THE SPY TRIALS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 23 June 1938, Page 7

THE SPY TRIALS

ACE INVESTIGATOR RESIGNS IN U.S.A. STILL TO BE AVAILABLE AS WITNESS MILD SENSATION CAUSED By Telegraph. —Press Association. Copyright. NEW YORK, June 22. A mild sensation was caused today by the resignation of Mr Leon G. Turrou, the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s ace agent, who was largely responsible for uncovering the Nazi spy activities in the United States, to write his experiences for a newspaper. It was he who, as reported yesterday, was largely responsible for the indictment by a Federal grand jury of eighteen prominent Nazi officials in the great United States spy hunt. Coming in the midst of the grand jury investigations before the accused are brought to trial, this has greatly disturbed officials. Mr Turrou was the chief investigator and worked almost single-handed. A delay will be caused while his successor familiarises himself with the ramifications of the case. Mr Turrou’s reasons of overwork and the need of an increase in income have been accepted by the department, which paid tribute to his work. He will still be available as a Government witness. None of the material witnesses held in the case have been eliminated or freed. This is significant, inasmuch as six are officers or members of the crews of German ships, including two captains, a political officer, and a radio officer. The “New York Times” comments today on the extraordinary fact ’ that Griebl (who fled to Germany) was never guarded to prevent his flight. Since yesterday’s indictment it is indicated that the authorities were aware of several suspicious actions by Griebl. One charge shows that he previously went to Germany allegedly on espionage business. Another says that he conferred with von Bonin, Chief of the Naval Intelligence Service, and Menzel, his assistant, on the counter-espionage duty of the German War Ministry at the, Hotel Eden in Berlin on June 7, 1937. Another alleges that he arranged a rendezvous with Pfeiffer, head of the German Secret Service, at the Astoria Club in Bremen on June 23, 1937. In a leading article the “New York Times” urges the fact that there is no occasion for public hysteria or a spy scare, pointing out that the operatives concerned were really extraordinarily inept plotters and obtained little of value. Though doubtless Germany is anxious to share the United States' advance in defence technique, especially in aviation, much of the information gained could have been elicited by a courteous letter. Yet this stealthy prying into our affairs is michievous and annoying,” adds the newspaper. “If the trial justifies the charges, the whole affair should be cleaned up promptly.”

The “New York Herald-Tribune” says that the investigations are now being concentrated on the persons and organisations responsible, for the flight of the defendants and material witnesses who fled the country. This includes two large steamship lines and several executives of those lines. At least one member of the Gestapo (Nazi secret police), says the newspaper, stressed that only the surface had been scratched up to the present. The four German spy suspects, Hofmann, Rumrich, Glaser and Voss, will be arraigned tomorrow.