Evening star., 1938-03-11
G-MEN TRY T0L|NK
CASE WITH OTHERS
Unofficial Prober Finds No
Connection, However,
With Dean Episode.
BY John LARDNER.

NEW YORK, March 1.-THE kid
naping of Frank Nowak, golden-h haired
ward of William H. Terry, is the first
authentic snatch in baseball since the
time that Flint Rhem was abducted
and forced to drink whisky at the point
OF gun some 10 years ago.
The kidnapping of Nowak seems to
have originated in the sinister brain
OF Cyril (Where are the Papers?)
Slapnicka, known in certain circles
as the Blank. or Light-Fingered Cy.
Putting two and two together, the
police believe that the disappearance
OF young Iowa schoolboy named Bob
Feller may be traced to the same
source, and that Feller, missing for
two years, still is being held alive in
one of Slapnicka's hideouts
G-men are attempting to link the
NoWak and Feller cases with the Hen
rich case and to trace all three to the
same mob. 1t will be remembered that
Tom Heinrich, an innocent youth, sud-
denly found himself being shifted
from place to place by men in masks.
He yelled so loud that Judge Lands
overheard him, dispersed the felons
and arranged for young Thomas to be
placed in a good home.
The Case of Dizzy Dean.
There is no connection, as far as
can be learned, between these cases
and the abortive kidnapping of Dizzy
Dean in January. Dean was saved by
the quick thinking of his employer,
Branch Hickey. Suspecting kidnap
plot Hickey promptly offered Dean a
contract for $4,000. This paltry sum
broke the hearts of the kidnapers and
also disgusted Mr. Dean, who uttered
those breathless words:
"Rickey don't even pay me enough
to get kidnapped on"
The NoWak case seems to be typical
OF Slapnicka's missing papers" tech
nlque. AS business manager of the
Cleveland ball club, Slapnicka con-
stantly is mislaying documents of one
sort or another. This time, however,
the plot took fresh twist.
NoWak, whom the sob sisters describe
as "a golden-haired tot," showed up
last month at the New York Giants
baseball school in Baton Rouge, La.
second baseman, he was much the
best of mediocre lot of students.
William Terry, the kindly old shep-
herd of the Giant flock, offered No
wax contract. Nowak stammered
that he thought he was committed to
Cleveland. Mr.. Terry exclaimed
"Pshaw' or words to that effect and
went off to study the records.
He discovered that there was no
sign of contract between the lapless
youth and Clevelands farm club at
Springfield, Ohio. So he adopted
young Frank for his own farm at
Jersey City and found him berth
there, while the baf1ed Slapnicka, who
had marked the lad for his own,
yelled "Murder!" in all the languages
he could think of, including the early
Etruscan.
The Snatch Is Made.
Having yelled himself hoarse and
sprayed his throat with great care, the
crafty tycoon evolved a new plan. In
the dead of the night he sent pair of
trusted hoods, or agents, rolling up
to the Jersey City camp from New
Orleans in an automobile, now known
as the snatch car.
The agents invaded Nowaks board
ing house, knocked on the young mans
door and said Hist" This was strict
ly according to Hoyle, as set forth in
the late Willus Britt's rules for kid
naping the other guys fighter. The
late Mr.. Britt usedeto tap on the door
and say 'Hist!" Then, having moved
In and gained access to his quarry,
he would say: You're a sucker to
stay with this fella." Then he would
say: you and me will make history
together" These campaigns always
ended up with Mr.. Britt and the
other guys fighter sliding down the
rainpipe in single file.
The Slapnicka finger-men seem to
have followed the Britt formula up
to, but not including, the rainpipe.
They gave young Nowak 15-minute
sales talk on the beauties of Cleve-
land, with its stately monuments and
Its view of Lake Erie, which cannot
be seen at all from Jersey City Then
they went away again, closely accom-
panied by William Terry's infielder
Light-Fingered Cy Defiant.
Discovering his loss in the morning,
the frantic father said. "Tsk! Tsk!"
and lodged protest with Judge Brah-
ham, kleagle of the National Associa-
ton.
The case promises to make history.
1t Is streamlined job of kidnapping,
far removed from the crude early
methods Of the Rhem kidnapers, back
IN 1928. You may recall that case, as
described by the victim, Mr.. Rhem.
He was absent from his pitching duties
with the Cardinals for some time. On
reappearing, somewhat the worse for
wear, he told narrowing story.
Il was taken away" said Flint. "1
was locked in a room I had a gun
pointed at me. I was told to drink
booze, or else. I did. It was brutal"
Brutal is the word for methods like
those. Say what you will of his con-
summate guile, Cyril Slapnicka is kind
to his victims. He gives them milk,
and leaves the verdict to posterity
(copyrisht 1898. by the North American
Newspaper Alliance, Inc)