The following letter on the theft investigation was written by Capt. McGuire, the senior American officer interned in Davos. When reading paragraph 2, remember that Sampson was a heavyweight boxing champ.  (Letter provided by Dr. Daniel Bourgeois of the Swiss Federal Archives.)

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B.R. Legge
Brigadier General, U.S.A.
Military Attaché

AMERICAN INTERNMENT CAMP
OFFICE OF THE COMMANDANT
PALACE HOTEL, DAVOS-PLATZ

                 10 August 1944

 Subject:       Investigation of removal of Consulate insignia
                    from German Consulate building and misconduct and
                    insubordination of Second Lieut John H. Garcia and
                    Second Lieutenant Oscar C. Sampson.
 
 

To:               Brigadier General Legge

    1.    An investigation was conducted 9 August, with all officers and
men mentioned herein being under oath. The following facts were es-
tablished about the following three principal charges:
Removal of Consulate insignia: in statements made by them, Lts.
Garcia and Sampson committed themselves as being jointly responsible
for the actual removal of the consulate insignia from the German
Consulate building. There are no known witnesses to the actual removal
of the consulate insignia.

    2.    Misconduct of Lt. Garcia: i.e., striking another officer in
public: The background for this charge is as follows: immediately
following the reported loss of the insignia by the German consulate,
a search was instituted by the Swiss authorities for same.  All officers
were confined to the hotel until the insignia should be found.  One Lt.
Barnett made statements amongst the officers that he thought Lt. Garcia
had been responsible for the loss and that he deemed it wise that Lt.
Garcia return the insignia.  The insignia was discovered shortly
thereafter in one of the hotel storerooms, and turned over to the Swiss authorities.  Apparently no one knew how the insignia had come to be in
the hotel.  After release of all the officers from their temporary con-
finement, an encounter between Lt. Garcia and Lt. Barnett took place
on a public street not far from the hotel.  At the time, Lt. Garcia
was accompanied by Lt. Sampson.  Lt. Barnett was alone.  Lt. Garcia's
statements are to the following effect:  Lt. Garcia approached Lt.
Barnett and told him in no uncertain terms just what he thought of him
because of his statements fixing responsibility on Lt. Garcia for the
removal of the insignia.  Lt. Barnett then apparently made a motion as
if he were going to strike Lt. Garcia, wherat Lt. Garcia quickly struck
Lt. Barnett in the eye.  Following that, Lt. Barnett made no move nor
exhibited any desire to engage further with Lt. Garcia.  Lt. Barnett's
statements are to the following effect:  Lt. Barnett was accosted by
Lt. Garcia. Using vile language, Lt. Garcia began telling Lt.
Barnett what he thought of him.  Lt. Barnett made no move nor had
any intention of striking or attempting to strike Lt. Garcia.  Without
provocation, Lt. Garcia then struck Lt. Barnett.  After that, Lt.
Barnett left the scene, telling Lt. Garcia that he did not wish to
have any trouble there in public.  According to Lt. Barnett Lt.
Sampson was not involved in any way.  Lt. Sampson's statements are to
the following effect:  Lt. Sampson did not see Lt. Barnett make an
actual pass or swing at Lt. Garcia.  In fact, Lt. Sampson claims
not to have seen anything pertinent as to whether or not Lt. Barnett
made an attempt, or an apparent attempt, to strike Lt. Garcia.
According to Lt. Sampson, the first thing he knew had happened was
that he heard a thumping sound, looked around, and saw that Lt.
Barnett had been struck by Lt. Garcia.  In general Lt. Sampson's
testimony was not very substantiating or convincing on the point in
question, i.e., who struck first, and why he did.

    3.  Insubordination:  following the incident between Lt. Garcia
and Lt. Barnett, the latter reported to Captain Radin, then acting
commandant, stating that Lt. Garcia had struck him and that he wished
to press charges against Lt. Garcia.  As a result, Captain Radin
summoned both Lt. Garcia and Lt. Sampson to his office, and believing
both men to be involved in the incident ordered them to report to
their rooms until further notice.  Lt. Sampson thereupon refused to
go to his room, stating that Captain Radin could not make him do such
a thing.  Lt. Garcia offered no comment at the time, but did not go
to his room.  Captain Radin thereupon went to the Swiss Commandant's
office to secure a Swiss guard to enforce the confinement he had
placed on Lts. Garcia and Sampson.  No guard was available at the
moment.  In the meantime, Lts. Garcia and Sampson had departed the
hotel.  As soon as a Swiss guard became available, Lts. Garcia and
Sampson were brought back to the hotel under guard.  At this time,
Lt. Garcia directed several sarcastic remarks at Captain Radin which,
according to several witnesses, were quite unappropriate and entirely
unbecoming to an officer.  These witnesses - Captain J.W. Reed,
T/Sgt. R.G. Hart and S/Sgt. A.E. Childs - heard most of the conver-
sation between captain Radin and Lts. Garcia and Sampson:  their
testimony indicates clearly and convincingly the displayal of a most
specific contempt and disregard of authority on the part of Lts.
Garcia and Sampson.

                                                (Signed)    L.F. McGuire,
                                                                  Capt. A.C.,
                                                                  Investigating Officer

Witnessed by:
            W.M. Lesier,
            1/Lt. A.C.