Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1950-08-12
Wire-Tap Probe
May Result in
Stronger Laws
Pepper Cites Sworn
Police Testimony
Beyond FIJI Limits
By Don S. Warren

Senator Pepper, Democrat, {
Florida, heading the Senate in
Quiry, said new laws may be need
ed in the light of sworn testimon
that police had engaged in wire
tapping.
Facts so far developed, Senate
Pepper said, indicated there ha
been invasion of the rights O
private individuals to privacy"
His comment followed eXecutiv
Senate hearings yesterday. dur
ing which, Senator Pepper re
counted, three more police officer
told of engaging in the recording
or listening to conServations owe
tapped private wires.
Under Police Direction.
All this, Senator Pepper said the
witnesses testified, was done at the
direction of Police Lit. Joseph w
Shimon while he was assigned tt
chief investigator attached to the
Office Of the United States Dis
trict Attorney.
The Capitol Hill inquiry was be.
ing pushed, regardless of the fail.
ure of the grand jury to bring any
. indictments in similar cases under
its own inquiry.
The statute of limitations (thret
years. came into operation last
night with regard to alleged wire
tapping of the telephones of How.
ard Hughes, wartime plane build.
er. while he was here in 1947 fol
a Senate inquiry into his con.
tracts.
The grand jury, however, it was
noted, will resume its work Mon
day. At that time, it was an
nounced at the courthouse, it will
inquire into overlapping report.
edly done by police during a House
investigation of "gouging" by au-
tomobile dealers.
Headline Names Men Mentioned
AS the two inquiries were con-
tinued to next week, strange as
sortment of names was mentioned
some being echoes of headlines OF
past years.
For instance. one of the expect
ed witnesses before the grand jury
next week is Norman Whitaker
who figured in the CASTOR B
Means 100000 Lindbergh baby
ransom hoax of the late Mrs. Eva
Ign Walsh Mclean.
Also, there were references to a
Mr.. Monroe of the big red house
on r street" in testimony by po-
lice regarding overlapping. This
so-called one-time center of Law.
iSh entertainment and lobbying hi
the headlines seven years ago dur.
ing a congressional investigation
John Monroe was convicted O
black market deals in textiles
There was testimony YESTERDAY
that his name was recorded b!
police, who tapped the lines o.
advice. Incorporated" at the
Gralyn Hotel here, in January
194S
Testimony on Romance.
Then, too, there was testimony
at both the capitol and the court
house about overlapping con-
corning a reported romance be-
tween a foreign ambassador to the
United States and socially prom
inent Washington matron.
Court officials said no action is
being taken in that case. There
seemed to be a similar desire on
Capitol Hill to avoid this matter,
although Chairman Pepper said,
in reply to reporters questions,
he had received a Police Depart
ment report on the case.
Chairman Pepper revealed yes
terday his investigating group has
voted to ask the Justice Depart
ment to cooperate with the Sen
ate probe. Details were not an
nounced, but it was indicated that
Gerhard P. van Arkel, counsel to
the Senate District Committee
will confer promptly with Justice
officials.
Senator Pepper indicated Sen
ate members will join in the con.
ferences.
Testify to Tapping.
Four police officers so far hav,
given sworn testimony that the.
listened in on tapped wires at tn,
direction of 1t. Shimon, accord
ing to the reports of secret testi
mony outlined by Chairman Pep
per.
The first was Detective Johl
McHale, who repeatedly was fol
lowed by Detective George H
Robinson. jr., and Detective
Walter N. Cook and Thomas
Herlihy. Their testimony showed
Chairman Pepper said, that the,
had listened on wires at fou
hotels. one apartment ond on
other location.
The hotels included the Carl
ton, the Mayhower, the Occidental
and the Graylin. An apartment
in the $500 block of @ street ais,
was mentioned, along with a plac
on Seventeenth street NV.
Senator Pepper said the testi
mony was that police, operating
under 1t. Shimon, turned in thei
notes to him.
While the Senate committee ha
received reports of the police in
vestigation into the wire-tappine
Senator Pepper said, ''it does no
seem that police went very thor
oughly into the case"
Before the Senate probe ends
Senator Pepper said, 1t. Shimol
will be called to the stand.
Closed hearings by the Senat
group will be resumed on Monday
officials said.