FBI file: Kenneth Arnold

Read from the scan by GLM-OCR; expect the odd misread word.

## August 19, 1947

call. After returning to the Hotel room, a Tacoma Times reporter called attempting to gain information, but they did not give him any. Later, a Mr. MORRELLO of the United Press called and SMITH spoke to him on the telephone but refused to give out any information. SMITH further relates that while the four men were in the room at this time, an envelope was shoved under the door and that he retrieved it from the floor. SMITH states that the appearance of this envelope seemed to startle CRISMAN considerably and that in fact, CRISMAN turned white as a sheet until SMITH read the note unsigned which was a communication to the Hotel advising that a strike of Hotel employees was eminent and that guests should not expect room and telephone service much longer. Shortly after this incident DAHL and CRISMAN left the Hotel room after promising to take ARNOLD and SMITH to Maury Island the following morning, (Saturday). ARNOLD and SMITH then went out for dinner and on their return, SMITH found a note in the box requesting him to call a certain telephone number. He did this from the Hotel room and was answered by LANTZ, Tacoma Times reporter who requested SMITH to go out and call him from a pay station. SMITH complained and was informed by LANTZ that two anonymous telephone calls had been received by him that a discussion regarding flying discs had been taking place in room 502 at the Winthrop Hotel which involved Army Intelligence officers. From the information which LANTZ had received, SMITH was convinced that the anonymous caller must have been present at the discussion also, as LANTZ was seemingly in possession of pertinent remarks which had been made in the room. SMITH states that he did not give LANTZ any further information and that in conclusion of the call, he returned to the Hotel room and he and ARNOLD retired for the night.

On Saturday morning, August 2, 1947 SMITH received a telephone call from MAURICE HODDY in Chicago, but was unable to give him any further information. SMITH advised him, however, that he would call him back at 2:30 that afternoon. DAHL then called from a coffee shop nearby and ARNOLD and SMITH joined DAHL, CRISMAN and an unknown man in the Coffee Shop for breakfast. The unknown person was discussing some lumber business with DAHL and left after breakfast. On leaving the coffee shop, SMITH asked DAHL about the negatives of the photographs which he claimed to have taken of the flying discs. DAHL said the negatives were in the glove compartment of his car, but a search of the instant glove compartment was fruitless. The four then proceeded in CRISMAN's car to the dock where they were to embark for Maury Island. The boat, however, could not be started and the trip was postponed until later in the day. While at the dock, however, SMITH asked to be shown the damage to the boat which had allegedly occurred when the fragments showered down on Maury Island. CRISMAN pointed out what may have been repairs to the windshield and lights on the boat, but SMITH was not personally satisfied that these repairs were made as a result of any such incident. CRISMAN and DAHL then drove ARNOLD and SMITH back to the Hotel at approximately 10:45 A. M. and CRISMAN told them he would call them later on and that they would go to Maury Island. On returning to the Hotel, SMITH called LANTZ at the Tacoma Times as a result of which call he and ARNOLD met LANTZ at the Coffee Shop across the street from the