GETTY CASE NOT SOLVED Fresh inquiry by police

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33452, 6 February 1974, Page 13

GETTY CASE NOT SOLVED Fresh inquiry by police

ROME. 1 eb. 5. Mrs Gail Harris has described as "baseless, and really disgusting" the fresh I police investigation into the possibility that her son. Paul 'Getty 111, aged 17, arranged hu own kidnapping last year. Now on holiday in Austria (with the boy, who is the grandson of the oil magnate, Mr Paul Getty. Mrs Harns -poke by telephone to "II Messagero”, the Rome daily newspaper that received the young Getty's ear through the post. This evidence of the scjriousness of the kidnapping was followed by the payment of a ransom, reported as about SNZl.ktn. and bv the youth's release in Calabria on December 15. five months after he had vanished. “In my opinion, things like this, instead of helping, end up by obstructing justice.” Mrs Harris said. ■ Mrs Getty denied reports that her son had run up debts amounting to three million lire (about $3300) and said that his only debt wa; 12.000 lire (about $l3), lowed to a restaurant. Mrs Harris’s lawyer, Mr Giovanni Jacovoni, declared that "such absurdities” as (allegations that the young Getty had faked the kidnap ping to obtain money from his rich family “can only b< considered defamatory, and iwe shall not allow it.” “11 Messagero" reports, the public prosecutor in 'Lagonegro, Calabria, had “indirectly confirmed" that local carabinieri are following leads to the effect that the kidnapping “began as a fake, and look a serious turn only from the moment when ;the Calabrians took things lin hand." Three Calabrians (are being held by the authorities on suspicion ui 'connection with the case.