Evening star., 1932-05-26
CURTIS INDICTMENT
IN KIDNAPPING HOAX.
WEIGHED BY Jury
Probers Adjourn After Con.
! sidering Case More Than
Two Hours.
TESTIMONY IS GIVEN
BY 3 POLICE OFFICIALS.
Prosecutor Also Presents Documen-
tary Evidence, Including Con.
fession of Virginian.
By the Associated Press

: By the Associated Press
PENNINGTON, N. j., May 26.-The
Hunterdon County grand jury consid-
cred TIE case of John Hughes Curtis
confessed hoaxer Of the Lindbergh case.
for two hours and five minutes today
and when 1t adjourned there were un-
| official reports an indictment had been
voted
One indication that a true bill had
been voted was seen in a statement of
Prosecutor Anthony Hauck that, If an
indictment was voted. he expected to
call about 10 witnesses to support his
case. including three police officials who
testified today and Col Lindbergh. The
prosecutor also indicated that he might
seek to call Admiral Guy Burrage and
Rev. Dean Dobson-Peacock of Norfolk
Va. associates OF Curtis in his negoti-
aticnS.
While Curtis sat in his solitary cell in
the Jail adjoining the court house. the
grand jury heard three witnesses-police
officials who have been active in the
kidnapping lnveStigation-tell of the
hoaxer's story of his alleged negotiations
with the kidnapers and the effect they
had on the actual search for the kid
naper- of the Lndbergh baby.
Prosecutor Hauck presented to the
grand jury documentary evidence
against Curtis, including the confes-
sion OF his hoax that Curtis typed in
the emergency police station at the
Lindbergh home.
Officials declined to discuss anything
that transpired In the secrecy of the
grand jury room. Before the session
opened Prosecutor Hauck reiterated
previous statement that an indictment.
II any vas voted, would not be handed
up until Saturday morning
The three police officials questioned
before the grand jury included Capt
j. j. Lamb of the New Jersey State
police, one of the first police officials to
reach the Lindbergh home after the
baby was kidnapped the night of March /.
The others were Inspector Harry
Walsh of the Jersey City Police De-
partment and Lieut.. Walter Keaten of
the New Jersey State police These
officers conducted the questioning
which broke down Curtis story of his
meetings with the kidnapers and
brought about his confession of the
hoax
Meanwhile police pressed on with
their search fer the kidneper murder
ers and acknowledged that they had
uncovered no developments of impor-
tance, and the search of rouges gal
leries by DR.. John F. Condor, Bronx
negotiator and the Jafsie of the case,
awaited his return from a fishing trip
to Beckett, Mass
Norfolk Attorney Quoted.
The charge on which Curtis has been
held since week ago yesterday in de-
fault of $4,000 bail is that of ohstruct-
ing justice by giving false information
in the search for the kidnapers.
At the conclusion of the grand Jury
hearing today Prosecutor Hauck said
that If an indictment is handed up to
Supreme Court Justice Thomas w.
Trenchard Saturday, he expected that
date probably would be set for the ar
raignment of Curtis, probably next
Tuesday morning before County Judge
Robbins.
w. c. Pender, Norfolk attorney for
Curtis, who yesterday had said he ex-
pected an indictment, was quoted today
from Norfolk as expressing the belief
that Curtis was actuated by q desire to
help the Lindbergh family The Nor
folk attorney also indicated belief that
Curtis did not originate and execute
the two months of faxed activities with
out assistance.