Mary (Mrs. Guy) Banister - NODA and HSCA Interviews
Subject: Mary Banister : NODA and HSCA Interviews
Date: 01 Jan 1999 00:00:00 GMT
Message-ID: <76ivld$6n$1@nnrp1.dejanews.com>
AGENCY : HSCA
RECORD NUMBER : 1801007010368
AGENCY FILE NUMBER : 008269 [PT 18]
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ORIGINATOR : NEW ORLEANS DISTRICT ATTORNEY
FROM : SCIAMBRA, ANDREW
TO : GARRISON, JIM
TITLE : MRS MARY BANISTER; INTERVIEW WITH....
DATE : 05/01/67
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MRS. MARY BANISTER - INTERVIEW WITH
April 29th and 30th, 1967
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I [SCIAMBRA] travled to Monroe, Louisiana to talk to Mrs.
MARY BANISTER in connection with the files her husband GUY BANISTER
was keeping in the course of his investigative work. Mrs. BANISTER
told me that after her husband died Mrs. DELPHINE ROBERTS and
her daughter took some files from GUY BANISTER's apartment and
also from GUY BANISTER's office and turned them over to Mr. G. WRAY
GILL. She also said that she believes these files were in reference
to an investigation concerning DAVID FERRIE and his case with Eastern
Airlines. She stated that she later on called Mr. GILL and asked him
to return these files to her and he did not do so. She said that
she does not know what happened to these files. Mrs. BANISTER went
on to say that she also burned some files because she felt, in her
opinion, that these files should be destroyed as they might hurt
some innocent people; that these files did not contain anything in
regards to Communist or anti-Communist group activities. Mrs. BANISTER
told me that about 1 or 2 days after her husband's death she did go
to his office in an attempt to prevent anyone from taking these files
and discovered that some files had already been taken. The old man
[James Arthus?] who lived above BANISTER's office told her that he
had seen DELPHINE ROBERTS and her daughter take some files while her
daughter and a policeman was present.
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She said that the only thing she could say in regard to OSWALD's
Fair Play for Cuba Committee was that she saw some Fair Play for
Cuba Leaflets in BANISTER's office when she went there after his
death. Mrs. BANISTER said she threw them away in the wastebasket.
Mrs. BANSITER told me that because she was in such financial
difficulties she sold many of her husband's files to the Metropolitan
Crime Commission, and she gave some to the State Sovereignty Commission,
and she also gave some to the State Police. She said that she also
gave a complete index card catalogue, which was a record of every
investigation that her husband was involved in, to the State Police.
Mrs. BANISTER said that she had never heard her husband speak of the
Friends of Cuba or Voice of Cuba or SERGIO ARCACHA SMITH, BILL DALZELL,
or CARLOS QUEROGA [sic]. She said that the name REGIS KENNEDY is familiar
to her probably because I told her he is an F.B.I. Agent.
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I looked over the books which Mrs. BANISTER had, which were in
her husband's library, and these were text books on various subjects
which did not pertain to any investigation. She told me that she had
donated other text books to the New Orleans Public Library,
Northeastern State College, and Louisiana State Univesity in
New Orleans.
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Mrs. BANISTER emphasized the point that she did not want to get
involved in any way, and that if anyone did ask her if she had talked
to anyone from the District Attorney's Office, she would say that she
had not. However, Mrs. BANISTER did say that she would like to help
us in any way she could but that she would like to help us on a
confidential basis.
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ANDREW J. SCIAMBRA
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[end of NODA interview]
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AGENCY : HSCA
RECORD NUMBER : 180-10097-10397
AGENCY FILE NUMBER : 012448
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ORIGINATOR : HSCA
FROM : WILSON, MARY BANNISTER [sic]
DATE : 04/07/78
[...]
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Interview:
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Mrs. Banister was contacted by Investigator L.J. Delsa by telephone
and she stated that she would prefer not to have anyone come to her
home. She had checked with her brother in law Ross Banister and had
been informed that the Select Committee was an official organization
and that information regarding her husband Guy Banister might be
helpful.
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She stated that her and her husband had been seperated at the time
of his death. She sold some of his records to the Louisiana State
Police. She could not remember the individuals name that actually
picked them up but the transaction involved Mr. Russell Willie of
the State Police. She gave some records to Mr. Aaron Kohn of the
New Orleans Metropolitan Crime Commission. Many of the large
collection of books were donated to Louisiana State University in
New Orleans and Baton Rouge.
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Mr. Sam Newman, the owner of 544 Camp St. kept the office
furniture and sold it for money that he claimed was due him for back
rent.
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Mrs. Banister Wilson did not know any of the people from the office
personally and did not keep in touch with any of then. She knew of
Delphine Roberts, William Nietscke (sp), Joseph Newbrough and Jack
Martin but did not stay in contact with them. She did not like to think
about those times or discuss them and requested that she not be called
unless it was deemed important.
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[end of interview]
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Jerry Shinley
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