The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-08-12
FOR ALL REWARD
DiscOyerer of Priests Grave
Would Not Share With Cops.
Now San Franciscan Finds
Himself Facing Charge.
HE HAD MACHINE GUN
Police Work to Fasten Murder
Upon Him.
Two Others He Named Are Be-
ing Sought After. Z

San Francisco, Aug. PA formal
charge of murder was to be lodged to-
day against William Hightower, finder
of the body of Father Patrick E. Hes
lin. missing Colma priest.
This announcement was made by j.
Franklin SWart, district attorney of
San Mateo county, after he had care
fully analyzed the net or circumstan-
tial evidence which the San Francisco
police department has drawn about
the suspect since he disclosed the hid
ing place of the bullet-riddled body of
the priest in its lonely Sa1ada beach
grave.
Hightower, after a days strenuous
questioning, was permitted to rest last
night. He was held at the hall of JUS
tice around which an extra guard was
thrown, not alone to prevent his es-
cape, but as much for his safety.
Are Inconsistencies.
Thruout the night detectives
worked checking up the various state
ments made by Hightower during his
lengthy quizz. It was admitted that
glaring inconsistencies were found.
Likewise, contradictions which he will
be called upon today to explain.
Aside from his own admissions
which detectives say have been of
damaging character, police placed
most Importance in three develop
fasten the murder on Hightower. They
were:
1. Discovery that Hightower rented a
Ford automobile on the evening that
make of machine. He took the car from a
garage at p. m. and did not return it
until a. m August 3.
?. Discovery that Hightower had rented
typewriter which has been discovered
and whose type faces bear startling resem-
blance to those employed to type the ran
letter rpaajVph nofnoffNoc o1c
learned Hightower had probable access to
another typewriter.
internal machine which he calls a com
pound machine gun" which he admits hav-
ing taken to the beach near where the
body was found. Police recalled two
threats in the ransom note. One was a
warming that an internal machine would
destroy anyone entering the hiding place of
grenades would be ready If police accom-
panied the carrier of the ransom.
It was understood that the formal
charge of murder probably would be
lodged in the justice court of Judge
Ellis C. Johnson at Daily City by Dis
trict Attorney Swart sometime today
Hunt Two Others.
Search went forward today for two
characters, a. woman and a man in the
drama that reached its climax with
the exhumation of the body of the
Rev Father Patrick Heslin, Catholic
priest, from the shallow grave on the
desolate coast south of San Francisco
late Tuesday night.
These characters are the man. as
yet unnamed, but who police Off
GERS say was connected with the slay-
ing, and Dolly Mason, mentioned by
VIM. A Hightower as having given
him the information on which he
based his successful search for the
priests body. Police officers frankly
said they believed that in Hightower,
held in the hall of justice here, they
had the major character in the affair
and indicated that filing of formal
charges of murder against him was so
overshadowed by other developments
as to be but a routine matter.
He Wanted Whole Reward.
%Hightower is a very cool, calculat-
ing Individual" said District Attorney
Franklin Swart of San Mateo county,
| in a statement. He has an inclina-
ton to be smart and appears to think
he is putting it over on US. 1 think
we shall break him down SOON"
Hightower, according to Captain OF
Detectives Duncan Matheson, when
asked by him why he did not first go
to the police with his information
about the body, instead of to the resi-
dence of Archbishop Edward J. Hanna,
replied that he was out after the re-
ward that had been offered and that
he believed if he went first to the po-
lice they and not he would get the
money.