JFK Assassination System Identification Form Agency Information AGENCY: FBI RECORD NUMBER: — 124-90100-10076 RECORD SERIES: HQ AGENCY FILE NUMBER: = 52-72398-96 Document Information ORIGINATOR: FBI FROM: CV TO: HQ TITLE: DATE: 01/15/1959 PAGES: 48 SUBJECTS : JOSEPH RAYMOND MEROLA THEFT OF 317 WEAPONS, 16 BLANKETS, | CARBINE RACK OHIO NATIO DOCUMENT TYPE: PAPER, TEXTUAL DOCUMENT CLASSIFICATION: — Unclassified RESTRICTIONS: 4 CURRENT STATUS: — Redact DATE OF LAST REVIEW: 07/29/1998 OPENING CRITERIA :~ INDEFINITE COMMENTS : RPT v9.1 | HW 45876 DocId: 32331858 Page 1
CV 52-1918 ‘ will contact GUY DANIEL, RD 1, regarding telephone call ‘to 221F2 from the Ohio National Guard Armory, Canton, on August 14, 1958. AT WOOSTER, OHIO Will report the results of interview with HARRY ROBERT WELCH. Will recontact SALLY KRAJCIK, 1515 LincoliInway West, 4 telephone HOward. 22138, for recent information she has regarding MARTINEZ's implication in instant theft. Information copies of this report were designated for Cincinnati, Chicago, Los Angeles, Milwaukee, New York, and Pittsburgh in view of pending investigation in those divisions. . ADMINISTRATIVE The period covered in this report overlaps: the period in the previous report of SA HAROLD E, WEIDA dated November 28, 1958, at Cleveland, inasmuch as investigation results were not available at the time of the dictation of the ‘previous report. The Canton, Ohio, Telephone Directory reflects that the Varsity Restaurant located at 525 North Market Street has a pay telephone with a listed GLendale 4-0532. In an effort to ascertain if any long distance calls were placed from this number to LOUIS MARTINEZ,:Mr. BARRY A, STEPHENS, © Commercial Manager, Ohio Bell Telephone Company, was contacted on.December 29, 1958. Toll calls placed from GLendale 400532 | were checked for the period of August through November, 1958, but no toll calls could be located which appeared significant to this investigation. oo & -C- | COVER PAGE | i] | ; P . j | AW 45876 DocId:32331858 Page 2
7 -_ 7 O | 7 | e CV 52-1918 weapons from. the Canton, Ohio, Armory and further he had no specific knowledge indicating that LOUIS MARTINEZ was involved in this theft. SA FRANK G, DOUDS made a check of the current Youngstown and Niles, Ohio, Directories which show the following phone listings: RI 4-2820, listed to Battery C, 135th Field , Artillery Battalion, i 325 West Rayen Avenue, ; Youngstown, Ohio OL 22-9951, listed to the Mallory Sharon Titanium Plant, 980 Warren Road,’ Niles, Ohio This company is an-affiliate of the Sharon Steel Corporation and hires , between 1,000 and 2,000 men. It is noted that cv- 411-¢ has been extradited to Pennsylvania for a burglary charge and is not avaitable for interview at the present time. On November 12, 1958, MARIO GUERRIERI, Youngstowm, Ohio, (Protect identity) advised SA DOUDS that he considered PHIL MAINER, Youngstown hoodium, a suspect in instant case. He stated he has been hanging around Canton, Ohio, with a man known only to him as FLUFFIE, FLOOF (ph), and has been driving a 1958 Cadillac, light tan in color; as well as a light grey Chevrolet Impela owned by the. same man. He later identified . this person on December 2, 1958, as GEORGE M, FLOREA, He stated that he and RONNIE CARABBIA, Youngstown and Struthers / hoodlum, had been hanging out at the Ritz Bar, Canton, Ohio, which is run by a man called "SUITCASE SAM." It is to be noted that the Indianapolis Office advised recently that MAINER had been driving a 1958 Cadillac, light tan, Ohio license ; N 1058 a, listed to GEORGE M. FLOREA, 20/| Broad Avenue, N.W., | Canton, Ohio, and in addition, he has a 1956 red and white ; Oldsmobile, Indiana license CJ 7827. -~G- COVER PAGE | a | HW 45876 DocId:32331858 Page 3
/ cv 52-1918 . On December 5, 1958, GUERRIERI advised he is certain that MAINER was in Canton, Ohio, at the time of instant theft and he approached him for some of the guns and from his -pehavior, he is certain that ‘he had a part in the theft. New York airtel to the Bureau, November 10, 1958, — - advised that LOUIS MARTINEZ had made a telephone call from the ‘Manhattan Hotel, New York, on September 19, 1958, to Canton, Ohio, Glendale 4-0532, which is listed to the Varsity Restaurant, a hangout for GEORGE MIKE FLOREA,a local, hoodlum... PCI JOHN APOSTOLOS. advised SA JAMES E, GILLEY on November 17, 1958, that he had seen GEORGE FLOREA and LOUIS MARTINEZ together several times in Canton during the past few | months although he could not recall the exact dates.- te: never heard either of them discuss the theft of weapons at the Ohio National Guard Armory in Canton. PCI could not recall MARTINEZ having called the Varsity Restaurant in September, 1958, from New York, however, a couple of days. before MARTINEZ was arrested in New York for kidnapping, MARTINEZ telephoned the Varsity Restaurant and asked to talk to: ALEX KARRAS , the bartender, who talces messages for FLOREA and SAM MESSARIS when they are not there. According to PCI, KARRAS is a loyal member of the gang and cannot be trusted. KARRAS later mentionec: tnat MARTINEZ. wanted money when he called and it was PCI's opinion that the, money was requested of FLOREA, , PCI stated that FLOREA had not been around for several weeks and was working with PHIL MAINER at Calumet City, Illinois. FLOREA gave a telephone number of TO 2-9628 where he could be reached, which is probably the "Rip Tide Bar" in that city. On December 1, 1958, the Newark Office advised that on November 18, 1958, IC D. LOUIS BARRA,JR., was advised by NK-1731-08 that a record did not exist for telephone number SA J, CALVIN RICE determined that telephone number SW 1-4899 does not exist and SU-1-2700 is listed to TWA, Union Commerce Building; SW 5-5800 is listed to the Ohio National Guard Group Heddquarters, 135 Field Artillery Battalion, Central Armory,Cleveland; and AC 6-4943 is listed to the Ohio National Guard, 1437 Wayne Avenue, Cleveland. | AW 45876 DocId:32331858 Page 4
\ N f S; . L cv 52-1918 . On November 26, 1958, CV-251-C was contacted by : SA HARRY S$. MILLER. Informant was unable to furnish any | information of value concerning instant theft. He stated he does not know the MANNARINO family of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, personally although he has heard of them. He stated GEORGE — MIKE FLOPEA of Canton is a good friend of KELLY MANNARINC. Informant also stated that SAM MESSARTS is acquainted with people who in turn know the MANNARINO family well. ; Informant advised he has not seen FLOREA for over a month and inasmuch as the MANNARINO name was mentioned in the newspaper, he will make inquiry of FLOREA the next time he sees him concerning this matter, The following informants and PCIsof the Cleveland Office were coritacted as indicated: IDENTITY OF CONTACTING AGENT DATE OF CONTACT ) SOURCE _ | _ | CV-307-C $A PHILIP A, MC NIFF 12/4/58. | PCI ROBERT MILLER SA JAMES E, GILLEY 12/3/58 | cv-375-c SA ROBERT H, WILSON | 11/21/58 ref SA JOHN J. KLISE | 11/4/58 OTHER 4 . _ The above informants and PCIS were unable to furnish any information of value to this investigation. \ | . i} -J« | COVER PAGE 1 | HW 45876 DocId:32331858 Page 3