OPERATIONAL PERSONNEL AND SECURITY MATTERS-MITCHELL LIVINGSTON WER-BELL, III.
Originator: CIA
From: CHIEF, WESTERN HEMISPHERE DIV
To: CHIEF OF STATION, SANTO DOMINGO
Document date: 01/29/1964
Document type: PAPER - TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

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2022 RELEÄSE UNDER THE PRESIDENT JOHN F. KENNEDY ASSASSINATION RECORDS ACT OF 1992

DISPATCH

CLASS 'CATION

MURIED FOR INDEXING

10

Chief of Station, Santo Domingu

NO INDEXING BrOUiRED

ONIY QUALIFIED DESE

CAN JUDGE INDEXING

FROM

Chief, restem demisphere Division

SUBJECT

Cherational Tersonnel and Security Hatters

Mitchell Livingston NER-BELLe Ill

ACTICN REQUIRED - REFESENCES

МЮОТІЦ

Reference: HIDCA -3447

RETURN TO CIA

Action: Paragraphs 1 and 8.

Backgrourd Use Only

Do Not Reprodua

In response to the Station's request contained in

reference for infornation on Mitchell Livingston WER-BELL,

this is to provide the station with sone pertinent personal data

on hin, and to recommend that the Station, i.e., Theodore f. KETTNES,

avoid contact with him in operational matters but, to the extent

securely possible, monitor his activities in the area.

Pennsylvania, was

WER-BELL, born on & March 1918 in Philadelphia,

sarried in 1942 to dildegarde Elizabeth

HENNERICII,

and has six children.

He was an Army first lieutenant

which service he saw duty with

when rector id bye urina Theah rich se the second halt of 1945.

distinction in the China

In 1953 he established his own business, Mitchell werbell

Relations and Advertising

which went out of business in 1959, dut

Company, in Atlanta, Georgia,

to insolvency caused

primarily by his injudicious and unorthodox trade practices.

Subject is well-known to KUBARK, whose officers have

categorized him variously as unscrupulous, a "wheeler-dealer"

a promoter of grandiose schemes; as

man wic lives beyond

his means; and as a high-pressure advertising and promotion

In the summer of 195y subject offered his services to

KUBARK, claiming knowledge of Cuban and Vocinican affairs.

Although a POA was

granted on 4 August 1959 for his use as a

source of information on revolutionary activities in the

Caribbean

ares, it evolved that the infornation he provided was

of little value. It was further judged that Subject wished to

Distribution:

2 - COS, Santo Domingo

701-259916

7 FEB 1964

CROSS REFERENCE TO

COP PISANCA SIMBOL NO MUMACE

ilDCiv - 1193

CLASSIFICATION

SECRET

DATE

29 Januaty 1964

MOS fIlE NUMBER

201-259910

OFFICE

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NDC:-1193

USe KUBARA LUNdS

to promote his personal interests and,

consequently, he was terminated in uctober of 1959.

6.

with regard to subject's

assertions as reported in

reference, we wish to conment that:

Mithough we cannot confira of controvert nis

vice-president of FINA, in April of 1963 he allowed

,to DoEYVY at delante that he was

president of Cunmunications

International, Inc.

ODENVY had contacteu subject to determine

his possible connection with Dr. Elmer Henry LOUGiLli, who

indided as an unregistered agent of

Maitian Governeont.

while his claim of past KUTHIN service is true.

the degree

uf his friendship with that service's well-known

director remains open to speculation, for there are no

indications that the two were even acquainted.

The nature and extent of his relationship with

many inportant Central American officials is scored by an

episode which occurred in August-September 1962, wien he tried .

to secure the recognition by several Central Anerican courtries

of a Cuban government in exile.

In this undertaking, for

he offered a vicaraguan governuent spokesman

October of 1962, he reportedly tried, through an interrediary,

co purchase used military aircraft in PBiklot ostensibly lo

use in the Dominican Kepublic to train Latin American pilots

for a thrust against Cuba.

Len this October report, Subject

is cited as being

a foruer public relations representative

here for the Trujillo regineat

in cctober of 1962 Subject was

being investigated by QuEivY

Further to the abovetor his pussidlo involverone in

1959 in the shipping of arms to Ecuador.

The above salient features as to subject's background,

should be sufficient to discourage any operational use of

subject, aid to indicate the need for caution on attain's

part should he have any further contact with him.

tine, deadquarters considers that information on subject'e

local activitles and contacts, as could affect ODYOkE interests,

should be reported as such becones known to the Station.

OLIVER G. FALBOND

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7 FEB 1964

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