The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1936-12-30
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SAIDSUSPECT
Missing Man TALES With
Description Of One in
Mattson kidnapping
SUSPECT REPORTED
TO BE A FOREIGNER

TOCOMA, Wash, Dec. 80
(UP)-Dr. Mattson has obtained
the $4,000 to ransom his son,
Charles, and Is now ready to open
negotiations with the kidnapers.
Simultaneously, the sheriff's
office announced that search had
started for men announced as
missing from home since Sunday.
One man is definitely'a suspect.
He is repeatedly q foreigner who
answers the description given Dy
the children present at the time
Of the kidnapping.
TACOMA, WASH, Dec. 3d.
(UP)-A short, swarthy man
whose first name is said to be
Tim" was sought by police Of
three states last night as the kid
naper of Charles Mattson, 10.
The man also was suspected OF
having planned to kidnap children
of other residents Of the wealthy
residential district where he seiz-
ed the son of DR.. William w.
Mattson last Sunday night.
Finding Of q ladder at the home
of George G. Franklin, chain gro
Gerry store owner, after q prowl-
err had been frightened away last
week led to the theory that the
kidnapping had been planned for
some time. 80
A high police official revealed
that the note which the kidnaper
dropped at the Mattson home af-
ter picking up little Charles was
signed "Tim." The note also re-
portediy directed DR.. Mattson to
signify his willingness to pay $685.
600 ransom by advertising in q
newspaper.
An advertisement that may
have been the Doctors signal APP
peared in the classified columns
Of a Seattle newspaper today and
read:
"Mabel-please give US your
address. Ann
Authorities bolstered the the
DRY of a lengthily planned kidnap-
ing when they revealed that the
kidnap note had been "pocket
worn" as though the abductor had
carried it about for several weeks.
The note repeatedly also was
noe addressed to Mattson person.
ally and demanded ransom for the
safe return of "y0ur child" The
reference might have better fit.
ted the Franklin family which has
a six-year. odd son. The Mattsons
have thre. children.
Mrs. Franklin was reported to
have frightened away a prowler
at her home, which is located less
than two blocks from the Matt
son residence, when she saw him
more than q week ago.
A ladder was found in the
Franklin yard the next day.
A few nights later, a maid at
the Franklin home saw prowler
answering the description of the
kidnaper peering in a window.
She screamed and the man ran.
The Franklins Immediately
moved to California.
The Franklins lived in the pa
latial home of the late j. p. Wey-
erhaeuser, ST., lumber baron, and
grandfather Of little George Wey-
erhaeuser, for whose release q
100000 ransom was paid kid
napers last year.
The prowler had placed the lad
der against the house so that the
top of it rested just under an up
stairs bedroom window.
Tacoma police took the ladder
last night for examination for fin
gerprints and tracing Of mater
ials, Just as was done in the kid
naping of Charles Lindbergh, Jr.
Police worked unobtrusively as
possible lest their activities delay
the negotiations for the child's re-
turn. G.men set up headquarters
at the Rust building.
Mrs. Mattson was grief strick-
en- and deeply concerned over the
health of her boy because of
cold snap and snowfall. She issu-
ed q statement through Tacoma
newspapers to the kidnaper, say
ing:
"Please save my boy from
harm. Keep him warm; he has
Just had q severe cold.p
DR.. Mattson indicated that he
was unable to raise the $28, 900
ransom. Although he owns an ex-
pensive home, the physician Is not
q wealthy man. It was understood
that he Is negotiating for Q loan.
Philip Weyerhaeuser, father Of
the boy kidnapped in May, 1916,
was reported at the time to have
"mortgaged his entire future" to
raise the 100000 ransom. Most
of the money was recovered later
after the capture Of William Ma
han, Harmon Valley, Edward Fliss
and Mrs. Valley, who now are
serving long prison terms for kid
mapping.
Numerous clues, none Of which
was confirmed, placed the kidnap-
er and his victims in Portland and
Seattle. In the latter city Mrs.
Maud Desmon reported to Sheriff
William Severyns that she saw q
man and boy, answering descrip-
Continued on page three) s6s