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2025 RELEASE UNDER THE PRESIDENT JOHN F. KENNEDY ASSASSINATION RECORDS ACT OF 1992
REGNTIAL
10 May 1963
MEMORANDUM FOR THE RECORD
SUBJECT: Cleard Joseph CHARLES
santifi
:
1. On 29 April 1963 Daroths Matlack, Domestic Exploitation
Section, ACEI, telephoned to the effect that a banker and Clean ré
Joseph Charles had left Haiti six days carlier and had just arrived
in New York. A friend of Charles, named Joseph Dryer, 109 Lakewood
Avenue, West Palm Beach, Florida, had written to General Dalmar,
former C Antilles Comsund, recommending Charles as a room of great
interest to the DB overt in view of the events in Eaiti. Charles
vas described as President of the Basic Commercials, Port en Prince,
Haiti, he is in President Devalier's favor. Fre. Matlack mentioned
that she had alarted Cal. Gas Kallinked to contact Dryer in
arder to obtain more background information and as concemment on
Charles.
2. On 1 May 63 Mrs. Matlack advised that Charis was staying at
the Park Eneraton Hotel, Ear Youk, and that he had telephoned har
since her cases had been supplied to him by layer. Charles considered
her to be his point of contact in Washington. According to Hirs. Hatlank,
Charles had appointments to one Vice President Jenson, Smator Kesting,
und Congresan Engers (Florida). Essever, Qarios vns willing to talk
to representatives of Nrw. Natleck's offics. Hrn. Natlack stated that
the Faitian Dack men in ACHT was ready to go to Eaw Yark to talk ta
Caries and invited CIA to accompany his. Comries speake very little
English and a fluency in French was thereface required for the inter
view. Mare. Natlack stated that the might be chle to obtain a French
linguist from First Away, Governor's Ialsel, but would not be as
intelligence officer. It was decided that James Palog, Esv York
office, tho has a knowledge of the French language would assumpany
the ACSI representative unter Army waves. As aisé áranged that
Balog would at the ACSI representative (Captain Bogens) at the Park
Sheraton Estal where Charles was staying.
3. On 2 May 63 Mrs. Matlack reported that Col. Kail bad interviewed
Mr. Dryer in West Palm Beach. Dryer had appointed Charles as Director
of his bank in Eaiti. Charles, according to Dryer, formerly had no
political ambitions but in view of the current political situation in
Haiti, Charles now thinks that he may some day be president. Dryer
described Charles as well-comected, politically and finacially, C
both sides of the fence in Haiti. Ha is also a good friend of President
Duvalier. Dryer had given Charles letters of intraduction to Senator
Keating and to other officials in Washington. Charles vanted to see
President Kennedy and indeed had gone to the White House to arrange
for an appointment. He was well reassived by the President's appoint-
ment secretary and invited to dimmer that evening with the appointment
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:
secretary.
Cunard JomupA CHAKLAS
Through a zinasderstanding, however, Charles did pot
attend the dimmer kunt vant to Eov York instead.
4. Charles is travelling, accesiing to Dryer, with a Dasam
geologist used da Nchrenschtlét. de Kotorunschilst is associated
with Charles in a business venture in Haiti and is trying to arrange
a meeting for Charles with Vice President Jobsson.
3. On 3 Kay 63 Jim Inlog telephoned to aŝvimo that he heá kná a
five-brur session the previous day with Charles and that has had
obtained both paremality data and vices by Garles on what that
United States should do in the current Initim sitntic.
Pales
advised that he was transmitting the information to Washingtest.
Upon arrival, sepies of the teletypes were trammitted to ACSI
(trm. Matisch), W Rivision, and the Latin fererian Hrunch.
6. O 6 May 63 Mauro Stamba, Support Brunch, advised that KY
Divisies vishad to epack to Charles and Balog wo naked to arrange
an appointment. Kre. Matlack telephoned at approximately 1715 to
advise that she had just received a telephum call from kirs. de
Nohrenschildt asking assistance in obtaining hotel reservations in
Wankington. Upen being told that we had no special means of obtain-
ing reservations, Mrs. Matlack stated that she would cheak with the
State Department Proteoal Office to êstermins võiah hotels vould
admit negro guests. Mrs. Matlock finally made reservations at the
Albam TheTH. A chock with Jia Palog revealed that he had arranged
for Charles to meet the til representative in the lobby of the Willard
Kotal, Washington, D. C., at 12:00 som en ↑ Kay. Attempts to reach
Mrs. Katlack' that afternoon were unsuresssful. At 0850, 7 May, a
call vas made to Kra. Matlack to eqzfirm that Charles vould be in
Mashington on that day and that arrangements had been made for a =
meeting with an Agency representative for 12:00 BOOK. Mrs. Matlack
retorted that both fire. de Rehrenschilds and Charica had called her
that jeevious evening to cenfim e 12:00 Lumenman eppointment viik
her. Kirs. Matlask was concerned that CIA and Assy should not be
working at cross purposes.
Bhe had received authorization from
ACBI to most Charles at lunch and falt that it would not be palitie
for her to withdraw from bar appointment sines Asway considered kær
the point of costars with Charles. Mage Stunts informed 19 Rivisim
of the conflies and presed on the rugastics that the W Mvikisa
representative might meet Charles and kys. Extinct að neon and that
Mrs. Entlock offered to withdrew shortly thereafter.
sentative declined the offer and regested that a meeting later in
the aftermon be arranged. Are. Entlock believed that due to can-
Pleting instructions, ahe had been placed in the middle in the
situstien from thich she opald not gresiously withdrew and requested
that susse escampany bar.
_
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VEITIAL
.3.
:
SUBJECT
Claward Joseph CHARLES
7. I art Kro. Matlack in the lobby of the Hotel Villard shortly
before noon, and a few minutes later, Mr. Charias arrived, asompanied.
by Mr. and Mrs. de Mahrenschilds. He lunched in the restaurant in
the batal. Mr. do Kehrenschildt nationed that he had been born in
Bata, Russia, but during the Falavik Revolution had been taken to
Poland as a small child. He and spent expremimately 20 years in
Falend prior to World War II and and served in the Palish Amy.
He also martioned that he had haga a mmber of an ICA teen to Yugo-
slavia in 1957 and while in Belgrade had ust Ople who was visiting
Belgrade at the ties. He had spoke to Commlls and was invited to
visit Paland, which invitation be had accepted. Els bone is in Pallas,
Dress. He has a Ph.D. in geology and has had some teaching experience.
Mrs. Ca Mohrenschildt was born in Fairing, China. Her father was
Ression and bar mother French, and she is my or has been a fashion
designer. Mr. de Mohrenschildt mentional that he has know Charles
for courtin and that be is a partner with him in a sical business
in Haiti.
& Both Qaries and da Kuzenschildt vare endous to arrange
motings with govemment officials in Washington. I mentioned to
Charles that a meeting had been arranged for him at 15 and that a
Kir. Green would mast hin in the letty. At 1A10 Hrs. Matlack, Mr. and
Hrn. do Nstorenschilis and I departed and Charles remained in the
Lobby waiting for contact.
9. In the course of the Luzahsen eszversation, Charles had
mentioned to Kru. Matlack that be desired to as a Mr. Flow, AID, to
discuss mid to Haiti. Later that afternoon Krs. Natlock called to
state that she had called the State Department to pase along Chariss'
requent. Mr. Lemarald (State) had called bar beak to pass on the
Haitim Desk man's extreme displeasure that expone in the United States
Government should be in official contact with Charles. The desk BA
considered Charles to be close to the Duvalier Coverment, to have
been involved in several shady Financial dealings, and in general, to
be an undesirable character. Mrs. Matlack sabed vhether the Agency
had any interest in Charles which would dictate further contact with
Charles.
10. Maye Stunts checked with NH Division and extermined that as
a result of the meeting with Charles, the ED/P Fnition Desk had no
further plans to content him. I tald Mrs. Katlack that our interest
seemed to have been satisfied end that I believed we should disengage
cursalves as gressfully as possible.
1
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11.
Wayne Belson, DD/P Coordinator, called on 7 May to inquire
He 
stated that ACSI
concerning our involvement in the Charles case.
had called him earlier that day to assure him that ACSI had no direct
interest in Charles and that it was acting as an intermediary 
at the
request of General Delmar who had passed the lead to 
General Pitch.
ACSI was concerned that due to the mix up in 
appointments to see
Charles, charges might later be made that ACSI 
had interferred 
or
I explained 
to Helson 
what
had obstructed CIA contact with Charles.
had happened and he later called back to state that ACSI was completely
satisfied in the way the matter had been handled
.
12. On 8 May Mrs. Matlack telephoned to advise that the Operational
Branch of ACRI was discussing the Charles case with DD
/P to detamino
She was still somewhat 
concerned over her 
ova
future course of action.
position in the case since Charles considered her to be the focal point
in Washington. I reiterated to her that 
the matter vas one for either
the State Department or the operational elements 
to handle and that
we preferred to disengage ourselves. Mrs. 
Matlack mentioned that a
dispatch had been received to the effect that a 
cousin of Charles 
vas
prominently mentioned as a successor to Duvalier 
should the latter
be overthroFB. She was of the opinion that 
the US government should
continue to "play ball" with Charles as a future asset 
in Haitian
affairs.
Distribution:
Cole - 0/Cates
1 - New York Office
✓ - Support (Stunts)
1 - LA Bronch
1 - Index (Control)
1 - Dep/Call chrono
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