Kidnapped Amsterdam Jewish millionaire Maurits Caransa, 61, was released early today. He was found in an Amsterdam square at 1:30 a.m. by a passerby and was taken by taxi to Amsterdam police headquarters. He was physically in good condition.
Caransa told police his family paid a ten million Guilders ($4 million) ransom in new banknotes for his release. He was kidnapped five days ago when leaving the Amsterdam Bridge Club, by five men. Caransa said he was held in a dark room, some three-quarters of an hour ride from Amsterdam, handcuffed to a radiator. He said his abductors had not mistreated him nor threatened him physically. He said he himself had conducted the negotiations on the amount for his release which originally had been several times higher than the ten million Guilders eventually paid.
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The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.