Spy Behind the Curtain

An indictment handed down in Louisville last week unfolded a spy story that would have sounded far shadier if it had been less farcical. The plot was amateur pulp detective.

Scene was Louisville's Brown Hotel, Parlor A and a room three floors above. On Nov. 20, Thanksgiving, Fawcett Publications Inc. (True Confessions, et al.) circulation supervisors met there to plan sales promotion for the year ahead.

At the end of the first morning session Chicago Promotion Manager Ed Dress opened the French windows to clear the smoke-filled room. "My God," he shouted, "here's a mike." It was attached by safety pin to the drape. Fawcett men traced the wires to a room three stories above. The spy had fled, hearing all was discovered, he had paused only long enough to cut his end of the dictagraph loose, grab his hat and coat. Behind him he left luggage, laundry, razor, expense account, unpaid bill. He was registered "J. P. Wriegel, 5 East 34th Street, New York," which is the B. Altman Department Store.

It was Fawcett's turn to do some sleuthing. A long-distance telephone call was traced to Larchmont, N.Y. Louisville police traced his laundry marks to Larchmont also, got his real name.

Last week in Louisville, Joseph P. Wiegers, son-in-law of Bernarr Macfadden and Macfadden Publications chief of promotion-publicity was indicted for criminal conspiracy on charges of using a dictagraph to steal trade secrets. Most embarrassed U.S. publisher was Macfadden Publications (True Story, et al.), which last February ousted Bernarr Macfadden, promised to employ "new policies" after cleaning up a big watered-circulation scandal (TIME, May 12).

Most amused publisher was Fawcett Publications. Said its house organ: "We suggest that Wiegers prepare for his next little game of I-spy by learning how to handle mechanical gadgets. Mechanix Illustrated, 10 cents at all newsstands, or Handy Man's Home Manual, 50 cents (adv.), might be helpful. . . ."

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