KIDNAPPER’S FATE

Dominion, Volume 27, Issue 258, 28 July 1934, Page 18

KIDNAPPER’S FATE

Slain by Machine-gunners

John C. Johnson, 47-year-old negro, Indicted with five others as a kidnapper of Dr. Isaac D. Kelley, abducted three years ago, was slain by machine-gun-ners at St. Louis (Mo.), as he sat on the garage steps at the home of a deputy-sheriff. Three, other persons were fired upon by the two machinegunners as they fled, but were unharmed. Johnson was killed instantly. The negro had been staying with the deputysheriff, Harry D.‘ Newbold, of St. Louis county, since his release on bond a month ago. It was understood he had been making his home with the officer for safe keeping because of a confession he supposedly made involving. others in the kidnapping.’ Officers said two machine-gunners parked their car about 50 yards from the Newbold home, crept behind a low fence until they were within close range of the negro, then stood up and fired twelve shots from a sub-machine -gun, eight of them striking Johnson. The killers ran across a field to their automobile and fled. As they passed the Newbold home three wild shots were fired at Mrs. Newbold and two women companions. Police found a dozen machine-gun shells behind a fence a short distance from where the negro had been seated. Four bullets were found embedded in the walls of the Newbold home. Johnson was the owner of the St. Charles county farm where Dr. Kelley was held the first night after his abduction. Johnson was arrested last February after Adolph Friedler, former Maplewood justice of the peace, had given his version of the kidnapping. He was indieted with five others, including Mrs. Nellie Tipton Muench, wife of a St. Louis physician. Mrs. George Fyksen, 36 years old, mother of three children and the wife of a Marshfield (Wis.) policeman, is recovering in her home from treatment she received at the hands of two kid-

nappers who abducted her “for revenge.” Meantime an armed guard was kept at her home to forestall a second kidnapping attempt and police and posses conducted a widespread search for the.two men, who were foiled In the’abduction by the lack of gasoline. Mrs. Fyksen was kidnapped shortly before 5 p.m. as she was driving home from a downtown store. After entering her car she discovered a man crouching in the back seat He pressed a gun to her back and ordered her to “look ahead and keep going." She drove to the city limits, where a young man was standing beside the highway, apparently waiting for her and her captor. The two men bound her hands with wire and covered her eyes with adhesive tape, then pushed her into the back seat so roughly that she was bruised. Then they drove away at high speed. Suddenly the car spluttered and stopped for lack of fuel. One man remained on guard while the other, went for gasoline. The guard, however, became frightened at the appearance of .two workers whose car had developed trouble a short distance from Mrs. Fyksen’s stalled machine. After a few apprehensive glances at the men, the guard ran into nearby woods and disappeared. The workers discovered Mrs. Fyksen lying moaning in the back of her car.

The motive for the crime was apparent in the statement of one of the kidnappers, who, told Mrs. Fyksen during the ride that “they got my pal and I’m going to get revenge if it takes the rest of my life.” ■' Authorities believed the kidnappers were friends of Joseph Webster, alias “Bucktooth” Hogan, who is now serving a 25-year term in the State prison at Waupun for the robbery of the Marshfield brewery on August 5, 1933, in which Policeman Fred Beel was slain. Mrs. Fyksen’s husband identified Webster.