The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1932-05-17
NORFOLK MAN SAYS
PERSONS DESCRIBED
WERE IMAGINATIVE
Neither Boat Nor Alleged Grim
inal Negotiators Existed
in Fact
BLAMES LUCRATIVE OFFERS
Says Proffers by Newspapers
and Film Company Led
Him to Deception

HopeWell, N. j., May 17.-tF6Col-
onel H. Norman Schwarzkopf, super
intendent of state police. announced
Tuesday that John Hughes Curtis, one
OF the Norfolk negotiators In the
Llndbergh KIDNAPPING case, had writ
ten "a complete confession" that all
the people with whom he has told of
negotiating and all the boats on which
ne said he met them were creations
OF his own imagination.
Col. Schwarzkops' statement fol-
lows:
AT o'clock this morning John H,
Curtis sat down to a typewriter and
himself wrote a complete confession
concerning his activities in the case.
He stated that the boats and all
the people to whom he has been re-
ferring were creations of his own
mind and do not exist in fact"
Shortly after the kidnapping, Mr..
Curtis told q story about having a
contact with the kidnapers. A news.
paper representative. according to
Mr.. Curtis statement. made a very
lucrative offer to him for his story
to be given exclusively to that paper,
Also. according to Mr.. Curtis, very
lucrative offer was made by another
newspaper and film company con-
corning his activities. This spurred
Mr.. Curtis on to greater activity.
Burrage Not in Plot
Mr.. Curtis also said that Dean
Peacock could have prevented his
unfortunate part in this enormous
deception. Admiral Burrage merely
presented to Col. Lindbergh the story
as he had heard it. making no recon-
mendations. but permitting it to stand
on its merit"
Reputable citizens and officials
frequently vouched to Col. -Lindbergn
for the integrity Of Mr. Curtis. stat
ing that his word could be relied on.
This made the deception so mucn
easier. The story of Mr. Curtis has
resulted in the very widespread ac-
tivities of the coast guard and other
federal agencies in seeking the ficti-
tious boat he has described
ut has further resulted in many
Official airplane trips auto trips, as
we'll as keeping COL Lindbergh away
from home and activities during the
most important phase of the case in
pursuit of fictitious clues.
-Four days ago. when Mr.. Curtis
came to these headquarters. the po-
lice authority at this point started
questioning him and checking his
story. The result of the check on hts
story and the questioning of Mr.. Cur
tbs was eliminated at 4 o'clock this
morning. with his complete confession
that all the information he had given
was the result of his imagination and
deception as we'll as his desire to make
a good newspaper story that would
bring lucrative returns. and that there
was no fact or foundation on which
the story was built"
Not Under Arrest
After Col. Schwarzkopf issued his
statement he was asked If any action
had been taken against Curtis. He
replied that Curtis was not under
arrest.
Curtis was with Lindbergh on a
yacht off the New Jersey coast the
night the baby's body was found
searching, as they had been for days.
for the kidnapers' craft, which he
now has confessed never existed.
Something went wrong with the
radio apparatus on the yacht he and
Lindbergh were aboard, with the re-
suit that the colonel did not receive
word for nine hours that the body
had been found.
The yacht Maroon was placed at
Curtis disposal early in the case, and
he and others made long cruises on
it up and down the coast.
Curtis had been active in the
search since early in March. His
story at that time was that on March
8 he was approached at his ship
building plant in Norfolk by q man
purporting to be the kidnapers' "go-
between" He shortly afterwards en-
listed the support of Dean Dobson-
Peacock and Admiral Burrage.
The three men sought vainly at
first to communicate with Colonel
Lindbergh, but finally visited him at
his Sourland Mountain estate March
%. News of the Norfolk negotiations
first became known to the public two
days later.
J81Sac ~ 1O0eIUl
Meanwhile Jafsie talked Tuesday OF
murder trail grown hot and Of de-
velopments that might be sensational.
Jafsie - DR.. John r. Condor - has
spent two days in study OF rogues'
gallery pictures in New York. in
White Plains and In Yonkers. N. Y.
The aged educator : baseball umpire
kidnap intermediary gave no hint to
eager inquiries as to his reason for
believing progress was being made In
the hunt for the slayers Of little
Charles Lindbergh.
He had planned TO attend the po-'
lice lineup Tuesday but was called 70.
testify before the grand jury instead.
The grand jurors. however. did not
hear his testimony.
Instead 1t called Col. Henry Breck-
inridge, friend Of Col. Lindhergh, Max
Rosenhaim, proprietor Of . Bronx
restaurant patroni1ed BY "JafGes and
Milton Gaglio. who acted q chauffeur
j for "Jafsie" on at least one occag1on.
It then adjourned until rfi4ay.
4 Among the pfleQne4S caaloh4 II ~
|daily police Mt 4 VS. ~ thoeq
might y on, 81 800 1n1glo1gD z
4 coont11n ilu