The kidnappers of William F. Gettle plead guilty to his abduction. From left to right standing between their lawyers, they are Roy A. Williams, Larry Kerrigan (real name Loren W. Feltus) and James F. Kirk. Gettle, wealthy Beverly Hills businessman, 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's three kidnappers, Larry Kerrigan (center left, in dark hat), James F. Kirk (at Kerrigan's left) and Roy A. Williams (at Williams' left) leave the Los Angeles County court house. The trio had pled guilty to the kidnapping of William F. Gettle, wealthy Beverly Hills businessman, and received life sentences at San Quentin penitentiary. However, they were then charged with the crime of attempted extortion through the mails. If convicted of said crime, they would lose the possibility of parole. May 28, 1934.
William F. Gettle's three kidnappers, Larry Kerrigan (center left, in dark hat), James F. Kirk (at Kerrigan's left) and Roy A. Williams (at Williams' left) walk through Los Angeles after leaving the county court house, bound once again for San Quentin penitentiary. The trio had previously pled guilty to the kidnapping of William F. Gettle, wealthy Beverly Hills businessman, and received life sentences at San Quentin penitentiary. However, they were then charged with the crime of attempted extortion through the mails. If convicted of said crime, they would lose the possibility of parole. May 28, 1934.
From left to right, next to Sheriff Eugene Biscailuz, kidnapers Roy Williams, James Kirk and Larry Kerrigan, under arrest for the kidnapping and ransom of wealthy Beverly Hills business man, William F. Gettle. Gettle was kidnapped from his country home in Arcadia, May 9, 1934.
Kerrigan, Kirk, and Williams (l to r) kidnapped wealthy Beverly Hills businessman William F. Gettle from his country home in Arcadia on May 9, 1934. By May 17, 1934 the men had confessed to the crime in order to avoid the death penalty.
Kidnappers James Kirk, Larry Kerrigan, and Roy Williams awaiting trial for the kidnapping and ransom of wealthy Beverly Hills business man, William F. Gettle. Gettle was kidnapped from his country home in Arcadia, May 9, 1934. The men pled guilty to kidnapping and received life sentences at San Quentin prison.
