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DURING THE REEFER MADNESS ERA
THE JAMES MOODY CASE
Treasury Department
Bureau of Narcotics
13th Floor, U.S. Courthouse
Chicago, Ill.
Office of District Supervisor
District No. 9
States of Illinois, Wisconsin,
And Indiana
March 13, 1941
Commissioner of Narcotics,
Washington, D.C.
There is enclosed a clipping from the Chicago Tribune of Tuesday, March 11, 1941, relative to the shooting of William Hawkins, Jr., and Betty Peterson, near Portageville, Missouri, on the 10th instant, by one James Moody, which I think will be of Interest to you.
James J. Biggins
District Supervisor.
March 19, 1941
E;MIH
Mr. Joseph Bell,
District Supervisor,
Kansas City, Mo.
Dear Mr. Bell:
District Supervisor Biggins, Chicago, Ill. Has submitted a clipping from the Chicago Daily Tribune of Tuesday, march 11, 1941, relative to the arrest at New Madrid, Mo. Of James Moody, charged with the murder of William Hawkins, Jr., and the shooting and attempted rape of Betty Peterson.
In a confession Moody said that he had been smoking marihuana.
Please make an investigation to determine if there is any foundation for the claim that Moody was under the influence of marihuana when these crimes were committed.
Very truly yours,
H.J. Anslinger
Commissioner
st. Louis Mo.
Mar. 28, 1941
Mr. Joseph Bell,
District Supervisor,
Kansas City, Mo.
In re: James Moody
Dear Sir:
1 Pursuant to your instructions of Mar. 21, 1941, I proceded to New Madrid on Mar. 25, 1941 and interviewed Mr. James Meridith, the Ass’t prosecutor of New Madrid County, and Deputy Sheriff Hartsell Kimes, relative to the arrest of James Moody for murder of William Hawkins and the wounding of Betty Peterson.
2 The Prosecutor’s office and the Sheriff’s office feel positive that the man Moody is lying when he states that he smoked marihuana just prior to the murder on Mar. 8, 1941, and they feel that he might be trying to make up a defends, and they let me read the confession that Moody signed after the murder, and in the confession Moody said that he had purchased 3 cigarettes from an unknown man in a dance hall in Portageville Mo. But he described a man and the Sheriff’s office stated that they had no information about the man he described nor did they know the man from the description. According to the Sheriff’s investigation Moody has a history of all his life having a desire to kill pets and animals that people in that part of the country wanted destroyed and he took a delight in so doing the killings, and furthermore there has been at least 3 unsolved murders in the same vicinity as where Moody has been living which the people in Pint Pleasant states could have been committed by Moody.
3 I than interviewed the man Moody at the County Jail, and he is a white man, 24 years old 6 ft tall 140 lbs and has been married for the past 3 years and has one 10 month old boy, and he and his family live on a farm, which he has ‘share-cropped’ for the past 8 years, in Point Pleasant Mo. This boy was raised by the grandmother and uncle on his mother’s side as his mother is dead, and his father has a bad criminal history, and the boy knows this but has not had anything to do with his father. The boy only went to the 7 grade in the local school.
4 Moody related the facts leading up to the murder crime and told me that he accompanied 2 neighbors from Point Pleasant to Portageville Mo. (8 miles) for the ride, and arriving in Portageville
Page 2
In re: James Moody
With his two neighbors, a Mr. Gradys and Mr. Miller, he remained with them for a while and than went to the ‘Brown Derby’ a small ‘dancehall’ and as he was entering the place some large fat man standing on the porch of the ‘house’, heard Moody cough and he told Moody that he sounded as if he had the ‘Flu’ and told Moody he had something for the cough and showed moody some cigarettes that was in a metal box, and gave one to Moody, who smoked about half of the cigarette and than purchased 3 more cigarettes for 10 cents from this same man, who Moody describes as being about 6 ft tall 200 lbs in weight and about 50 years old, Moody stated to me that he knows the difference in factory made cigarettes and ‘rolled cigarettes, as he smokes both kinds himself, and he was sure that the cigarettes he purchase were factory made and they were open at both ends just the same as the cigarettes he had in his possession at this time (Raleighs), Moody further stated that the only difference he noticed at the time of smoking the cigarette was that they tasted like Talcum powder in his month’ and he did not notice any other effect until the next day at which time he stated to me that the ‘small finger on his right hand was numb’. Moody told me that he smoked only half of the first cirgarette in the ‘dance hall’ and drank some beer, and than left the dance hall and at about 4 or 5 P.M he smoked another cigarette but did not remember ever smoking another one nor had he ever smoked or knew anything about marihuana before. Moody does not say that the cigarett was marihuana as he says he don’t know anything about marihuana, nor had he ever seen it before.
5 I than went to Point Pleasant and interviewed his wife, who is a typical farm girl of 20 years, who told me she was in Tennesee visiting her folks on the night of the murder and she could not help me any atall.
6 I interviewed Mrs. Williamson the postmistrees of Point Pleasant who spoke to Moody just before Moody went home and she stated that he was as normal as any person she ever spoke to and she knew Moody all his life. I than spoke to Mr. Millyer and Mr. Graddy who Moody went to Portageville with and they started that While in Portageville with Moody he never was away from them over 5 minutes and they could not understand how Moody could have go the cigarettes in the Brown Derby dance hall as he was not out of their sight, and they state that after they left Portageville they drove back to Point Pleasant and sat in the sun in front of the Blacksmith shop talking for about an hour and Moody was as natural as he ever was and they do not believe he ever did have marihuana. These men are old residents of this town and they have never heard of marihuana until this investigation.
7 I went to Portageville Mo. And went to the Brown Derby ‘dance hall’ and interviewed the owner and he told me that he was not on duty on the Saturday that Moody claimed to be there but did say that the man he had tending bar that day was a friend of Moody’s and knew him all his life and refered me to John Cline and I spoke to this man Cline and he
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In re: James Moody
Told me that he knew Moody very well and he cannot understand how Moody could have come into the ‘dancehall’ while he was tending bar and Moody not talk to him or how he missed seeing Moody as he states he did not see Moody in the Dancehall on this day but does remember him on other occasions coming to the place. Cline did tell me that he knew a man that answered the discription that Moody stated sold the cigarettes and this man did come around the dance hall but has not been there for some time and he told me that the man had been arrested by the local police and I interviewed the chief of Police Mr. Riley and together we went to Justice of the Peace Andy De Lisoe and he checked up his records which shows that on “Feb 31, 1941” one Don Covey was arrested by police for being drunk and he pleaded guilty and was ordered out of town not to return again and everyone feels sure he had left town before Mar. the 8th, the date which Moody states he met him and purchased the cigarettes. This Don Covey answers the descriptions and apparently the man that Moody says sold him the cigarettes, and Covey is suppose to come from Hickman Kentucky and did arrive with a Carnival a few months previous, and after the carnival left town Covey remained behind and I learned worked as a’rustabout’ in the ‘Blue Heaven’ dancehall and he was supposed to sell medicine or liniments of some sorts.
8 I conferred with the prosecutors office and with State Highway portal men Tandy, and Boisaubin, and Sheriff Ransburgh about the man Covey but they have no knowledge of him or fingerprints of the man but they will hold him should he be located. All these officers feel that they have established a perfect robbery case with murder included and all believe this boy to be lying when he says that he does not remember anything of the actually crimes as the statement that he gave to the police details exactly with the details as related by the girl who was shot but is now recovering.
9 Recognizing the importance to the bureau, of establishing wheather or not this case has marihuana involved I went over the facts as closely as possible, and whereas I cannot disprove entirely the fact marihuana is not presence in this investiation, the story Moody tells me about the cigarettes he smoked does not indicate to me that he had marihuana, however I recommend that this man Don covey be checked further in an effort to see if he has a record of selling marihuana. I cannot learn where covey is at present but is home is suppose to be Hickman Ken. Which is just 10 miles over the border from Missouri, and if instructed I will mke the investigation there if the facts warrants further investigation.
Respectfully
Thomas E. McGuire Narcotics Agent
Treasury Department
Bureau of narcotics
Office of District Supervisor
District No. 11
E:MLH
Kansas City, Missouri
March 29, 1941
In re: James Moody
New Madrid, Missouri
Mr. H.J. Anslinger
Commissioner of narcotics
Washington, D.C.
Dear Sir:
With reference to your letter of March 19, 1941 on the above subject, there are attached hereto two copies of a letter report dated March 28, 1941 from Narcotic Agent Thomas E. McGuire on the investigation made of this matter, which is self-explanatory.
Yours very truly,
Joseph Bell
District Supervisor
James V. Conran
Office of
PROSECUTING ATTORNEY
New Madrid County
New Madrid, Missouri
July 15, 1941.
Mr. McGuire
Narcotics Bureau (U.S.)
Kansas City, Missouri
Re: State Vs. James Moody
Dear Mr. McGuire,
The above is set for trial on Wednesday, July 30th, at Garuthersville, Missouri. You examined James Moody and found that there was no truth in his connection about the Marijuana Cigaret story.
You have been subpeoned by the State as a witness and we would appreciate hearing from you as to whether or nto you will be here on thatdate.
Yours truly,
/s/ J. H. Meredith
J.H. Meredith, asst. Pros. Atty.
St. Louis Mo.
July 18, 1941
In re: James Moody
New Madrid Mo.
Mr. Joseph Bell
District Supervisor
Kansas city Mo.
Dear Sir:
Inclosed herewith please find a letter from Mr. J.H. Meredith, Asst. Prosecuting Attorney of New Madrid County, which is self explanatory
I made the investigation, which he mentioned in his letter and there is a letter report dated Mar. 28, 1941, inmy your files, and in this report I went to great length to show my findings, as I was afraid this would come up in court and for that reason I did check it very closely and in the last paragraph, I made a recommendation to check a suspect as to his selling marihuana, but I do not believe that part of my investgation would have anything to do with the trial in which I am subpoenad.
I am forwarding this letter of Mr. Meredith, to you for you to answer, and to received instructions from you about answering the subpoena and would like to have some instructions as to just how much or how little I can testify as to the bureau’s last letter of instructions. May I place my letter report in the records if called upon?
I will appreciate any instructions relative to answering this subpoena.
Respectfully
Thomas E. McGuire
Narcotic Agent.
July 19, 1941
In re: Subpoena in State Court
James Woody case-
New Madrid, Missouri
Mr. H.J. Anslinger
Commissioner of Narcotics
Washington, D.C.
Dear Sir:
Attached hereto are two copies of letter dated July 18, 1941 from Narcotic Agent Thomas E. McGuire on the above subject, together with copy of the letter from J.H. Meredith, Assistant Prosecuting Attorney.
This is in connection with the investigation made by Agent McGuire in pursuance to Bureau letter dated March 19, 1941. A copy of Agent McGuire’s letter report covering his investigation dated March 26, 1941 is attached hereto.
Under the circumstances, advice is requested as to whether or not Agent McGuire should honor this subpoena.
Yours very truly,
Joseph Bell
District Supervisor
St. Louis Mo.
Oct. 24, 1941
Mr. Joseph Bell
District Supervisor
Kansas City Mo.
In re: Subpoena to State Court
Re James Moody
New Madrid Mo.
Dear Sir:
On Oct. 23, 1941, I received a long distance telephone call from Mr. J.H. Meredith, Ass’t Prosecuting Attorney, from New Madrid Mo. Stating that his case has been set for trial on Nov. 6, 1941, and he requested my presents there on that date.
I made a letter report on the above subject dated Mar. 28, 1941, in response to the Bureau’s instruction contained in their letter of Mar, 21, 1941, and this case was set for trial on July 30, 1941, at Carutheraville Mo. And I was subpoenaed to appear there on that date and the Bureau instructed me to appear and testify, but just prior to the date set I was advised not to appear as the case was postponed and I did not go at that time and I am writing at this time to receive authorization to go to Caruthersville Mo. On Nov. 6, 1941 to testify in the murder trial of the case of State of Mo. Vi: James Moody.
I verbally told Mr. Meredith, I would appear on that date, subject to the bureau’s instructions, as I have received authority to do so previously, but I am now requesting that this authority be granted to make the trip to Caruthersville Mo. On Nov. 6, 1941.
Respectfully
Thomas E. McGuire
Narcotic Agent.
Oct. 27, 1941
Re: Request for authority
To make trip to New Madrid, Mo. In answer
To subpoena to testify
In State Court
VIA AIR MAIL
Mr. H.J. Anslinger
Commissioner of Narcotics
Treasury Department
Tower Building
Washington, D.C.
Dear Sir:
Furnished herewith are two copies of letter dated Oct. 24, 1941, addressed to this office by Narcotic Agent T.E. McGuire, which is self-explanatory.
Authority is hereby requested for Narcotic Agent McGuire to make the trip to New Madrid to testify in State Court in the murder trial of the case of State of Missouri vs James Moody, on Nov. 6, 1941.
Yours very truly,
C.A. Follner
Acting District Supervisor
St. Louis Mo.
Nov. 8, 1941
In re: James Moody
New Madrid Mo.
Mr. Joseph Bell
District Supervisor
Kansas City Mo.
Dear Sir:
In answer to a subpoena I went to Caruthersville Mo. On Nov. 5, 1941, and attended court in the case of State of Missouri vs: James Moody, and this defendant was tried for the murder of William Harkins.
This defendant claimed that he was smoking a cigarette, and there was some indication that he would claim that it contained marihuana, just prior to the murder and for that reason the State’s attorney wanted me present to refute this claim.
The Defense attorney did not introduce any evidence relative to marihuana, nor was there anything brought out at the trial relative to marihuana, and after a lengthy trial the defendant James Moody was convicted and his punishment was placed, by the jury, at life in prison.
This letter should close this investigation
Respectfully
Thomas E. McGuire Narcotic Agent.
Treasury Department
Bureau of Narcotics
Kansas City, Mo.
Office of District Supervisor
District No. 11
States of Missouri, Arkansas, Kansas, and Oklahoma
November 13, 1941
In re: James Moody
New Madrid, Missouri
Mr. H.J. Anslinger
Commissioner of Narcotics
Treasury Department
Tower Building
Washington, D.C.
Dear Sir:
Attached hereto are two copies of a letter dated November 8, 1941 from Narcotic Agent Thomas E. McGuire, which is self-explanatory on the above subject and is furnished for your information and files.
Yours very truly,
C.A. Follmer
Acting district Supervisor
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