How were Liddy and Hunt caught?
January 10, 2018 9:54 PM Subscribe
How were G. Gordon Liddy and E. Howard Hunt caught? The 5 plumbers were caught in the DNC's HQ in the Watergate, and one had Hunt's name in his address book (reported by Bob Woodward only 3 days later), but how did they get the evidence to indict Liddy & Hunt?
I'm listening to Slow Burn: A Podcast About Watergate and they mentioned the first indictment (8 counts, Sept 15, 1972), but not how Liddy & Hunt were caught. Searches mostly turn up a 1974 indictment for the Ellsberg affair.
David Hosansky's Eyewitness to Watergate does mention that L&H were arrested after the original 5 and that the grand jury investigated for some time between June and September. Grand jury deliberations and investigations are supposed to be secret, but I'd think some information would have come out by now.
There are plenty of timelines and info about what happened, but what I like about Slow Burn is how it covers how the conspiracy was revealed, bit-by-bit.
I'm listening to Slow Burn: A Podcast About Watergate and they mentioned the first indictment (8 counts, Sept 15, 1972), but not how Liddy & Hunt were caught. Searches mostly turn up a 1974 indictment for the Ellsberg affair.
David Hosansky's Eyewitness to Watergate does mention that L&H were arrested after the original 5 and that the grand jury investigated for some time between June and September. Grand jury deliberations and investigations are supposed to be secret, but I'd think some information would have come out by now.
There are plenty of timelines and info about what happened, but what I like about Slow Burn is how it covers how the conspiracy was revealed, bit-by-bit.
Best answer: They explain some of this in All the President's Men. I'd have to look in more detail, but in addition to the address books, (p23):
But the first priority on that Monday was Hunt. The Miami suspects’ belongings were listed in a confidential police inventory that Bachinski had obtained. There were “two pieces of yellow-lined paper, one addressed to ‘Dear Friend Mr. Howard,’ and another to ‘Dear Mr. H.H.,’ ” and an unmailed envelope containing Hunt’s personal check for $6.36 made out to the Lakewood Country Club in Rockville, along with a bill for the same amount.Woodward then called the White House, and eventually talked directly to Hunt at the consulting firm where he worked (p24):
Woodward called the Mullen public-relations relations firm and asked for Howard Hunt. “Howard Hunt here,” the voice said. Woodward identified himself. “Yes? What is it?” Hunt sounded impatient. Woodward asked Hunt why his name and phone number were in the address books of two of the men arrested at the Watergate. “Good God!” Howard Hunt said. Then he quickly added, “In view that the matter is under adjudication, I have no comment,” and slammed down the phone.posted by Huffy Puffy at 5:38 AM on January 11, 2018 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: > Didn't James McCord flip under sentencing pressure?
McCord didn't testify to the Senate until March 29, 1973. I think he may have helped land the indictment on March 6, 1974 of Liddy et al. for the Lewis Fielding (Ellsberg's psychiatrist) break in.
The 5 Plumbers were caught June 17, 1972 and the 5+2 were indicted September 15, 1972. I haven't found mention of when LIddy was arrested.
The FBI Washington Field Office's (WFO) timeline (PDF of scans, some of it in text form) says that the Hunt check and address book were found in two Watergate hotel rooms (one was 214 or 241, the other 314) for which the keys were found on the burglars which contradicts some reports that that evidence was found on the burglars. There are also reports that the burglars had lobster dinners at the Watergate's restaurant the night of the burglary. Burglar Bernard Barker wrote “When we went on the mission, I had put all our identifications and wallets in a bag in the hotel room, and I told Howard that if something happened he would have everything, including my address book with the White House phone number. But when he left the room, he was in such a big hurry that he left everything there. This was a very bad mistake, of course, because [the FBI] immediately established the connection with Hunt and me. They had the connections on a silver platter. But I guess Hunt had enough things to worry about then.” [HARPER'S, 10/1974] [even ur-Watergate was Stupid Watergate]
"Information was received" that McCord had a room (419 or 723) at the Howard Johnson Motel. Investigation confirmed & found telephone calls to Alfred C. Baldwin III. Room was rented by “McCord Associates”.
The Washington Post reported that "On Sunday, a desk clerk at the Howard Johnson’s recognized McCord’s picture in the newspaper and told the FBI he had rented a room at the motel. Tracing phone calls, the FBI found the lookout Shoffler had noticed on the balcony that night. His name was Alfred C. Baldwin III. Who had hired him?"
The FBI WFO timeline says that Baldwin "indicated he was working directly for James McCord and had also had direct contact with E. Howard Hunt and G. Gordon Liddy..."
> All the President's Men
I'm listening to the audiobook of this now and I guess I'm surprised that it wasn't just the FBI & DOJ or just the WP & NYT (and LA Times!), but a lot of back-and-forth leaking/info-trading that uncovered the connections.
posted by ASCII Costanza head at 11:35 AM on January 25, 2018
McCord didn't testify to the Senate until March 29, 1973. I think he may have helped land the indictment on March 6, 1974 of Liddy et al. for the Lewis Fielding (Ellsberg's psychiatrist) break in.
The 5 Plumbers were caught June 17, 1972 and the 5+2 were indicted September 15, 1972. I haven't found mention of when LIddy was arrested.
The FBI Washington Field Office's (WFO) timeline (PDF of scans, some of it in text form) says that the Hunt check and address book were found in two Watergate hotel rooms (one was 214 or 241, the other 314) for which the keys were found on the burglars which contradicts some reports that that evidence was found on the burglars. There are also reports that the burglars had lobster dinners at the Watergate's restaurant the night of the burglary. Burglar Bernard Barker wrote “When we went on the mission, I had put all our identifications and wallets in a bag in the hotel room, and I told Howard that if something happened he would have everything, including my address book with the White House phone number. But when he left the room, he was in such a big hurry that he left everything there. This was a very bad mistake, of course, because [the FBI] immediately established the connection with Hunt and me. They had the connections on a silver platter. But I guess Hunt had enough things to worry about then.” [HARPER'S, 10/1974] [even ur-Watergate was Stupid Watergate]
"Information was received" that McCord had a room (419 or 723) at the Howard Johnson Motel. Investigation confirmed & found telephone calls to Alfred C. Baldwin III. Room was rented by “McCord Associates”.
The Washington Post reported that "On Sunday, a desk clerk at the Howard Johnson’s recognized McCord’s picture in the newspaper and told the FBI he had rented a room at the motel. Tracing phone calls, the FBI found the lookout Shoffler had noticed on the balcony that night. His name was Alfred C. Baldwin III. Who had hired him?"
The FBI WFO timeline says that Baldwin "indicated he was working directly for James McCord and had also had direct contact with E. Howard Hunt and G. Gordon Liddy..."
> All the President's Men
I'm listening to the audiobook of this now and I guess I'm surprised that it wasn't just the FBI & DOJ or just the WP & NYT (and LA Times!), but a lot of back-and-forth leaking/info-trading that uncovered the connections.
posted by ASCII Costanza head at 11:35 AM on January 25, 2018
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posted by Freedomboy at 9:56 PM on January 10, 2018