The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1933-07-14
Agents for Family Of Aged
Banker Insist on Proper
Identification
POLICE ARE IN THE DARK
kidnapers Of Young O'conneII
Demand New List Of Nego-
tiators Be Offered

Officials investigating three major
kidnapings continued to work in the
dark Friday while persons seeking the
return Of August Luer, aged Alton,
ILL.,, banker, and John J. O'Connell,
Jr., young New York national guard
officer, received new notes from the
abductors.
Agents for the Luer family said
neither OF two notes received by them
bore the missing mans handwriting
and said they would insist on notes
in his handwriting before they would
recognize the missives as genuine.
In the new note In the O'Connell
case demanded that Daniel p. O'Con-
nell, wealthy uncle of the missing
man, submit new list of intermed-
iaries to be published in three New
York newspapers. The note was sign
ed by the missing man.
A new list of go-betweens was sent
by the family to the newspapers
named. It was the third submitted
by them and the note was the fourth
received since young O'Connell was
kidnapped a week ago.
Both families are endeavoring to ne
gotiate directly without police inter-
ference.
Meanwhile. John Jake the Barber"
Factor of Chicago was recuperating
from the strain Of II days custody by
kidnapers, to whom he paid $4,000
for his release Wednesday.
Two Are Detained
Detention Of two men for question:
Ing In connection with the abduction
OF Luer. was followed Friday by an
optimistic statement by Lawrence
Keller, official ransom negotiator for
the Luer family.
Keller, an official in an Alton bank
Of which the missing semi invalid
man Is president, said he wouldn't be
surprised to see something pop almost
anytime
Fear For His Health
Relatives OF the abducted VICTIM
seized in his own home last Monday
night by two men and woman, have
expressed fear that the banker might
not survive his experience because Of
his i'll health. The family also has
made public plea that the kidnap-
ers supply their captive with proper
medicine.
Further questioning Of a father and
son, taken into custody in st. Louis
Thursday and confined in the county
Jail at Edwardsville, ILL.,, Thursday
night, was scheduled for Friday. No
charges have been filed against them.
The older man, a st. Louis hotel
proprietor, was detained by police and
federal investigators after Thomas
Butler, Alton mayor informed them
the man telephoned suggestions de-
signed to aid in the return of Luer.
From a woman who Is believed to
have witnessed the $4,000 down
payment" that resulted in the release
Of Factor, has come a clue that may
help Investigators
Story Supports Factors
She Is Mrs. Cardie Kiefer of near
Hinsdale, who told police Chief
George Kummerow OF suburban Elm
hust story that conceded with the
details Of the ransom payment as re-
lated by Factor himself. Mrs. Keller
said she could identify one of the men
she saw.
While she was telling her story.
Factor was recuperating and 240 Of
ficers were searching various parts Of
Cook county for the farm house where
he said he was held prisoner and
with death by the kid
napers. He admitted that $4,000
was paid, but reports persisted that
this was only part Of the ransom, es-
timated in some quarters as high as
100000.
A new club Of the federal govern
ment was being swung Friday against
the kidnapers Of O'Connell.
The office Of the United States at
torney Of the northern district Of New
York state said he had ordered an in
vestigation Of the three notes sent
through the mails by the 24-year-old
soldiers abductors to his uncles, Ed
and Dan O'Connell, Democratic czars
Of Albany county.
U. S. Attorney Oliver T. Burden de-
clared misuse Of the mails by the
youths captors had been brought to
his attention and he had instructed
w. D. Teagle, the Albany district pos
tai inspector, to make thorough In
vestigation.
Watch Catskill Mountains
The legend-laden Catskill noun
tains, where Rip Van Wrinkle took his
long sleep held the attention Of the
New York state police, and interest In
that area was heightened by the re-
ported appearance there early Friday
of the missing mans father.
At Washington Attorney General
said that no matter how
long 1t takes the federal government
viii fight the underworld until law
and order prevails over the gangster.
kidnaper and racketeer.
AS part of that effort, the justice
continued work on legis-
lation intended to give the govern
ment greater power in dealing with
the lawless. This will be presented to
congress in January, Cummings said,
although specific proposals have not
been agreed upon.
One idea, he said IS that CT setting
up q federal police force.