Evening star., 1954-10-10
Woman jailed, ? Men Hunted
As kidnop Plot Here Is Foiled
Store Owner Was
Intended Victim
Of Conspiracy

IUIGHuGQ ViCtlM
Of Conspiracy
Police last night sought two
men described as suspected ac-
completes OF a. 23-year-old blond
charged with conspiracy to kid
nap a. paint store proprietor.
Held under $4,000 bond on the
conspiracy charge was joanna
Carole Johnston OF the 5000
block Of Fifth street Sc.
Deputy Chief E. 3. Scott said
yesterday the woman admitted
participating in a plot to force
the son OF the intended kidnap
victim to marry her or make q
financial settlement.
A John Doe" warrant was
issued for the man whom Inspec-
tor Scott said was credited by the
woman with devising the kid
naping scheme. Inspector Scott
said she had given meager in
formation about the man or men
alleged to be In the plot with her.
Claims She's Pregnant.
The intended victim. police
said, was Joseph r. Meagher.
proprietor of the Washington
Paint Co., at 3205 Fourteenth
street NV. The Johnston wo-
man, according to police. accused
Mr.. Meagher's son, Richard
Meagher, 26, Of having relations
with her. Police quoted her as
saying she was four months
pregnant.
Richard Meagher. police said.
denied he ever had intimate re-
lations with her. Her threats
and harassment, he told police,
led him to get a lawyer, who took
him to the Office Of the United
States Attorney in Municipal
Court. There a hearing was set
for next Thursday on this COM
plant.
Police came into the case on
q tip from a hotel manager that
he had overheard a woman Civ
ing kidnapping instructions over
the telephone to hotel resident.
Met at CIV University.
Inspector Scott credited two
detectives, Sergt. Salvatore j.
Greco and John c. Wilson, with
clearing up the case.
According to police, Richard
Meagher said he met the john
ston woman last spring while
both were students at George
Washington University, and that
after a few dates, she told him
she was pregnant and demanded
that he marry her or settle up"
Police said that on Thursday
a woman called Hecht's Hotel to
ask for the name of any unem-
ployed, tenant. A maid gave her
the name of Thomas e. Cassidy
and the women called back on
Friday.
On the second call, the mana
ger told police, he listened in
on the call because he recognized
her voice as that of the one
proffering a job and thought he
would help Mr.. Cassidy by taking
notes.
Heard kidnapping Details.
He said he called police be-
cause he heard the woman giving
Mr.. Cassidy instructions to kid
nap Mr.. Meagher. He told police
he heard the woman tell Mr..
Cassidy to entice the elder
Meagher from his business place
by saying something happened to
his wife.
He said he heard the woman
tell Mr.. Cassidy that she would
send full instructions and that
$4,000 would be placed in a Union
Station locker for Mr.. Cassidy
after he completed his mission.
Detectives were on the scene
when a cab driver, Matthew
Wojcik, 33. of 8406 Twelfth ave-
nue., Silver Spring, Md, walked
in with an envelope. He said il
was handed to him by woman
who hailed him while he was
cruising in the 800 block of Con-
stitution avenue. She gave him
| So to deliver the envelope to
Mr.. Cassidy.
In the envelope, police found
a note. a bottle of pills, three
keys and So. The note instructed
Mr.. Cassidy to "Give him large
yellow pill tonight and then
two small ones every morning
and night" Mr.. Cassidy was
told to keep Mr.. Meagher until
October 18 and then return him
to town, without letting him
know where he had been.
The detectives went to Mr.
Meagher's store in time for the
6 pm. kidnapping date. Mr..
Meagher pointed out the Johns
ton woman across the street.
$500 Medical Bill Cited.
Inspector Scott said the woman
contended~ she just wanted to
marry the younger Meagher, but
the detective chief added that he
had been told she had sent Mr.
Meagher an itemized list of ex-
penseS amounting to $500 she
wanted him to pay for medical
treatment.
Police said they found the