Counter-espionage: The Navy Department and the Search for Detectives.

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Connecticut State Council of Defense

Dear Sir:-

Sometime ago you received from us Town Bulletin #3 requesting you report to the Council instances of disloyalty or utterances of a seditious or traitorous nature, etc.

We have received a request from the Navy Department to furnish them with the names of men in some of the towns of the State whom they might wish to use for exactly this same purpose. They desire to have a man, when the occasion arises, to run down a rumor or investigate suspicious circumstances or secure information for them.

It seems to me that the work for the Council and for the Navy Department, while of an analogous nature, does not conflict. I am writing to inquire, therefore, if you would be willing to serve if requested to do so by the Navy Department in your town and if not, will you send me the name of someone who will agree to do so. The principle requirements for this service are discretion and secrecy.

Will you give this your immediate attention and let me hear from you at the earliest possible moment?

I wish to have the name, home address and telephone, business address and bussness telephone of the person.

We will then submit this name to the Department for their information.

Yours very truly,

Thomas Hewes

Secretary

This is one of many letters sent from the Connecticut State Council of Defense to local branches regarding the search for detectives to work for the Navy to investigate cases of disloyalty. The intent was to select detectives from local police departments to serve and answer to the Navy, as espionage is a military matter. While ideally these individuals would have backgrounds in law enforcement detective work, discretion and secrecy were more valuable than experience. These men would investigate reported cases of disloyalty or suspicion of potential threats that local law enforcement or the Council of Defense received, but they will answer to a military authority. These detectives would be stationed in every town across the State, in order to swiftly investigate cases while blending into the community to avoid alerting the saboteur or German spy of possible detection.

The following is a response to the Council of Defense agreeing to serve as a detective for the Navy.
"Thomas Hewes, Esq.,
Secretary of the State Council of Defense,
State Capitol,
Hartford, Conn.
My dear Hewes:
Replying to your letter of recent date concerning my acceptance of the postion offered by you for the Town of Windsor Locks in relation to services for the United States Navy, I will be very glad to accept the said appointment, and my only reason for not answering your letter before was the fact that I had previously accepted a commission which I thought was for the same source as the one offered by you. Any time I can be of any service to you all you have to do is command me.
I am, Very truly yours, Frank E. Healy."

While Healy's letter is unusual that he was recruited because he was an attorney at law rather than a detective, he must have possessed the attributes the Council of Defense desired, having a law background and a reputation for discretion. This letter is also written with enthusiasm to serve and is representative of many more letters of acceptance to serve. Many other letters of acceptance also recognize service as a duty and an honor. Healy's enthusiasm is representative of the large wave of nationalism spreading across the nation at the time. People displayed an eagerness to do their part for the war effort.

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The following is a response to the Council of Defense call for detectives.
"Thomas Hews Esq. Secretary,
Connecticut State Council of Defense, Hartford, Conn.
Dear sir:-
In reply to your letter of Sept. 6th. requesting the name of someone who would work for the Navy Department, in securing information, or investigating, any suspicious corcumstances etc, I beg to say that I shall be pleased to assist in any way possible, in that respect; I fully realize the disagreeableness that may arise to anyone doing their duty in that line of work, and would rather do it myself, than ask another and should be ashamed to shrink from any duty, that fell to my lot whereby I could be of the slightest help to the brave fellows who are sacrificing their all for our safety.
Yours very truly
John Ash
Chairman, Town Committee.
Business and the Home address as above,
Telephone Exchange and Number- Putnam, 271"

John Ash’s letter is unusual as he claims spying is disagreeable work, possibly on moral grounds, but like many other detectives, he saw it as his duty to make sacrifices to aid in the war effort. While he was not overly enthusiastic to serve, he acquiesced in the Navy’s orders to spy. This case shows not all detectives were fervent nationalists, yet a strong sense of duty still took precedence over the ethical implications of spying.

Letters to the Council of Defense did include rejections from detectives to spy. Those who accepted the commission had a strong sense of duty driving them to serve, even though some had reservations about doing so. During their service all detectives were discrete and secretive as not to arouse suspicion.