Evil Plan Drunkenly Botched

The Greenlease Kidnapping Tragedy

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Episode 362 takes on one of the most evil crimes imaginable as told from the point of view of the perpetrator. By the time police caught up with Carl Austin Hall, he had made so many mistakes in the kidnapping and murder of a six-year-old boy that he knew the game was up, so he told the story in a coldly matter-of-fact 36-page confession, here adapted for the first two acts. The third act, we’ll call “the comeuppance”.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:01):
Hombulert Calm, Kansas City, Missouri, September twenty ninth, nineteen fifty three.

Speaker 2 (00:14):
Hours of agonized waiting dragged by today without any word
from the kidnappers of six year old Bobby Greenlease, son
of a millionaire automobile distributor, twenty four hours after the
child was taken from the fashionable Notre Dame school by
a ruse. The parents of the boy waited hopefully for

(00:35):
some contact with the kidnapper. Police meanwhile, said they were
doing nothing in an effort to avoid frightening the kidnappers
and give them an opportunity to make contact with the family.
They and the family hoped such action or lack of
action would hurry the child home unharmed, said Bernard Brandon,

(00:56):
chief of Police. Were treading lightly. We're just waiting to
hear if the family is contacted. He gave no idea
how long the waiting period would last. Greenlease, seventy one
is a distributor for Cadillac. He said, quote, I don't
know why anybody would do anything like this. There are

(01:16):
so many reasons why anybody would be foolish to take
such a risk. It just doesn't make sense. Unquote Greenlee
said he believed the kidnapping was the work of professionals.
That he said made him hopeful the perpetrators would make
contacts soon with a ransom demand. This, he felt would

(01:37):
make it more likely that the child would be released unharmed,
as the professionals would be interested primarily in the money.
Greenley's active in civic affairs, has been in the automobile
distributing business for forty five years. He married Missus Greenlease,
who was in her mid forties, in nineteen thirty nine,

(01:59):
after divorcing his first wife. Missus Greenleas collapsed from strain
and was under care of a physician. The Greenleases also
have an eleven year old daughter. The boy was taken
from the school yesterday morning. The woman gained admittance to

(02:19):
the school by telling a nun Missus Greenlea's had suffered
a heart attack and the boy had to be taken
to the hospital. She said she was the boy's aunt.
The nuns suggested the woman pray for Missus Greenlea's in
the school chapel while she waited for the child to
be called from his class. The woman walked into the

(02:40):
chapel and knelt on leaving the school with Bobby. The
woman remarked, I'm not a Catholic, but I hope God
heard my prayers. Eugene M. Pond, chief of Detectives, said
police were following all normal processes in the investigation and
added we are awaiting a request from the parents before
starting an intensive investigation. Announcement of the kidnapping was withheld

(03:05):
from the press and radio for three hours. Police Chief
Brannon explained authority's feared earlier disclosure might result in death
or injury to the child. The woman, described as chunky,
about thirty five years old and having reddish brown hair,
left the school with the boy in a taxicab. The

(03:26):
nun then telephoned the Greenlea's home, talked with Missus Greenlease
and learned she was not ill. Then it was discovered
that the boy had been taken from the school on
a ruse. Later, the taxicab driver, Willard Creech, sixty two,
told police the woman and young Greenleas left his cab

(03:47):
at a parking lot only a few blocks from the school.
They got into a late model blue sedan with Kansas
license plates and drove off. Creech said quote he didn't
cry or anything. While he was in the cab, she
kept talking to him about how things were at home
and things like that. She asked him about a couple
of dogs that word at home, and he said something.

(04:08):
I remember. They had talked about the fact that they
had a parrot at home. Unquote, Creech said the woman
referred to a black parrot. The parrot, however, is green.
The cab driver said the woman didn't seem to know
the boy very well, but he didn't think there was
anything unusual about his passengers' actions. About ten days ago,

(04:30):
a woman telephoned the Greenleas home, saying she was a
representative of the public schools. She asked the ages of
the children and where they attended classes. A housekeeper recalled
the incident last night. School officials said they were unaware
of any such survey being made. The boy was wearing
a white, short sleeved shirt and short brown linen trousers

(04:53):
when taken away. He weighs about fifty three pounds, has
fair skin and light brown hair. Bulletin the father of
kidnapped Robert Cosgrove Greenleas Junior, suddenly left his home today.

(05:13):
The millionaire automobile dealer asked newsman and photographer to leave
the premises and said, we believe someone is trying to
make contact. He did not elaborate. True Crime Historian presents

(05:49):
an Eye for an Eye, a special edition of Yesterday's news,
exploring the criminal justice system at its most extreme, inflicting
the death penalty. Episode three hundred and sixty two takes
on one of the most evil crimes imaginable, as told
from the point of view of the perpetrator. By the

(06:11):
time police caught up with Carl Austin Hall, he had
made so many mistakes in the kidnapping and murder of
a six year old boy that he knew the game
was up, so he told the whole story in a
coldly matter of fact thirty six page confession here adapted
for the first two acts. The third act will call

(06:33):
the comuppins. I'm true crime historian Richard O. Jones, and
for your horror and indignation, I give you evil plan
drunkenly botched the Greenleace kidnapping tragedy. I was born in

(07:05):
Kansas City, Missouri, July one, nineteen nineteen, the son of
John and Zella Hall. Both my parents are now dead
and I have no brothers or sisters. At the time
of my mother's death, my inheritance from my father's estate
was valued at approximately two hundred thousand dollars. My mother

(07:26):
died in nineteen thirty four. I attended grade school at Pleasanton,
Kansas and Kemper Military Academy, Boonville, Missouri from nineteen thirty
four until the close of the school year in nineteen
thirty six. I graduated from the Pleasanton, Kansas High School
in nineteen thirty seven. I also attended one semester at

(07:46):
the William Jewell College at Liberty, Missouri. I joined the
United States Marines at Kansas City in nineteen thirty eight
and received an honorable discharge in January of nineteen forty six.
I was formerly married to Irene Holmes Hall, but she
divorced me in nineteen fifty There were no children of

(08:08):
this marriage. I wish to say that relative to planning
a kidnapping, I've had it in mind for at least
two years. I believed that kidnapping was the one crime
I could commit once and obtain a large sum of money. However,
up to April twenty fourth, nineteen fifty three, I had
not picked out any specific victim to kidnap. I knew

(08:32):
that Robert C. Greenlea's was extremely wealthy. I also knew
from newspaper accounts that mister Greenley's had two children living
at his residence with them. I then placed a fictitious
call to the Greenley's home and spoke to an individual
who claimed she was the maid. From the maid, I
ascertained the ages of the children, what school they attended,

(08:55):
and other pertinent data. I met missus Bonnie and Hetty
at a cocktail lounge in the Robideaux Hotel Saint Joseph, Missouri,
in about the latter part of May nineteen fifty three,
and began living with her as husband and wife in
a common law relationship. About the middle of nineteen fifty three,

(09:16):
I began to discuss with her the details for kidnapping
Bobby Greenlea's, pointing out to her that she would only
have to participate in luring Bobby from the French institute
and use her home to keep the child until the
ransom was paid. Upon securing Bonnie Hetty's consent to participate
in this kidnapping, I later placed in another telephone call

(09:37):
to both the Greenlea's residence and the Greenlease Motor Company,
and was informed that the family at that time were
in Europe, but were expected to return home sometime in
the first week of September in order that the children
could commence their schoolwork. About two weeks prior to the
actual abduction, Bonnie Hetty and I drove to the Greenlea's

(09:58):
residence twenty nine Verona, and there observed mister Greenlee's senior
taking the children to school. We followed him in Bonnie
Hetty's blue station wagon and observed what time mister Greenleas
would leave the home and what time the boy was
left at school. On two occasions prior to the abduction,

(10:19):
I followed Missus Greenlea's from the home to the school
which Virginia Sue Greenlea's attends, and then to the French
institute of Notre Dame d Seon, where Bobby Greenlea's would
be picked up by his mother. At one time during
the planning stage, I considered the possibility of appearing at
the Greenley's home in the absence of the parents and

(10:40):
at pistol point abduct Bobby from his home. I consistently
planned to kidnap Bobby Greenley's junior, but had also given
some consideration to the abduction of Virginia Sioux. About two
weeks prior to September twenty eighth, nineteen fifty three, Bonnie
Hetty and I followed fowed Missus Greenlea's and Virginia Sioux,

(11:02):
who were in a blue Cadillac Sedan from Virginia's school
to the plaza near Kansas City, Missouri, where Missus Greenlee
parked the Cadillac car near a large drug store. Bonnie
and I observed Missus Greenlea's alight from the car and
enter the drug store. I suddenly got the urge to
abduct Virginia, got out of Bonnie's station wagon and proceeded

(11:26):
over to where the Green Lease automobile was parked. I
approached the Greenlease automobile, but Virginia Sioue was in the
process of alighting from the car, and I realized I
could not abduct her at this point without creating some confusion, excitement,
and possible apprehension. As I realized that Virginia Sioux would
be much older and more mature inner observations, I finally

(11:50):
abandoned the plan to abduct Virginia Sioue. In the preparation
for instant kidnapping, I purchased a fifty pound sack of
lime at the Sawyer Materialurial Company in Kansas City. I
purchased this lime to be used in the disposal of
the victim's body. I had read some time in the

(12:10):
past that hot lime would quickly eradicate human flesh and bone.
I purchased this lime for about thirty five cents, and
upon returning to Bonnie Hetty's home in Saint Joseph, I
stored the lime in the basement of her home. Also
preparatory to the kidnapping, I purchased a long handled, true
tempered shovel at the Hatfield Hardware Store on Frederick Avenue,

(12:34):
Saint Joseph, Missouri, on Saturday, September twenty sixth, nineteen fifty three,
at around four pm. I purchased this shovel for the
sole purpose of digging the grave of Bobby Greenlea's prior
to the kidnapping. Also prior to the kidnapping, the exact
date I do not recall, I purchased a thirty eight

(12:54):
caliber Smith and Wesson revolver at Uncle Sam's loan office
located on Minnesota Avenue, Kansas City, Kansas. At the same time,
I also purchased one or two boxes of ammunition for
the revolver, as well as some ammunition for the revolver
owned by Bonnie Hetty. I purchased at a variety store
in Saint Joseph, Missouri, a pad of high toned linen

(13:17):
finished writing paper, and at the United States Post Office
some stamped envelopes to be used in sending the ransom
letter in connection with the caves. I decided that the
ransom amount would be six hundred thousand dollars. I arrived
at this figure because I had previously read in some
magazine or other periodical an article giving the weight and

(13:40):
size of a package containing a million dollars and ten
and twenty dollars bills. I recalled that a million dollars
would be too bulky to handle, but that six hundred
thousand dollars and ten and twenty dollars bills would weigh
approximately eighty to eighty five pounds. I thought, if this
amount were placed in a duffel bag, it would not
be too awkward or unwieldy for me to handle. In

(14:03):
comparative safety, I decided to direct in the ransom notes
that the money be obtained from the twelve Federal Reserve
Bank districts, as I believed the bills would be serialized
in the lists published to the general public, and if
they came from one Federal Reserve bank it would be
too easy to check, but having the money collected from
the twelve Federal Reserve banks would be more confusing for

(14:26):
anyone to check. Also, in preparation for the kidnapping, I
purchased from the Western Auto Supply at Saint Joseph, Missouri,
two pieces of blue plastic sheeting. I purchased this plastic
sheeting because I believed the duffel bag, which would contain
the ransom money, would be treated by some chemical or
powder which, if handled, would transmit a stain to my

(14:49):
hand or clothing, which would assist in identifying me if
apprehended as the kidnapper. Therefore, the plastic sheeting was to
wrap the duffel bag and thus prevent and a chemical
or powder from being transmitted to my hands. I purchased
another piece of blue plastic sheeting to wrap around the
victim's body when placing it in the grave. One evening

(15:14):
prior to the kidnapping exact date not recalled. Bonnie Hetty
and I drove to Kansas City, Missouri in her blue
Plymouth station wagon, and I purchased an issue of the
newspaper of the Daily Oklahoma at a newsstand known as Rubac's,
located near the mule Lebac Hotel. I knew that mister

(15:34):
Greenley's had an interest in a motor company in Oklahoma City,
so I planned to use a business one ad to
assist in directing the first ransom letter to the Greenleys family.
I located this newspaper ad and clipped it from the newspaper. Later,
I pasted this clipping on the outside of an envelope
containing the first ransom letter. On Sunday, September twenty seventh,

(15:57):
nineteen fifty three, I vince Bonnie that it would be
necessary to kill Bobby Greenley's due to the fact if
he were released alive, he might be able to identify
both of us, as well as Bonnie's automobile used in
the abduction, and her home in Saint Joseph, Missouri. On Sunday,
September twenty seventh, nineteen fifty three, I took the long

(16:19):
handled shovel which I previously purchased and dug a grave
for Bobby Greenlea's on the property owned by Bonnie Hetty.
I dug this grave in the area immediately north of
the back porch of Bonnie Hetty's home twelve oh one
thirty eighth Street, Saint Joseph, Missouri. It took me nearly
the entire day to dig this grave, as I would

(16:40):
dig for about an hour, then enter the house and rest,
and then return until the grave was completed. As I recall,
this grave was approximately three feet deep and about five
feet long. After digging the grave, on Sunday, September twenty seventh,
Bonnie and I, while in Bonnie's rest residents, prepared the

(17:01):
first ransom letter. Bonnie hand printed the message, which, in
substance advised the Greenleys family, your boy has been kidnapped
to get six hundred thousand dollars and twenty and ten
dollars bills. It instructed that when mister Greenley's had the money,
he was to insert an advertisement in the Kansas City
Star as follows, m will meet you in Chicago next Sunday,

(17:25):
signed mister G. I was present at the time. Bonnie
had a hand printed this letter and made numerous suggestions
to her relative to the spelling in its preparation. I
then placed the note in an envelope, on the outside
of which I pasted the name Greenlease, which I had
cut from the Daily Oklahoma newspaper I had previously purchased.

(17:46):
I then placed this envelope in a large one and
addressed this envelope to mister Robert Greenley's twenty six hundred
Varona Road, Kansas City, Missouri. On Sunday evening, September twenty seventh,
I stole the set of license plates. I cannot recall
where in Saint Joseph I stole the plates or from
what make of automobile they were stolen. However, to the

(18:09):
best of my recollection, they were in nineteen fifty three
Missouri license plates, but I cannot recall the digits appearing
there on. I stole these plates for the purpose of
using them on Bonnie's automobile during the actual abduction on
September twenty eighth. On Monday September twenty eighth, Bonnie and
I arose earlier than usual, and around seven thirty am

(18:32):
we got into her blue Plymouth station wagon and drove
via US Highway seventy one to Kansas City, Missouri, proceeding
to the vicinity of the French Institute of Notre Dame,
where we parked the station wagon in a position where
we could observe the school. We sat in this park car.
At about eight fifty am, we observed mister Greenlease and

(18:54):
Bobby Greenlea's in the blue Cadillac entering the school grounds.
Bobby got out of the automobile and entered the school.
I was then positive that Bobby would be at the
school during the normal school hours. Bonnie and I then
drove to the vicinity of fortieth in Maine, Kansas City, Missouri,
where I parked the blue station wagon on the main

(19:15):
street near the Cat's parking lot at that intersection. I
loitered in this vicinity waiting for Bonnie to return with
a victim. At around eleven am, I observed Bonnie and
the victim alight from a taxi cab near the Cat's
parking lot mentioned above. I joined them and we all
three entered the station wagon. I drove. Bobby Greenlease was

(19:38):
in the middle and Bonnie sat on the front seat
to the right of Bobby. I immediately drove west on
Westport Road to the state line, then south the Highway
fifty and west to Highway sixty nine, traveling through Overland Park, Kansas.
After driving through Overland Park, I turned into a wheat
field and turned around with the station wagon headed back

(20:00):
north toward the road from which I had turned.

Speaker 3 (20:13):
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(20:38):
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Speaker 2 (20:54):
Bobby had not offered any resistance and had not made
any outcries, but seemed interested in a and appeared to
be enjoying himself during the trip. After stopping the car,
I got out on the driver's side. I went to
the rear and let the tailgate down, then laid out
the blue plastic sheet. I then went around the car

(21:15):
to the side opposite the driver and entered the car.
Bobby was still sitting on the front seat, and Bonnie
had left the car and was walking up a hedgerow
at the rear of the car. I had a piece
of rope which was part of a clothesline I had
obtained from Bonnie's home. I then placed this rope around
Bobby's neck and endeavored to strangle him. This rope was

(21:38):
twelve or fifteen inches long and was too short for
me to hold in my hand and get a good twist.
I realized then that I would be unable to strangle
the victim. Bobby was struggling and kicking, so I took
my thirty eight caliber revolver and fired what I believed
to be two shots at Bobby's head at close range.

(21:59):
I missed him all the first shot, but the second
one entered his head, causing him to bleed profusely and
subsequently die. I do not remember exactly what position Bobby
was in at the time of his death, but I
believe I had pushed him down on the floorboard of
the Plymouth because of his profuse bleeding from the head.

(22:21):
I pulled him out of the station wagon on the
side opposite the driver and placed him on the ground.
I was certain at this point that the victim was dead,
so I picked him up and placed him on the
plastic sheet in the rear of the station wagon, wrapping
him in this sheet and covering the body over with
an old comforter which was already in the station wagon.

(22:43):
This old comforter had been in the station wagon for
some time and was used by Bonnie's dog to lie
on when he was riding in the car. During the
actual killing, Bonnie had walked to the rear of the
station wagon up along the hedgerow, and at the present
time cannot recall whether or not she had her dog
with her. After the shooting, Bonnie returned to the station

(23:06):
wagon and got in the car. I drove and she
sat in the front seat opposite me. I then drove
back to Kansas City, Missouri. Bonnie and I, with the
body of Bobby in the back of the station wagon,
then turned on Southwest Trafficway and proceeded all the way
to downtown Kansas City on this artery, crossing over the

(23:28):
North Kansas City by way of the Airport Bridge. I
recalled stopping at Lyn's Tavern in North Kansas City, but
I do not definitely recall changing the license plates on
the Plymouth station Wagon. At this point, I drove in
behind Lyn's Tavern to a parking lot and Bonnie went
into the tavern and bought me a drink of whiskey.

(23:50):
I could not enter the tavern because the blue sharkskin
suit I was wearing was smeared with the victim's blood.
It was even spattered on my face. I was in
an extremely nervous state and was afraid if I entered
the tavern somebody would question me as to the source
of the blood stains. I believe Bonnie bought me one

(24:11):
or two drinks from the tavern. After obtaining the liquor,
Bonnie and I then proceeded via Highway seventy one to
Saint Joseph, Missouri. I drove Bonnie's station wagon into the
basement of her home and unloaded Bobby's body, placing it
on the basement floor. I then removed the Jerusalem metal
which was pinned to Bobby's shirt. Bonnie went around and

(24:34):
opened the door at the top of the basement steps.
I carried the body upstairs, through the kitchen and into
the yard. I then laid it in the grave and
covered it with lime, which I had obtained from the garage.
I partially filled the grave with approximately six inches of dirt.
I instructed Bonnie to finish filling the grave while I

(24:54):
used the garden hose in an attempt to wash blood
stains in fresh blood out of the station wag. When
I had completed this operation to my satisfaction, I then
left alone in the station wagon and traveled by way
of Highway seventy one to Kansas City, Missouri, where I
mailed the first ransom note in a mailbox, which I

(25:15):
believe was on the northeast corner of thirty ninth in Broadway.
After depositing the first ransom letter in the mailbox, I
then drove to a drug store at thirty first in
Main Streets in Kansas City, Missouri, and called Bonnie collect
at her home in Saint Joseph to tell her that
everything was okay. By this, I meant I had gotten

(25:37):
to Kansas City and had mailed the letter. I then
returned to Saint Joseph, Missouri. I cannot now recall whether
I drove directly to her home or whether I stopped
for a few drinks en route. When I arrived at
Bonnie's home, I went into the basement, obtained some turpentine, gasoline,
and other cleaning materials, and attempted to clean the basement.

(26:00):
I washed the basement door with water using a broom
in an attempt to remove the blood stains. As I recall,
I put the ribbon to which the Jerusalem metal had
been attached in the waste paper basket. I recall I
put the empty cartridges from my thirty eight caliber revolver
into the waste paper basket, and then the contents of

(26:23):
the waste paper basket were dumped into the incinerator the
clothing which I was wearing at the time of the kidnapping.
I then took to a cleaning establishment on Frederick Avenue,
Saint Joseph, Missouri, and then requested that the blood stains
be removed. I informed the clerk that the blood stains
were the result of my having been involved in an accident.

(26:44):
The shirt I had worn, which also contained blood stains
of the victim, was put in a washing machine in
Bonnie's home in an attempt to remove the blood. Cannot
recall what this position was made of my shoes or necktie.
Some time on two Tuesday morning, September twenty ninth, nineteen
fifty three, Bonnie and I drove to Macintosh's Flora shop

(27:07):
and purchased a dozen chrysanthemums. Bonnie and I both entered
this flora shop, purchased the chrysanthemums, returned to her home,
and we both planted these flowers on the grave of
Bobby Greenley's This was done and in order to furnish
an explanation should anyone discover newly turned dirt in the
yard of Bonnie's home, Bonnie and I prepared the second

(27:31):
ransom letter to the Greenleys family. Inasmuch as I realized
I had not placed the correct address on the Greenley's
home on the first ransom letter. The second letter started out,
you must not have got our first letter. The second
letter reiterated the ransom demands and the directions to place
the ad in the personal column of the Kansas City
Star when mister Greenley's had the money ready and available.

(27:56):
Second ransom letter was addressed to mister Robert C. Greenley's
Vernon Road, Mission Hills, Kansas. I placed either six or
seven three cent stamps on the envelope, and Bonnie marked
the envelope special. In the second letter, I instructed the
Greenleas family that the money should be delivered in an

(28:16):
army duffel bag at the time of the final payoff.
The letter M, which I used as identification on the
ransom notes, had no special significance. I could just have
Wells put up another letter of the alphabet. On Wednesday,
September thirtieth, nineteen fifty three, Bonnie and I drove to

(28:38):
Kansas City and Bonnie's Plymouth station wagon and had dinner
at the Coat's house. While eating dinner, I excused myself
and made a phone call from a paystation in the
hotel to the Greenlease residence. The telephone number at the
Greenlease residence was Gilmore sixty two hundred. I had placed
my handkerchief in the corner of my mouth in an

(28:58):
attempt to disguise my voice. A man answered to telephone
and I said, this is EM. The man said, what
did you say? And I repeated M. I do not
recall the exact conversation, but this man asked some questions
which I did not pay any attention to, but merely
uttered phrases six hundred thousand, tens and twenties. The man

(29:22):
asked some questions concerning Bobby, and I replied with one
word metal. I then terminated the conversation and returned to
where Bonnie was sitting, finished dinner, and we returned in
her station wagon to Saint Joseph, Missouri. On Thursday evening
October one, I observed in the personal column of the

(29:42):
Kansas City Star, to which Bonnie regularly subscribes, the following
ad M meet me in Chicago Sunday. G This was
the contact I had been waiting for, as I had
previously instructed the Greenleys family to place this item in
the when they had the ransom money prepared. I did

(30:03):
not go to Kansas City at all on Thursday. On Friday,
October second, I drove to Kansas City and placed a
telephone call to the Greenleaf's residence, identifying myself as M.
I attempted to disguise my voice with my handkerchief as
in the preceding call, and into the conversation by saying

(30:24):
tonight and hung up. I then started to lay out
a payoff route. The first point on contact was at
twenty ninth in Holmes, Kansas City, Missouri, where I placed
a note with instructions to go to forty second in Charlotte,
Kansas City, Missouri and look under a mailbox on the corner.
I fastened this note to the bottom of the mailbox

(30:46):
with some adhesive tape which I had bought at Herman
drug Store in Saint Joseph. At the same time, I
had also purchased some red chalk at Kat's drug Store
in North Kansas City. I used this chalk to mark
a rock at the corner forty second in Charlotte. This
mark was a red cross, and under this rock I

(31:08):
placed a second note of instructions which directed the Greenleas
family to deposit the ransom money in the alcove of
a church at fortieth and Harrison Streets, Kansas City, Missouri.
I do not know the exact name of this church,
but believed that the words first Brethren were part of
the correct name of the church. Bonnie was with me

(31:30):
at all times during the laying out of this payoff route,
and she was inebriated and did not know what was
going on. On October first, Bonnie Hetty rented a nineteen
fifty two Ford Sedan from a U Drive company in
the two hundred block on seventh Street, Saint Joseph and
the name of Bonnie Hetty. I drove this car to

(31:51):
Kansas City, and Bonnie drove the station wagon to Kansas City,
where the station wagon was left on the parking lot
of a filling station across from Lynnz Tavern in North
Kansas City. I desired to rent the ford in order
to allay suspicion from Bonnie's Plymouth station wagon. Early in
the evening of October two, nineteen fifty three, I stole

(32:14):
the set of license plates from an automobile park on
the streets in North Kansas City, Missouri, and threw away
the regular license plates for the rented ford. At this time,
I was armed with the thirty eight caliber Smith and
Wesson revolver. I had no intention of picking up the
ransom money on this first attempted payoff, but merely wanted

(32:35):
to give the Greenlease family a dummy run to determine
if they were sincere in their desire to pay the
ransom money, and to further observe whether or not the
car carrying the representative of the Greenleases was being placed
under surveillance by the FBI or police. On Tuesday, September
twenty ninth, nineteen fifty three, I took the Jerusalem medal

(32:59):
which had been removed from Bobby's shirt and placed it
in the envelope of the ransom letter number two, so
that the Greenleys family would know I was the real
kidnapper and had custody of Bobby. I do not recall
the hour that Bonnie and I left Saint Joseph, Missouri
and drove to Kansas City, Missouri, but I do recall

(33:19):
that we drove in her blue station wagon via Highway
seventy one. I'm certain that Bonnie and I stopped at
Lynn's Tavern near Kansas City and had several drinks prior
to the mailing of the second ransom letter addressed to
the Greenleaes family at the main post office, Kansas City, Missouri.
After mailing this letter, Bonnie and I returned to Saint

(33:40):
Joseph and her station wagon again via Highway seventy one,
returning there late in the evening. I do not clearly
recall any other events of that evening, as Bonnie and
I proceeded to get drunk. At one thirty a m.
October third, I placed it another time telephone call to

(34:00):
the Greenlease residence from a bar located near the intersection
of Trust and Armor, Kansas City. I do not remember
the name of the bar, but I remember that the
bar was in the process of closing for the night
at the time I made this call, I identified myself as
M and directed the man who answered the phone to
go to twenty ninth and Holmes for further instructions relative

(34:22):
to the payoff. Bonnie and I drove around in the
rented ford until about four a m. We drove to
forty second in Charlotte, and I noticed the rock under
which I had placed the second note was still intact.
I drove them back to the telephone booth located at
the street car shelter at Brush Street in Maine, at

(34:42):
which time I placed another phone call to the Greenlease
residence and asked the party who answered what had happened.
I was advised by the party that the Greenleace family
did not have the money at home, and they were
having difficulty finding my written instructions and were afraid it
would be daylight before where they could comply with my instructions.

(35:03):
The party informed me over the phone that the Greenleys
family had written me a note and placed it where
I had directed the payoff to take place. After receiving
this explanation, I replied in a disguised voice, tonight and
hung up. I did not go to the church to
pick up the message they claimed to have left, as

(35:24):
I was afraid it was a trap. Bonnie and I
then returned to Saint Joseph, Missouri, in the rented ford
and remained until Saturday afternoon, at which time we returned
to Kansas City in the rented ford and laid out
the payoff route in North Kansas City. We then rented
a room in a motel or tourist court at the

(35:46):
intersection of US Highways seventy one and sixty nine, using
the name of mister and Missus V. B. Hetty and
giving the address of either Boonville, Columbia or Sedalia, Missouri.
About one thirty am Sunday, October fourth, I drove to
Kansas City, Kansas with Bonnie and she was again inebriated.

(36:07):
I placed another telephone call to the Greenleace residence from
a payphone in the townhouse, Kansas City, Kansas, and told
the answering party, after identifying myself as on previous occasions,
to go to thirteenth in Summit, where they would find
a note under a rock marked with a red cross.
I had previously placed this note under the rock. The

(36:30):
note directed the receiver to go to North Kansas City
and drive up Highway one sixty nine to oak View
Edition sign and there to look under another rock with
a red cross where I had placed a note directing
them to leave the money bag up a seldom use
lane close to the Lum Farm off Highway sixty nine
between Highways seventy one and one sixty nine. I then

(36:53):
drove to Highway sixty nine near the above described scene
in the rented ford. Bonnie was with me but was asleep.
I saw a dark Cadillac Sedan go by and assumed
it was a payoff car. I had no intention of
trying to pick up the money that night, but did
the drive down into the lane where I had instructed

(37:14):
Greenlease to leave the Duffel bag. I did not see
the bag at the designated spot. I then drove back
to Kansas City, Kansas, and placed another telephone call from
the paystation at the townhouse to the Greenlease residence. I
was informed that they had left the money and that
I should go back and look for it. I did

(37:35):
drive back and look for it, but still could not
find the money. I then drove to the ben Holt
Hotel in North Kansas City, at which time I again
called the Greenlease residence and was again told that the
family had left the money as directed, but were then
on their way back to pick it up for spear
some unauthorized person or persons might find it. I advised

(37:55):
him it was my mistake and I would call them
later in the day. I recalled discussing with them about
a definite attempt to make the payoff on Sunday, and
that I would deliver Bobby to them within twenty four
hours after I had received the money. Either in this
conversation or the previous one, I talked with Missus Greenley's
and she requested me to obtain the answers from Bobby

(38:18):
concerning certain questions to prove to her that Bobby was
still alive. I also recalled talking with Missus Greenlea's about
the possibility of Bobby's being brought to the telephone in
order that he could converse with her. I told Missus
Greenlease that it was impossible to talk to her son
because it would entail too much risk to get him

(38:40):
to the telephone. I did not know if I accurately
recall the questions she wanted answered, but believe one question
pertained to the name of the chauffeur the Greenley's family
had while visiting in Europe, and the other question was
about what Bobby had built in his playroom the night
before he was kidnapped. I told Missus Greenlea'se I would

(39:01):
endeavor to get Bobby to answer these questions for her
and call her back within an hour. I knew all
the time that Bobby was already dead, but when I
returned the call to Missus Greenley's, I told her that
Bobby had refused to answer the questions, and I again
assured her that Bobby was alive and well, but homesick.
I made some remark to her or one of the

(39:22):
men who answered the phone relative to Bobby's telling me
that his parrot could whistle. I made this statement in
an attempt to reassure the family that Bobby was still
alive so that they would be certain to go through
with the payoff. On Sunday, October fourth, Bonnie and I
checked into Tiny and Marie's hotel on East Highway forty,

(39:45):
taking the end cabin at the entrance on the right
hand side. Bonnie had passed out and remained in bed
all day. I then went out and started laying out
the third payoff route and finally decided on a spot
on County Road ten, running south off Highway forty. The
exact spot was a bridge about a mile from Highway forty.

(40:07):
I then returned to Kansas City, Missouri, in the rented
ford at the Cat's drug Store located at Lynwood and Trust.
I again called the Greenleas home and talked to a
man who said he was mister Letterman. I apologized to
mister Letterman for being delayed and making contact. I believe
this call was made at approximately eight thirty PM on Sunday,

(40:28):
October fourth. I identified myself to mister Letterman as m and
told mister Letterman that I was going to make the
payoff very simple and that mister Letterman could expect the
child back within twenty four hours. I also told mister
Letterman to go to Pittsburgh, Kansas and wait for a
message addressed to him in care of Western Union at

(40:48):
that city. I stated this message would tell him where
Bobby could be picked up. At this time, I told
mister Letterman that I would call him at exactly eleven
thirty pm. Due to the fact that I'd been drinking
quite freely, I forgot to tell mister Letterman the location
of the telephone, but recall that it was at hotel

(41:10):
near Lynnwood and Truce, near the LaSalle Hotel. I finally
advised mister Letterman that the hotel ended with the letters Shire,
stating that I myself could not remember the correct name
of the hotel in which the phone booth was located.
I now know this to be the Berkshire Hotel. I
called Letterman as arranged at exactly eleven PM, making the

(41:34):
phone call from the payphone in a filling station on
the south side of US Highway forty between Blue Ridge
and Stevenson's Cafe. At the time of this call, I
told Letterman to proceed east on US Highway forty past
Stevenson's Cafe ten e, and then turned south on this
road for about one mile until he came to a
bridge where Letterman should throw the duffel bag containing the

(41:58):
money on the right side of the road. On the
north side of the bridge. I remember parking near this
filling station from which I made a phone call, until
I saw a dark Cadillac go by proceeding east on
Highway forty with two men in it, whom I took
to be mister Letterman and his partner. Bonnie was with
me at the time of these negotiations, but as usual,

(42:21):
she was inebriated and did not know the exact details
of my transactions with the family. About three or four
minutes after the Cadillac mentioned above past me, I drove
the rented four down Road ten E south to the
payoff spot, but did not observe the bag, so I
proceeded on south a couple miles and then pulled off

(42:41):
the road, turned around and headed back north. I turned
off the motor and lights and waited about five to
ten minutes until I saw car lights coming toward me.
I then started up and drove toward the approaching cadillac,
and the cars passed, going in opposite directions. In other words,
I was going north and the Cadillac was going south.

(43:03):
Bonnie was with me, and as soon as we crossed
over the bridge, I stopped on the north side, got
out and observed the Duffel bag in the spot which
I had designated. I picked up the bag and placed
it in the trunk of the ford. I received the
ransom about twelve thirty am Monday, October fifth, After getting
the money. I drove back to Kansas City and made

(43:24):
a telephone call from a bar located on the northwest
corner thirty first and Forest to the Greenleace residence. I
talked to mister Letterman and told him we got the bag.
I also recalled stating we made more tonight than we
did all last week, and also remarked I might buy
a Cadillac. In this conversation, I promised mister Letterman that

(43:48):
I would send him a wire in care of the
Western Union, Pittsburgh, Kansas, telling him where to pick up Bobby,
and assuring him that Bobby was alive and well and
full of hell. Of course, I knew that Bobby had
been dead and buried since Monday afternoon, September twenty eighth.
Prior to picking up the ransom money, Bonnie and I
had checked out of the motel around eight or nine pm.

(44:11):
I then realized I'd forgotten to change the license plate
on the Ford and immediately became panicky, fearing that when
I had passed the automobile containing mister Letterman, the license
plate had been observed by mister Letterman, Therefore the car
would be traced to me. Prior to this time I
had considered going to Saint Louis, Missouri. I then told
Bonnie that if we went back to Saint Joseph, the

(44:34):
police would be waiting at the place for us. I
believe mister Letterman obtained the license number, and that at
the time my identity was known. Prior to this, I
had obtained a quarter grain of morphine and had given
myself an injection, and all during the evening I had
stopped at various places to obtain whiskey. Bonnie and I

(44:55):
also had a bottle of whiskey in the car. I
had consumed a great deal of it and was in
quite a drunken condition at the time we left Kansas
City en route to Saint Louis. I drove the rented
Ford from Kansas City to Saint Louis, Missouri, leaving Kansas
City on Highway forty. I was quite heavily intoxicated. But

(45:17):
do recall that shortly after leaving Kansas City, I stopped,
changed plates on the rented Ford, took a flashlight and
looked into the duffel bag. Worked a package of bills
estimated in the amount of six thousand dollars through the
opening in the Duffel bag and placed this money in
my pocket. I also recall stopping at a filling station

(45:38):
in an all night cafe at Boonville, Missouri. However, I
cannot recall whether I made any purchases at this cafe,
but I believe I did replenish the gasoline supply at
the filling station. En route, Bonnie was sleeping, but periodically
would waken, take another drink of whiskey, smoke another cigarette,
and then go back to sleep. To the best of

(46:01):
my recollection, Bonnie and I arrived in Saint Louis, Missouri
about six am October fifth. We were still in possession
of the Ford automobile, which had previously been rented at
Saint Joseph, Missouri. We first stopped at a bar, and
I made a telephone call to Barney Patten to contact
mccordbell Automobile rental agency and destroyer alter the records reflecting

(46:26):
that the Ford was rented in Bonnie Hetty's name. I
believe this call was made to mister Patten's home. I
called a taxi cab, believed to be a Yellow cab,
and Bonnie and I proceeded to another bar. At around
eight am. I remained in this bar for approximately thirty minutes,

(46:47):
at which time I left in the yellow cab and
purchased two suitcases from an army store, the location of
which I do not recall. I returned to this bar
with the luggage, which I bought for the purpose of
carrying the ransom money. After returning to this bar, the
same cab driver, Bonnie, and I drove to where I

(47:09):
had parked the blue Ford sedan. After paying the cab driver,
Bonnie and I entered the Ford and drove around Saint
Louis looking for a suitable place where we could transfer
the ransom money from the Army duffel bag to the
suitcases without attracting too much attention. I do not recall

(47:30):
the exact address, but do recall driving into an alley
and believe the street in front of the alley was wyoming.
I got out of the Ford, opened up the trunk,
removed the Army duffel bag, and then Bonnie and I
endeavored to untie the knot on the duffel bag. In
the excitement, I was fumbling and unable to quickly untie

(47:53):
the knot, and Bonnie suggested that I cut the rope.
I had a knife on a keychain, which I used
to cut the rope. I then opened up the two
suitcases and dumped the money from the duffel bag into
the two suitcases. I do not recall whether or not
the twenty dollars bills were on the top in the

(48:14):
duffel bag, as we paid no attention to these details.
It was daylight and we were taking a risk of
being observed. A couple did drive up the alley, and
I believe I exchanged some morning pleasantry with them, but
carried on no conversation. Bonnie and I then put the
suitcases in the trunk of the ford, disposed of the

(48:37):
duffel bag in a garbage can at the point where
we transferred the money, and drove the ford to a bar.
I took the suitcases into the bar and had about
two drinks, and left alone in the ford, which I
abandoned somewhere in Saint Louis. I then called a yellow cab,
returned to the bar, picked up Bonnie and the suitcases,

(49:01):
and drove to another bar, believed to be located somewhere
on King's Highway in Saint Louis. Here I made another
telephone called a Barney Patten of Saint Joseph, to determine
whether or not Patten had been successful, and having the
records at mccordbell Automotive Rental Agency altered so that they
would not reflect Bonnie Hetty had rented this car. I

(49:23):
made these calls to Patent because I was afraid letterman
and whoever accompanied him to deliver the ransom had observed
the license plate of the Ford. While in this tavern,
I left Bonnie at the bar and I walked to
a motor company where I bought a red Nash. This
Nash was purchased in view of the fact that I

(49:43):
desired transportation and had abandoned the Ford. I then drove
back to the tavern where I had left Bonnie, and
at approximately noon both of us left the tavern in
the Nash Sedan. We left to look for an apartment,
and some argument arose between Bonnie and me because she
desired to stay either in the Chase Hotel or a

(50:06):
hotel out on King's Highway, and I desired to rent
a quiet apartment where we could live unpretentiously and attract
no attention. Bonnie was heavily intoxicated and put up quite
an argument with me. Around noon, I made a phone
call to a Missus Webb at forty five four Arsenal,

(50:26):
Saint Louis and secured an apartment for Bonnie and me
to reside in. Shortly thereafter we arrived at this address
where I registered in this apartment using the name Grant.
Bonnie was in a very drunken condition, and I believe
I told the landlady that Bonnie was indisposed and ill,
as I was afraid the the landlady would see Bonnie

(50:49):
in her drunken condition. I was successful, however, in getting
Bonnie into the apartment without creating any disturbance. I brought
the suitcase containing the ransom money into the apartment and
placed them in the clothes closet, staying for a few
minutes to have a drink, and then left alone in

(51:09):
the Nash automobile and went to a tavern where I
secured the services of a taxicab. On this occasion, I
bought a small radio in order to listen to newscasts
regarding developments in this case, particularly to determine whether or
not the Ford automobile which we had rented had been identified.

(51:31):
After purchasing the radio, I returned to the apartment where
Bonnie was located. Shortly thereafter, I called another taxicab and
stopped at a tavern to have a few drinks. I
had been drinking quite heavily, but recall that at the
time I left the Arsenal Street address, I took the
two suitcases with me. Inasmuch as Bonnie was creating a

(51:53):
great deal of argument about living in such a dump,
I was afraid that she would create a scene and
that either of the neighbors, landlady or someone else would
hear a conversation and called the police and our identities
would be discovered. I went to a hotel believed to
be the Jefferson Hotel, where I met a cab driver
by the name of John Hager, and subsequently we transferred

(52:15):
the two suitcases to Hager's cab. I am certain Hagar
was driving for the Ace Taxi cab company of Saint Louis.
In the conversation with Hager, I expressed a desire for
some feminine companionship, and Hager made a phone call. Shortly thereafter,
Hager introduced me to a girl whose last name was Odeay,

(52:39):
and shortly following that Odey Hager and I went to
another bar for some drinks. At this bar, I wrote
a note to Bonnie advising her that I had left,
but that I would get in touch with her later.
At around four thirty pm, Odey Hager and I left
this bar to secure a motel. I stopped at drug store,

(53:01):
purchased some shaving equipment, and gave Hagar instructions to have
another cab driver deliver the note which I had previously
written to Bonnie at the Arsenal Street address. I recall
instructing him to ask for Missus Grant. Shortly thereafter, O'Day
Hagar and I shopped at a liquor store believed to

(53:22):
be located on or near Highway sixty six in Saint Louis.
Around five point thirty we arrived at the Coral Court,
where I registered for myself and Oday as mister and
Missus Robert White. In cabin forty nine A. O'Day Hagar
and I had several drinks, and I then instructed the
cab driver, Hagar, to go to downtown Saint Louis and

(53:45):
purchase some clothing for me, giving him the sizes and
description of the clothing desired. O'Day and I stayed at
the Coral Court Motel. At about ten PM, Hagar returned
with the clothing. Thereafter, Odey, Hagar and I left to
have dinner, which I believe was at the Harbor Inn

(54:06):
in Saint Louis. At around eleven thirty PM, we returned
to the Coral Court Motel. The three of us Odell, Hagar,
and myself stayed at the motel drinking until around midnight,
when I instructed Hagar to leave. I requested him to
buy another suitcase a briefcase, and to rent an automobile

(54:28):
for my use. On the following day, which would be
October sixth, nineteen fifty three, Oday, and I stayed at
the Coral Court. We arose about nine am October sixth.
At this time I wrote a letter to mister Barney Patten,
attorney in Saint Joseph, and gave Sandra Odey one thousand
dollars to proceed to Los Angeles to mail this letter

(54:51):
for me to Patent. I did this because I thought
if I had been identified as one of the kidnappers,
no doubt the FBI would check all my my own
associates and friends in Saint Joseph and among them would
be patent. I thought of pat and received a letter
from me in my own handwriting, postmarked Los Angeles, California.
It would throw the FBI off the trail, inasmuch as

(55:14):
I was actually proceeding in the opposite direction. Around ten am,
Hagar returned to the Coral Court with a nineteen fifty
two Chevrolet, which Haygard claimed he had rented at a
car rental agency, and also brought with him the suitcase
and briefcase which I had instructed him to purchase. Around
eleven am, Hagar and Oday left for Odey's home, as

(55:37):
Oday was taking a plane to Los Angeles. About one PM,
Hagar and I left in the rented car, in the
trunk of which I had placed the suitcases containing the
ransom money. I do not recall exactly where I dropped
Hagar off, but I proceeded alone to a hardware store,
where I purchased two garbage cans, a shovel, and some

(55:57):
plastic spray. At this time, it was my honest intention
to find a secluded spot where I could safely bury
the ransom money for future use. I proceeded west on
Highway sixty six, but not having found a suitable place.
I discarded the garbage cans near a river. I returned
to Saint Louis proper, contacted John Hager and had him

(56:20):
rent an apartment for me at the Townhouse. I then
went to a bar for some drinks. As I recall,
I stayed at this bar until around four pm, when
Hagar returned and we then went over to the Coral
Court motel. Around five pm, Hagar and I left the
tourist court to purchase some shoes and other more substantial clothing.

(56:42):
After purchasing clothing and securing some food, Hagar and I
returned to the Coral Court motel. Around seven thirty pm.
Hagar and I arrived at the townhouse, taking the ransom
money into the room with us. Hager left the apartment
and was to return about eight pm with additional supplies.

(57:04):
At about eight pm, I heard a knock on the door,
and thinking it was Hagar, I opened the door and
was arrested by an officer of the Saint Louis Police Department.
I was taken into custody and was booked at a
precinct police station. Around eight forty five or nine pm October.

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Speaker 2 (57:54):
Regarding my arrest. As I opened the door, I first
saw a uniformed officer large plain clothed man wearing a
double breasted blue suit. The uniformed officer had a gun
in his hand, and the other plane closed individual was
not observed to have a gun drawn. The armed officer
stepped around the threshold, and the larger individual informed me

(58:17):
I was under arrest and requested me to raise my hands.
I was standing near the door. After taking a step
or two back into the room from the door. At
that point, the larger officer advised me that they were
bonifide officers. When I was told I was under arrest,
I asked the officer what the hell for. The larger

(58:39):
man informed me to never mind the questions and instructed
me to sit down. At this point, the larger man
searched me briefly and reached into my breast pocket and
removed the keys from the pocket to the suitcases which
contained the ransom money and which were located in the
clothes closet of this apartment. I was instructed to take

(59:00):
my coat off and believe a continued search may have
been made of this code after I had removed it.
I believe I laid the coat over a chair, and
at this point I was instructed by the uniformed officer
to sit down, being directed to an overstuffed chair in
the living room of this apartment. At this time, the
uniformed officer was standing in front and to the left

(59:22):
of me, gun in hand, and I believe I asked
permission to obtain a drink of whiskey, which was refused
by the uniformed officer. I asked the uniformed officer what
the arrest was all about, and the officer advised me
that he did not know. At this point, the large
ununiformed officer went into the closet out of sight, to

(59:44):
where the suitcases containing the ransom money were located. Shortly
after the large man entered the closet, I heard a
click which indicated that one of the suitcases had been opened.
At this point, I stated to the uniformed officer, the
jig is up. The large man then came out of

(01:00:04):
the clothes closet and made no mention of seeing a
large amount of money in the suitcases. The ununiformed officer
then walked to the briefcase, picked it up, and walked
to a point six feet in front of me. At
this time, the briefcase contained my wallet, which had twenty
four hundred or twenty five hundred dollars and twenty dollars

(01:00:24):
bills which were plainly visible, and inside the briefcase itself
was approximately twenty thousand dollars and twenty dollars bills, all
having been previously taken from the duffel bag containing the
ransom money. At this point, the ununiformed officer asked me,
what's all this dough Where'd you get it? I replied

(01:00:44):
that the money was mine and informed the officers that
I was in the liquor business with a brother in Illinois,
and that my present residence was in Kirkwood, Missouri. I
made this statement as Hagar had furnished me with fictitious
identification of papers which bore the name of John D.
Byrne of Kirkwood, Missouri. At this time, the large ununiformed

(01:01:08):
officer finished looking in my briefcase, closed it in my presence,
and informed me he was putting it back exactly where
he got it. This man continued to look through my identification,
which prompted me to inquire what the arrest was all about,
and a large man informed me he would tell me
when he got ready. I was then instructed to put

(01:01:29):
on my coat, and the two officers and I left
the apartment. Just prior to the arrival of the arresting officers,
I had taken inventory of the money in my possession
and made some notations on an envelope. This was a
plain wide envelope, and the numbers twenty one, four and
one or two other numbers had been placed thereon by me.

(01:01:52):
These numbers represented the thousands of dollars which I had
removed from the ransom money, and I finally estimated that
I definitely had between five hundred and sixty thousand and
five hundred and seventy thousand dollars in the two suitcases
in the closet. The other side of the envelope contained
a list of several items of clothing which I intended

(01:02:13):
to purchase the following day. At no time while I
was in the presence of the officers in my apartment
was any search made for a gun. I was asked
if I had a gun, and I replied that I
did not on leaving the apartment, I closed the door myself.
As I stepped out of the door, both officers were there,

(01:02:33):
and one of them made a remark about how to
emerge from the apartment. I do not know why, but
the large officer stayed at the door, and the uniformed
officer and I walked the entire length of the building
looking for the rear steps leading from the third floor.
We were unable to locate any steps there, and as
we turned to go back, looking up the hallway, I

(01:02:54):
noticed a man standing at the end of the hallway
facing my room. I am not positive, but this man
appeared to be talking to someone in the direction of
my room, but I was not able to hear any
of the conversation. This individual was wearing a light tan
snap brim hat, a pair of rust colored slacks with
matching jacket, which was a short jacket gathered at the

(01:03:16):
belt line. This man was about medium height and decidedly slender.
I can give no further description of him, as I
observed only his profile. I am positive this man was
not John Hager and that I have never before seen
this individual. When the uniformed officer and I arrived at
the end of the hall to go down to my room.

(01:03:36):
This man disappeared. At this time, the uniformed officer and
I met the large plane clothes officer at the head
of the steps. As we walked, I was looking for
the green automobile which Hager had rented for me, but
I did not see it. The two officers and I
proceeded to the police car, which was parked a short
distance away from the front entrance of the building. We

(01:03:59):
all three got in the front seat of the car
and proceeded to the police station, with the uniformed officer
driving the car and I seated between them. Up to
this time, there had been no conversation about the money
in the suitcases, and I believed there was a possibility
the big ununiformed officer had not seen all of this money.

(01:04:20):
Neither the money nor the suitcase were brought to the
station with me. I am positive neither of the officers
carried any suitcases or briefcase when we left the apartment
for the squad car. After arriving at the police station,
the larger ununiformed officer told me that my arrest had
been predicated upon receipt of a complaint from an unknown

(01:04:42):
woman that a man in my apartment was carrying a gun.
He said we would all go down to the station
and I would be checked and if cleared, I would
be released. At the time of my arrest in the apartment,
there was no apparent search made for any firearm. The
gun was located in the compartment in the drawer of

(01:05:03):
the telephone table. The trip to the police station consumed
approximately ten minutes, and upon arrival, I was searched and
my wristwatch, cigarette lighter, ballpoint, papermate, pen, and seven or
eight hundred dollars in money were taken from my pockets
and I was given a receipt which I also signed
as John Byrne. I was placed in a cell in

(01:05:26):
about two or three hours later, the large, ununiformed officer
stated that I must be one of the kidnappers of
Bobby Greenlea's as I had considerable money in those suitcases,
and he told me we cannot hold this up much
longer from the FBI. Give me the facts and I'll
get a promotion. The large officer then left. He returned

(01:05:48):
in about fifteen or twenty minutes and questioned me concerning
the whereabouts of this woman who was implicated in this kidnapping.
The officer then took me out of the cell, and
I believed that about four other officers joined us. We
all left police headquarters in order to have me locate
Bonnie's apartment. I directed them to the Arsenal Street address,

(01:06:10):
where Bonnie was taken into custody and I was returned
to police headquarters by two of the officers. During the
time I was incarcerated and immediately after my arrest, I
made several attempts at conversation with the jailer to contact
the large, ununiformed officer who had booked me. I was
informed by the jailer that he had been unable to

(01:06:32):
reach this officer and assumed that the officer was busy
with the chief of police. I never saw my suitcases
after I left the apartment from the time of my arrest,
with the exception of one time at the police station.
While in the station, I was being removed to another
room for interview, and as I passed a door, I
observed the corner of one of these suitcases and saw

(01:06:53):
some money in it. At the time of my arrest,
I had been drinking, but definitely was not drunk or
under the influence of narcotics and was aware of the
incidents which transpired during my arrest. I'm certain that at
the time of my arrest, I had about five hundred
and seventy thousand dollars in the two suitcases and about
twenty two thousand dollars in my briefcase. Signed Carl Austin Hall,

(01:07:30):
October seventh, nineteen fifty three, declining to reveal the name
of the tipster Husky. Lieutenant Lewis Shoulders of the Newstead
Avenue District gave reporters the following account of the arrest
of Carl Austin Hall and Bonnie Brown Heady, the confessed kidnappers.

(01:07:52):
Quote about three thirty pm yesterday, I received a telephone
call on my private line here at the station from
a man. He said, if you meet me about seven
point thirty to night at Union and Pershing, I'll give
you something plenty hot. I don't know what it is,
but it is a guy with a big revolver and
he's been spending plenty of money. I'll give you the

(01:08:14):
information if you don't reveal my name. I'm afraid of
him and I don't want to get killed. I took
patrolman Elmer Dolan with me to the meeting at Union
and Pershing. Our informant was there and told us that
the man he suspected was in apartment three oh three
of the townhouse and was expecting him. He said he

(01:08:35):
had agreed to take a girl to the apartment at
eight o'clock and the man would not be suspicious. We
are instructed to knock three times and call out, Steve,
this is John. We went to the apartment and Dolan
knocked on the door and gave the signal Steve, this
is John. A man in the apartment replied okay and
opened the door. We nailed him and placed him under arrest.

(01:08:59):
He had no weapon on him, but his wallet contained
more than seven hundred dollars. There were two new suitcases
in the apartment, and when I opened them, they were
full of the money. It turned out later to be
three hundred thousand dollars, all in ten and twenty dollars bills.
As soon as I saw that cash, I knew our
prisoner must be one of the Kansas City kidnappers. Shoulders

(01:09:23):
and Dolan took the prisoner to the police station, where
he identified himself as Hall and readily admitted he was
the long sought kidnapper. Dolan returned to the apartment and
after a thorough search, found a snubnosed thirty eight caliber
revolver in the drawer of a telephone desk. The weapon

(01:09:43):
contained five cartridges. Hall told us he had left Bonnie
Hetty in a room they had rented in South Saint Louis.
He said he did not know the address, but could
take us to the house about midnight. I sent a
detail of officers with him, and they found Bonnie sleep
in a room in a house at forty five four
Arsenal Street. When they brought her in, she admitted she

(01:10:06):
was the woman who took Bobby Greenlease from the Kansas
City School. After we determined there were about three hundred
thousand dollars in the two suitcases, I asked Cal where
the balance of the six hundred thousand dollars was. He
said that after he left Bonnie head he drunk at
the Arsenal Street house. Monday, he met another woman through

(01:10:27):
a taxi driver and spent the night with her at
a tourist court on US Highway sixty six. When she
was preparing to leave in a taxi cab yesterday morning.
Hall gave her money, he said. He said he thought
he gave the girl two thousand or three thousand, but
it could have been a lot more because he was
pretty drunk. Hall left the tourist court in a taxi

(01:10:49):
cab and had the driver rent an automobile for him.
He drove to the townhouse and rented the apartment at
one hundred and eighty five dollars a month. It was
his intention. He told us to hole up for a
month before the heat was off. Before leaving the taxi
cab driver, Hall gave the driver several thousand dollars with
instructions to buy him some new clothes and bring the

(01:11:10):
garments to the townhouse. Later, police learned that the woman
with whom the kidnappers spent the night later telegraphed her aunt,
with whom she made her home from Kansas City. Before
her hasty departure, she sent a taxi cab driver to
her home on North ninth Street for additional apparel and
with two hundred dollars for the ant. The young woman,

(01:11:33):
described as twenty two years old and the mother of
a small daughter, has no police record. Jefferson City, Missouri,
December eighteenth, nineteen fifty three. In the four weeks they

(01:11:54):
spent in death Row, Hall and missus Hetty were regarded
as docile prisoners. Condemned prisoners are not allowed outside their cells,
and the only time they emerged was to walk a
few feet to take a bath from a specially constructed shower.
The two were separated by six cells. They were given
food from the officer's mess, and special precautions were taken

(01:12:19):
to see that neither was poisoned. The resentment of the
inmates here being deep and sharp because they feel Hall
may have jeopardized their own future paroles. Hall was released
on a taxi cab robbery conviction last April because the
parole board considered him a good risk. He had no
prison demerits against him, had never been in trouble before,

(01:12:42):
came from a fine Kansas family, and was discharged under
honorable conditions from the Marine Corps after four years of service,
some of it in combat in the Pacific. Hall and
missus Hetty upset the usual pattern that fiction writers follow.
They were not hardened criminals. They had led a respectable
life until divorce turned her to excessive drinking. Hall apparently

(01:13:07):
became money mad after squandering his two hundred thousand dollars inheritance,
and believed society consisted mostly of little people far beneath them.
Neither their appearance nor their background fitted the two as criminals.
Hall was five feet nine inches tall, weigh one hundred
and eighty pounds, had auburn hair and blue eyes. His

(01:13:28):
appearance was described as nice to rather handsome. Missus Hetty
liked fine clothes and was always well groomed. She was
five feet three and a half inches tall, weighed one
hundred and twenty pounds, and was definitely of an attractive type,
with brown hair and sparkling brown eyes. During their stay
and death row, they caused no trouble and made no

(01:13:49):
unusual requests. Both began reading the Bible shortly after being admitted.
Missus Hetty, the calmer of the two, tried to stay
well groomed. Each letters to mister missus Greenlea's begging forgiveness.
They ate well even up into the last meal. While
Hall's expression became hard and unyielding in the final days,

(01:14:11):
Missus Hetty seemed to maintain a serene expression. This is
what I wanted, she said of the death sentence. I
could not have stood a life in prison. There were
requests variously estimated at around ten thousand for permits to
witness the execution. There were thousands of letters that flowed

(01:14:31):
into Jefferson City from all parts of the nation directed
to the pair, some bitterly denunciatory, others offering prayers and
spiritual hope. The two were not allowed to see any
of the letters. At least fifty persons wrote directly to
Governor phil Donnelly asking clemency, although he was without authority

(01:14:51):
to interfere in any way. He turned the letters over
to the federal government. And arbor in the prison yard
was draped with Christmas trimmings, and a nearby tree gleamed
with bright bobbles. These were part of decorations put up
by convicts. There was no sign of any demonstration by

(01:15:13):
the twenty five hundred inmates as the hour reached midnight.
Within the walls, it was a normal quiet night. Prison
officials noted that on previous occasions of executions in the penitentiary,
the inmates sometimes would rattle their sall bars. At the time,
a condemned prisoner was walking down death Row toward the

(01:15:33):
gas chamber. This time, the only manifestation was a few
shouts from nearby cell blocks as the witnesses paraded down
to the gas chamber. The group climbed the seven steep
stone steps to the ground level landing of the building
and then pushed through the large double doors to the outside.

(01:15:56):
In the sharp night air, The two groups entered so
separate motor cars that awaited outside of b Hall. The
gears meshed and they drove slowly past the long school building,
went east between the school and the plumbing shops, halted
momentarily while the gate was opened, and then rolled out
onto the recreation field. The cars went down a small incline,

(01:16:20):
passed a withered rose arbor and the little white stone
crosses embedded in the concrete walk that leads to the
gas chamber building. They stopped just outside the building. Big
spotlights stabbed the recreation field with hard rays of eerie light.
Guards paced around the gas Chamber building while other guards

(01:16:41):
on the wall towers maintained a sharp alert as extraordinary
precautions were taken to assure a precision procedure for the execution.
Although most condemned prisoners are given a haircut before being executed.
Halls was rather long. Her brown hair was also long,

(01:17:03):
but neatly done up. Missus Hetty wore a bright green
cotton prison dress and a pair of scuff type sandals.
Hall had on regulation prison pants and a shirt of
olive green twill. He also wore shoes without laces but
no belt. Their legs were bare. On the way down

(01:17:25):
from death row, missus Hetty was kept warm in the
twelve degree cold by a coat thrown over her shoulders
by missus Tapman. The Marshal's wife, Missus Tatman, stepped outside
before the actual execution. The Marshal's wife, one of the
guards who has been with missus Hetty the last four weeks,

(01:17:46):
rode with missus Hetty in the car from her death
row cell to the gas chamber. She remained at missus
Hetty's side until she was strapped into the metal chair.
Missus Tapman's said, I had planned to say something to
her after she was strapped in, but everything was going
so smoothly. I was afraid to for fear I would

(01:18:08):
say something wrong. Missus Tapman said she had not noticed
any change in missus Hetty's attitude or manner in the
last day of her life. She told me that she
knew I didn't like my job, but I had to
do it. She thanked me. She also told me that
she knew she had made a mistake and would have
to pay for it. Missus Tapman said that as an individual,

(01:18:31):
and not considering the crime she had committed, missus Hetty
seemed to her to be a nice person. Quote. She
seemed very interesting to talk with and seemed to be
an intelligent woman. Unquote. Missus Tapman said missus Hetty complained
that she was cold when they left death Row and
stepped to the motor car. Missus Hetty had no coat

(01:18:53):
and wore no hoes. Missus Tapman said she gave missus
Hetty or black Persian lamb short coat to wear. The
remark about the cold was the last thing missus Hetty
said to her. Missus Tapman said when the prisoners reached
the death house, they prayed a few minutes with their

(01:19:13):
spiritual advisers, the Reverend George L. Evans, episcopal minister from
Kansas City, Kansas, and his curate, the Reverend Robert H. Bull,
the second Father. Evans said the killers were absolutely and
completely reconciled. He said they made no last requests. The

(01:19:34):
kidnappers were allowed ten minutes together in the small detention
cell just off the gas chambers. Tatman was in the
cell a few feet away. During those ten minutes, the
two smiled and talked in a casual manner. Hall was
smoking a cigarette and he leaned over to give missus

(01:19:54):
Hetty a puff. They were manacled, but held hands while
they talked. Missus Hetty, who seemed animated, laughed aloud at
something said by Marshall Tatman, who sat in front of
them while they sat side by side on a cot.
The private chat with Tatman sitting in could not be

(01:20:15):
seen throughout the death chamber, but when Hall came out
to enter the gas tank, his lips were red as
if he had received a final kiss. Sitting in the
metal chairs within the gas chamber, Carl Hall and Missus
Bonnie Hetty were given an opportunity this morning to make

(01:20:36):
a last minute statement. They said they had nothing to say.
Missus Hetty had indicated earlier in the day that she
was afraid she might break down, but both were calm
as they went to their death for the Green Lease murder.
The opportunity to make a final statement was offered by

(01:20:56):
William Tatman, acting Federal Marshall at the last. Just before
the gas chamber closed, Tapman asked them if they had
anything to tell him. Both shook their heads and missus
Hetty said no. While missus Hetty watched, a black blindfold

(01:21:16):
was put over Hall's eyes, tied and back with a
double strap. Then she was blindfolded and they were led
into the gas chamber. Hall going first. I can't see
a thing, missus Hetty said. While she was being strapped
into her chair. She said, it is tight. I'm not
going anywhere. She asked Carl whether he had plenty of room.

(01:21:41):
He did not answer. He was breathing hard as the
straps were tightened. Just before the big iron door was
closed on the condemned pair, missus Hetty turned a Hall
and asked, in a calm tone, are you doing all right, honey? Yes, mamma,
he replied in the gas chamber. Missus Hetty, although she

(01:22:04):
could not see, tilted her head upwards and said goodbye,
and thanks to Tapman. Bernard Poiri, Assistant Deputy Warden, who
has taken the pair of their food for the four
weeks they were in death row helped to adjust the
straps around missus Hetty. Missus Hetty tilted her head again

(01:22:27):
and said goodbye, mister Poiri and thanks for everything. Poiery
shook hands with both of them, and she again thanked
him before the airtight doors were closed. Although sounds cannot
be heard by witnesses after the doors are closed, the
two conversed briefly until the fumes began arising. Neither got

(01:22:50):
a clear view of the gas tank and its deadly apparatus,
who was kept screening from them until after the blindfolds
were fixed twelve o two o'clock, when the jars of
sulfuric acid were shoved beneath the metal chairs. Warden Ralph Hedson,
who pulled the lever that released the fatal pellets inside

(01:23:13):
the chamber, said he thought everything went off smoothly. The
executions were the eighth and ninth he has conducted in
the four and one half years he has served as warden. Quote.
It's a job I hate to do, but I wouldn't
ask anyone else to do it for me unquote. The

(01:23:33):
three North Kansas City policemen who were among the official witnesses,
said that missus Hetty seemed nonchalant to the end, but
Hall struggled when he was strapped into the metal chair
in which he died. Lieutenant G. W. Stevenson said, we
noticed that missus Hetty seemed nonchalant after she got inside

(01:23:54):
the gas chamber. I believe she had a smile on
her face, at least her Her mouth looked like it.
Her eyes, of course, were covered by the mask. Hall
seemed to be mumbling to himself, talking fast. We couldn't
hear what he was saying, but we assumed he was
praying to himself. Corporal Roberts Seemed Moore and patrolman George

(01:24:17):
Spencer said they believe missus Hetty and Hall spoke to
each other just before their deaths. All three policemen said
it was the first time they had witnessed an execution.
Spencer said, quote, it wasn't a pleasant thing to watch.
I never want to see another one. Prison officials said
the pair were quote among the calmest we ever saw unquote.

(01:24:43):
Hall and missus Hetty were pronounced dead officially by doctors
William V. Mcneally and doctor Donald Schule. Prison physicians. Doctor
McNally said missus Heaty appeared to breathe a little longer
than Hall did. Doctor Schull explained that death from the
gas chaminamb is caused by inhalation of the gas fumes
caused by a block in the exchange of oxygen from

(01:25:05):
the arteries to the body tissue. The tissue dies from monoxia,
he said. The central nervous system and brain, Doctor Schul said,
are the first to be effected. The two physicians pronounced
missus Hetty and Hall dead unofficially first by observing them
through the gas windows in the chamber. After the gas
had been cleared by exhaust fans, they checked for heart

(01:25:28):
tones and reflexes and made their official statement. The bodies
were taken to the Bucher funeral Home, about three blocks
west of the prison. A traffic jam developed in front
of the funeral home as persons with curiosity tried to
see the hearse taking the bodies to the home. Highway
patrolmen and auxiliary police cleared up the traffic congestion in

(01:25:50):
about fifteen minutes. Their deaths closed the book on the kidnapped,
slaying and in which the seventy one year old Robert
Greenlease paid six hundred thousand dollars in ransom, only to
receive the body of his son in return, but there
are several anticlimactic chapters to be solved. What happened to

(01:26:14):
the missing three hundred thousand dollars is one mystery officials
still hoped to solve, and whether Hall carried that secret
with him into the gas chamber may never be known.
It was the first federal execution here since the gas
chamber was constructed in nineteen thirty seven at a cost
of five thousand dollars, and the fourth double execution. It

(01:26:36):
was the first execution of a woman. Epilogue. The missing
three hundred three thousand, seven hundred and twenty dollars from
the suitcases has never been recovered, although the two arresting

(01:26:56):
officers were both found guilty of perjury in the matter
of the missing money for their handling of the suitcases
and both serve prison sentences. That was evil plan drunkenly

(01:27:28):
botched the Greenlease kidnapping tragedy called from the historic pages
of the Kansas City Times, the Saint Louis Post Dispatch,
and other newspapers of the era. True Crime Historian is
a creation of popular media opening theme by Nico Vitessi.

(01:27:49):
Incidental music by Nico Vites, Chuck Wiggins, and Dave SAMs.
Some music and sound effects licensed from podcast music dot Com.
Closing theme by Dave sam and Rachel Shott, engineered by
David Hish at Third Street Music Media Management. And original
logo graphics for each new episode by Sean R. Miller Jones.

(01:28:12):
And here I am putting my best foot forward. I'm
true crime historian Richard O. Jones signing off for NAT