The Waterbury Democrat., 1937-06-12

NOVAAVAAA0VA SAOAA OSS ~ had offered for sale in nearby Huntington. She did not return, and several hours later a crudely penciled ransom note demanding $25, 1000 was found in the Parsons car, which was parked in the drive way near where the strangers had stopped their car.
 Acting on a tip from an undis- closed source, detectives went to New York city and took into cus- tody Alex Kuprianoff, 43 year old factory worker, who said that he had marrid Mrs. Kupryanova sev- eral years ago, but had lived with her only a short time. No charge was placed against him.
 Was Married Twice
 Mrs. Kupryanova, who has lived in the Parsons home with her Il year old son, Roy, for six years, had been quoted by police as saying that she had been married twice, first to a titled Russian and later to an Englishman, both now dead. There was no mention of 8 third mar riage. Later, however, police said she admitted having married Kup- rianoff.
 Investigators said they had learned that Mrs. Parsons and her husband had been eager to- adopt Roy, having no children of their own, but that Mrs. Kupryanova re- fused to consent. However, they said, Mrs. Kupryanova changed her name to Parsons when she obtained United States citizenship last year, in order that there might be a child of that name in the house. Police said the boy had been registered in school as Roy Parsons.
 Will of Mrs. Parsons
 In addition, it was said, Mrs. Par sons recently made a will in which she provided that after she and her husband died her estate would pass to the boy. The will also was said to have contained a $lO,OO0 bequest for Mrs. Kupryanova and a smaller bequest for the child.
 Rhea Whitley, head of the New York bureau of the F. B. l., directed the questioning of Mrs. Kupryanova and Kuprianoff. When they first confronted each other, police said, they began shouting in Russian. Whitley summoned an interpreter, but by the time he arrived the cou- pl had regained their composure and were talking in English.
 Mrs. Kupryanova was said to have named Kuprianoff as the father of her boy, who was born in London. Kuprianoff denied it, and said he had never been in London.
 Had Volunteered
 It was exulained that Kuprianon was not under police restraint, but that he had volunteered to remain in custody until investigators had completed their questioning.
 Federal agents refused to con- ment as to whether any progress had been made in the investiga ton, while local police conceded openly that no leads had been obtained.
 Investigators remained away from the Parsons home so that Parsons, 8 Yale graduate and raiser of fancy squabs, would be free to negotiate directly for his wife's return. So far as is known, no contact has yet been made with the kidnaper or kidnapers.
 Kupriano1 told police he was married to Mrs. Kupryanova in Rus sia in 1918. He came to the United States in 1923, he said, while his wife remained in London.
 In 1926-the year Roy was born in London-he obtained divorce in Cleveland, O., it was said. Mrs. Kupryanova came to New York in 1880, Kuprianoff said. They were reconciled, he said, and. for several months operated a rooming house in Bridgeport, Conn. Mrs. Kupry- anova left later, he added, explain ing that she had obtained job in New York city.