FBI file: Kenneth Arnold

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

Winthrop Hotel. Smith stated that the purpose of this meeting was to try to find out something more about the anonymous phone calls which LANTZ had told him about. He and ARNOLD still refused to give out any further information regarding the Thursday evening conference to LANTZ and were informed by LANTZ that the Tacoma Times was afraid of being scooped on the story and was going to print something on that day. Smith and ARNOLD then returned to the Hotel and shortly thereafter received a phone call from CRISMAN, but the call was cut off by the switchboard operator since it was not an emergency call. Smith and ARNOLD then returned to the Hotel lobby where they found a telegram from DAHL asking them to call him at either Broadway or Proctor 7733, Smith is not sure of the exchange. Smith called this number, but DAHL was not there. Smith states that he went then to the Western Union Telegraph Office and dispatched a collect telegram to MAURICE RODDY at the Chicago Times which contained a brief resume of the incidents which had occurred and which requested RODDY to wire Smith a telephone number where RODDY could be reached after 6:00 P. M. Smith states that he has never received an answer to that wire. Following this, Smith states that he and ARNOLD that he and ARNOLD were sitting in the lobby of the Olympic Hotel when LANTZ entered and gave them each a copy of the latest edition of the Tacoma Times which contained a story hinting at sabotage in the crash of the Army B-25 which killed Captain DAVIDSON and Lieutenant BROWN. Smith stated that he and ARNOLD continued to occupy seats in the Hotel lobby most of the afternoon inasmuch as they were unable to receive calls in the Hotel room due to the Hotel employees' strike. He relates that he received a call in the late afternoon from LANTZ advising him to call LANTZ that evening at 8:30 as LANTZ had further information regarding the anonymous calls. Smith also received a telegram requesting that he call Boise 6000 which he did and found that it was of the Boise Statesman. He refused to give any further information at this time. However, shortly thereafter, called from Boise and advised Smith that the Army had released a story through Brigadier General SHRAM revealing the confidential assignment which BROWN and DAVIDSON had been engaged on. In view of this release, requested Smith to answer one question for him which was, "Were they carrying any alleged disc fragments on the plane?" and Smith answered, "Yes, they were." Following this Smith called LANTZ as per his earlier request and was informed that MORRELLO of the United Press had received another anonymous phone call at which time "the voice" said that the Army B-25 carrying Captain DAVIDSON and Lieutenant BROWN had been shot down with 20 m.m. shells and that the Marine plane found on Mt. Rainier had also been shot down with 20 m.m. shells. The voice went on to state that Smith would be called back to Wright Field on Tuesday. When MORRELLO asked why he was giving out this information the caller replied that it was not for the benefit of the newspapers, but that he was interested in seeing that the information got back to New Jersey. The voice also informed MORRELLO at this time that one of the two persons who had been talking to ARNOLD and Smith had now left for Alaska. As a result of this latter bit of information Smith decided to find out if CRISMAN or DAHL had left town. He located DAHL at the Sunset Theatre and DAHL came to the Hotel and met Smith and ARNOLD. They were unable to locate CRISMAN by phone and DAHL left saying that he would try to find out where CRISMAN was and that he would call them tomorrow (Sunday) and that they would go out to Maury Island at that time. After DAHL left,