Now during the night while Evans was confined to his room under guard, Long had asked many questions of the operators on watch in the radio room. Among other things he learned that Evans not infrequently sent dummy messages to “test the transmitter.” It was after he had learned this that Long did the same thing himself. Within two hours Commander Rich in Washington had received a slip of paper with the following words written on it:
E. has been sending out signals. Watch for delivery to Sec. L.
When Tompkins left his office in quest of Mortimer, he was confronted by Commander Rich.
“I understand you were looking for the Secretary this morning,” he said. “You must understand that no one in the Bureau is permitted to communicate with any one except through his immediate superior. If you have anything to communicate to the Secretary, you must do so through me.”
“I understood,” replied Tompkins, “that as a civilian employee that rule did not apply to me. I have merely an unofficial message for the Secretary.”
“As long as you are working in this division of the Bureau you are under my orders,” said Rich. “If you have a message for the Secretary, give it to me and I will see that it is delivered promptly.”
Tompkins did not know against whom Evans had warned Mortimer, and had no reason to suspect Rich of anything more than a desire to assert his authority, yet he knew that he should entrust this message to no one, but should deliver it in person.
He therefore replied, “It is the Secretary’s wish that I should deliver this message to him myself.”
“It is the Secretary’s wish that discipline should be maintained in the Department, and that orders should be obeyed. It is by his authority that every one in this division of the Bureau is under my orders. You will therefore hand over the message to me.”
“I am afraid that I cannot do so without the express authority of the Secretary,” replied Tompkins.