Show Former Ogden Man Caught Attacking Child In Oregon John A. A Pender Fender Convicted of Killing Mother and Child and Later Pardoned Caught in Police Trap as He HeIs HeIs HeIs Is Choking Year Old Girl and Threatening to Strike Her With Mechanics Mechanic's Hammer Suspected of Other Crimes PORTLAND lJ Oct 20 By By The Associated Press John John A. A A 1 I Pender Fender 5 52 5 convicted 14 H years ago of or one of the most heinous double murders in iii Oregon's fregon's history was today held hel in inthe inthe inthe the city jail charged with attempted murder and an attempt attempt- attempted ed attack upon a year old 15 old cal girl He lIe was arrested yesterday esterday in a police trap that worked like those in in iii the detective stories stones After Alter he had repeatedly answered an advertisement inserted in a local newspaper by the young girl asking for work and after each answer er had aroused arou the suspicions of the girls girl's girls family because he ht insisted on the girl alone the trap was set TRAP SUCCESSFUL That this trap was perfectly timed was shown when the police pollee arrived at atthe atthe atthe the lair HIr of brush and scrubby pine the theman theman man had chosen just in time to find him with his hands clutched around the throat of the little girl the gIrl the other hand upraised holding a hammer with which he was about to beat his victim senseless fensel s. s He was quickly overpowered He declared he did not know what had prompted him Pender Fender once faced death eath on the gal gal- gallows lows IOAS for slaying staying Mrs Daisy Wehrman and her son eon Harold aged 3 3 In a tiny cabin near in September 1911 Then a hatchet was used u ed Friday he carried a machinists machinist's ball bali end hammer a knife and an imitation Imitation tion gun OTHER OIlIER MURDERS With his arrest police ordered Im Immediate im- im immediate Emmediate mediate reopening of investigation of the murder of Martha Mrtha M rtha Gratke 15 year-old year girl beaten and stabbed to death deaUl on April 22 22 1921 1924 The murderer of Martha Gratke used wed a heavy y poker and a knife AU All other unsolved cases of assault sault 3 upon women occurring since Septem Septem- September ber her 11 1920 when then Governor GO Ol- Ol Olcott Olcott cott colt gave Pender Fender unconditional par par- pardon pardon pardon don and released him from the peni peni- penitentiary penitentiary penitentiary will be similarly probed USED AD ADVERTISEMENTS On two previous occasions the girl girl who today so narrowly escaped death had after advertising ad for work been given en appointments by a man who however howe failed to keep them then when she was accompanied by her parents When on a third application for work through an advertisement a man had asked the girl to meet him In an Iso Iso- Isolated Isolated isolated spot police were notified and with her parents followed her in an all au automobile as she went ent to the appoint appoint- appointed ed place The aut arrived as the girl was being attacked police said Note Note John John A A. Pender Fender under arrest in Portland Ore Is a former Ogden man a son of the late Detective James Pender Fender today recalled the strong fight waged by the Ogden police of- of officer fleer to save his son from the hang hang- hangman's hangman's hangman's mans man's noose after John Fender Pender had been convicted in 1911 The father spent much of his lifes life's savings saYings seek seek- seeking seekIng seekIng ing to disprove the evidence against John JOM and so vigorous was the fight light carried on In Johns John's behalf that the death sentence s was commuted in 1914 by Governor West to life Imprison imprison- ment When Detective Pender Fender died the fight was carried on by the boys boy's mother who now lives in California John was given en an unconditional par par- pardon pardon pardon don by Governor Olcott in September 1920 |