Evening star., 1936-12-30
MATTSON AGENTS
ACTIVITY POINTS To
RANSOM PAYMENT
Pair Confer 40 Minutes.
New Tenseness Noticed at
Justice Headquarters.
FRIEND ALSO DEPARTS
UPON SECRET MISSION
Four Clear Paths to Contact Fam.
lily on $2s,00 Demand Are
Opened to Kidnaper.
By the Associated Press.

TACOMA, Wash, December 30
Lieut.. Col. Gus B. Appelman, frequent
ly mentioned as the probable inter-
mediary in the Charles Mattson kid
naping case, spent 40 minutes in DR..
w. w. Mattson's mansion today, then
emerged hurriedly and sped away in
motor car on an undisclosed mis-
sion.
Appelman's sudden departure, fol-
lowing the announcement last night
by family spokesman that negotia-
tions with the kidnaper of the 10
year-old boy were almost complete,
gave rise to rumors the S28, 900 ransom
demand had been met or was to be
met soon
Appelman brushed aside questioners
as he departed
Increased activity around Depart
ment of Justice headquarters in an
Office building was evident, and to
observers it appeared there was a new
tenseness.
During the night the Mattson home,
in which Charles was seized Sunday,
lay dark and silent.
Friend Starts Secret Trip.
Shortly after Appelman left, Capt.
Jonn S. Strickland retired Tacoma
detective now operating a private
agency, drove away in his automobile.
He refused to discuss his mission.
Strickland has been seen frequently
about the MattSon place, but his
capacity never has been made public.
He is known as one of DR.. Mattson's
friends and has a home near the doc.
tors.
An hour after leaving the Mattson
home Appelman reached his Office, in
the Tacoma Chamber of Commerce,
where he is budget director.
In reply to questions, he responded:
"Oh was just paying a visit to the
family. Couldn't say there was any
thing significant. No, guess that's
ALL"
Accompanied by a man about 80
years old, DR.. Mattson left the house
at 10 am. (P S. T) in a coupe be-.
longing TO the family. The younger
man drove. There was no haste in
their movements.
-Four clear paths lay open for the
kidnaper to contact the prominent
physician and collect the money.
But the boys mother and grand
mother were worried.
Through the press Mrs. Mattson ap-
pealed to the kidnaper to save the
boy from harm. Keep him warm. He
has just had severe cold"
The elderly grandmother, Mrs.
Charles Fletcher, said:
"I don't think Charles will be able
to stand being away from his mother
much longer. They we're very close.
Advertisement Offers Contact.
Contacts offered to the kidnaper
were:
l. An advertisement in the Seattle
Times. inviting him to contact the
Mattsons. 1t said:
"Mable: Please give us your ad-
dress. ANN"
Though members of the Mattson
family denied knowledge of the ad in
the personal columns, reliable sources
said unqualifedly the invitation was
published to establish contact with
Charles captor.
2. The boys grandmother, In a
statement to newspaper men, invited
the kidnaper to use her as an inter-
mediary, and offered him all the prop
erty she and her husband possess-a
neat white cottage and the remains Of
a once-large fortune-ln exchange for
the boys freedom.
3. Open telephone lines gave the
kidnapers access to the Mattson home,
where 10 officers were on guard.
4. An uninterrupted mail service
gave him still another route to the
Mattson family. Each member-Dr
Mattson, his wife, William, 16, and
Mural, 14-was directed to open his
own mail without scrutiny by officers.
Expect Payment Today.
A family spokesman disclosing that
actual negotiations are under way with
the kidnaper, predicted the ransom
would be paid today.
| Lack of activity at the home during
the night led to the belief negotiations
might be taking place somewhere far
removed from the scene of the abduc-
ton.
Although approximately 40 DEPART
ment of Justice agents were believed to
be in the Tacoma area, c. c. Spears,
commanding the hunt, was absent
from the city during the night, as was
Chief William Cole of the Washing
ton State Highway patrol.
Most recent of many reported clues
was the impounding of stolen auto.
mobile at Seattle. The car, stolen
from Carl Bertocchine of Tacoma a
few hours before Charles was taken
from his living room was found aban.
doned Monday night in King county.
Two gunnysacks were In q rear seat.
Mrs. Maud Desmond told police q
man and boy got out Of the machine
near her home at II pm. Monday.
Apparently they then stole a car be-
longing to Allen Strickland, a neigh.
Dor. This machine was recovered In
Tacoma later.
The Bertocchine auto was exam.
ined carefully by officers seeking I'm.
gerprints.
Think "Ann" Means "Tim."
In the Seattle advertisement OBJ
servers believed the name Ann" might
have been substituted for the Tim"
now known to have been mentioned
In the ransom note left by the lone,
masked kidnaper in the home of Dr..
w. w. Mattson Sunday night when he
(see KIDNAP, Page AID