ya Taeratats Re we a hen 28 May 1967 MEMORANDUM FOR THE RECORD SUBJECT : Gordon NOVEL 1. On 23 May Mr. Papich left with us a copy of attached FBI teletype. FBI will confirm this information by formal memorandum. a . Z. Mr. Papich requested information on two points with . permission to make our reply available to the Attorney General: a) nature and extent of CIA interest in the Double-chek Corporation. b) our comments and observations on the draft ‘letter purportedly prepared by Gordon NOVEL. 9 é nsultation with Mr. Jacob Esterline, DC/WH, Mr. SOD, and Mr. Lawrence Houston, OGC, the following reply was given Mr. Papich: “Double-chek is a "shell" corporation used 7 7 in the past b lots It was @ used as a front for the payment of the Al. “Birmingham widows". No individual bearing eee” i. the name of Gordon NOVEL had any connection with “#7. ©. Double-chek nor with CIA. with the Deputy Assistant Attorney General, Nathaniel Cossack, on this matter, and will tell him about present developments. . a Mr. Lawrence Houston is in constant touch noo we Mr, Houston comments that anyone could have prepared the letter but it really does sound like NOVEL's cock-eyed approach rather than Garrison, There is a fair chance that
Moe ot a abe ad age NOVEL might have written it, ‘This will probably make another headline for Garrison but we don't feel it could do the Agency much damage", 4. On the question of the alleged gunshot fired at NOVEL, Mr. Papich advised that the FBI is not investigating the matter, It has not been confirmed as yet that anyone did shoot at NOVEL. J. Roman | DDP/CI/Liaison | cc: OGC - Mr, Hquston-w/attachnent DC/WH - Mr? Ester. ine-(has seen) SOD - Mr. attachment previously furnished CI/R&A- Mr. Rocca-w/attachment CI/LSN« FBI log-w/attachnent . cy
13-00000 “AT APPROXIMATELY SIX ZERO FIVE PM THIS DATE A MESSENGER DELIVERED A LETTE ADDRESSED TO “ROBERT E. RIGHTMYER, SPECIAL AGENT IN CHARGE, NEM CRLEANS OFFICE, FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION, Lows s ANA SEVEN ZERC ONE LOYOLA AVENUE, NEW ORLEANS, Lf, TO THIS OFFICE, LETTER WAS MARKED “ BY HAND" AND WAS FROM JIM GARRISON, DISTRICT ATTORNEY, PARISH OF ORLEANS. . ‘THE LETTER WHITE I3 DATED MAY TWENTYTWO SIXTYSEVEN STATES (" DEAR MR. RISHTMYT?: a, o ee SEVERAL DAYS AGO Wl SSTAINED WHAT APPEARS TO BE THE INITIAL DRAFT _. OF A LETTER WRITTEN 3Y GORDON NOVEL SHORTLY BEFORE HIS RECENT | DEPARTURE FRO4 NEW ORLEANS. THIS DRAFT WAS WRITTEN ON YELLOW PAPER IN PENCIL AND APPEARS TO BE AN INITIAL. FORMULATION (OF A LETTER WHITH HE SUSSEQUENTLY WROTE FOR MAILING. I NOTICE IN HIS LETTER A REFERENCE TO INQUIRIES BY THE BUREAU WITH REGARD TO: THE DOUBLE- | GIEK CORPGRATION WHICH HE MENTIONS. CONSEQUENTLY, 1AM ENCLOSING FOR YOUR INFORMATION 4 PXOTOSTAT OF THE HANDWRITTEY DRAFT AS WELL AS OUR. TYPEYRITTES TRANSCRIPT. END PAGE ONE es  @ cet te . toy . ee, aso . . TR reetmemengyme ere we mee oe . - ee er Fee arcane cate pet mane apy oe
13-00000 I AM SURE THAT YOU ARE MUCH MORE FAMILIAR WITH DOUBLE-CHEK THAN WE A RE BUT WE HAVE NCTED THAT IN “ THE INVISIBLE GOVERNMENT™, THE MENTIONED ON PAGES SEVENTYNINE, EIGHTY, EIGHTY SIX - EIGHTY NINE, IS NOT VERY DISTINCT. IF YOU. DESIRE, I WILL BE HAPPY TO MAKE THE ORIGINAL DRAFT AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION BY A “REPRESENTATIVE OF YOUR OFFICE OR WE CAN PHOTOGRAPH COPIES AND | SEND THEM TO YOU. | = | CO IN THIS CONNECTION. OF GORDON NOVEL AFTER KIS’ DEPARTURE FROM THE CITY: “GE TWO RECENT 800% BY WISE AND ROSS ABOUT THE C. TAs; DOUBLE-CHEK Is NINETY THREE ~ NI NETY FIVE, OnE, FIVE SIX AND TWO SIX: THREE. AS YOU WILL NOTE, THE. PHOTOSTAT OF THE HANDWRITTEN DRAFT . I WILL 8E HAPPY TO NAKE AVAILABLE TO THE BUREAU ANY OTHER INFORNATION WHICH WE MAY HAVE WHICH MAY BE OF SERVICE " SINCERELY, ° JIM GARRISON - DISTRICT ATTORNEY * “THE LETTER ENCLOSED A PHOTOSTAT OF - THE HANDWRITTEN DRAFT REFERRED TO IN GARRISON'S LETTER, AS WELL AS THE DISTRICT “ATTORNEY'S TYPEWRI TEEN TRAUSCRIPT WHICH STATES AS FOLLOWS: " TRANSCRIPT OF WRITTEN DRAFT OF LETTER FOUND IN ‘APARTHENT DEAR MR. WEISS: END PAGE THO Ly ene « . "leat us . * 7 . . . . © 1 - Jf oe, . a te ‘ a . + . . . ‘ : * 8 war ee etn. een antmeetncneetcn Mt nteenten Rretettvantittonertnl 6 nt enn inte ae ommend Ac ee tn nt in ercranscetonsnnnh neeemnahonn tn st tn A FE EE OO LA EA ASCE,
13-00000 END PAGE THREE PAGE THREE ee ee ee a THIS LETTER IS TO INFORM YOU THAT DISTRICT (SIC) JIM GARRISON HAS SUBPOENAED MYSELF AND AN ASSOCIATE TO TESTIFY BEFORE HIS GRAND JURY ON MATTERS WHICH MAY BE CLASSIFIED TOP SECRET. : “ACTIONS OF INDIVIDUALS COKNECTED WITH DOUBLE-CHEK CORPORATION IN MIAMI IN FIRST QUARTER OF NINETEEN SIXTYONE,. WE HAVE NO CURRENT CONTACT. AVAILABLE TO INFORM OF THIS SITUATION S0 I TOOK THE LIBERTY OF WRITING you DIRECT AND APPRISING you OF CURRENT SITUATION. "EXPECTING you TO FORWARD "THIS THROUGH APPROPRIATE CHANNELS. OUR CONNECTION AND ACTIVITY OF THAT PERIOD INVOLVES INDIVIDUALS PRESENTLY ... ABOUT TO BE. INDICTED AS CONSPIRATORS IN MR, GARRISON’S INVESTIGATION. | VE HAVE TENPORARILY AVOIDED ONE SUBPOENA NOT TO REVEAL DOUSLE- CHEK ACTIVITIES OR ASSOCIATE THEM WITH THIS NESS. WE WANT OUT | ‘OF THIS THING BEFORE THURSDAY THREE/ /SIXTYSEVEN. OUR STTORNEYS HAVE BEEN TOLD To EXPECT ABOTHER SUBPOENA TO APPEAR AND TESTIFY ON THIS MATTER. THE FIFTYH AMENDMENT AND/OR IMMUNITY CAND) LEGAL TACTICS WILL NOT SUFFICE. - . oe WR. GARRISON IS IN POSSESSION OF UNSWORW PORTIONS OF THIS TESTIMONY. HE IS UNAWARE OF DOUBLE-CHEK'S INVOLVENENT IN THIS MATTER BUT HAS STRONG SUSPICIONS. 1 HAVE BEEN QUESTIONED EXTENSIVELY BY LOCAL FBI RECENTLY AS TO WHETHER: OR NOT I WAS INVOLVED WITH DOUBLE~CHEK’ S PARENT~ HOLDING CORPORATION DURIS “e+ g ee = t
13-00000 oe oy r “FACE. FOUR co | I  - qAT TIME. NY REPLY ON FIVE QUERIES WAS NEGATIVE. BUREAU, GHAWARE OF DOUBLE-CHEK ASS SOCIATION IN THIS: MATTER. out ATTORNEY'S AND OTHERS ARE IN POSSESSIGN OF COMPLETE SEALED FILES CONTAINING ALL INFORMATION CONCERNING MATTER. IN THE EVENT OF OUR SUDDEN DEPARTURE, EITHER ACCIDENTAL OR OTHERWISE, THEY ARE INSTRUCTED TO SIMULTANEOUSLY RELEASE SAME FOR PUBLIC SCRUTINY IN DIFFERENT AREAS SIMULTANEOUSLY. . . ae _ APPROPRIATE COUNTERACTION RELATIVE TO GARRISON’S INQUISITION CONCERNING US MAY BEST BE HANDLED THROUGH MILITARY CHANNELS VIS (A) VIS D.J.A. MAN. GARRISON 1S PRESENTLY COLONEL IN “LOUISIANA ARMY NATIONAL GUARD AND HAS READY RESERVE STATUS, - CONTACT MAY BE HAD THROUGH OUR ATTORNEYS OF CURRENT RECORD “PLOTKIN, ALVAREZ, SAPIR. | : WR. GARRISON'S LETTER IS NOT BETUIG ACKNOWLEDGED BY THIS OFFICE. | |