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- <text id=90TT1641>
- <title>
- June 25, 1990: American Notes:Illinois
- </title>
- <history>
- TIME--The Weekly Newsmagazine--1990
- June 25, 1990 Who Gives A Hoot?
- </history>
- <article>
- <source>Time Magazine</source>
- <hdr>
- NATION, Page 25
- American Notes
- ILLINOIS
- A Brutal Ransom Game
- </hdr>
- <body>
- <p> When a publicity-hungry guerrilla gang kidnaped miner Scott
- Royden Heimdal near the Colombia-Ecuador border last April and
- demanded a $1.5 million ransom, his family in Peoria, Ill.,
- despaired: the sum was utterly beyond its reach. Then Marge and
- Roy Heimdal heard that the kidnapers had cut the ransom to
- $60,000, and issued an appeal for help. Over the next four
- days, all Peoria joined in a frantic campaign to raise the
- cash. Children sold lemonade; retirees held bake sales.
- </p>
- <p> Heartened and hopeful, the Heimdals dispatched the money to
- Ecuador. Last week the kidnapers sent word that they considered
- the $60,000 as a mere first installment on a $612,000 payoff.
- If the rest of the money is not delivered by an undisclosed due
- date, they said, Scott Heimdal would be killed. Said Roy
- Heimdal: "There's no way we could raise $612,000. That's
- impossible."
- </p>
-
- </body>
- </article>
- </text>
-
-