The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1933-02-10
FORMER RESIDENT
OF STATE HELD IN
COAST KIDNAPPING
Alleged Woman Leader Of Gang
Went to School At Harvey
and Valley City
CONFESSION IS CLAIMED
Police Say Questioning About
Abusing Old Lady Brought
=. OoSusts
CONFESSION IS CLAIMED

Los Angeles. Feb. 10.-tFeA de-
tective's soft-voiced but persistent
lecturing Of suspect about treating
an old lady 50 roughly provoked q
confession early Friday, police said,
which cleared up the mysterious kid
naping Of 65-year Mrs. Mary b.
Skeele.
Police said the confessions were
made by Miss Luella Pearl Hammer,
IS, and w. p. Hoard, 80, her "hired
man." identified by officers as par
oled ex-convict from San Quentin
prison.
The detective said Howard then
told q complete story conforming to
facts already unearthed by police,
and Miss Hammer, confronted with
Towards statement, also confessed.
The pair also confessed, Taylor said,
to an attempt to abduct Miss 1sobel
Smith. Pasadena school teacher.
Mrs. Skeele was kidnapped last Sun
day night and a note demanding $10,-
600 ransom was found. She was re-
leased near her home the next night,
shortly before time specified for pay
ment Of the money.
Detectives quoted Howard as saying
the ransom note first was intended
for use in the kidnapping of Miss
Smith but when the attempt failed,
because the teacher became suspici-
Gus, Miss Hammer suggested they alb
duct Mrs. Skeele.
Sought Mortgage Money \
Officers quoted Howard as saying
they wanted the money to raise a
mortgage on house owned by Miss
Hammer. q graduate Of the music
college of which the victims husband
is dean.
Miss Smith formerly was president
of the student body Of the music COL
lege, Of which she is graduate. Her
father, the Rev. Merle Smith, Pasa-
dena Methodist pastor, IS . trustee
Of the university.
Detectives Friday took Mrs. skeele
to the Hammer residence and she
identified several things indicating It
was the place she was held captive.
Later q portable typewriter was found
hidden In q bedroom closet Of q house
formerly occupied by Miss Hammer.
Police experts said it was the machine
on which the ransom notes were
written. Mrs. Skeele also partially
identified Towards voice. She was
blindfolded most Of the time she was
held.
The accused pair denied they had
any accomplices. They were booked
on charges Of kidnapping.
Miss Hammer, detectives reported,
was inclined to view her predicament
and events leading up to 1t as some
thing Of q Joke. She said, however,
she wanted to apologize to Mrs.
Skeele.
Planned To Marry
Both Miss Hammer and Howard
explained to officers, the latter said,
that they planned to be married but
could not do so until the house mort
gage was lifted.
As Taylor quoted Howard. the lat
ter said ne contrived plans for = ser
les Of abductions and Miss Hammer
was to single out the victims. They
believed their first intended victim,
Miss Smith, would net them suffi-
Gent funds in ransom to enlarge
their kidnapping plans.
The immediate cause OF the deten-
ton Of Miss Hammer and Howard
was the talkativeness Of neighbori
who told police Of mysterious going
on" 1T the Hammer home. The house
Is two blocks from where Professor
skeele was instructed to leave the
ransom money.
Miss Hammer was born at Noun.
tain Lake, Mimi. Sept. AZ, 1897, and
attended the Harvey, N. D. high
school, the Normal school at Valley
City, N. D., and the Pasadena Junior
college.