Will the Real Guy Banister please stand up?

[Richard Coleman]

I found this in “American Swastika”, by Charles Higham. It doesn’t add anything to the JFK case as such, I offer it simply as background, to help complete the record.

(The Russell referred to is Sean Russell, an IRA activist described thusly by Higham: “His hatred of England was harsh and unyielding. Thus, in the 1930s, he found a ready reception in the Coughlinite/Christian Front movement in the United States. He consistently supported Coughlin’s stand on isolationism, a negotiated peace with Hitler, and refusal to help Great Britain.” He was touring the U.S. and Canada raising money for weapons for the IRA and to arrange an attempt to assassinate the King and Queen of England.)

Page 108 of American Swastika: “...when Inspector Carnak, acting head of the Criminal Identification Division of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in Ottawa, contacted FBI agent W.W. BANISTER through his Edmonton, Alberta office, BANISTER said that Russell had never been in Butte at all. THIS WAS ENTIRELY INCORRECT.”

Page 112: “When a routine press inquiry came into the FBI on August 29, W. W. BANISTER of HOOVER’S OFFICE, simply referred to Russell’s visit to Butte(!!) and gave no further references.” [emphasis added]

The obvious question: Was this the same Banister we know from New Orleans? Was “Guy” his real name?

[Bernice Moore]

Thanks Richard interesting...fyi...see http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=banister&GScid=571496&GRid=18533329&

and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guy_Banister#Early_life

I think you will find the information you are after, carry on..b

Edited March 17, 2013 by Bernice Moore

[Richard Coleman]

Hello Bernice.

Evidently it is the same Banister - Higham just had too many Ws! Interesting that Banister’s right wing proto-fascist bent was evident way back then. Russell was covered up for by many in the U.S. and eventually left in 1940. He was associated with the Abwehr and Admiral Canaris and received Abwehr training in Germany in sabotage. He was on his way to Ireland via U-boat when he suddenly became ill and died. Higham speculates that he may have been murdered by a British agent aboard the sub.

In an eerie precurser to JFK, the captain of the U-boat was knocked down and killed by a car in Berlin shortly afterward.

BTW, do you know who did the article on Wikipedia on Banister? It's pretty good, despite what Jim DiEugenio says!

[Bernice Moore]

Hello Bernice.

Evidently it is the same Banister - Higham just had too many Ws! Interesting that Banister’s right wing proto-fascist bent was evident way back then. Russell was covered up for by many in the U.S. and eventually left in 1940. He was associated with the Abwehr and Admiral Canaris and received Abwehr training in Germany in sabotage. He was on his way to Ireland via U-boat when he suddenly became ill and died. Higham speculates that he may have been murdered by a British agent aboard the sub.

In an eerie precurser to JFK, the captain of the U-boat was knocked down and killed by a car in Berlin shortly afterward.

BTW, do you know who did the article on Wikipedia on Banister? It's pretty good, despite what Jim DiEugenio says!

Hi Richard; glad to help out, i have no idea who the supplied the information on W..tell you the truth i do not use their site, very seldom if, but was suprised by the information given...hopefully some of the fella's up on the Banister research will join in your thread and add their information and thoughts, it could be very interesting already a possible murder on a u boat and a killing by car, very interesting...thank you again..b

[David Andrews]

I don't want to spread speculation, but it strikes me that Banister maintained Bureau ties that seem unreasonably enduring for an agent supposedly fired for pulling a gun in a drunken altercation - something you'd think would have alienated him from Hoover and Hoover's channels. I wonder if his Bureau departure was engineered under a cover story to facilitate broader involvements.

Edited March 17, 2013 by David Andrews

[Stephen Roy]

Banister wasn't fired from the FBI for the gun incident.

His departure from the FBI revolved around some critical comments he made, a transfer (which he wouldn't accept) and, apparently, some medical issues.

The gun incident was later, in New Orleans, when he was fired as Assistant Superintendent of the New Orleans Police Department. The gun incident was serendipitous for the Mayor and police administration, as Banister was taking his duty to root out police corruption a bit too seriously.

[David Andrews]

Banister wasn't fired from the FBI for the gun incident.

His departure from the FBI revolved around some critical comments he made, a transfer (which he wouldn't accept) and, apparently, some medical issues.

The gun incident was later, in New Orleans, when he was fired as Assistant Superintendent of the New Orleans Police Department. The gun incident was serendipitous for the Mayor and police administration, as Banister was taking his duty to root out police corruption a bit too seriously.

Thank you for the correction - the story I repeated still has currency in the media, unfortunately. However - Banister's upward connections do seem to have been unfazed by his official trail of woe.