Series II: Hiss Personal 2395, 1938-1952, inclusive

This sub-series includes notes, drafts, briefs, memoranda, evidence, and clippings related to first and second trials in the case United States vs. Alger Hiss. Many materials in this sub-series were gathered in preparation for Alger Hiss's second perjury trial and to support the Hiss's legal team's request for a Bill of Particulars. Included among these materials are copies of Whittaker Chambers's and Esther Chambers's testimony in the 1948 libel suit Alger Hiss vs. Whittaker Chambers. This testimony is incomplete and only consists of volumes 3-7. They also include trial notes of Hiss's attorneys Robert von Mehren and Edward C. McLean. McLean's notes focus predominantly on Hiss's first perjury trial, while von Mehren's notes focus more heavily on the second trial. The sub-series also contains a large amount of clippings gathered by the Hiss defense team.

This sub-series contains the Debevoise & Plimpton law firm's correspondence related to the perjury trials of Alger Hiss. Correspondence dates from December 1948 to 1979 and documents the firm's representation of Hiss from the time of his testimony before a federal grand jury in New York up to his petition for a writ of coram nobis in 1979. The bulk of the correspondence is between attorneys at Debevoise & Plimpton and other firms regarding legal services and opinions. Much of the early correspondence dated 1948 and 1949 is between Hiss and his attorneys, while correspondence dating from 1950 and 1975 contains more correspondence from outside individuals not directly involved with the case.

This sub-series includes notes, correspondence, and transcripts related to witness interviews used during the Hiss perjury trials. Not all files contain transcripts of interviews, and not all individuals who are featured in the files were brought as witnesses during the trials. Several files were created for individuals sought as witnesses, but who were never brought to testify. Many of the files contain notes regarding testimony or interviews with witnesses or potential witnesses. These files frequently contain Alger Hiss's personal commentary about witness statements and explanations of his association with the individuals.

This sub-series contains copies the documents known as the "Baltimore Papers" or "Pumpkin Papers," which Whittaker Chambers claimed Alger Hiss transmitted to him for the purpose of espionage. These documents were presented as evidence by the plaintiff during the perjury trials of United States vs. Alger Hiss. Photocopies of the documents are included in this sub-series along memoranda, notes, and commentary written by Alger Hiss's legal team.

This series contains a set of complete, bound trial transcripts of the legal case United States vs. Alger Hiss. Transcripts are in volumes I-X, and were prepared by the court in response to Hiss's 1950 appeal of his conviction. Trial transcripts are also accompanied by copies of printed briefs, petitions, memoranda, and affidavits also prepared by the court in response to the appeal.