Emotional appeal to Austrian kidnappen

Press, 14 November 1977, Page 8

Emotional appeal to Austrian kidnappen

NZPA-Reuter Vienna Relatives of an Austrian millionaire, Mr Walter Michael Palmers, kidnapped outside his home in Vienna over three days ago, have beseeched his abductors to let him go because of his ill health.

In an emotional appeal on Austrian radio and television last night, Mr Palmers’ son-in-law warned the kidnappers that the health of their hostage could be “deteriorating hour by hour.” Mr Palmers, the 74-year-old head of a national chain of lingerie and clothing shops, is said to be suffering from a weak heart and asthma.

The son-in-law, a company director, Mr Manfred Wilhelm, said the family was prepared to pay a ransom tor Mr Palmers’s release but could not meet the kidnap* pers’ demand for 50M schillings, about SNZ3M.

The kidnappers left behind a ransom demand after snatching Mr Palmers from his car after he returned home late Wednesday night. A deadline for the ransom payment by midday on Saturday passed without word from the abductors, who have not made contact since the kidnapping. Family doctors were told to stand by on Saturday, raising hopes that the ageing millionaire was about to be freed. This was after an earlier appeal by Mr Wilhelm asking the kidnappers to set conditions for handing over the cash. In their ransom note the kidnappers gave no clue about Mr Palmers’s fate if the deadline expired.