Evening star., 1932-06-10
ENDS
MEANS TESTIMONY
Guggenheim Testifies Former
AGENT Promised Return of
Lindbergh Baby.

The Government completed its case
today in the District Supreme Court
trial OF CASTOR B. Means. former Jus
tice Department agent, on charges of
embezzling slO4,00O from Mrs. Evalyn
Walsh Mclean in a Lindbergh baby
ransom fraud
The prosecution testimony ended after
witnesses testified Means had ap-
preached Col. M Robert Guggenheim,
bergh, with proposals to recover the
for the same purpose.
Robert F. Fleming, Edgemoor Md E.
real estate man, who followed Guggen-
helm to the stand, corroborated his
story of how Means assured them he
could recover the baby because of a
connection with the kidnapers.
The defense will go on this after
noon, but counsel for Means said he
probably would not testify before Mon
day
Before resting its case. the prosecu-
tion brought out that Means had told
Col. Guggenheim he wanted to recover
the kidnapped child in order 10 regain
the reputation he lost when he was
sent to the Atlanta Penitentiary some
years ago. Guggenheim testified. how
ever. Means never tried to get money
from him.
1t DEVELOPED. however, that Means did
carry on negotiations as an intermediary
in the kidnapping case with both Col
Guggenheim and Mrs. Mclean at the
same time. After Mrs. Mclean had
paid over to him the 100000 ransom
money March 7. according to the testi-
mony, Means dropped his negotiations
with Col. Guggenheim.
Quotes Means on Ransom.
The witness said he first met Means
on March at the home of Flem-
ing. in Edgemoor. He said Means
told him on that occasion he was
sent to Jail because he refused to
"squeal' on a friend Col Guggenheim
also related the conference Means said
he had in New York speakeasy with
a former inmate of Atlanta Peniten-
tiary. who asked him to participate in
an Unidentified kidnapping case. The
colonel quoted Means as saying the man
told him this case would get great pub
llclty or would never reach the news
papers at all. He said Means told him
he Immediately connected this CONVEX
sation with the Lindbergh baby kidnap-
ing when he read newspaper accounts
| of that crime
Col. Guggenheim said Means wanted
him to keep the baby 48 or 72 hours IL
order to give the kidnapers a chance
to get away.
Il asked Means what arrangement.
mad been made about paying a ran.
SON.. Col. Guggenheim testified. "Ht
said ne thought it might be possible tt
hnn ri
any ransom-that the kidnapers were
becoming afraid to keep the child anc
were anxious to get rid of it. He tolc
me. however, that if a ransom should
be demanded, the baby was to be turn.
ed over to me by him and that nc
money was to be paid the kidnaper:
until the child had been properly
Identified and returned to its parents
Says Means Made Promise.
II asked him where he came into the
picture, if no ransom was to be paid
He told me he had lost his good name
while serving time in the penitentiary
and that he regarded this as a wonder
ful opportunity to rehabilitate himself
He also said that if he should be sue
| cessful in recovering the child the re-
sulting publicity would insure him OF
an abundance of work as investigator
| for the next 10 years"
Col. Guggenheim said Means prom
lsed to return the baby to his home al
1889 TWenty-ninth street the following
day, Sunday, March g. He said he re-
mained at home all that day. which was
marked by severe SnoWStorm, but that
means tailed to appear. He said Means
telephoned him that night and said he
mad been unable to get through with
| the baby because of the blizzard.
Mrs. Mclean testified that on this
Sunday Means went with her to he,
country place in Maryland. Farview
and entered into preliminary arrange.
ments for the return of the baby to her
Col. Guggenheim said Means prom.
ised over the telephone Sunday night
to deliver the baby to him the followins
day. On that Monday night, however
he said. Means teIephoned him and saie
the case had taken on a new angle anc
that a certain Catholic priest hert
wanted to see him. On Friday, Marcl
IL. Col. Guggenheim said he went t.
Means home in Chevy Chase, Md
Means, he testified, told him he hac
experienced difficulty in getting the
child through police lines and asked
him to get a diplomatic car for thi,
purpose. He said he subsequently ar.
ranged for the use of the persona
automobile of the Austrian Minister.
Stopped Talk About Baby.
At this time Means had already &C.
cepted 100000 from Mrs. Mclean te
return the baby to her, according te
testimony already given.
Col. Guggenheim said his last con.
versation with Means resulted in ar.
rangement being made to have the
Austrian Minister'S car available at a
moments notice. He said Means never
talked with him again about the baby.
Cross-examined by Defense Attorney
T. Morris Wampler, the witness denied
any special interest in the case Wamp-
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