MANUSCRIPT OF FORMER COS, MEXICO CITY.
Agency: CIA
Originator: CIA
From: BRECKINRIDGE, SCOTT D., OLC
To: MEMORANDUM FOR THE RECORD
Document date: 10/6/78
Document type: PAPER-TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

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DiO # 79-3153

6 October 1978

MEMORANDUM FOR THE RECORD

SUBJECT : Manuscript of Former COS, Mexico City

1.

Yesterday morning Mr. Charles Berk of the HSCA

Staff

asked to have certain documents transmitted to

the CIA work area in the HSCA offices

Lesterday went i do

for use in the depo-

sitions of James Angleton which were being taken on 5

October 1978.

This is the first time that we have received

such a request on such short notice, but the responsible

DDO elements were asked to assemble the documents and

review them for any special sensitivity prior to delivery

to the HSCA.

This use is under a practice established in

April/May of this year whereby documents reviewed at

Headquarters could be used under CIA control for deposi-

tions.

The LA Division representative phoned to inquire

as to whether there was a property interest on the part

may affect our delivery of that document to HSCA.

i note here scoot that

former COS, Mexico City, which

obtained a first opinion from OGC that there might be

a property interest that would in some way be affected,

subject to the nature of the delivery of the material to

the Agency. I undertook to contact John Horton,

a subse-

may be able to give us.

I spoke with his wife who referred

to me yet another number,

(301) 373-2626.

3.

While I was trying to locate Mr. Horton and

establish contact with him we continued to have a

spirited

exchange with Mr. Berk. Mr. Rininger of OGC joined us and

the discussion continued.

Essentially, our position was

that we might have a responsibility to protect a proprietary

interest on the part of the Estate, and that until we

ascertained the facts we did not feel that it was appropriate

for us to deliver the documents.

Mr. Rininger contacted

the General Counsel who expressed the opinion that we did

not have a proper basis for withholding the documents from

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the Congress.

It was understood in our discussion with

Mr. Berk that those portions of the manuscript that con-

tained sensitive operational information would still be

subie to here repertoss none afree mater pub tequested

tion in any final report.

a classitication mark.

tive intornation, I classified it and arrangements were

ask elho

although it did contain sensi-

made to transmit it forthwith to the HSCA.

I did speak with John Horton, asking his recollec-

tion of the circumstances under which the Agency came into

possession of these papers. He said that after he became

COS, Mexico City, he made a point of maintaining contact

with Win Scott.

There was some bitterness on the part of

Mr. Scott (the reason was not given) and Horton had hoped

to reduce that. In any event, after Scott died Mrs. Scott

told Horton that there were a

Scott's study. Horton went out to Mrs. Scott's home and

with her went through the papers there.

Among them were

Agency personnel files, operational files,

a variety of

documents, including a manuscript with various drafts of

the same material of a biography that Scott was writing.

This apparently was intended for Readers Digest, and there

was correspondence between Scott and John Barron.

I asked

Horton if there was any expression of interest on the part

of Mrs. Scott in the manuscript of the book. Horton replied

that she obviously disliked Barron and was anxious to

get

rid of the papers. He quoted her as commenting that

Barron encouraged Scott to "tell all those stories and

baner for scot and that she"

lies." Horton was clear that there was no interest on the

part of Mrs. Scott and that she wants nothing done with the

5.

While all the foregoing describes the question of

the handling of the scott manuscript, there is a more basic

underlying problem.

The manuscript contains some dramatic

Inaccuracies about

Lee Harvey Oswald's visit to Mexico City.

Agency records, and the recollections of those involved

in the matter,

are that there was no photography of Oswald

during his visit and that other than a telephone call on

1 October 1963 (which led to a routine report to Headquarters)

there was no real knowledge of his presence there until

after the assassination of President

Kennedy.

The Scott

manuscript has the Agency photographing Oswald coming and

going from both the

Soviet Embassy and the Cuban Consulate

and being under surveillance during the time he was in

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Mexico City. It HsCA gives credence to the scott account it

would reinforce suspicions entertained in the HSCA staff

that CIA surpressed its record

of Oswald.

It has been

fairly clear that some of the investigators have believed

from the beginning that there was a tie between ClA and

Oswald which the Agency has endeavored to cover up.

• While

we know that

such was not the case this could be used to

"corroborate"--as Mr. Berk stated to us--other findings

in their investigation.

6.

I asked Horton if he would comment on Win Scott's

condition during his retirement and prior to his death.

Horton said he would prefer not to have his comments made

public without turther thought, but that he had the

impression that Scott had "gone to seed." He did not know

whether this was a result of drinking or other factors.

He said that Scott was like an old soldier, who told stories

of his "victories in battles that he never fought."

7. Given the bias of the HSCA staff investigators

we can

assume that this will be the source of some contro-

versy in connection with the HSCA final report.

S. D. Breckinridge

Distribution:

Orig. - OLC/Subject

1

- OLC/Chrono

- SA/ DDCI

DDA

DDO

1

- C/LA (Attn: Sturbitts/Hawkins)

PCS/LOC (Mr. Shepanek)

1

OGC (Mr. Rininger)

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