MKULTRA - NOTIFICATION OF UNWITTING SUBJECTS (W/ATTCHMENTS)

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 00295569
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 16
• Document Creation Date: January 23, 2025
• Document Release Date: March 3, 2000
• Publication Date: April 25, 1979

through December 1953. The file does not disclose the nature of the
services rendered by Mr. White.
4. Subproject 16 was established as a continuation of subpro-
ject 3 by memorandum for the record dated 2 October 1953. � The file
contains bank statements and cancelled checks for the Morgan Hall ac-
count with the National City Bank of Mew York. A copy of a letter
dated May 26, 1953 to "Dear Sidney" and bearing the typewritten initials
"ghw" suggests that the bank account of Morgan Hall in the National
City Bank of New York should be a joint account with 111101111111.
01111111111. "Morgan Hall" was the alias used by Ceorae White. 411.111111.1.
This letter
contains the statement "What with suspicious banks, landlords, utili-
ties companies etc., you will understand that creating the Jenkyll(sic)-
Hyde personality in the form of Morgan Hall is taking a little doing."
'5. A hand-written note to "Sid" bearing the date "3/9" and
signed with the initials 1:3H,i" gives a San Francisco address, telephone
number, and bank for Morgan Hall, and cites costs for a move and tempor-
.
arrstorage of furniture. The note also says "I'm anxious to get some
of Walt's gadgets etc. for field testing with Bo N work". Financial
documents appear to be the final accountings submitted for the New York
` operation.
� A memorandum for the record dated 6 March 1962 provides for con-
tinuation of subproject 42. It says "in the past year a number of
covert and realistic field trials have been successfully carried out.
The results of these experiments have provided factual data essential.
to establishing protocols for'a pc&ber of contemplated operations. A
continuation of covert and realistic field trials are necessitated by
the production of new materials in TSD programs particularly in areas
requiring detailed knowledge of the effectiveness and efficiency of
delivery systems. Additional trials are also necessitated by the need
for better controlled 'field-type' experiments."
A memorandum for the record dated 17 August 1956 says "subproject
42 was established to provide the Agency with a facility for conducting
experiments involving the covert administration of physiologically active
materials to unwitting -subjects. The facility was set up by providing
Mr. Morgan Hall with a safehouse in San Francisco and furnishing him ,.
with the necessary materials and funds to carry out the approved program.
Kr. Hall in turn carried out part of the program with the assistance of
certain individuals who covertly administer this material to other peo-
ple in accordance with his instructions. For their assistance in this
program these individuals are paid small sun's in cash at irregular in-
tervals. "This information was provided to explain the impracticability
of obtaining receipts:"
A memorandum for the record dated 24 January 1955 establishes sub-
project 42 as a continuation of subproject 16 and to provide for the
move of Morgan Hall "facilities" from New York to San Francisco.
3
travellers, and sometimes unofficial travellers, and for official operational
purposes of the FBN. The properties were also made available to other
Federal Agencies and agencies of the State and local governments for
similar purposes. One person responsible for care and cleaning of a
San Francisco safehouse recalled the bed was only used by officers
travelling on temporary duty. With the exception of such occasions, bed
linens were only changed periodically when it was judged they had been
on the bed too long. FBN personnel are confident in their belief that
the safehouses were not, and could not practically have been used routinely
for unwitting drug experimentation by George White or anyone else under
the circumstances-of their availability. They are equally confident in
their belief that the safehouses were not and could not practically have
been routinely used as houses of prostitution, or for the administration
of drugs by prostitutes to unwitting subjects. Officers in the local
police forces active at the time the safehouses were in operation are
confident in their belief that. the safehouses could not have been used
regularly for such purposes without such use coming to their attention,
and those interviewed recalled that no such uses were ever brought to
their attention.
, 14. CIA used the safehouses very rarely, few of those interviewed -
could recall that CIA used them more than once-or twice, if at all.
CIA employees did use a safehouse in New York on at least one occasion for
experimentation with LSD on themselves. Participants were directly
,involved with the NRULTRA program and, with one possible exception, knew
what they were doing. They considered themselves to be in the forefront
of scientific research. The one exception did not specifically volunteer
to participate in the experiment, but was aware that such experiments
were being conducted. He became...-aware that he had been given LSD during
the experiment and has suffered no aftereffects. One of the other CIA
uses of a safehouse in San Francisco was the abortive experiment with an
aerosol dispenser about which testimony was taken by the Senate in 1977.
19. The MULTRA files state that George White�reported to TSS
about the results of tests. Two of White's former secretaries are quite
confident in their recollections that they did not help him prepare such
reports. Former CIA employees most likely to have klown Of the. -
existence and content of such reports from White were not clear in their
recollections about what form or with what frequency such reports:might
have been submitted. They believe that reports were hand written, and
did not contain identities of subjects or locations where tests Were
conducted. Recollections are that there were very few tests involving .
unwitting subjects.
16. The MKULTRA" file on subproject 42 says that White "carried- out
part of the program with the assistance of individuals who covertly 2,.-,. -
administer this material to other people in accordance with his instrUctions.
For their assistance in this program these individuals are paid small
surs in cash at irregular intervals." Public disclosures have created
the impression that "individuals who covertly administer this material"
were prostitutes operating out of the safehouses. Officers active in
recalled the full name of the subject, and reported learning from the
first source that the subject had died of cancer in 1963, five years
after the incident. Neither of these sources had any recollection of
the incident. To the contrary, their recollections were that the subject
had never become ill or incapacitated in any way while performing her
duties.
19. The two CLA employees who recall this incident believe it was
the only unwitting test participated in directly by CIA employees
anywhere in the United States.
20. The only other incidents of the administration of drugs
to unwitting persons we have been able to discover are those noted in
the diaries kept by Gorge H. White, the Federal Bureau of Narcotics
Agent whose cooperation and assistance had been arranged for by the CIA
with the approval of the Director of the RN at the time. George White
was in liaison with the MULTRA officers in CIA and was the custodian
of all but one of the safehouses. The entries in his diaries are very cryptic
and, in many cases, virtually illegible. There are six entries indicating
the administration of LSD, and a seventh entry hinting at such an
administration, to unsuspecting persons who apparently were friends
or acquaintances of White and his wife. All of these entries refer
to incidents in New York City in 1953 and earlier. .There are no entries
indicating or suggesting administration of drugs during the time he
was in San Francisco, and the diaries are complete through mid 1962.
-.E-vere are no entries during the latter half of 1962 and we found no
'diary for 1963. This period corresponds to a period when White was
seriously ill. The diaries resume in 1964 and continue through his
retirement.
� 21. Two telephone calls to 11111111111111. seeking an interview-were
politely rebuffed. The custodians of George White's diaries informed
our investigators thatIONNIMOMMOregretted having made them available
to the ublic and had sought to retrieve them. A follow-up letter to
requesting assistance in identifying persons named in White's
diary in connection with LSD administrations has received no response.
�
22. A telephone call to the personnel department of
presumed former place of employment requesting assistance in identifying
persons named in the diary who may have been her employment colleagues
was received with cautious courtesy. The establishment does not retain
records on former employees more than five years after their employment
has been terminated. On the assumption that some of them might still be
employed, or might have terminated their employment within the past five
years, a letter was addressed to the pertannel department requesting any
assistance they might feel free to give. .k reply was received on 23 May
1979 giving the name, date of birth, dates of employment and social
security number of one person whose name is the same as one of -the names
appearing, in the diary. This. person does not appear to have been a
subject of LSD testing but was present at a dinner where a diary entry
8
25 APR 1979
/-02RANEU7,1 FOR: Director of Central Intelligence
TEA: Deputy Director of Central Intelligence
Deputy Director for -Administration
FRast:
Special Assistant, Diu,
SUBJECT: . MKULTRk - Notification of Unwitting Subjects
VERMIN
36 /4fiA 7F
I. Action Requested: Your signature on the attached letters
to Senators Bayh and Kennedy is recommended.
2. Background: In January you sent an interim report to
Senators Bayh and Kennedy about our progress with the program to
notify individuals who may have been harmed as a result of having
participated as subjects in the N(ULTRA drug research program.
We,advised the Senators that, for purposes of convenience, we had
treated the MI:ULTRA program in two parts, one part dealing with
research conducted at private institutions and the other part
dealing with the safehouses. The letters you are requested to sign,
together with their enclosures, represent our final report on the
institutional part of the program..
3. We find it unnecessary to seek persons who participated as
subjects of research conducted at institutions. 'Ellis conclusion is
reached after careful study of surviving MKULTR.A files, correspon-
dence with institutions, and correspondence, interviews and telephone
conversations with some of the researchers. The researchers were
(are) reputable, some even eminent, scientists. There was nothing
surreptitious or reorehensible.about any of-.the research. Most of
it would have been -done whether or not CIA provided support. We have
found no evidence that persons were used as subjects without their
knowledge or consent; they were witting, paid volunteers for the most
part. Letters to the Senators provide some further elaborative
comments. I believe we can consider this part of the program closed.
4. Our investigation of the safehouse part of the MI:ULTRA program
continues. The Drug Enforcement Agency has loaned us an investic.ator,
, from its Division of Internal Affairs.
All ppTtich" of this
memorondut are Unclassified.
I.
0U0
research programs were initiated and sponsored by the insti-
tution itself prior to supporting funds being made available
from external contributors. In many cases, programs involving
CIA funds were funded previously, concurrently or subsequently
by-other contributors. In general, then, the research was
conceived, planned and carried out in accordance with insti-
tutional protocol and procedures, without direction or control
by CIA. In those cases in which the knowledge to be acquired
was defined by CIA, the methods employed and procedures followed
nonetheless remained under the control of the institution or
individual researcher. Our review discloses no case in which
the research conducted stands out as a departure from profes-
sional and ethical standards of the time. Results were
available generally to those interested, with concealment only
of the fact of CIA interest and support.
Forwarded herewith are copies of pertinent documentation,
the development of which has .led us to the conclusion that no
fUrther action is recuired with respe-ci -. to .that part of the
Mi(ULTRA program conducted at private institutions.
Yours sincerely,
La/. ,Stansfield Turner
STANSFIELD TURNER
Enclosure
"Ostensibly, the apartment is rented to one 'Morgan Hall'; this is
an alias used by George White for a number of years. When White uses
this alias he assumes the cover of an 'artist' and a 'seaman' ..."
"White, of course, is interested in narcotics and reputed to have
contacts in the underworld and among seamen who are in or on the fringes
of the narcotics business. He is known to many of these people as
'Morgan Hall'. As 'Morgan Hall', for one reason or another, he is able
to get these people to 'his' apartment at 81 Bedford Street where he
,tries to elicit information. From time to time 'Morgan Hall' gives
drugs to these unaware individuals through drinks, cigarettes, and per-
haps food. After the interview 'Hall' advises TSS as to what drug was
administered and gives his judgment as to success attained.. 'Hall' is
aware of TSS interests in behavior under these conditions and is aware
of TSS interest in specific drugs. However, TSS does not supply 'Hall'
with drugs and does not suggest which, if any, drugs are to be given to.
specific individuals. Procurement and use are 'Hall's' decisions.
On one occasion Chief, Chemical Division did take some LSD from Dr.
,ABRAMSON to 'Hall'; this 'Hall' wanted and could have gotten from
ABRAMSON directly."
"Morgan Hall' has administered four types of drugs under this
arrangement:
Q
, (a) Chloralhydrate (Mickey Finn)
(b) Tablet
(c) Marijuana Extract
(d) LSD"
"The above described arrangements and collaboration were discus-
sed by TSS with Mr. ANSLINGER, Chief, Narcotics Division, Treasury
Department."
3. Subproject 14 was established to arrange for "reimbursement
of the Bureau of Narcotics for Mr. George H. White's services during
the period August 1, 1953 through October 30, 1953." A memorandum for
the record dated 20 July '1953 describes a discussion with Messrs.
Anslinger and White at Bureau of Narcotics Headquarters. "Mr. Anslinger's
problem was that he desired to have Mr. White detailed to our work for a
major portion of his time during the above mentioned period. Because of
several political factors attendant to the changeover of administration,
he desires to have a plausible reason for Mr. White's absence from his
assigned office in Boston. !e agrees not to divulge the nature of the
confidential work nor of the Agency concerned. Mr. White will maintain
completely his status as a Bureau of Narcotics agent during this three
month period. Mr. Anslinger seems to be anxious to have an entry in his
books indicating a valid reimbursement of funds to cover this period of
Mr. White's activities." The file contains a receipt dated September 10,
1953 for $3500 signed by H.J. Anslinger, Commissioner of Narcotics to
cover salary and expenses for White beginning July 1, 1953. Later .
documents reflect payment to the Bureau of Narcotics for White's services
2
assessment of any possible connection between that incident and her
current illness. We have been informed by the Department of Health,
Education and Welfare that "the drugs used in CIA studies are not known
to cause late, delayed effects (e.g. cancer) in the absence of long term
exposure," and "there is no proof of long term physical effects from LSD."
Nevertheless, the subject's husband is a retired attorney and he will
explore avenues of recourse available to the subject and the possibility
of an action against the Government cannot be ruled out.
28. In summary, we have determined that the subject of the only
known administration of drugs to an unwitting subject in a San Francisco
bar died of cancer in about 1963. In all probability, the safehouses
were not, and could not have been, routinely used for the administration
of drugs to unwitting persons. George White apparently administered LSD
on six, possibly seven, occasions to friends or acquaintances who he was
entertaining as personal guests. We have found and interviewed two of
these people. One of them does not believe she was used as a subject. The
other recalls the incident vividly and may consider bringing an action
against the government.
29. We have made every reasonable effort, and exhausted every
investigative means within our authority to identify unwitting subjects
of 'drug testing under the MKULTRA program. We await responses to a
few outstanding inquiries seeking the identity of others and will pursue
these avenues until they have been exhausted or other subjects have been
notified.. We will take whatever action is indicated if any, when these
.final efforts have been completed. Otherwise, we conclude that there is
no further action we can appropriately take, and propose that this effort
be terminated.
implies that LSD was given to someone else whom we have been unable to
locate. We have addressed a letter to the Social Security Administration
seeking assistance in reaching the individual named so that we may ask
him to help us locate the suspected subject of the LSD administration.
If the SSA finds it within its authority to help us, we will continue to
pursue the search until all avenues of investigation have been exhausted
or the subject of the test has been found and notified.
� 23. Telephone directories were searched for names the same as
those identified in the diaries and telephone calls were placed to
individuals with the same full name and to many of those with the same
surname and initials. In general, the calls were received with courteous
curiosity, but without success in finding the individual sought.
24. A 1953 entry in the diary referring to the summer residence of the
parents of one of the suspected subjects led us to the subject's father
and ultimately to her. She does not believe that she was ever given a
dese of LSD; she has no recollection of any unusual or abnormal reaction
, or 'behavior on the date cited in the White diary, or at any other time.
She was helpful, however, in identifying a second subject mentioned in
the diary. Both of these subjects are women who have married since
they appeared in the diary.
25. The second subject, after.being informed that an entry in. White's
,ciary implied she might have been given LSD surreptitiously, recalled .
'vividly what she characterized as the worst experience of her life. She
believes the dose must have been administered in martinis served by George
White to her, another guest, ,.and_ She recalled that she and
the other two women were consumed by uncontrollable laughter. Such behavior
was totally uncharacteristic of the subject who remembers no comparable
experience before or since. In retrospect, the subject now suspects that
the other two women must also have been given the same dose. Her concern
for the third party is heightened by the recollection that the third party
had a baby with her at the White's house. Unfortunately, the subject
could not recall the name of the woman with the baby, and the entry in
White's diary is not sufficiently legible to stimulate her memory.
26. The subject left the White's house and returned to her own
apartment by taxi. She was unable to sleep because colored lights were
flashing through her mind and before her eyes. She telephoned George
White who, she reports, was totally unsympathetic, told her to go to
sleep, and hung up the telephone. The light patterns continued throughout
the night and two or three additional telephone calls to Ilhite received
the same response as the first one. The subject invited a friend to stay
with her during the following day and apparently the severe discomfiture
subsided about 24 hours after the LSD was administered.
27. This-subject has been under the care of a physician in recent
months for treatment of a malady of unknown -origin. She plans to inform
her physician of the LSD incident, which occurred in 1952, and seek his
9.
1 0 MAY 19:19
The Honorable Edward M. Kennedy
Chairman, Subcommittee on Health
,and Scientific Research
Committee on Human Resources
United States Senate
Washington, D.C. 20510
Dear Mr. Chairman:
On 18 January .1979 I sent you a report of our progress
1-45.th the program to identify persons who might have suffered
harMfUl long-term aftereffects from having been subjects,
Without their knowledge or consent, of drug research many
years ago. In that interim report I mentioned that, for
purposes of convenience, we had treated the MKULTRA program
in two parts, one part dealing with research programs at insti-
tutions and the other with the safehouses in New York City and
San Francisco. I am pleased now to submit to you our final
.reloort of the institutional part of the program and to inform
you that I expect to be able to report finally on the safehouses
part of the program within,ths next 30 to 45 days.
�
I am happy to note that the more we have reviewed the
research conducted at private institutions with CIA funding,
the more confident we have grown that our earlier fears were
greatly exaggerated. .There are instances in which we have
been frustrated:iipur efforts to acquire the additional
knowledge' by the inability of researchers or institutions
to add anything to Agency records. However, the picture that
emerges overall is one in which tne research conducted was
performed in a responsible manner. Rather consistently it
appears that subjects of research were volunteers and that
the type and amount of drugs administered C.ere not likely to
have caused long-term aftereffects. These findings are
buttressed by the fact that the various investigations were
conducted under the direction and control of responsible
institutions and investigators.
I believe it to be a significant observation that in
most cases the research conducted at private institutions
would have gone forward without support from CIA funds.
SUBJECT: NULTRA - Notification of Unwitting Subjects
is traveling with our representative to interview former agents of
- the Federal Bureau of Narcotics, current employees of DEA, and present
and former employees of CIA who may have some knowledge of the
safehouse activities. While this part of the program is not as
unsullied as the institutional part, we are finding that much more
fiction than fact has been written about the safehouses. One indivi-
dual who played a role in the technical installations in one of the� �
San Francisco safehouses and served as caretaker recalls, for example,
that the bedroom could not be seen through the two-way mirror from
the observation room. Another person reports that the two-way mirror
was used for criminal entrapment of narcotics dealers. These reports
tend to contradict the "peep show" accounts.
S. George White, the Federal Bureau of Narcotics supervisor of
the San Francisco Office, was Custodian of the safehouses. He made
� thep available to the FBI, the Secret Service and the local police
for official as well as quasi-official purposes. Not only were the
safehouses used for entrapment of criminals, they were also used for
entertainment. Occasionally they were used as temporary lodgings
' for official visitors or newly transferred employees while seeking
permanent quarters. It appears that very little, if any, drug
,testing was done in the safehouses. George White apparently was just
as likely to have done that in his own home at his own dinner .table
as anywhere else.
6. While our investigations still not complete, and probably
we will never know the full story, it appears that we may be able to
confidently conclude that fewer than a dozen people were actually
administered drugs unwittingly. One knowledgeable person reports
that with the dosages administered the "victims" were able to carry
on with their normal activities, suspecting only that they had "a
touch of the flu" or had eaten something disagreeable. This same
source report i that in cases he knew about there was a follow-up
interview within a,few days to learn the full reaction of the subject.
7.. These are only some of the preliminary findings. We expect
to be able to produce a full and final report about 1 June 1979.
8. Action Recommended: Your signature on the letters to
Senators Bayh and Kennedy closing out the institutional part of the
K-(ULTRA program is recommended.
(51
� .Attachment
CC:
Typically, research programs were initiated and 5onsorect by
the institution itself prior to supporting funds being made
available from external contributors. In many cases, program
involving CIA funds were funded previously, concurrently or
subsequently by other contributors. In general, then, the �
research was conceived, planned and carried out in accordance
with institutional protocol and procedure without direction
or control by CIA. In those cases in which the knowledge to
be acquired was defined by CIA, the methods emoloyed and pro-
cedures followed nonetheless remained under the control of tht
institution or individual researcher. Our review discloses
no case in which the research conducted stands out as a de-
parture from professional and ethical standards of the time.
Results were available cenerally to those interested, with
concealment only of the fact of CIA interest and support.
Forwarded herewith are .copies of pertinent documentation,
the development of which has led us to the conclusion that no
further action is required with respect to that cart of the
i1/41KULTRA program conducted at private. institutions.
Yours sincerely,
42/ Stansfield urri
STANSFIELD TURNER
Enclosure
the FEN at the time express serious doubt that such activity did, or
could have occurred. FEN regulations prohibited operational use of
women without special permission. FEN officers believe White could not
have enlisted such assistance secretly or without being Challenged.
They also doubt that White personally tested drugs while he was in San
Francisco. They acknowledge, however, almost to a man, that a special
relationship existed between George White and Ira Feldman. They speculat,=,
that Feldman might have been the individual who "covertly administered
material to other people." Feldman denies that he tested drugs but
implies that he knows more than he has told. He hinted that if "they"
really wanted to find out everything, "they" would grant him total
immunity and the Attorney General, the DCI, or Senator Kennedy would
interview him.
17. MKUITRA files contain many cancelled checks written payable to
cash by Morgan Hall that have attracted some public attention. Most of
the surviving countersigners have been interviewed but no relationship
between the checks and drug testing has been established. For the most
-part these checks were used to defray the costs of maintaining the
amenities at the safehouses, sponsoring meetings and hosting parties
held there. One check made out to Ira Feldman was countersigned by a
person who was known to have used several aliases, and was arrested on
a charge of loitering in San Francisco a few months after the check
was written. No information about this person more recent than 1962 has
been found.
18. We have learned of only one incident where CIA employees
participated directly in the administration of a drug to an unwitting
subject. Two former CIA employeg.s separately recalled the same incident
in a bar in San Francisco where a hostess/singer in the employ of the bar
had been surreptitiously given a small dose (neither of the participants
recalled the exact quantity) of LSD in a cocktail. One of the participants
recalled the name of the bar, the position of the subject, that she had
blonde hair and a "fairly good voice," and that the incident occurred
about 1953. -Neither of the persons interviewed knew, or could recall, the
subject's name. They reported that she was able to continue the performance
of her duties for ,the remainder of her shift but was treated at a hospital
after she went off duty. A follow-up conversation with her several days
after the incident reportedly revealed that she apparently had suffered
'no harmful aftereffects, but had given up drinking.
19. The bar where the incident took place no longer exists but a
visit to the premises where it had been located resulted in the
identification of a former employee of the bar who is currently employed
elsewhere in San Francisco. This individual was interviewed and *recalled
the first name only of the subject of the experiment, but reported that
the subject had died of cancer about 1963. This source did remember the
name of another individual who had been employed at the bar when the
incident took place. This second individual also was interviewed,
tv.e.1.0e0C.2.1SOS
The Honorable Birch Bayh
Chairman, Select Committee
on Intelligence
United States Senate
Washington, D.C. 20510
Dear Mr. Chairman:
10 V;:ff 1979
On 18 January 1979 I sent you a report of Our progress
with the program to identify persons who might have suffered
harmful long-term aftereffects from having been subjects,
without their knowledge or consent, of drug research many
years ago. In that interim report I mentioned that, for
purposes of. convenience, we had treated the E4KULTRA program
in two parts, one part dealing with research programs at
institutions and the other with the safehouses in New York
City and San Francisco. I am pleased now to submit to you
. our final report of the institutional part of the program and
to inform you that I expect to be able to report finally on
thesafehouses part of the program within the next 30 to 45
days.
I am happy to note that, the more we have reviewed the
research conducted with CIA funding at private institutions,
the more confident we have%grdwn that our earlier fears were
greatly exaggerated. There are instances in which we have
been frustrated in our efforts to acquire additional knowledge
by the inability of researchers or institutions to add anything
to Agency records. However, the picture that emerges overall
is one in which the research conducted was performed in a
responsible manner. Rather consistently it appears
subjects of research were volunteers and that th,..1 type and
amount of drugs administered weie not likely to have caused
long-term aftereffects. These findings are buttressed by the
fact that the various investigations were conducted under the
direction and control of responsible institutions and
investigators.
I believe it to be a significant observatien that in most
cases the research conducted at private institutions would.
'have Ione forward without support from CIA funds. Typically,
It
- NEvOlANDUM FOR THE RECORD
SUBJECT: MKULTRA Subprojects 3, 14, 16, 42, 132, 149 and NTEEARCH 4 -
George H. White/Morgan Hall - Bureau of Narcotics
1- This memorandum is intended to serve as the final report of the
investigations to identify, locate, and notify persons who may have been
subjects of drug experimentations without their knowledge or consent
under the MKULTRA program. Paragraphs 1 through 11 describe and summarize
the content of the surviving MCULTRA files pertaining to the safehouses
in New York City and San Francisco, and the activities of Bureau of
Narcotics Agent George H. White. Paragraphs 12 through 29 describe and
suMmarize the method and results of our search for unwitting subjects.
. 2. A memorandum for the record dated 21 May 1953 says that
MKULTRA subproject 3 "will involve the realistic testing of certain
.research and development items of interest ... During the course of
research and development it is sometimes found that certain very neces-
sary experiments or tests are not suited to ordinary laboratory condi-
tions. At the same time it would be difficult, if not impossible, to
conduct these as operational field tests. This project is designed to
provide facilities to fill this intermediate requirement." The project
was to be "conducted by Mt. Mprga; Hall, a seaman". A copy of a memo-
randum for the Inspector General -from the Chief, Inspection and Review
dated 10 February 1954 says that the project has two purposes:
"(a) Observe the behavior of unwitting persons being questioned
after having been given a drug; and
test electronic and photographic equipment and one-way mirrors
in making the observations."
Co)
No observations had been made by 10 February 1954 because the one-way
mirror broke enroute to New York.'
"To accomplish these objectives, TSS makes use of one George
White, a bona fide Treasury narcotics agent. White has been with Trea-
ury a long time and makes his headquarters in New York, though it
appears he is authorized to operate elsewhere as well. White either
worked for or assisted OSS in connection with the use of drugs for .
interrogation purposes."
"The project makes use of an apartment located at 81 Bedford Street,
New. York City." A copy of the lease contained in the file shows that
there were two adjoining apartments on the first floor. "An adjoining
room is used for CIA observation and a one-way mirror will be inStalled."
There is in the file a copy of a lease for a furnished dwelling at
261 Green Street, Mill Valley, California.
Subproject 42 was continued by memorandum for the record 9 July
1959. "During the past few months arrangements have been concluded
and preliminary 'dry-runs' have been completed for the conduct of a
larger number of more Complex 'field' trials. These new trials are
necessitated by the production of new materials in other TSD programs,
advances in the State of the Art of Delivery, and the need for better
controlled 'field-type' experiments."
6. Subproject 132 was established 11 January 1961 for the purpose
of conducting realistic tests of certain research and development items
and systems of interest to TSD. The project description is the same as
that for subprojects 3, 14, 16, and 42, but the project was to be "con-
ducted by Mr. Cal Salerno, a public relations consultant" in New York
City. The memo says Salerno was fully witting of the purposes of the
project and was cleared through Top Secret. The project was renewed in
April 1962 and July 1963.
A- memorandum for the record dated 3 March 1964 reports that Mr.
. 'Cal Salerno moved his offices from Yew York City to Chicago.
7. Subproject 149 was established 24 January 1964 for the purpose
of providing a replacement for Mr. Salerno in New York City. The project
was7,to have been "condlirted by fillf/IMMIAli, an individual in the
import and export business in New York. .A marginal note dated 31 June
1964 says "testing in stand-down until policy issues resolved at DCI
level - O.K. to pay rentals for time being". The most recent financial
statement is dated April 6, 1965.
8. MKSEARCH 4 was a continuation of ?�.'KULTRA 149. Nothing of
substance is tontained in the file. Its termination as of 30 june
1965 is recorded by memorandum dated 28 February 1967.
9. In Rearings before the Subcommittee -oft Health and Scientific
Research of the Committee on Human Resources of the United States Senate_
September 20; 1977 Mr. Charles Siragusa, retired Deputy, Commissioner
of the Bureau of Narcotics, testified that Cal Salerno had been his "cover
name." Senator Kennedy read to him an extract from the March 1964
memorandum quoted in paragraph 5 above. Mr. Siragusa responded: "There
has been some poetic license taken with the truth. I left the Bureau of
Narcotics in November 1963. I only just learned that the name of Cal
Salerno was. adopted by others that succeeded me. I had nothing to do
with CIA during the period of time that I was in Chicago."
George Belk, Supervisor of the New York Office of the Bureau of Nar-
cotics beginning in April 1963, testified that he.had been briefed -
generally about the existence of an apartment by the then COMmissioner. �
before he assumed his duties in New York. Later he was briefed:in detail
4
about the project by a man by the name of John Tagley", an agent in
the New York Office of the Bureau of Narcotics. Belk admitted know-
ing that CIA used the property but denied any knowledge of what CIA
used it for. Belk said: "I was told we can use the apartment for oper-
ations, and that when Ca was going to use the place, that we would be
notified in advance that they were, and that we would stay off the
premises."
10. Questions asked during the hearings were directed at the uses
to which safehouses were put by CIA. The question of what the Bureau of
Narcotics did with them was never raised, yet Nr. Belk's testimony
clearly implies that the Bureau of Narcotics had the primary and CIA
the secondary use. That implication is supported if not substantiated
by the documents in files of the several subprojects. It also is the
position taken by Dr. Gottlieb in his Congressional testimony.
11. The files of subprojects having to do with the New York and San
Francisco safehouses are among the most incomplete of all the MLTRA
files. In January 1979 letters were addressed to nine former CIA employees
whose names appear most frequently and prominently on documents in the�
rsaasurR,A files pertaining to the safehouse subprojects. Only two of the
addressees failed to respond. Those who did respond disclaimed direct
. 'knowledge of what actually occurred in the safehouses. Others, to whom
'letters were not written, were interviewed.
� 12. In February 1979 the Administrator of the Drug Enforcement
Administration designated a Staff Inspector assigned to the Office of
Internal Security as DEA's project officer to assist us in the effort to
identify persons who might have been administered drugs without their
knowledge in safehouses in New York and San Francisco. This inspector
and an officer of the CIA. visited New York City, San Francisco, and a
number of other locations between the coasts of the United States to inter-
view former employees of the Federal Bureau of Narcotics, current employees
of the Drug Enforcement Administration, and present and former employees
of the CIA, representatives of other agencies.of the Federal, State, and
.local governments and persons in the private sector. A total of 44
interviews were conducted.
13. People interviewed included those employees of PBN, DEN, and
CIA who were directly acquainted with George Uhite and his work in New
York and San Francisco. None of the people interviewed knew of any
instance where the safehouses were used for the administration of drugs
to unwitting persons. They were available for CIA use only as stand-by
or contingency facilities; CIA could only get access to them by first
notifying the FBN local office; FBN agents active at the time collectively
recall only "one or two" occasions when they were "told to stay away",
most FBN people have no recollection of ever being "told to stay away."
The safehouses were accessible to virtually every agent of the Federal
Bureau of Narcotics stationed in New York or San Francisco during the
time the safehouses were in operation. They were used by FBN agents for
official entertainment, for temporary lodgings to accommodate official