Evening star., 1933-02-26
DENVERNET SPREAD
TO FIND BOETTCHER
Midnight Last Night Was
DeadIine Set by Father to
Open Negotiations.

DENVER. February 26 Sunday
R).-The hour OF midnight. set by
Claude K Boettcher as the deadline
for the ransoming of his son. Charles
Boettcher. I'd, had passed today
, with no sign Of return Of the kid
naped young clubman. No COM
munication Of any kind. he said, has
been received from the captors.
By the Associated Press.
DENVER. February 25-At the ap-
proach Of midnight tonisht-zero hour
| in the Boettcher kidnapping case-this
by the spreading Of the largest dragnet
in its history.
Peace officers, augmented by 1000
volunteers from the American Legion
and service clubs, by the precinct work.
ers Of the major political parties and
| by an aroused citizenry, were carrying
their search for the kidnapers OF
Charles Boettcher, I'd, heir to millions,
to every house in Greater Denver.
| Midnight was the zero hour because
Claude K. Boettcher father of the miss
ing heir, fixed it as the limit Of time
in which he would treat with the men
who accosted young Boettcher and his
wife in the driveway Of their home the
/
| husband and thrust into the hand OF
the trembling woman q demand for
100000 ransom.
The elder Boettcher had specified
that the kidnapers must arrange con-
facts, collect the $4,000 ransom and
release their prisoner by midnight "or
else" He explained that "or else" by
saying he would spend the rest Of his
life and all of his fortune relentlessly
tracking down the extortionists if they
| failed him or harmed his son.
But as the 12-day period for nego-
tiations neared its end, everybody In
Denver appeared to be taking the zero
hour more seriously than the kidnapers,
if they are here, as the Boettchers and
police believe.
The newest development in the ef-
forts Of the family to gain contact with
the hdnapers came today when the
wife Of the missing broker conferred
OF gambling houses at Colorado Springs,
and presumably named him to act as
go-between. Stevens left by auto
| mobile for an unannounced destina-
ton after talking to Mrs. Boettcher
and Chief of Police A. T. Clark.
Stevens was arrested for questioning
in the kidnapping case, but was released
two days ago. He told authorities
young Boettcher had visited his resorts
and had owed him $1,000 for year
on gambling losses.
The elder Boettcher said he did not
know why Stevens had re-entered the
case, but explained Mrs. Boettcher
probably knew him slightly from con-
tact during a civic enterprise in which
Stevens was q paid employe.
Denver streets werA moro crnuydn5
than usual and there was an air of
excitement as the house-to-house drag
net was spread. Police cars dashed about
the city with sirens blowing.
The story OF the 12-day search for
the kidnapers Is q tale Of successive
utilities. The police have made eight
arrests and as many releases.
But the case Is being managed not
only in the old stone City Hall which
is now the Denver police station The
elder Boettcher handling the millions
which came from sugar beet and ce-
ment operations and have been aug
mented through real estate and bank
ing activities, has the life Of a son in
the balance. From the great stone
house in an exclusive district, he con-
ducts his own search: He has been
restive about police interference which
kidnapers. There have been strained
relations between the family and police.
The wife Of the younger Boettcher,
soon to become mother, is at her own
spacious home. The family activities
have consisted Of numerous attempts
to gain contact with the kidnapers
through appeals to newspapers and the
naming of two known intermediates.
Rev. D. B. Dagwell, rector Of fashion
able st. Johns Episcopal Church, and
James Grant, attorney. The father has
made several abortive attempts to con-
tact the kidnapers, leaving the family
mansion to 60 on futile dsshes In
one instance, followed by detectives, he
first ordered them away, but when they
stuck to their orders, he gave up his
| efforts for the time being