Evening star., 1932-05-18
CURTIS DETAILS
ELABORATE HOAX
Signs Statement Describing
Fake Hunt for Kidnapped
Lmdbergh Baby.
By the Associated Press.

Police CalleO IL dH CllOlulOuo NCSCP
ton" to which John Hughes Curtis, AZ
year-old boatbuilder and Lindbergh KID
naping intermediary" confessed lat
YESTERDAY. History showed few hoaxe
so detailed and none more cruel.
Curtis, under guard Of State polio
today and awaiting decision by prose
cutting officers as to what charges, |
any. are to be made against him, ad
mitted:
That his whole story of contracting
the kidnapers of Charles Augustu!
Lindbergh, jr, was figment OF hi
imagination;
That the deception was practiced no
only against the sorrow -burdened par
ents of the murdered baby and agains
the entire world, but even against hi
two fellow tOWnsmen who served VIII
him as intermediates"
And that his trips in naval planes
his Journeys to sea on a private yacht
and his mysterious contacts" with the
kidnaper- killers were concoctions OF un'
truths, brewed in a flnance-frenZlec
mind.
Asks Colonel to Forgive.
In a statement admitting the false
ness of his whole story and which ne
wrote himself and signed, he asked the
forgiveness" of Col. Lindbergh for the
inconvenience, worry and injustice
did him in his time of grief"
For the last seven or eight months
his statement said, Il have not beer
myself. due to financial troubles"
Curtis. a Norfolk, Va, boat builder
went bankrupt several months ago, later
reorganizing his company.
The other members Of the Norfolk
trio whose negotiations in recent days
have held promise of leading the law to
the kidnapers of the Lindbergh baby
were the Rev. H. Dobson-Peacock, Epis-
copalian clergyman, and Rear Admiral
Guy Burrage. retired Curtis statement
exonerated both of them. 1t said, how
ever. that Dean Dobson- Peacock could
have prevented this trouble for me
when I went to him first. but instead
encouraged me-"
Dean Going to Hopewell.
The clergyman has been requested
to come here and tell his story. At
Norfolk early today he said he would
reply to the police request today. He
said he was mystified at Curtis refer
ence to him. Admiral Burrage, who
was drawn into the affair because of
his acquaintanceShip with Col. Lind
bergh, had nothing to say.
Curtis somewhat confused statement
indicated his object in the hoax was
the acquisition of money by the sale of
his story to newspapers and news reel
companies. He said he had received
large offers from each. His purpose
was defeated by the inSiStence of those
offering to buy his story that the child
be produced and the negotiations
completed.
This was impossible, for there were
no negotiations save those in Curtis
head-and the baby lay murdered.
Curtis Fake Statement.
The first statement made by Curtis
which was nullified when he broke
down and confessed the whole thing a
hoax, is rambling and slightly inco-
herent recital made to Capt. j. j
Lamb and Frank Wilson, Federal
agent, on the night of Thursday, May
IL, few hours after the discovery OF
the baby's body. The text follows
THE following is the story as far as
] can remember as to my connections
in the Lindbergh kidnapping case:
1T started on the night of March 9.
A man, who call Sam, came to see
me down at the Norfolk Country Club.
There had been q storm recently and
meeting had been called of all the
yacht clubs to see about building a
dock. This man Sam had an old Hud-
son car, and he came up on the run
ming board of my car and spoke to
me. Paul Carr and James Walker
mentioned later that they saw the
man on the running board. Sam
swore me to absolute secrecy and told
me that there were two people who
!, LII l. %~1I
about the whole transaction as to the
kidnapping, stating that he was sent
down by two men to see If he could
get in touch with Col Lindbergh.
said it was impossible for me to get
in touch with the colonel, as he must
have a million people bothering with
him at this time, and I said, I could
wiring your neck right now prom
ised him I would think the matter
over and he should get in touch with
me the next morning.
The next morning I called Dean
Peacock and he came to Jersey or Phil
adelphia and went over to see the
dean and told him what had hap
pened; that knew the man and had
saved him from the Coast Guard and
as far as I knew he would tell the
truth.
II asked the dean what I should dc
and he said he would see what he
could do, but he did not seem particu-
larly anxious to do anything. but after
talking to the dean he thought the
same as I about getting in touch with
Col. Ltndbergh.
Talked to Rosner.
Went to the telephone company and
asked to talk to the colonel, could not
talk to him, asked to talk to Mrs. Nor
row and was informed that she was
not there and then talked to a MIR
RoSner.
Explained what we wanted, asked
what we should do but he gave Us
very little satisfaction. We went on
back, it was on Thursday morning anc
the dean came TO see me several times
that day until Friday and at that time
at my wife's suggestion I went to see
Admiral Burrage whom 1 know, and
told him the details and asked him
what must DO.
He and the dean thought it ovel
and checked it over and they decided
they would call up and we called up a;
midnight and talked about 81 minutes
We were told that we were talking tc
the colonel but we did not believe il
because he did not know Admira.
Burrage.
we got very little satisfaction and
the dean said he would write a letter
Then I brought him up in my machine
and we interviewed colonel and at that
time he stated that he and others were
very skeptical about it and asked that
we get some proof. We told him we
would try to do so At that time
asked about the amount of money anc
he said he would not talk about money
until he had absolute proof. So I got
in touch with a man: he called me or
the telephone and said he was at tho
Broad Street Station in Philadelphia
and repeated my conversation up here
and told him exactly what the colone
wanted This was Sam"
Question-"HoW would you get II
touch with him?"
Answer-"He said he would call m,
in a certain number of days and
told him the conversation I had. wha
they were willing to do and he said h
ATsl