Mrs. Conway, a little puzzled at the receipt of a letter by a special messenger, tore open the envelope, sat down in the big rocking chair in her front room, and began to read this appalling communication:
“Mr. Conway: Your little boy John has been kidnaped and when you receive this word, he will be a safe distance from Albany and where he could not be found in a hundred years. Your child will be returned to you on payment of three thousand dollars, $3000, provided you pay the money to-day and strictly obey the following directions:
“put the money in a package and send it by a man you can depend on to the lane going up the hill a few feet south of the Troy road first tollgate, just off the road on this lane here is a tree with a big trunk have the man put the package on the south side of the tree and at once come away and come back to your house.
“We want the money left at this spot at exactly 8:15 o’clock to-night.
“See that no one is with the man you send and that no one follows him or you will never look upon your little boy again
“If you say a word of this to any one outside your family and the man you send with the money or if you take any steps to bring it to the attention of the police you will never see your child again, for if any one knows of it we will not take the risk of returning him, but will leave him to his fate.
“If you obey our instructions in every point you will have word within two hours after the money has been left where you can go and get your boy safe and sound
“We have been after this thing for a long time we know our business and can beat all the police in America
“we are after the money and if you do what you are told, no harm will come to your little boy. but if you fail to do what we tell you or do what we tell you not to do you will never look upon your child again as sure as there is a god in heaven we know you have the money in the bank and that the bank closes at 2 o’clock and we must have it to-night so get in time. don’t tell them why you draw it out. You can say you are buying property if you wish for this thing must be between you and us if you want your boy back alive.
“Remember the case of Charley Ross of Philadelphia. His father did not do as he was told but went to the police and then spent five times as much as he could have got him back for but never saw his little boy to the day of his death a word to the wise man is enough