Who is William Trull?

[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

[Larry Hancock]

Steve, I will have a good deal more information about Trull in my

second edition including the introductions and backing Sierra received out

of NYC. If you have my supplement you will find some of it in the

Appendix "The Way of JMWAVE".

Trull had a low level connection (entertainment) to people at the King Ranch

who became connected to Sierra via their old establishment sugar

industry connections in NYC. A number of the old like sugar, ranching and

mining companies all were associated in this way and the connections were

also utilized by David Phillips of the CIA.

Trull was recommended as a sort of cut out to Sierra, not exactly a PR man

but useful in public and with no obvious connections to any particular

backers. It helped keep up the air of mysterous American support for the Junta.

The documents supporting this are referenced in the supplement and in

the second edition which is now targeted for this fall.

You will also find some interviews with Trull about Sierra - and the related documents with my first edition.

[David Boylan]

Steve,  I will have a good deal more information about Trull in my

second edition including the introductions and backing Sierra received out

of NYC.  If you have my supplement you will find some of it in the

Appendix "The Way of JMWAVE".

Trull had a low level connection (entertainment) to people at the King Ranch

who became connected to Sierra via their old establishment sugar

industry connections in NYC.  A number of the old like sugar, ranching and

mining companies all were associated in this way and the connections were

also utilized by David Phillips of the CIA. 

Trull was recommended as a sort of cut out to Sierra,  not exactly a PR man

but useful in public and with no obvious connections to any particular

backers.  It  helped keep up the air of mysterous American support for the Junta.

The documents supporting this are referenced in the supplement and in

the second edition which is now targeted for this fall.

You will also find some interviews with Trull about Sierra - and the related documents with my first edition.

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Larry,

Fascinating stuff. So, Sierra wasn't backed by "organized crime?" :-)

Sierra met with Burt Mold and John Lechner in Feb 1963. I believe Harry Dean knew Lechner and said he was a extreme right winger and member of the JBS and other groups such as Americans for a Free Cuba. Maybe Harry can tell us more about Lechner. Lechner was also a subject of investigation by Richard Nagel.

Sierra had some high level connections. He met with Morris Liebman and Lucius Clay in DC - April 1963 I believe. And after he visited Nicaragua and Guatemala during the summer of 1963 (in the company of Reinaldo Pico who was reporting to Bernard Barker) he, reportedly, met with John Crimmens, one of RFK's guys. I'm not sure of the content.

[Larry Hancock]

Hi David, if only it was that simple. Actually Sierra's support seems to

have been all over the place. As part of his drive for legitimacy and because

he did have some American Corporate support, he managed to get introductions and make contacts with a good number of the old line Cuban "establishment"

that had been in sugar, ranching, mining and land in Cuba. That included companies ranging from King ranch in Texas to Freeport Sulphur in New Orleans. These are all folks who lost when Castro came in but it appears not the sort of people who gave up easily, including the old line sugar establishment in NYC.

However although he got moral support, introductions and advice from these folks it didn't seem to stick once it became clear that he was having no more luck than anyone else really buidling a broad exile base.

It also appears that as soon as he came on to the radar screen as a mover and shaker he began to get "offers" from the other old establishment in Cuba....via guys from the West Coast, from Vegas. Their standard investment type offer, just in case he made a go of it. Since the HSCA never got the books from the Junta it's hard to see where the money came from but it sure appears that the support and influence turned from the old line establishment to the high risk investors as his program began to run into trouble.

[David Boylan]

Thanks Larry. Very helpful as always!

Hi David,  if only it was that simple.  Actually Sierra's support seems to

have been all over the place.  As part of his drive for legitimacy and because

he did have some American Corporate support, he managed to get introductions and make contacts with a good number of the old line Cuban "establishment"

that had been in sugar, ranching, mining and land in Cuba.  That included companies ranging from King ranch in Texas to Freeport Sulphur in New Orleans.  These are all folks who lost when Castro came in but it appears not the sort of people who gave up easily,  including the old line sugar establishment in NYC.

However although he got moral support, introductions and advice from these folks it didn't seem to stick once it became clear that he was having no more luck than anyone else really buidling a broad exile base.

It also appears that as soon as he came on to the radar screen as a mover and shaker he began to get "offers" from the other old establishment in Cuba....via guys from the West Coast,  from Vegas.  Their standard investment type offer,  just in case he made a go of it.  Since the HSCA never got the books from the Junta it's hard to see where the money came from but it sure appears that the support and influence turned from the old line establishment to the high risk investors as his program began to run into trouble.

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