A sample of George Weyerhaeuser's third grade school work. On May 24, 1935, the nine year old boy was kidnapped as he walked from Lowell School to meet his sister at Annie Wright and travel home for lunch. The ransom note demanding $200,000 contained George's signature. His school work was used as a comparison for the signature. The paper says "Lowell School. Oct 19 1934. George Weyerhaeuser 3b. When I was at the zoo I saw some (animals.) We drove out in out mothers' and teacher's (automobiles)." (T. Times 5/25/1935, pg. 1 plus succeeding months)

Kidnappings--Tacoma--1930-1940; Weyerhaeuser, George H.--Associated objects;

Man holding a suitcase, taken for the Tacoma Times in conjunction with the investigation into the kidnapping of George Weyerhaeuser on May 24, 1935.

Kidnappings--Tacoma--1930-1940; Weyerhaeuser, George H.--Kidnappings;

On June 12, 1935 at 6:14p.m., Harman and Margaret Waley arrive at Tacoma Field by United Airlines charter to stand trial for kidnapping and extortion in the abduction of George Weyerhaeuser. The crowd at Tacoma Field to watch them arrive numbered in the hundreds, the largest gathered there since Bromley had tried to fly nonstop Tacoma To Tokyo in 1929. The couple was arrested in Salt Lake City after 19 year old Margaret Waley tried to spend a marked bill. Harman, in white cap, can be seen between two agents; Margaret, in checked coat, can be seen in the center of the picture with her head bent. The pair were whisked into waiting cars and rushed to the Federal building for arraignment. (T. Times 06/13/1935, pg. 1 plus succeeding days)

Kidnappings--Tacoma--1930-1940; Waley, Harman; Waley, Margaret; Tacoma Field (Lakewood); Airplanes--Tacoma--1930-1940; Weyerhaeuser, George H.--Kidnappings;

On June 12, 1935 at 6:35p.m., Harman and Margaret Waley arrive at the Federal Building for arraignment on the charges of kidnapping and extortion in the abduction of George Weyerhaeuser. The pair are sped from Tacoma Field to the Federal Building in a convoy of four federal vehicles. They are surrounded by seven Federal agents and a crowd of about 50 spectators. Many of the spectators are newsmen, and the flash of bulbs lights up the evening. They are escorted to the federal court room on the 3rd floor of the Post Office building where they plead "not guilty." Original photograph (series 2700, image 54A) enlarged & cropped to make it more visually interesting for the newspaper. (T. Times 06/13/1935, pg. 1 plus succeeding days)

Kidnappings--Tacoma--1930-1940; Waley, Harman; Waley, Margaret; Weyerhaeuser, George H.--Kidnappings;

Nine year old George Weyerhaeuser seems a bit perplexed by reporters' questions at a press conference given by the family after the boy's release from kidnappers on June 1, 1935. George, who exhibited courage and spunk throughout his captivity, earned the admiration of the reporters with his relaxed appearance after his ordeal. His recollections of his captors and his description of the house in which he was held helped in identifying the kidnappers. (TNT 6/1/35, pg. 1)

Kidnappings--Tacoma--1930-1940; Weyerhaeuser, George H.;

A friend of George Weyerhaeuser, identified with the last name La Gasa, and taken in connection the the May 24, 1935 kidnapping of Weyerhaeuser and resulting investigation. This is probably the son of Dr. and Mrs. James La Gasa.

Kidnappings--Tacoma--1930-1940; La Gasa, James--Family; Weyerhaeuser, George H.--Kidnappings;

Reporters surround the Weyerhaeuser home at 420 No. 4th St. during the ordeal of the kidnapping of nine year old George Weyerhaeuser on May 24, 1935 and his release on June 1st. The story was covered nationally.

Kidnappings--Tacoma--1930-1940; Journalists--Tacoma--1930-1940; Photojournalists--Tacoma--1930-1940; Weyerhaeuser, George H.--Kidnappings;

The dislodged stone from the wall at Western States Hospital, possible ransom drop off spot in the George Weyerhaeuser kidnapping. In late May of 1935, US postal employee Fred Hipkins claimed that he had seen what he interpreted as an attempted ransom delivery. It consisted of a signal light high in a fir tree on Custer & Steilacoom Highways, a sedan parked near Western States with its lights off and people inside, and tire tracks and a dislodged rock the next morning in the stone wall surrounding the hospital. (T. Times 5/31/1935, pg. 1)

Kidnappings--Tacoma--1930-1940; Weyerhaeuser, George H.--Kidnappings;

Mental patient Frank Olson, also known as Lester Mead and Charles Thorp, wearing a cap and soiled jacket, caused a stir when he confessed to kidnapping Charles Mattson. Charles Mattson was kidnapped 12/27/1936; his body was found 1/10/1937 and his murder unsolved. It was later learned that Olson was an escaped mental patient from Medical Lake Asylum. Medical Lake staff told the FBI that Olson had been at the asylum since 1925, and had walked off before. He was also considered harmless and liked to pretend that he was a wanted criminal. Prior to his exoneration, however, special editions of the Tacoma News Tribune and a Seattle morning paper were released proclaiming him as the culprit in the heinous crime. He did fit the description of the kidnapper given by the Mattson children present at the kidnapping. He was held by the state patrol at the Hotel Winthrop for two days of questioning before the case fell apart, then returned to Medical Lake. (T. Times 7/13/1938, p.1).

Kidnappings--Tacoma--1930-1940; Olson, Frank; Mattson, Charles--Kidnappings;

Frank Olson, also known as Lester Mead and Charles Thorp, poses for the police photographer without his hat. He bore a startling resemblance to the kidnapper of Charles Mattson, as described by the other children present at the event. He stunned the community when he confessed to the crime. Charles Mattson was kidnapped 12/27/1936; his body was found 1/10/1937 and his murder unsolved. The Tacoma News Tribune and a Seattle morning paper released special editions proclaiming that the case had been cracked. It was later learned that the 32 year old male was an escaped mental patient from Medical Lake Asylum. He was held for a few days for questioning at the Hotel Winthrop, then returned to the Asylum. He apparently liked to pose as famous criminals. (T. Times 7/13/1938, p.1).

Kidnappings--Tacoma--1930-1940; Olson, Frank; Mattson, Charles--Kidnappings;

Attempted robbery at Hunt and Mottet Company. Office interior. Police officer, or security guard, pointing out something to inspector who is taking notes. (T. Times)

Police--Tacoma--1930-1940; Robberies--Tacoma--1930-1940; Hunt & Mottet Co. (Tacoma);

Safety Award being presented in Mayor Val Fawcett's office to Police Department and other city departments by the American Automobile Association. The Pedestrian Protection Award was presented to the Tacoma Police Department and citizens for their reduction in pedestrian accidents. (T.Times, 6/24/1947, p.3)

Police--Tacoma--1940-1950; Tacoma Police Department (Tacoma); Safety; Accidents; American Automobile Association (Tacoma); Awards; Fawcett, Clarence Valdo, 1900-1965; Mayors--Tacoma--1940-1950;

During the summer of 1946, while Tacoma's school age children were on vacation, a group of police candidates were taking classes at Stadium High School. At the end of August, 37 of the candidates received diplomas and were declared full-fledged members of the Tacoma Police Department. Attending the graduation were a number of veterans of the Tacoma and Seattle police departments including: Police Captain A.E. Farrar, third from the left in the front row; Police Chief P.G. Gregg, in a dark suit and white hat; Safety Commissioner R.S. Temme, in light colored suit and "skimmer"; and Seattle Police Captain Emile Vallet, next to Temme. Others names are listed in Tacoma Times. (T.Times, 9/4/1946, p.16.)

Police--Tacoma--1940-1950; Law enforcement training--Tacoma--1940-1950; Tacoma Police Department (Tacoma); Stadium High School (Tacoma); Portraits; Graduation ceremonies--Tacoma--1940-1950;

On Wednesday July 3, 1946, Frank Casey (left), a Tacoma Fabricating Company millworker, found a large military flare which had washed ashore in the Old Town area of Tacoma. Not sure whether it was a flare, or a bomb, Casey called the Tacoma police. Officer Frank Pim (rt) was dispatched to the scene. Later, a demolition team from Ft. Lewis disarmed the flare, which had been removed from the protective casing, held by officer Pim, by children. Had the children pulled the flare's safety pin, they could have been seriously injured. (T. Times, 7/4/46, p. 11).

Police--Tacoma; Signals & signaling--Tacoma; Explosives; Tacoma Fabricating Co. (Tacoma);

Tacoma-Pierce County Blood Bank was located on 726-28 Saint Helens Avenue in downtown Tacoma. The center opened in July 1946, in 1947 they were receiving blood donations for industrial plants throughout Tacoma. View of prisoner donating blood at Pierce County Jail, the jail was located on the first floor of the building; nurse from Tacoma-Pierce County Blood Bank is helping the patient with the donation.

Prisoners--Tacoma; Prisons--Tacoma; Blood donations--Tacoma; Medical equipment & supplies; Blood; Nurses--Tacoma; Pierce County Jail (Tacoma); Tacoma-Pierce County Blood Bank (Tacoma);

Hillcrest detention center is a brick, fireproof building, the inside is made of concrete and steel, with a modern steel kitchen, classrooms and court rooms. The building was initially designed by Rueger and Rueger in 1944, building did not begin until May 1947. Judge Fred G. Remann has been watching the building progress, and is ready to move in and get to work; Judge Remann handles the juvenile cases. Exterior view of the new Hillcrest Detention facilities for Pierce County, located on Sixth Avenue and Pearl Street (T. Times, 1/2/49, p. 9).

Detention facilities--Tacoma; Justice facilities--Tacoma; Juvenile delinquents--Tacoma; Reformatories--Tacoma; County government--Tacoma; Hillcrest Detention Home (Tacoma); Remann Hall (Tacoma);

Tacoma Police Department swing shift. The swing shift shows off the whiskers that they have grown for the Northwest Territory Centennial beard contest.

Police--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Lee York, left, and H.E. Wood being given Civil Service Examination for city patrolmen. The men were undergoing physical fitness tests on November 28, 1940.

Police--Tacoma--1940-1950; Tacoma Police Department (Tacoma); Wood, H.E.; York, Lee;

Two city employees appear to be doing chin ups on the muscular arms of Lee York during the Civil Service Examination for city patrolmen. Eighty job seekers undertook the rigorous testing to become Tacoma's finest. Those passing the physical tests would undergo further mental evaluation. (TTimes 11/29/1940 p.3)

Police--Tacoma--1940-1950; York, Lee;

Mayor Cain assists in keeping score as men are being given the physical fitness portion of the Civil Service Examination for Tacoma City Police Patrolmen at the Tacoma YMCA. The men are, left to right, John Williscroft, Fred Stephenson, Al Ziegler, Tony Zatkovich (kneeling), Mayor Harry P. Cain, Harold Keller (aiding in giving the exam), Herman Williamson (taking weight lifting exam) and Sgt. E.D. Cornelison. (T. Times 11/29/1940, pg. 3)

Police--Tacoma--1940-1950; Cain, Harry P., 1906-1979; Mayors--Tacoma--1940-1950;

In November of 1940, an unidentified Civil Service Commission physician tested the lung capacity of H.E. Wood (center) and Lee York as part of the physical exam given to police force applicants. Eighty would be police officers took the exam. Twenty-three were immediately rejected because they did not meet the height and weight specifications. Those who passed the physical were given a series of mental tests to insure that they were psychologically fit. (TTimes 11/29/1940 p.3)

Police--Tacoma--1940-1950; Wood, H.E.; York, Lee; Medical equipment & supplies

The Pierce County Sheriff's Department force including patrolmen, detectives, and Pierce County Sheriff H.W. "Lee " Croft posed on the steps of the Pierce County Courthouse in December of 1945. Sheriff Croft (center, first row) was first elected to his position in 1942. He was a former logger, gold miner, heavyweight boxer, checkers enthusiast and longtime operator of the Croft Hotel on Pacific Ave. Lee Croft served two terms as sheriff and passed away in December of 1951.

Sheriffs--Pierce County--1940-1950; Pierce County Sheriffs (Tacoma); Pierce County Courthouse (Tacoma); Courthouses--Tacoma; Croft, Lee

Joyce Atkins, Evalu Clevenger, and Shirley Williams (l to r), the drum majorettes for the Lincoln High School marching band, were photographed sitting on the handle bars of three Tacoma Police Dept. motorcycles on February 11, 1944. They are flanked by four unidentified policemen. The Lynx Majorettes and the Stadium H.S. Tigerannas led the combined Lincoln and Stadium bands when Wendell Willkie visited Tacoma to address the Pierce County Republican Club at their 1944 Lincoln Day dinner. (Lincolnian, 1944 p.72)

Tacoma Police Department (Tacoma); Police--Tacoma--1940-1950; Motorcycles--Tacoma--1940-1950; Drum majorettes--Tacoma--1940-1950; Atkins, Joyce; Clevenger, Evalu; Williams, Shirley; Students--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Police Desk Sergeant, Art Gilbo, dispatched Tacoma Police Department's detectives and patrolmen when he received a call that Puget Sound National Bank was being robbed in December of 1948. Detective Lesnick and Policeman Hager apprehended Donald Anderson while he was attempting to rob the bank of $20,000. Law enforcement officials also found a kidnapping note in Anderson's pocket, this matter is under investigation by the FBI. Left to right, Detective Walter Lesnick, Patrolman George Hager, Donald Charles Anderson, Detective Jack Thore, and Jailer Don Hutt (T. Times, 12/23/48, p. 1). TPL-9071

Detectives--Tacoma; Investigation--Tacoma; Criminals--Tacoma; Robberies--Tacoma; Tacoma Police Department (Tacoma); Anderson, Donald Charles--Capture & imprisonment; Lesnick, Walter; Hager, George; Thore, Jack; Hutt, Don;

Pierce Country's new detention home, Hillcrest, was built in a joint effort by the Pierce County and Washington State governments. Pierce County furnished the site and half of the money, the State provided the other half of the money; the building cost approximately $285,000 to build. Interior view of one of the classrooms in the new Hillcrest Detention facilities for Pierce County, located on Sixth Avenue and Pearl Street. The structure has modern school rooms, which will have tables and benches instead of desks; a vocational work room will be located by the classrooms (T. Times, 1/2/49, p. 9).

Detention facilities--Tacoma; Justice facilities--Tacoma; Juvenile delinquents--Tacoma; Reformatories--Tacoma; Classrooms--Tacoma; County government--Tacoma; Hillcrest Detention Home (Tacoma); Remann Hall (Tacoma);

Tacoma's police department just bought a new modern and well equipped ambulance; the department is now properly training the police ambulance staff. View of George Paul, former police ambulance driver in stretcher, Wilson Miller, police ambulance conductor putting the stretcher in the vehicle, Jesse Eastman, in charge of the police garage is in the ambulance, R. V. Larsen, police ambulance driver, and Arthur Gilbo, former police ambulance driver, both looking on (T. Times, 1/9/49, p. 36).

Police--Tacoma--1940-1950; Litters; Law enforcement--Tacoma; Emergency medical services--Tacoma; Ambulances--Tacoma; Tacoma Police Department (Tacoma); Paul, George; Miller, Wilson; Eastman, Jesse; Larsen, R.V.; Gilbo, Arthur;

The City of Tacoma's off duty Police officers were taking a short break to celebrate Christmas and the holiday season with the Police Chief. The Tacoma Police Department had recently increased the size of their motorcycle cops unit. View of Tacoma Police Chief, Robert C. Marshall (center) surrounded by his policemen; the police officers are wearing leather jackets and boots, they are likely the motorcycle unit.

Police--Tacoma; Christmas--Tacoma; Signs (Notices); Municipal officials--Tacoma; Law enforcement--Tacoma; Marshall, Robert C.; Tacoma Police Department (Tacoma);

Penitentiary at McNeil Island. Located 2.8 miles from Steilacoom in the Carr Inlet, McNeil Island has the distinction of being the only prison in the U.S. that started out as a territorial prison, became a federal penitentiary and finally became a state corrections center. It is also the last prison in North America located on an island accessible only by boat. Named in 1841 after William Henry McNeill, boat captain for the Hudson's Bay Company and founder of Victoria, British Columbia, it was homesteaded by Ezra Meeker in 1853. The Federal government purchased 27 acres of the island in 1870 to build a territorial prison. The prison opened in 1875. In 1937, the entire island was purchased by the federal government and all homesteaders were forced to vacate. In 1970, the Federal government decided to close the prison and the state of Washington negotiated to take over the facilities. In 1981, the prison complex was transferred to the Washington State Department of Corrections and became the McNeil Island Corrections Center. TPL-9292

Prisons--McNeil Island; McNeil Island Corrections Center (McNeil Island);

Tacoma Police Department, Motorcycle Division. Some of the officers are bearded or mustached in support of the Northwest Territory Centennial beard growing contest. TPL-6490

Police--Tacoma--1950-1960; Tacoma Police Department (Tacoma);

The uniformed graduating class of Federal Protective Officers posed for a group portrait on April 16, 1971, at Fort Lewis. The United States Federal Protective Service was formally established in 1971 as a law enforcement organization within the U.S. General Services Administration. Its duty was to protect the federal communities controlled by GSA nationally, including federal employees, visitors and billions of dollars in assets. In 1971, total employment of Federal Protective Officers exceeded 4500. Photograph ordered by General Services Administration, Auburn. (www/house.gov/transportation/pbed/09-06-01/09/06/01memo.html- article)

Law enforcement officers;