April 26, 1943

SPIES IN FLORIDA?

FBI Finds AWOL Bird

ORLANDO, Fla.—The local office of the FBI was called yesterday by a farmer from Loughman, about thirty miles to the southwest. The farmer had discovered a carrier pigeon roosting in one of his trees with a message tied to its leg. Concerned he had uncovered a spy ring, the farmer dutifully contacted the FBI, which quickly sent two agents to the farm to investigate. The agents successfully apprehended the suspicious fowl and retrieved the secret message. On inspection of the message, the agents discovered the bird was not an insipid ne’er-do-well in the employ of an Axis espionage master, rather an AWOL competitor from a race sponsored by a fanciers’ club.