Agency: FBI
Originator: FBI
From: COLARELLI, THOMAS L.
To: DIRECTOR, FBI
Document date: 8/6/69
Document type: PAPER, TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

## Page 1

JFK Assassination System

Identification Form

Agency Information

Date:

6/1/2015

AGENCY :

RECORD NUMBER :

RECORD SERIES :

AGENCY FILE NUMBER :

FBI

124-10195-10317

HQ

92-11305-17

Released under the John

F. Kennedy

Assassination Records

Collection Aet of 1992

144 USC 2107 Notel.

Case#:NW 45865 Date:

11-17-2017

Document Information

ORIGINATOR: FBI

FROM: COLARELLI, THOMAS L.

TO: DIRECTOR, FBI

TITLE:

DATE: 08/06/1969

PAGES:

111

SUBJECTS :

JAMES, DONALD LESTER, ASSOC, ACT, TOLL CALL,

INVEST, VARIOUS SUBJECTS

DOCUMENT TYPE: PAPER, TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

CLASSIFICATION: Unclassified

RESTRICTIONS: 4; 10(a)2

CURRENT STATUS: Redact

DATE OF LAST REVIEW: 02/26/1998

OPENING CRITERIA: INDEFINITE

COMMENTS: RPT, TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE 2

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NO 92-1029

5) Will report outstanding investigation from

auxiliary offices as received.

6) Will consult with Departmental Attorney

JOSEPH TAFE re the possibilities of presenting this case to

a Federal Grand Jury:

INFORMANTS:

On 6/6/69 NO 1796-C-TE advised that RICHARD HEDD

advised him that he had seen ELDON LEGAN ard JIMMY JAMES

together in Biloxi, Miss., two or three days after

JUNIOR: PROVENZANO had been picked up by an unknown person

at the Malibu Lounge.

On 6/13/69 NO 1774-C advised that there have been

a number of rumors circulating on the West Bank concerning

the swindle of CLYDE BOURGEOIS.

One rumor indicates that

JOHNNY MACK PATTERSON had something to do with the swindle;

however, source does not believe he is intelligent enough

to have

been involved. Another rumor is that JOE MARCELLO

picked up JUNIOR PROVENZANO at

the Malibu Lounge several

weeks ago. Source stated that there was no apparent

confirnation for this information as far as he could determine.

On 6/13/69 NO 1796-C-TE advised that he was

unable to recognize either composite photograph of the two

Unsubs.

He stated that JUNIOR PROVENZANO had told him that

he (PROVENZANO) had been in Chicago to buy a horse during

the first part of that week.

On 6/23/69 NO 1796-C-TE made available

JUNIOR PROVENZANO'S

personal pistol, which is a .38 caliber

Rohn revolver with a blue finish.

He advised that after the

alleged shooting on 6/19/69, JUNIOR became worried and gave

the pistol to JOE ODDO, who

then placed it in source's

antomobile. Source advised he was planning to return the

C

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NO 92-1029

pistol on 6/23/69. The serial number is 156262. Source

advised that to his knowledge, the weapon is the only one

that PROVENZANO owns. He has heard that PROVENZANO bought

the weapon from JERRY SAN FELIPO.

Source advised that the man who runs the Tropical

Trailer Court on Chef Menteur Hwy:, two blocks towards

New Orleans from the Interstate 10 interchange, is a friend

of JUNIOR PROVENZANO and a very close friend of

NELLO PACINI. The owner's wife was said to have personal

contacts with the Louisiana Governor.

PACINI advised

source that she obtained PACINI's citizenship papers for

him through her contacts. A number of people from the

*Gold Medal Shows" carnival live at that trailer court on

various occasions.

Source advised that on 6/20/69 he was in Biloxi,

Miss., and it was reported that someone shot up

JIMMY JAMES' home.

• Source was unable to obtain any info

re the incident, but he feels there is the possibility

Source we

that it may have been a result of the swindle JAMES was

allegedly involved in at Vidalia, La.

RAY COCKFIELD is an employee of the Bank of the

South in Gretna, La., where JUNIOR PROVENZANO does all of

his banking. COCKFIELD gets a kickback on cars sold by

Jefferson Auto Sales, and their subsequent financing

through that bank. JUNIOR co-signs all loans on the

Jefferson Auto Sales: PROVENZANO told source that the bank

has a $100,000 life insurance policy on JUNIOR. PROVENZANO,

and the bank pays the premiums.

Four or five months

ago, PROVENZANO told source

that he was signed for approximately $125,000 worth of

notes 1zom

Bank of the South.

Source advised that he

bought a green and white Cadillac from JUNIOR, and he paid

$4,500. A cash payment of $1,200 was made to

JURIOR PROVENZANO, and $3,400 was financed through the

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NO 92-1029

Bank of the South.

Source made $150-a-month payments for

seven months for a total of $1,050. When the car was sold

to JOHNNY MACK PATTERSON, source went to the bank to pay

off his loan and found that he still owed either $4,200 or

$4,400. Source believes that the president of the bank

has knowledge of these activities:

Source advised that ELDON LEGAN is in Danfield,

Va., with a carnival, Cold Medal Shows.

Source advised that CONRAD SALUTO has a trailer

on Avenue B, Marrero, around the 1600 block. He advised

that to find the trailer, go away from New Orleans on the

Westbank Expressway and turn left on Avenue B. The trailer

is on the left hand side of the street and has a carport

with a For Sale sign displayed.

Source has heard that

SALUTO has stolen property stored at that location; however,

source believes that the goods were stolen locally. He has

no info re specific items stored there.

On 6/27/69 NO 1796-C-TE advised that since the

alleged shotting incident between JUNIOR PROVENZANO and

CLYDE BOURGEOIS, he has talked with JOE ODDO several times

while ODDO was extremely intoxicated, and at no time has

ODDO indicated that any shooting actually took place. Source

believes that ODDO would have let it slip had there been any

truth to the shooting allegation. Based on this information,

source does not believe a shooting took place.

On 6/18/69 NO 1283-PC advised that he is familiar.

with JIMMY CHEHARDY, whom he regards as a con man, promoter,

and pimp, who recently skipped town after selling his bar,

Jimmy & Deb's, to an individual who works at Holmes. He

stated that CHEHARDY owes BILL CHRISTMAS, manager for

BOB NIMS' Lucky Coin Amusement Co., about $20,000; which

the latter had invested in the bar for CHEHARDY. PC advised

that he has known JUNIOR PROVENZANO for several years and

has heard that PROVENZANO and LEGAN are involved in the

E

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NO 92-1029

swindle with JIMMY JAMES

He stated that he has heard

who it was that stabbed LEGAN, but he wants to verify this

information before furnishing the name of the individual.

He stated that the situation which has evolved on the

West Bank

as a result of the swindle has caused

CARLOS MARCELLO a lot of undue "heat," which is unjustified

because MARCELLO has nothing to do with PROVENZANO.

On 6/17/69 NO 1793-PC advised that he had

observed VINCENT MARCELLO enter Jefferson Auto Sales in

Marrero, where apparently a meeting was taking place

between MARCELLO, JUNIOR PROVENZANO, NUNZIO PROVENZANO, and

most of the bar owners recently affected by the pressure

being brought by the local authorities in the Marrero area

such as JOE ODDO, RAYMOND FABRE, and others. He recognized

ODDO and FABRE at the meeting.

He stated he sat across

the street in front of the location for about an hour, but

did not enter the meeting himself.

On 7/11/69 NO 1796-C-TE: advised that the latest

information he had was that SIDNEY KERN is living, in ances

apartment located adjacent to a motel on Chef Menteur Hwy.

on the outskirts of New Orleans. He believes the apartment

is located on the right side of the highway going away from

Orleans®

New Orleans. He believes the motel might be Quality Courts

Motel.

PCI

JFK Act 6 (4)

furnished the following

information to an Agent of the Jackson Officé:

Source advised that all women who are proficient

in the pigeon drop operation are trained by JIMMY JAMES?

wife on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Source advised the

wife is the best in setting up drop operations.

Source advised there were three pigeons which

were set up by JAMES on the evening of 7/1/69 in Jackson,

Mass. in the following manner;

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AJEK Act 6 (4)

JN 92-248

BFG: mif

1

PCI

furnished the

following information to SA BENJAMIN F. GRAVES on 5/26/69:

He was in Caesar's Palace, a Biloxi, MississippI,

nightclub located on U.

S. Highway 90, about 11:00 PM on

the night of 5/25/69, at which time DONALD LESTER JAMES

came into the club.

He and JAMES drank for a considerable

period of time and he paid for most of the drinks because

JAMES did not appear to have any money, or

at-least he

made no effort to pay for the drinks.

Informant advised he had never seen JAMES driving

a 1965 - 68 brown Oldsmobile.

JAMES usually drives a

Cadillac and his wife drives

a Bonneville Pontiac.

PCI

furnished the following

information to

• SA GRAVES on 5/27/69:

He telephoned the residence of DONALD LESTER JAMES,

401 Evergreen Lane, Biloxi, Mississippi, at approximately

1:00 PM on 5/21/69 and was

advised by JAMES's wife, CAROLYN,

that he was not home and that he was out trying to arrange

bail for JUDY CAROLYN KAY, who was in the Harrison County

Jail, Gulfport, Mississippi.

(KAY was arrested by Agents

of the FBI in Biloxi on 5/19/69 on a UFAP warrant out of

Illinois. She is the girl friend of CLIFFORD HUGH FULLER,

who is an associate of JAMES. FULLER was arrested in

Hattiesburg, Mississippi, on 5/16/69, and he was in the

Forrest County Jail, Hattiesburg, during the period 5/18-22/69.)

Informant advised he called the residence of JAMES

later on that date and talked with JAMES, and then went

directly to his residence.

He assumed the time was between

2:00 - 4:00 PM.

Present at JAMES's residence at that time

were the following individuals:

DONALD LESTER JAMES

CAROLYN

JAMES (wife of DONALD LESTER JAMES)

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2

JUDY CAROLYN KAY

C. J. INABINET (bondsman for the United Bonding

Company, Gulfport, who arranged bond for

JUDY CAROLYN KAY on that date).

Informant advised he called JAMES's residence

on 5/22/69 in an effort to locate JAMES, and he was advised

by JAMES's wife that he was at the Edgewater Gulf Hotel

Golf Course, which is located in Biloxi. Informant then

went to the golf course club house, which he thought was

between 4:00 and 5:00 PM. As he entered the club house,

he saw JAMES in the snack bar, and at the time, he was

under the impression JAMES had just come off the golf course.

He stated JAMES was wearing slacks and a sports shirt, but

he could not recall if he was wearing golf shoes.

Informant talked with JAMES a few minutes and

noted that the following individuals were also in the snack

bar sitting at various

tables:

HERSCHEL DYER

RAY GREEN and his wife (reside in Gulfport)

NORWOOD HEDGE

Informant advised he talked with these individuals

for approximately 20 to 30 minutes and departed. JAMES

remained at the snack bar when he left.

Informant advised he had never known JAMES to

drive a 1965-68 brown Oldsmobile, and he did not know of any

of his

associates who drive such a vehicle.

Informant advised he was in contact with JAMES on

5/16-17/69, but he does not recall being in contact with

him on 5/18/69.

This same informant advised on 5/28/69 that at

approximately 12:40 PM on 5/28/69, he observed a white

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3

four-door Pontiac Executive, bearing 1969 Mississippi

license 18-D-224, parked at the residence of DONALD LESTER

JAMES.

JN 10-C-TE furnished the following information

to SA GRAVES on 6/18/69:

Informant was shown photographs of JOSEPH

PROVEINZANO, ELDON LEGAN, and JOSEPH CHIMENTO, aka "Zip,"

and he stated he could not identify any of these individuals

as being associates with DONALD LESTER JAMES.

Informant saw JAMES on the night of 5/31/69 at

Gus Stevens' Restaurant, which is located on U. S. Highway

90 in Biloxi. Informant did not have an opportunity to

talk to him; however, JAMES appeared to informant to be

drinking heavily.

Informant heard that JAMES had been playing golf

during the past few days with ANTHONY MAZARA, LARRY "RIP"

POULAS, and NORWOOD HEDGE. Informant heard that HEDGE had

sold some property and had quite a bit of money, and JAMES

and the others were trying to win; some of his money.

Informant did not know any individual by the

name of JOE GOLDBERG who associates with JAMES.

JEK Act 6 (4)

was shown photographs by

SA GRAVES on 6/10/69 of the following individuals, and he

advised he had never seen these individuals on the Missis-

sippi Gulf Coast or in the company of DONALD LESTER JAMES:

JUNIOR PROVENZANO

ELDON LEGAN

JOSEPH CHIMENTO

Informant advised he did not know any individual

by the name of JOE GOLDBERG who associates with JAMES.

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JN 10-C-TE furnished the following information

to SA GRAVES on 6/30/69:

#JEK Act 6 (4)

Informant played golf with DONALD LESTER JAMES

approximately two weeks ago, and at that time JAMES did

not wear a diamond ring on his left ring finger./ / JAMES

has

been playing golf with NORWOOD HEDGE, ANTHONY MAZARA,

and ROY BRANNING during the past few days. JAMES had a

golf game with some individuals at the Edgewater Golf Club

in Biloxi, Mississippi, in the recent past and the stakes

were

rather high, so he called ROY BRANNING, a good golfer

from Jackson, Mississippi, and had him come to Biloxi and

play in the game as his partner so they might win their game

and split any winnings..

PCI

advised SA GRAVES on

7/1/69 that DONALD LESTER JAMES had not frequented the

lounge at the Admiral Benbow Motel, located on U. S. Highway

90, Biloxi, during the past couple of weeks. She said she

had not seen any of his associates in the lounge during the

past couple of weeks either.

PCI

furnished the following

information to

SA GRAVES on 7/1/69:

On 6/23/69 at the hearing in Justice of the Peace

ROY MATTINA's court in Biloxi, CLIFFORD HUGH FULLER, JR.,

was fined $25 for possession of gambling equipment (dice

table).

He thereafter left Biloxi and returned by plane

to Atlanta, Georgia. HERSCHEL DYER was going to New Orleans

on that date and FULLER rode to New Orleans with him and

then caught a plane to Atlanta.

The cause of the shooting at the residence of

DONALD LESTER JAMES on the night of 6/21-22/69 was because

JAMES had telephoned FULLER in Atlanta

and told him not to

return to the Mississippi Gulf Coast or he and his associates

would take care of him. FULLER, being a hothead, afterwards

got into his vehicle and drove to Biloxi and shot into the

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residence of JAMES. FULLER told informant that the cause

of the trouble was that MILTON FAIRCHILD

,-a Gulfport

attorney,. had been dating his girl friend, JUDY CAROLYN

KAY, after FAIRCHILD had represented her when she was

arrested by the FBI on a UFAP charge in Biloxi on 5/19/69.

On 6/23/69 when FULLER's car was released by

the Harrison County Sheriff's Office, FULLER did not want

to drive the car because it had the gunshot hole in the

right door and he asked the informant to put it in a local

body shop and have the hole repaired. He stated that that

night he heard that the Biloxi Police Department was

looking for the car, and he turned it over to Biloxi Chief

of Police LOUIS ROSETTI.

When FULLER left the Biloxi area, he seemed to

have forgotten about his problem with JAMES and made no

indication that he would return to the Biloxi area and

cause problems for JAMES or FAIRCHILD.

L

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