Page  [unnumbered] CHIEF BROADY AIDE SOUGHT IN 13 STATES IN WIRETAP INQUIRY By WARREN MOSCOW New York Times 1857; Mar 18, 1949; ProQues tHistonrical Newspapers The New York Times pg 1 ClIEF BROA DY AIDE. SOUGHIT IN 13 STATES IN WIRETAP INQUIR Y Employer Says Investigator, Working on 'Distant Angle' of Case, Will Be Available MAYOR. TO TESTIFY TODAY Expected to Speak as Expert to Grand Jury and to Group From Congress Tomorrow By WARREN MOSCOW Tangible developments yesterday in the wiretapping investigation were limited to a thirteen-state alarm being sent out for a missing witness, and a promise by his employer, John G. Broady, counsel for Clendenin J. Ryan Jr., Fusion leader, that the missing witness would be brought back to the city as soon as possible. The witness, whom the District Attorney's office said it had sought in vain since last Saturday, is Harold B. Bretnall, 51 years old, described as Mr. Broady's chief investigator. Mr. Broady, in a formal statement yesterday, said Mr. BretnaUll was his assistant, and would be brought back to the city from a mission that he described as "investigating one of the most distant angles of this complex city situation." Broader Iniquiry Expected While courts, witnesses and principal figures in the case were taking the day off in honor of St. Patrick, the possibility developed that when the inquiry is resumed today it may lead to a broader investigation of all kinds of wiretapping. Hitherto it has been limited to the alleged unauthorized tapping, by private Citizens, of the wires of public officials. Mayor O'Dwyer is scheduled to be a witness before the New York County grand jury this afternoon, and tomorrow a conference of the Democratic members of Congress from this city will be held Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner Further reproduction prohibited without permission

Page  [unnumbered] at City Hall, under auspices that indicated the meeting had the blessing of the Mayor, if, in fact, he did not instigate the call for it. The Mayor is conceded by his intimates to have a knowledge of wiretapping pnd its scope in this city that is second to none, as a result of his experience as a policeman, magistrate, District Attorney, and County Judge, before he became Mayor. It was regarded as certain that he would convey some Continued on Page 2, Column 4 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner Further reproduction prohibited without permission

Page  [unnumbered] CHIEF BROADY AIDE SOUGHTIN i3 STATES Continued From Page 1 of this information to the grand jury when he testifies this afternoon. It is assumed that- at the conference with the New York members of Congress tomorrow morning, the Mayor will similarly expound his views and leave the door open for possible further investigating. Meanwhile, high police sources admitted that they had heard rumors for some time that wiretapping by individuals was going on in the city, but they said they had received- no formal complaints. Police Commissioner William P. O'Brien and the Mayor both admitted that the police were investigating newspaper reports that modern electronic devices were being used to get data for blackmail purposes. In political quanters the suspicion has existed for some time that wires of high ranking politicians have been tapped. Several high officials have told intimates that their wires were not private any more, but they have said nothing, suspecting opposing factions within their own party, and preferring to make no formal complaints. These reports antedated'the recent detention of Kenneth Ryan on a charge of tapping the telephone of Borough President Hugo E. Rogers of Manhattan, who also is leader of Tammany Hall. Usually well-informed quarters have contended for some time that while wiretapping is carried on by authorized law enforcement agencies under court order as required by law, additional tapping has been done by some of these agencies without court sanction, either for political or private purposes. District Attorney Frank S. Ho gan's office, in announcing yesterday morning that a thirteen-state regional alarm had been sent out for the arrest of Mr. Bretnall, said he had been chief investigator for Mr. Broady for eight years; that he lived in Westchester and nad been sought in the current inquiry for the last week. Aides of Mr. Hogan implied that Mr. Bretnall might 'well. be with John F. Kenny, another "investigator for Broady," who lives in Jersey City and who has not been questioned as yet, though he is being sought. Then came reports that a private blackmail ring was using wiretapping to extort a million dollars a year from wealthy persons caught in indiscretions. These reports quoted police officials as saying they had uncovered the ring three weeks ago. Police Commissioner O'Brien declined to confirm the report in its details. "We are investigating every angle of this case," he said. Later in the day, however, Mayor O'Dwyer sent. a message to reporters that the "police are looking into" the reports. Mr. Hogan said he had no knowledge of any evidence as yet confirming the blackmail ring's existence. On the other hand, it has been the subject of rumor for many months that unauthorized use of wiretapping equipment by men who might or might not have been able to get such authorization has been prevalent. Normal procedure is for the police, either directed by their superior or by the law enforcement agency to which they are assigned, to present to a court an affidavit specifying that vital information can be obtained by tapping a specified wire, giving details, and the court then signs an appropriate order. Enforcement officials have denied recurrent reports that such orders are sometimes presented and signed in blank. Clendenin Ryan, who is due to make his fourth appearance before the grand jury this afternoon, along with the Mayor, took a day angles of this complex city situation. "He will undoubtedly report to me within a day and I will as! him to return as quickly as pos sible. That may require anothet day. In any event, anyone employed by me is available to the authorities at any time upon request. "Those interested in Mr. Bretnall's background may examine the material in 'Who's Who in American Business.' Mr. Bretnall owns two houses here, has had an owner's and operator's license right along, has worked - with me for eight years, and I have complete confidence in him." The police alarm sent out for Mr. Bretnall said he was wanted as a grand larceny suspect on a 1935 indictment involving the larcenty of some books valued at $294. This was conceded to be only a means of bringing him back to this territory. In Washington,- Representative Emanuel Celler, who sent out telegrams calling tomorrow's City Hall conference of the Democratic Representatives from this city, said in an interview that he and his group were going to the rheet-; ing "for the purpose of listening, getting information and then studying what facts we have gathered to determine if anything should be done." He said, in reply to questions, that he would favor legalized wiretapping by Federal agencies if it were properly safeguarded to prevent abuses. off yesterday from his one-man crusade against the O'Dwyer administration, issuing no statements, and watching the St. Patrick's Day parade from a vantage point at Fifth Avenue and Sixtysecond Street, two blocks south of the reviewing stand in which the Mayor sat. He declined to discuss his future activities.. Mr. Broady, however, issued a statement, saying: "I have read in the newspapers that an alarm has been broadcast for one of my assistants, Mr. Harold B. Bretnall. Mr. Bretnall is out of the city at this time investigating one of the more distant Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission.