Edward Haslam

Rorke versus Rourke There seems to be confusion in this thread over two different people with similar sounding names that appear in Judyth Vary Baker’s book ME AND LEE. They are Raleigh Rourke and Alex Rorke, and they have nothing to do with each other. Alex Rorke is a CIA affiliated pilot active in the anti-Castro operation. He is well known to the JFK research community. Lee knew him before he met Judyth. Alex is mentioned in the index of ME AND LEE and on p. 176, 492, 496 - 498, 502-503, 508-510. The other person is Raleigh Rourke who is not mentioned in the MAL index, but should be. This will be corrected in future printings. Raleigh’s name appears on p. 101, 111,112, 113, and 176 where the confusion is explained in the text, and on p. 191. Raleigh was a friend of J’s fiancée Robert Baker. Since Robert’s parents did not approve of his relationship with Judyth, Robert instructed her to use Raleigh Rourke name as a return address on envelopes when writing to him at his parent’s house, so that his parents would not know the letters were from Judyth. This is essentially why Judyth was inquiring about a letter from a Mr. Rourke at the post office in New Orleans. When Lee Oswald was standing in line behind Judyth at the post office in New Orleans at the time she made the request, Lee heard the name and thought that “Rourke” was “Rorke,” the last name of Alex Rorke, an anti-Castro CIA asset that Lee knew through those circles. Lee also heard Judyth refer to a Robert Baker and thought this was the name of a U.S. Government agent from Miami, rather than Judyth fiancé in Ft. Walton Beach, Florida. This confusion led Lee to conclude that Judyth knew more than she did about the covert anti-Castro community and their operations. The direct result of this was that Lee introduced Judyth to David Ferrie, the following day, while Dr. Ochsner was still out of town. When Dr. Ochsner returned, he claimed that involving her in this anti-Castro crowd was not his intention. I don’t know if I believe him. I hope this helps. My Best, Ed Haslam

Hey, Jack, Thanks for your questions. I have great admiration for the work that you have done over the years. I will say that I am confident that if you read ME AND LEE with the same "close scrutiny" that you have used to study all those photos, then you will come to reasonable answers... whatever they may be. And I will be interested to hear your thought about them when you do. From my own experience, I will say that, despite the considerable contact that I had with Judyth since Nov. 2000 and all of the other previous attempts by others to recount her tale, I did not understand "the flow" of her story. While I did think that certain "landmarks" grounded her story (such as the W2 form from Reily Coffee and her time at Roswell Park Cancer Institute), there was still a forest of unanswered questions for me. I found much of her tale "disconnected" and her retelling of it "confusing," particularly on important issues like how she became involved with people like Dr. Alton Ochsner and the erratic path of her college career. I queried Judyth relentlessly about these issues, the gaps in the story, and many other issues. There were many tense moments during this process, and she became frustrated with me at times. But I finally realized this was because there were things that she was reluctant to discuss, some for personal reasons. This process took more time than I anticipated, but eventually what I found was that the key to understanding her New Orleans activities lies in the years before she arrived in New Orleans and before she met Lee Oswald. I finally realized that understanding what made young "Judy Vary" tick was as important as anything we have heard to date about her romance with Lee Oswald. She was the resource that they needed to create the bio-weapon secretly, and there is nothing glorious or glamorous about killing baby mice, amputating their tumors and grinding them up in a blender. In fact, she became disgusted with what she was doing and realized that she had been lead down the path of evil by those she trusted. In the final analysis, I consider Judyth "a witness," not "a researcher," and I think that her story must be understood in that light. But the questions remain: What insights can we gain from the recollections of this witness? And do they help us understand what happened in Dallas? Overall, I will say that my view of her Judyth shifted as I read ME AND LEE. The portrait it paints of her is not particularly flattering, but it rings true. And it is a better grounded story than I expected to find. One that makes far more sense than anything I had heard from earlier versions. One whose pieces fit together better than I had expected. One that I hope that you (and the others seriously concerned about this subject) will read with an open mind. My Best, Ed Haslam

Jack, Thanks for your questions. I have great admiration for the work that you have done over the years. I will say that I am confident that if you read ME AND LEE with the same "close scrutiny" that you have used to study all those photos, then you will come to reasonable answers... whatever they may be. And I will be interested to hear your thought about them when you do. From my own experience, I will say that, despite the considerable contact that I had with Judyth since Nov. 2000 and all of the other previous attempts by others to recount her tale, I did not understand "the flow" of her story. While I did think that certain "landmarks" grounded her story (such as the W2 form from Reily Coffee and her time at Roswell Park Cancer Institute), there was still a forest of unanswered questions for me. I found much of her tale "disconnected" and her retelling of it "confusing," particularly on important issues like how she became involved with people like Dr. Alton Ochsner and the erratic path of her college career. I queried Judyth relentlessly about these issues, the gaps in the story, and many other issues. There were many tense moments during this process, and she became frustrated with me at times. But I finally realized this was because there were things that she was reluctant to discuss, some for personal reasons. This process took more time than I anticipated, but eventually what I found was that the key to understanding her New Orleans activities lies in the years before she ever arrived in New Orleans and before she ever met Lee Oswald. I finally realized that understanding what made young "Judy Vary" tick was as important as anything we have heard to date about her romance with Lee Oswald. She was the resource that they needed to create the bio-weapon secretly, and there is nothing glorious or glamorous about killing baby mice, amputating their tumors and grinding them up in a blender. In fact, she became disgusted with what she was doing and realized that she had been lead down the path of evil by those she trusted. In the final analysis, I consider Judyth "a witness," not "a researcher," and I think that her story must be understood in that light. But the questions remain: What insights can we gain from the recollections of this witness? And do they help us understand what happened in Dallas? Overall, I will say that my view of her Judyth shifted as I read ME AND LEE. The portrait is paints of her is not particularly flattering, but it rings true. And it is a better grounded story than I expected to find. One that makes far more sense than anything I had heard from earlier versions. One whose pieces fit together better than I had expected. One that I hope that you (and the others seriously concerned about this subject) will read with an open mind. My Best, Ed Haslam

Dear Forum Members, First, to John Simkin. My condolences on the loss of your mother. It seems lived a good long life. Your tribute was well-taken. Next, I can't help but think that this discussion of Judyth Vary Baker will be more productive once the members have read her soon-to-be-released book ME AND LEE, which will be her official autobiographical portrait of how her quest to find a cure for cancer lead her to work as a secretary at the Reily Coffee Company in New Orleans in the summer of 1963 under the direction of an ex-FBI agent and at the exact same time that Lee Oswald worked there. Trine Day Press has put a great deal of effort into making sure that the documents are well presented and that her story is properly edited for a thoughtful read by those who really want to hear her tale. Like many, I wish such a book had been available many years earlier. Unfortunately, it was not. I do hope that this forum's members, which are among the best informed JFK assassination researchers engaged in public debate, will read this important book with an open mind. And I look forward to their discussion about it, once they do. Until then, all involved should realize that what is being discussed here is based primarily upon an incomplete recounting of her story and illuminated by a constellation of malignant perceptions which emerged over years of inadequate, and occassioanally inappropriate, representations. What you will read is the personal story of a witness to an important, albeit infamous, chapter of our history - one which deserves a fair hearing, a full review of the evidence, and the benefit of solid analysis. Once that happens, I look forward to reading your thoughts about it. My Best to all, Ed Haslam author of DR. MARY'S MONKEY

Thanks for the post, Douglas. Just a clarification on time, due to the varous time-zones around the world. The 3 hour segment will begin: at 11:00pm PT on Sunday, May 11th which is the same as 2:00am ET (U.S. Eastern Time) on Monday, May 12th. Ian Punnett will do the interview. Ed Haslam

John, et al, I am very busy with my professional life at the moment and have not had time to participate in this forum. Perhaps that will change one day, but for the moment I have to focus on other things. Thanks for your interest. Ed Haslam author of DR. MARY'S MONKEY www.TheMonkeyVirus.com

Once again, Gus Russo is close. Quoting Russo (thanks to Bill Kelly)... <<< What actually jumped out at this writer (Gus Russo) was the cover letter by Howard Osborne, the CIA’s former Director of Security and author of the compilation. Osborne’s memo serves as an introduction and brief description of the episodes he catalogued in the remaining 701 pages. Osborne’s bullet-point list, which notes the aforementioned topics, is almost all-inclusive, but what struck me is the fact that, of the eight topics listed in numerical order, seven are described, but one is completely redacted. And not just any one, but the very first one! The pages that refer to this topic are also completely white. >>> Ed Haslam's comment: So I was sitting in a taxi cab with Gus Russo on Bourbon St. in New Orleans in late-January 1991. He was working on the PBS Frontline story about Lee Harvey Oswald. I had just provided him with the location of Guy Banister's missing files and identified the person who showed them to me (Ed Butler, Executive Director of INCA (the Information Council of the America's, a right-wing propoganda mill founder and financed by Dr. Alton Ochsner, former President of the American Cancer Society who had produced an audio recording (if not arranged same) of Lee Harvey Oswald in the Summer o f1963.)) Then Gus turned to me and said, "So, Ed, what are your really interested in?" "Monkey Viruses," I replied. Russo's head snapped and he stared at me. "Where do you go with that?" I asked. "AIDS," he said. I guess that was just Gus's way of "filling in the blanks." I present the CIA docs at www.TheMonkeyVirus.com . Ed Haslam author of DR. MARY'S MONKEY

Flash: CIA Family Jewel # 1 still censored. What is it? From www.TheMonkeyVirus.com On Tuesday, June 26, 2007 the CIA released a memo from the CIA Director of Security to the CIA Management Committee ( CIA Director, Deputy Director, etc.) The memo lists “illegal operations” conducted by the CIA from March 1959 to June 1964. These projects are what the CIA considers the “skeletons” in the CIA closet. The memo entitled the list “FAMILY JEWELS.” JEWEL # 1 is presumably the most important and egregious on the list. Yet, it is still completely censored 35+ years after the memo was written. Given the other items on the list include CIA-Mafia plots against Fidel Castro and the role of Attorney General Robert Kennedy is planning assassinations, why is JEWEL #1 still censored? To see this page, click JEWEL # 1. Following the summary list are explanations of each item. Every single word of the 3 page description of JEWEL # 1 is completely censored. Every single word. What are they hiding 35 years later? To see the whole document, click FAMILY JEWELS. My thanks to the National Security Archives for helping to make these documents available to the public. Is FAMILY JEWEL # 1 the bio-weapon discussed in Dr. Mary’s Monkey? If they will disclose it, I will stop speculating. In the meantime, I think it is a fair question. >>> Ed Haslam, links work from inside www.TheMonkeyVirus.com

David, I have a few questions about your thoughtful post about what the Kennedy's knew and/or approved of. Did Bobby authorize the raid on the McClaney camp in the Summer of 1963? The raid was over a year after the May 1962 date you mention above. Did Bobby tolerate the camp for a year? Or was he unable to take action against them until someone penetrated the operation and located the camp for him in the summer of 1963? Due to millions of dollars of "unvouchered expeditures" at the CIA, the Kennedy's knew they had a control problem at the CIA. And due to the problems between the Kennedy's and J. Edgar Hoover, they could not rely on the FBI to provide information on the CIA's deep-cover projects, as they might have under "normal" circumstances. Do you think that the Kennedy's used their personal money and influence to recruit "off the books" assets to spy on illegal CIA/Mafia operations? From your above comment about the Kennedy's being "in the dark", am I correct in assuming that you do not think that Bobby was aware of the kill-Castro bio-weapon project that was being run out of David Ferrie's apartment? Ed Haslam www.DrMarysMonkey.com www.TheMonkeyVirus.com

I have heard that Rockwell's address was found in Oswald's address book. I mention this here as here-say and have never given the subject much thought, nor felt the need to confirm it. However, if there is a Forum member with access to this information (like the WC volumes) that can confirm this, it might help the conversation get a footing. As a person who grew up in New Orleans during the 1960s, I have a significant appreciation for the anti-black attitudes that were present in the city. Whether there were operational connections between the ANP and these elements is a distinct question which I can not answer. However, if someone was trying to infiltrate radical organizations, both the FPCC and the ANP might quailify. Thanks, Ed Haslam www.TheMonkeyVirus.com www.DrMarysMonkey.com

Thanks for the opportunity to discuss "the McClaney apartment." I have wanted to for years. I will address some of it now and will try to get back to it later. In 1992 I went to New Orleans to assist Gus Russo in his research for the PBS show "Frontline" which was doing an episode on Lee Oswald. This event was the result of on introduction arranged by Jim DiEugenio whose review of DR. MARY'S MONKEY has been posted to http://www.ctka.net/haslem.html. (I was trying to identify who had shown me Guy Banister's files; it turned out to be Ed Butler and the files were located in INCA.) Gus had his own objectives. Due to my 35 years of living in New Orleans, I knew the city well and drove Guy Russo around. This is discussed in DR. MARY'S MONKEY. Gus and I stopped at 4907 Magazine which had been Lee and Marina Oswald's apartment in the summer of 1963. The owner of the building was just leaving. He held a folder newspaper in his hand and was studying the horse races for the day. Gus stopped him and introduced himself and noted his interest in the horse racing forms. I stood nearby and listened. The owner said that he was headed to the horse track to watch the races. Gus asked him who he bought the house from. He said "a guy from the track," meaning the horse race track. Shortly, the man left. Knowing that one of our next stop was the land records office of New Orleans City Hall, I mentioned to Gus Russo that McClaney (Cuban Casino connections and anti-Castro guerrilla training camp) was a big name at the track and that he had a business that supplied feed to the horse track. Further, I suggest that it might be appropriate to keep an eye out for the name while he was looking at the land ownership records of Oswald's apartment. I drove Gus to City Hall. He did his research; I did mine. I wanted to know who owned 3225 Louisiana Ave Parkway, which I had ID'ed as a Ferrie-related asset. What I found was that the property was lost in legal limbo due to probate and was being managed by a law firm. This is an interesting point, since "who owned the property" was irrelevant to how it was being used. I never asked Gus Russo what he found in the title search. I considered this restraint appropriate, since he held his research close to his chest and I did not want to interfer. The next I heard of it was when I got a phone call at home from a man named Bill Kelly who made claims about McClaney and the LHO apartment that I said that I could not validate. I explained to him what I just explained to you. The claim was later repeated in BARRY AND THE BOYS by Daniel Hopsicker with CIA implications. Since Gus Russo never told me what he found, I must say I do not know. You might want to ask Gus Russo what he found. But whoever actually owned 4907 Magazine in 1963 may be as irrelevant and who owned 3225 Louisiana Ave. Parkway. The real question is who controlled it at the time. Maybe a lawyer whose name would not have been listed on the title. I do find it significant that Adele Edisen (whom I believe) was given a phone number for Oswald (his Magazine Street landlord's phone) several week prior to his moving in. To my mind, this indicates that someone had prior knowledge of Oswald's moves and took the trouble to get a post-doc PHD medical researcher to call him to keep tabs on him. The information was given to Dr. Edisen by Dr. Jose Rivera whom I will discuss in greated detail in another post in the near future. Ed Haslam www.TheMonkeyVirus.com www.DrMarysMonkey.com

Hello, Robert. Great question! Yes, there were connections between Murchison and Dr. Ochsner, as well as to Ochsner Clinic. A bit of background, Murchison was a Texas oilman whose son bought the New Orleans football team "The Saints." Most of what I talked about in this niche in DR. MARY'S MONKEY (and before) came from Ochsner's official biography: ALTON OCHSNER: THE SURGEON OF THE SOUTH which is listed in my bibliography. While acknowledging this relationship, they argue that Ochsner's relationship was medical and go to lengths to divorce Ochsner from Murchison's efforts to purchase (and sell) 30,000 acres of swamp land (1/3 of the land mass within the geo-defintion of New Orleans) upon which NASA (under LBJ direction) build the Michaud facility that made the tanks for the Space Shuttle. This is discussed on pages 181 - 182 of DR. MARY'S MONKEY. Big bucks go here. I was told Murchison bought it from Lady Bird... word of mouth. I do not know anything about Clint's cancer mentioned above, but one might want to check Wild's and Harkey, the official biographers for related info. Whether this connection has to do with killing JFK is not implied here. What I do consider significant is the possible involvement of the CIA in the financing of Ochsner's clinic, via the Hill-Burton fund, a program whose 159 instances were mentioned by CIA Director Stansfield Turner to the U.S. Congress. If one wanted to investigate something about the CIA and Ochsner hoping to find documents that connect the two, this would be an area worth pursuing. Ed Haslam www.TheMonkeyVirus.com www.DrMarysMonkey.com

Well, here I am. Let's see if I can figure out how to work the interface. Ed Haslam www.TheMonkeyVirus.com

I would like to point out something that I have not seen discussed in the conversation about Walter Sheridan and Jim Garrison. Sheridan was supposedly working as an NBC reporter and had come to New Orleans to investigate Garrison and his JFK claim. The first point is that the local NBC affiliate was WDSU-TV owned by Edgar Stern who also owned WDSU radio. Well, WDSU was the TV station that sent out the camera to film Oswald passing out leaflets in front of the Trade Mart, and WDSU was the radio station that broadcasted the Oswald debate. Does that sound like an objective editorial environment to you?

Edward Haslam is an advertising executive who has represented some of the largest corporations in America. Originally from New Orleans, he has lived in Florida since 2000. In 2007 he published “Dr. Mary’s Monkey”. The book looks at the murder of Dr. Mary Sherman and the possible connections to Lee Harvey Oswald and the assassination of JFK.