uspicious afloat. The authorities gave
the robbers of the nation no time or opportunity to escape by land or
water. All avenues were watched. Where were they and their noble booty?
In short the foremost couple of the United States had utterly
disappeared, to the horror and despair of the civilized world.

It was just one week from the morning of the shock when the New York
_Herald_ published the following manifesto in its original form. It was
sent as an advertisement with five dollars enclosed. The envelope was
postmarked from division II of the New York Post-office. The document
bore no superscription. It read as follows:

TO THE PEOPLE OF THE UNITED STATES:

_We have abducted your President and his wife, and hold them
for ransom. They will not be delivered up until their fine be
paid publicly, under full sanction of Congress. Moreover,
Congress and the people must guarantee, in addition to the full
payment, C. O. D., entire liberty to the abductors permanently
to withdraw from this country and live in future peace. Unless
Congress and the nation give their honor for the payment of the
ransom and our personal and impregnable liberty, we will not
deliver our prisoners. We impose a ransom of a million dollars
apiece for each week, for such time as this offer may remain
unaccepted. The time begins from date of capture. These
conditions are final. When the country, through its
representatives, accedes to this demand, the time and place of
delivery will be published in these columns. The loyalty and
honor of the nation are now on exhibition before the world._

This communication burst like dynamite upon the people. Did it not bear
an undeniable stamp of genuineness upon its face, not only through the
firmness of its tone, but by the audacity of the demand? Yet there was
an equal division of opinion. Some thought it was the raving of a crank
in search of notoriety, but others looked upon it as a veritable
communication from those who held the President and his wife in their
possession.

Two millions of dollars a week! A princely ransom worthy of a royal
couple and of the United States.

It was natural that the handwriting of this letter should be scrutinized
severely. Every ingenuity that detective art could devise for finding
the sender was employed. During the next few days New York underwent an
espionage worthy of the court of St Peter