Evening star., 1939-12-10
Family Friend Is Held
After Kidnapped Boy
Escapes Attic
$4,000 Ronsom Asked
By Abductor Described
As 'Bunsline Amateur
Dy the Associated Press.

~ the Associated Press.
PORT ARTHUR, Tex, Dec. g.
DR.. w. G. WEIGH, chiropractor, Was
arrested tonight and charged with
kidnapping in the abduction Of Irwin
Mingle, 11-year son Of Mr.. and
Mrs. Fred Mingle Of Port Arthur. 4
The charges were filed by Deputy
Sheriff Claude Goldsmith, who, with
Police Detective Chief Noah Gull
beau, made the arrest.
The child was taken from his
home Thursday night by an armed
man who entered the Mingle home,
bound and gagged the mother and
father, and demanded that $4,000
ransom be left In the garage Of DR..
WEIGH, a friend Of the Minglea Dr..
Welch said he had "been framed"
Left In Attic.
Irwin was taken to . house on the
outskirts of town, bound and gagged,
and placed in the attic.
Yesterday the boy wriggled out Of
his bonds. slipped the gag from his
mouth and attracted the attention
of neighbors. F. B. I. agents and
police kept the abduction secret until
today.
DR.. WEIGH was one Of those who
helped rescue the boy. The child's
calls were heard by the accused
mans daughter who lives nearby the
hideout.
II was scared" Irwin related, but
I believe the man was scared worse"
Police said the work was that Of .
'bungling amateur"
Mr.. Mingle, well-to-do automobile
dealer. had made arrangements with
bank to get the ransom.
Irwin, telling his story to the
Associated Press, related:
1T was about o'clock Thursday
night. and mama and I were tying
up a Christmas package. I guess
he tiptoed In the house. Papa was
reading.
Pointing Rusty Gun.
I'VE looked up, and he was point
ing q rusty gun at US. It looked sill
yer. He was shaking.
"'Git on the floor or me shoot
he said.
He sounded like Mexican.
I was scared then. but he was,
too.
He made us lie down on our
stomachs and tied our hands; he
had time with papa's hands. Then
he stuck old rags in our mouths,
and he blindfolded uS-used q Rown
Of mama's to blind daddy.
He tied mama's and daddy's legs
and told me to come on. He sound
ed more scared than I felt. He
didn't hurt me-just put his hand
on my shoulder. We went out the
back door.
He put me in the car, and we sat
there about five minutes. I guess
he was seeing II daddy and mama
got loose.
Then we drove for about i've
minutes, about IS or so miles an
hour. We stopped and waited about
10 minutes, then he carried me
over what felt like. loose dirt. He
put me down and told me to step
up. I did and heard him unlock 4
door. He led me in and told me
to lie down.
Covered Boy With Jacket.
He covered me up with ., Jacket.
Mama had begged him to take it.
He left then, for about 20 min.
utes, I guess. And when he came
back he lifted me up to the attic,
then, and laid me on the floor. He
taped my mouth shut. Tied my.
hands on one pole and my feet on
another and covered me with bur-
lap bags, about is of them. I was
so thirsty. I tried to ask for water.
When did he slapped me on shoul-
der and said: Quiet, me hit
He didn't hurt me. Then he left.
Il got hot and finally went to
sleep. when I woke up was cool,
I wiggled the blindfold loose, but
1t got over my nose and 1t made
IT hard for me to breathe. I got
the tape loose from my mouth and
one hand loose. I shouted Hey
Il heard some noise and it scared
me a little. Afterwards, I found
out 1t was just pigeons and crows.
l went back to sleep. When woke
up again got my nerve back and
got my hands loose.
I shouted. I said Hey, I'm
thirsty Then a woman answered.
I told her what happened. At first
she didn't believe me. Then they
came In and got me. Then daddy
came.
Il was scared some. was vor-
ried some, too. worried mostly
about mama and daddy. knew
they'd be worried about me-"