BANDSMAN KIDNAPPED.

Waikato Times, Volume 100, Issue 16751, 18 March 1926, Page 10

BANDSMAN KIDNAPPED.

OUTRAGE IN IRELAND. TRAP FOR CONDUCTOR. Mr Goodheart, the conductor or Mr Jack Ilylton's "Metro Gnomes" band, which had been performing at a Dublin restaurant ballroom, was kidnapped with another member of the band recently. It appears that when the men were about to leave their hotel at eight o'clock one night two men in evening dress said they were wanted immediately at the ballroom. They accompanied their informants to a waiting motor-car and were driven away, and nothing was heard of them until a teller bearing the Dublin postmark was received by another member of the band. Said to lie written by Mr Goodheart, this letter stated that lie and tiis companion had been kidnapped and would be held captives indclinitely unless the remaining members of the band left Dublin at once. Mr Goodheart advised his fellow performers to leave the country without delay. allhotigti tie and his companion were in no danger and were being well U eated.

The reason for the kidnapping is obscure, but is presumed that it has same connection with a trade dispute which lias been going on at Hie resluuranl for some months. At a desolule spot in the Wicklow Mountains Civic Guards found Mr Geoffrey Goodheart and Mr V. Stewart, two members ol' Mr Jack Ilylton's band, who were kidnapped from their liol.nl in Dublin some days earlier. Mr Goodheart slated lhat he and Mr Stewart were driven in a laxi-eab lo near Wicklow. Here they were blindfolded and compelled to walk across country in torrential rain for several miles lo a disused house in Ihe .Ashford district. They were treated fairly well during their captivity. Then Ihey were driven to the mountains and set free.