Question for Harry Dean

[David Boylan]

Hey Harry,

What can you tell us about Dr. John Lechner? I've included some old notes I have.

Burt Mold and John Lechner go to Chicago from LA to visit Paulino Sierra end of February. Mold and Lechner were members of various conservative organizations based in California – Americanism Educational League, board member of the American Committee to Free Cuba, California American Legion and the Americans for Cuban Freedom that Mold and Lechner co-founded in 1961. Richard Nagel had an entry in his notebook “Dr. John Lechner Americanism Educational League.” Members of note of the AEL: Hon. Robert Morris, Vice Admiral TD Ruddock, Rear Adm Julian Wheeler, Brig Gen Walter Shoaff, Adm Chester Ward, Spruille Braden, Walter Knott, Herbert Philbrick, and Harry von Zell.

Lechner was an old time anti-communist. He was Executive Director of the Americanism Educational League, which was an arm of the California American Legion. He was also very active in the American Committee to Free Cuba. He and Burt Mold formed their own organization called Americans for Cuban Freedom. The American Committee to Free Cuba is a very interesting org that has a very interesting membership. The ACFC had many right wing extremists – California Rangers, Christian Defense League, etc. Some names of note: Robert A. Surrey, Gen. Walker’s right hand man, Kent Courtney, Hon. John Rousselot, Steve Foote, Harry Von Zell, and Jose Norman. Norman gave Loran Hall the money to get Hemming’s rifle out of hock. The check was from the ACFC. Hall knew many of these people and would give inspirational fund raising talks before many of these people.

Dave

[Harry J.Dean]

Hi,again David

I have not missed any of your posts.

In answer to most of your questions I will say the following;

I knew Dr. Lechner in passing, he was known and admired

by all in radical conservative circles. I did not know of his

Chicago connection{s}.

I knew Walter Knott very well,and of his efforts in the movement.

I knew Herb Phibrick casually,and exchanged Christmas card yearly.

ACFC,American Committee To Free Cuba,was an invention of The

John Birch Society.

I Knew Gen. Walker well.

I knew John Rousselot well.

I knew Steve Foot casually.

I knew Jose Norman well.

I knew Loran Hall,activities,speaches et al. well.

There are others in the ultra conservative 'combination'/movement

known by me also.

Harry

[David Boylan]

Hi,again David

I have not missed any of  your posts.

In answer to most of your questions I will say the following;

I knew Dr. Lechner  in passing, he was known and admired

by all in radical conservative circles. I did not know of his

Chicago connection{s}.

I knew Walter Knott very well,and of his efforts in the movement.

I knew Herb Phibrick casually,and exchanged Christmas card yearly.

ACFC,American Committee To Free Cuba,was an invention of The

John Birch Society.

I Knew Gen. Walker well.

I knew John Rousselot well.

I knew Steve Foot casually.

I knew Jose Norman well.

I knew Loran Hall,activities,speaches et al. well.

There are others in the ultra conservative 'combination'/movement

known by me also.

Harry

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Thanks Harry,

When Mold and Lechner visited Cesar Blanco and Paulino Sierra in Chicago to enlist their help, they allegedly claimed that their backers were "gamblers from the West." And they supposedly named Jake Lansky. Now, have you ever known Lechner to be involved with organized crime?

If there were just the 4 of them at this meeting, how did the FBI know about this?

Dave

Edited October 21, 2004 by David Boylan

[Harry J.Dean]

Hi,again David

I have not missed any of  your posts.

In answer to most of your questions I will say the following;

I knew Dr. Lechner  in passing, he was known and admired

by all in radical conservative circles. I did not know of his

Chicago connection{s}.

I knew Walter Knott very well,and of his efforts in the movement.

I knew Herb Phibrick casually,and exchanged Christmas card yearly.

ACFC,American Committee To Free Cuba,was an invention of The

John Birch Society.

I Knew Gen. Walker well.

I knew John Rousselot well.

I knew Steve Foot casually.

I knew Jose Norman well.

I knew Loran Hall,activities,speaches et al. well.

There are others in the ultra conservative 'combination'/movement

known by me also.

Harry

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Thanks Harry,

When Mold and Lechner visited Cesar Blanco and Paulino Sierra in Chicago to enlist their help, they allegedly claimed that their backers were "gamblers from the West." And they supposedly named Jake Lansky. Now, have you ever known Lechner to be involved with organized crime?

If there were just the 4 of them at this meeting, how did the FBI know about this?

Dave

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I do not know of Lechner being involved with organized crime. One must

recall those times and seasons, that made strange bedfellows, out of necessity

as the true saying goes.

One of the four at that meeting let drop some info. to a confederate with a

loose tongue. As an example, Any Cubans I knew, when elated always blabbed

even deep secrets.

H.Dean

[David Boylan]

I do not know of Lechner being involved with organized crime. One must

recall those times and seasons, that made strange bedfellows, out of necessity

as the true saying goes.

One of the four at that meeting let drop some info. to a confederate with a

loose tongue. As an example, Any Cubans I knew, when elated always blabbed

even deep secrets.

H.Dean

Harry,

Did you know Burt Mold? If so, what can you tell us about him?

Dave

[Harry J.Dean]

I do not know of Lechner being involved with organized crime. One must

recall those times and seasons, that made strange bedfellows, out of necessity

as the true saying goes.

One of the four at that meeting let drop some info. to a confederate with a

loose tongue. As an example, Any Cubans I knew, when elated always blabbed

even deep secrets.

H.Dean

Harry,

Did you know Burt Mold? If so, what can you tell us about him?

Dave

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Probably bumped elbows with him, nothing more.