◆ SpookStack

Director August 3, 1935. they are absclutely desperate, that they are fighting their battles to the wall, and that they feel something has to be done to curd the activities of the Department of Justice agents. Agent Starr states that he has known Major Russell for a sumber of years and there has always been some doubt as to hin. Russell claims to have been one of the more important men in charge of Military Intelligence operations in France and elsewhere in Europes during the World War. He has written magazine articles and possibly books about his various almost unbelievable exploits. In many instances it seens to be impossible to determine whether he is dealing with fact or fiction in his artioles and talks. In addition to his writings he has frequently talked over the air and at warious gatherings, and on such occasions he manages to create the impression that he actuslly directed the investigations whereof he speaks and that they are tru happenings. When Colonel Peter Traub was stationed at Governors Ieland, New York, he and Russell were wery friendly and at that time Russell gave a series of lectures considered to be of a confidential mature on espionage and counter-espionage. Thess lectures were given in the Army Building and were attended by reserve and regular Army officers. Agent Starr attended practically all of the lectures and he states tnat so iar as be could determine the instructions given were valuable and apparently based on a good imowledge of the subject or were the reault of considerable reading. These lectures were illustrated by occasional stories of episodes ocourring over seas, but as to the authenticity of these stories Agent Starr has no knowledres The officers of litary Intelligence Division stationed on Governors Island, New York, have on many oocasions been doubtful of Major Russell's background and have seriously questioned his right to insinuate that he ocoupied a position of responsibility in the Military Intelligence over seas during the World Wer. The Intelligence office here and in the War Department at Washington should have considerable information as to Major Russells Mai ‘of Major Russell stated quite well, having became acquainted with you. when "Billy Burns*, as he called him, was the Director of the Bureau. Russell ete to Agent Starr that he lmows you