William F. Gettle, kidnapping victim, is reunited with his four children (twins Betty and Bobby, and sons Billy and Jimmy) upon his homecoming.Gettle, Beverly Hills millionaire and businessman, was kidnapped from the grounds of his Arcadia ranch home during a 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.
William F. Gettle, Beverly Hills businessman and millionaire, is reunited with his four children after his kidnapping. 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.
William F. Gettle, (center, wearing spectacles) is returned to his home in Beverly Hills after being kidnapped and held for ransom.Gettle, businessman and millionaire, was kidnapped from the grounds of his Arcadia ranch home during a 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.
William F. Gettle, (center, dark glasses) is returned to his Beverly Hills home after being kidnapped and held for ransom.Gettle, businessman and millionaire, was kidnapped from the grounds of his Arcadia ranch home during a 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.
William F. Gettle, Beverly Hills millionaire and businessman, is reunited with his four children after his kidnapping. 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.
This photograph is possibly related to the article, “GETTLE LAWYER'S DATA MAY IDENTIFY CLIENT'S KIDNAPERS: He Returns From Mystery Trip and Declares ‘Important Information’ Received; Victim's Wife Authorizes Meeting Any Ransom Demand,” Los Angeles Times, 11 May 1934: 1, and subsequent articles appearing in the Los Angeles Times.
This photograph is related to the article, “GETTLE LAWYER'S DATA MAY IDENTIFY CLIENT'S KIDNAPERS: He Returns From Mystery Trip and Declares ‘Important Information’ Received; Victim's Wife Authorizes Meeting Any Ransom Demand,” Los Angeles Times, 11 May 1934: 1, and subsequent articles appearing in the Los Angeles Times.
At center, Clara Hitchen is captured in motion walking briskly along a walkway in the Gettle family's yard. She wears a white nurse's uniform. Clara Hitchen approaches the camera as she pumps her arms and looks towards the right. The walkway stretches behind her to the right. At right, two men at the end of the walkway walk towards the right. Landscaped grounds line both sides of the walkway. Low-trimmed hedges line the right side of the walkway and tall grasses, shrubs and trees rise along the left side. In the background at center, a tall wall is visible lining the grounds.
The Gettle children's activities during their father's kidnapping appear in a similar photograph captioned, “Gettle Children’s Playground Guarded Above is a picture of the playground at the home of William F. Gettle, kidnaped Beverly Hills millionaire, built for the use of the four Gettle children. A corps of guards is now on duty protecting them as they play. Below are the baby footprints of the four Gettle children made in the fresh cement of the Linden Drive home two years ago. Each set of prints is identified with its owner’s name,” Los Angeles Times, 13 May 1934: 2
This photograph is related to the article, “GETTLE LAWYER'S DATA MAY IDENTIFY CLIENT'S KIDNAPERS: He Returns From Mystery Trip and Declares 'Important Information' Received; Victim's Wife Authorizes Meeting Any Ransom Demand,” Los Angeles Times, 11 May 1934: 1, and subsequent articles appearing in the Los Angeles Times.
