'Hijacker of jetliner steals public fancy here' (Seattle Times)

FD-350 (Rev. 7-16-63)

(Mount Clipping in Space Below)

---

Hijacker of jetliner steals public fancy here

By ROSS ANDERSON

Despite the concern about high crime rates and calls for hard-line law-and-order stands, many Seattleites yesterday revealed a subtle admiration for Wednesday's mysterious airline hijacker.

Nobody denied the reality of the crime, nor the potential for tragedy which existed. But, perhaps since nobody was hurt, the hijacker seemed to have evoked for himself some of the legends and memories of past outlaws.

"It's kind of a Robin Hood thing," said Larry Kellas, an assistant manager in a downtown department store. Asked how he reacted to the crime, he added: "He'll probably be caught, and he should be. But it was still pretty dramatic and spectacular."

The crime may have been unique, but the response was not. Certain outlaws from Robin Hood to Britain's "Great Train Robbers" have inadvertently captured the imagination of the common man.

"We all like adventure stories," noted Dr. Otto Larsen, professor of sociology at the University of Wahington. "That hijacker took the greatest ultimate risk. He showed real heroic features — mystery, drama, romanticism, a high degree of skill and all the necessities for the perfect crime."

"He was either very talented or very crazy — or both," said Mrs. Helen M. McNeely when asked for her reaction. "A native of Illinois, she recalled the infamous gangster of the 1930s, John Dillinger.

"But Dillinger had a real mean streak," she noted. "This man (the hijacker) fortunately didn't hurt anybody and somehow that seems to make a difference."

Some other reactions drawn from downtown shoppers yesterday included:

Pvt. David Ricardo, military on leave from New Jersey: "I think he'll get away with it. Anyway, I hope he isn't caught. If I were him I'd take off for South America. It all seems like a fantasy."

Gordon Embree, taxicab driver: "You've got to admit, he was clever. The way I see it, anybody smart enough to take $200,000 just like that ought to make a clean getaway. I'm not saying he's right, understand, but he plain had guts."

Charldene Ashley, student: "It was kind of ingenious. He's done pretty well so far and I think it's all right if he gets away with it."

Tom Pettinger, Seattle mortician: "It was such a smooth operation that I think he'll pull it off. But he should be caught; somebody has to pay."

Chuck Miller, a sailor at Sand Point: "Technically, of course, he should be caught. But in a way, I'm glad he got away. I can't help thinking: If I were going to do something like that, I wish I could do it as well as he did."

Dean Weaver, Seattle: "I hope he's caught in about 25 years, just so we can find out what happened to him."

Salvador [guess: a] Tirazona, Seattle: "He pulled a fast one on the plane company. It was a slick move because it was the first time anybody has gotten away with something like that — escaping that is."

Nearly all those questioned

---

(Indicate page, name of newspaper, city and state.)

p. A10 Seattle Times Seattle, Wash.

Date: 11/28/71 Edition: Sunday Author: Ross Anderson Editor: Henry McLeod Title: UNSUB; aka Dan Cooper, Northwest Airlines Fl. 305, PD to Character: SE, 11/24/71 or CAA-HIJACKING; EXT Classification: 164-81 Submitting Office: Seattle

☐ Being Investigated

COPY SENT TO BUREAU

---

DB Cooper-22455

...were concerned about the hazards presented to passen- gers and crew and to the possibility of encouraging fu- ture similar hijackings. But all agreed on one point: The hijacking has raised an un- dercurrent of admiration for the manner in which it was committed.

"Part of the reason is probably the great contrast to the original skyjackers," Professor Larsen speculated. "This man was neither polit- ical nor neurotic. His motive was simply $200,000 and peo- ple can understand that much better.

"His was an awesome feat in the battle of man against the machine — one individu- al overcoming, for the time being anyway, technology,

---

the corporation, the estab- lishment, the system."

Larsen compared the inci- dent to the 19th Century stagecoach robberies, widely romanticized in Eastern magazines. Black Bart and the stagecoach outlaws were after money, not to make a political statement.

"So he comes off as a kind of curious Robin Hood," Lar- sen said, "taking from the rich — or at least the big and complex. It doesn't mat- ter whether he gives, to the poor or not.

"He had to have a broad range of skills to manipulate people, to choose the right time and place, to survive. But even if they find him somewhere in the bush with his skull crushed, it will still

---

be dramatic and mysteri- ous."

There were a few, ques- tioned by The Times, who were not carried away by the romantic aspects of the crime. They saw it only as a crime.

A Seattle attorney, who declined to give his name: "The hijackings—all of them —represent a breakdown in the nation's enforcement system. I believe that hijack- er should be hunted down and killed."

A uniformed member of the Marine Corps Reserve, also anonymous: "People's lives were involved, and I can't see making a hero out of him. I hope he is caught."

---

"He showed ... all the necessities for the per- fect crime." —Dr. Otto Larsen

"I'm not saying he's right ... but he plain had guts." —Gordon Embree

"... I hope he isn't caught." —David Ricardo

"... I think it's all right if he gets away with it." —Charldene Ashley

---

DB Cooper-22456