by James Ellroy
DOCUMENT INSERT: 10/19/59. Personal Note: J. Edgar Hoover to Howard Hughes.
Dear Howard,
I greatly eryoyed Peerless Politicopundit’s piece in the October 5th issue of Hush-Hush. It was, of course, far-fetched, but subtract the purple prose and what remains is politically substantive.
Lenny Sands has certainly adapted to the Hush-Hush style. And as a fledgling propagandist he shows promise. I found the subliminally-planted plugs for the Tiger Kab Kompany to be a nice little aside to the cognoscenti, and especially eryoyed the lofty sentiments expressed by our pragmatist friend Pierre Bondurant.
All in all, a most salutary issue.
Warmest regards,
Edgar
DOCUMENT INSERT: 10/30/59. Summary Report: John Stanton to Kemper Boyd. Marked: CONFIDENTIAL/HAND POUCH DELIVER.
Dear Kemper,
A short note to keep you advised of some recent policy decisions. You remain hard to reach, so I’m sending this to you via courier.
First off, our superiors are now more than ever convinced that the Castro problem will extend. Although the President’s latest allocation came in low, we have every hope that Castro’s powers of persistence will loosen up the White House pursestrings. To paraphrase our friend Peerless Politicopundit: “Nobody wants a Communist dictatorship ninety miles from our shores.” (I wish I could write reports like he writes yellow journalism).
Mr. Dulles, Deputy Director Bissell and selected Cuban-expert case officers are beginning to plan for an exile invasion in late 1960 or early 1961. It is assumed that by that date the Agency will have a pool of at least ten thousand well-trained U.S.-based exile troops to draw from, and that public opinion will be strongly on our side. The general idea is to launch an amphibious assault force, backed by air cover, from Gulf Coast campsite-launch sites. I’ll keep you abreast as plans develop further. And you keep at our friend Jack. If this plan stays on hold until after January 20, 1961, there’s a chance he’ll be the man to approve it or scrap it.
Since we last spoke, eleven more “Banana Barges” have landed in Florida and Louisiana. Regional case officers have been assigned immigrant caseloads and are dispersing the men to various campsites. Many who decline regular Agency assistance will be heading to Miami. I’ll be curious to see if our Cadre latches on to any of them. As I’m sure you know, the Blessington site is now ready to house troops formally. I have approved the hiring of Douglas Frank Lockhart to run the camp, and I think it is time to rotate our Cadre on a Miami-business, Blessington-training axis. Put Pete Bondurant and Chuck Rogers on this immediately, and have Bondurant pouch deliver a report to me inside six weeks.
Per our Cadre’s Miami “business,” and in keeping with our elliptical way of discussing it, I’ll state that I’m glad profits seem to be growing and that the agreement you reached with our Agency-friendly source in Mexico seems to be flourishing. I envision a time when our superiors will vet this “business” as good common sense, but until anti-Castro rancor or whatever reaches that point I must stress absolute compartmentalization and secrecy. Mr. Trafficante’s participation must remain secret, and I would not want it generally known that Mr. S. Giancana and Mr. C. Marcello have also contributed to the Cause.
Keep me posted, and burn this communique.
All best,
John
DOCUMENT INSERT: 11/1/59. Summary Report: Kemper Boyd to Robert F. Kennedy.
Dear Bob,
I had a talk with James Dowd, the head of the Organized Crime Section at the Department of Justice. (I knew him when he was with the U.S. Attorney’s Office.) As a courtesy, I had sent Mr. Dowd carbons of the paperwork I forwarded to various grand juries seeking Hoffa evidence, and now that courtesy seems to be bringing results.
As you know, the Landrum-Griffin Labor Reform Bill passed Congress, so now the Republican-dominated Justice Department has a clear “Get Hoffa” mandate. Dowd has deployed investigators and assistant-counsels to grand jury investigatory bodies in Ohio, Louisiana and Florida. The McClellan Committee spawned Landrum-Griffin; everyone knows it. Dowd has seen the political light and has decided to concentrate his energy on our Sun Valley evidence. (He thinks the two missing witnesses—Gretzler and Kirpaski—give it a moral weight.) As of 10/25/59, he had assigned six men to serve with three south Florida grand juries. They are actively seeking disgruntled Teamsters who had pur chased Sun Valley property. Dowd thinks the “Get Hoffa” process will be grindingly attenuated, which suits our political purposes to a degree.
My strongest sense is that we do not want “Get Hoffa” rancor to go too bi-partisan, and we do want Jack to stand out as the anti-labor corruption candidate. Dowd told me that he expects Hoffa to barnstorm primary election states and deluge voters with anti-Kennedy sentiment, and I think this may play into our hands. As hard as he sometimes tries to hide it, under duress Hoffa always comes off as a psychopathic thug. We want the Teamsters to endorse the Republican candidate. We want Richard Nixon to take Hoffa’s money and sidestep labor corruption as an issue in the general election. That said, I think it is imperative that Jack redouble his efforts to woo legitimate labor leaders and convince them that he differentiates them from Hoffaites.
I’m shifting my emphasis now to the primaries. The Kennedy crime fighter image has impressed many of my normally-Republican law enforcement acquaintances, and I’m working my way through Wisconsin, New Hampshire and West Virginia county by county. Your local organizations seem sound, and I’ve told each and every volunteer I’ve met to keep their ears down for Hoffa barnstorming scuttlebutt.
More later. Write your book; I think it could be a valuable campaign tool.
Yours,
Kemper
DOCUMENT INSERT: 11/9/59. Memorandum: Robert F. Kennedy to Kemper Boyd.
Kemper,
Thanks for the note. You’re starting to think politically, and I think your Hoffa-Republican observations were quite astute. I’m glad the Justice Department has focused on Sun Valley, which I have always considered our strongest Hoffa case.
I’ve always believed that illegally-procured Pension Fund money (the “Spooky” 3 million) financed Hoffa’s Sun Valley investment, and that Hoffa skimmed a large amount off the top. Some Pension Fund leads and/or intelligence on the possibility of “Real” Pension Fund books would do us a lot of good now. What’s the Chicago Phantom been doing? You’ve always portrayed this anonymous Jesuit crusader as quite a worker, but you haven’t forwarded a Phantom report to me In months.
Bob
DOCUMENT INSERT: 11/17/59. Note: Kemper Boyd to Robert P. Kennedy.
Dear Bob,
I agree. We certainly could use some Pension Fund leads now. The Phantom is working hard, but he’s run up against one brick wall after another. And keep in mind, he’s an FBI agent with a full load of regular duties. He’s persisting, but as I’ve said before, it’s very slow going.
Kemper
DOCUMENT INSERT: 12/4/59. FBI Field Surveillance Report: Chicago Special Agent-in-Charge Charles Leahy to J. Edgar Hoover. Marked: EXTREMELY CONFIDENTIAL/DIRECTOR’S EYES ONLY.
Sir,
Per your request, agents co-opted from the Sioux City Office have kept SA Ward J. Littell under spot surveillance since 9/15/59. He has not been observed in the vicinity of Celano’s Tailor Shop, and he has apparently refrained from covert anti-Organized Crime activity. He has not been seen with SA Kemper Boyd, and the (11/20/59 initiated) tap on his home telephone indicates that he speaks only to Helen Agee, with occasional calls to his ex-wife Margaret. He does not call or receive calls from his daughter Susan, and since the 11/20/59 tap initiation date SA Boyd has not called him.
Littell’s work performance has steadily deteriorated. This decline was in effect before the spot tails were initiated. Assigned to surveil CPUSA members in Hyde Park and Rogers Park, Littell frequently abandons his surveillance positions to drink in taverns or visit various Catholic churches.
Littell’s Red Squad reports have been slipshod. He reg
ularly misrepresents the hours he spends on his assignments and his comments on CPUSA members can only be considered overly charitable.
On 11/26/59, SA W.R. Hinckle observed CPUSA cell leader Malcolm Chamales accost Littell outside his apartment building. Chamales accused Littell of “FBI black bag chicanery” and challenged him to respond. Littell invited Chamales to a tavern. SA Hinckle observed them engaged in a political discussion. They met again on 11/29 and 12/1. SA Hinckle observed both meetings and believes the two men are becoming friends or at least drinking companions.
Bureau-friendly University of Chicago sources have reported that SA Littell and Helen Agee have been seen on campus arguing heatedly. Their affair appears to be strained and Miss Agee was overheard urging Littell to seek help for his drinking problem. On 11/3/59, SA J.S. Burtler observed Littell and Miss Agee engage in a political discussion. Miss Agee expressed admiration for Vice-President Richard Nixon. Littell referred to Mr. Nixon as “Tricky Dick” and called him a “Red-baiting, slush-fund financed crypto-fascist.”
In conclusion: a pro-Communist profile of Littell is now being compiled. I believe that his subversive statements, treasonous Red Squad omissions and friendship with Malcolm Chamales will continue and comprise a damaging security risk portrait.
Respectfully,
Charles Leahy
SAC, Chicago Office
DOCUMENT INSERT: 12/21/59. Field Report: Pete Bondurant to Kemper Boyd, “For Forwarding to John Stanton.” Marked: KB—BE CAREFUL HOW YOU TRANSMIT THIS.
KB,
Sorry this report Stanton wanted is late. I don’t like writing things down, so cross out what you want and get it to him. Make sure Stanton destroys it. I know he thinks the Agency will go along with what we’re doing 100% somewhere down the line, but that might be a long time.
1.—My Klan workers finished up the dock and the speedboat launch-site. Blessington’s now 100% operational.
2.—Dougie Frank Lockhart is solid. He’s got the usual crazy ideas that guys in his line of work have, but that’s just the way things are & I don’t think it’s too bad if it doesn’t interfere with his job. His FBI contact was pissed that he won’t be snitching those rival KKK’s in Louisiana, but he changed his tune when Lockhart told him you were heading up the operation. My guess is that he checked with Hoover, who told him you have carte blanche. Lockhart has done a good job so far. I got some $ from Trafficante for him & he’s used it to start up his own Klan outside Blessington. He handed out signing bonuses and all the local Klan guys quit their old Klans to sign on with Dougie Frank. I’ve told him you want no lynchings, church bombings or beatings. He’s disappointed, but going along. Lockhart gets along with Cubans & has told his Klan guys not to stir up any racial trouble with the Cadre or our trainees. So far, the guys have gone along with his orders.
3.—Our Miami business is good and getting better. Last month’s gross at the Booker T. Washington Housing Project was 14% higher than the Trafficante organization’s best month ever. The October gross at the George Washington Carver Project was 9% higher than ST’s best. Chuck Rogers says the men at the Mexican ranch are solid. They set up a deal where he can fly in & out without filing flight logs with the Mex. State Police. We’ve got a landing strip at Blessington now, so Chuck can make the pick-up runs that much safer. I’ve been driving the split money to ST in Tampa every week. He’s pleased with his profits and has been dishing out bonus $ to the Cadre regularly. He’s been kicking back 15% directly to me to funnel into the Cause and 5% to a gun fund that Guy Banister has set up in New Orleans. So far, Fulo, Chuck, Paez, Obregon, Delsol & Gutierrez have been completely honest. There have been no shortages of merchandise or $.
4.—Stanton wanted fitness reports on the men. My feeling is that until somebody steals merchandise or $ or punks out on a job they all deserve A+ ratings. Obregon’s a little gunshy about speedboat runs into Cuba & his cousin Delsol is a little shifty, but so far this is just minor stuff. What matters is that these are pro-U.S., anti-Castro diehards who don’t steal from Trafficante. I say let them bootjack fares at the cabstand and blow off steam with booze and whores. I say you can’t snap their leashes too hard or they’ll get antsy.
5.—As recruiters, they’re not bad. We’ve got 44 bunks at Blessington & they’ve been keeping them filled up. Chuck, Fulo, Lockhart & me have been training the men in 15 day cycles. We teach small arms, riflery, hand-to-hand combat & speedboat sabotage techniques, then funnel the men to Miami with job leads. The men recruit there & send their own prospects to a case officer codenamed HK/Cougar, who sends them to one of the Agcy-backed resident training camps according to bunk-availability. If this invasion you told me about ever comes off we should: have a surplus of well-trained soldiers to pick from.
6.—Paez, Obregon, Delsol, Gutierrez, Fulo & me have all made night speedboat runs into Cuba. We’ve dropped off merchandise with our on-island contacts & gunned down some militia patrol boats. Fulo & Gutierrez made a run & saw some militiamen sleeping on the beach. They killed all 30 with Tommy guns. Fulo scalped the ranking officer & now flies the scalp on the radio antenna of our lead boat.
7.—Like you wanted, I’m spreading myself between Blessington, our Miami business & the cabstand. Jimmy Hoffa is sort of pissed that you’re pals with the Kennedys, but he’s pleased with the lease deal, & the more Cuban immigrants that hit Miami the more $ Tiger Kab makes. And thanks for the merchandise you gave me for H.H. Since I’m in Florida all the time I guess that that stuff is what’s keeping me on his payroll. I’d quit, but I know you want to cultivate some kind of Agcy. connection with him. I call him once a week to keep my hand in. H.H. says he’s got Mormons looking after him now. They’re helping him dodge the TWA process servers & doing the work I used to, except for procuring merchandise. I think that as long as I can supply that I’ll draw an L.A. paycheck.
8.—Lenny Sands is editing Hush-Hush singlehandedly. I thought that Cuban piece he wrote was pretty good & got some good plugs in for the Cause.
That’s it. I don’t like writing things down, so tell Stanton to destroy this.
Viva La Causal
PB
37
(Blessington, 12/24/59)
Lockhart put his feet up on the dashboard. His fiber-fill Santa Claus suit had him sweating.
“You won’t let me bomb churches or kill niggers. Now, what about enforcing the Klan Moral Kode?”
Pete played in—Dougie Frank was good for yuks. “What’s that?”
“Well, you get word Joe Redneck’s sister Sally has eyes for Leroy with the rumored 12-inch hog leg, and you catch them at it. You heat up your KKK branding iron and mark Sally as a race mixer.”
“What about Leroy?”
“You ask him where he got his, and do they make them that size in white.”
Pete laughed. Dougie Frank blew his nose out the window.
“I’m serious, Pete. I’m the Imperial Wizard of the South Florida Royal Knights of the Ku Klux Klan, and so far all I’ve done is hand out CIA bonus money and start up a softball team to play your goddamn crypto-jigaboo exiles.”
Pete swerved around a stray dog. The truck hit a pothole; the gift-wrapped turkeys in the back bounced and slid.
“Don’t tell me your FBI operator let you do lynchings.”
“No, he didn’t. But he also didn’t say, ‘Dougie Frank, don’t kill no niggers while you’re on the U.S. Government payroll, now.’ You see the difference? You’re tellin’ me I can’t do it, and you mean it.”
Pete saw shacks up ahead—good turkey drop-off spots. Santo Junior said to lube the locals—he had excess poultry stock off a hijack and figured free Christmas birds would promote goodwill.
“Do your job. This is big stuff we’re involved in, so treat it seriously.”
Lockhart said, “I am. I am doing my job and keeping my mouth shut about Chuck Rogers flying white powder airlines into the Fort Blessington airstrip, yessir. What I’m also sayin’ is my boys need some recreation.”
“What I had in mind was enforcing Moral Kode Bylaw Number Sixty-nine.”
“What’s that?”
“That’s where you catch Leroy’s brothers Tyrone and Rufus knockin’ on Sally’s door.”
“What do you do?”
“Tar and feather Sally.”
“What about Tyrone and Rufus?”
“You make them pull down their pants to see if it runs in the family.”
Pete laughed. Dougie Frank scratched his snowy-white beard. “How come I’m the one who had to dress up like Santa Claus?”
“I couldn’t find a red suit my size.”
“You could have dressed up one of the Cubans.”
“Come on. A spic Santa Claus?”
“I think this job is degrading.”
Pete pulled into a ratty dirt playground. Some colored kids saw Santa and went gaga.
Dougie Frank got out and lobbed turkeys at them. The kids ran up and tugged at his beard.
The local whites got turkeys. The local jigs got turkeys. The Blessington cops got turkeys and hijack Jim Beam.
The trainees got turkey dinners and Trojan prophylactics. Santo Junior sent down a Christmas treat: a busload of Tampa whores. Forty-four men and forty-four hookers made for squeaks off forty-four bunks.
Pete sent the girls home at midnight. Lockhart burned a Yuletide cross out in the boonies. Pete got an urge to hit Cuba and kill Commies.
He called Fulo in Miami. Fulo dug the idea. Fulo said, I’ll round up some guys and drive down.
Chuck Rogers flew a load of dope in. Pete gassed up the lead speedboat.
Lockhart cruised by with some moonshine. Pete and Chuck traded chugs. Nobody smoked—the shit might ignite.
They sat on the dock. Floodlights lit up the whole campsite.
A trainee screamed in his sleep. Embers blew down off the cross. Pete remembered Xmas ’45: The L.A. Sheriff’s signed him on fresh out of the Marine Corps.
