[Indexed as Thompson case), “Did Little Ronnie Start In First Grade This Year? Dayton, Ohio, Parents of Boy Kidnaped Fiver Years Ago Believe He Is Alive,” syndicated (AP), Lowell Sun (Ma.), Sep. 25, 1949]

DAYTON, O., Sept. 24 (AP) – Little Ronnie Thompson, victim of a black market baby Kidnaping five years ago, started to school this fall—somewhere.

That is the hope today of the little boy’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Thompson, as the fifth anniversary of the lad’s disappearance, nears.

Disappears

Ronnie disappeared with a new nursemaid Oct. 7, 1944. The trail wandered to Detroit, to northwest Michigan, then vanished. Police said he was taken by a ring operating a black market in babies.

The Dayton baby—a towhead with a round, smiling face.—was 15 months old when he vanished. Now he is six, if he still is alive. Ronnie now has two brothers he has never seen Jimmie, 3, and Bobby, 2.

Mr. and Mrs. Thompson are certain Ronnie is alive. Their unflagging hope resulted today in offer of $4,000 in new rewards for information leading to Ronnie’s return.

Montgomery county commissioners are offering $2,500, Mr. and Mrs. Thompson $1,000 and private detective Russell Pfauhl of Dayton $500.

Bolsters Hope

Pfauhl bolstered the parents’ hopes with his offer of $500. Pfauhl was a detective in the Dayton police department when Ronnie disappeared. He worked on the case then, and still thinks Ronnie is alive.

“We. have never given up hope,” said Mrs. Thompson. “We just know Ronnie is alive somewhere.” The father also shares Mrs. Thompson’s confidence. He is a factory worker; Mrs. Thompson a part-time nurse.

The Thompson’s trouble began when a ‘ woman of ‘about 40 years old and calling herself Mrs. Mary Wilkey answered Mrs. Thompson’s advertisement for a nursemaid. The day she took over her duties, both she and Ronnie disappeared. Witnesses on bus routes led police to Detroit, then to Ashton, Mich, the trail vanished there.

Second Victim

In Detroit Paul Jevahirian was kidnaped by a woman answering the same description.

Both the .Thompson and Jevahirian families received telegrams from the abductors telling them not to worry. The babies would be returned, the wires said.

The hue-and-cry raged for weeks. Gradually it died away. Police said the babies were stolen by a ring which operated a black market in children for adoption.

They theorized Ronnie would be sold into adoption, perhaps to some couple that couldn’t find a legal means of adopting a child.

Children began going to school in Dayton a few days ago. The Thompsons watched these children. They remembered their Ronnie would have been going to school this fall for the first time.

“I still hope,” said Mrs. Thompson today. “Someday, perhaps, we’ll find Ronnie. I wonder how he is, if he is well, if . . .”

***

Text of photo caption: “ABDUCTED – This is an artist’s conception of Ronnie Thompson, (above) who was abducted in October, 1944, at Dayton, O., as he would look today at the age of 6 1/2 years. New rewards for his return total, $4000. Teachers throughout the nation are urged to watch for this brown-haired boy or for a sudden withdrawal from school.—AP WIREPHOTO.