Evening star., 1935-06-18
j. U.S.F|NDS GRAVE
OF KIDNAPPED BOY
WeyerhaeuSer ProberS Also
Find AbdLctors' Pit
in Idaho.
BY REX COLLIER.

A deep woodland pit near Spirit
Lake. Idaho, in which William Mahan'
fugitive kidnaper, planned to keep
victim prior to the Weyerhaeuser alb
duction. has been discovered by the
Federal Bureau of Investigation, along
with another grave-like hole and a
lean-to in which young George Weyer-
hesuser was imprisoned.
This disclosure was made today by
J. Edgar Hoover, director OF the Bu-
reau. as squads of his &c men" we're
roaming the Northwest in search Of
Mahan, named by Harmon M. valley
and his wife as the master mlnd
of the $780, 900 Tacoma kidnapping.
The Spirit Lake pit actually has
been known to the bureau since June
of last year, but only recently was it
found to be the handiwork CT Mahan,
Hoover said.
Held in Hole Overnight.
The tiny, suffocating hole in which
the 3-year-old lumber heir was neld
overnight Immediately after being kid
naped on April "a is in dense thlcket
a few miles out of Tacoma. The
lean-to. also near Tacoma, was where
the boy was released by his captors
after more than week of imprlson-
ment.
On the basis of these discoveries
there was some indication the Gov
ernment might ask for death under
the I,indbergh law against Mahan and
the Valleys. The Federal law provides
for death if the victim is harmed and
1t is possible the courts might con-
strue confinement with chains in an
underground hole as violence against
the child likely to cause permanent in
jury.
The hole, carefully covered by
leaves and branches, was found beside
a huge log in the heart of forest
On pulling away the camoutiageo
shrubbery the agents came upon a
wooden cover of cleated boards. LIT
ing this they found buried in the
earth a dark, dungeonlike box, barely
large enough for the boy to crouch IN
On the bottom of the box were
heavy cattle and dog chains, WIFI
paddock with which the child was
fastened to the floor.
In the box also were can, an ak
a spade and a hammer. The tools
anparentlv were thrown into the hole
after the boy had been taken out for
removal to the hideout bungalow In
Spokane, Wash. A blanket and ham,
mer were found near the dungeon.
Lean-to Near Highway.
The lean-to, constructed OF pieces
of old Grating and tree limbs, was in a
clearing in the woods, not lar from Q
highway. Here the kidnapers left
George on the rainy night OF MS
release, with the promise that his
father would come for him "in a little
while" After waiting in the cold
rain for some time, the boy went to
the highway and finally obtained help
from a farmer living down the road.
The Idaho pit, several feet square
and about 5 feet deep, was called
to the attention of the bureau IN
June a year ago by residents of Spirit
Lake. This was few weeks after
the abduction of June Robles in Ari-
zona, who was held prisoner IN a
similar pit in the desert. Agents VINO
investigated the hole reported there
were indications it was dug Tor a
kidnap hideout, but its makers could
not be identified at the time.
Another Attempt Reported.
"Now we have established" Hoover
said, that Mahan dug the pit with
a view to keeping another victim there
last year." He declined to reveal the
source of his information.
The investigation director released
oficial photographs of the Idaho and
Washington hideouts and also pictures
of charred remains Of the $4,000 OF
Weyerhaeuser ransom money which
the Valleys burned in stove in their
Salt Lake City home just before their
arrest by the &c men,"
Hoover said physicians examina-
ton of Mrs. Valley had dispelled
rumors she is to become mother.