Evening star., 1941-12-19
Laura ingalls, Faces Hearing December 26;
Counter-Espionoge Expected to Be Defense
Aviutrix Held Here
As Unregistered
German Agent

of the South American Andes. one
time holder of the women's trans
continental speed record. first avia-
trix to soar nonstop from Atlantic
to Pacific, was locked behind walls
of the District Jail today-charged
with failure to register as a German
agent.
She will stay there until the day
after Christmas, at the least. if
she cannot raise $500 bond set by
United States Commissioner Need
ham c. Turnage at her arraignment
yesterday. He set December 26 as
the hearing date after the flyer
asked time to consult her attorney.
j. Edgar Hoover, F. B. I. director,
said her arrest climaxed several
months of investigation during
which Miss Ingalls,, he claimed, re
ceived a specified salary from an
agent of the German Reich for her
efforts in spreading the propaganda
which they furnished her"
Mr.. Hoover declared she fire.
quently visited Washington to get
in touch with Nazi representatives.
Claims Counter Espionage.
Miss ingalls, told Commissioner
Turnage she was arrested Wednes-
day by F. B. I. agents and held in
small room without sleep. She
asserted they had refused to answer
her questions or to let her speak to
any one and had taken away her
money.
There were indications that Miss
ingalls, defense might be that she
was engaged in counter Espionage
to discover Nazi secrets.
Il was a free agent and took no
orders" she said at yesterdays ar
raignment. Il was doing something
which I knew might be questioned
| II 1t were found out I undertook
something I thought I could handle
alone-and I guess over-reached
myself"
She asked Commissioner Turnage
whether being an agent meant tax
ing an oath and swearing allegiance,
which I never did"
An F. B. I. agent said Miss In
gals had described her activities in
a statement, terming them counter
espionage.
Former Vaudeville Dancer.
The aviatrix. a vaudeville dancer
who took to the air when Charles
A. Lindbergh flew to Paris, has been
associated with various peace activ-
tiles at least since 1886. though the
Governments complaint charges only
that since August l of this year she
has received compensation from
and was under direction of the gov
ernment Of the German Reich"
One of her 1896 moves was to re-
lease pigeons carrying a peace plea
addressed to President Roosevelt.
On q balrny autumn day in 1896
she created q mild sensation by
bombing" Washington with peace
pamphlets addressed TO AL men,
bers of Congress-" declaring "Amer-
lean women do not intend to have
their men again sent to die on for
eign soil" The Civil Aeronautics Au-
thority suspended her pilots certifi-
cate because she few over re-
stricted area and dropped articles
from an airplane-despite her plea
that flying is my life"
Il would rather fly than eat, drink
or run around" she told the trial
examiner. Next year the license was
returned to her.
Was America First Speaker.
In 1889 she was one Of two men,
bers Of the Womens National Com
mittee to Keep the United States
Out of War who tried to crash a
closed session Of the Senate Foreign
Relations Committee, considering
neutrality law revision.
She has been feature speaker
for the America First Committee
throughout the Middle West. accord
ing to Mr.. Hoover, and on several
occasions, he said, she 'led groups
from various women's isolationist
organizations to the Capitol for pro-
test demonstrations"
The small. blue-eyed aviatrix
would now be 36, according to figures
she gave reporters in 1885, when she
made her record-smashing flights
across the continent The F. B. !
and Washington police headquarters
where she was flngerprinted yester-
day, gave her age as 38.