Jim Kershner’s This Day in History

From our archives, 75 years ago

Kidnappers snatched lumber heir George Weyerhaeuser, 9, off the street in Tacoma in 1935 and demanded $200,000 in ransom money, which made for sensational front page news in Spokane.

Only later, when the boy was released and the kidnappers were arrested, did the rest of the story emerge: The boy had been in Spokane and North Idaho even as local residents were reading those first stories.

The kidnappers – ex-cons who had met at the Idaho State Penitentiary – grabbed the boy on his way home from school and hid him in the forest near Tacoma. Two days later, they put the boy in a Ford trunk and drove to Spokane. Then they hid out in a mountain cabin near Blanchard for a few days.

The kidnappers successfully collected $200,000 in ransom from the boy’s father. The kidnappers drove the boy back to a place near Issaquah, where he was released unharmed.

The FBI successfully traced the ransom money and made several arrests in Salt Lake City, Los Angeles and San Francisco. About $157,000 of the ransom money was recovered.

Also on this date

(From the Associated Press)

1935: Babe Ruth hit the 714th and final home run of his career, for the Boston Braves, in a game against the Pittsburgh Pirates.