On route to a rhetoric course, Julius Caesar was kidnapped by pirates and held ransom for 120,000 gold pieces. He spent 40 days with the pirates before the ransom was paid. Once he was freed, Caesar raised a fleet, pursued and captured the pirates, and then crucified them, as he had told them he would while in captivity - a promise the pirates had taken as a joke.
The Phrase "best man" is of Scottish origin and recalls the days when a bridegroom simply kidnapped the woman he wanted as a bride. To help him in that task the groom enlisted some friends. The toughest and bravest of these groomsmen was the best man.
In 1302 Pope Boniface VIII asserted papal authority over all temporal rulers in his bull Unam Sanctam. King Philip IV of France responded to the papal bull by being behind the kidnapping of the pope by some Italian noblemen. Boniface was soon released but so roughly was he treated that he died shortly afterwards.
In 1795, nearly one sixth of the entire U.S. federal budget was sent to Algeria as a ransom for 115 American sailors captured by pirates.
Charley Ross was a 4-year-old American child whose kidnapping on July 1, 1874 for ransom became a nationwide sensation. In addition to the heavy press coverage, some prominent Philadelphians enlisted the help of the famous Pinkerton detective agency, who had millions of flyers and posters printed with Ross's likeness. Charley, who was never found, had been lured by two men offering candy and fireworks, giving rise to the warning "never take candy from strangers".
In 1926 the famous 21-year-old pianist Fats Waller was kidnapped by Al Capone's gang to play piano for their boss' birthday. He basically went missing for three days and was returned unharmed but drunk.
The Phrase "best man" is of Scottish origin and recalls the days when a bridegroom simply kidnapped the woman he wanted as a bride. To help him in that task the groom enlisted some friends. The toughest and bravest of these groomsmen was the best man.
 |
| "Picture bride kidnapping" (in Central Asia circa 1870) by Illus. Wikipedia Commons. |
In 1302 Pope Boniface VIII asserted papal authority over all temporal rulers in his bull Unam Sanctam. King Philip IV of France responded to the papal bull by being behind the kidnapping of the pope by some Italian noblemen. Boniface was soon released but so roughly was he treated that he died shortly afterwards.
In 1795, nearly one sixth of the entire U.S. federal budget was sent to Algeria as a ransom for 115 American sailors captured by pirates.
Charley Ross was a 4-year-old American child whose kidnapping on July 1, 1874 for ransom became a nationwide sensation. In addition to the heavy press coverage, some prominent Philadelphians enlisted the help of the famous Pinkerton detective agency, who had millions of flyers and posters printed with Ross's likeness. Charley, who was never found, had been lured by two men offering candy and fireworks, giving rise to the warning "never take candy from strangers".
In 1926 the famous 21-year-old pianist Fats Waller was kidnapped by Al Capone's gang to play piano for their boss' birthday. He basically went missing for three days and was returned unharmed but drunk.
Frank Sinatra carried 10 dimes with him at all times after his son Frank Jr. was kidnapped in 1963. The kidnappers demanded that all communications be conducted by payphone, and Sinatra was worried that he would not have enough coins for the calls. He continued to carry 10 dimes with him for the rest of his life, and he was even buried with them in his pocket.
When Theo Albrecht, the CEO of discount supermarket chain ALDI was kidnapped in December 1971, he haggled about his ransom money, before being released for a ransom of $4 million. Albrecht later won tax relief on the ransom payment claiming it was a business expense.
Sixteen-year-old John Paul Getty, the grandson of oil tycoon Jean Paul Getty, was kidnapped by an Italian gang on July 10, 1973. After two ransom notes were ignored an envelope containing a lock of hair and a human ear was delivered to a daily newspaper with a threat of further mutilation of Paul, unless $3.2 million was paid.
The largest mass kidnapping in US history took place in 1976 when a school bus driver and 26 children were abducted as part of a failed ransom plot. They were buried alive in the back of a moving van. The driver, with help from some of the older kids, managed to open a trapdoor and free everyone inside.
In 1978, Pope Paul VI offered his life as an exchange for the release of kidnapped Italian Prime minister Aldo Moro.
The great race horse Shergar was kidnapped from Ballymany Stud, near the Curragh in County Kildare, Ireland by masked gunmen on February 8, 1983. No trace of him has ever been found. The incident has been the inspiration for several books, documentaries, and a film.
During the filming of the sci-fi horror Mimic in 1997 the actor Guillermo del Toro learned that his father, Federico del Toro, had been kidnapped off the streets of his Mexican hometown, Guadalajara. The director James Cameron became aware of this and paid the $1 million ransom, even recommending a negotiator.
In 1978, Pope Paul VI offered his life as an exchange for the release of kidnapped Italian Prime minister Aldo Moro.
The great race horse Shergar was kidnapped from Ballymany Stud, near the Curragh in County Kildare, Ireland by masked gunmen on February 8, 1983. No trace of him has ever been found. The incident has been the inspiration for several books, documentaries, and a film.
During the filming of the sci-fi horror Mimic in 1997 the actor Guillermo del Toro learned that his father, Federico del Toro, had been kidnapped off the streets of his Mexican hometown, Guadalajara. The director James Cameron became aware of this and paid the $1 million ransom, even recommending a negotiator.
In 1978, North Korean dictator Kim Jong Il kidnapped a famous actress and well-respected movie director and forced them to make films for him in order to gain global recognition for North Korea's movie industry. They included a North Korean Godzilla knock-off called Pulgasari.
After Hong Kong gangster "Big Spender" Cheung Tze-keung kidnapped the child of Asia's richest man Li Ka-shing, he showed up at his home on May 23, 1996, and extracted $130 million ransom. Tze-keung later telephoned the tycoon and asked for advice on how to invest it.
Every car made after 2002 has an "Emergency Release" cable inside the trunk in case of kidnapping.
Ransom payments made to kidnappers to secure the release of your kidnapped child are tax-deductible in America.
In some areas of Kyrgyzstan, 75% of brides are kidnapped by their husbands.
Source The Book of Answers by Barbara Berliner
In some areas of Kyrgyzstan, 75% of brides are kidnapped by their husbands.
Source The Book of Answers by Barbara Berliner
No comments:
Post a Comment