JFK Assassination System Date: 6/2/2015 Identification Form Agency Information AGENCY: FBI RECORD NUMBER: — 124-90100-10286 RECORD SERIES: HQ AGENCY FILE NUMBER: = 52-72398-216 Document Information ORIGINATOR: FBI FROM: PG TO: HQ TITLE : DATE: — 10/23/1959 PAGES: 4] SUBJECTS : . JOSEPH RAYMOND MEROLA STUART SUTOR DOCUMENT TYPE: PAPER, TEXTUAL DOCUMENT CLASSIFICATION: — Unclassified RESTRICTIONS: 4 CURRENT STATUS: — Redact DATE OF LASTREVIEW: 08/08/1998 OPENING CRITERIA: INDEFINITE, APPROVAL OF ATF COMMENTS : RPT v9.1 6 Docld: 3233270658 Page 1
Ps ‘ <i ee ‘ a ~) : ' . . . - 7 wf . Ne ” 5 & 2 ' \ Ses pO . 4 a 52- 1687 - oF é J ~ Oo MIAMI ee ore “ . te oS pec wa et es ao : L re aT MIAMI - MIAMI BEAGH; FLA. “a TOTAL. DEN IAL ; oO eta” conduct. ‘investigation requested. in ‘pittsburgh airtel, dated” — es) 9/22/59, concerning the possible identification. of - JOE: ‘MEROLA - by a : ~ CHARLES F.” SMITH. and interviews with. ‘LOULSSLEVINE » FRANCES pe od : “LUPTERMAN and MARSHA ‘BERSTEIN, - ne — ale es ik MARATHON. PEA, ge ott oo kaw display SAM MANNARINO's. ‘photograph. ‘to. GEORGE’: Ey “ALFORD, sO. _ Tarpon Lodge Motel, to determine whether. MANNARINO.. could be. ae “‘Adentical’ with (FNU MARINO): rather than WILLIAM | ‘SAMS, Le ees Vo Ma (2. ° WAlL identify. the’ ‘Tarpon Lodge Motel, ‘etigave-who registered’. bee, MARINO and -display SAM MANNARINO's “photograph | for his s possible» oe -identification, | Sone be oe rn oe ‘For background information ' concerning ‘WILLIAM SAMS , Miami paces “Should refer. to cover pages J’ and. K< won bn Pe ~ NEWARK - a oo 7 ae cere oo wa ee - - | AT UNION, Na Sy a mo ar 7 | - a ee | - win conduct investigation requested in. Pittsburgh: airtel ee “dated 9/22/59, relating to interview of CHARLES” COLLE and = to i ' the possibility of his ‘being in. contact with. SAM MANNAR INO Oe 7 in Washington, D.-C., in October, 1958,: to purchase = sO, Weapons hha from. the Ohio National | ‘Guard ATMOPY.+ naa 4 . see “ar. BROOKLYN N. x Ce oan ce OS oe, | an will re- -contact ARNOLD RAYBER for any. information he may’ -“" whave:- received concerning the location. ‘of. the,. weapons | from _the ulshald a oe Armory « elena ot ne 4  @opres™ C rea ™, + Tw ne - - ./* 1 = Chicago *(tnto) (82+ 3498). _ 2 New. york : (524 se)” aa + ol. -"Jacksonville.-(Info)(52-125)'.. 2 - Newark (52-366 oo ole »lo-, Los. Angeles (Info) (52- 7543) 2. = Washington, Field: (52- 5618) 2 “3. = “Miami” “(52+3290) 2 ~ Pittsburgh (52- 1687) Pe 2 . - soo . | DocId: 32332068 Page 2?
PS TS ; - ——— ane en me et tg dy ad f — Aol .. i 7 a ct ' . 7 . “Pg 52- 687 - . oe WASHINGTON FIELD OE, oe Bote iT oe ON aT ‘WASHINGTON, De Cu eee ee en a oo. ‘will as. requested in: ‘Pittsburen - airtel dated. 9/22/59.» identity: ae . subserbber™ to Washington, D.C. , telephone number ST:3-5 454 a ; 7 . ' (Reservation Department ) ‘called from] SAM MANNARINO'S private” .: business. phone in New. Kensington’ on. 10/17/58. - cae. - 2. “Wald conduct additional investigation, requested’ in’ Pena oy Pittsburgh airtel,dated 9/22/59,.. relating. “to the displaying =. “ Of MANNARINO's’ photograph at. the Mayflower ,., Sheraton-Carlton,: *... _ Willard’ and-Wardman Park Hotels. - ‘Will review the above ao a hotel registration records for the possibility of a ‘pepistra= 9 _- .. tien by SAM, MANNAR INO under - the . aliases. Ss, ‘MARINO, SAM. BOPTR Yo ..' SAM BIOTTI or. SAL, MANN y 08 aye aan 7 PITTSBURGH ate tO ¢ MERCER COUNTY “AT WEST MIDDLESEX, PA, poe wat maintain close contact with PCI. FRANCIS LA’ CAMERA ‘tor noo, *\, additional - information: as to, the. identities. of the men who- ; oO “Pulled: the. Canton Armory. job, Do ; _ RD_NSW -weusinanoN, rh, (isimonEt an comme) oe” ole) win consider interviewing FRANK GUZ ;: 168. Seventh | ‘ "Extension, ‘to determine if possible why He was ‘called by. A AS ’ .SAM-MANNARINO . under ‘the name. SAL MANN from the- Sea (Guill. . eee LS “Hotel, -Miamt. Beach, ‘Fla., on 11/3/58» : 7 ces <a, will. consider interviewing SAM MANNARINO when and. if /.., Miami, is, able. to positively establish his. presence. at the. '. . "Sea:Gull Hotel under thé alias SAL MANN during: the “period” og to 11/7/98, in contact, with other ‘covconapirators! eee os AT PITTSBURGH, PA, _(ALTEGHENY. come) * ole “WELL. identify ‘and: consider ‘interviewing. ‘local ‘subscribers Pee oalted 1 from the, ‘Sea Gull, Hotel. by MR. and Mrs.. WILLIAM: SAMS , > 3 She - COVER PAGE 7 rs eos toa an a . wee ve / wl + ~ . , fom? )- 5 ’ oY ; . ‘ a Syed? , ‘ ‘ , . af * va ~ LS . é ” A } Docld: 323327065 Page 3
PG 52- 1687 a os . oo - ee oe Lo ay : ue _ RONALD. MOSS, Special investigator? Alcohol and “mopacco Division, oe "New ‘York ‘city, on August 5,. 1959, advised that. Special - es ” , Investigator RUDOLPH :KALES conducted | an. investigation in’ cer _ September, 1958, concerning an attempt by MEROLA* to purchase .. _firearms from an Alcohol .and. Tobacco -Tax Division informant Se ~ whom he’ identified as ARNOLD RAYBER ,. a Brooklyn, N. eo ang ; ‘ gun dealer, ok Cs . ee ae “On. September 265. 1558, RAYBER ‘contacted. ‘Special Investigator ao . KALES tO: “report. that a. representative. of Cuban. revolutionary. a leader: JOSE ALEMAN requested RAYBER. to ‘meet with a leader. of . we ‘\ §he Mafia named JOSEPH: MEROLA,: “Several. days ‘later ‘RAYBER met. ‘.. with MEROLA-and two Cubans in an: apartment in. the vicinity: of. 138th St., and Riverside Drive, New ‘York, N.- Y... During the. eae meeting MEROLA pointed out: “that he\was- associated. with: ALEMAN. ee EMA “and ‘that, he was interested<in purchasing ° ‘large quantities of. ye me firearms including ‘machine guns... :MEROLA told RAYBER- that he ce lhe ' 7. ‘had»> been responsible for supplying : over a millon dollars ST ay Ow -worth of arms- during - the. Cuban. rebellion. and that he and his: nt ae 35 Brom the re anticipated extensive. gambling « concessions | in Cuba: “ cn eee from the revolutionary government; os on” “the: basis’ of this. ‘information: the Alcohol and’ Tobacco tax. - Division’ temporarily loaned RAYBER a number of: confiscated © ; | Weapons: in order that he would have a. ‘representative - ‘stock’ ‘to show to MEROLA. On.October’6,-1958, RAYBER reported to- aT KALES: that .MEROLA. had been to. ‘canada and Miami the previous rere week reportedly in connection: with’ ‘some arms. deal and had . we “ _ requested. RAYBER to accumulate a clarge* pile of, American ma me J! "stuff". for‘him,- “MEROLA “a: ‘86 id -RAYBER™ at’ that ‘time’ that. 90 7 he. would have to postpone. any purchase of ‘arms. since the = vos sy Mami area. was: swarming with FBI | Agents Looking, for. stolen. oe "weapons .: Paar ws ne . . EN x, yy nen te a Ee (> " RAYBER- on “August ‘10, 1959,: was | “interviewed ‘by special Agents ges ofthe FBI in New york City: During this interview he. _ ‘confirmed the foregoing information. and ‘positively “identified a photograph of JOSEPH MEROLA, - although he. could not. identify _& Photogranh of. Pittsburgh national’ top: hoodlum. SAM a 7 { , : | Docld: 323327065 Page 4
BS oe 52- 1687 So Ea ~ pe -. MANNARINO.  RAYBER “pointe out. that. about one. month” after- . | MEROLA ‘contacted, him he (RAYBER) was.contatted by CHARLES | _ >, » COLLE,. ‘operator of. the “Millville Ordinance Co., -in:Union,: ee iw, NG Soy, who said he knew where alot ‘Of. M-1 rifles. could | be, e 2 poo .. purchased. . COLLE ‘told RAYBER that the: rifles. were hot’ “and |’ a es were part’ of the loot. lifted from. the: Canton'Armory jobsin .- oe Ohio. -COLLE © also: méentionéd . ‘hat the: person who had the:' ro ; guns from the Canton Armory: wanted. to get rid of them ‘and oe ok 0. that in? ‘order to purchase’ the guns it would -be- neceSsary. “ote meet the ‘seller-in: Washington,’ Dd, C.p and: from there” ~ a ZO tO the location where the guns were stored, RAYBER- Ce Ee RM Ts emphasized that he had no information about. the location 2. _ of the guns but pointed out that-he had told the Alcohol . ‘and Tobacco~ Tax: Division, about COLLE: ‘but ‘nothing PUR R S ‘materialized, Mt ee y io “phe Newark: ‘Office was. then requested to interview. COLLE a ‘regarding’ the weapons - stolen. from the National: Guard .. Armory:, Canton,. ‘without compromising RAYBER,. | ve me _Newark office on ‘August. 19, 1959, desoribed CHARLES . as an untrustworthy person on the basis. sof previous, ainter-- an rs _ views” with him on ‘matters -not. relating to. this investigation... be et ... ‘Newark pointed out. that although COLLE-was not hostile. during aon fo so previous. interviews that he. had expressed -some. disfavor.pver .- Tes . the large ‘ number. of Federal ‘investigators. whom he claims’ oer .. continually interview. him. and ‘occupy his valuable. time, | a SNe ‘;Newark-also quoted COLLE:as saying that he>would néver eo . inform.on anyone . except to protect ‘himself or. as would be: ar ots required, by: law applying to firearms dealers. In conclusion. _ \ ' Newark recommended against ‘an interview-with COLLE in this. - : -. “- gase on. the basis of his unreliability: and also. because of the | . possibility of ggeiosing RAYEER’ 8 as. an Alcohol. and ‘Tobacco: ‘Tax. , | Division informant,. : Cay cee aR s a RB oe ow -'on september “22, 1959: ‘Pittaburah- ‘requested: the New ‘York’ ‘Office : to re-contact RAYBER, to determine whether COLLE gave RAYBER- “any indication that he followed’ through on the meeting with the a Seller, of the Canton - Armory: wea pons ° in. Washington, ° ‘De Ge _ ‘The ! Docld: 323327065 Page 5
o New. York offiée ‘on October 6," 1959, re- -contacted RAYBER and. ot’ determined that RAYBER claimed | -he had: no, reason’ to: doubt: that. “ . COLLE. intended to make the trip to- Washington, D. C.,. to, meet, ’ _the seller. of the - weapons. . RAYBER- pointed out that COLLE ° " “Wanted him’.to,go to Washington -to meet the seller. but. after: ; _' | RAYBER declined COLEE did not indicate whether he “followed : . . through on ‘the: deal.. RAYBER | said that about one-month after : ‘ COLLE discussed. the trip to Washington ,he. (COLLE) mentioned _ ,- ot). thatshe had lost ‘contact with the people who had the arms. -. \.. ). RAYBER-dlso remembered that at the time the trip: to. oe i ae Washington, was: discussed COLLF was. to have wiade a telephone Doe call “(person unknown) and then: the, meeting | would be held ate Te sl an airport in? Washington, D. com EY eae oS ek ce ; “the. Pittsburgh ‘Office on September. 22, "1959, ‘pequested- Newark to interview COLLE regarding the Canton . Armory . “weapons! and ‘the, proposed meeting at Washington,: D. Ge es ee Considerable background information was furnished“to the “9.0. 0 00 4 " ‘Newark Office pointing. to the! possibility. that COLLE’ could . afi TRE . have met. Pittsburgh’ national top. hoodlum: SAN MANNARINO.. in. ys . _ Washington, ‘Ds Ce he an cane Se bo ed < DRe ‘LOUIS C. PESSOLANO, | MIAME "SPRINGS ; FLORIDA | ‘= By letter dated. “July 9,. 1959, the Bureau’ was. ‘furnished packs . ground information. concerning’ ‘Dr. PESSOLANO and the part he. eee : played -in the gun running ‘conspiracy... It was. -pointed’out*. ee, ‘that - Drs PESSOLANO had furnished ‘valuable information which resulted in the indictment of several co- conspirators. ain ‘this case’ and could-place national. top hoodlum SAM. wo ane MANNARINO “in the conspiracy but was afraid to-do so. because’ of cas his fear of being assassinated bythe MANNARINO mob... On the - we basis that Dr. PESSOLANO was - Anan - awkward. ‘position of. facing. YG _ a -perjury indictment and possible. disgrace’ ‘in the; medical. . Cs - oe _profession because of his- connection with ' this © ‘ease, the ns >Bureau was. requested to authorize - -the expenditure of | $160 to: cover’ ‘airline’ fare and hotel accomodations for the doctor oe SaaS .-" to ‘travel to: Pittsburgh where he would: be- interviewed by Agents of the Pittsburgh Office. 5 a oe oe ane Lo By airtel. datéa’ July, 16; 1959; the. “Bureau ‘authorized. Pitteburen - oe tO ‘provide for, travel: and expenses ‘Of Dr.» PESSOLANO where he. ne would be interviewed - in an effort to place MANNAR INO: in. the... cata conspiracy, ee ty ne ae ne ye oo a a yy aes - I ee, , ‘ roe FN oS ; COVER PAGE , i Docld:32332068 Page 6