The Waterbury Democrat., 1941-10-02
Kidnapping of Former Governor Ends InD Death
ScOntlnued from Paee !,


 the pistol. They struggled and fought in the darkness. The pistol was discharged three times, the bull lets tearing into the walls and cell. ing of the reception hall. Mrs Rivers, aroused, came dunning in and, with her bare hands, entered the fight. The man slugged her with his fist, got his pistol hand free and slugged Rivers with 1t. Mrs. Rivers was screaming. The man turned and ran out the door and across the lawn toward his car parked ct the curb.
 Mrs. Rivers followed, screaming for help.
 "If you don't shut up" he saie from the car, "Ill shoot you"
 Mrs. Rivers continued to scream and the man drove of.
 Jessie Corbett, 3S, operator of 6 filling station near the Rivers home heard her screams. He and three friends who had ben lounging about the station jumped into a car anc followed the automobile of the flee. ing kidnaper. They trailed 1t at high speed along the state highway tc Valdosta, 25 miles southwest oi Lakeland. There 1t turned into tht Pines tourist camp. They watched the man get out of 1t and go into q parked trailer. Then they called Val. dosta police.
 By midnight police had the trailer surrounded and illuminated with hand torches.
 Come out" one shouted.
 "Just a ninute," a voice respond, ed from within.
 A minute or so passed.
 Come out" the police com manded.
 Another pause.
 A pistol shot rang out. Polict broke Into the trailer. On the fiool was a slender man of about 35, fiyt feet eight inches tall, dressed tr pants, silk undershirt, and carpe slippers. His pistol was nearby. HI had shot himself through the rnoutt and was dead.
 on & folding table was q not, hastily written in pencil. He ap parently had begged time iron police to finish it. It was the wild rambling note of e political fanatic indicating that he had planned tn crime of a lunatic. But, in tn, course of their search of the trailer police found a typewriter lette which had obviously been careful. composed. It was a letter intended for the victim of e kidnaper to gigi the first of 8 series leading towar, the payment of ransom. They als' found three German English ,dic tionaries and 6 book which appear ed to be a code book. Bikle had dropped several length of stout cord during the tussle fl the Rivers home. Apparently h, had intended using 1t to bind Riverl and Mrs. Rivers. Tn his trailer an expensive new one, as was hi automobile, 6 Dodge 194l sedan were ropes, chains, and locks.
 Mrs. Rivers said none of the fayf1- fly had ever heard of Bike before OAASS 4Ou440 G PASSS Ok PdpSE 1E Bikle's car containing the names ot II. B. (Hellbent) Edwards, state senator from ValdoSta, 6 bitter poli- tical enemy of Rivers, Downing Musgrove, of ValdoEta, who wai Rivers executive secretary when he was in office, and Attorney General Ellis Arnall.
 Rivers finished his second term as governor last December, having served four years. His second ad- nlinistration ended in violent poli- tical quarels and his enemies charged him with Q too free use of his power to pardon convicts. To these wild political charges and to irresponsible political gossip none of which was proved, the letters ap- parently alluded. Rivers Is a staunch supporter of the New Deal, called his state administrations 'The Little New Deal" and since his retire. ment has operated 8 small radio