(404-10256-10219 MEMORANDUM FOR THE RECORD 2T September 1965 SUBJECT : WILCOTT, James B. Jr. FILE NUMBER: #109301 l. Reference is made to Mr. BUNN's report of interview of the Subject in Miami dated 28 July 1965. Although the Subject had been summoned by cable on 20 July, no reply had been received as of 27 . July. Upon coordinating with Jerry-MULLANE SO/WH division .on this a date I was advised that Subject had arrived in his office at that very moment. Mr. MULLANE sent him forthwith to Room 4 E 58 where _ the Subject was interviewed by the writer. 2. The Subject advised that he had arrived at the Headquarters area early last evening and was staying at the Park Arlington Motel at Arlington Blvd. and U. S. 50. His room number is 205-A and he may be reached on 52h4- Subject further advised that he is ostensibly an employee in Miami, Florida. ' 3. I reminded the Subject that at the time that he was inter- viewed by Mr. BUNN he had volunteered to take a polygraph examination on any of the information which he had provided. Subject replied that he recalled this very well and that he was perfectly willing to take this examination. 4. I asked the Subject if he had been in contact with any of the Civil Rights Workers about whom he had reported previously, since going to Florida. I asked him most specifically in connection with Ray ROBINSON and Alex PASSIKLOFF. He replied that he had not seen them since the New York trip in April of this year. He qualified that state- ment to this extert wherein he stated that ROBINSON had called his home
14-00000 bed cele nemen en ee se ay . with these people. | ie in | . a 2 ‘y ; wae mt | . on several occasions after April 25 but Subject had already departed. He explained that his wife joined him in Florida approximately one week after his arrival there. ROBINSON had informed his wife that he was coming out to visit her, however, he never showed up. d- With regard to PASSIKLOFF, Subject states that ‘he is vague and may have talked to Alex on the telephone on one occasion prior to his departure from Florida. He believes that on the one occasion when he spoke to Alex.Alex mentioned his classes on labor unions, and the Subject said he put him off by saying that he would be in touch with him later. The Subject stated that on the several occasions ~ prior to-his- departure for-Florida.he avoided talking to Alex because. _ of Mr. SHROUDT's admonition against becoming any further involved 6.” With respect to his widntgnt trip to New York in the company ~ of Alex PASSIKLOFF and Al SMITH, I asked the Subject what his wife's reaction was to this rather hasty decision. The Subject replied that his wife is wedto his meandering and did not question him nor express any surprise in any way. He explained that his wife is more the home body and more introverted than he, where as he is rather gregarious. The Subject described his marriage as a happy one and states that he ' and his wife and six year old boy live in perfect harmony. 7. I next questioned the Subject about his visit to the Corcoran street address where he and Alex were apparently the only white persons. The Subject reminded me that the wife of the home owner of that address was @ white woman. He was never introduced to his host and hostess and never heard their names. 8. I asked the Subject how he knew that marijuana was being smoked during this get together. He stated that Ray ROBINSON told him they were smoking "pot". Ray offered him one but he refused and used as an excuse that he had once tried it but had become ill. Although Ray was the only person whom he saw smoking, it was obvious from the number of hand rolled cigarette butts in the ash tray that others had also smokey it. He described the meeting as being made up of little 2 OP oy eee
14-00000 ™ - , 7 om ng | groups of people sitting around on the floor who paid no particular attention to him. Alex talked to him about labor organization and advised him that he conducted classes and Subject could join his class. Alex did not say where or when these classes were held and Subject did not pursue it any farther. Subject states that he had not drunk much at this time possibly four or five drinks, however, he was interested in what was going on and purposely held back on the liquor. 9. From Corcoran Street he accompanied Alex and Ray to Alex's room at the Cairo Hotel. He estimates that they may have spent as much as one hour there and had one drink going from there to jazz land _on 14 Street. While at Alex's room he saw that Alex had numerous copies of the WORKER displayed. Alex told him that’ hé had all Kinds of litera--- ——-- ture and that if a member of the John Birch Society were to visit him he could provide that person with the particular literature to his liking. ~--_-_____—fhe Subject. explained that_Alex made no bones of the fact that he was. a Commmist Party member, however, he stated that he did not always agree with Moscow or Peking, however, he had worked for the Party all his life and had been jeiled for them on occasion. - 10. Subject was next questioned about the events leading up to his arrest with Ray ROBINSON in November 1964. ‘The Subject stated that on that particular evening Ray had invited him to his brother's home to meet: his brother and sister-in-law. The Subject does not remember where this house is located. He states that the brother is named Robert ROBINSON and he is an employee of the District of Columbia government. He is reported to be a radio technician servicing radios on cars owned by the District of Columbia. During the course of the hour or so that he spend there there was'no talk of civil rights. Ray had told him that his brother is not a civil rights worker and Ray is constantly trying to recruit hin. 11. From the ROBINSON house Subject and Ray went to the Subject's home in Forrestville. While they were there the Subject consumed several scotches while Ray talked with Subject's wife. Ray showed her some draft notes he bad compiled for a book he was proposing to write. He was trying to interest Subject's wife in organizing and assembling it for him. According to the Subject this proposed book was although autobiographical in nature it described his experiences in the civil rights movement. om omy em or mand
20. With respect to the use of drugs, the Subject states thet he has never used drugs in any form. _ 21. With regard to his drinking, Subject stated that eSide fran the November incident which culminated in his arrest he has never fru to such an extent wherein his faculties were imoerred. 22. The Subject was again asked in regard to amy contact wisi Alex either immediately before or after his arrival in Florida anc ne stated that but for the one phone call he has not been in touch with hin. The Subject exvlained that efter his talk vith SHROUDE his +wifs2 told people who called that he was "out of town job hunting," but did not give any location. Upon leaving the arca the Subject states he has used his mother's home as a forwarding address. 2 states trat * this is in care of his brother-in-law Clifford MOSHER on Brinkarno? Ave. ¢ in Utica. 23. In answer to the question as to whether or not the Subject entartains any sympathy for Corammism he replied that he has nonc. 2+. The Sudject vas next asked if he bad evar been th: of a recruiter approach by Alox or anyone else in the civi Cozmnist Party movement. He replicd that during the dr New York he mentioned leaving the government end going i for nimsclf. He stated that at the tim: he was thin
14-00000 book store. Alex is supposed to have said, “don't leave your government job, you are just where we want you in the Pentagon." Subject stated that his reply to this was just a laugh. The Subject claims that at this point he had adopted a rather frivolous attitude toward Alex. He explained further that he considers him dangerous. By this he does not mean that he was personally afraid of Alex, but that he recognized him as @ revolutionary. The Subject quoted ROBINSON as saying that Alex worked against "Snick" and Ray sighted an incident where Alex kept trying to stir up the looters in Brooklyn, New York in 1964 when snick was trying to calm them down. Subject likewise stated that during the trip Alex had bragged that he ingited riots in Brooklyn, Jersey City, Philadelphia, and perhaps Cleveland. 25. The Subject next told me of a session with Alex in the homo- _ “__sexual's apartment in New York City. Subject identifies these as Russ BATTLE and John BROOKS, 160 West 85 Street, Apt. 6-A. He stated that in this apartment he also met’ a young man named Weldon YOUNG of 436 Street, Nicholas Ave, New York City. Subject described him as being either a student of pharmacology or of medicine at a New York City school. The Subject claimed that at one point both homosexuals and he told Alex that they were not in sympathy with Communism, where upon Alex became very angry and finally waxed sullen. Subject was next asked for his empression of the WE DuBois group in New York. He stated that it was clear to him that this organization was dominated or heavily infiltrated by CP members. He states that Alex circulated throughout the hall talking to various groups arid paid little attention to him. The Subject was approached by an elderly well-dressed negro man who obviously commended great respect from other members of this organization. This man, whose name he did not learn, spoke to him at length the tennor of which was. that the United States is the aggressor in Viet Nam. - 26. At this point the Subject was excused and told to report back to this office at 900 hours on 28 September. Daniel A. Cullen