GARRISON AND THE KENNEDY ASSASSINATION: GORDON DWANE NOVEL

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP75B00380R000800140012-0
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 9
• Document Creation Date: December 15, 2016
• Document Release Date: November 14, 2003
• Sequence Number: 12
• Publication Date: May 31, 1967
• Content Type: MEMO

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0 1 MAY 19,57
X) ANDU1
SUBJECT:. GARRISON and the Kennedy Assassination
G*rdon Dwane NOV4L
Sxnnzraa r of cent n
Gordon Dwane NOVi L has both claimed and denied affiliation
with CIA. A thorough records check has shown no such affiliation. It
seems plausible that the NBC is supporting and financing NOVEL in
,order to win a large audience for - later expose of GARRISON. In
support of this plan NBC or NCV.:~,:L may have exaggerated his presumed
relationship with Sergio AItCACHA Smith (who was also not C.IA-
employed) Into an Agency affiliation and may have staged a dramatic
ambush in Nashville. The NBC program, however, is reportedly still
weeks away. and meanwhile GARRISON is attacking CIA vehemently.
2. Gordon Dwane NOVEL and his lawyers reportedly have
associated with CIA. but have then denied such an
on. One lawyer later reiterated the claim.
3. The filer of the following v gency components have been
checked for any record of Gordon Dwane NOV:L, including alternative
spellings. All checks were negative (CIA held no information about
MOV:: L before the GARRISON probe started.)
a .R.KJ . C1/0A.
c . Office of Secuxity.
d. WRiCuban Operations Group.
e. Domestic Contact Service.
f. Interagency Source Register.
Domestic Operations Division.
Archives.
FBI and Legal f Exclf;ied from 4Of9mve
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4. NOVEL remains =:nyste rious . Although tb
h space to him, Iew facts have em
eerged. He has been
ribed as a 29 year old former owner of a bar the retch
quarter of New Orleans and as an expert in electronics. (New
C) leans ! .s tes - item # 25 n Aril: 1967.) ,tn FBI report (DDB-79248,
Z7 April 1967) tet ss him a former electronics salesman.
5. Nothing has been printed about the source or sources of his
cc he lot Now Orleans for Columbus. Ohio, in and-March
1967. It is known, however, that he is at liberty on a 0.000 bond.
The New Orleans States - Item said on Z5 ~=Ipri1 1967 that NOV-v,,L lives
in a rent-free apartment in Columbus and drives a used car with
dealer's tags.
6. The Washington Jail. News of 27 March 1967 stated that
weekend of 25-26 March NOV1:L was in the Washington area
McLean, Virginia, a site which might have been chosen
air of plausibility to his claims of working for C.I.A). There
given a polygraph e2:a.mination by a private detective named
Floyd FURR. (Comment: As the Office of Security reported on 1 May
1%7, the Washington firm : XDOX is operated by FUR R and Richard L.
SAS T. who is described as "unscrupulous and untrustworthy". BAST
produces and sells, among other things. audio and counter-audio devices.
The fact that NOVEL was a salesman of electronics gear suggests the
otherwise unsupported hypothesis that he may have had an earlier rela-
onship with REfEX, BAST, or FURR.)
7. On 29 March 1967 the New Orleans 'BI office reported
89-69) that NOVEL had made a long distance call to that office
known place. Among his remarks was the comment that he
had "not furnished GARRISON with any information about 'double check'
of Miami, which he inferred was a fringe Cuban operation in the Miarni
+ea. but did not further identify. " (Comment: Operation Double Chek
appears on pp. 95, 76, 82, 84, 88, 89, 90, 146, and 246 of The lnvisijle
3, by David Wise and Thomas B. Roes - The book erroneously
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describes Double Chek as a cover and funding mechanism for recruiting
and paying American flyers who participated at the Bay of Pigs. The
General Counsel has informed CI/R&A. that in fact Double Chek was
created after the deaths of the flyers for the sole purpose of making
payments to their widows
8. FBI memorandum DBB 76600, 29 March 1967, reported
another long distance call by NGV:EL to the New Orleans office. NOVEL
said that Waiter $HER!DAN, who is a Washington NBC news. reporter,
had the number of the telephone at which NOVEL could be reached. He
also said that when he was given the polygraph test in Virginia,
IDAN was present. He added that he had given SHERIDAN informa-
tion about polygraph tests run by GA.RRISON's staff .
9. An 8 May 1967 memorandum from the Associate General
Counsel states that he was given information about the GARRISON in-
vestigation by a Washington lawyer named Jack Miller, that Walter
SHERIDAN was the source of Miller's information, that NBC has done
a thirty minute show an GARRISON, and that it plans an hour-long show
"for a few weeks from now". The show is expected to "bury" GAR SON.
10. In addition to his reference to Double Chek, NOVEL and his
lawyers have made direct but contradictory statements about CIA,
a. "1 think Garrison will expose some CIA operations
in New Orleans." (New Orleans Times -- Picayune. 19 April
1967.)
b. NOVEL reportedly stated to a representative of a
own news media "that he was employed by the Central
ence Agency (CI:A) and that the burglary of the munitions
at Houma, Louisiana, was not an actual burglary.:, He
contended that CIA had made arrangements with the SCHLUMB ,RG:E1k
Well Drilling Corporation to keep ammunition, bomb casings,
and other material in that bunker. He "indicated that he (NOVEL)
and /Sergij/ Arcacha Smith are still employed by the CIA."
NOVEL and others took bomb casings and other items from the
bunker about three months after the Bay of Pigs. (Source: FBI
orandum, New Orleans office, 2O April 1967.) (Comment:
Careful checking has shown that CIA did not have a contract with
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5CHLUMBGER, as WOV.c%L has alleged, and did not have
any munitions or similar materials stored with SC LUMBEROLR
or at the Houma Air Base.)
c. The above "war materials pickup" was made by
NOVEL and others "at the direction of his CIA contact."
Part of MOVE L's job for CI''. "was to operate the Evergreen
Advertising Agency as a. front for Cam.. communications".
NOVL prepared special radio commercials for use in the
United States and Canada.. -to alert agents to the date of the
Bay of Pigs Invasion." Among code words used by CVL
were "Star Christmas Trees" and "Holiday Tree
agency placed $72, 000 worth of radio time in 1960. (APP,
New Orleans, Z5 April 1967.) (Comment: As was previously
reported, there is no record of the "Evergreen ^;dvertief
Agency". AYH/COG queried a knowledgeable staff employee.
now COS in Santo Domingo, who replied in Santo Domingo
3473, iZ May 1967, that NOVEL'S allegations are not true;
that he had never -eard of NOV .L, his agency, or the code
words; that although "some meaningless code phrases
a JUMP.: for psych reasons only", they were
or U , 6 comme rcial stations. The cable added
e Cuban Free Committee did contract time for routine
se a broadcasts an a New Orleans station. It to clear, how-
ever, that NOVEL's allegations do not concern such broadcasts.)
4. Steven PLOTKIN, NOV :L'e lawyer in New Orleans, said
he wed neither confirm nor deny NOVEL's claims of
rployment. His lawyer in. Columbus, Jerry WEINER,.
"It's utterly ridiculous. NOVEL is not now and never
has been a CIA agent. " (New Orleans States. - I
1967.)
t. On 25 April 1967 NOVEL hims elf said in C olumbue ,
"The statements that I worked for the CIA are absolutely in-
correct ..... "" (AP, Z5 April 1967.)
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f. NVEL's New Orleans attorneys. Steve PLOTKIN,
said he "served as an intermediary between the CIA and
anti-Castro Cubans in Now Orleans and Miami before the
1961, Bay of Pigs Invasion. Plotkin maintained,
a1 had 'little or nothing to do with the Day
of P
with
Waa ton Post, Z6 May 1967
edy.'t1 (The
11. On 7 May IM NCV : L again telephoned the 1-BI's office
Orleans . He said that in the near future GARRISON would accuse
the FBI of possessing originals of five letters; one from Clay :j HIs g ~
to David )ERRIE, one from Lee Harvey OSWALD to SHAW, one from
FERRIE to Jack RUBY, one from RUBY to OSWALD. and me from
and former Attorney General Robert Kennedy to FERRIE. ?
ISON has a typewriter which F: RRIW: owned in 1963 and
writers, personal and business, belonging to SHAW.
5CN's chief investigator, William GURVICH, has
evasion and certainly had absolutely nothing to do
Ive, living in - .usaiia, who was instrumental in designing
. He remarked that GARRISON plans to subpoena an attorney,
fnu MAR'T', allegedly associated with CIA. He said that Layton
Patrick MARTENS was the ,other" marine probably involved in the
l ourna bunker burglary. (FBI memorandum DBB 80563, 9 May 1967.)
(Comex ent; Mr. Arthur Dooley of CI/R&A know a Walter SHERIDAN
who in believed identical with the Walter SHERIDA of this report.
an 13I special agent, and who worked for Senator Robert
when he was Attorney General.)
12. On or about 11 May 1967 GARRISON accused two lawyers.
as been receiving moneys, if only through an intermediary,
n PLOTKIN. of receiving CIA money. "`.'e know that
the CIA." Both lawyers denied the charge. (New Orleans, AP,
I I May 1967.) GARRISON later broadened this charge to include all
attorneys. "Every lawyer involved in this case, without ex-
involved in the attempts to derail the investigation, has been
acted by us with the Central intelligence Agency. Garrison said. "
(Washington t, 29 May 1967.)
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13. On 22 May 1967 N?V .L telephoned unidentified person
in New Orleans and said that at 0200 hours on 21 May he and a friend of
eleven years. Gary EDW R3 , were sitting in a radio station truck in
Nashville, Tennessee - Bullets were fired at the truck. Neither man
by a bullet, but both were cut by flying glass. The
MCK _ =.
cc found the glass in the left door of the truck shatte
d
re
.
or five indentations made by bullets an the ri
ht sid
f
h
g
e o
t
e
kts Paneling. They said that the first report to them was made
'
rles p
. WALKER, president of radio station `.x`i{3J., who said
V .I., haad been wounded by a sniper and that he had come to
Is at the request of W LA and had agreed to disclose inforraa-
that traces, apparently of blood, were ft d. However. Nashville
authorities noted that Mr. WALKER first telephoned them thirteen
hours after the alleged incident. By then NOVEL and LDWARDS were
allegedly in Bowling Green, tentucky. Efforts made in Kentucky to
verify NOVEL's claim that his injuries had been treated at a hospital
tfd,&V^ sir n r TJtr*rc . . .. . _ _
oot
w rar
iiiag ?wO Y EL
was on the verge of returning to Columbus. He said that NOVEL and
r `ar A
RT)S left Nashville immediately after the shooting and that
according to another but unidentified spokesman for the radio station.
is Gerald MUNDY. (New Orlean State s -Item, 22 May 1967.)
14. Several newspapers have carried the story that NOVEL is
sa
G
g
:RRIS N for T50,000,000.
1 g . JMWAVE was asked to show a Miami l
h
t
p
o
ograph of
NOVEL to a well placed and well informed asset, MCT`/2, without
divulging NOVEL's name or making any state ent about him.
?427, 2? May 1967, reported r>1'.~Y.~,
y that x' MOT/2 did not recognize the photo
and could not identify the person whose likeness he saw. The purpose
was to test the possibility that NOWT EL had been involved in CI activi.-
16. It is requested that the Office of the t .ssistant to the Director
!e 01/.R &A whether it has any Information about I.XX air SH. .R.IDAN,
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Gerald MUN1 Y ` Gary . DWARRDS, and any association between
them, as well as any infformation about whether Station r1D is
Nashville is affiliated or otherwise associated with NB
17. If the surmise ti at NBC is bvAlding up NOVEL as a latter
day David who is to slay the jolly green giant to correct, then a CIA
exposure of NOV i` Ls claims of Agency affiliation as false might be
ciarnaging to our own interests. On the other hand, the likelihood
that an NBC anti-Garrison program is still weeks away from presen-
1967) shows that 667b of the persons queried now believe that the
to disturbing. . recent Harris survey (Wa.shington't, 29
assassination was not the work of one man but was rather part of a
broader plot or conspiracy. The Garrison probe is termed a major
be growing public doubt. OARR15ON's venemous
ttack on CIA during his ABC interview of 28 May 1967 was preceded
by a. barrage of earlier charges and will predictably be followed by
18. There may be a shadow of justification for NOVI
of associatiou with CIA. has asserted that he knew Sergio A RCACH.A.
Smith and that RCAC}LA was one of the participants in the pickup at
the Houma bunker.. Our records show that CI' never recruited or paid
ARCACHA directly. He was, however, the delegate of the 'rente
Revolucio ,rto emocratiico (F D, or Democratic R.evotut ovary "-.ont)
in New Orleans . He reported to F RD headquarters in Miami by mall.
The I? RD was created with CI. assistance, guidance, and financial
support in May 1960. Its leader was Dr. Jose MIRO Cardona. He or
his assistants may have passed funds to ARCACHA, who may have
briefed or even employed NOVEL.
19. On 28 May 1967 NOVEL sent the following telegram to the
Helms
"I-ttn UNCLE Hdqrs Good Guys Div. Regarding Garrison
conspiracy case, code reference JACKASS. Dear Richard.
Today according to the jolly green giant (Mr. Garrison) 'You
"Central Intelligence Agency McLean Vir
ying my legal fee a in Louisiana and Ohio. , ;
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y attorneys are crying and pressing me bee
of not being paid for my various legal wrecking moves on
jolly big fraud, I am going to instruct thorn to send you chaps
immediately an iterni:red bill. U. and I do mean if, Garrison
is correct, I am going to Instruct the same attorneys to sue
the h--- out of your bad guys in the accounting department for
watching on your debts. Instead of a no comment 5.0 . P . reply,
how About a public ha-ha.
ow I don't think sending him to Viet
is a good idea in view of national interest anymore. Perhaps
Rome he co d4 reopen the case on CRassarss aseasaination. He
believes Brutus and Cassius were framed. Like in his words,
"beyond a shadow of a doxf- - , absolutely. "' Truly y?o ar s ,
Gordon Novel.
UNCLE H----S.0.P. Baba. P 8
The partial sentence readi "...1 am going to instruct
the same attorneys to sue the h--- out of your bad gays in the accounting
department for welching on your debts", quoted out of context, would
Lorce NOVEL's false claim to affiliation with CIr.A,. It will be inter-
esting to note whether he r$eases this telegram to the press,
Addendum
It has boon noted that NOV1;o L probably served as an FBI inforrrnsant
period before he left New Orle in mid-March 1967.
73269, New Orleans office, ZI February 1967, is
onAdential source who in the past furnished insufficient
rrnine reliability." This source describes the group
eft from the Houma bunker as consisting of his
self), his partner (unidentified), Sergio
ARCACHA Smith. David FLR,RIZ. two ex-marines, and another man,
o said that one of the cars used for the trip to
a was his own 1956 Lincoln Supreme, This report contains no men
do of CIA. The New Orleans States - Item of 45 April 1967 quotas
N V L as saying that CIA ordered him to Join the group, which he
identified as consisting of E?.tCAki