The Waterbury Democrat., 1936-02-17

with Hoffman for three hours. No Confession Admitted
 "We are making progress toward getting to the bottom of this case, he said when he left the prison in darkness and a drizzling rain.
 q was impressed with MT. Leiho- witz' activities" Hoffman said when the lawyers and 8 detective left his home at l1:15 p. m.
 Both-Leibowitz directly and Hoff- man through a secretary-refused to say whether Hauptmann had con- fessed a part in the crime of which he has maintained his innocence. "I will make no comment about that" Leihowitx said. Then he add- ed. after Q pause: But I will get to the bottom of this before fin- iSh, I think"
 Backed by Mrs. Mclean
 Leibowitz entered the case last week with the financial backing of Mrs. Mclean, owner of the $1,000.- 900 Hope diamond and beneficiary of her incompetent husbands $5,- 100000 trust estate. Mrs. Mclean has been interested in the Lind bergh Kidnapping since its occurrence. She lost $l0O,O0O to Gaston B. Means who persuaded her that he had made contact with the kidnapers and could obtain the baby by pay ing ransom. Mrs. Mclean gave him the ransom, then Means claims were proved fraudulent by discovery of the child's body. He is serving a prison term for the swindle. Leibo- witz conferred with her in Washing ton yesterday before seeing Haupt- mann.
 Took Minister There
 Playing upon Hauptmann'S emo- tions in every possible way to in- duce him to talk freely, Leibowitz took the Rev. John Matthiesen to the death house with him. Matthie- sen, pastor of 8 Trenton Lutheran church, is Hauptmann's most trust ed confidante. His presence when Leibowitz accused Hauptmann Of telling 'silly cock and bull stories, threatened to let him die unless he confessed, begged him to think of his wife and son. and promised him lie if he would talk. was calculated to break the Bronx carpenters nerve.
 'Hauptmann said I was worse as Wilentz' Leibowitz said. referring to Attorney General David T. Will entz, Hauptmann's prosecutor. Mat thiesen refused to answer any ques- tions about what was said during the three hours, 40 minutes he and Leibowitz were in the death house. He seemed weary and dispirited as he stood in the rain outside the prison while Leibowitz tended off 1n- terrogators. Keep track of this man. Leibowitz said of him as they drove off. He's important to this case" MatthieSen did not go with Leibowitz to the governors home m South Amboy but the lawyer picked up Robert H. Hicks, Washington in- vestigator employed by Mrs. Mclean and took him to the conference. Mrs. Anna Hauptmann, the con- demned mans wife. had no part in the days activities.
 Believes Him Some Guilty
 Leibowitz approached Haupt- mann's defense with the frankly stated conviction that his client was guilty of being at least an ac- cessory to the Kidnapping. He said before he saw Hauptmann last week that he would not join his counsel unless he drops his cock and bull stories" Today he said he was con sidering" whether he should take the case formally. If Hauptmann were to admit knowledge of the Kidnapping and duplicate others, lawyers considered it certain that Justice Trenchard would order an indefinite suspension of sentence.