Harry Dean: Memoirs

[Thomas H. Purvis]

Lee,

The man assisting Oswald, as well as the Asian looking individual seen at left - to the best of my knowledge have never been identified -

From the WC testimony of Carlos Bringuer:

Mr. BRINGUIER. [indicating.] See this guy, see this Japanese? He is from the Kasuga Co. here in New Orleans. He had the office in International Trade Mart.

Mr. LIEBELER. And you pointed to the person standing immediately behind and

to Oswald's right with his hands up behind his head?

Mr. BRINGUIER. [Demonstrating.] That is right.

RIF: 124-10167-10150

FBI: 89-69-1609

To: SAC, NEW ORLEANS (89-69) Date: 2/24/67

From: SA Stephen R. Callender

Subject: Assassination of JOHN F. KENNEDY

AFO

J. EHARA

--------

The above person appeared in photographs of OSWALD

taken 8/16/63 taken in front of the International

Trade Mart while OSWALD was handing out literature.

89-69-1051 This reference is a 302 interview with

JUNICHI EHARA of the Kasuga and Co. which was on

12/2/63. He informed that on 8/16/63 he was leaving

the building with John Alice and observed at least

two persons passing out leaflets. One of these persons

was later known to him to be Oswald and the other person

he described as in his early 20's, 6', 200 lbs., (this

second person is obviously STEELE), EHARA lokked [sic]

at the photographs of persons in the front of the trade

mart and identified himself, Alice and OSWALD in these

photographs. He did not know any of the other persons.

Steve Thomas

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Thank you for that Steve. I really appreciate it - I had never seen that before. Makes me wonder what this means?

(this second person is obviously STEELE),

- lee

Makes me wonder what this means?

It means that he looked so much like his father that they immediately recognized who he was.

http://www.jfk-online.com/chron.html

Testimony of Charles Steele, Jr.

Man hired by Oswald to pass out leaflets (unavailable(1))

[Thomas H. Purvis]

Lee,

The man assisting Oswald, as well as the Asian looking individual seen at left - to the best of my knowledge have never been identified -

From the WC testimony of Carlos Bringuer:

Mr. BRINGUIER. [indicating.] See this guy, see this Japanese? He is from the Kasuga Co. here in New Orleans. He had the office in International Trade Mart.

Mr. LIEBELER. And you pointed to the person standing immediately behind and

to Oswald's right with his hands up behind his head?

Mr. BRINGUIER. [Demonstrating.] That is right.

RIF: 124-10167-10150

FBI: 89-69-1609

To: SAC, NEW ORLEANS (89-69) Date: 2/24/67

From: SA Stephen R. Callender

Subject: Assassination of JOHN F. KENNEDY

AFO

J. EHARA

--------

The above person appeared in photographs of OSWALD

taken 8/16/63 taken in front of the International

Trade Mart while OSWALD was handing out literature.

89-69-1051 This reference is a 302 interview with

JUNICHI EHARA of the Kasuga and Co. which was on

12/2/63. He informed that on 8/16/63 he was leaving

the building with John Alice and observed at least

two persons passing out leaflets. One of these persons

was later known to him to be Oswald and the other person

he described as in his early 20's, 6', 200 lbs., (this

second person is obviously STEELE), EHARA lokked [sic]

at the photographs of persons in the front of the trade

mart and identified himself, Alice and OSWALD in these

photographs. He did not know any of the other persons.

Steve Thomas

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Thank you for that Steve. I really appreciate it - I had never seen that before. Makes me wonder what this means?

(this second person is obviously STEELE),

- lee

Makes me wonder what this means?

It means that he looked so much like his father that they immediately recognized who he was.

http://www.jfk-online.com/chron.html

Testimony of Charles Steele, Jr.

Man hired by Oswald to pass out leaflets (unavailable(1))

http://mcadams.posc.mu.edu/russ/testimony/steel_sr.htm

TESTIMONY OF CHARLES HALL STEELE, SR.

http://mcadams.posc.mu.edu/russ/testimony/steele.htm

Testimony Of Charles Hall Steele, Jr.

[Ernie Lazar]

A while back I was asked for information concerning Harry Dean who claims that he infiltrated the John Birch Society from 1962-1964 and that he was an informant for the FBI.

During my research into FBI HQ and field office files pertaining to the John Birch Society I received an FBI document which pertains to an inquiry about a column by James Horwitz on page 2 of the 3/16/77 issue of the Las Virgenes (CA) Independent Valley News.

The Horwitz column reported upon an "exclusive interview" with Harry Dean during which Dean repeated his claims about his alleged association with the FBI as an undercover operative or informant from 1960-1965 (notice that in this interview, Dean changed the years to include 1965).

The Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles field office (Robert E. Gebhardt) saw a copy of the Horwitz column because of an inquiry which he received about it. Gebhardt responded to the inquiry about Dean’s assertions and he forwarded a copy of his 4/1/77 reply to James K. Coffin, the Publisher of the Las Virgenes Independent Valley News.

You may obtain a copy of the column, the inquiry, and the reply by requesting Los Angeles FBI field office file #100-59001, serial #1258.

Here is the pertinent excerpt:

“In the interest of accuracy, I must advise you that Harry Dean has never been an undercover operative of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, has never been an informant of this Bureau, and has never been instructed to perform any act on behalf of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Furthermore, I can tell you that the FBI has never investigated the John Birch Society. I am bringing the above information your attention. You might consider furnishing this information to the readers of your column.”

Since I have obtained the entire FBI HQ file on the John Birch Society (12,000 pages), as well as almost all of the FBI field office files on the JBS -- it seems very odd that there is no mention whatsoever of anybody who "infiltrated" the JBS at the request of the FBI.

More significantly, there is the matter of standard Bureau procedure regarding ALL prospective informants:

1. Standard Bureau procedure regarding field office interest in using informants of any kind was that the field office had to submit a detailed investigative report about the proposed informant.

2. In addition, the informant was placed in probationary status until it could be determined whether or not the informant was providing useful and reliable information. Field offices prepared periodic summaries of the information which every informant provided.

3. Furthermore, any expenses incurred by informants (such as travel, purchasing literature, attending conferences etc) were itemized and requests for reimbursement were routinely submitted to HQ for approval (or rejection).

4. Any other monies paid to an informant also had to be explicitly approved by HQ.

5. Any verbal reports by informants were converted into typewritten memoranda summarizing what information they provided. Those written reports were placed into the files of the subjects they discussed (along with cross-referenced copies in other pertinent files).

6. I might also add that standard Bureau procedure regarding its informants was to provide a factual summary of their status. For example, here is the summary which the Bureau routinely sent out when people inquired about Julia Brown, an FBI informant within the Communist Party who subsequently became a Birch Society member and paid speaker under the auspices of its American Opinion Speakers Bureau:

"Concerning Mrs. Julia Brown, she furnished information on subversive activities to the FBI on a confidential basis from 1951 to 1960. Although she was not an employee of this Bureau, she was compensated for her services. Her current views are strictly her own and do not represent the FBI in any way." [HQ 62-104401-2499, 4/24/65].

THERE IS NO COMPARABLE BUREAU STATEMENT REGARDING HARRY J DEAN!

Given everything I have mentioned above, I would bring everyone's attention to the following facts:

1. There is no record of any kind whatsoever in any FBI HQ or field office file that Harry Dean ever was even considered as an informant much less accepted as one.

2. No official investigation of the JBS was ever opened by the FBI. There was a preliminary inquiry during 1959 and 1960 -- but once it was established that the JBS was an anti-communist organization which did not advocate or participate in criminal or subversive activities, there was no reason to "infiltrate" it.

3. There are no documents of any kind whatsoever concerning payments made to any "informant" within the JBS for expenses of any kind.

4. There are no documents of any kind whatsoever reflecting continuing periodic reports (verbal or written) by a specific "informant" whom the FBI authorized to "infiltrate" the JBS

Since I have acquired numerous FBI files on actual informants it authorized to infiltrate both legitimate and subversive organizations -- and I am, therefore, intimately familiar with the type of data contained in such files -- it is 100% certain that Harry Dean is misrepresenting his "FBI" association in order to inflate his credentials.

Furthermore, Harry Dean is on record stating that former FBI Special Agents Dan Smoot and W. Cleon Skousen were "members" of the Birch Society. But that is a total falsehood. Neither Smoot or Skousen joined the JBS. They did, however, support the JBS and both spoke at JBS functions or wrote for JBS publications.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: ernie1241@aol.com

FBI FILES ON JBS: http://ernie1241.googlepages.com/jbs-1

[Dean Hagerman]

Why bump this thread with the same info you posted in the new thread you made?

Are you obsessed with Harry Dean?

I read through all of the info you posted and none of it changed my mind torwards Harry Dean

[Terry Adams]

"I read through all of the info you posted and none of it changed my mind torwards Harry Dean" Dean Hagerman

I second that statement, Dean. Harry is, as they say, "real as rain", IMO

Edited June 8, 2010 by Terry Adams

[William Kelly]

I have personally read hundreds of pages of FBI and CIA reports on Harry Dean years before I got to know him, and I have his manuscript and think that he was, as he recognized himself to be, at the same level in the intelligence network as Oswald.

Now as for Ernie, I would like to see a personal profile of who he is and what his interests are, as I am suspicious of him.

BK

[David Boylan]

Ernie,

Anything in the JBS files about Gordon Hall, Grace Hoag, Burt Mold or Bob DePugh?

Dave

[Bernice Moore]

Now as for Ernie, I would like to see a personal profile of who he is and what his interests are, as I am suspicious of him.

BK

ADMINISTRATION, WHY WHEN ALL OTHERS MUST PROVIDE A PROFILE AND PHOTO BEFORE THEIR MEMBERSHIP IS ENABLED, AND ALLOWED TO POST, ERNIE'S PROFILE HAS NOT BEEN REQUIRED ??????? THANKS..B

[William Kelly]

Ernie,

Anything in the JBS files about Gordon Hall, Grace Hoag, Burt Mold or Bob DePugh?

Dave

Dave,

Don't hold your breath.

Ernie is so full of it that

he will never share anything unless

it fits in with his program, whatever it is.

If you figure it out,

explain it to me,

will ya?

BK

[William Kelly]

Harry Dean mentions that Dallas policeman J.D. Tippitt, who the accused assassin and Dealey Plaza Patsy is also accused of murdering, also worked at Austin's Barbecue, which was owned by a John Bircher.

XI. AUSTIN'S BARBECUE

http://mcadams.posc.mu.edu/russ/jfkinfo4/jfk12/hscalojt.htm - austins

1. The FBI interviewed Austin Cook on May 15, 1964. Cook said that he had employed J.D. Tippit at his drive-in, austin's Barbecue, at 2321 West Illinois in Dallas, for about 3 years at the time of the assassination.(107) Tippit worked on Friday and Saturday nights from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. at the barbecue as a "deterrent" to any teenage trouble from youths who frequented the establishment.(108) Cook told the FBI that he was a member of the John Birch Society, but that he had never discussed politics with Tippit and did not believe Tippit was interested in politics.(109)
2. Cook told the FBI that he never heard Tippit mention Lee Harvey Oswald or Jack Ruby or any of Jack Ruby's clubs.(110) The FBI report of the interview with Cook did not mention whether Cook had any knowledge of or acquaintance with Ruby or Oswald.
3. The committee interviewed Cook on March 9, 1978. Cook was asked if he had known Jack Ruby. Cook replied that he may have met Ruby, but he could not recall.(111) He stated further that if he had met Ruby, that would have been the extent of their association.(112)
4. In discussing his business, Cook told the committee that he originally went into business in 1946 in a grocery store at Ninth and Jefferson Streets in Dallas.(113) Cook bought the store from a woman named Bowman.(114) Her son, Bert, stayed on at the store for about 6 months after cook bought it, and Cook and Bert Bowman remained friends for many years.(115)
5. Cook said that he and Bowman became partners in 1950 at a place they named the Bull Pen at 2321 West Illinois.(116) That business ended about 1958 when Bowman bought out his share of the establishment and took the name Bull Pen with him.(117) Cook then renamed the business Austin's Barbecue.(118)
6. Cook stated that about 8 or 10 years ago, Ralph Paul bought the Bull Pen from Bowman, and Bowman in turn opened Pudnug's in Arlington, Tex.(119)
7. Bert Bowman';s wife was interviewed by FBI Special Agents Robert Lish and David Barry on November 24, 1963. She stated that she had known Ralph Paul since he first moved to Dallas from New York about 1951.(120) Mrs. Bowman said that at the time of the assassination, Ralph Paul was living in the lower level of the Bowman home on Copeland Road in Dallas.(121) Mrs. Bowman said Ralph paul was a close friend of Jack Ruby and had been of financial assistance to both Jack Ruby and Bert Bowman over the year.(122)
8. According to Mrs. Bowman, Ralph Paul expressed great concern for his friend Jack Ruby after the shooting of Oswald.(123) On November 24, 1963, Paul told Mrs. Bowman that he had spent the whole day at a lawyer's office.(124)
9. Mrs. Bowman said she was not acquainted with any friends of Paul.(125) However, on one occasion he brought a woman to the house whom he introduced as Tammy.(126) About 4 1/2 years before, Paul had brought Jack Ruby by the house.(127) Mrs. Bowman said that Ruby remained for only a short time.(128)
10. On March 9, 1978, committee investigators interviewed Masbert Leolla Cook, the former wife of Austin Cook. Mrs. Cook related that she knew J.D. Tippit when she still worked with her husband at Austin's Barbecue, where Tippit worked as a security guard.(129) Mrs. Cook stated further that she did not know either Lee harvey Oswald or Jack Ruby, but that Ralph Paul was a mutual friend of the Cooks and Jack Ruby.(130)

Submitted by:

MS. SURELL BRADY,

Staff Counsel.

REFERENCES

(1) The Warren Commission did, however, request that the FBI conduct a "limited" background investigation on Tippit. That check included interviews of the Tippit family, associates and business acquaintances. The FBI included the results of that check in a report in May 1964. It appeared in the Warren commission documents as Warren Commission exhibit 2985 (CE 2985).

(2) See ref. 1, CE 2985, p. 6.

(3) Id. at p. 7

(4) Staff interview of Marit Tippit Thomas, Dec. 8, 1977, House Select Committee on Assassinations, p. 1 (JFK Doc. No. 003988).

(5) Id. at p. 2.

(6) Id. at p. 1.

(7) Ibid.

(8) See ref. 1, CE 1974

(9) Staff interview of Murray J. Jackson, Nov. 3, 1977, House Select Committee on Assassinations, p. 1 (JFK Doc. No. 003090).

(10) Id. at p. 2.

(11) C.C. 1974. See ref. 8.

(12) Staff interview of Bill Anglin, Dec. 1, 1977, House Select Committee on Assassinations, p. 1 (JFK Doc. No. 003532).

(13) Ibid.

(14) See ref. 1, CE 2985, p. 12.

(15) Ibid.

(16) Ibid.

(17) Id. at p. 13.

(18) Ibid.

(19) Ibid.

(20) Ibid.

(21) Testimony of Calvin Bud Owens, Warren Commission Hearings. April 9, 1964, vol. VII, p. 78.

(22) See ref. 1, CE 1985, p. 9.

(23) Staff interview of Mrs. Johnnie Maxie Witherspoon, Sept. 24, 1977, House Select Committee on Assassinations, p. 1 (JFK Doc. No. 002372).

(24) Id. at pp. 1-2.

(25) Id. at p. 2.

(26) Ibid.

(27) Id. at p. 4.

(28) See ref. 1, CE 3001, p. 2.

(29) Ibid.

(30) Ibid.

(31) Staff memorandum to Bob Tanenbaum from Andy Purdy, Feb. 19, 1977, House Select committee on Assassinations, p. 2. (JFK Doc. No. 00837).

(32) Ibid.

(33) Ibid.

(34) Ibid.

(35) Ibid.

(36) Ibid.

(37) Ibid.

(38) Id. at pp. 2-3.

(39) Id. at p. 3.

(40) Ibid.

(41) Ibid.

(42) Ibid.

(43) Ibid.

(44) Ibid.

(45) Id. at p. 4.

(46) Ibid.

(47) Ibid.

(48) Staff interview of Wes Wise, May 11, 1978, House Select Committee on Assassinations (JFK Doc. No. 008721).

(49) Ibid.

(50) Investigative notes received from Wes Wise (JFK Doc. No. 013919).

(51) FBI Interview of Wes Wise, Dec. 4, 1963, FBI Report by SA Charles T. Brown, file No. DL 89-43 (JFK Doc. No. 013912).

(52) FBI Interview of Milton Love, Dec. 5, 1963, FBI Report by SA Charles T. Brown, Dec. 14, 1963, file No. DL 100-10461 (JFK Doc. No. 013918

(53) FBI Report by SA Charles T. Brown. Dec. 14, 1963, file No. DL 100-10461 (JFK Doc. No. 013916).

(54) Ibid.

(55) FBI Interview of Mrs. Carl A Mather, Dec. 5, 1963, FBI Report by DA Charles T. Brown, dec. 14, 1963, file No. DL 100-10461 (JFK Doc. No. 013914).

(56) Ibid.

(57) Ibid.

(58) Ibid.

(59) FBI Interview off Wes Wise, Dec. 9, 1963, FBI Report by SA Charles T. Brown, Dec. 14, 1963, file No. DL 100-10461 (JFK Doc. No. 013915).

(60) Ibid.

(61) Ibid.

(62) Interview of T.F. White, Dec. 13, 1963, FBI Report by SA charles T. Brown, Dec. 14, 1963, file No. 100-10461 (JFK Doc. No. 013913)>

(63) Ibid.

(64) Ibid.

(65) Ibid.

(66) Ibid.

(67) Ibid.

(68) Ibid.

(69) Staff Interview of Carl Amos Mather, Mar. 20, 1978, House Select Committee on Assassinations (JFK Doc. No. 006910).

(70) Ibid.

(71) Ibid.

(72) Id. at p. 4.

(73) Ibid.

(74) Id. at p. 2.

(75) Id. at 4.

(76) Ibid.

(77) Id. at p. 3.

(78) Ibid.

(79) Id. at p. 2.

(80) Ibid.

(81) Ibid.

(82) Id. at p. 2.

(83) Ibid.

(84) Id. at p. 3.

(85) Staff Interview of Wes Wise, Nov. 2, 1978, House Select Committee on Assassinations (JFK Doc. No. 013219).

(86) Ibid.

(87) Testimony of Domingo Benavides, Apr. 2, 1964, 6 Warren Report Hearings, p. 447.

(88) Ibid.

(89) Ibid.

(90) Ibid.

(91) Ibid.

(92) Ibid.

(93) Id. at p. 453.

(94) Ibid.

(95) Ibid.

(96) Ibid.

(97) Staff Interview of Jack R. Tatum, Feb. 1, 1978, House select Committee on Assassinations (JFK Doc. No. 6905).

(98) Ibid.

(99) Ibid.

(100) Ibid.

(101) Ibid.

(102) Ibid.

(103) Ibid.

(104) Ibid.

(105) Ibid.

(106) Ibid.

(107) FBI Interview of Austin Cook, May 15, 1964, Warren Commission Exhibit 2985, p. 10, 26 Warren Report Hearings, p. 488.

(108) Ibid.

(109) Ibid.

(110) Ibid.

(111) Staff Interview of Austin Cook, Mar. 9, 1978, House Select Committee on Assassinations, p. 2 (JFK Doc. No. 14231).

(112) Ibid.

(113) Ibid.

(114) Ibid.

(115) Ibid.

(116) Ibid.

(117) Ibid.

(118) Ibid.

(119) Ibid.

(120) FBI Interview of Mrs. Bert Bowman, Nov. 24, 1963, FBI Report by SA Robert C. Lish and David H. Barry, Nov. 15, 1963, file No. DL 44-1639 (JFK Doc. No. 004766).

(121) Ibid.

(122) Ibid.

(123) Ibid.

(124) Ibid.

(125) Id. at p. 2.

(126) Ibid.

(127) Ibid.

(128) Ibid.

(129) Staff Interview of Maevbert Leolla Cook, Mar. 9, 1978, House Select Committee on Assassinations, p. 1 (JFK Doc. No 006909).

(130) Id. at p. 2.

Ardyce Mentze

l

http://www.jfk.org/go/collections/oral-histories/interviews-by-name?letter=M

Mentzel saw the Kennedy motorcade in Dallas on November 22, 1963. Her late husband, Dallas police patrolman W.D. Mentzel, was assigned to the area in Oak Cliff where Officer J.D. Tippit was killed. Recorded May 21, 2007

http://www.oakcliff.com/oak-cliff-history-1961-70.htm

Two Titans of Oak Cliff: Ray Zauber and Austin Cook (above, picture courtesy Patsy Summey) at Austin’s BBQ Restaurant at Hampton and Illinois (now the location of a CVS Pharmacy parking lot). Zauber was associated with The Oak Cliff Tribune for forty years (1950-1990). Many of those years he was owner/publisher, but all those years, Zauber was a staunch Oak Cliff supporter! Austin’s BBQ opened in 1949 with this descriptive motto for the barbecue, "As Tender as ‘Ole Austin’s Heart”... and sometimes that was actually true!

Austin’s Bar-B-Cue (owned by Austin Cook) near the corner of Hampton Road and Illinois Avenue, served up good, old fashioned, barbecue sandwiches, with large tumblers of iced tea, and the greasiest French fries customers could wrap their lips around. After serving a million or two sandwiches, this institution gave up the ghost around the turn of the twenty-first century. (Picture courtesy of Gayla Kokel.)

The 1960s started out bright for Oak Cliff. Houses were being build, businesses were thriving. The Guinness Book of World Records even mentioned that 10th Street in Dallas had more churches per mile than any other street in the world. And the Tyler Street UMC's Sunday School was the largest in the nation -- it was a mega church before the term existed.

The darkest moment in Oak Cliff's history happened on November 22, 1963. With many Oak Cliff citizens on the streets of downtown Dallas for the welcoming parade, Lee Harvey Oswald assassinated President John F. Kennedy, as the president’s car passed in front of the Texas School Book Depository. Texas Governor and First Lady John and Nellie Connally rode in the front seat, with President and Mrs. Kennedy, in the back…..

Warren Commission Hearings, Volume XXVI

Current Section: CE 2985 - FBI report dated May 20, 1964, of investigation concerning Patrolman J. D. Tippit, Dallas Police Department, ...

http://www.maryferrell.org/mffweb/archive/viewer/showDoc.do?docId=1142&relPageId=524

[Jim Phelps]

I'll ping this up to the front page for renewed visibility.

JBS is essential on the JFK assassination.

Just be sure to plug in Bannister.

[William Kelly]

I don't know if Harry or anybody can read this, but someone sent me another package of documents and this was among them.

It's a two page letter to the CIA from the head of the American Vets Against Communism who says that the photos of the Mystery Man in Mexico City resembles Harry Dean, who he had met earlier.

I'd like to know if Harry recalls meeting this guy, and if what he says in the letter has any resemblance to the truth?

JFKCountercoup2: Harry Dean in Mexico City?

[Guest Robert Morrow]

The secret papers of Harry Dean, former FBI-CIA agent: JFK

http://www.amazon.com/secret-papers-Harry-former-FBI-CIA/dp/B0006PBVW0/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1332988385&sr=1-1

[Harry J.Dean]

The secret papers of Harry Dean, former FBI-CIA agent: JFK

http://www.amazon.com/secret-papers-Harry-former-FBI-CIA/dp/B0006PBVW0/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1332988385&sr=1-1

Robert

That Secret Papers was/is rubbish-Not authored by me,

it is authored by W.R. Morris author of Walking Tall.

This and other like fictions were vengeful efforts by

a 'disgruntled Morris' to involve and endanger me.

It is 25 pages of stupidity!

[Harry J.Dean]

I don't know if Harry or anybody can read this, but someone sent me another package of documents and this was among them.

It's a two page letter to the CIA from the head of the American Vets Against Communism who says that the photos of the Mystery Man in Mexico City resembles Harry Dean, who he had met earlier.

I'd like to know if Harry recalls meeting this guy, and if what he says in the letter has any resemblance to the truth?

JFKCountercoup2: Harry Dean in Mexico City?

Hi, Bill

I cannot figure who this person is. Seems like he was kind of sneaky.

He does have some wrong and objectionable short sighted personal opinions.

He is of target in 60 percent of his presentation.

In any case this was taken up by Hoover, I read such a report somewhere

via computer.