Alger Hiss

     Alger Hiss, was accused for being a communist spy. Although he was accused, Hiss was involved with many programs. In 1933, Alger joined the Agriculture Adjustment Adminstration and in July of 1934 became a part of the Nye Committee of the U.S. Senate. 
    On August 3,1948, Whittaker Chambers testified against Hiss for being a communist.
Whittaker Chambers was a part of the communist party in 1924 but soon after decided to leave the party. He thought Alger Hiss was a spy and therefore brought him to court. Before the trials, Whittaker had a bunch of files and rolls of film and decided to use them as evidence against Hiss. Whittaker cut the top of a pumpkin (because he had a pumpkin patch back in Maryland) and put the papers in there therfore coming up with the name of Pumpkin Papers. The Pumpkin Papers helped convince the courtroom that Alger Hiss was guilty.


    During the trials, Hiss claimed he was not a spy nor did he ever know Whittaker Chambers. Chambers swore that he knew Hiss and that the papers he hid in the pumpkin (Pumpkin Papers) were given to him by Hiss. The first trial turned out to be a hung jury in which the jury could not find wether or not Alger Hiss was guilty or not guilty. The second trial, the jury found Hiss guilty for perjury for lying that he didnt know Whittaker Chambers and did not write the Pumpkin Papers. He was sentenced to five years in prison. On Novemeber 27,1954, Alger Hiss was released from jail just two weeks after his 50th birthday. When he returned to New York City, Hiss wrote a book called "In the Court of Public Opinion". It was about his trials and new evidence never heard before.