John Butler

Helen Levi Simon Travis Helen Levi. Helen Levi Simon, alias Maxine Levi. Helen Levi Travis. The Tippit Phone Call document identifies the location 77th Street and 2nd Ave. as the location where the father and uncle of Lee Harvey Oswald lived. The document does not identify an address which needs a building number. So, this location covers East 77th Street from 2nd Ave. to 3rd Ave. There is a significant number of people living on the average New York block. There are on the average today: “So how many people are there on a typical block? We couldn't find any hard numbers, but we did find thoughtful estimates. Perhaps 10,000 on a densely populated residential block that has three or more high rise apartment buildings. The same holds for a commercial block, although that shrinks significantly at night. The average would be 1,400 people per block. (based on 4 million people and 2,872 blocks) And if you're not tired of numbers, here's one more...there are 175,000 people per square mile in Manhattan during the day.” Looking at these numbers suggests it will be difficult to find someone living in that area that knew something about Lee Harvey Oswald and his father and Uncle as indicated by the Tippit phone call. The numbers can be narrowed to the 342 members of the Yorkville Club, the organization for communists who lived from 49th Street to 96th Street. There were 342 members of which many lived in the area near 77th Street and 2nd Ave. There are no records for Harvey Oswald prior to the school year 1947-1948. This implies that he had not yet been selected as a double for Lee Harvey Oswald. The provenance of Harvey Oswald is mysterious and the only clue to an origin for Harvey Oswald is the FBI Tippit Phone Call document prior to school records in Texas from 1947-1948. The creditability of the information contained in the document is problematic. Some things may be true and others questionable. So, from the FBI document one should look for Harvey’s father and uncle in the years 1945-1947 in the area of 77th and 2nd Ave in NYC. Information from Harvey’s unknown family and Lee’s family is insufficient to establish any relationships to help identify Harvey Oswald’s orgins. If one takes a literal, unquestioning view of the document then the father and uncle of Harvey Oswald are not Emil Gardos and Fred Blair. However, an alternative view does connect the uncle and father of Harvey Oswald to Emil Gardos, Grace Gardos, and Fred Blair and the location 77th Street and 2nd Ave. Information from a Gardos family member indicates that Emil and Grace Gardos were not the parents of Harvey Oswald. The FBI document says the uncle and father were “Hungarians and Communists”. So, a search for Hungarians and Communists in the location 77th Street and 2nd Ave. in the years prior to 1947-48 is logical. From the book Communist Underground Printing and Illegal Propaganda: Hearings… we can find a number of Hungarian communists in that area and in areas close to 77th Street and 2nd Ave. in the years 1945-1947. The following Hungarian communists were living there during the years 1945-1947: Helen Levi Simon- 350 East 77th Street and 2nd Ave. Lou and Estelle Weber (real name Oringer)- 325 East 77th Street and 2nd Ave. William and Sonia Arnett- 215 East 77th Street and 2nd Ave. There are probably more, but not listed. The dominant communist organization was the Yorkville Club. This covered a district from 49th Street to 96th Street. Its membership was 342 people. I was not able to find any information for William and Sonia Arnett. The parents of Louis Weber were Hungarians. There is no information other then Census data on Louis and Estelle Weber. However, there is information on Helen Levi. Helen’s parents were German. She married Abbott Simon in 1938. Abbott’s parents were from a part of Poland that was a part of Russia. They spoke Polish, Russian, and Yiddish. Simon was involved in the 44 day strike in Flint, Michigan involving General Motors. Helen Levi Simon was a reporter for the Daily Worker during this time period. The Daily Worker at it’s peak had a subscription of 35,000, but on average of about 17000. How many papers were sold on the street is unknown. Whatever, the number of papers sold the Daily Worker was a small paper whose income was probably bolstered by the CPUSA and directly from Russia. Morris Child in his activities as a Soviet agent delivered something like 28 million dollars from Moscow for CPUSA operations. Helen was an active communist agent and probably knew all of the communist activities that went on at 77th Street and 2nd Ave. She was a member of a spy ring that included Julius and Ethel Rosenberg. She was instrumental in delivering money to Mexico to free Frank Jacson, the killer of Leon Trotsky. When questioned about these activities in the late 1930s she answered all questions with the 5th Amendment. Although guilty as charged, it is interesting to note she, as far as I know, was never charged or jailed. I do not think Helen was the mysterious caller or involved in any OSS operations. She was a dedicated communist. But, someone like her is who we are looking at for knowledge of 77th Street in the mid 1940s.

Jim, I'm really sick of reading about communist activities. But, will persevere. We are looking for people who are connected to 77th Street and 2nd Ave. Lautner is certainly one as a top communist in NYC and also an FBI informant. He knew all of the cast of the Tippit Phone Call. Probably was instrumental in the deportation of Emil Gardos and the attempt to deport Louis Weinstock. He did help put Weinstock in jail. This fellow might have been aware of FBI / OSS operations concerning Hungarian Immigrants. His connection to 77th Street and 2nd Ave. is the Yorkville Club and Helen Levi Simon who live at 350 77th Street and 2nd Ave which was fairly close to the Yorkville Club at 350 East 80th Street. Helen was a writer for the Daily Worker and a member of the spy ring that featured Julius and Ethel Rosenberg. She knew Ruby Weil who helped Frank Jacson infiltrate the Trotsky movement. She was instrumental in trying to free Frank Jacson, the killer of Leon Trotsky.

Thanks Bart, I rarely think of Jack Dougherty. In a later statement he said he heard shots coming from above on the 6th floor. Earlier in a statement he said he didn't know where the shots came from. So, even if we go to 11 out of 14 (14 is iffy with Jack's statements) it still doesn't change the idea of reasonable doubt. He was on the 5th floor, but are his statements reliable?

Bart, Can you point me to the article you are talking about. Anything about the 4th floor women is interesting to me.

Bart, There are 13 people on the 4th and 5th floor. 10 women (if you count McCully and Davis) and 3 men on the 5th floor. I think people are missing the point on the location and testimony of these people. Only two people, Harold Norman and Bonnie Ray Williams, said they heard shots coming from above them from the 6th floor. Junior Jarman originally said the same thing, but changed his testimony while talking to Gerald Ford to hearing shots from low and to the left. The 10 women indicated they heard shots coming from somewhere else mainly to the west. I think Elsie Dorman said that shots came from the Court Records Building. That makes 11 people out of 13 that did not hear shooting from the 6th floor. These were the people closest to the 6th floor. There were more people on the upper floors if you count the windows that were edited. Mary Hollies and Betty Foster claimed they were on the 5th Floor where they saw I believe Bonnie Ray Williams clomping by. Therefore it can not be proven beyond a reasonable doubt that anyone fired a shot from the 6th floor. Add that to the statement by Jesse Curry saying he never could put Oswald on the 6th floor with a rifle in his hand and don't forget the p. parade note. Oswald walks. Therefore he had to die and the quicker the better.

David said, "John - I think what Jim means is that Fred Blair was not the Uncle... he was considered the brother-in-law.. Emil's brother-in-law in this case, which would also make Emil's brother - the uncle, a brother-in-law.... and brother-in-law to Emil's sisters as well." This is just a slight misunderstanding probably due to my lack of clarity. If you take the words "Hungarians and Communists" literally it excludes Fred Blair as the uncle. Fred Blair was not Hungarian. If you apply the words "Hungarian and Communists" to Oswald's father and uncle it excludes Emil Gardos. The exclusion of Gardos is due to there being no known brothers or sisters of Gardos in the records. If taken literally then there is a need to look further for Lee Harvey Oswald's uncle and father. If you make a looser interpretation based on the mysterious caller speaking broadly as just a general reference then Blair and the Gardos can apply as father, uncle, and brother inlaw. David said, "SHE COULD NOT GIVE HER NAME AS SHE WAS AFRAID OF BEING KILLED, THAT SHE WAS FROM NEW YORK AND HAD TO COME "HERE" TO MAKE THE CALL SO THAT SHE COULD NOT BE TRACED Communists do not trace phone calls... the FBI does, the police does, the "government" does." I agree. But, there is the possibility of the FBI, the police, or other government agencies being compromised by communist infiltrators who would pass this information on to higher levels of the CPUSA. SMERSH was still active up to about 1946. It was replaced by other Soviet agencies that carried on the task of investigating and at times eliminating traitors, defectors, and deserters. I would suspect this was still going on by 1963. The mysterious caller probably feared the Soviets, the FBI, the CIA, the New York Police. David said, "OSWALD’S FATHER AND UNCLE HAD LIVED AT SEVENTY SEVENTH AND SECOND (87th?) AVENUE, YORKVILLE, NYC What do we think, if any, is the significance of this address? While it used to be part of YORKVILLE, by the 50's it was no longer and was now part of LENOX HILLS in the Upper East Side.... " 77th Street and 2nd Avenue is a location not an address. That reference covers the whole block from 2nd Ave to 3rd Ave going east. One needs a building number to have an address. Somewhere in this area is the place that the father and uncle of Oswald lived according to the mysterious caller. There are people living there in 1945-1947 that can be related to Emil Gardos, Grace Gardos, Fred Blair, Louis Weinstock, and Louis Budenz. Louis Budenz was the editor of the Daily Worker before he became anti-communist. I will develop this more in a later post by speaking about Helen Levi Simon Travis. David said, "John - you have any info on AMY BLAIR, Grace's sister? It seems to me one would have had to read that Wisconsin paper article to get the names GARDOS and BLAIR associated with "brother-in-law"... yet that article is written in 1949. From the time Georgia Bell says Marge and son leave around Thanksgiving 1947, until the Bronx zoo photo... we have no location for Harvey Oswald... except for in the TARRANT COUNTY school records: Believe it or not, the TARRANT books skip 1946-47. There is nothing for Oswald in the 1944-45 or 45-46 sections... '47-'48 with NANCY LEE OSWALD who has HARVEY's 1948-49 birthday and who first gets crossed out in 48/49 and then TED L OSWALT is listed next (Ted L has been there all along)" There being nothing for Harvey Oswald in the 1944-45 or 45-46 may be a good sign that Harvey Oswald had not yet been selected for doubling with Lee Oswald. I don't have anything on Amy Blair. One could associate Gardos and Fred Blair if one reads what the mysterious caller said in a not so literal manner. The loose interpretation connects Hungarians, communists, uncle, father with the later reference to father and brother in law. Which way is best is still debatable. I lean toward the looser interpretation because it also connects other things such as the location 77th Street and 2nd Ave. David said, "THE WOMAN STATED KARDOS IS HEAD OF THE COMMUNISTS AND THAT THIS GROUP IN NEW YORK NOW HAS CHARTS AND MAPS. GARDOS was NOT the head of the communists in NYC. That article Paul posted was from Wisconsin, not NYC... in NYC Gardos was not all that well known." I agree with Gardos not being the head of the communists in NYC. Fred Blair and Louis Weinstock were Directors in the National Committee of the CPUSA. I also believe that Gardos was also on the National Committee, but can't really say that since I need to find that reference again. Emil Gardos and J. Peters (Sandor Goldberg) were alleged to be Russian agents with the NKVD when they left Hungary directly after the failed communist revolution in 1919. Supposedly Gardos and J. Peters came to the US at the same time. Another reference has J. Peters coming in 1924. As far as Gardos being head of the CPUSA you would have to consider his status as a NKVD agent reporting directly to Moscow. His connection to Fred puts him in the upper hierarchy of the CPUSA in New York. Again, if you take a loose interpretation Emil Gardos could be considered "head of the communists" in Yorkville. This is where he and Grace lived for many years. The Yorkville Club was the main organization for communists in Yorkville. It was conveniently located near 77th Street and 2nd Ave at 350 East 80th Street. This was just across the block from Helen Levi Simon. She connects to a lot of people, particularly big time spies such as Julius and Ethel Rosenberg, Whittaker Chambers, and was looked into as being connected to the assassination of Leon Trotsky in Mexico in 1940. Because you can look at what was said in the Tippit Call doc in different ways it might suggest that the mysterious caller did not know everything or had forgotten relevant things and was speaking generally based on her memory of events that could stretch back to 1945-1947. This notion might suggest that the mysterious caller had a momentary memory lapse, perhaps from stress, and forgotten the uncle's name (Fred Blair). And, she tried to convey who that was by saying and repeating the words brother in law. Good catch on the Oct. 19, 1939 birth date. It implies the short Marguerite as filling in that data. She often made mistakes with historical information. This is not really a counter to some of your statements. They stand as sound reasoning. I'm just trying to fill in data around your statements for clarity purposes and offering a different interpretation for some things.

He needs to look into letters between Fred and Grace for the period 1950 to 1966. Particularly if Grace had more than one child. The average family size from 1930 to 1960 was 3 or 4 kids per family. Single child families were rare in the days before birth control. If he is looking for things Hungarian then the period of 1942 to 1947-1950 would a good place to search for Hungarian children or some indication the Gardos were concerned with Hungarian immigrants or belonged to immigrant organizations? Where was Fred Blair from 1946 to 1950? Supposedly, he was hiding out or went underground during the years of the Red Scare. There is some connection between Grace Gardos and the FBI that kept her from returning to the US in 1966. Russ Geck said she didn't have the money. That's not true. Morris Child, CG 5824-S*, had arranged financing for Grace through Hungarian communist organizations. Russ Geck may not have known this. Another question is why did Grace Gardos lost connections to her family after 1966? Sara Mares indicates this in I believe 2012 or about then. Another good question is exactly what year did Grace and Emil leave for Hungary. And, is there any information on how they went, ship or plane?

You are right Jim. But, it doesn't fit Fred Blair. A quote from David's comments: "THE WOMAN SAID SHE KNEW OSWALD’S FATHER AND UNCLE WHO WERE HUNGARIANS AND COMMUNISTS." That was the point. It goes along with David Josephs notion we might be making unwarranted assumptions. I don't necessarily agree with David. But, he has a good point that needs to be considered. That is why I stressed Hungarians and communists. This doesn't fit Fred Blair suggesting there may be two groups of two men. It is an idea worth checking out.

Paul, Send me an email and I will give you email addresses for Russ and Andi Geck. I'm thinking you can probably get more out of them than I did.

David Josephs said, “Where in this report do you see that EMILE KARDOS = OSWALD'S FATHER? or UNCLE? ... or that "FATHER" and "UNCLE" are related (many ways to have a father and uncle from different families) ... or that "UNCLE" is connected to "brother-in-law"... WE are making these connections, not the report." I said, “The part about Hungarians and Communists does not fit Emil Gardos and Fred Blair. So, there might be another pairing for father and uncle. But, who?” If David Josephs is correct, we need to look for another pair of brothers who can be a father and an uncle. Ones that are actual brothers, not a father and uncle who is also the brother in law. In this I don’t know how to account for the brother in law. The father and uncle of Lee Harvey Oswald allegedly lived at 77th and 2nd Ave. Without a building number that is a big place with a lot of buildings. I could not find any connection to this location for anyone connected to the FBI Tippit Phone Call. Emil Gardos, Grace Gardos, Fred Blair, and Louis Weinstock all were close to this area in Yorkville, NYC. Yorkville is often called Little Hungary and is generally reckoned to be from 79th Street to 92nd Street. Others suggest that Yorkville could stretch further south and north. The Yorkville Communists might be a good place to look for brothers. The Yorkville Club was a communist organization at 350 East 80th Street, NYC. There membership was 342 members. The Yorkville Club district for members had Yorkville stretching from 42nd Street to 96th Street, NYC. The main copying machine for printing and copying communist material was located there. This organization may have dealt with Hungrarian immigration after WWII. This comes from the book Communist Underground printing and Illegal Propaganda- Congressional Hearings… This information about the Yorkville Club comes from the period 1945-1947. It lists several of its members. I have chosen the ones that have an address on 77th Street. First off there is a mention of J. Peters in this record. Sandor Goldberger alias Alexander Stevens alias Joseph Peter was an alleged agent of the NKVD along with Emil Gardos. Helen Simmons is an interesting person living at 350 East 77th Street, NYC was a writer for the Daily Worker. She would have known all of the cast of the FBI Tippit Call. Lou and Estelle Weber’s (real names Oringer) address was at 325 East 77th Street. William and Sonia Arnett lived at 215 East 77th Street, NYC. There were many others listed within just a few streets of 77th Street and 2nd Ave. The Jefferson School of Social Science was a communist organized and dominated school in the area. There are two brothers associated with the FBI / Grace Gardos. They are the two Childs brothers, Morris and Jack, the Solo spies. But, they are Russian rather than Hungarian. The 77th Street and 2nd Ave. area appears to have been remodeled and would have little to do with the appearance of the area and the people of that time. This was all I could find on communists on 77th and 2nd, and the general Yorkville area.

Jim, David Josephs has made a brilliant re-analysis of the Tippit call. At first I wasn't sure I could agree, but believed it was certainly something that needed to be thought about. On the second reading it made more sense. What if we have interpreted the call doc wrongly and there are two sets of characters rather than one. David said: "Paul... Take a moment and reread the FBI report... there are 2 distinct parts being referenced here... 1. The man Ruby killed had a father and an uncle who were Hungarian Communists & THESE MEN lived at 77th and 2nd (I think the FBI changed this too... Yorkville is much more a real community at 87th and 2nd rather than 77th.. 2. The call BEGINS TO SPEAK DIFFERENTLY... and mentions Emil, something about a brother-in-law, and WEINSTOCK. THE WOMAN SAID SHE KNEW OSWALD’S FATHER AND UNCLE WHO WERE HUNGARIANS AND COMMUNISTS. THE WOMAN CONTINUED THAT OSWALD’S FATHER AND UNCLE HAD LIVED AT SEVENTY SEVENTH AND SECOND (87th?) AVENUE, YORKVILLE, NYC, THAT WHILE LIVING THERE BOTH WERE UNEMPLOYED, GOT THEIR MONEY FROM COMMUNISTS AND SPENT ALL THERE TIME IN COMMUNIST ACTIVITIES. THE WOMAN THEN BEGAN SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY, DISJOINTEDLY, AND NERVOUSLY. SHE STATED SHE HAD TWO NAMES TO GIVE AND MENTIONED THE NAME EMILE KARDOS (GARDOS) AND SAID SOMETHING ABOUT A BROTHER IN LAW. THE WOMAN KEPT REPEATING THE WORD BROTHER IN LAW Where in this report do you see that EMILE KARDOS = OSWALD'S FATHER? or UNCLE? ... or that "FATHER" and "UNCLE" are related (many ways to have a father and uncle from different families) ... or that "UNCLE" is connected to "brother-in-law"... WE are making these connections, not the report." …. The part about Hungarians and Communists does not fit Emil Gardos and Fred Blair. So, there might be another pairing for father and uncle. But, who? 77th and Second Ave. is just outside of what is considered Yorkville. I have never been able to tie anything to that address. It might be phony throw off. Emil Gardos and Louis Weinstock were directors on the National Committee of the CPUSA. They were also editors or reporters for the Daily Worker. Grace Gardos was also. Where the possible confusion comes in is when Emil Gardos and the brother in law are mentioned. This can only be Emil and Fred. You can make an argument to either separate these pairs and also combine them. We have looked at the event by combining Emil, Fred, and Grace. This has led to John Gardos. And, we now have evidence that backs up the 1966 FBI document (Solo spies) that says Grace wanted to bring her son back to the US. This is the Russ Geck info. The 1950 info on Emil Gardos, Amalia (Grace) Gardos, and Louis Weinstock all applying for visas to Hungary in the period 1949-1950 needs to be thought about. Another communist, Israel Amter, is charged with the same charges as Louis Weinstock. He is released from trial for health reasons. Suspicious. Both were charged with trying to overthrow the government of the US. The Solos spies, the Childs, become FBI informants in 1952 or there abouts. Speaking of 1952 Harvey would be 13 years old. Isn't there somewhere in Armstrong's Harvey and Lee that the refugee children could not be used until they were 13 years old. This was some kind of government requirement. 13 years old in 1952 and a trip to New York might connect. The Grace Gardos situation in 1966 is still something of a mystery. Why did the FBI consider her suitable for a counter intelligence operation if she returned to the US with her son? And, why did Grace Gardos quit communicating with her family and begin a near 50 year period where communications were lost. This is according toe Sara Mares. Despite what might be false information in the Tippit Call document there is still much that has been verified. And, there is the FBI treatment to the doc to consider. There are still unanswered questions that probably need further research. Sara Mares is the niece of Grace Gardos. There was a reference to Fred Blair and Naomi Blair. Possibly the daughter of Naomi Blair.

I guess what I am trying to say is should we consider the Mrs. Jack Tippit phone call issue dead or keep looking around for an alterative answer?

Jim, I have finally received a response from Russ Geck. This is what he wrote: "Hi, John. Sorry for the delay in responding. Nothing new to report here. John's wife, Maria, never heard John talking about another child he lived with in America, and Grace never shared information like that with her either. She has almost no information from that time, so unfortunately, we will not be able to be of much help there. Did you try contacting Grace's side of the family in America? Maybe there's someone there who can offer more help. I was in contact with Fred's granddaughter (where you found my name) in the past. I can try to contact her and see if she would be willing for me to share her contact info with you. Hope all is well. Russ" Do you have any ideas on where to go from here?

Jim, There some other questions that should be asked. I decided 10 was too many, but went with 10 anyway. The questions I asked are mainly cut and paste from you, Paul, and David. Russ Geck says he will wait and respond to the questions once he has met with Mari Gardos, the wife of John Gardos. He will ask her the questions and then send that info on to us. He sent the 1992 passport of John Gardos as a means of absolutely identifying the photo sent earlier. I am in the same state you are on replies. But, as I reminded Paul, we need to have patience. Actually, this process is moving remarkedly fast. It has been only about 2-3 weeks and we have done a great deal of work on the Tippit Phone Call. The work you, Paul, and David have done to clarify my rather stumbling and bumbling ideas have proved invaluable. Thanks for that. OBTW, I use a link to service for photos. I not sure that the photos will be a permanent record on the forum long term.

David, "As for her treatment... please elaborate. She was an American living in a communist country, living as a communist... it would be strange to have a double agent like Childs report on another agent, Grace... if she was acting in that capacity. But it would solidify her cover.... " It's the bit about the FBI alerting various offices and a source in Springfield, Ill to be on the watch for Grace. They also at the same time put out an alert to identify all members of any Soviet delegation coming to the US. (this may not pertain since there is no direct reference to CG 5924-s or Grace. Just my speculation. And, the notion they may begin a counter-intelligence operation against her if she returns to the US. This seems excessive for a citizen out of the country for 16 years even though she and her husband were high ranking communists in Wisconsin and New York. I am doing this from memory. That reference and one other about the visit in 1964 has disappeared. The reference about the source in Springfield is gone. The first timeline on Grace Gardos disappeared being about 3/4 done. It may be sloppy computers usages that lost those files. Maybe not. If I accidently deleted something it would be recoverable from the recycle bin. No such luck. And, guess what? I can't find these materials on the internet to recopy. Enough of my paranoia.

David, “It seems to me quite possible the big deal reason for hiding this away had more to do with the US CITIZEN GRACE BLAIR GARDOS than with Emil (see below)*” I think you are on to something with this. I have felt all along that Grace Gardos and the way she was treated by the FBI has something to do with the Tippit call. She is not mentioned directely, but indirectly as the wife of Emil Gardos in the call. The FBI reacted to the knowledge that she wanted to return to the US in 1966 in a manner that was not consistent with a US citizen (albeit a communist) wanting to return to the US after approx.- 16 years in a foreign country. Looking at the documents suggest they weren’t too interested until they learned she wanted to bring her son with her. The FBI immediately directed offices across the country to monitor Soviet delegations and identify all personnel involved? Were they looking for Grace? I think yes? Why were they thinking of initiating a counter-intelligence operation against her if she returned? Here's a timeline I made of Grace Gardos that may help with your thinking: Grace Gardos 1911, January 17- Grace Blair is born in Berlin, Wisconsin. Grace died in Budapest, Hungary at the American Embassy in 1993. She was the daughter of John A. and Mary A. Blair. Note: All of the Blair family was recorded in the 1920 US Census. The Census includes a daughter in law, Isabelle. Grace Blair in the 1920 United States Federal Census Name: Grace Blair Age: 9 Birth Year: abt 1911 Birthplace: Wisconsin Home in 1920: Fond du Lac Ward 8, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin Street: Street 52 Residence Date: 1920 Race: White Gender: Female Relation to Head of House: Daughter Marital status: Single Father’s name: John A Blair Father’s Birthplace: Minnesota Mother’s name: Mary A Blair Mother’s Birthplace: Wisconsin Able to Speak English: Yes Attended School: yes Able to Read: Yes Able to Write: Yes Neighbors: View others on page View others on page Household Members: Name Age John A Blair 53 Mary A Blair 46 Clemence A Blair 23 Isabelle Blair 21 Clarence Blair 21 Hazel Blair 19 Naomi Blair 17 Caroll Blair (Fred) 13 Edward Blair 12 Amy Blair 10 Grace Blair 9 Madeline Blair 6 Grace’s father, John A. Blair, was a coal miner. Of particular importance to understanding Grace’s story is her brother Fred Blair. It was said that Fred, Grace, and another communist, Emil Gardos were active in the coal mine strikes of the late 1920s and 1930s. 1922, August 17- Emil Gardos was born on the December 19, 1901 and died in 1981. Emil Gardos came to the New York City as an immigrant. Emil was born in Kisjeno, Aradm, Hungary. He claimed citizenship in Hungary and Romania. He came to American probably as a result of the failed communist rebellion in Hungary in 1919. 1923- Louis Weinstock immigrates to the US from Hungary. 1930- Fred Blair left the University in 1929, went to Milwaukee, and in 1930 became a member of the Communist Party. That year he was arrested for striking a policeman in a Riot, and he subsequently served a year in prison. He changed his name to Fred Bassett and then Fred Blair. 1936, August 29- Grace Blair and Emil Gardos marry in New York City. 1939, January 29- The birth of John Gardos in Bessemer Township, Michigan, 1940- US Census- Emil, Grace, and John. Residence is Ironwood, Gogebic, Michigan. 1942- Grace Gardos at 514 East 83rd Street, New York, NY. 1942- Grace signs petition to abolish poll tax in southern states. 1943- Grace and Emil live at 217 East 86th Street, NYC. 1944- Grace and Emil live at 217 East 86th Street, NYC. 1945- Grace and Emil live at 217 East 86th Street, NYC. 1946- Grace and Emil live at 217 East 86th Street, NYC. 1949-1950- Visas to go to Hungary for Emil and Grace Gardos. Notice that Louis Weinstock has applied also. He didn’t go and was later put into prison. 1966, October 24- FBI document. Source CG 5824-S* Morris Childs. This was the FBI’s most important double agent spying on communists in the 1960s. You will notice this is marked Top Secret and not to be declassified. It is assigned to Group 1., whatever that is. The reliable source was CG 5824-S* known as 58 (Morris Childs) This type of information went directly to the top of the FBI for disposal. It went to the Director and Assisstant Director of the FBI. The Tippit called was directed to Alex Rosen Asst. Director of the FBI> This is why fellow researchers thought something was going on with Grace Gardos and son John other than just communist activities. Morris Childs knew Grace, Email, and Fred Blair from working together in Wisconsin about the late 1930s, 1938-1939. 1964- Grace Gardos visits the US and relatives. 1966- One FBI document indicated that the FBI was thinking about starting a counter intelligence operation against Grace Gardos. 1966-1981- No further information other than Grace and son did not travel to the US in late 1966.. Russ Geck indicated this SS record is in error. Grace did not live or die at the US embassy. Just something interesting. The ex-home of Louis Weinstock was on Zillow:

David, Something else to throw into the mix: The Operation Solo Spies- Wikipedia: “Morris H. Childs (born Moishe Chilovsky; 1902–1991) was an American political activist and American Communist Party functionary who became a Soviet espionage agent (1929) and then a double agent for the Federal Bureau of Investigation (1952) until leaving both services by 1982. Beginning in 1958, Childs acted as a secret courier on behalf of the American party, briefing Soviet officials on political affairs in the American party and carrying funds to support the American Communist movement from Moscow to New York City, reporting details all the while to his FBI handlers. Over the course of two decades of activity in this role, Childs played a major part in the transfer of more than $28 million in Soviet subsidies to the American movement. For his activity as a courier on behalf of the Soviet government, Childs was awarded the Order of the Red Banner in 1975. His work as a spy for the American intelligence community was recognized in 1987 when Childs (together with his brother Jack) was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Ronald Reagan.” And, brother Jack, “Morris's younger brother Jakob "Jack" Childs was also a Communist. He, too, benefited from General Secretary Earl Browder's patronage, with Browder seeing to Jack's appointment as the business manager of the Young Communist League in New York City in 1931.[15] In 1932 Browder tapped Jack Childs to attend the Lenin school to be trained as a communications expert, since the Comintern now sought those holding American passports because of their versatility.[15] … Jack Childs dropped out of the Communist Party in 1947 and spent his time and money taking care of his physically ailing brother as best he was able.[19] His sudden lack of party activity generated a routine September exploratory visit by two special agents of the FBI in an effort to gauge his level of disaffection and to see whether he might be a willing source of information about the top levels of the Communist Party.[19] Jack was happy to lend assistance to the FBI, declaring to them that he "never really believed any of that communist bullxxxx" and that he had been active in the Communist Party merely for the sake of his brother, who had been a true believer and a figure of authority.[20] Now Morris had been abandoned, fired from his job and left penniless, stricken by a heart attack and seemingly near death. He had begun to question everything. When his FBI interlocutors intimated to Jack Childs their desire to infiltrate the top level of the Communist Party with an informant, Jack had a potential solution, declaring "Morris is your ticket to the top."[20] “ Morris was FBI spy CG 5824-S* and Jack was NY 694-S*. Both of these men were awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom for their anti-communist work for the FBI. Morris Childs assume the leadership of the Communist Party in Wisconsin at the same time that Emil, Grace, and Fred Blair were there. They new each other and worked together. In the Solo documents it is CG 5824-S (Morris Child) who is overseeing the return of Grace Gardos to the US in September and October of 1966. I don’t know if this is true but they all may have been anti-communist double agents for the FBI. This is what may explain what the FBI did with the Tippit Phone Call. They covered up this phone call because it may have exposed their double agents in the communist party. Morris was the top, premier FBI spy on the communists. The Gardos, Blairs, and Weinstock were associated with him not only in Wisconsin, but in New York also. The cover up of the Tippit Phone Call may not have been about the Oswald at all. How much of this one can believe is problematic. I’m offering this as a speculation on why the FBI treated the call as they did.

Russ Geck has responded to my latest email this way: John, thank you so much for everything you have sent us. Andi (John Gardos's daughter) and I really appreciate it. Andi would like to offer to you any information you might be interested in. There are some incorrect things we saw in the documents you sent us. For instance, Grace Blair did not reside in or die at the US embassy. She lived in the 13th District in Budapest (Andi can get the address from her mother) and died in a hospital. Andi says Grace and Emil had a picture of US president Jimmy Carter in their home. I know this is probably unimportant to your overall goal of establishing the fact that John Gardos, son of Emil Gardos and Grace Blair, was not, in fact, Lee Harvey Oswald, but if there's any bit of color we can add to that fact, we'd be happy to do so. Just tell us what you're interested in or what you need. I can provide a photocopy of his US passport that was issued on August 6, 1992, his birth certificate, etc. If you have any information on when Emil Gardos left the US in fact, we would be greatly interested in that as well. Thank you for contacting me regarding this. I hope we are able to put this conspiracy theory to rest. Best of luck in the New Year, and please keep in touch. Happy New Year. Russ Geck and Gárdos Andrea (granddaughter of Emil Gárdos and Grace Blair) And, this is how I responded: Russ, If you could, there are a number of questions concerning the Tippit Phone Call document that fellow researchers have concerning the relationship of Emil, Grace, and Fred Blair. We originally thought that, John the son of Grace and Emil, was the Lee Harvey Oswald talked about in the document. That has now been debunked. So, many folks, including myself, feel that there is something to this call. There has to be a reason that the FBI hid this information for nearly 30 years under a Top Secret/ Not to be declassified status. This phone call material and subsequent FBI documents concerning Grace Gardos went directly to the top of the FBI and to a Group 1, I would think this was the top leadership, and also classified as Top Secret / Not to be declassified. So, there are a number of questions. We believe that the FBI was covering up the true situation and may have misled with the information in the document if it ever was exposed. The FBI does those kind of things to hide the identify of their informants. In this case the two Childs brothers Morris and Jack Childs. Do you have any reason to believe that Emil Gardos, Grace Gardos, or Fred Blair could have been temporary foster caretakers in 1945 -47 for any small children refugees from Eastern Europe? Were they the type of people who might have been especially concerned with the plight of Hungarian or other European refugee orphans after WWII? Did they have any connection to any organizations that might have had such hunanitarian interests? When Emil and Grace, and young John were all living in Yorkville, did any of Emil's activities involve anything that led our mysterious woman caller to conclude (erroneously) that Emil was the biological parent of a Russian-speaking little boy from Europe? Did Fred Blair live or visit Yorkville at any time in the 1940s? Particularly, in 1947 during the beginning of the 2nd Red Scare that began after March, 1947? Do you or your wife, Andi, have any information about Louis Weinstock. Information about Louis and Emil working together for refugee causes? Or, how Louis Weinstock might relate to the events in the call? We ask if you or your wife has any information about any connection, no matter how tenuous or brief, between Emil Gardos and/or Grace Gardos and/or Fred Blair and any small boy (besides his own biological son John) in Yorkville in the 1940's. Could any of them have been a caretaker, a foster parent, a temporary custodian, an attendant, etc. to provide refuge for any little boy or boys for any duration in the 1940's? Did the Gardos or Louis Weinstock know Alexander and Mary Fuhrman? They were also Hungarians and not sure whether they were communists or not. They may have been connected to Emil Gardos through coal mine strikes in the late 1920s and early 1930s. Do you recognize the address 77th and 2nd Avenue, NYC. This is an address that does not connect to anything know about this FBI document. We think this is part of the misleading information in the call. I was going to ask about Grace Gardos living at the US embassy in Budapest. But, you have already answered that. Did Emil or Grace know Morris or Jack Childs? Did they know the two brothers were double agents for the FBI? This might explain why Grace was so badly treated by the FBI. I am sorry for relaying so many questions at one time. Feel free to answer only what you are comfortable with or have some knowledge concerning things. I, and others will appreciate greatly whatever help you can give us.

Thanks Paul, You have summed up the possibilities nicely. But, don't lose patience things are progressing. My email is jbutlers@bardstowncable.net. Send me an email and we will discuss other possibilities.

Jim, No problem on that. I have already asked him if he would answer questions from Forum members. I'm just waiting for a reply. I haven't forgotten Paul's questions and your concerns. I'm just waiting for a reply. Next time I email I'll ask if I can give his email address to you and then you can correspond. I understand his importance to the Harvey and Lee question and don't want to do anything to antagonize Russ Geck and lose an opportunity to question him further.

Thanks David, I floated the idea to get you guy's opinion on it. There are still unanswered questions regarding the Tippit call and other issues. This is my thinking. Rejecting John Gardos as Harvey Oswald leads to the acceptance that there is false information in the Tippit Call document. Therefore, the document would be rejected as over all factual and relevant as to the other information in it. With false information in the document would the document be considered as evidence in court? Would it be allowed? With that in mind would anything thought about the FBI document be anything other than speculation? What needs to be balanced against that is what the FBI did with the document. Also, other information in the document has proven to be factual. The mention of Emil Gardos, Fred Blair, and Louis Weinstock together working on communist goals at a New York address indicates some knowledge of what these people were doing during the late 1940s. 1947 begins the period of the second red scare and is most likely the time Fred Blair went underground. And, he may have done that in New York. There is some indication in the records that Emil and Grace Gardos did not leave the US until 1949-1950. Emil Gardos, a newspaper editor, is talking to fellow communists in Buffalo, NY in 1950. Or, that was reported to the government in 1950. As far as looking into the origins of Harvey Oswald, I wouldn't know where to start. I thought we had something with the Tippit Call. You seem to be doing great work on this idea in San Saba. "The boy in the San Saba car, dog, Marge photos is Lee. Pic took them, so for him to deny knowledge of San Saba is strange." If you can could you post this photo or photos? As far as I can see, your work on Harvey in the summer and fall of 1947 suggests things begin there with the first appearance of Harvey. What about before that? I wouldn't know where to begin.

Thanks Jim, I did notify Russ Geck that there were some folks on the Forum that would like to ask him and his wife some questions about the Tippit Call and thoughts concerning it. I'm waiting for a response on that. I've given Russ a link to this thread and how to check into what happens in the Forum. I also explained a little about the Harvey and Lee idea and why we were researching the Gardos and Blairs so much. I'm not sure how much he knows about the Kennedy assassination and the multi-lines research on the assassination. What do you think about this most recent development? Does this do away with the notions of the Hungarian origins of Harvey Oswald. My thinking is that it does. But, I agree with you and Paul that more research is in order to make sure that is so or not so. My personal opinion is that once removed from what the FBI document says we are on mainly assumptive grounds. If the idea of LHO not being the son of Emil Gardos is correct then that leaves little to base the origins of Harvey Oswald into a Hungarian background. He could be a Russian immigrant or the descendant of some White Russian immigrants into this country. Oswald was accepted into the White Russian community of Dallas with no apparent objection to his communist background. And, Marina was also. I find that strange because of her family legacy and it wasn't long since she joined the upper levels of the communist hierarchy in Minsk. Your opinion is always appreciated.

I remember being forced to read this book nearly 60 years ago. I was not a member of the Jack and Jackie Kennedy political cult. However, my family was, particularly one of my older sisters and her husband. They were the ones that forced me to read the book. They were Kennedy cultists, that was my opinion in those days, and into politics in a big way. They worked very hard in the state of Kentucky for the Kennedys and my brother in law was rewarded as a Kennedy elector. I really did not want to read the book, but was secretly glad I did and probably would not have admitted it that I enjoyed it. It is a important book to be read today. I don't think the current impeachment or any impeachment will tear this country apart. The Founders built a much stronger country and the Civil War demonstrated it is not that easy to tear this country apart. The big problem in this country is the growth of Socialism and Communism. There lies the roots of any rebellion in this country. I often ask myself why would somebody become socialist or communist with their failure as systems of government and econony? You might as well ask why do people take harmful drugs when they rationally know they are harmful?

I did get a response from Russ Geck. I have just been waiting for his ok to publish his information: "Hi, John. Sorry I haven't gotten back to you sooner, but my mother is visiting me in Budapest for Christmas, and we have been very busy. I was at a family gathering last Saturday when I saw your message about who you were and why you wanted to know about the Gardos family. We had a lot of laughs and good times talking about it (I read them your entire message). You did not offend me in any way, although I thought the initial request was kind of brusque, but after hearing who you are and what you are trying to do, I understand it. So, I am an "outsider." I am an American who is living in Budapest with the daughter of John Gardos, who died almost three years ago. Here is what I know or have been told. Johnny (János aka "John" Gárdos) was born in the United States in Bessemer Township, Michigan, January 29, 1939 (I have a scan of his birth certificate if you would like it). He told me he moved back to Hungary just before his tenth birthday. Andi (his daughter) and I talked to him about this because we were interested in Andi having American citizenship through him, and there are specific rules as to how citizenship can be passed along based on when you were born and how long you lived in the United States. If he was telling me the truth, he never went back to the United States after he returned to Hungary sometime in 1948. He told me stories about living through the 1956 revolution against the Soviets. He became a diplomat for the Hungarian government in approximately 1972, and was the commercial attache at Hungarian embassies in Tanzania, Nigeria and Yemen. He told me he was a spy for the Hungarian government, but that that was expected of every Hungarian diplomat. To what extent that entailed, I do not know. His wife survives him (I was with her tonight and the night I read the message at the family gathering), and she was with him at the Tanzanian and Yemenian posts (not sure about Nigeria), and I can try and get more information about anything she might have known about his activities during his embassy posts. So, long story short, Lee Harvey Oswald was shot and killed by Jack Ruby November 24, 1963. Gárdos János (John Gardos), son of Emil Gárdos and Grace Blair, died in March of 2017, leaving a wife, a daughter and a stepson behind. If there's any way I can help you in this any more, I would be happy to help. I'm sure Johnny would not want history to remember him as JFK's killer in any way. I am attaching a short historical document Andrea (John's daughter) and I prepared for a consultation with an immigration attorney about the possibility of her having American citizenship through her father. You probably already know most of it, but in case you haven't seen some of the links, I am providing it for you. Best of luck in convincing people that Johnny wasn't Lee Harvey Oswald. All My Best, Russ Geck And, "A Brief History of John Lesley Gardos Born in Bessemer Township, Michigan, January 29, 1939. Parents were Emil Gardos and Grace Blair. Emil was a naturalized US citizen from Hungary, but had his citizenship revoked for Communist activities in 1934. He was deported from the US “sometime in the 1940s” according to FBI documents, although it is possible he was in the US up through 1950. (see footnotes page 979) https://scholarship.law.berkeley.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?referer=https://www.google.hu/&httpsredir=1&article=1152&context=facpubs John Gardos left the US probably in late 1948 (he said it was shortly before his tenth birthday) for Hungary because of the father’s deportation. Became an Hungarian diplomat in approximately 1972, posted as the commercial attache at Hungarian embassies in Tanzania, Nigeria and Yemen. Mother Grace Blair-Gardos visited family in the US in 1964, and wanted to return to the US to live, and was granted a visa within one hour by the Hungarian government in 1966, but ultimately did not leave Hungary, in all likelihood because she wanted to bring her son along and likely couldn’t secure passage (FBI Operation Solo) https://archive.org/stream/FBI-Operation-Solo/100-HQ-428091-Serial5842-5915_djvu.txt After the fall of Communism in the Soviet bloc countries, John Gardos applied for and received a US passport. It was issued August 6, 1992, just six months before his daughter, Andrea, turned 18 years old. A photo of an aged John Gardos:

Paul, Perhaps you ought to consider this. John Gardos is not Harvey Oswald, the man killed at the Dallas Police Station. If this is true and I have no reason to believe it is not then what happens to the Hungarian source for Lee Harvey Oswald. If Lee Harvey Oswald is rejected as the son of Emil Gardos then all connections to the FBI document are severed. Working under the theory false in one false in all the Tippit Call document can not be held as factual for anything, particularly any further assumptions about the Hungarian origins of Lee Harvey Oswald. I can not believe that the FBI did not know this. They had been monitoring Emil Gardos, Grace Gardos, Fred Blair, and Louis Weinstock for decades. They all, except the Blairs, came to this country after the failed communist revolution in Hungary after 1919. There are others who came in the same period such as J. Peters. Peters and Gardos were suspected of being Russian agents in the NKVD. So, what I am saying is I don't know why the FBI was so concerned about the document and classified as they did. It should have been released with other crank calls. But, wasn't. So, we are back to phase 1 trying to figure out what's what with that document. I'd like to get Jim Hargrove's and John Armstrongs opinion of this. Because, this does a great deal of damage to the origins of LHO as a Hungarian.