University of Virginia Library

Whitebread
Strikes Out

profile for potential
skyjackers." The agents
examined all of his papers and,
discovering no lethal
instruments, told Mr.
Wadlington that he was free to
go.

At this point, however, the
other agent was about to lead
Mr. Whitebread off for a body
search. In the nick of time, the
senior official saved Mr.
Whitebread, "Oh, don't worry
about him. He doesn't meet
the profile and this guy's
clean."

"Charlie seemed a little
disappointed," Mr. Wadlington
said later. After all, here was a
chance to put into practice all
kinds of legal arguments about
illegal search and seizure.

According to Mr.
Wadlington, everything ended
quite amicably, with the
lawyers and the Customs
officers discussing the role of
the police and the way in
which they should carry out
their functions. "We went
away friends, got on the plane
and arrived in Washington an
hour later," Mr. Wadlington
said.

"My first inclination," Mr.
Wadlington said, "was that I
should stop traveling with
Whitebread, but he says he
should stop traveling with
me."

In fact, Mr. Whitebread was
more explicit: "I'll never travel
with that criminal again."

When the two traveled to
Boston separately. neither was
questioned.