Above: "People being watched."

For sale on eBay today (bidding is around $550 right now) -- the diaries of FBI Special Agent Max H. Roder (1892-1988), who covered narcotics investigations throughout the entirety of his 34-year career. He filled 28 journals with daily notes, and is said to have done this so he could recall details if he had to testify in court.

A number of things boggle the mind here -- these diaries contain the names and addresses of real people, though one might reasonably presume most of those people have either perished or moved on to other places. Also, note one of the names above... Snip from auction description:

It appears the New York City cases were mainly targeted again Italian Americans in Little Italy. You'll be amazed how many people smoked opium in NYC. A lost practice in today's world. Agent worked out of Room 615 at 90 Church St and later 633 Broadway NYC.

posted by Xeni Jardin at 03:40:06 PM permalink | Other blogs' comments

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