The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1936-05-08
HY WITH CAPTURE CAMPBELL NPER REMAINS AT LARGE
SIX G-NEN FLY
PRISONER TO
TACOMA
Long-Soueht Fugitive
Is Captured in San
Francisco

TACOMA, WASH, May
GN.S0. curious crowds
swarmed about the Tacoma police
station today in z vain attempt to
get a glimpse of William Mahan.
captured "egoist" kidnaper Of g.
year-old George Weyerhaeuser.
There was no disorder. The
crowds heard rumors Mahan had
confessed but no verification was
Forthcoming from the tight-hpped
Omen who whisked Mahan here
by plane from San Francisco,
where they captured him yester-
day.
Mahan was still manacled in
the Federal "tank"-an isolated
cell in the local police station.
Prisoner Chained
The specially chartered plane
which bore six Department Of
Justice agents and Mahan landed
at Tacoma airfield at 9:52 o'clock
last night.
Few Tacomans, except news
paper reporters and photographers
who had kept q long vigil for the
arrival of the plane, were at the
airport.
The youthful but grim Govern
ment agents lost no time in hurry
ing their handcuffed and chained
prisoner to waiting automobile.
There was no fanfare in the
departure. No siren Screeched.
The Omen headed directly for
the Tacoma police station and
there delivered Mahan with in
structionS to the night desk SER
geant to "hold this prisoner for
the United States Marshal"
International News Service was
informed by an authentic source
the WeyerhaeuSer kidnapping case
is not yet completely solved. The
informant stated Federal authori-
ties still believe a fourth person
was connected with the crime.
It was recalled at the same
time Mahan and Harmon and
Margaret valley were charged
with the kidnapping of the Weyer-
haeuser boy, a John Doe" was
indicted.
Federal agents, maintaining
their usual silence, refused to dis
cusS this report.
While the search for Mahan
spread Throughout the northwest
and California cities, Federal
agents always referred to Mahan
as "the remaining principal" in
dicating others might be impn-
Gated indirectly.
Bond Set at 100000
The Weyerhaeuser boy, heir to
q lumber fortune, was returned to
his parents last year after a $780,
900 ransom had been paid.
Bond for Mahan was set at
$780, 0C on each of the two counts
on which he was indicted June 20
with the Valleys. The prisoner was
charged with conspiracy in kidnap-
ing under the Lindbergh law and
extortion through the mails.
Mahan was smooth Shaven when
arrested and his hair was its nat
ural dark auburn hue. Federal
agents belief Mahan would dye his
hair with a dye he was known to
favor led to many false alarms in
the nationwide hunt for the Grim
inal.
Faces Death Penalty
It was believed Mahan would
be arraigned today before Fed
eral Judge E. E. Cushman, who
sentenced Harmon Valley to As
years in prison and his wife to
20 years on the same charge.
Valley is serving his time on
AlcatraZ Island in San Francisco
Bay. His wife is an inmate Of
the women's Federal penitentiary
ct Milan, Mich.
The life of Mahan lies in the
hands of Chief Oman j. Edgar
Hoover.
County Prosecutor Harry John
son said he will acquieSce to De-
partment of Justice wishes regard.
ing prosecution of the kidnaper.
If Federal authorities decide to
turn Mahan over to State author
tiles he faces the death penalty.
The death sentence is obligatory
under a washington law passed
after the Lindbergh kidnapping.
If Mahan is prosecuted under
Federal law he may escape the
moose as his victim was returned
unframed following payment of
the ransom.