Evening star. [volume], December 28, 1936, Image 1

About Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972

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WEATHER. "
_ <p B.We,thtr Forr,ut ). , The only evening paper
Partly cloudy and colder, lowest to- . w, o,
night about 38 degrees; tomorrow cloudy. Ill Washington With th0
probably followed by rain in afternoon Associated Preset
or at night. Temperatures—Highest. «5. , rJ{BS® JN.ewS
at 3 p.m. yesterday; lowest 56 at 6 a m. and WlTephOtO berVICeS.
today. Pull report on page A-13.
Wtw York MiAeti, P»t* 14_ _.S'S^n.!^4,8*3
85th YEAR. No. 33,844. rSLV. w“,mn«o“ mD.‘cr WASHINGTON, D*. C., MONDAY, DECEMBER 28, 1936.—THIRTY-FOUR PAGES. *** <a*> M..n. A..oc..t.d Pr..., TWO CENTS.
AIRLINER IS LOST
WITH 12 ABOARD
IN CALIFORNIA HOP
Plane Vanishes After Signal
ing for Landing Beam at
Burbank Field.
WIDE SEARCH BEGUN
FOR MISSING CRAFT
Vague Report of "Crash” Heard
50 Miles From Airport Only
Clue to Mystery.
BACKGROUND—
Twenty-seven persons have been
involved in four plane mishaps
occurring in the West this month,
with 15 of that number killed or
Virtually given up for dead.
The four:
December 15 — A Western Air
Express with two women and five
men aboard disappeared while fly
ing from Los Angeles to Salt Lake.
All occupants are believed dead.
December IS—A Northern Air
lines plane crashed against a
mountain in North Idaho. Search
er* found the bodies of the two
killed pilots over this week end.
December 23—A Braniff Airways
plane crashed at Dallas while on
a test flight, killing all six occu
pants.
December 27—A United Airlines
plane disappeared while flying
from San Francisco to Burbank,
carrying four women and eight
men.
BILLETIN'.
BURBANK. Calif., December 28
—United Airlines announced to
day that searchers had sighted the
wings of an airplane in the moun
tains north of here, presumably
their missing air liner with 12 per
sons aboard.
The wreckage was seen from the
air near Saugus, about IS miles
from here.
R. E. Dickinson, airport man
ager. who flew his own plane, re
turned to Burbank shortly after
10 a m., P. S. T„ and told United
Airlines executives that he saw the
wings of the ship on top of a ridge.
Dickinson reported that the rest
of the transport plane was "all
spread out" in the valley below.
By the Associeted Press,
BURBANK, Calif., December 28
Three airliners sped northward into
threatening skies today carrying
searchers for a United Airlines trans
port with four women and eight men
—the third large passenger ship to
disappear in the West this month.
Twelve hours overdue, the latest
ship was feared to have crashed as it
approached the Union Air Terminal
here last night from Sen Francisco.
The ship's radio was silenced after
reporting it was about to land here.
A regularly scheduled airliner and
two surplus transports piloted h,
United's men hopped off here a few
minutes after 7 a m.. Pacific standard
time (10 a.m., Eastern standard time).
Mountain Areas Searched.
They were instructed to make a de
tailed and careful check of the Santa
Susana and Tehachapi Mountain
areas, the first plane then proceeding
on to San Francisco.
At least 15 more ships were mo
bilized by airline officials, along with
a fleet of 20 automobiles, for extend
ing the search if necessary.
A southbound transport from Seat
tle landed here at 5:30 a.m„ the
pilot reporting no glimpse of the miss
ing plane, No. 34, as he zig-zagged
on his scheduled course.
The pilot had only moonlight to
see by and it was but a bare chance
that the glint of a metal wing against
a mountainside could be sighted.
An automobile searching party was
In the Simi Valley, 50 miles north
west of here, investigating a slim
possibility that a reported power fail
ure might have been caused by the
plane’s crash into a power line.
Plane Prepare* to Land.
The plane, carrying nine passengers
and a crew of three, disappeared after
reporting it was about to land at Bur
bank after a flight from San Fran
cisco.
Paul Wright, president of the ter
minal; two mechanics and a radio
operator left to check the Simi area
by motor.
Due at 7:37 p.m. (Pacific standard
time) here, the plane's pilot, Edward
Blom, radioed a minute ahead of
time for a radio beam to direct him
to the field. It was the last definite
word. The plane then was believed
within 15 miles of Burbank.
The Simi rancher, a man named
Harrington, reported to authorities
the radio and lights in his home were
disabled at the instant he heard
what he believed was a clap of thun
der. Later in the evening he was
informed no one on adjoining farms
bad heard the thunder.
Determined to explore every possi
bility, officials ordered the searching
car sent out.
In Utah a search was continued
for a Western Air express transport,
missing since December 15, with seven
aboard, and today in North Idaho the
bodies of two pilots were being
brought down from a mountainside
(See PLANE, Page A-5.)
BERLIN FIRE ACCIDENT'
Overheated Stove Causes Delay of
Subway Work.
BERLIN, December 21 OP).—An
overheated stove, which set fire to
wooden scaffolding, was the cause of
the fire which damaged Berlin’* new
subway and delayed construction work,
H was disclosed today.
The blaze was in an unfinished sec
tion near the Potsdam erplats, a
downtown square.
1
Aboard Missing Airliner
Upper: Mr. and Mrs. Edward
T. Ford, jr„ of San Matino,
Calif., who are among the 12
versons aboard a United Air
lines transport plane missing
in California today. They are
shown as they appeared when
married about six months ago.
They were returning home
from visiting his father, E. T.
Ford, sr„ president of the
Grace Line Steamship Co., in
San Francisco. Lower: Ed
ward Blom, who was piloting
the plane.
—Copyright A. P. Wirephotos.
Prelates Unable to Conceal
Worry After Night of
Restlessness.
B> the Associated Press.
VATICAN CITY, December 28.—Dr.
Amantl Milani, chief physician to
Pope Pius XI. made a thorough check
of the holy father’s condition today
after a night of what attendants de
scribed as excruciating pain.
Dr. Milani kept close watch on the
Pope throughout the restless night,
visiting the sick room several times
after reliable reports said the partial
paralysis had spread from the legs
along the left side and arm.
Despite his condition, the Pope dis
cussed ecclesiastical problems with
Pietro Cardinal Pumasoni, former
papal delegate to Washington and
now head of the Vatican department
for propagation of faith.
Leg Painful and Swollen.
Two doctors and a hospital attend
ant were constantly at the holy
father’s side. Dr. Milani spends about
live hours daily with the Pope. The
left leg was said to be particularly
painful yesterday and was swollen to
a marked degree.
At morning masses, prayers for the
alleviation of the pain suffered by his
holiness mingled with the usual de
vout pleadings that his life be con
tinued.
Even during the spasms of suffer
ing, reports said, the aged pontiff
showed stanch good cheer and be
tween the Intervals of pain drifted
into sound sleep.
The fact the 79-year-old Pope was
able to take only slight nourishment
added to his extreme weakness.
Prelates Show Strain.
Most Vatican prelates, observing
tradition, resolutely attempted an offi
cial air of optimism, but the strain
was obvious.
Attendants moved with softened
tread. All Vatican affairs were con
ducted in an atmosphere so hushed
it seemed all of the little city was a
sick room.
The holy father heard morning
mass from the chapel adjoining his
bed room after Dr. Milani finished
his examination.
Vatican prelates disclosed that the
Pope himself vetoed the issues of
periodical bulletins on his condition.
They said he described his illness
as painful and perhaps lengthy, but
nothing to worry about.
Deterding Donates $5,400,000.
AMSTERDAM, The Netherlands,
December 28 <£>).—Sir Henri Deter
ding, chairman of the Royal Dutch
Oil Co., contributed 10,000,000 guilders
(approximately $5,400,000) to Improve
Dutch agricultural conditions today.
The money was donated for the relief
of Impoverished farmers and to facili
tate agricultural produce to Germany.
Justice Adkins to Direct
Jury to Return Verdict
for Prosecution.
The claw-machine business, which
prosecuting officials estimate has
taken $1,000,000 annually from the
Washington public, was outlawed to
day by Justice Jesse C. Adkins in Dis
trict Court.
The jurist announced that tomor
row he will direct the jury, which for
two weeks has been weighing the
legality of the devices, to return a ver
dict in favor of the Government.
United States Attorney Leslie C.
Garnett said that as soon as the jury's
verdict is recorded, he will instruct
police to warn all claw machine oper
ators to remove their machines within
24 hours under penalty of seizure.
The principal issue of the trial was
whether chance or skill predominates
in playing the machines. Evidence
presented both by the claw-machine
interests and the Government indi
cated all successful players “spin” or
otherwise manipulate the handle, by
which the derrick is set, after the
machine begins operation.
Evidence Is Reviewed.
Reviewing this evidence, Justice Ad
kins said:
“A substantial number of players,
after setting the derrick, do not at
tempt to do anything else while the
machine is in operation. When the
machine is so played there are
chances that the claw may not strike
the article aimed at, or if it does
strike it, that it may slip off. There
also are chances that even if the claw
grasps the article that it may drop it
or that the article may be knocked
loose by collision with some obstacle
before it reaches the chute.
“When the game is so played, I
think any reasonable man must
reach the conclusion that chance is
the prevailing and controlling ele
ment and when it is so played, it is
being operated according to the di
rections on the machine itself.
“For these reasons, I feel compelled
to grant the Government's motion for
a directed verdict.”
Attorneys Harry T. Whelan and
William A. Gallagher immediately an
nounced they would appeal from the
ruling.
Assistant United States Attorney
John J. Wilson, who represented the
Government in the trial, estimated
from testimony by claw machine op
erators that the gross “take” by the
(See CLAW MACHINES, Page A-2.)
3 Plane Trips Fail to Bring
New Yorker to D. C. for Yule
Paced by a very determined indi
vidual who thus far has made three
round trips out of New York over
Eastern Air Lines in an unsuccessful
effort to "spend Christmas in Wash
ington.” thousands upon thousands of
holiday-bound travelers have taken to
airplanes, trains and automobiles In
the past few days in a mass movement
which a check today showed has
broken all records.
The tremendous business that
started here the week end before
Christmas, when schools and colleges
were dismissed, has been reflected
over the entire country, every trans
portation facility beifig taxed to ca
pacity, and giving indications that the
same situation will prevail until after
New Year.
Eastern’s seemingly perennial pas
senger, who Is suspected (rf having at
tended too many celebrations, appears
to be enjoying the time of his life,
snd if he is still on "schedule” should
pass by the Capital this afternoon.
Every time he has been ready to leave
the plane, he has been greatly sur
prised to discover it was neither
Christmas nor Washington, so under,
the circumstances there was nothing'
for him to do but get back on.
Some consideration has been given
to sending him to Miami to •break
the monotony, but the airline is
an booked up, even with larger planes
that are being put in service, so it
looks as though his Odyssey must be
confined to this end of the country.
Pennsylvania-Central and American
Airlines also reported traffic beyond
all previous volume, and at the office
of the former it was added that
more planes and more schedules could
easily have been used. At Pennsyl
vania-Central it was Mid that one
noticeable feature was that the in
bound traffic to Washington was
equally as heavy as that out.
Hie Baltimore * Ohio, which was
the only railroad to have any figures
this early, said business was up 35 to
40 per cent over last year both as to
t (Bee TRAVh* nge A-2.)
REICH EXPECTED
TO SEND CONVOYS
■ REBEL HELP
Enlistment of Volunteers
May Be Permitted to
Continue.
GERMANY ALSO LIKELY
TO SHUN WAR MEASURES
Armed Rescue of Freighter Palos
Held at Bilbao Also Is
Deemed Doubtful.
.II.— ■. I
BACKGROUND—
Outbreak of civil war in Spain
last July brought powers of Europe
near breaking point as Italy and
Germany came to aid—unofficially
—of Fascist rebels with men and
munitions, while France and Rus
sia lent assistance to Socialist gov
ernment at Madrid.
Powers’ agreement for neutrality
has broken down in practice, and
indications have come from Paris
that France might return to Ger
many her war-lost colonies of Togs
and Cameroon in return for Ger
man assurances that aid to the
Spanish rebels would cease.
By the Associated Preaa.
BERLIN, December 28.—Germany
will avoid war measures against So
cialist Spain, but probably will permit
volunteer fighters to continue to sail
for the battlefront, and will convoy
German vessels with torpedo boats in
the Bay of Biscay, persons in autho
rity said today.
These persons, insisting the actual
decision is up to Reichfuehrer Adolf
Hitler, nevertheless outlined the most
likely course for the Third Reich to
follow in the near future, as:
1. In her dealings with Spain, the
Reich will skirt as closely as possible
along the edge of war, without actual
ly getting into war.
2. Without specifically admitting
it, Germany probably will continue
quietly to permit, or even encourage,
the sailing of volunteers for Spain.
She will send no whole divisions of
the German Army there, however, for
that would mean war.
Will Avoid Armed Rescue.
3. Germany will avoid an actual
armed rescue of the seized freighter
Palos, now held by the Spanish gov
ernment at Bilbao as a contraband
carrier, but most likely will station
a formidable part of the Reich’s fleet
at 8an Sebastian, or some other
Fascist-held port, to meet and convoy
any German vessel bound for Fascist
Spain.
It was reported on good authority
that German freighters bound for
San Sebastian would be met by Ger
man torpedo boats and escorted into
port to avoid any recurrence of the
Palos incident.
Reinforcements will be sent from
Germany to the Bay of Biscay for
this purpose, since the bulk of Ger
man warships in Spanish waters now
are patroling the Mediterranean.
Advised to Hag Coast
German merchantmen en route to
San Sebastian were instructed, mean
time, to hold close to the French
coast in order to avoid crossing the
middle of the bay and encountering
Socialist patrols near Bilbao.
Informed German sources said the
Reich felt a Franco-British Christmas
note, urging a cessation of volunteer
enlistments in Spain, had come too
late.
Germany will in all likelihood point
out, it was stated, that as early as
August 17 she and Italy urged that
such volunteer enlistments on either
side be stopped.
This "warning,” the Germans con
tend, went unheeded.
On December 19, qualified sources
continued, Joachim von Ribbentrop,
the German Ambassador to London,
(See BERLIN, Page A-5.)
Pour Die in Plane Crash.
WARSAW, December 28 {IP).—Four
persons were killed today and three
injured seriously when a Polish air
liner, en route to Lwow from Warsaw,
crashed near Rawa.
IT’S mi TO BE'
SATISFIED WITH
\ JUST WHAT YOU
THE GRAND RUSH TO EXCHANGE THINGS!
I
GAINS SI IGTH
Franklin D., Jr., Continues to
Improve After Sinus
Operation.
Bt the Associated Press.
BOSTON, December 28.—Bulletins
from the Phillips House of the Massa
chusetts General Hospital Indicated
today Pranklin D. Roosevelt, Jr., con
valescing from a streptococcus throat
infection and sinus operation, was Im
proving.
Dr. George Loring Tobey. Jr., young
Roosevelt's physician, reported “no
further nasal hemorrhage and condi
tion satisfactory.”
An earlier bulletin disclosed the
Harvard senior had suffered a “mod
erate naaal hemorrhage" Saturday
afternoon. It was "readily controlled”
and “a blood transfusion Is not con
sidered." the announcement aaid.
Franklin's mother, Mrs. Roosevelt,
and his fiancee, Miss Ethel du Pont,
remained at his side, his only visitors.
Both interrupted Christmas celebra
tions at their respective homes to come
here. Pranklin entered the hospital
the day before Thanksgiving.
CONGRESS WILL HEAR
ROOSEVELT JANUARY 6
Speaker Bankhead Announces
Date for Annual Message—Talk
• \
May Be Broadcast.
President Roosevelt arranged with
congressional leaders today to deliver
hii annual message to Congress the
afternoon of January 6.
Announcing the date. Speaker Bank
head said the President would make
his address about 2 p.m., Eastern
standard time, immediately after the
counting of electoral votes officially
confirming Mr. Roosevelt's re-election.
The address is expected to provide a
key to administration policies for the
approaching Congress and possibly for
the next four years. Probably it will
be broadcast.
Shoe Firm Baiiet Wages.
ST. LOUIS. December 28 (jP).—The
International Shoe Co. today an
nounced it was making “adjustments’1
in the day rate and piece rate of work
in its plants which would bring an
average 5 per cent increase in wages
to about 25,000 employes.
The new scale will be effective Jan
uary 1.
Summary of Todays Star
Page Ptge.
Amusements.B-16 Puzzles __B-13
Comics.B-13 Radio .B-8
Editorial -A-8 Short Story.B-14
Finance-A-13 Society.B-3
lost St Found A-3 Sports ...A-18-17
Obituary —A-lt Woman's Pg. B-l#
FOREIGN.
Reich expected to convoy volunteers
lor Spanish Fascists. Page A-l
Pope's condition after restless night
worry to prelates. Page A-l
Canterbury urges attacks on former
King cease. Psge A-3
Indian Congress votes to deny wer
aid to Britain. Page A-3
NATIONAL.
President’s son continues to gain after
operation. Page A-l
Airliner, with 13 aboard, disappears in
California. Page A-l
Masked kidnaper of doctor’s son
sought in Tacoma. Page A-l
Maritime workers protest new Federal
law. Page A-3
Senator says he won't be controlled by
$370 worth of patronage. Page A-5
Representative Mead out of race for
House leadership. Page A-5
President likely to resubmit waterway
pact to Senate. Page A-ll
King says W. P. A. workers seek to
propagandise Congress. Page B-l
U. 8. Astronomical Society meets at
Hood College this week. Page A-S
Three seamen ganged and beaten by
strikers at Norfolk. Page A-4
WASHINGTON AND VICINITY.
D. C. man held as Md. police probe
grandfather's death. Page A-l
Normal weather return forecast In
next 34 hours. Pace B-l
Drive for subecriptions to 1100.000 in
augural fund starts. Pago Bui
American U. and G. W. U. lose court
fight for $25,000 bequest. Page B-l
W&rdman Park apt. of Public Printer
Oeigengack ransacked. Page B-l
Co-ordinated Nation-wide drive on ve
nereal disease launched. Page B-l
Passenger killed, pilot hurt in plane
crash at Hybla Valley. Page B-l
SPORTS.
1936 proves tough year on track marks;
colored athletes shine. Page A-1S
Roll-off gets underway in The Star’s
bowling tournament. Page A-lt
Temes. rugged ring vet, offers test for
GeVinson here tonight. Page A-17
EDITORIAL AND COMMENT.
This and That. Page A-g
Answers to Questions. Page A-S
Washington Observations. Page A-g
The Political Mill. Page A-g
David Lawrence. Page A-9
Paul Mallon. Page A-9
Constantine Brown. Page A-9
Jay Franklin. Page A-9
Headline Polk. Page A-9
MISCELLANY.
City News in Brief. Page A-19
Vital Statistics. Page A-12
Bedtime Story. Page B-C
Winning Contract. Page B-g
Young Washington. Page B-i
Betsy Caswell, Pace B-l#
Dorothy Dlx. Page B-19
Nature’s ChUdren. Page B-14
FINANCIAL.
Railroad bonds improve
(table). Page A-1S
Retail sales soar. Page A-1S
Stocks irregular (table). Page A-14
Curb mine issues rise
(table). Page A-14
Steel operations down. Page A-14
Stagiaa up sharply. Page A-141
Ecuador Envoy
Reports Son’s
Kidnap Hold-Up
$20 Bill, Yule Pres
ent, Taken From
Boy, 15, by Trio.
The Ecuadorean Minister, Senor
Colon Eloy Alfaro, reported to the
State Department today that his 15
year-old son Almedo had been “kid
naped” on Christmas night by three
men who finally released him after
robbing him of a $20 bill, which his
father had given him as a Christmas
present. The boy had been missing
about five hours.
The Minister told Acting Secretary
R. Walton Moore of the incident, but
made no request for action by this
Government. Moore said he assumed
the Washington police were handling
the case.
Police were not notified of the Inci
dent until today, it was said. They
said the boy told his father he was
forced into a car near the Army and
Navy Club at about 10 p.m. by three
men, who threatened him and forced
him to ride around with them until
about 3 a.m. Finally, he said, they
put him out of the car near the
Capitol.
Young Alfaro also told his father,
the Minister informed Acting Secre
tary Moore, that the men compelled
him to smoke a cigarette which he
suspected was drugged. On being
ejected from the car, the boy made his
way to a telephone and called his
father, who went after him and re
turned him to their home at the May
flower Hotel.
D. C. YOUTH HELD
Albert B. Hunt, 2d, First Ar
rested on Charge of Assault
ing Grandfather.
By a Staff Correspondent oi The Star.
LANDOVER, Md., December 28.—
Prince Georges County police today
were holding Albert B. Hunt, 2d. 22
year-old Washington Navy Yard
machinist, while they investigated the
death of the youth's grandfather, Al
bert B. Hunt, 78, who succumbed at
his home here yesterday afternoon.
Young Hunt was arrested on Christ
mas day and released under 8500 bond
on an assault and battery charge
placed against him, police said, after
he had an altercation with his grand
father at the elderly man’s farm.
Notified of the death yesterday, the
prisoner, now held for a coroner’s in
quest, surrendered himself st the
Hyattsville police substation, according
to Sergt. Ralph Brown. Young Hunt
lives in the 400 block of Warner street,
Washington.
As quoted by Officer Oscar Beall, the
youth said he could not remember de
tails of the altercation but struck his
grandfather with his fist after a heated
exchange of words. An autopsy re
vealed that death was caused by frac
ture of two ribs and shock.
Justice of the Peace Henry O'Neill
of Bladensburg said the inquest has
been tentatively aet for January S.
!
Liberalized Liquor Control
Fought at Hearings of
Commissioners.
Dry and reform leaders arose en
masse before the Commissioners to
day to denounce the Pirkaen bill, de
signed to liberalize the District liquor
control act to permit the sale of hard
beverages by the drink on Sundays in
hotels, restaurants and clubs.
The bill headed a list of 11 making
up the proposed tentative legislative
program of the Commissioners for the
coming session of Congress on which
public hearings were scheduled at the
District Building.
Only one witness—C. G. Caflery.
representing the La Paree Restaurant
—expressed approval of the liquor
measure on the ground it would correct
an existing "very bad condition.’*
However, the board of directors of the
Washington Hotel Association, Milton
D. Korman, an attorney, and M. J.
Davis, representing the District Ex
clusive Retailers' Association, favored
one feature of the bill which would
extend the time limit on sales by the
drink from midnight Saturday until
2 a.m. Sunday.
Oppose Sunday Sale.
These groups objected to another
provision in the measure which would
allow hard liquor to be sold by the
drink on Sunday from 1 p.m. until
midnight.
Virtually all the protests to the
bill in its entirety came from repre
sentatives of church, reform and tem
perance organizations. After more
than a score of these witnesses had
registered vigorous opposition, Com
missioner Hazen arose and an
nounced:
“The Commissioners understand
the sentiment of this meeting very
well.”
Wilbur A. La Roe, jr., chairman of
the Committee on Civic Affairs of
the Washington Federation of
Churches, took the lead in fighting
the bill. At the outset, he declared,
“public sentiment is not represented
by the La Paree Restaurant.”
La Roe said 15,000 drunks are ar
rested here every year and there is a
case on record of one man having been
arrested 105 times in a year. These
drunks, he declared, are thrown into
jail and then kicked out. This, he
argued, is not an “intelligent” way to
deal with the intoxication problem.
He said the District should establish
an alcoholic hospital farm, as advo
cated by Commissioner Hazen. for
treatment of habitual drunkards.
Reason for Liberalising Denied.
H. N. Pringle of the International
Reform Association declared the Dirk
sen bill would not give the churches,
the home and outdoor recreational
places "a fair chance" on Sunday.
“I would be against this bill <y I
(See LIQUOR, Page A-5.)
FISHING PACT SIGNED
Temporary Agreement Reached by
Russia and Japan.
MOSCOW, December 28 (A5).—Dip
lomatic representatives of Japan and
Russia today signed a temporary, stop
gap agreement to permit Japan to
continue ashing in Siberian waters
during 1937.
The accord was completed after
lengthy negotiations during which
Japan sought extension of the fishing
privileges for seven years. The ex
isting agreement expires December 31.
The Story of Business
A Survey of 1936—Possibilities for 1937
The Star's annual financial and business review
will appear Thursday, December 31.
Seasoned commentators of the Associated Press,
North American Newspaper Alliance and Cambridge
Associates will contribute to this comprehensive in
ventory of economic conditions.
Outstanding executives in many lines of finance
trade and industry also will discuss conditions at the
close of the year.
OF DOWS SON
$28,000 Ransom Demanded
by Masked Man Who
Seized Boy in Home.
ABDUCTOR BELIEVED
HALF-CRAZED PATIENT
Description of Early Morning: Pa
tron at Restaurant Tallies
With That of Suspect.
By the Associated Press.
TACOMA. Wash.. December 28 —
A police official, who declined to allow
the use of his name, reported today
the Dr. W. W. Mattson family has
been directed to make contact with
the kidnaper of Charles Mattson, 10,
some time this afternoon.
The official said the instructions
were included in the note left by the
kidnaper when he abducted Charles
from the Mattson living room last
night. He also confirmed that the
note demanded *28,000 ransom.
Of this, the official said, the kid
naper demanded *10.000 in old bills of
small denomination (two or five dol
lars) and the remainder in old bill*
of *50 or over. In each case, the
official said, the bills were ordered
to be ‘‘old and wrinkled.”
He refused to disclose any addi
tional information about the ransom
note, or to say where the rendezvous
was set.
"Foot-by-Foot” Hunt Abandoned.
His statements came in the middle
of a morning previously marked by
no developments in the widespread
search for the missing boy. A sched
uled "foot-by-foot” hunt through a
wooded ravine adjoining the Mattson
city estate was canceled shortly after
dawn.
The Mattson home was surrounded
by city police, who excluded all but
members of the family. Department
of Justice agents and State police
made numerous unexplained tripe
through the grounds.
In Seattle police and Federal op
eratives checked fingerprint and other
criminal records, leading to an un
confirmed report that investigators
had found the kidnaper's fingerprints
o(j the ransom note he dropped in
the Mattson home.
Identity Believed Known.
Seattle police were informed Tacoma
police believed they knew the kid
naper’s identity from the description
furnished by Charles’ brother, sister
and a Seattle girl friend of the family,
in the home at the time of the kidnap
ing The suspect was described as a
partly demented former patient of Dr.
Mattson.
Seattle police scanned a coffee cup,
saucer and water glass for fingerprints
and watched for a tan coupe after a
hamburger stand operator said he
waited on a man answering “to a *t”*
the description of Tacoma’s latest kid
naper.
Irvin York said the man entered the
sandwich shop on Capitol Hill about
6 a.m., gulped coffee nervously while
reading of the abduction of 10-year-old
Charles Mattson.
“Kept One Foot on Floor."
“He kept one foot on the floor as
if he were ready to run. and read the
paper as he drank.” York said. “When
some customers came in, the man paid
his bill and W’alked out immediately.
I grew suspicious and checked with
the description I had of him. It
tallied to a “T.”
Seattle authorities worked on the
theory Charles’ abductor may hide in
Seattle, awaiting ransom negotiations,
as was done last year by the kid
napers of George Weyerhaeuser, then
9, of Tacoma.
City and State patrol cars continued
the careful check of highways and
side roads begun last night as addi
tional privately owned boats nosed
through inlets of Puget Sound on the
chance the kidnaper might have se
creted young Mattson on one of the
dozens of islands or in a secluded cove.
Searched Children for Money.
The masked intruder broke into the
living room, searched the children for
money, found none, then, snatching
the boy, cried:
“This is something better than
money.’*
He threw the note to the floor, lifted
the boy into his arms and fled toward
the water front through the same
French window by which he entered. A
spaniel puppy barked fruitlessly at his
heels.
Charles’ sister, Muriel, 14, and her
friend, Virginia Chatfleld of Seattle,
were sitting on a davenport near the
window when the man first appeared.
William Mattson, IS, elder brother of
the kidnaped child, was seated In a
chair at the other end of the room with
his back to the window. He was wear
ing night clothes and a bathrobe.
Mask Slips From Face.
The children said the man’s mask
slipped from his face while he was in
the room, enabling them to see he had
a dark complexion and a heavy beard.
They described him as slightly built,
middle-aged, poorly dressed and wear
ing dark trousers, a blue Jacket and a
light tan cap.
Search at first turned to the water
front on the theory the kidnaper may
have had a boat beached below the
Mattson home for his getaway. The
$50,000 residence overlooks the water
front.
The two girls told police they saw
the kidnaper run over the top of the
terrace toward the waterfront.
They disclosed that Charles, a boy
with an intriguing smile, had told
of seeing a man in the kitchen of
the home only a few minutes pre
viously.
Sent there on an errand for the
other three, he returned with the
story of having seen a man lurking
in the dark. Brother and sister
laughed at him.
The family also said Dr. Mattson
surprised a man in his garage more
than a week ago and found a fully
packed medical kit missing. William
Mattson asserted the kidnaper acted
UBee KIDNAPING, Page A-2.)