Man accused of kidnapping daughters released on cash bond

Fagan being released Wednesday

In this story:

• 'This was about the children'
• 'A generous benefactor' of the opera
• Fagan, daughters seemed 'normal'
• Related sites and stories

April 22, 1998
Web posted at: 10:35 p.m. EDT (0235 GMT)

CAMBRIDGE, Massachusetts (CNN) -- Stephen Fagan, the man accused of kidnapping his two daughters 18 years ago and letting them grow up believing their mother was dead, was released from jail Wednesday on a $250,000 cash bond.

After his release, the 56-year-old Fagan said he looked forward "to seeing my children again (and) discussing many issues."

Fagan said that "in the future, as this evolves, you'll see that there is much more to it than meets the eye. A different perspective will be seen."

He said, "What I want is what is in the best interest of the children. That is all I've ever wanted and, I think ... as facts come out that it will be very clear to everyone that this was about the children."

The daughters, Lisa and Rachel Martin, 21 and 23 respectively, learned last week after their father was arrested that their mother was still alive.

According to his attorney, Fagan took the children to Florida after he and his wife divorced to save them from an unfit, alcoholic mother. Fagan told his daughters their mother died in an automobile accident.

The girls' mother, who uses her maiden name, Barbara Kurth, has denied the charges and her attorney said they have never been proven in court.

At one point, Lisa, left, and Rachel blew kisses to their father in the courtroom

Kurth also reportedly told her attorney that Fagan was a con man who forged checks and used stolen identification to obtain valuable artworks and oriental rugs.

'A generous benefactor' of the opera

Robert Montgomery, a friend of Fagan's from West Palm Beach, Florida, where Fagan lived using the name William Martin, said Fagan's friends "were all astonished" by his arrest.

He said Fagan was "very well liked ... very articulate" and "a generous benefactor" of the opera.

"Here in Palm Beach, we don't ask questions about money," Montgomery said. "It's probably a great place to go incognito."

Fagan lived an elegant lifestyle with no obvious source of income. Montgomery said he did not know where Fagan's money came from, but added that he "married into the former Golding family."

Fagan reportedly told acquaintances at various times that he was a Harvard professor, CIA agent, chemist, lawyer and foreign affairs adviser under the Nixon and Carter administrations.

Dick Cavanagh, the swim coach for the daughters, said people wondered where Fagan's money came from, but generally believed "he had made some investments."

Kurth

Montgomery said Fagan took his daughters "all over the world" and appeared to be a "loving and devoted father."

Fagan, daughters seemed 'normal'

Other Palm Beach acquaintances also credited Fagan with generous treatment of his daughters and remarked on how "normal" he and his daughters seemed.

The money paid to release Fagan represents 10 percent of his $2.5 million bond.

Fagan's attorney, Richard Egbert, said there was never any question that the cash would be raised, it just took some time to complete a transaction of that magnitude.

Related story:

• Mother will 'always love' daughters taken 19 years ago - April 21, 1998
• Dad who took kids 19 years ago says he acted legally - April 21, 1998
• Dad faces charges of kidnapping kids 18 years ago - April 21, 1998

Related site:

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• National Center for Missing and Exploited Children

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