NEWSPAPER CLIPPINGS

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Collection: Records Related to the Assassination of Senator Robert F. Kennedy
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 00395218
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 304
• Document Creation Date: June 6, 2025
• Document Release Date: June 12, 2025
• Publication Date: August 6, 1990

104-10400-10010 PRGG M THE WASHINGTON TIMES, h- .t 19 9 R0E\111 EV\I 1.99g :1" g 0/4 AO, 9 No 0134-bt/0/1/ 76 04%044,9s/Pic47iO4/ 440 477�N /4/ tit' 0000 ksilft � '41 Man says his father helped assassinate JFK AUSTIN, Texas � An unem- ployed oil equipment salesman claims that his late father, a former Dallas police officer, was one of three men who assassinated Pres- ident John F Kennedy in 1963. Ricky White scheduled a meet- ing with reporters today in Dallas to offer evidence he believes impli- cates his father, Roscoe White, in President Kennedy's assassination, the Austin American-Statesman re- ported yesterday. Mr. White, 29, says he "had no conception of ever, ever giving this story out," but decided to do so after the FBI began questioning him in May 1988 in relation to his claims. He said he can prove that his fa- ther fired two of the three bullets that killed the president and that his father, not Lee Harvey Oswald, also killed Dallas police officer J.D. Tippit. Mr. White said Oswald was in- volved in the plot, but did not fire any shots. The two other shooters were referred to in his fa- ther's diary only by code names, Mr. White said. The Warren Commission con- cluded that Oswald, acting alone, fired the shots that killed President Kennedy and wounded Texas Gov. John Connally. Roscoe White died in a fire in 1971. .4.%ci4vetro Out and About There probably never will be an explana- tion that will satisfy all the conspiracy theorists who don't believe that Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone in the assassination of John F. Kennedy. Filmmaker Oliver Stone is heading to Texas in April to begin filming aJFK," a drama that will present several scenarios relating to the 1963 assassina- tion, and add his interpretation of the lin- gering mystery. Kevin Costner will star as former New Orleans prosecutor James Garrison, whose investigation maintained that Kennedy was the victim of a CIA and TUTSDAY, FUR/ART 26, 1991 B3 FBI conspiracy and that Oswald was set up as their fall guy. "John Kennedy was the godfather of my generation and a lot of us believe he was murdered for political rea- sons," Stone said. "And like Hamlet, we have to try and look back and correct the inaccuracies." In the film, Garrison, now an appeals court judge, will portray U.S. Chief Justice Earl Warren, whose Warren Com- mission Report declared that Oswald was the lone assassin. The report came out 10 months after the Nov. 22 assassination . . . It you are making Oscar bets, Las Vegas oddsmaker Lenny Del Genio says "Dances With Wolves" and Sevin Costner are the favorites for Best Picture and Best Direc- tor. No one is going to give anything better than even money on those selections. He picks Robert De Niro of "Awakenings" for Best Actor... Oswald (CONTINUED FROM PAGE 10) an anti-communist program "that stressed the supposedly clandestine and subversive nature of Party work" Remarkably, she concludes, "This - kind of life�being an outsider and secretly fighting the authorities�would likely have ap- pealed to him." An outsider secretly fighting the authorities? The program was about Herbert Phi'brick, who spied on communists for the FBL Another lapse. "Like his fellow radar opera- tors, Oswald," we are told, "had a low security clearance." The main authority for this state- ment is given as former Marine Corps lieutenant John Donovan, Oswald's onetime crevraief, and Davison partially sums up his Warren Com- mission testimony about "the confidential infor- mation Oswald had access to." She entirely overlooks Donovan's testimony �from the very same page she cites as her au- thority�that Oswald must have had at least a secret clearance "to work in the radar center be- muse that was a minimum requirement for all of us." It may have been higher. According to Donovan, Oswald's defection also required the changing of various "codes." Davison assures us at the end that "the assas- sination of John Kennedy was neither an act of random violence nor a conspiracy" but rather "a result of Oswald's character and background in- teracting with circumstance." It is Oswald who commands her attention, and the book amounts to a sort of psychohistory of the man and his motives. Unfortunately, her conclusions about him are flawed by her fail- ure to give suffi:- cient attentionln the crime itself� as though it did not matter. She appears to take the view that the Warren Commis- sion is right be- cause it said it was right. She accepts what is congenial_ and flies past that which is not Was there a slot - from the grassy knoll, to the right of Kennedy's motorcade, while Oswald fired from the Texas School Book Depository? Davison simply shrugs off the question in two quick sentences, then adds: "In any event, the bulk of the evidence about Oswald clearly suggests that if there had been a conspiracy, Oswald would not have been a patsy, but the ringleader." In his foreword, Norman Mailer tells how he encouraged Davison to write her own book, in response to a letter she sent him, and then pro- fesses his disagreement with the result Mailer suggests that the best way to look on Oswald's Game is to think of it in terms of field artil- lery, wherein forward observers are told to bracket a target. If the first shots, the conspir- acy books, fall short, then the next shot should be targeted to land on the far side. That way, Mailer reasons, "by comparing the near and the long, they can approach a direct hit." Mailer, it may be presumed, will get a free copy of the book. The reader may conclude that $17.95 is too much to pay for a shot that falls wide of the mark. 0 Lee Haney Orwold Oswald Offered Soviets Data for Trip Atsociated Press 2 6 NOV- 1976 A retired CIA agent says he recalls that several weeks before President John F. Kennedy's assassi- nation in 1963, Lee Harvey Oswald offered to give the Soviet Embassy in Mexico City information in exchange for a trip to Russia. David A. Phillips, a former CIA officer in Mexico who now heads the Association of Retired Intelli- gence Officers, said in a telephone interview last iilht "My general recollection is that he (Oswald) wanted to go to the Soviet Union via Cuba, and as part of that he said he might have some information useful to them." Phillips, who recently retired from the agency in � order to defend the agency against its critics, de- dined to say where he had obtained that informa- tion, other than to say "I was aware what was going on." � However, it was first reported more than a year ago, and later confirmed by Senate intelligence committee chairman Frank Church, that the CIA wiretapped and recorded a:Sept. 28, 1963, conversa- tion that Oswald had with the Soviet Embassy in Mexico City from a telephone in the Cuban Embas- sy there. Kennedy was shot to death in Dallas on Nov. 22, 1963, and the Warren Commission determined that Oswald was the sole assassin. It has been known that Oswald went to the Mexi- co City embassies in an attempt to obtain a travel visa that would permit him to enter the Soviet Union by way of Cuba. The Washington Post reported in today's editions that a CIA interpreter and a stenographer -who worked on the transcript of Oswald's telephone con- versation also recalled that Oswald had offered un- specified information in exchange for a paid trip to the Soviet Union. But the Post said the Warren Commission, for undetermined reasons, was not given that segment of the transcript. And it said the FBI, which is re- sponsible for espionage investigations, also was told only in a general way that Oswald had made contact with the Soviet Embassy. Oswald Probers in Mexico ��'� :- Investigators for the House Select 'Committee on Assassinations flew to Mexico yesterday to interview a Ceti. tral Intelligence Agency translator and a typist who prepared a transcript of a telephone call made by Lee Har- vey Oswald to the Soviet embassy in Mexico City eight weeks before the assassination of John F. Kennedy � The action followed four hours of closed-session. testimony given yester- day to the committee's unit investigat- ting the Nov. 22, 1963, Kennedy assas- sination. The testimony was given by David A. Phillips, a retired CIA offi- cer, who saw a transcript of the con- , versation before the assassination. The Washington Post reported Fri- day that Phillips, the translator, and a � typist each said Oswald was offering to give the Soviets information and re- questing free � passage to Russia. A transcript of this conversation given -to the CIA contained / no such ex- change or intimations. There is no evidence Oswald's offer of information was �accepted by the Soviets. The Post also reported that Phillips, the translator, and the typist said Os- wald identified himself. The CIA has claimed agency officials were not aware of the 'Oswald call in question. or other calls at the time because they did not know who had Made them. It was learned that Phillips, who heads a CIA:defense group formed by retired intelligence officer's, was re- minded by the.CIA Friday of the se- , crecy oath he was required to sign when he joined 'the agency. However, it is understood he testified anyway. 70swald-Cuban Envoy' Contacts Cited r MIAMI � A prominent Cuban exile said yeeter- iday that Lee Harvey Oswald met repeatedly with .;Fidel Castro's diplomats in Mexico before the frassassination of President John F. Kennedy and '4.that Mexico's secret police must have extensive files on the meetings. � Dr. Alberto Garcia Menocal, a prominent attor- ney in pre-Castro Cuba who is now a furniture dealer in suburban Coral Gables, was interviewed on WRAC, a Spanish-language radio station. Gar- cia was living in Mexico at the time of the Kennedy assgssination. 9'DEC 4976 ;HINGTON POST, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 1983 Daniel Schorr Oswald as Avenger The basic conclusions of the Warren Commis- sion have stood up against a spate of conspiracy theories that seemed to respond to an American need to make the assassination of President Kennedy seem less random, less senseless. But the commission might have been less mystified about the probable motive had it not been for the CIA, which feared that a link might be es- tablished between the assassination and the agency's plots to kill Castro. Since the commisssion filed its report, evi- dence has emerged�some of it still officially se- cret�suggesting a chain of circumstance that led Lee Harvey Oswald to become the self-ap- pointed avenger of persistent efforts by the CIA to assassinate Fidel Castro. Castro's agents penetrated many of the assas- sination plots. His informants circulated in the Cuban community in Miami, the main staging point. In 1978 Castro told a visiting House in- vestigating committee, "We were constantly ar- resting people trained by the CIA . . . with ex- plosives ... withielescopiclifles." On Sept, 7, 1963, CaStrO showed up unexpect- edly at a Brazilian Embassy reception in Havana and launched into a tirade against President Kennedy and the CIA, accusing them of plotting Hi� death. "Let Kennedy and his brother, Robert, watch out," he said. "They, too, could become targets of assassination." After his impromptu speech at the Brazilian Embassy, Castro expanded his warning of retaliation in a long inter- view with an Associated Press corre- spondent, Daniel Harker. In New Orleans, where Oswald was living, Harker's story appeared at the top of Page 7 of the Times-Picayune of Sept. 9. It started this way: HAVANA (AP)�Prime Minister Fidel Castro said Saturday night tion was not known for some time. The CIA suc- ceeded in getting Chief Justice Earl Warren to reject staff proposals to go to Mexico City and look into the Cuban connection. The Senate In- telligence Committee in 1976 thoroughly docuz mented the agency's desperate fear that the as7 -Sassination might turn Out to have been an act of Castro retaliation for its attempts to kill him. Then, on June 17, 1964, FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover, who was conducting his own cover-up of bureau contacts with Oswald, sent a top-secret let- ter to J. Lee Rankin, chief counsel of the Warren Commission. As far as is known, the letter was never brought to the commission's attention, though it ended up in its voluminous files. The letter cited statements made by Castro relating to the Kennedy assassination that the bureau had learned of "through a confidential source which has furnished reliable information in the past" The substance of the letter remains classified to this day. But it has been learned that the inform- ant was an American communist, working with the FBI, who had returned from a visit to Havana. As summarized in Hoover's letter, Castro said that "United States leaders" would be in danger if they helped in any attempt to do away with leaders of Cuba. Bitterly denouncing what he called recent US.- prompted raids on Cuban territory, Castro said, "We are prepared to fight them and answer in kind. United States leaders should think that if they are aiding terrorist plans to eliminate Cuban leaders .. . they themselves will not be safe." It is not established that Oswald read the story, but his wife, Marina, later said that he was an avid reader of newspapers, including the Times-Picayune. The story came at a time when Oswald, an admirer of Castro, was in a state of agitation and frustration. He had lost his job. He had been ar- rested in a scuffle while distributing pro-Castro leaflets. He had engaged in an angry debate on the radio, saying, "Cuba is the only revolution- ary country in the world today." In the days after the publication of the Castro interview, events in Oswald's life appeared to take a decisive turn. On Sept 23 he sent his wife and child to stay with their friend, Ruth Payne, in Irving, Texas. On Sept. 26 he traveled by bus to Mexico City, telling a passenger he wanted to �go to Cuba and see Castro: � ^On Sept. 27 arriving in Mexico' City, he went directly to the Cuban consulate to apply for a visa. Told that he could only gets transit visa� he first needed a Soviet visa�he went to the Soviet Embassy, where he was turned down. After shuttling between embassies�his tele- phone ealLs from the Soviet mission monitored by the CIA�he returned to the Cuban consulate on Oct. 1 with an insistent demand for permission to go to Cuba. The consul, Eusebio Azque, fInally threw him out, saying, "Instead of helping the t�ni qrf, malty harming it " "Oswald had vowed, in the presence of Cuban consulate officials, to assassinate the president" Subsequently, a British correspondent, Corner Clark, quoted Castro as saying that Os- wald had stated, "Someone ought to shoot that President Kennedy. Maybe I'll-try to do it." The Cuban consul clearly considered the threat a provocation. There is no reason to be- lieve that he encouraged Oswald to act on it. .But why didn't Castro warn the United States Government about the homicidal young man? In 1964 Castro gave various explanations� that he didn't take the reports from his embassy seriously, that he had no diplomatic relations with the United States, and that he suspected Oswald was part of some conspiracy to embroil him in an assassination attempt that might be used as a pretext for an invasion of Cuba. � But in 1978, interviewed in Havana by the House investigating committee headed by Rep. Louis Stokes, Castro denied prior knowledge of ,Oswald's plan. He said, "If Oswald would have done something like that, it would have been . our dutyto inform the United States." One can understand why Cast- ,) would now dis- -claim knowledge of Oswald's int,mtions. It would be embarrassing to acknow1ed7 that his warning . to the Kennedys might, how t . unintentionally, have triggered Oswald's violent !antasies and that he had then sat on the inf�mation that might conceivably have saved Ku is life. Thus, after two decad- t appears that the Kennedy assassination may � .ve involved a tragic and historic irony, a coy f circumstances in which an arrow bill troublesome foreign leader fell Tho , Irt.Inv, Newrmliler 25. I 'NM OK Death Investigators Move to Open Hill Files By George Lardner Jr. Washington Post Staff WOW!' Although 20 years have passed since President Kennedy's assassi- nation, secrecy still is the rule for the files of the House Select Committee on Assassinations, which conducted the last major inquiry into the mur- der. All but one of the members of that committee who still are serving in the House introduced a resolution last April 13 gradually to open the records, which also involve the inqui- ry into the death of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., under guidelines established years ago for the Warren Commission. But this measure has been stalled in the House Administration Com- mittee because of objections from Rep. Louis Stokes (D-Ohio), the for- mer chairman of. the assassinations committee, apparently acting on the advice of the committee's former chief counsel, G. Robert Blakey. As a result, no hearings have been held on the resolution, although it has picked up almost 40 other co- sponsors and support of the Nation- al Coordinating Committee for the Promotion of History, a consortium of 29 historical organizations. "Time has just run out," House Administration Committee Chair- man Augustus F. Hawkins (D-Calif.) said last week of the failure to hold a hearing before adjournment. "I know ' there are some who are opposed to the resolution. I think Mr. Stokes has some problems with respect to the confidentiality by which some of the information was obtained." The Warren Commission's volu- minous records on the Kennedy as- sassination also originally were scheduled to be kept sealed for 75 years, but about 95 percent of them have been made public. Experts at the National Archives have sifted them under rules prohibiting disclo- sures that might be detrimental to� law enforcement, might reveal the identities of confidential sources, jeoparidize future investigations, or embarrass innocent individuals. The House resolution also would prohibit the release of proceedings that the committee voted to keep secret, or where confidentiality had been promised to a witness in closed session. Stokes could not be reached for comment. But Rep. Robert W. Edgar (D-Pa.), a sponsor of the res- olution, said that he spoke to Stokes about his reservations several weeks ago. Edgar said Stokes told him: "I'm doing this because of Blakey." The final report, completed by Blakey and other staff aides in 1979 after the committee had disbanded, stated that "public disclosure of -all the facts" surrounding the investi- gations of the Kennedy and King murders was essential. But it turned out later that Blakey and Stokes had arranged to lock up all of the backup records and transcripts that the' committee did not publish. And they also asked the ustice Department, the CIA and ther executive branch agencies to treat the records they compiled for the House investigation in the same fashion as "congressional material," not to be released to the public. Blakey, now a professor at Notre Dame Law School, said he believes organized crime figures were respon- sible for Kennedy's murder. He said in a telephone interview that releas- ing the files, even under the Warren Commission safeguards, would be a waste of time. Blakey also said that. he saw no reason why the assassina- tions committee's records should be treated differently from those of other committees of Congress. Blakey said that promises of con- fidentiality to witnesses interviewed by committee investigators and law- yers were "the exception rather than the rule" and were more frequent in the King investigation than the Ken- nedy inquiry. But he said that "those promises unfortunately are not ex- pressed" in the committee's records and reports of those interviews. Blakey said that he is not flatly opposed to the resol u tk in, but thinks it would be unproductive. ---- ---- - - Vrodny. Novem�er 23, 101t3 JFK Death Investigators Move to Open Hill Files By George Lard ner Jr. Washington PostStaff Writer Although 20 years have passed since President Kennedy's assassi- nation, secrecy still is the rule for the files of the House Select Committee on Assassinations, which conducted the last major inquiry into the mur- der. All but one of the members of that committee who still are serving in the House introduced a resolution last April 13 gradually to open the records, which also involve the inqui- ry into the death of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., under guidelines established years ago for the Warren Commission. But this measure has been stalled in the House Administration Com- mittee because of objections from Rep. Louis Stokes (D-Ohio), the for- mer chairman of. the assassinations committee, apparently acting on the advice of the committee's former chief counsel, G. Robert Blakey. As a result, no hearings have been held on the resolution, although it has picked up almost 40 other co- sponsors and support of the Nation- al Coordinating Committee for the Promotion of History, a consortium of 29 historical organizations. "Time has just run out," House Administration Committee Chair- man Augustus F. Hawkins (D-Calif.) said last week of the failure to hold a hearing before adjournment. "I know there are some who are opposed to the resolution. I think Mr. Stokes has some problems with respect to the confidentiality by which some of the information was obtained." The Warren Commission's volu- minous records on the Kennedy as- sassination also originally were scheduled to be kept sealed for 75 ' years, but about 95 percent of them have been made public. Experts at the National Archives have sifted them under rules prohibiting disclo- sures that might be detrimental to� law enforcement, might reveal the identities of confidential sources, jeoparidize future investigations, or embarrass innocent individuals. The House resolution also would prohibit the release of proceedings that the committee voted to keep secret, or where confidentiality had been promised to a witness in closed session. Stokes could not be reached for comment. But Rep. Robert W. Edgar (D-Pa.), a sponsor of the res- olution, said that he spoke to Stokes about his reservations several weeks ago. Edgar said Stokes told him: "I'm doing this because of Blakey." The final report, completed by Blakey and other staff aides in 1979 after the committee had disbanded, stated that "public disclosure of -all the facts" surrounding the investi- gations of the Kennedy and King murders was essential. But it turned out later that Blakey and Stokes had arranged to lock up all of the backup records and transcripts that the committee did not publish. And they also asked the j�ustice Department, the CIA and ther executive branch agencies to treat the records they compiled for the House investigation in the same fashion as "congressional material," not to be released to the public. Blakey, now a professor at Notre Dame Law School, said he believes organized crime figures were respon- sible for Kennedy's murder. He said in a telephone interview that releas- ing the files, even under the Warren Commission safeguards, would be a waste of time. Blakey also said that he saw no reason why the assassina- tions committee's records should be treated differently from those of other committees of Congress. Blakey said that promises of con- fidentiality to witnesses interviewed by committee investigators and law- yers were "the exception rather than the rule" and were more frequent in the King investigation than the Ken- nedy inquiry. But he said that "those promises unfortunately are not ex- pressed" in the committee's records and reports of those interviews. Blakey said that he is not flatly opposed to the res(ilution, but thinks it would be unproductive. - Hill Panel. Probing Oswald . By Ronald Kessler WashLinton PostlItaff Writer The House Select Committee on Assassinations last night subpoenaed ' retired Central Intelligence Agency officer David A._Phillips to question him about a telephone call made by Lee Harvey Oswald to the Soviet em- bassy in Mexico City eight weeks be- fcre President Kennedy's assassina- tion. A committee source said Phillips, who heads the Association of Retired Intelligence Officers, which is a lead- ing defender of the CIA, was sub- poenaed to testify within a few days before a closed session of the com- mittee's unit investigating the Ken- nedy assassination. Phillips was questioned informally last night by committee investigators In the committee's offices. He may testify as early as today, according to a source. 1 ' Richard A. Sprague, chief counsel of the full committee, said yesterday that it has launched an investigation of the circumstances surrounding the telephone call as reported in yester- day's 1 editions of The Washington Post. The Post story said that the CIA in- tercepted and tape-recorded Oswald's call to the Soviet embassy in late Sep- tember, 1963. but did not turn it over to the FBI, which has responsibility for investigating possible spies. It also did not turn it over to the Warren Commission during its investigation of the Kennedy assassination, The Post said. Instead, the CIA gave the FBI_ a brief report that did not mention Os- wald's offer of information, but said only that Oswald had contacted the Soviet embassy, The Post said. The CIA later provided the Warren Com- mission and the Senate intelligence i ctimmittee,- which investigated the I Kennedy assassination ' earlier this i year, with transcripts of Oswald's call that omitted his offer of information in rexcharige for a trip to the Soviet Union. t , There is no evidence that Oswald's !offer of information was accepted by ' the Soviets. Oswald later did refer in a letter, first made public by the Warren Commission, to 'meetings" k in the Soviet embassy. k After the assassination on Nov. 22, 1963, the CIA clainled at it was not . aware of most of Oswald's activities in Mexico City before the assassina- tion because Oswald had not men- tioned his name in this and other conversations _with the Soviet and Cuban embassies there. However, Xniillips, who saw the CIA � transcripts cif 'Oswald's' conversations before the 101stisitttion, the CIA ' translator in vharge of .preparing the transcripts and the typist who pre- � pared them each told The Post that Oswald had mentioned his name in the conversations. They also said Oswald was offering Ainforrnation to the Soviets and re- questing a free trip to Russia. � Since .he CIA claims that the tapes of Oswald's _calls were destroyed -'about a% week after the conversations took place, few individuals have per- sonal knowledge of what was said. . . The CIA has declined to comment. 'In addition to obtaining Phillips' testimony, a House assassination com- mittee source said the panel Intends � ' to identify and interview the CIA :translator and typist, who were inter- -viewed by The Post in Mexico. Panel Asked to Investigate Killing of Panther Leader United Press International The House Select Committee on As- sassinations yesterday was asked to investigate the 1969 killing of Chicago Black Panther Party leader Fred Hampton on grounds he was set up by the FBI through an informer and "murdered" in a raid carried out by a special force of the Chicago police. Morton H. Halperin, a former staff member Of�ttit, National Security Council and now director of projects in conjunction with the American Civil Liberties Union, requested ac- tion in a letter to Richard A. Sprague, chief counsel and staff director of the newly farmed House panel. Halperin said FBI complicity was established by documents and infor- mation that came to light during the $47.5 million civil damage suit against federal, state and local authorities now underway in Chicago. The suit was filed by relatives of Hampton and DAVID A. PHILLIPS ... CIA ex-officer subpoenaed to testify Mark Clark. another Black Panther member killed in the raid on their apartment. Chicago police have said the raid was carried out to confiscate weapons held by the Panthers and that police fired their guns in response to shots from the apartment's occupants. Halperin said that a resolution set- ting up the House panel to investigate the assassinations of President Ken- nedy and civil rights leader Dr. Mar- tin Luther King Jr. also authorized the committee to probe the deaths "of any others the select committee shall determine." Oswald Offered Soviets Data for Trip - Auociated Press 2 6 NOV- 1976 A retired CIA agent says he recalls that several weeks before President John F. Kennedy's assassi- nation in 1963, Lee Harvey Oswald offered to give the Soviet Embassy in Mexico City information in exchange for a trip to Russia. David A. Phillips, a former CIA officer in Mexico who now heads the Association of Retired Intelli- sence Officers, said in a telephone interview last "My general recollection is that he (Oswald) wanted to go to the Soviet Union via Cuba, and as part of that he said he might have some Information useful to them." Phillips, who recently retired from the agency in order to defend the agency against its critics, de- clined to say where he had obtained that informa- tion, other than to say "I was aware what was going on." However, it was first reported more than a year ago, and later confirmed by Senate intelligence committee chairman Frank Church, that the CIA 28 NOV 1976 wiretapped and recorded a Sept. 28, 1963, conversa- tion that Oswald had with the Soviet Embassy in Mexico City from a telephone in the Cuban Embas- sy there. Kennedy was shot to death in Dallas on Nov. 22, 1963, and the Warren Commission determined that Oswald was the sole assassin. It has been known that Oswald went to the Mexi- co City embassies in an attempt to obtain a travel visa that would permit him to enter the Soviet Union by way of Cuba. The Washington Post reported in today's editions that a CIA interpreter and a stenographer who worked on the transcript of Oswald's telephone con- versation also recalled that Oswald had offered un- specified information in exchange for a paid trip to the Soviet Union. � . But the Post said the Warren Commission, for undetermined reasons, was not given that segment of the transcript. And it said the FBI, which is re- sponsible for espionage investigations, also was told only in a general way that Oswald had made contact with the Soviet Embassy. Oswald Probers in Mexico Investigators for the House Select 'Committee on Assassinations flew to Mexico yesterday to interview a Cen- tral Intelligence Agency translator and a typist who prepared a transcript of a telephone call made by Lee Har- vey Oswald to the Soviet embassy in Mexico City eight weeks before the asassinaticin of John F. Kennedy The action followed four hours of closed-session testimony given yester- day to the committee's unit investigat- ting the Nov. 22, 1963, Kennedy assas- sination. The testimony was given by David A. Phillips, a retired CIA offi- cer, who saw a transcript of the con- versation before the assassination. The Washington Post reported Fri- day that Phillips, the translator, and a typist each said Oswald was offering to give the Sovi2ts information and re- questing free ' passage to Russia. A transcript of this conversation given -to the CIA contained / no such ex- change or intimations. There is no evidence Oswald's offer of information was accepted by the .Soviets. The Post also reported that Phillips, the translator, and the typist said Os- wald identified himself. The CIA has claimed agency officials were not aware of the .Oswald call in question or other calls at the time because they did not know who had made them. It was learned that Phillips, who heads a CIA defense group formed by retired intelligence officer's, was re- minded by the CIA Friday of the se- crecy oath he was required to sign when he joined The agency. However, it is understood he testified anyway. _ ,101swald-Cuban Envoy Contacts Cited t: MIAMI � A prominent Cuban exile said yester- elay that Lee Harvey Oswald met repeatedly with 'FFIdel Castro's diplomats In Mexico before the ssassination of President John F. Kennedy and at Mexico's secret police must have extensive ,files on the meetings. Dr. Alberto Garcia MenocaI, a prominent attor- ney In pre-Castro Cuba who is now a furniture !' dealer in suburban Coral Gables, was interviewed on WRAC, a Spanish-language radio station. Gar- cia was living in Mexico at the time of the Kennedy assassination. 9 DEC 1976 "sl-ca-lai .71,4 /0.-)f?r.:ipV . . 11.> 4 I a a 2 a � � � Al OCI PAW! OP PAO a� dMF CLASS,. lC S Et R ISAACS IMA1401. CITI 11111111A01118��11/11O1CO NuAotall STAFF CONF: 4553 INFO: FILE TO: IMMEDIATE TEHRAN. Y WNINTEL RYBAT 1. AP WIRE STORY IN WASHINGTON STAR ON FOIA RELEASE OF OSWALD'S aF MATERIAL MAKES FOLLOWING STATEMENTAWHICH YOU SHOULD BE AWARE,'-0=4 DIRECTOR DIDc-1/. 01)0_3, pD0709 c.i16 2_ 922297 a'MONA 0NO16.0�11 0 RITUPP. TO 0 IaPAAS DISSEM BY: PER 4gTE: IN SWORN TESTIMONY BEFORE THE WARREN COMMISSION, RICHARD HELMS, THEN A BRANCH CHIEF AND LATER CIA'S DIRECTOR, SAID THE AGENCY NEVER HAD OR EVEN CONTEMPLATED ANY CONTACTS WITH OSWALD... NEWLY RELEASED DOCUMENT, SAYS WE SHOWED IN- TELLIGENCE INTEREST IN OSWALD AND DISCUSSES... THE LAYING ON OF INTERVIEWS. END QUOTE. Y � (147tv211) 4. 2. ABOVE MISCONSTRUED FROM SANITIZED 'MV RELEASED UNDER FOIA, WRITTEN BY FORMER OFFICER WHO WAS INTERESTED IN POSSIBLE USEFUL IN- FORMATION OSWALD MIGHT HAVE IN CONTEXT OF SOVIET REALITIES. IN RESPONSE TO DCI CALL TO ALL HANDS TO RECORD WHATEVER THEY THOUGHT MIGHT BE RELEVANT TO WARREN COMMISSION INTERESTS, OFFICER WROTE THIS nE//o 194. THE DOES RECORD BRANCH LEVEL DISCUSSION BUT STATES THAT . A - WRITER DOES NOT KNOW WHAT ACTION WAS TAKEN. E-2, IMPDET.R DATE: 1 OCT 76 ORM:. CHAS:BRIGGS:DCM UNIT: C/ISS EXT: 1596 Zes'eeg__ AIL �PIMA fa COOPOINATIAO OPRIC [AS � THEODORE .�,;..�Ticusy, ADDO CUA�11p..cAT,O. ebt nags" � ���������"u ..orue ru � kJ rue .eeinur! necioE is PROHIBITED RET petre11 fic E 2 IMPOST. � CL BY:061991 Cf�110 A-3 -� Saturdc. Octobef � 6/14" - . " - A 'Documerit'Contr.adidgYeslifiibny7':%': � , 7-1 d.Ocw1 - � or �, ����� ,�t 4,w I., nfornriatioti� ur __t had 'or even with t .cont'ary ..toswqrntestimony, .the Oswald. .. "CI.konce considered, Whig presiden-"'-�"." NOVmrLe'esMt: Frie.torwl 'tfaraisasiinstieHarvey,oswaidaicaTY'ii;aer:,ZAci.1 interest ...source:. of... inte11igend4-infOrinetaini;`;:aiwpotentierintelligencelonide'4,1111 -a-,SO:iifihe- Soviet Union's', aCCoidinkt#::,. due to his -,!'unusual...behavior. anewly released Which .he had defected ind swornOestunony,4oeiore4 the, 1959 _Warren , m s s Richard.. 44,1" W1+:. e rid pl:SCUIL11.3',:.rn;er4teT'd.I Ifelins;'then a brancli'ahielendliteF' e:(deleted)1OsWald might-pro;dI ,never ;had !!Or: even.' conteniplat;�51':�,..ilactolbeen the,tCIA's, director;,:said:theitgenCY..,,Iihr e� on . the . mcMinskipt factory .nedine of which h ocs escet enY ?..: .,,�Contacts With OsSwald.''', 4����1.-1 wtis of,the �;The� released document. ought ;the:usual (deleted) that:.:, written by an .unidentified CIA officer:, i might help develop (deleted). person- three. days after. :President John' F.'''. a ty dossiers." the memo states..,.;.. 'Kennedy Was killed in Dallas on NoV:.'7,-; The memo' indicates that, Oswald. 22�963, says that'we showed N:asr. also, of interest to the CIA ,be-7 "ligence interest" in Oswald and '''bocause of concern that his RuSsian- . cussed, the :laying on, of' inter? wife, views." � !��: t.'rMepaidinfoa; mightSoviet hweovLn been.to 'The Unidentified offiCer:added:that;',Marry foreigners, leave the country.� -rdc; not know What action deVelcisy�ed:n .marry Overseas where they could.: thereafter:7, . al. � THE NiEMO WAS -AMONG h THE MEMO ABOUT �.:th'e'ader;y;;CI -- .'--. released:10 �:Thi--"- tizne,,:in;:sumnier %The-. author ASSOcia ted yesterday'under. recall if this',was?. the Freedom of Information � discussed while Oswald and his fami:), I seconCciactiinent: recteali':thit..":1y,*ere'en.route to our country or if II former CIA .> Director 'AllenDulles;'' arrival."... ws after their . while :serving '-as.".a.,::membef, of ,,the-.�:. Warren Commission,' privately : coun�-�''. : seled CIA officials, on the best way to answer questions from:Ihe,.: .sion � about'''-allegations'?.th.atiOsWald.,;' , was a CIA agent.';21q."..'?,:'����<::;,�Ki.:',w.,,f4' ? Dulles "thought :--;languagClwhichi, Made it clear that' Lee HeriieY7.10s, weld was never an employe or agent of CIA would iuffice,, an.:Unidenti fled CIA officetwrote Helms in'.April"!^ 1964: e"-"I hint- that i',yeareful4r1r, . phrased denial of.ithechargisiof;:in -.volvement vrith Oswald seemed' ingsP.' -anprooriate " the unidentified officer' ' added; - When he appeared before th'ecorn=-4 tlissicn in; May;,..1964.'.'1-Telins,:,.then-: head of the .,agency's clandestine'. services, testitied:-..undei.:- Oath ',,that: "there's no-,rnateriaf!..in the- Central-; InteLiigence Agencyteithei in' the � records or in;thminct,OfTeny.;;.otthp Lndividuals thatithere,,was any con- dieds of pages of documents.. frorn;.",:.: - CIA's file on Lee Harvey Oswald istlotentseabout st; Oswald said :theVsisocrnuesr%' . . � 0.,/,"..1.4.11,MG....Afi.-.Sta:- . CIA Link To Oswald Unproven Associated Presi , Senate investigators were unable to confirm reports from two CIA offi-, cers that the agency- may have con:, - tacted Lee Harvey Oswald prior to'. the assassination of President John:., F. Kennedy, it � was learned yester!r: I day. '4 � . , However, 'Sen. Richard Schweikery,1 _who headed ..the, ,kennedy assassination investigation; said through .a spokesman that "I , think we know the whole story." . , The CIA ,released a � document' "Thursday showing that the. agency,�, once considered using. Oswald ' source of intelligence 'information k 'about' the: Soviet Union. The .docu���� ment appeared to conflict with sworn testimony before the Warren Com-,�'1 mission by Richard "Helms,. then, a , branch chief and later .the CIA7s.�-� director, that the agency -never had;. "or even contemplated" any, contacts.' with Oswald: " � � SCIPWEIKER SAID he was una.- ware of the Oswald document, but well informed source said it had been turned over to the Senate inteliigence : subcommittee that investigated the-i Kennedy assassination. "We followed it up," the source,- said, but "we found no indication that- Oswald was in fact contacted.- � The same, source. ,:said � investiga...., tors also ,were unable to confirm ,the, sworn testimony. before the suboom.. mittee by.a ,former.CIA�officei;WhO�,- elaimed.to-,have seer-1,a CIA report concerning a contact with a man, closely. resemblingr.0sWeld:�` tion ;re hc�.% .iconfirmed-Sit-his ' cornmitteehad been 'tinabie 1corT roborate',".seyeral reports"-: of CIA, contacts JWith Oswald ' in connection I with his travels in, Russia between" 1959 and 1962.,'-; " � 3: ' � I � .1 � IlifasAington rune� TUESDAY, AUGUST 7, 1990 / PAGE A3 NATION MORE NATIONAL NEWS Texan claims his father fired shots that killed OK By Hugh Aynesworth 7HE WASHINGTON TIMES DALLAS � A 29-year-old Mid- land, Texas, man charged here yes- terday that his father, a former Dal- las policeman, was a CIA hit man who actually fired the shots that killed President John E Kennedy in 1963. Ricky White, an unemployed oil equipment salesman who has been trying to peddle the story for at least a year through several unnamed Texas businessmen, told a packed news conference here that his father, Roscoe White � who died in a 1971 fire � joined the Dallas Police De- partment shortly before the assassi- nation just to handle the job. Mr. White said yesterday that his father fired two of three shots from the infamous "grassy knoll" area that hit Kennedy on Nov. 22, 1963. He said his father also killed Dallas po- liceman J.D. Tippit as he and Lee Harvey Oswald were rushing to Red Bird Airport in Mr. Tippit's car to leave town. He claimed that Oswald fired no shots at all and that Oswald and Of- ficer Tippit were "patsies." Ricky White also named two other "shooters," code-named "Saul" and "Lebanon," who, he said, had fired at Kennedy. Roscoe White's code was "Mandarin," he said. "Saul" and "Lebanon" were CIA operatives sta- tioned in the Texas School Book De- pository building and County Rec- ords Building overlooking Dealey Plaza, he said. He added that his mother, Geneva White, overheard a plot to kill Ken- nedy while working as a barmaid at Jack Ruby's nightclub a few weeks before the assassination. She told no- body, he said, because Ruby threat- ened to kill her if she did. Ricky White said his mother "has had four shock treatments and can- not be questioned:' The Rev. Jack Shaw of suburban Richardson also was at the press AP� Ricky White with a photo of the presidential motorcade before claiming yesterday that his father killed John Kennedy. conference, held in the JFIC Assassi- nation Information Bureau, which sells conspiracy materials about the tragedy, and said Mrs. White had told him what she overheard. "These allegations � that this was done on CIA orders, that this guy worked for us and that CIA had any role in the assassination of President Kennedy � are ludicrous," CIA spokesman Mark Mansfield said in Washington. Roscoe White never worked for the CIA, Mr. Mansfield said. "Nor- mally, we never confirm nor deny employment, but these allegations are so outrageous that we felt it nec- essary and appropriate to respond:' The FBI said in a brief statement that it had received the same infor- mation in 1988 but "determined that this information is not credible!' The Warren Commission con- cluded that Oswald, acting alone, fired the shots that killed Kennedy and wounded John Connally, then 'Ibzas governor. Despite the find- ings, conspiracy theories have abounded since the assassination. Ricky White showed reporters documents that he said would but- tress his claims. Among those items were embarcation slips showing that both Roscoe White and Oswald had left on the same ship for Marine duty in Japan on Aug. 22, 1957. He sub- mitted three faded messages he claimed were sent by U.S. intelli- gence officials ordering the killing of Kennedy. But Bobby Ray Inman, former CIA deputy director, after examin- ing the "messages," said they were not legitimate. "My reaction is that it's a forgery of some kind, or in- valid," he told the Austin American- Statesman last week. Ricky White said he discovered his father's role in the killing 12 years ago and had difficulty accept- ing it � particularly, he explained, AP The late Roscoe White in a 1963 photo. His son says he was a CIA agent when he shot President Kennedy. because Officer Tippit and his fa- ther were close friends. Earlier this year, Ricky White and his agent, Chuck Neighbors of San Antonio, met with The Washington Times for several hours at the behest of a New York publishing house, which had been contacted by Mr. Neighbors. The New York editor urged a writer for The Times to "examine the validity of what Mr. White claims" and determine if he wanted to write a book with Ricky White about the situation. This Times reporter � who has written about the Kennedy assassi- nation since the day he witnessed it � investigated several of the White claims and then told the New York editor that he was not interested � that he did not believe the story Since the discussions with The Times, Ricky White has come up with further documentation and al- legations, including: � That he had read his father's diary and understood what it meant, but that an FBI agent had taken it and he has not seen it since. Pre- viously, the only reference to the FBI having any materials of his was when he said an agent had read some notes and he could not find them later. Nothing was ever mentioned about a diary, nothing remotely touching on admissions about killing Officer Tippit, or Oswald not even firing a shot. � That Mrs. White heard a plot with Ruby saying, "I will take care of Oswald," and her husband reply- ing, "I will take care of the president and I will take care of Tippit." � That he had additional informa- tion linking his father to the CIA. The Times reporter was told by Ricky White the only thing that caused belief his father was a CIA agent was a friend living like a "bar- ricaded hermit" in a West Texas town, who is no longer mentioned. There appear to be many holes in the latest scenario, including: � Officer Tippit was known to have been farther away from the city and was pulled in closer by his dis- patcher as police searched for the assassin. He could not have been downtown, hurrying Oswald and Roscoe White out to an airport. � When Ricky White said his fa- ther fired two telling shots, includ- ing one to Kennedy's throat, he was parroting several conspiracy theo- rists, but most forensic experts say there was no shot from the front. Woody Specht, an FBI spokesman in Dallas who has dealt with the Ken- nedy case for nearly a decade, said simply: "You really need to evaluate the source on these types of things." � This article is based in part on wire service reports. naI uCd1 S ins name its years alter his death. Lacouture portrays de Gaulle as practicing isometric diplomacy on the United States: �l'he permanent theme of de Gaulle was that resisting a superpower, friend or adversary, was to do the superpower a favor." The bitter dispute that erupted between Washington and l'aris over the French determination to build 113 own nuclear arsenal outside American ontrol is the best example of this cited by Lacouture. It is also an example of how history winds tip supporting de Gaulle's vision of where American interests lie. Today the United States supports France's maintaining and sig- nificantly expanding its force de frappe (the French nuclear force). The Reagan adminis- Ir ation exerts considerable diplomatic energy to thwart efforts by Soviet leader IVIikhail t;orbachev to en3nare the French nuclear senal�along with Britain's�in the super- wer arms control negotiations. American strategic planners concede now that the un- certainty the Soviets face in having to deal with an autonomous nuclear force under t'rench control gives the West a significant Mvantage in the event of war. Norstad, who cultivated de Gaulle while serv- ing as NATO commander from 1956 to 1963, 1.1ayed an unwitting role in the French leader's decision to assign an urgent priority to talding the French A-bomb and eventually dering American forces out of France, accord- to Lacouture's account, which discloses that American general had made a point of keeping de Gaulle informed about nce strategy while he was out of power. When he came back to the Elysee palace in de Gaulle immediately asked Norstad tor a formal NATO briefing, which he coliclud- ,1 by asking Norstad how many Aille.rican tear warheads were on French soil and ,t here they were based. "Mon general, I cannot tell you that unless w, are alone," Norstad replied. De Gaulle iiediately agreed and repeated his question en his staff had left the room. "Mon ge' r- :�;', I am very sorry but 1 cannot answer that luestion," Norstad said. To which de Gaulle i�vonded: "Well, mon ge ne. ral, that is the last time, and mark it well, that a French leader ever hear such an answer." The bitter divisions between Washington .n:,1 Paris led to France's pulling out of the integrated military command in !,n6 and cast a shadow across Norstad's '-re as NATO commander. But he strug- ?led to keep his personal relations with de t,.,atie unmarked by recrimination and to un- 's on Washington that his role was, as The York Times described it, "that of an Shallow Look at the Mind of an Assassin DALLAS�Don DeLillo's ninth novel, "Li- bra," asserts that what happened here in Dealey Plaza a quarter of a century ago became "the seven seconds that broke the back of the American century." If this hyper- ventilating book were merely what that sen- tence is�overwrought and unhistorical�it would not matter that "Libra" is a best seller. But the book, one of about 20 pouring forth on the Kennedy assassination, is an act of literary vandalism and bad citizenship. DeLillo's attempt to "follow the bullets' trajectories" back into the minds of Lee Har- vey Oswald and others becomes yet another exercise in blaming America for Oswald's act of derangement. It is valuable only as a re- minder of the toll that ideological virulence takes on literary talent. The story is that a cadre of CIA operatives, furious about the halfheartedness of the Bay of Pigs invasion, plan an "electrifying event" to galvanize the country against Fidel Castro. They decide on a "surgical miss" of President Kennedy by a gunman who, would leave a paper trail to Cuba. But one thing leads to another, and to the man in the sixth-floor window of the Texas Book Depository. DeLillo says he is just filling in "some of the blank spaces in the known record." But there Richard Cohen is no blank space large enough to accommo- date, and not a particle of evidence for, DeLil- to's lunatic conspiracy theory. In the book's weaselly afterword, he says he has made "no attempt to furnish factual answers." But in a New York Times interview he says, "1 pur- posely chose the most obvious theory because 1 wanted to do justice to historical likelihood." DeLillo traduces an ethic of literature. Nov- elists using the raw material of history�real people, important events�should be con- strained by concern for truthfulness, by re- spect for the record and a judicious weighing of probabilities. History, says a DeLillo character, is "the sum total of all the things they aren't telling us." Of course. "They." That antecedentless pronoun haunts the fevered imaginations of paranoiacs. For conspiracy addicts like DeLil- lo, the utter absence of evidence, after 25 years of searching, proves not that there was no conspiracy but that the conspiracy was diabolically clever. He says that because of the seven seconds in Dallas, "we have been educated in skepti- cism." Skepticism? DeLillo is a study in credu- lity regarding the crudities of the American left. He says the assassination was "the turn- ing point in consciousness" for Americans, that "we have been suspicious ever since" concerning "the secret manipulation of histo- ry." In Dallas we entered "the world of randomness," reminded by Oswald that "nothing is assured." Spare us such sandbox existentialism. De- Lillo rejects randomness. His intimation is that America is a sick society that breeds extrem- ism and conspiracies and that Oswald was a national type, a product of the culture. From the unremarkable fact that recent assassins or would-be assassins (Sirhan, Ray, Bremer, Hinckley) have been marginal men, not social successes, ideologists of the left weave indict- ments of America. DeLillo's indictment is interestingly unin- teresting. It is the familiar, banal thought that Oswald was a lonely neurotic' who tried to shed ordinariness by lunging into the theater of the Kennedys. And guess what? DeLillo has said: "Consumerism is a form of mass anes- thesia.... It- makes people lonely." DeLillo's lurid imaginings will soothe imma- ture people who want to believe that behind large events there must be large ideas or impersonal forces or conspiracies. It takes a steady adult nerve to stare unblinkingly at the fact that history can be jarred sideways by an Another 'Card-Carrying Member of the ACLU' Comes before me a letter from Sen. Paul Simon (1)-111.). He says Attorney General Richard Thornburgh "was a director of the Pittsburgh chapter of the ACLU at one time." Simon wonders why this has not been men- tioned anywhere. "1 think it might be worth- while for somebody to point that out." Thanks, Senator. It just so happens, "Somebody" is my middle name. A all to Pittsburgh verifies what Simon says. Marion Damick, associate director of the American Civil Liberties U111011 chapter there, says that from 1966 to 1969, Thornburgh was one of 38 directors. (A tiny item in the Sept. 16 Post, ignored by millions, says the same. , "If the organization is as odious as [Bush] claims, then we cannot have a chief law enforcement officer who was once a board member." would choose if he wins in November? Yes, yes. The very same, What shall we make of this? There is hardly a state, after all, in which Bush has not called Mike Dukakis a "card-carrying member of the ACLU." There is hardly a start, in whirh and the killing of the born and unborn and insists (as did the early Christians) that no one�neither a child nor a teacher�be com- pelled to swear an oath of allegiance. In Bush's view, the ACLU has much to account for�so act that signifies nothing but an addled individ- ual's inner turmoil. The mind of an assassin can be a deep and demanding subject. But the more DeLillo ex- plains his work, the shallower it and he seem, In a burst of sophomoric self-dramatization, he says: "The writer is the person who stands outside society, independent of affiliations. .. . The writer is the man or woman who automat- ically takes a stance against his or her govern- ment." Automatically as in unthinkingly. De- Lillo's celebration of the writer as unaffiliated "outsider" is hackneyed and unhistorical. (Henry James, Jane Austen, George Eliot and others were hardly outsiders.) DeLillo's cele- bration stops just a short step from declaring the writer as kin to Oswald, who, as a defec- tor, was the ultimate outsider. It is well to be reminded by books like this of the virulence of the loathing some intellec- tuals feel for American society, and of the frivolous thinking that fuels it. DeLillo is a talented writer whose talent is subordinated to, and obviated by, puerile political stances. What was unfairly said of a far greater writer (T. S. Eliot, born in St. Louis 100 years .go this Monday) must be said of DeLillo: he ;3 a good writer and a bad influence, moral equivocation (not to mention his coil- nections)�fought the draft. Often, as peodle do when they need help, they turned to the ACLU. Some pretty important legal and con- stitutional issues were involved, and the ACLU, concerned about constitutional rights and not ideology (it currently sides with Oliver North on a legal issue), offered its help. Thornburgh's ACLU connection must pie- sent Bush with a problem. What's a hypocrite to do? To be consistent, he should deniand that President Reagan fire the attorney gener- al. If the organization is as odious as he claims, then 'we cannot have a chief law PrifArror,....r � BOOK REVIEW / Jeremiah O'Leary Kennedy plot list lengthens /t seems as if the conspiracy books began spewing from the nation's printing presses be- fore there was time to light the. eternal flame on the grave of Pres- ident John F Kennedy. The longer these theorists labor, the wilder their twisted logic be- comes and the best of them have been those who only propose alter- nate theories of plots and schemes and interlocking conspiracies. No one, least of all David E. Scherm, has done much more than muddy these turbid waters. One has only to recall Mark Lane, Edward Jay Epstein, Ovid Demaris and the prolific dairy farmer from western Maryland, plus all the rest, to pray for surcease. I feel strongly about all this be cause I was in Dallas on Nov. 22 Contract on America: The Mafia Murder of President ' _John E Kennedy', � , By David E. &herrn' Shapolsky, $19.95, 480 pages 963, when l'resident Kennedy was slain; I stood about 12 feet away two days later when Jack Ruby shot Lee Harvey Oswald to death; I even had . custody for a few minutes of the Mannlicher Carcano rifle Oswald fired front a window at Mr. Kennedy and lbxas Gov. John Connolly. Later, I attended all the hearings of the House Assassinations Com- mittee and read every word of the Warren Commission report. tinter- viewed many of the principals in Dallas, including Oswald's two land- ladies, the cops and FBI min On the case and even certain interested CIA personnel. OK. Maybe there is some shade of doubt about some details as to Os- wald and his motives and the motiva- tion of 'Jack Ruby. But the conspir- acy industry will accept no obvious solution. Mr. Scherm has assembled the most impressive list of Mafia members I have ever seen but, in my opinion, "Contract on America: The Mafia Murder of President John F Kennedy" proves nothing except that Oswald was a screw-loose ex - Marine and that Jack Ruby was a two-hit pimp, thug and hanger-on at the Dallas police station. I have one major reason of my own why I do not believe Ruby was carrying out a "hit" for the Mafia or anyone else. You see, I was in the police station all night the Friday the president was killed, all the next day and night and all Sunday morning, when Ruby shot Oswald. Ruby gave me and other reporters his card, of- fered to get us sandwiches, identi- fied local bigwigs for us and gen- Jeremiah O'Leary is The Washing- mu Times' chief White House cor- resporOMM erally was an accepted figure. He had several opportunities on Friday and Saturday to kill Oswald much more easily than he was to do Sun- day morning, because every time Oswald was trotted out, Ruby was there. If the Mafia or the Cubans or the right or the left had wanted Oswald silenced, why in the world would they have let him live to be ques- tioned for a day and a half? On Sunday, at 11:17 a.m., Ruby sent a telegram to a lady stripper in Fort Worth from the Western Union office across the street from the po- lice station. Then he walked over to the ramp into the police garage.just as Oswald was being led to a police car to be taken to the Sheriff's Jail. At 11:21 a.m.,Huby pulled out his hammerless pistol, the one he al- ways carried, glided up to Oswald and shot him in the stomach. Either this timing was a coinci- dence or Ruby knew to the second when Oswald would enter the ga- rage. 'lb believe he had fore- knowledge, one has to believe that the Dallas police wanted Oswald dead and passed the word on the ex- act time of the transfer. I prefer co- incidence. As to Mr. Kennedy's death, Oswald owned the rifle and he read the motorcade route in the newspaper the day before the visit. He realized .the motorcade passed beneath his office in the' Thxas School'Book Depository. What, then, was Oswald's motive? He was certainly a disturbed young man with a bad military history and an unhappy marriage to a Russian wife. He was somewhat like Jack Ruby, in that both these violent men apparently wanted to be "some- body" But there is no evidence that they knew each other and no evi- � dence that the Mafia held Ruby. in any great esteem. � Ruby was a small-time labor strong-arm man, a creature of the honky-tonks and race tracks, a man who craved attention. I accept that some of the Mafia may 'have wished the deaths of the president or his brother, Attorney General Robert E Kennedy, but as long as we are deal- ing in theories, why not eliminate the middle man? Would it not have been smarter to have Ruby carry out the contract rather than give, the job to the addled Oswald? At least Ruby knew the law of Omerta, and he car- ried it to his grave when he died of cancer. This book contains the names of several hundred putative suspects and all the theories you can imagine. But the rifle was Oswald's, the bul- lets from it killed President Ken- nedy, and Ruby killed Oswald On na- tional television. Who needs another I mind-boggling rash of theories? ' WASHINGTON POST Ex-CIA Aide \ Daubts0sweica Link to Cuba Associated Press' The man who headed covert CIA operations in Mexico City in 1963 says Lee Harvey Oswald neither asked for nor received 'any aid from the Cubans or Russians in assassinating President Kennedy. In fact, David Atlee Phillips writes in -The Night Watch," none of the CIA personnel in Mexico City had ever heard of Oswald, and were una- ware that he had defected to the So- viet Union, married a Russian. and then returned to the United States. CIA surveillance, Phillips wrote, showed that Oswald visited the S'oviet embassy in an attempt to return to Russia and wanted to go via Cuba. He said a file check with Washing- ton normally would have been insti- tuted..but all the agents were So busy they did not get around to it until the wife of an agent took it _upon herself to compOSelhe cable.. . Even then, he said, she mistook Os- wald's middle name as -Henry" and relayed a faulty physical description of him. The reason for. this. Phillips said. was that the wife had not read about_ _ Oswald but "heard" about him�pre. sumablY from some clandestine source�and was working phoneti- cally. OCcL-H-4-- Intelligence Parapolitics, no. 64, April 1985 An "intelligence digest" published in Paris. ASSASSINATION ARCHIVES AND RESEARCH CENTER WIN F. ST.. N.W. WASHINGTON. D.C. 50004 (2021 393�11417 Well, the AARC is alive and well in Washington, D.C. It has taken us many too many years to do what we should have done too many years ago, i.e., establish a physical permanent center for the study of assassi- nations. We have taken a five-room suite at 918 F Street, N.W., in the heart of downtown D.C. We are two blocks from the National Archives, and just behind the FBI Building (and its Reading Room). Some day we hope to find the funding necessary to buy a townhouse for a permanent residence, but what we have will do nicely for now. And we hope that you will come and visit us in the near future. Our collection contains books, government� documents, research files, unpublished manuscripts, photos and films, magazine articles, bibliographies, tapes, etc. We know that researchers will make considerable use of these materials. The AARC is a non-profit corporation, which has been granted a "501(c) (3) " tax exemption by the IRS as an educational institution. Hence, gifts to the AARC are tax deductible; our tax exempt number is 52-1354369. Our Board of Directors for 1985 are: Mark Allen, Washington , D.C. Bud Fensterwald, Alexandria, Virginia Mary Fe rre 11, Dallas, Te xas Jack Gordon, Wi lbrahazt, Mass ach use tts Paul Hoch, Berkeley, California Kathy Kinsella, Washington, D.C. Jim Lesar, Washington, D.C. Phil me 1 axis on, Marion , Mass a ch use tts Gary Shaw, Cleburne, Texas Our materials and facilities are available, free of charge, to all serious researchers and scholars, whether members or not. As someone interested in the study of assassinations, there are a number of things which you can do to assist us in getting off to a good start. Intel/PP, Iv 65, p 1. You can be come a Charter Member of the AARC. Our at arte r provides for the following classes of membership : Pe gul a r t.m robe rsh ip Patron' s Membership Life Me mbe rship $ 25.00 annual dues $1,000.00 annual dues $5,000.00 one tine contribution A membership form is enclosed. We most earnestly hope that you will fill it out and return it to us. Don't forget that your annual dues are tax exempt. As a membe r , you will be able to borrow books and docturents , and you will be solicited for your views as to the management of the AARC. 2. You can send us a one-time, initial gift. Our capitalization is very meager, and we would greatly appreciate as much as you can spare JIB a start-up contribution. This will be tax deductible in 1985. 3. You can send us a donation of assassinations' materials, such as books, research files, documents, photos. etc. We are starting with more than a thousand books and about twenty file cabinets of materials; these are donations from various individuals, CTLX, and AIB. However, as a research center, it will be helpful to have duplicates of all of the materials. If there are any items which you can spare from your library (or attic or basesxnt) , please send them to us by mail, freight, or United Parcel. If you so request, we will reimburse you for the cost of shipping. Also, we will gladly inventory and appraise the materials for your tax deduction on such a current gift. 4. You can leave us the remainder of your collection in your Will. It is a terrible waste, when a researcher dies, to have his or her intire collection either thrown away or given to some person or institution that cannot make any real use of it. This has happened several times in recent years; it will happen more frequently in the future. Therefore we ask you to amend your Will or attach to it a Codicil, leaving your whole collection to the AARC, where excellent use will be made of it. A draft Codicil is enclosed for your use; if you execute it . . . and we hope that you will . . . please send us a xerox copy for our files. 5. You can send us a copy of your address list of persons interested in assassinations. This will enable us to compile a complete and current master list for use in soliciting members and gifts. We will be glad to send you a copy of this master list when completed. 6. The AARC will have a Board of Advisors, as well as a Board of Directors. The Advisors are to lend their names, pres tige , and advice to our endeavors. We solicit from you suggestions of names of outstanding researchers and/or writers who, you belive, should be asked to serve on the Board of Advisors. Association pour le droit l'informatic!n (ADI) 16 rue des Ecoles 75005 PARIS (Tel. [phone]) The ADI it Association pour le Droll �Information a or Association for the Rignt to Information/ is a nonprofit oroanisation founded in T980 in Paris ano whose Honorary Presioent is Sean Mac Brie. Intelligence/Parapolitics (Intel/PP). whose Director is Marie-Pierre Tezier & whose Editor in Olivier Schrnicit, is a monthly publisheo by the ADI who reserves all rights for the reproduction or translation of any material herein. Intei/PP exists in two formats, a full edition & summary edition, & also exists in French. Le Monde au Renseignement/Parapolitique. Printed oy Copies Conformes (255.44.04: : nu� mar� paritaire 65903. Subscription Rates. Individuals (personal check required) : 20 US dollars or 150 FF (summary edition $15 or 100 FF 1. Organisa- tion : 60 US dollars or 500 FF (summary edition $40 or 300 FF). Air Mail, add 4 dollars or 30 FF. All money orders or checks to the order of the ADI (16 rue des Ecoies, 75005 Paris : tel. [phone]). Postal transfers should be sent to our account CCP, n. 8.822.81 G. Centre Paris. /I/ KENNEDY ASSASSINATION, ASSASSINATIONS & DOCUMENTATION. Announcement of the establishment of the Assassination Archives and Research Center, Inc. (918 F Street NW, Washington DC 20004; tel. [phone]) and description of its activities concerning the documentation and research on political assassinations in the USA and in particular the assassination of President John F. Kennecy. This center is directed by some of the most respected names involved in this domaine of parapolitical research; among others Bernard Fensterwald, Paul Hock, mark Allen & Gary Shaw. The good use to which such a centralised documentation service could be put can be seen in the case of A. C. A. Rodriguez Gallego in the above article, "Spain &. CIA". See also the section "The Assassination of Pres. J. F. Kennedy" in the article below, "Parapolitics, Intelligence & Documentation", and also in Parapolitics: "Kennedy Assassination, Watergate, Intelligence, Extreme Right & CIA", XI 83, p. 1; "Kennedy Assassination", V 82, p. 4. correctionnel de Dinant - Quatre militaires bien embarrasses"! four members of the armed forces embarrassed before the court in Dinant, Le Soir, Brussels, 5 Il 85, & "Le myste're du vol Florennes s'?;paissit grace a M. Vreven"/tne mysterious arms theft in Florennes becomes more comicated thanks to Mr.Vreven, ibid., 6 II 85). The best biographies of Gardiner and his past as a dru(,: dealer, petty criminal and intelligence agent appeared in Dutch in De Nieuwe ("Avonturier-cowboy of inlichtingsagest"/cowbol, adventure of intelligence agent, oy Gust De Blauwe, III 85) anc in Solidair ("John Wood, alias Gardiner ... een politieprovo- kateur beent.../story of a political agent provocateur, 23 I 85, p. 3). It seems that Gardiner's "information" was at the origin of the recent "Mammoet" Operation in Belgium and Holland whose intention was to arrest the members of the extreme left responsible for the recent anti-NATO bombings in that area (Knack, 16 I 85). See also "Holland, Intelligence, CID, BVD & J. P. Gardiner", Intel/PP, II 85, P. 5). Granotier says he is a French citizen, was politically active in Nanterre (France) and the "Ecole Speciale d'Architecture" in V 68, has worked with the UN on peace projects and directs the IOANE peace group in Denmark. At the least, the last two statements are false. He has managed to address the Australian and the New Zealand Labor Parties before being exposed (Tribune, Sydney, 12 XII 84; New Zealand Times, 13 I 85). He has offered information to police in Australia and New Zealand and the French Embassy in Canberra has warned people not to be involved with him. He was arrested in Norway in II 84 and is considered mentally disturbed by Norwegian officials. In this issue, we publish photographs of both Granotier and Gardiner and would appreciate any further information that our readers can send us. For further information concerning Gardiner, see the articles below: "Holland, Intelligence & Extreme Right"; "Australia, New Zealand & Intelligence". For information concerning the manipulation of tne peace movement see the brochure "Campaigns against European Peace Movement" by Esko Antolas (Hurtinkatu 11 A 1, 20600 Turku, Finland; tel. 645.387) of the Peace Union of Finland and also in Intel/PP: "CIA, Media, Europe & Nuclear", XII 84-I 85, p. 6; "Nuclear Arms Bibliography", III-IV 84, p. 11. Intelligence Parapolitics, no. 64, April 1985 An "intelligence digest" published in Paris. ASSASSINATION ARCHIVES AND RESEARCH CENTER Pip' F. $T .W, wAsHINGTON. D.C. 2.0004 (202) 393-11417 Well, the AARC is alive and well in Washington, D.C. It has taken us many too many years to do what we should have done too many years ago, i.e., establish a physical permanent center for the study of assassi- nations. We have taken a five-room suite at 918 F Street, N.W., in the heart of downtown D.C. We are two blocks from the National Archives, and just behind the FBI Building (and its Reading Room). Some day we hope to find the funding necessary to buy a townhouse for a permanent residence, but ghat we have will do nicely for now. And we hope that you will come and visit us in the near future. Our collection contains books, government' documents, research files, unpublished manuscripts, photos and films, magazine articles, bibliographies, tapes, etc. We know that researchers will make considerable use of these materials. The AARC is a non-profit corporation, which has been granted a "501(c) (3) " tax exempticn by the IRS as an educational institution. Hence, gifts to the AARC are tax deductible; our tax exempt number is 52-1354369. Our Board of Directors for 1985 are: Mark Allen, Washington, D.C. Bud Fensterwald, Alexandria, Virginia Mary Ferrell , Dallas, Te xas Jack Gordon, Wilbraham, Massachusetts Paul Hoch, Berkeley, California Kathy Kinsella, Washington, D.C. Jim Lesar, Washington, D.C. Phil Melanson, Marion, Massachusetts Gary Shaw, Cleburne, Texas Our materials and facilities are available, free of charge, to all serious researdhers and scholars, whether members or not. A. someone interested in the study of assassinations, there are a number of things which you can do to assist us in getting off to a good start. Intel/PP, IV 85, F 1. You can become a Charter member of the AARC. Our Charter provides for the following classes of membership: Regular Membership Patron's Membership Life Membership $ 25.00 annual dues $1,000.00 annual dues $5,000.00 one time contribution A membership form is enclosed. We most earnestly hope that you will fill it out and return it to us. Don't forget that your annual dues are tax exempt. As a member, you will be able to borrow books and documents, and you will be solicited for your views as to the management of the AARC. 2. You can send us a one-time, initial gift. Our capitalization is very meager, and we would greatly appreciate as much as you can spare as a start-up contribution. This will be tax deductible in 1985. 3. You can send us a donation of assassinations' materials, such as books, research files, documents, photos, etc. we are starting with more than a thousand books and about twenty file cabinets of materials; these are donations from various individuals, CTIA, and A/B. However, as a research center, it will be helpful to have duplicates of all of the materials. If there are any items which you can spare from your library (or attic or basement), please send them to us by mail, freight, or United Parcel. If you so request, we will reimburse you for the cost of shipping. Also, we will gladly inventory and appraise the materials for your tax deduction on such a current gift. 4. You can leave us the remainder of your collection in your Will. It is a terrible waste, when a researcher dies, to have his or her intire collection either thrown away or given to some person or institution that cannot make any real use of it. This has happened several times in recent years; it will happen more frequently in the future. Therefore, we ask you to amend your Will or attach to it a Codicil, leaving your whole collection to the AARC, where excellent use will be made of it. A draft Codicil is enclosed for your use; if you execute it . . . and we hope that you will . . . please send us a xerox copy for our files. 5. You can send us a copy of your address list of persons interested in assassinations. This will enable us to compile a complete and current master list for use in soliciting members and gifts. We will be glad to send you a copy of this master list when completed. 6. The AARC will have a Board of Advisors, as well as a Board of Directors. The Advisors are to lend their names, prestige, and advice to our endeavors. We solicit from you suggestions of names of outstanding researchers and/or writers who, you belive, should be asked to serve on the Board of Advisors. Association pour le droit l'informatign (AD1) 16 rue des Ecoles 75005 PARIS (Tel. [phone] The AD' lo Association pour le Droil �nformation s or Association for the Right to Information) is a nonprofit organisation founded tn....ITEM- ;WAa'ris and whose Honorary President is Sean Mac Bride. incelligence/Parepolitics (intel/PP), whose Director is Marie-Pierre Tezier & whose Editor in Olivier Schmidt, is a monthly published by the AD) who reserves all rights for the reproduction or translation of any material herein. Intel/PP exists in two formats, a full edition & summary edition, & also exists in French. Le Monde du Renseignement/Parapolitique. Printed by Copies Conformes (256.44.04) mero paritaire 65903. Subscription Rates. Individuals (personal check required) : 20 US dollars or 150 FF (summary edition $15 or 100 FF). Organisa� lion :60 US dollars or 500 FF (summary edition $40 or 300 FF). Air Me)). add 4 dollars or 30 FF. All money orders or checks to the order of the AO! (16 rue des Ecoles. 75005 Paris : tel. [phone]). Postal transfers should be sent to our account CCP, n. 8.822.81 G, Centre Paris. correctionnel de Dinant - Ouatre militaires bien embarrasses"; four members of tne armed force!, embarrassec before the court in Dinant, Le Soir, Brussels, 5 II 5, & "Le mystLre du vol Florennes s.f:paissit grace a M. Vreven"/tne mysterious arms theft in Florennes becomes more com.-.:icated thanks to kr.Vreven, ibid., 6 11 t5). Tne best biographies of Gardiner and has past as a crut. cealer, petty criminal and intelligence agent-appeared in Dutch in De Nieuwe ("Avonturier-cowboy of inlichtingsacest"/cowto: acventure of intelligence agent, by Gust De Blauwe, Ill 65) anc in Solidair ("John Wood, alias Gardiner ... een politieprovc- Aateur bekent.../story of a political agent provocateur, 23 I 65, p. 3). It seems that Gardiner's "information" was at the origin of the recent "Mammoet" Operation in Belgium and Holland whose intention was to arrest the members of the extreme left responsible for the recent anti-NATO bombings in that area (Knack, 16 I 85). See also "Holland, Intelligence, CID, BVD 6 3. P. Gardiner", Intel/PP, II 85, p. 5). Granotier says he is a French citizen, was politically active in Nanterre (France) and the "Ecole Speciale d'Architecture" in V 68, has worked with the UN on peace projects and directs the IOANE peace group in Denmark. At the least, the last two statements are false. He has managed to address the Australian and the New Zealand Labor Parties before being exposed (Tkibune, Sydney, 12 XII 84; New Zealand Times, 13 I 85). He has offered information to police in Australia and New Zealand and the French Embassy in Canberra has warned people not to be involved with him. He was arrested in Norway in II 84 and is considered mentally disturbed by Norwegian officials. In this issue, we publish photographs of both Granotier and Gardiner and would appreciate any further information that our readers can send us. For further information concerning Gardiner, see the articles below: "Holland, Intelligence & Extreme Right"; "Australia, New Zealand & Intelligence". For information concerning the manipulation of tne peace movement see the brochure "Campaigns against European Peace Movement" by Esko Antolas (Hurtinkatu 11 A 1, 20600 TurXu, Finland; tel. 645.387) of the Peace Union of Finland and also in Intel/PP: "CIA, Media, Europe & Nuclear", XII 84-1 85, p. 6; "Nuclear Arms Bibliography", III-IV 84, p. 11. / KENNEDY ASSASSINATION, ASSASSINATIONS & DOCUMENTATION. Announcement of the establishment of the Assassination Archives and Research Center, Inc. (918 F Street NW, Washington DC 20004; tel. [phone]) and description of its activities concerning the documentation and research on political assassinations in the USA and in particular the assassination of President John F. Kennecy. This center is directed by some of the most respected names involved in this domaine of parapolitical research; among others Bernard Fensterwald, Paul Hock, Mark Allen & Gary Shaw. The gooc use to which such a centralised documentation service could be put can be seen in the case of A. C. A. Rodriguez Gallego in the above article, "Spain E.. CIA". See also the section "The Assassination of Pres. J. F. Kennedy" in the article below, "Parapolitics, Intelligence & Documentation", ant also in Parapolitics: "Kennedy Assassination, Watergate, Intelligence, Extreme Right & CIA", XI 63, p. 1; "Kennedy Assassination", V 82, p. 4. Association pour le droit l'informatipn (ADI) 16 rue des Ecoles 75005 PARIS (Tel. [phone]) The ADI Association pour le Droit a!information * or Association for the Right to Information) is a nonprofit organisation founded in 1980 in Paris and whose Honorary President is Sean Mac Bride. I ntelligence/Parapolitics (Intel/PP), whose Director is Marie-Pierre Tezier & whose Editor in Olivier Schmidt, is a monthly published by the ADI who reserves all rights for the reproduction or translation of any material herein. Intel/PP exists in two formats, a full edition & summary edition, & also exists in French, Le Monde du Renseignement/Parapolitictue. Printed by Copies Conformes (256.4.4.04) 11U� mero paritaire 65903. Subscription Rates. Individuals (personal check required) : 20 US dollars or 150 FF (summary edition $15 or 100 FF I. Organisa- tion 60 US dollars or 500 FF (summary edition $40 or 300 FF). Air Mail, add 4 dollars or 30 FF. All money orders or checks to the order of the ADI (16 rue des Ecoles. 75005 Paris : tel. [phone]. Postal transfers should be sent to our account CCP. n. 8.822.81 G. Centre Paris. Life ed o tough leg. , with politics. JOHN THEN: A little boy's sad farewell. More People Recognize Oswald Than V.P. Bush Despite the passage of 20 years since Lee Harvey Oswald gunned down President Ken- nedy, nearly half the people we polled still rec- ognized Oswald from his picture. In fact, far more people knew Oswald than recognized Vice President George Bush in a similar ENQUIRER survey! Amazingly, more than 47 percent of the 400 people we polled in seven cities identified Oswald from his picture � but only 38 percent correctly named Bush in a recent poll. Will He He Next? l's face. He jumped with fright ran into the theater. Clearly, thought someone had shot at until aides calmed him down told him it was a passing car." ,uthor Lester David, who wrote d Kennedy: Triumphs and gedies," recalled an incident at iutdoor festival that shook Ted. He was in a crowd and suddenly re was a loud bang. It was prob- e the third Kennedy brother public places. ably a balloon bursting. But Ted cringed visibly as the blood rushed from his face. He was badly shak- en, obviously thinking someone had shot at him." And a former White House cor- respondent, who was with Ted sev- eral years ago while he was cam- paigning for a local Democratic politician, recalled: "Ted was in an open convertible waving at the crowd when a car backfired. Ted turned absolutely white and started to duck. His secu- rity men reached for their guns. "It was all over in a moment, but Teddy was white for minutes. Sweat was pouring down his face. "Later he said, 'What can I do � becomes hermit?'' A Boston news reporter recalled that during a recent speech to the Chamber of Commerce in Massa- chusetts. the curtain behind the podium kept moving � and Ted flinched when he noticed it. "He was obviously very troubled by it," said the newsman. "On two or three occasions it caused him to lose his train of thought." Said the close family friend: "The bulk of the $200.000 the Kennedy clan pays out each year for Ted's protection is in salaries TRAGIC JOURNEY: JFK and Jackie begin their fateful ride in Dallas. Minutes later, he is shot and she climbs onto trunk of car. Finally, a notion in shock sees President's flog-draped casket in the solemn funeral proces- sion in Washington, D.C. for his security aides. He has a number of former FBI agents on the payroll. "The salaries are paid by the Kennedys themselves, not the U.S. taxpayers. "Ted insists on very tight security. particularly when he's traveling. I've never known him to travel under his own name. And he gets very angry if word leaks out about his whereabouts when he's on a private weekend away from home." Just Released Russia's Official Version of the Assassination The CIA Did It! The CIA murdered John F. Kennedy ... Lee Harvey Oswald was a "patsy" Who didn't fire the fatal shots ... and "at least three" other assassins fired at the President. Those are the startling conclusions of the Soviet Uns.ion's just-published official version of President Kennedy's assassination. In a book titled "Echo of the Shots in Dallas" � pub- lished by Novosti, the official Soviet news agency � veteran journalists Sergei Losev and Vitaly Petrusienko say their "independent in- vestigation" reveals that: � The CIA conspired with the Penta- gon, the Mafia, defense contractors and big U.S. oil companies to assassi- nate JFK. � The CIA was furious be- caugt JFK refused to let U.S. Air Force planes help CIA mercenaries win the Bay of Pigs attack on Cuba. � The CIA wanted to stop JFK from cutting U.S. mili- tary involvement in Viet- nam, and from seeking friendlier ties with Russia. � The CIA didn't want J FE to up the tax bite on their longtime allies � the big oil companies. And in the book's words: "In addition to these ele- ments, there was the Amer- ican Mafia, to whom the loss of Cuban business meant $100 million in lost revenues frort.:' , casinos hotels and nar- cot cs." The authors claim that Os- wald was a low-level CIA agent, who made his well- known trip to Russia to pass false information about the U.S. radar net around Japan to the Soviets. But the authors say Rus- sian intelligence didn't fall for the scheme. After Os- wald failed his mission and OSWALD'S RIFLE was "too inaccurate to hit anyone," say the Russians. death two days after the assassination of Kennedy. Evidence indicates he was sup- posed to be eliminated earlier, actually on the very day of the assassination, and not in Dallas, but somewhere outside of Dallas. "All the conspirators wanted to do was JUST A PATSY? Oswald (center) was liquidated by Jock Ruby (right) to keep him from talking, according to the Russians. establish his traces in the area of the crime. After the crime ... the con- / spiratqrs were afraid he would I break down and reveal some of the I information at his disposal. That's why Jack Ruby was ordered to liqui- date him." To further hide their crime, the book states. the CIA stole JFK's body briefly just after the assassination � and had bullet fragments removed. The book states: "The brain was taken out of the body so that the bul- let fragments could be removed and brain was then replaced in the skull prior to the official autopsy." The book adds that the doctor who performed the official autopsy didn't know that JFIC's brain had been tampered with. The Soviet authors also blame the CIA for the assassination of Robert F. Kennedy five years later. The book states: "The logical conclusion of the Dal- las tragedy was the assassination in 1968 of Robert Kennedy, to elimi- nate the return of a Kennedy to the their channels obliterated. The White House. Haunting Legacy of the Kennedy Killing . . . Mysterious Deaths Mount to 25 The long list of people associated with the JFK slaying who have died mysteriously, and often violently, continues to grow � , returned to the U.S., the CIA at ieastpeople are went to great lengths to on it now. build him up as a Communist In the past eight years, sympathizer, say the au- four more names were I hors. "Oswald was prepared as a etched in blood on the ma- patsy, as an ideal instrument Cabre list: two top crime to cover up the truth of the lords with ties to the CIA; crime." a cult leader once Consid- And the book states flatly: cred a suspect in the "Oswald did not fire the Kennedy slaying and a shots that killed President Kennedy. His rifle was too Cuban whose testimony S...,ai lase Aleman Erril Lellacen inaccurate to hit anyone. implicated both the CIA Gunned down Shot himself Suicide victim "At least three people and the Mafia in the JFK testified in September 1978 others. During an ensuing (other than Oswald) shot at murder, about the alleged role of the gun battle with police. Ale. Kennedy, some from the The 25th name was added Mafia and the CIA in the man turned his pistol on grassy knoll (near the build- to the bizarre death list last plot to kill JFK. himself. Police say his own ing Oswald was in). "The exact number of bul- lets that hit Kennedy's head will never be established. "While the limousine was advancing toward the grassy knoll, he was shot head-on. "Oswald was sent to his P a.g.e 34 NATIONAL ENQUIRER July 31 when Jose Braulio Aleman, while being riddled by a hail of bullets in a shoot- out with Miami police, put his own gun to his head. Aleman, son of a pre-Cas- tro Cuban government offi- cial and heir to a fortune estimated at between $29 million and $200 million, had He fingered Florida mob bullet killed him. boss Santos Trafficante as a key figure in the slaying con- spiracy. For five years after- ward, he lived in fear. On July 31, Aleman � by now nearly broke and in hid- ing in Miami � went ber- Shortly after the OK Slating in serk. He shot and killed one 1963, Chkogo mobster Gioncana relative and wounded three 000eorod, honing tzl11 in an OPPatent Since 1975, three notori- ous criminals whose names were linked to the Kennedy murder also met swift deaths. They were: SAM "MOMO" GIANCANA Murdered June 19.1975 i11.91;:nPa"dand 19;:ii1XitnroMexico. Between lin the Caribbean and"StoeUdth�"Atenrner'i'i:o1). .turning to the U.S. in kite 1974 or' early I915. Just days before he was scheduled to testify about his dealings with the CIA in alleged plots to kill Fidel Castro and President Kennedy, Gioncono gunned down in his own kitchen. JOHNNY ROSELLI Found murdered Aug. 7, 1976 Roselli, Gioncana's closest friend end organized trims associate, won- jihad Aug. 1, 1976, shortly after word leaked out he "as 00aerwing before the some Senate Intelligence Committee that had summoned Giancarlo the year before. Six days after he disaPPearad. Roselfre body was 'masa in a sealed 55' gallon oil drurn near Miami, Flo. Both Rosana and Gioncona had been linked to the CIA plot to kill Castro. ERVIL "EVIL" LeRARON Found dead Aug. 16, 1981 LeBaron, leader of a cult of about ISO followers, was sentenced to 12 years in prison for the murder., of his brother, and was serving a Ilfe sentence for another murder when he was found dead in his cell at Utah State Prison. Officials believed the 56-yeariold killer killed himself. An FBI IIWT10 implicating LeBaron in the JFK killing and dated Jon. 27, 1964 � when the FBI was publicly in- sisting that Lee Harney Oswald was the sole killer of the President � sold that (Continued on next page) No, (Continued from preceding page) LeBaron "is believed to have been re- sponsible for President Kennedy's Here are the other 21 peo- ple on the JFK death list: LEE HARVEY OSWALD Murdered Nov. 24, 1963 �twoId was gunned down by Jack Ruby in the Dallas police station Sun- day. two &WS Otter JFK was JACK ZANGETTI Found murdered December 1963 The cioy before Oswald was shot, 2ancretti, manager of o motel complex in Oklahoma, told friends, "A mon named Jock Ruby will kill Oswald tomorrow end in a few days a member of the Fronk Sinatra family will be Ida napped to rake some of the attention away from the assassination." On De- cember 8, Fronk Sinatra Jr. was napped, and later released unharmed. Two weeks after the Prophetic canner' ration, 2ongetti was found dead, with bullet holes in his chest. BETTY MOONEY MocDONALD Committed suicide February 1964 A former snippet in Jack Ruby's Co. rouse! Club, Betty hod been too party attended by Os-old. She was arrested for fighting with her roommate arid on how later she was dead. She was found hanging in her cell. HANK KILLAM Found dead March 17, 1964 husband of Wondo Killartt Mysterious Deaths car struck Rose, crushing her skull. DOROTHY KILGALLIP4 Found dead Nov 8, 1965 During Jack Ruby's trial for murder- ing Oswald, columnist Dorothy Kil- gallon had art interview with Ruby. She told her makeup mon she was going to "break the Kennedy assassination wide open within five cloys." Three don later Dorothy was found dead in her Neve York apartment. WILLIAM PITZER Found deed Oct. 29, 1966 For years U.S. Navy Lieut. William !Nue, kept the secret of the autopsy of President Kennedy. Pinter had photo- graphed the autopsy and was in. structed never to reveal what he. saw. In 1966 Fitter was found dead with bullet in his head. JACK RUBY Died Jon. 3, 1967 Cancer claimed his life. The next day his attorneys charged negligence by Dallas authorities who had custody complaints that he was ill. DAVID PERRIE Kennedy Family Never Visits of Ruby. They said officials ignored his Died Feb. 21,1967 Ferri. was. CIA contract pilot who! had flown into Cuba on secret mis. I sions. In early 1967 New Orleans Dis- spiting to kill Kennedy. In Jonuary 1974, former CIA executive Victor Marchetti revealed that a CIA ttReCUt tive instructed on agent to give "Show all the hells he needs" doing the Garri- son investigation. Several months later Shaw was found dead in his home. GEORGE do MOHRINSCHILDT Committed suicide March 29, 1977 De Mohrenschildt, 65, shot himself to death in Monolapon, Flo., only hours after learning that an investigator for the House assassinations committee wonted to interview, him. De Mohren- schildt once testified that he had been o close friend of Oswald. CARLOS'PRIO SOCARRAS Committed suicide April 5, 1977 Exactly a week atter de Mohler, schildt took his life, former Cuban President Carlos Prio Socorro*, a one. time business associate of Jack Ruby, fired o bullet into his own chest. KENNEDY'S GRAVE SITE in Arlington Cemetery is never visited by his family. The grave sites of President John F. Kennedy and his assassin Lee Harvey Oswald blot Attorney Jim Garrison questioned are as different as day and night, but in one re- turn on the theory that Fettle had flown who was also a stripper for Ruby, was the real murderers out of Dallas. A associated not only with Ruby but with month after he was questioned Fettle John Carta. who lined in the some was found dead In his apartment. rooming house as Oswald. Four months after JFK', murder, Killorn was found dead on a Pensacola, Flo., street � his throat was slashed. BILL HUNTER Killed April 1964 Hunter, 35, on award-winning news, mon. hod trier with Ruby's attorney TOT Howard or Ruby's apartment only hours after Ruby shot Oswald. Fire months later Hunter was OCCidentolly shot to death by a policeman. GARY UNDERHILL Found dead May 8, 1964 Underhill, o CIA agent, told friends he knew who killed President Kennedy and was sure "they" would soon get NT. 011 May 8, 1964, in Washington. D.C.. Underhill died of gunshot wounds. JIM KOETHE Murdered Sept. 21, 1964 A Dallas Times Herold reporter, Ko.ethe, 30, had also met with Ruby's ottorney the SOTie time as Hunter did. Ten months later Koethe was killed by a karate chop to the throat. TOM HOWARD Died March 1965 Howard, Ruby's attorney, died of 0 Ixott attack in Dallas. "He was seen octing strangely two days before his death and no autopsy was performed," said researcher Penn Jones Jr. ROSE CHERAMI Killed Sept. 4, 1965 Two ears before the JFK murder. Rose, o stripper for Ruby, had told hos- pital psychiatrist Victor Weiss that the President tros going to be killed. Cherami also told police she had seen Oswald in Ruby's club many times. Nearly two years later, a hiteond-run ELADIO DEL VALLE Murdered Feb. 21, 1967 On the same day as Ferries death, his close friend Elodio Del Valle, o wealthy exiled Cuban, was murdered. Del Valle, who hod flown with Ferri* on secret missions to Cuba, was found with a bullet wound in his heart. DR. MARY SHERMAN Murdered June 1967 Another of Ferries friends. Mary Sherman wos shot to death. DR. NICHOLAS CHETTA Died May 1968 In a macabre twist of fore, the cora net himself, who performed autopsies on both Ferrite and Dr. Sherman, died of o heart attack. CLYDE JOHNSON Murdered July 1969 Johnson, 37 � who had attended poetics with F eerie, Ruby and Oswald � was to testify at the conspiracy trial Garrison w0t, Conducting. Johnson never appeared. He was beaten so se- verely he had to be hospitolited Five months later he was shot to depth. JOSEPH A. MILTEER Died Feb. 22, 1974 Milteer, a right-wing extremist, was secretly roped by Miami police as he de- toiled with terrifying accuracy how JFK '74 would be killed � 13 days before the assassination. On Feb. 9, 1974, a Cole mon stove blew up in his bathroom. Two weeks later Milteer died of burns he suffered in the fire � but a rnorti� cion who sow the body said the burns weren't severe enough to be fatal. CLAY SHAW l. i' 4 Died Aug. IS, 1974 OSWALD'S remains lie show, o wealthy businessman, was � in a Texas cemetery, tried by Garrison and ocquitted of con- Dr. . , � � , .42120, Notional His Grave never visit the grave site I spect they are remark- can tell you that," declared ably similar � neither n ioemployeese H o, Memorialll t ceri man's tomb is visited atery i by his family. � Park. Kennedy's final resting place is a meticulously main- tained 3.2-acre grave site In the solemn grandeur of Arlington National Ceme- tery outside Washington, D.C. "Some 3.5 million people visit the cemetery every year, and the Kennedy grave is the most popular stopping place," said Courtenay Wel- ton, spokesman for Arling- ton National Cemetery. "I have been employed here for eight years and as, far as I know, the former First Lady and the Presi- dent's children have never been here during that time," added Welton, whose office handles arrangements for all visiting dignitaries and VIPS, and would be in- formed if members of Ken- nedy's family visited the grave site. Meanwhile, the remains of Lee Harvey Oswald lie in a lonely cemetery near Arling- ton. Tex., that's bordered by a junkyard and an interstate highway. "His wife and children Do You Think There Was a Conspiracy Behind JFK Murder? Do you believe there was a conspiracy behind the assassination of Pres- ident John F. Kennedy? Almost from the moment shots rang out on that tragic day in Dallas, a controversy has raged over who was re- sponsible for the President's death: Did one assassin act Phone in Your Vote alone � or was he part of a plot to kill Kennedy? Here is YOUR chance to tell the world what you think by dialing one of our conven- ient "900" numbers. If you say YES, there was a conspiracy behind the President's assassina- tion, then call 900-720-4330. If you say NO. there was YES: 900-720-4330 NO: 900-720-4333 no conspiracy, then call 900- 720-4333. If you normally dial "1" before placing a long-dis- tance call, then dial "1" be- fore calling either "900" number. After dialing the number. wait until you hear a recorded message saying that the call is completed, then hang up. Your vote will be recorded automatically. The polls will be open 24 hours a day from November 14 through November 21. The only cost to you for a call will be 50 cents on your monthly phone bill. We'll carry the results of the poll in our issue on sale December 6. Let us know what you think. Enquirer Team That Worked on JFK Special This ENQUIRER spe- cial section, on the 20th anniversary of the assas- sination of President Ken- nedy, was produced by a team of 56 editors, report- ers, researchers, corre- spondents and photo staff. These were the peo- ple involved: Slettoft EDITORS: Paul F. Levy, Don Schvearit, GENERAL STAFF EDITOR: Robert C Smith; ARTICLE EDITORS: Richard Baker. Stephen Cot. Lorry Holey. Choirs Po-miter, Joseph Policy, AS- SOCIATE EDITORS: Cal Giothmann, Marsha May Brion walker; ASSISTANT EDITORS: Acichoel Gross. Bill Hanwoy, Susan Krone...ski. lames Meyers. Tom Smith; SENIOR REPORTIKS: John Dori� ver ion', REPoRtIRS: Raper C.:ippon,. Jessica 'dared McQuiston: "When Warren d he'd `found nothing to change my iw,' he was lying. It's quite apparent rn studying his stress_ patterns that had found something that impugns his nmission's findings." Warren died in (le ENQUIRER obtained recordings statements made by many other key ures in the assassination, and had im analyzed by the PSE. Here are the dings:- mums rue.. (At c cri; si _re ........ ........ 3 semi t guars u ui .shr: iliturougussmiec Amu; FAr, . dews - MS= l'gr= `EINE.T. � Oswald's killer Jack Ruby was defi- nitely lying when he said he just hap- pened to be in the Dallas police station when Oswald was brought out � and shot him on the spur of the moment. Ruby told an interviewer, "The differ- ence in my meeting this fate (shooting Oswald) was 30 seconds one way or the other ' McQuiston noted that Ruby "showed � extreme stress and was definitely lying. It appears he was at the police station for the very reason of shooting Oswald." � The late President Lyndon Johnson doubted the conclusions of the Warren report, although� publicly he expressed his belief in them. In a November 1966 press conference he said, "I know of no evidence that would cause any reason- - CHIEF JUSTICE WARREN was able person to have a doubt (about the aware before his death in 1974- of commission's findings)." "He shows ex- But criticism of commission-'s report. , said McQuiston, treme stress at the phrase, 'I know of no evidence.' He knew something." � Former President Gerald Ford was hedging, evasive and may have been lying when he defended the Warren re- port at a press conference on April 3, 1975. Ford was asked if he still had con- fidence in the findings of the commis- sion (he was a member of it). "We said the commission had found no evidence of a conspiracy, foreign or domestic," he responded. "Those words were very carefully drafted, and so far I've seen no evidence that would dispute the conclusions to which we came." Noted McQuiston, "His voice shows stresses that indicate he's ,not telling nrIEMICMFtrimmrm;rmamr,mmommmr;-.0 �����-��=" r the whole story. He's _hedging, and may not be telling the truth. He avoided the questions that were asked � he Was evasive." �- � Former-Texas Gov. John Connally, wounded at the same time Kennedy was killed, wasn't telling the truth when he: said he believed there was: no conspir- acy; Talking to the press in 1966, Con- nally stated, "I have never believed there -was a plot." McQuiston .called the stress pattern on this statement "one of the strongest we've run into in this investigation. He does believe there was a plot." EX-PRESIDENT FORD'S readout of PSE shows that he was hedging, evasive and may have been lying when he was asked at press conference if he had confidence in findings of Warren commission. '','''.0":V,''.**r".15.1r1Wr..cMgM'ArrrMr':-- � . �SHART NO.50-04 . i.< ....$5,..4%,..� ,...K..... ..,..,....i...., .o.,...r,,..� OICE of Chief Justice Warren on readout of PSE shows he lied in claiming he'd found noth rig to change his ew of the commission's official findings on the assassination. e Orz:.i�.COLINTERINTi 951 7ir ery IAs af . Yo OH AT .S air he et utt tel sa e c n tt is LLII 0� Bit goy, \ BC se4 ,tLR ndir - Ps �i4 ). n yot erii Transcript of Astonishing Tape Discloses Right-Wing Just 13 days before Presi- dent John F. Kennedy was gunned down in Dallas, a right-wing extremist reveal- ed details of the assassina- - tion with bloodcurdling accu- racy. � The shocking plans .were secretly recorded by Miami police and given to the FBI --- but incredibly they let the po- tential assassin roam free. � A transcript of the astonish- ing tape.� a blueprint-for _murder � was obtained by The ENQUIRER. On it, the late Joseph A. Mil- � � teer, who was a member of the White Citizens Council of � Atlanta, Ga. reveals in stun- ning detail how: � JFK would be assassinat- ed from a tall office building - with a high-powered � A fall gay would be picked -"pp withiii hours of the slaying 'just to throw the- nubile off." Miami Circuit Court Judge Seymour�Gelber � who pro- vided The, ENQUIRER with . the tape transcript' was ad- ministrative assistant to the � Dade County (Fla)- State-At- torney .when the tape was made in November. 1963. ' At the time Gelber was using an undercOver informant nam- ed Willie A. Somersett to infil- � � trate a group of right-wing ex- tremists. - � ", � ' Gelber recalled: "The crucial tape on the � JFK assassination ,was made . in a small downtown Miami � hotel where the informer Som- � ersett was living on Nov._ 9, ". 1963 �just 13 days before Dal- las. "A Miami Police Depart- ment detective set up a tape recorder with a long playing spool in a broom closet off the kitchen." Milteer arrived �and began discussing future plans with ' Somersett. " Here � in bone-chilling de- tail � are astonishing excerpts of their tape-recorded conver- sation: SOMERSETT: "I think Ken- nedy is coming here (Miami) November 18th to make soMe kind of speech. I don't know what it is, but I imagine it will be on TV." MILTEER: "You can bet your bottom dollar he is going to have a lot to say about the Cubans, there are so many of them here." SOMERSETT: "Well, he'll have a thousand bodyguards, don't worry about that. MILTEER: "The more body- guards he has,, the easier it is to get him." SOMERSETT: "Well, how in the hell do you figure would be the best way to get him?" MILTEER: "From an office building with a high-powered ) rifle." , SOMERSETT: "They are really going to try- to kill him?" MILTEER: "Oh, yeah. It is In the working. (name deleted for legal rea- Page 34 NATIONAL ENQUIRER � Darentist Revealed idueprint for ssassination 3 aysefore' It Happened�And the FBI Knew! A .. 0.� ., 4.4. ..1a.- .'-f4';-----,-,--1.-4km-- ..�rize..�...-z-j,...,..-.e,,,..,..,_,.._.,. .451,--�-v ..&,....... ,. �,,....,..:,-...: ,.... ----- . --.4400-,A.. as) is just as likely to get m as anybcidy. He hasn't said , but he tried .to get Martin ither King. He followed him r miles and miles and uldn't get close enough to SOMERSEIT: "Hitting this mnedy.is going to be a hard �position. I believe you may' tve .figured out a way to get oi, the office building and all at. �� "I don't know how them cret Service agents cover all am office buildings every- )ere he is going. Do you ow whether they do that or t?" , . VIILTEER: "Well, if they ve any suspicions they do at, of course. But without spicion, chances * are that ay wouldn't. You take there Washington. This is the song time of the year. But in aasant weather, he comes t on the veranda and some- dy could be in a hotel room ross the way and pick him ' just like that. 'You don't have to take a up there, You can clisas-. JFK MOTORCADE rolls through Dallas on fateful day-as man (arrow) looking exactly like right-wing-activist Joseph A. Milteer (left) watches the President's car. Just 13 -� days before, Milteer disclosed with chilling accuracy � the 'plot to murder JFK: �semble and take, It up in pieces. All those 'guns come knocked �down and you can take. them apart." � � SOMERSETT:. Toy, if that .Kennedy gets shot, we have got to know where we are at. Because you know that will.be �-a real, shake, if they do that" MILTEER: ,"They -wOuldn't 'leave, any. -Stone unturned there, no way. They will pick up somebody within hours af- terwards, if anything like that .would happen,-. just to throw the public off.� '! SOMERSETT: "Oh,- some- body is going to have to go to jail, if he gets killed." .� MILTEER: "Just like - that Bruno Hauptmann in the Lind- bergh case." � - . The tape :was handed over to the FBI and an official re- port of the Bureau, dated Nov. 9, 1963, noted: - "Threat to kill President Kennedy by J.A. Milteer, Mi- ami, Florida,-Nov. 9, 1963." After the FBI received the tape, a_presidential motorcade scheduled in Miami for No- vember 18 was Called,off. "But no steps were taken by any authority to arrest Milteer or put him under surveillance,'.! said Gelber. - � � � ."On Dec. 4, 1963 � nearly two weeks after the assassina- tion � I heard that the FBI had finally. acted. After the fact. "Somersett called Milteer and found. that the FBI had swooped down on Milteer and questioned him as part of a mass roundup of extremists," Gelber said. Milteer denied to the FBI that he ever threatened the President's life. og that, he par.: ticipated in his assassination: Remarked an , astonished Judge Gelber: "The FBI had Milteer_ on tape' forecasting in detail, the assassination �"yet they.sac- ceptedlis denial without ques- tion and let him go." Gelber kept a diary �Nils investigation which revealed that shortly -after Kennedy's death; police informant Som- ersett met again with Milteer, and reported on that meeting to Miami, � Detective. ,Everett Kay-on 'November 25..AccOrd- ing to the Somersett told -Kay: _ ,1 "He (Milteer) ,was Very liap- .�.94"svf � � JUDGE Seymour Gelber was with Dade County (Fla.') State Attorney's office', in November 1963 when e heard tape that revealed plan. of, ,JFK's slaying.. t* � � ......... � 4'1.4 26. 47 .k � py :Over it (the assassination) , and shook hands-4vith. me. He said, 'Well; I told you so. It happened like I told you, didn't it? It happened from a, win- dow with a high-powered,: rifle.' - "I said, 'That's right.-'ldon't- know whether you 'were guess- � ing or not, but you hit it on the - head Pretty good.'.", .,"He said, 'Well; that is the way it- was supposed to be 1- done',", and that is the .war:it was done.' - AniPngly, 'Milteer may have been just a few feet Kennedy as the Presidents:,' motorcade swept through Dal-� las on Nov. 22, 1963,111*e day.'.: Of the assassination. - � A- photograph taken of the 72 -motorcade shows a man who - looks - exactly like Milteer standing in the crowd, reveal- - ed investigative reporter Dan Christensen, -who's written about the assassination for. "Miami" magazine. . ' Last summer, Christensen made another startling discov.! _ ery as he sear-ched through an old, abandoned home of Mil- teer. in Quitman, Ga. Christ- ensen found a bankbook be- longing to the extremist which showed that in the 31/2 months before the assassination three - large deposits were made � totaling $12,000 � and With- drawn shortly after the kill- ing. Christensen also learned that Milteer died under myste- rious circumstances. Milteer, according to his death certificate, suffered fa- tal burns when a Coleman - '..',- � � ITU- 28, 1977 Extremist � (Continued from ' preceding page) stove in his bathroom explod- ed on -Feb. 9, 1974. He died two weeks later, but. nri autop- sy was performed and the lo- cal mortician, .who saw �the body, said the burns' were not severe enough to have caused death. � - There is one final chilling With the Death This Month of Former Cuban At Least 21 People Linked. When -former Cuban � president Carlos Prio So- carras sent a fatal� bullet crashing into his chest April 5, he became the latest name added to an astonishingly long list of people who died mys- . teriously � and often vio- lently � after being -link- ed to the assassination of John F. Kennedy....,. Since that fateful day more ,than. 13 years ago, at least . 21 \ men and women who knew something or. some- -. body connected with JFK's. 'murder:'� have ' died � under -strange circumstances. In al- most. every case they: died either by murder or suicide. The macabre list of deaths grew bigger- when Prio corn- , mitted suicide. His death has brought renewed interest into 'an � FBI document that had been shelved with thousands- of other aSsassination-related � files in the National Archives. � Ten days after the assassina- tion, FBI, agent Daniel Doyle wrote a report quoting a' reli- able FBI informant that Prio was actually. a one-time busi- ness associate of Jack Ruby, the nightclub owner who killed ' assassin Lee Harvey Oswald. - The report said that Ruby .once purchased a share in a Havana casino in which Prio wakthe principal owner. In the � mid-1950s both Ruby, known as � Jack Rubenstein, and Prio were active in arranging flights of weapons to the Cas- tro guerrillas in Cuba while Prio was financing the supply of arms to pro-Castro' forces. Assassination investigator Alan Weberman told The EN- QUIRER: "Prio supported Cas- dr Huge Enquirer Team Worked on Special This week's ENQUIRER special on the Kennedy As- sassination involved 40 edi- tors, reporters, photogra- phers and researchers work- ing as a coordinated team. These are the people. re- sponsible: General Editor: William Dick Associate Editors: Malcolm- Balfour, Not Chrzan, Thomas Kuncl, Bernard D.A. Scott, Edward Sigall, Robert G. Smith Assistant Editors: Keith Davidson, Gerald Davis, Jack Grimshaw, Jim Leggett, Leonard Sandler, Michael S. Vohmonn, Allan A. Zullo Senior Reporter: Dick Saxty � Reporters: Tony Brenna, John Cooke, Rod Gibson, Lee Hairison, Paul Jen- kins, Susin Keeler, Shelley Ross, Steve Rothman, Ray Smith Researchers: Ruth Annan, Priscilla Badger, Linda Cahill, Pot Crifacl, Martha Moffett, Clore O'Keeffe, Julie- Sawyers, Phillip Slimak Correspondents: John Blackburn, Pe- ter Brennan, Paulette Cooper, Robert Mann, Jim McCandlish Photographers: Larry Holder,, John Miller, Robert S. Wiley Jr. LATEST DEATH linked to the jFK niurder:is:former�t. -1Priq Socarros.--�:;_ � � � - ,tro who. proinised,to make him president: - Castro � double-crossed him and Prio . Was very active in arrang- ing the.-Bay of Pigs plot to take Cuba back by* force.". Prio died - violently, like, so many others- directly or indi- rectly connected. with JFK's murder. The mysterious deaths -of persons. involved with the .Kennedy assassination were:'. � LEE HARVEY OSWALD . ''" .� Murdered Nov. 24, 1963 '- Millions of television viewers looked on in horror as the suspected assassin � who could have provided so many much- needed 'answers was gunned down by Jack Ruby in the basement of the Dallas police station- Sunday,. two days after JFK was killed. . _- JACK ZANGETTI� ; Found murdered December 1963 - 'The day before Oswalchwas shot, Zon- getti, manager of a /mite complex in Oklahoma, told some friends, "Three men � not Oswald � killed President Kennedy. A mart named Jack Ruby. will kill Oswold_tomorrow ancLin_a_few days_ a member of the Frank Sinatra family will be kidnapped to take some of the attention away from the assassination." This conversation was confirmed by as- sassination researcher Penn Jones Jr.; Zangetti was dead right. On Decem- ber 8, about two weeks after Ruby shot I Oswald, Frank Sinatra Jr. was kidnap- ped_, and later released unharmed. I Two weeks after the prophetic con- versation, Zongetti was . found dead in! Lake Lugert, Oklahoma, with bullet holes in his chest. , �-� BETTY MOONEY MocDONALD Committed suicide February 1964 � A former stripper in Jack Ruby's Carousel Club, Betty had been to a 1 party attended by .Oswald. Betty ' hadl provided on alibi for a man accused of ; shooting and wounding Warren Rey- nolds, a witness to the Kennedy assas- sination. A week after talking to the police, she was arrested .for fightingl with her roommate. An hour later she was dead � she- was found hanging In her cell. . - HANK KILLAM _ Found dead March 17, 1964 Killom, husband of Wanda Killarmi who was also a stripper for Ruby, was ' associated not only with Ruby but with; John Carter who lived . in the same! rooming house as Oswald.. After the assassination, Killom moved from state to state to avoid questioning by fed- eral agents. Four months after JFK's murder, Killam was found dead on a: Pensacola, Flo., street his throat WO5 I slashed. BILL HUNTER � � Killed April 1964 Hunter, 35,. on award-winning news- mars with the Long Beach Press-Tele- gram in Long Beach, Calif:. had met with Ruby's attorney Tom Howard at Ruby's apartment only hours after Ruby� shot Oswald. Five months later Hunter, ' was shot to death by a policeman in: the Long Beach police station. The po- � !iceman said he dropped his gun and , It accidentally fired when he picked it' up. The bullet went through Hunter's heart. GARY UNDERHILL Found dead May 80964 Underhill, a former military affairs. editor of Life magazine, and a CIA ; agent, "begged his friends to keep him out of sight" after the assassination, �-r*P"94;"------��� 7;" � � _ -wo weeks later, but no autop- ;y was performed and the lo- al saw the )ody, said the burns were not ;evere enough to have caused twist. Judge Gelber told The ENQUIRER: - "The Dade County State At- torney's .files on the JFK as- sassination disappeared some time between 1971 and 1976. I - There Is one final- chilling last saw them � they consist- ed of thousands of pages of transcripts and documents -- in 1971. � - "I was the person who gave permission for their move- ment or for people to exam- ine them. No one-asked to see them until 1976. I called the North Miami Warehouse where they were stored and asked for them. An extensive search was launched � but nothing was found. They're gone and no one knows where." forith,ofFormer Cuban . �... )pkr Lifike0: to the Assasshiation'lleive: Died Mysteriously claimed Penn Jones),. "Almost out of his mind, he -told his friends that he knew who killed President Kennedy and fie.wos sure 'they' would soon get him." - � According to Jones, Underhill said the CIA hod killed Kennedy because it -was unhappy about JFK's snooping into Its affairs. On May 8, 1964, in Wash- ington, D.C., Underhill died of gunshot ;.: wounds to the head. Authorities ruled it suicide --- -even though he wos right- handed and he was shot through. the left-side of the head. - � - : JIM KOETHE� - � Muidered Sept. 21,-1964 Dallas Times Herald �reporter, ,Koethe, 30, hod *Disci met with Ruby's attorney the--some time � os Hunter did. Ten months later Koethe was Rilled byt a karate chop.. to the throat as he' emerged from a shower in his. apart- -ment. His killer .was never found.. � - ' Died March '1965. � '� Howard, Ruby's� attorney, -died of a heart, attack ..4n Dallas. -"He was seen acting strangely -.two -cloys -before his death and no autopsy was ,performed," said Penn Jones Jr. . � . .., - -'-: t . ROSE -CHERAMI � .--- ,.. LATEST 'DEATH linked to !"...,-.:1;ivo'..--. Killed Sept. 4' 19657 -: 1 ? stripper for Ruby, ha o doys before the JFKmurder' the' JFK murder is former - ;Rase Ps_ychtatrist Dr. Victor Weiss Cubciri..1president'. Carlos'-thatI tc: killed. The.doctor -put it downng he :vresident- was got �itoo the Frio Socarras.--:-.;.1.. 'ravings of a heroin addict �-- until the � � � assossination..Cherami then-told police ro whepromised to make him resident again. .But Castro .ouble-trossed him and Prick . was very active in arrang- ag the Bay of Pigs plot to take ;uba. back by. force." . Frio died lyiolintly, like ..so aany. others directly- or indi- ectly connected with: JFK' nurder. The mysterious deaths f persons .inyolved with the :ermedy -assassination were:-: - - -LEE HARVEY OSWALD -t- - � � Murdered Nov. 24, 1963"'" Millions of television viewers looked on horror as -the suspected assassin � ho could have provided so many much; nded �answers ---was gunned 'down f Jack, Ruby in 'the basement of the altos police station Sunday;_two,clays- fter JFK- was killed.--. _. � ' JACK ZANGETTU -.murdered December 'i963 !The.clay before Oswolchwas shot,.Zon- ttti, manager of a mate!' complex-in k lohomci, "told'-some'' friends, "Three err .--,not -Oswald � killed President ennedy. -A Mon named Jock- Ruby �will II Oswald tomorrow and In a few days member of the Fronk Sinatra -family ill -be- kidnapped to' -take some of the tent ion away from the assassination." us conversation was confirmed by as- Issinotion researcher � Penn Jones -Jr.' Zongetti was dead right. On Decem- � rr 8, about two weeks fter Ruby shot swald, Fronk Sinatra Jr. was kidnap-. xi, and later. released 'unharmed.. � � Two weeks after the prophetic eon- 'motion,- Zongetti was-found dead in ske Oklahoma,- with -bullet, BETTY MOONEY 1AacDDHALD' - Committed suicide February 1964' A. former stripper in -.Jock Ruby's orousel Club, Betty --hod been to a srty attended by Oswald.' Betty had ovided an alibi for o man accused of eating and wounding Warren .-Rey- slds, a witness to the Kennedy ossos- nation..A week after talking to the slice, she wos arrested .for fighting ith her roommate. An hour later -she as decd.,� she, was found hanging in Found dead March 17, � 1964 kiilom, husband of Wanda Killarn was -also a stripper for Ruby, was sociated not only with Ruby but with 1-In Carter who lived in the same oming house as Oswald. After the sossinotion, Killom moved from state state to. avoid questioning by fed- at agents. Four months 'after JFK's urder, Killam wos found dead on a ,risocolo, Flo., street ----his throat was. shed. �BILL HUNTER � �-���� , Killed April 1964' '� ' � -. Hunter., 35, on award-winning news-- an with the Long Beach Press-Tele- cm in Long Beoch, Calif., hod met th Ruby's attorney Tom Howard at )by's apartment only hours after Ruby .ot Oswald. Five months later Hunter us shot to death by a policeman in e Long Beach police station. The Pe- emon sod he dropped his gun and accidentally fired when he picked it s. The bullet went through Hunter's 'art. . � GARY UNDERHILL Found dead May 8, 1964 Underhill, o former military affairs !:icr of Life mogozine, and a CIA "beaced. r--s -friends to keep him rt cf *iv:7" �c��:-er ossossinotion, �. _ � she , hod seen Oswald in Ruby's club many times. Neorly two years-later, a hit-and-run -car struck Rose, crushing_ her -skull, near Big Sandy Texas. . , - DOROTHY KILGALLEN .7,- � Found deed -Nov., 8, 1965 - �".. During Jack Ruby's -trial for murder- ing Oswald, columnist Dorothy Kilgollen had a 30-minute private interview with SHAW: 'Acquitted f'of conspiring-to.kill JFK, 'died in 1974-- but --'exact cause of-A-iis death never established. -I apartment with on unsigned suicide note. Coroner Dr. Nicholas Chetto ruled suicide claiming that a ruptured blood vessel had caused a massive brain hemorrhage. But the coroner never ex- plained how Ferrie could hove induced such a hemorrhage. ELADIO DEL VALLE Murdered Feb. 21, 1967' On the same day- as Ferrie's death, his close friend Elodio Del Valle, a wealthy -exiled 'Cuban, was. murdered.' Del Valle, who had flown with Ferrie on many secret missions to Cuba, was found in a Miami parking lot � with a bullet wound in his heart. ' DR. MARY SHERMAN' - Murdered June 1967 Another of Ferrie's friends, Dr. Mary Sherman was shot to death In New Orleans. Her killer then burned her � 'DR. NICHOLAS CHETTA � Died May 1968 In. a macabre twist of fate; the 'coroner � himself, who performed outop- .sies on 'both Ferrie and Dr- Sherman, died of a heart attack. - � CLYDE JOHNSON 4 `�� Murdered July 1969 � � Johnson, 37 � who hod attended parties with Ferrie, Ruby and Oswald � woe- slated to testify at the -New Orleans' conspiracy trial that Garrison was--conducting. Johnson never appear- - ed. He was beaten up so severely he . had to be hospitalized. -Then five � months later he was shot to death near !. - Greensburg, La: � JOSEPH A. MILTEER . Died Feb. 22, 1974 � --- -Milteer, a right-wing extremist, was �-� secretly taped- by Miami police as he detailed with terrifying accuracy how JFK would.be killed � 13 days before' the, assassination. After Kennedy's death, the-F81 briefly questioned, then - released Milteer. On � Feb. 9, 1974, a ' Coleman stove blew up in :his both- - room. Two weeks later Milteer died of 7 bums he suffered in the fire, according to the death certificate,- but no autopsy was performed � and 'the bums were not severe enough to have caused death, according to a, mortician who sow the. body. - - � � CLAY SHAW .u.Died Aug. 15,:1974 � Shaw, � a wealthy businessman, was tried by Garrison end acquitted of con-. �spiring to kill Kennedy. In January , 1974, former CIA executive' Victor Mar- . � cheiti revealed that a CIA executive instructed an agent to give '"Show all the help he needs" during the Garrison � investigation. Several -months ofter this revelation Shaw was found deed in his home. The exact cause of death was never established because his body was embalmed too Quickly: � - - � ". GEORGE de MOHRENSCHILDT'. Committed suicide March 29, 1977 De Mohrenschildt� 65, shot himself to death in Monate:pan, Flo., only hours after 'learning that on investigator' for .� the House assassinations .� committee .' wanted tolnterview him. Be' Motiren-'-,-'2 schildt once testified before the Warren .� - Commission that he had been a close � friend of Oswald. � � CARLOS PRIO SOCARRAS ' Committed suicide April S. 1977 � Exactly a week after de Mohrenschildt ' took his life, Carlos Prio.olso committed suicide, becoming the, latest name in the assassination death list ;�-� a list -- that may never stop growing.: .� er�iii � � - , - � Blitionatre. Named in. the: Plot Was Taken Into Custody by �.1. � , JACK RUBY: :Afteii;-, his - death if rorn .!:aancer,-, attor- neys 'charged Dallas au- thorities :with negligence.' Ruby in- the Judge's chambers.' She never published what was said. Dorothy told her makeup -man she "breok' the Kennedy as- sassination -wide open within five-days." Three days later Dorothy was found deod_in her New York apartment. Medi- cal experts never determined the exact circumstances surrounding her death � thpre were no signs of violence, or sui- cide -- but they did discover a com- bination of alcohol and barbiturates. - WILLIAM PITZER - ' Found dead Oct. 29, 1966 � For three years U.S. Navy Lt. Wil- liam Pitzer kept the secret ;of the au- topsy of President Kennedy. Pitzer hod photographed the autopsy at Bethesda Naval Hospital in Bethesda, Md.,-out- side Washington, .b.C., and was -In- structed never to reveal what he sow. In the fall of 1966 he retired from the Navy offer 28 years ond took .0445,000 a year job with a network TV station. -Less �thon a� month- later, Pitzer- was found dead with -bullet -in his head. A gun was found in his right. hand. - � � JACK RUBY- '�-�� �,-� Died Jan. 3, 1967' Cancer claimed the life of this 'major figure In the JFK assassination -investii.;1 potion: The next day his � attorneys charged negligence by- Dallas authori- ties who had .custody of their client. They said officiols ignored Ruby's vom- iting., and complaints that �he.-was DAVID 'FERRIE � . Died Feb. 21, -1967 �- -Ferric was a CIA contract pilot who had flown into Cuba on secret 'missions. In early -1967 New Orleans District At- torney Jim Garrison � convinced Fer- rie was port of the conspiracy that killed 'JFK-- questioned the CIA pilot on the theory that Ferrie had flown the -reel murderers out -of�. Dallas immedi- ately after the assassination:.:: - . A month after he was questioned arid released. Ferrie was found dead In his Federal Agents on Day of JFK Slaying 13iLlionaire Texan H.L. Hunt� recently named as a major figure in the conspira- cy to kill JFK was actually taken into custody by federal agents on the' day of Ken- nedy's assassination, The EN- QUIRER has learned. However, Hunt was detained not as a- suspected conspira- tor but for his own protec- tion,-: according to reporter Brian Hitchen, who interview- ed Hunt for the London Daily Mirror. - "Hunt said the agents told him a lot of people believed he had something to do with the assassination, and that they wanted to take him and his wife away," said Hitchen, who interviewed the oilman in Dal- las on March-18, 1968. Hunt told me he and his wife were escorted to another city, -where they were kept for, I believe, three days. "At no time was he under arrest. He'said the agents told him it was, for his own protec- tion." � - - Dutch journalist Willem Olt- mans told the House assassin- ations committee last month that the late oilman Was iden- tified as a member of the as- sassination conspiracy by George de Mohrenschildt, a Dallas geologist and close friend of Lee Harvey Oswald just before the assassination. "De Mohrenschildt definite- ly identified H.L. Hunt as being his important contact in the oil community with regard to the conspiracy," Oltmans told The ENQUIRER. � TEXAS OILMAN: Hi. Hunt was detained by fed- eral agents -- for his own protection � on day Pres- ident Kennedy was slain. � � - � Did Another Bullet Hit DALLAS (UPI) � The surgeon who operated on Gov. John Connally at Parkland Hospital in 1963 says he believes Connally was hit by a different bullet from the one that passed through President John F. Kennedy, the. Dallas Morning News. re- 7. ported in a copyrighted story today: ' � Dr. Robert Shaw, who did not mention his theory � during lengthy testimony before the Warren .Com7,2 Mission, saichthe bullet which wounded Connally 4,5,t,disinUeepito.havNlost enougli.of its lic glibgtenCe - passed- through Kennedy and through three parts Of Connally's body, The . governor's . shattered wrist :bone alone, "would have deformed a bullet badly enough to�,, hava.,metallic.fragtnent knocked 'oft of It;'�'ay.ri-, said, .4'. The theory' the Dillies News said, ''.4.!would:ittean that accused, assassin Lee - Harvey Oswald, either: fired his rifle, inOre accurately and quickly i with. three' hits or that Oswald was.noLtheLonlyLperson; shooting.','�71'.;7;.. 7", _47iir,A7,71',1.,�;lii�-:;-. .The ,bulletAtihichthes 0 .. arren,tointiiission said. istruck Connally was found on Connell* stretcher:: It had Only about two of. 161 grains raisiing; leav- ing ;44 r4 'it 'St "t�-r-,,T , In news stories last month, Audrey N. Bell, the- nurse in charge of the operating room at Parkland, said more than three bullet fragments were re- - moved from Connally's wrist, indicating the bullet" which -hit him had disintegrated more -than the Warren Commission determined. , . ,, . , ., � ,The News said Shaw did not state -his views about the bullet before the Warren Commission be...,.; cause ,...tpox never-questionexi me about that,.- ...k... A ttecauile: there was. Antway ln:whichl could have- giverrimy testimony that would have pinpointed it .1,1 !:).11:/aY or anotherwleLast-1.,,, rilx�Wte Ail :'.3!, Imrer.11,t1 � .. ,,,,., .n . -:As'sassination& arie , ,, , , .,..., , , .. t 1 t � ' J ....,/ 4,4 ? ets a Pared Budget , . ,.y!i!!iPmtli!t...iro...2,4,.q33 , ouse,..Admtrustration sub06m-,:o.. initte yesterdatatiprovedak $2.56 '',' ,,,,' -... . , . � - :V -'.:A,.?z; � million budget lot the Assassinations-1;i Committee. %.� t.., ( . Among the items from thebud- ... i �get,',,r!questi,W�as 4124,800 to ..repay staff '.,raerftbers who took Voluntary 'paY'6uti when the panel's status was - ,. , in jeopardy earlier in the year..,7,?1,,,,,,,.,-.,�t ""The investigative panel originally.� . . --asked for $1.5 -Million for :1977 but then: prune ctthel request to,. $2,.6, tnil-d Boni:saying, that: was ,;!-`"iteileanjop ,,iye... casttIo!. to. i-aityrt out lit,probes�iiito ' . the..:-caseassinatibristt!,, Jahn 1,1f.::::;,:. Kennedy and MartinLiither King Jr. ,;..4111e,-, budget ..'...was_.. approved by., a :voice vote. , Rep. Robert E. 13 adha m. 4-Calif.; . voted, no after. sarcastically, .suggesting a budget of $10. on grounds . the secret briefing the panel provided -Tuesday was no better: than hearsay . published in the National Enquirer:'`. 7 The budget must still go to the, full Administration. Committee for action and to the floor for a vote of the. en-. tire House.' -'''d-'.-- ... 4 ":' 4,' 444,',41.4 : ',.'.;,:,' '''Meil.r.r5t4,.'5!'' . RU.41`,141.. THE WASHINGTON POST Thursday,April21,19:7 A.39 � ubious House Unit Votes $2.5 Million for JFK Probe By.eorge_Lardner Jr. ' was even more indignant Yesterday as - i.Vias,hplzta'n 'Post Stsff Writer the, resu t of .a stop.atfths.supermarket A 'dfibious HOUSe AdminfStratiOn on his way home. Ttiesda night. � subcommittee -yestertlay..-- -recorn-:;' Waving e'7e;tiP3i.,.,..of's:the, weekly Na- mended a $2.5 Million budget for the tional Enquirer.. tbat...he- picked up , � . � House assassinations Inquiry despite A� with his i.ice,ries ,Ba.dharn pointed to - clear expectations that the"-inVeStill'a-. the tablOid's big headlines .this week. tion will pi-ove a proclaiming that .!�'1..et� Harvey Oswald The siiiii-:�priimitte approved the Li- did not kill JEK." , . . nancing- for 1977 at the urging -,"Here's all the.secret..nonsense that Chairman John H.-. Dent had,...,..,.Yesterday.Aadham. corm', maintained that it really didn'trrtattei'-`' � dfr3i,' � whether- subcommittee. meMbers.:�feltlY-Plic.1,?4:ft'fe..clit'l1,1,9ut.'3A�he headline. the money .Was gOing. to be not. ' To lie ,"The House, in its wh;doni, voted.flast7 iiipermarkeir 'lasked :Adinin1stration. month] to recreate the committee; all Committee chairman .Frank we have to do is fund it," �Dent ,said. :�,:: Son Jr (EiN,S. who had just;':walkeoli He argued' that it had to be linancect-:11--- � In the rootn.. .z I ,L.1 "at a- level where there" Can-:,..be- - excuse for their failure It Indeed; they Eiadham- replied in Indigl de, - After Initially proposing a $6.3 yeah." � lion budget that touched off a storm . Badham said later that the claims in of of controversy, the House.1:,.Assassina- the 1,.:liquirer article were of, the samet tions -Committee finally- went before type, as the .unsubstantiated Dent's subcommittee this week with rt.., I-" and reports the Assassin-ations Comi pared-down request for $2,639;200 to mittee had served -up, the .day before carry on its investigations into the no better and no worse. murders af President Kennedy', and:-J.�Y":: Dent, -hOWever, argued - firmlyi Martin Luther. King Jr.againstarfrittbitantiat;cut,s1 The subi The Assassinations Conirnitteefri-:::.�:::ctimmittee--..*.pproved';.:',A:;-�-�,: $2,514,400! sisted on a closed-door session Tues- ,:_;-budgeLon Voice vote after trimming4 day to present secret packets of .$124-0300 that the Assassinations Coma verified allegations that its staff is rnittee wanted to make up for volurf-,4 pursuin:z, . but Dent and other mem- tary pay cuts staffers took for the, -hers of his subcommittee made plain first Our months of the year, � � ' Instead -of ,any-money,.:Badhain sugl that they were unimpressed.�, - . Sarcastleally, :Dent asked :his ..,gested Conal leagues at yesterday's meeting' mittee be given a .subscription to the whether any of them had seen former National Enquirer. He finally- pro- Assassinations Committee counsel- posed a $10 budget for the Inquiry, Richard Spiague, -Tuesday :night_ the 'motion diec17-torlick of 'a sec- CBS-TV's program "Who's.,Who.'!;.� ��� . Everything we learned-lir.sef- 'The $2.5 . biidget proposal , . � , � cret.session yesterday was on the .aic., will go next In the full Administration last night,"- Dent dectared.?: Committee and then to the House Rely. Hobert 'floor. - . House , Aids Say F B I. Agrees To Cooperate in Kennedy Inquiry WASHINGTON;;--April-18(AP)�House Aisassinations Committee investigators said Monday that the Federal Bureau of , Investigation had promised to coordinate Its investigation of, any ,leads on the. as- sassinatisma- ot'President Kennedy and the ',,Itey.-LDr. Martin Luther King Jr. with House inVeitigators."7- Bid the' staff pincials. told committee toeinters./that the Senate Intelligence Committeolied not yet honored requests even for some airs public material, much less contdentiaa information. _Stephen Fallis, deputy staff director, told the committee that a system had beeartioritecInut'Wherebylhe:F.B.L will pa- ..,,notify us tinned/at-eV. of .any: areas they , are investigating in connect:ice with these :7 ."Representative Louis B. Stokes; Demo-' crat of Ohio, asked if that meant. the UtatIons.zt.,-- rThey are Interested in pursuing any new leads or evidence," and have prom- ' ised, to coordinate any such effort with " - the committee, Mr. pill. replied, � � Agency. Investigating New lf.eads, Evidence , Fm Still lit Kill . �,. � BY George LardnerJr:- - 1..Yt.. said...tile:. FB.I. hatiqprornised-.1o. .::for Seziat4ointnittee records bearing Wishinston Post 84ff Writer g,l%e 11�4..'irtlialb1;,:inutiectialte'.ilf3iifica-"..i:Ot"..'e'a,Siai iriatieniS',.� , . -'.�� .'� -2 '''' ' , , . : ...,,,�S',7'4:,,, S' ''.,. V, .!�f!. ,s,, ... '':.: The FBI is still Conducting' its '0'r On of the areas they are : 4 ..':.investigations of '.'any-neW. leads at `4,.t/ieie'''--taTe't. 4sassinations "-�4:F 11 ' s's."'' - - ''' -`-- � 'A-4, � '-raeP,, art.'5�"'BgleICKinney(R.::,:�: . .. � ' � - . . ,. . , said��� � - � hoped1" -- � A ���.- , - - � ''� x -.' - 'rev n.) Said,;heohopet,i24 the Senate.: cant-, i new, evidence"Irrthe-Murders 'of:Pres-',,,f4.%.e,.i1;36,1.:....:this..,..,would, keep the s, g � , � - � � ' that!'*e.-work::',:,-.7. '..,! went Kennedy���and�'-' the � Rev.: Martin "`.',...c..91.P.:Ir.kitt-O.Oit the.t:J,Uatie,DePartmetit arfd:' 3:frilo-ittAi4saalcqe'cici;-6egrijoitaeehte,..,ina ,urged .:- � . Luther .King Jr t; the House Assessii3a-' " . '6:r. FBI from .iiiiVi/iii;WIL7::'-ae..11::"- '.tions Committee was told yeaterday...,,:, ether's ' -...toei,:y_.,..1-4::-.,.,,,,,�._,,;.,i,..,,..f,� .,:: ...,�40:,,:tai�:tat,t-,Z;aPrilying. 'Use like :� .- !, � Lawyers,.fort'the:-.House..:Cominitteei.... .07;�.;'.-4,iliis'�� e...;',f�F' follow.- '.:'�!,-�''''. ''.: '..'���1'���';',".?..'',./,...presSuf:vs-.71, "Coo-Peration is .niii forth s � .:.,:. did no elaborate on the Fiirs'juitifii� ytiatiee.49).epaiinientispcikesnian.',:deti-.:5.'�If'i;;..ii;a: fi.. 'c1'.ih.r.'m;I',..' ,.'."�lee.,i '. '.11-% CP' inquIrli;`,.- cconiiiig..7-; ?'..4,f�.�,;,�ti".�7,'��,,,, � ,, � � - -, -':,-.,� ,.� ...� 'ieation !for its ':,7 continuinei,:�deteetive:I. ' ',.;,34.i,f4,,,,..i..!pcii-tei,a" that .t.I4 ; FB 4.'wHa-si:.':-: ''''' � � - ':-.-----.47'"'" ----'''-?-` --"11::'.. . . i4Maifc'th. t.,' - ' �-'-'� � " -�.. a rie. ,h'ad,received one offi..,:,;1:,,, work..�ptkt.T'aeiPeral ,conitnittescrurce. rig,--!Itciiiit eact -:,:altA'azik�.;einbarreas,�,��;' � .: --' .- i- � : -,.cial.-,-requeSt.frent,7the assassinations t,-- , !priyately. expressed chagrin :about :IQ? enAtliat*ght�a-eatili: frotii'diakcier;L:,-�Thimiti� espcciaily in light :of widespread criti..i. --,by.HeitiSe':inV4stigataSTiinrifig. ihd.7..,42,17-w'-itte. . 6 _tiCh4::-,..r..1i4Y,vresPondect.: to . 03n1 of the; bureau'. a, original:handling c4.;yeaf:Iiid...'i:��laif,ili:itY14;,:.!..,,,,y,,,,,I...,?..:,-Aot...-or:0:spoicot!Man:,;-,.,tieclined to, elahoT. wth : iti . . � a .....,r.' ,g . ,..i...,:.,?-ir.o.te,:'70:41i4.1PIIS4'4,raispOnseo, but it "apz,,4, 7 lof the. ca. se,S.,',.,::�,,,i; ,,j.,.�,*,.- .,...,,,...',;.,,,..? .r.'1. ����4�i`rv.,--�f,i,A,."�' _ ou �� neit r::.tie!Kri.nedy,n.oc',i,:,:.,,s. Aic"-ilt.c3,1'.',,N4a-1 � � Last. year,,, th.e ..Senateintelligenee'. netaSSaiiinatfPii:Ywat-,,,,a� federal', , �-� - , - - -:' . 4:'-'''''"' - - � '''''''''''" -.no-t;a.',..:substan'tive one ommittee i.oncluded:.'that,��4he;�,,,Briff',::,. ine;�-the�SPOkeirn'Ta".44sa..It*,'the:i.Fin:...1 '':' i4'414����:4 ,'.and .., the ., Centraj,,,-.Intelligenee.,rAgenek sV.ecifitihtling�,..t.O -� :inirestigate new ;1! had, concealed -..r.crucial. informations . eadi..,.under,:the; federal ,:1A0,,,prohibit; - . cduring the course of. � investigating; mugi conspiracies. to depriVe, anyone of :. .President� Kennedy's assassination. i ' is -Civit-rights...:,:4'.::!-.,:l.;;;I:k...,: ".". House. committee Chairman. �. I.,Ouis, .':They'd be .derelict if they -didn't" � .Stokes (D-Ohio) wondered at a :hear-..L....bintirtue1to :investigate; ,.,:the, spokes-.�.. -ii2g -0L � tzts-;��:. 4A.21terd-4-1*!#.4.t, ti-F. .-'�",'-'aa-Fei;.TiiaialfeVra4ittriWWIitet.W'e:fivfeiy'eair-.. . Whetherft ,X,ourti he safe to conc4ide'.: 'atatiite of :limitations WOUld: not_ apply., that "as' far as the FBI is concerned,' , ,if�..:a conspiracy is still going on," both Investigations�nre still onen.", i il Iil'addition.lto. the. putative competh, Deputy counsel Stephen J. Fa llis ���� ' . tiori: from, the ,FBI,:. the House . commit- did not answer-directly;.-buriild'..lie:, tee:*af Orrificinited yesterday with re- �,�, had been assured. by Justice Depart- ports of an:incipient:lack. of coopera- � ment and FBI officials/lhat.they are tiOnf ..,=front,.:',..th4:.,-,Senate.��intelligene e : ',' not conducting. a .full,jtompIttKok 4!.::.: Committee i nOwq:�headed,:by. -,�,-.S.,eri,���p. go.....,,,,, . hovd Investigation" of - either . aasaa-., ielLAVA.OPSre�O),galva.,14 A :4 -;�e--1;1�';',4,'..:"' sine tion. � . 4,,,,t� -c.-kl.).,%:.,,,::-..,.::-:,.,:.�,rit, fric:.,,,.,'...5,toke-s. said that pat-to! the problein,:.: Fallis-iord ,thli, offitialsAOIChlin, :I.: Was-.SitakcOntinittee.',;.itaffers, are still- :.-. . . :"they are only interested � in pursu-. iiiattlig.seenrity'�"eiearniacea� fronilthe ing any new, leads:and.neW, pvieni,e.. 'FB-VaiitI,IliepA,74401onse;cOintnit� .',. that comei,'ft4their -attention. and -fc6- teOgraWYeriq.indicated,,,they ,:have:xcit-V,': . . - . � ordinating" their: �,-efforta . with - the., . teir.;-,,vffrY=--little:1-4,gponse. :to., ti.,2 , . House committee. ,...TI4' .. ' � have made .�,t .".7`...'"7,-v� :.�,-.���7,tr.�, .. ..., ,,,., ,. .:,-......, , . v."4,-4.t....,......,,,�. - :, , �.. ., ..�. ,..., , . � � Slayings Staff Of Senate Panel. - .r By Jeremiah Leary . IT Washington Staritaff Writer �- The House .Assassinations Coma-. : tee's -staff , has reported to its chair- man, Rep. Louis StokesCthat the Sen- ate . Intelligence Cqmthittee;. is drag- � ging its feet about *handing over - .`,confidefitiaLlthateriat about the rnur.y -)zrers�of,.:Pfesident .John Fl....Xennedy'V and Dii;%1artin 'Luther King Jr.' .1.;',7,,t �ft At a 1fiearitigk- yesterdayk: DepUty Counsel Roti`dortjanenbauni told the ;7.panel, therSenate; Committee 'hap. importantiaterial.;'wef haye4-to':- -",..i.have.'4,..:11e,addedgt"taiked for sefne2,1�' .= 7.,,have''haven'treceived it yet.'; et thiernateerial The'rdifflailty.ii not 'a tiews on'eor - the aisassinations-. committee staff. long-Pwhile-it- was tut .off from 'any 'access'to'FBI; Justice Depart-1 ment and CIA Material at the request of former chairman Henry, B. Gon- - zalez's request. Even now,: none of the. co MITI itteeSt: 67, remaining_staff, :ers= has Bee*: cleared-tc receitire - classified material from these a'gen- cies, althougk 10 staffers soon will . be. _ .THE PROBLEM WITIfithe Senate'- _, committee was outlined in. a :letter from Chairman Daniel Inouye. to Stokes. The letteif, reportedly says the Senate committee his "some --problem"! with. ,giving .the - assassination-.probers .' What they want because,some of the Senate wit- nesses. were .:promised confidential. Stokei saidi e will do his .bestl to expedite an agreement for access to the -Senate., material and --told the _hearing, he 'Would personally try to , arrive at a satisfactory arrangement for doing so.' ' � ' , EY Jeremiah O'Leary Z.'� . ..-,..r..: - .: ,, ... -� . THE STAFF IS authorized and funded i for' the as " ... �7-.-.. Whingiontar S Stet WrItir 4 �7 . . , . . - � - ,-. - , �-,.... . . . . -� '-. rest of 1977:while Stokes looks around -another In his stormy career as chief counsel of the chief counsel.. '--':: - .,,.�-_���.,-, , :-., ::.:,....�.3.-::.,,, � .. , � House. :-Assassinations Committee, Richard A. On other points, Sprague said:' ,'� : ; '';:.-''.',, "- Sprague acquired enernies..aS",welVas allies.: One :.:* He has:. no intention of -suing "Gonzalez Wh'oi fre- .. thing: he did not acquire was awe or � quently charged him with dishonesty, insubordina- 4earof.controversy.:,.4!.f...;:ilci". ,.,;�/41,,ii;:�,-...,:: , � ,..,.tion, :incompetence And violation of House -rules. . Sprague came baCk. to Washington yesterday to.. Sprague said these charges were untrue and-said ,-- - - - , .. . himself when �,..ti, h e .th6Y- - brekk thesilence he imposed on h were the old sd11-41,1t,1A!":�McCar.t4IY t.ti.C'..,61;..re- .' got into a contrnverayith:the former chairman of :.i'Peating lies.'.'. � *.7.!�.,.:, -.-.......;:,�..,... -,f.;;), . :.:.-�.. �,:�!,,,,,,--,,,-..,:4!,,,.:.,i. .1��the,Corninittee,.':0�Ap�;:lrenrt E.:.'Gbilzalez,"-:.'D-Tex-:: ' �:. Some -progress ,:i-lit lii'laCfe-tri-'"the'tiiiiil sessions Tlisit.-Controv.erttap"elikit ',.the,"elid'lsrboihi. Otltheir.:*th� Ray. It has com &OM: that Aay:ot'aigstanoe � 71-Johwin:theinvestigationi)of the3rnalideri. of ,preii;.::',.4. his '-escape ,from jail: in Missouri and: eta, the ' : dent John FigeOnedk,ilijici,DiAlailliatther. ItiriEr:',A1).0,1,.196&:.shooting of:,-Kingin-Memphis.,,inrObtain- ,.�?,.,� �:,;011..4414,,ikrcif:.;:i,..:.,4:�:,:*iiiiito-i;41,411.-oftiftir:674,,,iing:,..;�,:.seitiiill 'weapons; and ,certain,.rrioney-.1t1/;;This � .� ;,,..'�:At-e:..press..4c,cinterenc;iSpregiiek.ifirecUeritical:ir.fndicatesic.Cording, tO:';SPragne,.;.that Ray :Viii not salVOSAt the entire ;#0.4soof,.,Eepresentatives, ,in',-.--ACting alone but this. assistance was from'. toMe-. Cludixii the�-neW:tonimitteechaftinaiOtepouiSI�body-Other� than the,"Raoul'.,'_WhO Ray has insisted .-� Stokesi:D-Ohloi.and"D.et:::',Valtei*El�'FainitrOk,Dil(�witahis!.thentor.'il4isi: 4 iT4�4:. .14:;:.:4'..c=4. l'ail.C.rki****44F.:1407,4, 1*--0., Ri�-.1;,.1:.v.,; -Atrkoi. i:.!i., mob�ligure SantopTralffeaiiti:-hai).iniciriiiation , ' 44:gieclare416:4:40e4(3.Etlink.Viiiirists-Cilia* tila-petterwur_theFROiinedY 7 case :bnt-hiS:4ttoineya .-'--- Ple...i(*.i,c04ductinCalanurdeablVestigatiCiitand'iPISistedIsny,A. putaliO�tession,at whicb,he c.-1-almed.".; ...'T'e".ao-mmerrfded;:that-th�President appoint .a special ;-t.h0,.5th,Amendment to show his underworld friends '-troseCutOrr-tOarrii. -Oxi:tha, Probi:44,,thOKennedy;dle..-Wai not answering questions. The " tdriiiiiittee ing.CaseiAt,gM:?,'V �;t:',::7l'i.ifj.-4'Alltimit-t, Vi'l.41'4,7tF.i31, it later Criticized for tesSion:'!".'-1.. 04,..'-''�'''!-�!'�:',..:i'.,. . Sprague, rani& he'-' Vitii'hderinterettct1n e:bCine4A44.'""1")4104 :34;631ti4*# lit-3147--itoitAtittlial,'-': 4special proteciitOeand:ide'.1t7Cleiii=.thitheii fed ..i,?;"up yi4.4.,:lihe.tirl.itic.Fkgtiin in es,.that,:ireip lived -,.:iii:i - -',IY-(,_.,_ashifigt0*._ ".-WI'lli..4444Wittlie,00, � 4"11E.-,.�cAREER.'.�proseCutor.�,threci.'"neWi.-light. On .: theinanner, in which he handed in his resignation last month... He Aaid".�:tbenight. before.. the House . � , 'voted- to continue the committee's .-lifei.... Stokes; called him, to .a meeting .With two other members of : thelpanel.�.:�TheY. advised me they-ad a whip- �:- count he taid.:`,1And..therei.werilint:enoirgh votes, � - ',:and theyttkikup-the"que.stipif 017Whethetmy�resig=-: ',nation would bring the votes ' �.`.`t said 4: resignation *Mild' be lxiwritn'an ex-- I tpidiency and they,shouldiet-kinickle`under. to the .-.73'big!lie,'.:1,--tOlcFFatnitroii-1('"Viat;:ie.aritiy�Commen4 :�:;tary ,for hint..F to � be talking libontrniyHretignation ,and :I.,wonderedrif..lifartiniLuther 'King i:if he _ were; ' :i.,:alive,.y.riOciAgre0,.wiA bim,,.1.,detected that Stokee, :T.felt-fli.Wain't getting his .titfayiand:1; thought, 'Now: .'1'm in ',With ;another chairnian;Whii'didn't 'get his i' Way' ,-''���.'7,(-=. I-3,i''�?... .�.;t(4:1;VeN101;:;-4.7-!Z-,,,,...;,,.,,:;,,,...4 . ,Sprague' .so ;. , o es.: as e, . im a re rn e. `. :.. :ra' �i i'z'-" V tilliV:i''''''' '' :..-: next: day-at � -11a.rii, lint before-the House vote. � ..Sprague ...then .saicii44ahis..14ricFAsieVdangling ;,,,around,.until-1,.e4a.:trotrgirtrosT4and'L.tendered my. .,...resignation, '�'; .,..,. .'j.;,,;,e.,,./f_�..61:,!;rfiArj.s.dli,:..*::::;�,,-:,,1-4. .1:oragi4e "Said; ''-The jiousa.is.a polltical.animal.- .---':le,:is.-the :natare'..'Ofd,�14Pretentative0hat they are 'Jelected and. then 'Play. to ...the public looking for a':: ......good:Press-� and headlinea:-Staff,persOnnel cannot ' . be directed,.,14,-.435;:.sof. mien ,12-: elected. officials; ..That makAs,aninyestigation impossible. You have:. to be left,aloneto ,cict apreper.,,jobginyestigating el .,.: crime.. :,52 .,-; .::..`..^4-4`. ,,-':::-�,e,A,ViL-"ig:Yr;teil:**1047., 'A eY'� `MY EXPERIENCE indicates' that there it - a - , constant push for public hearings. titillate the. . public and the specter of sensationalism and that it is necessary to. produce something new, and that's not the way to conduct an investigation because it ' impedes the search for the truth.'!:.:�,..:;:;:��; :,..,... Sprague charged that wilen.he went -to !Tennes-, - ;:tee,recently.for two interviews with James Earl- ' Ray, .serving, a"":99ryear. Sentence for killing King, �'.-he had to frght- off members of the committee who�. li wanted to get into the limelight. He said members ' :;.7.of Congress wanted to pia their Cronies on staff� ' and that he was accused -of being abrasive because he turned-thorn clowp._:.1 5. ,;:!.,,,7.: f;.i.,j,;1!;.,1:.;:zi : � . 4 Before he faced: the press yesterday,,. Sprague . said he met with the 7114iltis staff members, almost,' ' all of whom had remained loyal to him in his bat:, ?' ties With Gonzalee'He said he told the staff �flit- '. � view that the House Was probably not capable of ,, properly conducting the assassination � investiga- tions but said be hoped the � staff would prove him , wrong:, .': . � ,. -..-.. ,.. :, . :�.�'" - .:..,.e. , y, ,...:i ' � 12 APR 1977 � -;;2�-t 8::�; prague Urges Carter to Set Up Inqu Into the Murders of Kennedy and Dr. King r-VXi.i4t. . , � By BEN A. FRANKLIN. Special to The New York Timer r. WASHINGTON,' April 11�Richard A. 3.4Sprague, who resigned two weeks ago `oas chief counsel to the House Select Com- i;mittee on Assassinations, urged today that President Carter appoint a special Ilprosecutor to re-examine the murders of President Kennedy and the Rev. Dr. Mar- .in Luther King Jr. Ai Mr. Sprague's comments included criti- fe,cism of the ".political expediency" and Zocif 'the push to titillate the public" that he Sd had motivated members of Congress i-cand had put him in conflict with the corn- ing of 'Wiretapped 'telephone- conserva- tions by Lee Harvey Oswald, the Kennedy assassin, to the Cuban ;and the Soviet embassies in Mexico City. .� Mr. Sprague, mentioning.the late direc- tor of the Federal Bureau *of Investiga- tion, continued, "But then recently we _uncovered a memo- by .T. 'Edgar-Hoover to.,-�the then-head of the, Seeret-lerVide; in which.. Mr. Hoover 'painted -'614''that after the assgSsination of 'President Ken- nedy, F.B.I. �nts.whower�rniliar with Oswald's voice listened to the tapes and said the voice was not his. � !'That raises some very serious ques- . � Wittee. They, came ,at a. news conference tont"- Mr. Sprague went on, "because oat which he declared that jusnwn investi�;. .C17,ation� "as little and'...ais sparse': . as, it was, "mandates that there be a thorough 1.!examinationinto.each of these two aisas-: e in a tions.".';,7,, El He responded.' to persiStent ',questions t about the basis of the "mandate' by.dis-, 7 'closing two-admittedly ; inconclusive Vcoveries :about. the . accused assassins -in Kerinedtisind�pr.ing.,deathsHes t scribed .theirct'ai-lpo'ints-7.that."needed,'.tti me pursued -' 1,, ?.4 To a.. scrowded '..gatlienxigv,fot;reitniters. the N t' 1. Pr '1VI ' t e a lona Press 4prague ' said that theceittral Intelligence Agency had told :the select committee staff that ;t had "re-used". and eraseda tape record� 4 . , r 7 ' vz"ii,:f:s4w407,-440:*'" . if the tapes hacrexisted'after,thi?asaassi,z� ,natibn:,:or:R.Bresident Kennedy- ancl7lbeY Werectestroyed4why?,'�?And.411, these', ; tapes showed that the voice �there was not; Oswald's;;:whatdoes that f t'Aj4:4- In .these � investigations, one of the 'dangers ictalcing a point and leaping to conclusion that 'doesn't follow,I'm,net: 'saying :that,flt_Ithese things 'exist, that ithat ..shows -the!. C.LA. had something . to Of-, the � B it does 'raise questions as to what might have Sbeen...,2e'conspiracY..that arose -.after the assassinaticin:iu`..:whIch :ceded -agencies pf Governrnenr felt, that they :'�would. . be relationships withi�wiTd . know, but�these.areimetters that certain- ly need to be investigated-Mr.-Spr�e also'disclosed that;, in two iecent' interviews ith janiesv Earl:May: who is serving a 99-year prison terrn-in Tennessee for the murder of Dr. King, Mr, 'Ray toldhint that,.he7had.,`,"riceili aid from others". 4Iri:�anernbeir'S,.of,, his family or the'inysteriotii7Kaaiii,'..q. Man never Otherwise::identified "whocMri_Ray has ,,, said � set :, him for '''�-the � murder charge. Mr. Sprague said that.ibitc. Ray had admitted to-.him . was 'a fictitiousname. Weaponsfit . fOrnyror7oblabung. for Mr Ray,",,'`Certainj.,Weapciiis and certain Said,..ffoili2befOre and after the King shooting in ApriI 1968. was just' a:threshold, Of .inquiry,"' 'Mr. Sprague �said,-I'but-it--,iiieitainlyan indication of -aid by other Another Sprague-R.arintervietif' *is have taken pIace-In. Tennessee. tciday, the former prosecutor said. It has mow. been .rescheduled '-for; -Thursday,. ;witti-Aihe'r .cOrnmittee . staff . members--; asking- -the questions. ' :an embarrassment , : showing certain � Mr. Sprague also senarately- ...":'./*-tinder.ivreporter's:ciuestioning that Santo � 'Trafficante Jr.: an .-alleged Mafia-�leader ' who refused to answer- any.of:the� ccxn-. 4tee's questions in a public appefirince .,last March 16,,"absolutelyhas.useful:in_ on the Kennedy assassination.: Mr:Sprague would net describe. the infer, ination: . 7- .................................. Mr. Sprague resigned as:theCoininittee ....counsel on March 29,-;whekit- aipeared- to...some House memberithatif he stayed .with the committee it :would not -wIn'a �Vote on the floopthenext day; to. Continue Tt� past April 1:1Ihesebsequentvot was '-230 to 181 to �extend the-committeeIgo threinglf 1.97k*d:Mrie.Siiritgue,:54- years, 17.old,:,left-WashingtorflintnediatelY..foek vacation 'in .MexJco,--Teorted1y-qith itixed :feelings of disgust And iht 10 days the-ACapulco;.. sun,: his I ewsvCOnfereneiVijeVealed7,,today,....,Mr: Sprague apparently cialtivated4iS disgust i .fand diminished'hi hopes."- -. had critiCitMlontialiy in the House, 21ri1liding..Sperikei'MOrna3 P. O'Nei1lz-3r. t.Massachusetts. He : accused :him- - of neVer. Wing the assassination investiga- tion the support it deserved.. 'But Mr. .;--!..'Sprague leveled his .harshest. criticism at RepreSentative.'7Henty, ;11.�4'_.Gonzalez... r of .-,11..-exak�:"who Was chairinamsef_tbe aSSASSi� tiOns,'oinmittee froM:JEinuary- until he. a'. Vskigi, resigned en March 2.:ivith),..-bitter blast , � �,. Associated Press..:2,11'.at Mr7:5prague and'atille:coMmittee-Ina- - . Richard A. Sprague ponders question .at'Itis farewell news conferencejoritytrlyhich ;was .;',-then supporting4:the chief cotuisel.' � , Says Hill Pressures Hamper Probes Sprague outs Panel Can F.nd Truth ! ;I . � . By George Lardner Jr.' '-� Washington Post Start Writer . , H The former chief counsel or the House Assassinations Committee warned yesterday that the . committee neyer find the truth. behind the "assassinationi of; President Kennedy or the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. H � � It continues On Its present course.' � .1 1.. .Openly critical of the committee's .new chairman, Rep. Louis Stoker, (D., Ohlo),� former ' chief � counsel . Richard ., A. Sprague said the investigation has , �'. been hampered so much by demands "sensational" 'disclosures and pub- ' lic 'titillation" that he Is now con- ''.vinced Congress cannot handle the'in. '.; quiry properly.. . ...,� *, March 29 the day before a crucial House ' Vote to continue the investigation�primarily because of Stokes' incipient animosity. -- Sprague. said he hadn't wanted to resign and felt he still had enough committee members behind him "to . avoid being booted -out," but then sensed that Stokes was getting in- creasingly annoyed at him for want- ing to hold out. - .;� ' . � "I 'figured, 'Why put up with it again?'-" -Sprague Said, recalling his- -difficulties with- former committee - Chairman Henry B. Gonzalez (D-Tex,) who had tried to-lire the committee counsel in mid-February buts., waS:.: countermanded --� by,;_-the � pane-3.--z other members: ....A.4:,K1k,:-;.%,"" The fresh piesatirei�for'SPrague's Ouster ,arose March �29 because-of air.- -; unofficial headcount by 'committee members which indicated that the in- 7 Vestigation would ::survive- the next" 7, day's vote on. the- House 'floor only:A' Sprague were replaced ' .- Summoned to- a fotithbur-inteting- ,_ in Stokes' office th:e: night of 'March � 29. where he found -the chairufan - Reps. Floyd- J. Fithian- (D-Ind.) and; . Rep. Robert W. Edgar (D-Pa.), Sprague--- - said he had already decided to-leaye-at futures date, but -resisted: the pressures- to 'quit. imMediately., 7esper cially. in light of reassurances he ha&. ' gotten earlier that day :from commit- - tee members. . Reminding StolceS7. and4the'. others - that they were agreed that criticisms of Sprague's conduct and investigat- , ing techniques were unjustified,. the 2 . counsel said he told them "it was .a Sorry commentary for congressmen in - this democracy to be knuckling under to the big lie." Sprague then polled -other committee members -by phone and was assured of their sup; port. � - But "at that point," Sprague said,'"I' detected that Mr. Stokes was kind of resentful that he was not getting his way." Anticipating continuing difficul- ties with the chairman if he. stayed, ..the Philadelphian decided to quit. He made it effective immediately despite a "Don't do that" chorus at the last minute from Fithian, Edgar and Del. Walter E. Fauntroy (D-D.C.), who had Joined the group. Sprague was also critical � of the.: committee's calling of Dutch journal- ist Wilerr Oltmans to a meeting two weeks ago "just because of the sensa- tionalism arising from the death of 'Mr. de Mohrenschildt" (George de Mohrenichildt, a Russian refugee who committed suicide last month after re- portedly telling Oltmans of a far-flung Dou � � 1 In his first public statement Since he was 'forced to resign last month, Sprague said he hoped President Car- ter might consider appointing a ape- :0E11 prosecutor to take over the inves. � itigations. in light of his own experi- SO:ague .said he feels that "the , Icongress of the United States is not the proper agency to conduct an in- ;vestigation of any ;crime, .much less 'Icrlines of murder." � ' � ' ; e tiler adelphia pr. secutoi Th f � Phil !. , , ci . stopped short' of urging that the As- ..,,. , , . IsassinatIons Committee be disbanded.';,:i 1ShortlY before his late-niorning press ,�;; conference here, he visited committee 1 istafferS and urged them to prove, him, ,;.,.,, I wrong, ,to "'show everybody . , . that, ;� . -,. you can keep political influence out of this thing and get a job done.'" , But Sprague continued, `'I don't think they can, because what occurs is that the members of Congress want to . : staff this with their cronies, with their..., friends , Just about every congress- , � '? man In existence wrote me with his H -� recommendations as to who to put on , ;the. staff. I -guess ... I became 'abrasive' because I turned them down, because I was looking for pro- fessionals." Looking relaxed and. tanned after. a 10-day vacation in Acapulco, Sprague disclopd yesterday that he quit , � See SPRAGUE, A4, Col. 4 $ ane n ru SPRAGUE, 'From Al . -ccinsoiracy Involving de Mohrenschildt, Lee Harvey Oswald, anti-Castro Cu- bans, the CIA and Texas oilmen). The former committee counsel said he still feels some sort of investiga- tion is needed in light of uncorrobo- rated information that has been devel- oped, for instance, in interviews with James Earl .Ray. But the committee ' staff, instead of being left alone to � �-. 1 2 APR 1977 �ef - conduct a thorough impartlarinvesti- gation, has been confronted, Sprague said, with "a constant push for a pub- lic hearing to present something to the media; something to titillate the . public, something that has the specter of sensationalism . . , '� � "That is not the way to investigate," he said, "and it totally impedes the search for the-truth." -------------------- �� . Monday, April 11, 1977 James- R. Dickenson . The Washington Star "'I ' an assassination questions aye - � Like the Lincoln as�assi= :'-'let fragments, too many to almost by definition seek in -tvio..persons -know ab-out: nation the assassinations of be consistent with the War -- . orderly structure of things, :. something, given the blabby:. - .. �, � .. John F. Kennedy and Mar- ren Commission's single- are in this group. So gre . nature :of - mankind,. the tin Luther King Jr. Promise ? bullet theory, removed from . those most suspicious of the cl}ances of its remaining se--;' z. , . ,- to be with us forever.' The ,:',..Tohn Connally's wound. :-;."�;'' 'establishment," pardon-. -;tret are minimal and that if : Continuation of the House-of ;:t.:::-.-.There 'are; reports of '- laxly the CIA and FBI, and ": *three know it's sure' to-be "Representativesinvestigat- 1. 'crucial" photographs, re- believe there is a giant con- public * ---:'.. � ' ' .-?:" ' '.- . . . ,, ..i�ing committee-assures. that .. PortedlY cOnfiscated- by the'-. sptracy on high to. eliminate- .1 -,.._ The Conspiracy theories !.� ::..but if there were narcormAL.� FBI; of" the grasey knoll leaders- such as Icing :and -:.'seem to run in cycles'....Thei: :?-mittee something-,:::_else.-_-.nekt to the Texas Book ,.-4..:stories.7.,�thatr.!J-right.wingi. :the Kennedys.... � would keep.the controver-,,'-- pository:wh ere: .0swald sies alive. !,;-::7.-�5:q.!.fired his; shots: Skeptics or. - The coinmittee'S'iniage7the Warren Commission re-- T. has been -tarnished by the '.7,1Port contend witnesses 'Keystone Kops quarrel over heard shots' there and that its original chief counsel there are photographs of but even if it had gotten off :�puffs of Smoke and kunzzen ' :to the most harmonious � on the knol4 _ ' possible start its chances of 'There are allegations establishing-the truth of the that billionaire H.L. Hunt tragedies 'wouldn't, be any and -other .Texas oilmen � greater. .:) � �?.-- "ly hired 'Oswald to " kill � '� r.4.7 '7,',7Kennedy. For the hard reality is The problem is that there that most of us have more ,are . so many :ambiguous chance at sainthood than of crucial facts that can be ever getting an 'account of interpreted 'differently .de- the shootings that will pending on the opinion each satisfy most of us as definV individual brings to them. tive...- : There is a large body of-- � The "leads" that leaked ' literature, for instance, on out of the committee re- 'whether or not a single bul- -cently are more convincing'let could have passed . as attempted justification through Kennedy's body for its existence than as � and inflicted the wounds he � hard evidence. - -"and Connally suffered. One is from a woman who Once you've read it all, worked for Jack Ruby, who however, you don't feel any killed Lee Harvey Oswald; closer to the truth than Kennedy's assassin. (in the when you started. . - nature of the controversy The basic disagreement this flat statement will be is between antithetical challenged by many) who,. view's. One is held by those says that Ruby introduced who can't believe that any- her to Oswald in his night- 'thing so monstrous could be club and said Oswald was the result of caprice in the associated with the CIA. form of onedisturbed mdi- There is a nurse at the yidual. Some find this so� hospital where Kennedy . disturbing as to be unac- 1- There is-some justifica-f .,,.Texas oil _Millionaires were tion for this. John Kenne- !: behind the Kennedy assas4; ,:, dy'S assassination was. tbe':f .sinatiorris-the fa test: A:-.year --,f - opening of a Pandora's Box ' and a half . ago the leacting--*. of more than 10 years of bad : � theory �was.that the-mob:-.:.;.,. - times. Subsequent revela:.: � was the- likely perpetrator:1: - � tions indicated that the FBr.' since it had both the. re- --i'. and CIA indeed were not sourcei,Iricluding ties-with. ::-:2' above some criminal prac: the CIA; and the motive be-' : -- .---- t- tices: ':' . - - ..."-' cause Of the loss of -"Human ambition venal- blipg casinos and heroin " itfl-; -greed, crime-. --ail' -'connections in- Havana' and these we live. with and can ' the hope that a different- ad-, handle," Garry Willls wrote ministration might be more .. in his book on Jack Ruby. aggressive in ousting-Cas-!, "No matter how crithinal - . tro. .,..:- such acts are at least con- The reports that Oswald : ,ventional in their sequence._ had CIA and FBI ties are as of cause and effect -. � old as the crime itself. He , -:There-is-thismuch,-at least,- had an address book with of reason and light in the darkness of the darkest plot.... . � 1. . -- "Better that than the-vi- sion of total night, of super- human or subhuman forces k, revealing themselves, at last, as anti-human, erasing all man's pretension, all . reason, order, law." On the other hand there � are those who are skeptical that a conspiracy of such magnitude could be put to-. gether and kept secret for so long and/or don't want to believe that powerful mem- bers of their government _ And society could. be the telephone and license plate numbers of an FBI agent, and-one banes police investigator said he would be "disappointed" if the FBI hadn't tried to recruit � Oswald as an informant. Sarah -Jane Moore, 'Who � tried to shoot Gerald Ford, had been an FBI informant. The House established its committee arguing -cor- rectly that_the controversy will, continue, as haS that over Lincoln's assassina- tion, until the truth is estab- lished. Its hope that' it or � anything else can establish - that truth is a true monu- died who contends that- ceptable. , volved in such a matter. -� ment to American opti- there were four or five bul- Many intellectuals, who These people hold that if mism. _ - � -� . � , ;At-1 gtoa Star Mond"' APril 1 1'1. 97. Sprague Replaced n Interini ySl ...:.� "-PHILADELPHIA (AP) � Alvin B, Lewis who has worked for the House: Committee on Assassinations since last December, has been ap- pointed acting chief counsel and Staff director, the. ,committee chairman reports. � - � Lewis, a, lawyer from. Palmyra, Pa., replaces, Richard A. Sprague; who resigned March 30 after. a long fend- .with former.. committee chairman, Henry Gonzalez, D-Tex.; � : ..,:Committee Chairman Louis Stokes, D-Ohio, said. yesterday - through a spokesman that Lewis will serve as counsel to the 12 member committee for..; about one Month; or until a permanent counsel is,,,,, �. . , named z'`, :..'-voted to extend the. life of committee through' : :He said the committee is engaged 'noW in a 1978 1 search for a permanent successor to SPrague. Lewis; 43, resigned' lael ThUrsday while .at the -."We are looking for someone of national stature same time offering his services during the -trarist.-7- and experience Stokes said, but he added ,that .tion period,. �.� .;� ; ".outstanding persons on staff . . are not ex- As special cotinsel, Lewis -Worked on both the eluded from consideration ." . investigations of the Kennedy and King'assassina- - . -Sprague,' a controversial former Philadelphia tions, performed a number, of special assignments district attorney, stepped down as counsel re- and acted As liaison With members of the commit: portedly being convinced that his departure would t9e. , � : clear the way for the committee , to . continue its�i� 'Lewis Was elected Lebanon County, Pa.. district ,probes of the assassinations' of -Presidentlbhn -F. :attorney in 1961 and served for eight years: In that Kennedy and the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr ".:job he supervised a number of major cases in cen-,' -The day, after' his resignation, the full House.' tral Pennsylvania.. ' � � - '4 �7" ;;J 11 APR 1977 AssassinatiOns Unit Names Alvin Lewis Actuig Chief Counsel .The House Assassinations Commit- tee- todayi named Alvin. B. Lewis Jr. is; ; its acting: chief. counsel and staff di- rector. � Chairman " Louis Stokes: CD. Ohio) said Lewis would remain until a ' permanent chief counsel can be found' to replace Richard A. Sprague, who resigned March 31: ." Lewis, 43, had been special counsel of the: committee since Dec. 6. He re- signed that post Thursday, but offered :ta stay on- during the; transition, pe- riod ;� ; ' " As special counsel, Lewis worked on the investigation of both the assassi- nations of President Kennedy and of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. He also performed a number of special : assignments and acted as liaison with members of Congress. Lewis lives in Palmyra, Pa. He;Avas Lebanon County district attorney for eight years, and was a partner in the , Lebanon, Pa., law firm of Lewis, Bru- baker and Christianson. " ' � � / THE WASHINGTON POST Friday, April 8, 1977 D19 jack Anderson and Les Whitten Ili1K Data tiasiled etr_io Sa _ ..�. � , :�.... � .. .. A confidential House memo aecuaes the Havana underworld; controlled by rector J.: Edgar hoover N.11110 categori- the FBI and CIA of "a serious suppres- mobster Santos Trafficante, were used catty denied any relationship between : sion of evidence which-was vital to this hi the plot against the Cuban premier. Oswald and the FBI: Reports 'the country's investigation" of the 1963 as- The mobster who directed the attempt Memo: "The. Warren Commission de- sassination of President Kennedy.-- -. ::': -on Castro's life, John Rosen', hinted, cided that, rather than embarrass J. A House Assassinations-anbcommit- -;.":privately .that. the same killers had Edgar Hoover and the FBI they would tee ''has uncovered a good deal of ins' :been. caught by Castro and had been not pursue the evidence.'..- formation .. . . :-. formation which suggests that Lee..turned against Kennedy. Interestingly � A Dallas woman, -named Sylvia Harvey Oswald was associated with '� enough, a Cuban exile,' according ,to Odio, reported that she had been vis- one or ..both Of these- organizations," the: memo,, quoted Trafficant as say-. ited by an,ti-Castro Cubans. They intro-- the memo says. - .....-:3 ',-. - -::: lag that Kennedy was .going . to be dueed her to an, American; horn she It charges bluntly "that both the CIA. i-hit." ..:-. r .., �-:..i,-.,..�..,.. -.,;7-.s7s., -:s'H ,...:--, .i later recogniied. as 'Oswald. The Cu and FBI- intentionally withheld' rele- :I � hoselli had. also stiggested that the -bans told. her-. that the American :,,vas .vants information . from ..the Warren,) Mob had ordered Jack Ruby to kill 03-7 trying to persuade anti-Castro groups. Commission and: IS.' at. least One in wald to prevent any disclosure of the ,.."to kill Psesid.ent Kennedy because of ' stance, provided the: commission with Trafficante connection One of Ruby's. Kennedsea'reaction to the Bay of ,Pigs information known to be false.":S',s,... ;1-.: underworld associatess.the!.merno 1:e- .. invasion -7 Not long afterward, 'Ken- -i- 'The. memo accuses the,F131 of wittr-.;:. ports, "Indicates: that In. .1969 'Jack _ nedy was shot. But the .JeBI- This- :holding 23 Oswald files from the cont- ',..,Ithby traveled to Cuba ,and visited represented, the. woman's Story to the !sisals:shin. The FBr"Was in possession of .''._: Santos Trafficante in Jul The same Warren Commission, the memo alle- 69- Pre-assassination files :on Lee Har7-:::,-..sotirce: also reported that 'Ruby and ges. This report i'of what the bureau :-i.iey OsWald."' states the memo Memd..,"How-.."-:Ftoselli had Meetings in Miami several _knew ,to..he f)atently false," declares i-'evers-;_of:...these._files, I: 01111,7411,..viere: s.. months prior to the assassination."... - : , .the Elfeill0, "requires further inVestiga:-. ,.ttirned over to the commissien......1.�;?%�;-'e,.2;.4P-I� A:witneis had told corucuittee in-.!,...tion.�-.. .. ,-..s....-;:-.;!--...,,!.-4s....,....s,s-ss;;,:s.,,,i The Information thaV-allegedly-Waa';:svestigators that Ruby.IntrodUced.her. ,.;.:..�i .,iiiii.ilein: 0 't;lie:s ,0-1-iosto.'-s-p-rwhigI.,:n-it withheld :was contradictory- On one ;'.;,?tai Oswald at ..a. Dallas nightclub. f.wo , stories linking Oswald to members of a hand, the CIA suppressed facts sugg--:'-. weeks before the assassination: She . _ paramilitary, anti-Castro unit known . esting that Cuba's .Fidel Castro may.'. 'bad been afraid to come forth With. as the No Name Key Group." Some of have retaliated against:President Ken- - her infotrnatton,........aecoriling tO the the photos shov:, "CIA agents assigned nedy;after lesining: about the. CIA's ::.:,memo, because another woman disap- . to train the Cuban exiles and soldiers plot against hissown.life..�BuCon the -7'peared lifter she mentioned seeing Os- of fortune." &Mitt Members of the otheehandsthe CIA allegedly .covered ._ wald at Ruby's nightclub. But the long.- grouvwere,traced to Dallas shortly be- up evidence' linking Oswald3CCIA.t".,4.:SilentAitness. ',.'is ; now. willing to. tes.._- 1, fore the Kennedy assassination. ! � sponsored, anti-Castro Cubans. :.--'-i-. f.-,stif.y.'.!4 .. ', -.:,,N;!;..-17 -7 ."-: .7 .! ' 10'� i 2'. � !'-;,,-- � ' . � -,- ' .1 . " . The House-memo draws no .conclu--r.: fv The Warren CominIssiort Met be:-..:2,, :=Footn6te: FBI Director Clarence M. :.ston.about the Kennedyltilling. But it7-.. hind closed doors on jan. 27,1964, to :3: Kelley has told US that all 69 summa- . lays out the evidence that the commiV,...discuis "eVidence". that Oasvald. had. ries were provided to the COmmission. - tee has gathered thus far Here are.thcV4'heeS a $200-a-month FBI informant up i: Kelley also said the bureau furnished highlights: ...:- ,.... .-. ..: : -.:.... -..-,-:. .--,.:to the time of the assassination: The the commission with rall pertinent in- :', = � . The CIA did not disclose to the'eiridence . cattle- frOm_ two p.indepen-,-:: formation.abnutTpntential informants, Warren. Commission that' it been dent" and ',reliable" sources The com-.: including the Cuban Sylvia Odio. The :trying to knock oft Fidel Castro at the mission's .general eounsel, J. Lee Ran- . CIA had net. Ofinnented by the time time Kennedy was shot: Killers from, .Idristook this up with the late FBI di- We went tapr.intz.;;.: ,:� _..,:._ ... ,,,. ., 1/4. 7,-,,,7 :.:7+7; y A"'"-Me p+, .7,* � 2 00 ,, .,/,..:m.--.r....,. ' �:.; ". "..174( � di' ' 'i .� : �'. -.:...:: ..!...:-.. � " , - � '? �:�� : . . WAPREN-S TUD YltilFLUE. Net; � LAID :TO F.111.TBY: ;O'NEILL' 4, 'WASHINGTON, "5 April . 4 (Reuters)� Speaker lhomas.T.:Dliell,l'Jtrtaicrladay 'iliiihIe'lle-veds.t.hi, Federtir:Burealithf Investrgatiirt,hacr tdrdi onle,witne*S.,ncii, :t07:telrtthiii:Warren;:,Commission . thefull trtttk*laut,Pteaident., f ennedfs�assasstr x tifitil*-0,44.�ft INSAM.:',421 '...ThetMatiachuSettiMemocraksaid-tha the ,witnesses had told they had been ..S.Ske4;by;the bureau to hold back .certain information 'wheM:they; testified - to the .commiSsion,�whichAnvestigated the Nov. 41.::.1.963.Kennisly-slaying. ,� � :::�.--; : � 7tongreisio-riar investigators have new information :that justifies the full-scale inquiry, .,-of Mr. Kennedy's death and the slaying�of the Rev. Dr., Martin. Luther King-which 'occurred, nine years ago, he Added: � 't : � ''t,�� :4-.14,4' 1,., ' The Speaker did not identify *hialf Wit- *:.�?'. ' nesses he had talked with�;Iter:�'dicL.,he . give details about new:, tlitta'given to House leaders by; the HOtise Assassina- tions Committee at a riCeittclosed brief- ing. ..::: `'' - � :.:2.401Pc-ogii3e.i.",.'z. � :' ' :' I . . Mi. O'Neil was askerrat a�ziews confer- ence whether he'...stilrfracket-itfult=icale inquiry even though' the committee's -six months of irisvestigation. had not produced hard evidence :7' that- President Kennedy and Dr. King:here:vied= of conspiracies. ; 'I:F.9M personal- conversations with�Wit- nessee-kWho:,appeared:befere the Warren ComMiSsion:, I dOn't-think.they gave .(the Warren: Commission) 'a full and honest deseriPtionl-:,:ha.'irePlied.:f"L.believe that they were reporting the:MMOf the F.B.I." 5.APR tan Warren Panel Testimony , Incomplete, O'Neill Believes issoliticl 'Press � , . House Speaker Thomas P. (Tip) O'Neill Jr. said yestrday he believes some witnesses of the Warren Com- mission gave incomplete �testimony. when they testified about the assassi-' nation of President Kennedy. "I don't believe they gave a full and honest description," O'Neill .told re- porters. "I think they were 'reporting the will of the .. , ,The Speaker did tot elaborate but a source close to hirn said;latet he was � referring primarlly man O'Neill,. talked with about :the time the War- ren Commission repotted its findings. � "When this felloW, told them (the PEI) what, he was going to. say, they � said, 'Well, don't Say all that, it will just confuse things,"'. the source said. � .. O'Neill made the comment when asked if he Was COnvineed the' HOuse � Assassinations Committee really has hard new evidence justifying the two- � year investigation the House approved last week. ; ." ; � ' "Let's let them go; ahead and see, what kind of job they �clo," the Massa- chusetts -Democrat Said. He added later "We will examine the ,results of what they do." . . He has said repeatedly at the daily news briefings that he doubts whether the Warren Commission had all the facts and for that reason believed the House Assassinations Committee was needed to answer questi,ons many-peo- ple still have about the Kennedy as- sassination. 11 , The Warren Commission concluded that Lee Harvey Oswald was acitng on his own when he killed Kenn' eciy.' It concluded that there was no can- sPiracY. A transcript accidentally released last-week showed that- committro - J... -members discussed a scenario Or win-. ning House approval of extending -the investigation. This plan' involved- giv- ing O'Neill and other leaders sensitive information to win their support. The mernoets also discussed making -a public report to build constituelat, pressure.on House members to extend the committee.' � . - But former -chief cdunell Richard A Sprague said that would not work be-. cause -the. only evidence investigators had that could be made public "is re- ' ally a 'rehash . kind of thing." The question of whether the' com- mittee has more substantial iniZrma tion which it gave to. the leaders .but could' not make public has not been � - answered. � i�ter � � � � ie oortarl r. . .53;,.%'..,41A -;!:�...;ir? '. ..`�ti...i,',ii'l.,It T. i; ft .:V.. 304:ii ell. iorli r.�. f a ..r....4 .).,.r. '14 7' i'.:V O'k r,ii ( , : � .. � ' a:.. 1., ',��� . ". -i':�-,��� �I'q, � 1:,....;!: ���,-s 4-, ...), i ,r0.9kixiv.terne i.k.tlit1 N'..,-t% .,..1.4 I,.,i'lAt! ' -.-.'.; i�41.1.- '.,t i .1,t:-.. 11:,-?..-.,1f...it...,i ....,..... ...."-,1!., ri, -.e't '.4,:, ..,. ,I, -.z.t:',./1-1-i.11.'.?' 6 .'..�'.' IV ' the e 'e Lore� ra 1 . as. ssassLnattonS.. , mite � .- % - �-�.:: � �-:,...,,,:�../.,./..:::::t. . ,..,.. .. ,. e:�.� � ,�,,. L � , By deorge Laidnetjt3).-it'' ' :'-':inaiti Lotiis,.!stalog.(D,whjor.::,i,ps.ro,:t:;,:lie.a er..s! ,Et..,rea .,.e agrin : , ,. ,., . . . ., , . . , . ii . ; d' '-'4.3'. ' ' ' f'�t �a' i--'ayr. ii.� - ed ' th '''' another ' public eating' that; by e,;��:- posed _ washl in tOn Pali Aiift.Wilte:,;"�e:. f 7,.."` . 14b..lhorieu't's- Of i.i;LOt,:inebi ber' a' Of. ii;p: i)i4si.:4,-'1,iltoannittee's,sloW. pace in investigating ''. might include 'something IliFe W at . .-.., ' The ouse Assassinations Cominitt''''' - ' - ' ' ' 1 ' ' . H _ . .. _ . . . . . ��� .0:Waiting. outs. doithe meeting:toom arias lt-.,--4 the- murders of . President- Kennedy;-, ,' ',we did yesterday" when :!'we had Mr. ' tee spent much of its time at. a secree:, -,-.,�waJr.,- � asked what he-might teli these::::1'ind the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr ',:i Trafficante there and he was pleading -... ;t meeting .. two ., Weeki .".:-* age , .On , 'the.;:-C, wolves outside the doot.';'.:-� r;1'...,- ,.... .wete ,wicielyliprediet.ing,:::, its ;:like.�ilv � - � ...-1'4�,- � . : ,� L , � . ,....*IrTz .;:i ;t1!.... ,t,,,c..� � '';'..Ythe Fifth Amendment." ��'.. :- �.:; �:,::i � , ;winning congressional and public Stip;','.�'::: I -1 ;:;i4downfall.,',4�0,..,...... , �, .,., . . ,, ,. , �'.. "choreograPhy":.;and.:-', scenario' for fot '-.!..t.ti think .-yinii should4tedP.Itheaf- right ,:.. , .,, '.'-1 think we 'did More., yesterday; , where Yeti' hive �',....,11's With SthlitS as 'their new chairman' even without getting factual informa- ,-; � . port of its iaquiry. ,'� .. ,,. � . ,.)., .j''. '-.'';-. at the bit and not tell them anjliting,".:s7:,7totomittee 'members 'seemed �to have: ' "ThIS, � of course, IS not the WaY "to ,. ! advised Ilepi,Floyd J. Fithian:(13-Ind.),,iy:-:,been heartened by. the publicity' stem- : tion, simply because it focused again :ming :from the. public hearing of the ' ! on the fact that we �are looking into conduct an investigation," :Rep.' Sam-: '.;!-'. The . March !17 Meetinkleaniec at a .:1 ,-,,i, ',day. before, March, 16,� at which gang'.... :�:1., the issue," 'Edgar said enthusiastically. -- uel L. Devine (R-Ohio). observed, at. .:.��:time � *heft ,the'../Coramittee )Was � still', I' '.one point, according to a transcript of .,�, .: , trtiggling to �sutylve;,, in! the ;Wake �� 'of '!'' land leader Santo. Trafficante Ir. re- i. . .... I. realize that,;-in terms of the ' � the session that Was released inadvert- �: ', ',weeks :Of, actiniOnY.-6Vot the -efforts 'a ; ';'�- fused, to ' testify, �invoking - the Fifth investigative technique- and issues, . entlyi "But what we are talking about -,, �former Chairman Henry B. Gbrizalez Amendmen ,!d. her. constitutional ' -�.� that is not the way to go," the Penn- , �..., t .-.9.. . - today 6l , is survival.". , : ' ' ; , ,i ;.. - , ': :4 .13.0-Tex.), to fire the ,'primMittcesS chief : --Tights:: - ,� �. - .; � k , - - . , " : s . . . � , , : ylvania Democrat added, "but I guess � ! ' �.M. another Point; committee Chair, ' �..'sOunsel,-.Richard.'4., Al Sprague.' house ::;):V.,'R.iii:i Robert�l\r,, Edgar. (D-pa.) pro- ; :: ' ' : :i See INQUIET, A5, Col. a_: , 1 ':'' -':' ! I. : � :1 :',,�,1.' ',II 4; (1,.' 'TA',14.1.1,i.,-.;!) i!, I r,"-.1',,'%,k;'Ilicll',1(4.,-,:,...i�..- :.': '' � r. ;Man, .Cautioned agai.14t,1: t=t;O' , IIE WASHINGTON POST -) trkiaY:AP.til 1;077 �����������). , � . sasstna rt . .� � -,( INQUIRY, From AI that might include a discussion 6f' the � minutes, I, would have to do a little ,. In the end, the eonimitt,eef whieh, budget and other matters.' . : 'soft. Shbe darice' in the middle Of lt,"4 survived its I-IoUsd;ieSt narrowly this I have Seine :tone-ern about .the scen- .� , � � � said, the 'd L hrier)nld the Committee �'' � t meeting coul egin, , e . . 1� , � s. week tt only after Sprague res gnat, �=, simplY issued a report listing aome Or ' ario ancr the-ChotedgraPhY. andI . with a 45-minute segment, ."split be- .` � � "�J. � �,.= �,!). � fie that ,i'vhIle,we do, notWant.a.cireuS tween the Kennedy and King assassi- � � airded that a publie ses- . the o nves iga on , the uncorroborated lead It. Is atmosphere, we want: it . to: be as cor).7 hatioin a s: to what, direction:we are watk.bechuie, g. tent-filled as , ) � ' ,J� := ;0 " ';"t the March. 17 mting, commit- In cOititi3O.itik,e;disaiio4f,�' Fit- guess, Ilhave, -- sonic opiteei* about the sceititiltP ;port* should say' 'nothing '',"pf the much reliance on pre$i,,,coyerake- � � I � impedimenti and the financial limito-''� ' :public hearings by, the; committee. .lie - ' aticl. the'.choreography. mid I realize that while we do.' tions and the problem of the previous '-eOmplairied 'speciflealbi- about cover .- ic,. , i..ii, cii � ;J.,',: ,,::', ' , � � . .. ,;., , ,,, ' .., . ,. ��.., ..,?,!., -...,:.,,,,... -,, ,.., , Chairman [Gonzalez]." , � 1.,,, .:, : , � ,, I age iir;The Washin;gton Post:- I -,,, -. � lj-- not �tvant� a �ctectis-atmospherptve walit it, tci :bp, OS s0/115-,i 4" .." Sprague asked how � those � � sore . :�Fithian agreed) however,' that the -'� .. *", 4 ,Ast,,,;.:�� i .,i-..:....1-)�t �ii'., : ' �'.. two or three public meetings:the com-r. . . �; th 0 feeling gePerallY",held,:byiMarlY�i''., members of the House that "We, reidly-ti;),...: ,4 � t.,..10 � I � � � � Sion on tl fruits f time t' ti Iy� tent-filled as possible. mittce had�had were helping to erode' ,L.;i 7 � ; t,ep:/i�bot 3V. . ate .'do�e '1';' Pg11":". ) , _. "regardless of . how: 'badly -Lardner ;�','',:f.�'''''.'' j;'.'!. "r"i� '' ":1 �l''''1' �'''..-' , , . . [WashingtOnl.Poit;italf,Wtiter: George "' kcilrig and What �eVidenioind informa- Earthier .1i..] has 'rePorted ' theni; and 't;tion We can sharp Publicly," ; �;'''� '��.'''I�'� he 14.-F,el'Prt,c'4 ;11,a1.0.PTIP.t..41b4'; ; :�;'''4. ,.-PepittY-chief counsel itobere S;teh:. SiiggeSiier net, the Man in charge of the King in ia'� were ',fo�.1�,:ecret '''''''' ' . ' ' . ' , . r ..- briefings'!of '' the. Route s'Democtatic vestigation, said 'later in the 'meeting leadership and other infliiential morn- :J. 'he would really, be hard .put to hold bers Of Congress Such as the membersjy� forth in public for the requisite length Of the, Rules..Comniitteei' Edgar .kept. ,..�!, T Of Pale'', .f.�','.-,f...li-:';�'1-,:-.�.,i . c!iii :',::,' :�'-'� suggesting i�foilovi.:upJptihlie hearing r j� �t ti vhen i�Y6ti.:tal 4-about' 45 -;����=�!,71:'�-,,,)!;;:t,-;:s� 'I.I.Y,-;.f.;'.'..:..'..til�',1;:t.',),!,,ii'.'i P i ;14.;.:1�.r�.:0,.'i ..."101:1�:i..k:.',":f:':.:;'!:-: `.....v.! ...t :" "'.! �'" forced to serve p "almost a ..-te4 ',;�.1i.as14;..efsw,lutt,haa long been p.06110:1,-:1 � � thrhOutit%:t0 oltof saying Hd ' Said- at= "the OnlY ',things that J they [The'. ataffljetitt- SaY� , 61 'ilgilificancel eivi'Vthings=,that ire- tee raw; and' tin'. � : corroborated fOr tie.to be'stathi :publ �liely,"'"' ' � .7" j. . r � �: tee members also agreed that' there- . Points should. be treated in the com- '�i rnittee reporL ,;� .;,; J. .;;; '= "Ignored, I. would-say, eompletele � ..� � -) ,"Benign neglect," .interjected Rep. .'sChristopher Dodd (D-Conn.). � � � � ; �i 'Stokes, a black' ccingressman from Cleveland, 'agreed. "Yes," he said. "'That deplorable expression." ' The March-.17 transcript was mad- - vertently released late Wednesday aft- - Cr the committee had authorized re- lease of another hitherto secret trait- 'Script' containing Sprague's rebuttal ' of various 'charges against-him.'. '�'� THE N.N.,IM YORK TIMES, FRIDA3c- APIqL I, 1977 �� � � , TO.) �: � t � Ruby Introduced Oswald as C.I.A Agent, Woman 'fells House Inquiry WASHINGTON, March 31 (AP)�Inves- tigators Of . the House Assassinations Committee'tOld coinmittee members in a'seeret briefing this month that a om� who worked in a Dallas nightclub before President,Kennedy was assassinated was 'Willing to testify that Jatit Ruby- intro- duced lee Harvey Oswald to her and to others ;as "Lee Harvey, Oswald .of the CIA �� Mr. Ruby, a' bAliiis nightclub owner; killed Mr.Oswald after the Kennedy AS.; Sassinatien, The Warren Commission eluded that Mr. Ruby did not know Mr. Oswald before the assassination, and Mr. Ruby maintained he had not previously known Mr. Os*tild, : A 20-page section` Of the secret Match. 17 briefing was accidentally released by the Committee yesterday, a day after the House voted to give the panel two years to. pursue its inyestigatjens of the killings 'of President Kennedjk and the ikev� Dr:44 'Martin Luther King Jr.' - ConmrisIn rt Doubt ion Warrent 'The -inVe*Stigators aisci said the possibili itY that there Were too many bullet frag- ments for Mr. Oswald to have killed Ken- nedy. Alene had been raised. because Of the StorY of a nursk She was identified as the .head nurse at Parkland Hospital in Dallas. Investigators quoted her as say-, ing four or five bullet fragments, not one � � ��� � , � � � , clean bullet, Were removed from Jahn B. Connally, then Governor . of Texas; Who was wounded when Mr. Kennedy was killed. ; � I' If that is true,' 'the investigators. said the Warren . Cotiim Its ion's ' conclusioni that one bullet went through President Kennel dy's body and then traveled on to wound Mr. Connally might no longer- be valid. Robert Tannenbaum, the, committee's chief investigator of the Kennedy assassi- nation; :told the Conithittee:;An the four or five fragments in fact were taken out and if we can .show�if we .tan locate them�that they weigh' more than that portion that is missing from that bullet,; then the-Very cornerstone and basis Of the entire Warren Commission ,report is no longer valid." 1;:,' o� � - - The-commitsioti,headed by Chief Jus- tice Earl Warren .- concluded that Mr.' Os- Wald waS tiding alone in killing President Kennedy and was .n,ot paft,Ofkkconspira- cy. � 1,1'1 Mr. -.Tannenbatin told ''' the' comihittee- that he considered the bullet theory and the former nighttlub worker's story. :`,Very,, signifleant."'Heimid.the woman- was pre- pared- to :testify ,on MrrRtiby's,referenc4 to Mr. 'Oswald as 'being? (rot* the; Ceptr Intelligence AgericYfi.r ' ;'Further;. Mr.' Tannenbaum ; said, the same woman ,prepared..10 .testify ,that she Was taking pictures at Dealy :Plaza' when Mr. Kennedy was gilled there and that two men identifying themselves as C.I.A. and Federal Bureau Of Investigation agents tockqlit 'film' from her two 'days later. Mr. tannenbauni'quoted her as say- ing het camertanglOveuld show liana Of; the controversial grassy knoll., He added "that could be crucial." ' ' � One conspiracy theory that has never beetviaroved;. was. that shots were fired from 'a' gun' ot'i the grassy knoll at the same time OsWald was firing tfroni the Texas schoolbook depository building. I � � � ' � 'Suicide Time Pinpointed BEACH, March 3 tape - recorder - being used to transcribe a television , program! recorded ;the , gun- Shot when a friend of Lee Harvey Oswald killed himself; the authorities say. �.,Lieut;; Richard Sheets of the Palm Beach County sheriff's office' said there were ho sounds of -anyone else in' the back-, ground is George de MOhrenschilcit died. Mr.Sheets said that by comparing the tape � witl television' station logs the in-. ,vettigato st determined that Mr.,de Moh- trenschild , 65,' shot himself at 15 seconds past .2:21..P.M,:.Tuesday. Mr. Sheets said the .autopsy, ,which concluded Mr. de . Mohrenschildt committed suicide, would, be teviewed� before the case was closed: - But he indicated he thought - the death was a suicide. Mr. de Mdhrenschildt, a Dallas geolo- gist, apparently shot himself after an in- vestigator for the House Assassinations Committee tried to interview him, the of- ficials _ said.: Mr. 'delM6hritschildt had ,' - ,, - ' , ' known Lee Harvey Oswalditnd his wife, Marina. ;, ,:.! Mr. de Mohrenschildt was psychiatric patient at the Parkland Hospital in Dallas for 51 days late last year after hisuicide attempt, according to a United Press In- ternational report today. .-� ` ' -," -8 The Washington Star _ Thursday, March 31, 1977 s He-Responsible or Osviald's Act? rensc �I FK En . ' By Jeremiah O'Leary.,� -�echildt's decision-to-tell his version Of all the dine searched. So-I am scared 71!as!lint,c,11..t.ar St.iift writer- r .:.,i,;,,-,,j.::-,-_ the Kennedy murder. �;- ...,,-....:-:, :.: -, ::. , .01trnani,:- Version. prompted - : the,'�-,:to� death-Lfirst:.must get out of the When George -1::de,'�MOlirenschildt Country,"..: -.,....�:... ;;�..,,,, , panel. to , send investigator Gaetan Oltmans said he quickly called his disappeared in Brussels last March .. Fonzi to Palm Beach last Monday to television superior and was , Dutch 7, he could have been. tabbed either : ., � - told to bring de MOhrenschildt to Hol, question de Mehrenschildt. Accord.- as just another fruitcake or as:"SomeL: :in 'tine put to Make a buck'-4iii is ac-. -7 '.::��;;,:�,.-,:i,,,!,,,�::',�- 'i"",:''''''''',. r,land. As Oltmans tells it, de Mohreh�-�:.,�7; iOltrnans- had -known de Lee and Marini -�Mohren- quaintance with -OS=�.'�'''-' -ichildt had several. changes of Mind �,,.wald., � ;".:*:.7'.1;:-.,: (4.:;-. ....,,,,Achildt for, a.. decade, He knew de ,but finally said he was ready to go.: � ":;f7. ;... -,Or, just- possibly, 'he- could - havii:Mphrenschildt: to be an emigre Rus,- .--�Oltmans said they drove to Houston, ,-,,Sian';cotint, a petroleurn�-engineer,:::a left , :been the . man,: responsible � for Os-.. ' :de ;�Mohrenschildt's. :car , there ,;....teacherof�-prench.at--Bishop College weld's behavior When President Sohn i- with a than named David Russell and �:.4.-' and- a. friend of the Oswalds;,�: eventually arrived in Amsterdam oni::', i''-; F;'Kennedrwas shot to 'death in 1963- Oltininefill into, the habit of .visiting ;.�1:as he reportedly acknowledged in the-.=: '',� March 3. There they began a round of-�. George and Jeanne de -Mphrenschildt,.:: '.manuscript of a book he had written. :', talks with Dutch..television,-and. pub-. ?-',-,,rrtpit,pi_t*Oorthree_timeSa year..�,i;.� But today, this ' trinch,ii�Teertain, lishing executives, meanwhile check-',' about': uAe,:',65;vap,,oldf0siam�borna'4'i,':V''.i.'iti " '-- =?.:-�-'� �_.i- ,.:-,*--'-:'!.4.'''1-'ing with attorney Russell in Dallas to erhigre:,-,,.'c:;:i[,,Ai}g,;,2J'i::z:qiO 1r7 4 :..' 3tn UARY: 1976:, ae:':-Mohreh--',.be sure the :manuscript ..W.as . still,fini, :--He is: now iri:iiPalm',Beach,�.'Eijait,14.schNt his office, ..''''::: --''��'i.,.: ,..,';',',�.,��i�-",t4ii.:;?::', '.:Wrote Oltmans that he .was �preparing a. book and sent several ',;�; On March- S Oltmans and 'de 3vIali. -;.-tiorgue;[;deadef,an apparently self-.-.2.-i),,,#4,,pages to the Dutehreperter:. BY June-:ireitschildt'drove. to Brussels to. Meet : 7:inflicted shotgun wound: ';. ,e-0-:etni�the--boolt-Was:tornpleted,":htit Jearrhe:a.24,iend�:�pf,,, the ',Dutch.ireporter;." ai;. -- . �-'He was ot.sufficient,intereit �..;cle.'��.Mohrenschildt,,told Oltmans she Soviet diplomat he identified only as,�:-.; ,.:House �Committee On 4isissinationa:;! - - in.' her she 'tea& ki: She told:::''Kuznetzoifi"l'he threernenehattedA:'; ,,�,,that One of it'si'investigaters-,wis Ci -nlier,hilsband he would'go-�tbjail:ititat: the newstancLot the Hotel Metro- .,,,,,'palm: Beach 'oriTuesdayieeking ioiii,,,iii''Published becritise-Jt'Was : abOnQII:Ole ., a nd ..de.: Mohrens Childt :said he-:.%. imteiTiqw" .hJ;n �;Wh0::',th,e,59,qcP,h0b1..'-the4Assassination --et.-KeirriedY;,,,andtWonle gO.,,.1foria'.,yalk,':befOre-luneh.- -":1-,suicideeeptirred,..,!:-)*�*-.9iiiri: .g.424141i, -,','----- ---mientioned 'namesoft-,-.CIk::anci-11F.41.,''He.:never returned from;that.walic,7::,.1 10:He is ..once again cOnsiderableihj,_ agents throughontM4140,V.';.i,-k..-�,;:'!�',;;:;:�a id ORM ans .:�:';,- :.',i. '';.��:=-�.-:', ::: -�:. :',:; 'terest tntheFBI. A .major portion Pfi),'"J'A:1..a�t� NovemberOltinartS . Went to ' .7���'. On :�March�...:7:,:;.de Mohrenchidt's Book' 9;', of:,,the.Warien': CommisSiono.... Dallas and tailed de,Mohrenschildt,":. disappearance was reported to the :Report concerns de Mohrenschildt.� ..,.Only to be told by his that he had.. U.S.. Embassy in the Hague. Oltmans 0:-.;�The reason de, Mohrenschildt may --; been ima hospital for seVeralmonths.-:'-said the official receiving the report ....,,' have committed suicide in his daugh- Oltmans said he called -'del Mphren--:�was Jacob Gillespie,'. a press Officer' ter's house IS not .known. Nor -is . it ; Sehildt's lawyer: Pat S.. Russell, and -::: at, the embassy. _There is no record known why he was negotiating with Was told de �Mohrenschildt ,was in A --;:"1,that :the missing report was relayed:. ;�Dutch 'publishers to sell:-' his book : :-- Mental hospital suffering from a per----;':.�;:tri-the State. Department in Washing- - ,f,..whenhe disappeared in ;the Belgian .;- secution ' complex- and.-: .',undergoing .i,',ton-:.- ,...; , -. :,�;-./�. ,!----::: ...',,-.� i,. :0-, f �,,,W,,, ' .:0 Capital shortly after-meeting ASoviet:�:,-.:sitock treatments.. :-::::.:H;;7,..;-: ?'':-01timati said he Wasn't: worried: � 'diplomat.. �-��:.:, ' has'- He ' ' '?:,'-7::-4.--'�"-''''-'?--'-'-7--.--tr-.ACcording to Oltrnansi---RiiSselt. ,,He got a call from a 'man in Brussels . He'hai been described as an oppor,-�:;; the Manuscript in his office files. �:.: Who identified . himself as "Gente ci-. ' tuniSt. and Man with a history.'ef.� Oltmans went :back. to: Dallas- on and said: de 'Mehrenschildt had de- mental ' illness �..Who- ,was s3.thject.,,c�?...'�:feb. 23,...,1977, ., :::band had lunch with de-:,...Pa 4rted.for. the United States. But Olt7 :Wild changes Of mood.: '-�.�',:',1� ,.�:, r�-i:,':'---Mohrenschildt,.'.'�,,who :::WaS 'back at ;-::�.::.,�.�,:.'"f'�,,:!,-y: � , ::: ,: -.-::: ..�..--- . , .,.,, �;;:.'-.iBut both :the :House inVestigative,, ,�,- . Work. The journalist Said this ' ex- panel and : the FBI seek: to find out ,,, change took plate in the Bishop:Col--; , -;-� what ' role, if :�any;'de:Mohrensthildv4 . ,k, lege library:: ;-,": --' � �- '�;-� '''''':,--':���'''''":' � ; .7.�:-� 1ayed in the Kennedy, assaSsination. , -` i -- "''' � ' - ' : -' 13i 7'. De. Mohrenschildt: "How' would t tP:ii,i�PE MOHRENSCHILDT,:, as part of :- hit the Media if I came out and said I ,....the : Dallas,--; Russian-speaking :. corn- :felt responsible-for.'Oswald's'behaV- .:�..mtinity,,was close to Oswald and his ftir?', � �� .:,-��-�-7-,-:: i:_,-::.:::,,,,.'f����*:':','-1,..;. Russian-born wife, Marina.: The FBI ':�.-:,01tinans;',!..!-,YOU Merin *hat Oswald `says-': it checked ,him out 'after the did? Shot or not shot, he was involved 'presidential assassination, He-was a..* in the.shooting. You have links here :Witness before the 'Warren Commis- :to the Shooting of the president of the son, and what he said then can be ; United States.'' ,.. found in '110 'pages of that bulky re-�:.�.De Mohrenschildt : I realize that ' 'port, ":', ,-':i.-;7:!'.-:�,.,.. :-.-;.."'-,-.,'--8,:-. i'.;,,i,31.:.. and ,I don't want.toincriminate my-, --.� What is not known ii what his ino- ::: self directly. But I am convinced that .�:',- Live' was for writing the manuscript-'- what Oswald finally- set 'up We ,corn.; a book entitled "I'm a Patsy, I'm a. pletely agreed upon." :- :'�Patsy" and claiming that it :is the :--', Oltmans: "But you were in Haiti story oVhow, he was responsible for: On the day Of the assassination." .,'-; ' �,- � :.-...PSwald's assassination of Kennedy. , � ' --':" De Mohterischildt:."Yes.":, --.-, Some details of the last months Of -.7";-;-, Oltmans - said de .Mohrenschildt de- Mohrenschildt's life , were pro-, -."was A guy very cleverly saying 'I Vided .to The Washington Star in an - knew exactly what Oswald was going interview with. Dutch journalist Wil-;,', to do andI have proof of it,' ,,..�,-;� , lem Oltmans. -_,,,�;';':�'"':'.,,x., � ':�.:�.'(,'N - -,1,,,,,.', .:7-',:::�:�.�A.,,��� ..-:' -.. . . ,7, . .''' Oltmans had cultivated de Mohren- ; , OLTMANS' Said he asked de Moli �schildt as . a news source:and:es a renschildt if he ready to make a :.-- friend for the. past 10 years,' He told, statement. He said the professor ��', earlier this month about de Mohren- .I am .being followed. I find My house' ,',,.the House Assassinations Committee replied: "Yes, . but never in, 1.t.merica.:, - � ,-,, � ����� - 1 ----- :, -�---?,,i-,-..--,-.,.�,:-,-,-, 0 � .� � , �--- . �:�-���-�,...,. �1;4 �.,/ , er.' , � . - mans said de Mohrenschildt left be- Bishop College in June. I'm 65; My even though he knew the Oswaltfj hind all his belongings , except his wife ran away. (They reportedly are - well and probably helped them with - briefcase. Oltmans said he put, tiee: now divorced.) I'm at the end of the financial and family problems. � ..F.,-- Mohrenschildt's possessions in �Tan, -line.' And one day he came into my House investigator Fonzi wentji - Amsterdam bank and sent the re7-,, room and said, 'Let's face it. I only the house where de Mohrenschilt#: ceipt to attorney Russell in Dallas. made up the story (about Oswald) was staying at noon Tuesday and was Yesterday in Palm Beach, Fla4 a because everybody makes a million told to return that evening becatia police official said, authorities were dollars off the Kennedy assassina- the man was not horne,� In the afterk holding -"certain personal: papers" -don; and -I haven't made anything. So noon,: de .Mohreristhildt,tapparently, belonging to de --Mahrenschildt; now it's my time. So now, you and I :,,pUt a shotgun in his mouth and pulle& United Press International_ reported; know that.'� " �\ ...+��4,a4i � The official declined to say whether", THE FBI SAYS IT does not knciwz..:�:' No note, was found: IF- there is .att-. those ,papers were related to .the "what to make of "de MOhrenschildtia, answer to George de Mohrenschildt, , Kennedy assassination..' - atrarige. journey or of his apparent troubled life, it may lie in the book heIn March, Oltmans.told%his-�a,'suicideTheWarreaq-,Commission has written and thatlawyer.RusselF Story-to :the:, House panel's deputy-f),concluded� that he ,did not have any purportedly has filed away in Dallas:.: counsel Robert TanEnbaurn and'eConnection�t-withRennecly's death -Tm a Patsy,rin a Patsy," �' three other investigators in Washing--' ' ' ' 4S,;4�� ton.- Oltmans' view of :de Mohren.,', tchildra role: in the assassination, is that de MbhrenschlIdt didn't figure in the slaying but -"that .together ,they cooked it up." De Mohrenschildt;, according : to Oltmans, could have been kidnaped,. ; or have had, another "crazy attack"-, or have; gone- to the Soviet Union; None of those things happened� hut- 0Itmans did have a clue to the way de Mohrenschildt died ,even before the man shot himself. .; - Oltmans said "He told me in Eu- rope: 'Look, I'll be :discharged -7 at 1 MAR 1977 Sprague Sa Kept Panel ar IS v � � S M uitting Washington Star Staff Writer Richard Sprague had always been the ultimate weapon in the House Assassinations Committee's now vic- torious battle for survival.. The unorthodox former' Philadel- phia prosecutor had been the center of controversy ever since January, � when Democratic leaders were forced to yank from the floor a reso- lution to authorize the committee's investigation over the next two years. . , , Sprague had a "standing offer" with the committee and the staftof 73 ' he had assembled. He would stick it out, at least until the resolution to continue the committee's life again reached the floor. He would quit if it would help assure the fiinvestigation would continue. - Fifteen hours before the House was to vote on the committee at noon yes- terday,. Sprague and several of his staff members met informally with six congressmen, including D.C. Def. Walter E. Fauntroy, in the office of Rep. Louis Stokes. D-Ohio, the com- mittee chairman.------..'..............--.The prognosis wasn't good. "We discussed the vote count and how it looked in terms of the floor vote," Stokes recalled later. "Our count showed we mere probably down 20 ,yotes." The mood of- the House was nut good. ' , 41.RESENTMENT, lingered about 4prague's original -request for a $13 million two-year budget to reopen the ;investigations of 'the assassinations ,of john F. Kennedy and Martin Lu- ,'�ther King Jr.; about his onetime re- --quest to use sophisticated electronic investigative tools; about his show- down with Rep. Henry Gonzalez, D- Tex., forcing Gonzalez's resignation last month as committee chairman; and about Gonzalez' charges against Sprague. Legislators attending the meeting in Stokes' office estimated that per- haps 40 more votes could be obtained if the committee would just use that ultimate weapon � Sprague. , "He said he did not want to be the impediment in terms of this investi- gation going foward," Stokes said. "For that reason, he said 'I want to resign.' I think it made the differ- ence.' By a 49-vote margin, the commit- tee was authorized to continue its investigation Nil/1th a proposed $2.8 million budget for this year which should pass the House later with little trouble. The final vote yesterday was 230-181 in favor of the committee with one member voting "present." Voting for the committee were 181 Democrats and- 49 Republicans. Against it were 93 Democrats and 88 Republicans, including 16 of the 19 Texas congressmen who opposed the committee mainly as an act of loyalty to Gonzalez, who resigned as its chairman after battling with Sprague. . - AMONG WASHINGTON area- con- ( rom Dying gressmen, supporting the committee were Reps. Gladys Spellman, D-Md.; Newton Steers, R-Md.; and Herbert Harris, D-Va.; opposing it were Reps. Joseph Fisher, D-Va., and Marjorie Holt, R-Md. Fauntroy, who heads an assassinations panel sub- committee, does not have a vote on the House floor. The final vote on the assassina- tions committee was preceded by one of the most unusual maneuvers in the memory of veteran House observers. During extensive debate, Stokes had 'been telling his colleagues that the committee had developed new leads in the Kennedy and King cases, but that he could not discuss them pub- licly. - . ' Rep. Robert Bauman, R-Md., who called , the committee the "biggest legislative circus we've engaged in in years," cited obscure House Rule 29 and moved that the House go into. executive session for the first time since 1830 to hear the committee's new evidence. Bauman's motion was defeated, but by the amazingly close vote of 185-226, considering the - uniqueness of the maneuver. - , THE ASSASSINATIONS commit- tee met before the floor action yes- terday and made public a transcript of a closed session March 16 at which ,Sprague responded to the variety of charges leveled against him by Gon- -zaler and in a New York Times article about Sprague's activities. The record provided Sprague's first public response to Gonzalez, with Sprague terming the charges made by the former chairman "das- tardly smears by a member of Con- gress. � Sprague also told the committee, according to the transcript, that he would make "no bones" about leav- ing the committee and that he had only stayed on after the controversy because he felt an obligation to the committee members. He said he did not want to walk out on the corn mit- tee or the staff, but declared, "I am not wedded to this position." "I do not think I am doing myself a favor," Sprague said in his testi- mony,"! think I am doing you a favor � by you I mean the Congress. I give you a standing offer. I don't -want to be fired obviously but if you feel I am a sort of a millstone, if you feel that because of attitudes of other members of Congress that your ship will sail the better, then you don't have to play around with me on it. I am happy to submit my resignation immediately." , AND SPRAGUE added, "The truth of the matter is that I am personally losing quite a tremendous amount of money by being in this position." The 11 members of the _c_smmittee � who refused to accept Gonzalez' at- tempt to fire Sprague as the two clashed over who was running things, �said ,yesterday they had found no fault with Sprague after their interro- gation of him. .r� .,� o is- V . co eg ii .6. . .1 Ft' vpi ,..,.....-,...cP. B.Ife- _)--,pq E !.B.:,t3R., ...P 4-4P. e;',N$9.-**.';'�%5i-1:11 '.4 ��...Z......f.'.,4�4/4"''.,,,I.1 �41, 6.- 4 "2, , ; � P ' tro ED+ 4.1t4 . a. .1�T. . '':i'''. � ��� � !VD' 'CD ';i1 � '2,:!!6."($ '.9',."' 2 . .- 2. I a n'r:P.,`�.;�>: P:',:".,...1 -!. 8,-; -�z,,i.e.itt.tr:-zo'..._-:-,-,:-.11,-`...�;.:rA4;k4.: -r.A'''."-.0.1-1 g r, i .< ' - c' ob.-. . �.po .... _-,., .;-',...:{: ,..,..,:. w��. 1". ... � m ri. ,.....::-.. : -,z3 � ,,... , Z .. r.:. 6"'- 4 t z,f, :,-1 6. El � k�v:.-.... d a n ti' DI W. ". 4' :.�-�.� . ,'"'.::::... ,4:. W*1.,j:�,:75).,:,.--. ..', " �'-'� l''' ,' '.� - ' � Ell ga . 8 � �'''''',...g '''_ ., ''' l;i6., -,0 p....., 2.4,;:ct.i.,.q:.,....9..m, :-.�: ..�:,,,.... ,-.,r; � r���� .-: :, -,... -, . tr. o �P''.--4:4-1 c ,-..: .su 1<_.�c 0 !.:Y;i. 5,' -. -, . c., ......-t %.-_,.r.iS 0Q 511 . cf f,, ...,,--�45.2.-,-..,�:s. gi g �,-f., .,...s.,....g...: �!'3 "'1,3,- c.r,": 764' . .' t ... ..4..' IA :".8 ;< ..... big. 3 . � . .. _ ,=--- ,...�,� = - � ID 0 - ct. . ,.. A ''''' " (e`� ' kg.' � .1 g ER..:', '1 c gi A, Era - - �c, 4 .5. E.:: p,, , ;-,0 trr � a. 0 4 ,.: . p.,. 0.17 a .-,:r 0 ,,, ......o ...�.1. a 0 cp .`4 . - g ea 1.1 � = �-��� Pil ':g 91 " .g 0 '11 - ,. ' T - b tsJ :-.-.', :' � " m b. � ..g ?,,,- . . x to .. ...-7,, cn � c...- � = C . W j.....1,-1-11.,ii',0i.::i';',...ilicv.;..�,::4(.,3.:-.'0h71..,g t.'4. :'''' '..'_-.5.....sE,1?-i 12 ,�-��� IlVa � 1 19. i p c: �i''.';'� j,, � ,..:. . - - -. - 0 . . , 0 � (..,.q � b�. ,..? 0 = '.;,.....,:.:���:�72,1'.1..' ::: c' '9.- � n t:5;":',,g b n.:;'�.�;;G ..'.p -1''..E." (.2�3�, a."1,-,4: .Pr.-?c�'.. 4.J>: .:,.' .0 ' i):17-'.'',":' '4 . :.:.t.�:�;:�,���.:4)-��_:, � - - :;.1 : :. 0 -... . ,.. - ; , r .., vv.* cl) t �ssi ==:1;�4 OQ ; i HOUSE. VOTES TO KEEP:.; tASSASSINATION PANEL .... . , . ., . ., ;,,.... .;.. , ... . ,,,, . .. � .."..: :, Continued From Page Al : I r'-14V.; � �� , .. - , , h . . .4 . ' .'.. I .. esignation of Mi. Spragne, Which: was t : announced this morning before the House : convened, had made it easier to 'secure :*fnough.votes to reconstitute the ,cornmit, �;ii: ' Resignation 'Meant 40 Votes' ' � � '.,..`�,' 1: -"With .Sprague 'resigning,.' they -claim ..lt :. means 40 more Votes,". the Speaker. :of, the House, Thomas P. O'Neill.- Jr., Memocrat. of . Massachusetts', said before :the voted,,,: ... .... .....�,...:, :. , .,:, , � �� . L.The former chairman of the Committee, cRepresentative Henry B. Gonzalez, Demo- ; crat � of Texas, tned 'to . dismiss. Mr. 1 Sprague as chief counsel and staff direc- : tpr last- month on the. ground of alleged Insubordination. But the 11, otherivern- bers of 'the committee ijailied ' Mr: Sprague, and Mr. Gonzalez resigned Ms post earlier this month. i41.1' I" P �:r� In the last two days. Mr. Gonzalez had made speeches on the House floor accos- ing Mr, Sprague of, among other things, Interfering with his work al chairman, 'insubordination and creating disharmony. .� Last hlght several Members of the'corn- mittee gathered In the office of Represen, tative � Louis Stokes, Democrat- of Ohio, who is the new committee chairman., and concluded, according to one , participant., that they were about '25 votes short of. the majority needed to reconstitute the; committee. ' � 'Facts of Life' Discussed I, A number of representatives had told committee members that: the continued presence of Mr. Sprague on the, conunit- tee would lead them to vote' against con- tinuing the committee. The committee members discussed what, Representative Robert W. Edgar, Demo- crat of �Pennsylvania, called: "the facts' . � of lice'! 1v101 Mr: Spc:arelie; V.Tho theirwen. tcf an, anteroom: ind .dictated j a �letter to the committee. The letter said: ; : ...; ,:. �'.�:. ,.1 am hereby sulmitting;n4 resignation' effective Immediately, asi chief ;counsel the and staff director, of , the .Hous . Select Committee on:Aqe;ssipatioti,s.. :.,::.. .:� 04: sA:*141.00 hope; that, e., Coq.. grass can now prOCce4 with the o allenge of seeing that , these ,investlgations', are PurluPd1Prmn.PW's r i'..- f, .1'.. '.I., ! `,`. - *, ' 4:Mr.. ' Sprague,: 51' 'Yeari iold',' who !. had gained . a reputation 'as 'in' aggressive prosecutor in Pennsylvania before joining the committee late last, year, left town after resigning,'according to a committee spokesman. i ,(' .,. , ... i ,,Today's events marked another turning point - in the brief, turbulent ,history of the committee, which was Created last year with only 65 dissenting votes.'., -''.� : Before the public dispute arose between Mr. Gonzalez and Mr. Sprague, the chief counsel bad angered some representatives by requesting a budget 'of $13 million to conduct the investigations over: a two- year: period, The committee !ate trimmed that! budgerrequest 7 to' $18 ;million 'far the first �year, with the expectation ,that a similar amount ,Would 4.sought ,next .":." ' : members', of the 'committee:',seid,;�.Ihat Mr,. Sprague had resigned ileoltmtarilY, and that the committee'. Met this' morning. to accept h4 resignation "witii,regreV,,;:,::yi:, ��� The . coirunittee members''onaninfously praised Mr... Sprague for work and made public transcripts of; clqsed ;meet,- ing they held earlier this month ,with Mr. Sprague, The . representatiyes the transcripts ,reiuteri all,t'ho, criticism that had been made against`Mr::Sprague by Mr. Gonzalez and in. news' accounts; Pickle Calls Inquiry 'Slek Cato � Walter E. Fauntoy, Dem'perat, delegate from , the .Diatriet..pf 'Columbia, said that allegations against Mr. Sprsgue, had "ab- solutely ooleasis;14 fat" arid added that the counsel's resignation td allow the in- vestigations to continue 'In thy judgment merits the.:.' Congressional Medal. of Han�r�iti 4 A'i."�?: 4, � Representative Samuel L. Devine, Republican of Ohio, said that other mem- bers of the House had told committee members: "If you get rid of that Sprague. we'll- go with you, That's what it's all about." �� -- � In the four hours Of; debate later on the �House floor,', several representatives , criticized the: coinmittee's , work. Repre- , ientative J. J. Pickle, Democrat of Texas, I called the Investigations"; sick cat." But supporters qf the Committee con- . tended that the Investigators' should be allowed to try to resolve unanswered questions about the Kennedy and King' assassinations. Committee members also contended that they were pursuing "new leads," but did not give details, � . The Houses however, rejected/226' to 185, an effort to get it to go into a rare secret session to hear 'evidence the com- mittee . has gathered.' Also. the House voted, 223 to 10, to delete the commit tee's request for authority, to intervene In lawsuits or to seek court actions to seek id =nation:: 4 * � r, t -0(..? � ; ���1, � � �� . � . � . . � MARCH 31,..1977 �Professor, 65,Whd11.6d Iiiihsel ay Have Been Oswald Cofifidant � "�� ��� -�� ���', 1. � PALM BEACH, Fla., March 30 (UPI)=-A RussianAorn professor who committed suicide, ,apparently-when he learned that a House investigating committee wanted his testimony concerning President Ken- nedy's apassination, may once have been an 'operative for ,the- Central Intelligence Agency, and a confidant of Lee Harvey Oswald,� :sources familiar with the 'case said today. .- - � The-body� of-George-de Mohrenschildt 65-years--old, -was...found yesterday a second-floor study' of- Palm"- Beach waterfrontii mansion.: by his :.daughter, Al exandra,4.33it-: who'-- had ]us- returned from ashopping sl His deatial,carne 'short* after he learned that an. investigator for the House asses; sinations,,e0mmittee..was seeking him to testify:zbefOre.7the -committee about- his connectibris.with Mr...Oswald, Mn Kenne- dy's.ascAcsin.ii- ;:�� The timingof-Mmi-de Moioenschnsicies death.imniediately 'Incense a factor in the House committee's'. request to extend- its investigations. of: Ooliticar assassinations. RePresentatiVi Richardson-Preyer; crat�,of -North, CarOlina, said the. commit--; tee had-linked. Mn 41e. Mohrenschildt to "new_ -evidence" :that. indic.itedi."!de.Moh- renschildt may have .been closer. to Lee Harvey,cs04.. than-appeared on the sur- face." .: � � C.L4L'Agent'7-7.-.!; A source who investigated the Kennedf assassination for three "-years asserted that Mt-de Mohrenschildt, who- heldtegrees in international commerce, petrole- um geology and. engineering, was serving as a C.I.A.. agent in-.Haiti in 1963,-the year. that Mr. Kennedy' was killed =In Dallas. - _ � Mr. de 'Mohrenschildt denied: in-pub- lished testimony before the Federal com- mission that investigated the Kennedy death that he had never been an agent of any government, he said his wide 4 � � travels on several continents were solely. business-connected. However, the com- mission,. headed .by - Chief � . Justice -Far! Warren, also took off-the-record testimo- ny from him that has..never been made public."r4, � Mr, de Mohrenschildt talked last month in. Dallas with a Dutch journalist, Wil- helm Oltmans, who' told the House' Assas- sination committee � that la advance that Oswald was going to do. 'According to the Warren- Commission report, published-. in October .1964; Mr de! Mohrenschildt'and his ',-wife -met Os.. wald -and his wife.':-Marin'ma dallas in, 1962: 7.t.i1y1r.i,PreYer- said: Mr .-!(16- kohriiischildt ' - ?ivai t. a.? cruciar witneselor us based on the newt informatiOn -had.''1-1e :was intimately- involvedz,With Oswald,!. ;? he dde - - � .-'tonyinced of Suicide ....The Palm Beach� County 'sheriff's office withheld an official ruling-on Mr: de Moh- renschildt's death until results of an autopsy; and furthec,...investigation, wre made- pnblid. But Lieut. Richard-Sheets -said:there was-"nn reason-to thing other than suicide' Mr.,. de -Mohrenschildt, who'-:was' a French-language teacher at Bishop Col- Jege at.the ,time.,of. his-death, -arrived �from ,Brussels.-a- week ago with s. hi daughter,to visit, Mrs.: Charles Tilton 3d - � - 1-Mrs:Tilton owns the three-story home on -an estatei alcmgside the , Intracoastal ,aterway,; seven ,miles . south: of -Palm Beach. Mrs:. Hiltonqs the former: Nancy Pierson Sands. "'t - - ,Sheriff' Richard Wille said. that Gaeton Folizi, an -investigator for the House assassinations --Committee, �went to the Hilton estate about noon yesterday and left ,word that he would return at 8:30 P.M. to.': see. Mn de Mohrenschildt. The sheriff Fs said no': suicide note .had. been found. � � � chief counsel t't � � Hf&1dthT ac n,quiry on lit , By George Lardner. Jr:, Washington ?oat Stan Writer. 4 :�..,Assuaged by the last-minute;-:: resignation of the chief counsel- _pf the inquiry, the House voted .."4;". � yesterday to continue its be-7..: leaguered investigation into the,:� ; rrfurders of President- Kennedy- and the Rev. klactin._�Luther..::. KingJr � � ;-� The vote, after ,nearly. four: hours of Spirited and some-..�: times testy debate; "was 230. tri � 181. By all :accounts,; the out7; ,come might have beeir.just the:. reverse if the. chief counsel . the House Assassinations Corn-,...� mittee, Richard A....Sprague, had not' resigned aiound night in an efforti. to blunt the opposition " � " In. a short letter :.dictated from the .offices of committee�:. Chairman Louis Stokes .(D-,f Ohio) late Tuesday night, SPra-.. , gue said he was quitting inune-, diately:'.!with the hope that the 'Congress can now proceed with -:the.. challenge of seeing that.., "...that investigations are. 'put,- sued promptly.", .The d.ecision followid gloomY� ,;�� See INQUIRY, AS, Cu!. 1 �� � � � `7' 11- -tt oil � . THE .WASHINGTON .POST i'huriday,t1larcl; 3.1,1977 as `. � � " � �-% ���-� -r7 re' robe U.1 . . , -INQUIRY, From Al:-.- S..:F.1._it.1``..'..-.4,.,._was.. ioun'ci..aeia Tite'idajr, an apparent '........ siiicide, vat: tilifi daughter's. Oceanfront - reports-froM-.conanaltte.,therriheij..who- home in lVfinalipan, Fla- . -'-'.' .- , : . ........., , ,,, , _, . �. ___,, . . ....-.1� " had laien .1 _ 'cial. ilea count .7.,. Although ...,.:1e, - MOhrenschildt had . of the HMIS& to determine-the pros- .- spent three months in the .psychiatric ,:ij�'' wink .c3f Tarkland ' Memorial. Hospitil pectsfor passage 'Of tlie re'sqltiiion, keep-',, in Dallas last fall. arid- ynter�. Stokes: ,.�''. ing.theoinquir3talive for the iemaincleE-A-- ..-otliercOriimittee.; ini&iri. Said, Of theb5th 'Congresi...'The committhe,...77-7ari'd --...they, regarded him as 'a crucial wit-. had been scheduled to go out of.busi: .: �-........ � � ness tonight., without ;a�. f,resh 'wit ..., �...___ � _ ..-____ ,, .. - �-�-.1 � T, ep. Richardsore;PreYer .(D:N C ) approvai;,,zrom um- r.uu.w;.! .. :5 �.�1; ' - .5 , �� ' ' 1, � ' ' � . . . f subcommittee inves i- "We were short, clearly short, peT- gating the Kennedy assassination, haps by as, much as 25 to,30 votes, Rep. said hints of what' de 1V1ohrenschildt Christopher J..Dodd(P�Conn.) told F!' might say, furnished to the committee porters :1 .',.! � ;,,,, ,;,-1.. -:-.-'�,. ,-, ., .- i � - last month by Dutch journalist WU- A switch of 25 votes would .have Jem Oltmans, indicated that de Mph- . killed the committee. In a brief news . renschildt may have talked with Lee . conference' last ' evening. Chairman -.Harvey Oswald in advance 'about-lhe , Stokes. said-. he felt: that,:,Spiague'a President's assassination.�Preyer .indi- . resignation:. "made the, difference." cated, however, that de Molirenschildt. Moments later, Stokes abruptly 'Mit did not. . -come. , up with the short the'news conference inapparent , "unconfirmed" story 'until recently, af- . annoyance. over continued questioning,: ter his release from the hospital. � about the importance � of ,.George. de::: .... At his. : press .conference in � the Mohrensehildt, 65, to:the Kennedy-in-.1 -',., House radio-TV gallery,. Stokes repeat- vestigation 2: ;- -,- _. : . ; . .;: , . 1,i edly refused to give any indication of � A -.Russian-born-. geologist who was why de MohrenschIldt's testimony acquainted with Lee Harvey Oswald would, have been.. so 'crucial." He fi- and who had been questioned by: the nallY Walked out after liaising over a Warren Commission, de Mohrenschildt question az:ft�. whether ;the committee ; � � - -!i... :-,--. _ i.i.1 -.....�e.-1,,i-fv it i tE4)..i.::..12... ;�:14,1i- . ' , ,77:: ,, - 1 - - � In his absence yesterday morning, he was widely hailed by committee ' members for remaining silent id the face of "defamatory accusations' and praised as an "outstanding public offi- cial" who had been unfairly maligned. In .indignant tones,. Rep, Stewart B. McKinney (R-Conn.), contended that Sprague had been the victim of lat- ter-day 'McCarthyism, a' reference to the �tactics of Sen. Joseph R. McCarthy during the 1950s. - "I was a child or theIVIcCarthy era," McKinney declared. "I think that in the case of Richard Sprague, we have seen a witchhunt and a devastation of human rights that I never. expected to see again." .� ' With Rep. Charles Thone (R-Neb.), a strong supporter of Sprague, voting nay, the committee decided by_a 'vote of 11 to 1 to accept Sprague'S resigna- tion reluctantly, in the interests of keeping the inquiry aliVe. - Hours later on the House floor, crit- ics of, the assassinations inquiry hurled the suggestions of McC- arthyism back at the committee.' Rep. Charles E. Wiggins (R-Calif.) was especially critical of the commit- tee's calling Florida mobster Santo Trafficante to a ,public .hearing, this month when it-had been alerted in ad- vance that he would refuse to testify by invoking the Fifth Amendment and other .constitutional rights. � Brandishing, a' copy of the AsSaSsl- nations,. Committee's 14-page progress report including vpous leads it is in- vestigating, Rep. ohn D. Dingell, (D- Mich.) said it contalied "not one smid- gin of evidence" that impressed him. He. said the investigation 'reminded him ' of thedays of the old House lin- American_Activities committee which brought "shame upon the House" be- fore it was finally disbanded., ' .or its stiff had. -ever,talked to the man _41- 497' 7.1? 1 [According to to the Associated Press, the Palm Beach,- County sheriff's of.;. flee reported that ..Gaeton., Fonzi, a staff investigator for the House Assas- sinations Committee, went -to the -home of the. daughter, Mrs. Charles Tilton II, at about noon Tuesday and asked to see de Mohrenschildt. [Tilton told Fonzi�that de' Mohren- schildt was not at, home and. Fonzi left, saying he return that eve- ning. De �Mohrenschildt was found dead several hours later, before Fon- zi's return.] . � . - Before the showdown on the House floor, members Of. the Assassinations Committee met in; emergency session yesterday-morning. to accept-. Spra- gue's resignation-, reluctantly.. and praise.him for his service. The former Philadelphia prosecutor; who had stir- red 'controversy. .over his proposed .budget, his planned investigating techniques and finally. his confronta- tion last month ,with former Commit- tee. Chairman Henry B. Gonzalez (D- Tex.),. had already left Washington. He reportedly wvit to Philadelphia and then left on .a quick vacation.. � said the commission, in language:per- fected by her husband, concluded only that it saw no evidence of a conspiracy in-the Kennedy assassination, "according :to the evidence presented Stokes said he anticipates:no trouble in obtaining the $2.7 million budget the committee is seeking for calendar year � -= � -De Mohrenschildt'S deaths. reportedly from. the blast of, 1 'shotgun, placed in his mouth, caused reverberations ' throughout the day. In releasing' ' a , previously secret transcript' to show. Sprague's rebuttal: of various' charger Warning tlae' House Of the possible against him, the committee also Made' consequences of killing the commit- � ' public, perhaps inadvertently; a Majch - tee, Rep. Richard Bolling '(D-Mo.) said 17 account' of evidentiary matters; the public would take it as a cover-up. . In it, Sprague said that de Mohren- "They're uneasy, to put it mildly, schildt went to' the Netherlands :with about the Warren report," Bolling Dutch journalist Oltrnans recently. '"The said .-"They're uneasy about the King .. purpose - of his (de 'Mohrenschildt's) murder." , trip was, to divulge for the first .time In an emotional highpoint that drew his knowledge, of. the assassination of sustained applause, Rep. Lindy Boggs the President, and he indicated that (D-La.) recalled the service of her he was responsible for Oswald's activ- late husband, Rep. Hale Boggs, on the ity, and that there were Others.Warren - Warren Commission, and went on to olved who were involved in the actual explain how important she thought it shooting of the President," Sprague was to continue the investigation. She told the committee. , .4. 1 , !T, �44 t �4,R. 1g7 � By Jeremiah O'Leary and Ron Serra. Washington Star Stan Writers , - Richard - A� Sprague resigned as chief counsel of the House Assassina- tions Committee today in the climax to a bitter feud that had forced the resignation of a chairman of the corn- � mittee. The sudden;resignation came al the House was preparing to vote on whether to continue the investigation- , into the murders of President John F. Kennedy and _Dr.- Martin Luther King Jr.,: - � 2 LI Sprague informed-Chairman Louis Stokes, D-Ohio, of-his decision this' morning in a terse, .two-paragraph letter saying: r . "I am hereby submitting my resig- nation effective immediately as-chief counsel - and ;sta1f2 director of the �House Select Committee on Assassi- nations. "I do so With the hope that the Co/17 gress can now proceed With the chal- lenge of seeing these investigations are pursued properly."' : COMMITTEE SPOKESMAN- Burt Chardak. said Sprague left town irn- Inediately'after signing the letters to , committee members :and woufd out of touch for several days. . Rep.. Henry 11, Gonzalet, � who was chairman of the corntnitee,:, ' last :month tried to fire 'Sprague for :What he called insubordinate conduct. and on a variety of other charges. But when the - other :11 committee members backed Sprague, Gonzalez hzselLresigned ' Sprague's decision toqukt entlY was reached last night during w meeting with Stokes that lasted from 8:30 until midnight: It is- reported that Stokes explained to Sprague that, an unofficial; count -of 'House .mem- bers showed there was ,little hope that the House would extend the corn-, , mittee past the present March 31 .ex- piration date as long as Sprague re- mained as chief counsel, ' � THE COMMITTEE MET at mid- morning and voted to accept the resignation "with regret." The panel also voted to make pub- lic a transcript of everything ,Sprague said in his defense against charges made against him by Gon- zalez. The transcript covers a day and a half of closed hearings at 'which Sprague apparently convinced the committee that allegations made against him by Gonzalez were false. Chairman Stokes said, "I person- ally regret having to be the recipient of this letter of resignation. Sprague hEil been the victim of many unfair and defamatory accusations. He has remained quiet and diligent, and he ' See SPRAGUE, A4 z,47.r RICHARD SPRAGUE Now He's Out,loo .? 7, .7', Continued From A-1 has not answered any these false charges except i i n executive session. . "It is unfortunnate he has chosenn to resign. I know he did so in the determination that the work of this committee is bigger than any individual." Rep_ Richardson Preyer, D-N.C., said, "I hope we make it clear that Sprague is not resigning be- cause of any truth in the charges against him. We owe it to him to answer the charges that were made against him, and we should release the tran- script of the closed hearing at which he did an- swer." Rep. Sam Devine, R-Ohio, charged that Sprague was literally driven from his job by "these scurri- lous, irresponsible charges. I'd have to blame certain sections of the media, certain hatchetmen, for this." he said. D.C. Del. Walter E. Fauntroy said Sprague's ac- tions today "merit the Congressional Medal of Honor. The House is now stripped of excuses for voting against us." - ` � � THE RESIGNATION is a belated victory for Gonzalez, who was \ embittered by what he re- garded as a situation in which House leaders and other committee members were supporting a com- mittee employe over an elected 'member of the House. - ' ' � - When the 'House Rules Committee met Monday to vote on the resolution extending the committee until the end of the year, it was evident that Sprague had become the main issue with many members of the House. In previous votes the issue primarily had been about the proposed expendi- tures for the investigations. The Rules Committee reported the resolution out by a vote of -9 to 4 with two pro-Gonzalez mem- bers voting present. House leaders still expected the resolution to win full House approval, and with Sprague suddenly out of the picture, it appeared even more certain. Last Monday,, Speaker Thomas P. O'Neill said he favored the extension but carefully pointed out that it was not a party matter. This was taken to mean that he would not exert pressure to influence the voting of the Democratic majority. ' Later some members of the Assassinations Committee met with Majority Whip John Brad�, mas, D-Ind. and reportedly made a strong pitch for support lor the extension, again without getting a commitment. This left the fate of the committee somewhat up in the air and indications were that the measure could not pass so long as Sprague con- tinued as chief counsel. Stokes could not be reached for comment after Sprague's resignation, but sources said he had called a meeting of the panel to discuss the depar- ture of Sprague and its implications for the future. GONZALEZ HAD APPEARED determined over the last two days to even the score with Sprague in the dispute which forced the Texas Democrat out as the chairman of the committee. Gonzalez obtained House permission yesterday to give one-hour "special order" speeches �yes- terday, today, tomorrow and next Monday � obvi- ously with the intention of bringing out every allegation ever made against Sprague and listing things he felt the chief counsel had done in viola- tion of House rules and ethics. Gonzalez also spoke for an hour last Monday about Sprague. "I said he was a rattlesnake. He is a rattlesnake that doesn't rattle," Gonzalez to the House late yesterday. "He's more like a copp head." : ..." �Auociated Press- George de MOhrenschildt; Shown With his..rifeofrian earlier photo,, � : - " � :* � e.e t � 3 � � � FrOM3Stetvie Ser.ViCeS . � , ^ � . . . professor- ofr:French-:at Bishop COP . I A Russian- lege in Dallas� born petroleum geologist.' and - lan Waite said de:-' Mohrenschildt,' -guage: firefetter7deStribed'as','-'�inti-7� :'.-gliestiatille.11151DririaCeanfrtint-man):7 mately. suburban Manalapan, Fla of :Oswali:L and a \."crticial witness".. MrsCharies.:Tilton� lir,. apparently the. new: �congressional t�laced the muzzle ot a .20 gauge shot- of the 'John F.., KennedY. assassipa-:'gun to his..:,.mouth yesterday. and tion has been fouadt\de*Vtin an pulled the apparent ..::,�Authorltasest planned an autopsy Palm- Beach .County. S4eriff. .today. Lt. Richard Sheets of the sher-. ard 1Ville � identified the::. victim, as � .iff's office said there was "no reason George - de Mohrenschildtf. ���65,,.. a, to 'suspect. anything:. Other than sui- cade but the:investigation:is-Continu ing..� --The:sheriff: said de ,Mohrenschildt.� had�:.,yanisheci:: _from Dallas shortly � after .a -, Dutch' newspaper report about three Weeks,. ago claimed he had prior knowledge of the assassina-,: De Mohrensehildt was 'traced by a- �House ASsassinations Committee'. investigator' to the 'Florida address., the sheriff said, :and he � returned. to- the. Tilton home about 2:45 p.m.: yea,,;, terday�to learn that:the investigator,�' believed: to .be Gaettin J�..,ronz4,had been trying to reach him. . INFORMED LATE LAST night of the death, Rep. .Richardson Prayer, D-N.C.' _ a 'member of 'the committee, said, "He was a crucial witness for SHOOTING, A-12.. T �. � � A-I2 The Washington Star * Wedoesday. March 30, 1977 5HOOTING Miami lieved to have been placed investigator Fonzi. �'":���� � i; House He became an American citizen in 1949, having:earlier received a graduate degree from the korn About an hour : iater, Wille said, de, Mohren- 'University. of Texas JR petroleum geology, and pe- Continued From A- ,ischildi apparently shot himself. "We're 99 percent '.4roleum engineering. 14s, bated on the new information he had. lie was lceftain he killed himself;� the sheriff said. In 1960, the report states, he traveled for eight . 4ntimately involved with Oswald.". Wille and Palm Beach State Atty. David :BItid-�7,months !through Mexico and,Patiama over ; W.:When the Warren Commission issued its report worth questioned witnesses about the shOotinetive jungle traile,;'and by happenstance he and his gii 1964, concluding that President Kennedy was" until Shortly before midnight c:,! 4, Wife were in Guatethala City when the -Bay of Pigs! .tilled by Oswald acting alone, it said it had 'Coivil.A. Among the witnesses 'qtiizzed".iiii" ti;eA 1Anee- invasion was launched. He prepared a lengthy film.; kiticted an extensive 'investigation into de Mohieni!Writer Edward liy, Epstein, author of "Inquett: ...dip and a complete written log On the trip and a: c..,iChildt and his wife, Jeanne, because; they,: hadThe Warren Commission and the Establishment of.,;�lepOrt was made to the U,S�.'gotTernment, the com-,. own the ' Otwalds through mutual k; Russian'�!:j:4Triith,": who .had told the West Palm Beach Post.. missitin reported: , � lilpeaking � friends in the Dallas-Fort Werth area Monday night that he had been interviewing de De IVIoilrentdhildt't17':death':'" was 'the third. /The commission concluded that there was Mohrenschildt in _Connection with a-book .he Involving .witnesses or pOtential�Witaetses'before 141ence linking them to the assassination. �.. about Lee Harvey Oswald., 'Congressional panels investigatintassassinittions.. In his account quoting de Mohrenschildt at sayr.:V: Lt. --Sheets said that just before de. Moliien: Underworld , figure ' Sam Giancana was mur- g, he had prior knowledge of the Kennedy asSas-Itichildt's death, he met with: Epstein, whom he 'tiered before testifying, and John Roselli was ' 'nation, Dutch journalist William . Oltmatisi:referred to as "an author on contract from Read-:, killed after appearing before the ,Senate Intelli- .4rePorted, "He (de Mohrenschildt) asked me, 'HOw,ler's 'Digest for an exclusive intervievi,'1 . : zence Committee investigating allegations that the: tdOlou think themedia Would react if I came ; , � � �i .-11-'assassination of Kennedy was in. retaliation for. -4ind � said I feel responsible for 0i-weld:SO' ::AFTER HIS questioning last night, Epstein said, efforts to assassinate Cuban' Premier Fidel Ibehavior? ' " , ','" ' 'I don't mean to be evasive; but the police told me Castro. � � ot to talk About de Mohrenschildt's death 316 ,047`)4. ' AFTER VANISHING' from Dalliti,'4...Mohrell bOdjt."Hi';',''''. !Y. � '',; . achildt showed up in Oltmans' office in In his book Epstein, laid out a thetit that'PrOb, :Then he disappeared again and was traded by govileins of: 'timing, questions about the Kehnedy. eernment investigators from Brussels to Florida. ,autopsy report and other -matters suggest .that e. Wille said only a maid and the chauffeur7were were.. more than one man shot at the President, Moine at the time and the shooting went undisdeyt4' The Tilton home remained sealed off by sheriff's tered until the body was found by de Mohrentdeptities last night.� � ' 4,schildt's daughter in a second floor drawing room. Accordng to the Warren Commission report; de ;Both had been guests at the Tilton home for about -:Mohrenschildt was born in the Ukraine in 1911 and ,a week. fled Russia in 1921 following the civil disorders c�,,`. The sheriff said the call to the home was be- that broke out after the Bolshevik revolution. ; ; � � ot,inse n. elf ire. 4 .4. . � -^:By George.LardnerJr. tnainder of the 95th, Congress. Two-, 'other Rules Committee . members, The;',; House � Rules Committee Murphy and Rep. John' Young (D- cleared the way Yesterday for a show- � Tex.), voted "present". �-� � down ,over the -Squat assassinations Appointed ..,:.ehairmanc.' �March J�11 � a....PdqerPq�03-"r# "4,Stokes said he inherited a. committee . mandkfor �edrusterZof 'dhlef;061s01: -idiat was Marking "'tine with _a A. sprague..,. � _ � XU:CUai � , n almost.no stationery. almost no sup: think. this teiolution. *seri�plies" and waslunahl e � to ..travel or ; trouble . 'On' thei. House 'floor " ep Morgan Murph (D-4,11)7tvarned,men even. make. a long-distance'phone call., , . y-4 ' ,�be:rs of the Assassinations COmmittee-1.-� He strongly urged keeping theiniesti-'. eta- bearing. before the Rules Commit- �;�;_;gations going past their current tee r 14March 31 expiration date and submit- ,. , -Althinigh Speakei7'118ma'wi. w report indicating some o e-4.4 "a' "1 eartea ;,,..---sof.the,lleads". the committe ure...is su- .. " 4 , 4,, tions:alive, Murphy aid athiocates. � � - supportt:'fon_liee04*, he, ve tiea ----Thelliforrnatiern,-bowei,er,`"sniacked., ; S of twice-told-tales: In one passage the inquiry were SeTiously".underesti- mating "the feelings of the members.;reminiscent of ' former New :Orleans of the Hoiii District Attorney Jim, Garrison's cele- think you, ought; to get your own -e"ribOtit- SW 411'07 �"..;,:.brated imtestigation;the: committee man in- there," "�� said .it is vs'actively- .' pursuing several --": � new leads ; which Indicate that Lee ;`. Ass.. Louis Stokes Harvey Oswald was associated with '.721ittee CIA-supported anti-Castro groups"... Ditio)...."What he can do. to Henry. he � can do to you.7, Raising the persistent specter of a !la's& !',..the *committee said Henry B. Gonzalez ;;ED-TeX.), former chairman Murphy those same "leads' also "suggest" that . Oswald's "reported pro-Castro activi- was-; talkinE.J, about, 'underscored'. the ties� and his "alleged' trip to Mexico Mock[in a-bitter, speech on the House City might have been deliberately de- floor ',about t how :.,he .linsucceisfully signed, to mask his. CIA-supported ;tried to' fire Sprague. . last month_ He , , .said he. was deserted by House.,Demo-:. anti-Castro associations. eratici; � leaders and 'committee col- Stokes insisted at yesterday's hear, leagues, and blamed' it*: at. least that the . inquiry was running on racial. discrimination.smoothly__ now -witli---Gonzaler� gone, ' The new chairman maintained that ":think I bave'.beenqtreated shab- Sprague had satisfactorily, countered bily,"- Gonzalez declared. "I think that if my name were Jones or O'Brien or all the charges against him at a secret committee meeting recently. Rosenthal or�George�Washington Car- ,Murphy noted that Gonzalez was not ver--.cer Martin- Luther King, I would not have been treated so shabbily." present when the questioning of Spra ' � gue was conducted. "We're taking The Texas Democrat held the floor for' more than an honr with a chapter- Sprague's word over Gonzalez' word, and-verse recitation of his efforts to as I understand it," Murphy said. Cit- restore 'order to the 'Committee's fi- ing Gonzalez' speech on the House nances. floor earlier in the afternoon, Murphy concerned' The day after he said he was especially _ ordered Sprague's about a charge that Sprague had for - dismissal, Gonzalez.,-,saidi Majority bidden committee staffers to furnish Leader Jim4 Wright (Tex') � assured payroll information ,to .committee � him, 'Well, fella, we're .,with you. members. You're- right':)� t "I don't know how anybody Could Interpret that," Gonzalez said. "I took � it as support" But it Isoo� disappeared when the rest of the committee re- mained solidly behind- Sprague. Gon- zalez quit the chairmanship and the committee on March 8. ' , With heavy sarcasm, Gonzalez at � various points imitated the voices Of Reps. Shirley Chisholm (D.-N.Y.) and Richardson Preyer (D.-N.C.) speaking at, a: Rules Committee hearing in Jan- uary, described Rep. Richard Bolling (D.-Mo.) as "the great, rajah of the Rules Committee," and called Del. Walter E. Fauntroy (D.-D.C.) "the viz- ier of Washington." ; � ;. The Rules Committee voted 9 to 4 to set up a floor vote Wednesday on continuing the investigations into the murders of' President Kennedy and Martin Luther ,King Jr.. for the re- . " .4' 31;40 -.11.1j,. Stokes said that Sprague ' "has of fered a number of times to step aside if it would be of assistance to the com- mittee," but the committee remains .solidly behind him. ' "I think you ought to accept that of- fer," Murphy said. ' Rep. Joe Moakley (D-Mass.) said he has been supporting the investigation for months, but he agreed that the is� - sue in the minds of most House mem- bers is "not whether the assassina- tions committte ought to be reconsti- tuted. It's whether Mr. Sprague. Should be retained as chief counsel." . Rep. Bolling, who will serve as floor manager for the Wednesday resolu- tion to keen the committee alive, told a reporter that he thinks the odds still I favor its passage, but added: "It's aw- fully close. It'll probably change three times before Wednesday:' , ; . 2.1 tinisr urner vvnturN, i vu c,21-21v)L. ormala Mailer Offers Slaying Probers a Hand � By David Braaten '- Washington Star Staff Writer j Norman Mailer has leaped with his usual syntactical gusto to the defense of the embattled House Assassina- tions Committee, and has enlisted 28 fellow writers to join his plea for con- tinuation of the committee's investi- gations. In a letter sent yesterday to the House and to President Carter, Mailer said in effect that while the cornmittee's game is being badly played � and getting bad play � it's the only game in town and the stakes are high. , "The select committee," he wrote, "may be imperfect, impractical and a demon for poor publicity. For all �Washington Star we know, it may be riddled with NORMAN MAILER undercover men. But it is the only "If we do not know the answer . . ." investigating body we have in the House of Representatives with the_ "Liked what useful purpose it would obligation to subpoena recalcitrant serve to determine that the FBI and/, witnesses on these matters and the or, CIA were involved in the Kennedy duty to listen to witnesses who have , or Martin Luther King Jr. assassina-" studied the flaws Ta the Warren Com.: tions, Mailer said it would, at least mission report for years. - give the public "firm knowledge" of "By its existence,- therefore, the the agencies' performance. - - committee represents a threat to As things stand now, he said�there anybody who would hope to maintain are some who think the FBI can do public .apathy, about the assassina- no wrong, and others who think "they tions.", ,�,i.,:couldn't operate cleanly if it was - THOUGH CONCEDING- that - handed to them on a towel." practical .results,-such' as prosecu..'T MAILER TOOK-the occasion to an: tions, are unlikely-from the commit-- -flounce that he has joined a tee's work, Mailer stressed. the "psy- Cambridge-based research organize- chic value" of the investigations. - ' tion called the Assassination Infor- "A clear idea of the character of mation Bureau. The group is ,a the events of the recent past is essen- shoestring-financed collection of five tial to a dethocracy," he wrote. officers and "a long list of volun- "Without knowledge of what hap- teers," according to the two young pened in an event, how can one de-. AIB men who were present at the Na- bate its meaning? st� tional Press Club news conference. "If we do not know whether Jack They have just opened a Washington Kennedy was. killed by the demented office:, - act of an isolated man, or whether by Mailer said that even though rid- the concerted acts of a group of con_ ' died with spies, the House committee spirators who employed Oswald as can still function. The -undercover the set-up; if we do not know whether agents won't necessarily run the the murder of Oswald by Jack Ruby investigation, he said, and their con- was an attempt to spare the First fhcting loyalties and self-interest Lady all the discomfort of appearing within, say, the CIA, will tend to help at a trial, or an order that came to bring out- the -facts as the power Jack Ruby out of the chain of corn- struggle among the agents pro- munication that ran between the CIA gresses. and the Mafia, then we do not know Mailer described an organization which history we can act upon."--- like the CIA as "epic comedy"' and Mailer told a press conference "democracy in microcosmos. Even here that he personally does not be_ in the Byzantine world of an intelli- lieve Cuban Premier Fidel Castro gence agency, he said, "democracy had Kennedy shot because Castro can still sprout a seed or two." would have realized that it eventu- Asked what, exactly, he'll be doing ally would have leaked out and. for the Assassination Information meant the end of Castro's Cuba. Bureau, the diminutive, gray-haired But -he noted the belief in some author, looking almost roly-poly in a quarters that "the reason the Warren green three-piece suit, said: Commission went into the tank" and "I'm a dilettante in these matters. pinned the assassination on Lee Har- I'll be popping in from time to time. vey Oswald alone was the commis- write about it, help get funding. sion's fear that Castro was involved, Maybe I'll throw a party." 'and that if this were brought out it HE SAID HE would be more of "an would lead to war with Cuba and uncle" than a central figure in AIB. possibly with Russia. He is not, he said, equipped to be an HE WOULD, Mailer said, like to investigator. know the truth. The 28 authors who signed Mailer's Mailer said he takes it for granted letter at his solicitation have no con- that the assassinations committee nection With the information bureau, staff is loaded with undercover Mailer said. agents. Though he declined to specify The writers, whoe names were exactly what governmental body � listed in alphabetical order after or what government, for that matter Mailer's, are Robert Bly, Malcolm � the agents are working for, his re- Cowley, Will Durant, E.L. Doctorow, peated references to the CIA strongly � Allen Ginsburg, Doris Kearns Good- suggested where his suspicions lie. win, Richard Goodwin, Francine du His conclusion that the committee Plessix Gray, John Hawkes, Shirley is spook-ridden comes, Mailer said, Hazzard, Joseph Heller, Larry Krng, from reading in the newspapers of Stanley Kunitz, Joyce Carol Oates, the committee's strange activities. William Phillips, Richard Poirer, "The committee does bizarre James Purdy, Dotson Rader, Muriel things," he said. "It's important to Rukeyser, Mark Schorer, Meyer know whether they're doing bizarre Shapiro, Wilfred Sheed, Francis things or someone Is making them Steegmuller, Wallace Stegner, li Wil- look like they're doing bizarre am Styron, Hunter Thompson, Kurt things." Vonnegut and Richard Wilbur. , , , - , ' Wife Says Husband Was Offere 00,000 to Assassinate � LOUISVILLE, KY., 'March 23 (AP),:-� that he .hicLicriOWledge J� Wife of a retired Louisville police 'Officer ';r:".i". ,' to divulge`nenfirrned,",:.todaY'thatidter,..'hishand",had name4, told Representative Gene Snyder. of Ken- .ttickyt- that. he was "offered, $500,006 on denlined:. Comment on Mrs.".Baird's. State: two occasions to kill; the - Rev. Dr.. Martin meats or identilicatiou or her, husband. Luther � King Jv at.theinan who had gotten; i,11401/Cirwith ,P.,�Mary Baird;,44.years01(p-said:,'thatler Mr Siiyder hcfsbariC3Q1ift0.0,. tier' hitabandr.: .fOr4cornmentFiTractitold" Mr.,Sriyclin;.,Ortin heFite-WaS offetei14500;POQ to Id 117 offer that ,said.had been' made Dr. King and, that "he sappreciate by members of the � LotriavilleT.Police De. iv?. she saki', .�4,Tcan't,,.;. Say any: snore; . but npartxnent and'aeVerat agens Pt.the'reel?. he'Sjust net that tYPeof.person.titi�;14, Bureau of . Investigation, .4;1?)iiked.whir her husband thoutih.h vis , She sald that her .husb.,:3:nd.'..whO"Is 50, 'atked,.-Mri.'..Baird.fresponded: "That's the retired 'from' the Louisville ',force. several ,$64,,'!,ntrestion; Wants knoVir,Wh years ago after 17 Ireare,;.service....A He is .someone asked:. now working for. a-private security 4geri-; � ' � . cy,. which his 'Wife ,declinetLto.:xideF4ft4 She, said that ,:he.,,Was'�,:ont. ::�eflown nj business' thatwaS. unrelated to the inve _tigatiow.of the King assassination House.;SeIet Cpmnlittee et4 tions 4. "HerIeht me ab&ut this when married him; seven years said. "I think he thought be wasnt gLxing to be- Shesaid ;she ',believed .:line.�.,reascorr,his cline forward a second'AiMeg*ithe allegation was because ".'.The-;!AvantsYilo know' why someone. 'asked.him' to 1q11 the 'civil. rights leader,'who was. assassi nated in Memphis in 1,96841,'\;,,i"e,' $1' "It sure has been .on Bairdiaid. "He said it Just got .to .bather- ing him artd,,tlaat's: why 'he ;Contacted-Mr, .�. �,. � ,;.; Reportedly Told Ray's Iawre She said that her husband, , before get- ting in touch with :Mr.':.'snyder,:., had told one of James Earl-Ray's attorneys of ,the alleged plot. She said ,that her/ husband was ,"discouraged' t after.hetold:lhe attor- neY, ewspapnr,',Diaelosed:Name, p:;,�ItetituckY.:0.oet rrst,nained 'Tr Pairdlaa,,,Ark.,matiVhia :repOrteii, the it/ leged .plii,t0',:.lepreaeirtatiVe..SnYcler,',, : Baird-said that she had ii6 :idea hoW:-,f,LefAiitsband was ',..qdentified...as' the Mau.: who mad allegation but that. ,slre.,k0:34 ,::104d,i(.:is. out in the. open -n6W- , . , �.�.� . . �pine u no or.la later." said earlier'thiS'.weeleilia he had-met the. Man, :"face to face" and was convinced' hc was a'.:'."rational" Maar Mr. Snyder saithe had,Changed his "rninct',70d y,oted to extend financing � ..,thelfeuse Selea:,Coinnxittee� on,Assassi- riationt solely because of his conversation longtifine.LottliVille o1icc :chief ., Who now., retired,.; Said .7that he reinemberedi.14r:::13aird., as fine " Mr. .Ray::CiAid Confessed that he had killed Mr. King, :is serving Se-, years in prison for , the :slaying: He did not impli- cate anyone else in-thartinrder..,:,,,. z Mr..' Snyder, who disclosed last ,Week that he had heard from a- man -Whtfi said. committee Approves Reduced Budget WASHINPTON, March 23 (1.1P1)--;-The House . Select-7', Committee' on Assassina, tions; whichls in danger of lasting only one more week, approved-a. sharply re:, duced.budget today in.t.he,hope that the House will-let it contintle. te investigate the deaths .of President Kennedy and Dr Xi-, 4,444. � , Jack Anderson and Les Whitien Mobster.s SQIIS. ; Perhaps the most feared mobster in They would rather not risk antagoniz- cante's blessing, Rosselli:usedlhe the underworld is Florida's Mafia 'ing the ,federal government by mur- vane underworld to plot; Castro's de- chieftain, Santos Trafficante. House in- dering a celebrated witness unless misc. The assassination, squad tried to vestigators approached his Miami hide- .�there was some compelling reasons: - plant poison pills, supplied by the CIA; away, therefore, with sorne,apprehen The experts doubted the Mafia was in Castro's food: Castro became ill but Sion: �c, upset over Rosselli's confession that, as failed to die. Then underworld snipers- - He appeared at the screendoor to ac- a hit man for the Central Intelligence,3 r were dispatched to a Havana rooftop. cept their subpoena. "Shove it under Agency, he had attempted to assassi--:, :l.lnhappily for them, they were caught. the dcor," he said softly. They peered nate Cuban Premier Fidel Castro. The Rosselli told us the rest of the story through the screen.The sinister Train- mobsters hated Castro, who had exprd-A as his own "speculation." But it was his . cante was pale, and his hands were - priate4:1 their casinos in Havana. SO habit to pass us tips in the form of con- Shaking. � . , 3.3,r,4:;. 3 ' � , they should not have minded his CIA-.[jecture. There is a good chance he was � He may have had reason to shake. mission:- -, �. -3-sr�� not merely speculating but had picked. The House Assassinations Committee . We furnished the committee with a, up information inside the mob. At 'had taken a sudden interest in the -murder last July of mobsterJohn Ros- � Sell!. Before he died, the flamboyant ilosselli hinted that he knew who had arranged President John F. Kennedy's assassination. Carefully hedging, he 'told an incredible story 'that irnpli- cated Trafficante. - The New York flares reported. on .the front page that Rosselli was mur- dered as a "direct result" of his Senate testimony about the Kennedy assassi- nation. �. Twelve days before his death, Ros- selli dined with Trafficante at the fash- ionable Landings Restaurant in Fort .Lauderdale, Fla. It is the custom of the -Mafia to wine and dine a wayward member before he is executed. The unfortunate Rosselli had been the victim of a gangland execution. This raised some nagging questions in the minds of the committee's homicide experts who are wise in the ways of the mob. Why would the Mafia knock off a re- tired racketeer? The-fact that he had appeared before the Senate normally would have deterred the crime lords. � more likely motive for the murder. We least, here's his startling story: '� got the story from Rosselli himself, bit Rosselli heard that Castro had tor- by bit; over the past six years. He had tured the would�be assassins and had � come to trust us during our investiga- learned about the plot on his life. It tion of the CIA plot to kill Castro. 'would be the sort of irony that Latin- Whenever Rosselli was in Washington, � Americans appreciate, Rosselli sug- he dropped by. His associates, knowing gested, for Castro to use the same plot- , of his trust in us, called us ahead of the. ten to retaliate against the U.S. Presi- authorities about his disappearance. dent. 'The CIA had figured that the Ha- vana underworld must have killers who could eliminate Castro. The CIA, ; therefore spoke secretly to. Howard Hughes chief huncho in Las Vegas, Robert Maheu, about the project. Ma- heu recruited Rosselli, then the Chi- cago mob's debonair representative in Las Vegas. Rosselli looked upon the assassina- tion mission as an opportunity to gain favor with the US. government. But he lacked the stature to deal with San- tos Trafficante, who controlled the Ha- vana underworld. Rosselli enlisted his own superior, Chicago godfather Sam Giancana, to approach Trafficante. � � Glancana flew down to Miami to make the arrangements with the Flor- ida racket boss. Then with Traffi- According to Rosselli's � speculation, Castro may have used these under- world elements, most of them Cubans from the old Trafficante organization, to arrange the assassination of Kenne- dy. ; t��.` ' They may have lined up Lee Harvey Oswald as the assassin or may have used him as a decoy while others am- bushed Kennedy from closer range. Once Oswald was captured, the mob couldn't afford to let him reveal his connection with the underworld. So Rosselli speculated that Jack Ruby, a small-time hoodlum with ties to the Havana underworld, was ordered to eliminate Oswald. � This sort of "speculation" , might have induced the mob-to silence John Rosselli. � IL!U By,. George Lardner...Jr, : :investigators in connection with Ros- Washington Post Staff Writer . selli's. death., .. -: : .� .--- . - .. The }rouse , Assassinations Commit- .,'-i Trafficante reportedly said he dined . tee has -secretly subpoenaed Chine 'fig; With Rossetti at a Fort Lauderdale ure Santo .Trafficante Jr. for its first restaurant less .d than two weeks before - hearinr-todar'-inte-:*the-`murder --, of --,;:'Rosseili's , disappearance, He-was said , President John F. Kennedy, according ;....-i-to have described this and. other get. to wprplo: sources., ,',.'�; ' .'''-`;' ''''11 '� ' -*----;:togethers'�.a.S.',."friendly.;- social. events '"'�"'"' .--4- � - with no busiriessX- :--.-.,-...;:; ��:- �-.::� ..,,, , Once the overliord:or syndicate gain- - - : bling intubait.Trafficante is; the opiy,,, ,:.',':: . As long ;'o as, March,. 1967, Rosselli --..surviving member. of S a gangland trio .: - had exPreSseclAnis, belief in .a.. cuban ..-:.that was secretly enlisted by the -,Ceri- ,... .:..ocooniintettihonolcit- the tel.'i�KOeungnhehdiyailiswsaas.shsiinnga.- :.'���tial .iitelligence .Agency �.; in 1960, in :e f- -, " . -::.:-ton.laWyer,i EdWard P. Morgan.:.Mor- 11�rWt�F`i'l)4tIrPOl.'..P.T�14,6'.ri-49-/9.r'gan, in turn, told the FBI Seieral t.Ti):;:SON407001., - -,�,,t.W..4.i...'`-antills,;.'elierits who were fringe t 1.109.4iOri-�SW.Pf":01.erfM-.0.scri-P0 as.^, '.. ottlielindeiWorldit.infOrnit41 hirn'that D4Pieir,Pen.abers;:iWere:-Senl,:(gozn�) , ." ' in his...,Castro had .: learned el. the platting ancarra;:wilve.,.'41,:.... .. . . '4' Against bl.-Friz, ..� 4--rt, "4sublirbari.H....'Obleagq.--,horne..-,�-�tYro.,�.: years --,-,,,, ',.'�'2::-Thi House AssisainationST CoMmit- go-aricl..140"-,�-,'-longtirrie-;,,,;!,lutnant. �.,. whose. 5 tee had been talking of staging a hear- s '..b:ik:,on..thei'atSassinat,tbii.'..cif the Rev. VbedYWas- found jait:,..stiroM-er.,.:,,Iii:-.aii Oil .,.,:. Martin Luther .ling :Jr, in hopes of 'Clruiri,11Oating,iix.'.0::.,V44,-ifer - -11 ::-,,.-,A�.. I of ' '''-keeping^iti-togirwestigatton-piive at i . enli's-Bisi*Yne.PaY*!;:?_..r, ''""*.:7�.T.:, .:7ileast past March 31, when hi current Trafficante j: expected :(.' .; protest ,,�:.1:-;� charter expires. The decision to hold a ',..'.:.the.:compulsery-':appearance: and has ,;:: hearing. on the. JFK. assassination ap- '4,--reOortedlYhired:BostonlaWyer,p, .0e. ::pargntly_reflect�, new hope within the ..!-.p40.0 pyr4te�i*1:417.I-.'f.Z$44, :.3:..t. " committee for Continuing that inquiry ;4!....?"'You 014..'061iii'lY10.WhPr..q.,!:?ii ;..'meMber whAlliapPeriedtO1.,the� other ,,,, , , ...-,1:,Cominittea.;:-lawYers,....have.. been in .e" .'."--as well,:..-i:i.,-;-.. ,i'::-k. :i.,';',I .-,:-;i:, -,.;: ,.,., . , two,'! One source said. :',.. .:--contact ., With . an attorney for James '',..-:".-',.�0-"tIppOia, 63, was murdered as Ile, f:Earl Ray, serving a .-. 99-Year prison ''..PrPg-Tc.1:'#..'.1"-PiciPigii!;..., snield"'61::�shu" �-�'",'term for King's 1968 murder, but Ray ..agP.s eed.cApioaelv oq,-..:ilinic.4?* '1075, :;,: is not expected to niake any public ap- stiOrtlY",efteriliS:refee0, froin�ahospi- - -., pearaoces soon *beyond a nationally .(''...t-arai-ict.*0:41,i0el*,.et Pfeuri*FY ef" "' televised interview last night on the 2..leitS,by.:*.p0Atef Intelligence Cern-. -,-..... Columbia-;', Broadcasting '.=.7- J yAterri'S '-mittpo-..to -contact hintlfin-itOn4stiga- '� "who's Who" (WTORTV-).,---. �-�:,-.-7.,� tion of CIA assassination plats,. ',e . . Interviewed by correspondent Dan " Resselli, Who...had been involved In ....Rather, Ray denied, as he has before, several'. abortive -,Plots against paitro, .....firing the shot that killed King, and testified before ' ,insisted that he was not even in the was killed. ' "'.7rooining house :across the street from .Thirteeie.niOnthCji-lat.er;i7i,v:INIY ' 25.,':.Icihg'S Motel at the time of the !rim"- 1973,' he .disappeared 'from' his Manta- � . der.: - -'..'-�:,'.' t:f;':-': ..--' -' 2 ' .,' -' ''''1-.'' " ; tiont fl.,. home.. His hacked-UP body ' ,.-�; Asked why he was remaining silent was found 10 clays later in a -55-gallon -- if someone else did it, rather than tell- oil drum weighted with heavy Chair* '.:''.. ing:011,, Ray said he feared that what. � 'Both slayings remain unsolved. But ,..:: ever he. said might be turned against '-'; long :before ,his'iniurder; ,;I:toSselli had : ' him.::11....think. a lot-,of people- have a . been -privatelz claiming to:",h1S.-attor- ..; sort of a' Pollyanna view of the legal _ � .. .� .�,... ,, ney that Castro had become .aware of _ system,", jae said. :� the CIA-sponsored .plots ,,against him 2 -..-_,),,,,...:--rrti..-,.-.-..�.:,.:.,- .,,:.4...,,-... oitt and "thereafter euiPlOYed:teams of:in- dividuals who Were dispatched :to ihe.., United States for., the purpose : of as- _ sassinating Mr. Kennedy.. ,--, , � Initially introduced to his CIA con- , .. tacts in late 1960 as "Joe," Trafficante '.: was described as someone Who would serve as a courier to Cuba .and make arrangements there in the plot to kill Castro. Trafficante had lived in Cuba, and he still had a number of associ- ates there even- after Castro seized their gambling enterprises in Havana. Although he did not testify during the Senate Intelligence Committee's 18-month investigation of CIA mis- deeds, Trafficante was queitioned s& cretly' last I fall by . Senate committee Crime Figure, akes 5th on ssassination By Ron Sarro Washington Star Staff Writer . . ne Of three gangland figures' .legedly hired by the CIA to eliminate, Yidel Castro in the early. 1960s today -;..refused; to cooperate' with the House:- Assassination Committee in its. inveS. 7-,tigation, of ;the..-mUrdei:,_-Of.: former �'TPreociOnf Despite the. warning, .he might. cite d'n;:":;,fqr ::.Congress, ,iMiami;ganglandiifigureiSantoi Trat-k,, $11catite�Jris,refueed to answer 13 qiiest!.f ktionvabont 'the...CaStroplot;:his, con- nections with the .. CIA ni4.41::.0110,11. licliebf ;"..Kennedy'S�:-assissma- tion 'r . ;was; d Oene - reminiscent, of..th - oil..,,;yefauver 'Rackets Committee hearings.. Trafficante,.. a ;balding, Idei-174nfatil.;i1va-.;gray:-;suitquietly- .recitecrhis; rights::under-theist.'.4th; 4..5th ques- tion S,' were posed by Committee Chief.; .,Counsel Richard Sprague. ... _ Next,to:Trafficantesat.hikFforida !....1aWyer,..-Henry Gonzalez, in a three-; piece black pinstriped � :.TRAFFICANTE is the only 'surviv- ling Member of the CIA hit squad al- legedly hired to kill Castro in 1960. 'Sam Giancana of Chicago was shot to. death June 19, 1975; and John Rosel li's body was found-floating in an oil. drum . in Biscayne-, Bay- later; that summer. . Sprague asked Trafficante whether, he had ever worked under: contract with the CIA and whether he: knew- Roselli, a longtime Associate; The witness refused to answer.. Trafficante . was also asked' whether he had prior knowledge of.: the assassination of.. Kennedy Dallas Nov. 22, 1963, or had ever "ad- vised" other people about the � Sprague also asked whether Tref.: , ficante knew Jack Ruby, murderer of: Kennedy assassin Lee Harvey Os- See PROBE; A-6 ^ The committee, which has been it- !'!X:teinpting to gain credibility so that the House will continue its funding , after it expires March 31;Thad trou-1 - .j.,-.17.1Continued From A-1 bles again today. Its hearing had to, : - be delayed 30 minutes r, because !weld, and --whether --Ruby, had Tref f cant!s-.1microphone- ;yisited Trafficante while the witness working: was in prison in Cuba,t once the '.of his gambling empire.-. Again the � TI-IEN.". THERE, was ancither' ;witness wouldn't answer.:Trafficante:'minutedelay'f.beeatise:'',Trafficente., also i Would not say ,whether he had had exercised- his right- to exclude ever Met withithe CIA to discuss the television cameras and "Iphotogra-..4: assassination Of Castro or other "phers.:This exclusion 'also'Cut into the world leaders or whether he had im-� . committee attempt- 'to get widest .munity in nc0nnecti0n;',43with.,-.,suchl. exposure, to show that .the',irivestiga of the 'deaths of Kennedy and. �Nor. wouldlie Say 'Whether he knew . the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr; Are, ,,,,,,Rehert.Maheu, the former official in the Howard Hughes business empire - "-:-.Committee Members winced an who reportedly put the CIA in touch ',smile in the audience laughed when Ttafficante's lawyer .Was introduced.1; .His.na,me.is the same as that of the ' � WHEN IT.- became evident. that :former chairman- of the :committee, Trafficante was going to continue to Rep. Henry B. Gonzalez, D-Tex.;.who - .plead potential self-incrimination, 'recently resigned After; a well-publi- fAssassinatiOn Commiteee Chairman. -cized dispute with committee counser -Louis .Stokes�D-Ohio, recessed the 'Sprague. . Meeting for. nearly 10 .minutes while ;After Trafficante left and the COm- -,,the panel held an informal meeting in -mittee voted to subpoena four per. -a room just off the hearing chamber. sons :from Tennessee, where King -- After the meeting Stokes told Traf-.1. was slain, the panel went into execu7 - ficante the committee. felt his "claim . tive session to discuss Trafficante's-: of privilege, was _inappropriate" and unwillingness to testify and other as--; that it may recommend that he be pects of the Kennedy probe.... - cited for contempt of Congress for , The supboena of Trafficante ,refusing to answer: questions even ordered him to appear, to. testify.4 when directed to do so., - about what he knew of attempts to ..� Trafficante remains Under sub- assassinate Castro and Kennedy and poena and could be recalled as a wit- to produce any relevant notes. and - ness. He did answer one question: documents. The subpoena was dated sir,.. when asked March 16; Gonzalez said that Traf- Whether he understood the subpoena. ticarite could not comply With the ye-.. t. continues. � ' : quests for docurnents today, -'. � 7 _ _ ssassinatton arte.' cce . . . e ...:. *-,f0,1."0.1' ':, f.t.,:? 'i. ' i . ', :-.. � :..- v ;t 4 ;�;:.',;.:.:i;.:14:,',:-.:0:-: j.10,. 4 ,.. i4i::::..5,tir..0 1?.i....:1 . -'� ;.ii. :....,ri.t.-;.-, . ,.;-11,7 0 f 01k4v -4:�:.;11.1;1;i1 Co .�;:c,I1 � Alkt'i-iiit�;`# . BY George LardneF iir..'::-4'.;,..,Si:*pi,'.i hack Might make It impossible to bern-.,,.',:Ar'headed,':,by,�.:Lelnier,�-�� ` te,-:..dn''' � Vet' tigata',1st ierv.';Ing.a D. ii.''S.I'il3 in4.'in- 'e'rut. .e. s'see; t . .!.,�,..,i:.,:.1.j.V....'plecettee. atj�Aiw,.410377.ee, �41,.�stittti,;.L10,..:!..T.t r,,e_.,-.0.:it,�-1;,--t,i,K., in.g's MOrder.,1:�;''.,',*;,;,:!: � ''',,.'.!i'i:*,:�."-:-,',',',',1.....-:�:.'"�,..' 1.-fOr.,,A*?"45.'iiittr. der' .';'...'..';'.'''-i'/,-;',:c.i'-':;"��'.4.1*.:',''.",;' 417.4 : , ashinttoti Post But!! wrt::-: --,..: The: liouse Assassinationa . Connidt444i) .The.inquiry,vould.still he the'�.mott.',.-...4iir-'-v-,-4-w41,'''. . e fOrnially i ettisOned its S6.5 million���.7.1:,�� Sprague ,lidd contended �.'tliat '-his ,''';;��� expensive ' investigation '' ever'' under .='"''',.-ik' are'-.'3V4%coPAtLY1.s Stoke* �� ��� .. i'�"bare benes" budget 'Yesterday :l'andik::6iigirial. $6.5 '11111.1.1ori .biidget*;?:Coutdri'itak - - h ' -,* ' ' ' ' : -''''''''Isaiii 6eitay:The': eliiiirinan ho' 1 -'�-�:'` .,,;..,.: en...� y Congress -.��� but : House i,-:-... ,., 4'..-... ,. �,,.., . l, ,. , i. Wev.erp '...". decided to try to struggle along for the.*:;": . -..'-:.,be- cut at all. VithOUt. cOmpromiling.Speaker: Thomas-. :P .-:(Tip) O'Neill, Jr. ttinkileateit, ',tliiit:the Interview was pri;.- , , the inquiry, and he Made plaiuYesterZIND-Mass.) 'professed his `whoteheafted. '!......ttiariliria*: get-acquainted' 4 e ���� ' (CY' - . ,.., a .ssion,,,An ::,::: .,:.rest of the year at less than half. the �.::' �dal, :that LC', i,d, no ;intention Of eittrik �1-',7i,. tIP:907.1".." for ,it. "this week 'after a :pii. Li,..- ,said,- nt�rday. tie necessary to -thlic td� ie . . . - ��.. ... . :.,. .� ; . . .. i � �,..?,...Prce- ;.,,�,��,' ..,, 4. ��.:�:-,.--:. :3; ,...i,..e.:.,..,- --.:5',.,...,,.5.'�',i t.,,,:i*-tidose�Words.*i.*=T-,*-4t4:;,"�4-';�i'*'','I!"?A'k,-*.frliate briefing i fromIlie tanIting,Doot,-,n9 )iiiii-iiiiivititt6t1i61,51ei considering' � " -, t�'�-�'. 'Anti ciPating ' HouSe :. a.-':' rci'vaI ��� forTM. ''..i= r,' 's. fei d '11',:s.:�:"'"sai,-,'-i'e ''..ivn'.;..,r"e.--::"ia.::1:,On'�:*'ai* c'''''' t.lie.COmn7-446,.;\;,. "'..*: '.:�-"T.': "-::::';',:�:'�.:::.;., ariip.' ilbli, 6,.testim: eny,':-,', 1 p:�''' ,;..-1 - '., ..'''''.. .". continuing their investigationS.. into::?;1 the assurances of his two top ''nepit.::,�.:�-� It was also plain, from the figures. ' " ', 2 ������ -,����' ' - ''A ''- '." ' A '-'- - the murders ' of President Kennedyj.tlei, 'fRobert Tenenbauni and Robert.- presented yesterday, that next years ' i,:and the Rev. �Martin Luther King Jr.,'� -..'Lehner, who ,told him : they 'felt' ttoy.,:.,:-. budget for the reoniMittee;:With* a full- after ' a dubious -winter, Committee 4'f'!....caiild' conduct effee0er,inVestigationsV.,strengthstaff :of Ilk will be about - $,V,' x-...rnembers also voted a new resolution-04'4th the slIminer bitdket.,- -..., �-,:;-;,4,1;) d.:;4.;"�':'-'11111lieti higher.i,'-', '':. - ' '','� 'N::.;. 1 ' ' : :.: ' '2"1 , ��� . ' '. . A. ",:.:' ' , � ' �'.: ',!1 � . to keeo. them in business for .the;re..4.'i.s.4 !:'.I:- have gone-Y,e1Ong ',with .1.1�16ii�i�emg I i.f..The l'iotiae:Rtilei C'aininitteilt',OX4, : mainder.� of . the 95th Corigres-unt114;:,oniniendatiori,'!-SPrigtie ..,�saicl,-�V`IV igvileCted to take up the resolution ";re ., ---1 � ' 1979. ' ,'' '' :: - i , ' �� � ; , '-:,�,. �, ': ' '-}'''! les thaw r "...',""-Is ' .Would �. broPos. ei�.,hu.,,tiI. ::',:a.,i11.::.;".,,.:1::censtitatut��� k the conunittee early next ., .. , . - i ., .. , .,._. ,:.- ....� . dy.:;:,.:. i '' � . � Del. Walter . Fauntroy (D-D.C.).�:4�,w.dling to go ahead:r?, .-'.. i� , tsieek. The budget Wilt be submitted' ..,,, said he thoughtl the proposed :new',-t&t:-;:��1.1P.r. - RicharSeni, Preer (D., 0later; firSt to the Hot '�.Administra-.4 budget of, $2,796,050 for calendar .1977'Act.LaIrril.40.�''�'0"-4-'POIS .**40get;':'t4sk 'tion'conittee and Ilion, te the,lioutk" 4.wold be "certainly 'palatable", to the'sW�Y.Pg:.-PP.r,;:..4P:Cci4�1.111114Cei's�14 :hP''':1�3W- 001ri:1:':::_-i.,Y;',':': 'f House: : It : incltides ,, approximately�gest 7StVititstilvitik'�irealized'::bY ienttine- --The.'1,ASsassinationsi.',-'lr:GonunitteiV , � ,.- t .propose sta$ from .170 to * �per-,-!;", spent thstest�of.the.�day $nseerdt Ts.e.s-,,-"-,, $250,000.already Spent this � year while f,.'ry, dii, :.,11.6anifi a:. $2,334 ioo .reailetioir 16:ii.foti:...isl31.1efit.ie . dti �44e iiiogresof� the committee struggled ;for suititray, 1 '.- - , '. , in the face Of a serieS Of ilisisutcs.1:4:::;', -%!!�,..Pr9,ite projected salaries ....;..-:...,.,,q,$.24*.t.t.-th.S.X...ennedY, and King(i&estigitidiiii;iti' i - � � , - , � ,- ..:.� -:�:. .1.i., -i�-, il-! :The new:. PrOposa* would provicte;,aktftir:Que;rman cLiotns, Stokes (D-OhlO)3tild;:},,,4 . .Coinniittee Chief Counter ...Richard - A i ; '' - ,:,:j 27-rriernheitaski1inet undei.:Taiien-Aiksiir',trelliat it, inciti4ed: ii:3rint.delti Sprague endorsed the. new allotnlen(.....,!.A.batim's4:''direetion ii�?-;IiayeStigate-the / -:6ii;thi; eoinrititteCtitaftE(Prjtori'....bitierp'n ' reluctantly. Ile wattled that. the Cut.' 5i1cenned,'y,..tissa'ssing.thin;':and. 2V pi-01�6",`:' VieW,Ttietei4r oflaiiied Esti Ety,', who 2R 7crfl AppEAREQ, PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER 18 MAR CH 1c)77 4 ass ma ',A:Zz,'4 ,t I. N � ....I.;.,.....t., ,...!.1%.M1J11: T :e :iy:.a., 1.,..t.J... . .....-. .'..,,,s.. .. "�.:�,j' 1:;:d-41� . 7:',:,��.1..i; -'111.. e ',Ho ifS el.:: S el ett: Committee i�On2-...�,,,,... u t :ttie 'calling of Mr:.*TrafficaPte:t !AssssinatiOns,-..whiclii,rb.as j-. made ,.= a ..1..was such... a `cheap -shot - in such . . 1 � . � �� ' � . ' ..." ' 1.i.:.i.'eii:)1 :rnesS of its.,:_probeinto. the deaths .:.of. ?,..:sitive.. matter that lilt ,makes',ii:::inOr-:' President .Kennethy, an d'ffiii-ilev..:. gai:::::....;i33ouly%'-diffiCilltla, believe _that Lthis.. I firi. Luther ":.Xink..-..! Jr.,-:: did:-:-....fiathing.;td.r. ':,,:coniinittee7 'i,..ild-olled'i..-witli -7-iiissinion:J, retrieve%,a.ti ,..k.;;;;:�partT. of :iti;.':.:.fc-ie'dibil.itj'ild';gtasPing'-'406-r 'Sensational...sounding, :".13y.... brin4,ng underworld. figure ..SantossfrawS,..'-fleseryktd. be ..kept,alie'r.;.�01' s..T.I.O.f!ioanl:,ljgoieiy:;.::,i,i1.:i.117,.,t-..q-f....'S.-..:-.7.riiie:.:..do.',".....b.-elie've.;.;:iiiii.5 is ; - a' need to ':vAMi!. �.TraffidaPte=zinyOkedihe.t.,,iiifth.1:3,,',pat; all AlotihiS7A6.7..x.estif.7P�ossibleL=.,. 4..tendriient, .:, privilege ,....g.6.inSt..., self about the � two�...igasrsiriationsirliartiCu7.. IndriMiriatiori in refusing to 'a-iierlf.4.-...:-,.i,. larl y doubts . arising !,frOiri Soine. acti (ins': ietions worded�AO:,determinie,whethQ:A.' the FBI.�, and. the i CIA.,7, and: We suli: .e4 the'WitnesS7 knew !'anything.: ibOUt.;'fq; ported .t-iie`...cOnedp.r::.-Lif the :Select ..COM,:i .the : asSassinalii*;*'..i)reSident4Ken-i1.7;.ilAitt.0qp.,1,:ki::1S:61'4:::i.;:,:trit-4.:,' . ) nedy There was ripthing Jiewaho_u_,....13..rCbriarnitteei-of; the , Congress 7alw.aSTS!. 7.. :',.. - ,,.� .::-1 7the questions as. they .,related ' to M1'...::::: have :an .obligation fiii:T.take.s.iistkinsi4. Tra f f,i c ail t e, '.'', and'. !Rep-.:-.FT ..ui8S-gke."�:.--bilitY f,foi:-.'the--,testirnony,:'Of::their:_,.Wit.,, '.(1D.; -,:.Ohio),f4* chairrilan,:idisclosed"..2iies-seS:.t':..COnSidering, th.e.irr.1.- piii:tanCe,... after !..the hearing that- -th e;-'Coirim itte e-:!.7-an d "Td dlic aCytr..of.;>the,', .: a s S assin ati o -beg-litlaciyance7that,..Mr,--TrA:ff!.ar.l. tq�,-.-----**:iiiiel'ii.;.;..7.:Abc:!,.��:.:S el ea:: Com. M i ttee:.i.h ad :7 ai. y'iould..take ihe ,E-iftli,;:ifs..,�.:;-......,-,.,!::: �-..: --. :!',. x- ,s. � --Snecial,. respons iri. ibility' - ' this- � regard 41. . 7 ...k � ' -i.V: � ''� ��� j'2 --.7..j6.r._,.7?-%, 1. � :' '-'�i;f 4:- . . � ... 4..t -,S0;the- purpose wa not. to prodiice .' which it �!.ot.ally. if all ed to exercise,,,,.:?. iny -Pew '..evidence .�' or' advance: an,:�:::: The 'c." Oniirittee should :be: able :to inch : toward � resolving Ihe'.legitimate..,:triake its -Case, for : continuing-'. beyond .� doubts- that reMain aboiit '... the'. Ken- !.:1Ylarch,'..:.31.i..:oi the peed .: to..: seek an-!. . : ..� near i and King. murders; Very, obvi- : swers. to -: question's. that .nioSp:�.nf :In.:: . .. . , ... . . .. , ciuslyali, the -committee �WaS'. trying :. have aboiat ....the rassaSsination,S:If it . to do Was . convince Congress Ao, keep , :,::can't,::: 0647_ it ;.....shOulfl, be : allowed to the investigation :going . After', 1Vfarch:::,.,,g6 out; of: existence .so: that %another:. 31�when the, ccrinmittee,will :run .out-.� 7.. effort to resolve, the questioris.: Cali 'lief, of, furands;-). iz;11-i Al5Y,ki;4,46;t-',;..:-.;;i:'-r,. -,..,-:7:0.344d.e:::1:-..'1,,:i.,::4 . . . . .... THE WASHINGTON POST Thursday,March17,1977t � ,� � ac k AndersohandLes Winuen m. al ers:: nuna 4 . ... .1 j'"':!r-;'''' ! . `'..`P,Z1'''P A . ',Irg:KY.Tcr51,104,,I. 4;11t, � ,,..Pr,,v�zom.k -,,,,,,,, , ,. , , A , . , -r!, 4';f4,1�3,s;.1''' ,...'-'',/ ,,;.;�,,�-,,6, ,4- ',',1 ,�4,, r: V t41�,"3:7r.tic. 41,15Vr"AiK.''''1' . � .,,.?/:.; :i: G. Gordon tiddsi,'-tiactitadah,WatWNIo,wsPrisOners.:.He told iii,Iinviver;�he','!npr6bably ' Nliotild have ,'unfeashect his,.. j'4gate.7e.ohipirator who end& tried to iin-fr;Closed'Alie :TV Yrogni-; early: due to. nu'- own plumbers to track down:the...1ga F...,',: sigpress friends by holding his hand over complaints not because Of tiL4;;,-.-.,:er.,..-..:-.:,,..0.',' ..''. ' ..,"...---t:?2, a burning candle; has been coming tin ,i.:drsprOteSt:/":�-.7.' .1*c'4-1Z.',::' 5',',11:'7,1:414.71w.ln Initedd, he seril a. Mild,inemortd. ;der some fire prison i,S-�Well: Alii;'i.!A'1). Footnote Last tannth,T.:..W.e7 .. revealed sidekick Clyde-JOISor0".COTinirientin ..:, .. -The�tight:lippeifLiddir,liinemaiit4i.Jhat .the Justiee Department was .ieri.2Z.,wryly::"'l assumenbni.of thls:IS,Coming- i'4itstlentlio!this.clay abont7,hiS7-rOle in. the"4...nlistY -eonsideting -LiddY's '.. Petition ' to from the FBI.His,aicies assiireCichim it, � ftlpill-fatectl-Vatergate'lirenk-iii:,:-:':Buttlie,,:Vconinitite the rest Of his sentence. Jtis-!:: wasn't.X.;+aIii., ierf.as qui0Xto-comPliinIondlYabont his di' .tice :officials are studying the -teciiies.t .:�:, ,, HoOVer iiicNithhOld some ii'44/itfortna.., ti-accommodations at theAlienWood .Pri#,..T anCa recommendation Wk11:' likelY,,ii?;e_ ...-':ii..,tion about the *Illing.-:fhatiCOUld,We � son Camp .: 4, :PeitithAfaiiia4,,:LiddyiTsent- to President -Cai*';AllY,-;.;I.L,ni.:-. damaged the 'FBI 'S rePutatiOn,44Owev-:: ' _moved to the Minimurn*nrity.prisonf:. ,OPring'''''''''";4'44.4-44-kt613114011.1' ''';'..;zer. When. the Warren Commission,Ee;; t three months aghlrotri'.,,ane-Wer.penir, � Heartbrokeellociirer.HBehindi'the:4'.7poii criticized the FBI HoOVeci'sadly:': tentiary; in Danbury- Conn 4t.:t,..�V.,.-Ibulldog Visage of J. Edgar HOover, Who ,�,:found- that even ..'the.',IoYil Journal VI.xerhe.,..tenicious,:,�toitgIVeyViai2,�:*�.lntimidated lawmakers and: lawbreak- -'. 'American Was�givingliiit bid reviews.4i -. ,}s'.. ,r., r ' criticism of :: ' i!r_sIgneditni,Sleep on i cot in a- naliWnY-, ers for decades; was a man acutely sen- ....Solemnly; lie,underlined. the harshest': t-near the television room because the sitiVe y iffy his beloved , 'phrases .,.--:-:: .".'"f .:1,. ',-*. ' - ,.. � g; ..1.-' - ' ' . ' -:;.4...toetter ',F.cioms Were -:a11:Thooked.:;.up-.3:,;,�FBI.' '''' ' r.:;''''',"sit'',4'.',".i,-71,1',..,-.:::�ii, a. handwritten note: tO."' Clo'iest 13n;:';: ' (1.4LiddY 'soon squawked that he cOilldn"e�,;.f..: NO one .defended ".thebnieiti: more reau friends, ,H6over conceded that- 1, sleep because of :the'noLse froiti,itheaustaunchlythan-Hoover when the War; -".7.'llie 'C'Ortimiiiihn' .' port- was. .1.".areitl de- it.. night TV room. ".' ".,".�i:..tW.ta' '..'.-A-.f',ii ren CommiSsion, Complained about the bu kin --' I thereFBI which ye, will � Almost: immediately4risOn..official&;:' FBI's handling of the investigation : never lfvendoWn " � - � �-,banned,TV watching after 11:30' p.m.; � into President - Kennedy's assassina- , � and even started making spot checks tion. But tong-sicret documents show Now, after 13 years, the late direc- Jo make ,:sure the inmates.. weren't... that Hoover Was nearly heartbroken- tor's words seem prophetic. For as sneaking a' peek at the late show. The _over his bureau's failings in the JFIC. charges of a' Cover-up have been lev,-- ,..other inmates were infuriated at what -� probe. and. lelt.'the.�;_commission had :ieled at: the FBI, its actions in the Ken- .-2...-,.seemed to be the special treatment for ',.,lebunked"-the-FBIforever...1f!;'..;:7-7. snedrinvestigatron areonce. again - 17:-.7,-i ,their famous colleague. Many, other Every morning, the tough-talking TbeingVobed by congress.- -ri,7 sleepless inmates had director carefully. perused- clippings '? ,,Footnote: Hoover's .inCesS'or7 'about-the date night TV noise; to no .4!, from 10 newspapers, InCluding-;!ence'Kelley; is still trying to cleii_the' �,- The Washington,Post---anthNewNorki.:','air. We reporteit'in:January that the ; � The outraged Prtionifilitallet-ed.11 Times. BUt nothing 'Pleased nit 'warren 'Cern-;i'. setting Liddy's mattress on fire. When ; than the peppy style and sympathetic' mission 23 supirnaties�'0.9swaid.g...at,L, d- he got a new one, they 'soaked it; The viewpoint of the Nevi York Daily 'News' 4'tivltles.Kelley toleus-titat all 69 sum=-: � inmates also threw all the beleaguered_ and the now-defunct Hearst papers,- manes were provided to the -commiv? Liddy's personal . property out the ...the Journal-Americanand the Mirror. -"sion. Kelley also said the bureau tur. door. -2 ' . When,,; the Journal-American got' niihed the commission with all perti- learned of the brouhaha when " Wind of 'secret FBI Meg and reported nent information � about potentiaLin- an angry inmate bellyached to us that ' that Hoover Would tell President John-'-..formants, including the Cuban 'Sylvia the prison surrenders to every de- son that Lee Harvey Oswald "acted Odio and -right-wing ..activist -Joseph � mand Liddy makes. Allenwood war- alone,. the FBI chief was surprisingly Milteer. All allegations about :then � :den Eldon Jensen confirmed that calm. Had the breach of security ay.. were investigated and turned over to ;. Liddy had some trouble with his fel- peared in a more liberal paper, Hoover the comrniSsion, Kelley said. ; � A � fo4 gt4 Si*James 441,rtor.�Tbe Washinaton.Poof ikr� ^:r. $'". 4. * f � � � . -...Abtafia chieftain Santo TrafficanteIr. just before refusing to answer congressional queitions.'Stiry,-A2. " A A YC,"" fn ARITCLE' ap?Eduzga .ON RTGE gs By Ron Sarro Washington Star Staff Writer Don't blame the members of the House Assassination Committee if they are beginning to think that someone in Wash- ington has 12 congressional voodoo dolls and sticks in pins every time they try to � present a positive image. The committee has been trying to make the public forget about the political brawl between its former chairman, Rep. Henry Gonzalez, D-Tex., and staff director Richard Sprague over who was really running the committee. Things have not been going all that well. Consider these developments yester- day in the committee's effort to prove it is conducting serious investigations into the assassinations of former President John F. Kennedy and civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. . THE COMMITTEE subpoenaed Santos Trafficante Jr. of Miami, one of three "gangland figures allegedly contracted by the CIA in 1960 to kill Cuban Premier Fidel Castro, to tell what he knew about alleged connections between the Castro caper and Kennedy's murder. � First, Trafficante's microphone woul- d't work. The committee had to delay the start of its hearing for 30 minutes while an electrician was summoned, as news- paper,- �radio and television deadlines passed. , - - , Next, Trafficante exercised his option under congressional rules to be spared from television and still photographers' cameras. This eliminated television coverage of his testimony and more com- mittee exposure before the big audiences on the evening news. There was another 10 nainute delay while TV crews took out cameras and microphones. ' , . How about this. The committee is trying to make people forget the Gonzalez-Sprague spat, right? So what's the name of Trafficante's Tampa lawyer in a black pin-striped suit? Henry Gon- zalez. As he said his name, committee Republicans laughed and Democrats winced. THEN, TRAFFICANTE was supposed to bring with him any papers and docu- ments for the period June 1955 through December 1964 on attempts to assassi- nate Castro and Kennedy, and about groups including ALPHA 66, Interna- tional Anticommunist Brigade, No Name key group, and the Cuban Revolutionary Council, and concerning his release from prison in Havana, Cuba. Trafficante brought nothing. Lastly, but most important, Tref- ficante didn't want to incriminate him- self and refused to answer any of the 13 questioned asked him by Sprague, He took the 1st, 4th, 5th and 14th Amend- ments. "We had some idea he probably would assert his constitutional privilege," said �Rep. Louis Stokes, D-Ohio, the commit- :ee's new chairman who has been lead- ng its image-building campaign. WASHINGTON STAR (GREEN LINE) 17 MARCH 1977 n el 5 777.�Tnirt���� .���, 0 0 3 n31 r17 Reputed underworld figure Santo Tref- ,ficante Jr. of Tampa takes the oath as he begins his appearance before the So why did the committee bother? It's just one facet of the investigative proc- ess, said Stokes, whose committee will run out of money March 31 unless it can convince the House there is good reason to give it a $1 million'to $3 million budget . and let it proceed. � :n- TRAFFICANTE IS the only- survivor - " among three gangland figures allegedly ,hired by the CIA in 1960 to kill Castro. - The � other two were killed, gangland style, in 1975 when they were involved in the Senate Intelligence Committee's - investigation. . � � Sam Giancana was shot to death in 'Chicago, as Senate investigators were _trying to obtain his cooperation, and John Roselli was found hacked up and chained in an oil drum in Biscayne Bay, � Fla., several weeks after he testified. ' Trafficante had a gangland gambling empire in Havana, before Cartro seized power, and was jailed in Cuba. "I refuse to answer on my constitutional rights," he told the assassination committee yes- . terday. prague asked him if he had every- been under "contract" to the CIA, if he knew Roselli, if he knew Giancana, and if he knew Robert Maheu, former official in the Howard Hughes business empire who reportedly put the CIA in touch with Giancana. Trafficante wouldn't answer. � � SPRAGUE ALS9 ASKED if he had , knowledge before Nov. 22, 1963, that \ Kennedy would be assassinated, if he "advised" others of the plan""" if hee rj --United Pram Interna.tional _ House Assassinations Committee here yesterday, but be refused to answer , questions 15 times. , . knew Jack Ruby, murderer of Kennedy assassin Lee. Harvey Oswald, and if Ruby ever visited him in jail in Cuba. No answers. � � , Trafficante-also was asked if he ever discussed plans to "assassinate varrious world leaders including Fidel Castro," if his life had ever been threatened by any- one or any government agency,,and if he had been contacted by any government agency in connection with yesterday's appearance. Again he took the 1st, 4th, 5th and 14th Amendments. ' , . . . Stokes told Trafficante that he could be cited for contempt of. Congress for refusing to answer the questions, and said he would remain under subpoena for possible recall as a witness. In extended closed sessions later yesterday, the com- mittee continued to discuzs the Kennedy assassination, but took no action on a contempt citation. The committee was to continue its discussions today. The committee last week took posses- sion of all police and FBI evidence in the case against Ray. It opened the evidence in public before television and news- paper photographers and writers, dis- playing the items in dramatic fashion' one-by-one. Next week it is planning to take its credibility show to Tennessee to inter- view James Earl Ray in jail where he is serving a 99-year term after pleading guilty to killing King in 1968. After eight years in jail, Ray now denies he shot the civil righTs leader. _ . _ � AP4EA13P.-2. ON PAGE /4 Mafia 7- as. Q., PHILADELPHIA rNC),T.TIRER 17 MARCH 1 977 . r�.and. Birmingham, . Ala.:I-James Earl a.37';',' , serving .- a'y:: 99-year4erin ; for i - King'S Murder, will. give Prelitinary. .., � .i' 'depositions to the , comrnittee next � . ..i � week, his attorney, ...jack7Kershaw, - -.--�--� � said yesterday in Nashville' Term:\ ::-..... 3y Aaron Epstein � -�:-.. -. , � ., Giancana, a Chicago crime s5 ndi�;'1 nTAiren" 1VCng:071 EUrecitS : � -I , -.� ..'-- . .... cate. boss his �West Coast lieutenant ; :-IVASHINGTON --:lJnderworld fig- "Roselli and ' Trafficante ' reportedly . , 2re Santo:Trafficante Jr.;. appearing . were recruited in the CIA anti-Castro . inde.r_ .Jsubpoeim; to-0k. ...th6,. ..Fifth plot by Maheu, a former FBI 'agent and later a key.aide to millionaire Utenduient75,:esterdaii as. the. firat :. Howard Hughes. f:�r��............ . 'k wi* tns. in the. congressional investa.-� � .. 'nnimitteeetion of: thei,rnurder of' President The Senate Intelligence C Ialui F:Kennedy.. ' .ir ,....-,�:::':".'".1-.�';7.-:-jt. -:',::.i,, reported in 1975 that. the CIA had -z instigated at least eight plots agair.st '4.Trafficante, :a...�ihort,-. Stocki:.�Man: Castro. Some of the scnemes dis- with-a sagging-' face 'and a 'sallow ., cussed: were to Sabotage his cigars Complexion, Was one of three 'Mafia with ,..a disorienting. agent before a Men-repOrtedly. hired by -the CIA to speech, to poison hi S� food in-his fa- kill Cuban ,;Premier -Fidel- Castro iti.- 1960. :;...i...z.,:.:....:z ,..z.; ,.;.. :. ..... 7...; . . ? : vorite Havana restaurant and to dust 4 :: his make all out and thid kill( ...l his beard ' 1- his. shoes with a substande that would': : I-Iels ihe7iiiil5r diiebf the-three i'iii has not beeri murdered ;----... a: facter:'". that,Weighed heavily against any sreat- .... ..,c,l ,nris.m.a. 1...:',. ... .., ''.'..,,;).:...,...4ti.,..,./,-�;:,.. hop that he e might give to. .� Giancana was s .. hot. to deatlijli 'ne' 20 1975, in home in 5db-urban Chi--: support- al, theory that Kennedy's as- ...- . cago, Shordyhis:.after .Senate comirnittee sassination-,was. blotted ._ bv.... Cuban.':-- 7- .agents.'.in � retaliation:. for:ithe ::C _ staff.inernbers -began.' trying to con- murder'Sehemes...:-,-...--T:'�:--7;L.).,;..,,,,::. tact hirm.,Ros'elLi testified. five days later l':.fr.afficante responded 'somberly I :J-.1i% hacked up body w as � found last July. floating in.an':oil drum near. .13 -.4:11.1e6' tiOns ' Pit!' o 7 hint yesterday:. ' Z.,Iiami.. � ''. " '-'-. --....... .'. '7'7' ..-- -; '77 ..' . : : - a.sentence,.. that his :lawyer; .E'eurYt.I.VOliialez...-:.:brifiNlianii,..7and .: � -Trafficante; 61, a dapper figure. in A Vested gray suit,'refused to tell the .Tampa;-bad ttrepared.forlimrfii:?-:-.t3. House committee whether . his life "L refuse . to answer that -eines: tion had been threatenech...:*:.-..,7.t-.,:.,if::;..:..-7..: .,7 .. pursuant to'any.'constitutional-mghts --:: He also failed to produce any of the , pt4er, . the First,..:Fourtb::Fifth .3.12d ..docitmentsisubpoenaed. by Sprague.. :Fourteenth aminchnents.'''..'-..-",!...7r7i The coinMittee'e�chief 'counsel had _ ..Trafficante,.onee the bass' OI Sine sought 7writteri -7:material :related to, :cote . gamblirrg - in Cuba, inaintaini various anti-Castro groups and to hOrries...,in Tampa 'And North -Miami � Trafficante's imprisonment in-Cuba..- 1,!The';.ral,Vieit.-ag."nci relation; to .:Rei f ...� At .::, Trafficante's ' ..:request,. ... Rep. )7frenry Gonzalez': C1):.7. Tex)..-ivijo 'r Louis Stokes (D.; Ohio) the commit.; , .,isigued fas't week as chairman of th �tee -4 chairman,-: ordered:,-Ielevision - ,11ouse.:SeIect:Corrunittee.onfAiiaisi.., cameras. and -radio microphones re--, .. nations.:-.7:7,.,,,!..,:,:�:..,..z.:.7,-,7..:,:,.._:::.�..t.7; :moiled frorri".the hearing room before The "ciiriu'nittee's chief Con-Ili-el; fal-- :arly questions were, asked, ;i......',1'.�..i. �!..., m .. . ,....... er:Philadelphia First Assistant Dis- .�-,!,Stokii, excused. TraffiCante*: after :::tricf ' Attorney7;: Richard -,-:: Sprigue,7. 7ar�ning 'him that he could be cited :Wanted to .knovi--whether 'Trafficantei for Contempt of Congress.,.....;;;�.....,i.k., hadl CIA.contract; whether he knew.: ..--"Tbe" &nnmittee is hoping.. to con- 'in adiianCe thit Kerinedf�Would be:EY*, the full. House ,to keep the in-. lcilled;arid /Whether...he rnet...wity.cae,vestigation going after its current au- . officials-to diScusi' aisAssinationS.'of.:.thorization runs. out March 31..:For � Castle. oi Other' :world leaderS.: ,'''' '1'; . . . . nurarhs,. the � 'Coininittee's ' work was ..crippled by a feud between Sprague' ::,'. Sprague,: also:T.:asked -.:-TraffiCinte; 7 . whether. ', he knew Jack Ruby, Sam and Rep' Gonzalex,'-�,...,':i.),-:,,,,...!,�:' .�-:,'.'..PI"... don't � think this,: (Trafficante'S �GianCina, 'Johnny .Roselli Oi.; Robert.: ' .:refusal to talk) sets us back,"' Stokes. :Malieu,- and .whether he. was :visited -. iii. said. ''This is only one of many fac. ,b3r, .Ruby: while �Trafficirite was. . � .. , .. .ets of the investigation.",: :; ,.�:..,_:...... prison' in. Cuba."�Trafficante..WaS..im:i ..4.,..'Stokes said that the cOrnmittee.had . ,prisoned: in Cuba.�.for .�:a. Short �stinie subpdarlaed record:: pertaining to the. .after the Castro.revOlution',in 1959. :..:"*;f: . assassination.... Of � :' the.. civil.,...-rights- - :Ruby was the killer-of-Lee Harvey . leader.. Dr :Martin Luther: Kinc, Jr. : OsviaId,.. named by the .Warren Com:, � ..*. 1 . .. , Mission at the sole rriiirderei Of.Keit-' nedv:',:1:;:,-.. ...:1.7.;.;.T-.7:-.7.;.::: lgure this earing nen 2:22717C-2-.Wt1;17 ON PAGE . tr" ily JOSEPH VOI.;Z�ji � IVaShingtan (Mews Bureau)-,Santii.Tafficant"e�,�-.1;eii.Ut'esd � lob boss of Florida, took the I'ifth,Amendment and refused to nswer yesterday. when he was asked by:congreSsionatiniresti- . .� . .� �. .ator.s whether :lie had ever :discussed the assasSination-.of .� 'resident John P. -iCennedy several inonths befor&.KthniOdY'i w Ui the.eOmnOtee Proceedings yesier7::: day tie' was .ori, time; 'standing In the iurcler in Dallas in 1.96.. � . � � aisle, with his attorney,. but the .cemr-niri.:' :Trafficante, of Tampa, ivhoreportedly::pPeiated...lneritivef::-garn-2. t4e-nie'ding Aarteil i liAlf hour :late pe:;1 ing rackets in Cuba until Fidel Castro came to power In 1959, took the panic* Trafficante's, znicrophone'did � not.; ifth Amenclment.. against self-incrimination a-total of 15 times in work :: The first.' thing yrefficante.. did sponse to questions from the House Assassinations Committee was, inveke. a House rule that ..permitted The Committee' tilairman, Rep. Louis:. � �i�� � � him to bar TV crews and tape recerders okes (D Ohio), said the panel would:. .the crowded- hearing room nat.:Vat; � from the room. : � �� �� � �;!... � cide later whether to try to have the ficante weilld refuse: to., answer, cities- A Committee ..investigatOr's*�aP;ar'eldt1";., pper Trafficante cited . for contempt lions. :There � was� speculation that 'the Ifecame interested in �Trafficante be.; Congress., .� S S troubled Assassinations -Cenunittee cause- he had ties with both the CIA ; There have been reports that Tret told by House-,Democratie :leaders to and the Cuban community. The CIA ante predicted in Florida,,-,several come up with something' dramatie or go ' and various pro and anti-Cuban �groups mths before Kennedy's death en Nov. out of business in . two -Weeks �. had have been mentioned by some ,conspda-, 1063, that Kennedy would be killed rushed the reputed mobster .before the � cy theorists as possibly having been in-!. Stokes said that the committee., had panel. . !-yolved in the Kennedy assassination. awn before. Trafficante walked into-�, , -The qititions:Anellilde_d_s:.- Was Traf 8fraffieant. has poitedly been a �fiCante�inv.olved in plotting io kilt Fidel ., leading Mafia figure Sirice.:1954.. Heat.: 'Castro?. Did Trafficante ever meet. Jack Ttspill ded the famous mob summit Meeting Ruby, who killed Lee .Harvey Oswald, 4 .� November 105 at Apaiaci)In, N.Y. ���;.: Kennedy's assassin? Most of these ques- � tions have been �answered,.. to some � The: News; revealed last weep �that 'tent elsewhere ��� Vaffic.ante reportedly has joined forces �:�� For example, the Sedate intelligence with Carmine: Galante, lop New. York . . -..:Committee reported /...,that � -.Trafficante, boss, lir:silent Partners In 'a 'multimil-. �using the � name Joe, had.. sat in sessions ;during :. the 0 ra esyndicate o import ':abortive CIA-Mafia program to kill Ca*.' a.Sian-heroin into,the *United States. � tro-in the early 196.0s.:.-Johri Rosselli, a Miami mafioso who 'was .the. leader Of: the Plotting, was kilted after. testifying before the Senate panel-- ������1. Sani. (Momo) .GlanCann :Chicago boss, Also "participated in'. the 'abortive operation. He was. slain in ':1975, the, day before Senate Irivestiga- ',tors were to quiz him. The murders of- �Rosselli and Giancana remain unsolved.. ; � There:%have been no. .reports that .Trafficante participated' In any- plan to': : kill.:Kennedr on behalf, of Castro. On., the:contrary, an FBI report in, January' � 1961' said..tbat.,TraffiCante. was iss9ciat-; ed With !anti,Castrd�:.actiyities the:, hope that he could resume his gamblin operation in Cuba if Castro -were over- thrown.. � :I..; l'rafficante appeared unimpressed. I' NEW YORK DA rLY NEWS 1.7 MARCH 1977 ran �,�By':George Lardner. Jr., -!��� . q!,� � :� Washington Post Staff, Writer' , Mafia, chieftain Santo .:'Trafficante refused to 'tell ; congresSional�,"- 4.,committee yesterday whether he had :. 1,4 advance knowledge of � the 1963 assas-!JJ; ,sination of President Kennedy: �����"1 � Subpoenaed by the House Assassi- nations Committee for its first hear-. ,. . ing into Kennedy's murder, the ..nat-� dressed, grandfatherly-looking Trafficante invoked his constitutional- � rights in response to every question,. �:11 pit to him at the crowded ' session. ' , . � Fourteen times in all, the Florida ' underworld boss hunched close to the ,�� inicrophone in front of him and ' de- ' in a calm; pat inotiotone that:'. �,"I respectfully refuse to answer. that question pursuant to my constitu- tional. rights under 'the , First, the Fourth and Fifth, and the Fourteenth Amendments."- is,. t' � � The 'committee's chief totinSel, Rich- "! � , ard A. Sprague, conducted most Of the Interrogation,, ; asking ; Trafficante labout his participation in CIA-spon- sored plots in the early 1960s to assas'- �sinate Cuban. Premier Fidel. Castro, . � _ about reports that Trafficante pre- dicted Kennedy's "hit" more � than a �-, year in advance, and about rumors that Trafficante may have ,been ac- quainted with "an American gangster named Ruby" years -before the. President's death. . � .:� ��, Sprague laid no factual groundwork on the record before asking any of his ,:questionS, but committee ��.Chairrhan � ,Louis Stokes (13-Ohio): insisted re- � .. porters afterward that the committee had' legitimate. grounds � for posing ; 'them. Stokes acknowledged that Traf- 1....fiCante's attorneys had indicated in ;'::.advance,-that � the -witness would de-. ''."cline to anSwer the committee's qUeS-., � .tfons. �: � '; '�: "I thought we had propOunded Some � rather important questions," Stokes � said. "It's unfortunate we were unable .. to get the answers.", When pressed. to -justify .the, ques- � lions , about T Jack Ruby, - however, -Stokes declined, saying that � he was "not at liberty to disclose publicly ,),'what the investigation .has developed this point." ' -�.';.' � . . . ,...1'���;�But. a number of the allegations, � . never satisfactorily developed , or substantiated, have long been,. in the public domain. . ''...�1t;4*,"�''' � Chairriiin:Stiokeititn elilet:AttnsA For ..instancei:a �Cuban:exile,,aame Jose Alemaii; who rePorfedli-becithie involved With.,Traffidanti: iii '196Z'in connection with a possible,TeaniSters.. Union loah,. was: -evidently.' the source of reports lave known. the::Presiclenti'SaSainatirinl' was coming -. The ,WaShingteit' year, In in an article byjOtir . 7 1 � �',;),;.ti ,i '> .; e � 1,,,,40;� � ! �� ..`, , 'elected, 'Trafficante was said to have .,�,1 ...:;:replied, "No, 'Jose, he is going to the . �. � , . �� ,��� An FBI informer at the time, Ale-: Man asSertedly 'reported . the conver- sation to his bureau contacts, but they 1--'7were described as interested only in � Trafficante's business propositions, Aleman assumed they dismissed' � 11..,.the Kennedy talk as gangland bragga. 1docio. .., � !� � ' The,. 'questions'�-� Coneerning Jack :Ruby turned on Trafficante's days in � 1"-i',Cuba; where he was overlord of syndi- 4,',,:cate gambling in Havana before Cas- t tro toppled the Batitta gover4ment in �Attie 1959 --revolution and closed down ..'"the 'casinos. Trafficante l.' was even ' :16dged for a time in a Cuban jail!"; ' i6 rti, � At 'yesterday's, '�hearing, Sprague ' ft asked Trafficante ,- first whether he :��' had ever known' Jack Ruby prior to the President's assassination on Nov. 22,1963, and then, after a 10-minute ' recess, one folloW:up question: ,��� � � "Mr. Trafficante,"'s Sprague : said, ;....'"While you were in, prison in Cuba,. 'were you Visited by jack Ruby?' ,i , The' inquiry may ,have stemmed :from a' ottee7classified , CIA memo .',�:i froth Warren Commission' files ahoy t the conversation of a British journal- ,,,ist named John Wilson at the U.S. era- ,..t.lbassy in . Ldndon shortly after the .=� president's (-assassination and after ,��;;;,,liee Harvey Oswald's , murder by '-glinby, Wilsonteportedly told Of meet- , Mg, an American "gangster-gambler ,nameti Santos" in jail ,in Cuba after :A the 1959.i :ievolution:rnwhii6. i.-Santos Was in Prison," WilsOn Was quoted ,as saying, 4'6antos Was visited by an '...,'American., gangster,:', type named iRuby." , ; � . :; " , ' - ' Trafficanie was'arrested in the 1957 ----. Appalachia, N.Y.; meeting:which fed- - f-,44:.,' eral investigator' described as" a Ma- a5-;.tansk.w., init.,19Atv.Vagatitigt9a-Post ; ''.,. fia national eonvention. i ;.t. -.--4- - � - ,. ) - ,, ,.. -�,1-,c,,,,,,-i,., -.. :4- .,,f �-,..,�-,-�;.,,; ��., . , listed by the CIA, Sam (Momo) Gian- ../.-:,:::,�-�.:,.:4; �,..,,-!.:�. The two other gangland plotters en- con ireir...bef 'Oki the''Statt of questioning of Trafficante cana of Chicago and hit longtime lieu- deorge,,,:CtilelL'ilktha(;�,Al.emin had a si"nave 'Yon? Seen how his brother. is ;..'': tenanti: Johnny Rosselli, were both longr,,disehisiOn'',Witii,TraffiCante'; iii -� hittinglIbifi;: a ': man' Who is a worker,,? i killed following the initiation of a � , � lerriAri'A Miami Beach around '...r,:i,vhO is not �a 'millionaire, a friend of !2.- Senate Intelligence Committee inves- � . , ., _, �1,6epternber);..1,9622:'Aecdrding ' to this',tlie.blhe,i`.,011ait, He doesn't know that ;1.:tigation of CIA assassination Plots. Gi- ' 'f..accopit&.',-the; discussion i,,eventitallyv'i]..thiS kitid,'.'ofenconnt9r is very:, delit-:;2:�?, ancana wn's�shot to, death in his subur- . tumneci to the Kennd}s about iwhoriell!ote.':�!vititiOtiy::AvotOs;lhi man' Ken: '..):11'.,,ban� Chicago home in June; 1975, be --; fiffieintecom ph:thick? aying rtheyqi.:.!pecly� ia;:g.&i.troiibleikand .,.1.10�' Will get i.4,';.- fore'. Senate ::,investigators could!: con- Aver&:. ntitj," honest ,'.and , did' not'keep.,,a`;,:i::i-.Wliat IS 0.0:qiig to "Iiiin:.'rifrlt- � ,',' tact lhim.1 - .� � .A. ' ; ,.!.... , ;�,;.1 ; � . ,,,,,,4 ebded,laAt), 1.:baitatri-4-Trafficante',13,V6S,;*_quolect aa..,,,- ''4',' When ,e.,Alc man ,.1 reporte4ly,,, argued' ..=, � . alist=ailtifor4 &ague 7 airman Sa ames Earl Ray Wan lb' 141}, Jeremiah O'Leary he was in Jefferson City State Peni- . Wishington Star Staff Writer tentiary, Mo., before his escape and - The House Assassinations Commit- the murder of King. This money. 'tee, in an effort to remain in exist- McMillan says, was earned by selling . ence after March 31, will hold a hear- : food, drugs and other contraband to ing this week with "live witnesses," 1 fellow prisoners, 'which Ray could possibly including James Earl Ray, have easily done because he worked according to sources. , . , in the prison commissary. Ray, who once confessed to the STOKES ALSO said the committee ' ' murder of Dr. Martin Luther King will meet tomorrow to consider the _Jr. but- has since repudiated the new budget worked out by Rep. Rich...,7, admission, will be interviewed to- ' ardson Preyer, D-N.C., and Chiefi ; night by Dan Rather on CBS' "Who's , Counsel Richard A. Sprague. Stokes .- -,-Who" - television show ,(Channel 9, - indicated the new budget would be.; ,WTOP at 8 -p.m.). Chairman Louis. _considerably less than . the $6.5 � mu-..1 Stokes, Stokes, D-Ohio, said yesterday 'Ray.- 7,:',..:1;1,';--,-_-.;,--_-,,i .:' �- .."1,-'.r;43::realelv'PR,,,,O,13E,,L,AcEL-i ,tnow. serving a life, term In Tennes- 4-,.:-.:, ., -11::1,4,, - I see!s Brushy Mountain State'Peniten- - ''-c-8- G'1 ,tiery..: has informed the committee he ,wishes to talk.: .,- '.; -i-; 4-,'� _!-,m4'..- Previously, Ray said in a letter-to .:this reporter :that he ..was willing- to 'testify beforei- the, panel,- Ray has. .never testified in court because of his ,:guilty plea and has never permitteed interview�althoughtedid sup- ply responses for a bock- by. William Bradford Huie.t � 1:,..,�-,Committea sources, said est�ay they did not know whether Ray would ,-- be among :the "live" witnesses pro- duced by-the :panel but .it is consid- ered p,ossiblea, that:, the -7. security,. ,! problem, created - by a Rayt appear !ance at the, House might cause the appearance to go unannounced, THE COMMITTEE already has re- ceived the whole package of evidence against Ray. from .Tennessee author- ities,- including the. riHe ,was 'found near-the scene otging's*atb. Memphis in 1968.1:V4 Yesterday Stokes Said on Pano- rama television show that it is obvi- ous: to him: Ray...could.!�not have traveled and lived as he did prior to the assassination of :King without some source of income. . - Stokes said the Department of Jus- tice task force in the King investiga% tion pointed up ,some of the unan- swered questions about Ray's role In the slaying:, including the: source of the money Ray spent in the One year; one month � and, 15 days he was at large between his escape from a Mis- souri prison until his capture in Lon- don. ' ., � _ "Ray was in prison for seven years," said Stokes. "The Justice De- , partment report shows that he was in 21 cities and six countries and that he had known expenses of $5,544. His only known source of income was ; $664 he earned in :six weeks of work in Winnetka, Ill. Obviously a man can't travel the way he traveled and .use his life-style without some source of income. And neither the FBI nor the Royal Canadian Mounted Police can trace him to any robbery or crime." � , Author George McMillan spent six years of research on Ray and his en- tire family and concluded that Ray � could have earned about $7,000 while .4i PR. E. ..�..,,,., `-,;;Continued From A.71 lion Sprague originally ioniht for the first year Of committee staff opera..., .tions: Some Sources believe, the com- mittee will now be asked t&approve less than $3 -million, 'fa 7.`,practical. measure in the light of congressional unrest about the huge original cost. . ! Meanwhile, Stokes also said the � -'ccimmittee.staff now has had access -restored to FBI and Justice Depart- ment files on the Kennedy-King, cases.- This was accomplished last weekend when Stokes and fellow committee members asked Atty. 'Gen. Griffin B. Bell to restore the ac- cess that had been denied at the re- quest of - previous chairman, :Henry B. Gonzalez, D-Tex., because ,of his running feudwith Sprague. - "I think that by March 31, we can demonstrate to the:House:that the committee ought to. be.Treconsti- -tuted."- Stokes said. -House Speaker - Thomas P. O'Neill. Jr-.-has said that the panel has to comeup'with some- thing fairly sensational in order to win a House vote for continued exist- ence and refunding past the March 31 cutoff date. Before the House vote, the request also must clear the House Rules and Administration, Commit: tees. ,7 ' " Stokes said he believes the coin"- mittee will pursue both the. Kennedy and King cases. There has been some -speculation that the Kennedy case -- might be dropped in order to reduce both the cost and the opposition to continued Investigation by the com- mittee. - ".� �'; � - TICT P APPEA,RED � ON PAGE K- / A' -.: k ........ � � . � i ,...... . . . - . . . . . ., ,47.':^1t0:,.1,,..;;;.4.,;.,i..',-7:0�!...ett.:;,..: i.".� I '..1, ..,.... ... ) ;.,q:rf-14,--i i,C,... ror.�;..- -..,i � ....0�ci i, .1,, --. ..ov.-: 1:-4,.. - :: " ' r;:...-% ',^"--"---"' - �-4-..-- --..:- - .-,...t., � ."' ',,--... - _ � - ...;;;;.,...w,F.....f, . ... .� . ... �,� , by imi MANN :�-- " -';':;').. ',...-'..'�1.'narilY the Most secretive- of men; he -is"- ."7 to Philadelphia to attend Temple Unitrers- 2 .,- . , � �� - ' .�- ' . ., , ... -.' .. 7, '.'.-:', ..,:: i . capable, when under attack of operating. -.7. ity, and has lived therefore his entire pro. � ,,.!.. ,..,. .._,.., ,. ,1 ,-,.-niS�'-ztW-�;r"'.!f�-:,s:r�-1,..1?,'!';`,-. :1*:?=-f-,-...`tir!::".;',".4 in public to round u support� , � ,2,....,......7.....�,-1,-;..:..,... Pfor his own -.,-:..tessional career. 7.!! .:... , - �77-,,_ position. For .a quarter of 'a century Mr: '-'..f.:' The members Of the isiassination Cini&-, ..- . .. ,...Washiegtort... i Sprague has survived the bruising, brawl- -...*_,'. mittee were impressed. with: Mr Sprague NO-:;. one ' who ..haS...: seen- Richard :�A';...:ing world of .iniblielife.ii.Philadelphiaj. -so much so that he began: to treat Con- ague prosecute a murder caseTwill ev,-.5::.yihere name-calling and mud-slinging are.-..'gress like a bunch of; wide-eyed i jurors... forget the experience.. In front of a jury,,, ;., virtually a form of pop-art.:'. ..:-..',::-...,;..? Last fall, Mr. Sprague made the following. s short, homely .man-his:face reminds: `..i.'.'.'All-ihis may provide something Of an 4-.mistA es that have been plaguing.hito e4-'� i vaguely of Jack Webb, star of the old -.-illitreduction,:. to the , recent.'contretenipS:--.er since.- ::...:',:----� t; .- z....1.-`4?-..9:yp-::?;�-zi'.1;;;I:-.j - nignet" television series-Ls one among , within the House Assassinations Commit- . 1.:.'::,.., e. Clearly Misreading the depthOf Con: !liens. His voice convey s power, cep! : ',tee.: Formed last fall ,to Investigate- the ,......-..gress's commitment' to the a s.c2pinatiooi rity and moral.fervor...His cress-exat*.-...,:MUrders of John F. Kennedy and the Rev. ':: inquiry, Mr. Sprague asked for an annual loos are riveting. His sense of drama is.:::::: Martin Luther , King; Jr., the 'committ.ee-3';-'budget of $6.5 million-far More -.than'. -...� ,,,..-...,-......k... .--,:. -:, !' .F.:7�''... � T...:� .::',.::','L went out .and hired mi.- sPi7a.guo. l% its ,:- Congress had spent on the Nixon impeaCii41 No One who has watched Mr. Sprague : :chief counsel and staff sdirector. ': ... .1:--- 'Inent inquiry, Watergate, or the investigar, ,trcise power will ever forget the expe-;:,..... : To most people, it was a logical choice.. Lions into the FBI and CIA. Mr. Sprague. nee,: eitaer,... He likes the trappings: In :: Mr. Sprague, after all, knows a:good deal, .':..L': described this as a "bare bones" (and; in: iladelphla, where be was first assistant .,..,-....mere about the crime of murder ,than _ -_- one ease, "bare bottom") budget and irn-, Lie,: attorney, he liked to travel in an ... most congressmen and their staffs. And at ".::plied he might quit if he didn't get what he.. idal limousine, -which was chauffered -:first; Mr. Sprague *vent about his job as if 'i ...7,.:needed. The committee, led by Represent. one of Frank Rio's policemen and :L. this was just an unusually big pair of .: :F..; alive Henry B. Gonzalez (D., TeYas'), who, spite's parked .illegally on the sidewalk. ....: criminal. eases for the 'tiperprosoeutor: : :r. was slated to he its chairman; approved mideCitYRall.'7'.'"!.',"-,i4'...!7:-; .-".- -7-r': ..".f::.'t It's not the-normal-type congressional in.:!:,, :..� the ...budget. without questaquestioningit. But while his nominal bowel, '..the district...rfvestigatioa when you investigate two inur-, ...:.c.-,when the details appeared in the newspa- nineys, were Out giving speeches inci.:.i; deo," he. told reporters when. he- was �-. Pr's, t?..!'.4..F,f-4,`.1'-'�ffre,...,men.� ?c�Fan.-.-,..,t-�, -Pt . pring out what office to run for next sworn in last October; "You cannot dolt leery. i-';;.',-,'..i''....,.-.7....-:-,t-,,' i,...::: .,..,.: -..-F,�,..:-..,'', .. Sprague for years made all the day-t0-..,..'i against a deadline. A hoirifelde iirnestig4:;:..., f !Again :�misjudging Congress, y decisions-on who to ' hire-and fire; -. �'': tion is an intensive job....-.."-..; i.....,�-'.�-!'..,:j."-5!?-,.;S-Pregue-, included -in his hildiet-reqiieSt a.' to to prosecute and who to let j_ variety Variety of .: high-powered �inv r' .estiOtivg7; go. As a :;::;',.;.;': The probleniTWith- M:::-Stiralie's :dal prosecutor assigned to Washington 7 proach was that the converse is also true:--, equipment--polygraphs, hidden- transmit.- - unty, Pa.;: after the murder of United 7 It's not a "normal-type" murder investiga- ::t ters, :stress evaluators and recording de-- neworkers official Joseph A. Yablonsid. ':' Lion when you have to deal with Congress; ..., vices. These are all no doubt common fare . ran up such a huge bill that county au- ,:., And the. qualities 'required to became, a .:: ', :at the CIA. but not on Capitol Hill. wities wound up questioning his expen7.--- - -- � � . � .., , :.:�...., great ;.prosecutor7presence, ' command, -...-:,... r.. Leading liberals in Congress, such :as Finally, no one Who has ever fought �-.,:-� voice, drama, ego-can be outright harm- '.... Representative Don Edwards (D., Calif.),'" th Mr. Sprague. will ever forget It. Far ...; -'f.ul. to a congressional chief counsel. Con: .',,chairman of the House subcommittee on ire than most men, Mr..Spraguedividel :!�.. men are not used to delegating the ,-,....piii1-.'_ancl!'constitutional rights, took of---, ! people he meets into two groups: ,. ,kind of power Mr.' Sprague is used to -...zvfetisellii. the end, tlae.committee decided it .. ends and enemies. For the latter, all re-. ... *.,ieldingr . ' '''' - ' " . '''' ' ' ..-, '''''' ' - ;-- .,%',4.:didn nee& 't the fancy gadgets, but the pub-..- slats are off. For the public enemies he In fact, Congress .i. not used to people "s.f. lie controversy that had been engendered.- Dsecutes, there is the electric chair, Mr. L. like Mr. Sprague at all. The usual -chief ,-.:. increased skepticism about the $6.5 mil- : rague is one of the nation's most fervent counsel to a major Capitol Hill investiga; .lion budget and mistrust of Mr. Sprague .: vocates of capital punishment. For Lion is a smooth, urbane diplomat. He :.:.. himielf... ,,-;',,:.;�:-..,:.�;� :.17 :.' . '� -.' .: :.:': ' .. .--.- , his - rsonal enemies in politics or govern- y come from a law school, like Sim, - � Apparently unaware that he was ' . int, there is the more prolonged ordeal Dash, the Watergate counsel, or he may , breaking all the rules of congressional : � public controversy. , emerge-from the old-boy network of Jun.' , . protocol, Mr. Sprague walked into both the ' ,: - . - r - . : . � Mr. Sprague does not eve in ea:lily, . lice Department and Kennedy family con-', , Democratic and Republican caucuses last d when fired, does not go quietly. tacts, like John Doar, the Nixon impeach- ' September to tell other congressmen, too, Ordi- . meat investigatipmcouniel Rarely before .' that his $6.5 million budget could not be n�Mams reports on Congress from The "has anyone had a background like Mr.' .-':Cut. Once he had done this, most of Capitol u's Washington Bureau. .: � ...I- � . Sprague, who was born in Baltimore, went ;.., Eta was beginning to wonder. who mr. ..] THE BALTIMORE SUN 13 March 1977 4 r - 1�,1,1�,-r .*;;; Vkr4:-:-;? � !.% � ;.. � Sprague Was 'ancfhoii he bad managed to: ':acquire. so Much power. In the past, after, all, at least in public, chief counsels had ttaCongressmen only when spoken � to ai-j (gas: . - - �- � 1:3- r. altist�before the end of the year Mr. � Sprague hurrieclly added several: staff � : members to the committee payroll. He did sia; realizing that a busy Congress would, in ,..aJanuary, probably grant the assaasina- tions committee-a temporary extension at whatever level of funding the committee � :had reached in December Once again, the; incident served to increase congressional ; mistrust of Mr. Sprague and his budget. 'earlya: February,'. Congress. was: : :clearly disenchanted with the committee it bad only so recently created. Instead of giving it another two years of_ life�--as -...*vas originally; suppoaed: to do, :the:House voted to give the investigation -a;tempo-.. ; Iraq extension of twathonths.-Ddring that time; the committee sias;supposed op:, ganize itself, to adopt:procedures . that � would allay the fears of cl libetteriansi. and to come up with anew, more realistic budget request: :::-:;;;;;;;:j..-41;i:: . . was alsoiclear.irom the House flcior. � debate that the bbminittee was Supposed to put to rest the: growing uncertainty in -*Congress' over Mr.'Sprague: The vote for a two-month extension.,, was- hardly over- . whelming.237 to.164. A substantial minor; ^ Ity apparently wanted to kill the probe ea' . _ ��� tagether:;..7.,,r .a a; a � ����,-�: With a large mouth and sad eyes. Hen; ry. B. Gonzalez looks like the World's first human beagle. His parents -Caine to Sari \� � Antonio in 1911 'after fleeing the Mexican ;revolution.' Mn-Gonzalez' 'himself once t.taught American Tcitizenship. classes in_a ^ San Antonio night School. And since Coming to Congreis in 1961,. Mr. Gonzalez has. pursued his notion .of ." good citizenship..His voting record is lib; but.he supported Lyndon Johnson on Vietnam. Representing a district that is 60 per cent Chicano, he served seven times as -;.,House delegate to the U.S.-Mexican Inter. ;'� :parliamentary Conference Most of all, be accumulated seniority. waited inline to be a. committee chainfian,and pushed his pet 7-.projec re-examination of the Kennedy murtle.r: The assassiaallon committee Vies his big chance. ' To- Mr. Gonzalez, the events of early'- , .. February on the.ETottse floor had a clear message: Congress wanted the committee to keep a closer watch on Mr. Sprague and : to put the committee's budget and fi- nances 'in order. By,- traditional House rules, the responsibility for exerting con- trot on Mr. Sprague lay with the chairman � - Of the committee. a:, ..-a;" -� Mr. Gonzalez began to demand that all committee expenses be cleared with him. He began scrutinizing salaries, staff lists, expense vouchers and phone calls. He be- t gan looking for ways to cut back on the .cemmittee staff, which was operating in �excess of its allowable budget_ _ But Mr Gonzalez made serious errors of his own. Before seeking to exert control over. Mr. Sprague's staff and budget, he failed to touch base with the House leader- ship. He also failed to obtain the support . of the members of his own committee� particularly the two subcommittee chair- 'men, Delegate Walter S. Fauntroy (D., D.C.), who was directing the King investi- �.:gation, and Representative Richardson ..Preyer (D., N.C.), who was heading the Kennedy investigation. . � Instead of. taking action jointly with:. , . them,..Mr. Gonzalez acted on his own. Be probably exceeded anything Mr: Sprague " ; . assumed that be was operating with the bad heard even in Philadelphia. "When :approval of the House leadership, and he one spies a rattlesnake at the door, one . assumed that his cOrMilitte(Would -suadoes-not hesitate,"� the chairman told re- port him. Most of all, Mr. Gonzalez as- 'Porten it/ one public session. In private, ''�"sumed he Could do as he wished is�chair:-a.-the- language Mr. Gonzalez's staff applied man of-the committee. " ' ' ;27` to Mr: Sprague was unprintable. - Mr. Gonzalez first sought to have Some By now, the rest of Congress was begin- , of the 73 members of Mr. Sprague's Staff nin' g to squirm. And 'when Congress .,taken off the payroll Mr. Sprague�who squirms, it begins to look. for a compro- - _had run the committee without outside in � mise. Representative Jim Wright � (11; ..terference for -several months�balked. . Texas), the House majority leader, .was:.- '; Gradually, he won the support of the rest.': assigned to see what could be worked out. Of the committee 'for* salary 'reductions � Mr. Wright began- to suggest that Mr.; � '7 'rather than layaff.s.a::"; 2,- Sprague be retained but forced to cut back Behind dosed doors, ma. :Gonzales on his staff and to. give .up some of his � owti.;.cominittee 'voted against him. It poWer. But Mr. Gonzalez was having none should- have, served as a warning to the of it; in the civics books: it says that a con- ; , chairmaak:�iarlidn't. Two days later, after gessional chairman gets his way. Accus- learriieethat, Mr. Sprague was speaking mg the committee of usurping his :unkindlf)ihn to committee staff mem- isterial powers" as chairman, and calling bers,4' MiGonzalez fired Mr. Sprague. Mr. Sprague an "unscrupulous scoundrel," . Again hetki ailed to obtain the support of Mr. Gonzalez submitted his resignation... the leadership before taking action. And Last week, Congress accepted it and � again he failed to win the support of his appointed a new chairman, Representa- i own committee. Mr. 'Sprague promptly Live Louis Stokes (D., Ohio). And so, with turned around and won the approval of the the Gonzalez affair put to rest, matters re- rest of the :committee to remain on the �turned once again to where they were in , early Febraary. No one knows for sure � , This time the disagreement was otit n how mach of an investigation Congress is the open., Mr. Gonzalez waited for the ; willing to support, no one knows for sure-. � House leadership to support him, but the what new information can be turned up : readership held off froni. acting. Now fsa- '� about the Kennedy and Kingrases.'�-4". fated and humiliated, Mr; Gonzalez. un- � As Mr. Sprague said, it's not a amine ; Leashed a: torrent . of name-calling at type congrwsiOnalliwestigation.. - - ; �-�� WASHINGTON STAR (GREEN LINE) 1.0 MARCH 1.97 Probe Get � 0 - New House Assassinations Com-1 ssassinatinn m. ittee Chairman Louis Stokes be-: AIWA heves he will be ready next week to! ! . seek new authority and funding to ex- tend the probe beyond the March 31 a expiration date. ,. The committee, minus its former � i chairman, Rep. Henry B. Gonzalez, New Posh Stokes Vows to Seek Extension of Panel By Jeremiah O'Leary Washington Star Staff Writer ding from Chief Counsel Richard A. Sprague yesterday. � Sprague told the committee before ; the press was excluded for most of the session that he has uncorrobo- rated evidence indicating other per- . sons may have known- in advance , that John F. Kennedy and Martin Lu- ther King Jr. were going. to be mur- dered. ;- - � 1 Stokes. '�who�-. is black, discounted speculation that the committee might decide to concentrate on the King t slaying while setting the assassina- tion of Kennedy aside- ,. � D-Tex.' received a detailed bri :.c. . - "THE BRIEFING -'WE received t points toward our pursuing both the King and Kennedy cases with equal fervor." Stokes - He also-said he is not inclined to hold_ any: public hearing -on- what Sprague said behind closed doors in yesterday's all-day-session: He said it would be better and more responsi- ble to have no public hearing than to air uncorroborated inf6rmation that might hurt innocent people. ; Stokes said he favors ,seeking_au;. thorization. and funds probably beginning- next week � -simply by telling the House leadership of what direction the committee will take and ' how much money will be required to. : do it, then going through the needed steps to bring the question to a floor ; vote. ... . t, Rep. Richardson Preyer: D-N.C:,' is in charge of the task force to calcu- ?: late a new budget for the committee. ; probably for one year of operations. The committee is expected to reduce: i its request from the $6.5 million origi.; nally sought by Sprague to $2 million '.. to $3 million; ; � ti; � .7, c. STOKES ALSO SAID acoMmittee ;group Will meet Atty.. Gen. Griffin Bell tomorrow afternoon and ask him- to cancel the order that.- prevents committee investigators from having access to Justice Department and FBI files on the Kennedy and King ; cases. A . � " � Sprague's comment that the staff has uncovered some new. information - may indicate that the committee in- tends to subpoena James Earl Ray to testify. Ray, who pleaded guilty to shooting King, was sentenced to life in- prison but has never testified' in open court. He has recanted his. con- fession and is seeking a new trial. There have been reports that Ray wants to testify before the. House committee even though his testimony . probably would be self-serving. ARTICLE APPEARED ON PAGE / � THE WASHINGTON POST 10 March 1977 , � �-� � � � � By George Lardner Jr. , ',...lowing the resignation of Rep. Henry eluded that Lee Harvey Oswald, act- � Wo.1UnitoLi Poit Min iirite;I:. ...t : !,:, B. Gonzalez (D-Tex.), who had tried to � '.ing alone, killed the President. Simi- The chief counsel of *the House As: ' � fire Sprague: for-alleged mismanage- , ,larly, the FBI 'concluded that James ,. sassinations Committee said yesterday ..: meat and insubordination, the .corn - ".Earl Ray, now Serving a 99-year prison -.... .: he has gathered::. ' uncorrobOrated-.7:-iniftee..met formally yesterday for the � :term, was King's lone assassin, i al- :. "information" suggesting a conspiracy ";I-; first time under its new chairman, ,�:. though a 'Justice ' Department task. .; in the murders of both President Ken-- ,' 141%. Louis Stokes (D Ohio) �.':i.,,,,,-.&,,:..i. ...; force ,: recently ...conceded that : the ,4 : nedy and the Rev': : Martin- �'Luther' It has ouly�,three more weeks to win -sources of Ray's money "still remain a - King Jr. :��;, 17,-47; -,,, ,:i; :::;'..;:' ..A ,21,,t,:t ',J.�v A ;;;;:tj'a .. new 'charter from the- House and :,.r- mystery today:" :!- - :,..44.t,' ' ' r: '� ,';'. Struggl1ng-10-4meg,-. their iniestigi.;-,-:,-Lii.-head. off extinction. Speaker Thomas ���������:,'.After Sprague's brief public presen- :�:. :., tion alive committee members ton- .....-..P. ': (l'iP) , O'Neill Jr. (D-Mass.), and ...:tation, the, committee Voted 8 to 2 to . vened yesterday' in secret .session for -;..:.other: House leaders have predicted .' .-.'go, into secret session. Dissenting were a briefing: from chief Counsel Riclialit ..f-rthat :the committee Will probably not i'RIteps.:Charles Thone (R7Neb.) and Ha, A. Sprague and his aides on the 'lin:1g%. !-.":he-continued past March 31. unless it . .; rold E Ford (D -Tenn.). ::::" - ress of the inquiry so far .,, t ��,..i.�;,.;�,,,-..;;�:,.......:',.;:-..:Cia,produce some striking:, new: evi- ... -,,-..� :Sprague mentioned ' no names,' not � :' . ': In a :iiirt ' 'Stateident'213efere .:the',..��..fiLdoe4ce ..,- :`0,,::::-.Y..:i4, '.:, O'Neill's T,:; 'Words, .:' . even those of Oswald or Ray,' but it -:: press and public were excluded, SPra-le�t�i�Iii:etIling Of 'aifsensationa1 nature." � - :seerned clear that the "others' he had gee told the committee .that the infor-r........;;,-�T4e.:War:ien ,Commission, Which in ,!..-in mind were in addition to those two 'n --.-4. : ation compiled date Wad-i'bIend; '.:: vestigated the-4963 Kennedy assassi- :. : `Men. He also told the committee that :. of reports from Ttwitnesses who ihave.-,:-4nation With the resources of the i'BI .,':�:".!there was Some information Indicating ' advised us directly that the have 'rel- :;'7:iiand7. other f government agencies, con- .,',.,c.lhat:s�J some: unidentified individuals � ..e....!...7�Kini�-,,,.-..t....-.....����,,!.., ,..; � i.,,- - h.,.....!.....-::,:y, : 7,. :,,..,.. �,74,-: s.:, ,!4,.-,...,y,, , ':: z�......v..7.-.....4-,: .i.i.72�:-':.;,:77-77:- ,. !. event information7f!and hearsay�abbuf ' !knew in advance, that the Kennedy as- -::"witnesses whorn,we.have been toid � ,.. t-,sassinatien !`was abouttO....eccur." !,......,' !--� have informatiOn."-:. :: ::tt,:',.;;;TZ-:: 7 4':': .',... ' �.Bost of.. yesterday's, :session, hovi;:, As a result;7.he 4. added'in:straight;1 ever; was spent-on the King murder.' face tutderstatement�:"WeAhave been '� �. . ever, briefing, �Stokes told unable to do what I would consider a . reporters that _the: committee: was thorough check of the information we i� ..--.moVing with deliber4e,caution�but 'have been advised of." ;�,, �'.�': � ' ?': ,���,.i..,'; : he said there was !...a very. good-poisi- That said,. the �!former Philadelphia ' he that. Sinie Witnesses" may be f prosecutor continued, "The! sum total � Called :to : a,-,-Rublic : hearing .before of the information Would be in the isa- . March 31 in. an-effort. to: demonstrate :- ture of evidence indicating that others .,,the need for .continuing the Inquiry: )r. may have had knowledge of or partici- ,'The.'new.''chairman:'Wpuld ' not. dis-!', i-,:pated in arranging the. assassinations � iT,CusitheiwitnesSes who Might: testifY � i. of Dr: King. and President-Kennedy." .:��; '... but !Other sources :saki two � under 'Coh; ; . Spz-agtte did',-not,,elaborater! but ie,,.. .:si,deratioil are Ray's `.brother; Jerry, seemed likely! that -ranch Of the _infor-�:.� Yand former Me'MPhis-;P,olice, detective:: tnation originated., with; the ., meny,7. Edward E;!-.Redcilitt; foneof two blacks books and articles written In . recent ,�- c�plaincliithemenj,assigned":i to � , keep years In attempts to debunk' the .,Offi7;,;, t'Ktrig uhdef-:�stirireillance:-..b-efote the, iri�cial findings that- there was nol"Credi� � ' ',!:�.ble evidence.,pra.rConspiracyln:lither 'it .murder. Ale ::e"6,4*Inittee's - 73-nierfibe0 staff has been,bogged down b?-.Cont.r6; versy in.'recent 7weeles;Cur:OlCsfrOrd;" classifiedlrm- files .1a#4,:tjirtable jtO - .,travel or seven :trilake:rgilig-distance , phone calls; "; :�,'''',..,4"..:::;14,:j� "*..�'�' '` i Trying to regabilti;niomenttins--161�::: -.�-.74-dti� .., .5 �..-,:,!--ii4--*:iliAti-,-qi.-!,.1:,,..441.�44-1- :onspiracies nintec. in � � Washington (AP)-;-The House Assassi- -,dY assassination] before it 'occurred." He nations Committee's chief investigator gave no further details; said yesterday there is "uncorroborated" All previous official inquiries have re- evidence of conspiracies in the murder� of ported no evidence to show that the slay. President John F. Kennedy and Dr. Martin ing of Kennedy in Dallas in 1963 resulted Luther King, Jr.. ' from a plot, or that James Earl Ray had But as the panel Met for 'briefings be- accomplices in the !shooting of King in hind closed doors, the committee- chair man, Representative Louis Stokes (D., Ohio), would say only that the information 'was "highly speculative," and that it was too early to know whether it could be 'veri Tried or where it might lead: said the,. Committee:: which still. must prove to the House that its proposed Inquiries -into the two assassinations are justified,. faces the task of sifting, through I "many leads" that already have tome to it, and must regain access to FBI and oth,- . er government agency files:: : committee and its stiff have; "no preconceived notions," Mr.:. Stokes- said, but are "proceeding from ground zero" in probing anew the Kennedy and King as- ' sassinations. � !-';' ; � "We hope to present cii�clible evidence to Congress, so we don't come out with a-. smoking gun that is not corroborated and ' not credible," he said.4:�7-tr,-;;,.....�/, : As the panel convened, the staff direc- tor, Richard A. Sprague, said he had un- corroborated evidence "indicating that others may have had knowledge of or par- ticipated . in the assassinatioC,, of King that.."tliere .iras: prior . knowledge on the Dart of some individuals of ithe Kenne- 1 ARTICLE APPEA.R.W .ON PAGE THE BALTIMORE SUN 10 March 1977 � � deaths Memphis in 1968. The most recent such finding in the King case was a report by the Justice Department. . � Despite conflict with the Previousl published conclusions, Mr. Stokes said Mr. Sprague's report was "not an effort to sen- sationalize."' � � �;�).- 00 , Thursdayr AtarCh 10,1977 , THE WASHINGTON POST pragu By George Lardner Jr. Washington Post Stet f Writer The chief counsel of the House As- sassinations Committee said yesterda3 be has gathered uncorroborated "information" suggesting a conspiracy, In the murders of both President Ken- nedy and the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. � Struggling to keep' their investiga-.. Lion alive, 'committee members con- vened yesterday in secret session for a briefing from chief counsel Richard : A. Sprague and his aides on the prog- ress of the inquiry so far. � In a short statement before the press and public were excluded, Spra- gue told the committee that the infor- mation compiled to data was a blend of reports from "witnesses who have advised us directly that they have evant information" and hearsay about "witnesses whom we have been told have information." , As a result, he added in straight: face understatement, "We ' have been tillable to do what I would- consider a thorough check of the information we have been advised of." That said, the former Philadelphia - prosecutor continued, "The sum total of the information would he in the na- ture of evidence indicating that others may have had knowledge of or partici- pated in arranging the assassinations of Dr. King and President Kennedy." Sprague did not elaborate, but it seemed likely that much of the infor- mation originated with the many books and articles written in recent years in attempts to debunk the, offi- cial findings that there was no credi- ble evidence of a conspiracy in either murder. The committee's 13-inember ;taff has been bogged down by contro- versy in recent weeks, Cut off from classified FBI files and unable to travel or even make long-distance: phone calls. Trvills, ite urn B. Gonzalez (D-Tex.), who had tried to fire Sprague for alleged mismanage- ment . and insubordination, the com- mittee met formally yesterday for the first time under its new chairman,. Rep. Louis Stokes (D-Ohio). . �It has only three more weeks to in � a� new charter from the House and head off extinction. Speaker Thomas' � ' P. (Tip) O'Neill Jr. (D-MaSs.) and .. other House leaders have predicted ,that, the committee will probably not be cOntinued past March 31 unless It can produce some striking, new evi- dence or, in O'Neill's 1' words, "something of a sensational.nattire." � 'The Warren Commission,,which in-, vestigated the 1963 Kennedy assassi- nation with the resou!ces, of the FBI and other government agendieS, con- tall Has oils lowing the resignation of Rep. Henry � eluded'thit' Lee Harvey Oswald, � ing alenei killed ,the President. � larly, the FBI concluded that James' .Earl Bay, now serving a 99-year prison'. term, was King's Ione assassin; al- though a Justice Department task . force !recently conceded that the , -:sources of Ray's money "still remain a i� mystery today." � � After Sprague's brief public preSeri- -�% tation, the. committee voted 8 to 2 to .�s go into secret session. Dissenting were Idteps. Charles Thone (R-Neb.) and Ha- : -rola E, Ford (D.Tenn.).- � �� A� Sprague mentioned no narnes. not even those .of Oswald or Ray, but it ' seemed clear that the ?others" he had in mind were in addition to those two men. He also told the committee that there was some information indicating` that.,-';-Somei;�Imidentitied indiViduals . .;�1: ij ea, �. knew in advance Hifi the Kennedy as-,":. sassination "was abut to occur." � V,' ; Most of ypsterdky's session, how- ever, was spent on ;the King murder. At a lunch-hour bailing, Stokes told reporters that the committee was moving with ilelibe:rate caution, but he said there was very good possi- bility that Some Witnesses" may be called to a; publitt,, hearing before March 31 in an effact to denionstrate n.:, the eed forcontim ng the Inquiry. The new..thairmiin would not dis- cuss the witnesses Who might testify, but other sotirces said two under con- sideration aro RaYlk brother,. Jerry, �and former Mempliiii police detective 'Edward E. IleddittOotie of two black . plainclothesmen atlitigned to keep -King under stirveltkance before the .,1968 murder. � ' ' Chief cdunsel Richard A. Sprague chats with new chairman Rep. Louis Stol � , , �, 77, --.777,7,7-7;c7---7,^77r-'7,-'-'r'''. Activities T�da f Representattves- . � Senate Meets at 9:45 Cal. on pUtiliCAVOtki,' Committees: _ Agriculture and Forestry-9 8.m. Oven. -Extend and amend the Agriculture end Consumer Protec- tion Act of 1973 with relation to peanuts-322 Rus- sell Office Building. Approprlations Subcommittee on Agriculture - 1:33 p.m. Open. FY 78 appronrlations; R.M. Davis- Soil Conservation Service, Richard Aldrich-Coopera- id H II R I Frank HOrton-Conim. on Fed Paper..:-.Work, rain BiirfOnTostehaster General-1224 -.4s-,,:iMartinez to be asst. secy. Or human dev.,In Arrned' SerVicesSubcommittee oe Researcn-� and. :to be followed by heartrigaltn tax cut bill 10 y Deverooment10 a.m. Closed. FY 78 authortzation(:---,2221 DOB. : , request :for Navy -hulls � & :propulsion; Foreign Relatiene StibcolaMitite on Foreign As- March-Navy read; vice Adm. .P.B. Armstrong-Offc-`..ii:.�-t,sistance-11 a.m. Open. I) 'emotional financial In- of Chief of. Naval Operations, Brig: Gent Stet: Olmsi,tif:Atitutions; Charles, Connate. and Sidney_ONleotraub-, stead-MeeineiCorps.-024 ROB ' School of: Public; Af14te5-Uatv.-bf Tex.; :Jernee � Armed. sonitees.4ulicomininee On Tee' Air.-..' Grant-Oversees Ha,rien, Power-4: a.m:' 'Closed- Jnini LISAF-hlavY Olrectiont42212013f: AeDr6prietions SObcdmmittee on Treasury, Post. ',quest; Markus Roiliclini a Lee Bossick-NUclear "a's, � Appropriations-2 , P.m. Open. For Operations' ii Service-2 -P.M.; OPen. FY 78 annroPriations; . Regulatory Comtalistion--4 DOB. , �.�� . � 4 'a.., Subc Cont. on aid. H-308 Can., Finance-9:30 A.M. Oner85 NominatiOn Appropriations-7 ti.m. Closed. tense Subc. on Spec. Activities, Alr Force. H-140 Can. - Appropriations-1 p.m, Open. Agri. Subc. on Farm- rs Home Admin. 2362 Rayburn House Office Bldg. , ApprobrIationS-1 p.m. Open. Interiot Subc. on ' � Natl. Park Serv, B-308 RHOB. Aperoprlations-2 a.m. Oven. Pub. Works Subc. . On Nuclear Res. & Application. 2362 RHOB. � - Approoriatlerts-2 O.m. Open. State Justice, Comm. & Judlciary Subc. On Patent, & Trademark Office. Electrification Administration-1114 DIrksen Office '-- '� :��mIssliest- Lt.. Gen. 'Alton Slay-Dep. Chief' tof.,Staffl� ,�: � uman Resoutcet 10 fii. �Open, ominatidn of' �t .:- Appropriations-2 pini. Open. Transport. Subc. t� Building. � , -R&D, Rear; Adm.' Robert:t. Mondeville-air warfare; ii,:�,,..:ArFibeila 8-88111888 to,i'be :list! seCY.: 8.f.-:HEIM-,:t4,232,-4�7tont. on Fed. Railway Admin. 23S8 RHOB. I ' . '' "'t " Rear -Adm. E.R. Seymour-naval- air Systemv-217i-Pl- ' ..- '-',, - Armed Services-10 em. Open. Cont. on teport,,w, Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense-t0 a.m. . ..ROEI. - -....,.. � ..' ' ..- ' � . , � t : .�1--4-.'-ii Human Resourcel Subiatimilfee on Health and 7e,'. to Budget Comte. 2118 RHOB. , Closed. Navy procure nanKing; notraIna � and ,tfrban Affairs-10 a.rn.'w it -., .' '''" '' 'e'.-tr�Scientific Researthe-.10 a.fliT Open, FDA' monitoring- Banking, & Urban Affairs-10 a.m. Open. t ' Finance procurement; Rear Adm. W.H. Row- , - .. .. � _ ,� OPen: Condition of banking sistenn; Arthur Burns,'-:-. .'of biomedical re:search:, Irwin Gardner-FDA, J. : , Consumer Aff. Subc. Cont. On HR 29, Debt Collec- den-DOD-1273 DOB. Richard Crout-Bureau of' rugs, .Josefshtlon Practices Act, Pub. wit. 2128 R1-1081. Appropriations Subcommittee on Foreign Opera- =Fed Reserve, Robert F. Ke ler-Dep. of Cemntrel-- tions-10 a m Open FY 78 0n nor Sam �.: � associate commissioner fet' compilance-2228 DOB. ' Budget-10 a.m: Open. Natl.- secur ty task force can Foundation-1318 DOB. Committee' reorgantia- ' Brown-Peace Corps, William DYal Jr.-Inaterameri- - r � and tioJn_udIrecolamiTT.2 'Judge-- 0 ash. Oren. welfare budget Issues beP.Vi.not?n7e014 � - Welfare re arm. � Robert' Harris, Urban Institute, Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior-Relat- Select Committee on 0,48a11 Business-9 '8.M.- John. Palmer, Brookings Inst JOhn Dernpser-MICh. � ed Agencies-9:30 a.m. Open. FY 78 apProp � ; Dept. of SdeLel ServIce5-357. ROB. ; �, Open. Product liability; ames GIllice-AmerIcan ti Vincent M Kelve -Geol !cal Survey-1114 � M AM ons;c Y og DOB. - Appropriations Subcommtlfee on Labor-HEW-2:30 - p.m. Olsen. Mark up economic stimulus 'package -S 128 Capitol. � Approcriations Subcommittee on Military\ Con- struction-10--a.m. Open. FY 78 approeriations for Air Force, Air Reserve and Air Guard; witness list unavailable-5 10 Clip. Approeriallens Subcommittee on Public Works:- 2 p.m. Open. Bureau of Reclamation. FY 78 apnr04 priations: witness list unavailable-S 126 Cap. Anpropyiations Subcommittee on Treasury, Post- al Service-10 a.m. Open. FY 78 appropriations: _ � ? Commercl; 'Science Cod Transportation-yi:*) 'Open. Business meettng-5110 DOB. Commerce, Science and. Transportation., SubcMte on Commix:Kahane-2 p.m. Open. BuSIness meeting 5110 DOB. ,�:, Enrrev and',Naturat Resources-10 a.m. , Open. � :" Ncimlnallons for interior Dept. positions;' Guy Mar- �,to ass': seer. and ,Robert Herbst to'.12e asst.,( i:saCY.-3110 DOB,- oneray_ and � Natural . Resourcee-2 Open: 7 � Mark up '5 36-drought bill and S 925-ERDA aulhe- 3110 DOB,- � � i,i�ictilinv:nt and Budget Works-9:45 e.rii; Open. � uInsurance _ an , of Washington, John �-Hunter Jr.-HUD--42.4 Select Committee on Intelligence Budget Autho- � fixation Subcmte-10 am,, Ond 2 pm, Closed FY � 78 intelligence budget Rte .:Air Force end � Navy; � Charles Cook-USAP, 'Adni. Donald Harley-Navy-S . 407 Can. On fed. budget & budget process. Dept. 285. 2t0 Cannon House Office Bldg. Budget-9 a.m. Open. Commun. & physical res. task force. On costs of new energy proposals. PEA Admin. O'Leary. 311 CHOB. � Education & Labor-9:30 a.m. Open. Elem., Secondary & Voc. Edu. Subc. �Cont. on HR 1139, Nall. School Lunch Act amend. Pub. wit. 7175 � RHOB. . Education P. Labor-10 a.m. Open. Labor-Manage. ' Rel. Subc. Cont. hrngs. on HR 3501 common Snug picketing. Pub. wit. 2261 RHOB. Government Operations-9:30 a.m. Oben. Environ., ; II01.taC;; 'Energy & �Natural Res. Subc. Cont. brags. on ;Meets at 11 elm': �1 - � tadloactive waste disposal costs. 2203 RHOB. : .: Agriculture-10: a.m. Oritip: On report to Budget Panel. Contested election: Saunders v., Kelly. H- Committee. 1701 LeneworlOtiouse Office IVO. � 328 Cap. , . � Aepropriations=9:39 a.itiO Open. On stinplemental � interior-9:43 a.m. 00en. Spec. Inve3t. Suhc. on � � House. AdminIstratien-9 a�rri. Open. Election international Relations-9:30 a.m. Citien4. , -by Clark Clifford, soeC.. pros. CMr" " c ,trip to Cyprus, Greece, & Tuekey. 2 .0e International Relations-2 p.m. C. As � 'Pacific Aft. Subc. on FY '78 foreit,.. aid Dept. wit. 2255 RHOB. - I. Commerce-10 a.m. Open. � Oversight 8, 1 - Subc. Cont. hrngs. on FPC. 2325 RHOB. . Commerce-10 a.m. Open. Consume 'Prott Finance Subc. Cont. on Ha 3816, FTC act a 2322 RHOB. Commerce-10 a.m. Open. Health' Xi,' Er Subc. Cont. on HR 4151, Clean .Air. Act a '' 2123 RHOB. . a- Judiciary-t0' a.m. Open. Mom/Polies' & C Law Subc. HR 3685, addl. fed. -lode' Atty. Gen. Bell. 2141 RHOB. Judiciary-10 am. Open. Crts., Civ. Lib. & X 'of Justice Subc. Cont. markup HR 3719, Sc Corp. auth. 2226 R Merchant Marine & FisBlieries-10 Coast Guard & Navigation Subc. Cent. hrn. comp. eil pollution & liability legis.., Dept 1334 LHOB. Rules-10:30 a.m. Open. HR 1746, halt Imp' /Rhodesian chronic. H-313 Cap. Science & Technology-9:30 a.m. Open. Fe a: & Nuclear Energy Res.. Develop. & Demo. Cont. markup ERDA auth. 2318 RHOB. Selene') & Technology-2 p.m. Open.. Er & Atmos; Subc. Cont. on PA & ERDA markup. 2325 RHOB. � Science & TectutologY-2 p.m. Open. Adv. - Tech, 9- Energy Res. Develop. & DOmE cont. On .ERDA faith. Markup. 2318 R1-100. Stand:rds of Conduct-1 p.m. Open. Pendint (less_ 23,!.3 RHOD. Neteress Affairs-9 a.m. Open. Pending; tril Wi�rs & Means-10 a.m. Onen. On � 120.0 331 CH' 3. 'By James K. W. Atherton�The Washingtoi ssasstna BY George Lardner Jr, Washiniton Post Steil Writer 7. The House Assassinations Commit- ; tee got a new chairman yesterday af- ter the resignation of Rep. Henry B. Gonzalez (D-Tex.) was accepted on the . House floor by a vote of 296 to100. - � , Speaker-Thomas P. (Tip) O'Neill Jr. (D-Mass.) named Rep. Louis Stokes (D- Ohio) to preside over the uncertain itia;�: quiry, which will go out of business . March 31 unless the House votes: to � continue it. � � � �.;. Stokes took heart in the top-heavy =, vote to accept Gonzalez' resignation, '' which he said he felt Was "in some � ways a barometer of the feelings of the House" about the investigation,'r. but others saw no connection. House Majority Leader Jim Wright (D-Tex.) emphasized in a floo: speech that ; Gonzalez no longer wanted any part of the committee and hoped. the House would simply accept his resig� nation without a fuss. "The fight is still uphill," Wright told reporters later of the committee's struggle to stay alive. "The' chances for survival are somewhat unlikely." Others privately said they saw Stokes' appointment as a sign of hope only for the investigation of the mur- der of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. The Cleveland Democrat is one of the four members of . the Congres- sional Black Caucus appointed to the 12-member committee last September ' as a result of the caucus' special inter- est in the King assassination. , United Press International Rep. Stokes: "Absolutely essential that the original intent ... be carried forth." ' � he 'rat; into resistance from chief his former teoi lleagues On the commit counsel Richard A. Sprague, and was tee for refuting to back his efforts to overruled by all 11 other members of ; fire Sprague. Stokes, however, said he thinks it ;_ the committee when he tried to fire ' ["Even if all those guys from top to "absolutely essential that the original intent of the committee be carried ,��n��,, "bottom were to be born again I . , ''P.�5"'. . - ' forth" to investigate tile" assassina- O'Neill had initially said he would wouldn't touch them with a 15-foot tions of both President Kennedy and to submit Gonzalez' resignation to .; pole," said Gonzalez. "They sold me of King. He said in a short press con- - the House until he first had a chance -;"down the river." - terence that the committee may re. to try to dissuade him, but O'Neill -�� [Gonzalez, speaking on a talk show lease some sort of preliminary report said yesterday that_ all his efforts to .'. on radio station WOAI, said he quit s tithehaadssbaesscoinmaetio a committee because n on the evidence gathered thus far in.c.,..i contact the ailing chairman had been . hopes of generating sufficient sup- .t' - t ' . ' � : c - , futile. Gonzalez has been. recovering , . _ . . . "ridiculous charade port from the flu in his San Antonio home. He also aimed some of his fire at .". Gonzalez lasted as chairman little [In S G an Antonio,. onzalez de- speaker O'Neill. "Old Tip is a fine - more than a month. Appointed Feb. 2, nounced r.-1,he House � leadership and 4i, guy, but his ,concept of the speaker-- � airman ship is that it's just one glorious ex- tension of the Boston political ward system," Gonzalez said.] Several committee memhers had hoped the speaker would appbint Rep. Richardson Preyer (D-N.C.), the rank- ing Democrat, as the new chairman, , but O'Neill said he wanted Preyer as chairman of the about-to-be-created , House ethics committee. Preycr, for his part, had urged ap- � pointment of someone not now on the committee, but O'Neill said he de- cided on Stokes, the next-ranking Democrat, because "I just feel those on the committee are more knowl- edgeable" about the inquiry. Yesterday's roll-call vote was de- manded by Rep. Robert E. Bauman (R-Md.), an early critic of the investi- gation, who said the House should first have an opportunity to discuss the charges of mismanagement and insubordination which Gonzalez had leveled against Sprague. The debate, however, lasted only a a few minures, and consisted largely of attacks on the press by members of the Assassinations Committee. Rep. Stuart B. McKinney (R-Conn.) charged that the media had created the "erroneous" impression that the coma � mittee was in disarray when everyone �except Gonzalez�was "very firmly together." The immediate upshot was to leave Sprague firmly ensconced as chief counsel and staff director with the � committee's unanimous support. At a closed meeting in Stokes' office yes- terday afternoon, sources said, com- mittee members demonstrated their backing by giving Sprague authority to fire Kenneth Brooten, whom Gon- zalez had designated to replace Sprague, and Edythe Baish, a staffer who had supplied Gonzalez with re- ports on Sprague's � activities. Sprague reportedly told the corn- 'mittee that he ordered both Brooten and Baish to report to work yesterday morning and that they had failed to do so. Prior Knowledge of Assassinations? tie Gives Panel SS. ome ew FukInce ByJeremlah O'Leary 7.-..":-_ :uncovered' startling ' new leads in leader in Memphis. But' 'Ray has , . wilskingtoastarstauwriier . ',;Y4-� `it* order to persuade House members to . since recanted his confession and is , ,. investigators for the House.Assas. � smation Committee have information- ,extend the funding. -. - .. . _ demanding a new trial and report- , .. Rep. Sam Devine, R-Ohio, asked ,edly is willing to testify for the House that some persons knew beforehand 2. that President John F. Kennedy and �., Sprague whether ,the information committee... - � �.:-I�1:.,..:, , ".;-, gathered by the Sprague staff Is new Sprague told the panel he is now - - Dr.".,:- Martin Luther _King Jr, were ' or a rehash of what was presented to 'ready to -ask for subpoenas for cer- going to * be .killed.. Chief Counsel. the Warren Commission. . .. ; . , , tam n witnesses whom he did not pub-.4 , Richard A. Sprague said today. - ' , --"-The committee, under its new ' � - � -- ' Sara e reviled' "The information' licly identify. He said he is also ready c airman, Rep. Louis Stokei, D- Ohio,_ immediately _voted to exclude presk.and public before hearing the details from Sprague , , �::41; Stokes asked Sprague to give the .-'committee some idea of. nature of his briefing as Soon as he had ap- pointed subcommittees- for'. the -'1 .Kennedy i eChairman. named � itepis Richardson l'Rr:Ogrpc0-N.C., to head the Kenne'pahel and Distric".Del. Walter. E. y Fauntroy to head the King Thorti;;,soragFeiitiod, -,.:120sent f: today_ in.�'clitait 'information, .1wcitahave gathered, to date.: We have 13-nenc.'nnable to do a ,thorough ,check .onIlie,,information.. to ascertain -if it-' Jsan be:corroborated:6r disproved. :14'1734 the sum-total of theinforthat tiojn both-murderx would' be in the' mitatUreof. evidence7indicating '2:thar ;others. may have 'hail knowledge::or- Participated in the- assassinations of .-President Kennedy 'and - Kum:: This:,1;informatipo-:Lwould . indicate � therewaS Some prior knowledge bI ;,somaindividuals.?; ." ."-ATMY ' ,_:�SkiAoLTE'S iniOrmation May - crucial. to the continued:life' ot the: assassination committee, which has, been --paralyzed by. a feud between Sprague and the: formir chairman;. Rep: Henry B. Gonzalez, D-Tex. The committee's funding expires at the end Of March and it is thought the committee must demonstrate it has,: would -e new in some instances Sand additional information mothers such as information that was available but to resume the. investigation . and to send people to interview numbers of : witnesses to see whether information was not, presented to the Warren , as-receiVed..an 1.4e proved A Commission in the Kennedy case.." . ;;.,,, or disproved. .�:-:,:--f-.:-,. ., , : , ,. Rep. ..John ...Anderson, .. R-111., in-, ..., . YESTERDAY, jolts -first Meetine.: ...iluired,..1,1`Does.: this include ,people -,.. under chairman Stokes, the commit.' who have never testified,in the case ,; tee. voted, to -fire the Only two toein-- ;:rof James Earl Racr,"_. I,- : :.;.,..,,.. L., -.,. .,. _,-,s' :,..., bersof, .;Gonialez,the,,. ,:,,7:4-,,4A .. staff known to be loyal to Sprague;replie ,: !correct. Ray I 'nowservirnka life term in a Tennee-ic�..Letters'Of dismissal � ' li !, ,.. ,..-.7.-...,11,-o-ie.i.ii,:.;., . - .,. see State prison after having pleadecl*:;74ythliaiih and Kenneth.Brooten.-'4`;''' .guilty,;_to the slaying of the civil.rights.,.. 'Ai4ii: 741'=','See-PROBE;k,ii. �:40ti.i.i.4*4.44i i,-44 r,,,s,i.ibiri�r,, viii,.0.1...tt4 �Vir:/..ilt Continued From A-1 The 'action came-yesterday after- noon' -shortly after the House � voted- ,296-100 to, accept Gonzalez' resigna- ;tibn as chairman. Gonzalez had been feuding with Sprague. .. , � Baish, 55, aclulowledged last week that she was the "spy on the staff who .supplied Gonzalez.- with. 'seven typewritten;� reports of what she ,called ''Sprague' pep, rallies" and daily telephone reports of staff ac- tivities. -Baish said she acted out of loyalty to Gonzalez,: for whom .she had worked part-time for 41/2 years. Brooten, a� Florida attorney, had been a senior counsel. on Sprague's ' staff but : associated himself with Gonzalez' 'viewpoint as to- how the committee staff would function. Stokes was appointed yesterday to be the committee's third chairman in three months by House Speaker Thomas P. O'Neill.- O'Neill named' Stokes after the House moved with-S., out notice to accept Gonzakez' resig- nation yesterday.. ; 3 ARJJCLL ON PAGE THE CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR 9 March 1977 ' Assissination panel ' _,�, to have new chairman Washington The House Tuesday accepted � the resignation of Rep-Henry Gonzales-(D) of,Texas as chair:� man of its troubled Committee on Assassinations, and House - � Speaker:Thomas O'Neill said he . would name Rep. Louis Stokes:::" (D), Ohio as new chairman:.:'';':': ,Thellote to accept Mr;��Gonia:7� 1:1": lee .resignation was 296 t�100. He submitted his resignation - Maichlt after trying unsticcess- ttl fully to fire Richard Spragtie as chief counsel of the committee. The panel; formed last September4 to investigate the assassinations � of President Kennedy and Martin' 'Luttler King Jr; has been torrp;�:r with internal problems which were brought,to a head by the Gon zales-Sprague feud. Gonzalez Resignation Is Accepted 9 MAR 1977 txil WASHINGTON, Mara 11 (AP};�The tinue the investigation of the assassida- House accepted today, by a vote _of 296 tions of President Kennedy and the Rev. to 100, the resignation of Representative Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. � � -- Representative Thomas P. O'Neill Jr. Henry B. Gonzalez, Democrat of Texas, of Massachusetts, the House Speaker, as chairman of the assassinations com- said before asking the members to vote mittee despite an _objection that it first on Mr._ Gonzalez's resignation that he should discuss his charges against Rich- would name Representative Louis Stokes, ard A. Sprague, the committee's chief Democrat of Ohio, as chairman of the counsel. committee. - - �Representative- Robert E. -.Bauman. Mr. Stokes already is a member of the , Republican of Maryland, objected to put- committee.. Its investigation has been ting the resignation to a yote, saying blocked- by a bitter dispute between Mr. there first should be a full -discussion of Gonzalez and Mr. Sprague. .,. Mr. Gonzalez's charges that Mr. Sprague Mr. O'Neill held off more than a week refused to .cut costs as the' chairman had after Mr. Gonzalez submitted his resigna- ordered. �-� - - � �" :. � � � tion. The Speaker had hoped the dispute But House leaders forced the resigna- could be resolved with ,the Texas Demo- tion question to a vote, with Representa- crat remaining as chairman of the com- tive Jim, Wright of Texas the majority mittee..., leader, telling the members that the only � However, Mr. O'Neill finally gave up ' issue at the moment was whether to ac- that effort,. and said he would accede to cept the chairrnan'slresignation. ���, � _ Mr; Gonzalez 's desire to resign from the Representative John B. Anderson, committee. , Republican of -Illinois, told Mr. Bauman The. acting Chairman and, the chief that the time for discussing Mr. Gon- counsel'of the committee say they oppose -zalez's charges _.agaInst Mi Spri e calling James. Earl Ray, Dr. Kin's con- would be at the end of the month, ien victed murderer, for quick hearings on the House has to decide whether to con,- the 1968 assassination of Dr. King. �,..,-,,,..4BiO6nrsge Larcliter .1r,..,,, , ...:',.."is)!!!iiii,,triii Voit Eftqf WrItOt,.,,, � The: clii4 counsel of 'the 1-113USe As , , sasiiiiititinO!,:Comthittee;,;1�..Yestettlik4.. ' blarnedTits/isetbacks ,.onRitsi.missing �,;v. chairman and ',Urged the other -imerri::3:i", ' hers : to i�eneWAtlieir ingtiiry. into the Murderi*Of both , President Kennedy nd Martin Luther King Jr. � -.' "L ..ilonot, think one Person. march.,:j ing out Of; step. ought to dettroX)..theI : Work of everyone else," ; the. commit. iee'S chief counsel, , Richard A. , 'SPrii4'. kii6;sa1d!, of Chairman Henry B..,'GOn- zalef -(D-Tik.)......,',:. . ':.;..,. �, -,.,,,-,:,;.....i'',1:::1-t i The 11 other members of the corn.. i Mittee met without Gonzalez, who 4.; submitted MS resignation list Week af- ter a futile attempt to fire Sprague On ii. charges of r,nisnikriagement ;,�ari,d7',41 subordination... ,- i�: .4, . . , -,' 1 ' .Rep. , tar es tone, e . " di' ' i ' TI "iii;11'li ;.' voiced 1 hii,ildubtS that:. the Committee ,'',C.Ould,,-.. ever issue a ' report that will be-,b67: *;. liev0d, by. the, American . people; 'tafter',...,-, t this three-ring circus wetve had bere;-... ' this Keystone KopS adventure,": c � .. Sprague conceded that no dramatic . breakthroughs would be . possible . by, .'. , f ' ' b I March 31, when the committee will go ::::''Assassinations panel counsel Sprague, right, eon confers witb aide Robert Tanen aum. ' out of business unless it. can, win , a ,' ,-, - � -..- 4: . , *: , ,. , permanent charter from. the house. , � ' possible if the committee can win ?tan '..' Congress," alluding to the commit- , ,-- - - "The concept of coming up now- ' appropriate '.- budget'*,, and i.;,,bigger -.i4ee's uncertain future in the House.- with a smoking. gun : . :-. if that is the staff. '. ' ' ,- - ' : '..,''. ' ,..Under questioning by Rep. Yvonne - only -was, in which the investigation � . !`I take it You do not feel the ship is ...,';': B. Burke (D , Ously7 resisted the notion that the in- -Calif.), Sprague vigor- ; job cannot be done," he, told Tlione.: ,,. './..PL-feelt there's been. someXcifpeclocs '... vestigation�, if lb.iis to .,..stiiVive-; at ,tall, ' I can prOceed; then in thy Opinion, the : ,' iiiikingn.asked ThOnt: , '-..,,,..� ,,, But. he said he still, thought a ' ' hot," Sprague replied: t."Ithe,question must first cOndentrate On one.-assassi- :, thorough, _ credible Investigation Was is whether it has been Sunk ,with the � nation, probably that of Dr. King.. , .. . '.4,.�-,`,,....:,...,,,.......;,, "-, i4 ;-':.4,..,,0-.4,4-,.,..!..,--"r7. . ' .. . .� By 'James K. 'W.'Athertot �The Wishimiton Post � , ,.:. Speaking of the present 73-member,' . :daft which many House .members ;Ileoniend is large enough, Sprague as'l 1 ...serted that it is too amall to handle,.,' either inquiry, let alone both of them. ."I do not think that with the exist-., ing staff, you can do a credible inves= tigation �will' . either ' (assassination)," ''.. he told the committee. ,There �is a peed for Additional staff." With' Rep; Richardson POYer (D.- , .. N.C.) presiding in place . of Gonzalez, 4 ',whose resignation has yet to be acted : upon, by the House, the committee put .ioff any:, discussion of the post March '.:. ..-.31 budget it will Seek and postponed until Wednesday a disctisSio4 of the �""- evidence compiled thus far in the two '-intirders. Rep. Louis Stoke t (D.-Ohio) ,! '..was named chairman of a task force ' o, come _up with a new budget in ; place of 'the $6.5 million Sprague ini-,.' tiallY proposed in Decetnher. ' Yesterday's daylo session was de- ,;. voted instead, ami a display of ' � premeditated harmony, to adoption of , procedural rules for the investigation .- and to housekeeping details such as .., unplugging paychecks for the staff for February. In ,clearing the way for the . , back pay, which had run into a snag over, the current $84,000-a-month spending limit, the committee also '1 ;"quietly removed any cloud over Spra- gue's claim to his job. ' . -.- The snag over the spending limit was, removed when most of the staff � ,- agreed to take a 1.11all additional paY `1- cut, leaving them at 61.5 per cent of . agreed-upon salary. . . ..: AssasinatiOns Panel alle ar _ , SAN ANTONIO, Tex. (AP) � Rep. ,,-..,planned to meet today to see if the ' His resignation has not yet been Henry B. Gonzalez says the assassi- '.' . committee could be saved. The meet- formally accepted. ,.. - - - -'------. nation of John F. Kennedy will never � ing was scheduled without the per- . - Gonzalez said he 'tried to call � be investigated in a meaningful way 'mission of Gonzalez and was to be at- House Speaker Thomas O'Neill and . "because vast and powerful forces,- � tended by Sprague, who has refused fellow Texan Majority Leader Jim including the country's most sophisti- to be fired. ' - . ' . . :.-- 'Wright' to enlist their support. , cad 'crime element, won't stand for *. ,TI ONLY SLIM ,-;i..: ; �. - l_ _ - enc .. ouragement - .::. "It -, - was an etercise in futility,"`": 'M - - ' in.". , ..;:--,-� "This -criminal ''element is ae�..6t.' the troubled panel to prevent its :F Gonzalez said._!!The fix was.. pervasive, loaded with nothing but ,,I.Jalmost certain dissolution this month - -,.� He said he was then aware "at last': . money and in many 'ways more go.. lay in promises of "new evidence" in :- .- 'that the House leadership never had. tent than the government itself," said :'.;:,. the assassination of King and the re-, --- intended for the JFK investigation to Gonzalez, a Texas Democrat. who parted- willingness 'tti - testify . by: ,L fly, and indeed had prefabricated the. submitted his resignation last week. - 'James Earl ,Ray, King's confessed. '- whole thing for the skids." rm ' . � --- ' ": , . ',., -2�,i,,..._,.,..- . .,....,,,.:: - , -,,,,,, ,,1-.i.s ,. - . , .--, . 4 , : , c,. ,..i.,... 1 c.. as chairman of the House AssEissina- )(Hier. . .; tion Committee. -:= .:,:', '.....-7.-:'.1..f.:i f. 0k,,,-,GonzaIez resigned' as Commi .;'lf ttee `'.WITHOUT BEING specific, Gon; In an interview published yester chairman following a showdoWn with .:zalez said that "powerful forces, in-:-.- .---- . . " day in the San Antonio Express- --.`2Sprague,. during which Gonzalez .cu ding criminal elements had. deliberatly put Sprague and himself . -.News, Gonzalez said other forces ..;_ tried to fire Sprague but fellow corn- : against the in include tithe - -thittee members supported the for. into the committee picture on an . 7, . autlli Kennedy family and heavy business ,I.Fner Permsylvania prosecutor. omatic co sion course. , - . , , , .. F .�,....,.. :-.- f .4 ,,.....-,-::.:...4 '4.1". ,,,..2 ...... i� interests in the Dallas-Fort Worth ' .: - area who don't want all the old JFK .muck raked up." .."-:;. - The congressman 'called thea'seas- . sination probe committee "a put-on,"' job and a hideous farce that was., never intended to work."' � ' ''''' ---- . HE CRITICIZED the committee's ' chief counsel, Richard Sprague, as an "unconscionable scoundrel" and _ added: "Sprague tried to spend committee. money on long-distance phone calls '. to his Philadelphia law firm and to . the home of his girl friend there. And . get this. He actually took a little Aca- pulco vacation for himself while on - the committee payroll." Sprague was not immediately . .,, available for comment. _ Gonzalez predicted the committee will forget about the Kennedy assas- sination now and go into "a weak, one-legged investigation of the Mar- tin Luther King assassination as a sop to blacks." Meanwhile, committee Members TUESDAY; MARCH 8, 1977 21 Without a Chairman Assassination Panel Adopts New Budget By DAVID BURNHAM apedal to Thu Par York-pour WASHINGTON, March 7�Fighting tor its life, the House Assassinations Commit- tee met today without its chairnian and, adopted a series of rules and an interim buciget for its investigation into the deaths of President Kennedy and the Rev, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. � � Nevertheless, . Representative Richard- son Preyer. the North Carolina Democrat who presided at todars Meeting, said the chances' of the committee's surviving be- yond March 31 'were The committee was established by the House last September.. .For the last few weeks its chairmlin, Representative Henry B. Gonzalez, .Democrat - of Texas, and the rest of' the committee members have been battling-bver whether to dis- miss or retain its controversial chief counsel, Richard A. Sprague. Last week Mr. Gonzalez said Mr. Sprague was a "scoundrel" and submitted his resignation as chairman. The Speaker of the House, Thomas P. O'Neill Jr., said that he did, not have the power M accept Mr. Gonzalez's resignation and that it would have to be acted upon by the House. - - At tridars Meeting, the'committee voted itself the power to hire and dis- charge staff and approved yet-another reduction hi the salaries paid to more , .than half Of' the 70 staff members, so ; that-the committee would not spend more than was authorized by the House. The nevi Cuts mean that 48 staff mem- hers will receive only 61 per' of their �agreed-upon =aeries for February and March.' ": " � " ' 'The committee did not discuss Mr. Gon- . zalez's refusal to sign a pay voucher bearing Mr. Sprague's name, nor did it directly address the chairman's allegation that Mr. Sprague had violated House : rules by continuing to practice law in ; Philadelphia and by refusing to prepare a new budget for the inquiry. � The committee, however, did adopt new � rules, restricting the inquiry's use of lie detectors, psychological stress evaluators and equipment to tape telephone conver- sations: _ Under the' rules, none of these devices can be used without the perntission of the subject and, in some instances, of I a majority of the committee. Another re- striction would prohibit the public disclo- sure of either the results of any poly- graph test or a witness's refusal to take such a test. Representative Preyer said he hoped these restrictions, and a provision verlor which the committee said it would locate � a lawyer for a witness unable to afford his own, would allay fears that the com- . mittee's investigators might violate the civil liberties of any person tzc ; 7(air sassina By George Lardner Jr. payroll [for the Assassinations Com- mittee staff] . . . It's our opinion that, the committee was not properly or- - the House Assassinations Committee ganized." � produce some striking evidence soon, Several committee members indi- 'said� one leading House Democrat, cated they will do their hest to gloss "they can start singing 'Nearer My, over that at today's meeting and legi- God to Thee.'" ; tirnize the staff as it stands. They are Some congressmen would prefer to afraid that if Sprague should be ,:`,";� Washington Post'St.aff Writer � Unless the beleaguered members of the staff because- would "be :;"immoral" tO fire people already ' ^.working at voluntarily-reduced Day. Sprague, however, has yet to acknowl- edge anY. fault in hiring too' many peo- ple to begin with. � .r'� " ;: Then there is Gonzalez, wlio Warteckt 16 years,to become chairman of a big- , start the music right now. Stunned by forced out now, -enough top-ranking . :.,' time committee. One, House � Demo- ,internal bickering and- ,questionable staffers and even some committee cratic leader faults him for behaving spending practices that have yet to be members would quit with him, mak- - cleared up, the 12-member committee ing it impossible to stage an evidenti- too much like a heavy-handed, oldtime i will die March 31 unless it can win a ary hearing and justify the commit- _. 'chairman, for not realizing times have new vote of confidence on the House tee's continuation past March 31. ...- changed in the House,: But .,that's, floor. For his part,. Gonzalez seems to understandable, too. _-, �.. ' . So far it .has shown nothing to he have no intention of walking in and , "Look at the Texans who have been ; confident about. It has incurred bills causing a stir. Although House lead committee committee chairmen in the Huse' . paid and unpaid, of more than $300,- ' ers say he is still the chairman untiLf.: this congressman 'rsa1c1. ' "You've got'. 000 since September-in rushing to- the House acts on his tendered resig,-- ',.peofile like George, :,. Mahon, jack- gether a bigger staff than it could af- nation, he insisted in a letter to Rep.-',-- Brooks, Bob Poage.-.These are guys ford. It has yet to hold a single public. . Richardson Preyer (D-N.C.),,.. Friday .-,... used to brooking . no opposition, . used � hearing On whatever evidence it has ; ' that he was no longer chairman" and . to running over anybody ,who got in .- ' gathered in the murders of President.- ..,- thus not empowered to call a meeting ;,:,:7'. their way Then . Henry � becomer�-a the '-,,;:, .e;:*. -Kennedy and e Rev: Martin Luther , ;.,. of the committee., or perform .,11. y- chairman and what ,haPperia? Tbr .1' ' ' ;: ,, ,I.A,1,,' ''' � ' ., . ...;;,...'.e44,:;f4,a.,174414.4* , King Jr. It has even insisted on se --,ether function as a member of it -�i ,I,f.- .., 4 of, crecy for 'the hundreds of unanswered - , . _ Speaker O'Neill has said he would;e not send Gonzalez' resignation to, the ------.- : 1V,ittCslAii-alisis.--;t.,'i:::::;:t.',.� floor until he had a chance to talk with ' ' . �'-,,,`' him�something the flu stricken Gon-5.; queltfnall it has compirect 'perhaps for :zalez avoided. last week�but, the Tex-7,. � 'fear that tOO many of the-answers � ., :an'S letter to Preyer,,,the second-rank- � tight be:,-,L,�� - - ' :readily available 'lug on . the. committee, stig�A' , ;. Instead of ., � the public record, it showed' a prefer-- (-:- ted that Gonzalez has no intention ence- for seeking, blues ,, with poly - . '4fellianging his mind - ��;. -, ' :7:i: , graphs; . f5SYchologicaL. stress ,evalna:,:' -',.j'f!': Submission of his resignation to the ir ' -tors and other questionable 'gadgets::: ':.'.,-; House could, in -turn;: touch off.-fire- , Despite all that, -the. Houle voted works, especially since Sprague is still' ;Feb .'2 to give the committee roughly , � chief ;counsel. and staff director de- - two More months�until March 31�to - spite Gonzalez', attempts to fire himt, . - settle'down, draft a reasonable and ,.-and ,the attempts of Rouse Majority- prudent-budget and comeback for a ' Leader Jim Wright (D-Tex.) to-get him Charter that would last, toygli ;to share power with a chief adminis- hr, 95th Congress: , trator. Not a few House members are � " The inquiry turned to opera bouffe. � "incensed at the thought that a chair= � ',Appointed chairman by Speaker man, one of their own, is being sacri- - ! � Thomas P. (Tip) O'Neill Jr. (D-Mass.) , Deed for a "clerk." ..1,� � "There are just two kinds of people for the probationary period, Rep: who work here,".said_Rep. lieriryj,-13.__Gonzalez--(1)-Tex Charles P Rangel (D-N.Y.f, r"rnemberS of. Con- he Should have been named chairrnan gress and clerks. Some of the clerks last year,-'took the assignment as a , -Mandate -to, pui .the.,f9lnli!fti�0.v.e.r.' ,. are elevator operators. Some are sec; �:-. ,, eiaries.-: Some ' -are chief counsel of 6itterided finances in order::,,, � Richard A. Sprague, a former Phila.' ..--e� Sprague, in short,. may not last mmittees. But they're all Clerks." ' - delphia ...prosecutor , who had-, been.,,,.. ; :longer. But .if he is": to be -promised complete autheritY27tiverlincvv4n, 'much-- ---- � - - - .. . . ,.....dlimped,: the Committee MaY. have to ;int and firing by, CrOnzalez-, ! predecek ,,:,:. be -reconstituted, perhaps even- under"- - ';-.Sor, ir. resisted, allegedly to the. pnint Of. - . � �� , - - �� 1 -tat sz.!-�elmth..er.name. There .- have been whis- .. 4eri"-Idiiti'gcl*I'ez:f'n':private---$ ' - l di iers about making it a House Jue', ;:ineeting-Ond ix.i.arntrig4telf_nierabers ::-...,arY subcommittee, although Chairman' :4h4t4110YAC�Yv�uld � be fired foL-- ear;Tbig'�-: ' 'Peter 31V. Rodino Jr. (D NJ) is said to :�igbailliback to members Congress.'f--.,1 have expressed disfavor. There also is ? One staffer, ;Idythe IL Baish;-Whci haci.,-.,;;; rising sentiment for ' wiping out the .iWorked' fen' Gonzalez- for,: 41/2 years, entire investigation. brOught the�word: back to: hlm 41e..or. --. , ""We've fooled around wit1V it so '-' eredSPrague dismissed Feb-. 10,!only:'1,.^.. Much it's just a mess," said House ,to be 'aountermanded by, all 11, .other . ....:' Rules Committee Chairman James J. Corninittee Members. ' .: :; ...4- -'; :.,-- - !.e7 ' Delaney (ID NY) whose committee ,t: Finally, after Walilljg :*tiePAY two... i,:, has jurisdiction over continuation of !. 'weeks In vain' for t�he Onse' 'oder'.-'the inquiry. He expressed frustration st.shipt.tO: back him 0,. Gonzalez Submit:, ; 1-:-,^that, after more than five months of 5ted his own.resignation-lyedneselaY*�:.',;�,.,. ..-- sporadic investigating by the commit- thi-Niake of 'a.. series of litter llasfs.....-,,..,.(ee, .�: ne.;has no idea whether it has . �:',.....-.IncrediblY; the conanitteei...11..otyet ;.tr come up With anything substantial rixiembers, or a inajoriti9tth4ni; AP- i:,-1:>. wira. '..1"I'd like to know If they have any- i'itarently plan to . addrisS,'.;:illeinsels.T. '':thin'--g or. if this is just a plain witch- t.o,�-thelfliSPute by itnoringit:, l'Ily pr. :i iiiint,r Delaney said. "I. don't know if - t4thiYilircentitai,O4 virPeizi t;:;-anrespbtit:.tb.,cigdea, '18kaipprte:47- ti ' , ; . i�ilitit ixand7rst ora nnoo, , t committee. mei.:q. . c:ofqrocedUre anti. lirete ,, x;,that'.k4,1:ir 1 c bare see2lhretigned to abandoning- the se ' ci-the,'..rest of .:0144.0tAfflrE Ae---AnVestigation:.of President KenneVs ` . ,jkg,ard the' - a o ,- . � 42963 murder or at least'assigliihglt�`%,,, , t.1.5.-4A11-..this, ignores one, of the basic !very, verti minor role." Evidently not . tons raised ,;pyr,:c-V.Onzalez"-�,.at-'!.!.;. tenough, promising information :his ,,,, �,., emp - ' ire'Spragne.Aflie,..;COn'il:' nitr, : -: been developed. They are working to .I .....iee :'Ma,in .. T the giaPrman. i had ;.-:.,. 'salvage the King inquiry and are hopr -.� power , ., uir olptionthat,..te-..,.., ing to stage. a hearing on it, ..before-, / 'no such p -,eita.bkished the, mg iiu ' -'year .6x-' .taciding the Sprague problem. But all: . employ andsted the compensation' , ' .:ted:- that #ie .,�. . ,to ,.. /Ail. Ak is Still Wahl, VntWAve,...,,, - ftql9g3inir,_,..-1':-.11,ioniet O'Neill- has said he thinks the com-,�i ,,plicitlY al fix a: staffers le is cuStdriiir4:#1t4 tnui ' with the it: f"!:..5 will have to produce :tee ah0.4471.5.:,;" � ' ,.�5; 4 iki;;V� 4'1-'1 '' s,,-, Ts � king', more ' � a sensational nature" to 4) If flairrnaf'ciin bi, 61:inaalez' 1 4 es, el: .1, :, urvive but c mode ttee members are terms; of ; '...e.2.4:�Cilz; Meek o'bbseryed;Ilf - Go lez shad 4lailakini public � "what we eys. arte,:,-, ' - i ;o7r..1, , ghee ,to' �Are' Sprague, then Sprague,,;4!;sienificant leads." .A staffer rin-,- ft -1-00issip,b4ek ineffiiliefe,of Co:tit eaS:' . ." . have expressed disfavor There e stafferdYtbe .11; BeiSh' ;'who . rising sentiment for:wiping ori.""?' for�41i . ..� invr the:WOrd 'beak to " . arci ' � g;4e.re Praguedismissed Feb. 10 f We've ,only; - � . Eto. o much its ju . itermand other Bules Comm Delaney ' Finally, af. � � Waiting neiirlY, two- h � I -weeks,,in vainjo as the ..gouse',..leaderi:,,::; shipto back him ip onzaliz submitl, ed his own:-.1.eSignation-. ediiesday -14'�;.iiiike era: Sefiea 'Of 'lb cortunittee' 1 embers, or a majorl r.pantly pia n- thedispiite ;tif- eig.)therns the - re ely gnoring1tThey paY , Meet 4,0day"-0. year's, budget; k.Topr cedv,re, and: bek.s?se 4and the rest of the taf ese inVeitig,j � 6 , one, .t as c.N 'questions raised raised. , cOonzE,tz!. �� temptsto lire praue. Theonimit ;tee!Majority:.:Said.,:the'''chafruian hack.; , no such Poiver. The,resolUtio4110e- ' establishedd the, incil4ir this :year .y:ex stated that the authoritY;t0 ; ."employend fix the compensation" Of , e as sal e t inks the com- l;staffers litited. with :the. full.:cbreinit=7,2eisinittee - � have to produce i:tee and ..pa SS- is ellStqniar.S,With the ' something ot a sensational 'nature" to 21". :=?-f.',071r14 survive, but committee members are But a one of, Giihtplez" aides; Xel, :tilking,. more modestly in terms of isey4,Meek,'Sobserv'ed;f,'Ilf GOaaleZ making public � "what we believe are mo right. to ,fire. Sprague, then Sprague�:' significant leads!' staffer close to firtaY, not :have been properly hired the. sinvestigationi said Members bel � ther OnlY.'Gonzale4 had certified' his tbei'cin demonstrate 'the weak eniploymehrti'or that of the rest of the!, r;ness:of-Ilie Justice Department's [just- ', ;.:staff; for:the 95th congreSs.:.` issued] task force report on the King "That's the ' next 'logical question" aiSasgriatio '':regardinr, the [police] '0.� said Meek. !.'Did. anybody ever ,ftave :-.4.N.surveillance ..King -before he was - � al job in the first place""1"-- 4968 �he th '. *T chairman e.House Admin= Exclaims author-investigator Harold the , with' it so � ess," said House � e Chairman James J. .Y.), whose committee sdiction over continuation of b�nqulry. He expressed frustration hat, 'after more than five months of sporadic investigating by the commit- '. t. tee, lie,:lias no idea whether it has, come up With anything substantial. ) .'"I'd like to know if they have any- -.thing Or:if this is just a plain witch- j t,2,' Delaney said. "I don't know if . ' Ichhunt or not." eaders and . committee mem-, eSigned't0 abandoning the' President Kennedy's � least-assigning:It "a e." Evidently not rmation has working to re hop- fore - 11 � ' .196'4 'very, vertY minor enough' ,Lproniising been developed. They a _Salvage the King inquiry an ing to stage a hearing on it, tackling e Sprague problem. Bu that' � hl ' 4 :3stratioxiCommittee, 4i7".�Kelics;,-- Frank.:.Weisberg: "What's that got to do with ;:MIOn2.9sOn.jr,'W-14.J.),;WaStet. sure ot�::-...who 'Wed King?, This gets zanier by ! the enswer but said the question:414r , ).thp minnte.!!;;;,-:-.. ..: . .. : ... � i � , ., ....:' ,71.r..,.,.. frivolous.. ' ,4.... ,;" .: -4 I., ,......" r. _.. ., At this point, however no evidenti- �� L'......: ''."..it is a legitimate argumentt? he .� 'ary hearing has been scheduled. Sa..ts iid.':."111ilrY71.ii -taitTh1ii-liWit4e0..-� gal 'mistake -in., signing 4iii, e'.7anuary 4 for- Aine,--;..-`470IY: 'feeling. I. is it [the' �,. 0. 4 ,�, w)5 es:.ite.::,,, E..';;" l,t'' t.-..' tr,1. ., ,1'. Committee] would not be continued.". S0111t `blame. former ' Speaker Carl � e:'..'� oins -.; .,. ,Aib 44. f.1 9r.11ait tcIN,,,4. .. es Ovs�--Pklii.I�for appointing then- , lifef� Idea66,-- iles:;..,....%":'.H,,e13.!Tlidinaa' N.' Downing (D-Va.) as . 'Cnairmarr last year.. About to retire,--; ' f- et7'. ':'-'1-�4' j '''f-r-41.-:Downink promised Sprague complete , . ,,,�1 -Thomii'D. Tatiircry.direetor Of &bin', '' authority:while Gonzalez atood-...wait- `. 'affairs fer!.:Tinliny:Cgrter'S7presidental � nig for the chairmanship. By custom, 1 eanipaighnhas'joinedthe Staff of the " thege-kin, .as, the ,original sponsor of, National...:Lea gue , of Cit1es-as--.-deuty!..r.the:assassination.inquiry, should have ., 3 director? of qederal/..relationt; .1%i-...4;, -4 i been chairman from the outset � Tatum aii-ii A lot-mei: assistant4o: .;,,75.z04,0theril blame, �O'Neill, �whom they 4' ritt.M1' 4/..3r 'Maynard Jackson; and, f - suspect Of malign neglect..., ., erved� aa..:Arh4.41�'er60,rclinator th .,-194 , . A-i.,41�. ;,,Defenaersl'of Sprague saYlie fought t.:1�Carier-Mondale�.transitierk-49ffiee4�,, t. ,f!,ponzale-il,:ag.eriMsr,s1 month to ,cut ...i. � :?4.',21,1:"...v.., ,:i�i',..0i.t:I.V., e rin won't even give him a gun, or let him. ''!�.ily and heavy business interests in the fire his orderly.".,.),.. ,:,; , .:4Dallas-Fort .: Worth area who don't '-� -t '''',. "' �;;-"� � 0. - -; - ,.want all the :Sold JFK muck raked up." Gonzalez: Forces'at The eimiressman criticized the As- �sassinations ; Committee's' chief coun- To_Prevent, JFK Intim . Jr. (D-Mass.) and fellow Texan Major- SAN , ,. :..,, . sel, Richard Sprague,' as an "un- . .;, ,,.,; r ,an added: ,, ,.� ity Leader Jim Wright; to enlist their -.*�.�:; ANTONIO, Tex.. March6'(AP)::' conscionable2�scund el" d ' L.Itep:' Henry B. Gonzalez- (D-Tex.) -' "Sprague�''--t � d t ' d . � �support.- :It was an exercise in futil-,4 � tried o� spend committee 'r ity,". Gonzalez said.. The fix; ,as in.'�',.,:i. says ��the assassination of President,; , money on long-distance -phone calls to Kennedy will never be investigated in. , his. Philadelphia law firm and to the He. nsaid. . "the 4, House �,.. leaciershin�., . . a meaningful .we)i� "because . vast and ' home of his girl friend there. And get . never had intended for the JFK inves.,147,.... powerful forces. including the f catin. -; this.' He actually- took", a little Ace- ' -ligation' to fly; and indeed had pr&i:�., try's , most `.�sophisticated crime ;,,ele..� . pulco.vacation for himself while on - fabricated , the whole � thing for the.� ment, won't stand font."-- ,i-:....1.-.: 00.-:�*7-...t-l'� - the committee payroll.",,:.i..,;c�,,z`..,- t4.4 .0-',ISICidS�"-� :-.,%il-'..v-..-4.44:' _,- - "This criminal element is all-Perva- , ' Contacted at his home In Philadel- ."�-:. ' Meanwhile,-,House .Minority Leader., sive, loaded with nothing but Money . phia; Sprague refused comment., ... ....,',� , John J. Rhodes (R.Ariz.) said on "11,'ace,.;,,i, and in many ways' more potent :�than Gonzalez �predicted the committee :: the, Nation" (CBS� WTOP), that th.e.j,',.,- the government itself," :said Gonzalez, " , will forget about the Kennedy assassi. -'" probe is., "salvageable,", but needs ; e: who submitted his resignation' last � ,� nation and go into "a weak; one.leg-- �,' new chief counsel and chairman. ,.!. week as chairman of the House Asses. ged Investigation of the Martin Lu. : . �, In Cheyenne,' Wyo., Saturday,. Ma-i,.,, sinations Committee: . _ ....,4;,:` ther King ;.assassination as a sop to - jority Leader Wright said he hoped to,�-� . In.. an interview published today in , blacks". .,-,. 4. ',';'.: .,�.,'"��,.. "-:,�',..- � ����-���T;:. talk to Gonzalez to work out a corn- .�.; the, San Antonio Express-News,. Goa- Gonzalez iesigned is '' tammittee'7.-. promise before the Committee.- recon;:: , zalez said other forces against the in� . chairman following a showdown over ' venes, United ,Presslnternational re.;;;..,_. vestigatiOn include the Kennedy fam- his efforts to fire Sprague. �'� ��� - �-�'. - ', ' ported .���;--,,',.,-�;..: f;:: - . '.:4';'4'i ' - �:':":} .1 O�t :' - ' ' ' ,. . . _ ' .. . .'!.,:. ,.., ., ..i^o.` � e n A..; , - ! , : ,:-.,.:f7-. " .- ' ,.-.., .. , ;' - ''''' ''''t',..,..` .: f '..,`'''4,' 31'e,4 ' '-. . � ;;;;�'�. Gonzalez' resignation has not Yet been formally accepted. The, congressman :said.7he'...triecilo:., � call House Speaker Thomas P. _ , 7 ,,Assocl,ted Press at Blair ouse on official visit to U.S. , rws to tgkt... -o6 ; 10 or 20 years to masses, he hoped to s "an Arab rev.' olutian aimed at the tot unification of the Arab world and tota inerty of � - the Arab world." 1` , But before then' he was con ent that a leftist revolution in Jord Syria, Egypt or Lebanon would giv the Palestinians a solid base from which they could go on fignting Is. rael. � wing Commentary Is a Paid Advertise might be-desiredtcr houtpeacr-- to postpone war and to maintain tran- quility in the area, he said � � , Before leaving Tel Aviv, Rabin con- 'firmed he would press for a 'reversal, of President Carter's decision to block the sale of concussion bombs to Isra and the sale by Israel of 24 KFIR 2 _jets to Ecuador. "I shall deal wit the ' subject, but I do not want to c ate a � high level of expectations," .h aid " The blocking of the Isr I sale of KFIR C2 jets to Ectrado s based on their use of an Ameri n-made ,Gen. , tral Electric engine. ,�� Rabin'will be fo ally Welcomed , at ' Monday morning, then meet wi Vance and, Defense Secretary H old Brown before a "working . � er" at the, executive mansion !) inday night. � ' ' � New confirmed is his party's choic for leader but facing a fight for e-election in May, Rabin is ex. p ted to expand on discussions held st month when Vance made art ex. Ipratory fact-finding ;mission ,ta, the Mrd le East. I � � rtisement Advertisement !Oar. maieh 41977:"'A Tilt WASHIN'4401NraPtiffi � �-'�.� . ' � "" � yi , !":, � e , ssassina ' , . By George Lardner Jr. mittee'S chief counsel, , iiicha'rd,-..: "ivietilinton von stet vrriier . ' Sprague. ; e ..- -: - - . : � , . .-, ::;..... - ' - - O'Neill ' � .' i -e t said he'd been told a y s 0'74'-, 414ouse Democratic leaders yesterday .' . day'S conference with. the committees � ' endorsed a- long-Shot attenipt to'sai,-r-,' ''' ,. � . - . . : ,-4- : _ - . - : . seven other Democrats that "there vage the investigation of the Murder three witnesses who are ready to ap2: � i, of the ,Rev; Martin Luther King Jr., � pear" about the King issaisinatioh. ilk , ',. Memphis in 1968:-1- '.4:".i.''.,-; '.'i-' %-: ' .:,'. P.' ::�.' but offered, less hope for , the Inquiry ..F.',:- ')A : He said :he" did not knoVi'how` ' COM4,. intb the. assassination"' oe ',President '-:',. � -:: -,,...:pelling,theit' teStinidnY Might he, 'bid . Kennedy. 1-.1 . ,..., ' � ,,..,, ; : ':',i'i:', �...v,-,;.?:, said he had been "led to believe that'i, Speaker Thomas P. (Tip) O'Neill Jr,,, it's. information .the American ,Public (D-Mass.) said: after a., nieeting14with '31;WOuld '136' keenly ihterested iii.",.,�-' -' Democratic members Of the embattled '--: A '--"Thel''. SbCakei.-..f diiiiiii� r.6;rii's, House Assassinations ,Committee ' that,.'-1..*hetlief i: he`...feele-: 'the ' Hous4.;shoula-4-, _ talking.of -calling tine of Ray's_ brot44-, :spending for4he month. ...ers and two othet-#1tnesses. ,, .,.- ,-.,:r fi. The ranking Democrat- on the corn---,. Gonialesi who has been sick with ''r mittee, Rep. Richard Preyer (D-N.C.);.4 the flu, in :his Saii:Antenio home foil-4,- acknowledged after meeting with the .4 the past two w.eekki, has yet to - return'y !:' Speaker and other House leaders that O'Neill'.s repeatedifilicineSils: But the�.:::t:. "the 7-odds . [on the Co mm I t t e e' S-1,1, Speaker said he I do nothing about ,'.1-,,� survival] are long right now in -view of ; i ,i,, #1hear.itcee.0:g9z,itit,aoinj,r,,,;!ii,14,iit.itiiiii,,, he e.i.ausnv,,i.;.}1ilaydp,g4 Ifff,..!.11 the Problems that have Come Up.", l'A P,reyet,:whO said he does not want w ' ri!1-4 i'l!'. ' ::'-"., -. ,,Ato...-be::chairman if . the , committee �is , 'ciiiaNniciaiini.,'"ii, , .., ts -1';ei';'. 'roil:tins 'adamant R.: isM�Contitiued; added that one of the,0 bp to the House to accept or reject his problems the 'committee,' must 'resolve ..,.: resignation, ,but Cilieill would not dia-y--vire' the charges against Mr. Sprague," other sources Said: he not One aries have been held up in Gonzalez' source - said Comniiitee members were absence because of $3,000 in excess � , e g ur er o ama e a - - Ctimmittee pail the end oft" e month: ! ' ��� � and vestigation _before the:. committee's charter runs out March 31..4 p . 'The committee's already shaky:iircis-� � pects for � Survival daniaged � even further ,Wednesday when Chair- man Henry B. Gonzalez (D-Tex.) sub- fluted his resignation as an out- growth of his dispute with the corn- !Cuss When he might schedule Issuert4',Whom Gonzalez has accused of: mis-S, for, floor action. it!At. ; !� - management,Insubordination. Wben'' asked 'Vint: question, O'Neill committee: DOiii6cfati; niesimhileA4,,f0ther committee membera, hoWeveri. said only� .11' they would ,,titke.ste0a tri. call.islli;Said the Sprague dispute would not lOrt�ju!siZsge,iirhitt.'jwp,ri meeting for'1Wohdaii-41thl':.or. Without -kt�..ibri Monday's agenda, and they yoked ��,j;, Shoot With these Witnekes?'',,T:Gonzalei;' in �MO' '.4ommerid 44,.'-ho-peithat;it could shunted aside � O'Neill �.'said _. did not know" ProPoSed. budget . test: of the;v:,.' nail the committeei recovers Its equi- . 'James Earl ,Ray; Whh serving a..f* Year, adopt rides' procedure and , - � � " . year prison term for King's . murder, thorize 'rebruarYL`kaycheeks for Aides to Gonzalez said the commit- was one of the iiutatiiie witnesses, but but ;" Committee's 73,41'1610.er � staff. The sal- ;.:tee's refusal to face up to the issue � a. A 111m4���� � � they are hoping to stage a hearing on vote to continue the Assassinations'', ' --:41'illkFit:fos.'4,7;.0,,,.45,o � t.k0.`�,. � p;Preyer and,./lajoritiLeader Wright talk with reporters after ,.���3? ...wiz K. W. Atherton--The-WEistlington Post I. j � C. wet a primary factor in s decision to, ::.:.,--hearing on the Xing znurder might be - resign. ' 'held but said he thought the chances' ti House Majority Leader Jink:Wright:�ETIor:the Committee's . survivhig s(DihTex) said 3ActIlt:40 .3,r7.3Fhem werff-ztat-oractr'rnore-tiven TO per cept..4..1. Took 'Notes at Sprague Siff Meetings By Jeremiah O'Leary . ., the end of this Month when its fund- , - Washington Star Start Writer 4 . ing runs out ; '.-- .. .;, , ..;',.'," .2., .. - , . � A Bethesda woman today said she � "..t.Gonzalez, who is in his San Antn- ' was the "spy" on the staff of the nio. Tex., home recovering from 1114.; House Assassinations : Committee's.- �, previously said, he, had a reliable chief Counsel for , the _committee's : pipeline into what Was going On in chairman.. . ' ".--',:- - s , � ; .- �,. Sprague's offices:, Several times he Edyth H. Baish, 55; said she acted . frecounted *hat had taken place in to keep Rep. Henry B. Gonzalez' of- ..--''.Sprague staff Meetings shortly after: fice informed of the activities of the, .7. they took place, even though he and chief counsel, Richard A. Sprague... ,,,,. ...Sprague were no longer speaking to '. each other. . ' !- : ., , � : , _. '-� : 2 . .; .�-�, out of loyalty to the Texas Democrat. , She said she wanted the chairman- 7'00 -' None of the nienios.Baisfi.WrOte-to. to know of "the details I .saw as dis-i /-, /- ::.Gonzalez' : administrative 'assistant,' .% ,;Gail ' J. Beagle., nor her frequent. ' ruptive,. ,.-, :it is of the utniostimpor- ' tance that it be understood by all that 'w,phone calls to him concerned .infor.,' � I was acting on ini Own and. ,MA:24* ..,,mation relating to the assassinations -. - ' !,::,: yrit BABH,4,,,.,; .44,4 aa,under; investigation, ":..,she. said. ,The. under instruction:Wany,lother .per-;,: act ofloyalty7y-,' vit Committee is Isupposed to investigate 1 I . i 'the? murders of President -..John :F.,. t.WT .4t,'44^'Ci'i , � L - . -!4.,,' Kennedy and Dr ..'oMartinLiitheriCing-,- !`..r:liasi'.tthi-..fs . , o,-,kept,:,.! e '4:Gonzalezt,.; osihon, as,ichairrnOte:in chairman's ',office infOrnieiVomtvhatsabotagehii efforts?. ' . -' t 1.r.:;,,but-litztelai beemaccOmplished- was 'going on � over at the .....-,-,''..:'-*`�---: ._,- ''i ..,,, , becausek- -of...- budget:. problems ;_.� and, , ,,ok- -le, .. internal,wrangling- among e chair ''''s.'.. ' "th ' ' T'LbiMes " said 'Baieli.*1Atilesa there- 'it' :GONZALEZ RESIGNED .0i.::Chai :isn't any other word .fiiilt.11izt.ItAias'�:Inan ;:Wednesdayafteriitteinptine.,,,,,rn any the. other II committee mem-,. rny own- idea ,an T..dict.at becou I, nsuccessfully:Aatt--rnontli:i to,,.(:lirei.T;b I'S- 'd th 3 rn b taff ..1.p.41.?Spyagu,e,t.:'--:.'�'.�-..,;,+-4-..,...4,,,i,;4,.:4, - found, it 'neceasary;:firiy_:'-dotiori '47,e;'-i,Sprague..:;and,'; the .House.,,will.;:::Vote4ir he' en e 7: ,.1" .F1 ,:;,!"...SP..):, -.. ...,....,:-.,---,,1-. ziiorp;it:great:length'andin fine detail next on whether to accept Gon.,:,_:.-(2, BAISH t SAID SHE never, 'dealt- .- . 1. the conditions and happenings:,withinrizalez'..resignation:It is probable thatit.;:directly,With Gonzalez. She Isaid. she zAhe.'staf,L-cfficeq-Lichitt- jedP*17c4,1*..(6.0.O.cOnul:24tee'.1vill cease ,to exist:. arjjo.,;!,....-,:j4,,,,..... , -,-,. sic; jig dB E � A4 - �,,- -, ..., - - . -- � ' , , �,.ra:44,1341�Itiliaiiiit' 4 1-'''' ''' .k '''' " ,e .,.,,,Akkin. Ali, tp)P4 IX"-ak WC EaSErgUaZ "' ' 4 -�;' 1-�77T: ' Continued Froni A-I openly took notes at staff meetings as 7 part of her job as office manager. for , the so-called JFK Task Force. Within ; art.:hour , of typing- these notes for: '. Sprague and his senior associates,: Baish 'said, a copy 'was on Gonzalez! desk. - � , "Obviously, .I didn't advertise what , 4 I was doing to Sprague's people, but.' � all of them knew I had come to. the -; staff after 41/2 years in Mr. Gonzalez' . office as a part-time employe and ' ; that I had been recommended by Gail Beagle for the job," Baish said. ' "Furthermore, Mr. Sprague told me j ' when I was hired that 'Congressman; Gonzalez and � his aide are your� bosses.' ", � I Baish, a divorcee who also runs a secretarial service from her home, said it caused her "great pain and re- gret" to be reporting on the doings at Sprague headquarters. - Baish cites what she said were 1 7:.1717, - tf, � � � � , � CHE WASHINGTON POST siva I .Said -Unable to Authenticate, FBI inVes gators liihrebeeti un=f',',:,-:;;The letter, whose, existence was. able to etabl1sh the authenticity 'evealed In published .koiirf4::it ._. of; a `).etfer-kurkoLtiedly- wiitten by, few days. ago, repoted1y ras. sent:: Lee-, Harvey, Oswald OsivaId till:the:. late FFXL;punt,'", 'wing-Dallas:Millionaire two weeks: . -.4.� strong -backer of Ultia-consei4a,..:, before', the ''inuidei."-'eaPiesIdent -7tive Causes on Nov 8 1963. It saidt..�-: , , �Kennedy;!tellable.senr.ent said yes-- � �. An ;Fit'spokesman, said nnly : that a copy of the.,letter-had been Only for information.Fan sugg,eit-7,, received'', and was being � ing that we _discuss the gated�He declined further, corn-. fully before any steps are taken by me or anyone else.-ThankyOu:! Ho_wes;er, other 'sources copy:Of the "edit; inpOiindly' � . _ , - � - - with,:the7Probe said .F.Br,� techni� was sent to Penn Jones' Jr., a re- claps had goncluded that it is not ,tired newspaper , editor in Mid- - possible to determine through lab- lothiart, Tex., by an unidentified , .oratory.-fests'whetheetheletter is source in Me)dco.'City., In an ac- genuine., Although the. investiga- --companying note, the source told . tiOn IS continuing, 1 the sources' :Jones that he had 'sent a copy of added, the FBI is leaning toward the letter' to FBI_ Dirptcor � r, N";1(...-Ir forgery...y.4.--s., � , 4,-. never received a respOnse.,-.2.. � ILjr-:N�01!' 411-111!AILA 116410-11-11.-,' ,�� -George Laraner� Jr. - waiiiii4scia Post , "iari. -.Indignant letter - SpeakerNifi:,the.:119use,'Rep. 'Henrt (D-TexSqVinitted resignation as. �irman pf the Housg;',.Asi,ssinaRri#1cOnithittee'::: yesterday after, akadVttei4y futile effort to take -fiarke�fethe irkfttiry; . He, accused House� .aders.of failing. to back him u in his struggle with the . committee's chief 'counsel,. Richard A. Sprague,. %�,and,i said. -that he saw no alternative to quitting "under the cir- cumstances that now exist." Accusing Sprague once again of mis- management, insubordination and-dis- loyalty, Gonzalez .denounced him as "an unscrupulous indlvidual,� an un- conscionable scoundrel." Sprague, who- has thus' fir had the' backing - of .the rest of the 12-member committee, had no comment. ; � - Apparently' Caught. surprise, House. ,Majoriti'.. LeaderiJiin. 'Wright (D-Tex3 said he,.doubted:the. investiga- tion .wohld survive it Con- �-�-� � � - -�� ,REP HENRY B. GONzALEZ zaler.....-can.;be.tiersadeS.,toispaiige. his mind... harsh words for Spraue 4:14:44443.V:tiX:.:: The volatile- Gonzalez phrased his' resignation letterififtertfis that ostens- ibly h1s7,%departure,' immediate and final but, � under ral-precedent es- tablished just two years ago, it is up to the House italtecept...or.-reject Speaker Thomid.:P.",:t.`!CTIO O'Neill Jr.,i.(D-Masa.) Said d!hei!OVould not schedule the issue�f-Oe'llOor :"action, until' he Eirst_had:4;'chance,tO speak to Gonzalez and try to 'dissuade him. Gonzalez has been bedridden With flu in his San Antonio home for the past 12 days: 11:4; O'Neill refused to specUlatit'on Whal the House. might ,deAT:'Gonzaler re-7' mains adamant, but not k few mem- . bers!seeined agreed' that it could kill the entire,'Mvistigation Into the murders.'of.-PresiderarKenriedy inor the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. Already reeling from,the impact of earlier disputes-, over. i� the inquiry's': proposed cost and methods, culminat- ing in Gonzalez' attempts to fire Sprague, l. -the '.124:nethriber Assassina- tions Committee will go out of busi- ness March: 31 . unless it can get a new charterwind;ipudget,.. from ...the . House. � 7' : "In view Of the low repute we have in the Minds Of other members Of the House because Of the unseemliness of' the whole squabble,. that might be hard to get," said Rep. John B. An- derson (R-I11.); one of the committee's four GOP members.. "The life of the committee hangs by 'a sHin thread." : The Speaker' had ilreidy suggested, in a television 'appearance last week, that the committee would go out of business at the end of the :month "unless they Come up With ' some- thing -sensational," and he 'reiterated that judgment yesterday:: He said some committee members had "told . me they have some breakthrough on the King business," but .O'Neill said he was not aware of what that might Del. Walter F. Fauntroy who has been heading a subcommittee that would look into the King assas- sination, hinted of a possible public hearing to "focus on the results of the investigation so far." But he de- clined to predict any bombshells, and other members said there was none to be produced. � .See INQUIRY, A10, Col. 13 , V-7 Re onzalez Resigning ssassinatiort Panel Chair �- INQUIRY, .From4 - The committee feels there's a good chanee to; crack the King 'Case, but that's a loni. :Said Rep. Richard. son 1,reyer (D-N.C.), � the ranking Democrat , . cr'tor know�; of :.,.anY '.boinbshellse're aboutto drO�- y- . . � �y, � 'committe as aiready2; pre- pred to postpone the investigation into -President Kennedy's2'.-iilisissina- tion, in anticipation of -a muchfslim; flier budget than tlir:$8-...nittlirOn .a yearS : prague had proposeck.. , � !.Appointed chairinan:idwr7:4-last month. Gonzalez said he was quitting as both chairman . and as a member of ' the committee. He described the in- quiry as �mired down in ''an adminis- trative nightmare," and said he de- cided to fire �Sprague : only after find- ing "unjustifiable salaries, unjustified employees, anct.reckless, inexplicable financial obligations." t'It seethed:* :plain tha Gonzalez mould insist on Sprague's glister if he: were to be expected ta':change his mind: Alluding tO an effort by. a com- mittee majority to secure paychecks for Sprague and the rest, of the corn- rnittee's 73-member :staff in Gonzalez' ab'sence, the chairman protested that some of his .colleagues "appear to be interested in usurping even my minis- terial powers.". � � . f!"It Slems clear now that the House � � ; leadership is unwilling to offer me - support," Gonzalez wrote O'Neill:, "'"Yet, I cannot bring myself to sign � pay Vouchers for an unscrupulous in- dividual an unconscionable scoundrel; and no power on earth can compel me to do so.4 � � � ;:" Gonzalez aides Said he felt House .leaders had exPected him to bend too much in keeping Sprague on the corn: niittee staff. Majority Leader Wright � acknowledged th reporters later in.the- : day that he may have miscalculated on that score, thinking that Gonzalez, � could be persuaded to accept the pros-.: ecutor "in a reduced role." � � , Asked last month.by Speaker'O'Neill to mediate the dispute, Wright told re- porters he had gotten the approval of eight of the .committee's 12 members . to a compromise he had, proposed this week. � � � . - Wright refused to discuss ihe de- tails, but it was learned later that it � Was a seven point suggestion involving Sprague's: retention as chief_ inVestt gator and the hiring of''`a new person' acceptable to all the members" to re- place Sprague as staff administrator. All "final decisions on hiring and fir- ing would repose with the committee membership , . ." - O'Neill said House leaders Would meet today with other members of the committee to discuss the dispute. : Gonita ez� ssat zngHis Committee, 1,/itS. QS sassingttpninqulry171-ea .�_......, � �,:::�.; :...� , ......:::,.,....,.,,, . -.WAsi-iiilbto, Marc -2.�Represehia- new's. conference , that;Uniess, the. commit-, .. � , ,_,... , tive..Ifenry4E, GonzaigiQ'Stibrnitted, . his tee came up- with some major.he*.ipves�. resignatitst ai ch.girm_arreo-t-� the House , tigatiye- lead, he did :not. believe that, the COiiiiiiii.tee:on Ass: aisi iiiiiii-ni7tOdii : afterl, 54),e1 would survive'. :r. -ciVOill.;:k '1�;t44'.,; . �,. � , . accusmg me other,,cammittek members . sahusetts Democrat said. he would- pot of'!#Y1zige...ttr :us44:- -.-hia.vet-g..., and. the;�accept the resignation until he had talked Democratic- � leadership "- ' M ' s. , aifing-. to sup. with. Goilialei,".and';.thie under House pilreff.47 -1:,--*A": ::: ----'-''P:',....;-..:;-::::';;'.., ::::., ' wrolliti4:--.i.osigtitio-o7woold: !,7.4�r:Asti.,'T, _. . .... , y-;The. ;A:clion.fi T e, ex :3:kerthiiaiat, .aC-.� AcipPlpo,'Pi.Otgii.0.1:K",.'',..4�..0.4.t.a744.4'--- ",,....41,,ir� '~'.'. it\ .coicrifeLlook !iiliitib*.',.,101, 'Cita gi!: i'iliouSe :11-;;;;:ite:pie*tati,Ve-,4tiiii,:y:rtiiiici, of : iexat::. :- Democrats; may ;.. rpea*0,..eend'... or the the.: majgri.ty.,leadei,:�.said;AilZiit interview, House '; L. intli'ttli er:- ' deaths- :of *Tait; .111si; Opiiii1W- tql.Iftiteit Henry: . ... . , . , . : . Inyestigatinn. Pre4l4qtjfknoedle 4', tne!ReF,..41)r..;;Map.11if`')56tor,eVage ,;iupon- to,sf 90tlzauq,'�list tin LuOiet IC,IIIVF.....: it,...4;:iti4.... - � '' ;044.1.31ff's!:.. ttl...-..1.Acti.4111;:iSia.lt,.T.it:I ; Repiesentative ThonYai:�,1);; Q'NeIll Jr.., 37..04r ,N,,, , , , S peakeidfl, the. Hotraitl,iiii.hiS".regul!r. ��-4,'�:Ttontinneti.:Otiii!a$ -Waren, ....'.,..4 ,-.....;:., ... , . ; ,......y!�.....,:,,ji 7}..,;',1,...?;" , ;: 1:7! 1 . . . 4 , vrvii:-..,�te;:n _ .. ' 1:1-11'P;:�4 . ''''`,:;,'!:4:;_fOi4,1"..i.i.' ��r*A-.9,.i.:.io,....1qAln By pAvitY BURNIIAM�� � Special to Tile New York ..Times ,.. � � I., United Press�Intimations.: ,J-Representative Henry 'B. Gonzalez :;. GONZALIE4, ASSAILING PANEL, QUITS AS HEAD ..em.;,{5 � Continued From Page I . vote to continne the investigation." Mr. Gonzalez, who, has been ill in Texas . for the last -10 dayS, submitted his resig- - natlori,in a two-page letter in 'which he 'called, the �conimittee'al.' chief' counsel, ' Richert:1 A Sprague, 4ati tinicrtipulous In dividual, an unconscionable scoundrel." � A spokesman for Mr. Sprague said he woUld: have no comment. � The committee, which was established �'; ; ; � ' � ' THE NEW YORK TIMES, THURSDAY ;.MARCH 3, 1977 by the House last September,' his been wracked with open dissension 'Since Feb. 10, when Mr. Gonzalez moved to dismiss Mr. Sprague, only to have all the 11 other members instruct the controversial chief counsel to disregard .the -.termination no tice.4 ?.:�: ..;�;';� ." Under it present mandate, the 73-man Committee staff Must winthe sitilapnit of a Majority of the House for erie* tion if It � Is, to; continue ;operating after March March 31. i.,;.�,;-;,,,; ,..,Waltet E.. Fituntroy, the House delegate from the , District-ColUmbia';who,..13 chairman of an 11.egASsination subcommit- tee that is Concentrating on the events surrounding Dr. :King's death, said he, had not ."given up hope that we Will be able to continue." Mr. Fauntroy said the problem was that public attention had concentrated on the internal struggle of the committee rather than on ; its .investigation. While he refused to discuss Whether the investiga- tors had thut, far uncovered any major new leads, he indicated that some com- mittee members were considering passi- ble ways to influence the public's opinion about the inquiry. � . - "A hearing is among the kinds Of things that could be used to change the public focus'," Mr. Fauntroy said in an interview. Representative Richardson' Preyer, a -klOrth _Carolina ,Democrat who is chair.. Mtn of subcommittee on the Kennedy, assassination, agreed that national atten- tion :had, focused on . the dispute between Mr. donttdeX. and Spnigue�and- that it Might be _helpful. to 'lipid some hear- ings on the evidence' that might ,be forth- coming." But because of the potential for damag- ing innocent persons, iir:Eiteyer. said that ,in his opinion such hearings would initial- ly have to be conducted in executive ses- sion rather than open to the public. . . In his letter to the House Speaker, Mr. Gonzalez said that no head of a commit- tee could have taken any other .action than he had 'when he attempted to dis- miss Mr. Sprague. - � 'Administrative -Nightmare' , "I found in the committee an adminis- trative nightmare; I found a Chief counsel who assumed the full powers of the com- mittee itself (and .by implication usurped the ;powers ,of .the � House itself); :a chief counsel Who. Was insubordinate and in- Suiting, not to.. mention diS1Pyal,". lyirGoin- iiilez said. � � � "1_ found unjustifiable salaries, Unjusti- fied employees and reckless, inexplicable financial obligations. I had a responsibil- _ . . . ity to act, and no one has yet demonstrat- ed that I ,acted wrongly, or: without full cause." , � The Texas Congressman said that M the last few clays he had been ill and absent bin that even so, "several of my colleagues on the committee. appear to be interested in usurping even my Innis-. terial powers.", - � � He said that "it seems clear now that� the House leadership is Unwilling to offer me support," but "I cannot bring myself. to sign pay voncliers for anunscrupulo�us Individual, an unconscionable scoundrel,. 'a0 no pbwer on earth can compel me A? do so." � "Under the circumstances that now exist,' *he concluded, "I have no alterna- tive but to resign from the Select CoM- mittee on Assassinations herewith." Misses In New By George'Lardner jr. . Walthingtort Poet5t*5 Writer The staff of, the: .rudder.::: less . House.:..Assasiinetions:. Committee ,missed another payday this week in-a 'neW;,: 1977. the rest of the House, islipped away without any. ,paychecks for the Assassina- tions Committee staff, . the second month in a row they have been kept waiting. A snafu over the committee's committee majority has re- spending limits: :portedly signed the letter?: House Administration � :Sprague suggested, but it Committee chairman Frank' had not yet been transmit- Thompson Jr. .(b-N.J.) told- ted to the Administration members of the A.ssassiiii2 .4,Committee at -'the :close: of tions Committee, staff' at a�.7":" business yesterday. meeting Monday that e question of �whether � would not approve. Sprague will be paid is an- checks for them until they other issue. Gonzalez has shaved their total spendinv:7,- insisted he be dismissed for ) for February to the insubordination and ordered limit of WOO, , 'Sprague's name 'stricken = This would mean a tilt'of..:from the staff payroll 'list a total of, some $3,000 In that was sent to the Admin.. salaries on top of the voltin:� istradon Committee last' tary pay reductions that � Thursday. many of the committee's 73 f� Facing extinction by staff members took for Jan- 31 unless it can win uary and were prepared to a new charter from the swallow again for February.. -�?.House, the strife-torn corm; The $3,000 accommoda- mittee met privately, and in- tion, however, would nor- conclusively, with Sprague really require the signature and other ton- staffers yes- of Assassinations Commit: terday afternoon in the of- tee Chairman Henry B. flees Of ; Rep. Richardson Gonzalez (I)-Tex:), who hae...�,., preyer (D.N.co. , been bedridden' with ,"..Preyer said they decided flu in San Antonio: for net to act on a suggestion past Week and a that they formally petition The Assassinations Corn- Gonzalez to call a meeting rnittee's chief counsel, Rich-. ./:."because we don't Want it a.rd A. Sprague, reportedly- to appear that *ere trying suggested an Authorization :to embarrass the chairman!' signed by a majority of A Gonzalez aide said that _ committee instead of Gon- zalez, but a:Papokiiirtan for Thompson said , that .,the New Jersey Democrat was reluctant to endorse that approach. Meanwhile Monday, which was the monthly payday for qonzafez was feetingftiiich etter:yeaterday.and hoped Ito be,-, back inWabington next Monday. Preyer said he thought tht rest of the committee could wait until then in an effort to resolve ;;:the controversy. J By Jerry O'Leary , Washington Star Staff Writer Rep. Henry B. Gonzalez today. :ibrupttY resigned as chairman of the House, Assassinations Committee, tailing Chief .Counsel Richard A., ',Sprague an "unconscionable scoun- drel": and declaring he could not con= tinue, without support of the House leadership T1- - T1,- Texas Democrat submitted his ' tett :ion in an emotional letter to House Speaker Thomas P. O'Neill in which he Castigated Sprague and bit- i terly criticized other members of the . committee for usurping his "rninit- -- terial powers" as chairman. I Gonzalez -tried to fire Sprague last month, but all the other, member t of, the committee backed the .contrOver-.; sial chief counsel.; , Gonzalez sent the letter' from :hit , home in San Antonio where he hat' been ill with flu for nearly two Vteekt,li,� THE RESIGNATION added a new complication tozi the alreadysonfused WASH1.116:1'01;1;64.,WEDNESDAY, MARCH 2, 1977 � - ; � estab- tithed to � Condtici�,/iew into the assassinations of President - John F. Kennedlf "and Dr. Martin ther King jr:;: has been plagued with controverty'almott'!fresm'Its incep- tion and now has 'been funded: ofily:;i� Until the end of this thentli:q Gor.z�t' leveled his:;harshest `-�, � words at.Sprague,'�the delphia.:prosecutor, whom, the -.chaitir� = Man triedtoismiss II1 ho*deinc` ' OverWhether.,the.t4e chairman or the . � ;,=, Chief- cOunsel Avas going to run the committee. The other II members of the committee. refused to back up Gonzalez's firing of Sprague and ordered him to remain on duty. ' 'In tiirn, Gonzalez refused to sign Pay vouchers ,for Sprague and today declared,', 'I cannot bring myself to sign pay vouchers for an unscrupu- lous indiVidual', and unconscionable scoundrel. No Power. on earth can iiiiike the do Gonzalez also said several Mem- bers of the committee appeared to be interested in taking over his role as chairman and said he was not receiv- ing the support of the House leader- ship, including O'Neill, in his battle for control of committee operations. GONZALEZ SAID he had found the committee to be an administrative nightmare. : . "I found a chief counsel who as- sumed full powers of the committee itself, a chief, .counsel who was in- subordinate and insulting, not to . . mention disloyal," Gonzalez told O'- Neill in his letter. "I found unjustifia- ble salaries, unjustified employes and inexplicable financial obliga- tions. I had a responsibility to act and no one has yet demonstrated that I acted wrongly or without full cause. "At the outset I pledged to you, the majority leader and the House that I would see the committee operated In a credible, responsible and produc- tive manner," Gonzalez wrote. "In See GONZALEZ, A-8 �United Piese International Rep. Henry Gonzalez, D-Tex.,announced his resignation today as chairmen of � the controversial House Committee Investigating the assassinations of John F.' Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr. Gonzalez is shown at a committee meet- ing on February 17. ' , GONZALE � , . Continued From A-1 your widely reported public ments, you expressed-Concern about the committee chief counsel's budget demands, his advOcacraLextremely questionable investigative techniques and his general conduct ' 4, �.� , "You made_ 'statements to the ef- fect that Henry Gonzalez would make policy, not the committee, not . the committee Counsel. I was expected to rectify the problems that had accu- mulated through: months of neglect and virtually free hand given to the committee's. ambitious chief counsel. "With your appointment '(of me), I could only assume that the leader- ship would support my efforts to pro-- � vide direction and a sense of,respon- ' sibility to the committee. I made an intense effort to enlist the support of my colleagues on the committee." But, Gonzalez went on, Sprague, . failed to produce any kind of infor-. mation on which the committee could make rational budget decisions- and -' pursued a deliberate course of action "to undermine me with members of, the committee and staff alike. I-had no recourse but to dismiss *him, which I did." GONZALEZ SAID HE had tried to keep the speaker informed of .the situation through 'letters and re- peated attempts to reach him by phone. , "During the past several days," 'Gonzalez wrote O'Neill, "I have been ill and. unable to return to Washing- ton. Nothwithstanding my illness and absence, several of my colleagues on the committee appeared to be inter- ested in usurping even my minis- terial powers. I do not know if the leadership is aware of these events, nor what leadership efforts have - been made, if any,, to insist that the committee function within the rules of the House. It seems clear now that,i c the House leadership is unwilling to offer me support. ' "I will not compromise my twin standards or integrity and I will not accept any arrangement that saves face at the expense of constitutional obligations, the integrity, prestige and honor of the House. Under the -circumstances, I have no alternative but to resign from the committee � herewith." � - - - � There was no immediate comment from other members of the select committeee, and there was no word whether Speaker O'Neill will appoint another chairman to replace Gon- zalez. If he does, the most likely candidate is Rep. Richardson Preyer, D-N.C., a former judge who - has been supporting Sprague's con- Assassinations Panel Will Survive: - O'Neill 11- By Jerry O'Leary using his powerful role' as speaker of . the committee after its temporary . Special to The Washington Star r . the House to persuade the committee mandate expires March 31 unless, , - that feud is settled today. '.--, � - - : Speaker Thomas P. O'Neill, whose to settle its -squabble in ihis after- prophecies are often self-fufilling, noon's session because its members Gonzalez has shown no signs of , predicts that the House Assassina- believe there is justification for the weakening up to now in his determi- tions Committee will find a way committee to continue. ' � nation that Sprague must go. The today to continue its investigations -.' other committee members; � espe-7 despite the bitter feud involving its . ' cially Del. Walter E. Fauritroy, D-r*: ALTHOUGH GONZALEZ hai :, D.C., and Richardson Preyer, D-1 chairman and the committee mem- -, 1 ,, -. �.,.,,,::::leve.ed formidable .charges of ' dis- bership and the chief counsel. .- ,.., N.C.. have been equally adamant : e:j-.., ;k . honesty, , deceit, unacceptable per. that Gonzalez has no right to fire :O'Neill : meets ' this morning with ` ,formance, financial irresponsibility , Sprague and that the former Phila- Majority Leader Jim Wright, D-.Tex.,'',_-..:and violation of House rules against - delphia prosecutor should be re- , and, Committee Chairman Henry .B.:;.,-,,,Sprague, there is probably a remote :.' tamed ..: -:- ' Gonzalez, D-Tek.;-to; hear firsthand -''':'chance :that the , chairman and;.,-,,,... .. �'. --. viig the chairman Is , trying to fire: .4.'Sprague's, backers- on the committee Z:::: SPRAGUE '. AND Gonzalez ,- have chief counsel Richard A.,Spraguermay find a compromise that will per. 4.rubbed each . Other the wrong way. -, e .Then,its work. i ,, this afternoon,,"-.4r mit the panel to get on with :,-,:-.. succeeded- .,, at o'clockis aiternooni - ,,,, .,..; , ,-,-, � -, .... �._ever since the Texan succeeded the the :committee will meet for one lastA;7:'.1f. it &min% today's session ''...; -Previous- chairman,.�: Thomas- N. -a :reconciling' Gonzalez with the. billed as an Organization meeting Downing; D-Va., who was willing to ' controversial chief counsel and. the.:4Will dissolve into what one member , let the ' 'aggressive chiefcounsel run . other :11 'committee ,.a blood-on-the-floor" called members, who -,c - :situa.�. ,...,!,the -committee staff ' and its .proce- :;, , ,, , appear to be supporting Sprague.; tion; and the committee will self-de- dures without much supervision ' " N., What started ' out as a personality , ct in acrimony. -- ' UNLESS ;-THE.;', select . committee , ,L. .-,f1. _ ,. ,clash escalated into a battle between Inds- a'�way to iron out the dispute; , e House not likely to authorize Gonzalez and Sprague over who was . , which O'Neill indicated yesterday is'' a-dditional existence and funding' for going to run things.- - - - --- - s .. what he expects, the probes into the . - murders ,,of 'President john F. !' ' Kennedy and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. probably will not :survive after': the 'remaining five , weeks of their current mandate. ' � Appearing on the CBS interview. show 'Face The Nation!? yesterday, O'Neill said that he has no power to remove,Gonzalez from' the chairman- ship and that Sprague's continued presence as chief counsel is for the committee to decide. The speaker said he did not think Gonzalez should step down. He also said he thought Sprague was a "tremendously able man' and noted that the majority of the committee thinks Sprague is doing a good job. - , � - ), O'Neill's comments indicate hails kis rague uster' Upset by Panel ssassmation Ii FEB' 1977' ounsel Told to Ignore , �.� Chairman's Order By DAVID lit.IRNHA:w .s.i.`".' ''''F*Ot.T...-V*.eit;.i.v.,t-kt, .. GTON, Feb. 10Tlierehaliman 01th House- Select- Corculti1tteigi4nAgas,..,. ii'dationa Moiled, today tiifdisinisiAichard -ASprague, the. committee's Oiler ;?.ntiiiiel an 4alit,'6,Otori.onli10- iiiii*tiiii*,i,:oper comnittee ,niembers-.7_niclei,-NiAi4origil.e_ A,.., dijierd the termination .. ,,-, _The.c�mmitteers�ChairrPan:;-Ripsoent,a7' tive,.:kfiily H.,::,.Obitailez;."Said'..iiititilettei ''' ivi ' ' ''.immediate-'': requesting A r. prague. s �...- ter-, *flat* -:',thilf,,Xtr*.::.f..ctilier:- Philadelphia 'prnisePtiti*'..4,1iii engaged:. in;a'..conTie,,, of J'conduct .thatt, wholly 4.1ritnierabielor�rany '0..iP:20,_::.47.0t..-0.tit,..,u:s.,,..Util-XO:.:f�Cti:i ...4 2, He cauect7lor Mr. - Sprague tci,vaepte '.'the:-.014i..',Iit..'the-' committee by 5-P.M. . 2todiAit4:0'.',, ' ' ...,;'" . .,..".'" ' *it.hin :houra-,.p..... tha,,fittat,;ottbilc, knowledge .of the ctielsion'rb3r.t.ft;,,if-:�:..dpti.'5 *.;afe4tfhp-portmlittee'4-Iii.::ipthe4nlembe% 'aigneenetter �diiiitink, the "counsel to the Ottirertati,',.)'',11.;:li:44: '',F: '''J;Iiiiiion-fsiEliplahted:.) ..s.,�.�.:�.� � Y. . ,..4,3,4% . --:,, -� ,=-r-,..,--z,-- ' r. -4-� ;.."9. �Ocnizalez,aTexai Democrat, said . in ,s:a or*titterint�eXplaining7lifs:decisiOri that 1 or ith0::, ia4t,fer,v, days Mr, ...pragge, '''...f.ja*-$Pen.,ratikini ' it '4ObriSistent `Tatteinp* to tOliFnine ili..t.h4r1.1:.110iPr4.F14,,11,147.,; lign me personally, with: the members:ot the committee : staff:" � ' , - i ... r, � :-�����, ., �:�.The:.,bizarie.,.itruggle; pittinkr,mr;', ',Gon- ,- . , . Zara against the members of his commit- tee end, Mr. -Sprague broke out a week ..after the House re-established the eoni-) � mittee on an interim hails until it submit- ted a new budget and :. a plan for the- , investigation of the deaths of President. � .... � Continued on Page AI'S: cof.-1 A 28 Aneton Assassinations Overrules, of : � Continued From Page Al Kennedy and the Rev�,Dr.,Mertiri Luther King Jr.. ' :In directing Mr. Sprague to ignore the order of Mr. Gonzalez, the other commit- tee members cited the resolution re-estab- lishing the committee until -March L The resolution said that the, whole committee; . and not, its chairman, meg. empowered I ' to make -,decisions. about!.hiring-,and the :salaries of the staff. -,: addition to the ; 1etter7Sent Sprague Mr.- Sent 'another, one , asking, itepresehtatiVe Frefil&:Thoripson Jr:, chairman Of the-HObseAdthinistratiore ,:-.:'-COmmittee,lcoremove*,:fruSprague;',froi* the PayrollAmmediateIy.tiol-A4iek�tliC Thompson. :response to -�air � inquiry that he would: be: ..�1.`yery, pleased:. ; to sign, the termination papers providing. the rules-',Of.t.he,HouSe.have been adhered - tn." - 7;7: ���-�� 'drafting acting o-nust, �Sprague:win :drafting expanatory ',Statement:. Mr.' � Gonzalez,:boarded'a:r-Planetartie�iTexai A.;distitict and could.riot he-reached forConiz; � ment on.�Mr.,$prague's-'slecisiOntOi.r.p0t, � his discharge. But a spokesniiii foiMr..Gonzlaez said "The chairman: confident his . ; be sustained. -There no,Mestion that � C in the-vast'inajOritY 'Of caseslt-isl-tliec rerogatiVe�of the rchartinan;to!:.hiri staffi:'And--in� any event,'-there is: , question that'the-disbursement of ..con�fr, -,mittee funds only can be :done under the �recognized signature of the chairman-'4, ?. subsequent statement made public, � by the assassination committee's staff., . ;said. that -Mr.: Sprague "has, been directed' � by the committee to disregard the .orders- .: of Henry- B. Gonzalez; committee chair� ; �; man; on the basis that he does not have : the power unilaterally to discharge. Mr.: : Sprague." . : , ;2, � � "It is :only the committee: whiCh.,has't � this power," the statement added: .. � When the committee staff 'statenierit,, � drafted by Mr. Sprague, was made public,. � � the spokesman said that it had been endorsed by two of the 12 members of ; the committee. An hour later, a -spokes- , man for Walter Fauntroy, a 'member: of � the committee who is a, delegate? from � :- the District of Columbia, said that ,it had. . been Signed by five members. Mr. Sprague's conduct both while head- ing the assassination committee's 73-man -staff and while a prosecutor in:Philadel- phia has been controversial. Many House members objected to the chief counsel's �.. initial plan to mount a $13-million, year: investigation of the assassinations.y", Others: were-concerned with a propiisar,;.. now - abandoned, .'tn.nte..hidden.. iniscra�44.4. phones: and psychological stress evluatorsi�-i; to test secretly, the4.-, credibility of; Ilesses� .??...There..wii's_ also -concern,- expressed hy such members as Representative-Timothy -. E-. Wirth, . Democrat of Colorado, ;about public `Criticisms that had,"..Peeri,Macle-:Of. Mr.: Sprague's private-anctpilblit actions: atti triticisnii!iVere,,thide by- such bodie is-ttheoPetmsylyarna.:crime- Corninission ttiel Pennsylvanifr�Supreme.:-Ctiiirt study done for the-I:Philadelphia Crime- Comnussion.--'-. .the decision to dismiss Mrgi.Sprague,--.14r: :Gonzalez, said �that--,:a.iir a: recent meeting. on the budget :Mr.T Sprague asitedilyhether'he'still�Supperted toldjiimi: that in AIL ':t4noliii� :at 'Best 'iti.5Was`'qualified� support, and that if r. had: known .last September iwhat-:1:know thave.objecteit:to his being- emp1oyed gonzalei-sald. tn..= 4r..�--�:z. . � � � � I, 1 FEB 1B7 THE NEW YORK TIMES,1 c , :I. :HY,George Lardner Jr..:;i'! I �tnadel.an effort to eek, omit y,�..allint 4: p ''-4 longi. holiday i , tee iS4ikatifitrhy , �... _ � � , i;7ash. irion'Pos,t 6,t;a11 ,Y.i.Elit.i .;: . , ,t. ,� ,. ,. ...a ....,., nip . ..ry., ...p;g:. cls,os:, . � ..,..� fiii; i . 'm.;'i'aiii.�:;:�4' -�iiiii. 1'66' li!�li'.14;'handed 'SPraguti.:; al lettee:�;of.,4tipPOrt , , , � ..: z .. �� .,..e. Ouse ' ; Assassinations ,;joritmittee.lititr il:iii6ii.ibik.iiiiii::yt-fieiiWehho.. bearing:lherianieS of . all members'lOf 12-.hteinhei,!,':.COM.M.4tee'et*yki Chairman Henry ii.c.go'nzalez:(13-tei.),'".:0,yiiiii:afPirelitlY:..Wai4.ebtiffecii4ifit:;:ii.. i,esteiday abruptly Orderect.the.ciiSinis4Y ,i2;'.iiiit .iiiiiY,. ' '-:' Oig. � 1 -."...-' :,- ii-f.ei! :i'�1�11:1:ttlir9leriPbtikt 'Cidill;')I1'.' Otit Of Chief connael ftiehard.'..4.;�,..SOra7'k offieoiOuesday,\Mothing... ri41,4hen 4,7 ..-1 guei:Init ,Spragud.reftiattOO:leiltre and Othei,..-kin etiiheiV 6 theieohitnitt t. a ilil!1'.iiiii.if"giiitts,0ti13' comni remained holed holedi4iP!;10.4kkg:1,00C,41:k0iY, -raea4i'0VjAiOniiiiiii ifileti - it6 .. w... -, "d...`ilitioli., :atithoritt fi.pitt;tlirtet, Capitol Hill. V" !'::.'�'! ' ''''':- '.' All.t, Cictii' . 64.01;1.0' � , aid � -40ontalee, ; In: ..,..11urrY, :Of:;'�letteii;:i , Slietier',' , fit0iit. 6',1Z 0 t aiiiitiiiiiiiiatiOgatti 6iiiiiiijyriii4;.r. ThOinas I) ,.:4Tip):p!Neilt .�,ir(r)-iyiassy; 10 the .: -.* too . . 0,,,Ped klifiehl.b.t.lif OI AlUtitat4::., itte;* . by and Other keY:�metniapra .of. CongreAf-j,..,..:Ca0461,k0oiie pli2. ik 4P 62 fntbf' this date 6;', filifeci7tOtii . .' GOnialei:'ii110-WiltOti4ed, SPiakiid.;Of..11gile;left hi.:OtI10.030."'.kii '0 411. 41,0,t fe, ., 4.4*iiiit !I iii10100.Z:00 "divitiye and :CteeelifUl'Onduct:'1',and'Ii�ztificaticirilitilldingIO, ,.., 0(1.,..t..1404 eet , 60 ; 'laid the sputtering 'inii4tig_iithM,Cou10.'�,�th-Oct,thoa4;:Seis,}COtiliteriiiiNedia* ' ylr;:itketfr pt ::.not'- possibly 'aucceeit. uniOsti . he were'� :i.;!tistirently fi, ei .4te :ry . li. Viit.lijksiin the latest brouhaha , in the.ufe of"..T,.;.. 'About ,.. ... "btkiV1�,1!,whe PiiiiSO4;-.0.f tfj.ied.,; i. , , ...,:., :. :,.., ).,f...: ..i!, . :;',;.; 4.41, .,.:4,,,ii, .i.;�.N.-;,,,..) ,.,976,0, --,, , �rt.., : the beleaguered ,committee.- Waa trig- r."aftet: ;A: rash of ..,�; , .to0-let ,4- totitrlihitid, ' gcred earlier this week When�Gorizale bets aehttered about he 'Ottor _ . .. 147 hey!re: 'hiht:44.,th 44.. ... 4.1,1.: Classified 223-6200,�:.' IrcUlatto 21.1t51Ott d!! ' . Atteaditin San',Antonio; � Onittinittet-'nietithet* ithiiizlez accused Sprague eifiatinhal; ?nl. hithind -?? See SPRAGUE,.,A17, Col,. 1 , -,- 4:4Sprague) can work for free. He is notgoing to, Work' -undei.: the. PaSrroll:`' certified te',the':hier)( to lenitive:. his; 4figind,m,),?�Oir 41"fr.)16 6Onfriintatiortleft the House , ftitark!intri':,the,,inuidera of President !Kennett, and Martin .Luther :King Jon shakier 060pd than ever. Alarmed '',"�� i'''.Piagile't..;athhitleiik:: $6.5: millioniris4`stigtitiOe,.`11 ':.;Protioase0; the 1. Fe-eStablishilig the 7.,1; committee until :fait: week and Aheily.? -; dttl 0'5:40 temporary basis, giv- ingthe panel 'until' March 31 to settle' .? i) Wand come back back for a permanent , ...II 4 Iii :a letter to other '..committee Gonzalez'Fires' 'Sprague; Chief Counsel Refuses'tr . � : � � ", � �� . A . , , . . '���:���� .tee meeting \l tee some staff, -.-, � - � - ' � be dismissed temporarily.teeause .411::Offeevitlf'atrlie-orgliPv ,'aPPioach:cl the 'committee's present 7funding is. investigation and" protested that 1%.oply. :$84;000 a month and its payroll , j'Aitnide0 the:�1,�,:presenteitennistances;s,:�.'...amounts:. to .$123,000 a month. A deci, ,there.is-no way that postponed to Tuesday so-. that,.an function .. effettielfor carry Sprague could be heard. He oPp.osed..... ./ge's iTSPonst1)111tfeS,t1TFF--FIRA2,1;.� � the :move, pointing out that many staff,- (Sktilrt- ers:Itad'!already taken:. i.voluntaiy '35 t-4 3't.Waliee.'44gfilrffiTgatigatf6iit cent pay cut , �-�-�- � vote was taken btielfwak-eleai-:, do that SPi�ague. had k ;majniitt of the with-hin .j" committee on his �����v. N,,,....11hisscomnuttoof ed, _14 .;:r, , = � � if.';',4ithonMOkiglation'4!ands- 'i4Ztrket1 doe u guilitY-itt4e*bairmiiii:Aletter cont tbia.:inveSt4igation."is..tct '-'-'1).1i.010�*s;'''-?�,',!i}r..;907- -I i5'."'sr' � ,4,,spriggAliactluxtipmitpf7except''tty thrnuibtiv-ii4leismari.;..7.shortii � Rai* 5 P:m4. thii0".�*.4sAistaYint On, the'. because COMrnittee- has � V 'the 'According to:'ieierat sources, r. .',0,.c.,zafet had priitinied$:it,lk skrot:0011P�, 0.406 :JAN r;77 C1Q , A �A ri - . rkki.iiiti i7"17 � 1 i 1..ac1:3; ithdCS inqu'rni Na -With -Ti'anclolse!--.-FurJ.13.-, ty 2").A1,7.) � . SpecIal Th!Cork Thatx WASHINGM.4, Jan.. 24--Represenlative Jim Wright, the .1-rouse majority loader,� predict;:d today that the House Assa-7:sina- tion .Committee would be continued but that its budget would be "considerably curbied below the grandiose figures that ; have been hal:rho:1 about." Mr. Wright. added that Representative Henry B. Gonzalez, the Texas Democrat in line to be tho.:committee's �chairrrian, would have to �get the "reins in his. hands," curb what.. he called the "s-ora.- Cious appetite" ot some of the staff and guarantee thaJ the "investigating tactics and .techniques; of the :committee would not "impinge on basic human rights." Mr. Wright; also a Texas -.Dernocri�t, made his comments At a' luncheon with reporters and ,e-ditol-s , of Tha Naw Yorl-; Times one day before a resolution to -re- establish thx committee was scharli:!ed � to come before the Homo Rules Commit-� Criticism or Sprague'. , The majority leader further said that he personally did not believe that the omninittee would "turn up any significant new driformation,- although he said a- roi- rioritY of the House ;felt that the investi- gation was teeded.'"But I'M not going to vote for $6i5 million," Mr. Wright said, referring to :the: committee's :' proposed' budget for'the first year. � �� � �, " , Mr.- Wright's' criticism or the-commit- te's* tactics referred to. the :initial 'clan. of Richard 'A.� Sprague, the � etinitaitfee'i chief counsel and director, to use tiny hidden radios. and .psychological stress evaluators tri -test the Credibility of wit, .nesses without theirknowledget . �.� � I In the, face of criticism by a .number. of Congressmen, including Representative Don -.Edwards,.'- the California Democrat who heads the House. Subcommittee' on Civil ..and Constitutional Rights.; the coin- mitto earlier announced that- it would -4 � .Deputy Attorney Disagreed; . � Ten months:�later.,�:a� special deputy torney genera) in- Pennsylvania said in a. confidential report that there were in iti- cations of extortion, bribery, election fraud, hid rigging 'and related crime in the sanno 'county, and recommended the appointment Of ;air independent: prosecu� tor and grandjury. ''.�. , Although -; the;::�Attorney General: of Pennsylvania, Robert, P.-Kane, did:not act on the report. .o': his special deptuy, Wal- ter M. :Phillips', jr., 1. string .of reports ccrruption aware County .by the 'state crime. Cc;rninissTon and 'anonning Y.ederal inveStii�tion of political corrup- a-ion there provide �at least some support .to the conclusion of the Phillips report. ,- Mr. Sprague, in response to an inquiry, said the only real difference between the .two reports was � the legal judgement "that I did not fzel.:there. was sufficient evidence to .i.neer,the legal requirement. tor- creating an investigating grand jury. ;and Mr: Phillips felt there was." -Mr. Sprague also said the two � reports .Were not contemporaneous because most of his investigation � of Delaware County had been completed two years, before his:, ;:.report was -.made .publlc in the tali of .1974. Accompanied by, two committee. stiff officials -during an interview, Mr. Sprague also strongly ;criticized The .New York Times for publishing. en article that cited 'a number of occasions 'in which the Penn- sylvania Crime Commission, the Pennsyl-. varua Supreme'. Court � and. a report pre- pared by the Philadelphia Crime Commis-. sion;:had criticized several of his official actions while serving as the first assistant district attorney of Philadelphia.. '7. Mr. Sprague. charged.- that the-article had not been a .".fair presentation" and "obviously Was' intended to smear me." � not use the streSs evaluators. -� � - But the record and activities of Mr. Sprague, a' farther firs, assistant .disttict attorney from Philadelphia, has -been one factor in the increasing Congressional concern about the Proposed investigation tif the assassinations of President Kenne- dy and .the �Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.. A new controversy involving Mr. Sprague ha come tolight concerning his report a little, more than three years ago .that he had not found sufficient evidence oF -corruption 'to recommend the esta:blish-- ;itent- of a' special grand jury while he was serring � as 'a special prosecutor in a county neat Philadelphia., .1, � an. 22i�Tbe Boeing Corp. in a growing controversy. which the Seattle plane ls reported to have �paid � millions of dollars in cage for the Egyptian na-� to buy four overpriced' d 707 jets." ti the planes to Egyptan. -imem million. $6 million, ciet'm that other airlines for similar equipment at C, according to the -Egyp-. ,seeutor. onsultant to the -airline pills Attention On Area Roads ma, ,ntesteo on cnarges taking kickbacks for his part in the transaction ,has admitted receiving 150,000 for his part in the deal and has implicated Others whom he says, received more. , Two former Cabinet ministers have been named as suspects in the case hut have not been arrested. One of., them, former Civil Aviation Minister Ahmed Noah, has told Cairo newspa- pers that he will turn over documents that incriminate other prominent per- sonalities if he is prosecuted. No member of President Anwar 'Sa- dat's current Cabinet has been impli- cated :in the so-called Boeing: affair, ir distinctive: lines. and tel them front pipeline .ead of port to port, crc-' thar shipboard hazards ry one-a potential env': ster. " :es possible enormous tom er's owners and ne�:very reluctant this 'ng ships and oil spills >er look at tanker open tankers are described uard as. generally well- whose executives have recent' general indict' tanker -!trade;. agreed peed to: a :request to ,- Snowfall Puts Icy Glaze Back � By Robert Meyers � � and Martin Weil Washington Post Staff Writers � _Snow swirled - into the 'Washington 'metropolitan area � again yesterday, Living some downtown streets little... ;more than a light dusting,, but accu-� � � .mulating as much as three and four ;�". AaChes outlying.arensl," � Highway officials' in many sections, -, taking- into --account _Predictions that -the snow would entLearlY 'today' and . � a V.:Innen:titres begin. to rise;' were.rela--" tiVely optimistic, about: Prospects.: fOri ,the,mitirning rush � � -'However, a Virginia, highwayeengt,;, . neer urged extreme caution,: warning.' � :hat primary roadi Would be', slick and:- secondaries "all ice and snow" inathe morning. He recommended stiow,tires and chains for ,all roads, despite last -; :night's spreading of salt and sand. � Yesterday's storm, arriving 'just be. lc-7' Ty- ar fore the evening rush hour, caused � nor have any Of Ilk clu 'Putt I he scandal clearly comes at a bad C foe the president, contributing to -the atmosphere of popular dissatisfac- . tion and resentment against the gov- ernment that boiled over into last week's food-price riots. The controversy 'recalls the scandals : involving payoffs on airplane deals by the Lockheed Aircraft Cotai, to offi- cials in Japan, Canada and scn,�oral countries in Europe. The Egyptair 'consultant, Hilmy Shams, a former pilot, has admitted taking a bribe from Boeing and has been jailed. ' See BOEING, A13, Col. 3 oitse � By George Eardner jr: :� wmt3imilfgton Post Staff Writer � �,, la a r.C11) aCC:01'din; to a ?elite-eon inerno to the' White illouse. - � TLe. mono was sent in the last days of time Pc-rd administration to the White House -National Security Coun- cil for President �Carter's considera- Linn, - ilea/ailing to the Associated 1b0.. "Per r formance ates in previous wars are too slow,' said the memo in calling for a streamlined draft system for wartime.. Under the plan, 25-year-olds would participate in an annual lottery to de- termine in what order they would be a : called if war caine[The system would . be run by rcservi.sts attached to .f36 re- ' Sec DEFENSE, AG, Col, 3 4 vs on Ass( amitiye mo .s vainroen ceo- notriie strittenies. pearl soarces said the meeting weelti probably be held M Lornion in 'aiaa. Said 'Secretary of State Cyros Vance would announce new A merican irmitiatives to resolvc- the Cyprus con- flict ,between ( ireece and Turkey in Washington on Tuesday. � Said the Carter administration wouta support steps to bring Spain into the NATO alliance when its gov- ernment takes such an initiative. 6 Said he Inal '�00 knowledge" of the future status of NATO command- ing Gen. Alexander Haig, the former Nixon ia'hite House aide with whom - See MONDALE, AG, Col. 1 2 5 .jA.N 1977 be . When the House Select Committee on Assassinations was handed its pro- posed $6.5- million 'budget last month; it was _done' with a professional flair � suggesting that every penny's worth had been 'painstakingly studied and � justified. ' � � , � In fact, .it .hadn't even been added - 'up until a day and a half before it was. �presented to committee members Dee..., 9 for their ritual approval. � . "Any- cut, In . iny opinion, ' would'. -make the task impossible,". chief coun- sel Ilichard-A. Sprague intoned at �the ,' , hearin � that morning when Rep.- Louis Stokes CD-Ohio) pressed him for' Ex-Aide $ 4x-I-Acie rin esitt es fender-bender accidents, minor traffic congestion and suburban snowball fights. � , � It also caused tire early- clOsing of � outlying offices and stores. ; � t � National Weather Service forecast- er Harold Hess estimated late last night that accumulations had reach- . ed about 11/2 inches parts of the .D1striet, two inches in suburban areas . and three to four inche's 11-1 western .Loucloun County, : � � � -' . lie .said high temperatures today � �:Edwards GiA,-rt Te.,. Ch By Dan Morgan and Sault Armstrong � ,Washiattioa Past Staff Writers A former aide to Louisiana Gov. -Edwin � W: Edwards : told a federal grand jury yesterday that South _Korean businessman Tongsun t Park gave Edwards $20,000 in cash ,raa.,his 1972 gubernatorial campaign. Clyde Vidrine, . who -worked with : Edwards' throughout the campaign and subsequently lived in lime goy- ernor's mansion in Ratan Ti''". a hint of where a few dollars might be saved.. No one need coax Sprague for any more hints. His budget is going to be cut, willy-nilly, perhaps by more than 50 per cent. The more immediate, question is whether the committee's News Analysis . , . � ambitious inquiry into the deaths Of President Kennedy and the R eV. Mar- sin Luther King Jr. will be allowed to proceed at: all.. � � �-. . � � : � The change . in. the mood. of the ...House since it authorized- the investi, � gation last September by a vote of .280 � to 65 has 'been remarkable.� The committee's sponsors will ask. the Houae Ruies Committee today to clear for floor action Inter this week A broadly worded resolution re-creating the emumittee. Rep. Henry B. Gonza- lez ID-Tex.), the chairman-designate, said yesterday that he simply hopes to see the resolution survive without any "crippling amendments." Some restrictions in the name of due process sceM likely. There is also talk among some members of requir- ing tile committee to examine the existing evidence first, Its investigators have been sent to - Mexico City. It has talked of leads in Portugal. But just a few blocks away, See INQUIRY, AG, Col. 5 z-R\ To Testirto- 01 r)ev:ice,-; By Don faberclorfer yaisaimaztaa Pa-it Siaff',Vriier President Cart em', in .the first inter- view .of- his administration, has an- - flounced extensive arms control pro- posals it-I'm:inch:in an immediate halt to � all atomic testing and substantial -re- duction , in U.S. and Soviet nuclear ant 1711 t. Iii an With I he \.ssoe ia Led Press and TrIt United Press Inte:national left, meets with Belgian Prime Minister Leo Tindemans. of e U.S Draft k ;1i Al draft boards :1 about gesi,. t ottal war V Nunn and (Pt-Okla.) as ;ATO survey no: Nov. 1_4,, al Services. these warn- dod "deliberately n; the Eurb-- v the very .nventional s _plagued, mobilizing fashion el: the Get- but not while � I be re- ; a' sba .1;t: navy, :ei-nbers besponsd- .! Atlantic i�:�ny by one- tioops out r;boand, and "no more .an prepara- �;other." reinforce- than any- front, the lit tic bet- :way nor. :-;redisposed .ncces- :cmcnt if e � which sian aid need tinlikely to ,aild well be � the thne nuclear ::ald fall on . the report Bache Therefore, the report added, NATO "is confronted with the prospect of warning calculable in days, not weeks or months." - Asserting that ."we are neither sug- gesting- any intention on the part of the Soviets to invade Western. Europe nor predicting an invasion," the report said NATO nations must .face the new -facts of what the Soviets could do in a� war and adjust ...their forces accord- in gly. � � � . N.o longer is it. an attractive option to use tactical nuclear weapons to step an invader if conventional defen- ses collapse, � the report said, because the Soviet Union's- tactical nuclear weapons are. now "more destructive and longer-ranged than NATO's." � � Also, said the report, Warsaw Pact forces are � �bet ter - prepared than NATO's to, fight on a battlefield where tactical nuclear �weapons have been used. � � � a � - The 'changed situation, the report said, dictates that NATO � nations streamline. mobilization procedures; strengthen NATO conventional forces along the NATO' line, especially the center, and move them closer to the front: improve their ability to commu- nicate with one another; store ammu- nition, ar.d more of it, closer to com- bat units, and change war planning to reckon with the .likcJihood of getting little warning .of a Communistztta.ck. 1:reaklast Test Lays an Er;fr tin; t�cd ';?res:: Internatioz]al . In case you don't. know how Ion g it takes to .fry two eggs for breakfast, the federal 'gov- ernment spent nearly $46,000 to find out. . it takes exactly 838 time measurement units, or TMUs if you prefer. That finding by researchers .at the Agriculture Department yesterday won Sen. Williom Pr o xm ire's "Golden Fleece" award for i;h1u;ry. . INQUIRY, From Al - the National Archives,. there � some 40 feet of shelf apace loaded down with the physical evidence of the Kennedy assassination�clothing, bullets, photographs, a- rifle � still waiting to be tested and analyzed by., the committee- � � � "We're worse off now than if no in- : vestigation had been authorized," said author Harold Weisberg, a longstand- ing critic of the government's investiga- tions of both the Kennedy .and King assassinations. " � � a n , . , "This Committee. hasn't -.been ducting .an investigation," Weisberg n charged. "It's been engaged in pro- � moting itself. It's been engaged in try-1 mg to justify � an 'appropriation which. is not only unjustified but, if .granted, .. would have: been counterproductive." .". Sprague proposed a staff of 170 per sons. Weisberg maintains that "you can,: not have effective communication with a staff that large."' . � � At this point, the committee, which� ' :.built up a staff of 73 before it had to � stop hiring, has' no official existence... The 'Rules Committee is- scheduled to �consider the' assassination panel's rea � establishment today, with floor action � expected later in the week.' The prevailing wisdom, which could shift abruptly, 'seems to be that it is top late for the House to try to put the 'cap back on the bottle of conspiratorial rumors and theories about the two as- sassinations which were promised con- gressional scrutiny last September. To - squelch the inquiry now, even for the 'best of motives, mighteseem'a blatant_ cover-up. 4 � "Pm sure the Hill is � loaded .With people' who have all kinds of' doubts .(about 'the investigation)," said � Rep. Don' Edwards (D-Calif.), � chairman of the House Subcommittee on Constitu- tional Rights. � � Edwards, who-se subcommittee took sworn testimony in 1975 on the FBI's destruction .of evidence in the Ken- nedy case, was one of the first to ex- press .concern about the. current inves- tigation in light of Sprague's plans to buy hidden � radio transmitters, poly- graphs, pscychological stress evalua- tors and other gadgets. But despite the spreading skepti- cism, Edward said,. "I think it'll go through in some modified form." The center � of contention is Sprague: his methods, his judgment, his temperament. An unsettling cata- logue of many of the problems � involved can be found in. a 2�-year- old report to the Citizens Crime Com- mission of Philadelphia, where. Spra- gue, . a 'career prosecutor, had been first assistant district attorney 'for eight�years. . The 60-page study, conducted for a newly elected', inc,oming DA by con- �sultant. Charles H. Rogovin under a Law Enforcement Assistance Adminis- tration grant, complimented Sprague for being "without doubt one of the most skilled: prosecutors in the coun- try," but was less enthusiastic about other qualities. . The 'report was highly critical of Sprague's "total dominance over all activities of the district attorney's of- fice," said the administration of.. the office was best described as 'chaos," and attacked its "primitive approach to budgeting practices" and its weak financial controls. At another point, the study said that the office's investigative work oc- casionally constituted "a search for targets of opportunity, rather than ac- tion undertaken pursuant to a strate- gic plan." Echoes of those same complaints keep coming, up on . Capitol , where Sprague ins isted�upon, and \vas granted, "complete authority" over, hiring and. firing of personnel on the assassinations_ committee. � � He quickly asserted himself in au opening blitz of public statements, tel- evision and newspaper interviews, and : even policy pronouncements about what the, committee would and would not do. Critics such as Rep. Robert E, Bauman (R-Md.) charged angrily that Sprague had "virtually assumed the role of chairman of the committee." � Meanwhile, the committee, with - Sprague doubling as chief counsel and 'staff director, spent itself into trouble.. It got $150,000�for a projected staff .� of 23 person,---sliortly .iftor :it w cre- ated' in September. But it wound up the year with a staff of 73. None is being paid at present. Nor Is any of the committee's creditors. The committee must be re-established first. But even then, under, the, rules of the House, it will be limited, Until. it gets a new budget, to sPending no. more than it spent in December. . Committee' officials say that amounts to $34,000. According to a compilation Jan. 10 by the clerk of the � House, the total is really only $67,797. Neither amount is enough to meet the � committee's full-month payroll of $115,000, 'let alone any other bills. , Committee staffers are planning to.. take a voluntary pay cut until the cri- � sis is resolved. . � The proposed $6.5 million' budget, which is certain to be slashed, poses. other questions. Described by Sprague as an exer- cise in sheer frugality, a "bare-bones' . . bare-bottom . . . minimal" figure,' it calls, among other things, for. $1,248;000 in domestic travels by its at- torneys and' investigators alone and. $42,900 for bringing witnesses to Washington.. � . . Put another way, that suggests a to- tal of 24 trips to outlying precincts by House sleuths for every witness brought. back to the nation's capital' to � enlighten the electorate at public � hearings: The budget also includes S:�180,000 for overseas travel, but before travel-. lug abroad, 'Weisberg and others (such as former Warren Commission lawyer David' Belin) Contend, "You've got to establish the 'basic facts of each homi- cide first. They haven't done it yet: They don't know what they're investi- gating yet." Chairmandesignate Gonzalez pro- fesses now to be fully aware that the budget he and the lest of itS members � endcirsed just last month is unrealN: tic. He Says he is fully prepared once the committee is re-established, to cut the spending proposal back to the "ir- � reductible minimum." Adapt:11)10 to the changing mood, Gonzalez even scoffs et the .$1.8 mil- . lion in proposed. overall travel expen- ses. � � nit's inconceivable to; me that, I � would � go to anybody' and say .1 need $1.3 million for. future travel without: saying where I'm going," Gonzalez says now. � � But the real question, he maintains, is the basic re-establishment of the committee, the issue expected to come before the House this week. On that score, there iS suddenly a wiilespread. embivalence. Rep. Richard Boiling (D-Mo.)7'eil eets the uncertainty as well as anyone. A key member of the House Tittles Com- mittee, Bolling was responsible �for nquelching the inquiry when it first came up for a hearing last spring. He opposed it in the name cf the Ken- nedy family. lint then he was "converted" last sumnitx� on the basis �of information about the King assassination pres- ented to him by Del. Walter E. Faun- troy (D-D.C.) and the Congressional Black Caucus. Now, Boliieg sase aandlilly, he doesn't know what to think. � At this point, he said late last week, "I don't know what's going to happen in the Pules Commtiee Tuesday and I don't know what I'm going to do. ii haven't had a chance to read enough to be sere cf some things that may seem obvious others." f" t , By Jeremiah O'Leary Washington Star Staff Write: Dick Sprague blew into town a few - .months ago like the tough new kid on the block determined to stake out his I turf as chief counsel of the House Se- lect Committee on Assassinations. . But he's beginning to get the pic- " �ture that Washington is a much - tougher league than the rough-and- tumble politics of Pennsylvania. He's playing, hardball now with some peo- ple who aren't about:to give him what he wants � the blank check he 7-- thought he had when he was hired td get the final answers to the murders of President John F. Kennedy and Dr. Martin Luther King�Jr. Richard A. Sprague, 52; victor in thousands of Philadelphia courtroom battles and political squabbles and� the nationally prominent prosecutor in the-Joseph (Jock) Yablonski mur- der cases, � has .never dodged contra- �versy. He almost seems to relish it. But now he is embroiled in a battle in-., volving elected members Of the House of Representatives who are feeling their post-Watergate oats. The next few weeks will determine whether the House committee wili die aborning or be permitted to get on with the two:. year assassinations probe. SPRAGUE IS AT the.center of this controversy and he has clearly rub- bed some influential House members , Sprague is tough but can he buck the system? the wrong way. He hasn't said in so the pattern of upstaging members of many words that he will undertake the assassinations committee � al- the assassination probe only on his .though this was natural enough since own terms but he has certainly given he knew more answers than the corn- that impression. He is also caught in a mittee did and he draws a crowd: minefield of his own making about the when the press is around. , cost of the investigation and about the Even the easygoing former corn guidelines and electronic devices his ' mittee chairman, Thomas investigators will use. . Downing, D-Va., seemed astonished Like many other newcomers to when Sprague dropped his biggest, : Capitol Hill, Sprague has made tact': bombshell at an, open hearing: the. cal errors. One of these was at the out- $6.5 million price tag for the first year- se when he required that he he of Operations and a projected- cost of - t named both chief counsel and direc- $13 million over the two-year span. tor of the committee. Then he fell into THE COMMITTEE approved � Sprague's budget but was out Of its depth when Sprague disclosed that he intended to use hidden radio transmit- ters, recording devices on some staff phones, polygraph machines and even voice stress evaluators to meas- ure the truthfulness of witnesses' . statements. Henry B. Gonzalez, Dzrex.; who is to be chairman of the committee, has been forced into the position of carry- ing the fight tor reconstituting the committee to the Rules Committee and the full membership of the House. Gonzalez, who is wise in the ways of . the House, is in the uncomfortable role of selling the investigation to his peers and assuring critics that Sprague's investigators will not be- , come a legislative CIA with their evaluators; lie detectors, tape record- ers and hidden mikes. , I The central figure in the current dispute has the size and appearance of a retired welterweight fighter. His hair is longish at the back of his neck and tends to curl as if he had just emerged from the shower. His eyes protrude Slightly but they project the self-confidence that exudes from his every pore. Dress Sprague in a black shirt and broad-ht inn riled fedora and you've got Nathan Detroit. Put him in a courtoom and you've got a ringwise legal bulldog. Place him in locker room and you've got a small version of Vince Lombardi. Sec SPRAGUE, E-20 � �, C--6)I heV,:ashilvtiya CI:1r Fay, J lidanuary, 21, 1977 v � ** ���r")).")\ C1 � a ��� , � , Continued From A-1 OVER IN THE OLD FBI Fingerprint-Building, a sleazy annex used for bottorradwelling House units, Sprague is the undisputed boss of the 73 empic,yes hired so far. Like Sprague, the committee staff is in a. legislative limbo until the House � decides to give the chief counsel the tools he says he must have, or dilutes both the budget and the investigative tech- niques Sprague has proposed, or kills off the com- mittee entirely. � LI an effort to defuse criticism, the committee staff --- from Sprague on down.� earlier this week � � offered to take a 35 percent temporary pay cut while the panel's budget is debated. Sprague runs a tight ship and demands not good but excellent performance. When things don't go just right, staters speak- in awe of Sprague's sharp, tongue. While Downing ,,vas chairman, Sprague domi- nated the committee but in a deferential way'. Gott- zalez is an affable, gregarious man but he is � Washington -wise as Sprague is not. Gonzalez' role has essentially become that of the mediator JD-b.... tween Sprague and : House . critics � of the assassinations committee 'battle .plan. It will be up � to Gonzalez to get the votes for bringing the com- mittee bock to legal status and he. can only do that . by restricting Sprague to the satisfaction of the The probabilities are:. - House of Representatives. - � . � � The Rules Committee hearings will -impose checks " on Sprague that he never expected when he HE'S A COAIPETE.NT 'lawyer with a great took the job. reputation. But he used to handle 'sure-pop' cases. * The House, in the end, will permit the investiga- And he always: took personal care of his public rela- � tion to proceed but at Some lesser cost than S6.5 :nil- tions," said one Philadelphia legal figure. lion for the first year. !There's no way -I'd let him in my chicken � Faced with the difference betwe r en. the WaShi- house," said a Philadelphia official who tangled -a ton reality and the free-wheeling folkways of With Sprague. Philadelphia, Sprague will.adjust his ego and carry Fhl man who worked the prosecution.of Tony � on with what he has started rather than quit. � Boyle and the other Yablonski conspirators, said, e The Kennedy-King reopener may not result in He was very demanding, unrelenting in court and any different basic ansWers than that Oswald 'and he can on strong with us and with the jury. But we James Earl Ray were the killers, operating alone, gave him a real pRt. case on �a hit made by. some but it could shed lots of light on huildrects of murky ignorant-hillbillies who left a trail, like an elephant � ouestions that were not answeredsby the. Warren with a nosebleed.in a snowstorm." �-� Commission or Ray's now-repudiated confession.. - Sprague was born in Baltimore but has lived and - worked in Philadelphia since World War II. In that war, he was an enlisted sailor in the submarine service. Afterwards he got his B.S. from Temple University and his law degree at the. University of Pennsylvania. Both-his parents are psychoanalysts and are still living Sprague has been divorced for many years, is on excellent terms with his two chil- dren but refuses to discuss his personal life except to say that he has a girl friend. t� -. � Sprague has been criticised on. the Yablonski case for being too extravangant in the long se- quence of federal and state trials. � � �. His repsonse-: "There were nine defendants when. the Yablonski trials began in 1970 and the whole thing cost $440,000.. I got the state of Pennsylvania to reimburse Washington County. The FBI and the police paid their own expenses. The City of Phila- delphia paid for me because the DA had asked me to take on the prosecution. One decision I made Cost , some mcney but was-important to the prosecution. I decided to keep�the defendants separate from one another throughout so they couldn't get together on their stories and that cost some money in travel. One of them was .a woman and_for a while we had to keep her in a place that was in a resort area but that ended when we found a deserted farm house for her to stay in." ea. , , . � ,� It is generally acknowledged that Sprague did a - brilliant job on the Yablonski case, both with the investigative aspects and as a bulldog -prosecutor. FBI agents did not find him .easy to get along with because he made a lot of demands that they had to clear with their headquarters in Washington. , SPP.AceT...TE P.ECENTLY� got into 'a hassle with the FBI about the.bureates.request to National Ar- chives for access to some test bullets fired from the - rifle of Lee Harvey Oswald in 1963. The FBI had � been given a mashed bullet that a Texas man said he found two years ago with a metal detector within 61 paces of the spot where President Kennedy was shot to death. . Sprague at first opposed giving the FBI the test bullets, expressing concern for the integrity of the evidence. It is more likely that his nose was slightly out of joint because the FBI asked for the test bul- lets from Archives without clearing it with him first. Now Sprague says in a conciliatory way that the FBI can have the test bullets for comparison with the new Dallas bullet if one of his people is there to ensure the chain of custody. But meantime, outgo- ing Atty. Gen. � Edward Levi has written to Gonzalez that, as far as he is concerned, the assassinations committee can have no access to Justice Depart- ment or FBI records or evidence until it is recortsti toted by the House. Until then, Levi wrote, Sprague and his staff are "unauthorized persons." WHAT HAPPENS NOW depends on the Rules Committee and the House itself. Rep. Don Ed- wards, D-Califa is demanding assurances from Gonzalez that Sprague and his staff will not run roughshod over the constitutional rights of Ameri�- cans with their transmitters, tape redOrders,' poly- graphs and stress evaluators. Gonzalez, who would like to get on with the probe without further contro- versy, is telling anyone who will listen that Sprague and company will have to operate, within proper legal guidelines. 1: � , "r! ',71Th g),itt lin7 7,0171-71 J. 1 A �Af4-1 'ant I 1 _C . bl.71?, i Li?n T1117 V7 rs Hftfl ifooc. tJrt :;ress Intt.r.n Speaker Thomas P. O'Neill:- pre- . . dictedyesterday that the Bouse�would not reconstitute � a special committee , � studying assassinations even, if its backer's redu;�;ed a planned budget re.- quest by as Much as $2.5 million.. � "I,see in the paper they're thinking of cutting hack their request now to. million". O'Neill told reporters. "I.-. would hope they cut it back mucl. more, much lower than $4 million." The Massachusetts Democrat said , resolution � to. reconstitute the ,panel created last year to. investigate, the .� killings of President John F. Kennedy".., and th.e.Rev, Dr, Martin Luther King Jr. would come 'before the House next Wednesday if it clears the Rules Com, mittee by then. The'committce last year endorsed a � bud.get request for the. new Congress of $6.5 , for two, Years; � :and the planned $1.3 million, spending resulted in � opposition � to continuing' - the. committee, ,even . at last year's spending level, through March Until a new budget could be approved. � ��� "This House isn't going for .any-ef 'the sums they've been talking about- � 'and it won't go for the systems they'- . ye suggested either," � � ' The 'systems" ref eired.to .an earlier , plan-, now . abandoned, to seek ap- . proval of. equipment to secretly moni- tor and � record telephone conversa- -.. lions. � Well-founded reservations It appears that a good many House members have some reservations about the Kennedy-King assassinations investigation authorized in the waning weeks of the 94th Congress, as well they might. If the budget proposed by chief counsel Rich- ard Sprague is approved, the investigation will cost $13 million over a two-year period. Some of the investigative methods proposed recently by � Mr. Sprague are questionable. And some critics are concerned lest the investigation get beyond � the assassinations and turn into another probe of the FBI and the CIA. House leaders tried last week to get the Select Committee on Assassinations re-established in the new Congress by voice vote without debate but were stymied by objections from Rep._Rob- ert Bauman, R-Md. � Then the leaders planned to bring it up this ' past Tuesday under a suspension of the rules, which also would have limited debate and prohibited amendments to the authorizing legis- lation. But in the face of growing protest over the cost, methods and scope, the leadership de- cided to follow the more normal channel of rout- ing the authorizing resolution through the Rules- Committee which, unless there is some other finagling, will open the resolution to full discus- sion and possible amendment. Trying to find new scent in the cold trails of the John F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr assassinations has been a questionable .14 'JAN-1977 operation from the start. It certainly does not seen( worth $13 million. The grandiose probe envisioned by Mr. Sprague would have 170 peo- ple sifting the ashes of past investigations and trying to turn up something new. � Some questions have arisen, too, about MrI. Sprague, who was described the other day by . Ron Sarro of The Star as "tough, abrasive and sometimes unorthodox." Mr. Sprague's original . plan to use lie detectors, electronic eavesdrop- ping devices and equipment that evaluates stress in a person's voice summons up fears of investigative methods in the executive branch; that have been condemned by many congres- sional committees in the pose-Watergate era..-., Rep. Timothy Wirth, D-Colo., has asked that the Select Cominittee on Assassinations inform - the House how the chief counsel was selected, and he suggested that Mr. Sprague be required to file a "full financial disclosure" statement with the committee. Considering that the inves- tigation would be the most extensive and costly _ in congressional history, Mr. Wirth's request ' that the House know more about the man who would direct it does not seem unreasonable. Nor is it unreasonable that language be writ- ten into the resolution re-establishing the com- mittee to prevent it from going too far afield. Was sufficient thought given last year to the proposal to reopen the assassination investiga- tions? The matter ought to be fully explored before the select committee and Mr. Sprague go any further. 511 House Puts Off Vote uff to Slayin Probe Staff By Ron Sarro Washington Star Staff Writer Most of the 73 investigators, lawyers and clerical people on the staff of the House Select Committee on Assassinations gathered in the old FBI finger- print building late yesterday to discuss the collec- tive kick in the pants they had just been given on the House floor. Chief Counsel and Staff Director Richaed A. Sprague � who has become a center of controversy � over re-establishing the committee for the 95th Con- gress � gave the staff a Sort of a George Allen pep talk about singleness of purpose, toughing it out and hanging in there together. "To a person, they decided to work on until a final resolution of the issue is made by the House. . . . They are a professional group of peo- ple who came here for a purpose," reported Deputy. Chief Counsel Stephen Fallis. - - � - And what of the tough, abrasive and sometimes unorthodox Philadelphia lawyer who successfully prosecuted the killers of Joseph (Jock) Yablonski? What of Sprague? "He's committed to continue the investigation," said Fallis. SIGNIFICANTLY, the room used fox the meeting at the old FBI building at 2nd and D Streets SW did- n't have any furniture. It may never have, either, unless proponents of the reopening of the investiga- tions of President John F. Kennedy and the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. mend some fences, particu- larly on the issue of Sprague. The mushrooming controversy over Sprague, his investigative methods, the scope of his probe, and his near-demand that the committee be funded at the level of $6.5 million a year forced Democratic , leaders yesterday to cancel a vote on the House -floor to authorize the committee's work during the 95th Congress.' "A good many members raised the question of bringing it up under suspension of the rules," Wright said, Under that procedure, the resolution to re-establish the committee could not have been amended to put limits on Sprague's investigative techniques or any other aspect of the committee's work. The House would have had to take it or leave it. "Rather than try to cram this thing down the throats of the members, we have decided to go to the Rules Committee" with a resolution to re-estab- lish the committee, House Majority Leader Jim Wright explained. THE RULES Committee legislative route is the more conventional way of conducting House busi- ness and would allow the House to restrict the com- mittee's work, but the process could delay action several weeks. Predictions were that some form of limited investigative authority would result. Wright said there was some "alarm" about the money the committee wants and some other. "reservations" among House Democrats. He added that he has been informed by House Republi� can Leader John J. Rhodes of Arizona that "a great _ many of their members have many questions." Rep. Henry B. Gonzalez, D-Tex., who is expected to be named the new chairman of the committee and therefore its chief defender, acknowledged after yesterday's action that Sprague had become almost the single issue and that some members were urging him to fire the chief counsel - "There have been a few insinuations, I wouldn't say demands. . . . But I say don't shoot the piano player, he is doing his best up to now," Gonzalez said. - Gonzalez, who would replace retired Rep. Thomas Downing as committee chairman, said he hopes to use the delay in House consideration of the resolution to clear up what he considers misunder- standings, "innuendoes" and unnecessary reserve- tionS about the committee's work. "I INHERITED some of these things," said Gon- zalez. "I never had a fair chance. . . . I'm like a prize fighter who gets knocked out even before he gets in to the ring.' . For the past week, Gonzalez has been assuring congre:Nmen, both personally and in writing, that the committee members would adopt strict rules which would restrict the conduct of staff investiga- tors. However, yesterday's action showed his ef- forts so far have not been enough, and that many. � members- want restrictions, written into the com- mittee's authorization. " t F The committee was established last September to try to resolve lingering public doubts about the official investigations into the assassinations of Kennedy and King. Officially, the committee went out of business Jan. 3, but it continues to function on an interim basis. But what would have been a rou- tine reconstitution of the committee has not become a major issue. House concern about the committee stems from requests by Sprague's staff to use such investiga- tive techniques as lie detectors, electronic eaves- dropping devices and equipment which evaluates the stress in a person's voice, as well as the $6.5 mil- lion the staff wants. - ; A KEY, COMMIT-ME staff member said last I night that it has never been Sprague's' intention to abuse the equipment. "We would not record any- body's statement without. their consent. . There would be no polygraph or voice stress analysis without the full consent of the person involved." The staffer continued that the results of such tests ' would never be published or made known, and would be used for investigative research only. New Assassination Panel Is Blocked JAN 1977 �By DAVID BURNHAM SpecLa I to The New York Times � WASHINGTON, Jan. 11�Faced with Representative Henry B. Gonzalez, the growing objections to the proposed scope, Texas Democrat who will probably be budget and methods of the Select Corn- appointed the committee chairman if and mittee on Assassinations, the leadership of the House leadership today withdrew when it is re-established, said he felt like "a guy who has be.en slugged before he from immediate consideration a resolu- has a chance to get into the ring and tion to re-establish the committee. The decision, by Representative Jim fight." Wright of Texas, the Democratic leader, Mr. Gonzalez criticized an article in came just before the House was sched- The New York Times on Jan.- 2 about uled to meet and after the Republican Mr. Sprague as "a journalistic vendetta Conference agreed to oppose considera- dredged from the turgid and murky tion of the resolution under ,procedures waters of big city politics" involving mat- that sharply limit debate and require a ters that he said occurred more than 10 two-thirds majority for approval. years ago. . Mr. Wright said he was not sure that .Article Cited Criticisms the resolution would have passed if it had been brought up today but that the The Times article cited a number of leadership would seek to re-establish the occasions, some as recent as 1973 and committee in two or three weeks under 1974, when official bodies such as the more time-consuming procedures that re- Pennsylvania Crime Commission, the quire only a simple majority for approval. Pennsylvania Supreme Court and the Pennsylvania Attorney General criticized 'Legitimate Concern' the actions and judgment of Mr. Sprague, In a related development, Representa- who was for years the first assistant .diS- tive Timothy E. Wirth, Democrat of Colo- trict attorney in Philadelphia. � - rado, placed a statement in the record A criticism of the select committee, demanding to know how the committee voiced today during the House Republi- chose its general counsel, Richard A. can Conference, concerned its scope of Sprague, and suggesting that he be re- investigation. According to two members quired to make "a full financial disclosure of the conference�Representatives Rob- to the select committee, if not to the ert H. Michel of Illinois and Robert E. House." Bauman of Maryland�the proposed reso- Mr. Wirth said that =many the selec- lution re establishing the committee tion of a committee staff should be left would permit it to investigate far more to the chairman and members of a corn- than only the assassinations of President mittee, but because this particular panel Kennedy and Dr. King. was investigating the killings of President "With the proposed mandate, that corn- Kennedy and the Rev. Dr, Martin Luther mittee could begin a whole new investiga- King Jr., the "selection of the committee's tion of the Central Intelligence Agency chief staffperson is a matter of legitimate and the Federal Bureau of Investigation,' concern to this body." Mr. Michel said. _ � !*`� V odniscrar. Januvl It 1977 THE WASHINGTON POST i �S' I. H ,. ouse Show Own 0 -8sas.1,0411011$1.. oquiry Calle 4 By George Lardner Jr. waiiiingtc,n Poet Staff Wrlter The House Select Committee on As- sassinations was left without official status again yesterday when House 'Democratic leaders hurriedly with- drew a bill re-establishing the commit- tee for the next two years. House Majority Leader Jim Wright (D-Tex.) said there had been com- plaints from "a good many members" about the committee's proposed 'budget and methods. the murders of President Kennedy -: and the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Will now take their resolutioreto- , the House Rules Committee. ApprOal there would send the bill to the House . t- floor under normal procedures re- ' quiring only a simple majority. r: Wright said he doubted this coul,d,b0 ,done before next-Week. ' 'A comniittee official said yesterday - I.- afternoon that the 73-member staff is 34 facing a budgetary, crisis in any event. 'Even if a new resolution reconstitut- ing the inquiry is adopted this month, the commitkee will still have to wait until next n?onth,' or longer, to win a new budget. - Until that is approved, according to the official, the committee can spend no more than $84,600 a month, the amount lie said was paid out in De- cember for salaries and other bills. However, he said, since many staffers were hired during the month of De- � "So we decided, instead of trying to cram it down their throats -and rush it through, to de it in an orderly way," Wright explained. A resolution reconstituting the com- mittee for the 95th Congress had been scheduled for floor consideration at noon under suspension-of-the-rules procedures. These would have limited debate, prohibited any amendments, and required two-thirds approval of those present and voting. With the outcome highly uncertain, ZAL. CY Rep. Henry B. Gonzalez (D-Tex.), who. is expected to become the committee's new chairman, signaled House leaders at 11:45 amn, to call off the showdown. "At 11:45, we got word that. the 13,:-.� . publican Conference had a big donny- brook on this. Our [Democratic] pic- ture was cloudy," Gonzalez said later.: "It looked like trouble . . . By 11:45,'. ray firm recommendation was .not . bring it up." Backers of the committee, whl'h was established last fall to investigz2e'. cember, the staff payroll alone now amounts to $115,009 a month. .Chief counsel Richard A. Sprague held a meeting with the staff yester- . day afternoon to explain the situation. Much of the rising congressional . criticism has centered on Sprague's proposed $6.5 million budget, which is :-certain to be cut back, and his plans for detective work such as having wit- nesses physically followed after they have been questioned. Rep. Tim Wirth (D-Colo.) also voiced concern yester- day about Sprague's judgment in light of some of his actions as a prosecutor In Philadelphia. On top of all this, House Minority Leader John J. Rhodes (R-Ariz.) and Minority Whip Robert H. Michel (It- III.) warned GOP members at ycster- 'day's Replibilean Conference to be wary of tha.resolution to re-establish the committee. The-wording had been changed from the ono, adopted last fall, considerably expanding the comL mittee's legislative .intent and broacir ening some powers. One new clduse gives committee investigatora thp,au- thorny to take sworn statements.. . Rep. Robert E. Bauman (1.1-111d:) first blocked adoption of the resolution last week when it Was brought up un- � der unanimous consent procedures. He told the House yesterday he hopes It will come back under an open rule so members Can offer amendments to "circumscribe the activities of- .the staff and the scope of the investiga- tion." To a reporter, Bauman charged later that Sprague was turning the in- vestigation into a "circus" .and sug- gested that the controversy "might he" resolved if Sprague quit. Gonzalez told i.cporters he has heard "a few insinuations" along that line, but only a few. es Z. W. Atherton�The We.thiriet,In Poet a-designate Cyrus R. Vance prioe er in.. a .closed, informal sessione: ����������Millik "There is a general reluctance to re- !ate," the Brooks report states, and series of letters printed as appen- es illustrated that finding. For example, Capitol Architect iite said this office "is required by r (40 Code 163) to be in the pitol building in order to provide , required centralized supervision, aro} and direction of the activities :he office of the architect." .e.p, Elizabeth Holtzman .(D-N.Y.), amber of the Brooks' commission, i the White-response and replied, think it is extraordinary That the Utect would assert that his func- s take precedence over the need" iembers "for additional space near House floor." � 4 f irbara Williams, 'staff director of Congressional Black Caucue; said ?rday she was "not surprised" by report although she had not seen ioovo of her office to the annex ? blocks from the Capitol, she "incapacitates you from haying ;s to people you work with. It iffect our effectiveness." . hard Conlon,. staff director of -louse Democratic Study' Group, that a move of his group to An- 2 would "seriously impair our Y to service Democratic members and day-out with the best re- available." ,4a.as ssassivation and ay Have to lefuse. JAN 1977 :me Stiff Criticism By George Lardner Jr. ,tion of wiretap and other devices to �.......,Witehtnicton Poet Stiff Writer , intrude upon a citizen's right of Ind- efe Tliit,HOuse .Select Committee on AS- yacy by congressional committees for ..'sassinatiOns 'may have to stave off .4-- Investigative purposes." some stiff criticism on the House floor today in its effort to win new life in the 95th Congress: Rep."Henry B. Gonzalez (11.Tex.), who is expected to become the new :chairman of the committee, said last '.night that: he may even seek ea with. draW tho resolution reviving the corn. itteeeThe decision will depend on a final head count in the morning. 'ea.lonzalez acknowleged that the reso- � ..lutionrnight not have the needed two- ; thirdremajerity because of "erreneous eirnpressions". that have built up about the committee's investigation in recent weeks,. � , eell;ther resolution does come up as -scheduled,. Rep. � :Don Edwards (D. chairman of the House sub- ecorrailittee on constitutional rights, isaidthfqetends to press for :detaile.d iaS.eitranbeeethat the civil liberties of those who come under investigation or 'ire are sought as witnesses by the !'.�ASsiesleations Committee will be i�epronerl./ safeguarded. trying to make 'sure 1,ve're enoe''..Cilenting:', a monster ; here," Ed- werds eatd.: � � . � ' � , Afteraineetirg with Edward:5 y es- te- rdox', 'afternoon, � Gonzalez slearifi, caliie�clisevowed some of the plans an. menaced tet,K the' chief courwe ,the. Assaseleations' Committee, Richard-A. for just himself at this point, Gonza- lez not only disavowed the telephone gadgetry that Thompson disapproved, but he also expressed distaste for some of the equipment chief counsel Sprague wants' to purchase, such as ' two "mini-phone recording devices " The 94200 kits 'feature tiny trans- mitters that can be hidden in the clothing of committee investigators. Sprague has denied that they would be used to make secret tape-record- ings. But he insisted that the equip- ment would be needed for "certain 'surveillance activities." � Sprague:.Gonzalez indicated he would bar vetoed them if he had been chAirtnati from the outset. .-,,.`f1VIY�-own feeling is that many ques- T. tons have been raised concerning is- sueejthad nothing to do with," Gonza- lez -told a reporter. The committee was created last September to investi- gate the. assassinations of President Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr: Rep. Thomas N. Downing (D-Va.), who has now retired from the House, was appointed chairman. Since then, sharp objections have been raised to a number of the Assas- sinations Committee's proposed pur- chases and investigating techniques. With Downing still chairman, the committee staff recently sought ap- proval' to buy five suction-cup . vicee.that are used to tape-record tele- - phone conversations. In another letter submitted .under Downing's name, the commIntre sought authority to install "transmitter cutoff arrangements for listening In purposes on two of the committee telephones." House Administration Committee Chairman Frank Thompson Jr. (D- N.J.) rejected both of those requests, which apparently originated with thefl Assassinations Committee's office manauer, former Downing aide Rick Feem:. e Thompson .said he was "unaieerably opposed to the utiliet. � Such �criticisms were expected- to �come. up on the House floor today-in connection with the new resolution re- establishing the assassinations � panel for the next two years. The resolution was scheduled for action under sus- pension-of-the-rules procedures,, which prohibit any amendments but also.� re- quire two-thirds approval for passage: If the resolution is pulled off the calendar, it will have to wait for Clear- ance by the House Rules, Committee,' presumably sometime later in the month, and. then floor action under - normal rules requiring only a. simple majority. Even this would only revive the committee on a temporary basis, pending an even more �spirited debate � over its projected $6.5-million-a-year budget. � � After this PQ-mi.rw.to meeting with Edwards, Gonzalez said he would press for adoption by the Assassina- tions Committee of rules and proce- dural safeguards to make. clear that the panel does not intend, as Edwards has suggested, to "indulge � in a tempo- rary Suspension of the Bill. of Rights." For his part, Edwards said he was satisfill. that Gonzalee wants to con- duct "a low-key, responsible investiga- tion." . .. Emphasizing that he �was speaking � � Correction � Because some type was driepped from a story in Mon- day's editions, there was an error in reporting the commit- tee assignments of Maryland's two U.S. senators. Sen. Paul S. Sarbanes (D-Md.) has tem- porarily been assigned to the Appropriations and Interior committees while Sen. Charles � Mac. Mathias Jr. (R-Md.) in- , tends to remain on the Ap� propriations, Judiciary and Dis- trict conraitteeee- � -- ORIENTAL RUGS tegokkiirip emir. *ode of find hand-mode Oriental Ruts from o wonteroe of importers co* price. No re,;-s Nv's reiused, 001Nt:i OUT Of BUSINESS 373-6903 ' Chevy chase Store Open Monday & Thursday 'Ti! 9:30 Continuing Our. . Semi-Annual SP 1 la � Panel ssassmation Faces,-.udget Cut By Richard L. Lyons Washington Post 8taff,V4P7T Flooded with members' protests that $6.5 million a year is too Mich, House leaders have agreed that the Select Committee on Assassinations' budget must be drastically cut or at least broken into smaller pieces so it appears that way. - � House speaker Thomas P. O'Neill Jr. (D-Mass.) said yesterday he expects the House will vote next Tuesday. to ' reconstitute the committee to investi- - gate the murders of President Ken- � nedy and the Rev-. Martin Luther ^King Jr. during the two years of this Congress. - O'Neill said he will appoint to the s vacant chairmanship Rep. Henry B. Gonzalez (D-Tex.), who said yesterday he favors a "gradual and orderly" ap- proach to the investigation with the committee requesting funds "step by step" rather than all in one big bite. During its three-month life until it expired with the 94th Congress Mon- day, the select committee's only pub- lic activity was to approve a one-year budget of $6.5 million prepared by chief counsel Richard A. Sprague. He told members if they were going to undertake the investigation of whether the two assassins acted alone they should do the job right and that this would require a staff of 170 per- sons. If the probe lasted two years that would cost $13 million and be the most expensive investigation ever undertaken by Congress. Many members returning this week for the opening of the 95th Congress, said they couldn't vote for so much money. Democratic leaders talked. with Gonzalez, who from the start had. opposed putting a price tag on the in- vestigation. He agreed to redo the budget after the committee is given new life next week. "I don't want to put a price tag on it now," Gonzalez said yesterday. "We will be in a position to justify every cent" when the committee appears be- fore the House Administration Corn- See COMMITTEE, A9, Col. 1 uts ed in JFK. Unit thrl et COMMITTEE; From:At774,, . mutter. which passes on investigative esbudgets. -Sprague is highly oxperi-, -541enccd, professional: 'He t padding,s nt." Gonzalez said that when -Sprague ess �; first presented the $6.5 Million budget- ,to the select committee his initial re- - action was "'Oh, My God.' But once he went into details I could see there was a case to be made" fos the big budget. But Gonzalez 'said- he prefers a ."step- by-stea approach. I'm not saying it may not eventually. cost-that. inuch. but I don't want to ask for it all al once." --: Rep: Sarritiel L. Devine (R-Ohio,. senior Republican on- the select corn- ' rnittee and on the House Administra- nion subcommittee that mutt initially � pass on-its. budget, said he "wouldn't he surprised if the budget were cut by several million" if presented as it now stands.. Majority Leader Jim Wright .(1)-'' Tex.) and Minority: Leader John J. Rhodes (R-Ariz.) agreed the budget figure should be reduced. 'The resolution reconstituting � the committee will be brought up under a , procedure requiring a two-thirds vote, the House Rules Committee .has not been reconstituted to provide usual majority vote procedures: The, proposed $6,531,050 one-year budget included .$3.6 million for sala- 7:ries of 173 persons:- The list includes a sspublic information officer at $34,000 a year , a budget officer at $30,000 and an editor/historian at $22,000. The $1,684,200 for domestic travel � included funds for 80 attorneys/in- vestigators to travel 10 days each Month at average costs of $650 per trip. International travel for commit- tee members and -staff would total $180,000. The proposed budget also contained funds to buy two "stress evaluat- , ors" and two "mini-phone recording .- devices." Rep. Don Edwards-(D-Calif.), - chairman of the House Judiciary Civil' and. Constitutional Riglits subcommit-. fee, wrote the assassinations panel's outgoing chairman. Thomas N. Down- lqg expressing 'concern lest- - - constitutional rights . be violated-by bugging or other types ,of secret surveillance. � Gonzalez said in an interview yes- terday that he shares: EdWards' con- cern.- - "I am very, sensitive about intrusion on' anyone's ,eonstitutional � rights,' said Gonzalez. "There will .be no-,se- cret Surveillance of any sort." 'Made Public yesterday' was letter sent to Downing last .month by Rep. Frank Thompson Jr. 03-N.J.),- chair- :man of the House Administration -Committee, rejecting a request from the select committee to install "listening-in" devices on two-of its tel- ephones. Thompson wrote Downing that for committees to monitor tele- phone calls without the knowledgesof. one party was violation.of privacy and a violation of law. . � Gonzalez said he was told that the letter. to Thompson though signed with Downing's name was in fact sent by a staff person without knowledgse of either Downing or Sprague. He: said .the request would not be re- newed. Gonzalez said he expected the inves- tigation would last the full two years of. the 95th 'Congress. He said he in- tended to conduct public hearings.. Assuming the House votes to extend the life of the select committee, it could then continue to spend at the December rate of , about sso,ocp a month until the-House approves a per- imanent budget for it: � I. Assassinatiorz F'arzel Is Warned on Its Techniques � By DAVID BURNHAM also questioned the committee's plan to Special to The New Yoit Times , . hold public hearings and the highly public role that so far. has been played by Mr. 'WASHINGTON, Jan., 5�The chairman . Sprague. .. of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on . � The existence of the critical letter from Civil and Constitutional Rights has- Mr. Edwards became known after Repre- warned that some of the proposed inee3ti- tentative Robert E Bauman, Republican gative techniques of -the 'House Select of Maryland, objected late last night to Committee on Assassinations would be an attempt of the House leadership to "wrong, immoral and very likely illegal." The warning from Representativ obtain unanimous consent for a resolu- fe Don tion re-creating the committee that was Edwards, Democrat ef, California, -cone cerned the select committee's plans to established last September. The effect of Mr. Bauman's objection record secretly the remarks-of potential ;Ives .to leave Mr. Sprague and the corn- witnesses with the use of hidden body transmitters 'and then subject the re. mittee's 72 other employees without reals for the pliumed two-year, $13 mil- sponses to psychological stress evalua- - lifuon , investigation of the assassinations tion. - of. President Kennedy and the Rev. Dr. "Such procedures are, to say the least, totally inappropriate for use by a Cone martin Luther King Jr. The reason was that the committees legislative authority gressional corrunittee," Mr.-Edwards� wrote in a confidential letter dated Dec. ended viith the -last Congress and must 16 to Speaker Thomas P. O'Ne01 Jr.; Jim be re-enaoted by the new Congress-before Wright, the House majority leader; Repre- the committee can obtain funds. sentative Peter. W. Rodino Jr.,, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, and three members of the select committee. The use of hidden recording devices and stress evaluation techniques, Mr. Ed- wards said, "would constitute intentional invasions of the most fundamental rights of Americans." He added, "I believe the use of these techniques by. a committee of Congress to be wrong, immoral and very likely illegal." The committee's $6.5 Million budget proposal for the first year of operations, made public in December, included $4,400 for two � miniphone recording devices, $8,000 for two stress evaluators and $2,800 for two polygraph machines. In addition, the committee budget set aside $120,000 for four technicians for its pro- posed "polygraph -psychological stress evaluation unit." - � At a news conference last Friday, Rich- ard A. Sprague, the committee's chief. counsel, told newsmen -that he did not intend to tell potential witnesses that their recorded words later would be sub- jeFt to stress evaluation aimed at deter- minin.g whether they were telling the truth. ' In addition to criticizing the proposed investigative techniques, Mr. Edwards run the risk that Innocent persons might It was expected that the House � leader- ship would seek a temporary 'extension I of ,the committee- until its proposed budg- et and other questions could be subjected to, a more formal review in the next six or seven weeks. Under this procedure' a unanimous vote would not necessarily be required. . - .� A spokesman for the Select Committee on Assassinations, in response to an -in- quiry about Mr. Edwards's letter, referred a -reporter � to Representative Henry B. Gonzalez, Democrat of Texas who is ex, pected to become the committee's chair- man when and if it is re-oreated. *A Spokesman for Mr. Gonzalez said that if the committee Were reconstituted and if Mr.; Gonzalez were selected as its chairrhan, "the concerns expressed by Mr. EdWards would be fully. considered 'and every 'effort": Will be' made .to satisfy them." � ' � Mr., Edwards also criticized Mn Sprague's statement- that the committee would make public, chiefly through hear- in,gs, the information it developed,' even if the disclosures might affect individuals or government agencies only indirectly connected to the assassinations. � � "If the above procedure is actually to be, employed, .it seems ,to me that, you well be subject to Criticisms or worse, when they have no reasonable connection with, or involvement in, the tragedies," Mr. Edwards said. - - - Arguing that the comm:ttee should con- sider publication of carefully documented reports rather than public hearings, Mr. Edwards said that "a Congressional com- mittee must set much higher standards in protecting the rights of privacy of citi- zens since the protections afforded in our civil and criminal justice systems do not exist in a Congressional hearing room." , Bullet to Be Tested DALLAS, Jan. 5 (AP)�A bullet discov- ered two years ago near the site of Presi- dent Kennedy's assassination in 1963 will be compared with those fired from the rifle that the Warren Commission said was used to kill President Kennedy, the Federal Bureau of Investigation said. R. H. Lester, 59 years old, a semiretired night watchman, said that he found the bullet with the use of a metal detector but did not turn it over to the bureau until last Nov. 30. � . Assassination Panel: Worth the Trouble?. Larry L. King is the Star's current writer in-residence. His columns ap- pear'on Mondays, Wednesdays and. Sundays. Capitol Hill was so deserted'Ori.f� New Year's Eve you could have fired a shotgun down the halls and tiot hit \ anybody.-- � ' :.c, Unless, that is, you had airried 'at Room 2325 in the Rayburn House Of- fice Building. If you had happened to - hit someone there, then likely cries.of,. conspiracy would have been heard. For it was there the chief couniel,. and members of the Select.Commit- tee on Assassinations, which unit's!, life was to expire at the stroke of the New Year, held .a press conference in., hopes of bolstering their chances of getting new life and new money when. the House ,takes up the- question.. tomorrow. They are not asking for a dollar six-bits. They are asking far 'more ' than S6.5 million and 170 employes; 1f you want �a prediction, mine is that they will be required to settle for far less. : A HIGH STAFF aide, well-con- nected to the Democratic leadership, said over his morning -coffee,- ."There's 'a lot of skepticism in the, House. The Assassination Committee is doubtlessly well-intended. But, frankly, I've heard much doubt ex- pressed that after all these- years they can find out who killed Cock . Robin." ..� � --- Mindful of opinion polls .,showing that the majority of the American people suspect conspiracies:'in the deaths of. President Kennedy and Dr; Martin Luther King, the House is likely to extend the committee's_ life but put it on shbrt rations. It will throw a sop, and deftly step,-back in_ case of a splatter. : , The committee � particularly its chief counsel and director, Richard ; A. Sprague -- may have been guilty , of bad politics. Mr. Sprague,:who as first assistant district attorney, in Philadelphia ,put Tough Tony Boyle ' in jail for ordering the murder of a United Mint Workers rival, may have made a mistake in asking to ad- dress the Democratic caucus some days ago. It violates tradition for outsiders to' participate in such cozy' proceedings Sprague may have compounded, the act by having talked too long; grum- bles also have been heard that he talked down to the members; lectur ing them in pedantic fashion that' un.;,:' less they give him enough people and ' money,to properly do the job then it shouldn'.t be attempted at all �� Although ,his�message � may" perfecifk good sense; some mernherse. did not appreciate Mr. 'Sprague's manner. Someone should have warned him that the House often tends to honor form over substance. IF THE ASSASSINATION Cornmit- , tee � and, again, particularly .Mr. Sprague� hoped its*New Year's Eve press conference might inspire en- thusiasm for its costly approach, then they do not know much about leading horses to water. Here are some of Mr. .Sprague's answers when asked thewhos, whats, whys,.wheres- and whens will not get into that at this time ..... I will not venture an-. opinion. . . not say from where to where (that, memo was sent)'. . At this time I prefer not to. answer � that . . . I do not want to character- ize it . . I do not think it would be helpful for us to get into what think , . . at this point I'll not get into a , disclosure of -what cocuments are in- ; volved . . . That's something �we're working on right now and I rthink it inappropriate to comment." That Mr. Sprague represents him- self as an open mind, free of conjec- ture or speculation or premature con- clusions, is well and good. It may even be admirable and high-minded. � Again, however; he seems guilty of bad tactics. If you hold a press- con- ference designed to help your cause (and the llth-hour timing would so indicate) you might reasonably be expected to have something to say. Mr. Sprague may be a whiz at jailing the erring, though I suggest he has much to be modest about with re- spect to raising money or advertising causes. The chief counsel even proved un- willing to say whether he might at- tempt to interview James Earl Ray, the confessed killer of Dr. King, who has several times recanted his con- fession claiming to have performed the foul deed without help; his grounds were that "If I tell you that about X, then you will ask me the same thing about Y and Z". Who, Lee Harvey Oswald? Jack Ruby? Obvi- . ously, if the investigation is to be worth a Confederate dime, Ithen James Earl Ray must be quizzed down to the bone. Where's the harm in saying so? , Well, forgive me for getting on Mr. Sprague's case. I wish him: we'll.' There are many unresolved questions' � "hundreds" in' his words; riliter-- ally a thousand," according to lame- duck chairman Tom Downing, D-Va., involving, among others, the FBI and CIA. - - � FOR EXAMPLE Commit:-; tee asks � did the CIA deliberately H avoid furnishing *Critical itiformation to the FBI which would have. resulted .1 in the surveillance of Lee-Harvey Os- I weld prior to JFIc's assassination? If so, why? Was critical evidence withheld from the VVarren Commissicin?If so, why? - - ' Who. and: where -were the ',FBI agents, known to have Dr. King � ' See KING, A-8 � , 7 KING Continued From A-3 under close surveillance, at the time he was murdered? Was this surveil- lance deliberately curtailed just prior to his assassination? Again, if so, why? Were unusual transfers of person- nel away from the motel where Dr. King was staying, by the Memphis fire and police departments on the night before and the day of Dr. King's assassination, deliberate or accidental and did they adversely ef- fect security? In any case, who ordered this and what was that per- son's reasons? All that's only the tip of the ice- berg. � I must join House skeptics in doubting whether these and other questions ever will be fully resolved, no matter the time and the money spent. If one presumes that the CIA, FBI or other government agencies once harbored dirty little secrets of such staggering magnitude, then must not one presume that these 12 and eight years later any incriminat- ing documents long ago were deep- sixed? Is it likely that government agents or former agents, who for all these years may have been possessed of sensational information but kept their lips sealed, now will rush for- ward unleashing a tumble of words? UNLESS THE Assassination Corn- mittee is able to produce conspira- tors; in the flesh � an unfair and ;� next-t�-impossible expectation then many doubts shall- remain in:i place. Americans weary of coverups-: and ivflite washes and official lies; Probably will greet anything less than Clear and clean solutions with renewed bursts of skepticism: "So they investigated and didn't turn up much; sowhat else is new?" Fair or not, new frustrations after : a costly and highly publicized investi- gation might only refuel the public:: anger. The mood in the House seems. to be one of letting sleeping dogs lie, rather than to start new off-key bark-.. ings. You may translate this into less money, fewer employes and more' limited powers than the Assassina- :1 �tion Committee would wish. PR WIG PJOI. ring goods This Berkley outfit is a great buy for the fishermen. Kit includes a 5 pc. 7' spin rod with stainless guides, tip-top, with hidden fer- rules for the one-piece feel. Plus spinning reel with powerful 4.3 to 1 retrieve, on-off anti-reverse and smooth disc drag. Packed in vinyl case with two 100 yd. spools of 8 lb. mono line and one � oz. lure. Seventh floor. 39.95. :!own jacket just has to be one of the own. It's rip-stop nylon with 101/2 ozs. -thorn down fill. Sports,clown filled etachable down-filled hood. Navy, light S (32734), S (36-38), M (40-42), L (44-46), hth floor. 39.95. counsel ano airector Of t n e riouse com- mittee investigating the assassinations of President Kennedy and the Rev. Dr. Mar- tin Luther King Jr. is a former prosecutor whose judgment and actions have been subject to formal criticism on a number of occasions. According to Representative Thomas N. Downing, chairman of the House Select Committee on Assassinations, the contro- versial background of Richard A. Sprague, the committee's chief counsel, was known to Congress when he was selected for the politically sensitive job of re-examining the conclusions of the previous investigations of the two kill- ings. The committee was established on Sept. 17 and Mr. Sprague's selection was an- nounced two weeks later. Functioning for the last three months on a $1-50000 budg- et, the committee now has a staff of 68 lawyers, investigators and technicians. With the release yesterday of an in- terim report describing what it called im-. portant new possible leads, Mr. Sprague and the members of the committee hope to persuade the House to provide at least $13 million for a two-year investigation by a staff of 170. Opposition to Inquiry However, there is some opposition in the House of Representatives to the com- mittee and some doubt about the need for the re-investigation and the size of the proposed budget. Mr. Sprague's con- troversial record could affect the House debate over the committee's future. Mr. Sprague won wide acclaim for his successful prosecution of the killers of Joseph A. Yablcrnski, the United Mine Workers insurgent leader, and his family, and for the conviction of scores of other murderers in his 18-year career in the office of the Philadelphia District Attor- ney. In a two-and-a-half-hour interview in the committee's office this week, Mr. Sprague described himself as a dedicated public servant and said that most of the criticisms of him were a result of the highly tumultous nature of Pennsylvania politics. But an examination of official reports and records and interviews with a num- ber of Philadelphians has uncovered at least five situations in which Mr. Sprague's official and unofficial actions have been faulted by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, the Attorney General of Pennsylvania, the Pennsylvania Crime Commission and elected officials. Three years ago, for example, the Penn- sylvania Attorney General issued a two- inch thick report on Mr. Sprague's han- dling of a homicide case in which the son of a good friend was involved in a dispute leading to the death of a man named John Russell Applegate. Problems Are Cited "It is unfortunate that various matters were not properly pursued in 1963 im- mediately after the death of Applegate," the 1973 report concluded, citing un- resolved conflicts in the testimony of key participants, additional witnesses who were not interviewed, an incomplete fin- gerprint search at the death scene and faulty lie-detector and blood tests. A second controversial case involved a Philadelphia detective who worked as Mr. Sprague's chief investigator and who once trailed the husband of Mr. Sprague's girlfriend to what was alleged to be a motel rendezvous with another woman. The detective testified under oath in a divorce proceeding that he had undertak- en the clandestine spying on his own time and without pay but at the request of Mr. Sprague. Two years later, the Supreme Court issued a decision involving the same do- mestic squabble in which Mr. Sprague was said to have done In his office much of the legal work that led to the arrest for contempt of court of the same man 'oho '7.;1;11,,"-^ the detective �-11nN Richard A. Sprague, right, confers with Representative a friend, for example, Mr. Sprague argued that the alleged failure to make an ade- quate investigation should have been di- rected by the Attorney General's report at the Philadelphia police and not himself, even though he was in charge of both the individual case and the District Attor- ney's homicide squad. According to the Attorney's General's report on the affair, Mr. Sprague person- ally recommended that no charges be brought against Rocco Urella Jr. and Don- ald F. Scallessa, then students at LaSalle College, in the death of Mr. Applegate. The report quoted Mr. Sprague as say- ing that he had handled the case at the request of Mr. Urella's father, a close friend who at that time was a captain in the Pennsylvania state police. Louis Vignola, at the time a district magistrate, said that because he was not a lawyer he had relied on Mr. Sprague's recommendation that there was insuffi- cient evidence to bring a murder charge in the case. Mr. Sprague, according to the report, said that he did not believe it was im- proper for him to have handled this case because what the State Attorney Gener- al's report now describes as a faulty po- lice investigation had not found any evi- dence that the son of his friend had con- tributed to Mr. Applegate's death. Domestic Case Explained Concerning his actions regarding the former husband of his girlfriend, Mr. Sprague said that he now understands how the use of a county detective, even if voluntary, might be subject to misun- derstanding. "Thinking of It subsequently, I don't think there was anything wrong with my action but it would have been wiser per- haps to have hired a private investiga- tor," he said. But Mr. Sprague defended his role in helping his friend obtain a contempt of court citation and criticized the Pennsyl- vania Supreme Court on the grounds that it had issued its opinion in the case with- out giving either him or the judge who signed the contempt citation an oppor- tunity to make their case. As for the report by the Citizens Crime Commission of Philadelphia, Mr. Sprague dismissed it as a substantively weak and politically motivated document whose publication had been arranged by the presen hidelphia DiqtrIct 4ttorrev denouncing the cr nouncing him and sion of refusing investigation of I with the assistanc two assistant di Phiadelphia and During his inter that his investigat ware County had he at the same tit cial prosecutor in and as first assist Philadelphia. On Feb. 24, 196 found not guilty 4 delphia courtroom for the decision: a dence expert nem( who had repeated sional witness fol So con The o's use, can't e your OMpOS- i wood ips. or *5. ;et of 4, ay (212) 3X, add A & F it cdrds IBIE & FITCH Short Hills Mall, N.J. participants, additional witnesses who were not interviewed, an incomplete fin- gerprint search at the death scene and faulty lie-detector and blood tests. A second controversial case involved a Philadelphia detective who worked as Mr. Sprague's chief investigator and who once trailed the husband of Mr. Sprague's girlfriend to what was alleged to be a motel rendezvous with another woman. The detective testified under oath in a divorce proceeding that he had undertak- en the clandestine spying on his own time and without pay but at the request of Mr. Sprague. Two years later, the Supreme Court issued a decision involving the same do' mestic squabble in which Mr. Sprague was said to have done In his office much of the legal work that led to the arrest for contempt of court of the same man who had been followed by the detective. The court's 1969 decision characterized the contempt of court action that led to the arrest of this man as a "gross injus- tice'. and said that the legal proceedings "were sorely lacking in due process." U.S. Agency Criticism Concerning Mr. Sprague's administra- tive abilities, the Citizens Crime Conunis- sion of Philadelphia made public two years ago a 60-page report on the Phila- delphia prosecutor's office that had been compiled by Charles Rogovin, a criminal justice consultant, under a grant from the United States Law Enforcement As- sistance Administration. "The principal impressions received during the initial review of this office were an inordinate concentration of au- thority in the first assistant district attor- ney, Mr. Sprague, a lack of necessary delegations of authority to division chiefs and very serious deficiencies in adminis- tration throughout the entire organiza- tion," Mr. Rogovin concluded. Representative Downing, the head of the select committee, said in response to a detailed inquiry that he tended "to think that Mr. Sprague's overall qualifica- tions minimized any indiscretions he may have made during his career." No Background Investigation Mr. Downing, a Virginia Democrat who will retire from Congress next week, ac- knowledged that he had never heard of the various official criticisms concerning Mr. Sprague and that Mr. Sprague had been selected as chief counsel without a background investigation. Mr. Downing said that, based on his experience in working with Mr. Sprague over the last three months, he was con- vinced the former prosecutor would make "a great contribution to the committee's effort." He said he had selected Mr. Sprague from a list of about six candidates after an interview. A number of members of the committee apparently helped in the preparation of the final list, but neither Mr. Downing nor Representative Henry B. Gonzales, the Texas Democrat who is expected to be named the next chair- man, could remember who specifically recommended Mr. Sprague. Mark Lane, one of the leading critics of the official explanation of President Kennedy's assassination, has said that he recommended Mr. Sprague. One commit- tee source, however, said that the Phila- delphia prosecutor had been suggested by several Congressmen. In addition to Mr. Sprague's general defense of his reputation, the former prosecutor offered detailed explanations of each of the criticisms of his actions that he contended showed the criticisms were groundless. ' Concerning the criticism of his handling of the murder case involving the son of if voluntary, might be subject to misun- derstanding. "Thinking of it subsequently, I don't think there was anything wrong with rny action hut it would have been wiser per- haps to have hired a private investiga- tor," he said. But Mr. Spragtle defended his role in helping hls friend,obtain a contempt of court citation'apd criticized the Pennsyl- vania Supreme COttrton the grounds that it had issued its opinion in the case with- out giving either him or the judge who signed the contempt citation an oppor- tunity to make their case. As for the report by the Citizens Crime Commission of Philadelphia, Mr. Sprague dismissed it as a substantively weak and politically motivated document whose publication had been arranged by the present Philadelphia District Attorney, F. Emmett Fitzpatrick, with whom he had many disputes. Other Cases In Dispute A number of other actions of Mr. Sprague have been questioned or Criti- cized. On May 25, 1972, for example, the Philadelphia District Attorney's office charged Gregory P. Walter, one of that city's leading investigative reporters, with recording his own telephone conver- sations without informing the persons to whom he was talking. Mr. Sprague, then the busy first assist- ant district attorney, personally handled the prosecution ;of Mr. Walter in the misdemeanor court. It resulted in a con- viction and a $350 fine. Mr. Walter's law- yer, Gregory M. Harvey, argued that be- ause the Philadelphia police and fire de- partments routinely recorded all incom- ing calls without informing the callers, the case appeared to represent selective enforcement of an unusual Pennsylvania law. The case againstt Mr. Walter was "ter- minated" by agreement between his law- yer and the district attorney after it was appealed to the next court. In an unusual disposition, the misde- meanor conviction and associated fine were "terminated" by the district attor- ney after Mr. Walter appealed his case. Mr. Sprague said the decision to prose- cute Mr. Walter, who was working on a major story about police corruption, was made by Arlen Specter, then the Dis- trict Attorney, and that he had personally handled the prosecution in the lower court at the specific request of Mr. Spect- er. Several months later, on April 19, 1973, Mr, Sprague brought a $2 million libel suit against The Philadelphia Inquirer, Mr. Walter and several other reporters and editors, for a series of articles about his handling of the Applegate murder. This action is stip pending. Crime Commission Criticism During the summer of 1971, the Penn- sylvania Crime Commission, controlled by the Democratic administration of Gov. Milton .T. Shapp, issued a report charging widespead political corruption in Dela- ware County, a Republican stronghold. On Sept. 24, 1971, Stephen McEwen Jr., the Delaware County District Attorney, announced the appointment of Mr. Sprague as a special prosecutor to look into the allegations of corruption. On June 30, 1974, the crime commission issued another report charging that "de- spite possessing extensive records of what appears to be systematic forced po- litical contributions by county officials, Mr. Sprague has issued no criminal charges and has not yet even reported on the results of his investigation despite the passage of nearly three years." Four months later, on Oct. 18, Mr. Sprague issued his own 36-page report, aver fee end? Tr New Yo, With Th; home yc informal In additi talk poli Wicker Red Sm be read that's n. Of cour your va day anc Call yot (21 to get I RNHANI lark Times 1 The c'hief the House coin- assassinations of the Rev. Dr. Mar- ormer prosecutor tions have been sm on a number tative Thomas N. the House Select tions, the contro- rf Richard A. 's chief counsel, ;s when he was Illy sensitive job nclusions of the of the two kill- ablished on Sept. election was an- Functioning for a $150,000 budg- las a staff of 68 d technicians. terday of an in- vhat it called int-, tds, Mr. Sprague committee hope ) provide at least ear investigation nquiry ne opposition in Lives to the corn- about the need and the size of Sprague's con-. affect the House e's future. ! acclaim for his if the killers of he United Mine and his family, f scores of other ir career in the a District Attor- Air interview in this week, Mr. If as a dedicated that most of the a result of the of Pennsylvania f official reports ws with a num- is uncovered at in which Mr. nofficial actions he Pennsylvania Tney General of isylvania Crime >fficials. ample, the Penn- al issued a two- . Sprague's han- in which the son ,lved in a dispute I a man named Cited various matters ied in 1963 im- h of Applegate," ided, citing un- testimony of key witnesses who incomplete fin- lath scene and )-od tests. al case involved who worked as itigator and who of Mr. Sprague's alleged to be a another wonutn. inder oath in a le had undertak- on his own time : the request of Supreme Court same do. � � � Now York Times/George Tames Richard A. Sprague, right, confers with Representative Walter E. Fauntroy a friend, for example, Mr. Sprague argued that the alleged failure to make an ade- quate investigation should have been di- rected by the Attorney General's report at the Philadelphia police and not himself, even though he was in charge of both the individual case and the District Attor- ney's homicide squad. According to the Attorney's General's report on the affair, Mr. Sprague person- ally recommended that no charges be brought against Rocco Urella Jr. and Don. aid F. Scallessa, then students at LaSalle College, in the death of Mr. Applegate. The report quoted Mr. Sprague as say- ing that he had handled the case at the request of Mr. Urella's father, a close friend who at that time was a captain in the Pennsylvania state police. Louis Vignola, at the -time a district magistrate, said that because he was not a lawyer he had relied on Mr. Sprague's recommendation that there was insuffi- cient evidence to bring a murder. charge in the case. Mr. Sprague, according to the report, said that he did not believe it was im- proper for him to have handled this case because what the State Attorney Gener- al's report now describes as a faulty po- lice investigation had not found any evi- dence that the son of his friend had con- tributed to Mr. Applegate's death. Domestic Case Explained Concerning his actions regarding the former husband of his girlfriend, Mr. Sprague said that he now understands how the use of a county detective, even if voluntary, might be subject to misun- derstanding. "Thinking of it subsequently, I don't think there was anything wrong with my action but it would have been wiser per- haps to have hired a� private Investiga- tor," he said. But Mr. Sprague defended his role in helping his friend obtain a contempt of court citation and criticized the Pennsyl- vania Supreme Court on the grounds that it had issued its opinion in the case with- out giving either him or the judge. who signed the contempt citation an oppor- tunity to make their case. � As for the report by the Citizens Crime (r' Mr. Sprage denouncing the crime commission for de- nouncing him and accusing the commis- sion .of :refusing to cooperate with his investigation of Delaware County, done with the assistance of two detectives and two assistant district attorneys from Phiadelphia and volunteer law students. During his interview, Mr. Sprague said that his investigation and report on Dela- ware County had been delayed because he at the same time was serving as spe- cial prosecutor in the Yablonski killing and as first assistant district attorney in Philadelphia. On Feb. 24, 1967, Paul Delahanty was found not guilty of homicide in a Phila- delphia courtroom. The principal, reason for the decision: a Police Department evi- dence expert named Agnes Bell Malatratt, who had repeatedly testified as a profes- sional witness for the Philadelphia Dis- trict Attorney's office, had been discov- ered to have lied about her qualifications and training. Both Mr. Sprague and Arlen Specter, then the Philadelphia District Attorney, unsuccessfully argued that the misstate- ments by Mrs. Malatratt were of no im- portance because she was in fact an ex- pert witness. Even Mr. Sprague's string of convic- tions in the Yablonski murders has not been free from criticism. Although the special prosecutor is widely praised for dogged detective work and briliant courtroom tactics in the long series of state and Federal trials, their expense did become an issue. According to Frank Mascara, the newly elected-comptroller in Washington Coun- ty. Pa., one reason he won the Democratic primary earlier this year was his criticism of his opponent�who had held the posi- tion for.. 20 years�for approving the $440,000 expense of the trials. "Sprigee wasn't very careful with the Money during the first trial and I raised hell about It,, said Mr. Mascara in a re- cent interview. "They Would say you can't put a price tag on justice and I would say baloney, you can have justice in frugal manner." Mr,- Sprague, in his interview, denied that the ,cost of the trials was in any way extravagant and pointed out that the state ultimately refunded most of the county's expenditures for the prosecution. But the select coritmittee's estimate that its inVestigation will cost at least $13 million has already been criticized as ex- travagant ,by several members of Con- � gress. Mr. Sprague, in his interview, denied that: the cost of the trials was in any way extravagant and pointed out that the state ultimately had refunded most of the county's expenditure for the prose:. cuticm. He also noted that the count prosecutor who had asked him to be spe- cial prosecutor, unlike the comptroller, was re-elected. But the select committee's estimate that its investigatton will cost at least $13 million has already been criti- cized as extravagant by several members of Congress. "There is a price to being a public offi- cial, to being in the goldfish bowl, but it doesn't mean you have to be subject to smears and distbrtions," Mr. Sprague said at the end of the interview. "I do feel the public in general does not have dedicated people serving in the public interest. But I happen to think I have been a good public servant," he said, - So nice to come home to... The NewYork Times Ssassmations PaneL � ;-.Issues Report to House BY NORMAN NEMPSTiR 5's .TImes Staff Writyr S � � , .1-ft ....,'!WASHINGTON�The' *CIA . held' from : the FBI for almost two :months in 1963 information that Lee 'Harvey Oswald-had talked with Cu- , ban and Soviet. officials about his de- sire to visit those countries, a House ..conimittee reported Friday:1 The Select Committee on Assassin- ations indicated in a report to the full .HoUse that its investigation of the� :murder of President John F. Kennedy. would focus early in 1977 on a trip . .0swa1d1iad made Atf'Mexico City in - :3October, 1961 Chief Counsel Richard A.. Sprague :said ;that the *; committee :.staff had � learned 'that a CIA message describ- ling: Oswald's activities in Mexico to federal agencies such. as:the FBI had been rewritten to eliminate any men-. am). of his request for Cuban and So- yet.visas. The message was sent-in October,. more than a month before : ..the Nov. 22,1963, assassination. �N-4 .The CIA discovered Oswald's.pre:-, ,sence �at;:the embassies-.thrciugh: its -routine surveillance of those facilities. Ileduse-OSwald had once defected to the Soviet Union, the CIA and FBI been interested in his activities evebefore the Kenpedrassassma: CIA's:decision .to .withhold in- :fovaation was reversed shortly after -� 4'1"*Zennedy,wai killed..The.ageney:re 7..--pqrted Oswald's efforts to ;visit. Cuba and the Soviet Unionibbth_to the FBI gate and the chairman of the King subcom- � � and to the Warren Commission; whICh ccm�� eluded that Oswald was the assassin and mittee' said that no decision had been made had acted alone. � ���� - on accepting Ray's offer.- �-. � , � .; , � Sprague told a press conference that it However, Sprague indicated that itprob-. Vas impossible without More information :ably would be accepted: � o know why the CIA had censored its own. "Any and all people who have relevant .'nessage. * � ��� �, � �;� � . � . � 1- information will be interrogated,' Sprague But he said the incident raised two inter- . said. � . .asting questions:, what might the other.:. �� In .a personal statement issued. in con- igencies have done differently if they had unction with the report, Rep. Henry: B. . )een more fully informed and why did the Gonzalez (D-Tex.), who is to become corn- CIA � decide � to remove.'"inforrnation � that ,i�.mittee -chairman in the new year; said a was considered pertinent enough to he put �� . thorough investigation Was needed to an- in an initial draft of the message" t.,47 swer hundreds of pressing questions;.: - ..� � � -1�."-,; - � - ���� ;There were 'nci firm conclUsiOnS, m the � 'Gonzalez said that the committed hoped �report, which the 12-member committee -to discover whether former FBI Director J. prepared after the first three months of its ...:�Edgariloover's now. well-known animosi- investigation into th.e murders of Kennedy ' ty toward King had affected the FBI's in- .-and civil rights�leader Drr-Martin Luther' ...�.vestigation of the assassination: . � . ..King ,. However, Gonzalez said, .the committee's � Technically;the coMinittee4c35 .6t ot;':.work could- go well beyond.the killings of . business Tuesday-with . the end of the ses- . �Kennedy and King.. �,:r.� - sibn of Congress in which it Was �formed. ".� '."The committee car') shed light bn the � The purpose of the year-end report was to larger issue of political, murder and i� vi- urge the new Congress to reestablish the -!....olence," � Gonzalez said. ".We should not committee and to give it.$6,kmillion to pay ..,-,..,forget ,that _President Ford had his. own ��for the first year of what could* be a twO-- narrow escapes; no Member of the House year investigation.- .�,10- �; "'or- � ;� ���.- ..� rOtt that the Capitol ,'Building 'was 'TIn the three months since He, said the committees ultimate task inent, the committee has initiated 'prelim-' i was-41o* find out not just . what .happened viously nary investigations into new ' and pre- leads in both assassina-; .tions,". the report said. : ���-� 7. The committee said its. staff investi6tOri had recently :questioned a �: former .CIA - � agent "Who.. had '.."personal knowledge'.'.. of Oswald's .tisite--�td,. the -Soviet and .Cuban.', embassies in binico4sa result of that in- .� ...tervievr,--AhC:report7said,-.. staff. 'members :-� �.were sent to llexico;...Where they fOund and. �:.questioned additional witnesses.....'t.� ..,%;.�::4;�i-,�4-' !.Tliese..iritnesses had never been sought- out befbre-by: anY-investigative bocb7-,�not-t;. withstanding the.fat that they had inipori tint Information concerning by Lee. Harvey:: Osivald. in � Me:dco daysof the assassination of PresidentKen.- pedy," the repor.t said. --�.� ..:.. The report SaidalS6 that the committee itafthad interviewed-a person who:assert- : ed that he had discussed the King murder . with James Earl Ray, who pleaded guilty to the crime. The unidentified witness said ' that Ray.had�told.laim about contacting art , associate in Europe. to receive. further in- strdctions. The story, which was told to re- . � porters by a committee. member several. �weeks ago, has not been verified. ����� � In a letter to New York Timis' coliunnist . :Anthony Lewis, Ray Offered this week to � testify. under oath at a committee hearing..., �.�.}:z3ut Sprague and Walter F..Fauntroy,the. . Assassination Questions Require Probe, Panel Says ,1/4 By David Burnham New York Times News Service The House Select Committee on Assassinations reported yesterday that its preliminary investigation of the deaths of President John F. Kennedy and the Rev. Dr. Martin Lu- ther King Jr. had uncovered enough unresolved questions to require a con- � tinuing investigation of the killings.- -. The committee made the statement � in an interim report recommending that the 95th Congress � which meets� for the first time Tuesday -- approve a $6.5 million budget for the first year of a two-year investigation. The report said that on the basis of "numerous areas of inquiry and the � necessity to preserve evidence al- ready under subpoena," the commit- tee unanimously recommends "that the Select Committee on Assassina- tions be immediately reestablished to continue the investigation." � THE COMMITTEE CITED several examples of what it called "new and disturbing questions" which remain unanswered about the two cases. "Did the Central Intelligence Ag- ency deliberately avoid furnishing critical information to the Federal Bureau of Investigation which would have resulted in the survelliance of Lee Harvey Oswald prior to the assas- sination of President Kennedy?" the committee report asked. Concerning the killing of King, the committee cited James Earl Ray's unexplained court room statement in 1969 disagreeing with remarks made by his lawyer and the state prosecutor that there had not been a conspiracy to kill the civil rights leader. � "The committee does not mean to imply that there was or was not a con- spiracy, it merely indicates that this is one of the areas which requires fur- ther investigation, especially in view of the failure to obtain a full state- ment of involvement from Ray by the Tennessee authorities." Legislation establishing the select committee was approved last Sept. 17 by the House and it has been operat- ing under a $150,000 budget for the last three months. At the preset time it has a staff of P. THE PANEL several weeks ago ap- proved a recommendation by Rich- ard A. Sprague, its chief counsel and director, that the investigation of the I assassinations would require at least $13 million and two years to complete. The committee's report and pro- posed budget will be used by its members to persuade the House to reestablish the committee and grant it the funds that Sprague has said are required to conduct an independent investigation of the two cases. The committee noted that 12 years had passed since the Warren Corn- mission released its report finding that Lee Harvey Oswald was the sole assassin of President Kennedy and eight years has passed since James Earl Ray's plea of guilty was ac- ctOed. � Assassinations Panel Cites -Need .For Major Probe'. A2er Associated Pies; f,1;_if A new in-depthinvestigation into the assassinations. of. President Ken- nedy and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is needed to resolve lingering myste- ries surrounding , the slayings, the � House Select Committee on Assassina- tions said yesterday.' '4. The, committee made its statement to justify its 'formai request, for $6.5 million to pursue .lead about James Earl Ray,. the confessed) slayer of King, and Lee Harvey Oswald, identi- �fied by the Warren Commission as the ,n who shot Kennedy., � hese include uncorroborated testi- -y that Ray received instructions a secret conspirator during his �.at to escape arrest. after King's aying. Another involves the Central :Itelligence Agency's surveillance of Oswald in Mexico City less than two months before the Kennedy sssassina- - tion. ... � , i ' filLPUP Li p mg Probes Richard A. Sprague, counsel and director of the House Assassinations Committee, which is investigating the murders of President John F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr., was inter- viewed by Washington Star Staff Writer Jeremiah O'Leary. Question: You have the reputation as a tough prosecutor from the Yablonski-Boyle case. Would you have taken on this new assignment if you were satisfied that we have every thing we need to know? Sprague: I took this assignment because I was satisfied an investiga- tion was going to be done. I was also satisfied that many questions have been raised about the president's assassination. It seemed to me most important that the inquiries to be conducted today, be done in a thor- ough, dispassionate manner. My pur- pose has nothing to do with what con- clusions we ultimately come to but whether or not kis possible to get a group .of professionals to do the kind of job which ultimately satisfies the broad base of the public. Q: That seems to imply that you have some doubts if the previous investigations were complete and totally satisfying. A: I wouldn't put it on that basis. It seems to me that we are commencing these investigations without assump- tions However, it is certainly clear that, say, in the investigation of the assassination of President Kennedy the investigative agencies that were used by the Warren Commission ap- pear to have had areas concerning their own efforts, their own involve- ment, which they did not disclose to the Warren Commission. That does raise a question of the thoroughness of that investigative effort. In the King case, it is obvious from an examination of the transcript of when James Earl Ray pleaded guilty that Rdy disputed a statement made by his own lawyers and the state prose- cutor that there was no conspiracy. No one seemed to have the interest of saying to Ray: "What is it you're talking about?' That raises the ques- tion whether the inquiry was con- cerned with finding out whether others participated. Whether, in fact, others did, whether, in fact, the areas that the CIA and the FBI may have withheld from the Warren Commis- sion affected any conclusions we � See SPRAGUE, A-14 the investigatory process was thor- ough and definitive. Q: In both examinations are you going back to Square One? A: Yes. I think that in each case it is essential in doing a thorough inves- tigation to start with the two assassi- nations as you would do in any homi- cide case. The-body-at-the-scene, so to speak. And then you've got to investigate what led to the scene. Q: What impediment is it going to be that a fair number of the partici- pants, in the Kennedy case, for in- stance, are now dead? - A: It is .a problem, of course. The question arises also as to the time that has elapsed. We're being called to the scene of these two murders 13 and 8 years later. That makes the investigative task more difficult. But I daresay that it's not quite as dif- ficult as it would be if you waited another five years. There is an advantage in that there is a mass of material, that there are live wit- nesses who are yet living in each of these cases. The fact that there are difficulties ought not to mean "Let's not make the attempt.' It may be that after the Attempt is made those prob- lems may make it impossible but let's � make the attempt and find out. Q: Will you be using the original � findings as the base point and go ' from there? � A: Not the findings so much but what is the evidence which led to con- clusions and whether or not that evi- dence is solid and substantial and corroborative or whether, in fact, it is not so. I think, in fact, to do an investigation we have to find out what has been done up until now. I do think it is essential that we must bring together all of the material that exists for each of these assassina- tions and all the investigating effort that has taken place up until now. � Q: It seems apparent that the War- ren Commission accepted only that which was given to them, you have no intention, then, of accepting that? A: No. It is important that we ob- 1. ,. � ��,. RICHARD A. SPRAGUE Starting all over tam n the reports and data upon which these reports were predicated. Bu our investigation is going to mea Our own interviews of witnesses a the source. Even when we say FBI reports we are talking about goin back to the man who made the re ports and finding out from him wh the sources of his information are. One thing I've found is that people who prepare reports put into that re- port the things they think are inter- esting, relevant. There are often mat- ters that are omitted that are mor germane than that which is put in the report. In fact, I've found on man occasions that the author of the re- port lets his attitude and feelings color to a certain extent that which is reported. Q: Is it disturbing to you that a least two agencies failed to report to the Warren Commission all the fact now well known � Oswald's threat- ening letter to the FBI and CIA ac- tivities or plans concerning Cuba? A: The answer is that it absolutely disturbs me. It disturbs me fro many standpoints. It raises a ques- tion as to whether or not there are other areas which similarly have not It All Started With Flick of a Cigarette - NEW YORK (UPI) � A fight broke out among Christmas revelers at- tempting to board an elevator in a Bronx apartment house early yester- day. When it was over, five persons had been stabbed and six were under arrest, police reported. According to police, 10 men were waiting to board an elevator in a building shortly after 1 a.m. to attend a party. "Someone flicked a cigarette and it hit someone else in the face," a police spokesman said. "Words were ex- changed and the fists started flying; then someone got a knife out." , The five injured all were stabbed in the abdomen, the spokesman said. Two of the injured were treated for stab wounds and released. Three others were admitted to a hospitar, where a spokeswoman said they were in stable condition. Six men were being held pending arraignments in criminal court police said. they would not have complied fully ` with that presidential order. Q: Certain elements of evidence � autopsy reports, photographs, etc. � have been put under seal. Does your subpoena power allow you to get at these? A: In my view, the answer is yes. Q: Do you expect to get the cooper- ation of the agencies involved in this .probe? A: Well, I can't speak for the fu- ture, of course. In the long run we will have to see if indications of coop- eration which are stated to be at this point will, in fact, continue as we may get into hairier areas. As of this date the indications are the agencies will cooperate with our getting ac- cess to materials. ' Q: How do you say you want this or that document wih material locked , up in secret ageocy files? � A: One of the things We are in the .process of arranging with those agen- cies is that personnel from this office will have access to their material at their place. We will go through the files and we will make the determina- tion as to what they have that we'll . want here. Q: What do you do about a man � like James Earl Ray? Can you sub- poena him and if he refuses to talk what can you do � he's already got a life sentence? A: He's serving a period Of years , in jail which in effect is the same as a life sentence. Keep in mind, anyone that I know of that is serving a life sentence keeps alive the hope ulti- mately of a parole and being in the good graces of a parole board. We're not talking about that particular per- son now. Thee are laws. Any and all witnesses subject to the jurisdiction of the United States ae subject to sub- poena power of this committee. Each witness called before the committee must answer the questions under oath that are presented or asked of that witness. The only exception is where the witness could properly in- voke the privilege against self-in- crimination or in the event that the question is beyond the scope of the committee. In the event that a wit- ness even wanted to invoke the privi- lege against self-incrimination there are other avenues for the committee to take. Q: Such as? A: Such as the immunity powers to compel testimony. The Congress has that authority. I happen to be a big believer in using /his power, though sparingly. In the Yablonskicases, for example, you note that we did not ing other ways, other avenues. Going time and time again. Ultimately peo- ple who appear at first blush like they do not want to talk about vari- ous Tatters end up perhaps being wiling to. I don't want to talk about any particular person, though, even in a hypothetical cases. Q: You've put forward a budget re- quest of $6.5 million for the first year. Doesn't that seem like a lot of money? A: I take it that my job is, as a professional, to come up with my best opinion as to what is needed � re- cruiting a top-notch staff, directing it in a professional manner. It is up to the Congress to decide if they think the cost is too high. But investiga- tions are costly. Heretofore, when the ' Congress wanted to investigate some- thing they could call on the other I branches of government. They could call on the FBI, the CIA, the field of- fices. But they can't do that in this case. The investigatory team must be indepedent because those are agen- cies. that to some extent are going to be investigated. In New York State they at' investigating scandals involv- ing nursing homes. Now, with all due respect to nursing home scandals, they are not quite as important as investigating whether there were other people in existence who took part in the assassination of the presi- dent of the United States. But in that one investigation, New York State has created a special prosecutor who has a staff of 65 attornys, 156 auditor- accountants, another 100 investiga- tors, another 100 back-up people. He has a $6 million yearly budget. He has, in addition, 40 investigating grand juries whose cost is not in that $6 million. So when we talk about in two investigations having a total of 80 attorneys and investigators and a total, staff with the back-up of 170 people, the truth of the matter is that that is as bare-boned on organization as youcan have. Q: What are your feelings as to how the House will respond to this re- quest? A: I haven't the slightest idea. I really feel that that is not my prob- lem, that I was not brought down here to become an advocate or a salesman. The determination whether to investigate is one that was made by the Congress. The one .thing that I've tried to make clear to the public and the Congress and the media is that the worse thing would be the appearance of an investigation that would, in fact, be hypocritical. It is better that it not be done than to do it in a way that did not provide for adequate financing. It is either to be done thoroughly, definitively or don't do it. Don't do it in a manner that is going to raise more questions than exist today. The Gallup Poll 2 6 DEC 1976 Most Americans Believe c.\'0.N Oswald Did Not Act Alone By George Gallup PRINCETON. N.J.�As the House Select Com- mittee on Assassinations begins its investigations,: the overwhelming majority of Americans believe that others besides Lee Harvey Oswald were in-- volved in the assassination of President Kennedy in Dallas on Nov. 22, 1963. In .the latest survey, just completed, 80 per cent think others were involved in the assassination, while only 11 per cent think Oswald acted alone. Nine per cent do not express an opinion. Persons with a college background, while over- whelmingly of the .opinion that some form of con- spiracy was involved, are less inclined to hold this view than are persons with less than a college back- ground. Approximately one-half of the survey respondents .who believe others were involved did not name a specific group. Among those who did; hciwever, Cuba or Premier Fidel Castro were mentioned most often. Other responses frequently given are "the Mafia," "Communists," and the Central Intelligence Agency. The same survey also shows that few Americans believe James Earl Ray acted on his own in the assassination of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. tin Memphis on April 4, 1968. Only 18 per cent hold this view, 'While 69 Per cent think others were involved and 13 per cent do not express an opinion.: An investigation .into the assassinations of Ken- nedy and King was recently begun by the newly established House Select Committee on Assassina- tions�the sixth to be conducted on alarge scale by government officials since Kennedy- was assassi- nated. k976. Field EnterprIseg, Inc. THE WASHINGTON POST jack Anderson and Les Whitten Evidence ints to a Kin House investigators have uncov- ered dramatic new evidence that the convicted killer of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. may not have acted alone. The murder was pinned on James Earl Ray, an esaped convict, who used phony passports to slip out of the country. According to the investi- gators, he got as far as Portugal; where he received "further instruc- tions" from a secret conspirator. Ray was finally tracked down in London and extradited to the United States for trial. His activities in Portu- gal, meanwhile, have been concealed from the authorities for eight years. Not until a few weeks ago did the House investigators learn about Ray's Portugal connection from "a witness who had never previously been inter- - viewed by any investigative agency." The investigators reported this startling development confidentially to the Select Committee on Assassina- tions. "Ray contacted another person from whom he received further in- structions," they disclosed cautiously in a preliminary report They didn't mention in the report where the contact was made, except that it was "out of the United States." We have established that the location was Portugal. The investigators have also uncov- ered some intriguing new informa- tion about Lee Harvey Oswald, the accused assassin of President Kenne- dy. According to the report, the com- mittee staff "spent seven hours ques- tioning an ex-CIA agent who had come forth to relate his personal knowledge of the contents of conver- sations between Lee Harvey Oswald and personnel within the Cuban and Soviet embassies in Mexico City." Oswald's conversations, according to our sources, were monitored by the Central Intelligence Agency. Im- mediately, staff members "were dis- patched to Mexico City where they conducted further interviews," the report discloses. No evidence has been uncovered so far, however, that Oswald discussed the Kennedy assas- sination at either embassy. The committee will probe deeply into any connection between the CIA and Kennedy's assassination. The agency, we have learned, has more than 80 cartons of top secret docu- ments "relating to the assassination of President John F. Kennedy and the activities of Lee Harvey Oswald prior to that assassination." Meanwhile, the committee staff is anxiously awaiting congressional ap- proval of their reauest for a record $6.5 million to investigate the assassi- nations. Behind closed, doors, Ri- chard Sprague, the panel's brilliant staff director from Philadelphia, dra- matically laid out his plans, and per- suaded even the most stubborn mem- bers of the committee that the money was necessary. Sprague pointed out that, com- pared with other investigations, the money he wanted was not an unrea- sonable sum. For example, he noted that for the first three-month period of the search for Patricia Hearst, the FBI spent $2.6 million. In addition, Sprague explained, the New York State investigation of abuse in the Medicaid program has a Frid2 y, December 24, 1976 budget of $6 million for its second year. Rep. Henry B. Gonzales (D-Tex.), the incoming chairman of the assassina- tion committee, told us he is con- vinced that Sprague is right. Conflict Curbs�President-elect Jimmy Carter, armed with an unpub- lished survey showing that employ- ees are abysmally ignorant of conflict 'of interest laws, plans to make an ex- ecutive order on the problem one of his first orders of business. According to the survey, prepared by Ralph Nader's Center for Law and. Social Policy, the conflict laws are so complex that employees can't under- stand them. In fact, the employees told the Na-- der interviewers, the legal terminol- ogy is "so boring and burdensome" that they sign federal job agreements without even reading the regulations.- Some agencies, states the report, don't even bother to provide workers with the written laws. Instead, the employees receive quick oral brief- ings. . Incredibly, federal agencies do not remind employees about potential conflicts when they leave the govern- ment The burden is on the worker to determine if taking a new job is ille- gal. As a result, top government execu- tives are caught in a revolving door between business and government which moves so fast it is difficult to distinguish the watchdogs from those who are being watched. In some cas- es, regulators break the law by quickly accepting jobs in the indus- tries they were regulating. Saturday, Dec. 18,1976 THE WASHINGTON POST s' By James IC Mi. Atherton�The Washington Post Assassination probe leaders Henry Gonzalez (left) and Thomas Downing confer with counsel Richard Sprague. Assassination Probers to � '0' stly Secret Transmitters � By George Lardner Jr.. � Washington Post Staff Writer The chief counsel of the House as- sassination inquiry said yesterday. the committee plans to buy two tiny . $2i- 200 transmitters that can be secretly-. worn by investigators. . The lawyer, Richard � .A. Sprague, � � . maintained that the. devices are . needed for "certain surveillance ac- tivities" that he is contemplating: He denied that they would be used to make secret recordings of the conver- sations of unsuspecting witnesses. 3 "It is our intention in making rec- ordings that we will advise each indi- vidual that we are recording the inter- view," Sprague said. - Asked 'why walkie-talkies .wouldn't � suffice for 'surveillance, Sprague in- sisted that there would be situations when investigators would need to communicate with one , another with- out tipping anyone off.... �� "A guy might be getting ready to step out of a tap room, for example, and you might want to communicate that fact" Sprague said. He said he en- visioned "many situations" in the forthcoming House Investigation' into the assassinations of President Ken- nedy and Martin Luther King where "you cannot "just call out a window (or) ... pull out a walkie talkie." Pressed to elaborate at a press con- ference following a meeting of the House committee yesterday afternoon, the former Philadelphia prosecutor said he had in mind some individuals who "are in a situation where we want to be observing what they are do- ing after they've been interrogated." The proposed purchases of the "mini-phone recording devices" had raised questions about the commit- tee's investigating techniques. Sprague made his comments after Rep. Don Edwards (D-Calif.), chair- - man of the House Judiciary subcom- mittee' on constitutional rights, had written a letter of protest about the possible bugging of witnesses to the inquiry committee's chairman, 'Thomas Downing (D-Va.), and to Vice Chairman Henry B.' Gonzalez (D-Tex.). The committee held its last meeting under Downing yesterday afternoon, beginning in public session, but wind- . . ing up amid strict secrecy at Spra- gue's behest. The official stenogra- phers and most of the committee staff, as well as the press and public, were ordered outside for the final por- tion of the meeting. Downing, who is retiring from the House, refused later to comment on the discussion beyond stating that it was devoted to "a very sensitive mat- ter" currently under investigation. Earlier, after voting 6 to 2 to go into closed session, the committee tenta- tively adopted a 10-page final report to the current Congress, outlining pro- posed avenues of inquiry for the pro-. jected two-year investigation. Down- ing said there are "hundreds of unre- solved questions" in each assassina- tion, some 600 by the staff's count in the King murder and 380 in the case of President Kennedy. Del. Walter,..... Fauntroy (D-D.C.) � made the motion for a secret session to discuss the report although it is said to contain "no bombshells." Reps. Christopher Dodd (D-Conn.) and Charles Thone (R-Neb.) opposed the closed hearing. The report is expected to be made public, after some final re- visions, on Jan. 2. Soturdoy, December 18, 1976 The Washington Star A-9 Assassinations:, 980 Questions Or Is It 800? From News Services The new House Select Committee on Assassinations convened yester- day to review the unanswered ques- tions in the slayings of President John F. Kennedy and the Rev. Martin Lu- ther King Jr. After the meeting, the 'major question seemed to be: How many unanswered questions are there? The committee chairman, Rep. Thomas Downing, D-Va., talked to re- porters after the committee tenta- tively approved a report on its inquiry thus far. He said the "unanswered questions" totaled 980. - "There are 600 questions in the King matter and 380 questions in the Kennedy matter," Downing- said. "We have turned up leads we will pur- sue." BUT D.C. DELEGATE Walter Fauntroy, chairman of the subcom- mittee investigating the King mur- der, said in an interview just before the closed session-that there were.800 unanswered questions � -600 ques- tions relating to the 1968 slaying of King and 200 involving the 1963 mur- der of Kennedy. Fauntroy, who had ..a copy of the draft report in front' of him as he spoke, said all 800 questions were not - listed in the draft. Instead, he said, the draft reports states the over-all number and lists various areas in which the unanswered questions exist. Fauntroy also assured a reporter that an actual list of the 800 questions exists. The committee voted 6-2 to close its session on the report � Which will be used to justify the proposed $6.5 mil- lion budget for the investigation. Committee sources told United Press International, however, that work on the draft will be completed over the weekend and forwarded to the clerk of the House, at which time it will by made public. But since reporters were excluded from the meeting yesterday, it re- mains unclear where the extra 180 "unanswered questions" came from. DOWNING SAID the report con- tained "no bombshells" arts:L.:nothing , that is sensitive or shouldn't be ,released.'' He declined to say what it does con- tain, but UPI's sources said the inves- tigators, among other things, found Kennedy assassination witnesses not questioned by the Warren Commis- sionor Dallas police. . � The sources said these witnesses could shed new light on a bullet found on a stretcher at Parklan,d Memorial Hopsital. The bullet prompted theories that a second gunman fired at Kennedy:--,-,, - Assassination Panel ires N.Y. By Jeremiah O'Leary Washington Star Staff Writer Two veteran New York City detec- tives have been named by the House Select Committee on Assassinations to be deputy chief investigators for the parallel investigations into the deaths of President John F. Kennedy and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. They are Det. 1st Grade Clifford A. Fenton Jr., 49,'of Manhattan and Det. 2nd Grade Edward M. Evans, 45, of the Bronx. Fenton will supervise investigators assigned to the Kennedy case, and Evans will be in charge of the King investigation. In making the appointments, Chief Counsel Richard A. Sprague noted that Evans and Fenton are both veter- ans of the New York Police Depart- ment's major case squad and have long experience in police and under- cover work. THE MAJOR CASE squad, which has about 35 members, is personally selected by the police commissioner and chief of detectives. The squad handles cases having to do with bank robbery, kidnaping, premeditated murder of police officers and assassi- nation of public figures. The two investigators, who are black, were introduced to the press yesterday in the office of Del. Walter E. Fauntroy of Washington, who is chairman of the subcommittee for the 'King probe. Rep. Richardson- Preyer, D-N.C., is chairman of the Kennedy assassination subcommittee. Accompanying the chief investiga- tors were Robert K. Tanenbaum, deputy chief counsel for the Kennedy task force, and Robert J. Lehner, deputy chief for the King probe. Fenton and Evans said they are retiring from the New York force to take charge of the two-year investiga- tion of the Kennedy and King mur- 1 5 IIE-C 1976 ete, Ives ders. Evans, with 22 years on the force, and Fenton, with 21 years, were team leaders directing four-man units. EACH, HAS HANDLED about 5,000 criminal cases and interviewed or interrogated more than 50,000 persons in connection with their police work. Both said they have traveled exten- sively across the country in search of suspects, witnesses and fugitives. Fenton has received 12 police honor citations and Evans seven. Both are members of the Honor Legion, an organization of policemen who have received the highest commendations of the New York department. Fenton is a graduate of the Univer- sity of Bridgeport (Conn.) with a de- gree in business administration. Evans graduated from the John Jay College of Criminal Justice, a branch of the City University of New York, with a bachelor of science degree. House Assassination Panel apidly Using Up Its Budget By George Lardner Jr.. Thompson Indicated- that- it does. � Washington Post Staff Writer . The House Administration Commit- '44 � The House, Select Committee on tee's staff director, William H. Cable, � Assassinations is running out of was even more emphatic. He said that money at a rather rapid rate. the assassination committee could not It got $150 000 � for a projected hope to spend more under a continu- , -staff of 23 people shortly after it ing 'resolution than the- previous .was created:in September. Years total. The clerk of the House, he said, would stop paying the bills ' It has hired 43 people and is putting - , more on the payroll each week to get when the limit is reached. set for a projected two-year investiga- tion into .the murders of President Kennedy in 1963 and Martin Luther King Jr. in 1968. .. �. . - . According to cotnmittee spokesman. Burt Chardak, the committee had obli- gated all but $39,900 of its nest egg-by Dec. 6 to pay for employees al- readytired, equipment already leased and other bills incurred through the end of the year. According to some officials of the House Administration Committee, that could cause problems. . The $150,000 is supposed to last the assassinations committee through Jan. 3. It is seeking a $6.5 million budget for the new congressional year star- ing Jan. 4. . Unfortunately, says House Adminis- tration Chairman Frank Thompson Jr. (D-N.J.), there is little likelihood that the assassination inquiry will get its new budget, whatever the figure, from the full House before mid-February. What happens in the meantime is, for the moment, a subject of consider- able confusion. The committee will keep operating under a "continuing resolution" but the question is whether the spending limit of $150,000 applies to the continuing activity. "If it were ...construed any other way," he said, "that would just totally violate the intent of Congress." ,The staff of the assassinations com- mittee, from chief counsel 'Richard A. Sprague down, is of a different per- suasion. "Say our payroll for 'a:month is run- ning at $100,000 on Jan. 3 and travel and stationery and other items are costing an additional amount per month; we might wind up spending $150,000 or it might be $200,000," said Thomas Howarth; the assassinations committee's budget officer. "No way," said Cable. ' Informed of the disagreement, Spra- gue promptly announced he was as- signing a staff attorney to look into the matter. Chardak said their inter- pretation had been based on advice by outside counsel, including one lawyer from the House Administration-Com- mittee, but in case it was mistaken, he said, a special continuing resolution might be so worded to lift the $150,- 000 limit. The House is still clucking over the committee's proposed $6.5 million budget, which would apparently make It the most expensive investigation Congress as ever undertaken, but no loud voices have been raised in oppo- sition yet. Speaker-designate Thomas P. (Tip) O'Neill Jr. (D-Mass.) indicated that he will maintain an air neutral- ity. Asked about the budget request in his office Friday afternoon, O'Neill just rolled his eyes toward the ceiling and said: "Pshewww. The figures are staggering." But then he quickly waved reporters off. An aide interjected, "We'll let the House work its will, right?" "Yeah," O'Neill said. ' 10 DEC Panel to Study 2 Assassinations Asks $13 Million By DAVID BURNHAM fe,ecIal to The Nes,' York Tin-es WASHINGTON, Dec. 9�Richard A. Sprague, chief counsel of the House Se- lect Committee on Assassinations, told Congress today that the reinvestigation of the deaths of President Kennedy and the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. would cost more than $13 million. The size of the budget request�far more than was spent by the Warren Com- mission staff in its original investigation Associated Press Richard A. Sprauge, director of House panel on assassinations, at hearing in Washington. s of President Kennedy's assassination a dozen years ago�surprised even mem- bers of the committee. "The budget blew my hat off, too," said Representative Thomas N. Downing, the Virginia Democrat who heads the committee, after Mr. Sprague presented his cost estimates at a committee hearing. Members Back Request Despite the size of the budget�about double that spent by both the Senate Watergate committee and the House Ju- diciary Committee in their investigations . of the Nixon Administration�the six Democrats and three Republicans present at today's session voted unanimously to approve the proposed request. The committee acted after Mr. Sprague testified that the $6,531,050 request for the first year's operation of the proposed 170-person staff was a "bare-boned mini- mum figure" and that "any cut, in my opinion, would make the task of investi- gating the assassinations impossible In a later presentation to the caucus of House Democrats, Mr. Sprague said he expected that approximately the same budget would be requested for the com- mittee in its second year. Mr. Sprague presented the committee with a brief outline of some areas already under investigation by the panel. These included information concerning the sur- veillance and security provided by the F.B.I. at the time of Dr. King's death and a report that intelligence about Lee Har- vey Oswald was not passed to other agen- '. cies before the" deeth .of ,Rresident .1cenne-: � dy or to 'the. Warren. dziniiission "after it. Mr, Sprague also announced that the Justice Department, the F. B. I. and the C.I.A. have agreed not to destroy any documents until the committee had corn pleted its investigation or given its opin- ion that the documents were not needed. According to a research paper complet- ed for Mr. Sprague, the Warren Commis- sion spent $1.2 million in its 10-month life, but its 83-member staff was supple- mented by 222 investigators borrowed from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Central Intelligence Agency and the Secret Service. High Cost Explained Mr. Sprague said that a major reason the assassination committee budget was so high was that it had been forced by circumstances to hire its own investiga- tors and not borrow from the F.B.I. or the C.I.A. Noting that the C.I.A. had not told the Warren Commission about its attempts to assassinate Prime Minister Fidel Castro of Cuba and that the F.B.I. had not dis- closed the animosity felt for Dr. King by J. Edgar Hoover, the bureau's Director at the time, the chief counsel said that an independent investigatipn was essen- tial. Mr. Sprague told the Democratic caucus that if the committee was staffed by in- vestigators from the F.B.I. and the C.I.A. it would "make Congress the laughing stock not only of the nation, but the world." The former prosecutor said that another reason for the large budget was the com- mittee's mandate to investigate at the same time the assassinations of both President Kennedy, who was killed on Nov. 22, 1963, and Dr. King, who was killed on April 4, 1968. Approval of Funds Foreseen Representative Frank Thompson Jr., Democrat of New Jersey, who is chair- man of the House Administration Com- mittee, which will pass on the assassina- tion committee's budget before it goes to the House, said that in his experience the size of the request was "unprecedent- ed" but that Congress would probably vote to fund that committee "up to its justified needs." Conversations with several other Con- gressmen and House staff members indi- cated that despite the size of the budget, the full House would probably grant most of the request if not all of it. Mr. Sprague said that he planned to assign the major part of the investigation to two teams, each made up of 15 lawyers and 23 investigators. One team would in- vestigate President Kennedy's death, the other that of Dr. King. -In addition, the committee plans to have a legal unit to prepare subpoenas with a staff of five persons, a document analysis and research team of 30, a poly- graph and stress evaluation unit of four and a security unit of two to assure the ' safety of important witnesses. The committee's first year budget allots $3,635,600 for salaries; $1,864,200 for travel; $155,000 for consulting services; $425,000 for telephones, and $78,900 to pay the expenses of witnesses. RICHARD A. SPRAGUE ... presents "bare-bones" budget ssassinations .5 Million for �v.,' By George Lardner. Jr. Washington Poat Staff Writer The HoUse Select Committee on As- sassinations gingerly agreed yesterday ..to seek a $6.5 million budget for the first year of its investigations into the -Murders of President Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr. The spending proposal, submitted at .a formal committee session by, chief Counsel Richard A. Sprague, was more than twice the amount that committee members themselves had been pri- vately forecasting. . 4 "It blew my hat off, too," Chairman Thomas Downing (D-Va.) told report- ers.. Just a few' days ago, he said, "I _ thought sure that $2 million to $3 mu. lion [a year] would be enough." iODECA1 snik Inquiry s First Year ' Sprague presented the budget pro- posal as a "bare-bones" minimum and � insisted that it could not be cut with- -but compromising the quality Of the House inquiry. Because of criticisms leveled at the FBI and the CIA in the Kennedy assassination Investigation and at the FBI in the King murder probe, Sprague emphasized that the committee could not afford to cut cor- ners by relying on any government agencies for its detective work. - The proposed inquiry, which is gen- erally expected to take two years to complete, would appear to be the big- gest and most expensive Congress has ever undertaken. See INQUIRY, A9, Col. 1 .1 Assassi ations Inquiry. Asks $6.5 Million . INQUIRY, From Al , A former Philadelphia prosecutor with a nationwide reputation for his courtroom victories; Sprague proposes to conduct thoroughly independent, si- ' multaneous inquiries into the two murders with a total staff of 170 peo- � � ple on an annual payroll of $3,635,000. At that rate, the average salary would .;. be about $21,400. The House Judiciary Committee's Inquiry, which'recommended the mm- peachment of President Nixon in 1974, � ' cost approximately $1.9 million. The Senate Watergate investigation in e� 1973-74, which preeetled the House in-' :n quiq and laid much of the ground- ! work for it, cost about $2 million. �, The Senate intelligence committee's subsCquent investigation of the CIA; �,;' : the FBI and other segments Of the v Intelligence community cost even more: approximately $2.850,000. It had ; a staff of more than 120 people at its peak and lasted 18 months. As part of its work, the Senate inquiry found that senior officials of both the CIA " and the FBI concealed crucial infor- mation in the course of investigating : the Kennedy assassination for the Warren Commission. ., In a special report last June, the :. FBI spent more than $2 million Just ': size of the budget does take your Senate committee said it had not '.2: in the first throe months of Its work breath away." come up with evidence "sufficient tokidnaping. " �6: on the Patricia Hearst J . , , : ,' How much of this do You think we justify a conclusion that there was a :: For the investigation of President will be able to spend in the first : conspiracy to assassinate President 7 Kennedy's assassination alone, Spra-:' �:'year?" he asked Sprague. Kennedy," but the committee said the ::'. gue added, the Warren Commission ' .. "In any View ' this is a minimal "investigative deficiencies" it had un- ',;?,' had 82 staff members plus the full- budget that will be Spent in a Year," covered were glaring enough to raise !�.'.' time assistance of 150 FBI agents, 60 replied Sprague who is rapidly build- substantial doubts about the Warren i!'$,. Secret Service agents, 13 CIA officers ing up the committee staff on the Commission's work and to justify con. t,:;!,,and others from the Justice and State strength of a preliminary $150,000 ap- tinned congressional investigation. ; 4i. departments and .the ,,Internal .Reve- propriation. ' The momentum for the present ,�i,',-;W-1 Service:'�':� ;,'.;'' s; .,i -; , 4 vd.,?.. After *hat seemed a long pause, House inquiry was finally supplied in .��-p Even SO �several, members Of Ae Preyer pledged his support of the pro- - September when members of the Con- 1�,�'.;41ouse committee itself, at yesterday ! ., posed budget. "You get what you pay gressional Black Caucus, citing "new ,1,,,- morning's session, apparently found it ..' for," he observed. � , - � , information" in the 1968 slaying of edifficult to persUade thembeIves that *. ' � "Credibility is everything as far as King, joined the: drive and secured v;:;; the, $6.5 million .,reqUest'wes for one . .� ''-- this committee is conceirned,"added, the supped Of House Democratic lead- $.,J4ear only. Atone. Point, Rep. Henry B. , Rep. Charles Thone (R-Ndb.). He said � , t.44Gonzalez (D-Tex.), who is expected to .4',-�',V.:''.. ' '� l''' . n� he would support � "every -.cent Mr. . In a Move yesterday :that suggested r.4...,,lhecorne -.chairMan,: asked Sprague : - ,.V.� Sprague feels he needs to do a thor- h you will need on a fiscal., continued support, :Speaker-designate ,.'i 'yearnVnlu : , ough, definitive job in both these in- . Thomas P. ', (Tip) - O'Neill (D-Mass.) e,.i,,�:41,4:, basis." ,., .,., "Sprague: "This Is a yearly subniis; vestigatimisr. � � :' ' ' '-' '- ' . hour appearance by Sprague on the ::e i ;s1On, our budgetary . reqestfor - this �,�:. The proposed budget must be sub- gave his blessings to an unusual �noon-x0 "�- � first Year." ' ' ". . ' ' � .� mitted, in January to � the House Ad- House floor where be again plumped'.for the $8.5 millicin budget before the:,,,,' t. ; ;$...Ggializiacir: "So :we're talking .abo'rut - :: ministration Committee. Its chairman, per annum?"' ' � :,1 .,. ' � Rep.. Frank Thompeoh Jr. (D-N.J.). ,,!, e :;':' ..1 House Democratic�cautuk , ! Sprague: "That is correct." '.. - -;-." told a reporter yesterday that "as far :�' : i ' Calling , It "a bare-bottom figure," ''.... ': ' A few moments later, Rep. Richard. as I'M concerned, they'll get any Spragpe argued that the cost of pro- son Preyer (D-N.C.), the chairman of. money they can justify," but doubted fessional investigative work is not -.' the subcommittee Investigating the that any appropriation could clear the generally appreciated. Ha said the JFK assassination, observed that "the house floor before mid-February. � Recommendation in JP"( Probe Warren Critics Cite Role on, Sprague � By George Lardner Jr. � Washington Post Staff Writer ' Two leading critics of the Warren Commission's report on the assassina- . tion of President Kennedy said yester- day that they recommended Philadel- phia lawyer Richard A. Sprague as� chief counsel for the new House inqui- � ry into the murder. - One of the critics, Mark Lane, also said that he sounded out Sprague about the job at a get-together in Phil- adelphia Oct, 6 and subsequently ac- � companied Sprague to meetings with, � � several members of the House Select Committee on 'A'ssassinations, includ- ing Chairman Thomas N. Downing (D- .Va.). Sprague. lobk- the' job Oct.. 7. � "I went to Philadelphia, had dinner with him. and ' came away convinced that If he wasthe man who did it, It ;would be an excellent investigation," Isaid Lane, whose Citizens Commission of Inquiry has been pressing since early 1975 for a congressional probe. The other Warren Commission critic, Washington lawyer Bernard Fensterwald, said he shad initially been offered the top committee staff .. partly on the grounds that he could .- hardly be considered impartial.. The House committee has, also been assigned to investigate the 1968 assas- sination of Martin Luther King Jr. Fensterwald represented James Earl Ray, 'who is- serving a 99-year prison term for King's murder, from 1971 un- til recently. In addition, as head of the private Committee to Investigate Assassina- tions, Fensterwald observed, "I've said for years that the 1Varren Commission report was a fairy story." � job by Downing, but turned it down, � See SPRAGUE; AN, Col. 1 � � "ActuallY.,'Spraguers -name,:was SUb- , r 'distance: Lane said he made dear that .- .. mitted in a. list offered by 'Pongres-S-...,- he was "calling without _port folio" but man [Henry B.P Gonzalez. I talked to asked Spranue then in private prac- where the name came from. : .Ent as I . tit","e in Philadelphia, if he would be, In looked into it, L became- convinced ', 7terested in the job: �-�." � , � that he [Spragtiej was the best for the , "He said the first thing You should io know is that I worked for Arlen Spec- . In that.' iame interview, -Downing � ' , � ter' [former Philadelphia District At- also said that Lane had never been considered- Of Fensterwald, the corn- torhey and ex-Warren Commission mittee chairman said, 'to sal: he was lawyer who authored the "single bill - never considered wouldn't be right, let theory"). I said, 'I don't sec that as Henry.. about it. � doesn't know Thursday, Dec. 2,1976 THE WASHINGTON POST Two Critics Cite Hole n Sprague SPRAGUE, Fi'onr. -Al . . . . Lane 'and r�-�n-erwrild 11:�:,.T. � I.c2cr working for moths with Dov-J�iln,z, a other menibers. of COilgic;S� on the creation of tt�.. committee; . � Shortly aft,-:'the committee created in Se.v.terobt* 'Lane said. that "Downing told. Me be con-iidcring two people, Pod Fensierwald and rne... I said eithei one would he a tragcciy...- You can-imagine. how teniptecl I was, . but the media 'would have said, With absolute justification,..that the com- mittee had .already reached 4,. cO4C4t, � sion." � � 1- ' � � � � . There ha's been considerable vague- ness until now over the manner in. which Sprague was selected. In air in- 1. tervieW several,days.ago, for instance,: ... greas, did- some research on ,:iprague,.� Downing fold a reporter that:. '. arid duly impresSed,.ealid long; DE NARD FE NST ERWA T.13, ... says he rejecttql but a lot of people were interested in this thing.". _ According to Lane, howeVer, Down- ing gave up on Fensterwald with some reluctance. "Lane--said that when he emphasized Fenster% ald's role as Ray's lawyer, Downing countered, by suggesting that Fensterwald could handle the Kennedy inquiry and -Lane the investigation of King's murder. "I said, `No, no, that would be counterproductive;" Lane recalled yesterday in a telephone interview. "I've worked too hard for this. [Downing aide Rick] Feeney said I was being too selfish, but I said. `No, I'm being unselfish. I want an impar- tial committee to say I was right.' " Subsequently, Lane said he and George O'Toole, another Warren Com- mission critic, batted the question of who should get the job back and forth over the telephone. Lane said he men- tioned the name of a high-ranking lawyer in the American Civil Liber- ties Union, but "George said, 'We're not really talking about a civil liberta- rian, are we? We're talking about a tough prosecutor.' I said yeah." � O'Toole finally came up with Spra- . � gue's name, because of his promi- nence and success as a special prose- cutor in the murders of United Mine Workers dissident Jock Yablinski, h;s wife and daughter. That same day, either In late Sep- tember or early October apparentlY.1 Lane went over to the Library of Con. . . r . � � ' � � problem at all. In one week, you're 'going to be up to Your- hips in evi-. dence of�conspiracy."" � � �, . , Finally, Lane recalled, Spra'gue said he would be interested only if Con- gress wanted a thorough investigation rather than "a splash and a few head- lines." Lane said he then talked to mem- bers of the committee including Del, Walter E. Fauntroy (D-D.C.),. about Sprague; got together with him in PhRadelphia, and shortly thereafter, 'perhaps on Oct: 7, introduced him in separate meetings here with Fauntroy and Downing. Later, after Lane left for other engagements, "lie went on to meet Gonzalez. He told me later, in essence, that they'd offered him the job." Sprague went on the , committee, payroll as acting director Oct.: 7. He Is known as a tough, independent prose- cutor and those who have-dealt with him in the past predicted yesterday that he would conduct UK-roughly independent inquiry. Washington law- yer Joseph L. Rauh Jr.. who worked � with Sprague in the Yablonski kill- ings. sad he recommended the Phila- delphian to Fauntroy in the strongest terms. "He told a lot .of congressmen he was going to be the buss and they . -�-� said .okay,':�':-Rauh said. "I think he's absolutely great." 17CLE .ARPEAREI). By George Lardner Jr.. Washington Post start Writer The chief counsel tiar'the House in-_ vestigation of the murders of Presi-..:, dent Kennedy and the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. promised yesterday a thoroughly independent investigation : that would nott,relyipn either the or the Central Intelligence Agency. .;.- . , , . , The congressional inquiry, which , may take two years, ',would be "the laughingstock of the world" if it de-,r- pended on: any "government agencies - for its detective work, Said Richard A:. Sprague; chief counsel for the new House committee on assassinations: He 4told reporters at a breakfast '- meeting that one of the chief reasons; for the new investigation into Presi- dent Kennedy's death years- ago: was the fact that the Warren Commis- .- sion did not have its own investigative staff. ;, ; � , ' r The commission concluded, in the fall of 1964, that Lee Harvey Oswald, acting alone, had killed the President from the sixth floor of the- Dallas School Book Depository. It later turned out that some FBI documents concerning Oswald had� been destroyed and that both the CIA and the FBI had,withheld relevant ev-:- idenee concerning CIA-sponsored plots to kill Cuban premier Fidel gastro - THE WASHINGTON POST 24 November 1976 Widespread complaints have also -.:.been raised about the ..FBI� inquiry - .into king's death for which James 'Earl Ray is" currently serving i 99- , year term in Tennessee. , The Senate intelligence committee , disclosed last year the FBI had waged a persistent 'undercover�campaign to discredit King that continued even af- ter the civil rights leader had been killed in Memphis in 1968. - , � _ Sprague Said the importance of a thorough, independent investigation was the chief reason that the new as- sassinations committee.-is- seeking a 170-member staff. 'Unless the inquiry can be conducted in a definitive, pro- fessional manner that will attempt to resolve every pressing doubt about both killings, Sprague said, it would be better not to undertake it at all. 'There's no halfway part in �this thing," he declared. "It's either got to S. be done thoroughly or you don't do it" - Sprague envisioned a staff of 15 "attorney-investigators" and another 25 investigators for, each of the two killings. A career prosecutor from Philadelphia, he also plans to hire a 50-member "document and research unit" that will attempt to compile and collate every available document on the two assassinations and make sure that all new bits and pieces of infor- mation are channeled to the appropri- ate investigators. ',A legal, staff of.:five to -uphold ti*,, committee's subpoenas and other pow; � ers, a security team, a two member po- lygraph unit; along_ with requisite . clerical and -% secretarial personnel, would complete the proposed commits tee staff. -,, Of polygraphs and the newer; so-- called "stress evaluators,".:-Spraguel . , �said that "I do not think that either ,these two instruments are infallible. I: -would not use either one in a-court . of law. But as an investigative-tool, they , � are valuable." He said a stress evaluator,' which at- ., tempts to measure tensions in a per- son's voice, Might be used on tape-rec- orded interviews where it is not. feasi- ble to use a polygraph. 7 � Sprague :declined, to say whether former or present FBI or CIA offi- e cials would be asked to , submit to po- lygraph tests, but he emphasized that "I do not exempt anybody" from a possible request of ..that nature. In a criminal investigation, he said, "You. just don't march 'em [witnesses] in-. and :let them give 'their' version ofsomething." - � The investigation into the two.assas- sinations will proceed simulatane-': ously and has already started with the : issuance of committee subpoenas for' pertinent .records in the custody law enforcement T agencies; in , and Tennessee: :ARTICLE APPEARED ON PACE .2- 7 7. NEW YORK TIMES :e4 November 1976 Assassination Probes DALLAS�A. Dallas Police Department spokes- - man has confirmed that a House committee investi- gating the 1963 assassination in Dallas of-President _- Kennedy has subpoenaed all police records on the -- murder. - r3 = Bob Shaw said Chief Don Byrd received the sib-- poena, which calls. for Byrd to appear befor the committee Nov. 29 and produce the records. It was not clear whether the subpoena also called for records of the subsequent murder of presiden- tial assassin Lee Harvey Oswald by nightclub owner Jack Ruby. Ruby shot Oswald to death in Dallas Nov. 24, 1963, two days after Kennedy was killed....... The House Select Committee on Assassinations is looking into the assassinations of .Kennedy and of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. � Meanwhile, in Memphis, six - city officials have "I been subpoenaed to appear before the house com- mittee Nov. 29 and bring files pertaining ,to the s death of King, who was slain there in 1968. Police Director E. Winslow Chapman was served , a subpoena Friday and ordered to supply the corn- mittee with all his department's "records, tapes,_ logs and other evidence" on the murder and the ar- rest of confessed assassin James Earl Ray/' � �--� Also subpoenaed mere Shelby County Attorney. General Hugh Stanton and his chief -investigator. John Carlisle; Frank C. Holloman, who was fire and 1 police director when King was killed; public de- fender Edward G. Thompson, and criminal court; clerk James A. Blackwell. � . A RTICLE APPEAR.E0 ON PACE "74- 'E NEW YORK TIMES November 1976 Assassination Panel Organizing A recently Impaneled House Select Committee on Assassinations has an as expected that it plans to gather a preliminary staff of 170 law- ' yers and homicide detectives for its parallel investigations of the murders . of 'President-John F. Kennedy and the � Rev: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. - The forrnation of the special corn- ittee 'had been urged by a number of assassination "students' and poten- - tial conspiracy theorists in both Houses after a Senate subcommittee - " ort intelligence reported earlier this . year that the findings of the Warren Commission may have been based on -�incomplete- information. , The House committee has asked the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Central Intelligence Agency for all documents and memoranda pertaining to the killings. , I? TICLE APPEARP-14 OAr r).4 l< � / By STEVE PARKS President Kennedy was murdered- 13 -ears ago tomorrow. . � � ..=;" Yet only last week the House Commit- ee on Assassinations announced it would lire a staff of 170 to investigate the assas- inations of John F.. Kennedy and Martin. .uther King, Jr. Fresh revelations about he JFK assassination have trickled out ver since the Senate Select Committee on ntelligence opened the first-ever,public nquiry into the Central Intelligence Agen- y. Most of these stories suggest Kennedy as killed in retaliation for CIA attempts .n the life of Cuban Premier Fidel Castro. tut some intelligence personnel caution hat these leaks are part of a CIA design o throw investigators off the trail of a do- nestle conspiracy. - Whatever the truth about the JFK as- assination, the CIA has been less than orthcoming. When Senators Gary Hart D., Colo.) and Richard S. Schweiker (R., 'a.) conducted a preliminary inquiry last ear they subpoenaed the agency's files on )swald. According to a former FBI agent nd a current intelligence insider, only alf the CIA's documents on Oswald were urrendered. Why? What was Oswald's connection vith the U.S. intelligence community? Lee Oswald's bleak, truancy-prone hildhood hit an early abyss, at age 3, ihen he and his 8-year-old brother, Rob- rt, were consigned to an orphanage be- ause their mother, Marguerite, could not Tovide. She hadn't� found another hus- ,and. Robert and Le. e's father, Robert E. Lee )swald, died three months before Lee was orn. The boys got out of the orphanage in year. Edward K. Ekdahl, a Dallas busi- essman, had married Marguerite. So the ,oys moved to Texas'. In three years, the )swald brothers went through the broken ome routine. They moved back to New )rleans with their divorced mother. . Robert soon escaped all this by joining he Marine Corps. He wrote his kid broth- r that the marines had changed his life. it 16, Lee dropped out of school and tried o enlist. Turned down, he spent the next teve Parks, a member of The Sun's staf, f,- s on leave writing a book about the assas-.� inati on of President Kennedy., _ 4.! .E BALTIMORE SUN 21 November 1976 year washing dishes until he was 17 and could enlist without lying. He did so Octo- ber 24, 1956, six days after his birthday. - Lee -in's- sent to San - Diego and Camp Pendleton,- *Calif.; - and later was trans- ferred to the Naval- Air Technical Train- ing Center in Jacksonville, Fla. By mid- September, 1957, he would be stationed in one of the most strategic and exotic secur- ity bases in the U.S. overseas network. Os- wald. was a radar operator for the 1st Marine 'Air Squadrion. based in Atsugi, Japan.: 7' At the time, Atsugi was one of the larg- est CIA bases in the world. From deep in- side the island's rock, in a honeycomb maze of tunnels, U.S. intelligence moni- tored communications from that part of the world. From the runways at Atsugi, U.S. planes took off for reconnaissance missions over the People's Republic of China. Oswald's unit was assigned to look after these planes, inside the hangars. The Office of Naval Intelligence con- tacted Oswald while at Atsugi sometime during 1958. That was the year Quemoy and Matsu began to make world headlines. The two islands off the coast of the Peo- ple's Republic were used by the National- ist Chinese as staging areas for attacks on the mainland. That the Red Chinese tried to swat the Nationalist dragonfly was cit- ed as another brazen example of the threat of world domination by the Corn- ' munist monolith, which the big Macs, Joe and Doug, had warned of . - August 29, 1958, Lee Oswald was sepa- rated from his regular unit, assigned a hew pay status and sent to Taiwan for six weeks. Oswald's Marine Corps service re- cord,' however, conceals this transfer. Though his pay records show Oswald was sent to Taiwan, his status is not known be- cause that portion of his records is cen- sored,:., = . . If this does-not make Oswald a likely agent, consider In his first year as a mar- ine Oswald taught himself the Russian -language and preached to his buddies that "Marxist morality is the most rational" in history and that communism is "the best system in the world today." Consider that, .as a consequence, his buddies called him l'.."Osvaldkovitch" and that curiously, lack- -ing as a consequence, the. Marine Corps 't did nothing about removing this Commu- :' nist sympathizer from an intelligence base that required a minimum security clear- :- ance of "secret." Shortly after returning to the Philip- pines from his secret assignment in Tai- wan, Oswald was transferred to El Toro Air Station, Calif. On one leave he went to Fort Worth to see his mother, saying no- thing on his return about an accident she had at work. It wasn't much to talk about. "A fallen jar had struck her head and toe. - Nearly a year later, Harvey Oswald re- quested a discharge so he could be with his 1. mother again. Though he supplied no med- ical verification whatsoever, Oswald . claimed his mother had been disabled by an "industrial accident"�her run-in with a jar. In truth, his mother had returned to work three days after she was bopped on the head and was neither disabled nor de- pendent. Nevertheless. Oswald amazed his bud- dies by getting his discharge in a record 11 days�just 3 months before his tour of du- ty would have ended. An unpublished War- ren Commission memo, labeled "Top Se- . _ _ -cret," states: "He undoubtedly obtained I -the discharge fraudulently." But instead of staying home in Fort Worth to take care of his unailing mother, he was off to New Orleans in three days. There he obtained a four-month touring visa and booked passage to London on the SS Marion Lykes. She sailed September 21, 1959, bound for Le Havre, France, and London. Ostensibly, Oswald was on the intleo't . first leg of a trip that would take him to 'Albert Schweitzer College in Switzerland, ,where the high school dropout claimed to Raikin, who identified himself to the War-- ren Commission as a representative of the Travelers Aid Society. Mr: Raikin- did not mention that be was a former secretary general of the American Friends of the Anti-Bolshevik Nations, a grOuP connected with intelligence agencies all over the non-Communist world: He also was a member of the Tolstoy Foundation, a viru- lent anti-Communist aggregate of exiled Russian aristocracy and n.ouve.au.riche. . . � . - .'_ As the Warren Commission-turned- a deaf ear on evidence that fairly shouts Os- wald-was an agent, it hardly. could be ex- pected to take seriously any hypothetical 'rriissions he-may have carried out behind the Iron Curtain. :.Francis Gary Powers had an idea what Oswald was-up to. Oswald's marine com- mander at Atsugi had an idea', too. He said Oswald- seemed to take an unusually de- tailed interest in the-planes his unit was assigned to guard. ' . . . � . In his. book, "Operation .Overflight." Mr_ Powers. the U-2 pilot whose plane was shot down over the Soviet Union. in May, 1960. paints Out that men in Oswald's unit were familiar with the newest radar the U.S. was using. The Russians had never shot down. a U-2, enabling President Ei- senhoweri to blithely, deny. their existence. The planes flew too high. Oswald defected, got employment. at a -radio- plant and in seven months the Russians found the mark. - The other officer present at. the U.S. Embassy when Oswald appeared to re- nounce his citizenship was Richard Sny- der, the naval attache. Of all Oswald's rantings, Mr. Snyder gleaned one remark he thought should be acted on. November 3, 1959, four days after Oswald's visit, Mr. Snyder cabled the State Department, the FBI. the CIA, the Office of Naval Intelli- gence and the Immigration and Naturali- zation Service, warning them' that Oswald had threatened to "furnish Soviets info he possesses on U.S. radar." � - Nothing much happened except that a few radar signals were switched in the Pacific. Also Oswald's discharge . status Es- pionage was not mentioned..Perhaps the naval attache's cable was not a-warning at, all, but reassurance to all agencies which was downgraded from "honorable" to "un- -) desirable," for the reason of defection. Es- _might be alarmed that there was no need. -� � The cable begins: "Concerning the re- � nunciation of U.S... citizenship by Lee - Harvey Oswald former marine and.. . ." The next 40 spaces in the cable have been -.blanked out; censored as "secret," and we 'are left to wonder whatever else, besides a marine, Lee Oswald might have been. In any case, the naval attache kept Os- wald's passport handy, in his desk drawer. for more than two years, handing it over to Oswald on demand. � The 40 spaces in the naval attache's ca- ble could do alot . of explaining. They could explain the ex-marine's peculiar fa- cility- with passports and 'other border-.- crossing paraphernalia. They could ex- plain how a defector extracted favors and a loan from a State Department dominat-- ed by dedicated Red-hunters like Frances. Knight and Otto Otepka, and how one year. after his $435.71 loan. Oswald obtained a new ..passport in New. ,Orleans without ..having his application flagged for failure to repay the loan. ..� � � �.- � . Of course,, some delinquents are bound to slip through the bureaucratic fishnet. � But this one waved a Red flag, and it was 1962 the crest of the cold war. This was an ex-marine who had-defected to pre-de- ;: tente Moscow. renouncing -his citizenship and threatening to betray radar secrets. In .seven months the Russians shot down- . ,their first 11-2-; Eisenhower was caught in ''a' He and the superpower summit confer-- -----ence was scuttled: Two years later.-when the ex-marine asked to be a citizer the State Department took his word- for it that he committed no .espionage and the -embassy gave him. unofficial assurances that he would not be prosecuted for same. When the onetime defector and his Rus- sian wife were brought to New York on -�-..Ahe State Department's tab, their arrival attracted not one official representative of the intelligence; military or. law en- forcement fields..This, in an era when gov- ernment employees were required to sign loyalty oaths to keep their jobs. . It wasn't sheer gall that caused Oswald to file an "application of review" request- ing nullification � of his � undesirable dis- charge from the Marines and requesting �;... recommendation for re-enlistment. In that � application � Oswald cited. "the special knowledge I have . accumulated through my experience since release from: active ..'--duty in the Naval Reserve.' as if sending a signal to his naval intelligence sponsors.. �-It is common practice for military re-.. � cruits in the' intelligence field to�resign --,--L'from the -service � to facilitate a.. cover. They do so with the understanding that. eventually they can return to the military -with their time-on loan to the CIA count- -toward. promotion and retirement. They call it "sheep-dipping:"... � " r � � Meanwhile, no summit talks until 1961 chev.; In_ Vienna,: when Kennedy met.- Khrush-1 New York Times, 21 November 1976 Why Another Assassination Inquiry? By DAVID BINDER WASHINGTON�On the eve of the 13th anniver- sary of the assassination of President John F. Kenne- dy, subpoenas have been sent out in search of new information about his murder and that of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The investigation launched by the newly established House Select Com- mittee on Assassinations is the sixth to be conducted on a large scale by Government officials since the 35th President was killed Nov. 22, 1963. Why another inquiry? Its origins appear to lie in four quarters: a Congressman who is a self-styled "student of political assassinations," another who , genuinely believes in a conspiracy theory, a group of black Congressmen who feel the King murder investigation was a cover-up and, finally, some Capi- tol Hill investigators who feel there are still unpur- sued trails. Beyond these motives is a lingering suspi- cion on the Hill that even if the Central Intelligence Agency's past misdeeds have been largely exposed, parallel misdeeds of the Federal Bureau of Investiga- tion and its long-time chief, J. Edgar Hoover, remain largely unexamined. Congressman Henry B. Gonzalez, the promoter of the new House inquiry into the Kennedy and King murders, said it was "the summer of 1973�Water- gate�when I became inwardly very disturbed, that certain questions became very poignant, that the F.B.I. would destroy documents, and that the C.I.A. was corruptible." Mr. Gonzalez, author of the reso- � lution on Feb. 19, 1975, that eventually gave birth to the new committee, said "Watergate raised to a serious level questions I had suppressed before." The Texas Democrat, by his own account, has been interested in the Kennedy assassination ever since that day in Dallas when he rode in the motor- cede that carried the President to his death. Mr. Gonzalez, who was 47 years old at the time, began � collecting a private file on the murder. He has re- mained a "student of political assassinations" ever since, adding the King murder, the killing of Rebert F. Kennedy and the attempt on the life of Alabama's Gov. George Wallace to his interests. Earlier this year he found an ally iii. Thomas N. Downing, Democrat of Virginia, who, after viewing an amateur film of the Kennedy assassination, con- cluded that the shooting was not the work of Lee ' Harvey 0Swald but of a conspiracy. The two Repre- sentatives were impressed by the work of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, which had exhaus- tively studied the possible relationship between the -killing of President Kennedy and the C.I.A.'s plots to assassinate Cuba's Premier Fidel Castro. That study began with Senator Richard S. Schweiker's statement that the 1964 Warren Commission report . would "collapse -like a house of cards" when all the evidence was in and ended last June with the less confident conclusion that there were still "promising leads" to be explored. Representatives Downing and' Gonzalez fought to get an investigation of their own approved. The Rules Committee was evenly split for a time. A staunch opponent was B.F. Sisk, the California Democrat, who declared on the House floor on Sept. 17: "Let me urge my colleagues,. for gosh sakes, if they have any respect, as rm sure they do, for the dollars �of our taxpayers, let us vote this resolution Clown." .- He spoke of, "witch hunters" with "some kind of � melodramatic desire for the morbid" and observed: � "I thought we put this thing tO bed a long time . ago, but it seems to ever raise its head." Eunice Shriver, sister of the Kennedys was among those condemning the proposal as a publicity-seeking ac- tion. But new disclosures of F.B.I. coverups in the Inves- tigation of Martin Luther King's death brelithet new life into the cause championed by Representatives since, adding the King murder, the killing of Robert tant members of the ConglessionaI black caucus, I including Walter Fauntroy, delegate from the District of Columbia, and Ronald V. Dellums, Democrat of California. Mr. Gonzalez was also ,persuasive among Republi- cans, including the influential John Anderson of Illi- nois, arguing that it was time for a dispassionate . Congressonal study of political assassinations in this country. "Enough time has elapsed to get an objec- � tive and unimpassioned view of the facts," he said. In the end, he and Mr. Downing had 80 co-sponsors. A distinctive feature of the new investigation is that it will be conducted by a professional investiga- tive attorney, Richard A. Sprague, who handled more f than 60 first-degree murder cases as a prosecutor ' in Pennsylvania. Previous investigations had police- men and lawyers as staff aides, Mr. Gonzalez said, . but never a professional prosecutor. Is there, in fact, more to be learned about such much-discussed and long past events as the Kennedy and King murders? A Capitol Hill official familiar with the Senate investigation that ended last June said last week that "some things are v.:41)th pursuing" and that the Senate committee had 4...)7ted a pretty good hole in the Commission report." The official was referring principally to still ion- elusive F.B.I. reports about a Cuban agent named Rolando Culelo who apparently worked both "for the C.I.A. and Mr. Castro, and about mysterious figures who slipped out of the Unrted 'States and into Wyo.- - shortly after the assassination 13 years ago. The latest "new" piece of evidence, indicating that Lee Harvey Oswald 'was known to have told the Castro government of his murder plan, is a memoran- dum by J. Edgar Hoover to the Warren Commission. It has been dismissed by Congressional investigators as "insignificant." David Binder -is a reporter in the Washington bu- reau of The New York Times. House Unit Opens Probe of Slayings Of JFK, Dr. King By Richard L. Lyons Washington Post Staff Writer The House Select Committee on As- sassinations has begun what may be the biggest and most expensive of congressional investigations as it seeks final answers to the murders of John F. Kennedy and the Rev. Dr. � Martin Luther King Jr. The committee ,yesterday issued about 10 subpoenas seeking informa- tion from various agencies on the shooting deaths of President Kennedy in Dallas in 1963 and of Dr. King in Memphis in 1968. The committee, cre- ated by the House in September, . is seeking - answers to lingering ques- tions as to whether Lee Harvey Os- wald alone killed Kennedy and whether James Earl Ray alone killed � King or whether the accused assassins were part of larger conspiracies. The committee staff would not say specifically what the first subpoenas � sought. But they reportedly were sent to law enforcement agencies that had expressed willingness to turn over the materials but wanted them submitted� under subpoena. The committee will have only begun Its work when -It expires with the end of the 94th Congress on Jan. 3. But it � is expected to be speedily reconsti- � tuted and to continue its work on a greatly expanded scale. The probe could last the full two- year life of the 95th Congress. Now that the House has decided the inves- tigation Is needed, it would be p9liti- cally difficult to cut it short because that wbuld leave the committee open to charges of cover-up. The committee is now operating on a budget of $150,000 and has assembled a staff of about 25 with headquarters In three rooms of an old FBI building back of the HEW headquarters which the House has taken over as au annex. Chief Counsel Richard A. Sprague is working up a budget proposal that calls for a staff of 170 persons next year. Such a staff could run the cost up to $3 million or 94 million if the investigation lasts more than a year. � The biggest recent congressional in- vestigations were the Senate Water- gate investigation in 1973-74 and the- House Judiciary Committee's inquiry. See PROBE, A5, Col. 1 Washington Post, 18 November 1976 robe of JFK and King Slayings pens PROBE, From Al ,that recommended impeachment of � President Nixon in 1974: The Senate investigation cost about $2 million over 19 months arid had a professional staff of 23 with backup personnel. The impeachment inquiry cost nearly $1.5 million and had a staff of just over ' 100 at the peak. � .1 � �� .� The proposed cost of the assassina: tion inquiry has raised some eyebrows � t the Ca 11 But Chief Counsel Sprague, a tough Pennsylvania prose- cutor who won a murder conviction against ousted United Mine Workers President 1V.A. (Tony) Boyle in the killing of UMW rebel Joseph Yahlon- ski, tells menibers that if they are go. to each of these subcommittees 15 at. � ing to make an investigation they torneys, 25 investigator's and 40 back- . should do it right�to end the doubts, up personnel � � not conduct a halfway investigation !, �gver since the two leaders were that leaves them hanging. killed, �there have been doubts that To Sprague the job is a criminal In i?swald, who was killed before he was similar resolution, will become chair- � vcstigation of two homicides, from bl-ought ' to trial,' and ,f Ray, who man in January scratch., By contrast, the impeachment inquiry .did no investigating of its own. It assembled and evaluated in- � formation collected by others�rinich of it on Nixon's tapes. At a meeting this week, the assassi- nation committee, on Sprague's rec- ommendation, created two subcommit- tees to conduct boncurrent 'investi- gations of the two deaths. One, headed by Rep. Richardson Preyer (D-N.C.), look into the death of pleaded guilty and never went to trial, acted alone. Congressional leaders ' had resisted pleas for further inquir- ies. But this year the House went ahead 'because of new Information, such as revelations about efforts by the CIA to assassinate Cuban leader Fidel Cas-' . tro before Kennedy's assassination. and the request by black members of.. � � Kennedy. The other headed by Dele- Congress for a joint inquiry into the gate Walter B. Paun'ilrOy (D-D.C.); will 'two deatiis. � *:*" investigate the death of Dr. King, ,' Rep, Thomas. .N. Downing (D-Va.), with whorrlyeovorked:In the 196,0s. The proPOSed bud'get'would assign . � . . as, eh!ef, 'sponsor of the ieSolution : ,creating the Committee, was named 'chairman, But he will retire from . Congress at the end of the year. If ,, tradition is followed, Rep. Henry B. Gonzalez (D-Tex.), committee vice *: chairman and longtime sponsor. of a ; spocumEN:rs:Risi �.p.R.!KJNQIN 4.� . �!Aide 'Says Data Were, Apparently Destroyed After .House Action � `:�'` 'WASHINGTON; Nov. '16 'AP) Ments relating to the murder of .the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.- apparently have been destroyed since the creation � of a House committee to investigate the � slaying, committee staff members ..said today; , Richard A. Sprague, cidef� counsel of the House Committee�on .Assassinations, said that the documents 'Vivre -"relevant to nur investigation": and :."would have been in the possession...of:law enforce- ment authorities.": "" Mr. Sprague added, 1�11ave been ad- vised that the -destruction has been since it was announced qin-Septembergrthat this, committee would be investigating" the murders of Dr. King and President Kennedy, , - The chief counsel cautioned that he had not received official notification that the documents had been destroyed, but, in en apparent reference to a member, of his'staff,7 said he. had learned of. their destruction from an individual 'who has :interviewed other .�� : No Hint on Possession j Mr. Sprague-refused to -discuss .which law enforcement agency had possessed the documents However; Representative Henry. B. Gonzalez, Democrat of 'Texas, conunittee mernber. said . that-he-be lieveci the documents had been�F in, the possession of the authorities in Tennessee, ' where Dr. King was killed in 1968.. . . During an unexpected public' session ' of the coznznittee, Mr. - Gonzalez-4sked a. staff attorney, Robert Ozer; if be had any :reason ,to.' believe that documents .relating to the Kin- assassination had been destroyed .."since the constitution of this committee." . "Yes, *sir," Mr. Ozer replied; "I believe � there are some documents that have been � destroyed." ' . Mr. Ozer is a former member of-a Jus- tice Department strike force against or- ganized crime in Detroit. . � The hearing, originally expected to be � held in closed session, was open to the - public after a motion to go into executive session failed on a 6-to-6 tie vote; On Monday, Mr. Sprague said the com- mittee would hire 170 investigators to investigate the Kennedy and King assassi- nations. He said the size of the investiga- tive team was not excessive and said thatl by comparison. the Warren Commission had--8,3- aides of its own, 150 Federal Bu- reau of Investigation agents, 60 Secret Service agents and the help of the Central Intelligence Agency and the Internal Revenue Service in its inquiry. � NYTimes 17 November 1976