Evening star., 1933-05-12
|SAY 'THEFOy' POSED
AS RUSSIAN AGENT
Whitaker Declared to Have
Played Role of O. G. P. U.
Head in u. S.

Norman T. Whitaker, who posed as
THE Fox''-chief kidnaper Of the
Lindbergh baby-in the ransom hoax for
which he and CASTOR B. Means are be-
ing tried in District Supreme Court. once
played the role Of Mr.. Welch, chief of
the o. G. P. u, CT Russian secret police,
in this country" according to state
ment Federal officers say he made at
the time of his arrest in the kidnapping
conspiracy.
Whitaker and Means according. to
the formers reported statements, were
dealing with Ralph NJ Easley, executive
secretary of the National Civic Fed
Grafton, New York City, an anti-Com-
munist organization, said to have re-
ceived large financial backing from Mrs.
Finley johnson Shepard, wealthy social
leader and patriotic worker, OF New
burgh, NY.
Said to Have Spent S250,000.
Mrs Shepard, it was reported after
the arrest of Means a year ago, had
spent more than $780, 900 in her efforts
! to learn about Communist activities in
! this country. The National Civic Fed
| Grafton is said to have employed Means
as an investigator, and later Means,
according to Whitaker's alleged admis-
sions, introduced Whitaker to Easley as
mfr. Welch."
Easley, some months later, is said to
have been informed that the body Of
man dragged from Chesapeake Bay in
/ September, 1881, was that of Mr..
Welch." Easley went to Point Lookout
The Star learned today, but apparently
was unable definitely to identify the
hOdv hpcaISp nf itc condition
Identified Following Arrest.
When Whitaker was arraigned in the
| United States commissioners oflce in
New York City following his arrest at
a house in Brooklyn by police and Fed
eral officers in connection with the
| Mclean case. Easley appeared as a
spectator and is said to have learned
that Mr.. Welch' was not dead, but
was alive in the person of "the Fox
1t is recalled that United States At
| torney Leo A. Rover told the court at
the time of Means first arraignment
nearly year ago that Means had been
, involved in an alleged attempt to de-
fraud "a wealthy New York woman" in
connection with an investigation of
Communist activities. Later he told re-
porters he had reference to Mrs Shep-
ard. The latter, however, declined to
discuss the prosecutors statement when
questioned at her Newburgh home.
1t also was recalled today that Means
said he was on his way to see Easley at
the Willard Hotel here when he became
engaged in an alteration with a re-
porter in a nearby drug store and was
arrested for disturbing the peace about
9 year ago.
Publication of Book Dropped.
Easley is understood to have been
Preparing book to expose" ramifica-
| tons of the Communist party in the
! United States, as based on information
allegedly given him by Means and Mr..
| Welch,' but called off publication after
/ his surprise meeting with Whitaker in
/ New York at the commissioner Office.
The role which Government officers
assert Whitaker admitted assuming in
the dealings with the National Civic
Federation is said to have been Just as
mysterious and weird as his enactment
Of The Fox in the alleged conspiracy
TO defraud Mrs. Mclean.
1t is Of interest to note that "Mr.
WEIGH" was supposed to occupy the
| same position which Means, in his SEN
| sational testimony yesterday. assigned
20 wellington Henderson" the man
who Means declares connived with
Irving Fenton" to kidnap the Lind
bergh child. Henderson" Means de-
clared, was and is head of the o. G..
P. u. or Soviet secret service, in this
country, with headquarters in Detroit.
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