The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1937-01-04
two MEN Are
SOUGHT AFTER
MESSAGE SENT
Word Comes Through In
termediary to Mattson
His Son is Well
OMEN ENTER CASE
BY LINDBERGH LAW

SEATTLE, Jan. 4.-(UP) Gov.
Clarence Martin today personally
directed q statewide manhunt for
two men who informed DR.. w. W.
Mattson Of Tacoma through an in
termediary that his 10-year-old
kidnapped SON, Charles, was well.
G-men and state police stressed
this "break" in the seyen-day-old
abduction following apparent fall
ure Of q sheriff's raid on a Seat
tie suburban home.
Sheriff William Sevryn Of King
county led a posse Of deputies on
the ramshackle house in the Lake
Forest mark district three miles
north Of the city after o neigh
borhood grocer reported he had
heard a boy "about eight or 10
years old" crying there.
The officers found two men in
the house-Arthur Cooke and
companion who gave the name Of
Johnson. After questioning them
for two hours in the house, the
officers returned them to the
county courthouse for further in
vestigation.
Police said Cooke, who rented
the house several days ago, had a
police record.
eve are satisfied these men
have no connection with the kid
napings," said Undersheriff Lew
is Forbes, a member of the posse.
However, we can understand
now Farmer Robert Farmer, the
grocery would have been suspi-
cious Of their actions"
TACOMA, Wash, Jan. a. (UP)
A party of federal agents sped to
Tacoma police headquarters last
night to take part in a conference
between police and q new figure
in the Charles Mattson kidnap-
ing case. ....
Police had barred all reporters
on duty at headquarters from the
station just before the new man
arrived. A long distance telephone
call preceded his arrival.
None offered any explanation
of what the new mans role might
be in the ransoming Of l0-year-
old Charles Mattson from kid
naper who demanded $4,000
from the victims father, DR.. Will
liam w. Mattson, Tacoma physi-
clan.
Meanwhile Omen had prepared
to take official charge Of the
Charles Mattson kidnapping case.
At 9 p. m. psf az p. m. EST
the l0-year.old boy had been
missing for seven days.
Under the Lindbergh kidnapping
law, federal agents have full au.
thority to step in at the end OF
that time.
Harold Nathan, assistant direc-
tor of the Federal Bureau Of In
vestigation, and E. ]. Connelley,
agent who directe dthe Weyer-
haeuser kidnapping investigation,
took command of rs federal
agents assigned to the case.
The Omen virtually withdrew
from the case last week pending
attempts of DR.. William W. Matt
son to obtain release Of his son.
Their work consisted almost en-
tirely of comparing one smudgy
finger-print found on the $28 600
ransom note with thousands OF
those on file.
With the seven-day period laps
ed the government presumes the
kidnaper has taken his victim
across a state line, which gives
federal agents full authority to
take over the investigation.
Just what changes will be made
in conducting the search remained
to be seen. Local and state police
were responsible for tracing down
most of the clues during the
week. :,
There have been virtually no
clues since Charles was seized in
his home overlooking Puget
Sound last Sunday night and car.
ricd away by q swarthy, bearded
man.
AS federal agents prepared to
step in, they had these leads to
work on:
A we'll known Pacific northwest
criminal was being sought as q
suspect in the case. The man was
released from king county, Jail in
Seattle December 16. According
to a fellow prisoner, he told him,
81 am tired Of this petty stuff
and I'm going out to get q wad
of dough-" The man repeatedly
mentioned DR.. Mattson.
Jail SUIT Matt Starwich and
Under.Sheriff Louis Forbes he'll
the fellow prisoner as o material
witness. The officials showed the
suspects picture to Virginia Chat
field, 16, who was one OF three
children to witness the kidnapping.
The GIRL said the picture resem-
bled the kidnaper, but Mrs. Gar
rett H. Lowman, Seattle, Virpin-
las aunt, denied this. Mrs. Low.
man said the suspect has Q lean,
narrow face with pointed nose,
dark hair and dark eyes, while the
kidnaper was swsrthv and beard