SUSPECT ARRESTED

Hokitika Guardian, 7 March 1932, Page 5

SUSPECT ARRESTED

BABY STILL MISSING LINDBERG KIDNAPPING CASE. (United Press Association —By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.) NEW YORK, March 4. A message irom Trenton t,iNew Jersey), states that Mr John Toolier (becretary to the- Governor Hairy Moore), said to-day that lie ’hits been informed by Connecticut State Attorney Alcorn, that Harry Johnson; a ijiend of the nursemaid of the kidnapped Lindbergh baby has been placed under arrest at Hartford, Connecticut. A Hartford message states that afterHarry Johnson of -Englewood (New Jersey) was taken into custody in connection with the Lindbergh baby kidnapping, a special delivery letter and postcard addressed to the Lindberghs were found in the Hartford Post Office. The letter unopened, was sent to Mrs Lindbergh, at Hopewell. A postcard, addressed to Charles Lindbergh, said: "Baby was still safe and to get things "quiet.” - The description of the cai‘d is similar to previous ones sent to Colonel Lindbergh.

Henry Johnson is a seamnh employ, ed as a summer deck hand on a yacht belonging to Mr Thomas Lament, partuer of the late Mr Dwight Morrow, Officials hurried to Hartford to stnns questioning Johnson, who is reputedly the sweetheart of Betty Wood, the child’s nurse, who last saw him before the kidnapping. He admitted that he telephoned her the day before the kidnapping, despite an earlier announcement that the- police were completely evonerating Betty Wood. The ladder found at the Lindbergh home, after the kidnapping is described by a county officer, as a- kind used at a Bronx shipyard, frequented by Johnson. The "New York Times” reports that Colonel Lindbergh departed via aeroplane from a field near his home about 1.45 a.m., to-day, presumably en route for Hartford, to participate in the questioning of Johnson. The officials denied the possibility of an effort to maintain secrecy. Johnson was arrested at the request of the New Jersey police. Suspicion was further aroused bv an empty milk bottle found in his automobile.

After conferring with the police officials of ten States, and the Federal Government, Governor Harry Moore announced that it ivas their belief and hope, the Lindbergh’s baby would soo,, he restored. Governor Moore said it Was the general opinion of the police officials, who came to the conferehce from as far away as Chicago that the kidnapping was the work of amateurs, who will soon realise that their ollly chance of'escape is to place the baby in some safe place and notify the nutlu or i ties, The kidnapping hove none of tlm earmarks of those practised in crime, even though the result was successfully achieved.

TWELVE-YEAR-OLD KIDNAPPEE FOUND. NEW YORK, March 5. A message from Youngstown (Ohio) states that the twelve-vear-old, James Dejute, who was kidnapped on March 2nd, has been found alive, in a deserted house. It is reported that two men are under arrest. NEGOTIATIONS BEING .MADE. . FURTHER APPEAL BY PARENTS. (Received this day at 9.26 a.m) NEW YORK, March 6. At the Lindbergh house at Hopewell, through the windows, could be seen officials engaged in earnest conversation with members of the family. The State police did not relax their guard on the roadways leading ho the house, and most observers were not allowed within a mile and a half of the build-

Lindbergh’s attorney' declined to add cany information to the letter naming the intermediaries. It is now surmised, however, that it he Lindberghs received a communication from the kidnappers, but, to make a reply, it would be necessary to broadcast. iSpitals and Bitz are said to be New Yorkers, but arc now believed to belong to Jersey City, which is not far from Hopewell. It is indicated that Colonel Lindbergh has at last been in communication with the kidnappers. A letter signed by .Lindbergh and his wife was published, read.ng: "if the kidnappers of our child are unwilling to deal direct, w© fully authorise ‘lSalvy' iSpitals and Irving Bit/, to act as our go-between, and we will also follow any other message suggested by the kidnappers, M we can he sure it will bring about the return of our child.'’

'Toe name Spirals seemed to indicate that gangsters were involved in the kidnapping, but m, explanations were ::t first given by the authorities. 'I he 'Jrentoii message was published at the request of |,ne Lindberghs, and was dictated over the telephone from their Hopewell home to Hie office ol Hovei'iior .Vlooie in Trenton, by Major Mellon feel, I h-pul,v-Superintendent 41 1 the. State police, who would add nolh.ng to it. Wh 11,. r the lb" I ouiiiii|.o step toward securing Ihe release ol the child has at -last been made -is still mu ei |;aiu, but U now seems that the übdiKltnm of the child can be laid In pmiesstiumil kidnappers;. It. dispelled the. long held beliel Unit the abnormal |,ut generally uon-erim'iiiul type ol pel -.mns are involved,

Spifals and Bit'/, are known to the New York police as friends of Jack Diamond. It is surmised that these two were suggested as intermediaries by the kidnappers in their communication with Lindbergh, and were declared acceptable by the latter. Newspaper files showed that Salvatore Spit al s -is known m the underworld as the "Beer Baron, ’’ and figured in the investigation into the shooting ■of Jack, "Legs" • Diamond tot Xew York, in 1930, also last December in Albany, but was not arrested. He was arrested in New Vork in 1928 on a charge of homicide, but was discharged. Bit/ was convicted in 1926 on a narcotic charge, ami served a year at Atlanta. A radio appeal previously by I/mlbergli emphasising the immediate sale return apparently failed in Us nnd the latest statement taken indicates it'd 'tiiev had no communication with the kid nappe s. \ y,,rk Protestant. Jew and Cithoiie oijrgy.iiieii appealed to the Lindbergh ~l,dm tors to .leave the child at any religious in itutmu. should they find t hem;selves unable- or unwilling to communicate wi,h the Lindberghs, and d is assumed that the child wall he accepted unt|iies)tioned.