Evening star., 1933-05-14
us. AGENTSR|DDLE |175 RIGHT W|NGERS'
CLAIMS OF MEANS GO TO FORT HUNT
Faint Hope for Release to
| Help Hunt Kidnapers Be.
feved Aim of Tale.

Having riddled salient points IN
CASTOR B. Means fanciful tale Of the
Lindbergh kidnapping. Government OH
cials last night were Of the opinion
that the one-time spy and ex-convict
deliberately unfolded "a fanciful tale"
at his conspiracy trial in the faint
hope Of obtaining his release to aid
in the search for the kidnapers.
If that was his hope. Federal inves-
tigators have shattered 1t by rapid
fire disclosures made over the week
end, in readiness for reopening of the
colorful trial in District Supreme Court
tomorrow morning at 10 o'clock.
Norman T. Whitaker, co-defendant
with Means, may testify at that time
regarding his "detective-thriller" role
of "The Fox" in what the Govern
ment charges was ruthless plot to
defraud Mrs. Evalyn Walsh Mclean
of $35,OOO, after she already had lost
slo4,000 in futile negotiations for re-
turn of the Lindbergh baby.
Will Attack Statements.
The prosecution, led by U. S. At
torney Leo A. Rover, is prepared to
assert that:
"Wellington Henderson" alias
"head of the Third Internationale Com
munistic Organization in the United
States" and Irving Fenton'-the pair
designated by Means as master minds
of the Lindbergh kidnapping only
in Means fertile Imagination.
2. All others named by Means as
principals in the kidnapping plot are
dead persons, chosen because they can
not contradict Means story.
3. The bank deposit Of Max Hassel,
recently slain beer racketeer IN New
Jersey, described by Means as another
of the kidnapers. contained none OF the
indbergh $50, 900 ransom bills-contra-
dieting one of Means final dramatic
claims. 49,. ~,
Lindbergh identified the dead booy OF
some child other than his own mas no
foundation in fact.
S. There is no evidence to show that
either Hassel or Max Greenberg, slam
with Hassel. had any connectlon WIN
the KIDNAPPING or death OF the Lind
bergh child, as alleged by Means.
Both Are Possible Suspects.
incidentally, it was learned last night
that Means and Whitaker both were
possible suspects in the kidnapping, but
careful investigation of their move
ments at the time of the Sourland
Mountain abduction eXonerated them
of any connection within the actual
crime Whitaker produced the pest
alibi in the world" after his arrest IN
Brooklyn. N. Y.-he was In jail IN
Miami. Fla, awaiting trial on FED
eraI charge at the time the baby was
stolen from its crib, March l, 1882.
Henderson" is said by Government
officers to be a name they understand
Means has used at various times in the
past in his so-called Investigations OF
Communistic propaganda in this coun-
trv. No such persons as Henderson"
or "Fenton'' were found at the Detroit
addresses cited by Means in concluding
his testimony Friday. The premises at
24l9 Grand River avenue, Detroit, was
found to be a well known "hangout' OF
Detroit radicals. There were three con-
fessed Communists there-a white
man and two colored men-when Of
ficers arrived. None of them was named
Henderson" or "Fenton," nor had the
trio ever heard Of such persons. Detroit
and Dearborn authorities, who have
names of all known agitators in the De-
troit area, could not identify the pair
mentioned by Means. There are no
such names on the Government RECORDS
of criminals or radicals.
Rover said it was learned there was
a convict named Fenton serving time at
Atlanta Penitentiary while Means was
there some years ago, but apparently
this was a different person. This man
is said to be still in confinement Means
specified that the Fenton he knew
never was in Atlanta Penitentiary, but
came there on a visit and was intro
Guced to him by fellow convict.
Identification Held Positive.
AS for the certainty of identification
of the Lindbergh baby's body, Federal
authorities agree with Col. Lindbergh
that there can be no doubt that the
little form viewed by Lindbergh in the
Trenton morgue just year ago yester-
day was all that remainder of his curly
haired son. Lindbergh testified posi-
lively to that while on the stand at the
outset of the trial, and the Government
has copies of medical reports showing
teeth, bone and other characteristics
that remove all possible doubt of iden-
tification.
A final bit of clinching evidence was
the fragment of garment found on the
child's chest. This piece of cloth-still
bearing residue of cold salve with
which the Lindbergh baby's chest had
been smeared because of Group
matched perfectly piece of under
garment from which the improvised
pad had been cut by Betty Cow, the
nurse. Fortunately the remainder of
this garment had been retained and
was available for identification pur-
poses.
All Of Means incredible assertions as
to ''the real lowdown" on the kidnap-
ing are being thoroughly checked as a
matter of routine by skeptical investi-
gators.