Claudie Catlett

Catlett, whose nickname was Cleide, was one of the Hisses' former maids. She testified at both trials, recalling among other things that a man named "Crosby" (supporting Alger Hiss's contention that Whittaker Chambers used the pseudonym "George Crosley") visited the family when they lived on P Street. She also said he visited the house when the Hisses were not home and that, much later on, Chambers and the FBI visited her to solicit information about the Hisses' household. She testified about receiving an old typewriter from the Hisses. Before the trials, she was interviewed several times by FBI agents and became confused about the date that the Hisses gave her the typewriter. For more on this important issue, click here.