424-10208-10425 JFK Assassination System Date: 4/23/201 identification Form Agency Information AGENCY: FBI RECORD NUMBER: = 124-10208-10425 RECORD SERIES: HQ AGENCY FILE NUMBER: = 2-1396-5 . Document Information ORIGINATOR: ~~ FBI FROM: LARSON, ROLF L. TO: DIRECTOR, FBI TITLE: DATE: 06/25/1954 PAGES: 16 SUBJECTS : . EB, APPREHENDED, MX BANK POLICE, ESCAPE, WHEREABOUTS DOCUMENT TYPE: PAPER, TEXTUAL DOCUMENT CLASSIFICATION: — Confidential RESTRICTIONS: 1B; 4 CURRENT STATUS: — Redact _ DATE OF LAST REVIEW: — 06/09/1998 OPENING CRITERIA: INDEFINITE, APPROVAL OF CIA COMMENTS : INC MEMO __ v9.1 . 5 BY 50953 Doctd:3232797149 Page 1
Form No. 1 THiS CASE ORIGINATED AT BUREAU - 4 REPORT MADE AT DATE | WHEN PERIOD FOR WHICH MADE REP oR MADE BY \ MEXICO, D. F. 6/25/53 6/2 4 oi. | Hosmt, LARSON CH ANGED ~ “| character oF ease —_ Zé _ lf , EDWARD BROWDER, IRS, was., Hdward i” Sabatino, John_ ‘D.Atocormick, Edward | Browder Sabatino __ 1 i REGISTRATION Act Sub ject was aépprehended’ at Mexico, D, F., by officers $f the Mexican Bank Police 6/10/54 and placed in the ustody of the Investigative. Section of the Mexican Ministry of Government. His arrest resulted from the fact that he had ordered from a small Mexico City printing shop a quantity of blank "cashiers checks" on two U. S. banks. At the time of arrest, he was at liberty on bond as a result of charges of issuing bad checks, He claims to have sold arms to deposed Cuban President CARLOS PRIO SOCARRAS and to have recently conferred with Guatemalan President, JACOBO ARBENZ. He also stated he has been in contact’ with the- son. of Nicaraguan President Somoza and claimed to be planning... to use the check forms which he had, ordered in con- : nection with a plan to blow up the ammunition storage : dump of the Guatemalan Government. Héeijacknowledged * utilizing the names JOHN D. MC CORMICK ‘and EDWARD SABATINO but claimed he has not violated any U. S. Federal laws, Friends of Subject advise he is a i , GO TES DESTROYED | pathological liar but claim he is useful for his : magination and resourcefulness, On. afternoon of) mies 9250 /16/5iL BROWDER escaped from Tmmi greats yn Detention ae House and present whereabouts. unknown. Ko mat Tadao & PWIA : . Pt weg — ff shit SPECIAL, Aeent : inc ‘CHARGE APPROVED AND FORWARDED: ar clare COPIES OF "tS REPORT! nfn af ‘7 /~ Bureau (2-1396Y (aq x - American. Embassy Py : (circulation) m | 1 - Mexico City (97- 13). “sR OPERTY OF FBI-THIS CONFIDENTIAL REPORT ANDI "YTO WHICH LOANED, pb oven zur PRINTING OFFICE ; ee HY 50953 DBoctd: 322927149 Page 2?
a . a Aan? + United States Department of Prustice Sederal Bureayn of dnvestination ou. ° ° ~ CONFIDENTIAL =~ vet ae q . + ene OSaTti fA COuTAl HED BYoSe ALL IPOF LASSFIED EXC EPT 44k) acs re ay a] is chy (- aid GTHERW ISE. . WHESE SHO’ EDWARD BROWDER, JR; with aliases Edward Sabatino, John D, McCormick, Edward Browder Sabatino I. -BASIS FOR INVESTIGATION This. investigation is predicated on information re- Seived from T-1, of known reliability, to the effect that one ‘JOHN D. MC CORMICK had directed a letter to Costa Ricah President JOSE FIGUERES in which he alleged that he was in contact with a group in Mexico which was plotting against FIGUERES and in which e offered his services to the Costa Rican Government in recruiting pilots and combatting any possible revolution, Source stated this letter also made reference to ROSENDOAARGUELLO, JR., as being e gaged in revolutionary activities against the _PIGUERES 8 resine. (uy ra JOHN De MC CORMI CK, a ar II. INVESTIGATION TO IDENTIF It had been advised ey” “q-1 that in writing ‘to "President PIGUERES, MC. CORMICK had furnished his ret address as Calle- Rio Hudson #7, Apartment lL, a D. FP. Hla) Investigation by 2, ef known reliability, at the fore- going address, disclosed ;¥ (re anjindividual who was known to the \building manager. as JOHN” MC. CORM CK was a constant visitor at the partment of a French "cabaret artist" named ODETT OLIVIER, who had occupied Apartment |, Calle Rio Hudson #7, for approximately eighteen months until she moved Pom that address in April, 195k, stating she planned to return to rope. T-2 was advised, however, by the building manager that in early June, 195), ODETT OLIVIER. telephoned her inquiring o whether or not any mail had. arrived at that address for her. A) Kl - -  Ta3, a representative of another Government agency, ad~— vised of having received information from a confidential source © | who resided in the same apartment building as ODETT OLIVIER to the Met ted effect that one JOHN MC CORMICK had intermittently resided with a OLIVIER at that address. and that MC CORMICK and- two ‘unidentified sp owe 1 ee -— ; , ; ~ i 1 Bo MAY 21 we Nene HY 50953 DBoctd: 322927149 Page 3 (/ NO OS ———————______
HY 50957 socins ema ageui ot whe ee ne te hE MoE . pee i NA - : Be 7 . ay RS companions in a 1951 Oldsmobile or Pontiac automobile bearing 1953 San Salvador License Plates had assisted OLIVIER when she moved from that address. This source further advised that MC CORMICK did not appear to be employed and that on several oc-~ casions he remained at the apartment continuously and claimed he was awaiting long-distance telephone calls from Central America. yy ~ Information was received independently from Tel, of known reliability, inf April, 195), to the effect that one EDWARD SABATINO had been spending considerable time in the company of ROSENDO ARGUELLO, JR., and that in the latter part of April ARCGUELLO and SABATINO had departed from Mexico City for Guatemala in the automobile of ARGUELLO, which was described as a 1951 Buick bearing 1953 San Salvador License Plates, T-l had also advised that SABATINO claimed to be a former U. S, Air Force pilot who is presently in the business of buying and selling U. S. Army surplus and to have delivered a substantial quantity of arms to associates of deposed Cuban President CARLOS PRIO SOCARRAS, T-l) stated SABATINO claimed that the agent who handled the matter for PRIQ SOCARRAS had paid him for the arms.in United States currency, approximately one-half of which turned out to be fraudulent. | uw) III. DETENTION OF SUBJECT BY MEXICAN AUTHORITIES : Information was received from ALFONSO FRIAS, Assistant Chief of the Mexican Bank Police, to the effect that EDWARD BROWDER, JR., had been arrested in Mexico City on the afternoon of June 10, , i95h., when he called at the "Imprenta Rocar," Calle Uruguay #77, in connection with his order for the printing of blank "Cashiers Checks" on two United States banks, FRIAS advised that investi- gation had disclosed that Subject had furnished cliches to the 4 printing firm and had ordered the checks printed in accordance with a model which he had in his possession at the time of his arrest and which are described as follows: - 1. <A check-size strip of check paper in JH. blank on which was pasted a small strip of paper on which: was printed "City Bank Farmers Trust Company, Chartered 1822, Head Office: 22 William Street, New York, 4\Cu gf Docld: 32299149 Page 4
a HY 50957 (‘the usual check form had been lined off in ink with indications in ink for such items as number, pay to the order of, amount, date, and at the bottom there ap- peared in handprinting, "Cashiers Check." At the very bottom appeared two lines under- neath one of which was printed, "Assistant Cashier," and underneath the bottom line was printed "Countersigned. "7 X (w) (2. A second strip of check-size bank paper on which was prepared a similar type check form at the top of which was the designation, "In the Center of Industrial America, the Detroit Bank, More Than 105 Years of Service." This form, however, had spaces indicated for sig- natures of Vice- President ‘and Cashier. | ve) Subject was questioned concerning the check forms which he had ordered and advised Mr. DEMETRIO FLORES FAGOAGA, Chief of the Investigative Section of Ministry of Government, that he had ordered these check forms for "political purposes." fy Cu) There follows a partial list of documents and material which was obtained by the Mexican Police authorities incident to Subject'!s arrest: 6) Cu) {2 Two metal cliche stamps bearing the above-- quoted portions of "City Bank Farmers Trust Company," etc., and "In the Center of In- dustrial America, the Detroit Bank," etc., were obtained by the Police at the thor firm. Cw (5 (2. Also obtained were two other metal ADI, 5 . for printing at the bottom of the two checks mentioned, one being a stamp reading "Insured by Member of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation," and the other rea "The . National City Bank of New York. "Toa (u) y (3. Various small stamp samples of the printing of the above cliches were in the Subject's possession and there was one obviously made EWU from a _eliche but the cliche itself was not ) -~ 3 = Bocld: 32299149 Page 5 —_
HY 50957 eg Doctld: 322927149 en a “On \ Ww | available, It read, "Haynes Stellite Company, a Division of Union Carbide and Carbon Corporation, UCC, General Offices and Works, Kokomo, Indiana. Sales Offices Chicago - Cleveland - Detroit - Houston - Los Angeles - New York - San Francisco - Tulsa." Ac- cording to Subject's later explanation of this, this was to stamp 3 x 5 sheets of paper to paste on boxes of anmuni tion. (XY u) Also in his possession was Tourist card . #348196, issued May 7, 1954, good for 180 days in the name of EDWARD BROWDER, JR., 37 years of age, borh' At and a resi- dent. of Amarillo, Texas. The document. of identification which he presented in order. to get this. tourist card was listed as i Guatemalan. Tourist Card. #60706, issued by - the Consul General of Guatemala at Tapachula, Mexico, May 3, 1954. His card was stamped with the entry date of May 8, 195), at Mexico City Central Airport. \WY yw) Further noted was a permit to allow certain articles to leave the Penitentiary of the Federal District. It was issued by. Crugia (Cell Block) G "One sweater, one shirt, one towe roperty of prisoner JOHN MC’ GCORMICK, mg . - Pass #7236 of ¥) Penitentiary of the Fédéral | District, also in the name of JOHN MC CORMICK.| ) Receipt for a bond issued by Bonding Company, la Guardiana, S. A., in the name of JOHN MC CORMICK, Bond #20378, dated February 15, 195, in the amount of 2,200 pesos, it being noted thereupon that MC CORMICK should present him- self each Monday of every week.at the Adminis- tration Wu) of the Penitentiary #72, Letter “ie . ae - v Page 6
Doctld: 322927149 An order issued by the 12th Judge of the Penal Court declaring that JOHN MC CORMICK in the Penitentiary for fraud is hereby placed at liberty under bond of 2,200 pesos dated Feb- ruary 13,. 1951-\ BY (12) A telegram to EDWARD BROWDER, apparently from his wife in Amarillo, Texas, ad- dressed to him at Pedro Barranda #17, Apartment #5, Telephone iW a c/o Dr, ROSENDO ARGUELLO, Hijo. Q2\(u) Various newspaper clippings, some of which merely consisted of a torn-off headline of an article in Spanish: "Bomb went off néar Palace in Cuba." there were various other clippings | relating to President FULGENCIO BATISTA and Ex-President CARLOS PRIO socarnas.|(@) (a) An airman's certificate and a pilot license issued by the Department of Commerce, Civil Aeronautics Administra- tion, Washington, D. ©., in the name of — EDWARD BROWDER, JR., described as born June 22, 1917, eyes - blue, hair - brown, weight - 175 lbs., height - 5' 10 1/2", signed "D, M. GRETZER." His pilot's ‘license was issued July 26, 19li8, which gave his address as 1803 Harrison Street, Amarillo, Texas. |) (.u) | ALU In Subject's possession was a copy telegram from Amarillo, Texas, which had been directed to him in care of Dr. ROSENDO ARGUELLO, JR., at Calle Pedro Baranda #17, Apartment #5, Telephone 13-66-15. This telegram was in very poor Spanish, a trans- lation of which is as follows: "Please tell EDWARD to call me immediately. Thank you. /s/ La Senora (The Mrs.)." RR (a ; ao oer ~~ 5 = ke Ae) . . Page 7
HY 50957 anh othe ats anes A yae Cu (23. A copy of a telegram dated May 20, 195h, AL at Managua, Nicaragua, and addressed to EDWARD BROWDER SABATINO, Hotel Monte Casino, Mexico City, a translation from Spanish of which is as follows: "I have instructed the Ambassador to furnish you permit or passport (with which) to come Nicaragua, /3/ SoMOzA."| (w) The Subject asserted to Mexican Police auth- orities that the foregoing telegram was from the son of the Nicaraguan President, ANASTASIO SOMOZA. YO (a) — [ au. Apparently, directly related to the foregoing , telegram was a letter over the signature of the Nicaraguan Ambassador to Mexico, Dr. ALBERTO SEVILLA SECASAS, to which was affixed a photo- graph of the Subject and which authorized his ‘entry to Nicaragua. The document carried the notation, 20, 195. Cu) by radiogram dated May 20, 195k. Ku) IV.. INTERVIEW OF SUBJECT | Subject was interviewed briefly by T-5, of known reliability, in the [presence of the Chief of the Investigative Section of the Ministry of Government and while he was not com- pletely cooperative, did furnish the following information: ]¥ 4 “Subject prefaced his remarks by stating that while he has "very few moral principles left, he does have one or two and one of those is that he will not assist the Communists. tp) 4d BROWDER freely acknowledged that he is identical with JOHN D., MC CORMICK and EDWARD SABATINO, th, By A (tp an ib? BROWDER acknowledged having sold a quantity of arms to Ex-Cuban President CARLOSAPRIO OCARRAS, claiming these arms were obtained by him in Italy. He Stated that when he delivered, these {Rf Bocld: 32299149 Page 68 } |
Poa Relatives - gp and q_BLLEKEROWDBR ANS }O3D Harrisons ét.. Amarillo, Texas— Telephone 6-8136 (The above address was found in Subject's possession, ) VII, ESCAPE OF SUBJECT Information was received from Mr, DEMETRIO FLORES FAGOAGA to the effect that on the afternoon of June 16, 195k, Subject managed to "slug" a guard at the Immigration lockup on Miguel Schultz Street, Mexico, D. F., and escaped, FAGOAGA advised that stops have been placed at all logical points of exit and that investigation to date has failed to locate Sub- ject. T-l, advised that BROWDER had managed to take a taxi - shortly following his escape and had proceeded to an unidenti- / fied German Restaurant in the San Angel Inn area of Mexico City from where he made telephonic contact with ROSENDO ARGUELLO, JR., and a Mexico City attorney known only asKRUIZ. T-l. expressed the opinion that Subject is still in hiding in Mexico City. SO HY 50953 DBoctd: 322927149 Page 9
HY 50957 ‘yhis case is being shown "changed" to ntity, EDWARD“BROWDER, JR., and ~ PABATINO,JOHN D., MC CORMICK and EDWARD "BROWDER _ \ Subject's /true idg aliaseg, EDWARD CASABATINO., which he is known to have used, reéord One copy this report 8 keen disseminated locally \\ to the Embassy and|CIA, Mexico City. It is pointed out that an Trftensive interrogation of Subject was not feasible at the outset of his period of incar- ceration, and it was expected that he would be deported to the United States where he could be interrogated by Bureau repre- sentatives, , SOURCES: T-l is Foreign Service Dispatch #668 dated March 2, 1954, from the American Embassy, San Jose, Costa Rica, copy of which was furnished this office by Bulet dated May 17, 195k. T2 i MBX-l6 ax (u) T-3 is State Department Security Officer WILLIAM L. CARR, U. S. Embassy, Mexico, D. F, TS is SA ROLF L. LARSON, LEAD: THE MEXICO CITY OFFICE AHL 5 Will continue to follow and report developments in con- nection with efforts of Mexican authorities to apprehend Sub ject. At Mexico, D. F, = 12 « ‘ nee Docld: 32297149 Page i0 | 9 To) (aces CABALLERO, Costa Rican moose | { !
a 7 as a - 9 tn a aaa zx . gts, : a os v ‘ a . Y bg * - re “ \ ~ J v (pisos - a? ’ a f “ . a, ‘ REFERENCE: - . Mexico City cable to Bureau dated( June 11, 19511. }(€) Bulet to Mexico City dated May 17, 195k. ‘ - P = ! | CONFIDENTIAL | ae _ an ee mh os : a HY 50953 DBocld: 32297149 Page il