David Boylan

Here's what I had from their first newsletter: CITIZENS COMMITTEE FOR A FREE CUBA 617 Albee Building, 1426 “G” Street NW, Washington 5, D.C. Tel. 783-7507 DECLARATION OF PURPOSE The Citizens Committee for a Free Cuba has been formed in response to a statement issued by the Freedom House, on March 25, 1963 calling upon Americans to unite in a movement for a free Cuba. The Committee is nonpartisan. It believes that Cuba is an issue that transcends party differences, and that its solution requires the kind of national unity we have always manifested at moments of great crisis. This belief is reflected in the broad and representative membership of the Committee. The Committee holds, with Freedom House, that a “Communist Cuba is intolerable,” not only for reasons which bear upon our security but also because “it has betrayed six million people who won their freedom from the Batista Dictatorship.” [stuff deleted] The first Executive Secretary was Daniel James. He was also the editor or their newsletter called “Free Cuba News”. Paul Bethel took over during the fall of ’63.

It is really unusual to release the Kindle version before the print version. Its usually the opposite. Jim, it surprised Debra as well as she had no notice of it - which is why the Nexus area on my book web site and document links were not ready (its there now though and document links should be going up shortly). In fact it happened before any announcement because that was to be tied to the in print date. Beats us, although certainly Amazon is really pushing Kindle. In any event both Kindle and print are available now and there will be print copies at the Lancer conference (have not seen one myself actually, but its in the mail Deb says). -- Larry Larry, Can I get you to autograph my Kindle? :-)

Lee et al, absolutely fascinating info. It's amazing to see how all these characters relate to each other. Morris, Lively, Butler, Walker, William Reynolds. Now throw in the Schmidt bros. And we come full circle. Who did Loran Hall call when he was arrested in Dallas? Robert Morris of course.

...and a class act and gentleman.

I believe Sherry is a member of this forum. I'm sure you can contact her via her bio page. http://educationforum.ipbhost.com/index.php?showtopic=2145

Karl, thank you for this information, I did not know Rorke knew Oswald, now I'm begging to think this how my dad may have met Oswald. Properly through Rorke or Sturgis? This is driving me crazy! Thanks again Karl! Scott Scott, have you ever considered contacting Sherry Sullivan? Her father, Geoffrey Sullivan, was with Rorke when the plane disappeared.

Might be of interest... http://educationforum.ipbhost.com/index.php?showtopic=2649

I'd love to see Bill Kelly continue with this project. It would be great if he could round out the roles, if any, of Homer Echevarria, Paulino Sierra, William Browder, William Trull, Union Tank Car (owned by Rockefeller)...

Zach, Great information. What is your source for this statement? "...and Richard Lauchli, co-founder of the Minutemen and a close friend of Jack Ruby." Lauchli was a close associate of Frank Fiorini/Sturgis.

Harry, Do you know if Gabaldon had any connection to Walker? I figure he must have through Rouselette. Dave

I forgot what doc I pulled this from: Dallas T-1 (Frank Ellsworth) advised the remainder of the information originally reported by this informant is still correct as far as he knows. ‘They did tell me that about six weeks prior to November 22, 1963 one of the members of the Minute Men (they said they could not recall who) came to their house about 9:30 pm. He came to the front door and told the Informant’s wife that he wanted some ammunition. A man was with him. Both men stayed in the yard and did not enter the house. The INFORMANT got the ammunition and gave it to them. Neither thought any more about it until November 22, 1963 when he saw a newspaper photograph of Lee Harvey Oswald. Both noticed a close resemblance between Oswald and the man who was with the Minute Man a few weeks before. Both were afraid that he was Oswald and were afraid to say anything. Both said they felt that the Minute Men were involved in the assassination although that very little was said by members they knew following the assassination except to express satisfaction that it happened. I told INFORMANT I had someone in Dallas I wanted him to see and we arranged to do so on Oct. 28. …Dallas T-1 advised “I picked up informant about 4:00 pm (10/28/64) and drove him to Dallas, Texas. I drove him to the vicinity of The Gun Shop, 7402 Harry Hines Blvd., a business operated by one JOHN THOMAS MASEN. I pointed out the business to the INFORMANT. We then drove by and observed several men in the front of the shop. The INFORMANT picked out MASEN from the group and identified him as the man he thought was OSWALD. I parked around the corner and the informant walked back to the shop. He returned about ten minutes later and said that MASEN recognized him when he entered the shop and appeared glad to see him. That they talked about guns a few minutes and Masen invited him to come back. The INFORMANT stated that he does not know if Masen is a member of the Minute Men or not.

Thanks Robert. It also can be found here - http://educationforum.ipbhost.com/index.php?showtopic=2363 As I mentioned above, the curious listing of Dan Burros in LHO's address book. Again relying on memory, I believe Oswald has listed Burros New York address and listed the American Nationalist Party. This "party" consisted of 2 people - Burros and John Patler. The same John Patler who later assassinated George Rockwell (ANP). Burros and Patler left the ANP for a period 6 months in 1962-63 after a falling out with Rockwell. Burros and Patler published a small publication called "Kill". Four issues I believe. Burros later became a member of the Minute Men, Klan, NSRP and was associated with Roy Frankhouser. I'm sure Frankhouser will have a few hits in the HSCA database. So, the question is, how did LHO come across Burros name and address? Was it through his work with Banister? Dallas connections with Surrey/Walker?

Robert, I would look at those that were associates of Bob Surrey. Surrey printed most of the ANP's literature during this period. Dallas was the headquarters of the ANP in 1967. On a side note, I'm still puzzled as to why LHO had Rockwell's and Burros name and addresses in his address book.

If I recall Bethel was on Fonzi's short list as Maurice Bishop before he settled on Phillips. And if my memory is still working, Loran Hall told Weisberg that visited Keating with news of the missles in Cuba.

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

According to Gerry Hemming, Warren Reynolds was his contact to set up a meeting with General Walker...Feb/March 1963. So, did Reynolds and Walker know each other prior to Nov 1963?

I don't know but it sounds big...

Shonto is most likely Santo Trafficante.

OK, OK. There were multiple shooters. It WAS a Conspiracy. We ALL know that. So I surrender. But who were the actual PERPS? Who were they? Why did they do it? Who paid them? And where are they now? And what did they do both before and after the fact of the JFK murder? STAY TUNED or you might miss something. The answers to your questions are on the wind and soon to arrive. Baby steps first... then the running to the finish line starts. All things come in there own time and season, and that time is very near my friend. Mac Wallace was one of the assassins, although he was not one of the point men, but just an instrument or tool. Its time to focus on Texas and its politics of the time..., not the mob..., not Cuba... I know the military thought Texas was the source, that was so many years ago... that is why we were sent in. But what do I know. I'm just an 800 lb Guerilla sitting on a fence. Tosh, Good to see you back. I'm listening. Dave

Here's an old piece by Jerry Shinley. This covers some of Banister's visit with Eastland and MSC among other things. Jerry Rose, in an article entitled "Nut Country II", (The Third Decade; May, 1990; Volume 6, Number 4; pp 1-5) transcribes a document from the National Archives concerning the activities of Major General Edwin A. Walker in New Orleans on Nov 20, 1963. The document is a report from the Louisiana State Police. Walker met privately with Leander Perez at his office in the National American Bank Building and also met with about 35 conservative leaders at the Jung Hotel. On the 21st, Walker held another meeting with 90 people. - Walker's presence in New Orleans on the 20th was also documented by the NOTP in an account of a public speech given by Harold Lloyd Varney at the Roosevelt Hotel. Walker is mentioned as being in the audience. (NOTP; Nov 21, 1963; S1, P14) Varney's speech urged the ouster of Castro. - Perhaps this would be the logical point to introduce a mutual acquaintance of Banister and Walker: Medford Bryan Evans. The first item concerning Evans is his entry from "Contemporary Authors" (Volumes 25-28 (revised); Gale Research Co.; 1971-78). Evans was born in 1907 in Lufkin, Texas. He graduated from the University of Chattanooga in 1927 and took a Ph. D. from Yale in 1933. He taught at various colleges. From 1944 to 1952, Evans worked for the Atomic Energy Commission in Oak Ridge and Washington, D. C. His last position was as chief of security training. He worked for the H. L. Hunt-created Facts Forum Foundation in Dallas from 1954 to 1955. He lived in Natchitoches, Louisiana from 1955 to 1962, teaching at Northwestern State College from 1955 to 1959, and working as a "consultant" from 1959 to 1962. In 1962, he went to work as managing editor of "The Citizen", official publication of the Citizens' Councils of America in Jackson, Mississippi. Evans was also a member of the John Birch Society and a contributor to its publication, "American Opinion". (see also: McMillen, Neil R. "The Citizens' Council". Chicago: University of Illinois Press, 1971) My understanding is that Evans died in the late Eighties. M. (Medford) Stanton Evans, a member of William F. Buckley's circle, is Evans' son. - In 1962, Evans appeared alongside General Walker at the Senate "Military Muzzling" Hearings organized by Strom Thurmond. (Military Cold War Education and Speech Review Policies; Hearings before the Special Preparedness Subcommittee of the Committee on Armed Services, U. S. Senate, 87th Congress, 2nd Session, p 1389) - A review, by Evans, of three books related to the JFK assassination appeared in "American Opinion" for September, 1977. (pp 67-70). In the course of the review, Evans described Banister as "a friend of mine as it happens." (p69, 1st column, 1st paragraph) - An indication that Evans and Banister moved in the same circles in Louisiana is that in 1960 Evans was named as secretary of the Louisiana States Rights Party. Kent Courtney was the party's candidate for governor. David C. Treen, a New Orleans attorney was named chairman, replacing another N. O. lawyer, Felix Lapeyre. (NOTP; January 6, 1960; s1, p11) Kent Courtney was named by the HSCA as a Banister acquaintance. (HSCA; Vol X, 130) - Another Walker-New Orleans link is through George Soule, president of Soule Business College. In 1962, George Soule was "community chairman" of the New Orleans Indignation Committee. (NOTP; February 8, 1962; s2, p4) In January, Walker had addressed this group, via closed-circuit TV, at a meeting held at Soule College. (NOTP; January 4, 1962; s1, p14) - In 1963, Soule was chairman of the 12th Annual National Congress of Freedom. (Who's Who in the South and Southwest 1963 - 1964) General Walker's lawyer, Clyde Watts, was a speaker at this event. (NOTP; April 7, 1963). J. A. Milteer was also in attendance. (Weisberg; Frame-Up; p481) - Warren Commission Document 794 deals with certain statements made by a "citizen of American origin who is presently a member of the Communist Party [CP]." This person expressed concern about "press references to [Lee Harvey] OSWALD's activities in New Orleans, Louisiana, before he went to Russia" which would link Oswald to the Communist Party. The FBI's investigation focused on the brief time Oswald was in New Orleans in September of 1959, before sailing for Europe. However, I suspect it would have been more logical to examine the time between January, 1954, and July, 1956, when the teenaged Oswald and his mother lived in New Orleans. (Warren Commission Report, GPO Edition, pp 679-681) - One New Orleans acquaintance of Oswald's, Palmer McBride, reported that "Oswald praised Khrushchev and suggested that he and McBride join the Communist Party 'to take advantage of their social functions.'" (WCR, p. 384) Viewed out of context, Oswald's interest in joining the CP may seem a juvenile fantasy, but, in the light of the intense public interest in Communist activity in New Orleans during the early part of 1956, Oswald's desire to contact the CP could have been realized through a number of avenues. - The New Orleans Times-Picayune (NOTP) for January 11, 1956, featured a front-page story from Baton Rouge reporting that Baton Rouge District Attorney J. St. Clair Favrot and the FBI were "checking on Communist literature mailed here [baton Rouge] attacking segregation in the South." The article included the address of the Southern Regional Committee of the Communist Party, "P. O. Box 464, St. Louis, Mo." A similar mailing in March, a leaflet urging support for the Montgomery bus boycott and signed by the Louisiana Communist party, was also reported. (NOTP, March 28, 1956, p. 2) - The next incident to draw attention to alleged Communist activities in New Orleans occurred in March of 1956. The Senate Internal Security Subcommittee (SISS), chaired by Mississippi Senator James Eastland, questioned Herman Liveright, the program director of New Orleans television station, WDSU, in Washington, D. C. Liveright, without invoking the fifth amendment, refused to answer a number of question dealing with his alleged involvement with the CP in New York and New Orleans. (NOTP, March 20, 1956, p. 1) WDSU promptly fired Liveright. (NOTP, March 21, 1956, p. 1) - The Liveright incident spurred New Orleans Mayor deLesseps Story "Chep" Morrison to order a probe of "subversive activities in New Orleans." Morrsion stated that he had contacted SISS chairman Eastland and asked for any information the subcommittee had. Morrison selected Assistant Police Superintendent Guy Banister to head the investigation. (NOTP, March 21, 1956, p. 1) Banister later was a figure of interest in the Garrison probe and has been alleged to have been personally acquainted with Oswald. - Morrison and Banister traveled to Greenwood, Mississippi, to confer personally with Senator Eastland for more than three hours. "Describing the conference as completely 'satisfactory,' Morrsion said, 'Mr. Banister has complete liason with the committee's staff which was the main object of our trip.'" (NOTP, March 23, 1956, p. 1) Less than a week later, plans to hold SISS hearings in New Orleans were announced. (NOTP, March 28, 1956, p. 1) The subcommittee issued subpenas for ten witnesses. Efforts to locate one witness, Hunter Pitts O'Dell, resulted in the seizure of books and documents from a rented room which O'Dell had vacated. Banister termed the library "the finest collection of Communist literature in the South that I have ever seen or heard of." (NOTP, March 23, 1956, p. 1; March 31, 1956, p. 1) Hunter Pitts O'Dell is a figure of some importance because of his later association with Martin Luther King and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. O'Dell's alleged Communist ties were used to discredit Dr. King. (Garrow, David J. The FBI and Martin Luther King, Jr. New York: Penguin Books, 1981) Interestingly, Louisiana political boss and notorious segregationist Leander Perez publicly linked King and O'Dell in March of 1960. (NOTP, March 12, 1960, section 3, p. 2) - The SISS held public hearings on April 5 and 6. The NOTP devoted extensive space to coverage of the hearings, including detailed summaries of the testimony of each of the witnessess. (NOTP, April 6, 1956; April 7, 1956). At follow-up hearings in Washington, three additional witnesses, including O'Dell were heard. (NOTP, April 12, 1956, p.1; April 13, 1956, p. 1) The Orleans Parish District Attorney's office announced it was considering prosecuting O'Dell and other SISS witnesses under Louisiana anti-subversion laws. Charges were finally filed in 1957. (NOTP, May 9, 1956, p. 1; March 26, 1957, p. 1; April 4, 1957, p. 8)

John, I don't believe Banister got the job. He did function as a mini commission though. For a good read about the Miss Sov Commission. Read "Dixie's Dirty Secrets" by James Dickerson. Dickerson takes you to the edge of some interesting subjects but then backs off. The subjects being LHO, James Earl Ray, Leander Perez, and Carlos Marcello. He does go into detail on a key subject here: the Mississippi Sovereignty Commission. The Sov Comm was set up and run by ex-FBI agents, among others. One of the primary backers was George Rogers who later went to work for the CIA. I always thought that the MissSovComm records should have been declared JFK assassination records. Here’s a partial list of the names that can be found in the Miss Sov Comm files: Lee Harvey Oswald, Marina Oswald, Guy Banister, H.L Hunt, Gen Walker, Wesley Swift, David A. Phillips * (do you think it’s Atlee?), Robert D. Morrow, Willie Somersett, Ned Touchstone, Robert Morris, Henry Palmer (didn’t he see LHO in Clinton?) Alex Rorke, Jr. Ed Butler (maybe Ed Scalon Butler of INCA?) Robert DePugh, John Rousselot, John Lechner (as seen in Richard Nagell’s notebook) John Roselli, Lamar Hunt, David Ferrie, Robert Surrey, and Jack Brown (as named by Joe Milteer).

After many years of looking at this, I've come to the conclusion that LHO worked for Banister as a low level informant. To quote his secretray, Delphine Roberts, "he was with the office." Banister had files on all sorts of groups and people.

Good place to put this.. Hon. W.M. Rainach Summerfield, Louisiana Dear Senator Rainach: Reference is made to our recent telephone conversation regarding the tentative plans for the formation of a State Sovereignty Commission. At that time, I told you of my interest in the position of Chief Investigator. I have for many years, supervised investigators in conducting investigations of matter which reason dictates will be similar to those the Commission will handle. I am qualified by practical experience, covering a period of more than 20 years, to train the Commissions investigators. I have served as a member of the teaching staff of (4) of the nations leading educational institutions. I have one of the largest libraries of its kind which is available to the Commission for research. I also have ample office space, which is available for Commission use, assuming that the Commission will need an office in New Orleans and that you will have your own stenographers, clerks, telephone service, etc. When you are in New Orleans or Baton Rouge, an appointment with you to discuss this matter further, would be appreciated. Sincerely yours, Guy Banister, President

I was surprised this posting did not have much impact with members. However, I sent the information out to selected researchers who did see the significance of this information. Several will be using this information in books they are working on. Unfortunately, it came too late for Doug Horne to include it in his book (due out next month). The information comes from James Wagenvoord, the editorial business manager and assistant to Life Magazines Executive Editor. He has supplied me with a lot more information about this story but I am not at liberty to publish it at the moment. I found this posting fascinating and shared it with a non-member of the Forum who at one time was a key executive at LIFE. Douglas, Did he comment? Dave

I believe the McGehee was Frank McGehee. http://slacktivist.typepad.com/slacktivist...ndignation.html " Perlstein's op-ed had me rushing to Google "National Indignation Convention" to learn more about this delightfully named wingnut association. That led me to a Dec. 8, 1961, article from Time magazine titled, "The Ultras," a fascinating and far-ranging survey of the many groups of that time who regarded Barry Goldwater as a communist sympathizer. It includes this summary of the NIC: THE NATIONAL INDIGNATION CONVENTION, one of the fastest growing of the new groups, was started recently by Dallas Garage Owner Frank McGehee, 32, to protest the training of Yugoslav pilots in the U.S. It has since spread across the country through supporting committees. With a keen eye peeled for "modern traitors" in government, the movement holds evangelistic-like meetings at which members have heard the Eisenhower and Kennedy Administrations condemned as "treasonous." along with suggestions for lynching Earl Warren. The group's agenda also included the defense of segregation and opposition to the fluoridation of water. Really. These were people who would have cheered Gen. Jack D. Ripper's vehement defense of "our precious bodily fluids" in Dr. Strangelove. The woman who assaulted Adlai Stevenson with the picket sign was affiliated with the National Indignation Convention. Photojournalist Wes Wise, who captured that incident on film, reveals another revealing detail in Robert Huffaker's book, When the News Went Live: Dallas 1963. After the woman's assault on Stevenson was condemned nationally, the crazy lady offered what she considered an excuse for her behavior. "I was pushed from behind by a Negro," she said. There were, of course, no black people in the vicinity. Throughout Wise's account, Stevenson comes across as unflappable. I picture David Niven playing the part. When a member of the IndigNation -- Frank McGehee himself, actually -- heckled and tried to shout down his speech in Dallas, Stevenson paused and said, "Surely, my dear friend, I don't have to come here from Illinois to teach Texas manners, do I?" The crowd cheered. Stevenson may often have been, as Perlstein writes, "earnestly confused" by the irrational claims and behavior of his opponents, but his response to McGehee and to the crazy woman with the sign don't convey such confusion. He knew exactly what to make of those people: They were rude and irrational. The politeness of his rational response in both cases doesn't blunt the implication of those responses -- that these people ought to be ashamed of themselves. That's an example of what's often missing today in dealing with the IndigNation. These people are offended and outraged and so politicians and journalists respond by trying not to further offend or enrage them. As though that were possible. Indignation is their raison d'etre. They will take offense whether or not it is given. There is no point trying not to offend them. There is no point in trying not to make them angry. An appropriate response isn't to be more offended or more offensive, but it should involve going on the offense. The IndigNationalists are behaving shamefully and it is appropriate and necessary to point that out to them. It's our duty to point that out to them. The appropriate and necessary phrase when confronted by members of the IndigNation -- by the birthers, the deathers, the baggers, the immigrant-blamers and homophobes and cryptoracists and misogynists -- is simply to tell them the primary thing they need to hear: "You ought to be ashamed of yourself."