Harold LeClair Ickes to Jane Addams, October 12, 1908

October 12, 1908

My dear Miss Addams,--

I received recently a letter from Olga [Averbuch], written in German, of which the enclosed is a copy of the translation made by Professor [Krehbiel] of the University of Chicago. I thought you might be interested in reading this.

You may have been surprised when I telephoned you the other evening, to ask whether it had come to your notice that any one had been interested in my movements recently. The inquiry was occasioned by the fact that I had that day discovered that within the preceding week, four inquiries had been made in regard to me; two at the house, one of which was by telephone and the other in person, and two downtown, one at my law office, and the other at the office of thee Conservation League of America, where I am helping out Mr. Walter L. Fisher until after the election.

It has occurred to me that perhaps the [Averbuch]'s, in Czernovitz, had been doing some indiscreet talking, which has been reported back to the police here, with the result that the police suddenly became interested in what I was doing.

I heard yesterday that you were ill. I hope that you are not seriously so, and that you will soon be yourself again.

With kindest personal regards, I am

Very truly yours,

Harold L. Ickes [signed]

Enclosure.