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Pat ha fa a oh NL oy ie teemee. es qe Bie iro Ao aN ™~ pe: S vn ete 243 apa 4 WOL APR 13 "338 wes ~ ras JOHN LOGAR“HOOVER ae ? « t: . PEF:CD" Geteral Bureau of Iubestigation a. BR. Bepartment of Justice Bashington, B.C. April 4, 1936. JORAN Res Edward Wilhlem Bentz. C er SAC Whitley telephoned me from New York and sald that thi he received a copy of a letter written by the Detroit Office to the Office, st:ting that Q é fe) ff intervie Detroit on April 1 Be at the United States Penitentiary at Atlanta, in connection with robbery of the bank a ven, Michigan. The letter goes on to state that Sergeant Hutson will contact the Atlanta Office in order that arrangements might be made through that office for the Sergeant to interview Bentz in the penitentiary. The letter continues that although we had previously informed Detroit that we thought it was better for state officers to be discouraged from interviewing Bentz, in view of the relations in Detroit with the Michigan State Police, who are very insistent that they talk with Bentz about the Grand Haven case, all.wé can do is to cooperete with then. Mr. Whitley said he can readily underetand this situation, despite the fact that Bentz gave us substantially all of the information relative to that particuler robbery, which information was furnished to the Detroit Office. However, Mr. Whitley said that this matter is a source of concern for many reesons. He pointed out that if we start promoting or sponsoring or taking. out state officials from all over the United States to talk to Bents in the. _ penitentiary, very quickly we are going to offend Bents and ruin his excellent ; cooperation with us. He said that while he hopes there will not be a repetition , of such requests, he believes the Atlanta Office should go out to the penitentiary - and see Bentz before the Michigan Stete man arrives, and ask Bentz if it be all right to bring the Michigan State man out there to talk about the Grand Haven bank robbery. Mr. Whitley said he is sure Bentz will say yes to this re- quest, perticulerly in view of the fact that his brother, Ted Bentz, is now ser- ving a "bum rap*® for this robbery in Michigan. However, our asking him first will certainly put him in a better frame of mind. At the same time, Mr. Whitley said Bentz should be told not to tell the Michigan officer about any case except the Grend Haven robbery. He pointed out that if we do not make this request, and Bentz gets started talking, he will probably tell thie Michigan man eve he hes told us, which would,of course, be disasterous. BECORDED & INDEXED Mr. Whitley said that the Atlenta Ag Bentz made eft Net York. that any time they wanted to know anything, he would be glad to anything that he might know about its however, he heked! tifat’ wh not to let t tentiary officiale know that he is“talking Sos sameeren = aa a a a cc a