The Washington times., 1933-08-01
RELATIVES FEAR
INTERMEDIARY
IS MISSING
Mother, Brother Beg Police to
"Find Nanny" But They
Have Him in CUSTODY

NDEAANA, o., aug. i A4.N.0.J '-CSu-
eral, State, and local authorities
were reported today to be rapidly
closing in on the kidnapers of
John j. O'Connell, jr., released
Sunday after his uncles, Edward
j. and Daniel P. O'Connell, had
paid a ransom of $4,000.
Nanny Strewl, also known as
Stroll, the go-between who car
ried the money from Dan O'Con-
nell to the kidnapers, was still
being subjected to a grilling ex-
animation by the authorities.
ARRESTED or Kidnapped"
District Attorney John T. De
laney denied Strewl was under
arrest, but Louis Snyder, counsel
for Strewl, said:
"Strewl either has been ar.
rested or kidnapped"
Detectives James O'Connell and
Bernard Dolan, of the under
cover squad Of Capt. Richard
Oliver, Of the New York city
police, admitted they had taken
Strewl into custody for question
ing.
Albany police took Joe Curro,
alias Joe Blow, another Of the
"a potential Intermediates named
in the O'Connell case, into Gus
tody for questioning this after
noon. Curro's companion, who
protested when squad of police
told Curro to "come with u.s."
also was taken to police head
quarters but his name was not
revealed.
Mother Makes Plea
StreWl, according to reports
which leaked from the district
attorneys office, is being held at
one of the Albany police stations.
His car has been parked in a
downtown business street since
Sunday and his mother and
brother have appealed to the
Albany police to help them find
Nanny"
John and Francis Obey, alleged
Albany gangsters, and Jimmy
Galluci, who worked for Strewl
when the latter was in the beer
business, also are being held for
questioning by the authorities.
District Attorney Delaney ad-
mitted he had questioned a
prominent South End business
man in connection with the kid
naping, but refused to divulge
his name.
Small Time Gang
In less than "a hours after
young O'Conneu had been re-
leased, the authorities said they
had established these facts:
That the kidnapping was the
work of small time gang of
Albany racketeers who had a
grudge against the O'Connells
because they had been ordered
to leave the city.
That the first note demand
ing $250,000 ransom, and sub
SeQuent notes, we're written on
paper purchased in Albany. The
writing paper is said to have
been traced to an Albany store
and the fact pretty we'll estab-
lished that it was purchased
by a woman whose identity is
known to the police.
The authorities are not sure
now but that young O'Connell
may have been held captive in
an Albany apartment, although
he was released in New York
city.
Pal of GO-Between
John Obey. who, the authorities
say, has a police record, has
been Strewl's pal for many years.
Attorney Snyder, counsel for
Strewl, said that IF Nanny has
been arrested. we will not be long
in getting him out"
Attorney Snyder, who is past
exalted ruler of the Albany Lodge
of Elks. said he would be willing
to tell the story Of his connection
with the case IF Dan O'Connell
will release me from the pledge
Of secrecy"
Meanwhile young O'Connell
continued to remain in Seclusion
to all but the authorities at the
retreat of his uncle, Dan O'Con-
nell, in the Heidelberg Mountains,