Thomas H. Purvis Posted November 7, 2005 Share Posted November 7, 2005 Having, since date of invitation, provided considerable "information" related to the assassination of JFK, perhaps it would serve purpose to differentiate between "information" and "intelligence". From reading many postings here, as well as on other JFK forums, it becomes apparant that few of those who subscribe, have experience in how the gathering; processing; evaluation; and compilation of information is utilized to derive what is considered to be "intelligence" of some probative value. Were many of those who subscribe, more familiar with the manner in which information becomes actual intelligence, then much of the extraneous BS which is brought to discussion, would have either never been brought up, or else would have died a full death long ago. Nevertheless, the BS continues. This same inexperience and lack of knowledge of how information is processed into intelligence, has lead many persons to accept, as it fact, many unreliable as well as unsubstantiated and un-provable bits of information, when in fact, the intelligence system alone denies the possibilities of the truth to the information. The value of each and every one of these "Forums", is that they provide "INFORMATION". And, the more of this information one has, the closer one can come to verification or denunciation of events related to the assassination of JFK. Provided of course that they accept it as being only "information", until such time as it is fully verified by separate and independent source material or other substantive and supporting information. I recall a statement made on another forum at one time in which the poster stated words to the effect: "Well, I might have believed you if you had not made me mad"! This being a prime example of how NOT to evaluate information to determine probative value. From personal experience, I can assure that not everyone can become an "intelligence analyst", just as not everyone can learn the game of chess. And, just because one can master chess, does not mean that they can also master 3-D Chess. Actually, some of the best analysts which exist, are sometimes those persons who demonstrate "minor" autistic tendancies and have developed the ability to channel their thoughts to the direct compartmentilization and correlation of bits of information and how each bit of information is relative to or correlates with other information. Many, many persons have found and revealed information which was of apparant value in deriving the "intelligence" necessary to place certain aspects of the JFK assassination into a seemingly correct perspective. Failure to recognize the significance of this information and how it either supports or negates other information, as well as how it may correlate to the overall picture, appears to have been the major failure. Not to mention the simple fact that it is merely "information" until verified. There is little difficulty in evaluation of the information/intelligence for military hardware; equipment; munitions; weapon systems; etc, as this is generally published fact. Understanding of the application of this equipment, referred to as "Tactics", requires that one also understand the person/persons who apply this application. This in turn requires one to study the individual! As example, is how General Patton was initially utilized during WWII. German Intelligence of course rated Patton as one of the most "aggressive" of the allied commanders, as well as the true expert in armored/tank warfare. Therefore, the German "mind" was of the impression that any invasion would be "Lead" by Patton. So, while the German intelligence system was watching Patton and his "plywood" army prepare for invasion of Europe, the true invasion proceeded. A masterpiece of understanding the "intelligence" of the opposing side, and utilizing it against them. Just as has much "false intelligence" been utilized to send many a JFK assassination researcher down the "rabbit hole" in which exists fantasyland. Tom P.S. Merely because a source of information is reliable in one aspect, does not of itself validate additional, subsequent, or prior information. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thomas H. Purvis Posted November 7, 2005 Author Share Posted November 7, 2005 1. Jerry P. Shinley Archive: Maurice Gatlin and Guatemala '53 - '54 ________________________________________________________________________________ _________ That is how the FBI version of the meeting ends. According to a CIA document dated June 26, 1953, the following also occurred: - After leaving the FBI offices, BARRIOS and GATLIN met with a Mr. DUNBAR, who occasionally represents the United Fruit Co. in New Orleans. They asked for one million dollars from the United Fruit Co., in support of BARRIOS' intended revolutionary movement in Guatemala, but they were unsuccessful in obtaining any commitment. ________________________________________________________________________________ _________ Correlating Informational Factors: a. United Fruit Company b. Guatemala c. CIA d. Revolutionary Activities in Guatemala e. Maurice Gatlin f. Colonel Roberto Barrios (Pena) g. "Mr. Dunbar", who represents United Fruit h. New Orleans ________________________________________________________________________________ _________ The Colonel's anti-Communist activities were funded by dictator Rafael Trujillo of the Dominican Republic. (p. 124. Schlesinger, Stephen and Kinzer Stephen. _Bitter Fruit_. New York: Anchor Books, 1990) - ________________________________________________________________________________ _________ Correlating Factors of Information: a. Anti-Communist activities b. Dominican Republic c. Rafael Trujillo ________________________________________________________________________________ _________ his (Gatlin) reliability merely reflect he is untrustworthy, sly, shrewd and unscrupulous, but the fact remains that he is member in good standing of the Louisiana Bar and is a practicing attorney ________________________________________________________________________________ _________ Correlating Factors of Information: a. Practicing Attorney in New Orleans b. Member of the Louisiana Bar Association c. "Unscrupulous" ________________________________________________________________________________ _________ On June 25, 1953, the FBI was contacted by a retired Army officer, whose name has been withheld for privacy reasons (referred to here as P-1). P-1 said that Gatlin had approached him with a shopping list of armaments which included three P-38 fighters and three P-51 fighters, along with ammunition. Gatlin said he was acting on behalf of an unnamed Colonel (undoubtedly, Barrios y Pena) who was planning an anti-Communist revolution in Guatemala. Gatlin asked P-1 if he knew General Claire Chennault. P-1 replied that he did, and concluded that Gatlin assumed that P-1 could obtain the weapons through Chennault. ________________________________________________________________________________ _________ Correlating Informational Factors: a. Maurice Gatlin b. Claire Chennault c. Fighter Aircraft ________________________________________________________________________________ _________ One person, name withheld, mentioned in connection with the scheme, was described by Customs as a known gun-runner who had taken weapons to Cuba. ________________________________________________________________________________ _________ Correlating Informational Factors: a. Gun-running activities to Cuba ________________________________________________________________________________ _________ Another copy of Gatlin's "final report" was provided to the FBI by Victor A. Johnston, director of the National Republican Senatorial Committee. Johnston had obtained the report from an "old friend" in Houston. ________________________________________________________________________________ _________ Correlating Informational Factors: a. Victor A. Johnston b. Republican Senatorial Committee (Republican Party) c. Houston, TX d. "Old Friend" in Houston, TX ________________________________________________________________________________ _________ 2. Jerry P. Shinley Archive: Maurice Gatlin for Congress ________________________________________________________________________________ _________ 1) Gatlin's campaign included a couple of TV programs on station WDSU. On the July 6 program, he displayed an affidavit in which he swore that he was not a member of the Communist party or any Communist front.(2) The next week, "Gatlin's program ... began with a picture of a hangman's noose which he described as the menace of communism. The next scene showed the American flag." Gatlin promised "to do all in my power ... to see that no American goes to fight in Indochina [Viet Nam], Korea, or any other foreign country." ________________________________________________________________________________ _________ Correlating Factors of Information: a. WDSU TV program b. Communist/Anti-Communist c. Anti-US Involvment/troop intervention in any country ________________________________________________________________________________ _________ 3. Jerry P. Shinley Archive: Maurice Gatlin Helps out the FBI ________________________________________________________________________________ _________ Note: NO refers to the FBI New Orleans Field Office. References to FBI documents are from the FBI files on Maurice Brooks Gatlin, Sr., #64-29230 - On April 23, 1949, an acquaintance and client of Gatlin's reported to the FBI New Orleans (NO) field office that Gatlin had suggested his friend infiltrate the Communist Party and report back any information to Gatlin. After discussing this matter with the FBI, Gatlin's friend decided to decline the offer. ________________________________________________________________________________ _________ Correlating Factors of Information: a. Inflitration of Communist Party ________________________________________________________________________________ _________ In September of 1952, Gatlin translated his concern about the problem of Communist fugitives escaping U. S. justice by fleeing to Mexico into dramatic action when he conducted his own test of border security, dubbed Exercise "Escape." Gatlin formulated the following hypothetical scenario, based on actual cases: - Susie Blow was convicted under the Smith Act and released on bail by an addle-pated judge pending appeal. Having finished her duty in the United States, she was ordered by the party to skip bail and leave the United States. She had or could obtain a Mexican passport, and she came to New Orleans where she employed a New Orleans lawyer to escort her into Mexico. - Gatlin proceeded to enact this scenario with the unwitting assistance of his wife and "a female Mexican national, legally in the United States," who was assigned the part of Susie Blow, fugitive. Gatlin and party set out by automobile from New Orleans to Brownsville, Texas, deemed "a more obscure point than Laredo." As the party approached Brownsville, Gatlin began to behave in a manner he imagined to be suspicious and incriminating. He stopped at a grocery store and purchased boxes of cakes, saying that they were for "the children," when the clerk could see that there were no kids in the car. He purchased a flashlight at a hardware store, saying he planned to drive at night. At a gas station, he spoke to his wife and passenger in Spanish, interjecting a word of German or French. Gatlin's car was allowed through the U. S. side of the border even though the back windows of the car were covered with newspapers which obscured the presence of Susie Blow in the back seat. Likewise, the party passed through the Mexican checkpoint. "There was not even a pretense of security on either side of the border." Gatlin reported all this to the FBI. ________________________________________________________________________________ _________ Correlating Factors of Information: a. "Communist" escaping to Mexico via New Orleans b. Those involved in criminal activity escaping to Mexico c. German language d. French language ________________________________________________________________________________ _________ 4. Jerry P. Shinley Archive: Maurice Gatlin's Obituary ________________________________________________________________________________ _________ New Orleans Times-Picayune May 31, 1965 S1-P1 [Front page!] Heart Attack Kills N. O. Attorney in Puerto Rico M. B. Gatlin Then Falls 6 Stories From Hotel - New Orleans attorney Maurice B. Gatlin Sr. died in San Juan Puerto Rico, Friday [May 28] night after suffering a heart attack which resulted in his falling six stories from a hotel there, his son said Sunday. - A coroner's report, said Maurice B. Gatlin Jr., attributed his death to the heart attack. Mr. Gatlin fell over a sixth floor railing at the hotel to the ground, Gatlin Jr. stated. ________________________________________________________________________________ _________ Correlating Factors of Information: a. Death by falling---------heart attack b. Puerto Rico ________________________________________________________________________________ _________ A political ally of the late U.S. Sen. Huey P. Long, Mr. Gatlin had once served as attorney for the collector of revenue of Louisiana. - ________________________________________________________________________________ _________ Correlating Factors of Information: a. Huey P. Long ________________________________________________________________________________ _________ He had also served for a time as the New Orleans representative of the Anti-Communist Committee of the Americas. ________________________________________________________________________________ ________ Correlating Factors of Information: a. Anti-Communist Committee/League of the Americas---Anti-Communist activities ________________________________________________________________________________ ________ Born in Century, Fla., Mr. Gatlin was graduated from Loyola University and Tulane University Law School. He had practiced law since 1931. - ________________________________________________________________________________ _________ Correlating Factors of Information: a. Century, Florida b. Tulane Law School ________________________________________________________________________________ _________ 5. Jerry P. Shinley Archive: Maurice Gatlin and Batista ________________________________________________________________________________ _________ The story was told for the first time Wednesday [11th] by attorney Maurice B. Gatlin, who acted as intermediary in a ceremony in which two Cuban refugees were spliced. The bride was Elisa Alieda Batista, daughter of deposed dictator Fulgencio Batista, and her groom was Dr. Raoul Garcia Cantero, Jr., an attorney who subsequently set up practice in Barcelona, Spain. Both were, in the vernacular, on the lam from the upheaval in Cuba, which had unseated her father [...] ________________________________________________________________________________ _________ Correlating Factors of Information: a. Cuba b. Batista ________________________________________________________________________________ _________ 6. Jerry P. Shinley Archive: Maurice Gatlin and Cuba ________________________________________________________________________________ _________ GATLIN IN 1959 On March 30, 1959, Maurice Gatlin wrote this to the New Orleans office of the FBI: "In January 1959 myself [and an associate] visited Havana in a successful attempt to save the life of Ernesto de la Fe. Posing as journalists we were able to visit Dr. de la Fe at the notorious military prison, La Cabana, presided over by the notorious Argentinean physician, Ernesto Che Guevarra, probably the most sadistic and dedicated Communist in the hemisphere. There we learned at first hand of the summary executions (mostly carried out in La Cabana in the Havana area) and the reign of terror through which the Cuban people are now passing. We also learned, through sources that I have found to be reliable, that Guevarra and Celia Sanchez, designated No.1 and No. 2 respectively by Moscow, intend to liquidate their communist front man, Fidel Castro, around June or July, arranging his death so it will be attributed, of course, to a 'gringo' for propaganda purposes." [FBI 64-29230-95] ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- As you know I am the only General Counsel for this Committee and the money is put up by a group of millionaires, mostly from Texas, and they are notoriously eccentric ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Notorious FBI"-----------------------------------------------------Lee Harvey Oswald ________________________________________________________________________________ _________ In February 1959 Maurice Gatlin advised United States Senator Allen J. Ellender (Dem. LA.)that he believed the Senator should introduce a bill cutting America's Cuban sugar quota to zero. Senator Ellender replied that 50% of Cuba's sugar cane fields were American-owned, but "if Castro were to confiscate properties belonging to American interests, then we might consider revising the quota...I hope your trip to Havana will be successful and that you come out of it unscathed ________________________________________________________________________________ _________ Correlating Factors of Information: a. US Senator Allen J. Ellender b. Sugar c. Sugar Quota d. Fidel Castro & Sugar ________________________________________________________________________________ _________ THE JEEP DEAL By September 1960 Maurice Gatlin was involved in anti-Castro activities, and he supplied two Southern Senators with information on jeep shipments to Fidel Castro: "Maurice Brooks Gatlin, General Counsel, Anti-Communist League of the Americas, a long time Castro antagonist, and Guy Banister, a former FBI agent and President of the Anti-Communist group, claimed that about 100 Jeeps were sent to Cuba through New Orleans in recent months under invoices marked as 'agricultural equipment.'" ________________________________________________________________________________ ________ Correlating Factors of Information: a. Cuba b. Jeeps ________________________________________________________________________________ _________ GATLIN AND THE CUBAN REVOLUTIONARY FRONT 1961 In early January 1961 Maurice Gatlin ran an agent who later advised the FBI: "I attended two meetings of the anti-Castro group in New Orleans known as the Cuban Revolutionary Front, at the request of Mr. Gatlin, for the purpose of learning if they were truly anti-Castro, or if there appeared to be anyone attending who was not genuinely anti-Castro." This man might have been Edward S. Suggs. The CIA advised the FBI in January 1961 that the New Orleans representative of the Cuban Revolutionary Front, Sergio Arcacha Smith, "may have furnished the data to Banister because of Banister's alleged connection with Maurice Gatlin, who heads the Anti-Communist Committee of the Americas in New Orleans, which publishes the Caribbean Newsletter ________________________________________________________________________________ _________ Correlating Factors of Information: a. Edward Suggs/aka J. S. Martin b. Guy Bannister c. Bannister's anti-communist activity d. Indirectly---544 Camp Street ________________________________________________________________________________ _________ BANISTER IS QUESTIONED ABOUT GATLIN BY THE FBI On February 3, 1961, Guy Banister was questioned about Maurice Gatlin: "Banister stated that he is not a member, nor an officer, of the group known as the Anti-Communist Committee of the Americas. He explained that in connection with his investigating business, he had done some work for Maurice Gatlin, who is the general counsel of the Anti-Communist Committee of the Americas. He stated that he had learned of the existence of some surplus war equipment such as jeeps and trucks that were located on the riverfront in New Orleans, which were allegedly scheduled to be shipped to Cuba. He furnished this information to Gatlin, and charged for his services $1.00. He stated that this is the extent of his relationship and contact with the Anti-Communist Committee of the Americas. He added that any publication of Gatlin, or the Anti-Communist Committee of the Americas ________________________________________________________________________________ ________ Correlating Factors of Information: a. Guy Bannister's Detective Agency b. Gatlin's association with Bannister c. Indirectly---544 Camp St. d. Jeeps ________________________________________________________________________________ _________ JERRY MILTON BROOKS AND GUY BANISTER The FBI: "Files of the New Orleans Office show that Jerry Milton Brooks was the Subject of an extensive (deleted) violations (deleted) Springfield Division (deleted) and was sentenced to three years (deleted). The files show that on March 27, 1961, Jerry Milton Brooks personally called at the New Orleans Office of the FBI and advised he had been in touch with Guy Banister and Maurice Gatlin and that, at their insistence, he had written to Communist Party New York City Headquarters on March 16, 1961. He also called at Communist Party Headquarters and spoke to the secretary who was situated on the third floor. He stated that he had inquired about membership in the Communist Party and at the insistence of Gatlin and Banister, had also subscribed to several publications. Brooks, at that time, gave every indication to the interviewing agent that he was mentally imbalanced." [FBI 62-109060-6057 p22] ________________________________________________________________________________ _________ Correlating Factors of Information: a. Written contact with the Communist Party b. Subscription to several publications ________________________________________________________________________________ _________ LOBBYIST FOR TRUJILLO In August 1957 Maurice Gatlin published a pro-Trujillo magazine. Maurice Gatlin set up secret meetings for the Dominican Consul General in New Orleans. That year the FBI opened a Registration Act investigation of Maurice Gatlin and the Anti-Communist Committee of the Americas . [FBI 64-29230-NR 3.31.59] Confidential Informant NO T-6 advised the FBI on April 27, 1957, that "he has known Maurice Gatlin for more than 20 years and has never had a good opinion of him. Gatlin is tricky and is personal coward. He is not well regarded by the other lawyers in New Orleans, and is considered a 'shyster of the first order.' His conduct as a member of the bar has never been considered normal. The fact that Gatlin lately has been distributing material, which for practical purposes is pro-Trujillo propaganda, leads to the supposition that he might be getting some money from the Dominican Government. However, the fact that Gatlin is absolutely crazy might account for his spending his own money in that regard. NO T-6 stated that he had no knowledge that Gatlin is, or has been, on the payroll of any foreign government. The informant related that he made it his business to look into the Anti-Communist Committee of the Americas, and he had been unable to find a single person in New Orleans or in Latin America who is connected with it other than Gatlin. The informant advised that he is convinced that Gatlin suffers from hallucinations since there is no other explanation for most of his actions. "Confidential Informant NO T-10 advised on April 26, 1957, that prior to October 1954, he was in frequent contact with Maurice Gatlin for a year or more. Gatlin was a self-proclaimed expert on Latin American affairs. He also considered himself a real student of the communist movement and an implacable enemy of communism. Being an extremely egotistical person, Gatlin's attitude was that he knew far more about both matters than did the State Department or the FBI." In August 1957 Maurice Gatlin visited Puerto Rico, where Venezuelan President Romulo Betancourt had sought political asylum after being overthrown by Marcos Jimenez Perez. Maurice Gatlin claimed Romulo Betancourt knew the whereabouts of Jesus Galindez. On October 14, 1957, Maurice Gatlin was arraigned in New Orleans Parish Criminal District Court and pleaded not guilty in "regard to action #157876." ________________________________________________________________________________ _________ Correlating Factors of Information: a. Trujillo of the Dominican Republic b. Romulo Betancourt ________________________________________________________________________________ _________ In September 1954 Maurice Gatlin formed the Anti-Communist Committee of the Americas (Caribbean Division). This organization became a part of the Inter-American Confederation for the Defense of the Continent. S.A. DeBRUEYS reported in June 1961, that in April 1961, he contacted a confidential source abroad and discovered that the headquarters of the Inter-American Confederation for the Defense of the Continent was located in Mexico City SALVADOR DIAZ VERSON Salvador Diaz Verson, the head of military intelligence for President Fulgencio Batista, was Vice President of the Inter-American Confederation for the Defense of the Continent. Guy Banister was listed in publication of the Inter-American Confederation for the Defense of the of the Continent. [FBI NO 105-1456 circa 1960] Salvador Diaz Verson, was also President of the Anti-Communist League of Cuba. He was the Chief of the Cuban National Police in 1933, and former Chief of the Cuban Military Intelligence Service from 1948 to 1952. CIA cables indicated he had traveled to Mexico City on November 18, 1963 ________________________________________________________________________________ ________ Correlating Factors of Information: a. Anti-Communist activities b. Batista c. Cuba d. Mexico City, Mexico ________________________________________________________________________________ _________ ." On August 29, 1961, Maurice Gatlin was guest speaker at a meeting of J. B. Stoner's National States Rights Party. ________________________________________________________________________________ _________ Correlating Factors of Information: a. National States Rights Party/aka Dixiecrats b. J. B. Stoner ________________________________________________________________________________ _________ On March 21, 1962, J. Walter Yeagley, Assistant Attorney General, Internal Security Division, determined that Maurice Gatlin was not obligated to register under the Foreign Agents Registration Act: "The information furnished shows that the Subject Gatlin endorsed and cashed checks which were issued in the Dominican Republic in favor of the Consul of that government in New Orleans. There is no indication, however, as to the purpose of the Subject Gatlin's connection with his receipt of money." [FBI 64-29230-125] From December 1962 to January 1963, Maurice Gatlin was the Subject of another Bureau investigation, the contents of which (16 pages) was withheld - including the caption of the document. By this time the FBI refused to interview Maurice Gatlin. [FBI 116-452043-6 - Charles M. Kokes] ________________________________________________________________________________ _________ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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