The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1921-09-24
HERE'S MORE ABOUT
CONFESSION
STARTS ON PAGE ONE

BY the Puget Sound Iron and Steel
company. vanAmhurgh forced Rus,
TO write a letter 10 his father do
mandinE SIS. 900 ransom.
The kidnapcr then filled Arthur's
cars with cotton. strapped his hands
together. wrapped a blanket over his
head and drove back 10 the city.
Tho letter was given to a rncssen-
r~r 10 BE- delivered 10 the elder Rust.
He got u at about 10 O'Clock In tho
morning. procured III. money and
started for the plac1 designated.
Not being satisfied that he had
found the right place. Rus, did no,
leave the money. lie returned 10 his
Office and learned tina, his son had
,eicphoned from the Puget Sound
Iron and Steel Co. that he had been
released.
II Ia supposed that when Van Am.
burgh heard Rust had started for the
tide fats. he icft the kidnapped boy.
expecting 70 ind the money at the
place designated.
CALLS FOR HELP
THRU HOLES IN BLANKET
Left alone IN the garage. young
Rust struggled with his bonds. bu,
could not FREQ himself He chewcd
small holc In the blanket which
covered his head and called for help.
The workmen. attracted BY his calls
for assistance. came 10 hls rescue.
There was quiet search Of some
weeks. then the arrest of Van Am.
burgh. The latter was a popular
high school youth. who had gone
thru the war and come out the most
decorated private. II was said. In tho
world. his decorations coming from
army. navy and marine corps.
lie had served during the latter
part Of the war aa a motorcycle dis
patch rider. His decorations and Ct.
tations number seven. and came
from tho Belgian and French govern.
ments. M well as his own.
THOUGHT RUST PLANNED
HIS OWN KIDNAPPING
The trial gave Tacomans one Of
the sensations OF the year. For the
young war hero's defense, out OF a
clear sky. was that Arthur Rust had
connived at his own kidnapping. Rust
had been In need OF money for some
secret purpose. 80 ran the story. and
had suggested to Van Amburgh a
fake kidnapping. in order 20 brighten
n large sum out OF his father. who is
deeply attached 10 Arthur. his only
son.
II was In vain that Arthur Rust
and his father denied this story. the
jury apparently was impressed by its
plausibility. and perhaps swaycd by
Van Amburgh's war record.
Then. too. perhaps there was Just
n little psychological bias In what APP
pcarcd TO be a controversy between n
rich mans son and the son OF n mo
chanic In the smclter which the rich
man once owned. in favor OF the poor
boy.
Anyway. the defendant was
promptly acquitted. A great mass Of
Tacomans naturally believed the
"frameup" story. and Arthur Rut
has been under n cloud ever since.
SO deeply did his mother feel the In
justice that she considered moving
the family home TO California The
elder MIR. Rust, however, declared
that he had lived in Tacoma since
It's village days and did not propose
to be run out by an untrue and un.
just reflection that had been cast on
the family integrity.
The affidavit today comes as an
equal surprise to large numbers OF
persons. II says:
Arthur Rust was In no manner
a party TO his own kidnapping. either
before or after getting into the auto
mobile With me. or on the day OF the
KIDNAPPING. lie had no acquaintance
with me before that time. His