MURPHY, POLITICAL COLUMIST AND EDITORAL PAGE DIRECTOR FOR AN ATLANTA NEWSPAPER, WAS KIDNAPPED BY A PURPORTED PHILANTHROPIST WHO HAD ARRANGED A MEETING WITH MURPHY TO DISCUSS A GIFT OF FUEL OIL TO NEEDY PEOPLE. MURPHY WAS RELEASED AFTER 50 HOURS OF CAPTIVITY. HIS NEWSPAPER PROVIDED THE $700,000 RANSOM MONEY. POLICE APPREHENDED THE KIDNAPPER WITHIN HOURS. MURPHY'S CASE IN ONE OF 42 ATTEMPTED OR SUCCESSFUL KIDNAPPINGS IN THE U.S. IN THE PAST 5 YEARS. MURPHY VIEWED THE RANSOM PAYMENT NOT AS AN ANTISOCIAL ACT BUT AS AN ESSENTIAL ACT. HE RECOMMENDED DEFEAT OF PROPOSED LEGISLATION THAT WOULD MAKE PAYMENT OF RANSOM A FELONY. HE STATED THAT PAYMENT OF RANSOM OFFERS A CHANCE FOR SURVEILLANCE WHICH CAN LEAD TO RESCUE OF THE VICTIM AND APPREHENSION OF THE KIDNAPPER. OTHER TOPICS DISCUSSED INCLUDED THE ATMOSPHERE OF TENSION IN WHICH THE KIDNAPPER OPERATES, THE NEED FOR A TOUGH POLICY FOR DEALING WITH KIDNAPPERS, THE NEED TO BE WILLING TO NEGOTIATE WITH KIDNAPPERS IN CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES, THE ROLE OF TECHNOLOGY IN APPREHENDING KIDNAPPERS, INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM, INCLUDING THE KIDNAPPING OF ISREALI ATHLETES AT THE MUNICH OLYMPICS, THE BOND THAT DEVELOPS BETWEEN THE KIDNAPPER AND THE VICTIM, THE PATRICIA HEARST KIDNAPPING, AND THE NEWS MEDIA'S ROLE DURING KIDNAPPING CASES. (CFW)