Evening star., 1943-07-09
New York Copy Editor
Pleads Innocent 10
Jap Agent Charge
By the Associated Press.


NEW YORK, July 9.-Frederick
Heizer Wright, 40-year-old copy
editor OF the New York Daily News,
pleaded innocent in Federal Court
today to an indictment charging he
served as q paid agent of the Jap
anese government for 10 years prior
to the Pearl Harbor attack without
notifying the State Department.
Judge John w. Clancy fixed $5 900
bail and set the case for trial
August 9. Wright surrendered VOL
unfairly today at the Office of United
States Attorney Howard F. Corcoran
and was arraigned without counsel.
If found guilty on both counts,
Wright would face maximum
penalty of IL years in prison and
$4,000 fine.
Charges Trust Violated
Assistant United States Attorney
Sylvio J. Mollo told the court that
Wright "kept the fact that he
was acting as q Japanese agent from
the Daily News and violated his
trust as q newspeperman."
His actions as such an agent
while working for q newspaper be-
tween 1881 and l941 cannot be justi-
fed" Mr.. Mollo said.
After posting bail. Wright was re-
leased pending trial and said 10
newsmen, "I will have my day in
court and + would prefer not TO
say anything until that day"
Richard w. Clark, managing edi-
tor of the Daily News, said there
would be no comment on the action
of the grand jury and added:
in view of the announcement
made by Mr.. Corcorsn, there is
nothing TO say
Co-Conspirators Named.
The indictment accuses Wright OF
failing to notify the State Depart
ment of his employment by the
japanese and of conspiring with
Japanese officials in this country TO
keep his connections q secret from
his newspaper.
Named in the indictment as CO.
eonspirstors, but not as defendants,
were the imperial government OF
Japan end Shintaro Fuklshima,
press attache of the japanese En-
bassy in Washington, as well as
several japanese vice consuls.
Born in st. Louis. Wright joined
the Daily News staff in 1927 and
was night telegraph editor of that
paper for several years.
The indictment declared that
Wright. acting as an agent for
Japan, visited the Washington office
of the China Defense Supplies Corp.
in 1910. representing himself as a
reporter He tried, the
indictment charged. to obtain in
formation concerning the materials
and supplies being shipped TO China
by the United States.
Secret Reports Charged.
Further. the indictment alleged
that Wright edited the speeches and
of Japanese consuls
and vice c1nsuIs in q territory that
extended along the East Coast from
Maine to Georgia. and that he con-
Quoted an Investigation of Com
munist activity in the United States
and prepared reports which he SUBJ
miJted to the Japanese on the per-
sonal backgrounds of various in
dividuals supposed TO be Com
Mr.. Corcoran said the japanese
government paid for the upkeep of
an Office which the defendant
opened across the street from the
Japanese consulate and declared
Wright received from $500 to s400
a month for his services as an agent.
In February. 1885, Mr.. Corcoran
said. Wright obtained a leave of
absence from the News and went
TO Japan, where the United States
attorney said, he was to have re-
ceived a position as an advisor on
public affairs" in the
Japanese Foreign ONCE. The posi-
ton failed to mauerialize, Mr.. Cor
coran added.