Los Angeles County, California Newspaper Data

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Los Angeles County, California Newspaper Data

Crime News Stories

Will Carlton, a young man whose home was formerly in Wichita, and who married Miss Ethel Sayre about a year ago, was shot and killed in Los Angeles, yesterday. He was a conductor on the Santa Fe. Miss Sayre, before her marriage made her home with Mr. and Mrs. James Watson and is well known here as a lovely young woman. A baby girl was born to them only a few weeks ago. (Walnut Valley Times, June 12, 1903 - submitted by Peggy Luce)

GETTLE Kidnapping
Woman Being Detained in Gettle Kidnapping; Solution Seems Near
Las Angeles (AP) – A ransom of $75,000 has been demanded for the release of William F. Gettle, kidnapped Beverly Hills millionaire the district attorney’s office announced today.
Los Angeles (AP) – The sheriff’s office today announced the detention of a woman in connection with the kidnapping of William F. Gettle, millionaire oil man.
The woman described as a brunette about 30 years old and fairly well dressed, fell into a police dragnet early this morning along with six other persons, who also were questioned. After apparently examining the woman at some length, Capt. Norris Stensland, sheriff’s office extortion Expert, and a figure behind the solution of a number other kidnapping cases here, said:
“It looks hot, boys! I think we have something. It is possible that we will have this solved within five hours.”
To Stensland’s declaration, Blayney Matthews, chief of the district attorney’s investigators, added that inquiries gave “promise that we might have something important.”
The woman was taken into custody by three police homicide officers in ferreting out haunts of the underworld. She was turned over to the sheriff and district attorney’s offices for examination but the officers who questioned her declined to disclose the nature of the information obtained. [Daily Messenger, Canandaigua, N.Y. - May 11, 1934 - submitted by Melissa Rodriguez]

Dowling to Face Trial Despite Marrying Girl
Los Angeles (AP)-Despite his marriage to the complaining witness, R.C. “Dapper Danny” Dowling, film dance director, must stand trial on kidnapping charges.
Accused of kidnapping Mrs. Marjorie Crawford Wellman, former actress, to whom she was married a week ago, Dowling appeared arm-in-arm with his bride before Judge Fletcher Bowron yesterday and heard his case set for trial in Superior Court June 5. At his preliminary hearing, Mrs. Wellman alleged Dowling had forced her under threat of death to accompany him to Yuma, Ariz. where she escaped marrying him by pleading illness.
“Certain portions of the kidnapping story appeared improbable,” Judge Bowron commented in overruling a prosecution motion for a dismissal, “but there is evidence on record that Dowling was guilty of assault or someone is guilty of perjury.”
Dismissal of the charge had been requested by Buron Fitts, district attorney, after Dowling told him he and Mrs. Wellman were married. Deputies of the district attorney’s office said a wife must testify against her husband if she is the injured party. [Daily Messenger, Canandaigua (NY) May 11, 1934. - Submitted by Melissa Rodriguez]