Daring Kidnapping

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 170, 5 August 1937, Page 5

Daring Kidnapping

-Pres9 Assn.-

PUZZLING CHICAGO CASE Abducted Child Belonged to Abductors POLICE SOLVE PROBLEM

fBs Telegraph-

-Copyrigbt.'

i Received 5, 11.0 a.m.) CHICAGO, Aug. 4. Donald Horst, tlie 2i-year-old son of a, wealthy song publisher and hotei owner, was daringly kidnapped, in broad dayliglxt. A man, accompanied by u woman, ent-ered the yard of Mr Horst 's nome, where Donald was playmg a few feet from his mother. They snatcked np ihe child and xan towards a car in which a confederate was waiting. Mrs Horst screamed and sprang at the kidnapper but he and the woman beat her to the ground. A negro maid then ran up, but she also was beaten down. Mrs Horst staggered to her feet, only to be knocked down again. The car then drove off. The owner oi the car was traced. Ho said he had loaned the car to Fred Ewert who was chauffeur for Dr. John liose, a physician wio attended Mrs Horst at the tirne of \Donaid 's birth. Hwcri and Ms wife are inissiug from their home. The .detectives investigating the caBe wero* conf ronted by puzzling features. Mrs Horst said that the woman Mdnapper, screamed out as the car .drove off, "This is my baby, not yours." While the police were at Mr Horst 's homet the telephone rang and a man-'s voice said: "The right father and mother have got the baby now." Police, after a night's investigation, claimed that the baby was not that of Mrs Horst, the hospital where the baby was allegedly born having no records. Mrs HorBt is now held in "technical custody," although she was permitted to return to her home which is guarded by police. A couple, John and Lydia Eegan, who •nrrendered the Horst baby to the police, said that the baby was born to Mrs Eegan out of wedlock, and that the doctor gave Mm to Mr Horst without consent. They searched two years for the child and seized the baby when Mrs Horst refuscd to give the baby up. It was eaTlier stated that the kidnappers telephoned a demand for 5000 doilars ransom. The Horsts and the Eegans-met dramatically in the State Attorney's office. They said they bore no malice. Mr and Mrs Horst adniitted that Donald was not their child. Tho authorities decided not to prosecute the Eegans. It was announced that the 'Court would decide the custody of Donald who, in the meantime, has been placed in an •rphanage.