessed, was the
lllurement which induced them to
ioin the conspiracy.
In his confession, Browning
said he first became acquainted
with Depew about two years ago
md that the steam-shovel opera
;or had approached him about
;wo months ago with a PROPOSE
ion for making "some easy
Depew described the kidnap
plot to Browning. Paul Donnelly,
husband of the manu-
facturess, was to be the victim
and the ransom was at
first set at $4,000 instead of
$4,000, the tribute subsequently
demanded.
Must Get a House
Browning said his task was to
obtain a house in which to hide
Oonnelly for two days and that
was to receive one-half
# one-fifth of the ransom in re-
urn for his services.
Browning Immediately thought
# Scheidt's house, which is in a
secluded spot, as the ideal hiding
place for the kidnapers and their
captive.
He said he negotiated with
5cheidt and that later Depew in
erviewed the owner of the shack.
Scheidt agreed to let the ab-
luctors use his home for $1,000,
% be paid upon collection of the
money.
Experienced in Game
When Browning expressed fear
hat the plot might fail and that
Ill of it's perpetrators might be
'aptured and face the death pen
llty exacted by Missouri law for
kidnapping, Depew assured him
With the information that the
;wo New York gangsters would
Zee to it that everything went
Browning said Depew told him
he gangsters were experienced in
such matters.
Chief Seigfried was inclined to
place little credence in Brown
ng's implication that the New
York underworld had a hand in
he conspiracy.
He said he would investigate
his factor, but that he believed
he plot was engineered only by
Missouri men.
liant IoOL ,GEor sizna
lailY in the Rental Columns of the