Evening star., 1933-06-04
EX-CONV|CT ADMITS
ABDUCTION OF GIRL
Federal Jury Indicts Eight in
kidnapping of Miss Mary
McEIroy.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
KANSAS CITY, June 3-Facing pos
sible death on the gallows under the
Missouri law, Walter MCGEE, %, for
mer Oregon convict, and Clarence Flick,
81, of Kansas City, confessed the kid
naping of Miss Mary McElroy today,
police said, as a Federal grand jury
indicted them and six others in the
plot.
The abduction of the 25-year-old
daughter of City Manager F. H. Nc
Elroy, her safe release on $4,000 rf(4-
som, the arrest of eight suspects the
return of five from Amarillo, Tex, and
the indictments and confession were
the events of a single week.
As Thomas j. Higgins, chief of de-
tectives started to question MCGEE uson
his return from Amarillo today, the
former convict replied, II want to tell
everything and get it over with"
Wanted Easy Pay-Of.
Admitting he and Clarence Stevens
boldly entered the city managers home
a week ago and forced Miss McElrN
to accompany them, MCGEE said 1--WE
did not intend to harm the young
woman.
I'VE didn't even give the conse-
quences thought. We just wanted an
easy pay-off We thought McElroy
would be an easy payroll, too.'
Police said Click, after reading Nc
Gees statement, confessed the refer
ences in it to him were true and ad-
mitted receiving $4,700 from Stevens
as my share of the ransom money"
The officers announced that money
taken from Click increased the amount
of the ransom recovered to more than
$4,000.
sdcGees confession came soon after
the city manager entered the room
at police headquarters where the
prisoner was questioned.
We've met before" McElroy said.
looking intently into McGee's eyes.
MCGEE rose from his chair and ex-
tended his hand. McElroy shook hands
with him.
yes, we've met before" MCGEE said.
and began to cry. Their meeting was
along lonely Kansas road last Sun
day when McElroy handed over a
package containing the $4,000 ransom.
Miss McElroy, who bantered lightly
with her captors from the outset of her |
kidnapping until her release, collapsed |
this afternoon when she visited the |
house where she was held captive. She |
tainted and was rushed home with her |
father.
Tells Origin of Plot.
The kidnapping several months ago
OF Charles Boettcher. scion of a wealthy |
Denver family, and the more recent |
abduction of 10-year old Margaret Nc
Math in Massachusetts,, in both of |
which cases the kidnapers were caught |
provided the inspiration for the Nc |
Elroy kidnapping.
MCGEE, describing how the plot was |
conceived, said about month ago, |
Stevens and I were in a bootIegging |
joint and some one mentioned the Dem |
yer kidnapping, also the kidnapping back |
East, and we all got to talking about it |
several Of us-and some one said they |
wondered why somebody didn't kidnap
McElroy'S boy
MCGEE said he and Stevens returned
20 his room and Matched the plot to
abduct Henry F. McElroy, jr., %, son
OF the city manager
Il didn't know until the day before
the job was pulled that Mr. McElroy
had daughter, and that was when l |
called their home and asked for young
McElroy and the girl on the phone said |
this was his sister"
MCGEE related that it was decided to
kidnap Miss McElroy when he and
Stevens trailed the city manager for
several days without seeing the son.
Indictments Returned. |
As the story of the kidnap plot was
being related, the Federal grand jury
returned indictments against MCGEE,
Flick, Stevens and George MCGEE, fugi-
tives; Windell johnson, Hazel johnson,
L. R. Gilbert and Lenora Gilbert, who
were arrected yesterday with MCGEE
at Amarillo.
The indictments charged interstate
transportation of Miss McElroy, pun
ishable by life Imprisonment, and the |
sending of extortion letters, which |
Miss McElroy was forced to write, |
through the mail.
MCGEE told officers he needed john
son and Gilbert to help change the |
ransom money, which he suspected was
marked More than $4,000 was recov- |
cred from the five persons arrested at |
Amarillo and Lucille Gates, McGee's |
divorced wife. Miss Gates and Abe |
Starr, Leavenworth junk dealer, through |
whom the gang hoped to purchase cars.
officers said, were held as material |
witnesses. No indictment was asked OF |
the grand jury against them.
Miss McElroy appeared before the
grand jury in white dress and con-
trasting red hat. She repeated the