| -FD-36' (Hev. 10-1556) O ; | DATE: 11/6/61 FBT ." Transmit the following in PLAIN TEXT as | (Type in plain text or- code) - ~~ ke Via AIRTEL : ___ATRMAIL aie ae AL Rk RR EN ee ake thy ew? TO: DIRECTOR, FBI ie FR Be te , ERED Ke duoc AYs 123 FROM: SAC, ATLANTA (157-273) DATE Ialaols) 5) SPSOR ROBERT BOLIEVAR DEPUGH, Aka. MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION CONCERNING Re Bureau airtel to Atlanta and Kansas City dated 10/31/61. Atlanta airtel t Bureau dated 8/14/61 captioned "THE MINUTE ; | . | RE: “MINUTE MEN" HSL ee | ‘ MEN, RACIAL MATTERS," ' The Atlanta Division has at the present time an | i t 1655-c (RAC) and a potential racial informant, OTHER 4 who are members of the Minute Men, an organization headed by HARRY HART. There has been, to date, one meeting of the Minute Men in the Atlanta Division, this being on the evening of 9/13/61. Info dvised that those present at the meet e T AT 1655-C (RAC) and re) 6930 Main Street, Lithonia, Ga., residence 2730 Rock Bridge, Lithonia, Ga. At the meeting HART advised that the Minute Men organization goes back to the Revolutionary War and was re- established in 1942 at either Chicago, Illinois, or Cleveland, Ohio. HART alleged a charter had been obtained for the organi- gation but this charter was returned. HART claimed he was one of the ten men who re-organized the Minute Men. He claimed to be one of the few who knew the top leader of the Minute Men. HART claimed the organization is nation wide and uses couriers to communicate for security reasons, HART claimed all communications were placed in sealed envelopes and sealed with wax in three places. He claimed that at no time did the Minute Men know what each other was instructed to do unless two or more are to go out on the same mission. HART described the purpose: of the Minute Men was to assist in bringing back to the American people the. 6riginal Constitution. He said ifit takes Violence to get "these men out of office or out of eo then violence will be used, ama _@ 2-37 PEELS -p- [pt-Qrart Sax paos, uso R/10/s+ — 3- Bureau (RM) . . 2- Cleveland (RM) 7 , {~8- Kansas City (62-7797) (RM) ( 2-)New Orleans(Rm “Y= Atlanta (2- wo, : ; " 1- 137 (AT 1655-C)(RAC) sr - OTHER 4 2 JTB:be1l (13) NW 45880 DocId:32335172 Page 2 | | | |
Se OO 0 AT 157-273 The only assignment given at the meeting was to have Negro cemeteries checked as hiding places for concealed arms. HART advised he had steel rods made to probe graves of Negroes as the arms and ammunition are reportedly buried approximately eighteen inches deep. HART said the Minute Men must have arms and was in favor of a crossbow as it does not make any noise. HART informed AT 1655-C (RAC) on 8/14/61 that the Minute Men are a group of men willing and able to do things. He claimed the Minute Men had stopped integration in Miami, Florida. He stated the Minute Men operate only in small groups, never more than four men in a group, and the members only knew the other members of his group. He claimed the Minute *Men hold no meetings and have no meeting place. He mentioned a retired General or Colonel by the name of and said he was ere of the directors. He said the organization was nation-wide and their purpose is to fight Communism. He claimed any members of the Minute Men who betrayed the organi- zation would be killed. Initiation fee is $25.00 and dues are $12.00 per year. On August 23, 1961, HART advised. AT 1655-C (RAC) that the Minute Men had helped BUFORD SUTTON, former police officer, Macon, Ga., escape prosecution in Macon, Georgia. HART stated the hard core of this organization is the "Minute Men" and that"Minute Men Associates"are subordinate to them. The address putting out the literature concerning the Minute Men Associates is Minute Men Associates, 2850 East 117th Street, Celveland 20, Ohio. On 9/1/61 AT 1655-C (RAC) talked with BILL ANDERSON, ° a member of the Nacirema and ANDERSON furnished the address of the Minute Mer as 613 East Alton Street, Independence, Missouri. On 9/27/61 AT 1655-C contacted HART and J, T. HENDERSON, Jonesboro, Georgia. HENDERSON directed them to a Negro cemetery located in Clayton County and had them check three graves with a steel rod. Two of the graves indicated there was concrete two feet below the surface. HENDERSON was of the opinion the graves contained arms which had been plxed there by Negroes. AT 1655-C furnished the names of two persons buried there. Records of the Bureau of Vital Statistics, Atlanta, Ga., and credit records reflect these two persons haa- died in 1959. - _- -2- NW 45880 DocId:32335172 Page 3
- O 6 AT 157-273 Since this time, HART has been interested in learning all he can concerning the people who le and work in the area where this cemetery is located. On 9/25/61 HART advised he had learned from HENDERSON that about six men in & car with a Tennessee Tag and a pickup truck had brought one of the bodies to the cemetery... HART claimed this made sense, since he had learned from a member of the Minute Men that the burial of the arms was Supervised from Mount Eagle, Tennessee. J. T. HENDERSON has since indicated a desire to join the Minute Men and has furnished his $25.00 initiation fee, but as of this date has not been sworn in. HART has indicated he would like AT 1655-c (RAC) to be his deputy. HART furnished AT 1655-c (RAC) a letter with letterhead entitled "Minute Men Associates" 11808 Buckeye Road, Cleveland 20, Ohio. The letter was dated July 27, 1961, and addressed to Mr. KENT CURTNEY, Post Office Box 4254, New Orleans 18, Louisiana, The letter was reportedly sent by LOUIS G. MARTON and makes reference to a meeting held in Washington, D. C., on the 13th, month not named, and sets forthihis reactions concerning the meeting. The letter alleges ali actions of the Supreme Court of the U. S. have been null and void since 10/24/45 and the U. S. has had no legal Government of any kind since that time. The letter urges -the establishment of a "mighty, patriotic Army of Minute Men" to restore to the U. S. its lost constitutional liberties and its national independence. On 10/12/61 HART advised AT 1655-C (RAC) that he now had in the Atlanta area approximately $7 groups. HART has told the informant that a group of five men make up @ unit but at one time told the informant that they had as many as 25 men in & group but that no more than five of these men met together. HART claimed he felt he would soon get some sealed orders from headquarters and claimed he had been given another state and would have more to do. HART claimed he had not received any money for expenses and hoped they would soon send him some as he was not a rich man. HART indicated that they would soon have 20,000 to 30,000 inen. HAROLD ATKINSON has advised that he had been designated to work with Dr. COMPTON in searching grave yards for arms which had been reportedly buried by the Negroes. He advised Dr. COMPTON has always found excuses not to go and he doubts COMPTON is serious. He stated HART told him the Minute Men were made up of groups never over four or five present at a meeting and these meetings are being held all over the United States. _* -~ 3- NW 45880 DocId:32335172 Page 4 Sy oee, Spee oe mem ae : Fe! "ee 3 “ar a , ,
AT 157-273 nn HART advised ATKINSON he was expecting a man from Es Orlando, Florida, to bring instructions. He stated the head “in” of the organization is-a retired General from the U. S. Army and all members carry .410 gas guns. HART told him they were to get a little club to carry that costs $25.00 and this club had a .410 shell in each end. HART has talked to him about killing some judges and prominent people using the crossbow as this could not be traced. On 9/11/61 HART told AT 1655-C (RAC) that the Minute Men Associates of Cleveland, Ohio, are a front for the Minute Men and this organizations activities are not secret. He said Minute Men Associates are hot the Hard core which is a secret oganization. He indicated the purpose of the Minute Men .is to eliminate certain leaders or anyone, in fact, who is standing in the way of returning this government to constitutional government. He claimed the Minute Men had @ man who has been in the "rackets" and he has been selected to fly to South America’: and bring back a rare deadly poison, more deadly than curare, This poison will be used to eliminate enemies of the Minute Men leaving no trace in the blood. : HAROLD A. ATKINSON advised HART has contacted him coneerning a meeting which was to be held sometime during the week of 11/6/61. He stated HART told him that he was being considered as the person to be delegated to do away with one of the political leaders in the Atlanta area. HART told him it would either he him or another member to do the job. He claimed ATKINSON would be well-paid for this task by the Mayflower organization. HARD did not expand any further concerning this activity but stated he was not a member of the Mayflower organization, It is noted the indices of the Atlanta Division fails to reflect any reference for the Mayflower organization. ATKINSON is associated with HART in attempting to sell subscriptions to the Metropolitan News er, Inc., a newspaper HART is allegedly attempting to organize. ATKINSON states HART does not have any presses and has been using the money obtained through subscriptions and the sale of debentures to pay his personal bills. ATKINSON is of the opinion the Metropolitan Newspaper, Inc., will never go to press. He feels e nute Men organization may just be another scheme of HART's to gain money for his personal benefit and that no such organization actually exists. : rr rr . ." 4 es . 7 : e ** . . ee a, { a The Atlanta Division does not feel that it is in & position at this time to make a recommendation concernig opening a case under the Racial Matters caption toncerning the Minute Men. It is felt that additional information will , be developed at the next meeting of the Minute Men or in the ~4h- NW 45880 DocId:32335172 Page 5