kidnapping case from 1924
On Wednesday, May 21, 1924, fourteen-year-old Bobby Franks walked home from school by himself. A car stopped and a familiar face appeared in its open window. Bobby got in the car raced away.
Around dinner time, Bobby had not come home nor had he contacted his parents, Jacob and Flora Franks. His brother Jack and his sister Josephine had no idea where he was. Perhaps he was playing tennis at the Loebs, Jack suggested. But when his father looked over at the Loeb's tennis courts, Bobby was nowhere to be seen.
While Flora called Bobby's classmates, Jacob contacted the headmaster of the school to find out if Bobby could have gotten himself locked in the school building. He called Samuel Ettelson, a prominent lawyer and friend, to determine what to do. Ettelson and Jacob searched the entire school building, but found no sign of Bobby.
While they were gone, Flora got a phone call. A man calling himself Johnson told her, "Your son has been kidnapped. He is all right. There will be further news in the morning." Flora fainted and remained unconscious until her husband and Ettelson came home.
At two in the morning, Jacob and Ettelson went to the police, but since none of the police officials that Ettelson knew were on duty at that hour, they decided to come back later that morning.
The Franks were residents of Kenwood, a wealthy neighborhood in Chicago. They lived quietly among the Jewish elite of Kenwood, but had not been accepted socially for several reasons. They had renounced their Jewish faith to become Christian Scientists. Jacob had made much of his money running a pawnshop, which didn't recommend them socially to the powerful Jewish executives, bankers and attorneys in the neighborhood.
The next morning, the mailman arrived with a special delivery letter:
"Dear Sir:
As you no doubt know by this time, your son has been kidnapped. Allow us to assure you that he is at present well and safe. You need fear no physical harm for him, provided you live up carefully to the following instructions and to such others as you will receive by future communications. Should you, however, disobey any of our instructions, even slightly, his death will be the penalty.
1. For obvious reasons make absolutely no attempt to communicate with either police authorities or any private agency. Should you already have communicated with the police, allow them to continue their investigations, but do not mention this letter.
2. Secure before noon today $10,000. This money must be composed entirely of old bills of the following denominations: $2000 in $20 bills, $8000 in $50 bills. The money must be old. Any attempt to include new or marked bills will render the entire venture futile.
3. The money should be placed in a large cigar box, or if this is impossible, in a heavy cardboard box, securely closed and wrapped in white paper. The wrapping paper should be sealed at all openings with sealing wax.
4. Have the money with you, prepared as directed above, and remain at home after one o'clock. See that the telephone is not in use."
It was signed George Johnson and guaranteed that if the money were delivered according to his instructions that Bobby would be returned unharmed.
AT THE FRANKS HOME
While Jacob went to get the money, Ettelson called his friend who was chief of detectives for the Chicago Police Department.
An enterprising newspaperman had been tipped off that there was a kidnapping involving the Franks' boy. He had also heard that a boy had been found dead in a culvert near Wolf Lake, a probable drowning victim. He relayed the description of the dead boy to Mr. Franks, who did not think it matched his son. Franks' brother-in-law went check it out.
When the telephone rang, "George Johnson" told Ettelson, "I am sending a Yellow Cab for you. Get in and go to the drugstore at 1465 East Sixty-third Street." Ettelson handed the phone to Jacob and the message was repeated. In the trauma of the events, both men immediately forgot the address of the drugstore.
The phone rang again. This time it was Jacob's brother-in-law. The boy that had been found dead in the culvert was Bobby Franks.
Around dinner time, Bobby had not come home nor had he contacted his parents, Jacob and Flora Franks. His brother Jack and his sister Josephine had no idea where he was. Perhaps he was playing tennis at the Loebs, Jack suggested. But when his father looked over at the Loeb's tennis courts, Bobby was nowhere to be seen.
While Flora called Bobby's classmates, Jacob contacted the headmaster of the school to find out if Bobby could have gotten himself locked in the school building. He called Samuel Ettelson, a prominent lawyer and friend, to determine what to do. Ettelson and Jacob searched the entire school building, but found no sign of Bobby.
While they were gone, Flora got a phone call. A man calling himself Johnson told her, "Your son has been kidnapped. He is all right. There will be further news in the morning." Flora fainted and remained unconscious until her husband and Ettelson came home.
At two in the morning, Jacob and Ettelson went to the police, but since none of the police officials that Ettelson knew were on duty at that hour, they decided to come back later that morning.
The Franks were residents of Kenwood, a wealthy neighborhood in Chicago. They lived quietly among the Jewish elite of Kenwood, but had not been accepted socially for several reasons. They had renounced their Jewish faith to become Christian Scientists. Jacob had made much of his money running a pawnshop, which didn't recommend them socially to the powerful Jewish executives, bankers and attorneys in the neighborhood.
The next morning, the mailman arrived with a special delivery letter:
"Dear Sir:
As you no doubt know by this time, your son has been kidnapped. Allow us to assure you that he is at present well and safe. You need fear no physical harm for him, provided you live up carefully to the following instructions and to such others as you will receive by future communications. Should you, however, disobey any of our instructions, even slightly, his death will be the penalty.
1. For obvious reasons make absolutely no attempt to communicate with either police authorities or any private agency. Should you already have communicated with the police, allow them to continue their investigations, but do not mention this letter.
2. Secure before noon today $10,000. This money must be composed entirely of old bills of the following denominations: $2000 in $20 bills, $8000 in $50 bills. The money must be old. Any attempt to include new or marked bills will render the entire venture futile.
3. The money should be placed in a large cigar box, or if this is impossible, in a heavy cardboard box, securely closed and wrapped in white paper. The wrapping paper should be sealed at all openings with sealing wax.
4. Have the money with you, prepared as directed above, and remain at home after one o'clock. See that the telephone is not in use."
It was signed George Johnson and guaranteed that if the money were delivered according to his instructions that Bobby would be returned unharmed.
AT THE FRANKS HOME
While Jacob went to get the money, Ettelson called his friend who was chief of detectives for the Chicago Police Department.
An enterprising newspaperman had been tipped off that there was a kidnapping involving the Franks' boy. He had also heard that a boy had been found dead in a culvert near Wolf Lake, a probable drowning victim. He relayed the description of the dead boy to Mr. Franks, who did not think it matched his son. Franks' brother-in-law went check it out.
When the telephone rang, "George Johnson" told Ettelson, "I am sending a Yellow Cab for you. Get in and go to the drugstore at 1465 East Sixty-third Street." Ettelson handed the phone to Jacob and the message was repeated. In the trauma of the events, both men immediately forgot the address of the drugstore.
The phone rang again. This time it was Jacob's brother-in-law. The boy that had been found dead in the culvert was Bobby Franks.
to solve crimes you must think like a criminal
write a ransom note
1. Start with a proper salutation. This orients the loved ones to know where the ransom note begins, if it is more than one page, and grabs their attention. You can try the most common opening "Dear," though some feel this lacks the appropriate sense of menace and hint of violence and favor beginings such as “Hey” or “Now listen up!!!” instead. In most cases, so the recipient knows for whom the ransom note is intended, you should follow the salutation with the person's first name and a comma or colon.
write the opening paragraph and body of the note
OPENING
Tailor your opening to the situation. For example, if you have just beaten up the royal bodyguard in a military operation, you might begin with the body count (on their side). If the item you are requesting ransom for is a thing, not a person, be sure to mention this right at the outset along with its current status. Keep this brief, for directness. It is usually best to get to the topic of why you are writing the ransom note as soon as possible so there can be no mistaking your intentions.
BODY OF THE NOTE
Construct the body of the note. Here is where you can express you individuality, both with regard to the status of your captive and what your plans are if your demands are not met. Most ransom notes should be under two pages long, but if you have many hostages or many requirements, it may be longer.
Threats. The section of the note dealing with consequences and the fate of those who try to stop you plans, etc., should be direct and forceful to stress your seriousness, without giving too much away about your defences.
Tailor your opening to the situation. For example, if you have just beaten up the royal bodyguard in a military operation, you might begin with the body count (on their side). If the item you are requesting ransom for is a thing, not a person, be sure to mention this right at the outset along with its current status. Keep this brief, for directness. It is usually best to get to the topic of why you are writing the ransom note as soon as possible so there can be no mistaking your intentions.
BODY OF THE NOTE
Construct the body of the note. Here is where you can express you individuality, both with regard to the status of your captive and what your plans are if your demands are not met. Most ransom notes should be under two pages long, but if you have many hostages or many requirements, it may be longer.
Threats. The section of the note dealing with consequences and the fate of those who try to stop you plans, etc., should be direct and forceful to stress your seriousness, without giving too much away about your defences.
closing paragraph
Craft the closing paragraph. This is traditionally the place where you give the specifics of the ransom or other demands you are interested in seeing the other party carry out, and is often a pitfall for the inexperienced kidnapper as they get too wrapped up in the technical details of the transfer, the time and place of the exchange, or the type of retribution that will occur if any of the requirements are not met. That is likely to bore your reader and may even jeopardise operational security for no good reason. If you are getting too hung up on working out a snappy close, include a brief summary.
Include a closing. The ransom note does not have popular complimentary closing formulations such as “Regards,” “Yours faithfully,” “Love always”. Some criminals prefer to end with threats and insults directed at the recipient, while others feel that this is not the best way to go forward with a good working relationship and would rather emphasise how everyone’s best interest is served by the completion of the ransom demands. Most agree that it should shock the reader into action and cement the note as a serious threat.
Include a closing. The ransom note does not have popular complimentary closing formulations such as “Regards,” “Yours faithfully,” “Love always”. Some criminals prefer to end with threats and insults directed at the recipient, while others feel that this is not the best way to go forward with a good working relationship and would rather emphasise how everyone’s best interest is served by the completion of the ransom demands. Most agree that it should shock the reader into action and cement the note as a serious threat.
proof read
After you have cleaned up your written a draft, ask a non-technical person - to read the ransom note when it is ready. If it confuses them or leaves them unimpressed, the tone may well be to blame and it should be revised before giving it out. Remember that the passive voice does not suit the role of a kidnapper well, so do your best to avoid it when you find it creeping into your sentences.
magazine letters
Ransom Notes can be made of letters glued on from magazines and other printed materials, it disguises the writer’s identity from handwriting analysts and many other forensic techniques. A few examples are illustrated here for your consideration.
Illustrations/photos could be used as a way to concentrate the mind of the loved one, these are most valuable. You may use graphs, tables, charts, and flow diagrams but do not overdo it.
Illustrations/photos could be used as a way to concentrate the mind of the loved one, these are most valuable. You may use graphs, tables, charts, and flow diagrams but do not overdo it.
ransom note example
Ransom Note Reads: We are aware that you have brought back some treats from your holiday. We have not been offered any down here. We have your bicycle helmet as a hostage until we get some of that tasty US of A candy.