The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1933-06-17

The abductors, who seized
Hamm Thursday noon as he
walked from his office to- his
home, threatened to kill the
young millionaire unless the
money was paid quickly.
News of the kidnapping was not
made public until late Friday night,
after William Dunn, business man
ager of the brewing company, and
police officials received a COM
munication from the kidnaperS and
a note from Hamm himself saying:
do as they tell you
Police suspected Verne Sankey,
sought as the master mind in the
kidnapping of Haskell Bohn here just
a year ago and of Charles Boettcher
II in Denver several months ago, as
the leader of the gang which seized
Hamm.
Shoot on Sight Is Order
Orders to shoot Sankey on sight
were issued by Police Chief Thomas
Dahill of the st. Paul police force.
Last summer, when Bonn was re-
turned upon payment of $4,000 ran
som, Sankey escaped from police
trap to capture him.
Sankey's wife, Mrs. Fern Sankey,
was on trial here on kidnapping
charges when Hamm was seized. A
fnrry ~ II
her case was given to the
jury, which acquitted her on charges
of having assisted her husband in
the Bohn kidnapping. She now is
under arrest on federal charges of
having participated in the Boettcher
kidnapping.
Police theorized that Hamm was
few minutes after he
left his office at 1915 o'clock Thurs
day. He should have reached his
home, where he was living with his
in fifteen minutes.
100000 Is Demanded
Five hours later, Dunn received a
telephone call, saying:
Billy Hamm has been kidnapped.
We want 100000"
Shortly afterward Dunn received
another telephone call. This time
the voice said:
1--WE know this is a shock to you,
but we are in dead earnest. Have
100000 in IS, $40 and $40 by Fri
day. The money must be delivered
in Hamm brewery truck. Have
the sides removed so we can see
that no policemen are concealed in
it. We will give you further in
at 5 p. m. Friday" IA,
Early today Dunn had received n
further instructions.
After the second call, Dunn noti-
fled Dahill, Michael Kincaid, Ram
sey county district attorney, and
Thomas Brown, veteran detective,
who was instrumental in negotia-
lions in the Bohn kidnapping.
Note Deliered by Cabman
Friday afternoon a taxicab driver
delivered to the Dunn home a note
confirming the kidnapping and also
the note from Hamm himself. They
had been written on different type
writer's.
Police, hidden at the Dunn home.
seized the taxi driver for question:
ing. He protested he was ignorant
Of the contents of the messages.
claiming he had been paid So to de-
liver them to the Dunn residence.
The taxi driver was shown a
photograph of Sankey. He said he
had a strong suspicion" that he
was the man who handed him the
messages, near downtown st. Paul
hotel.
Detectives said they were led fur
her to believe that Sankey was i'm
dictated in Hamms kidnapping by
he similarity between the instruc-
ions in this case and in the Bohn
ma Boettcher abductions. The
method OF operations in each also
vas similar. they said.
Believed to Be Desperate
They believed that Sankey, hunted
" state and federal authorities in a
iozen states, had become desperate.
1 captured, he will face life i'm
orlsonment upon conviction under
he new federal kidnapping laws.
Hamm, who is 80, controls tho
'ast business interest built up by his
ather, for many years a prominent
northwest character. He is a direc-
or Of the First National bank, re-
eiver of a chain Of northwest thea
ers, president Of one of st. Paul's
argest department stores and linked
With other enterprises.
He is active in social life Of the
Twin Cities and owns numerous
BUSINESS and residential properties.