Commerce High School - Commerce Yearbook (Cleveland, OH)

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The car started with a jerk, passed swiftly and silently through the residence section, and finally passed Harry’s very home. Out into the country went the car, and for three hours continued its speed, then pulled up before an old brick house. Both the surroundings and the house itself, presented a very dilapidated appearance. The shrubbery and lawn had been untrimmed for years and as for the house, there appeared great cracks on the outside walls, which seemed almost ready to fall apart. But over the entire building ivy had grown until it had effectively covered these ill-looking places, as though Nature herself was ashamed of such blemishes Taking the place as a whole, it was indeed fit to carry out such a notorious scheme as Harry’s captors had in mind. There was a short consultation between the chauffeur and his companions, then the unconscious form of the lad was hurried into the old brick house, and the car sped back to the city. Now Andy B was a misguided young fellow of high society. He was reputed to be very wealthy, but in reality, he was at the present time being very hard pushed by his creditors and friends for certain honor debts, and he had not the money to pay them. So he had hit upon this scheme as the easiest way in which to get the most money in the shortest possible time. With two boon companions, he had undertaken this kidnaping. After another discussion the three decided that so far in their proceedings, they had been unnoticed. The old place was reported as haunted, and the country folk would go out of their way to avoid passing the house, so they felt quite safe on that score. In the meantime, Harry’s father was nearly frantic over his loss. He raised the $500 to $5,000, but in vain. The boy could not be found. The whole country was searched Little Italy was gone through as with a fine tooth comb, still no sign. Chief McConnel with his men, ran down every possible clue, and offered theories in vain. Then the reward was raised to $10,000, and detectives from all parts of the country took part in the search. But there were so pitifully few clues to work on. Meanwhile Harry had tried many times to escape, but he had never yet succeeded. “Andy” was taking no chances on being caught. One night, however, the boy did get away. He was confined in a little back room on the second story and even his clothes were taken away from him, as Andy said, “So the little fool will be less liable to try to escape.” But Harry was a gritty fellow, like his father, so one dark, stormy evening, he quietly tore up his bed sheets, and knotting them together, tied one end to his bed post, then slid down through the dark. As he now recognized the country through which he had motored while unconscious, he set out for the nearest farm house, cold and shivering, but determined. He was running down the road, thinking of a joyous reunion with his par- 121

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®f)f Sstorfailt (Cast FFER $500 for the return of my son, and the stockbroker was almost purple with suppressed emotion. Why, for the love of Heaven, man, I would give all I have for the return of my boy. It would be an insult to my name to offer that. Make it at least $10,000. No, ycu are known to be very wealthy. Now, only $500 will make you seem stingy and--------. But, interrupted the broker. And, continued the detective, that is just what we want. You offer a large sum, and the parties holding the boy, will keep him all the longer, hoping for a still larger ransom.” Anything, of course, to hurry his return, but if he is not found soon, make it $10,000. Whatever ransom is demanded, I will pay it, but get the villains if you can.” The above conversation took place between Mr. Harry Astorbilt, Sr., and the head of his own detective force, Chief McConnel. Harry Astorbilt, Jr., the only son of Mr. Astorbilt, multi-millionaire stockbroker had disappeared, and the only feasible theory was that some one was holding him for ransom. Harry was attending a High School of Commerce, in which he was very much interested, and in this his father encouraged him, as he wished to have his gigantic business continued and kept in the family. Those who watch the newspapers closely will remember that on the third day of May, there were big head lines in all the papers, announcing the disappearance of the broker’s son, and reporting the futile search for the missing lad. Mr. Astorbilt had been reading but recently of the Jameson case, in which it was said a letter had been sent to Mr. Jameson demanding $10,000 within a specified time, and because the money was not raised in that time, Mr. Jameson’s only child, a little girl of six years, was never heard of again. Now Mr. Astorbilt knew that he was able to pay any ransom, yet he was afraid something might happen to his son. But what had become of Harry? He was walking to school that bright morning in early May, the trees were just bursting into bud, and the birds were vying with each other as to which could pour forth the most melody. He thought not at all of what was soon to take place as the result of which he was not to see his parents for some time to come. He had just turned down the street on which the school was situated, when he saw a large limousine car, approaching from the opposite direction. He thought nothing of it until the car stopped suddenly beside him and a man beckoned him to the door. He approached slowly, as though suspicious of he knew not what, when suddenly a hand was placed over his mouth, and strong arms drew him into the car. Before he had time to appreciate his surroundings, but not without a hard struggle, a damp sponge was placed to his face, and he knew no more. 120

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ents. Meanwhile Andy was just approaching the house from a visit to the city, when, spying a white clad form down the road, he became suspicious, and putting on full speed, he swooped down upon Harry before he had time to dart into a sheltering thicket, and our hero was suddenly recaptured, and pulled into the car. Harry yelled so lustily that Andy had to hold his hand over the boy’s mouth, and follow this action with threats before he could silence him. ‘Til make your father pay dear for this. It will cost him exactly $10,000 more or I quit,” Andy said. At last the day come for writing the letter which was to decide whether his captors were to be rich or merely fugitive kidnapers. Harry was requested to write a short note to his father; this he did, very neatly, after first carelessly trying out his new pen in the upper corner of the paper, but as that was a hoy’s trick, Andy thought the careless marks would appeal to the boy’s father, and the letter was sent scratches and all. Dear Dad: I am being well treated here, and every one is very kind to me. Please do as they say, because I want to see you and mother soon. (Signed) Harry Astorbilt, Jr. Then the threat was written by Andy: Be at the Central Park Zoo at two o’clock Friday, the thirteenth, with $100,000 in a satchel and give it to a man dressed in a brown suit with a carnation in the lapel of his coat Be near the north entrance. If you show this to anyone or bring anyone with you to the meeting it will go hard with your son. (Signed) The Holder. When Mr. Astorbilt received the letter, he called up McConnell who came in haste. ‘‘I’ll do my best to get them, though I see no clue. There are no water marks, nor anything to identify the sender, but I’ll sec that Harlem, where it was posted is searched more thoroughly. The next morning a photographic reproduction of the letters was shown in the “Sun.” That morning, Mr. James A. Smythe, head teacher in the Shorthand Department of the High School which our hero had attended was reading his morning paper while on his way to school. All of a sudden, he jerked his paper more to the light and stared at the printed page before him. It was the small pen scratches in the corner of Harry’s letter which attracted his attention. It at once dawned upon him that Harry was trying to communicate with someone, probably himself, and a feeling of pride came into his heart as he thought of the boy's daring. The first sign, he immediately decided read, “Help, but what good would that do if he could not read the remainder. He 122