Evening star., 1932-05-15
FEDERAL AGENCIES
ORGANIZE TO HELP
]. Edgar Hoover Placed in
Charge to Coordinate
Efforts.
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Continued From First Page.)
several other law enforcement branches.
The way now is paved for the first
comprehensive, coherent attempt by the
Government to solve the Sourland hills
mystery. Heretofore there have been
but sporadic efforts to assist by inde-
pendent Federal agencies, due largely
to reluctance of officials to make any
move that might have crossed Col.
Lindbergh's private negotiations.
Work to Be Secret.
The workings of this far-flung or
ganization, embracing several thousand
specially-trained enemies of crime. will
be shrouded in secrecy. There will Be
no announcements to the press regard
ing Developments in the inquiry until q
definite climax has been reached
The President could not have selected
any one better qualified to insure this
secrecy than Director Hoover of the
Justice Bureau. Head of Uncle Sam S
largest investigatiye unit, with a corps
of crack special agents spread over the
Nation in more than a score of field
offices. Hoover is recognized as an out
standing criminologist.
An intimation of the Presidents plan
for an organized manhunt came first
from sources close to the White House.
1t was learned the plan was discussed
in conference with Attorney General
Mitchell, who gave his approval. First
official confirmation came when the or
der from the White House was received
at various departments affected.
1t was admitted at the Treasury that
the order came from President Hoover.
Two investigative agencies of that de-
partment already have been working
on phases of the kidnapping case. They
are the Internal Revenue Bureaus spe-
cial intelligence unit, under Elmer L.
Trey, and the Secret Service, under Will
liam H. Moran. 1t is understood both
these officials were in consultation yes
-terday with officials at the Department
of Justice.
Was Secret observer"
Trey was a secret observer" during
the negotiations that ended in the pay
ment to tricksters of $4,000 through
DR.. John F. Condor. and he accom-
panied Lindbergh, Condor and Col
Breckinridge on the futile flight to
Martha's Vineyard in quest of yacht
supposed to have the baby on board
Trey was in New York when the body Of
the child was found, and afterward
conferred with officials at Hopewell
The secret service has been en-
deayoring to trace the bills contained
In the $50 900 package delivered by Dr.
Condor to a vague form behind q
cemetery fence on the night of April 2
ONLY two of them have been recovered,
1t is said.
Among other Government branches
that have done some work on the case
are the Coast Guard-now hunting for
the ship believed to have been involved
In the Norfolk negotiations-the Bureau
of Narcotics, the Prohibition Bureau
and the immigration Bureau.
Director Hoover, in accordance with
his customary attitude Of reticence, de-
clined yesterday to discuss the new
task assigned him, refusing to receive
reporters. Attorney General Mitchell
was not available for questioning.
Hoover first entered the Lindbergh
case four days after the kidnapping
when he represented President Hoover
at a conference of police officials in
Trenton. At that time he offered assist
ance of Federal authorities.
Distributed Circular.
The State police. in direct charge oi
| the investigation, saw fit to call on the
Federal officials on but few occasions
| however Possibly the major request
was for aid of the Department of JUS
tice in distributing to the police of the
| Nation a circular asking for informa-
tion Of any kind bearing on the kid
naping.
E. J. Connolly, agent in charge oi
| the New York Office of the Bureau OF
Investigation, consulted a number oi
times with Col. Schwartzkopf and other
police officials. Bureau investigators
were not given all facts of the crime
however, and during the past weeks
have been inactive, although still ready
to assist If asked
The bureau stumbled across an off
shoot of the Lindbergh case in the
CASTOR B. Means investigation and has