5SSOS 5 O- | 4

May 18, 1955
LawKence , Ks.
Dear Georze;

I write this latter not kmowing whether you are in the United States or
still in Guatemala Sut presuming that if the former, the mail will be foreward-
ed to you.

First I want to thenk you for your letter and the shipment of the ant-
eater and bird skeletons which arrived in excellent condition and to again
thank you and your good wife for your extraordinary kindness and helpfulness
during my atay in your country. I only hope that I may have the honor and
privilece of helping you when you visit our land. If there is any slace or
thing that you would like to do or see while in the United Stetes let me lnow
and I will let your wants be kmown to the people and organization who are
planning your stay in our country.

At the time I said good-by to you at the railrodd station I thoucht my
worries were over but such was not my fate. At Zacapa i checked to see if ny
suitcase and bag had been placed on the train and found out that they had not
so I wired back to one of the stations along the way to have the second train,
which was following our train an hour later, inspected for these bags. The
other train did not have my bags so I wired to the station in Gustemala City
and they hed already foumd them and were holding them et the main office.

As the Compania Guatemalteca de Aviacion was not flying thet day I could not
get my bags to Puerto Barrios before the ship sailed that evening so I arranged
with the United Fruit So in Guatemala City to have the bags sent to New Orleans
by air-freight which they did several days later. During the time the perter
took my bags at the railroad station that morning you ond I were there ond

the time the bags were placed on the airplane at the Guslemala Sity Airport,
someone had taken my gun out of the bag. It would be dificult to say who was
responsible Por the removal of the cun as the red=-csp porter, the rsilroad
office, United Fruit [o., custome house and the people at the airnort all

had possession of the bags st one time or other, I would susnect that the
custome officers would have been the most logical yeople to heve removed the
Zune

I feel cuilty in asking any more favors from you as you have already
done more than your share in my interest but would you, if convenéent question
the custom people or the United Fruit ¢o about this cum. The disannearance
of this gun is serious because if someone were to be killed by this gun
which is registered in my name, I would be held responsible, If the gun
can not be accounted for I wonder if you could find out to whom I should re-
gister the lost of the gun. I would amagine that the logical department would
be either the police or the national defense office.

My biggest surprise came as I passed Puerto Barrios on ny way to the shin
and saw my car stundining in the sun on a flateareeny car thet “Caniz® premised
would be shinred on Avril 4. It was April 19 some 25 days efter I placed th
ear in his nands that I received the car in New Orleans. I hed the customs
officers in Guatemaln City place their seals on all the doors and motor so
that no one cozld get into the car and disturb the specimens and these senls
were susposed to carry the car "in bond” to New Orleans. In spite of this
precaution the sesla were broken and the car had been inspected again and the
earefully arranged apecimena head been literally turned upeide down, In sprite
of 45: aisturbanee of equipment the material arrived at the museum in Kansag