Gordon Novel to FBI on Meetings with Jim Garrison 2/21, 22/67
From: jpshinley@my-deja.com
Date: 5/21/00 12:43 PM Eastern Daylight Time
Message-id: <8g922v$fd9$1@nnrp1.deja.com>
RIF : 124-10040-10268
FBI # : 62-106060-4741
Airtel from SAC, NO to DIRECTOR, FBI 2/23/67
PCI GORDON DWANE NOVEL, New Orleans file 137-2936, telephonically contacted this office at approximately 9:30 PM. 2/21/67, advising he had additional information concerning the investigation being conducted by the Orleans Parish District Attorney into the death of President KENNEDY, which he felt was of enough importance to warrant immediate contact by an Agent. NOVEL was again informed that the FBI would make no comment concerning the investigation into the assassination of President KENNEDY being conducted by District Attorney GARRISON, however, NOVEL insisted that he desired to furnish this information to the FBI and furnished the following information:
NOVEL advised that he had been contacted during the late afternoon on 2/21/67 by WILLARD ROBERTSON, a New Orleans businessman whom NOVEL described as being the money behind District Attorney GARRISON. According to NOVEL, ROBERTSON told him it was imperative they meet immediately and arrangements were made to meet in ROBERTSON's office in the 225 Baronne Building. Upon meeting ROBERTSON, NOVEL was advised by ROBERTSON that District Attorney GARRISON wanted to meet him and ROBERTSON called GARRISON, arranging this meeting. NOVEL said he and ROBERTSON proceeded to the eleventh floor of the 225 Baronne Building to the facilities of an insurance firm and there awaited the arrival of GARRISON who finally appeared at approximately 5:30 PM.
NOVEL said GARRISON opened the conversation with inquiries concerning possible places where he (GARRISON) and his staff could hold conferences. According to NOVEL, GARRISON stated he feels that the FBI is carefully scrutinizing every move he makes and even possibly has sources within his own ranks. NOVEL said GARRISON discussed several methods he felt he would utilize in the future in order to keep his investigation into the assassination of President KENNEDY a secret. GARRISON advised NOVEL that the purpose of his contact was that he knew of NOVEL's ability to obtain information and further that NOVEL was very knowledgeable as to happenings in the New Orleans area.
NOVEL related that GARRISON inquired of him as to whether he had been interviewed by the FBI and that he had informed GARRISON, that he, NOVEL, had contacted the FBI. GARRISON then inquired as to whether his name had come up during the contact with the FBI, to which NOVEL said he replied in the negative. GARRISON then began to question him about people on [sic] names he might know and specifically inquired about DAVID LOUIS [LEWIS], "ROLLAND" [ROWLAND CHARLES ROLLAND?], DAVID FERRIE and MARTIN LAYTON [sic] (possibly identical with Layton P. MARTENS), associate of FERRIE. NOVEL informed he told GARRISON he knew only DAVID FERRIE of those mentioned. GARRISON then asked him if he knew anyone with the Riley [sic] Coffee Company and he told GARRISON he knew an individual named TEX MEYER, a person with whom he had worked in the past. GARRISON asked him if he had any knowledge of where SERGIO ARCACHA SMITH obtained his financial support while in New Orleans, to which he replied he did not know with the exception of supporting contributions that SMITH obtained from various individuals.
GARRISON asked NOVEL whether SERGIO ARCACHA SMITH or FERRIE owned a laundry truck. NOVEL said the told GARRISON that he observed a step van laundry truck, dark in color, on one occasion parked in front of the Balter Building where SERGIO ARCACHA SMITH had his office. NOVEL said GARRISON then commented " there is a laundry truck mentioned in the files of the FBI in Dallas."
NOVEL stated GARRISON also asked him if he was acquainted with a girl by the name of SANDRA LARSON. He advised him he knew a SANDRA LARSON who was a "sharp gal" who sometimes dated BOB SONGE (phonetic) one of his, NOVEL's associates in the Jamaican Village Lounge on North Rampart Street. NOVEL said he told GARRISON he had personally heard SANDRA LARSON say she was intimately acquainted with President KENNEDY.
NOVEL stated that District Attorney GARRISON had stated or at least implied that he felt DAVID FERRIE and his "nutty" associates were involved in a conspiracy in the assassination of President KENNEDY. NOVEL reiterated that GARRISON repeatedly emphasized the name "ROLLAND" as being a possible clue in the conspiracy. NOVEL stated that it is GARRISON's contention that the conspirators were anti-CASTRO who hoped through the assassination of President KENNEDY to be able to, through national publicity, place the blame for the assassination on FIDEL CASTRO, which would result in influencing public opinion to the point where national retribution would be directed against CASTRO.
NOVEL advised GARRISON expressed concern about contamination of his investigation by other investigative agencies, namely, the FBI. NOVEL quoted GARRISON as saying that he would arrest and handcuff any Agent he caught becoming involved in his investigation and would submit him to public scrutiny. NOVEL said GARRISON states "if they want my files that bad they can buy them." NOVEL stated that he did not furnish information concerning his involvement with SERGIO ARCACHA SMITH at the blimp base at Houma, La., which he had previously furnished to the FBI, however, since GARRISON plans to interview his, NOVEL's partner, RANCIER EHLINGER, Aka. Ranny at 9:30 AM 2/22/67, he felt he would tell GARRISON the whole story prior to the interview with his partner because he felt that RANNY would probably tell GARRISON about it and, secondly, because he felt that by telling GARRISON he would gain his confidence and would be in better graces with GARRISON. NOVEL advised that since he planned to tell GARRISON everything concerning his involvement with SERGIO ARCACHA SMITH, he desired to mention something he had not previously furnished to the FBI concerning the ammunition bunker on the Houma Air Base. NOVEL advised that he and his partner, RANNY, approximately two weeks before taking ARCACHA SMITH and his party to the bunker had cased the bunker and knew pretty well what SMITH would find.
NOVEL telephonically contacted the New Orleans Office on the late afternoon of 2/22/67 and advised that he and EHLINGER met with District Attorney GARRISON on that date and had furnished GARRISON the information that he previously furnished to the FBI. NOVEL said that GARRISON questioned them concerning any knowledge that they possessed of any relationship between CLAY SHAW and DAVID FERRIE. NOVEL said that GARRISON implied that SHAW was identical with a CLAY BERTRAND who had contacted Attorney DEAN ANDREWS to represent LEE HARVEY OSWALD.
NOVEL further informed that GARRISON and his associates felt the FBI was monitoring their switchboard and that it appears if things go badly with GARRISON's investigation they may be looking for a "scrape [sic] goat," possibly the FBI.
GARRISON, according to NOVEL, inquired as to the meaning of the words "Daquiri" and "Marti." GARRISON also asked any knowledge NOVEL and his partner had concerning anti-CASTRO assassination camps in Slidell and Covington, La. area.
NOVEL quoted GARRISON as saying he was six months ahead of the FBI in his investigation and indicated that he planned to arrest FERRIE in five days as the leader in the plot to assassinate President KENNEDY. GARRISON also questioned NOVEL concerning quick ways of making FERRIE confess and mentioned the use of sodium Pentothal. According to NOVEL, GARRISON is obsessed with the theory that a laundry or milk truck is in somewhat involved in the assassination.
Because of NOVEL's contact with GARRISON and because contacts with NOVEL by this office had been too limited to determine his reliability, no further contacts will be made with him.
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