Evening star., 1951-03-28
Policeman Tells
Of Scepticisn1
About Feeder
Baltimore Officer
Coils Story 'Sketehy'
At Hearing on Butler
By w. H. Shippen

A Baltimore policeman today
told Senators investigating the
Butler -Tydings campaign that on
two occasions William H. Fedder
gave him "sketchy" accounts Of
being taken for ride" in Balti-
more just before the November 7
election.
Patrolman Francis Cordwell was
interrogated at length about why
he did not press an inquiry into
the offense described by MIR. Fed
der, Baltimore printer.
The witness replied he took
very little stock" in the story at
the time and had reported the
case to his sergeant for any fur
ther action which his superior
officers might wish to take.
Question of Truthfulness.
An important phase of the in
quiry is a test of veracity between
Mr.. Fedder and the men he de-
clares took him for a ride against
his will on the night Of November
SIS while they were collecting
Butler campaign post cards.
Mr.. Fedder's statements that he
was virtually kidnapped" and in
Inundated. have been rejected az
fantastic lies by three Witnesses
George J. Miles, now administra.
tive assistant to Senator Martin,
Republican, of Pennsylvania;
Ewell G. Moore. a part-time en-
ploye in the Office of Senator Nc
Carthy, Republican, Of Wisconsin.
and Don Surine, an investigator
on Senator McCarthy's staff.
The policeman said he was
patrolling his beat in the early
morning, sometime between No
vember Z and November IL when
he found the rear door open in
Mr.. Fedder's printing plant.
The patrolman said he reported
the matter to the central bureau
and then telephoned MIR. Fedder.
A radio car met him at the
place, and the sergeant went
through the premises while he
waited outside with the driver.
The sergeant reported he found
nothing wrong. and told Pvt.
Cordwell to wait there for Mr..
Fedder.
Call Apparently Checked.
Meanwhile. the patrolman said,
Mr.. Fedder apparently checked
his call with headquarters. be-
cause he arrived at the place In
an automobile with a policeman.
Pvt. John Louden.
"Mr. Fedder and I then went
through the building together"
Policeman Cordwell said, "and
while there he gave me a sketchy
story about having been taken for
a ride. He was highly nervous at
the time and appeared to be
scared"
The officer said that Mr.. Fed.
der locked up his premises and
went home. The policeman said
he reported the conversation to
his sergeant.
The patrolman testified that an
open door had been found on the
premises on at least three other
occaSions-once prior to the in
cident he described and twice
during last January. He said on
these occasions Mr.. Fedder was
relatively calm.
Out Of His Precinct.
The witness was asked by
Minority Counsel Ralph e. Becker
why he did not follow up his re-
port to the sergeant. The officer
replied he was not especially i'm
pressed with the story, and had
reason to believe the alleged ride
did not occur on his beat. He ex-
planned If a further Investigation
was warranted. that would be I'D
to detectives.
Chairman Monroney, Democrat,
Of Oklahoma, asked:
Did you gather from Mr.. Fed
der he mentioned the ride to ex-
plain why he was nervous and
why he had gotten another police
man to accompany him rather
than to make a formal complaint
to you?"
The policeman replied in the
affirmative.
But kidnapping is a serious
is it not?" demanded
Senator Hendrickson, Republican.
Of New Jersey.
Policeman Cordwell replied hs
understood the ride never occurred
on his post and he reported the
conversation to his sergeant. He
said he told the sergeant:
'Mr. Fedder told me he had
been taken for a ride and held
in his car for about six hours"
Just before last Christmas, the
patrolman said. Mr.. Fedder came