HW 53199 AGENCY RECORD NUMBER RECORD SERIES AGENCY FILE NUMBER AGENCY ORIGINATOR FROM TO TITLE DATE : PAGES : SUBJECTS DOCUMENT TYPE Date: 12/14/04 JFK ASSASSINATION SYSTEM a IDENTIFICATION FORM AGENCY INFORMATION Peleased under the John CIA . Kennedy Assassination Records 104-10068-10154 JFK Ollection Act of 1992 80T01357A (44 USC 2107 Note). haan a a a Rm TT tr ne renner mn asad NW S3199 Date: DOCUMENT INFORMATION 6-08-2017 CIA CHIEF OF STATION CHIEF, SR JOHN A. ROE @ ROGALSKY 10/02/1964 17 : JFK ASSASSINATION CLASSIFICATION : RESTRICTIONS = CURRENT STATUS DATE OF LAST REVIEW COMMENTS DoclId: 32348311 Page 1 ROE: J ROGALSKY J PAPER SECRET 1B RELEASED IN PART PUBLIC - RELEASED WITH DELETIONS 05/25/04 JFK12 : F15 : 20031216-1026018 -{R] - ITEM IS RESTRICTED 104-10068-10154
al . . . a™ ws ; . e aeia . « + of 7 . . - _- » . - e wot 4 . “; a ® i “1 Bitty BY ; OTF -~ 1 CLASSIFICATION “DISPATCH |= aw & MARKED FOR INDEXING To~ Chief, SR KX | NO INDEXING REQUIRED ONLY QUALIFIED DESK Chief, WE CAN JUDGE INDEXING PROCESSING ACTION - INFO. fa 7 From NA, Chief of Station, Ottawa St U7 ‘wesc REDWOOD LCIMPROVE AEPETREL AEVALIANT’ |? John A. ROE @ ROGALSKY ACTION REQUIRED - REFERENCES | Ref: OCOA 6190, 15 February 1963 aw, gol-2772 : 1. Attached is a copy of the SMABOVE interview of John A, ROE @ ROGALSKY, together with reproductions of documents and : correspondence obtained from ROE, and photographs of the ROE family. “AEVALIANT/1" should be understood wherever "FUZZY" occurs in the text. 2. The ROEs were interviewed simultaneously but separately in Toronto. Their recent application for Canadian citizenship provided a pretext for the interview. 3. ROE has explained his deposits to AEVALIANT/1's Peace River bank account in terms of a series of three~cornered ‘transfers of funds for the support of ROE's mother-in-law, who was still in China at that time. The documents which ROE has . Supplied seem to substantiate his explanation of these transfers. 4 As noted in para 30 of the interview, SMABOVE is apparently convinced of the plausibility of ROE's story, but he and his wife have been asked to obtain more factual evidence from his bank and from his mother-in-law. . . 5. SMABOVE states that from the time ROE was contacted by phone to arrange for the interview, he was under surveillance, which continued for an unspecified period after the interview. SMABOVE states that his actions at that time appeared normal. ROE's encounter with his friend, Paul POLOTSKY (para 29) was observed, and his later admission of it is considered by SMABOVE . aS a sign of sincerity on his part. Attachments: 1. Interview report 2. Copies of documents 3. Photographs Distribution: fOrig & 1 - C/SR w/atts 1, 2 and 3 h/w 3 ~ C/WE wo atts 29 )/- 2977 ad, “ tf CROSS REFERENCE TO DISPATCH SYMBOL AND NUMBER DATE 2 October 1964 HQS FILE NUMBER Ya cheba 53199 Docld:32348311 Pagel, ) 201-2973 Was
- CLASSIFICATION DISPATCH SYMBOL AND NUMBER OCOA 8607 she" J CONTINUATION OF zs , DISPATCH “8 .6. SMABOVE requests Headquarters comments on this inter- view. In addition to your comments on the interview itself, we would also appreciate your guidance as to the advisability 2 of continuing the investigation of ROE and any other AEVALIANT/1 “h contacts, . nts - eter K. nship 53199 DoclId: 32346311 Page 3
a Tore teen ane cote ttc enencaton cone Sareea ert ae tn ma teeter ie te tiene te ae H OC { 3. . Sack Arthur ROGALSKY, how known as John ROK, born On April 27, 1905 at Melitopol, Crimea, then Russia, is the Son of Abraham ang Katherine ROGALSKY, ROGALSKY ig of the Hebrew race, but does not Practice his religion, ROGALSKY had four Sisters and two brothers, most of whom are now residing in North America, Abraham ROGALSKY, his father, WAS & grain trader in Melitopol, U.S.S.R. and in 1907 or 1908 moved to Harbin in Manchuria, where business opportunities were better as a result of the Russo-Japanese War. Harbin ad a large Russian Population ang the file Subject was educatea in Russian Schools in the area. In 1920, the file Subject moved to Shanghai, where he resided with two of hie 1923, he was apprenticed in the import department of the Swiss firm of E. Huber & Company S.A, and tne following yeer _W8aS promoted as Manager of the Import Department as a result oA- F607 =. 6 COPY TNT Stam eeene  e tat wlan tite ones ae coc og Peedi te eet eae atin arsenate pene SM re we eee Few eae en
: i @ . . * tA . ? : tf a ies . Oesan - * a » r oe HW 33199 . , ” * e a. ° 2 t . a ° : . 1 7 re of the then incumbent maneger resigning over difficulties with the management. The firm specialized in the import of sundries and textiles. In 1933, the Swiss principals witharew their interests and the control of the company was taken over by the Shanghai representatives. The firm continued in operation for approximately a year and then ~ went into bankruptcy. In 1935, ROE, in company with his brotner-in-law, one Paul KOMOR, took over operation of the company under the name of two firms, the China Import Co. and the China Export Co., with ROE handling the import and KUMOR handling the export. KOMOR had been the employee of the Huber Company and was an expert in the leather trade. One other additional trading company was formed under the . name of Paul KOMOR Co. Ltd. Do “4 4. KOMOR and ROE operated their companies all through the war and the Japanese occupation, and ROE did not liquid- | ate his interests until it was quite apparent that the Communist Chinese would soon be taking over the area. ROE stated that trading opportunities were very slim during the war but he also stated that he could have made a consider-~ able fortune if he had been willing to trade with Germany and he had had plenty of opportunities to do so through Chinese fronts, but had refrained from doing so on patriotic grounds. He further stated that he had reported through KOMOR to the Dutch Consulate in Shanghai of any Shanghai traders who were dealing with the German government. 5. _ ROE readily admitted that both he and his wife had been registered with the Shanghai-Russian Citizens! Association, but further stated that he had never been active in the organization, nor had he ever had any dealings with the official Russian representatives in that city. | Prior to the Japanese occupation of Shanghal, ROE had been a corporal in the Shanghai Self-Defence Corps under Colonel Moore COSGRAVE, whose civilian occupation was Commercial ‘Sounsellor for Canada in China. 6. ROE advised that the only travels he kad made whilst living in China were as follows. In 1935 he visited Hong Kong on business for the Huber Company. Some time prior to the war, he visited the city of Tientsin for one — week's holiday, and in 1937 or 1938 he spent two weeks! vacation in the northern part of Korea at a well-known vacation resort called Yankovsky's. 7. On direct questioning, ROE denied any. connection with the Soviet Citizens! Association in Shanghai, other than being registered with this group. The allegation that he was a Brigadier of the Seventh Brigade was met with incredulity. He reiterated that the only organization with which he had been connected was the Shanghai Self-Defence: Docld:32348311 Page 5 Sw wt watt B
. as per — : S net of 5 Oun ° ~~ a we -3- Corps and this was disbanded on the occupation by the Japanese of the city in 1942. ROE denied any connection with. the Paragon Book Store but indicated that he was aware of the purpose this organization served. By way of explan- ation, he stated that he had been connected as a partner with a firm called Paragon Men's Wear, which was located on the Avenue Joffre, Shanghai. cw Lye ad 8. ' ROE explained that his brother-in-law, Paul KOMOR, -had been. an executive of an organization which was assisting refugees from Europe during the early years of the war. One of the persons he had assisted was Liza ALTURA from Austria. In 192 at KOMOR's recommendation, ALTURA approached ROE to secure financing for a men’s wear shop she was to set up. ROE loaned her the equivalent of a thousand dollars and was a non-active partner in the shop until it was liquidated in 1947. ALTURA is now married under the name of BEER and lives in Caracas, Venezuela. so 9. After the war, the subject and his brother-in-law continued trading and among some of the firms dealt with were Davis Leather Co. Ltd. in Huntsville, head office 37 Front Street East, Toronto. When it was evident to him , that the Chinese Communists would soon be taking over the country, he decided to leave. 10. - He claims he made application to the U.S. Consulate in Shanghai for a visa for permanent residence in the U.S.A. Before the Chinese Communists entered Shanghai, the subject had disposed of his business interests and cleared ali his debts. He and his family therefore had little difficulty in leaving Shanghai. 11. With the help of UNRRA, he was able to obtain passage on the U.S.S. "General Gordon" which was evacuating U.S. diplomatic personnel. In order to obtain a U.S. transit visa, he renounced his application for permanent residence in the U.S.A. ROE and his family arrived in San Francisco on October 13, 1949, destined for Brazil. ROE had plans to begin his import-export business again in Brazil. He spent some three weeks with his brother-in-law, Paul KOMOR, who managed to convince him that the government of Brazil was quite corrupt and he would be better to attempt to remain in the U.S.A. ROE decided to visit Canada to re-establish connections with the Davis Leather Co. and also Anglo-~- Canadian Leather Co. Ltd. in the event he did go to Brazil. They entered Canada on November 7, 1949 with a six months visitors! visa. ROE stated that they were so pleased with Canada they decided to stay and, in February, made appli- cation for permanent residence. Their application-was turned yo down but later they were granted an extension, and, finally, | landed status on March 26, 1959. - - MW. 53199 DocId:32348311 Page 6
Cuxt . . . Ouax ! et 2 gy . 70 eae ae . . . . . , . 8 . . eo t . oo Ae . Ei te cence eine eee cn ee pc gm cee gee cele ee eee eee bees enter seemed erent ne ere ope ver erences | og Fahey . . - ¢ ff ’ 1 : : N Acicog : 3 . . . 3 : 22, Since his arrival in Canada, ROE has had the - following employment: . ; a 1950 - 1955 - Frank Hacking Ltd., bh Yonge St. ' Import and Export - Salesman of ; Sundries and chinaware. = . 1955 - 1961 - Wentworth Trading Co., Hamilton - Manager. Importers of giftware, including Czechoslovakian and  .s_—* Hungarian glassware. (32 McNab St. S.) a. 1961 ~ 1962 - 9 months, Frank Hacking Ltd. 1962 to present - R.D. Travers Co., 1 Duke St., Hamilton. Agents for Wickware- °" Stackbin Ltd. of Perth, Ontario. | ROE is a sub-agent of Travers Co. selling steel shop bins to various manufacturers in the Southern Ontario area. In addition, ROE was considering starting his own import- export firm after leaving Frank Hacking Ltd., but he stated after writing for a number of samples of various lines, he felt it was too precarious a venture and decided ona. position offering more security, and thus, the Travers job. 13. ROE is operating on a part-time basis as a manu- facturers' agent representing the Swedish Cordage Co., Sweden, producers of plastic-coated clotheslines which ROE has marketed to Simpson's and Eaton's. He has imported approximately $3,000 worth of goods from this firm. In addition, he represents the Evertex Wall Covering of Rochester, N.Y., having imported some $1,000 worth of goods. 1). . ROE advised that he has resided at the following | ’ addresses in Canada: 1949 - 1950 - 6 months, 1229 Yonge Street, — Toronto 1950 - 1951 - 6 months, 309 Indian Road, Toronto 1951 - 1953. - 138 Glendale Avenue, Toronto 1953 - 1954 - 136 Government Road, Toronto 195h-+ 1955 - 92 Haddon Av. South, Hamilton 1955 - Present -129 Haddon Av. South, Hamilton. 15. At this stage, ROE was asked to provide the names of associates and friends living on this continent who were of Russian origin or those he had known in China. - They - were: . . HW 53199 Docld:32343311 Page 7 woo
Osa | _4dO9! . . Jadoo ouax! . . -lowax ee nena -5- Paul POLOTSKY, 7,61 Kingsley Rd., Ste. 704, Montreal, a Russian Jew who had worked for ROE in Shanghai, ~ now a manufacturers’ agent. Arthur KUPITSKY, 430 Willowdale St., Apt. 7; Montreal, a Russian Jew who had been in the fur business in Shanghai. He presently operates a stocking factory in Montreal. , Alex KELEN, 582 Plantagenet P1l., Montreal, Hungarian Jew, civil engineer whom source had known in China. Alex GROSSMAN, Apt. 02, 855 Cote de Luc Rd., Montreal, lawyer whom he met in Shanghal.. ROE also mentioned that he had met Eugene ELENSKY of Weston, an electrical engineer, who was a former resident of Harbin. ; 16. ROE then advised that he had the following _ relatives: HW 53199 DoclId:3 Miss Dorothy ROE, sister, Canadian, citizen, employed =~ as a nurse, 128 Glendale, Toronto. Michael ROE, brother, deceased, Australia. _ Nura (Mrs. Thomas) O'NEIL, 421 Poplar St., Santa Cruz, California. Sister. — ’ Adele (Mrs. Paul) KOMOR, 115 Anthony St., Santa Cruz, California. Sister. _ Riva (Mrs. Robert) HARPER, 129 Los Altos Ct.;, Santa Cruz, California. Sister. ; Joseph RUGALSKY, Los Angeles (?), left China in 191... Brother. , . 17. At this point ROE was given time to think over his answers and to consider carefully if he had been truthful and complete in his story. He indicated that he had. He was then questioned as to his feelings about the Soviet Union. ROE stated that he had spent most of his adult life in China in the company-of Russian emigres who no longer wished to return to the U.S.S.R. and, in addition, he indicated that Paul KOMOR, who is anti-communist, had a strong influence on his life and, therefore, had no pan-Slavic feelings about the U.S.8.R. In an effort to prove his point, ROH stated that after the war the Soviet Consulate in Shanghai was issuing passports to all Russian citizens. However, the passports, wore of a restricted variety in that the holder Ou: — Oo» &o
Noauice! Odux: AdOD! Ou3x! ee required a visa to enter the U.S.S.R. ROE and his wife did not obtain passports which would obligate them to the -~ - U.S.S.R., preferring to remain stateless. ROK's brother © and sister, Michael and Dorothy, registered for Soviet pass- ports and with the Shanghai Soviet Citizens' Association. . 18. — ROE was asked point-blank how long he“had been assisting the Russian: Intelligence Service. He “was aston- ished by this accusation and denied any connection in this respect. -He was then asked about his knowledge of FUZZY and ne emphatically denied knowing such a person. He was prompted that this person may have resided in Alberta at. one time. His recollection of the person indicated was _ quite spontaneous then and he stated that he once sent money to a man in Peace River, Alberta, but could not recall . his name. He explained that his wife's mother, Mrs. Maria SKOURTHINA, and her daughter were living in Harbin, Manchuria during the time the ROEs were in Shanghai. Jack ROE and his brother-in-law, Herman MUENSTER and his wife (Mrs. RO#'s sister, Lucy) had been supporting Mrs. SKOURIHINA by sending parcels and money. After the ROEs left Shanghai for North America, Mrs. SKOURIHINA's support was carried on. by MUENSTER and in part by Dorothy ROE, subject's sister. When MUENSTER and his family left for Germany in.195h, Mrs. SKOURIHINA had to locate additional avenues of support. 19. _ At this time there were a good number of people who were planning to leave or had left China and, due to strict currency controls, were using various methods to get their funds out of the country. Mrs. SKOURIHINA contacted @ number of people who were willing to use their funds to ‘support her in return for her relatives in Canada depositing equal amounts with persons they designated in Canada, the U.S.A., or other countries. ROE stated that he forwarded funds to some five or six people in Canada and the U.S.A. in this respect, but could not recall the names. The names of FUZZY and SIDOROFF did not mean anything to him, but the mention of Peace River brought to mind the transfer of funds. He believed that, in all, he forwarded some $200.00 to the party in Peace River in 1955 or 1956. ROE stated that he .- ’ never knew the name of the party who supplied the funds in China. Although ke cannot recall the exact amounts, ROE stated that his mother-in-law was receiving between $20.00 ana $25.00 per month from 1955 until leaving China in 1958. ROE assured the writer he would attempt to locate his old. bank- books and any other documentetion which might corrob- orate and further clarify his submissions. . . 20. Mrs. ROE's story agreed with that of her husband with a few natural differences. She was later allowed to answer questions in the presence of her husband in connection with the money transfer. Her narration in this. HW 533199) Docld:32346311 Page 9