ESPIONAGE IN AMERICA

Press, Volume LXXXI, Issue 24741, 5 December 1945, Page 3

ESPIONAGE IN AMERICA

NEW YORK PAPER’S STORY

ACTIVITIES OF SOVIET AGENT (N.2. Press Association—Copyright) CRec. 11.15 p.m.) NEW YORK, Dec. 3. “A Russian Secret Service agent who may have obtained atom bomb secrets at present is living in a New YorK hotel under the constant .surveillance of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, which has been trailing him for two years,” says the “Journal-American.” “The Russian, although employed in an obscure Communist music shop at 75 dollars a week, possesses virtually unlimited funds with New York bank accounts amounting to thousands of dollars.

“He entered the United States illegally from Canada in 1938, but linked up with the atom bomb in Chicago in 1943 when he accepted a package in a park from a scientist who was employed on atom bomb development in a Chicago laboratory. A military intelligence officer watching the scientist then trailed the Russian to a boardinghouse whej;e the Russian registered as Alfred Adamson. Package Found

’’That night the F. 8.1. entered Adamson’s room during his absence and found a package. It was sent to Washington, where it was found to contain highly confidential details-of atom bomb development. The scientist was immediately inducted into the Army and at present is stationed on an obscure South Pacific island.

“Adamson’s numerous contacts include members of the Communist Party’s national committee, doctors, lawyers, an electrical manufacturing executive, an employee of the Soviet Embassy. Soviet vice-consuls, and' also the woman owner of a New York jewellery store who was the intermediary for Adamson's more secret contacts.

"A year ago Adamson, carrying a brief case, left the jewellery store proprietor’s apartment and dashed into a waiting car which G-men pursued. Adamson left the car lyithout the brief case. A Soviet vice-consul soon afterwards entered the car and drove to the Soviet Consulate, which he entered carrying a brief case. An investigation showed that the car was owned by. the executive of a company manufacturing secret radar equipment. Attempt to Leave “Another time Adamson with the, same executive went to Chicago where he discovered he was being watched. The executive returned to New York, telephoned his contacts and said: ‘The F. 8.1. spotted us in Chicago. We almost got away. Adamson is trying to make the west coast road to board a Soviet ship.’ “Adamson continued his journey with the train swarming with G-men who were changed every stop. Some were disguised as conductors and brakemen. Adamson, arriving at the Portland docks where several Soviet ships were tied up, saw more than 100 G-men lined up near the gangplanks. “After making futile attempts to elude trailing Government cars Adamson returned to New York. The F. 8.1., which had notified the State Department that he was attempting to leave ‘he country, requested permission to arrest him for espionage, but he and his confederates have still nbt been arrested.”

The newspaper describes Adamson as a small gnomelike man with deepset piercing eyes and furtive walk and wears huge horn-rinimed spectacles. The F. 8.1., the State Department; and the Russian Embassy decline to comment on the story.