Evening star., 1949-06-06
Defense Seeks 10 Call
J. Edgar Hoover and
Ickes in CopIon Trial
By Jones ]. cuIlinone

Interior Ickes were among those
for whom subpoenas were sought
today by Archibald Palmer. de-
fense attorney in the Judith Cop
lon espionage trial.
Mr.. Palmer applied for 10 sub
poenas with which to summon wit
nesses in defense of the attractive
28-year-old former Department
of Justice analyst.
The six-week trial, meanwhile,
was in recess while Judge Albert
Reeves pondered defense motion
dema1ding the Government pro-
duce all the secret documents
which Miss Coplon allegedly used
to extract information intended
ito aid a foreign power and In
jure the United States"
No Nolle Prose- Hint Yet.
Chief Prosecutor John M. Kel-
ley, jr., who told Judge Reeves just
before court recessed last Friday
that the Government would have
to consider the possibility Of nolle
pressing its espionage charges
against Miss Coplon If it were or
dered to open its confidential files
for the inspection Of the world.
would give no further hint today
as to the course he would take II
the Judge ruled in favor OF the
defense.
Mr.. Palmer said he was apply
ing for the subpoenas today be-
cause while he is confident Judge
Reeves will order the production
of the confidential documents
which Mr.. Palmer contends are
vitality necessary for the defense
of Miss Coplon, he is taking no
chances of being caught mapping
II the Government decides to con-
tinue the prosecution.
He believes, Mr.. Palmer said,
that the Government may rest its
case abruptly in an effort to cut
off embarrassing defense probing
of confidential FBI files.
The subpoena for Mr.. Hoover is
being applied for, Mr.. Palmer
said, to make doubly sure that
the complete documents involved
in the espionage charge against
Miss Coplon are produced in
court. The subpoena directs Mr..
Hoover to appear as defense wit
ness Wednesday with "all original
FBT records referred to as being
the original records from which
all data slips or papers removed
from the pocketbook of Judith on
the night of March 4, were alleg-
edly copied in whole or in part,
and which are referred to as the
subject matter of the indictment
filed against her."
Ickes to Defend Miss Gruber.
Former Secretary Ickes is be-
ing subpoenaed. Mr.. Palmer said,
to tell the jury that Miss Ruth
Gruber who was referred to as a
Communist liason agent in one OF
the documents found in Miss Co.
plon's purse. is the victim of
smear campaign" Miss Gruber
was employed by the Interior
Department while Mr.. Ickes was
Secretary and often performed
special assignments for him. He
stoutly defended her when her
name came out in T he trial last
week.
Isador Needleman, attorney for
Amtorg, the Russian trading
agency in this country. also was
subpoenaed as a defense witness.
The narae "Heedleman" was listed
as counter-espionage agent in
the employ of Amtorg in an ad-
mittedly false paragraph in
serted in a confidential document
which was placed on Miss
Coplon's desk about 10 hours
before she was arrested. FBI
agents said they found a hand
written abstract Of the falsif1ed
document in her purse.
Defense subpoenas also were is
sued for Mr.. Kelly and Raymond
P. Whearty, who is assisting in
the prosecution. and for William
e. Foley, chief of the Internal
Security and Foreign Agents Reg
istration Sections of the Justice
Department. Mr.. Foley was Miss
Coplon's superior when she worked
In the foreign agents registration
section until she was suspended
following her arrest on March 4.
Analyst Is Defense Witness.
Bernard s. Morris. an anlyst
In the research section of the
State Department who fromerly
worked with Miss Coplon at the
Justice Department. is named as
q defense witness in another
subpoena.
: Three Justice Department sec
retaries also will be called to aid
I'm the defense. They are: Eta
Taylor, who was Miss Coplon's Sec
fetary; Ulda Eldred. and Alice
Keene.
Others named in defense sub
poenas are Mrs. Ruth Rosson, who
took over Miss Coplon's work after
she was suspended; Nathan B.
Lenvin and Harold KofSky, both /
attorneys in the foreign agents
section: Dean Shedler.
public relations officer for the JUS
tice Department. and FBI Agents
Belmont. Schiedt, Mendenhal and
the special agent in charge of the
field office.