KIDNAPPER RUNS AMOK

King Country Chronicle, Volume XXVII, Issue 4460, 21 October 1933, Page 3

KIDNAPPER RUNS AMOK

OFFICER AND ABDUCTOR DIE. A kidnapper who held William Foristal Wood, 45, retired Sausalito (California) capitalist, for four days, and a policeman who a’nswered Wood’s call for help, were killed after the man ran amok in a crowded public market. The kidnapper was Howard S. Meek, 34, alias E. Jennings, a former ticket taker at Sausalito. He was killed by an officer. In his maniacal reign of terror Meek fatally wounded Patrolman Michael McDonald, 40, and shot Mrs. Ella Bowers, a bystander, in the arm. McDonald died late at night. Wood is a cousin of the late President Taft. Four days ago Meek forced his way into the Wood residence at Sausalito, intimidated him with a gun, and bound his hands with wire. For four days after that the madman walked behind Wood with a gun in his pocket, as they moved from hotel to hotel in San Francisco. During that period Meek made repeated attempts to obtain a withdrawal of savings from Wood’s bank account. He forced Wood to sign letters to the banks, asking that funds be mailed. The banks did not comply.

Wood, who said he had known Meek for years, waited bis time to escape. It came as the maniac marched his prisoner through Crystal Palace Market thronged with purchasers.

Merchants and customers in the big market, Upper Market Street shopping centre, scrambled behind the counters, boxes of fruit, and sacks of potatoes and onions as the shooting began in front of a nut stall. “Let’s go in here,” Jennings ordered, prodding Mr. Wood with a gun in his pocket, as they walked up Market Street from a safe deposit vault where Jennings had pocketed cash and bank books totalling 10,000 dollars in all. “I want to buy some walnuts. I love walnuts, or any kind of nuts — Ha ha!”

For one moment Jennings failed to keep his victim covered. He was busy cracking walnuts. McDonald greeting his many friends on the market staff, was passing by, and was startled by Wood’s cry: “Look out! This guy’s got a gun.” Jennings swung round and fired before the surprised policema'n could act. McDonald reached for his own weapon, but the second shot felled him too soon. Waving the gun, Jennings started at a run down the long aisles of the market. With one accord the crowd scurried out of the way, recovering their individual wits a few seconds later to join in the shout: “Stop that man! He’s killed someone!” But Jennings was out of the building before his path could be blocked, and, rus-hifng the few intervening yards between a parking station to Mission Street, he turned left toward the post office. There two more policemen entered the picture.' They were John McConville and Ed. Borbeck, both out of uniform and both on their way to court. Mrs. Ella Bowers, 62, was also in the vicinity, also on the way to court to get a divorce.