Imperial Valley press., 1926-12-09
'0RM|ST0N
REPORTED
Missing Radio Operator
Found in Harrisburg by
Police Officers.
WILL RETURN WEST
Valves ExtraditiOn And
Was to Start Back to
California Today.
BY United Press Leased Wire


HARRISBURG, Pa, Dec. 9. -
Kenneth g., Ormiston, the long hunt
ed radio operator in the Aimee
Semple Mcpherson kidnapping case,
was found here during the night,
arrested, and today started back to
California, where he is wanted as
a fugitive from justice.
Ormiston was traced for weeks
over the country, from one place
to another; Finally last night Of
ficers caught up with him in u
modest apartment here. where he
said he had been living for some
time, under. an assumed name, but
making practically M other effort
to cover his identity.
He had moved about this and
other cities; rubbed elbows with
detectives-even t, the extent of
being in an Atlantic City hotel
while a detective convention was
being held therc-hal passed the
police station in Harrisburg almost
daily. but never had been rccog-
n-;,d.
When first arrested, it was under
stood he refused to waive extradi-
ton but he later changed his mind
and few hours after e'ng taken
F., into custody boarded a rain with
| two Detectives aceompa- wing h-,a
and started back for California.
, Information at police headquar-
ters today was that District At
torney Asa Kcyes of Los Angeles
would arrive in Harrisburg some
l.time today.
Ormiston was found in an apart
ment at 25 South Front street by
local police officers.
Wide Search Made
Tie case became a subject of
nationwide attention and Ormiston
subject of nationwide search.
Reports came that he was in Chi
|, cago. southern cities and in various
places, but always he had left before
officers arrived. He wrote letters
denying any guilty participation in
| the case and Mrs. Mcpherson stout
| ly denied any misdeeds. Finally
she was arrested. But still Ormis-
| ton was missing.
A few weeks ago, however,
| trunk was found in a New YORK
hotel, left unclaimed by man be-
lieved to have been Ormiston. 1t
was shipped to Los Angeles and
! opened. 1t was found to contain
| quantities of women's clothing, OF
sizes which would fit Mrs. Me-
| Pherson and few letters also were
said to have been in it. Among the
| clothing, a blouse and several pairs
of shoes were identified tentative
ly as having been the property OF
| Mrs. Mcpherson.
Through that discovery the tran
of Ormiston s movements was open
ed up again. 1t was found that
| the trunk had once been claimed by
him in Jacksonville, Fla, and that
it was shipped from there to New
York. Working backward investi-
| gators claimed they found that the
trunk originally had been shipped
from Pasadena. Calf, near Los An
geles to Ormiston twelve days be-
! fore Mrs. Mcpherson disappeared.
The trail of Ormiston then led
through Chicago, New York, Allan
tic City, Pittsburgh and finally 70
| Harrisburg.
Harrisburg investigators traced
him to the apartment and watehe"
the place for several days to make
sure of his identity. The informa'
tion then was turned over to Has
risburg police.
Fearing Ormiston would slip awas
from them, as he had others, the
Harrisburg Officers assigned Lieu
tenant Oscar (KiD Carson, one or
its best known detectives, to the
ease and allowed no one to have