Steve Thomas

In researching Manuel Orcaberro Rodriguez, who rented the house on Harlendale, I ran across the name Osvaldo Aurelio Pino Pino. He was interviewed by the FBI on September 8, 1964 in connection with the visit to Sylvia Odio's home by three men, one of whom it has been alleged to be LHO. This interview is CE 2390 at 25h370. He told the FBI that he was a member of the Second National Front of the Escambray (Operation Alpha 66). He also said that there was a general meeting of various anti-Castro groups at the picnic grounds of White Rock Lake "several months ago." (I'm assuming that was in 1964.) In looking up the name Pino in the NARA database, the 1962 and early 1963 documents produce results like these: AGENCY INFORMATION AGENCY : FBI RECORD NUMBER : 124-90078-10044 RECORDS SERIES : HQ AGENCY FILE NUMBER : CR 105-93163-471 DOCUMENT INFORMATION ORIGINATOR : FBI FROM : LO TO : HQ TITLE : [No Title] DATE : 03/19/1962 PAGES : 4 DOCUMENT TYPE : PAPER, TEXTUAL DOCUMENT SUBJECTS : OSVALDO AURELIO PINO PINO; [RESTRICTED] CLASSIFICATION : SECRET RESTRICTIONS : 4 CURRENT STATUS : POSTPONED IN FULL DATE OF LAST REVIEW : 07/07/1998 OPENING CRITERIA : INDEFINITE COMMENTS : MEMO; and this: AGENCY INFORMATION AGENCY : FBI RECORD NUMBER : 124-90078-10002 RECORDS SERIES : HQ AGENCY FILE NUMBER : 105-120874-1 DOCUMENT INFORMATION ORIGINATOR : FBI FROM : DL TO : HQ TITLE : [No Title] DATE : 05/20/1963 PAGES : 3 DOCUMENT TYPE : PAPER, TEXTUAL DOCUMENT SUBJECTS : OSVALDO AURELIO PINO PINO; ASBALDO AURELIO PINO CLASSIFICATION : SECRET RESTRICTIONS : 1B; 1C CURRENT STATUS : RELEASED WITH DELETIONS DATE OF LAST REVIEW : 06/09/1999 OPENING CRITERIA : INDEFINITE COMMENTS : MEMO Later documents in the 1964 and 1965 time frame are unclassified and open in full. Does anyone anything about this guy? Steve Thomas

from ajweberman's site Nodule 19: The HSCA reported that on October 4, 1977, "an anonymous informant named Fred [Fred Claasen ] called the HSCA several times and indicated a close relationship with the late JOHN V. MARTINO. Fred said that MARTINO told him he 'worked for the CIA,' and that President Kennedy was killed by anti-Castro Cubans. MARTINO said the assassins knew the motorcade route before they went to Dallas." [HSCA Memo Fonzi to Fenton 10.4.77] Author Tony Summers quoted Fred Claasen as having said: "MARTINO said OSWALD wasn't the hit man. He told me 'The anti-Castro types put OSWALD together...OSWALD didn't know who he was working for...He was there to meet his contact at the Texas Theater [the movie house where he was arrested]...They were to meet OSWALD in the theater and get him out of the country then eliminate him. OSWALD made a mistake. There was no way we could get to him. They had Ruby kill him." Steve Thomas

Pat, From the November 18, 1994 testimony of Joe Backes before the ARRB: "Several retired Dallas policemen have files and evidence relating to this case. So far there have been two books from Dallas policemen, Jesse Curry's assassination file, recently there is a book by Gary Savage, I believe, a nephew of Rusty Livingston who worked in the crime lab. This book is called, First Day Evidence. Rusty Livingston would have a lot of evidence and files relating to the case that would be worth looking at." Steve Thomas

William Trull accompanied Paulino Sierra on some of his speaking engagements before Cuban exiles in Miami when Sierra was trying to drum up support for the Junta. Trull's and Sierra's accounts differ on who contacted who in regards to getting together. (see volume X of the HSCA Hearings pp. 97-98). Trull has been identified as an "entertainer" from Dallas. In Nodule 7 of ajweberman's site, he identifies Trull as a Chicago businessman. so who is this Trull guy? A google search failed to produce anything on him beyond what's noted above. Steve Thomas

In Larry Hanccock's, "Someone Would Hve Talked", Exhibit 1-21 is an HSCA memo from Belford Lawson to Ken Klein. It concerns information on John Martino received from an anonymous informant named "Fred" who said he was associated with Martino through the "import export" business. "Fred" lived in Fort Worth. Lawson could never call "Fred" back because "Fred" would only call him from pay phones. In the DPD Archives Box 2, Folder# 6, Item# 9 there is a memo From Detective Anderton concerning his 12/1/63 interview with prisoner Robert Borchgardt (although I believe that this is Richard Borchgardt who stood in one of the lineups with Lee Harvey Oswald). Borchgardt told Anderton that he had information that four men: E. Dalrymple, Lawrence Miller, Perry Wydell, and Marvin Frazier worked for a man named "Fred", also called "the Big Dago" and "The Goose". "Fred" worked for a group out of Chicago and that he runs stolen cars and guns to Mexico brings back narcotics into the U.S. The name Lawrence Miller should jump out at you from the LaFontaine's "Oswald Talked" fame. Borchgardt said that Perry Wydell worked for Ruby as a bouncer some time back. Stolen cars and guns to Mexico and narcotics back to the U.S. sounds like an import/export business to me. I wonder if it could be the same "Fred"... Steve Thomas

In another Forum, a member was asking about an assassination warning the Secret Service received in March of 1963. Reference to this warning can be found on page 230 of the HSCA Final Report here: http://history-matters.com/archive/jfk/hsc...eport_0130b.htm Based on what is in the HSCA Report, the details might be found in footnote number 17 of Chapter XI of Volume 10 of the HSCA Hearings. http://www.aarclibrary.org/publib/jfk/hsca...AC_11_Junta.pdf If you scroll down to the bottom of the page, footnote number 17 refers to a Report filed by the Chicago Secret Service field office. Is this the Report where the Washington office ordered the Chicago office to send them all copies of the Report and any field notes and never discuss it with anyone else? Has anyone here ever seen this Chicago Secret Service Report? Steve Thomas

Dixie, According to Mary Ferrell's database, it's on CD 205. If you have access to the Warren Commission documents, you might find it there. Steve Thomas

I have always figured that there was more to Watergate, than we were ever told. From a March 22, 1973 conversation betwen Nixon, Halderman, Mitchell, Ehrlichman, and Halderman: Ehrlichman: John says he's sorry he sent those burglars in there, and that helps a lot. Nixon: That's right. Mitchell: You are very welcome sir [laughter] Halderman: Just glad the others didn't get caught. Nixon: Yeah, the ones we sent to Muskie and all the rest, Jackson and Hubert and uh [unintelligible] and I went, "Whoa." Steve Thomas from: Emery, Fred. Watergate. Times Books, 1994, p. 278

James, From the WC testimony of Carlos Bringuer: Mr. BRINGUIER. And there is something that I want to show you too. I told to you about the training camp that were across the Lake Pontchartrain. Mr. LIEBELER. Yes. Mr. BRINGUIER. [Producing newspaper.] At the beginning of August in the Diario Las Americas from Miami for September 4--- Mr. LIEBELER. For September 4, 1963? Mr. BRINGUIER. That is right. [indicating photograph.] This is the spy who was inside the training camp. [indicating.] Here is another interview from Fernandez here 3 days later. Mr. LIEBELER. You are referring to a copy of the same newspaper but for the date of September 6, 1963, on the front page of which---- Mr. BRINGUIER. [indicating.] Here. "Fernando Fernandez is in favor of coexistence with the Communist regime of Castro." That is the title in Spanish. I don't know what paper he was referring to though, unless Diario Las Americas is the name of the paper. The Miami Public Library probably has archive copies back to 1963 on microfilm. Steve Thomas

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. Steve Thomas

James, I don't think it's the same guy. The bone structure seems different. Let me know if you ever do come up with a photo. I've been researching the whole MDC thing lately. The people involved seem to be tied into Oswald's life in New Orleans. Steve Thomas

Lee, Lee gave a talk to a Jesuit Seminary in Mobile, AL at the invitation of his cousin Eugene Murret. Eugene was studying there. You can find a little about it in the WC testimony of John Murret here: http://jfkassassination.net/russ/testimony/murret_j.htm The Warren Commission exhibit you reference were notes LHO wrote to himself on Holland-American Lines stationary. That was the shipping line the Oswalds used on their way back from Russia in 1962. I think the speech he gave to the Jesuits is either CE 97 or CE 102 also in that volume 16. Steve Thomas

From Richard Billings' New Orleans Journal http://www.jfk-online.com/billings2.html Giant (Jim Garrison) has talked to two Cubans who convinced there was a camp set up to plan and train for Castro assassination . . . Camp was north of lake . . . A spy was found in camp in August, driven to Miami and questioned by Laureano Batista . . . Fowler points out there were two camps -- one CDP where the spy, Fernando Fernandez, was caught; another run by ultra conservatives . . . From a 3/22/67 Report to Jim Garrison by William Gurvich of an interview with Rudolph Richard Davis as found in Larry Hancock's, Someone Would Have Talked, Exhibits 5-3A "One member of this camp was Fernando Fernandez, an oriental, "one hundred percent chinese."" Is the man on the left of this photograph with his hands behind his head, Fernando Fernandez? Someone may have a better copy of this picture. This is WC Exhibit Pizzo 453-A found in 21H139. Steve Thomas

Between 1940 and 1973, six American presidents from both political parties secretly recorded just under 5,000 hours of conversations. This site is designed as a service to the research community by making freely available all of the presidential recordings, along with relevant research materials, so that scholars, teachers, students, and the public can hear and use these remarkable tapes for themselves. The site is hosted and maintained by the Presidential Recordings Program at the University of Virginia's Miller Center of Public Affairs. http://www.whitehousetapes.org/ Steve Thomas

Wade, Thank you. His name was Donald Wayne House. You can find one article on him here: http://mcadams.posc.mu.edu/cowtown.txt If you do a google search on House, you'll find others. Steve Thomas

Wade, Robertson figures in Vince Palamara's article about a possible SS agent who died in Dallas that day. There is no way to know if the following is connected at all. But, you remember Bernard Weissman of the black bordered ad? How about this... From the WC testimony of Bernard Weissman: Mr. WEISSMAN. We left out one man, one of the original men. His name was James Moseley. Mr. JENNER. Was he a GI with you? Mr. WEISSMAN. No; he was an American civilian. His father was a major--is a major in the Army. Mr. JENNER. And was he an acquaintance of yours? Mr. WEISSMAN. Yes. Mr. JENNER. Prior to this time? Mr. WEISSMAN. Not prior to this. I met him when I went into the organization. Mr. JENNER. I see. Was he an acquaintance of Mr. Schmidt's? Mr. WEISSMAN. Yes. Mr. JENNER. This man you have now mentioned, Moseley, was a civilian in Germany? Mr. WEISSMAN. He was a civilian; yes. Mr. JENNER. How did he come to be in Munich? Was his father stationed there? Mr. WEISSMAN. His father was stationed there. But he was also employed by Rambler--he was selling Ramblers. There was a witness in Dealey Plaza who talked about starting to leave the scene and had to jam on his breaks because a red Chevrolet went roaring around him or her (sorry, can't remember the name of the witness.) I wonder if it was the same red Chevrolet descibed here. The first car I think was the one Donald Wayne House was driving. Steve Thomas

Ryan, Now that the Dallas Police Archives are back up, you can find reports from most of them in Box 2, Folder# 7 here: http://jfk.ci.dallas.tx.us/box2.htm I can't vouch that all of them are there, but I think you'll find most. As for the Report from Stringfellow to Curry about Oswald being arrested in the balcony, that one always puzzled me, because I don't think Stringfellow was even there. Steve Thomas

Ron, Mine is not a popular position, but I personally believe that McDonald acted badly. I think he saw Oswald's gun in his pants, probably yelled out "Gun", and made a grab for it. Oswald instinctively tried to protect himself and lashed out. Remember McDonald said that Oswald's hands were shoulder high when McDonald made a grab for the gun. At least that's my take. Steve Thomas

Ron, He didn't. Here's a 2003 piece I wrote in the Lancer Forum called, "The Snap That Never Was." "The Snap That Never Was" I have always taken it on faith that during his arrest at the Texas Theater, Lee Harvey Oswald took out his gun and attempted to shoot arresting Officer M.N. McDonald. This is based on accounts of an audible "snap" that was heard. Later, we read accounts that the only reason Oswald's attempted murder of McDonald didn't succeed because of a bent primer or a "misfire" I would like to contend that perhaps the "snap" that was heard was either the sound of something else, or was accidently caused by the officers seeing the gun and immediately reacting to take it away from Oswald and that Oswald did not attempt to shoot Officer McDonald. I say this for the following three reasons: 1) Here are the accounts of the arresting officers filed with Police Chief Curry on Decembers 2 - 5, 1963. They can be found in the DAllas Police Archives, Box 2, Folder# 7 http://jfk.ci.dallas.tx.us/box2.htm E.L. Cunningham: "When I reached the seating area on the main floor, several officers were in the process of disarming and handcuffing the suspect. ...I did not see anything that indicated that any more force was used than was absolutely necessary to effect the arrest". Paul Bentley: "Just as I entered the lower floor, I saw Patrolman McDonald fighting with this suspect. I saw this suspect pull a pistol from his shirt, so I went to Patrolman McDonald's aid immediately" Bob Carroll: "When I arrived at the lower floor, Lee Harvey Oswald was resisting vigorously"...At this time I observed a pistol with the muzzle pointed in my direction. I grabbed the pistol and stuck it in my belt..." Ray Hawkins: "The subject stood up and as Officer McDonald started to search him, he struck Officer McDonald in the face. The subject and Offcier McDonald began to fight and both fell down in the seats. Officer Walker and I ran toward the subject and grabbed him by his left arm. The subject had reached in his belt for a gun and Officer McDoanld was holding his right hand with the gun in it". T.A. Hutson: "As I entered the row of seats behind the suspect he jumped up and hit Officer McDonald in the face with his fist, Officer McDonald was in the seat next to the one in which the suspect was originally sitting, and the suspect was up out of his seat struggling with Officer McDonald. I reached over the back of the seats and placed my right arm around the suspect's neck and pulled him up on back of the seat. Officer C.T. WAlker came up and was struggling with the suspect's left hand, and as Officer McDonald struggled with with the suspect's right hand, he moved it to his waist and drew a pistol and as Officer McDonald tried to disarm the suspect, I heard the pistol snap". K.E. Lyon: "Enroute to the City Hall, Oswald refused to answer all questions. and he kept repeating, "Why am I being arrested? I know I was carrying a gun, but why else am I being arrested"? M.N. McDonald: "When I got within a foot of him, I told the suspect to get to his feet. He stood up immediately, bringing his hands up about shoulder high and saying, "Well it's over now". I was reaching for his waist and he struck me on the nose with his left hand. With his right hand, he reached for his waist and both our hands were on a pistol that was stuck in his belt under his shirt. We both fell into the seats struggling for the pistol. ... I managed to get my right hadn on the pistol over the suspect's hand. I could feel his hand on the trigger. I then got a secure grip on the butt of the pistol. I jerked the pistol and as it was clearing the suspect's clothing and grip I heard the snap of the hammer and the pistol crossed over my left cheek, causing a four inch scratch". As you can see from reading these reports, at no time in the first 10 to 12 days following the assassination, did any of the arresting officers on the scene claim that Oswald tried to shoot M.N. McDonald. If the pistol did go off and cause a "snap" of the hammer falling into place, it was because McDonald jerked it out of Oswald's pants. 2) When questioned by Captain Fritz on the afternoon of November 22nd, Fritz did not accuse Oswald of trying to shoot Officer McDonald. Fritz (4H214) Mr. FRITZ. He told me he went over and caught a bus and rode the bus to North Beckley near where he lived and went by home and changed clothes and got his pistol and went to the show. I asked him why he took his pistol and he said, "Well, you know about a pistol; I just carried it." Let's see if I asked him anything else right that minute. That is just about it. Mr. BALL. Did you ask him if he killed Tippit? Mr. FRITZ. Sir? Mr. BALL. Did you ask him if he shot Tippit? Mr. FRITZ. Oh, yes. Mr. BALL. What did he say. Mr. FRITZ. He denied it---that he did not. The only thing he said he had done wrong, "The only law I violated was in the show; I hit the officer in the show; he hit me in the eye and I guess I deserved it." He said, "That is the only law I violated." He said, "That is the only thing I have done wrong." 3) If Oswald had attempted to shoot Officer McDonald, why were no charges of attempted murder filed as they were in the case of Governor Connally? I believe that the account of Oswald trying to shoot McDonald was invented after the fact. Steve Thomas

Roger, Yes, the source for this is Detective Guy Rose and his testimony before the Warren Commission at 7H229. Rose was one of the first people to talk to Oswald when he was brought down to police headquarters. Oswald's answer was in response to Rose's question about where he (Oswald) lived. Mr. Ball: Did you ask him what his address was? Mr. Rose: Yes, but from there, he wouldn’t tell me – He just said, “You just find out”. Steve Thomas

John, This is Chapter 5 from The Taking of America, 1-2-3 by Richard Sprague. Here's the Table of Contents: http://www.ratical.org/ratville/JFK/ToA/ Steve Thomas

James, One person's name I didn't see was Fernando Fernandez. From Richard Billings' New Orleans Journal http://www.jfk-online.com/billings2.html "A spy was found in camp in August, driven to Miami and questioned by Laureano Batista . . . CDP tried to turn spy over to FBI, but Bureau had no jurisdiction . . Fowler points out there were two camps -- one CDP where the spy, Fernando Fernandez, was caught; another run by ultra conservatives . . . Turns out CDP camp didn't break up when spy was caught (claim they knew he was there all the time and kept him for protection against other infiltrators) . . . " Also, Rolando Cubela's name isn't on that list either Steve Thomas

Eugene, If you read through Fritz's and Hosty's interrogation notes, I don't think anyone in an official capacity spoke to Oswald about the assassination of JFK until he was arraigned for the crime around 11:30 PM. Coming out of that midnight "press conference", he was stunned. Steve Thomas

I came across another reference in a usenet discussion group. This camp amy have involved Sam Benton: "In early July 1963, a FBI informant in the DRE advised that Sam Benton had 2,500 pounds of dynamite hidden in Mississippi, and wanted to obtain B-24 aircraft for a new strategy against the oil refineries that involved the DRE. " Steve Thomas

I was eading through LHO in New Orleans, Part I by Dave Reitzes and came across this passage: http://www.acorn.net/jfkplace/03/JA/DR/.dr09.html "Rudolph Davis told (FBI Agent Warren) DeBrueys that Laureano Batista, of the Christian Democratic Movement in Miami, had sent the men to New Orleans. In a follow-up report dated September 18, 1963, the SAC of the New Orleans FBI Office informed the Director, that in view of the interview with Rudolph Richard Davis, "New Orleans will limit its inquiries to the possible existence in Mississippi of a training camp where 12 men were allegedly being trained on a ranch." (FBI NO 97-4110-65; Weberman) SA Warren DeBrueys prepared a report on October 3, 1963, which concerned Rudolph Richard Davis, most of which was withheld. [FBI 97-4110; Weberman)." Does anyone know about a training camp in Mississippi? Steve Thomas