Harry J. Dean and Richard E. Sprague

[John Simkin]

Harry, why do you think Richard E. Sprague (The Taking of America) was of the opinion that you were involved in the assassination of JFK? This is what he says in his book:

The conspiracy to assassinate John Kennedy began in a series of discussions held in New Orleans in the summer of 1963. The men in the discussions were extremely angry that Kennedy had stopped plans and preparations for another invasion of Cuba (scheduled for the latter part of 1963.) One of the instigators was David Ferrie, a CIA contract agent who had been training pilots in Guatemala for the invasion. Meetings held in Ferrie's apartment in New Orleans were attended by Clay Shaw, William Seymour and several Cubans. Plans for assassinating President Kennedy developed out of those early meetings. Others whose support was sought by the group included Guy Banister, Major L. M. Bloomfield, Loran Hall, Lawrence Howard, Sergio Arcacha Smith and Carlos Prio Socarras.

During this period in the summer of 1963 Lee Harvey Oswald was working for Guy Banister on some anti-Castro projects and used the Communist cover of the Fair Play for Cuba Committee. Oswald attended some of the meetings where JFK's assassination was discussed.

Oswald either approached the FBI or they approached him in the later summer of 1963, and he began to tell the FBI about the plans of the group to assassinate JFK. Oswald had been a secret informant for the FBI since mid-1962.

In September, the group moved the scene of their planning to Mexico City. There they solicited the assistance of Guy Gabaldin, a CIA agent. Meetings were held in the apartment of Gabaldin, attended by Shaw, Ferrie, Seymour, Gabaldin and Oswald on at least three occasions. Others were brought into the conspiracy at this point. These included John Howard Bowen (alias Albert Osborne), Ronald Augustinovich, Mary Hope, Emilio Santana, Harry Dean, Richard Case Nagell, and "Frenchy" (an adventurer who had been working with Seymour, Santana, Ferrie, Howard and others on the Cuban invasion projects in the Florida Keys). Fred Lee Crisman, Jim Hicks and Jim Braden (alias Eugene Hale Brading) were also recruited at this point.

Oswald continued to inform on the group to the FBI in Dallas. In mid- to late September the assassination group decided to make Oswald the patsy in the murder. They had discussed the need for a patsy in the earliest meetings in New Orleans. Billy Seymour, who resembled Oswald, was selected to use Oswald's name and to plant evidence in New Orleans, Dallas and Mexico, which could later be used to frame him. In addition, another man under CIA surveillance in Mexico City also used Oswald's name in a probable attempt to make it appear that Oswald was headed for Cuba. His name may have been Johnny Mitchell Deveraux. His picture appears in the Warren Commission Volumes as CE 237.

The team needed financial support for the assassination. They received it from Carlos Prio Socarras in Miami, who brought more than 50 million dollars out of Cuba. They also received money from Banister, and from three Texas millionaires who hated Kennedy: Sid Richardson, Clint Murchison, and Jean DeMenil (of the Schlumberger Co.). The Murchison-Richardson contribution also included soliciting the assistance of high-level men in the Dallas police force. They were powerful members of the Dallas Citizens Council that controlled the city at that time.

The group in Mexico City planned to assassinate JFK in Miami, Chicago or Dallas, using different gunmen in each case. The Miami plan failed because the Secret Service found out about it in advance and kept JFK out of the open. The Chicago plan backfired when JFK cancelled his plans to attend the Army-Navy game at Soldiers Field in early November. The group set up two assassination teams for Dallas. One was in Dealey Plaza; the second was near the International Trade Mart where JFK's luncheon speech was to be delivered.

The best evidence of CIA (Deputy-Director of Plans) involvement is the fact that the majority of the known participants were contract agents or direct agents of the CIA. In Mexico City, the meetings were held in the apartment of Guy Gabaldin, a CIA (DDP) agent, working for the Mexico City station chief. Others attending the meetings who were CIA (DDP) contract or direct agents included Clay Shaw, David Ferrie, Albert Osborne, Harry Dean, Richard Case Nagell, Ronald Augustinovich, William Seymour, Emilio Santana and Fred Lee Crisman. It is likely (but not yet provable by direct evidence) that the group sought and obtained from the acting or permanent CIA station chief in Mexico, assistance or approval to go ahead with assassination plans. Tad Szulc claims that a CIA source can prove that E. Howard Hunt was acting station chief in Mexico City at the time of the Gabaldin apartment meetings (August and September 1963). Hunt has denied under oath before the Rockefeller Commission that he was in Mexico.

In 1967 Richard Helms told a group of CIA officials, including Victor Marchetti, that both Clay Shaw and David Ferrie were CIA (DDP) contract agents and that Shaw had to be given CIA protection and assistance in his New Orleans trial. This is a strong indication that Hunt and Helms gave "turn of the head" approval to the Shaw-Ferrie assassination plan as a minimum form of support.

[Harry J.Dean]

Harry, why do you think Richard E. Sprague (The Taking of America) was of the opinion  that you were involved in the assassination of JFK? This is what he says in his book:

The conspiracy to assassinate John Kennedy began in a series of discussions held in New Orleans in the summer of 1963. The men in the discussions were extremely angry that Kennedy had stopped plans and preparations for another invasion of Cuba (scheduled for the latter part of 1963.) One of the instigators was David Ferrie, a CIA contract agent who had been training pilots in Guatemala for the invasion. Meetings held in Ferrie's apartment in New Orleans were attended by Clay Shaw, William Seymour and several Cubans. Plans for assassinating President Kennedy developed out of those early meetings. Others whose support was sought by the group included Guy Banister, Major L. M. Bloomfield, Loran Hall, Lawrence Howard, Sergio Arcacha Smith and Carlos Prio Socarras.

During this period in the summer of 1963 Lee Harvey Oswald was working for Guy Banister on some anti-Castro projects and used the Communist cover of the Fair Play for Cuba Committee. Oswald attended some of the meetings where JFK's assassination was discussed.

Oswald either approached the FBI or they approached him in the later summer of 1963, and he began to tell the FBI about the plans of the group to assassinate JFK. Oswald had been a secret informant for the FBI since mid-1962.

In September, the group moved the scene of their planning to Mexico City. There they solicited the assistance of Guy Gabaldin, a CIA agent. Meetings were held in the apartment of Gabaldin, attended by Shaw, Ferrie, Seymour, Gabaldin and Oswald on at least three occasions. Others were brought into the conspiracy at this point. These included John Howard Bowen (alias Albert Osborne), Ronald Augustinovich, Mary Hope, Emilio Santana, Harry Dean, Richard Case Nagell, and "Frenchy" (an adventurer who had been working with Seymour, Santana, Ferrie, Howard and others on the Cuban invasion projects in the Florida Keys). Fred Lee Crisman, Jim Hicks and Jim Braden (alias Eugene Hale Brading) were also recruited at this point.

Oswald continued to inform on the group to the FBI in Dallas. In mid- to late September the assassination group decided to make Oswald the patsy in the murder. They had discussed the need for a patsy in the earliest meetings in New Orleans. Billy Seymour, who resembled Oswald, was selected to use Oswald's name and to plant evidence in New Orleans, Dallas and Mexico, which could later be used to frame him. In addition, another man under CIA surveillance in Mexico City also used Oswald's name in a probable attempt to make it appear that Oswald was headed for Cuba. His name may have been Johnny Mitchell Deveraux. His picture appears in the Warren Commission Volumes as CE 237.

The team needed financial support for the assassination. They received it from Carlos Prio Socarras in Miami, who brought more than 50 million dollars out of Cuba. They also received money from Banister, and from three Texas millionaires who hated Kennedy: Sid Richardson, Clint Murchison, and Jean DeMenil (of the Schlumberger Co.). The Murchison-Richardson contribution also included soliciting the assistance of high-level men in the Dallas police force. They were powerful members of the Dallas Citizens Council that controlled the city at that time.

The group in Mexico City planned to assassinate JFK in Miami, Chicago or Dallas, using different gunmen in each case. The Miami plan failed because the Secret Service found out about it in advance and kept JFK out of the open. The Chicago plan backfired when JFK cancelled his plans to attend the Army-Navy game at Soldiers Field in early November. The group set up two assassination teams for Dallas. One was in Dealey Plaza; the second was near the International Trade Mart where JFK's luncheon speech was to be delivered.

The best evidence of CIA (Deputy-Director of Plans) involvement is the fact that the majority of the known participants were contract agents or direct agents of the CIA. In Mexico City, the meetings were held in the apartment of Guy Gabaldin, a CIA (DDP) agent, working for the Mexico City station chief. Others attending the meetings who were CIA (DDP) contract or direct agents included Clay Shaw, David Ferrie, Albert Osborne, Harry Dean, Richard Case Nagell, Ronald Augustinovich, William Seymour, Emilio Santana and Fred Lee Crisman. It is likely (but not yet provable by direct evidence) that the group sought and obtained from the acting or permanent CIA station chief in Mexico, assistance or approval to go ahead with assassination plans. Tad Szulc claims that a CIA source can prove that E. Howard Hunt was acting station chief in Mexico City at the time of the Gabaldin apartment meetings (August and September 1963). Hunt has denied under oath before the Rockefeller Commission that he was in Mexico.

In 1967 Richard Helms told a group of CIA officials, including Victor Marchetti, that both Clay Shaw and David Ferrie were CIA (DDP) contract agents and that Shaw had to be given CIA protection and assistance in his New Orleans trial. This is a strong indication that Hunt and Helms gave "turn of the head" approval to the Shaw-Ferrie assassination plan as a minimum form of support.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Hi, John

Here is the only way I can answer. I knew Gabaldon, Hall and Howard here in southern california. William { Billy} Seymour was enlisted in Phoenix Arizona, via Gabaldon then fell in with Hall, Howard and others.

I spoke only once with Ronald Augustinovich in a return call to him. All of this while reporting to LA. FBI, and separately to LAPD Red Squad, as had been the like case when I lived in Chicago and area. It was Gabaldon { a "phony" CIA agent} who tried by friendly stealth to involve me also in the Mexican operations. When aware of this I declined his offer to co-pilot his plane to Mexico city area in 1963.

Gabaldon and the others knew of my past pro-Castro/Fair Play For Cuba Committee before I joined them 1962 as an anti-Castro, anti-Kennedy anti-Communist actionary. The attempt by Gabaldon and other Birch members to set me up became obvious even though at the same time they were planning to use the obscure assumed Communist Oswald as a fall guy who had a simular past record. Such dealings involved General Walker, known personally by us all as well as several others of our what turned out in the end, betrayed and phony Ultra-Conservative leanings.

I can say little else re; Mr. Sprague's suggestions, and have laid out most of such

details in the MS/Book YROJ. I was not involved in plans to do harm to Kennedy, except to report such threats to the Bureau and other authority.

Harry

[Jack White]

Sid Richardson died four years prior to the assassination, so could NOT have been one of the conspirators.

The chief attorney for the Richardson interests was John Connally.

Following is a biography from the forum website:

Sid Williams Richardson was born on 25th April, 1891, in Athens, Texas. After a brief stay at Baylor University he left in 1912 to become a salesman for an oil-well supply company. In 1919 he established his own oil company in Fort Worth. At first this was a highly successful venture and he became a prosperous businessman. However, in 1921 the oil market collapsed and he lost most of his fortune.

In 1933 Richardson established the Keystone oil-field in Winkler County. This was a profitable venture and he rapidly expanded his oil business. Richardson also invested in three large cattle ranches. In 1936 Richardson purchased St. Joseph's Island off the Texas coast.

Richardson was also an avid art collector. He was particularly keen on the work of Frederic Remington and Charles M. Russell. These paintings can now be seen at the Sid Richardson Museum.

In the late 1940s, Richardson and another Texas oil mogul, Clint Murchison, met J. Edgar Hoover, the head of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was the start of a long friendship. Later, Bobby Baker claimed that. "Murchison owned a piece of Hoover. Rich people always try to put their money with the sheriff, because they're looking for protection. Hoover was the personification of law and order and officially against gangsters and everything, so it was a plus for a rich man to be identified with him. That's why men like Murchison made it their business to let everyone know Hoover was their friend. You can do a lot of illegal things if the head lawman is your buddy."

In July, 1947, he established the Sid W. Richardson Foundation. He used this organization to provide money to churches, hospitals and schools in Texas. By this time Richardson was one of the richest men in the United States. It is estimated he was worth $800 million and he became known as the "bachelor billionaire".

Richardson had originally been a supporter of the Democratic Party and was associated with a group of right-wing politicians that included Dwight Eisenhower, Richard B. Russell, Robert Kerr, Sam Rayburn and Lyndon B. Johnson. However, in 1952 he became a supporter of Dwight Eisenhower. He joined forces with Clint Murchison and J. Edgar Hoover to mount a smear campaign against Adlai Stevenson, the Democratic candidate for the presidency.

When Dwight Eisenhower won the presidency, Richardson suggested he employed his friend, Robert Anderson, president of the Texas Mid-Continent Oil and Gas Association, to become Secretary of the Navy. Eisenhower agreed to this suggestion. Later, Anderson became Secretary of the Treasury (1957-61). In this post he introduced legislation beneficial to the oil industry.

In 1954 Richardson joined forces with Clint Murchison and Robert Ralph Young in order to takeover the New York Central Railroad. This involved buying 800,000 shares worth $20 million. Richardson also owned the Texas State Network (a radio and television organization) and the Texas City Refining Company.

Sid Richardson died of a heart attack on 30th September, 1959, at his home in St Joseph's Island. He was buried at Athens, Texas.

[Ron Ecker]

Sid Richardson died four years prior to the assassination, so could NOT have been one of the conspirators.

Okay, but we can believe everything else that Sprague says.

Ron

[Pat Speer]

So Sprague says Harry helped kill Kennedy and Tim tried to kill Wallace. Anything on Mr. Hemming? We wouldn't want him to feel left out, what with all the accusations sent his way by Mr. Weberman.

Edited June 23, 2005 by Pat Speer

[Tim Gratz]

John, I, of course, KNOW that I had never even HEARD of Bremer before he was arrested so I know Sprague was dead wrong when he said that a group with which I was affiliated gave money to Bremer--a group he does not even bother to identify.

Harry knows Sprague is wrong in connecting him to the Kennedy assassination.

And Jack points out that Sid Richardon died in 1959 yet Sprague claimed he was contributing money for the assassination.

With three such egregious errors, who can take any statement in Sprague's book seriously? It should also be noted he offers NO SUPPORT whatsoever for his statements.