AGENCY : RECORD NUMBER : RECORD SERIES : AGENCY FILE NUMBER : ORIGINATOR : FROM: TO: TITLE: DATE: PAGES: SUBJECTS : DOCUMENT TYPE : CLASSIFICATION : RESTRICTIONS : CURRENT STATUS : DATE OF LAST REVIEW : OPENING CRITERIA : COMMENTS : v9.1 HW 45864 DocId:32326233 Page 1 JFK Assassination System Identification Form Agency Information _ FBI 124-90044-10082 HQ CR 63-5327-1588 Document Information FBI LA HQ 09/19/1961 5 FRANK MATULA JAMES RIDDLE HOFFA PAPER, TEXTUAL DOCUMENT Unclassified 4 Redact 06/05/1998 INDEFINITE AT
. . f \ . e s . CY “Pip * : FBI \e | | Date: 9/19/61 | | (Type in plain text or code) AIRTEL AIR MAIL | Via (Priority or Method of Mailing) | ee as TO: DIRECTOR, FBI (63-5327) FROM: — SAC, LOS ANGELES (62-4945) RE: JAMES RIDD HOFFA | MISCELLANEOUS. - INFORMATION CONCERNING (AGOOUNEING AND FRAUD SECTION) For the assistance of the Bureau in evaluating the information d to the Los Angeles Office by the informant, i K described as the following observations are being OTHER 4 set forth: Informant continually states that his life would be in critical danger if it ever becomes known that he is talking to Bureau Agents. It appears that informant is basically furnishing good information but is deliberately furnishing inaccurate details in the hope that it will force the Bureau to conduct investigation to obtain accurate details and result in making it appear that. the > original information did not come from. Apformant. Examples. of" this is informant ‘ortginaliy stated AL WEISS is the individual at the Essex: House, New York ; City, and after he was confronted with the name PHILIP | WEISS, informant readily acknowledged that PHIL WEISS was the man he was talking about and then went into specific AY, details. The same situation relates to the St. Thomas. a Hotel, San Juan, Puerto Rico. After being told no such hotel , existed in San Juan, informant readily admitted he did not recall the name of the hotel but that the hotel is located on the Island of St. Thomas, Virgin Islands, and is the largest hotel Pai that island. It fs” beticveds-that in running out additional information furnished’ by ‘informant, it will be found that Ade the basic information is correct, but that Wavy det Pe ee not completely ae wh? 3-S34 A/A 3 Bureau re j oe - 08 Le Los Angeles’ cao a # “ala f | > (int adv - GGA? g SEP WAS. ig | ” Approved: a) Sent — -¥ ore” ANY aA Special Agent in Charge XX io nr ee { | HW 45864 DocId:32326233 Page 2
| NW 45864 - LA 62-4945 It should be noted that the above information was obtained during initial contacts with informant and that this situation will probably not exist after informant and Bureau Agents become better acquainted. To date, other than original contact, informant has been interviewed in restaurants, Bucars and public | parks. It seems he appeared mistrustful of Bureau Agents and showed signs of suspecting the interviews were being , | recorded, which he does not want. He continually says that Bureau Agents must trust him completely, as if he is not trusted he and Bureau Agents are wasting time. He has made » this statement when asked how he knows about specific facts, situations and individuals and it is becoming apparant that he is more and more willing to explain how and why he knows certain information. It has been pointed out to informant that Agents have responsibility to Bureau to protect Bureau's interests in this matter and informant acknowledged fact that Bureau Agents have to be concerned about informant's motives in this matter. He now says his only motive in talking to Bureau Agents is an attempt on ‘his part to "put HOFFA where he belongs. " ry On each successive contact, informant appears. to ‘be more and more at ease with Bureau Agents. Informant is being contacted exclusively by SA ALBERT A. HUSTEDT and ‘SA LOGAN J. LANE, When asked during the course of the last personal contact why he did not call t s Angeles Office 4, immediately after his meeting with FRA TULA, on 9/8/61, Co informant said he did not call. becaus was afraid such ° a call would have put his life in extreme jeopardy. He noted that he could not conceive of any way the situation could have been handled without putting himself "right in the middle." . Informant said another reason he did not call the Los Angeles Office was because he was not sure he could reach.either SA HUSTEDT or LANE and that he does not want to discuss HOFFA matters with any other Agents. At this point informant said that he never wants to be contacted by any Agents other than SA HUSTEDT and LANE and that he will not discuss HOFFA matters with any other representatives of the government including the FBI. Arrangements have been made and informant > is aware of the fact that he can contact SAS HUSTEDT and LANE - anytime of the aay and } night. Mee ys sr evi ty e oi otends See pied | B Pe Bs Wis a fe af de wat be o, ~ Sn Sc OU DocId: 32326233 Page 3 3s mye 4 7 { Re .
LL. | NW 45864 ~ CZ . LS LA 62-4945 Informant pointed out that he will be in touch with SAs HUSTEDT and LANE on numerous occasions in the future and he is confident similar situations such as the meeting of MATULA on 9/8/61 will recur in the future. He based this information on the fact that he is continuously _ being contacted by Teamster officials and is continually meeting them on the street. He noted that if a similar situation occurs in the future, he will make every effort to determine more specific details regarding the incident. Informant is now self employed and from all appear- ances is quite busy. He conducts his business during all hours of the day and night and because of this fact he is not available for interview at all times. He has said that in an extreme emergency he will break any appointment he may have and meet with Bureau Agents. However, he stressed _ the point that an extreme emergency must exist for such a situation. Practically all contacts with the informant have time limits on them because of business commitments of the informant. Informant is a well known figure in the Los Angeles area and as a result caution must be exercised in meeting with informant. Informant has telephonically contacted SA HUSTEDT on a daily basis since the date of the last personal contact (9/13/61) and a personal contact is scheduled during the evening of this date. There is no question that this informant has a wealth of information on HOFFA matters and on numerous other subjects on which the Bureau has an interest. It is obvious that informant does not readily recall incidents and individuals without some prodding. To date Agents have been reluctant to ask specific questions of informant for fear more information will be given than obtained. This has been a primary concern as informant's motives in talking to Bureau Agents are not completely understood. Since some of the information furnished by informant has been verified through investigation and file reviews, and none of the information furnished has been basically disproved, this question does not appear to pose the problem in talking to informant that it did in the past. Agents are now of opinion,to a certain degree,situations can be discussed freely with informant. Of course, investigative techniques, -3- ee eee we ee ee DocId: 32326233 Page 4