Imperial Valley press., 1934-10-17
HOPEFUL OF
CAP PTURE IN
SHORT TIME
Woman Returned To Family
Home Unharmed While Ac-
cused Mans Wife Held.
7. H. ROBINSON NAMED
Accused Had Been In Insane
Asylum And Has Minor Police
Record.
7. H. ROBINSON NAMED
By WINTHROP LYMAN

-,
Federal warrants charging viola
tion of the Lindbergh kidnapping
law were issued today against T. H.
Robinson, Jr, his wife, Frances,
and his father, T. H. Robinson, Sr.,
accused Of the $4,000 abduction of
Mrs Alice Speed Stoll.
The three warrants were issued
by United States Commissioner
Eugene Daley at the request Of
District Attorney Thomas Sparks.
Sparks announced he would ask
the death penalty for Robinson, Jr.
Robinson, Jr., former inmate of
q Tennessee insane asylum, is in
flight from federal agents, presum-
ably with $49,450 of the ransom
money.
Mrs. Robinson, seized last night
when Mrs. Stoll was rescued by
government operatives at SCOTS
burg, Ind, is in custody here.
The elder Robinson, a contractor
of Nashville, Tenn, is held by fed
eral agents there. He was named
in the original ransom note as in
termediary for payment CT the ran
som.
LOUISVILLE, KY, Oct. II. -
Federal agents throughout the mid
Gle west today set traps for Thomas
H. Robinson, 27, kidnaper OF Mrs.
Alice Speed Stoll, who was return
ed safely to her home last night,
six days after SHE was stolen.
Robinson, once an inmate of a
Tennessee insane asylum, was only
a few hours ahead of the agents.
His young and attractive wife, Mrs.
Frances Robinson, was undergoing
extensive questioning. She was
collector of the $4,000 ransom paid
over by the wealthy and influential
Stoll family.
In addition to Robinson, agents
sought several acccmplices, all of
whom. they said, played only min
or roles in the abduction. RoIn-
son, the agents charged, engineered
the abduction with little assistance.
Robinson s father, bridge con-
tractor, and NJ. L. Althaser, father
Of his wife and superintendent Of
a sub-post office in Nashville,
Tenn, were detained by federal
agents there.
Mrs. Stoll appeared none the
worse for her experience. Almost
all of her captivity was spent in
an indianapolis apartment where
she was guarded by Robinson and
Mrs. Robinson fer companion
she said. She was well treated.
Federal agents last night inter-
cepted a car il which Mrs. Stoll
was being returned to her husband
Berry C. Stoll, in Louisville, at
Scottsburg, Ind. In the car with
Mrs. Stoll were Mrs. Robinson anc
the Rev. and Mrs. Arnold Clegg,
of indianapolis, who had acted as
Intermediates in closest coopera-
ton with the department OF justice.
Had Ransom Money
Mrs. Robinson had $500 of the
ransom money in her purse and
had spent $50 more enroute. The
remainder of the ransom was In
Robinson S possession.
There was no explanation Of why
the accused kidnaper wife had
accompanied the victim toward IN
dianapolis. over highways hot with
pursuit. and risked the chance OF
capture when the ransom money
had been paid.
One theory was tlslt the woman
l.lliZed her husband S crazed' con-
dition and feared he might kill her
after "cashing in' on the kid
naping.
Mrs. Stoil told her 40-year-old
husband, Berry, that she was treat
cd kindly by Mrs. Robinson dur
ing her six days of imprisonment.
Perhaps, it was contended, The
kidnaper IS wife sought to protect
the victim IS life.
Into all of these unconfirmed
theories was woven a possibility
that Mrs Robinson may have been
in cooperation with the federal
agents.
Thomas Sparks, district United
States attorney, announced today
that the facts of the case would be
placed before federal grand jury
Immediately.
Robinson of whose immediate
CAPTURE he was confident, will be
prosecuted under the Lindbergh
kidnapping law, Sparks said.