KIDNAPPED MILLIONAIRE.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LX, Issue 17074, 30 August 1917, Page 6

KIDNAPPED MILLIONAIRE.

The magistrates and police of Clermont Ferrand (says the Paris correspondent of "Lloyd's News") are busy investigating the amazing "love" adventure -.vhich befell an American millionaire whose name is now said to )e Samuel Slater. ■ ■■■

Aimee RoosnaJ, a beautiful Dutch girl, tiie chauffeur Andre Biscaye, and the hitter's friend, Barran, are charged with having sequestrated, robbed, and ill-treated Mr. Slater. It appears that Slater, who has toured the world several times fishing and big game hunting, engaged Biscaye ;-..s his chauffeur in 1913. before leaving for a tour of Europe.

Soon after arriving in Paris Slater met the girl Roosnal, fell in love with her, gave her not less than £32,000 worth of jewels, and went to Vichy'with her. But in the meantime Biscaye had become the lover of the girl, and the pair persuaded him an attempt was t.j bo made against his life by a gang of thieves, and that it was better for "him to retire to the country. Bisoaye obtained from big employer a large sum of money to rent a chateau near Cleimont Ferrand and to buy an automobile.-

"-".Cries of "Help!" and shrieks were often heard from the pavilion, but Mrs. Biscayo —_ for the couple had married since and were living a gay life in tlis chateau —explained that' "Poor uncle was having another fit of madness." One day Slater, while his guardian was asleep, succeeded, in getting out of his prison, but was soon recaptured, and was given such a good lesson that he had his face covered with blood, and could not get up for several days.

It is estimated that the sums of money and securities stolen by the couple i'jom Slater, who had funds in several quarters, amount to £100^000.

The chateau of Bouchand is now an object of curiosity, and every day huifc dreds of people take excursions them in automobiles and carriages in the hop# of a glimpso oi the victim, but the gat* of the chateau is closed, and Slater r* r, fuses to see any visitor.

Slater, v-ho is a colonel on the reserve of the American army, in order tj celebrate the entry of his country inta the war, planted innumerable American and Allies' flags in,the garden and pai\K. He has beou seeif walking in the gar* den dressed in cowboy uniform. Slater, jvho has engaged a detectivs tf. look after him, receives about 200., letters daily from all kinds of people,, women and girls offering to marry him,' business men in need of ca.pital, people in financial difficulties, some begging ten francs, others making an appeal ta his good heart,-and demanding thou sands. • ■ .".' ...