Agency: FBI
Originator: FBI
From: MM
To: HQ
Document date: 12/3/59
Document type: PAPER, TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

## Page 1

JFK Assassination System

Identification Form

Agency Information

Date:

6/2/2015

AGENCY: FBI

RECORD NUMBER:

124-90100-10234

RECORD SERIES: HQ

AGENCY FILE NUMBER :

52-72398-233

Released under the John

F. kennedy

issassination Records

Collection Act of 1992

144 USC 2107 Notel.

Case#:WW 54027 Date:

08-25-2017

Document Information

ORIGINATOR: FBI

FROM:

MM

TO: HQ

TITLE:

DATE :

PAGES:

SUBJECTS :

12/03/1959

9

STUART SUTOR

JOSEPH RAYMOND MEROLA

DOCUMENT TYPE :

PAPER, TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

CLASSIFICATION: Unclassified

RESTRICTIONS :

4

CURRENT STATUS:

Redact

DATE OF LAST REVIEW: 07/29/1998

OPENING CRITERIA: INDEFINITE

COMMENTS: AT

v9.1

HH. 54027

DocId: 32332016

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It 1s to be noted that ARTHUR WILLIAM MILLER,

a former PCI of this office, was Acting Manager of the

Garden of Allah Motel during Oct. and Nov, 1958:

MILLER,

FBI# 299033B, 1s now serving a prison sentence of 18

months. for grand larceny at the florida state Penitentiary

at Ralford, Florida.. His number there 18 66234.

During the time that MILLER was & PCI, he was

contacted on various occasions during Oct. and Nov., 1958,

relative to the activities of JOSEPH R. MEROLA and other

hoodlums at the Garden of Allah Motel. MaROLA, who was

a180 the subject of a separate investigation as a suspected

Jewel thief, was interviewed during that same perlod of

time at the Garden of Allah by SA C. GRAHAM HURST. The

following pertinent info was then developed:

On September 29, 1958, MEROLA was interviewed at

6:00 PM, " at the Garden of Allah

by SA HURST. He advised

SA HURST that he had flown from Miami to NYC on or about

August 28, 1958; had stayed at the Warwick Hotel, and

had returned to Miami, Fla., at 2:30 AM, 9/29/58, via •

flight 647, airline unidentified.

During this interview, a man came into the motel' i !!

lobby and went up to MEROLA. MEROLA introduced this man

to SA HURST as being JOSE B. ALEMAN, owner of the Tradewinds

•Motel, Miami Beach. MEROLA told SA HURSI that on 8/3/58,

he registered with the US Department of Justice as an

agent for the Revolutionary Civic Front, as a public

relations man.

He said he obtained the papers necessary

for filing, and had sent them to the Justice Department

from an attorney representing ALEMAN.

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It is to be noted that ALEMAN was also the

recognized leader of a group known as "Cuba Rebelde"

which was at that time engaged in anti-BATISTA revolutionary

activities in Miami. ALEMAN did not participate in the

interview between SA HURST and MEROLA, but sat in another.

part of the lobby.

On 10/3/58, from 11:00 AM until 12:16 PM,

SA HURST again talked with MEROLA in the lobby of

the same motel.: During this conversation, an unidentified

Cuban came up to MEROLA aid said that "JOSE" wanted to

see MEROLA.

MEROLA then attempted to stop this Cuban

from saying anything else in the presence of SA HURST,

pointing out that SA HURST was an Agent with the FBI.

It appeared that the "JOSE" referred to may have been

JOSE B. ALEMAN.

On 10/6/58, SA HURST interviewed MEROLA in the:

lobby of the same motel. MEROLA disclosed he had

left Miami on 10/3/58, and had flown to NYC and had returned

to Miami during the early morning hours of 10/6/58.

He

disclosed a bankruptcy hearing was held on the afternoon

of 10/3/59, and that the Garden of Allah would have to go

into bankruptcy.

On 1025/58, former PCI MILLER advised that MEROLA:

was at the Garden of Allah Motel each day during the

week, beginning 10/19/58, and up until 10/23/58, when he

heard that MEROLA had left town.

On 10/28/58, MILLER advised SA HURST that MEROLA

returned to Miami on the mid-afternoon of 10/26/58, or the

early morning of 10/27/58. MEROLA was around the Garden of

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Allah on 10/28/58. MILLER said that a larger number of

Cubans than usual asked for MEROLA On 10/20/38• MILLER

said that 'almost every day several Cubans came to the

motel looking for MEROLA and that many of these Cubans

could not speak English.

On 10/29/58, MILLER said he did not see MEROLA

at the Garden of Allah on that day and did not know if

MEROLA was in or out of town.

On 10/31/58, MILLER said that early on 10/31/58,

MEROLA told the switchboard operator at the motel that

he was not in to anyone. MILLER said that on the next

3 occasions on 10/31/58, four or five Cubans came to the

motel asking for MEROLA.

On the afternoon of 10/31/58,

the Cubans left a note for MEROLA which note indicated

that MEROLA was giving the Cubans the run-around and

they wanted $6,000 or else.

MILLER said he did not see MEROLA at the motel

on 10/30/58.

MILLER said that in his position he has

When access to the rooms" in the basement of the motel and

that in the past MEROLA had some boxes there, but he did! "!'

not know what the boxes contained.

On 11/3/58, MILLER said he saw MEROLA in the

motel on 11/1, 2, and 3/58. MILLER said he had occasion

to go into the rooms in the basement of the motel on

11/1/58, at which time the boxes he had previously seen

there belonging to MEROLA, were no longer there.

On 11/5/58, MILLER said he saw MEROLA at the

motel on the morning of 11/4/58, and again on the

morning of 11/5/58. He said the Cubans who left the note

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MM 52-3290

for MEROLA on 10/31/58, had been back to the motel at

least once each day since that time, apparently attempting

to contact MEROLA.

On 11/5/58, these Cubans left another note

for MEROLA reflecting that MEROLA had not kept his

appointment and they still wanted their money. MILLER

furnished the license number of the car driven by these

Cubans, which was a light blue sedan bearing 1958 Fla.

tag lW-110905. The records of the Dade Co. Auto Tag

Agency, Miami, reflect this license was issued to A.

VALDEZ ZAMBRANA, 426 NW 13th Ave., Miami, for a 1956

two-door Chrysler:

On 11/21/58, Lt. A. H. "RED" LEONARD (NA), Miami

Beach PD, advised that at 9:15 PM, 11/11/58, while a check

was being made of the parking lot next to the Garden of

Allah Motel, the Miami Beach PD arrested 3 Cubans as

follows:

ANTONIO BRIONES, born 6/24/39, at

Havana, Cuba, who was in possession

of a US Army .45 caliber automatic

weapon, SN 301936.

ANTONIO ZAMBRANA, born 1/17/25, at

Havana, Cuba, residence 426 NW 13th

Ave., Miami,

Fla.

LORENZO BURUNAT, born 1/19/34, at

Oriente, Cuba.

These men also had in their possession a bullet

proof vest and 3 clips of ammunition for an Italian-type

rifle. These men were booked for carrying concealed

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weapons.

They claimed they had gone to the Garden

of Allah Motel to see JOE MEROLA.

Previous investigation has disclosed that on

10/24, 27, and 31, 1958, and 11/1, 3, 4, ánd 8, 1958,

SANCHEZ

was then the landlord of ZAMBRANA and had personally

seen MEROLA in contact with ZAMBRANA.

LEADS

JACKSONVILLE:

AT RAIFORD, FLORIDA

Will interview former PCI MILLER as follows:

1. Ascertain if he is willing to testify in this

case, it being noted that info previously furnished by

him was done on a confidential basis.

2. Obtain identity and address, if possible,

of the former engineer at the Garden of Allah Motel,

whose first name was RALPH.

3. Exhibit photographs of subjects and suspects

in this case to MILLER, including the photo of Dr.

LOUIS C. PESSOLANO, who was contacted by SAMMY MANNARINO

while at the Garden of Allah Motel, room 104, from

9/29/58, to 10/4/58.

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4. Ascertain full details re boxes kept by

MEROLA in basement garage storage room, and will determine

specifically whether or not MILLER knew these boxes contained

rifles and if so, complete descriptive data, including any

labels on said boxes.

4. Will obtai complete facts re contacts between

MANNARINO and MEROLA, it being noted that instant National

Guard robbery took place on 10/14/58, only ten days after

MANNARINO left the Garden of Allah Motel.

6. Thoroughly interview MILLER re identities of

Cubans and nature of contacts with MEROLA, particularly

ZAMBRANA.

These leads should be handled at once in view of.

pending prosecution, which is scheduled for November or

December, 195

1959

at Pittsburgh, Pa.

Enclosed to Jacksonville are photographs of

the following individuals:

One photo of STUART SUTOR.

Three photos of SAMMY MANNARINO.

One photo of NORMAN ROTHMAN.

One photo of JOSEPH R. MEROLA.

One photo of VICTOR CARLUCCI.

One photo of JOSEPH GIORDANO.

One photo of DANIEL HANNA.

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