-~ 23 - cousins about the three Americans. Attached to the memo was a note from | to the Chief of Station, Winston Scott, which read, "Do you want me to send the gist of this to Headquarters?" Scott then noted that the memo should be filed. The file indications show that the memo went into the Oswald "Dp" £41le and the Elena Garro "P" file. (Ibid.) B. November 24, 1964 CIA Informant Report On November 24, 1964 a Central Intelligence Agency informant (the House Select Committee has been unable to determine the informant's identity since his name does not appear in any CIA files) reported information (memo from Winston Scott to the files, re: June Cobb, 11/25/64, CIA Nos. 592-593; Wx 7241, p. 88, Entry #404, CIA #715) derived from (While reviewing I file the Committee determined that the CIA asset's true name was Manuel Calvillo. 'Blena claims that the day fol- lowing John F. Kennedy's assassination, Calvillo escorted 1 her and her daugnter to the Vermont Hotel for protection; see also December 25, 1965 Thomas memo for more informa- tion on Manuel Calvillo.) The informant asserted that June Cobb was an “American Communist" who rented a room from Elena Garro. (Memo from Winston Scott to the files,
-~ 24 - re June Cobb, 11/25/64, CIA Nos. 592-593, Wx 7241, © p-. 88, Entry #404, CIA No. 715.) The informant also stated that Elena tried to talk to Robert Kennedy when he was in Mexico because she had met Oswald "and two friends (Cubans)" at a party at Horacio Duran's house. (Ibid.) In addition, the informant claimed that Elena also told her story to an American official at the Embassy, who claimed to represent the Warren Commission. (Ibid.) The Chief of Station noted that he had asked [| te pursue the story. (Ibid.) but there is no indication that he ever complied with this request. (HSCA Review of Classified CIA Documents.) 1. November 24, 1964 Elena Meeting with Mexico City Legal Attache Officers Elena and her daughter also told their story to the Mexico City Legal Attache. (The Legal Attache in 1964 was Clark Anderson. ) They recounted the same story previously given to June Cobb Sharp. The date of the~ party was given as September 30, October 1 or October 2, 1963. (FBI 105-825555 Report, December ll, 1964 entitled Lee Harvey Oswald, p. 1.) The agent who wrote the report ( ) noted that Lee Harvey Oswald could not have been identical with the American allegedly observed by Mrs. Paz at the party if this party
were held on the evening of October 1 or October 2, 1963. (FBI 103-825555 Report, December 11, 1964 entitled Lee Harvey Oswald, p. 1) FBI investigation of President. Kennedy's assassination had established that Lee Harvey Oswald had departed Mexico City by bus at 8:30 a.m. on October 2, 1963 when Ms. Paz stated that she saw Lee Harvey Oswald walking on Insurgentes. (Ibid. p. 3) Elena was questioned regarding the. identity of other: persons attending the party at the Ruben Duran home who might have been in a position to observe the three Americans. Elena stated that in the course of the party her daughter met a young man named “Alejandro” at the party and danced with him. He was apparently quite smitten with the daughter and tried to call her on several occasions after the party. (Ibid., p. 3) The daughter did not take the calls and as a result "Alejandro" wrote several letters to the daughter. (Ibid., p. 3.) Ms. Garro_exhibited two of the letters, as well as a business card which identified the young man as Ario Alejandro Lavagnini Stenius. (Ibid., p.- 3.) The letter which Ms. Garro said was the first writ- ten by the young man to her daughter bore the date Septem- ber 1, 1963 and the Mexico City Post Office postmark September 2, 1963. When Ms. Garro was told this she
commented that the Communists probably had facilities for falsifying postcard. (Ibid.) To investigate Ms. Garro's story further, the Federal Bureau interviewed Ario Alejandro Lavagnini Stenius on November 27, 1964. (Ibid., p. 4.) Lavagnini recalled that there were approximately thirty people at the Ruban Duran party, few of whom he knew. He re- called having met a Mexican girl who had recently re- turned from living inFrance. He was unable to fix the date of the party, but felt it was porbably early in September because of a heavy rain which occurred as they. were leaving the party about 2:00 a.m. (Ibid., p. 4) Lavagnini noted that no Americans present at this party. He was familiar with the physical description of Lee Harvey Oswald because of publicity following the assassination of President Kennedy but otherwise had no knowledge of him and had never seen him except for news photographs following, the assassination. (Ibid., | p. 4.) Levagnini was the only person interviewed by the FBI who attended parties at the Duran house in the Sep- tember-October time. frame. There is no indication on the FBI document that this information was given to the Central Intelligence Agency's Mexico City Station. (A review of CIA files
| N ~~ \ corroborated the above.) 2. Charles Thomas' First Meeting with Elena Garro Where Lee Harvey Oswald _is Discussed On 12/10/65 Charles Thojas, 4 political officer at the American Embassy, wrote a memorandum about a con— yersation with Elena Garro de Paz. (CIA #586—-587, WX 7241 Entry No. 425, p. 91, CIA-No. 718.) The meeting with Elena had been about other matters put she mentioned knowing Oswald. Thomas noted that she was reluctant to talk but did. (Ibid.) Elena's story reported here is the same as that given in the memo dated 10/5/64, but with more details. She said that General Jose Jesus Clark Flores (a friend of Ruben Duran's, Silvia Duran, Eusebio Azcue {a pro-Communist writer-friend of the Durans), and a Latin American Negro man with red hair (unidentified) were at the party. A marginal comment by this entry in WxX-7241 says, “How did Elena know about a red-haired Negro?" Elena also told Thomas that she had later learned that Silvia Duran had been Oswald's-mistress while he was there.” (A note by this entry in WxX-724] says, "How did Elena Garro know about Sivlia being the mistress of Oswald?? This is 1965.") The Mexico City Station did not hear about the Oswald- Duran "affair" until July 1967 when a CIA Asset LIRING/3
—~- 28 - reportea ite (After reviewing LIRING/3 file at the CIA the House Select Committee on Assassinations has been unable to determine with whom LIRING/3 was asso- ciated who would have had knowledge about Silvia Duran or Lee Harvey Oswald.) Elena told Thomas that she and her daughter had gone to the Cuban Embassy on November 23, 1963 and shouted "Assassins" and other insults at the Embassy em— ployees. (CIA #586-587, Wx7241, Entry No. 425, p. 91, CIA No. 718) That same day a friend, Manuel Calvillo, an official in the Gobernacion, took her and her daugh~ ter to a small hotel in the center of Mexico City. (Ibid.) They were kept there for eight days under the pretext that they were in danger. (Ibid.) Elena claimed to have told Calvillo that she wanted to tell her story to the American Embassy. (Ibid.) Calvillo dissuaded her. by telling her that the American Embassy was full of Communist spies. (Ibid.) Elena said that some of the other people who had been at the party were taken to Veracruz where they were "protected" by Governor \ Lopez Arias. (Ibid.; the House Select Committee was unable to determine the veracity of Ms- Paz' allega— tion. See HSCA Investigation of Elena Garro de Paz' allegation.) She said that Ruben Duran, reportedly
- ?9 - "protected" by General Clark Flores, was very prosper- ous and was driving a big car. (CIA #586-587, Wx-7241, Entry No. 425, p. 91, CIA No. 718/) Elena also claimed that Ruben Duran told her months after the assassination that he was not really a Communist and that killing Ken- nedy had been a mistake. (Ibid.; the House Select Com- mittee on Assassinations has not been able to determine whether Ruben actually spoke to Elena about the assassina- tion. (See HSCA Investigation of Elena Garra de Paz’ Allegations.) In addition, Ruben Duran claimed he had no reason to tell Elena that killing Kennedy had been a mistake since he had no involvement. Charles Thomas circulated a copy of his memorandum concerning Elena's allegations in the American Embassy including the Central Intelligence Agency's Mexico City Station to aid then in their investigation of the John F. Kennedy assassination. (The House Select Committee has determined that the Central Intelligence Agency re- ceived the copy of the Thomas memorandum prior to Decem- ber 25, 1965, his next meeting with Elena Garro. See below.) The COS wrote a note on the memo: "What an ima- -gination she has!?! Should we send to Headquarters?" ‘Phe Officer replied,, "Suggest sending. There have been stories around town about all this, and Thomas is
- 30 - not the only person she has talked to...If memory serves me, dian't| refer to Oswald and the local leftists and Cubans in one of her squibs?" (CIA No. 588, note from SW to COS.) The Mexico City Station called the information in Thomas' 12/10/65 memorandum of conversations to CIA Headquarters (Cable from Mexico City to the Director, MEXI 5621, date out off my copy; CIA Nos. 584-585). The cable reported that Elena's story would be checked with against the production from the Cuban surveillance operation “and other sources." (Ibid.) Winstoh Scott wrote, next to the routing indications on the cable, "Please ask Charles Thomas if he'll ‘follow up.' Get questions from Anne G. (Anne Goodpasture) - Please let's discuss. Thanks." (Ibid.) After the December 10 memorandum of conversations. Winston Scott (Chief/Station) and Nathan Ferris (Successor to Clark Anderson as Legal Attache in Mexico) called Charles Thomas for a meeting. They asked him to get a more detailed account of Ms. Garro's story. At this meeting Winston Scott made it clear that theFBI had full responsibility for any further investigation in the Oswald case. (State Department: letter from Charles Thomas to William P. Rogers, July 25, 1969, JFK Doc. # -)
3. Charles Thomas’ Meeting with Elena Garro cn December 25, 1965 | Thomas met with Elena again on becmeber 25, 1965. That same date he wrote a memorandum of conversation which provided a much more detailed restatement of Ms. Garro's alleged encounter with Lee Harvey Oswald. (CIA Nos. 580-583; Wx-7241, Entry #427, p. 92, CIA #719.) Elena admitted that she had spoke to two men at the Embassy, “presumably from the Legal Attache's Office." (Ibid., The meeting occurred on November 24, 1964. See supra, p. ) Elena said that she did not tell them the complete story because "the Embassy officers did not give much credence to anything she and Elenita said." (CIA Nos. 580-583; Wx 7241, Entry #427, p. 92, CIA #719.) She stated that the party had been at Ruben Duran's home. (Ibid.) She was unclear about the date of the party. (Ibid.) It was a few days before the Soviet As- tronaut, Gagarin, visited Mexico; she thought that this would put the party around September 2 or 3, 1963. (Ibid.) She believed that the party was on a Monday or Tuesday because it was an odd night for a party. (Ibid.) Elena could not check her calendar to refresh her memory at the time of the interview because the calendar was ina desk that had been stored away. (Ibid.).
-~ 32 - During the conversation Elena described Oswald and his companions. (Ibid.) The man who she thought was Oswald wore a black sweater. (Ibid.}) She said he was quite "and stared a lot at the floor." (Ibid.) One of his companions "was very tall and slender and had long blond hair and a rather long protruding chin." (Ibid.) Theother companion was also tall, with short, light brown hair and no distinguishing characteristics.  (Ibid.) The three Americans did not dance or mix with the other guests. (Ibid.) Elena saw the same three men on the street the next day. (Ibid.) Elena was certain that Eusebio Azcue, Horacio Duran, Silvia Duran, Lydia Duran, Deba Guerrero, General — Ctark Flores and his mistress, a doctor from Dalinde Hospital, a young American couple who were honeymooning in Mexico, and several other people were at the party. (Ibid.) She said that Ricardo Guerra, whom she claims converted Horatio Duran to Communism, and his wife, Rosario Castellanos, were supposed to be at the party 4 but did not attend. (Ibid.) Elena alleged that the red-haired man and Emilio Carballido were not at the party that Oswald attended but at another party where Carballido and Azcue got into > a heated argument about President Kennedy. (Ibid.) ‘They
came to the conclusion that the only solution was to kill him." (Ibid.) Elena was not clear on whether this party was before or after the party where she met Oswald. (Ibid.) The House Select Committee has been unable to confirm the conversation between Azcue and Carballido. (See HSCA Investigation of Elena Garro de Paz' allega- tions.) Eusebio Azcue stated that the conversation did not occur. Elena reiterated that the incident at the Cuban Embassy, where she and her daughter shouted “Assassins,” etc. at the Embassy employees, occurred on November 23 at or about 3:00 p.m. (Ibid.) Elena and Elenita were driven to the Cuban Embassy by Elena's brother who was embarrassed by their behavior. (Ibid.) This occurred before they had seen photographs of Oswald. (Ibid.) Ms. Garro claimed that later in the day she and Elenita were visited by Manuel Calvillo who thold them that they were in serious danger from the Communists and that he would take them to a small hotel, where they would be safe, for a few days. (Ibid.) Elena said she trusted and believed Calvillo because he was a known undercover agent for the Mexico Government. (Ibid. ) He was also a friend of Noe Palomares (the Minister of Immigration) and President Gustavo Diaz Ordaz. (Ibid.)
— 3A _ Calvillo also told Elena and her daughter that Silvia Duran had been arrested. (Ibid.) Duran's arrest was “not public information on November 23, 1963. Elena could not remember the name of the hotel so that same day (12/25/65) she took Thomas to the sec- tion of Mexico City where she thought it was. (Ibid.) They found the hotel. (Ibid.) Elena said that she as- sumed that Calvillo had registered them as relatives or friends. (Ibid.) They stayed at the hotel until the fol- lowing Friday, November 30, 1963, hardly leaving their rooms. (Ibid.) (See Legal Attache Report, p.- for confirmation. ) Elena claimed that while she and Elenita were at ee the hotel they saw the photos of Oswald and realized that he had been the man at Ruben Duran's party. (Ibid. ) When Calvillo visited them at the hotel Flena told him that she wanted to report it to the American Embassy, however, Calvillo dissuaded her by stating that the ameri- can Embassy was full of Communists. (Ibid.) Elena stated that. when she returned home, guards were posted outside. ‘ (Ibid.) (The House Select Committee has been unable to confirm the veracity of Ms. Garro's claim. See HSCA In- vestigation of Elena Garro's allegations.) Elena alleged that after she returned home she saw her sister, Deba Guerrera, who had independently come to
the same conclusion. Deba was "terrified" because approximately two months after the assassination two "Communists" , personally warned her never to reveal that she had been to a party with Oswald. (Ibid.) Deba, consequently, would not accompany Elena to the Ameri- can Embassy to tell her story on November 24, 1964. (Ibid.) Elena stated that it was "common knowledge" that Silvia had been Oswald's mistress. (CIA Nos. 580-583; Wx 7241, Entry #427, p. 92 CIA #719.) When asked who could verify the allegation she could only remember one person who had told her this. (Ibid.) Elena claimed that person was Victor Rico Galan, a "pro-Castro jour- nalist.". (Ibid.) (Victor Rico Galan is dead. The Com- mittee could not verify Ms. Garro's allegation. Silvia Duran denied the allegation. Nonetheless, LIRING 3, a CIA asset, reported the same story in 1967.) During these conversations Elena also said that she "understood" that Oswald had been in Mexico more — than once. (Ibid.) (The HSCA has been unable to deter- mine the exact date.) Subsequent to December 25, 1965, Thomas wrote in the December 25, 1965 memo that Elena. had found her ca- lendar and had reconstructed the date of the party as
late September and not early September. (CTA Nos. 580- 583, Wx-7241, Entry #427, p. 42, CIA #719.) When Tho- mas went to Ferris' office and informed him, Ferris re- plied that Elena had given the late September date when she had originally reported her story at the American Embassy. (FBI Report, 9/30/69, pp. 3-4, JFK Doc. No. However, Mr. Ferris explained to Thomas that someone who had been at the twist party had stated that there were no americans there. (Ibid.) Mr. Ferris did not tell Mr. Thomas that Ario Alejandro Lavagnini Stenius Ferris in a 1964 interview had provided this information in 1964. Supra,. Pp. ) Mr. Ferris suggested that it was not necessary for Thomas to pursue Elena's allegations since he considered the Oswald case closed and had heard all the rumors before. (FBI Report, 9/30/69, pp. 3-4, JFK Doc. No. ) | The State Department forwarded (the same day) a copy of the Charles Thomas memorandum to the Central In- telligence Agency's Mexico City Station to aid in their. investigation of the John F. Kennedy assassination. y On the first page of the memorandum of conversation Jinston Scott wrote, "Shouldn't we send to Headquarters?" someone resonded, "Of course." (CIA Nos. 580-583; Wx 7241, Entry #427, p. 92, CIA #710.)
December 27, 1965 Legal Attache Memo to the United States Ambassador re Elena Garro | On December 27, 1965 Nathan Ferris wrote a memo to the Ambassador reporting that Elena and her daughter were interviewed on 17 and 24 November 1964 by the Legal Attache's office in Mexico City. (Memo to the Ambassador from the Legal Attache, 12/27/65, CIA #578; Wx-7241, Entry 429, p. 94, CIA #721.) The memo recorded that Elena and her daughter had furnished information simi- lar to the informant reported in Thomas ' 12/10/65 memo. (Ibid.}) The memo further stated, "Inquiries conducted at that time (Novem- ber 1964), however, failed to substantiate the allegations made by Mrs. Garro de Paz and her daughter. In view of the fact that Mrs. Garro de Paz! allegations have been pre- viously checked out without substantiation, no further action is being taken concerning -her recent repetition of those allegations. (Ibid.) The Legal Attache forwarded a copy of the memoran- ‘dum ta the Central Intelligence Agency's Mexico City Station. (The House Select Committee has determined that the copy was forwarded prior to 12/29/78. See
below.) Winston Scott superimposed a note to Anne Goodpasture on this memo which read, "Can we send in a report to Headquarters ‘dismissing’ our cable?" Goodpasture responded, "pone." (Memo to the Ambassador from the Legal Attache, 12/27/65, CIA #758, WX-7241 Entry #429, p. 94, CIA #721.) The cable Winston Scott wanted dismissed.was MEXI 5621. (Supra., P- ) A cable written by Anne Goodpasture on December 29, 1965 reporting the Legat interview with Elena and the Legat Office's failure to substantiate Elena's story was sent to Headquarters. (Memo from Mexico City to the Director, 12/29/65, MEXI 5741, CIA £575; WX 724] Entry tin #430, p. 94, CIA #721.) The cable promised to keep Beg: al Headquarters advised if any further information were. to develop. (Ibid.) 10/5/64 memo is attached to the 12/29/65 WX-7241 explained this in a marginal comment, "This document by| ——_—sfwas “not in (Oswald's file), but. was copies from (a project file) and attached to MEXI 5741, 29 Dec. 65." (Ibid.) oA note stapled to this cable by Allen White stated, “r don't know what FBI did in November 1964, but the Garros have been talking about this for a long time and she is said to be extremely bright." Anne Goodpasture
- 39 - wrote that the FBI had found Flena's allegations un- substantiated but that “we will try to confirm or refute Ms. Garro de Paz's information and follow up." Win Scott wrete, “She is also Tnuts.'" (Ibid., CIA #574) CIA Investigation of Elena's Allegation that She Created A Disturbance at. the Cuban Embassy on November 23, 1963 On February 3, 1966 Anne Goodpasture. forwarded Thomas’ December 25, 1965 memo to the Cuban section at the Mexico City Station with an attached note asking them to check whether Elena was "seen creating such a disturbance as they claimed in front of the Cuban Em- bassy." (It is apparent that the Mexico City Station was attempting to either refute or corroborate some of Elena Garro's allegations.) (Note from Anne Goodpasture to Cubans," 2/3/66, CIA No. 579; Wx-7241, Entry 428, p. 94, CIA #721.) One Cuban section officer responded, "No bells ring-with me." Another one wrote, "Me neither." The third officer wrote, "No pictures either." (Ibid.) (There is no indication that the penetration agents in the Cuban Embassy were queried about Elena's allegation. Ibid., that there are not pictures is reasonsable since Elena claimed that the event happened: 1) on a Saturday
~ AQ —- at 3:00 p.m. when the Cuban Embassy was not normally photographically surveilled; and 2) the "disturbance" occurred inside the Cuban compound. HSCA Examination of the CIA Cuban Embassy photographic surveillance showed no surveillance on 11/23/63. (Classified Sum-_ mary of Staff Review of CIA Documents, undated, p. 3, CIA #763.) Legal Attache 2/23/66 Memo to tne Re Legal Attache 2/23/66 Memo to the United States Ambassador Regarding Elena Garro's Allegations On 2/23/66 the Legal Attache wrote a memo to the ambassador reporting that “extensive investigation" failed to disclose that Oswald had traveled to Mexico prior to September 26, 1963 and that no information had developed that would show that he had not been in New Orleans in the early part of that month. (Memo from Legat to Ambassador, 2/23/66, CIA #571; WX-7241 Entry #455, p. 95, CIA #722.) The memo reiterated that no further action was being taken by the FBI because Elena's alle- gations had not been substantiated. (Ibid.) The Legal Attache forwarded a. copy of this memo to the Central In- telligence Agency's Mexico City Station. (The House Se- lect Committee on Assassinations has been unable Lo determine when the copy was forwarded to the CIA.) A marginal comment made by Anne Goodpasture next to this entry in WxX-7241 says, "How can it be ascertained that
-~ AL - Oswald did not travel to Mexico prior to early Septem- ber 1963? There must be some basis for Elena's report-— ing." (Ibid.; referenced to Thomas; 12/25/65 memo.) Legal Attache Memo to Winston Scott re Elena's Allega- tion that She Had Stayed at the Hotel Vermont from the Day After the Assassination until November 30, 1963 On 10/13/66 the Legal Attache wrote a memo to the CIA/COS reporting that a reliable confidential in- formant had reported that the records of the Hotel Ver- mont disclosed that "Elena Paz, housewife from San Luis Potosi,” had registered at the Hotel Vermont on Novem- ber 23, 1963. She left on November 10, 1963. (Memo from Legat to Winston Scott, 10/13/66, CIA No. 564; WX-7241, Entry #466, p. 98, CIA #725; Thomas! 7/13/66 memo.) (The House Select Committee on Assassinations has been unable to determine why the Central Intelli- gence Agency and the Fedéral Bureau of Investigations ~ waited until 1966 to investigate this aspect of Elena's story.) The memo said, “The above individual may or may not be identifical with Elena Garro de Paz. (Ibid.) Charles Thomas' 12/25/65 memo corroborates Elena Garro's presence at the Hotel Vermont. It states, "She and her daughter did not personally register at the
hotel. She thinks Calvillo registered them as rela- tives or friends of his from San Luis Postosi." (Memo of Conversation by Charles Thomas, 12/25/65, p- 3, CIA #582.) The entry for the 10/13/66 Legat memo in WxX-7241 bore the notation, "This is what. Elena claimed and no one would believe her.” (Wx-7241, Entry £466, p. 98, CIA #725.) harles Thomas' September 30, 1969 Letter to State Depart- Charles Thomas' September 30, 1707 [oe ment and Legal Attache's Response No further report on Elena's story was generated until 1969 when Charles Thomas was "selected out." ("Se- lected out" is a phrase used when an officer is retired after having been in one grade for the maximum period of time and is not considered qualified for promotion to a higher grade.) At that time, he wrote a memorandum to the Secretary of State which included a cover letter stating, "Since I was the Embassy Officer in Mexico who acquired this intelligence information, I feel a re-~ sponsibility for seeing it through to its final evalua- tion." (State Department: Letter from Charles Thomas to William Rogers, Secretary of State, July 25, 1969) Charles Thomas' memorandum stated that “he got no reaction from Nathan Ferris and Winston Scott" regarding
his memorandum of December 25, 1965. (State Department: Letter from Charles Thomas to William Rogers, Secretary of State, July 25, 1969) In addition, Thomas wrote that the only person to speak to him about the Decem- ber 25, 1965 memorandum, Clarence Boonstra (Deputy Chief of Mission, State Department, Chief of Affairs at the time of President Kennedy's assassination and subsequent Oswald investigation) told him that Oswald had not been in Mexico on the date given for the party. (Ibid.). (State Department: Letter from Charles Thomas to William Rogers, Secretary of State, July 25, 1964) Thomas noted that even when he reitereated that Elena had not changed her story but rather that she had now given a more ac- curate account, Boonstra stated that the date was wrong and dismissed the entire affair. (Ibid.) One of the Mexico City Legat Officers, Nathan Ferris, in reply to Thomas' letter and memorandum, asserted that Thomas' office had been advised by memoranda that Thomas' office had been advised by memoranda dated Decem- ber 27, 1965 and February 23, 1966 that Since Elena Garro's allegations had previously been investigated without substantiation, no further action was being taken concerning her recent repetition of those allegations. (FBI Report, 9/30/69, pp. 3-4, JFK Doc. No. ) Ino
- 44 — their report, the Legat's Office concluded that either the Counselor for Political Affairs did not route the memoranda to Charles Thomas or that Thomas did not re- call receiving them. (Ibid.) | Thomas wrote that when he went to Nathan Ferris’ office to inform him that Elena had found her calendar and had reconstructed the date of the party as late September , Ferris replied that Elena had given the late September date when she had originally reported her story at the American Embassy. (State Department: Letter from Charles Thomas to William Rogers, Secretary of State, July 25, 1969.) “Thomas noted that Ferris explained that someone who had been at the party had stated that there had not been any Americans. (Ibid.) He wrote that he had assumed that Elena could have clear- -ly been mistaken about the identity of the American. she saw there, but never doubted that she had seen some Americans. (Ibid.) ‘Thomas wrote that Ferris had suggested that it was not necessary for Thomas to pursue \ the matter since he considered the Oswald case closed and had heard all the rumors before. (Ibid.) The Legal Office's reply to Thomas' memo stated that Mr. Ferris had not told Thomas that someone who was at the party had stated that there had not been any Ameri- cans present. (FBI Report, 9/39/69, p. 4, JFK Doc. No. )
The Legal Attache's memo asserted that Thomas had been told that it would not be necessary for him to pursue the matter any further since Elena's story had been investigated previously without being substantiated. (Ibid.) In addition, the memo stated that Thomas had been told that Elena's story was considered a closed issue, not that the Oswald case was closed. (Ibid.) House Select Committee on Assassination's Investigation of Elena Garro's Allegations The House Select Committee on Assassinations in- vestigated Elena Garro's story both through file reviews and personal interviews. The Committee requested and reviewed the CIA's, FBI's and State Department's files, when available, on Elena Garro de Paz, Blenita Garro de Paz, Manuel Calvillo, Noe W. Palomares, June Cobb Sharp, Victor Rico Galan, Eunice Odio, Sylvia Duran, Lydia Duran, Ruben Duran, Betty Serratos, Horatio Duran, Eusebio Azcue, and Emilio Carballido. Only the Elena Garro de Paz file contained information on her allegations. Though all the names listed above played a role in Elena Garro de Paz' story, not one of their files included a refer- ence to Elena Garro de Paz. Furthermore, the House Select Committee on Assassina- tions requested and reviewed the Central Intelligence
Agency's LIRING 3, LIHUFF I and TICHBORN files. Once again, not one of the files included a mention of Elena Garro's allegations. The House Select Committee on Assassinations learned that was June Cobb Sharp who first reported to the CIA Elena's allegation. (Supra, p. 4.) The Commit- tee also learned that was Manuel Calvillo who had hidden Elena Garro and her daughter in a hotel the day following the assassination. (Supra., p. 13.) He also told Elena that Silvia Duran had been arrested before this fact had become public knowledge. (Ibid.) Since a file review was inconclusive, the Com- mittee decided to arrange interviews in Mexico with Silvia Duran, Lynn. Duran, Emilio Carbillido and Betty 'Serratos. The Mexican Government informed the House Select Committee on Assassinations that Elena and Elenita Garro disappeared in 1968 during the student uprisings and have never returned to’Mexico. The officials stated that Elena and her daughter might be in Spain. (See Mexico City Procedural Write-up Trip 1.) The Mexican ' government reported that Emilio Garballido could not be - found. (Ibid.) The others were interviewed between June 1 and June 6, 1978. (Ibid.) | Betty Serratos, Lydia Duran, Ruben Duran and Horatio Duran all stated that Elena was not the dancing
—-~ AJ - type and therefore did not attend any of the twist parties at the Duran homes. (See" HSCA Interview of Betty Serratos, 6/6/78, p. 6, JFK Document No. ; HSCA Staff Interview of Lydia Duran, 6/5/78, p- 6, JFK Document No.  ¢ HSCA Document No. ; HSCA Staff Interview of Horatio Duran Navarro, 6/5/78, p. 25, JFK Document No. ) When Sivlia Duran. was asked dif Elena or Elenita Garro ever attended twist parties at the Duran homes, she recalled Elena attending one twist party at Ruben's home in 1963 when the Garros returned to Mexico from France. (HSCA Staft Interview of Silvia Tirado Bazan, 6/6/70, p- 90, JFK, Document No. ) All the Durans denied that Lee Harvey Oswald had attended any party at one of their homes. (String cites.) The Committee next asked the Central Intelligence Agency to arrange staff interviews with | (Manuel Calvillo), | (June Cobb) , along with a list of | other assets who may have had information related to Lee Harvey Oswald's trip to Mexico City. ( \ The Central Intelligence Agency declined to aid the Com- mittee inthis aspect of the investigation. “Phe Commitee returned to Mexico City and attempted to locate June Cobb Sharp and Manuel Calvillo. © (See Pro- cedural Write-up Trip 2 Mexico City.) The results of the
- 48 — Committee's work were as follows: The Mexican government told the commit- tee that June Cobb Sharp received a tourist permit, number 72781, on June 27, 1947 when she entered Mexico through Nuevo Lardeo. She asked, but was denied, permission to re- present the magazine, Modern Mexico. On June 21, 1948, she received a courtesy per~ mit, number 25556. Furthermore, the Mexi- can government explained that she disappeared in 1954 and never returned to Mexico. (See Procedural Writeup Trip 2 Mexico City.) The Committee believes there is a possibility that this information is incorrect. According to Ms. Cobb's CIA file she worked for the agency as an asset in Mexico from 1961 through 1966. (CIA Report, 1965, June Cobb file, 201- 7) Elena also stated that Ms. Cobb resided at her heme in 1964. (Supra p- The Mexican government told the Committee \ ; that Manuel Calvillo did not live at Cuohtemoc 877-5 as the Committee had informed then. Their agent-in-charge had spoken to the superintendant at the apartments at which Lamuel Calvillo was believed to reside, the superintendent who had ‘worked at the apartments for twenty-five years,
- 49 - said that no Manuel Calvillo had ever re~ sided there. When Committee staffers gave the Mexican government Calvillo's pen name, the Mexicans gave the same answers. (See Procedural Write Mexico City Trip 2.) The Committee is certain that Mr. Calvillo lived at this address since it acquired the address from a recent. CIA document. (CIA Report, 1976, Manuel Calvillo file, 201- ) The Committee believes that there is a possibility that the Mexican government received orders from the Cen- tral Intelligence Agency to refrain from aiding the Com- mittee with this aspect of its work. (See Procedural Write- up Trip 2 Mexico City.) The Committee made every attempt possible to locate Elena. On Julv 7, 1978 a Committee staffer telephoned ‘her publisher Moritz in Mexico City and asked about her whereah ats. (HSCA Staff Gontact Report, 7/7/78, JFK Do- cument No. 10016) The publisher stated that Ms. Garro was living in the Hotel S.A.C.E. in Madrid, Spain. (Ibid. ) The Committee staffer telephoned the Hotel in Spain and spoke to the manager who told him that Ms. Garro had moved out. (Ibid.) (HSCA Staff Contact Report, 7/7/78, ‘JFK Document No. ) On July 14, 1978 a Committee
- 50 -. staffer called her publisher again and was told to con- tact the Mexican Embassy in Madrid, Spain. (HSCA Staff Contact Report, 7/14/78, JFK Document No. 9950) The publisher stated that all Elena's payments were sent there because she did not even trust ‘her publisher with her address. (Ibid.) The Committee staffer called the Mexican Embassy in Madrid, Spain and spoke to Adolfo Padilla, a Mexican employee of the Embassy who stated that when Elena visited the Embassy a couple of weeks before to pick up a check she looked financially poor. (HSCA Staff Contact Report, 8/31/78, JFK Document No. ) He stated that when he asked Elena her new address she de- clined to give one, stating that she would return every few weeks to pick up checks and mail. (Ibid.) The Com- mittee gave Padilla a telephone number and a message asking Elena to telephone the Committee collect. (Ibid.) On September 5, 1978 Elena Garro called the Com- mittee staffer. When the staffer explained that the com- mittee wished to talk to her in person and would pay both her daughter's and her travel from Spain, Ms. Garro asked why she should believe the staffer was who he claimed to be. (HSCA Staff Contact Report, 9/5/78, JFK Document No. ) the staffer asked Ms. Garro to call back collect in the next few days when he could explain
to her when and where she could receive a Committee let- ter delineating why the Committee wished to interview her. (Ibid.) The Committee wrote the letter and made arrangements with the State Department for a letter to be hand-delivered to Elena at the American Embassy in Spain. (See attached letter: also, HSCA Statf Contact Report, 9/5/78, JFK Document No. ) On September 7, 1978, Elena Garro called the Commit- tee staffer and asked when the letter would arrive. (HSCA Staff Contact Report, 9/7/78, JFK Document No. ) The Committee staffer explained that the letter could be gotten on Monday, September 11, 1978 from George Phelan, the Counsellor for Consular Affairs at the Ameri- can Embassy. (Ibid.) Ms. Garro stated that she would get the letter on September 11, 1978 and follow our. suggestions. (Ibid.) | Ms. Garro never went to the American Embassy in Spain to get the Committee's letter. (HSCA Staff Contact Report, 9/15/78, JFK Document No. ) The Committee, “hoping she would pick up the letter before her flight date, proceeded to purchase air tickets for both Elena and her daughter. (HSCA Staff Contact Report, 9/12/78, JFK Document No. ) Elena did not get the tickets at the airport. (HSCA Staff Contact Report, 9/15/78, JFK Document No. ) The Committee was not contacted
~ 5? - by Ms. de Paz again. The Committee also investigated whether Thomas’ “selection out" was related to the Oswald case. After interviewing his widow, Ms. Cynthia Thomas, the Committee has concluded that his dismissal was unrelated. (HSCA Staff Interview of Cynthia Thomas, , Pp. , JFK Document No. } In sum, the House Select Committee on Assassinations has not been able to confirm the evidence that would indicate that Lee Harvey Oswald, on one night while he was in Mexico, attended a "twist party" at the home of Ruben Duran Navarro, the brother-in-law of Silvia Duran. In addition, the House Select Committee on Assas~ sinations has’ been unable to confirm the allegation that Lee Harvey Oswald travelled while in Mexico city with "two beatnik-looking boys." D. Oscar Contreras. On March 16, 1967, B. J. Ruyle, the American Consul in Tampico, reported to the American Embassy that he had spoken to a reporter whom allegedly had met Lee Har- | vey Oswald at National Autonomous University of Mexico City (UNAM) in 1963. (American Embassy Incoming Tele- garm #A-43 570, p. 110, CIA #737) Stressing that he had only a fleeting contact with Oswald, the reported had
claimed to know only about Lee Harvey Oswald's. desire to travel to Cuba and the Embassy's unwillingness to grant him a visa. (Ibid.) When B. J. Ruyle asked the reporter for permission to cable the story to the Ameri- can Embassy, the reporter declined stating that he feared losing his job. (Ibid.) Subsequent to the assas- sination, the reporter had told his editor about his contact with Lee Harvey Oswald, who had advised him not to report it. (Ibid.) The reporter granted B. J. Ruyle permission to cable the story to the American Embassy when Ruyle promised that it would be handled with the strictest confidence. (Ibid.) Ruyle wrote that he thought the reporter was genuinely concerned about his job. (Ibid.) | A letter from B. J. Ruyle to the State Department dated May 11, 1967 provided additional details of the reporter's story. (Letter to Wesley D. Bowles, Chief of Mexican political affairs;.Office of Mexican Affairs, . Department of State from B. J. Ruyle, American Consul, Tampico, 5/11/67; WX 7241 entry #597, p. 114, CIA #741) The reporter alleged that he and some fellow students had met Lee Harvey Oswald as they exited the Cineclub at the Escuela de Filosofia (School of Philosophy) at the National Autonomous University of Mexico. (Ibid.}) Oswald