Evening star., 1940-03-12
Wire-T Topping
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arrested person on matters entirely
different from those contained in
the charge on which the arrest was
based
Some have used grand-jury sub
poenaS to trap witnesses into star
chamber inquisitions by detectives
operating in their own quarters, free
from the restraints which would be.
required by due process in grand
jury proceeding"
Third Degree" Charged.
In its summary of police methods
which it called into question, the
committee said: Some police have
inf1amed public opinion against ar
rested persons, in advance of their
trial and some times even in ad-
vance of their indictment, by state
ments against them as criminals
and by publication of Rogues'
Gallery photographs Of the ac-
cused bearing criminal identifica-
ton numbers
Some police" it added, have
abused arrested persons by unwar-
ranted chaining and other degrad-
ing and third degree treatment"
At another point, the committee
declared.
Government officers are not the
only persons who have been guilty
OF wire tapping. Private detective
agencies, which feel that they fall
outside the scope of condemnation
contained in the Supreme Court
cases, are known to be active in
industrial and even in political
espionage
Alleged instances of wire tap
ping in connection with the latter
type OF activities are one of the
most persuasive grounds urged
upon this committee as a reason
Tor conducting thorough study
OF the situation"
1t was stated, however, that "the
bulk OF the cases (of questionable
detective practices) which have re-
ceived public and judicial attention
involve detective practices used by
officers of Government"
II the Senate orders an INQUIRY
into overlapping, well-informed
congressional sources said today
that Mr.. Hoover might be questioned
about activities of his F. B. I. agents.
The report that Mr.. Hoover may
be summoned circulated amid fresh
congressional complaint about the
F. B. rs alleged law enforcement
methods. Senator Norris wrote At
torney General Jackson that F. B.
I. agents had used third degree
methods" which he called disgrace
full and indefensibe."
Others who have objected In Con-
gress recently to Justice Department
police methods have included Sena-
tors Pepper, Democrat, of Florida,
and Ellender, Democrat, of Louisi-
ana, and Representative Marcan-
tonic, American Labor, Of New York.
The latter told the House that Mr..
Hoover was seeking to set up an
American "OGPU" (Russian secret
police.
informing the Attorney General
that he had received written state
ments from II of those arrested,
Al ASOA OAU, 0OlluUOl Sdlu llC
thought there was "a good showing
that the officials of the Federal Bu-
reau of Investigation have sadly ne
elected their duty"
He wrote Mr.. Jackson that al
though the Detroit defendants, who
later were freed, were charged only
with TECHNICAL violation OF the
law, they were arrested at an "un-
holy hour" between and S am,
were handcuffed, most of them to a
single chain, and were prevented
for time from talking to an at
torney.
THE prisoners were subjected to
third-degree methods from the time
they were arrested until o'clock in
the afternoon" Senator Norris said.
when they were taken into court,
methods which are not only dis
graceful and indefensible, but which
could have no other object in view
exceptto break down, to intimidate,
to frighten them and to fill their
hearts with fear and trepidation,"