Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-10-05
Adds to Sensation Created
Yesterday by Report of
Mystery Thefts.
DETECTIVES PUT ON CASE
OF MISSING DOCUMENTS
Data Related to Whispering At
tack on Hoover's Religion.
Updike Office Robbed.

Reports that telephone wires have
been tapped at the Republican national
headquarters caused new sensation
here today, following closely on the
heels of The Stars disclosure yester-
day of a series of mysterious theftS at
the headquarters
Another development which may have
some connection with the thefts at the
Barr Building was the announcement
today by Representative Updike, Re
publican, of Indiana, that a valuable
list of farmers and former service men
in his congressional district has been
stolen from his office in the House Of
flee Building.
Capitol police are investigating the
entering of Representative Updike'S Of
flee, while private detectives have been
employed to look into the disappearance
of the documents at Republican head
quarters.
Reports Source Reliable.
The report that telephone wires have
been tampered with at the campaign
headquarters came from reliable
source, but it could not be confirmed
officially either at Republican head
quarters or at Offices of the Chesapeake
& Potomac Telephone Co. G. T.
tendent of the company, said he knew of
no such reports.
From other sources, however, The
Star learned that wiremen, reputedly
of the telephone company, on three oc-
casions have been called to investigate
reported tapping of confidential wires
leading into the Republican campaign
sanctum.
Some of the documents which mys-
teriously disappeared from national Re-
publican headquarters in the Barr
Building comprised evidence concern
ing the anti-Hoover whispering cam
paign," The Star learned today.
Were Held for Inquiry.
The data, it Is said, were being care
fully guarded with view to furthering
an investigation being made of the
origin or thA-r promulgation.
The missing material Is understood to
have included photostatic copies of
posters and circulars being distributed
in some parts of the country for the
alleged purpose of arousing religious
prejudice against the Republican
nominee for President.
One such pllotostat remains in the
possession of Republican officials, it was
ascertained 1t is a copy Of a large
poster, about two by three feet, attack
ing Hoover because he is a Quaker and
bearing the label of an anonymous
"non-partisan committee" The poster
was displayed in Pennsylvania.
Hoover today said the first he knew
about the mystery of the missing cam
paign material was when he read of
it yesterday in The Star.
Meme of Own Data Gone.
"All I can say is that none of my
correspondence is missing" he said
with laugh.
Chairman Work of the Republican
national committee refused to amplify
his statement of yesterday expressing
ignorance of any thefts, beyond re-
marking that several of the elephant
statues on my desk seem to have dis
appeared recently"
Despite Chairman Works evident ef-
forts to cover up the sensational de-
velopments. The Star has learned that
private detectives have been called in
on the case. Two of them were on duty
in the fourth floor corridors of the
Barr Building last night, it is stated
An amusing report in connection
with the assignment of the detectives
was going the rounds of Republican
headquarters today, to ths' effect that
the pair of detectives became suspicious
Of the night Watchman and nearly pre-
cipitated a fight thereby. 1t is said the
men, not acquainted with the watch
man, tried to question him as to his
business there, and that the watchman,
in quite strong language, demanded to
know the identity of his inquisitors, or
he would do some arresting himself.
Explanations finally were made all
around, but the watchman is said to
have expressed disgust over the fact
that he had not been informed about
the calling in of detectives.
Worthless to Others.
Representative Updike said that the
stolen mailing list was worth $4,000
to him. He said he could not see what
value the list could be to any one else
The Representative said file in his Of
fee was broken open by the intruder
The list appeared to be the only thing
missing. The theft is believed to have
occurred Sunday night
In addition to the detectives on duty
ut Republican headquarters at night ii
is understood other plain clothes men
have been stationed on the fourth floor
of the building during Office hours
Every stranger is under scrutiny from
the moment he arrives to the time OF
| his departure.
The photostatic copy of the Pennsyl-
vana poster which did not fall into
| the hands CT the mysterious visitor who
rified the desk of Harry j. Brown, as
sistant publicity director, declares that
Hoover is "Hicksite Quaker" and
charges that, therefore, he is opposed
to war, and that he cannot swear to
uphold the Constitution of She United
Continued on Page 2, Column A.