FIENDISH MURDER IN U.S. COMMITTED BY KIDNAPPERS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18341, 19 December 1927, Page 5

FIENDISH MURDER IN U.S. COMMITTED BY KIDNAPPERS.

YOUNG GIRL’S MUTILATED BODY GIVEN FATHER IN RETURN FOR RANSOM. (Received December It), 1.0 p.m. By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright.—A.P.A. & "Sydney Sun" Cahle. NEW YORK, December IS. MARION PARKER, the twelve-year-old daughter of Paul Parker, was kidnapped and murdered, and her mutilated body was returned to her parents upon payment of the ransom. On Thursday a well-dressed young man appeared at the school which the Parker children attended, asking for Marion to accompany him to the office of her father, who was taken suddenly ill and wanted her. The teachers consented. Within an hour the parents received a demand for the ransom. . The entire detective force set to work on the case, the distracted father being repeatedly warned over the telephone that any attempt to betray the kidnappers to the police, when the ransom was paid, would mean the girl’s death. They demanded seventy-two twenty-dollar notes as ransom, otherwise the daughter would he killed. The father also received several notes, including two from his daughter, pleading her father to accept the terms as she was undergoing torture. Eventually the Chief-Detectives advised acceptance of the offer. A telephone message then instructed Mr Parker to drive to a certain place for his daughter, who was seated in the car beside the man, to whom he handed 1500 dollars. The man drove a short distance and lifted the apparently sleeping girl from the car to the ground, and then sped rapidly away. The father ran to the place and found the girl dead and shockingly mutilated.