Agency: FBI
Originator: FBI
From: SAC, DE
To: DIRECTOR, FBI
Document date: 11/12/63
Document type: PAPER-TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

## Page 1

JFK Assassination System

Identification Form

Agency Information

Date:

4/21/201

AGENCY: FBI

RECORD NUMBER:

124-10298-10079

RECORD SERIES :

AGENCY FILE NUMBER :

HQ

29-31889-159

Document Information

ORIGINATOR: FBI

FROM: SAC, DE

TO:

DIRECTOR, FBI

TITLE:

DATE:

PAGES:

SUBJECTS :

11/12/1963

7

[Restricted]

DOCUMENT TYPE :

PAPER, TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

CLASSIFICATION: Unclassified

RESTRICTIONS :

Consulted

CURRENT STATUS :

Redact

DATE OF LAST REVIEW :

10/18/1996

OPENING CRITERIA : APPROVAL OF DOJ

COMMENTS:

REFERRED TO DOJ, INC LHM

v9.1

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32

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FD-36%

- 13-56)

Transmit the following in

Via

AIRTEL

FBI

Date: 11/12/63

(Type in plain text or code)

(Prioriey of Method of Mailing)

TO:

Bet FROM:

DIRECTOR, FBI (29-31889)

DETROIT (29-1432) (P)

SAC

pett

JAMES RIDDLE HOFFA;

DOMINICK EDWARD BARTONE, aKa

ET AL

FRA; ITSP; MF; FBW;

CONSPIRACY

ALL INFORMATION CONTAINED

(00: DETROIT)

HEREIN IS UNCLASSINLI

DANE 0-11-94 BY SP8 MACKSR

Remyairtels 11/7 and 8/63.

(JFK)

Enclosed herewith is a letterhead memorandum containing

information concerning JOSEPH F. VERHELLE and others.

information was obtained by Department Attorney WILLIAM FRENCH,

Detroit, from ROBERT C. MEISSNER. : One copy each of the

letterhead memorandum is being furnished Chicago and Miami

inasmuch as MEISSNER resides in Chicago and information con-

cerning DOMINI& BARTONE of the Miami Division is also contained

in the memorandum.

One copy of the letterhead memorandum also is being furnished

to Department Attorney FRENCH at Detroit.

1

1

Bureau (Enc. 4)

chicago (InIo. (29-1999) (Enc. 1)

Miami (Info. (29-1217) (Enc. 1)

Detroit

VGW/ pmp

(6)

HEC: 1629-31889-159

NOV. 1. 3 1963

Mr. Walter, J. Sheridan

311-15-63

Approy ea

NOW 26

Special Agent in Charge

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## Page 3

UN

In Reply, Please Refer to

File No.

ED STATES DEPARTMENT OF

STICE

FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION

Detroit, Michigan

November 12, 1963

JAMES RIDDLE HOFFA; DOMINICK

EDWARD BARTONE; ET AL

FEDERAL RESERVE ACT; INTERSTATE

ALL INFORMATION CONTAINED

TRANSPORTATION OF STOLEN

HEREIN IS UNCLASSINIED

DATE/D-11-9 CB 500 m

PROPERTY; MAIL FRAUD; FRAUD BY

MACKS WIRE; CONSPIRACY

The following information, based upon statements

reportedly made by Joseph EVerhelle at various times in

the past, was received by the Department of Justice from a

confidential source who has furnished reliable information

in the past:

At present Verhelle apparently is not so personally

antagonistic' toward Dominick Edward Bartone as he had

indicated he was in the past. Verhelle evidently is aware

of current plans by Bartone regarding a real estate develop-

ment. in Florida, the amounts of money required, etc. In

regard to Bartone's appearance before a Federal Grand Jury

at Detroit in about September, 1963, Verhelle commented that

"they" had difficulty getting

Bartone to agree to "take the

Fifth". Verhelle stated that he, himself, also had "taken

the Fifth" before a Federal Grand Jury at

Detroit recently.

Verhelle was relieved that the subpoena did not require him

to bring personal or bank records; and he indicated that

records pertinent to this matter are presently in Canada, but

he could produce them in Detroit very quickly if he needed

them.

Verhelle expressed pride in having been able to

avoid service of the Grand Jury subpoena for several weeks

and mentioned that he did so with the encouragement and

assistance of his wife.

Verhelle finally accepted service

of the subpoena only after Lawrence Burns, a Detroit Teamsters

attorney who is a neighbor of Verhelle, had talked with a

miche

DomineN

98-1804d

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JAMES RIDDLE HOFFA;

DOMINICK EDWARD BARTONE;

ET AL

process server who was keeping close watch outside Verhelle's

house one night after Verhelle had surreptitiously darted in

the back door. Verhelle said that the following morning he

talked to James R. Hoffa who told him they should use

separate attorneys.

Verhelle claims he is very busy as a financial

consultant, has full knowledge of the investments of Hoffa

and Walter Reuther, and handles investments for both of them.

Verhelle sees Hoffa when he is in town and talkes to him on

the telephone very frequently. Rather than call Hoffa or

Reuther from his home, Verhelle now leaves the house and

uses

one of several public telephone booths in the vicinity.

Verhelle goes to Chicago approximately every ten days or two

weeks and attends all meetings of the Teamsters Central States

Investment Committee as well as unofficial but decisive meetings

which precede the committee meetings. Verhelle claims to

have an important part in deciding what loans will be made

even before a preliminary check has-been made concerning an

application. Verhelle appeared to be familiar with the status

of equity holders and mortgages in regard to the Shoreland

Hotel in Chicago.

Verhelle indicated that when in Chicago he

also talks to officers of the Continental National Bank,

particularly an Executive Vice President by the name of Miller

who may have joined the bank staff recently through its merger

with another bank.

Verhelle indicated that both Hoffa and Reuther think

highly of the present Governor of Michigan, George Romney, but

feel he is too naive.

MrS. Romney is a close friend of Mrs.

Verhelle and visits her home about every three weeks. Verhelle

has been very close to the former Governor of Michigan, John B.

Swainson, and thinks he has a good chance of making a political

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JAMES RIDDLE HOFFA;

DOMINICK EDWARD BARTONE;

ET AL

In regard to an impending trial of Hoffa before

United States District Judge Richard Austin in Chicago,

Verhelle indicated he had learned that Robert C. Meissner,

of Chicago, reportedly was well acquainted with political

associates of Judge Austin. Verhelle expressed great

interest in the fact that this acquaintanceship might be

of assistance to Hoffa, and Verhelle indicated he would be

in contact with Hoffa and Meissner concerning this possibility.

Verhelle said he had previously been in contact with Meissner

about 1961 in connection with Niagara Crushed Stone (Humber-

stone), Ltd. (NCS).

4.3, A1

Verhelle apparently still has business contact

with Elliot Janeway, with whom he had dealings in 1961 con-

Janeway reportedly had something to do with

buying accounts receivable of NCS. It was also believed

that the Crown family of Chicago had a substantial ownership

in some of Janeway's operations, such as his economic

counseling service.

In regard to Vendorama of Ohio, Inc., Verhelle

once stated that he knew of a Vendorama company but it had

nothing to do with NCS.

ML

'chi

In regard to

tion's note; which was held by Public Bank, but Verhelle's

ffer was not accepted and he felt the bank would consequentl.

uffer a loss. Josepky Galli, former president of this corpora.

tion, is reportedly on the west Coast and has a business which

Verhelle is helping to finance.m, chi

Verhelle also advised he had spent some time in the

Dominican Republic several years ago and while there he did

business with Manuel Demaya,

Imbert (present head of a

military junta) and with the then dictator Trujillo. It was

believed this trip may have had some connection with Bartone

or other matters.

• 3.

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JAMES RIDDLE HOFFA;

DOMINICK EDWARD BARTONE;

ET AL

With regard to Verhelle's present relationship to

Public Bank, Detroit, (PB) he indicated he unofficially has

been helping PB's Board of Directors but PB recently had

made some loans which Verhelle believes will be uncollectible,

and he is looking forward to PB's collapse. Verhelle

indicated that while he was at PB the big loans always were

paid off and there were almost no defaults, with the exception

of small loans for $3,000.00 or less.

Verhelle claimed he

has bought a bank on the outskirts of Detroit where two of

his sons are working and learning the banking business; and

at a propitious time this bank may open a branch office in

competition with PB and with the intention of picking up as

many PB accounts as possible. According to Verhelle the

following sequence of events led to his departure from PB:

On December 26, 1961, seventeen men arrived to

begin an examination of PB. Verhelle did not believe they

were from the regular State or Federal examining agencies

and was of the opinion they sounded more like lawyers than

bank examiners or auditors. He felt it was inconsiderate to

start an examination between the year-end holidays and also

he would have preferred to have PB's year-end figures "in

order" before the examiners arrived.

This examination pre-

cipitated a series of meetings of the PB Board of Directors,

and Verhelle objected to the manner in which one examiner

allegedly criticized a loan which had been made by PB to three

Directors not to attend one of the meetings, causing a delay

and necessitating written notices for such meetings.

About

that time Verhelle decided to go to a hospital for a thorough

physical examination and rest. Upon his return to PB he was

told by one of the officers that in Verhelle's absence one of

the Directors allegedly wanted to borrow $150,000.00 from PB

but the officer refused that amount and only lent him $50,000.00.

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JAMES RIDDLE HOFFA;

DOMINICK EDWARD BARTONE;

ET AL

Verhelle found that three other Directors also were borrowing

from PB at that time. Also about the same time a Director of

FDIC allegedly wanted to borrow $80,000.00 from PB, but

Verhelle refused because he did not feel the loan would be

easily collectible.

About two weeks after writing the Attorney General,

Verhelle allegedly was told he could have a complimentary

ticket to a $100-a-plate dinner for Vice President Lyndon B.

Johnson in Detroit, and Verhelle was to sit near the speaker's

table and a photograph would be taken of Verhelle and Vice

President Johnson together in a friendly pose.

Verhelle

declined, purportedly because he "wouldn't sell that cheap".

He indicated that a former Assistant Prosecuting Attorney in

Detroit, now on Vice President Johnson's staff, had something

to do with the above arrangements and still has some liaison

with Verhelle.

Verhelle stated that™

at other Board meetings

during the examination he was criticized for loans he had

made and the Directors felt the loans they had made to them-

selves were all right, so he "resigned".

This document contains neither recommendations nor

conclusions of the FBI.

It is the property of the FBI and is

loaned to your agency; it and its contents are not to be

distributed outside your agency.

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