New Britain herald., 1924-05-21
". o. Duckstein, Whose Wife Is Secret Agent, Gives Sensational Ex- posture Of Alleged Es- pionage System.
Planned to Railroad Means to Prison and Stole His Note Books as We'll Brookhart Shadowcd by Sleuths.

Washington. May 21.--Th" .rnatc Daugherty committee was told today that representatives of the depart ment of justice not only had sought 10 frame Senator Wheeler" its prosecutor but had spled on its mem bers and its witnesses and had spirited away the famous diaries of Gaston B, Means, working with il as an inNosti- gator,
 Wife Secret Agent
 One Of the witnesses was W. 0. Duekstein, who said he knew about the whole proceeding because his wife IS secret agent of the department. It was she, he said, who identified in his presence the records of Means after they had been secured by ruse.
 New York slcuths Used
 Dncksten described an espionage system of great proportions which he said had been thrown about tue com mittees operations under the direction of II, C Todd, special assistant to At torncy General Daugherty, He said the "crew of detectives" in the ease had come largely from New York, under tho direction Of two mon named Petit and OTricn. Their &C., 'iNities included wire tapping and many other methods of obtaining ln- formation.
 The purpose Of the gre W. the wit ness declared. had been described by Petit and o'Brien as including tho framing Of Senator Wheeler. who has been indicted in Montana, and the "railroadng" Of Gaston Means to the penitendary. Another witness, R, p. Hurrus, a special department of iuS- tice agent testified that he and hye assistants had constituted tho force assigned Tn "8hadow" Means.
 Identified Diaries
 Durlistciu said it was pritH and uBHnn who got tho Means dlamoa. g hich the famous detective had dc-
 sred would substantiate his stories about money payments to Jess smith. The two men. he said, called him and is wife out of their home at night, took them into an automobile and opened three snltcases full Of little black books" which Mrs. Duckstein 1 identified as the diaries and files Of Means.
 The Hearing In Detail
 A description Of extensive detective | operations conducted by the depart 1 mrnt Of justice with regard 10 Gaston | P Means star witness in the senate l liaughcrty investigation. was given | t1a Investigating committee today by ! E. r. Burrus, a special agent of the l p8rtnient
 As "chicf shadow" assigned to foI- ! lew Means, lie said. he had five as- sstants. ono of them a woman. Be- | tween March 12, and April |. when Inc work was discontinued. he said. esefy move Of Means was covered and every visitor 10 his house was follow cd up and identified.
 Mrs. Alaska F. Davidson. also a de- partment operative testified that she yas one Of the shadow group" and drove an automobile used in its func- tons. From March 10 March IS she said the watch was not so close. but later extra men were assigned.
 Means. who has told the committee of collecting money for Jess W. Smith and Of many other senational actiyf- ties. sat in the committee room grim ling broadly at his shadows" while they were undergoing examination.
 c. F. Chamberlain, counsel for n. L Daugherty, asked Burrus fl the & atch on Means was not placed be- ause Of New York indictments gainst him but the witness said he id not know. Orders 10 stop the watch came to him April i. he said.
 Duckstcin Testifcs
 ". o. Duckstein, confidential man Tor F. B. Mclean, testified 10 know g Jess Smith and said Smith intro lucef him in June, 1922, to VI. T. nderwOod, 2 man whose name has cen frequently heard in the Daugh- fly investigation. Duckstein said he presumed but was not sure" that aston Means had been employed by ir. Mclean on several occasions dur rg recent years. Underwood. Means ,nd Mclean were all in Palm Beach turing January. 1s2f. he said.
 What were Underwood and Means .ofng thsreg" asked Senator Wheeler.
 Y saw them going over lot of pa- seFs once" Duckstein replied.
 Ised Women sIta1tIis
 uuckstein. whose wife IS a eerTft ze1t of the department and author r ths f7rnous ''Marr' nInssags that [ -gured in ths oil Enquiry, then told < he committee that "crew of opera ives" men and women. led by Waiter fetfit. and man named O'Brien and ! to work under direction ol [ Iiram ~ Todd. special assistant 10 2 lr. Daugherty had breB uscg to spy a n c0mmittee members and witnesses. a fe declared Petit and OBrien said u hey were going fO railroad Gast0n leans t0 the penItentiary.~ and 9 frame Senator Wheefer." The com sitfee pr0sacmtUg- H ''Ths crew" lad women datertires q #asfd in tre senate oaice building. k .ucsstein deriareI. and '-uiTe tap 9
 frerfiTHsd on ysge -gy