while plaintiff was absent at his daily vocation certain officers of the government whose names are to plaintiff unknown, unlawfully and without warrant or authority so to do, broke open the door to plaintiff’s said home and seized all of his books, letters, money . . .

Weeks claimed that the warrantless seizure of his private possessions and use of those items in court violated his Fourth Amendment guarantee against “unreasonable searches and seizures” and the Fifth Amendment’s prohibition of self-incrimination.