Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954), Monday 13 November 1950, page 1


Prominent Woman Doctor

On Kidnapping Charge

NEW YORK, Nov. 'l2 (A.A.P.).-Federal Bureau of Investigation agents last night arrested a prominent Santa Fe (New Mexico) woman physi-cian on kidnapping charges.

The woman, Dr. Nancy Camp-bell, 53, said she needed money because she was building an ex-pensive house.

She was charged with kidnap-ping nine-year-old Linda Stamm and holding her for 20,000 dol-lars (£A8,930) ransom.

Linda disappeared from her father's estate on Saturday.

Her father îcceîvcd a crudely printed note demanding the ran-som money which he was ordered to deposit in his mailbox.

The note said, "If the ransom is not paid, your kid will die of cold and hunger."

F.B.I, agents surrounded the mailbox and seized Dr. Camp-bell as she reached into it.

She was in male attire, had a pistol' in her pocket, and also two crude ransom notes addressed to other families.

Campbell admitted holding Linda who was found in a motor car near the scene of the

arrest.

One of the ransom notes found ¡n her possession was addressed lo a doctor who had a surgery near hers in Santa Fe. The other was addressed to a wealthy ¡merchant. I

Dr. Campbell admitted she had intended to seize one of their childen if she failed to get Linda Stamm.

Dr. Campbell is not married, She has an adopted son, aged 4.

She delivered one of the three Stamm children.

Dr. Campbell's friends were amazed at the news of her arrest.

One of them said: "She is one of the most brilliant ob-stetricians in the country."

New Mexico law provides a maximum penalty of death on a conviction of kidnapping for ransom. Kidnapping was made a Federal offence in America under the Lindbergh Act of 1942.