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Memo for the Director -2- August 3, 1934. = - about the Attorney General, the Director and various Departmental officials, written by a man namedKAustin, who was formerly an investigator for the lational Aesocietion of Credit Men. I asked Mr. Cowley if he knew abdut this and he stated he did not kmow a thing about it. I told Mr. Cowley that this fellow met an agent recently in St. Louis and told him he had written this series of articles which are supposed to be very derogetory and accuse the Department and the Director of hushing up and stopping prosecution in bankruptcy cases and things of that kind and the American Detective magazine is going to publish these articles; that Austin is a no good cad; that he had a contract with one of these | investigating agencies some time ago for a certain period of time at a specified salary and they would not let him do any work; that they kept on paying him but would not let him come near the office; that he sued them for libel and is generally a trouble maker. Mr. Cowley stated that this article by DeWitt as it is written now is very favorable; that DeWitt ids sort of a free lance writer and Mr. Cowley does not know whether it will be accepted verbatim; that he, Mr. Cowley, is making a few changes; thet the big objection is too many I's and Cowley's; thet this article concerns an interview with Mr. Cowley; tbat DeWitt has magnified Cowley's importance two or three hundred fold and Mr. Cowley is cutting this dow anc expects the Division to cut it down still more. Mr. Cowley stated that if the American Detective magazine is going to publish 4 series of derogatory articles, this article would be something to counteract it considerably. I told Mr. Cowley that I had that idee lest uigut woeu I saw the memorandum on Austin but I wanted him to know about it and the Director will probably take it up with Mr. Purvis. Mr. Cowley stated that he understands that this magazine is published by the Americen Megazine and although they control it, it is not generally known that they publish it and it looks like a very good magazine.