The House on 92nd Street Page #2

on Process 97.

- That's all?

- That's all.

Thanks. Thank you.

Inspector Briggs knew...

...that the most important American

military secret in history was Process 97.

Set up a conference with Military

and Naval intelligence immediately.

That's all.

In several remote places

under strict military protection...

...American scientists

were developing Process 97...

...the secret ingredient

of the atomic bomb.

An explosive derived from the metal

uranium so powerful and devastating...

...that one relatively small bomb

gave promise...

...of having the destructive power

of 20,000 tons of TNT.

A presidential directive gave the FBI

the responsibility of coordinating...

...all counterespionage investigations.

At a series of conference with Army

and Naval Intelligence officers...

...the FBI reviewed the case

of Francisco Ruiez...

...from whose effects had come

the startling information...

...that foreign agents

had learned about Process 97...

...and were actually attempting

to steal the secret.

Plans were formulated to erect

an impenetrable and absolute barrier.

Have you any other information,

Mr. Briggs?

No, not at this time.

- Mr. Briggs.

- Yes, admiral?

Who is this Mr. Christopher?

I wish we knew.

Meanwhile, after

six months of intensive training...

...Dietrich had completed his course

at the Pension Klopstock...

...and was ready for assignment.

For your first needs, $50,000.

You will make three contacts only:

Elsa Gebhardt, Colonel Hammersohn,

and Adolph Kline.

- You will keep them in funds.

- Yes, sir.

When you reach New York, go directly

to Elsa Gebhardt on East 92nd Street.

You will establish contact

with Hammersohn and Kline through her.

- Yes, sir.

- These are your credentials.

They are on microfilm.

You will need these: draft card,

registration, classification card...

...birth certificate, driver's license,

New York State...

...Navy and Army discharge papers,

Social Security card.

No one could tell them

from the originals.

One thing more:

There is one person

in the United States...

...who can countermand the orders

I have given you.

If you receive instructions

from Mr. Christopher...

...abandon whatever

you may be doing...

...and place yourself entirely

at his disposal.

- Mr. Christopher?

- Is all of this clear?

Yes, sir.

- Goodbye, colonel.

- Goodbye.

Within a few days,

Dietrich was in Lisbon, Portugal...

...communication center

for international espionage.

He went immediately to an address

given to him by the FBI.

There's something wrong with

this watch. I wonder if you'd look at it.

- I'll have to examine it.

- Would you, please?

I'm sorry, sir,

I won't be able to repair this watch.

I understand. Thanks.

Thirty-two hours later...

...a special courier coming by

transatlantic clipper...

...brought Dietrich's credentials

to FBI headquarters in Washington.

Inspector Briggs was given

the responsibility...

...of solving the Christopher case.

Behind him

were all the resources of the FBI.

That translates:
"William Dietrich

is specifically authorized...

...to receive all reports

for transmission direct. Two... "

That means, "You're instructed to look

to him for all payments. Three... "

That'd mean, "He is forbidden to have

any contact with agents known to you. "

Change that last line.

Change it to read:

"He is authorized to contact

all agents known to you. "

Right.

- Is that a new watch?

- Yeah.

Did it cost more than $ 100?

I don't remember exactly.

Do you mind if I take a look at it?

Certainly.

There you are.

What's the value of this watch?

- Oh, it's about $90.

- Thank you.

- Here's your watch.

- Oh, thanks.

You can get out that way.

Just off Madison

Avenue in uptown New York...

...there was a five-story dwelling.

This was soon to become known

among all FBI men...

...as the house on 92nd Street.

May I help you?

- Miss Elsa Gebhardt?

- Yes.

I'm Bill Dietrich.

I have a message for you from Felix.

How is Felix?

You mean Felix Braun

of Miami, of course.

I mean Felix Strassen of Hamburg.

He asked me to pay his respects...

...to give you these.

- Would you care to sit down?

- Thank you.

The new one has arrived. Bill Dietrich.

I have his credentials here.

Max, turn off the light.

He's authorized to contact all agents

known to you?

- Everything all right?

- You'll want your credentials back.

Yeah.

I have brought you some money.

You know what I'm going to do

over here?

I've been expecting you.

I understand you can help me

make certain contacts.

Yes, we can start right away.

Would you come with me?

This is Bill Dietrich.

- Where'd you come from?

- Germany.

- Where in Germany?

- Hamburg.

Pension Klopstock, Klopstockstrasse.

Who gave instructions

to come to America?

Colonel Strassen.

- How did you get here?

- I came by freighter.

From Hamburg?

- No, from Lisbon, Portugal.

- When did you leave Lisbon?

- Three weeks ago.

- How long did you stay there?

- Two days. I waited for the freighter.

- You stayed under cover?

- Yeah, at the Grand Hotel.

- Whom did you contact in Lisbon?

- No one.

You're sure of that?

I had strict orders

not to contact anybody.

When did you get here?

I don't see why

I have to answer all these questions.

- Didn't you show them my credentials?

- Yeah, we seen them.

Maybe he doesn't want to tell us

when he got here.

Is that right, Mr. Dietrich?

- I have no authority-

You got off of the boat

at 10:
17 this morning.

You left the pier at 10:50.

You took a cab to the Martinique Hotel

at 32nd and Broad.

You checked in

and stayed there until 12:30.

Then you took a bus

to 42nd Street and Times Square...

...and walked to the Silver Dollar

at 46th Street and had a cup of java...

- ... then here.

- Why didn't you come right here?

- Why did you go to a hotel?

- Well, I wanted to take a bath and I-

It looks like you know all about me.

Yeah, we're gonna keep on knowing.

Before you arrived, we worked in small

groups, unknown to one another.

I see.

- What's so special about you...

...that you are allowed

to know all our agents?

Those are the orders.

It looks like we're all taking

a chance on you, mister.

Everybody takes a chance.

Hamburg wants their agents to be

in a position to send information direct...

...through me,

in the event of emergencies.

Who are these people?

Max Coburg, Conrad Arnulf.

They used to be

with the Eiserne Wacht Bund.

Johanna Schmidt,

she has special duties.

Gestapo. I know about you

from Hamburg.

What do you know?

Usual things.

What's your job?

They've got to get stuff

through faster.

Radio's best, so I'm going to set up

a short-wave station.

- I'll need some help.

- What kind of help?

Radio parts, mostly.

It'd look suspicious

if I bought them all myself.

What do you want?

Well, I have a list here.

I'll let you know

where you can send them.

This stuff is hard to get.

I know, but Hamburg needs

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