Evening star., 1937-02-09

at night since the inquiry began,
Pinkerton admitted. We have had
some unusual occurrences since then
do you think they are connected
with this investigation?"
mo, don't know as they are"
| did you investigate Mr.. Wohl-
forth (chief investigator of the COM
mittee) ?"
Only a casual inquiry after he
came into Our Office"
Charges Obstruction.
Obstruction through false informa-
tion and refusal of records was
charged to the Pinkerton agency by
Philip G. Phillips, committee investi-
gator. Phillips made the accusation
| during testimony on his inquiry into
activities of the Cincinnati Office of
Pinkerton. The superintendent of the
| office, Samuel H. Brady, denied indus
trial espionage activities. Phillips said
while a Pinkerton attorney withheld
| records.
Called to the stand, Brady admitted
lying to Phillips.
Brady earlier had been questioned
concerning Pinkerton services for the
Pennsylvania Railroad.
Referring to yesterdays testimony,
in which it was disclosed that re-
ports had been filed on labor condi-
tions on the Chesapeake & Ohio. Texas
& New Orleans and other railroads,
Brady admitted all such information
was turned over to the Pennsylvania.
The other railroads, he admitted, were
not clients of Pinkerton.
Admits Files Sought.
After persistent questioning by both
Chairman La Toilette and Senator
Thomas, Brady admitted asking Will
liam Jones, railroad employe, to re-
move union records from their files.
LAS a matter of fact, you were an
accessory before the fact in petty
larceny. were you not?" La Toilette
asked.
II may have been" Brady replied.
The questioning then turned to
services given the Fisher Body Co.,
General Motors subsidiary, in Nor
wood, Ohio. According to Brady,
such service dealt primarily with
thefts and sabotage, but he admitted
that his informant, one Fred Weber,
was not employed within the Fisher
plant.
Instead, Weber was a part-time
employe in the Offices of the United
Automobile Workers, now engaged in
strike against General Motors.
How did you get any information
on thefts in the plant from some
one not employed there?" La Toilette
asked.
"Oh, he was in the neighborhood
and talked to the men,
DO YOU mean that men engaged in
thievery go around talking about it?"
"Yes."
"Well, you're not imposing on my
credulity," La Toilette replied sharply.
"As a matter of fact, your only in
terest in Weber was because he worked
for the U. A. W.?"
Partly" Brady admitted.
Temporarily Excused.
As Brady admitted information was
obtained from unreliable sources and
was worth very little to clients, he
was excused temporarily.
Committee Investigator Phillips
then told how the Cincinnati Office
of Pinkerton, where Brady was in
charge, refused access to its files.
Brady and Pinkerton attorney in
sisted, Phillips said. that no industrial
espionage was being done through
that Office.
Phillips also told Of discovering
Weber, whose employment by Pinker-
ton previously was denied by Brady
to Phillips. Weber was detained by
police for making improper advances
to a young girl and it was in the
police station that he told Phillips he
worked for Pinkerton.
On the degree of cooperation by
witnesses today probably will depend
the committees eventual reaction to
defiant notice given yesterday that
the Pinkerton agency will refuse to
furnish names of certain undercover
operatives
Meanwhile the Senate was digest
ing preliminary report on the inquiry
to date, submitted yesterday after
noon.
Seeking an additional $4,000 for
the investigation, the committee de-
clared its findings thus far "only
fragmentary'' and cited the advisa-
bility of inquiring into "vigilante and
violence groups, such as the Black
Legion"
The report also said the commit.
tee must survey the private espion-
age and strike breaking forces main
tanned by industry itself.