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1104-10326-10046

2025 RELEASE UNDER THE PRESIDENT JOHN F. KENNEDY ASSASSINATION RECORDS ACT OF 1992

MHENO: 96-5328306

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ACTION: EUR/GAEXT (227) INFO: EUDORECORD, EUR/LGL, EYESONLY, MDSX, ODPD,

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FILE, DDO (2/W)

96 5328306

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TOR: 091105Z SEP 96

IN 5328306

VIEN 42162

SECRET 091057Z SEP 96 STAFF

CITE VIENNA 42162 (EVESON ACTING)

TO: DIRECTOR.

FOR: LIMIT EUR/GAEXT INFO EUR/LGL, OGC/OFLD, OGC/OSD

SLUGS: WNINTEL RYBAT

SUBJECT: EYES ONLY - MEETING WITH JOHN WHITTEN

REF: A. DIRECTOR 931349 96 5315663

B. 6 SEP STU-III BETWEEN ACOS/ LOCHT

TEXT:

1. ACTION REQUIRED: FOR THE RECORD.. ALSO PLEASE ADVISE IF WE

NEED TO TAKE ANY FURTHER STEPS SUCH AS ALERTING RSO AND/OR CONGEN ON

WHITTEN'S STATE OF MIND AND INTENTIONS.

2. FOR THE RECORD, C/O NOBLEHORSE WAS MOST RECENTLY CONTACTED

BY JOHN WHITTEN ON 26 AUGUST 1996.

(C/O FIRST BECAME ACQUAINTED

WITH WHITTEN IN NOV 95 WHEN ACTING AS LIAISON BETWEEN WHITTEN AND

*HQS CONCERNING<JFK ASSASSINATION>BOARD MATTERS .)

WHITTEN, OBVIOUSLY

VERY UPSET, INFORMED C/O THAT HIS WIFE OF 55 YEARS HAD DESERTED HIM

AND MOVED BACK TO THE U.S., THAT SHE WAS SUING HIM FOR ONE-THIRD OF

EVERYTHING HE OWNED AS SUPPORT, AND THAT SHE WAS ACCUSING HIM OF

THEFT OF PROPERTY (JEWELRY).

HE REMARKED FURTHER THAT HIS CHILDREN

HAD TURNED AGAINST HIM AND SIDED WITH HIS WIFE, AND THAT HIS HEALTH

WAS CONTINUING TO DETERIORATE.

NOT PLANNING ON SUING HIM FOR DIVORCE AS SHE WOULD LOSE ALL OF THE

MEDICAL BENEFITS THAT SHE NOW HAS BY VIRTUE OF HIS RETIREMENT

STATUS.

WHEN C/O ASKED HOW HE COULD HELP, WHITTEN SAID THAT HE

WOULD LIKE TO SEE C/O EITHER IN C/O'S OFFICE OR HAVE C/O DROP BY FOR

A VISIT. WHEN C/O BRIEFLY HESITATED, WHITTEN QUICKLY ADDED THAT HE

HAD SOME INFORMATION TO PASS ALONG WHICH C/O "MAY OR MAY NOT BE

INTERESTED IN, BUT PROBABLY NOT," BUT THAT THIS WAS THE MAIN REASON

FOR HIS CALL.

C/O SAID THAT HE WOULD HAVE TO CHECK HIS SCHEDULE AND

WOULD GET BACK TO HIM IN A DAY OR TWO.

3.

RECOGNIZING A NEED TO EXTRICATE C/O AND STATION FROM

FURTHER UNNECESSARY CONTACT (AFTER INITIAL CONTACT IN NOV 95,

WHITTEN CALLED C/O ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, AND LOCAL DATT ONCE, TO

OFFER DATED AND SKETCHY INFORMATION; HE ALSO ONCE REFERRED TO NOBLE

HORSE AS A "CASE OFFICER" ON THE PHONE ALTHOUGH HE DID NOT LATER

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REMEMBER IT), IT WAS DECIDED THAT C/O SHOULD VISIT WHITTEN AT HIS

HOME,

HEAR HIM OUT AND THEN INFORM HIM THAT CONTACT SHOULD BE

DROPPED FOR BOTH HIS AND C/O'S SECURITY UNLESS AN EMERGENCY AROSE.

FURTHER, C/O WAS TO TRY AND PUT WHITTEN IN CONTACT WITH THE EMBASSY

CONSULAR SECTION.

AFTER MAKING ARRANGEMENTS, C/O VISITED WHITTEN'S

HOME ON THE MORNING OF 28 AUGUST.

DURING A HIGHLY EMOTIONAL

TWO-HOUR AND FORTY-FIVE MINUTE DISCUSSION, WHITTEN RECOUNTED ALL OF

THE DETAILS OF HIS DOMESTIC PROBLEMS, MANY OF THEM QUITE PERSONAL

AND INCLUDING ACCUSATIONS AND COUNTER-

ACCUSATIONS INVOLVING HIS WIFE AND HIS CHILDREN, REMINISCED ON HIS

PAST WORK EXPERIENCES, AND SPOKE OF HIS RESOLVE TO COMMIT SUICIDE.

AS IT TURNS OUT, HE DROVE HIMSELF WITH GREAT DIFFICULTY TO THE

NETHERLANDS IN JANUARY OF THIS YEAR WITH THE INTENT OF HAVING

HIMSELF EUTHANATISED. HE CHANGED HIS MIND, HOWEVER, AFTER HAVING

REALIZED THAT HE HAD, IN FACT, MADE THE TRIP BY HIMSELF; WHEN HE

RETURNED HOME, HOWEVER, THE PROBLEMS BETWEEN HE AND HIS SPOUSE BEGAN

IN EARNEST (SHE, APPARENTLY, DID NOT APPROVE OF THE EUTHANASIA PLAN) .

DURING THE DISCUSSION, IN WHICH WHITTEN BROKE DOWN IN TEARS

SEVERAL TIMES, HE ALSO EXPRESSED HIS DETERMINATION NOT TO MOVE BACK

ACCORDING TO HIM, SHOULD HE DO SO HIS FAMILY WOULD HAVE

HIM PLACED IN A NURSING HOME - A FATE WHICH HE IS ABSOLUTELY NOT

WILLING TO ACCEPT; AS AN ALTERNATIVE, HIS WIFE HAS INDICATED TO HIM

THAT HIS FAMILY MAY INSTEAD BE ABLE TO ARRANGE FOR A SMALL APARTMENT

FOR HIM IN WHICH TO LIVE, BUT THAT SHE WOULD PAY ONLY OCCASIONAL

VISITS AND WOULD NOT LIVE WITH HIM.

(THE LATTER REMARKS WERE MADE

BY HIS WIFE DURING AN UNANNOUNCED TRIP BACK TO AUSTRIA IN CA. JUNE

96. AT THAT TIME, THE WIFE DID NOT INFORM WHITTEN OF HER PRESENCE

IN THE COUNTRY, BUT WHITTEN LEARNED OF IT THROUGH A FAMILY FRIEND.

AFTER A CONFRONTATION IN WHICH WHITTEN BEGGED HER TO STAY, HIS WIFE

BROKE DOWN, TOOK SOME MOMENTOS FROM THE APARTMENT AND LEFT.) THIS

SECOND ARRANGEMENT WAS ALSO NOT SUITABLE TO WHITTEN.

5. AFTER COLLECTING THE INFORMATION THAT WHITTEN HAD (WHICH

STATION BELIEVES WILL BE OF LITTLE OR NO USEFUL VALUE), C/O

EXPLAINED TO WHITTEN THAT FOR SECURITY CONSIDERATIONS, IT WOULD BE

BEST IF HE NO LONGER CONTACTED C/O EXCEPT IN THE EVENT OF AN EM

ERGENCY, BUT _INSTEAD DEALT WITH EMBASSY CONSULAR SECTION.

C/O SAID

THAT HE WAS SORRY HE HAD TO DO THIS AS HE HAD ENJOYED GETTING TO

KNOW WHITTEN, BUT THAT THE CONSULAR SECTION WAS BETTER EQUIPPED TO

DEAL WITH THESE KINDS OF PROBLEMS.

WHITTEN RESPONDED BY SAYING THAT

C/O NEED GO NO FURTHER IN TALKING ABOUT SECURITY AS HE HIMSELF WAS A

"STICKLER" ON THE SUBJECT DURING HIS CAREER AND COMPLETELY

UNDERSTOOD THE NATURE OF C/O'S REMARKS. THAT HAVING BEEN SAID, HE

INDICATED THAT THE CONSULAR SECTION HAD ALREADY BEEN IN CONTACT WITH

HIM REGARDING THE JEWELRY THEFT AT THE REQUEST OF WHITTEN'S

DAUGHTER.

ALTHOUGH THE DEPUTY THERE HAD INFURIATED WHITTEN BY

MAKING CERTAIN REMARKS TO HIS DAUGHTER, WHITTEN HAS APPARENTLY

ALREADY ESTABLISHED SOME RAPPORT WITH THE CONGEN AND HAD AN

APPOINTMENT TO SEE HIM IN THE NEAR FUTURE.

6.

WHITTEN WAS CONCERNED, HOWEVER, THAT HE MAY HAVE MORE

"CONFIDENTIAL" INFORMATION TO PASS ALONG, AND ASKED WHAT ACTIONS HE

SHOULD TAKE IN THE EVENT HE HAS SOMETHING OF VALUE FOR STATION.

AT

HIS OWN SUGGESTION, HE SAID THAT HE WOULD CONTACT LOCAL RSO AS WAS

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EMBASSY PROCEDURE "IN HIS DAY" AND PASS IT TO THEIR OFFICE.

HE SAID

THAT WHILE HE WOULD NOT ASK FOR C/O BY NAME, IF HE HAD SOMETHING

IMPORTANT HE WOULD DEMAND THAT IT BE PASSED TO STATION.

7. TURNING ONCE AGAIN TO DOMESTIC ISSUES, WHITTEN INDICATED

THAT HE WAS DETERMINED TO COMMIT SUICIDE AS HIS HEALTH IS MISERABLE,

HE IS IN A CONSIDERABLE DEGREE OF PAIN AND HE NO LONGER HAS ANYTHING

FOR WHICH TO LIVE; HOWEVER, HE SAID HE NOW PLANS ON WAITING FOR A

TRIAL DURING WHICH HE WILL

PERSONALLY CONDUCT SOME EXAMINATIONS IN

ORDER TO DIRECTLY CONFRONT HIS WIFE AND CHILDREN IN AN EFFORT TO GET

THEM TO "ADMIT TO THEIR LIES." SHOULD ANY TRIAL OR AGREEMENT END IN

JUDGMENT IN HIS WIFE'S FAVOR, WHITTEN CLAIMED HE WOULD NO LONGER BE

IN A FINANCIAL POSITION TO CONTINUE TO LIVE IN AUSTRIA.

SPOKE OFTEN OF SUICIDE AS A WAY TO END BOTH HIS PHYSICAL AND

EMOTIONAL PAIN. C/O WAS LEFT WITH THE CLEAR IMPRESSION THAT HIS

RESOLVE ON THIS MATTER IS FIRM; WHETHER HE WAITS FOR TRIAL OR NOT IS

A MATTER OF PURE SPECULATION.

C/O TRIED TO REMIND WHITTEN THAT

WHILE HIS BODY MAY NO LONGER FUNCTION SO WELL, HIS MIND WAS

OBVIOUSLY STILL SHARP. C/O THEN ASKED, NOT IN HIS OFFICIAL CAPACITY

BUT AS ONE HUMAN BEING TO ANOTHER, THAT SHOULD WHITTEN EVER

SERIOUSLY CONTEMPLATE SUICIDE, HE DIRECTLY CONTACT C/O FIRST.

WHITTEN COUNTERED BY SAYING THAT C/O MAY BE ABLE TO DISCERN

TIME HAS COME.

HE SAID HE HAS KEPT ALL OF HIS DIARIES FROM WWII

THROUGH 1953, HAVING INTENDED TO SOMEDAY WRITE HIS MEMOIRS. WANTING

TO KEEP ANY FUTURE PROFITS FROM HIS FAMILY, HE SAID HE NO LONGER HAS

PLANS TO DO SO BUT THAT HE DID NOT WANT TO DIE WITH THEM LEFT FOR

THE AUSTRIANS TO FIND; THEREFORE, HE WOULD PASS THEM THROUGH THE

IN THE EVENT THAT THIS OCCURS, THIS WILL BE A SIGNAL THAT HE

INTENDS TO GO THROUGH WITH THE SUICIDE.

8.

AS C/O GOT UP TO LEAVE, WHITTEN, AGAIN IN TEARS, THANKED

C/O FOR HIS PROFESSIONALISM AND HIS HELP, AND REMINDED C/O THAT HE

HAD ENTERED INTO A MOST HONORABLE PROFESSION.

HE ALSO SAID THAT HE

HAD BEEN MOST HIGHLY IMPRESSED WITH REF IDEN, WHOM HE ALSO

CONSIDERED A TRUE PROFESSIONAL.

HE ASKED THAT C/O PASS ALONG A

*SPECIAL NOTE OF THANKS AS THE OUTCOME OF THE<JFK>MATTER HAD

"RESTORED HIS FAITH IN THE AMERICAN JUDICIAL SYSTEM:" WHITTEN BADE

HIS FAREWELL BY NOTING IT WOULD BE THE LAST TIME THAT THE TWO WOULD

MEET, AND WISHED C/O A GOOD LIFE.

9.

FYI, REF INFORMATION THAT WHITTEN WAS STILL SEEKING AN

ATTORNEY RUNS COUNTER TO A STATEMENT HE MADE TO C/O.

ACCORDING TO

WHITTEN, BOTH HE AND HIS WIFE WERE RETAINING LAWYERS IN FLORIDA

WHERE SHE IS NOW RESIDENT.

FURTHER, AS OF THE DATE OF THE ABOVE

MEETING, SERVICE OF WHITTEN REGARDING THE SUPPORT MATTER HAD NOT YET

BEEN ACCOMPLISHED ALTHOUGH HE SAID HE WAS EXPECTING THE PAPERWORK AT

ANY TIME.

WHITTEN DID SPEAK OF MAKING A PAYMENT, BUT IT IS NOT

CLEAR WHETHER THE MONEY WAS INTENDED AS A RETAINER FEE OR AS A

PAYMENT TO HIS WIFE.

HE HAS JUST PURCHASED A FAX MACHINE TO MORE

QUICKLY DEAL WITH LEGAL MATTERS, AND THE DAY PRIOR TO C/O'S MEETING

HAD LIQUIDATED MANY OF HIS FINANCIAL HOLDINGS TO KEEP HIS FAMILY

FROM THEM. IT SHOULD ALSO BE NOTED THAT A VIENNESE SOCIAL WORKER

VISITS WHITTEN FIVE DAYS A WEEK TO CLEAN AND RUN ERRANDS AND THAT

WHITTEN GETS HIS MEALS FROM THE AUSTRIAN EQUIVALENT OF

MEALS-ON-WHEELS; THUS, WHILE HE HIMSELF IS VIRTUALLY IMMOBILE, HIS

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APARTMENT REMAINS LIVABLE AND HE DOES NOT APPEAR: TO BE IN DANGER OF

STARVATION.

THE GREATEST THREAT TO WHITTEN MAY BE BURGLARY;

ACCORDING TO HIM, THE JEWEL HEIST WAS ACCOMPLISHED BY THREE SLOVAK

YOUTHS WHILE HE SLEPT.

WHITTEN CLAIMED THAT WHILE THE AUSTRIAN

POLICE HAVE MADE AN APPREHENSION, HIS FAMILY SIMPLY REFUSES TO

BELIEVE THIS AS NONE OF THE STOLEN GOODS WERE RECOVERED AND NO

OFFICIAL CHARGES HAVE YET BEEN FILED.

10.

FILE:

CL BY :

618711

CL REASON: 1.5 (C)

DECL ON:

X1

DRV FROM: HUM 4-82.

785-120-034.

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