Evening star., 1933-02-19
ROOSEVELT PLOT
SUSPECTS JOKERS'
Two, Who Regretted Zan'
gara's Aim Was "Poor,"
Arrested Here.

The derisive letter found here yes
terday discussing the attempt on the
life Of President-elect Roosevelt seems
to have been joke, but not a prac-
tical joke.
In fact. it was such an impractical
joke the two authors are still in Jail,
awaiting an opportunity tomorrow to
explain their "hunor" to the district
attorneys Office.
Both prisoners insist they were only
kidding-Harry Taft Thompson, 27,
bricklayer, who said he was the author,
and William B. Birmingham, %, sales
man, the co-signer, police say.
Reputation as "Joker."
Meanwhile the addressee, Irving
Bud" Jones, Newark, N. j., bus dis
patcher, told Secret Service opera
tive and later the Associated Press that
Thompson had a reputation with him
as practical joker"
Thompson, Birmingham and three
bricklayers were arrested in a rooming
house of the 100 block of Twelfth
street yesterday afternoon by Detectives
Leo Murray and Steve Brodie of head
quarters.
Two of the latter men, Edward
Thomas Paul Rodriguez, al, 400 block
of Second street northeast, and Frank
Peititi, 80, same address, were not de-
tanned A third, Patrick McCartin, AZ,
who rooms in the same house with
Thompson and Birmingham, HOO block
of Twelfth street, will be turned over to
immigration authorities for questioning
A citizen picked up the stamped let
4o,, Ill u IL
about three blocks from the rooming
house. The letter was partly torn open,
the man explained He brought it to
police headquarters after reading the
contents
Warning" Issued.
The typewriter message was headed
Capital City" above the line-"Warn-
ing after the first unsuccessful attempt"
Detectives said the two men admitted
they had typed their names at the end
as Harry Taft" and William R"
The letter contained reference to the
poor aim" of the man who shot at
Mr.. Roosevelt, but detectives have con-
vinced themselves that neither prisoner
knows Giuseppe Zangara, or is con-
nected with any political plot.
The prisoners say the letter was
written as they discussed who would
have become President had Zangaras
bullets found their mark
In Newark, Jones told the Associated
Press, he is convinced the letter was
joke and believes he can easily prove
it. He added that Birmingham and
Thompson are Newark residents, who
left there three months ago.
Jones recalled he received a letter
from Thompson several weeks ago.
ordering him to report for Spring
training in base ball." although neither
he nor Thompson plays base ball.
Letter in Part.
The letter addressed to Jones follows
in part:
with my most sincere regrets am
forced to tell you of my brother brick
layers unsuccessful attempt on the life
of our President-elect and am also
forced to say that everything here Is
in order If I were the one who had
the honor of shooting at our present
President, I assure that I would take
a week to practice and would really
make a job Of it. 1t seems shame
that we have in our midst man with
such a poor aim. I do believe that we
should have place where we could all
go and practice up on our shooting, as
and politicians. =
"As l walked down Capitol Hill the
day before yesterday in the snow and
sleet. what an error the public has
made in not making me the Presi-
dent My cabinet would consist Of you
as Vice President, who knows more
vice in all its forms than you?
II do not think that last nights
occurrence in Miami will stimulate
work for the bricklayers throughout
the country as an unemployed brick
layer is a bad thing to have around,
especially in the Capital City where
we can take a shot at the Nations
leaders most any time.
1T sure is tough getting up at 6 am.
and hitting these jobs without any sue
cess day after day, with no encourage
ment, and then 60 home and get Birm
out Of bed to eat his lunch Poor Bill
has been resting so long he is tired
of resting, so just lays in bed"