Evening star., 1944-01-22
Sehweinhaut Expects
To Get Briggs Story
Of Letter Monday.

"A. OCAlWCAlllldut, ulfcoIlSdtlIlS tlle
Hopkins letter" affair, looked for
ward today to the possibility of en-
lightenment on some Of the puz-
cling details Of the mystery Monday
when he expects to talk with George
N. Briggs, the man who allegedly
made the letter available to G. Mel
son Sparks, former Akron (Ohio)
Mayor, who published 1t.
Mr.. Briggs, suspended assistant to
Secretary of the Interior Ickes, has
notified Mr.. Schweinhaut from New
York that he will appear at the AS
sistant Attorney Generals ONCE in
the Justice Department Monday
Mr.. Schweinhaut said he assumed
that Mr.. Briggs was coming . to
Washington to make an appearance
before the grand jury inquiring into
the case.
Every person ofncially questioned
20 far whose name has been con-
nected with the case has pleaded
ignorance In public to knowledge OF
the author Of the letter before it was
published in the book, ,"One Man
Wendell Willkie," by Mr.. Sparks
Mr.. SchWeinhaut has said 1t is a
forgery. They also have denied
knowing the meaning Of the code
word Alamo"
Says Ickes Asked Deletion.
The letter signed with the name
Of Harry Hopkins, President Roose-
velt's adviser. contained the word
Alamo" before Mr.. Sparks deleted
it-at Mr.. Briggs request, he said
with the explanation that Mr.. Briggs
told him Secretary Ickes wanted 1t
deleted. The letter forecast. with a
note of satisfaction, the Republican
nomination of Mr.. Willkie for the
presidency in 1914.
The persons questioned have
frowned in bewilderment when asked
what alamo" means. They include:
Mr.. Hopkins, who yesterday ap-
peared before the District grand
jury inquiring into the case. He also
denounced the letter as q forgery
Mr.. Hopkins told newspapermen he
believed he knew the forger's
identity.
Mr.. Sparks.
Mr.. Ickes, from whom, according
to letters allegedly written by Mr..
Briggs to the former Mayor, Mr..
Briggs first heard Of the Hopkins
letters existence"
DR.. Umphrey Lee, president of
Southern Methodist University.
Dallas, Tex, to whom the Hopkins
letter" was addressed but who said
he never heard of 1t until it ap-
pesred in Mr.. Sparks book.
Wire Received From Briggs.
Frank Phillips, chairman of the
board Of the Phillips Petroleum Co.,
Bartlesville, Okla, who was said in
a letter allegedly from Mr. Briggs
to Mr.. Sparks to have been in pos
session of the Hopkins letter" last
October.
The telegram from Mr.. Briggs
yesterday brought the first word Mr..
Schweinhaut had received from the
former since Senator LANCER, Re-
publican. of North Dakota brought
his name into the picture Monday
by reading into the Congressional
Record correspondence allegedly
from Mr.. Briggs to Mr.. Sparks.
Mr.. Schweinhaut said at first that
Mr.. Briggs was to show up today
but after closer reading of the
telegram he amended the announce
ment to Monday. Throughout the
week Mr.. Schweinhaut had init
mated he knew where Mr.. Briggs
was, but he admitted yesterday that
1t was revelation to him Mr.. Briggs
was in New York.
A subpoena was left last Tuesday
at Mr.. Briggs residence in Fairling-
ton. Va, but no one was home.
Meanwhile, the Federal Bureau OF
Investigation has been examining
two typewriters taken from Mr..
Briggs ofice at the Interior Depart
ment. Mr. Briggs ONCE at the de-
partment is locked UP.