Access to this collection is generously supported by Arcadia funds. The four children of kidnapping victim William F. Gettle are photographed after his safe return.William F. Gettle was kidnapped from the grounds of his Arcadia ranch home during a housewarming party on the eve of May 9th. The kidnapping attracted a great deal of attention in the community, with Mrs. Gettle even addressing the kidnappers through the pages of the Los Angeles Times. The kidnappers demanded a $60,000 ransom for the return of Gettle, which Mrs. Gettle agreed to pay. However, before the ransom was paid, two detectives of the LAPD, Chester Burris and H.P. Gearhardt, broke the case after installing a dictaphone in the home of a bank robbery suspect. Information from the dictaphone led them to a La Crescenta home where Gettle was held. He was returned, unharmed, to his family on the eve of May 14th. Text of original nitrate sleeve: William F. Gettle's Children; Bobby, Betty, Jimmy and Billy.
Type
image
Format
b&w nitrate negative
Identifier
ark:/21198/zz002545k5
Language
No linguistic content
Subject
Children--California People Crime Kidnappings--California Gettle, William Frank, Jr., 1926-2002 Gettle, Betty Gettle, Jimmy
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