Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1924-05-24
PAID j. 6. AGENTS
SP|ED ON PROBERS,
WITNESS ASSERTS
Spirited Away Means Diaries
and Sought to Frame
Senator Wheeler

partment OF justice not only mao
sought to frame Senator Wheeler"
its prosecutor, but had spied on its
members and its witnesses and had
spirited away the famous diaries of
Castor B. Means, working with it as
an investigator.
One Of the witnesses w w. 0.
,Duckstein, VINO said he knew about
the whole proceeding because his
wife is a secret agent of the depart
ment. 1t Twas she, he said. who
identified in his presence the records
Of Means after they had been secured
Plot Against Wheeler
Duckstein, whose wife is author
of the famous MARY" messages that
figured in the oil inquiry, then told
the committee that a Grew of oper-
atives," men and women, led by
Walter Petit and man named
OBrien, and claiming to work un-
der the direction of Hiram c.. Todd,
special assistant to Mr.. Daugherty,
had been used to spy on committee
members and witnesses. He declared
Petit and OBrien said they were
going to railroad CASTOR Means to
the penitentiary" and frame Sena-
tor Wheeler" the committee prose
cutor.
The Grew" had women detectives
placed in the senate office buildings,
Duckstein declared, and wire tap
,pers" to get conversations.
The department Of justice tele-
phoned to his wife several weeks
ago, the witness declared, and said
that two men from New York" were
anxious to see her Petite and
O'Brien then came to his flat, he
continued, and said they had a let
ter from Todd in New York to
Daugherty, arranging for their oper-
atoms. In a series of conversations,
Duckstein said, Petit and O'Brien
told him fully about their purpose.
Chairman Brookhart, of the COM
mittee, also was put under surveil
lance, Duckstein said. He did not
| know whether the espionage was
still in progress. It started March
Is.
1railed BroolShart, Too
"O'Brien told me they had men
I'm Iowa looking up Senator Brook
harris record and men in Montana
on Senator Wheeler" Duckstein
said ''and were looking up all the
members of the committee"
Il think the less attention we pay
to this the BETTER" remarked SEN
ator Jones, Republican, Washington.
II don't think So" Chairman
Brookhart rejoined. WED better
i find out how far this government
by blackmal is going to 60"
Duckstein said it was Petit and
OBrien who got the Means diaries,
which the detective had declared
would substantiate his stories about
money payments to Jess Smith. The
two men, he said, called him and his
wife out of their home at night, took
them into an automobile, and opened
Saree suit cases full of '1ittle black
books" which Mrs. Duckstein identi-
fled as the diaries and files of Means.
The committee pressed the witness
to say why he had not reported the
incident.
~ considered them as co-workers
with my wife" Duckstein said. pet
tit and O'Brien said they were going
TO take the papers to Todd in New
h York"
Forced to Tell, He Says
"Why did you finally tell Means?"
asked Senator Wheeler.
II had to-" Duckstein replied ex-
planning that Means had got some of
Che facts, and was getting my wife
into it."
Mrs. Duckstein then took the
stand, and Senator Wheeler took her
first through the process of identify
ing persons in the inquiry, including
Jess Smith. She said she took die
tation from Jess Smith in his private
office on the sixth floor of the depart
snent Of justice"
''What was his correspondence"
asked Senator Wheeler
Ge chief thing that is in, my
mild is that Mr.. Smith was writing
aetters for President Harding about a
scurrilous book that was being writ
ten about the president"
''Who worked with Smith In that
Investigations"
"Mr Smith sent for Castor Means
to help him."
Many of Smiths letters, she said
'were giving the views of the attor.
new general"
did he tell You to make copies
of hisi letters?" Senator Wheeler de.
handed
"He told me particularly not to
make any copies of his letters. ]
tore up my shorthand note books
from time to time
About Liquor Permits
WHO did he write to about
whisky permits?"
II can't remember"
Senator Wheeler put his question
In different form, and the witness
1.-THE letters seemed to be arrange
inents about whisky permits. say
ing he would see that they got
them, or something like that.
can't remember more than that"
did YOU ever write a letter about
the Dempsey-Carpeatier fight pic
tures?"
Yes, to somebody up in New Jer
sey. A man named Reed, 1 think
Smith got files and "apythinc
within reason he wanted at the
department, she said. Alfred Urion
Howard Warrington and Wade Ellis
Visited him frequently.
Means and Smith. she said, also
were frequently together.
Did Jess Smith dictate confiden
.tial memoranda to Means?" Senator
Wheeler asked.
"Very frequently. Instructions as
to what Means was to do" and 9th
err things. think Smith had Means