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Edgar had been the target of two operations, according to these sources. A first break-in attempt, in ‘late winter of 1972,’ was designed to ‘retrieve documents that were thought to be used as potential blackmail against the White House.’ It failed, but was followed by a second, successful break-in. ‘This time,’ Frazier reported, ‘whether through misunderstanding or design, a poison of the thiophosphate genre was placed on Hoover’s personal toilet articles.’

Thiophosphate is a compound used in insecticides, highly toxic to human beings if taken orally; inhaled or absorbed through the pores of the skin. Ingestion can result in a fatal heart seizure and can be detected only if an autopsy is performed within hours of death.

Former staff members of both the Watergate Committee and the Special Prosecution Force have recalled being told of operations against Edgar’s house. The files of the Prosecution Force reflect an inquiry to the FBI about ‘possible burglaries’ at his home. Former Force attorney Nathaniel Akerman remembered the matter as ‘something that certainly didn’t fall into the nut category.’2

Gordon Liddy has denied knowledge of any break-in at Edgar’s house. Hunt, when contacted for this book, said curtly it was ‘a matter of total disinterest to me.’ Nixon’s former Chief of Staff, Haldeman, however, accepted that something of the kind may have happened. ‘I have to concede the possibility,’ he said.

Watergate burglar Felipe DeDiego, who later claimed ignorance of the Hoover break-ins, was interviewed by Frazier twice in 1973. At first he said he knew about the operation and hoped soon to be able ‘to talk about everything.’ Then, questioned again, he withdrew his comments. At home in Florida, however, he told Dade County State’s Attorney Richard Gerstein that he had information on ‘other burglaries of a political nature.’3

Another of the Watergate burglars, Frank Sturgis, said that DeDiego told him about the Hoover break-ins immediately after Edgar’s death. ‘Felipe told me about it,’ he said. ‘I suspected the CIA was behind it. I told him, “I guess our friends probably wanted to go over there and see what kind of documents Hoover had stashed away.” Felipe laughed and said, “That’s dangerous. It’s dangerous …” And we didn’t talk about it anymore.’

Sturgis admitted that the burglars were active in Washington earlier than emerged from the official Watergate investigation. Asked if he himself was involved in the Hoover break-ins, he hedged. ‘I’m not saying yes to my involvement. Let me say “no” to that. It opens up a can of worms.’

*

One day in early April 1972, Edgar had his usual lunch at his usual spot – grapefruit and cottage cheese salad in a dim corner of Washington’s Mayflower Hotel. With him were Clyde and Thomas Webb, the trusted attorney and FBI veteran whom Edgar had long ago recommended to serve Clint Murchison. They listened, taken aback, as Edgar talked about his struggles with President Nixon.

Edgar was tired now. Weeks earlier, when he had told reporter Andrew Tully about Nixon’s ‘kindergarten,’ he had paused and closed his eyes. ‘I’m getting old,’ he sighed. ‘I know that. Hell, even I can’t live forever.’

Sometime earlier, Washington plastic surgeon Gordon Bell had surgically removed a small skin cancer from Edgar’s face. ‘He was a big baby,’ Dr Bell’s widow recalled, ‘a classic hypochondriac. He had a great fear of surgery, and Clyde Tolson stood beside him and did everything a female would do to console him. Hoover made Clyde look at what we were injecting, and said, “I don’t want you injecting any truth serum.” Afterwards, he brought us copies of his books with flowery inscriptions. “You know,” my husband said then, “the man’s losing his mind.”’

On another occasion, Clyde phoned the doctor in the early hours of the morning. ‘He said Mr Hoover had suffered a bad fall,’ said Mrs Bell. ‘We opened up our office and they came in. Hoover had gashed his forehead and an eyebrow – to the bone. I would