TRIP TO MEXICO CITY
Agency: CIA
Originator: CIA
From: MFR
To: SLAWSON, W. DAVID, WC
Document date: 04/22/1964
Document type: PAPER - TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

## Page 1

JFK ASSASSINATION SYSTEM

IDENTIFICATION FORM

AGENCY INFORMATION

AGENCY

RECORD NUMBER

RECORD SERIES

AGENCY FILE NUMBER

: CIA

104-10150-10181

JFK

80T01357A

DOCUMENT INFORMATION

AGENCY ORIGINATOR

CIA

FROM

: SLAWSON,

W. DAVID, WC

I TO

: MER

TITLE

TRIP TO MEXICO CITY

DATE

04/22/1964

PAGES

70

SUBJECTS

MEXICO CITY

TRIP REPORT

JFK ASSASSINATION

WC TRIP REPORT

Released under the John

F. Kennedy

Assassination Recorde

Collection Act of 1992

(44 USC 2107 Notel.

Case#:NW 53294 Date:

06-14-2017

DOCUMENT TYPE

: PAPER

CLASSIFICATION

: TOP SECRET

RESTRICTIONS :

1B

CURRENT STATUS : RELEASED IN PART PUBLIC - RELEASED WITH DELETIONS

DATE OF LAST REVIEW

: 06/23/04

COMMENTS : JFK62 : E7: 20040301-1051505

[R] - ITEM IS RESTRICTED

104-10150-10181

HH 53294

DocId: 32370750

Page

1

---

## Page 2

CIA HAS NO OBJECTION 5O

DECIASSIFICATION AHDION

RELEASE OF THIS DOCUMENT

XIII

MEMORANDUN FOR RECORD

Aulhorily..

i eins. 108.0nt-.5/25/21-

Ap511 22, 1951

FROMI

Ho. David Slamson

SUBJECT: Trip to Mexiao Ilty

on Hednesday, April 8, 1954 Mr. Howard P. Willens,

Mr. M11l1an To Coleman, JI's and Mr. H. David Slawson, all on

the staff of the commission, flew from Washington, D. C. to

Mex10o City. Mo. Coleman returned on Sunday, April 12 ans

Mr. Slarson and Mr. Willens returned on an airplane leavin

Mexico City at about 3:20, Monday afternoon, Apr11 13. This

memorandum will ardefly sumarise this trip plus some of the

meetings held in preparation for it.

TUESDAY - APRIL Z

10:20 a.M. to 11:00 a.R.

Widlens, Coleman and Slawson met with Assistant

Secretary of

State for Latin American Affaire Thomas Mann,

Mr. Thomas Fhrlich of the offloe of the Legal Adviser for the

State Department, and two aides to Mr. Fann In Mr. Main's

office at about 10:20 a.m. Assistant Seoretary Mann wre

Ambassador to Mexico at the time of the assassination and

personally directed the Investigatory effort and our relations

with the Mexican las enforcement authoritles Immediately after

the new of the Presidont's death reached Mexico City.

A copy

REGRADED COME NATAL

per E.O. 11612, Get. $5.21

I eH. Wilm, CCA S4112/29 7509

Name

Authority...

clava..

39D4. 1975

Declassily OD:

22037

NN 53294 DocId: 32370750

Page 2

---

## Page 3

1

RECRADED CONFIDENTIAL

Authoriy CAG CO, 29 Bere. 1925

B) 120729 MARS, Do 3 2-5g22

TOR

of the Illo created by his efforts, consisting of telegrams

between Mexioo City and the state Department In Washington,

had previously been forwarded to the Commission.

The purpose

of our meeting with Ambassador Mann was first, to Inform him

of our Intent to go to Mextoo and disouse

with him our proposed

actions there and seoond, to raise certain questions with him

about his thoughts and actions in Mexico immediately after the

assassination.

The file turned over to the Commission by Ambassador

Mann contains statements of opinion by him that Oswald was

probably involved in a ainister fashion, especially by way of

taking a bribe, with the Cuban Embassy in Mexico City or with

some other castro agency. These suspicions were reinforced by

the allegations of a certain "Alvarado"

who at the time was

being interrogated Intensively by the Mexioan authorities and by

representatives of the American Embassy in Mexico City beause

he claimed to have seen Leo Harvey Oswald take $6500 1n

American billa from an Individual in the Cuban Embassy. We

asked Ambassador Mann what particular evidence aside from the

Alvarado assertions he had for these suspioions. He replied

that he had none except the general feeling "in his guts" that

Castro was the kind of diotator who might have carried out this

REGRADED CONFIDENTIAL

Authority CalAlt.:, 290s. 1975

DA KARS 0010325/76

IDLIESTE

HH 53294 DooId:32370750

Page 3

---

## Page 4

REGRADED CONFIDENTIAL

Authorily CGlQ84: 2/2/21/75

By 17112) MASS, Dote 5/99/2

I-Q

kind of ruthless aotion, elther through some hope of gaining

from it or simply as revenge. The Ambassador added that not

even the allegations of Alvarado or other rumors which may have

been current in Mexioo City to the effect that money had been

gIven to Oswald were really the cause of his suspicions, sinoe

the Alvarado allegations were not made unt1l a day or so later,

but that the fact that Oswald had visited the Cuban and Russian

Embassies in Mexico City shortly before the assassination, which

he had learned from his security officers at the Embassy, plus

what he belleved about Castro's character, seemed sufficient to

him to raise the gravest suspicions. Later, he pointed out,

when he had a chance to listen to the Dorticos-Armas intercepts,

his suspidions were strengthened.

Ambassador Mann knew of no contacts by Oswald with

anyone in Mextoo City other than his viaits to the Cuban and

Soviet Embassies and his staying at the Hotel del Comercio.

Ambassador Mann said that our Intelligence took and was st11l

taking photographs of both the Cuban and Soviet Embassies

whenever anyone left or entered their main entrances, at least

during the normal visiting hours on Monday through Friday,

during the daytime when plotures dould be taken without

art1f101al light.

REGRADED CONFIDENTIAL

мно, да Сид 13/2/75

HH 53294

DocId: 32370750

Page 4

---

## Page 5

calls 819139/05

3/05/71

The Ambassador sald that he had been kept informed

of the Silvia Duran interrogation through his aldes, Clarke

Anderson and Winston Soott. He learned of it Informally,

that 18, Anderson and Scott reported orally to him

as sOOn

as

they recelved from the Mexionn authorities at "dobernacion"

any news about how the interrogation was progressing.

In response to our questions, the Ambassador recom-

mended that when we got to Mextoo City we should work through

the representatives of the FBI and the CIA at the American

Embassy and, through them, with the Mexican officials they

recommended, but that we should do all of this as quietly as

possible, without any newspaper publlolty. We also asked

Ambassador Mann to what extent 1t

Mas known in Mexico CIty

that the Hotel del Comerolo nas a headquarters for pro-Castro

aotivities. The Ambassador replled that it was not known

generally at all, that this information was current only in

Intelligence elroles.

Ambassador Mann sald that the file from his Embassy

which had previoualy been forwarded to the Commission consti-

tuted the entire file which was in existence on this particular

subject, with the one exception that 1t may not have included

REGRADED CORFIDENTIAL

Now Cfa24-712/29/75

3/2.5176

HH 53294

DocId: 32370750

Page 5

---

## Page 6

Authort: C5Qlin:1312/99/755

BY... M

MApe, no 3/23/.76

LIEGENET

the report from the FBI referred to therein, We confirmed

that it had not Included that report. He said that he waB

sure that this report could be obtained from Clarke Anderson

In Mexiço City, If we thought It was necessary. In response

a sinilar question about tho "Alvarado" file, he replied that

any additional papers in the possension of American authorities

that might be in existence on Alvarado could probably be

obtained through the CIA and that we could speak to Mr. Scott

about this. He said that he had never seen any papers or

formal statements by S1lvia Duran, all his Information about

what she 1s supposed to have told the Mexican police was

received by word of mouth through his aides, Scott and Anderson.

Ambausador Mann was then called out to another con-

ference, for which he was already a half-hour late. As the

meeting was breaking up he asked Mr. Slawson whether, with the

benefit of hindsight, the members of the Commission staff felt

that his recommendations and aotions shortly after the

assassination had been justified or whether we thought they

were unduly rash. Mr. Slanson replied that although the inves-

tigation of the specifio allogations of Alvarado had shown that

they mere in all probability a fabrication, he found nothing

In what the Ambassador had done to have been unjustified, in

tj.o 94

T-012

BET

REGRADES

CONFIDENTIAL

Authoriy. C@A E4. 9/2/29/75

B1 Min. MARS, Dale 7/ 25/25

HH 53294 DocId:32370750

Page 6

---

## Page 7

cEROes: 712/21/75

3/25/21

ET

view of the facta known to him and his assistants at the time

and in view of the extreme seriousneas of the occurrence.

2:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.

At 3:30 In the afternoon Mr. Jack Witten of the CIA

came to the Commission offices and conferred there with

Slawson, Willens and Coleman. This conference grew out of a

suggestion made by Mr. Richard Helms of the CIA about two

weeks previous, in which he had mentioned that it would be a

good Idea 1f a representative of his agency met with those

persons from the Commission who planned to go to Mexico just

before they left, in order to insure that the CIA sould

properly advise us of any last-minute arrangements and properly

alert.

Ita people in Mexico of our arrival.

We discussed whether we would journey to Mexico

offloially and openly or completely incognito, and No. Witten

offered to make arrangements to get us into Mexico completely

unnoticed 1f we desired to do so. We told him that we did not

want to try to keep the trip entirely seoret.. We would do our

best to avoid any kind of nerspaper publicity or publie

announcements. We Intended to Introduce ourselves at the

.: 6

MEGHARED GOMFIDENTIAL

i CLA04. 312/29/75

•3/25/76

53294

DocId: 32370750

Page 7

---

## Page 8

i CLA HAS NO OBJECTION TO

DECLASSIFICATION ANDIOR

RELEASE OF THIS DOCUMENT

TOT LECTET

hernitro i

Authoriy S 2A64: 712/29/25

Bx... An Mo in, nais 3/237.2e

9100, However, weather and technloal diffloulties held up

the plane in Philadelphia and we did not get off the ground

In Washington until almoat 2:00 o'clock in the afternoon.

After a short stop in New Orleans we arrived in

Nex1oo City at about 6100 p.I., Mexico Clty time, We were met

as we came off the airplane by a representative of Eastern

A1rl1nes, Mr. Jorge Villagomez, who addressed each of us by

rame, gave us his business card and eased our way through

Mexican custons. An unidentifled man approached Mr. Willens

and asked 1f

ve were from the Embassy, Willena replied that

we were not.

The individual asked if 1t was true that people

were coming to investigate the assassination. Willens refused

to confirm this report. Mr. Coleman had some minor diffioul-

ties with the Mexloan Immigration offlolals over whether or

not he had been vaccinated recently, and in the course of

disoussions on this the fastern Airlines representative men-

tioned to the Immigration official something to the effect that

Mr. Coloman vas a representative of the warren Commission.

This comment could have been overheard by the person who had

approached Mr. Willens, who in the meantime had walked back

towards Mr. Coleman. If all this ocourred as we suspect it

may have, it could explain why there was an announcement in two

8.41

note barain;

BIT

REGRADED CONFICENTLAL

Authoriy «CG Rh - 317/27/25

HH 53294 DocId:32370750

Page 8

---

## Page 9

1,

Ed sir..

CER P4.7/2/24/75

3/25/11

of the Mexioo City nomsppers the following morning naming

us and stating that we had come to Mexico on business for the

Commission.

Just Inside the airport terminal we were met by

Mr. Clarke Anderson and Mr. Rolfe Larson from the Amerloan

Embassy. These men were later Identifled, respectively, as

Chief of the FBI in Mexico City and an FBI agent temporarily

assigned for duty in Mexico Clty. Anderson and Larson took the

three of us to our hotel, the Continental Hilton.

THURSDAY - APRIL 9

9:00 a.m. to 9: 30 a.M.

At 9100 a.m. the three of us met in the FBI offices

at the Embassy with Mr. Larson and discussed generally with

him the progress of the assassination Investigation while we

were walting to meet Ambassador Freeman. Clarke Anderson and

Winston Soott, the CIA Chief in Mexioo City, were conferring

with the Ambassador and briefing him on the Mexloan aspeots of

the assassination Investigation. Ambassador Freeman had been

at this post only two days, having just presented his ere-

dentials to the President of Mexico on Monday, Apxil 6.

REGRADED COMPELAN

Amitri, CRABh 312/29/75

3/25/06

HH 53294

DocId:32370750 Page 9

---

## Page 10

PEERANED CORFIGENTLAL

Mushory. <2a

• Ot

312/39/75

11. 2010

1=1

_9830 diMe to 9:5530.

We met with the Ambassador at about 9:30 in the

morning. Present besides the three of us and the Ambassador

were Minister Boonstra, Winston scott and Clarke Anderson.

Mr. Coleman explained in general terms the purpose

of our trip. He sald that we wanted to learn as much as

possible about what investigations were currently being carried

out, with special emphasis on the Hotel del Comercio and on

Oswald's northbound journey out of Mexioo City, and that we

wanted to decide upon and initiate whatever new lines of inves-

tigation we felt were called for. In connection with looking

Into these Investigations, we wished to satisfy ourselves that

everything reasonably possible nas being done and, in addition,

ne wanted to become as current as possible on evidence being

produoed. Also, ne hoped to make contaot with one or more

Mextoan offloials so as to learn directly from them what part

they had played In the assassination Investigation and what they

had learned that might be of value to us. In particular, we

wanted to find out as much as possible about what Mrs. S1lvia

Duran, the olerk at the cuban Embasay who dealt frequently with

Oswald, knew. Finally, we hoped to make arrangements for, and

10.

LET

REGRADED COMFIDENTIAL

Authorily CRGl4. 711/29/15

1 maz mis pur 7/23/26

HH 53294

DocId: 32370750

Page 10

---

## Page 11

By. 119 4 103/2.3/24

and perhapa accomplish, the authentloation of our evidence

obtained in Mexico, by the taking of depositions or by invit-

Ing witnesses to appear before the Commission to testify.

Mr. Coleman added that we hoped in all this to be

guided by the counsel of the Ambassador and hig staff, because

we did not want to do anything that would disturb the good

relations of the American and Mexican governments.

Ambassador Freeman replied that he and his staff

would cooperate completely. He said that he saw no objection

whatever to our talking directly to Mexicans who had some

Information to contribute, but he felt that this should be done

only in the Embassy and only on the clearly stated basis that

all appearances and testimony were totally voluntary on the

part of the Mexloans. As to speaking to Mexican offiolals, the

Ambassador again sald that this would be fine

and he asked only

that we work through his staff in setting up appointments, etc.

The Ambassador pointed out that the taking of formal depositions

In a foreign country could be a very difficult and technical

matter. He referred us to the Consulate section of the Embassy

for information on how to go about doing this.

The Ambassador, Clarke, Boonstra and Anderson felt

11

INTELIRI

REGRACED CONFIGENTUL

Authority C. a lib:

9625/29/75

0MMS MARS, Do 2225/071

HW 53294 DocId: 32370750 Page 11

---

## Page 12

1 Brad Landl

3/35/21

FOLLECTE

Embassy and to Mexioan officials as what we in fact were,

representatives of the Commiesion.

Witten sald that in dealing with Mr. Winston Scott,

the CIA Chief for Mexico, we would be working with one of the

top foreign operatives in their entire organization. He said

that the CIA would give us complete cooperation.

We outlined to Mr. Witten our entire proposed plan

onoe we arrived in Mexico, In general terms, and asked for his

comments on how best to achieve our goals. His reply in every

instance was that we should deal on the spot with Mr. Scott.

Witten thought that our proposed Journey was a very good Idea.

He repeated what Mr. Helms of the CIA had said a while ago,

that

there la no substitute for the "sase officer" being "on

the spot."

WEDNESDAY - APRIL 8

B:15 a.m, to 7:00 P.I.

Our plane was acheduled to leave Washington from

Dulles Airport at 9:30 in the morning and accordingly all three

of us met at the Washington Air Terminal In the Albert Pick

Motel at about 8:15 and later arrived at the Airport at about

- I

REGRADED CONFIDENTIAL

Authority S76 67,: 712/29/75

BY 12 My... MARS, Date 3/25/076

NW 53294 DoCId: 32370750 Page 12

---

## Page 13

TEEEEEE

1 .:

CONFIDENTIA.

Authority.

{Scile 219/29/75

n PM 100, 1003/25/72

that our seeing Silvia Duran would be a highly sensitive

matter and that it should be disoussed fully with the Mexican

officials, but they agreed that it did not differ in principle

from our seeing other Mexican witnesses, 1.e., the Ambassador

approved so long as we saw her in the American Embassy, and

made clear to her that her appearance was entirely voluntary.

There then followed an exchange of views on how best

to approach Mexican officials, what Mexican officials would be

most valuable for our purposes, and the general substance of

our work. At about five minutes to ten the Ambassador had to

excuse himself for his first staff meeting, which he had called

for 10:00 a.m.

10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.

W11lens, Coleman and Slawson retired to the office

that had been assigned to them at the Embassy, room 510, to

discuss the conference with the Ambassador and generally to

draw up outlines for our coming conference with the FBI, the

CIA and Mr. Boonstra.

11:00 a.m. to 1845 p.m.

Mr. Anderson and Mr. Soott came

to room 510 after

12

CONFIDENTIAL

IF LEGRET

Authority LIQ k41-912/29/>5

HH 53294

DocId: 32370750 Page 13

---

## Page 14

REGRADED CONFIDENTIAL

Authorily C & Ch. 712/29/25

I met the MARS, Bate 31125123 i

the staff meating had adjourned, We agreed that we nould

confer with Mr. Anderson immediately and meet Mr. Scott later

In the day, at about 3:30. Mr. Anderson was welcome to come

with us at our meeting with Mr. Soott, 1f he desired to do so,

and he said that he would make up his mind on this after he had

conferred with us, because he of course had other work to do

and would not want to attend the meeting

with Scott 1f 1t

would simply involve him in a repetition of ground he had

already covered.

Accordingly, we met Immediately with Clarke

Anderson in his offices. He Invited Rolfe Larson and a Mr.

Trent to take part in the conference. Mr. Trent was also an

agent of the FBI temporarily on duty In Mexi00.

One of the toples of conversation was Reverend

Albert Alexander Osborne, also known as John Howard Bowen.

Mr. Trent had been the agent primarily engaged in tracking down

and talking with Bowen, although larson too had been somewhat

Involved. Briefly, the agents desoribed Bowen as an elderly

white haired gentleman who was probably engaged in some kind

of violation of the law in his fund raising, because 1t was not

olear that he actually used the money he received for religious

1135

REGRADED CONFIDENTUL

Aunhoity < FC ts. 214/29/75

HH 53294

DocId: 32370750

Page

14

---

## Page 15

+00.04712/35/25

3/23/36

TOT DERRET

purposes, at least of the kind he represented that he would

use the money for, and they both regarded Bowen as somewhat

unstable mentally. Trent deseribed how when he first

approached Bowen he referred to him as "Mr. Osborne," and the

reply was that he, Trent, must be mistaken, because he,

Osborne, was Bowen. Osborne then went on to say

that he was

often mistaken for Osborne but that he had not seen that other

gentleman in some time, and belleved he was in some other

section of Mexico, eto. Trent said that Osborne carried this

off very well. It was not until later that Osborne admitted

that he was really Osborne but that he often used the name

Bowen. When asked directly how they thought Osborne would

react to being asked or compelled to appear to testify before

the Commiasion or a staff member, Trent and Larson were

Inconclusive. They thought that there might be trouble but

they were not sure. Trent and the other FBI representatives

then desoribed the procedures the Mexican Immigration Author-

Itles were using in dealing with Osborne. In sum, the author-

Itles had not acted as yet to deport Osborne but they belleve

that they had sufficient grounds to do so at any time. In the

meantime they were keeping an eye on him

and were questioning

him occasionally. The FBI representatives felt that 1f we

RECHAILD CUNFIDENTIAL

Authoriy. CFG.l4:912/29/75

3/75/75

HH 53294

DocId: 32370750

Page 15

---

## Page 16

TOILETI

REGRADES GOATHEAT

Authority C7G.64717/25/75

PLan 155013/25/31

manted to push 1t, the Mexican authorities would deport

Osborne quiokly.

The discussion then continued on to other investiga-

tions. Larson gave a detailed summary of recent results of

the Investigation of Oswald'a northbound travel on the

Transportes del Norte buB. I will not go into what he said

here because 1t 18 now reflected in an FBI report in the pos-

seBBiOn

of the Commission.

We advised him to Include as much

detall as possible in the reports which he sent through

channels in Washington to our Commission because the detall

which he had told us orally seened to fit what we knew about

Oswald's background

and was therefore valuable as confirmatory

material In the overall ploture, even though it perhaps seemed

Important to Larson.

We then supplied varlous detaila about

Oswald's background and character which might asgist Larson in

Interrogating Mitnesses in Mexico, Larson, Trent and Anderson

agreed to inolude all possible detail in their future reporte

from Mexico.

Larson and Anderson then went Into a discussion of

the Hotel del Comercio Investigation. Here, lt appears that the

conclusion of the Mexican Investigators that no one at the hotel

15

REURALES UUIFIDENTHAL

Authority 2A Rh.1/2/29/75

P nate a in MARS, Rate 3,/1i 66/25

HH

53294

DocId: 32370750

Page 16

---

## Page 17

Antone CAQ.67:8 2/21/25

372A2 - 1265, P13/25/?6

remembered Oswald and that the only evidence of his stay

there was his name on the register was Incorrect. Larson,

after several interrogations, had found that the maid at the

hotel did remember Oswald and was able to give some bits of

Information about him. For one thing, she,

as did other wit-

nesse, conffimed that he was always alone when she saw him.

Further, she said that he invarlably had left the hotel before

she cleaned his room at about 9:00 in the morning. Larson had

also found out that the proprietress of the little restaurant

next door to the hotel was able to identify Oswald, although

Larson was not completely certain on how much she really

remembered and how much she may have picked up by suggestion

from newspaper reporters, Anyway, she has stated that Oswald

frequently ate lunches and dinners at her restaurant, that he

Invarlably ordered very cheap meals, that he always ate alone,

and that he was not able to converse sufficlently in Spanish

so that he really knew what he was ordering when he ordered a

meal. For example, he often refused soup and dessert,

apparently believing that he was thereby saving money, although

both items mere Inoluded in the cost of the full meal.

Various other Investigationg of Oswald and of places

where Orwald may have been in Mexloo City were also touched upon,

REGRADED CONFIDENTIAL

16

Authority.C.tG Qt1:7/1/7$175

HH 53294

DocId: 32370750

Page

17

---

## Page 18

LOISEDALI

PEARED PORRIDERTIAL

plant

cE aft: 811/29/75

+ Mn 1500 3/25/36

such as the bull fight arens, the jal alal games, and the

places where he may have purchased tourist items.

For

example, Larson and Anderson said that another one

of their

agents had questioned more than three hundred silver shops In

an attempt to locate the place where Oswald may have purchased

a silver braoelet Inscribed "Marina." The response had been

negative at each

shop and subsequent investigation has shown

that such bracelets are probably not sold in Mexico at all

because they are made in Japan and the duty on importing them

Into Mex100 would make their price non-competitive with local

produots.

We then asked what was the status of the dutierrez

Investigation. Trend and Larson and Anderson all agreed that

Outierrez vas sincere and was doing all he could to cooperate

with the Investigation of what he claims to have seen. In

fact, dutierrez has spend a considerable amount of time trying

to get more valuable information and he has never tried to

recelve any compensation for this mork. The reakness in

Gutierrez! story, acoording to the FBI representatives, 18 the

1dentif1oation of Oswald. For example, dutierrez has falled

to Identify Oswald as the man he saw at the Cuban Embassy

recelving money when shown a ploture of Oswald passing out

17.

REGRADED GUnFiuEindi

Butory. CfAEt, 912/29/25

HH 53294 DocId: 32370750

Page 18

---

## Page 19

FERN TRO COMICENTRI

CRie: 7642975

wAng 16 00 339611

ПЕРЕСКЕ

Fair Play for Cuba pamphlets In New Orleans during the summer

Of 1963. Gutierrez says that he never saw his man in profile,

only from the

rear and, very fleetingly, from

a direct forward

VIen. His best piece of identification 18 to the automobile

he saw "Oswald" and the Cuban enter just outside of the

Embassy. Even here, however, assuming that his description of

the automobile 1s completely accurate, there are probably

dozens of such

automobiles in and around Mexico City. Renault

1s a popular make of car in Mexico, and the color described by

Outierrez 1s a popular color. One automobile answering this

description and frequently seen around the Cuban Embassy has

been located, but 1t 10 still registered under the name of the

man who owned and sold it several years ago. This situation 18

apparently common In Mexico, Mexioans often register a car

under the name of 1ts former owner in order to avoid paying a

sales tax on the transfer. However, investigation 1s continu-

Ing to see it the present owner of this partioular automobile

can be located. In addition, a constant survelllance of the

Cuban Embasby and 1ts vicinity 18 being kept, to spot this or

similar car, and 1f one 1s spotted, further Investigation will

be carried out.

Slawson then mentioned that we had brought with us

from Washington all the items of physloal evidence which might

18

RESRADED CONFIDENTIAL

Authorily. (_@G l4s: 912/24/75

P1 MAg MARS Pate. 3/23171

HH 53294

DocId: 32370750

Page 19

---

## Page 20

chalt 012/29175

3/25/21

ПОР ТЕСТЬ

relate to Mex100, It was agreed that slawson and Larson would

so through these ltems later, We then Inquired as to our

seeing the reports and current work papers of the FBI in

Mexico. Anderson replied that these were open to our exami-

nation at any time and that he and his agents would show us

whatever we would like to see. He agreed that we would look at

particular reports later, as the occasion warranted.

Silvia Duran was then discussed. It appeared that

her signed statement had finally been obtained from the

Mexican Polioe.

Previously, the existence of such a statement

had not been known. We agreed that we would see that later in

the day or tomorrow and that it would also be forwarded through

channels to the Commission in Washington, We emphaßized that

no wanted not only a translation of the statement but, 1f

possible, a copy of the statement 1tself. The FBI representa-

tives desorlbed Duran as best they could, basically, as a

"Mexican pepperpot," a devout communist, and "sexy." (The CIA

later showed us some pictures of her, which substantially con-

firmed this desoription.) We discussed what would be the best

approaches to our possibly seeing her. Anderson felt that

this would be a touchy point but agreed that we should try to

do It 1f we oould. He thought that the Mexican offlolal that

me should set about this as nell an all other aspects of our

19

REGRADED COSTIDENTIAL

A Cfa 0t, 1212/21/75

31111)

3/13/21

HH 53294

DocId: 32370750

Page 20

---

## Page 21

C Acet., 14/39/2

1: 1999 3/35/24

Investigation was Luld Ichevarria, Acting Secretary of the

Interior.

Anderson said that he was well acquainted with

Echevarria and that he got along very well with him, as did

Winston Scott.

Willens, Slawson and Coleman each got the impression

from this conference that the FBI in Mexico City had been

completely frank and open with us. So far as we can determine

every question we asked was answered without an attempt at

evasion, and much information volunteered which we had not

asked. Both Larson and Anderson give a very good Impression

of competence and Anderson'& knowledge of the details of the

assassination Investigation was especially Impressive since

his dutles are primarily supervisory.

The Alvarado Investigation was also revlewed. Clarke

Anderson said that he was present at the Alvarado interrogation

which was taken under a polygraph machine. The polygraph

operator, who did not speak Spanish, stood behind Alvarado

when he was fastened to the machine and pointed to varlous

questions written in English which he wanted Anderson to agk.

Anderson would then ask Alvarado the question in Spanish.

In response to our direst question Anderson replied

that now that the investigations vere more or less complete

20

REGRADED CONFIEZHIAL

Authoriy C 1/254., B9/29/25*

HH 53294

DocId: 32370750 Page 21

---

## Page 22

RECALLS CEFIDERTAL

Authoriy CoP C 6t, 72/129/75

his expert opinion was that no foreign conspiracy arling out

of or conneated with the territory of Mexico existed in con-

nection with the assassination. He said that he felt that 1f

such had existed, although perhaps they would not have solved

It by this time, they at least would have

some firm indication

that it was in existence, which indications were in fact

lacking. We asked Anderson how many different allegations of

conspIracy had been received by his office and he replied, s1x.

These were the cutlerrez allegation, the Alvarado allegation,

the Diaz Verson allegation, the Martino-Roja allegation, the

letter from Victor Cohen, and the allegation concerning the

Stanford University student. Mr. Slawson commented that in h1s

opinion only the first three allegations mentioned even seemed

serlous and that, after analyals, the only one that still seemed

serious was Gutierrez', Anderaon readily agreed.

3:20 p.m. to 6:00 p.M.

After lunch the three of us went to Mr. Scott's office,

and were there introduced to his deputy, Mr. Alan White. The

conference was begun by Mr. Soott giving us a complete

narrative of the CIA's activities in connection with lee Harvey

Oswald, beginning in September 1963 when they first picked up

Information that Oswald had appeared at the Russian and Cuban

21

TO E

/CHARt, 82/29/766

imag

3/25/75

NY 53294 Do

Docid: 32370750 Page 22

page

---

## Page 23

TO 25

Authotily..

C2Q R5/62/29/75-

Bun 79 Hes, san 2/25/7i

Embassies:

Mro Soott stated at the beginning of his narrative

that he Intended to make a complete disclosure of all facts,

Including the sources of his information, and that he under-

stood that all three of us had been cleared for Top Secret

and that we would not disclose beyond the confines of the

Commission and its immediate staff the information we obtained

through him without first clearing 1t with his superiors in

Washington, We agreed to this.

Mr. Scott! o narrative of course took a rather long

time to complete, and we Interrupted him at many points with

specific questions.. During the course of the narrative we were

shown the actual transoripts, plus the translations, of all the

telephone Intercepts involved, and we were also shown the reels

of photographs for all the days in question that had been taken

secretly outside the Cuban and Soviet Embassy entrances.

Mr. Scott's narrative disclosed that the CIA's action Immed1-

ately after the assassination consisted basically of alerting

all 1ts confidential sources of information throughout Mexico

to Immediately channel all Information into their headquarters,

and of compiling as complete dossiers as possible on Oswald and

everyone else throughout Mexico who at that time the CIA knew

had had some contact with Oswald.. This meant especially

Silvia Duran, who because she had previously been having an

22

PIET

REGRADED CONFIDENTIAL

Autonly Cal a Pt1.12/25/35

8 PM MAS, DA 3/25126

HH 53294

DocId:32370750 Page

23

---

## Page 24

ALONGED GONCINEALAL

Authorty C.AC.Pb.112/29/75

FREEEEET

affair with Lachuga, the former cuban Ambassador to Mexico

and presently the Ouban representative at the United Nations,

had previously been of substantial interest to the CIA,

Eusibio Arque, Duran's superior at the Cuban Embassy, Kostikov,

a KOB representative at the Soviet Embassy, and others, and

conveying this information to Washington. In addition, the CIA

worked closely with the FBI and with the Mexican authorities,

especially on the Silvia Duran Interrogations. Finally,

Mr. Scott, along with Mr. Anderson, was in constant contact with

Ambassador Mann, to keep him as ourrent as possible on all

Information coming in and on other developments.

Soott pointed out that his headquarters had picked up

the name of Lee Harvey Oswald from commerçial radio broadcasts

and had begun compiling Information on him from ite Mexican

Illes even before being requested to do so by CIA in Washington.

All his men were taken off any other assignment they may have

been on and told to concentrate solely on the assassination.

All the persons previously mentioned who might have been In

contaot with Oswald, plus other people who in Scott's opinion

might possibly be involved, were put under surveillance. This

Inoluded, for example, the Ouban Ambassador and all known local

Cuban and Russian Intelligence agents. Immediately liaison was

set up with Mexican offlolalo. A messenger gent by Echovarria

25

Authorily C. RG lt= 12/24/25-

A BIg HAS Do 3/23/36

missin,

ти 53291

Docid: 32370750

Page

---

## Page 25

CIA HAS NỌ OBJECTION TO

DECLASSIFICATION AND/OR

RELEASE OF THIS DOCUMSNT

REGRADED CONFICENTIAL

Authoriy CA-G 85,1229/75

P-DILLS MARs, Bese 3/25/71

FREEI

to the American Embassy at this time disclosed that Echevarria

and President Loper Mateo had ordered the Mexloan border

closed for travel both ways, without having been requested to

do so by the American Embassy. Soott said that the border

olosure was so thorough that busloads of school children were

trapped on both sides,

Scott's narrative plus the materials we were shown

disclosed Immediately.how Inoorrect our previous information

had been on Oswald's contacts with the Soviet and Mexican

Embassles. Apparently the distortions and omissions to which

our information had been subjected had entered some place 1n

Washington, because the CIA information that we were shown by

Scott was unambiguous on almost all the crucial points. We

had previously planned to show Scott, Blawson's reconstruction

of Oswald's probablo aotivition at the embassles to get

Scott's opinion, but once he naw how badly distorted our infor-

mation was we realized that this would be uselesà.

Therefore,

Instead, we dealded to take as close notes as possible from

the original sourde materials, at some later time during our

v1s1t.

In view of what we had learned about the photographic

coverage of the Cuban and Soviet Embassles, we inquired whether

photographs of oswald.coming.or gong from one or both

REGRADED CONFIDENTIA!

Authority C GA 441.12/29/25

0412 1Si HARS, 0R10 3/25/21

HH 53294

DocId: 32370750

Page 25

---

## Page 26

ІДЕСРЕ

Arthrivy & 24@01, 12/24/25

B In 2% MARS, p01 3/25/75

embassies might be avallable.. Soott sald they were not.

He

explained that photographic coverage was limited by and

large to the daylight weekday hours, because of lack of funds

and because no adequate technical means for taking photographs

at night from a long distance without artificial light, which

was of course out of the question under the circumstances, had

been developed.

We brought up the question of dutierrez and received

from Scott and white basloally the same Information we had

previously learned from the FBI, though somewhat attenuated

because, as Scott and White pointed out, the FBI was carrying

the primary responsibility with dutierrez.

We suggested that

autierrez' story might

be confirmed or refuted by photographs

taken by the CIA, that In particular the automoblle he claimed

to have seen might show up on the fringes of some of these

photographs, and me inquired whether an appropriate examina

tion of the ploture reels had been made. White replled that

such an examination had not yet been made and that he

suspected that it would disclose nothing new, because the

photographs covered little more than the entrance itself.

However, he promised to make such an examination. (About a

day later soott reported to us that such an exanination had

been made and proved negative..

25

REGRADED CONFIDENTIAL

Authority SolaRt,, Pt1,12/25L75

HH 53294

DocId: 32370750

Page 26

---

## Page 27

TELEGRET

REGRADED CONFIDENTIA.

Authority (SQlE, P2/20/75

8)... ). MARS, Data 3/25/76

In ansver to our question, White and soott gave

""-

their professional opinions that there probably was not a

foreign conapiracy connected with Mexico involving the

assassination of the President. They, like Anderson, felt

that had there been such a conspiracy they would at least by

this time have had

some firm indications of its existence.

We asked Mr. Soott to set up a meeting with Secretary

Echevarria for all three of us at the earliest possible time.

We wanted both him and Nr. Anderson there, if possible, both as

interpreters and because their previous personal aoquaintance

with the Secretary would facilitate our dealings. Scott tele-

phoned Anderson and confirmed this request.

We then reentered our discussion of the assassination

In general, àe it related to Mexioo. It appeared that the CIA

in Washington had not forwarded certain material developed

elsewhere to Scott, even though

these materials might have

reasonably related to the Mexican Investigations, For example,

the contents of the letter which Oswald wrote to the Russian

Embaasy after he returned to the United states, describing

certain aspects of his trip, had never been disclosed to Scott

of his staff. We showed them the contents of this letter at

this meeting.

Authority. CRAfts.12/29/25

i Ming 3s, Do 3125/04

53294

DocId?32370750*"Page

27

---

## Page 28

CIA HAS NO OBJECTION TO

DECLASSIFICATION AND/OR

RELEASE OF THIS DOCUMENT

Mis C-2G iT, 12/29/95

During this general disoussion Mr. Willens was

called out to meet with Minister Boonstra In regard to the

publlcity which had appeared in the local newspapers about

our visit. This Involved the drafting of a telegram to the

State Department In Washington In regard to this publicity and

an estimate as to the reason for it. Also, Willens learned at

this time from Boonstra that the Embassy did not have a copy

of the file forwarded to the Commission by Ambassador Mann.

Apparently, Ambassador Mann'a personal file 18 the only one

non in existence aside from the commission coples of 1t, all

other copies having been destroyed when the Ambagsador left his

post in Mexico. Boonstra told Willens that he (Boonstra) 1s the

only person other than Soott and Anderson who was Involved with

Ambassador Mann in the assanaination Investigations. Mr.

Willens asked Boonstra to begin thinking about how best we

could formard a request to the Moxican officials for a complete

report on their role In the assassination investigationg. At

this time Boonstra's only comment was that such a report should,

1t possible, be obtained prior to lta being reviewed by the

Mexiean Foreign Offico, because such & revlen might censor out

substantial portions for political reasons and in any event

would involve substantial delay. He suggested that review by

the foreign office be a condition

of publication at a later

27

REGRADED CUNFIDENTUL

Authorty. C. lE1, 12/29/25

4 1a 2f 8S, 010 30 25/21

HW 53294 Docid: 32370750

Page 28

---

## Page 29

RESTADEO CONFIDENTINL

TOE BEGRET

I MAy MARS, D210 3/22/76

time, but that it not be permitted to hold up the information

at this stage.

Back in the CIA offices, during Willens! absence,

Slawson and Coleman discussed the cable traffic from the Soviet

and Cuban Embassies both during the time of Oswald's visits

there in September-October 1963 and immediately after the

assassination. Scott

and White said that no increases or

unusual variations had been noted at either time. We then dig-

cussed briefly the possibilities that the National Security

Agency might be able to "break" the codes for the times when

Oswald was in Mexico City, using as a key the fact that

Oswald's attempt to obtain a visa was probably communicated to

Washington on Friday or Saturday, September 27 or 28. Scott

pointed out that all his office did with coded materials was

to send them back to the National Security Agency In Washington

In the form In which it obtained them. They felt that the code-

breaking might be possible, however, and should be tried.

FRIDAY - APRIL 10

2:00 a.11. to 9145 a.m.

Coleman, Willens and Slawson appeared at the FBI

offices at 9100 a.m., as we had agreed to do the previous

evening, and there met Rolfe Larson.

The plan had been that we

428

REGRADED CONFIDENTIAL

Authority. Cla {te:,12/9/75

Ment MARs, Date 32 s12s

HW: 53294

• Docta: 32370750 Page 29

---

## Page 30

CIÀ HAS NO OBJECTION TO

DECLASSIFICATION ANDOR

RELEASE OF THIS DO CURREN.

IQBALLET

were immediately to depart on a tour of the spots which Oswald

had vialtod during hle trip to Merloo, but Larson told us that

he had just been requested not to leave unt11 9:45, because by

that time we expeoted some confirmation of the hour when we

could meet with Secretary Echevarria. We therefore sat in

Anderson's offloe and dinoussed with Jarson the relative

locations and other physical aspects of the places we were to

see later in the morning. Soon Anderson came in and told us

that the appointment with Echevarria was firm for 11:30.

The

Ambassador had been told about the meeting and again approved

1t, repeating his conditions that when ke ask Echevarria for

permission to speak direotly with Mexican oltizens that we

make clear that we wanted all Interviews to be within the

American Embagsy and to be completely voluntary. We then had

a brief discussion on how he mould handle the meeting with

Echovarria. Millens and Blanson sald that ne had agreed the

previous evening that B111 Coloman would carry the discussion

for us and that Coleman would spend the firet few minutes in

conveying the gratitude and appreciation of the American

Government to the Mexiean dovernment for 1ts assistance to date,

1t8 satisfaction

with the quallty of such assistance, eto., and

other matters of etiquette and friendship; which we had been

told were essential when dealing In a formal manner with

29

AB T

HH 53294

DocId: 32370750

Page 30

---

## Page 31

PERAGED CONFIDENTIAL

ni: y Casa 0T, 12/29/25

•n 3/251?1

Mexicans. Anderson and the others present at this conference

agreed that this would be the

best approach.

9:45 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.

The three of us were driven by Rolfe Larson in an

unmarked automobile around the varlous points that had been

touched upon by Oswald. We saw the Transportes del Norte bus

terminal, the Transportes Frontera bus terminal, the Flecha

Roja bus terminal, the Chihuahulences travel agency, the Hotel

del Comerolo, the restaurant next door to the hotel where

Oswald reportedly ate many meals, other hotels in the neighbor-

hood of the Hotel del Comercio and the various bus stations

and this neighborhood generally, the Cuban Embassy and

Consulate, and the Russian Embassy and Consulate.

Several observations were immediately obvious. The

two embassies are close enough together so that Oswald almost

certainly walked back and forth between them when the occasion

called for 1t. The embassies, although theoretically reachable

from the Hotel del Comercio or the inter-city bus stations by

logal bus, are in practioe so located that reaching them by

bus would be much too complex for someone who was not familiar

with the bus lines in Mexioo City and especially for someone

30

REGRADED SORTINED

Ashry Cla 641, 12/29/25

ЗАКАДЦІ

NW 53294 DocId: 32370750 Page 31

---

## Page 32

3122512

IRATERL

who did not speak Spanish fluently enough to get precise

directions. The Hotel del Comero1o, although certainly &

cheap hotel and one In which American tourists would ordinarily

never stay, has a neat, clean appearance and, according to

Larson, 18 In fact clean inside, and stands out from its

surroundings as being definitely more attraotive than the other

hotels in the neighborhood.

Although one-way streets make it difficult to drive

from the Flecha Roja bus terminal to the Hotel del Comercio

except by devious routes, for someone walking, as Oswald wag,

1t would be an easy distance and a natural direction to walk.

The hotels near this particular bus terminal are almost all

grouped around the same area as the Hotel del Comercio, and

It would seem very posalble that Oswald could have been

directed towards this neighborhood 1f he Inquired of the where-

abouts of an Inexpensive hotel. Moreover, coming from the

direction of the bus terminal, the Hotel del Comercio would very

likely be the firat reasonably clean and attraotive hotel that

one would notice. Some of the other hotels in this neighborhood

closer to the terminal than the del Comercio are also attractive,

although perhaps not quite so as the Hotel del Comerclo, but

Rolfe larson pointed out that those hotels tend to get filled

earlier and therefore Onwald might have been referred further

34 м

AEGRADED CONFIDENTIAL

Authorty ChA bt Qt1/2/2.9/15

HH 53294 DocId:32370750 Page 32.

---

## Page 33

BEARED CONFIDENTIAL

Anhuiy CL G64, 12/25/25

M 14J MARS 110 3/25/24

BARTHEART

down the utreet 1f ho inquired at ons of them tor a room and

mas turned dom.

Larson confirmed what we had been told by both

Anderson and Scott earlier, that none of them had any indica-

tIon whatever that the Hotel del Comerolo was known as a

meeting place for Cuban revolutionaries or even for cubans,

revolutionary or not. Larson sald that he of course had inves

tigated this possibility and that his examination of the hotel

register for the perfods around Osrald'a visit there had dis-

closed only one Cuban name. Further investigation shored that

this belonged to & Cuban family man who had his family with him

and that they were tourists traveling through Mexico.

The Cuban and Soviet Embassies have no remarkable

charaoteristios axoopt that both are surrounded by high adobe

walls which make observation of their Interiors extremely

diffloult. The Cuban Consulate, where Onwald did most of his

dealings, Is a small separate building on the corner of the

Cuban complex of buildings, with 1ts exterior walla coterminous

with the adobe walls which surround the area. Its front door

therefore opens onto the street.. Exit and entry into the

Consulate, therefore, forms an exception in that it can easily

be observed by persons outside.

3₴

REGRADED GUNFIDEN LL

Mal Mas, a 3/25136

HH 53294

DocId: 32370750

Page 33

---

## Page 34

ME: 1A0C0 CONFIDENTIAL

222

After driving around with larson we returned and

parked the ear in front of the Amerloan Embassy and waited

Just outaide the car for Scott and Anderson to come out, as we

had agreed beforehand. They came out shortly after 11:00 a.m.

and we all got into the car and drove to the Mexican Ministry

of the Interior to meet Senor Echevarria.

21125 a.m. to 11845 a.m.

We arrived at Senor Echevarria's office somewhat

early but were nevertheless immediately brought in to meet him.

We were soon joined by his head assistant for this kind of

work, senor Ibanez, Chief of Inspections, Clarke Anderson

acted as interpreter, under our instruations that he should

feel free to elaborate as to courtesies and details at any time,

and Winston soott also Interpreted at a lon points..

As previously agreed, Mr. Coleman did the talking for

the three of us. He expressed the thanks of the American

government, and of the warren Commission in partloular, for the

cooperation our nation had received from his agency and from

the Mexican government generally, and in general exchanged

pleasantries and courtesies. Coleman also told Echevarria that

Chief

.Just1o6 Warren had sent his personal thanks to Echevarria.

"' drti"

33..

REGRAGED GUNFIDENTAL

authority. 1. 057. 112/29/25

0.M 12Q 1AB8, Dato 3/25126

HH 53294

DocId:32370750

Page 34

---

## Page 35

Anhory C DilE 117/07/25

1. thing 1959413/25/36

Coleman asked that the Mexican government give

the Commiasion a complete and as detailed as possible report

on all the investigations it had carried on in connection with

the asgassination and on any other actions, such as closing the

border, 1t had carried through. Echevarria readily agreed to

do this, saying that all the basio reports which would go into

such an overall report had already been prepared and that he

could deliver the overall report on 48 hourg notice. He

asked, however, that we deliver a formal request for this

report to the Mexloan foreign offloe, addressed to his atten-

ton, In order that it not be mistakenly sent to some other

police or investigatory agency in Mexico. (We had learned

from other sources that there are 26 different police forces

operating in the Mexico Federal District alone.) He said that

he would telephone the foreign office Immediately after our

conference to alert them that he was the person responsible for

the note and would appreciate its being formarded to him for

his appropriato aotion.. We agreed that we would deliver such

a note that afternoon 1f possible, marked to his attention as

he had requested.

Mr. Coleman went on to tell Echevarria that we were

treating all communications from Mexico on this subjeot as

confidentlal and that we would do the same for the report he was

REGRADED CONFIDENIIDL

I-OF

FIGAET

no, MAS, DO 3/205/231

HW 53294 DocId: 32370750 Page 35

---

## Page 36

1C2405,12/29/75

3)25 / 16

going to dellver to us. He mould publish only after receiving

clearance from the Mexican government, which clearance ne

planned to seek at some later point in our investigation.

Echevarria agreed that this had been his understanding all

along and that it would also be the understanding upon which

he would convey the full report to us.

Echevarria then discusged briefly the overall

sItuation and gave his strong opinion that there was no foregn

conspiracy Involved in the assassination, at least no conspira-

oy conneated with Mextoo.

Coleman then brought up the matter of our interview-

ing witnesses for documentation purposes and to find out

additional Information, 1f possible, in Mexico. To give a

speciflo illustration of what me had In mind, Mr. Coleman used

the manager of the Hotel del Comerolo as an example.

Echevarria replied basically in the affirmative, but he made

two important quallfications. Firat, he felt that the inter-

views should not be in the Amerloan Embassy, because to hold

them there rould give the appearance of an official Investiga-

tion being carried on by the American government on Mexican

BOll, and this, he felt, would be very disadvantageous

politically for the present Mexican government. He pointed out

35140

Autoris: C29lt112/29/75

+ ma9 10 1103/23/74

HH 53294 DocId:32370750

Page 36

---

## Page 37

IOR FLEALI

APLACEO GUMFIDENTIAL

Authoriy. CPGRt5,12/29/75

B /1Ing 1456, 010 3/25/75

that an election for president nas sohoduled to be hold in

Judy, that such eleotions were held only every six years in

Mextoo, and that the present time ras therefore extremely

sensitive politically. One of the most effective propaganda

reapons the communiats have In Merloo 1B the alleged American

domination and Interference with the Mexican government and

any unduly publie investigatory actlvities on our part would

lend themselves to this kind of propaganda. Second, Echevarr1a

requested that the Interviews with Mexican nationals not be

formal but that instead, for example, we ought to arrange to

have lunch or coffee, eto., with the persons with whom we

wished to speak.

Our reply to this, made through Mr. Coleman, was that

we did not want any appointments for lunch or otherwise made at

this time because we wanted to leave the entire problem open.

We had not in our own

minds deoided whether and to what extent

we wanted to proceed on this basis, Bohevarria agreed that he

would take no aotion until ve requested It.

There was an Interruption here while Eohevarria

spoke In Spanish to Ibaner. The three of us took the oppor-

tunity to consult quietly in English with one another.

Coleman felt that In vion of Loheyarria's reluotance to permit

35

RECHADED CONFIDENTIAL re

Authority. lalts, 12/29/05

Do 118, 010 3/2-5334

NW 53294 DocId: 32370750 Page 37

---

## Page 38

BEGRACED GONFIGENTIAL

Authority. CRa 04123/29/25-

formal meetings even with unimportant witnesses such as the

hotel clerk, that the proposal we had for dealing with S1lv1a

Duran ought to be handled very circumspectly. He proposed to

do this by shifting the conversation back to the overall report,

stressing that in the writing of this report we felt that

Duran's Interrogation was of the highest importance, and then

hopefully shifting the conversation onto the subject of how we

could deal directly with Duran. Willens and Slawson agreed with

this approach.

Coleman then again spoke to Echevarria, referring

back to the overall report and describing our feeling of

Importance as to Silvia Duran, etc., as outlined in the previous

paragraph. Echevarria replled by emphatically agreeing that

Duran's testimony was of the greatest importance and promising

to go: Into as much detail and documentation as possible in

connection with her evidence in hia final report. He commented

that it was upon the Information his mon had obtained from her

that he had relled most heavily in concluding that no con-

spiracy had been hätched during Osrald'a visits to Mexico.

about this point, Echevarria abruptly took steps to end the

meeting... He said that he had an appointment to have lunch with

Queen Jullana, who was then in the midst of an official visit

10%

REGRAGED CONFIDENTIAL

Authorly _2alg.12/29/23

01-22 1g HARS, Du 3/2.4222

HH 53294 : DocId: 32370750 Page 38

---

## Page 39

Ahis COQ QT,13/29/73

to Mexico, and that he of course had to be on time.

Coleman

uned the opportunity to say jokingly that we mould like to

have lunch with Silvia Duran while Echevarria was with the

Queen. Echevarris replied in the same vein that we would not

have as much fun as we thought because Duran was not a good-

100k1ng Cuban but only a Mexican. With this rather inconclusive

result on Duran, the meeting ended.

As we were leaving and walking down

the stairs to

the entrance of the building Senor Ibanez came up. behind and

askod Clarke Anderson to stay a minute and speak with him, which

Anderson did. The rest of us proceeded to our oar in the parking

lot outside to awalt Anderson.

•Anderson later told us that Ibanez had held him back

to say that he Lebanez/ was completely at our disposal for

making any arrangements for lunch or otherwise with Mexican

nationals. Clarke Anderson told Ibanez that we appreciated this

but that in some instances we might find lt rather too informal

at a luncheon to transact the kind of business we hoped to do

with some of the witnesses. Ibanez replied that in that case

he would be happy to get up appointments at his office in the

Ministry of the Interior bullding. Anderson questioned whether

this was in line with the kind of non-official atmosphere that

Echevarria hoped to greate.

thanes replied that perhaps 1t

12115

REGRADED CONFIDENTIAL

Authoril. 932 & lt1 /2/29:35

D1 MAs, Dato Dato3/25/71

HW 53294% DocId: 32370750

Page: 39

---

## Page 40

19P RIGELE

"GRADED GURNIECEDM

Luoy Cla 0t: 13/25/31

128975

z Peng

Here, Pair

was not. However, the possibllity of using Ibanez' offloe

nas not faroclosed.

We then drove directly back to the Embassy, arriving

there about noon.

12100 noon to 1130 p.m.

The three of us plus Seott and Anderson went to

Minister Boonstra's office as soon as we arrived

at the American

Embassy. We reviened with Boonstra what had occurred with

Echevarria. We deoided that we would submit the note to the

Mexican government that afternoon, if possible, although every-

one recognized the difficulty of dellvering the note to the

proper Mexican officials which was created by the visit of

Queen Jullana. Boonstra pointed out that not only was there an

off101al lunch, at hich Echevaryla was now in attendance, but

that a state dinner was planned for that evening. Boonstra

requested that we draft the substance of the note immediately

and that it then be given to him for shaping into final form.

We then discussed with Boonstra the problem of

S1lv1a Duran. We pointed out that our only interest in wit-

nesses other than Duran was to get their formal testimony for

authentication purposes. We did not feel that there was any-

thing we could learn from interrogating them that Mr. Larson

and other YBI agents had not already learned. This was not

39

REGRADED CUNFIDENTIAL

IT TERRE

HH 53294

DocId: 32370750 Page 40

---

## Page 41

IRELES-RET

true of Duran, homever, because the had been interviened only

by the Mexloan polloe and ne considered that interview

1nadequate. (I should point out that we do not consider 1t

totally Inadequate, however. It 18 only on

detalls such a8

Oswald'a physical appearance, side comnents or remarks he may

have made, eto., that we rould ilke to interrogate Mrs. Duran

further. On the essential point of whether or not his

contacts with the Embassy consisted of anything other than

an attempt to travel to Cuba, Silvia Duran's knowledge has

probably been exhausted.) We disoussed with Boonstra the

best approach to try to speak to Duran. Boonstra frankly stated

that at this point it was his opinion that we would not be able

to get through to her. He felt that the Mexicang were too

politioally sensitive to risk having her ploked up a third

time under arrest and that she, being a communist and espea1-

ally because her husband was a very militant communist and a

very bitter person in general, would not agree to any kind of

voluntary appearance.

Nevertheless, he Lioonstra/ would raise

no objection to our attempt to arrange a meeting with her.. We

therefore agreed that Soott or Anderson mould recontaot

Ibanez and 11 necessary Echevarria as well to try to arrange a

meeting with Silvia Duran. It was pointed out that even

though the meeting would have to be "Informal" as stated by

"40

REGRADED GONFIDENTiAL

Authority CcRQ.14119/29/25-

11 t2 d2g2 2 0r0 010.3/23/26

HH 53294 DocId: 32370750 Page 41

---

## Page 42

TOILETREI

Authority 61l1, 12/29/75

8 12g 1138, 10 3/25/35

Echevarria, ponsibly for lunch, we could arrange that the

luncheon would be in a privato place and that 1ts location

would not be disolosed to Mrs. Duran prior to her arrival

there. She could be ploked up in an Embassy car and driven

to some other part of the city. Also, 1f necessary, the room

and/or our persons

oould be fitted with recording aparatus so

that no notes would be necessary and so that proof of what was

discussed

could be obtained and kept for an Indefinite period

thereafter.

Boonstra suggested that we consider the use of a

"eutout" for duran. By this he meant that she could be taken

to the United States on some unoffiolal journey, for example,

to give her story to an American magazine, and while in the

United States she could then appear before the Commission. We

disoussed the pros and cons of a outout and deoided that 1t was

worth considering, and that we would bring it up at the highest

levels of the Commission after we returned to the United

States.

The conference with Boonatra lasted only about one-

half hour. All of us except Boonstra then retired to room 510,

the office which had been assigned to Slawson, Willeng and

Coleman at the Embassy, and there drafted the note to be sent

42

REERADED CONFIDENTIAL

0128

HW 53294 Docid:32370750 Page 42

---

## Page 43

huth.uit: 26.040.p12/39/7.5

ISE MICEBE

to the Nexlean governuent asking for 1to offlolal report on

the assassination. As soon as the note was drawn up 1t was

delivered back to Boonatra's offloe and ve continued cur

conference.: This conference

conalsted of a much fuller dit-

cussion of the alternatives of getting Duran to testify elther

to the conniasion of to representatives of the Commiesion. The

details, difficulties and possible varlations of a "cutout!

were gone Into by scott. le also Informed Scott and Anderson

1n detall of the kind of payments which Duren could legitinatcly

expect it she vere to journey to washington, that 18, the unusi

witness fees, her hotel and neal expenses, the hotel and meal

expenses for her husband, although he would not get witness

fees, and of course the travel expenses for both of them.

This conferenoe ended when we dealded lt was time to break for

lunoh.. It ras agreed that Anderson would contact lvaner to try

to nork out an immediate follor-up on Duren in Mexico City

while me were there, but that any other approaches to Duran,

for example, a request to her that sha so to lashington or

elsenhere in the united States for an appearance before the

Commission, the "eutout" approach, eto., would be deferred

pending receipt of the outcone of Andergon's converestion with

Ibanez.

AEGRADED CONFIDENTILL

Ruthority Calt, 12/9/25

HH 53294

DocId: 32370750 Page 43

---

## Page 44

PLANEZO QONFIDENTIAL

Aron ClaPt, 12/39/15-

TAL SESHEI

2340 a.W. to 3:30 p.m.

After lunch we met in the office of Clarke Anderson.

Mr. Anderson was not there, since he was back

seeing Ibanez,

but we were accompanied by Mr. Larson. Mr. Larson had two

documents for us to read..

The first was Silvia Duran's signed

statement, accompanied by a translation, and the second was a

group of reports on the exit of Oswald from Mexico by

Transportes del Norte bus.

We also used the occasion to diacuas with larson the

best procedures for authenticating the evidence gathered in

Mexico.

Since the conditions set up by Echevarria were not

amenable to our getting direct authentication from the Mexican

witnesses Involved, we proposed that the FBI agents who had

heard the testimony. or receired the pertinent items of doou-

mentary or physical evidence from the Mexicans would them-

selves be asked to give testimony before a representative of

the Commission and, by reference to the source of their

materials, indirectly authenticate 1t. We explained in some

detall how this would work and asked Largon to conduct his

procedures so as to make later authentication as firm and as

easy as possible, and to convey this message to all other FBI

agents in the area who were vorking on the assassination.

Coleman, espectally, emphasleed to larson the desirability of

43

BEGRILED CONFICERAL

IOTSELABI

Authort. C. fA 841 - 112/29/25

IN 53294 DocId: 32370750

Page 44

---

## Page 45

NESOSO GONTUDONTHAR

FERRET

9Th: 3/2.5726

accurately identifying documentary material, by number or

other code, and advised him to see that the number of hands

through which a document was passed was kept to a minimum and

that each document was kept in the custody of a rellable

person at all times.

Larson gave the impression of readily

understanding all this and he of course agreed to our sugges-

tiong.

3:30 p.I. to 5:30 p.m.

By pre-arrangement we met at 3:30 with Winston Scott.

With him again was his assistant, Alan White. The occasion for

this meeting was to give us the opportunity to go through all

the intercepts carefully and to use them as a basis for

reconstructing Oswald's activities Insofar as they touched

upon the Cuban and Soviet Embassies..

This we did, and we then

showed White and Scott the result of our work, for their

comment. They agreed in every respect with out conclusions..

I w111 not go into great detail here because these conclusions

will of course be incorporated in our narrative report on

Oswald's activitles in Mexico, but in outline the conclusions

were as follows:

On Friday, September 27:

Time

10:00 a.M.

44:

TOP SECRET

Flecha Roja bus arrives in

Mexico City

REGRADED CURFIDENTIAL

Authorly L. Pc Str, 12/29/75

B1./02 My.... MARS, Dato 20/2076

HH 53294

DocId: 32370750

Page 45

---

## Page 46

NEGROED CONFIDENTAL

DREI

Time

10837 8.M.1

Oswald telephoned the Russian

to get "visas to

Odessa.

Sometime later

Oswald visits Cuban Consulate.

Some time later

st111

Oswald visits Russian

Consulate.

Some time later

Oswald visits the Cuban

st1ll, which

Consulate and during this visit

includes the period Silvia Duran calls the Russian

4:05 to 4:26 in the Consulate and soon thereafter

afternoon

94326

the Russian Consulate telephones

her back.

Saturday, September 283

Time

Morning

Oswald visits the Russian

Consulate

Some time includ-

ing 11:51 a.m.

Oswald visits the Cuban

Consulate and during this v1s1t

Silvia Duran phoned the Russian

consulate.

Oswald probably again visited

the Russian Consulate

Some time later

Tuesday, October 1:

Time

10:31 a.m.

11:30 a.M.

Oswald telephones the Russian

Embassy and 1s told to call

the Russian Consulate Instead.

Oswald calls the Soviet

Consulate.

He is hung up on.

We then discussed the Dorticos-Armas intercepts and

examined them in

SOme

detail.

We asked Mro scott for his

45

REGRADED CONFIDENTIAL

Authoily.C.0Ql5./0/2/29/25

HH

53294

Docid: 32370750 * Page

46

---

## Page 47

BAP SECREI

DEGRADED CONFIDGNTIAL

Hurry CRE Qu., 12/29/15-

PAO M193/21710

opinion

of them and he told us that after re-reading them

many times and listening to the tapes in the original he was

of the opinion that the President of Cuba was not referring

to the fact that money had been passed to

Oswald at the Cuban

Embassy. He emphasized, however, that the telephone connection

WaB &

very bad one i he

said. the volces rose and fell

extremely, as will sometimes happen on a radio connection on a

long distance overseas call - and he suggested that we have

the tapes re-translated by some Spanish-speaking Cuban who 1s

familiar with the dialect of Spanish current on that island,

Ineluding slang and nuances. He said the tapes were currently

with the CIA in Washington and that we could arrange for such

a re-translation when we returned. He emphasized, however,

that his own opinion was firmly as he just stated It. He

suggested the re-translation only as a means of eliminating any

doubts which might be in our minds and as a doublecheck on his

own opinion which after all, under the circumstances would be

in error. Willens asked Soott to ask Richard Helms to begin

the process of re-translating these tapes when he, Scott, saw

Helms in Washington during the CIA meeting scheduled for the

week of April 13. Scott said he would do this.

We then discussed what the Commission could eventually

publish to the American publio out of all the material we had

46

HIT

•*AEGRACED 'CUNFIDENTIL"

Authority CAl tip2/129/255

HH 53294

"Docid: 32370750

• Page

---

## Page 48

mimiChalt. 12/39175

s. the MiE, 1919

325/14

received in Mexico and in Washington from the CIA. All of us

reallzed that any decisions arrived at this afternoon could

be tentative only, since the final decision would have to be

made at the higher echelons of both the CIA and the Commission.

slawson put out the suggestion that the Commission might

publish a narrative containing all the detail obtainable from

Silvia Duran's statements and from the "open" investigations

carried on by FBI agents and Mexican police agents throughout

Mexico, supplemented to some extent by the information obtained

through the CIA's wire-tapping activities and the CIA's

Informants. This supplement, however, would not be in detail;

rather, for example, It would use phrases like "in the after-

noon" in place of "4:05 p.m." Also, no absolute quotes would

be used. Only the substance of conversations would be given.

The sources for this narrative would be stated to be s1lvia

Duran's interrogation, the "open" investigations and "other

confidential sources considered rellable by the Commission and

the federal intelligence agencies Involved." Mr. Scott's reply

to this suggestion was that he thought 1t would be acceptable

to the CIA. He said that although it involved a certain amount

of compromise of his security arrangements, the compromise was

acceptable when balanced against the importance of the occasion.

We asked whether he felt it would disclose to Russian and Cuban

47.

REGRADED GUAFIDENTIAL

Authorlty...n

335C0@l. 12/29/15

HH 53294

DocId: 32370750

Page 18

---

## Page 49

RENTALLO ESK ICE H66L

Turns. hAlt. 12/29/75

Intelligence the existence of this particular wire-tapping by

the CIA. Rid reply was that they probably assumed its

existence anyway. (It should be noted that the proposal put

forward would disclose nothing as to the existence of any

photographic observations. Nor, I belleve, would it disclose

anything that hould permit enemy Intelligence to discover who

the CIA's Informants are In Mexioo or where they are located.)

We then briefly discussed the statement of silvia

Duran which we had read earlier in the day In the FBI offices.

The CIA had

not yet

seen this statement.

5330 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.

The three of us then returned to Clarke Anderson's

office. Anderson gave us a report

on his meeting with Ibanez.

He told us that

Ibanez and he had aiscussed our making arrange-

ments to see Silvia Duran. The outcome of the discussion was

that Ibanes himself was very agreeable but said that he would

have to clear 1t with his superior, Bohevarria.

6:00 p.n. to 6:30 p.m.

We returned to room 510 and on the way there were

handed a copy of the formal request to the Mexican Government

for lta complete report on the assassination.. A copy is

-T

REGRADED CONFIDENTIL Z

Burrit tA Bt: 12/29/05

53291

DoCId: 32370750

Pare

---

## Page 50

•CIA HAS NO OBJECTION TO

DECLASSIFICATION ANDVOR

•RELEASE OF THIS DOCUMENT

REAL ED G0SK10 "T!!

IS SERALI

a Mind ne 3/25733

attached to this memorandun. We were told by Mr. Montllor,

political officer for the embassy, that although an attempt

had been made to deliver the note that afternoon it had failed

because all the responsible Mexican offiolals were out

entertaining Queen Juliana.

Another attempt would be made at

approximately 6: 30 p.m. this same day, and 1f that falled,

continuing attempts would be made on Saturday. (We were later

Informed that the note had been delivered late Saturday .morning.)

We took the copy of the note which had been handed to

us to Mr. Harry Bergold, Second Secretary In the embassy, and

asked him to ses that the Commission be Informed through channels

In Washington of the contents of this note, when it was delivered,

what the response was, when the response was received, and in

general a full documentation and report on the entire series of

transactions. He agreed that he rould see that this was done.

SATURDAY - APRIL 11

10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.

Coleman, Willens and Slawson met in room 510 and

spent about an hour or slightly more in reviewing what we had

accomplished. to date and what further work we hoped to get done

49

REGRADED CONFIBENTUML

Ruthorty. C 2Q lts., 12/29/15

HH 53294 DocId:32370750

Page 50

---

## Page 51

REGRADED CONFIDEniraL

M. 101 0 0 MARS, 12103/2.5/04

before returning to Washington.

We agreed at this time that there was sufficient

work remaining so that Slawson and Willens should stay over

at least until Monday afternoon but that unless Ibanez

replled to the effect that an Interview with Silvia Duran

could be arranged shortly, Mr. Coleman was free to return to

the United States on Sunday.

12:00 Noon to 3100 p.m.

After having decided among ourselves what further

work had to be done while we were in Mexico, we went to

Mr. Anderson's office where we met Mr. Anderson and Rolfe

Larson. The following points were covered, with the conclus-

Jong as stated!

We asked that the exaot time, rather than the

scheduled time, upon which Oswald's bus from Nuevo Laredo

arrived in Mexico Olty. on Friday, September 27 be ascertained.

We pointed out that this could be important in determining

whether Oswald immediately began his telephone calls and/or

his visits to the embassies or whether he first checked in at

his hotel. The FBI agreed to do this.

We reminded Anderson and Larson that we had some

1tems of physical evidence

which, although not of prime

SEURAGED GUNFIGENIML

Autory C. a QLs., 12/29/25

And ta fun MABS, Dare 3/25/ 71

HH 53294

DocId: 32370750 Page 51

---

## Page 52

412/29/75

In 0 3/35/71

Importance, might be helpful in their further investigations,

and it was decided that Slawson and Larson would meet early

Monday morning to go through these.

We asked that the FBI determine the hours upon which

both the Cuban and Russian Consulates were open to the public

during the dates when Oswald would have had excess to them.

Also, 1f possible, the FBI should determine 1f 1t was common

practice to stay open later than the normal hours or be open

on days such as Saturday when they were not officially open.

Once again we asked Anderson to review the Gutierrez

Investigation, which he did. We asked if there were any reports

either being prepared or that had already been sent to

Washington on this matter which we had not yet received. We

were told that there were not. The status of the Gutierrez

Investigation 1s therefore that the surveillance of the Cuban

Embassy will continue indefinitely in an attempt to pick up the

automobile which was identified by dutlerrez, all other lines of

investigation which any of us could think of seemed to have been

followed as far as

they led, with so far only negative results.

Por purposes of authenticating our Mexican

evidence

we told Anderson that we would want a list of the names of all

the FBI agents who had obtained evidence in Mexico and we

REGRADED CONFIDENTIAL

Author 1G PG; 12/29/25

B. 12M) MRS 010 3/25226

53294

DocId: 32370750 Page 52

---

## Page 53

•REGRABED CONFICER AL

Autory C AG Pk., 12/24/28

IRRITARTI

discussed

briefly what mould be the most convenient place to

have these agents nest ulth a representative of the Commission

for the taking of their depositions. Anderson replied that

either Washington or New Orleans would be fine from his point

of view. We reviewed with Anderson

the procedures which we

hoped to follon in authenticating this evidence through the

agents; as ve had explained 1t to Larson on Friday, and

Anderson agreed

that 1t would be a morkable arrangement. In

this connection It

came out that Oswald's tourist

card appli-

cation, which was made from New Orleans, was not handled by

the FBI Mexican office and therefore authenticating

1t would

be a problem to be handled elsewhere. We agreed

that we would

pursue this when we returned to Washington.

We requested an Itemized list of the cost of the

Items and services that Oswald probably purchased while in

Mexico and while traveling to and from Mexico. It was agreed

that Slanson and Larson would meet Monday to go through this

In detail.

We then discussed the desirability of our obtaining

a more complete knowledge of the procedures of the Cuban

Embassy, especially as they relate to the practice in granting

visas and the different kinds of travel permits which would be

REGRADED CONFIDENTIAL

Bhort C.C/100, 12/7175

M MMS Ms, Do 3/2 5724

HW 53294

e4.r0l 111

Page

53

---

## Page 54

REGRADED COMFPERMAL

ISTAREI

discussed briefly what mould be the most convenient place to

have these agents meet ilth a representative of the Commission

for the taking of their depositions. Anderson replied that

either washington or New Orleans would be fine from his point

of view. We reviewed with Anderson the procedures which we

hoped to follon in authentloating this evidence through the

agents; as he had explained it to Larson on Friday, and

Anderson agreed that it would be a morkable arrangement. In

this connection it came out that Oswald's tourist card appli-

oation, which was made from New Orleans, was not handled by

the FBI Mexican office and therefore authenticating 1t would

be a problem to be handled elsewhere. We agreed that we would

pursue this when we returned to Washington.

We requested an Itemized list of the cost of the

Items and services that Oswald probably purchased while in

Mexico and while traveling to and from Mexioo. It was agreed

that slawson and Larson would meet Monday to go through this

In deta1l.

We then discussed the desirability of our obtaining

a more complete knowledge of the procedures of the Cuban

Embassy, especlally as they relate to the practice in granting

Visas and the different kinds of travel permits which would be

52

REGRADED CONFIDENTIAL

MAn 1S 00 3/25724

HH

53294 DocId:32370750 Page

54

---

## Page 55

Munis CA da, 1971/35

IOT ELENTE

avallable to someone in Oswald's ciroumstanoes. Ilkewise, we

were interested in learning what obstacles to travel between

Mexico and Cuba there might be that derived from the Mexican,

rather than the Cuban, authorities. Anderson agreed to give

us as full a report on this as he could, but the difficulties

are obvious. In general, he told us that, largely at the

Instigation of the United States government, the Mexican author-

Itles are very strict about Americans traveling between Cuba

and Mexico. For example, their passports are.

stamped "Departed

for Cuba on, 1964" before the traveler gets on an airplane

bound for Cuba. Ilkewise, the Mexican Immigration officials

will not permit anyone, whether Mexican or American, to depart

for cuba unless he has

the proper Cuban travel permits. No

special Mexican travel permit 18 required for Americans at

least, but the Mexican offlolals indirectly enforce Cuban law

by insisting upon complete Cuban documentation. (It should be

pointed out that this 19 unusual. Normally, border officials

are concerned only with persons entering their country or with

their own nationals who might be leaving.) We pointed out to

Anderson that the reason for our concern that we get this

Information was that we needed lt to test the plausibillty,

and thereby the rellability, of the other evidence we had on

what Oswald was doing and trying to do at the Cuban and Soviet

Embassles, 1.e,, Me wanted to see whether his aotivities made

4 10 534400

: REGRADED CONFIDENTML

suh Chi lie, 20/39/75

HH. 53294

DocId: 32370750

Page 55

---

## Page 56

wint

7287-50779

REGRALD GANG,

Nuthority,-

cRal, 12/29/2.5

Burn "ess, a 3/257?1

senge in the light of the normal Cuban and Mexican procedures.

We then briefly discussed the "two suitcase problem."

We related how we had evidence that when Oswald left New Orleans

for Mexico he was carrying tho sultoases but that all our

evidence relating to his travels in Mexico pointed to the fact

that he had with him only a single suitoase, a small blue

zipper bag. Marina's testimony and the testimony of Mrs. Ruth

Paine both tended to confirm the one-suitcase evidence. We

said that we did not want the FBI to undertake any kind of

search immediately, because we had not yet had an opportunity

to re-interrogate our witnesses in New Orleans who had testi

fled to there being two suitcases, but assuming that such

re-interrogation confirmed their testimony in this respect,

we wondered what kind of searches in or around laredo, Texas

or Nuevo Laredo, Mexico for such a missing suitcase might be

practical. Anderson and larson both felt that the FBI was

fully capable of searching Laredo and Nuevo Laredo for a

missing sultoase, nelther town being so big as to make such a

search unreasonably diffioult.

We told Anderson that we had not yet come to a firm

decision as to whether we would want to bring Albert Osborne

to Washington or elsewhere in the United States to testify

before the Commission of a representative of the Commission,

54.

REGRADED CONFIDENTIAL

Authorty.C. GPt1, 19/29/35

A sta I MARS Dato 3/25/32

NN 53294 DocId: 32370750

Page 56

---

## Page 57

CoQ (ty, 12/21/25

3/2.0/71

TOP BEEFI

even on a voluntary basis. Certainly 1f he were going to

resist testifying and me had to subpeona him, me wanted to

think further about it.

In the meantime we wondered what the

FBI In Mexioo could do as to keeping track

of Osborne so that

we could obtain him on reasonably short notice

1f we desired to

do so in the future. After some discussion of the alternatives

open In Mexioo, where Osborne was at last report, for keeping

tabs" on an individual, Anderson replied that he would ask the

Mexican police to put Osborne on a "two week reporting basis."

He felt sure the Mexicans would comply. This means that

osborne, being a person under suspicion and being an allen, 1s

told that he must come into a certain police station and report

on a regular basis. Two weeks is a common interval for this

sort of thing, but is sometimes even done on a daily basis.

A dally reporting schedule 18 extremely burdensone, however,

especially for someone who cannot afford to travel by auto-

mobile, as me belleve is the case with Osborne, and especially

when that person 18 llving far from the police station to which

he has to report. If necessary, said Anderson, the Mexican

police at our request will order Osborne deported and give us

advance warning of when and where he will be pushed across the

border. We could then arrange to have someone waiting for him

north of the Rio Grande with a subpoena. Anderson of course

55

TAtE

REGRADED CONFIDENTiAL

Authority. Coalt,

12/21/75

Man 11, 000 3/25/14

HH 53294

DocId: 32370750

Page 57

---

## Page 58

Authority CRASts, 12/29/15

3/25 1:

AFT

understood that nothing like this should be requested of the

Mexicans without first getting our approval.

We then requested that the FBI prepare a large,

clear map of Mexico City and mark on lt each of the places

which have some bearing on Lee Harvey Oswald's actions in the

city. This map would then be authenticated and described by

one of the FBI agents, probably Larson, at the "authentication

meeting" we contemplated holding in New Orleans or Washington.

In addition, in the meantime, we would like such a map

prepared Informally for our own use. Anderson agreed to do

this and said that Larson would deliver the informal map to us

on Monday.

We Inquired whether the FBI in Mexico City had been

asked to undertake any investigations of Jack Ruby or persons

or inoidente related to him. Anderson

said that they had not

been asked to do so except that they were asked

to report any-

thing they knew or could find out on Ruby himself. All they had

been able to dig up was one old friend of Ruby's in Guadalajara,

who did not have much to say. They had made passenger and

Immigration checks on travel to and from Cuba for the past few

years Insofar as such Information was still avallable, but did

not find Ruby's name listed.

56

TOFFFEREI.

27"5

REORICED GUNFIDENTIL

Authority.. La la

12/29/75

M. 12.149 ms 01 3225/21

HW 53294

DocId: 32370750

Page 58

---

## Page 59

LET

SCRE Ot, 2/21/15

We asked Anderson 1f he had a copy of the

"dossier"

on Oswald mentioned in the Ambassador Mann file. He replied

that he did not have one but assumed that it could be found

someplace, since lt of course existed at the time, and said

that he would forward a copy to us.

We then discussed the Alvarado situation and pointed

out that we had never received a final report on him.

Anderson replied that his agency had not taken the primary

responsibillty here but that the CIA had handled this investi

gation. He agreed that we rould bring this up with winston

Scott.

Winston Scott had previously mentioned to us that he

thought that Anderson had heard some vague rumors from

expatriate American communists In Mextoo that might bear on

the assassination and suggested we ask Anderson about them.

Soott had said that Anderson had spoken with him about this

Information many reeks before, to inquire whether the CIA could

shed any light on 1t.

Accordingly, we brought the subjeot up

with Anderson. Anderson replied that an American expatriate

communist

named Ellzabeth More, known In left wing circles In

Mex1oo as "Betty Mora," had made some rather vague assertions

about Oswald which, through informants, Anderson's office was

57€0

ET

REGRADED CONFICENTIL

Authorty AGRi, 12/29/25

1 A32 Mas, ate 3/25/24

HH 53294 DooId:32370750

Page 59

---

## Page 60

B-T

trying to follow up.

for the

last month or two, however,

Betty Mora had been extremely sick

and so this whole line of

Investigation was temporarily stymied. For several years

Betty Mora has not been in good health, and in Anderson's

opinion she is not a rellable person anywry, so he did not feel

that her assertions would ever amount to much. He promised us

a report on them, however, notwithstanding his feeling that

they were not to be accorded a great deal of weight.

Finally, we posed the question to Anderson whether

he knew of anything further, Important or unimportant, which

we es representatives of the

President's Commission ought to

be told. After some thinking and after asking Larson whether

he had anything along these lines and receiving a negative

response, Anderson replied that he belleved he had given us

everything he knew.

We then briefly dropped into the CIA's office again

and saw Soott and White.. We were told by White that the

examination of the reels of photographs pertaining to the time

periods covering Gutierrez' visits to the Cuban Embassy had

been examined and that the results were negative. No auto-

moblles appeared in the photographs and no persons were shown

who answered the descriptions given by Gutierrez or who might

have been Outierrer himself. I will note here that we did

58

STOP

1.

GNNTIGENTIAL

Antholly C. a it.) 12/21/15

01. 2 - NAS, 010 3/25?6

HH

53294

DocId: 32370750 Page 60

---

## Page 61

+p12/29/25-

MO. MARS, RatR3/25/5

not ask the CIA to have these photographs displayed directly

to dutierrer..This would of course have been the easiest way

of determining whether the person he identified as the Cuban

who passed the money to Oswald was shown in one of the photo-

graphs, but this would also have involved such a serious breach

of CIA security arrangements that we did not belleve that 1t

was justifled.)

We then asked Scott and White the same question we

had asked Anderson about there being any further information

we should be given..

His answer, concurred in by White, was to

the same

effeat as Anderson's.

59

REGRADED CONFIDENTIAL

Butors 2Q li, 12/29/15

big Ma, 000-3/25/74

Docid: 32370750

Page

---

## Page 62

*SCIA HAS NO OBJECTION TO

DECLASSIFICATION ANDION

RELEASE OF THIS DOSUMENT

10P 10

12/29/25

Mub hat MABS, Dale 3) 25 2021

DONATE APPI, 13 1*K

2175 Pose to 20845 a01.

At about 9:15 a-the Sir. Slawson met vith Mir. Rolfe larson

and one other Val agento forlous sp of the Foderal Distilet of

Headoo (which Includen Verdes (1ty) were exenined and to agreed that

one of the large, clear ones would best serve an the official exhibit

for showing the location of varlous places which lee farvey Oswald

probably falted vullo he was in lardoo City.

Ht. LorDon sald that

ho would have this yap appropelately mried ind tornaded to the

Comesion in the near future. For My personnl une In the time while

the large formal map sas being prepared, Mr. Larson delivered to me

a maller mep which had there sue locatione marked on 1t.

sio then went through ench of the items as physical evidence

whlch I had taken along to Marted City, For a dereription of these

I ton, ratese lo hare made to the Minorahu for Restard" dated

30 parch 1964 frOn Vi DAvId S2U7801, Mubjents "Items of Physleal

Evidence Which Hay salate to Oneld's Nerloan I'1p," a copy of uhich

has beon ettachad to thia senorandion.

The three of is agreed that nothing of significance could

bo disconrad by surther work in comestion with silver Identiflention

boncelet inscribed "Harina." Mr. Larson and lis, Clarke Anderson had

previounty palated out thes soro then 300 AlTer shops is setten

City had boon questloned as to thie losselet on the bakld of a

RESRIGED CONFULENTIAL

photograph or it and, despite the feet that sue minor marking in LAlt, 1/29/2s

p (M49 m05s, 1010375/36

- 60 c

HH 53294

DocId: 32370750

Page 62

---

## Page 63

Mann 6

"TIM

cAa(1; 12/21/25

MAD weN 3/25/249

deht appear on the bracelet Itselt which did not shon up on the

photograph, none of the shops had stated that they even bold brecelets

of this kind and therefore a re-interulen of then vould alnost

certainly again be negative. We also felt that even if the khop

should be discovered which sold this bracelet to lee farvey Onwald,

probably all the orner could tell us tould be that les, he probably

nold the bracelet to samsone.

Mr. larson noted don all the words on the back flyleaf

of the spanish-English dictionary and he also noted the markings

on pagan 5, 118 and 210 next to Mer1ou8 sparded word. foRe of VE

could cen nry partloular help at this time Which would come from

there urltings and markings; but te felt that Mr. larson at lenst

ought to have them with him.

The Mexican religioun modal vas felt to be so common as

to be peobably intracrable and, 1a additlot, from 1t5 ago to guessed

that it may not have bees purchased in Septenber 1963 11 Nerdeo City

but could perhaps live been Imported Into the Unlted States and

obtained by derald sone tie mich eurtles, prestmably 1a Dallas or

lew Orleans.

Mt. Iren noted down all the varding on page 47 of Ormald's

ndirans bock. He nald that be sould sheet each of the teleprone

mmbers and addrases to see 1t they referred to the embassies and

airiines to which they seen to refer and, If they did not, he would

find out share talephone maters to

39c8 they tore In sadition,

he pronined to do all ho could to sind out rather les Harvey Dovala

hed over show up at the fubano Alrlined as the address book Indicates,

• 61 -

CARt:, 13/09/23

Ming

NH 53294 DocId: 32370750 Page 63

---

## Page 64

REGRAGED CUNFIGENTAL

Authority 2a Pt.., 1

12/2.4/75

to MARS, Date 7/25/25

but thie of coume will present son diffloultles and say not bo

mlataly abbotat

Wee. Except fox the utters fust mentloned,

va could see so further help trou the physical exhibite in the

Herdean Investigation at tble paint.

I then mentioned to it. Larson and the other agent that

Merina Derald had testified to the lodeston that tex Harrey Orrald

told her, after he returned fron Hertoo, that while there he had

VIsIted the Cuben and Russian Inbassion to do all he could to get

to cuba and had also seen a bull flght, vistted some museums and done

soss sight-toning. tr. larton said that the bull flght arm had

alrendy been checked out insofar as possible uith the result being

that no one there remembers Oswald tlaiting the arena on the Sunday

1n question but also that no one there 18 at al1 certain that he did

not vast the ores, furthesure, there 1o a section in the arone

not raldo for pertas the are hit formally pressed end therefore

cevald could have got a seat even though he did not carry & coat

and nocktie vith his. It tes sentloned in this connection that the

Ja1 alEs ERnoR 11 MexiCo Clty ano strletly reserted for persons vio

are properly attired and that no ran can enter ulthout a necktie.

Iuls plus the faet that the ticket taker at the sato, tho 1s a

practiced professional inforer for the pollon 19 Mexico CIty, Boys

emphatically that Orald did not appear there, lend us to conclude

that Oswald never went to the jal alas canoe despite the notation 1n

118 syarlah-Anortons diestoney indienting that he intended to do so.

tho seet that bo tallod to nintlon saything about the jai alal games

REGRADED CONFIDENTUAL

to Martra after he returned potato tonard this same conalusion. Authority (RE lu:, 11/2975.

62 €

1 1928 1m,17511

HH 53294

DocId: 32370750

Page

64

---

## Page 65

DEVANIES GUATNEAINL

Authorty CLQ OtT, 5/27/16

D1 IM. 2nJ- HABS, HABS, Date 3/23?5

120-

Ralfe larson and the other agent vere quite interested in

Harlan's statement that Orald suld ho had vlolted some musers.

They falt they knew tho museums which under the circumetances Orunld

would probnbly have visited. One of then has a caretaker sho takes

an empocial interest In Inerionns and it was felt that he night be

ablo to identity Doveld 11 Donald hed talted there. H. Iesor and

the other agent agroed that they would follow thin lend it the

carilos opportunity.

I then told larson that the commission was interented

establishins as nearly as possible the mount of nosey spent by

Joe Entrey Oswald traveling to and tron toeico Clty and shile he wars

stan the city. In this connection it was agreed that the Mextenn

offIco of tie FBI sould forurd to the Comnission, through channels,

an stentred estlante of OsHald's expenses which rould Include at

1008t the fallordog steer

1. Jus test both southbound and northbound in Neelcol

l me fee for the travel agency, 18 day, peld by Omal

or nia narthbound tured reservytione

3a The cont of Ormald's toon at the Hotel del Comercios

to The approachmate food cast, Includias food he ate

atllo treraling on tha busess

So cost of the bull flaht in the section In which Oswald

probably set,

6o the cost, 11 may, or the men which he visited,

To. Various transportation ports by bus and/or teciceb

Inerred on the varienn brig be know he probebly

nado 1a Icadico C1ty.

SiEGHADED CUNFIDENTIAL

Authoriy 0Q,04, 12/21/25

- 63 =

HH

53294

DocId: 32370750

Page 65

---

## Page 66

REGRADED CUMFIDEN OL

12/21/25

I LO

almost certainly walked hant and forth between the

two embassies one he was in that neighborhood) ;

Bro

Vartous telephone calle (In this conncetion I told

larson that it would be sufficient for our purposes

If the fit vere to furnish un with the cost of a

single local coll, since ve vere probably in a better

position to floure out hoy mmy telephona calla Ovald

nãe tom vas thà 1a1)) qua t

9. Purchace of six pieture postcards.

Ma Slawson then want to tar. Winston Scott's office where

he not fir, scott's secretary, "Dottia," us arranged by lit. Seott

the previous saturday. Dottle sarded the telephone intercepto

Into the nearby conferance roos, handed than over to Me. Slawson

and ramined in the roon throughout the entire timo dr. Slawson

worked on them. It. Slawson spent until about 11:30 triting notet

Ira the intercepts, after which he returned theis to Dottle.

these

notes one ta the attached sam

randu dated Apr11 22, 1964,

Mr. Slarson then returned to the MIll section of the limbassy,.

Miere he met Me. Millens. The two of us held a very brios discussion

vith Me. Clarice Anderson 1a hid office. M, Millens told Andereon

that ho, Wiltens, and Stenion and Calenn as voll hed been very

turorably impressed ith the ligh quality of the fat officers we had

nat in lordeo Clly and tith the nonner in which they were carrying

out thats took in connection with the amossination. It was apparent,

bovever, that except for the "Alvarado" investigation, wiich so far

ds no costa observe had bern very thoroughly handlad, high-quealty

claR., 12/29/25

1. Mmg. NARS Data 23/25/134

with 192-974050adr:

diri:

HW 53294 DocId:32370750

Page

66

---

## Page 67

CIA HAS NO OBJECTION TO

DECLASSIFICATION ANDIOR

RELEASE OF THIS DOCUMENT

12/21/20

Aulhority.o.

All inses

Let E, MARS, Dato 3/25-121

wet in sealer dated vily trici aboit late Peterary, nhen THi agente

with exportence in Hexded had been annlgned to the job. Mr. Willens

asted why this hnd not been done at an eartler date.

Its. Anderson answered that he now agreed that the deley

was unfartiste, He seld that the thought after the areasstration

of those in the labassy who vare rospousible was that the bent

renalte would be schleved hy worklay pointly through the lexican

authorities, who at the tir vers certainly highly notimated by the

dentro to clear thedr eountry of my involvement by discovering

my cuben of other coumpliacy us inotlution wulen idght have

existod and tho spprared reasonably competiont, hiderson pointed

out that an attempt to throw is our own men at the time might

have had adverso political effects and theraforo have hiriered the

oversall effort. but, he adoltted, nabequent results, such an

the Inademunto fotal del Connelo inventigation and the fallure of

the Motorm polles to lock beyond the fact that the name "Devald"

apported on the transportos Exorters passenger manifest, showed

abet the Mexican's investigation was not good enough. then that

bacone tippermit, and Anderson, the tEL's On Men vere dEsigned to

the job.

½ o'clock noon Imt1z 13132 Ballo

Lester ts the marrans, ut so

flos about soon, Hoterd

1112019 sad l, Blenoos, accorpaniod by Mr. Clertse Andorson, Velted

Sir, Boonstra, Mizdster for PalItienl, AffelTs at the American Embassy.

Two sodnt wore discussed With Mr Soonstra.

15-

1 CAGOt 112/29/35

1. 119. мл, по 3/251 36

HH 53294

DocId: 32370750

Page

67

---

## Page 68

8. 12120 MARS, Da10 3/125/2E

at shis junctura

with tes, S1ivla Duren, the clork at the tel

nexy tho dealt

nast trequently with Onald, The Hexdenn Gorerment, through Mr. Iais

Ichevartia, Acting Socretary of the Interlos, had declined our

sugrantion that to ask ire. Duran to apport at the American Embnsay

end when tund apeettloally intrit unrunting en informal noeting with

iran, Ichevarta rencted coolly, although he stopped short of tintly

rejeeting the suggestion, so me decussed the roasibilities of

contacting her to ant for her voluntury appearance in Hashington,

Do fa, or aloestora la the United Statos to elte testimony to the

C0138102

in a Doonstre personally felt that such an approach to

Its. Duran night be acceptable politically but he declined to make

a shra couri trent on the palst, saying that the probler was comples

and importent enough to be remölved at the higher levels of the

Stata Departunt 1n Waskington, We Ald decide, howeror, that the

best approach pond probably be to send a sultably vorded letter to

UND, DUTTA, BlEed by do tec Pantla, to the Anerhosan Embarisy 111

Mexico City for sodelivery to lies. Duren by restatered mail. The

Babassy tould wake shatever arrangemente wore necessary for soeing

that the letter was in fatt delltured to her directly, Ne all

agreed that 1t vold probably not be a good idea to Include a list

De guantsons in the lotter, to bo momrad la l10u or her perora

appears. It ven felt that the fruestlons vould constituto to0 great

1 MEk of being ted for propaganda purposes ty the Colmnlets ar

REGRADED CONFIDENTRAL

pro-Castro duben Erolpa In Mexdoo G1tr.

Antony C2ACe1,12/2125

• 66 €

PInS 113s no. 3622/22

HH

53294 DocId: 32370750

Page 68

---

## Page 69

Authority C-2406, 12/31/35

The record probien Alsoussed with Hir. Doorstra was the

adritabllity of the thaited stated borerment requenting through

Sulas channels that the Culen goverment forard 1ts complete file

on bee harvey orvald to the Coransion. It was pointed out that the

testimony of silvia Duran plus certain other Independent evidence

mallable to in ladleste strangly that leo Harvey asrald detually

ande out a formal application for & Cuban visa, which presumably is

In his henchoriting or nt lenst signed by his, and the cules goverment

went do far an to act on thin application and authorize the issuance

0f a this conditional only upon his thist obtaindro a Rutstan visa,

about 15 days arter his vlast to the Cuben Embassy, Should there

documento be turned over to the CondeRlos, they probably could be

Independently authentiented through Onwald's handwriting. It. Boonstm

Has 1n0lined to feat that such a roguent night not only serve the

purpons of the fonderdon but could also be of polltlent benotst

to the untted states Goverment. He camented that the Cuban

governont night chooss to somply because it man presently seeking

lestening of tension with the Undted States, dad becaune 1t night

be gull of the opportunity to show that 1te Immolvements With Oswald

vere innocent and fully disclosed by Slirio Duren In her Interrogation

with the Herloan pallet. felther Sir. Bornetra nor Mr. Anderton

could think of any material adverse polltieal renults which woula

aise fron slach i toquest, since both telt that it was the most

natutal this in the morld for a sovertment to wint to investigate

the astartination at 1tw preuldent and such a request would be sully

REGRADED CONFIDENTIAL

- 67 -

.. C20, 149722

HH 53294

DocId: 32370750

Page 69

---

## Page 70

Authority 5.0.05.71522.1919

Bet a MASS, Anto

per E.O. 11652, Sec. 515,2;

Die 700e ,0t0

12/29/765

Aginay

F. 0. 1152, 92. 563)(2) Date nei

1a Zine with en lemostization 02 this typa. M. Docratse tere t00, Decoraty on: ited

soneros, telt that the sutlere decleon should be node ta Manhington.

13:20 RIE. to 1100 Ruta

"The lest tent ulsates of Willens' and Slavnan's time were

trisen up inylas gonoge to the Indirduble in the labunny with whom

ve had worked and thanking them for theer cooporation.

We also rude

Dons last ribute arrangements to have our notes and documentary

materied, mont of which mas clarified "Conflaential" or "Secret, "

deltrecod tó us la hashington, Do la by diplomatse pouche Ihls wal

to be handled by it. clarice inderson's afflee.

face the goodbyes

and delivery angements vere coupleted to left the imbassy, had

lunch end were later met at the Coltinental Ililton Hotel by Clarke

Anderson and falte Jaster, iho drove la to the liirport, le departed

ou an santern Mrlinen Filedit to Mutingtor vla Den Orleans it 3180 poM.

RESRADE CONFIDENTIAL

Authority Col 9,951,29 De.1975

BI. M. 9 485, ne. 3/25/24

EXEMPT from automatic declanellicatios

F. 0. 11451, 8. 52316)

HH 53294

DooId:32370750

Page. 70

---

## Page 71

80. 1379

The inbasey of the laited Itates of lnerica present,

Its compliments to the Ministry of ForeigA feletions and has the

honor to retex to tha afflelal lumentigation boing conducted by

the doverment of the United Stutes of Anerice into all possible

aspecte of the assasslartion of Fresideut John I. Kennedy on

November 22, 1963, and enpecially into the activities of the

allogod assassla, see Harter Onald.

The tabassy deeply appreciates the cooperation which

Mexican agencias have heretofore artended to the covariment of

the United Statas In doveloping Infozuation shich could prove

pertinent to that offledal Investigatios, and it vould be

waltonally h91p541 11 the dopertent of texles sonid seize

stallabla to the InDasay as sotalled a report an la fersible

on the instigatson conducted in Hesdeo by satinnal ageneles

Into the antivities at Ins Harvey Obald durias the tina that

se 1o kaova to bara been 1a Mosleo.

the inbassy would also ba sust appreciative If toa report

sborld incluve a description of thom measures which the doverzuent

of Herdeo my bate token immediately upon hearing of the assassisa-

ton or president Kennedy, such as spectal vigilance at polato of

IN 53294 DocId: 32370750 Page 71

---

## Page 72

22

antry, and other stays related to the afternata of the

8888381787105.

Tos Embassy vishes to assure the Ministry of Foreign

Relations that uhatevur report 19 nade evallable to 1t by the

loversent of textoo will not be nade sublle uithout first

obtaining the approval of the roversuast of lexico.

The subassy of the United States avalls 1trell of this

occasion to renny to the Ministry of Foreign Rolations the

AssUrEIGes of 1ts highest and nost distinguishad consideration.

Babassy of the Undted Statas of Anerloa,

Naxleo, Do Fo, AJurtl 20, 2964.

HH 53294 DocId:32370750 Page 72

---