MURDER ADMITTED

Wairarapa Times-Age, 14 July 1938, Page 7

MURDER ADMITTED

KIDNAPPERS’ ALLEGED CONFESSION BOY BARBAROUSLY DONE TO DEATH. ANOTHER MAN HELD AS SUSPECT By Telegraph—Press Association. Copyright. TACOMA (Washington), July 13. State police announced today that Frank Olson, a local farm labourer, aged 32, has confessed to the kidnapping and murdering of Charles Mattson in January, 1937. The kidnapping took place on December 29, 1936. Charles Mattson was the 10-year-old son of a wealthy physician in Tacoma. His naked body was found a fortnight later in a field at Everett, 50 miles from his home. Olsen described how he held the boy captive in a cabin after dragging him from his home. Later he strangled the boy, beat him about the head and stabbed him. Olson denied, however, placing the body in a field. He said he had not buried it, but that another man, who is now held as a suspect, threw it into the field.

Olson’s arrest is due solely to a troubled conscience. He told a farmer for whom he worked that he had committed the crime and wanted to tell the police, who “would keep him from the mob.”

Olson, whose beard is extremely dark, markedly resembles the description of the kidnapper given by the Mattson children. He is alleged to have confessed completely after 36 hours’ questioning. The man held as a suspect is also being questioned.

Charles Mattson, with his elder brother, his sister, aged 14, and another friend, were playing in the drawingroom of their parents’ house at Tacoma, in the. State of Washington, when a man entered and demanded money. On the children’s refusing to give him any, he seized the boy Charles and left behind a crude note demanding ransom. Charles was never seen alive again.

POLICE DOUBTS

CONFESSION “MAY NOT STAND UP.” OLSON OF UNCERTAIN MENTALITY. (Recd This Day, 9.55 a.m.) TACOMA (Washington), July 13. After questioning Olson further the police announced that his confession might not stand up. The Police Chief said: “Olson is a man of uncertain mentality. We will question him further, but we are not sure that the confession can be substantiated by facts.”