Places of Interest

[William Kelly]

When I was reading the JFK volumes of the House Select Committee on Assassinations, I began to notice certain places kept popping up in diverse areas of the records. I began to keep track of them under a research technique I dubbed Three Time Matches, where I would begin a file on a particular place that appeared three or more times in the records - documents, testimony, books or articles.

Beginning with Collins Radio, the associations about which I outlined in a COPA Conference presentation in DC in 1993 [see: The Collins Radio Connections], I also began files on the Cabana Motor Hotel in Dallas, Pan Am Bank of Miami, the International Rescue Committee, the Monteray Language Institute, the Southland Building in Dallas, Lackland Air Force Base, International House and the North American Newspaper Alliance (NANA).

PAN AM BANK, MIAMI - SERIAL 1.

Re: Robert Ray McKeown, who had met both Ruby and Oswald, (HSCA Vol. IX, p. 590) says: "Regarding sources of income from the gunrunning operations, McKeown stated in an interview that he received money from his Cuban contacts in the office of an attorney who was counsel for Haiti and that the money was always bound in Pan American Bank wrappers. He also was familiar with Antonio de Verona; Joseph Merola, William Morgan; and Mario Valamois. McKeown also knew, but had not met Frank Sturgis, Pedro Diax Lanz and Dominic Barton."

SERIAL 2.

Re: Lewis McWillie (HSCA Vol. V. p. 113) Testimony of Lewis McWillie:

Q. From 1958 through 1961, did you ever return to the United States for visits?

A. Many Times, yes. I used to bring money and deposit it for the Foxes.

Q. And where would that be deposited?

A. Sir?

Q. Where would that be deposited?

A. Well, I deposited money in the Pan American Bank, and I deposited money in the, I think it was a Miami bank, I don't know....

In addition, it is possible that Jack Ruby, who visited Cuba more than once, returned to USA via Miami, where he reportedly deposted money in a bank for McWillie.

SERIAL 3.

In Crime and Coverup, Peter Dale Scott writes, (p. 17), "...Batista's investment ally Anselmo Alliegro, whose Miami Bank (Pan American National) was allegedly used by Benton and McLaney for the placement of worthless securities...." (Scott cites Miami Herald, 9/18/49 - Stolen Security Hearings, p. 383, Gerth, pp. 259, 261).

SERIAL 4.

Re: Antonio Vechina Blanch. (HSCA, Vol. X, p. 39-40)

"Veciana specifically recalled some meetings with Bishop because of their special nature. For instance, shortly after reestablishing contact with him in Miami, Bishop took Veciana to an office in the Pan American Bank Building in the downtown section of the city. (44) Veciana did not recall the exact floor of the building nor if there was any name on the office door. (45) Bishop unlocked the office with a key and, in the presence of two men who were in the office, asked him to sign a piece of paper and take part in a 'commitment' ceremony. (46) 'It was like a pledge of my loyalty, a secret pledge,' Veciana testified. 'I think they wanted to impress on me my responsiblity and my committment to the cause.' (47) Veciana could not identify the two men who were present with Bishop at this ceremony,...'They were like spectators,' he said. From August 1968 until June 1972, Veciana worked in La Paz, Bolivia, as a banking advisor to Bolivia Central Bank. His contacts were financed by the U.S. Agency for International Development and his office was located in the passport division of the American Embassy. Veciana believed that Bishop was instrumental in his getting the AID job, because he himself was surprised that the Agency would hire a known 'terrorist' and anti-Castro activist. The records indicate that Veciana was hired by the Agency even though his application was never signed."

DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION ON THE PAN AM BANK OF MIAMI.

IT'S ADDRESS? DOES IT STILL EXIST?

BK

Edited July 26, 2006 by William Kelly

[James Richards]

Bill,

I believe the bank is till there. The address is 1521 Alton Road, Miami Beach.

If I remember correctly, Eladio Del Valle, his lawyer (I think his name was Nestor Morales) and several other prominent exiles held P.O. Box addresses in the Pan Am Bank building.

FWIW.

James

[William Kelly]

Bill,

I believe the bank is till there. The address is 1521 Alton Road, Miami Beach.

If I remember correctly, Eladio Del Valle, his lawyer (I think his name was Nestor Morales) and several other prominent exiles held P.O. Box addresses in the Pan Am Bank building.

FWIW.

James

Thanks James,

Just think, if the government then went after the terrorist assassins then like they go after them now,

all their connections would have been checked out, their po boxes searched, their bank deposits checked, their phone records cross referenced, and their friends, neighbors and business associates would have been questioned.

If only those responsible for what happened at DP didn't take over the government.

I am hoping that some internet savy researcher will take up on this lead and put some time into it.

Who were on the Board of Directors at the time?

What other orgs maintained offices in the building at the time?

Were there other official investigations of other matters that ended up in court to create public records about this bank, as PDS indicates?

Just because they didn't bother to fully investigate this line of inquiry doesn't mean it can't be done.

BK

BK