Show BELIEVED THAT BANDITS HAD PLANNED TO HOLD PRESIDENT SMITH FOR RANSOM federal agent declares bandits who idaho rancher had planned to secure ransom for church leader denver that the gang of highway robbers recently operating in yellowstone national park and those con necked wilh the abduction of a few days ago of E A empey of idaho falls idaho were contemplating the of joseph F smith dent of the mormon church is the belief expressed by J W melrose assistant to roy 0 sampson of th department of justice evidence it was stated had been gathered or presentation before the federal grand jury at cheyenne wyo it Is understood that the evidence the alleged plot to kidnap president smith and the plans which resulted in the of B A empey and in highway robberies is based on letters now in the posses slon of federal agents the band planned to hold president smith tor ransom it is declared melrose stated that ha believed the alleged plot was frustrated with the arrest may 22 last in rupert idaho of edward B charged with having been the highwaymen who on july 2 1914 held up fifteen coaches of tourists in yellowstone park and secured 3 in money and ables araton is in a federal prison at cheyenne awaiting action of the federal grand jury next september additional evidence in possession pos of melrose it Is stated has led the fed oral agents to believe that recent highway robberies the of empey and the alleged plot against the head of the mormon church were planned by the game gang it Is believed b the federal bals that three men are doing the work and that it was planned to spirit president smith to the jackson hole country or the rough country near there and to demand the ransom for his delivery |