SECRET TO GRAVE

Greymouth Evening Star, 17 January 1939, Page 3

SECRET TO GRAVE

GASTON MEANS DEAD

SAN PRANCISCO. December 22

Gaston B. Means, master of guile, wb.o turned at middle age from detective work- Io crime, carried the secret, of what happened to Mrs. Evelyn Walsh McLean's 101.000 dollars into death. for he succumbed to a heart attack in Springfield. Missouri, at the age of 59. He had been so ill that, it had boon necessary to take him to the United States Medical Centre in Springfield from the Leavenworth Federal prison for an operation. Mrs. Means, faithful to the tirchswiumr through all the years, was present at his death. Mrs. Means ■,-. (<i!j( nol discuss her husbands atfairs except to say she knew nothing of the whereabouts of the money Means lifted from Mrs. McLean by lolling her he could get buck the Lindbergh baby. Tile Story was a piece oi fiction. .IS ji turned out when Mrs. McLean, wealthy Washington newspaper owner and society woman, began the proceedings that sent Means to bedel al prison for L> years. Lol Mis. M ( I.can never saw her money again. Means swore he gave it to three mysterious nu n. Mrs McLean’s thousands were nol the first that Means had obtained by some of the slickest pieces of confidence work Hie country had ever seen. And very little of that money ever '.\;ts recovered. Means. a pathological liar, in 1931) wrote the famous book. "The Strange Death of President Harding." which intimated Harding hud been poisoned., i 11 is other activities ranged from biilijj;im detective -i oi k for tin.' Burns aueiicv to espionage for Germany during th" World War and guarding s<>- ‘ piety women from Communists. ; in 1921 lie was appointed an agent 'of the Federal Department of Justice, ami two years later revelations that . Im had accepted huge bribes, made illegal profit;-, from bootleggers and . tried to bribe his superiors provided ■ i major seamlal. Means went to prison • lor four .'.ears. This was (he only oth- ' er time he was convicted. despite his manv ami t’•:ifli 1N told talcs ot murdei. ! swindling and other crime.

Means, a giant man. began a legiti[mute career in North (’arolitm. when ,he was born of a good family in 18<9 He was well educated, a likeable, per 1 son. apparently with a line future. ll' Wl < well on bis way to success when m middle age h. bciaiue a crook ol the. hist water.