(FD-350), Bremerton Sun: 'FBI Quizzes Merchants After Tip - D.B. Cooper Hunt Shifts To Bremerton'

(Mount Clipping in Space Below) FBI QUIZZES MERCHANTS AFTER TIP 'D.B. Cooper' Hunt Shifts To Bremerton

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BREMERTON, Wash. (UPI) The Bremerton Sun report- ed Thursday that the FBI's search for "D.B. Cooper," the parachuting hijacker who ex- torted $200,000 from Northwest Airlines last Nov. 24, appears to be centered in the Bremer- ton area.

The Sun said personnel of several downtown businesses had been interviewed by FBI agents asking help in identify- ing photographs of a man they believe resembles the hijacker.

THE REPORT, by Managing Editor Oren Campbell and re- porter Denise Kalete, said at least one of the photos appear- ed to have been taken on a sidewalk of a store that sells wigs. That photograph showed a man with stylishly long, dark hair.

The Sun said a spokesman at the store, L.H. King Imports, said FBI agents had said the picture was received last week in the mail from an unidenti- fied tipster.

The Seattle office of J. Earl Milnes, special FBI agent in charge of the region, declined to make any comment about investigation in the Bremerton area.

The FBI recently called off its massive search, aided by soldiers from Ft. Lewis, Wash., near Woodland in Southwestern Washington where it was believed "Coop- er" jumped from the North- west 727 jet with his extorted loot on the rainy night before Thanksgiving day.

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AUTHORITIES said none of the marked currency given to the hijacker has turned up.

The Sun reported the FBI also has questioned William (Jack) Lewis, 32, of Seabeck, Wash., about 20 miles west of Bremerton, who told the news- paper he might know the iden- tity of the hijacker.

Lewis said agents had visit- ed him "at least eight times" since last Saturday, including a visit Wednesday night. He said they informed him of his rights and agreed to leave him alone until his attorney, Curtis Coons, returns Sunday from California.

Lewis, a land developer, told the newspaper he is sure his phone is "being tapped."

He said he also is a "free- lance" civil engineer and a representative of Worldwide Engineering, a firm that mar- kets — among other things — a device for tapping telephone lines.

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

THE OREGON JOURNAL PORTLAND, OREGON

Page 10J

Date: 4/28/72 Edition: Author: Editor: Title:

Character: or Classification: Submitting Office:

[ ] Being Investigated

164-41 - Sub [illegible]

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DB Cooper-22980

PD 164-41

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LEWIS said the man in the photographs showed to him by the FBI is not the man he be- lieves to be "Cooper." [illegible] Mrs. David (Joy) Jensen, manager of the wig store, said the man in two photographs showed to her looked familiar. "It was just a man that if I saw him I would recognize him," she said. [illegible] She said she remembered the man as one of three men who came to the store about three months ago and bought nothing after the man in the FBI photos spent an hour trying on wigs of different styles and colors. She said it was unusual that three men would spend so much time in a wig shop. Her shop caters pri- marily to women. Mrs. Jensen said one of the photos showed a man with a wig, the other without the wig. She said the pictures were tak- en in front of her shop. THE SUN also quoted two barbers and a drugstore cash- ier who said the FBI had showed photographs to them. The barbers and cashier said the man looked familiar, but they didn't know his name. "Cooper" is the only extor- tionist-hijacker yet to be cap- tured. He staged his hijacking on a flight from Portland, Ore., to Seattle. After he was supplied with four parachutes and $200,000 in $20 bills, he allowed the passengers to leave the plane. Then he ordered a low flight at 10,000 altitude to Reno. The hijacker, the loot and two of the parachutes were gone when the 727 landed at [guess: Reno]. Analysis of flight data later indicated he left the plane over Southwest Washing- ton.

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DB Cooper-22981