Interview of Seabeck resident re newspaper ad and description of suspected hijacker

FD-302 (REV. 11-27-70)

FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION

Date of transcription 4/28/72

---

[REDACTED] Seabeck, Washington, was interviewed at his residence, the [REDACTED] [REDACTED] He was advised of the identity of the interviewing agents and was advised that the interview related to the hijacking of a Northwest Orient Airlines plane. He stated that in approximately mid-January, he ran an ad in the Bremerton, Washington newspaper which read [REDACTED] [REDACTED] .He ran this ad after having seen an ad in the Seattle paper requesting D.B. COOPER to contact a telephone number in the Los Angeles area. He later learned that this ad was placed in the Seattle paper by [REDACTED] He stated he received many telephone calls, many of which were crank calls and made [REDACTED] because of his ad. He also received one telephone call which he placed some weight on, because it was received at approximately 1:00 a.m. He said the call did not last over 20 seconds; however, he recognized the voice as the voice of someone known to him and with whom he had previously talked on the telephone. He told this individual to call him in the morning and arrange for a meeting; however, the person never returned the call. He stated;however, that this individual was the hijacker.

After he had received no return call, he discussed the matter with [REDACTED] for the Bremerton "Sun", [REDACTED] [REDACTED] After this, sometime approximately in late February, he called [REDACTED] in Los Angeles, at the telephone number which had been in [REDACTED] newspaper ad. He talked on this occasion for approximately two hours, and incurred a telephone bill of $12. He told [REDACTED] about the call he had received but did not tell him the identity of the caller.

A short time after this, he went to San Francisco, California, in connection with attempting to sell a coin collecting device which was to be manufactured by [REDACTED] [REDACTED] a company in which [REDACTED] In San Francisco, he met with a man named [REDACTED] last name unknown, who was with the San Francisco Municipal Railway, and con- ferred with him for about four hours.

---

Interviewed on 4/22/72 at Seabeck, Washington File # [REDACTED]

by SA [REDACTED] SA [REDACTED] JSD/rlg Date dictated 4/28/72 - 65 -

This document contains neither recommendations nor conclusions of the FBI. It is the property of the FBI and is loaned to your agency; it and its contents are not to be distributed outside your agency.

DB Cooper-24348

2 [REDACTED]

---

He stated that in connection with [REDACTED] [REDACTED] in this enterprise is [REDACTED] however, he stated [REDACTED] is not aware of his interest concerning COOPER, the hijacker.

---

Following his meeting in San Francisco, he travelled to Los Angeles, where he stayed overnight at the International Hotel. The following day, which was a Thursday, approxi- mately February 20, 1972, he had lunch with [REDACTED] and told him more about his contact and his belief that the person contacting him was the hijacker. At this time, [REDACTED] offered to pay him [REDACTED] the hi- jacker, and he refused this offer, stating that he wanted [REDACTED] plus [REDACTED] reward which was to be paid by the airlines. The [REDACTED] was to be in three payments of [REDACTED] each. The first payment was to be made at the time [REDACTED] the hijacker, the second at the time [REDACTED] the hijacker and the third when [REDACTED] These payments were to be made by certified check and he and [REDACTED] were to go to the bank together to cash the checks.

---

Following this meeting in Los Angeles, he returned home and a short time later, during the latter part of February, he received a telephone call from [REDACTED] who stated that he was in Seattle. He received the call one evening and the next morning, which he recalls was a Friday, he went to Seattle and met [REDACTED] at the Edgewater Inn. They met in the lobby of the Edgewater Inn and had lunch at this establishment. While eating lunch, they met [REDACTED] for Spot Realty, and he intro- duced [REDACTED] Following this, they returned to [REDACTED] room and discussed why he thought his man was the hijacker. Following this discussion, they went to the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport to see where the hijacking had taken place and went looking at antiques in Seattle.

---

Concerning the reasons he felt his man was the hijacker, [REDACTED] stated that his suspect had flying experience in the military according to information he had received from the suspect. The man he suspects was [REDACTED] years of age, was familiar with aircraft, had taken jump training in the

---

- 66 -

DB Cooper-24349

3 [REDACTED]

---

military and was in the auto part business. Concerning the individual he suspected of being the hijacker, it was additionally stated that he had known this individual pre- viously; however, had lost contact with him since 1967 until December of 1971, when they again came into contact with each other. This individual had been in the auto parts business in Port Angeles, when he, [REDACTED] had lived in Port Angeles. He stated that this individual recently established a business and is in debt over his head, owning two cars and around Christmas time he showed this individual some [REDACTED] He stated this individual also has a very distinctive voice, which he recognized on the telephone when he received the call.

---

[REDACTED] stated that he told [REDACTED] what he felt would have had to have been done to successfully commit the hijacking; however, he and [REDACTED] could not agree on a [REDACTED] They discussed various matters, in- cluding information concerning his background and [REDACTED] questioned him concerning what he would consider to be a perfect day.

---

Following this, he and his wife went to dinner with [REDACTED] at the Windjammer in Seattle. When they left that evening, it was agreed that [REDACTED] would recontact him when he was able to rais the [REDACTED]

---

Approximately a week after this meeting, either he called [REDACTED] called him, he does not remember which, and they discussed the matter once more; however, [REDACTED] had not been able to raise the necessary funds. At this time, [REDACTED] told him he was still attempting to raise the money and told him [REDACTED] COOPER.

---

[REDACTED] was asked if this individual was with Northwest Auto Parts in Seattle, and he stated that he was and his name was [REDACTED] was shown a photograph of an unknown individual wearing a black and white hat and sunglasses and after viewing the photograph, stated that it could possibly be a photograph of [REDACTED] He stated that in conversations with [REDACTED] they had casually dis- cussed the hijacking and it had been mentioned that the $200,000 would be enough to live on for the rest of one's life. He described [REDACTED] as a white male, [REDACTED] years of age, approximately 5' 9" to 5' 10" tall.

---

- 67 -

DB Cooper-24350

The following is a description of [REDACTED] as obtained from observation and interview:

Name [REDACTED] b6 Date of Birth [REDACTED] b7C Place of Birth [REDACTED] Height 5' 10" Weight 180 pounds. Eyes Hazel Hair Wears a beard, which he has had for approximately one year Education Attended University of Washington and Olympic College. Took [REDACTED] however did not graduate as he was [REDACTED] hours short. Wife [REDACTED] Children [REDACTED] Employment [REDACTED]

Bremerton, Washington Automobiles [REDACTED] Pinto, yellow in color Ford pickup truck Toranado, which is presently in the shop for repair Military service None Flying Experience Has a student ticket, has approximately [REDACTED] hours in rotary wing aircraft and also some time in fixed wing aircraft.

---

- 68 -

DB Cooper-24351