Evening star., 1933-07-14
LUER NOTES DOUl;TED.
Agents for Bankers Family Await Proof
From Abductors.

Agents for Bankers Family Await Proof
From Abductors.
ALTON, ILL.,, July IA P).-Two notes
demanding ransom for August Luer, IT.
year-old Alton banker, have been re-
ceived by Luer's family, it was an
nounced here today. Agents for the
family said neither Of the notes bore
Luer's handwriting.
The family'S agents, o. S. Gait and
Lawrence Keller, jr., said they would
insist that any note from the kid
napers bear few lines of Luer's hand
writing, and be signed by him, before
they would recognize the note as gen.
uine.
This is the only condition on which
We will further negotiate with his cap
tors the agents said, "and until we
have proper proof that he is being
held by one of the persons from whom
we have received communications, none
OF the instructions contained in the
demand note will be carried out"
The agents refused to amplify theil
statement, and would not say how the
notes were received or give any descrip-
tion Of them.
Negotiator Optimistic.
Detention of the two men for uues-
tlonlng in connection with the abduc-
ton OF Luer was followed today by an
optimistic statement by Keller.
Keller, an official in an Alton bank
OF winch the missing Semi-invalid is
president, said he wouldn't be surprised
to see something pop almost anytime. -
He then exhibited a bottle of tablets
such as Luer uses during heart attacks
Relatives OF the abduction victim
seized in his own home last Monday
night by two men and a 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 kidnapers
supply their captive with the medicine
Further questioning of a father and
son, taken into custody in ST. Louis
yesterday and confined in the county
jail at Edwardsville, ILL.,, last night, was
scheduled for today. No charges have
been filed against them
The older man, a st. Louis hote,
proprietor, was detained by police and
Federal investigators after Thomas But
Ter, Alton mayor, informed them the
man telephoned suggestions designed tc
| aid in the return of Luer.
Two Profess Innocence.
Previously police had withdrawn Off
cially from the case at the request o1
the Luer family. This action was
closely linked with the appointment Of
Keller and Gait, manager of an Alton
meat packing plant, as representatives
OF the Luers in possible ransom nego-
tiations.
Mayor Butler said the st. Louis hote
man suggested that Gait be replaced a:
negotiator by William Luer, a son o1
the missing man. He also was declared
ransom amount.
Both the hotel man and his son pro-
fessed their innocence and asked to bs
taken to Alton to make personal expla-
nation. The father was quoted as say
ing he was intoxicated when he made
the call to Mayor Butler and actec
purely from friendly Interest. Before
coming to st. Louis he managed hote
in Alton, purchased from the Luer fam
lily. The Luers later repossessed the
building.
A threat that police power Of the
State would be thrown again into an
attempt to capture the kidnapers was
voiced by Mayor Butler after long
distance telephone talk with Gov. Henry
Horner
The mayor said the Governor offered
aid of as many State highway patrol
men as desired and suggested that the