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THE DREADLOCK
RECOLLECTIONS
by Kerry Wendell Thornley

OVO
Portland Oregon USA
2007

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THE DREADLOCK
RECOLLECTIONS
by Kerry Wendell Thornley
OVO Volume 20 Number 17 / January 2007 / First Edition / Public Domain
Trevor Blake P. O. Box 2321 Portland OR 97208 USA
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In 1992 Sondra London traveled to New Orleans with required by applicable law, the Work is licensed on an as-is
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that such action is necessary to comply with a current Harvey Oswald assassinated John F. Kennedy. Fnord.

OVO

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Table of Contents
Introduction......................................7 Maybe They're Crazy.....................93
Forward.............................................8 Can You Remember That?...........102
Lee Harvey Oswald..........................9 Destiny's Tots...............................110
Charles Manson..............................12 In the Anteroom of History..........115
Fear of Paranoia..............................14 I Would Risk My Life..................122
Watergate........................................17 A Chance to Find Out...................125
Martin Luther King.........................21 Switching Signals.........................129
Jim Garrison...................................26 Think of Me as the Devil..............132
Paranoia..........................................29 California Mind Control...............139
Slim Brooks....................................30 Secret Governments......................152
Brother-in-law................................34 Something Should Be Done.........159
Greg Hill.........................................39 The Willingness to Kill................165
I Can Make You Famous................42 Frame Some Jailbird.....................170
The Manson Family........................48 Proud of Oswald...........................174
Hitler Was a Good Guy..................51 The Warren Commission..............177
The Philosopher-King....................59 You're Famous Now.....................179
Witches Against Caesars................63 Who Were They?..........................187
So You Want to be a Spy?..............67 Appendix: Diced..........................190
Hideous Dynamics..........................70 Bibliography................................227
Partial Enlightenment.....................78 Conspirators.................................228
Haunting Fanaticism.......................83

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Introduction
Kerry Thornley mentioned his book The Dreadlock Recollections
as early as 1983 in his letters to me. Over the next eight years, until
his death, he would send me quotes from the book or pages of his
hand-written manuscript. It seemed to be a book eternally in revision.
Fortunately Kerry's friend (and mine) Sondra London convinced Kerry
to finish the book and then serialized it on the Internet. The OVO
edition of The Dreadlock Recollections is based on Sondra's now-
deleted online edition, with many significant additions made from my
collection of Kerry's work.
In the late 1980s I went to a bohemian area of Atlanta, Georgia
Kerry often wrote about, Little Five Points, with the hope I could run
into him by chance. I found him sitting on the sidewalk selling his
photocopied fliers and hand-written manuscripts, talking to himself.
He kept talking to himself until I told him who I was. He smiled and
said hello, seemingly glad to meet me. Then he resumed talking to
himself. An hour later I told him I had to leave. He said goodbye, then
resumed talking to himself. I don't remember any specifics of what he
said but it was of a kind with much of this book – an ongoing
externalized inner dialog about his frustration caused by the
conspiracy to control his mind and his guilt over causing the major
natural and human-made disasters in the world. What was lacking
when I met him was his sense of humor, also found in this book, but
perhaps I met him on a bad day.
I doubt nearly every claim Kerry makes in this book. The means
to investigate these claims are at hand, and the reader is encouraged
to do so. Also recommended is Adam Gorightly's book The Prankster
and the Conspiracy: The Story of Kerry Thornley and How He Met
Oswald and Inspired the Counterculture.

- Trevor Blake

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Forward
Let the reader understand I possess nothing
resembling a photographic memory. How unreliable my
recollections sometimes are is driven home to me
whenever I attend the same movie a second time. On
the other hand I seem to have a very good memory for
things most people are inclined to forget until, many
years later, I remind them of this or that incident.
I am using quotations to convey a sense of the
conversational dialogue that took place in New Orleans
in the early sixties. That way I am able to capture the
mood of each personality and situation much more
accurately than would be possible simply describing, in
a general way, what happened. Yet by no means am I
at this late date able to present anything like a word-for-
word transcript of what was said.
Most of my memories of these talks were repressed
completely for many years. In Nineteen seventy-five I
recalled only that Slim Brooks had a weird brother-in-
law who seemed obsessed with Nazism and who spoke
once or twice of killing John Kennedy, and that I had
decided he was just putting me on.

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Lee Harvey Oswald
In the spring of 1959 I was sharply critical of US imperialism
stationed at an annex of El Toro characterized by the bungling of
Marine Base in California. the Eisenhower era.
Another Marine in that unit was Unfortunately for the clarity
Lee Harvey Oswald. We became of my novel's political theme, my
acquainted. own ideology shifted – as a result
Then in June of that year I of reading Ayn Rand's polemical
shipped out for a tour of duty at novel, Atlas Shrugged aboard
the Navel Air Station in Atsugi, ship on my way back to the
Japan, where Oswald served States. Discharged from the
previous to our time together at El Marines immediately thereafter, I
Toro. entered civilian life convinced of
My ambition all along was to the efficacy of laissez-faire
become a novelist, and I had capitalism.
decided to write a book based My young friend, Greg Hill,
upon my overseas experience in and I then traveled from our home
the military. That autumn I read town of Whittier, California, to the
in the newspaper that Lee Oswald New Orleans French Quarter,
had, upon being discharged, gone where I continued work on the
to Moscow and applied for Soviet first draft of The Idle Warriors.
citizenship. By then I'd decided to There I met the principal
call my novel about peace-time character of this work of
Marines in the Far East The Idle nonfiction I call The Dreadlock
Warriors and Oswald's dramatic Recollections – a man I am
act inspired me to center the plot belatedly but firmly persuaded
around a character based on him. played a central role in organizing
Convinced that I understood the assassination of President
his reasons for becoming John F. Kennedy, for which I am
disillusioned with the United equally certain Lee Harvey
States and turning to Marxism, Oswald was framed.
feeling they were similar to my During most of my life I have
own, I at first intended to write "a been inclined to reject conspiracy
poor man's Ugly American" theories of history.

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Notwithstanding my willingness to Two years later, when a
admit that conspiracies exist, I felt Warren Report critic confronted
that a grasp of political events me with the many discrepancies
depended upon an understanding between the conclusions of the
of the power of Warren Commission
ideas. In my view, and the testimony
conspiracies were and exhibits
insignificant. My contained in the
tendency was to twenty-six Volumes,
challenge the I could no longer
motives of hide from myself the
conspiracy buffs probability that
when I did not, as either Oswald was
was more often the innocent or he had
case, question their not acted alone.
mental health. Yet even then I
Balancing my did not want to think
occasional doubts an elaborate
was a fear of conspiracy was
becoming paranoid. involved. Maybe
When Oswald was Lyndon Johnson or
accused of some of his Texas
assassinating friends had
Kennedy, my first arranged to kill
hunch was that he Kennedy and
was innocent and perhaps it had not
had been blamed in occurred to the
a misunderstanding Warren Commission
that would soon be to probe that
cleared up. When possibility. A more
the media continued complicated theory
to insist there was would seem
ample evidence that paranoid.
Oswald, and Above all else,
Oswald alone, shot the President, I did not want to seem paranoid.
I quickly changed my mind. One year elapsed between

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the time I began doubting the except in light of the notion that
lone-assassin theory and the Jim Garrison's conspiracy theory
beginning of tribulations in my was an elaborate paranoid
own life suffered at the hands of a construction.
man most journalists insinuated This experience forced me to
was a paranoid. First, District examine the evidence
Attorney Jim Garrison made a surrounding the events in Dallas
bizarre attempt to recruit me as a more carefully than ever before.
witness for the prosecution in his As a result, I became convinced
probe of a New Orleans-based not only that Lee Harvey Oswald
conspiracy to assassinate John had not acted alone but,
Kennedy. When I expressed my moreover, that he was not even
unwillingness to cooperate, he on the sixth floor of the Texas
accused me of working for the School Book Depository when the
CIA and summoned me to appear shots that killed Kennedy were
before the grand jury. fired. Yet, because I also had to
After asking me what cope with Jim Garrison's wild and
seemed like a lot of irrelevant irresponsible charges, I also
questions, he charged me with became more certain than ever
perjury for denying, truthfully, that that paranoia was by far more
I had met with Lee Harvey dangerous than any actual
Oswald in New Orleans during the conspiracy that might, from time
months previous to the to time, sabotage the normal
assassination. I had not seen functioning of history.
Oswald in person, nor had I In other words, if
communicated with him in any conspiracies were significantly
other way, since June of 1959 – dangerous, it was because they
at the latest. tended to spawn paranoia.
Yet Garrison struck me as When Jim Garrison
sincere. Moreover, his assistants ultimately neglected to bring me
showered me with any number of to trial, I took it as a tacit
disturbing coincidences linking admission he had at last
me to his assassination theory. I perceived the error of his ways.
was at a loss to explain them,

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Charles Manson
Meanwhile, in the realm of evident than on page 129 of The
public affairs I busied myself with Family, where he is quoted as
other concerns. Of all saying: "Christ on the cross, the
newsworthy events, the John coyote in the desert – it's the
Kennedy murder seemed to me same thing, man. The coyote is
the most boring. beautiful. He moves through the
For reasons I could not desert delicately, aware of
clearly identify at the time, I was everything, looking around. He
to find the murder of Hollywood hears every sound, smells every
actress Sharon Tate far more smell, sees everything that
disturbing, When I read The moves. He's always in a state of
Family by Ed Sanders (E.P. total paranoia and total paranoia
Dutton, 1971) my uneasiness is total awareness. You can learn
increased. Charles Manson was from the coyote just like you learn
not typical of the hip counter- from a child. A baby is born into
culture I had gradually come to the world in a state of fear. Total
consider my own, after the appeal paranoia and awareness... "
of Ayn Rand's philosophy Once again I was grappling with
diminished in my eyes. the riddle of a man who appeared
Nevertheless, something about to act on the basis of a supreme
him and his followers seemed far confidence in the validity of his
more menacing and important own delusions.
than I could justify in terms of a Escalation of the Vietnam
few sensationally gory killings. As war had radicalized me, once
if warned in a forgotten again, politically, so Charlie
nightmare, I felt that I had Manson's affinity for right-wing
expected someone like Manson organizations was something else
to appear on the scene. All that I that alarmed me. Most
read about him confirmed this particularly I was spooked by
eerie, elusive anxiety. allegations about links between
Besides that, much like Jim Manson's people and the Process
Garrison, Charles Manson was a Church, for when I had returned
paranoid. Nowhere is this more to New Orleans in order to clear

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myself, unsuccessfully, of Jim Therapist Anthology found the
Garrison's suspicions, I roots of nearly all neurosis and
encountered the Process Church psychosis outside the individual,
there – in circumstances giving lodged firmly and visibly in the
me ample reason to suspect they authoritarian class structure of
were at least partially involved in society. As a sociology major at
framing me. Georgia State University, I had
So as to avoid the mistakes already begun to suspect as
of people like Garrison and much.
Manson, it seemed essential to There was only one hitch,
study psychology. That was best summed up in The Radical
another subject I found more Psychiatry Manifesto by Claude
fascinating than conspiracy Steiner: "Paranoia is a state of
theories about the John F. heightened awareness. Most
Kennedy assassination. Already people are persecuted beyond
acquainted with Freud and other their wildest delusions."
pioneers of psychoanalysis, I I wondered if that could be
began devoting my attention to true. Certainly it was not without
more recent trends. That the personal relevance, in terms of
older theories were unconsciously my own very unsatisfactory
tainted with reactionary ideology adjustment to the John F.
was frequently mentioned in my Kennedy murder mystery.
political readings. Perpetually fearing that my radical
In 1972 I discovered a friends would think I was a CIA
psychology book that dovetailed agent because of what Garrison
beautifully with my political had said, and yet afraid that I
opinions, by then both anarchist would become paranoid if I
and left of center. A collection of delved into the unanswered
readings compiled by Jerome questions about Oswald too
Agel and the Radical Therapist deeply, I walked an uncomfortably
newspaper staff, The Radical narrow line.

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Fear of Paranoia
"There is still another was the film, The Caine Mutiny,
psychological process that I have with Humphrey Bogart clicking his
run across in my explorations of steel marbles compulsively,
failure to actualize the self. This saying "I kid you not," and making
evasion of growth can also be set a fool of himself over a few stolen
in motion by a fear of paranoia." scoops of ice cream.
Although I was not to read Another French Quarter
those particular words in The writer who worked in a record
Farther Reaches of Human store next to the Bourbon House,
Nature by Abraham Maslow until where I ate and drank and
many years later, I was versed socialized when I lived in New
enough in the modern literature of Orleans, possessed a book about
psychology to realize that color psychology that said brown
traditional Freudian notions of was the favorite color of most
paranoid schizophrenia and paranoids. He added that most
classical paranoia were under novelists tended toward paranoia,
attack by more than just wild-eyed something about which we both
radicals. laughed a little nervously.
One of my textbooks in Another Quarterite, a painter
school contained a sociological named Loy Ann Camp who was
study of a man who was among my closest friends, had a
committed for symptoms of textbook from her days in nursing
paranoia; it demonstrated that, school that said paranoia was
due to his rather unpleasant related to fear of latent
personality, he was actually being homosexuality. Since my reason
secretly harassed by his co- for joining the Marines earlier had
workers who, upon being been to prove to myself that I was
interviewed, admitted to as much. a man in every sense I didn't find
At that point I took a long that information comforting either.
second look at the origins of my From additional sources I
own fears of paranoia. gathered that paranoids were
What popularized that brand quite undesirable cranks who took
of psychosis for my generation to sitting in corners stroking their

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chins and observing those around impeach Earl Warren from the
them with sidelong glances. Supreme Court.
Senator Joseph Intellectual
McCarthy was respectability
said to have required mental
been a paranoid, health, and it was
as was Robert becoming evident
Welch, founder of to me by then
the John Birch that mental
Society. health consisted
In fact, all of trusting
the really famous everyone about
paranoids everything as
seemed to be much as possible
anti-Communist – – and, for good
a consideration measure, poking
that did not sit fun at anyone
well with my own who didn't.
rational capitalist Especially to be
philosophy of trusted were the
those days. mass media,
Paranoids, in whose owners
addition to all the and personnel
other problems were not to be
they were regarded as
causing, were minions of the
giving my politics Establishment
a bad name with because, as they
outlandish themselves used
notions like to attest with
Welch's charge confidence, there
that grandfatherly was no
old Ike was "a Establishment in
conscious agent the United States
of the Communist conspiracy" of America. Only foreigners and
and his grandiose ambition to paranoids believed that there

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was. hilariously evil notion with a
Intellectualizing and joking wandering conspiracy buff we
about paranoia was a favorite called Crazy David – because he
pastime of post-Beatnik, pre- thought people like the
Hippie Bohemian America – for Rockefellers and DuPont
reasons that were undoubtedly controlled the government – we
the result of coincidence, at least told Jack the joke had gone far
among individuals who did not enough. Crazy David might
want their sanity called into actually believe him. And, as
question. everybody knew, paranoids who
An habitué of the Bourbon received reinforcement for their
House, Chris Lanham, once delusions could become very
entertained us with the diabolical dangerous.
theory that the psychological In retrospect, I realized that
classification of paranoia had Crazy David's views about who
been developed by conspirators rules America did not seem
for the purpose of discrediting especially insane. By 1972, my
anyone bent on exposing them. own analysis resembled it in
When his friend, Jack many essential respects.
Burnside, suggested sharing this Then came Watergate.

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Watergate
Again my attention was d'état in America. Convincing
absorbed by a public event that photographic evidence tends to
did not seem related to the John establish that Watergate burglars
Kennedy assassination. That a E. Howard Hunt and Frank
reactionary warmonger like Nixon Sturgis were in the immediate
might be unceremoniously vicinity of Dealy Plaza in Dallas
ejected from the White House for the day John Kennedy was shot.
crimes that even conservatives That possibility brought to mind
would find shocking seemed something I had almost managed
almost too good to be true. to happily forget.
Eagerly, I followed the A decade earlier in New
scandal, becoming more and Orleans I had discussed, among
more aware at the same time that other things, the idea of
conspiracies were a fact of assassinating President Kennedy
political reality, even in America. with a man who in many
During the summer of 1973 I unsettling respects bore a
was in New York City, visiting my resemblance to the members of
old friend Greg Hill, who in years the Watergate break-in team. As
past had accompanied me to New I was to say to Weberman in a
Orleans and lived as my letter two years later, this man
roommate there for a few months. was "a Plumbers type of guy."
At a folk concert in Washington Although he even looked
Square I was approached by a something like pictures of E.
Yippie who wanted to sell me the Howard Hunt, his bald head
latest issue of The Yipster Times diminished any direct physical
for a quarter. A glance at the similarity to that now-famous spy.
headline and cover photos More a matter of style than
convinced me it was worth the anything else seemed pertinent
price. then. Also relevant were links
What I found there has since between the CIA and organized
been published in an excellent crime that were coming to light in
book by A. J. Weberman and the wake of the Watergate
Michael Canfield called Coup revelations. For the man I spoke

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to used to let on that he was that same summer that wore at
somehow associated with New my ability to keep believing this is
Orleans mobster the least
Carlos Marcello. conspiratorial of
Already I all possible
had been worlds. Again, it
suspecting tie-ins was nagging
between rather than
Watergate and sensational.
the JFK murder After I wrote
because both an article
crimes seemed published in
connected to the Atlanta's
Southern Rim or underground
Cowboy faction paper, The Great
of the American Speckled Bird,
Establishment – titled "Did the
the so-called Plumbers Plug
military-industrial JFK, Too?” – I
complex. I had, got two unusual
however, been phone calls.
bending over First was a
backwards not to male voice
jump to imitating the
conclusions. sounds of a
Something about speeded-up tape
those photos of recorder or a
that man The gibberish-talking
Yipster Times cartoon
argued was character. Ten
Edward Howard years earlier a
Hunt made such Quarterite named
restraint harder. Roger Lovin and
What, exactly, it I used to address
might be continued to elude me. one another in the Bourbon
Something else occurred House with noises identical to

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those I was now hearing on the than once had claimed a
other end of the line, as an inside connection with the Mafia. Even
joke intended to freak out if he was innocent of
strangers. assassination, were I to accused
This time I simply replied him in public, he might have what
with a word or two of he considered a good motive for
bewilderment, and the caller hung getting me killed. Until I was
up. certain of his guilt, I didn't want to
Within seconds, the phone open my mouth.
rang again. Now a male voice – Meanwhile, I continued to
not Roger's – said very clearly, " think about the phone calls. Was
Kerry, do you know who this is?" the caller trying to determine
When I answered in the negative, indirectly whether or not I'd
he said, "Good!" And hung up. spoken recently with Roger
Enough similarity existed Lovin? Could Roger have known
between that voice on the phone something that I happened to
and the voice of the man I had guess in my Bird article?
talked to all those years earlier As a matter of fact it was not
about assassinating John F. so long before that Roger Lovin
Kennedy, that I became had called me, making an
increasingly uncomfortable with appointment to come by the
the idea of keeping my suspicions house while he was in town for a
to myself much longer. visit. On the day of his expected
I nevertheless persisted in arrival, I went out for brief interval
my silence for more than another with the woman I was living with.
year. That was more than a little We returned to find all her jewelry
uncharacteristic of me, to missing, and Roger never showed
consciously nurture something up. I recalled that when I had
without talking or at least writing known him in New Orleans, the
of it. But, while I was no longer as same year Kennedy was
worried about going paranoid as assassinated, his principal
in years past, I remained reputation was that of a talented
concerned that others would think con artist.
me paranoid. I shrugged. That wasn't
Then, too, there was another much to go on.
thing. This suspect of mine more Soon there was enough

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information in the news about completed to the point where they
assassination plots involving told a coherent, if abbreviated,
organized crime to draw my story – I began discreetly
attention in that direction. searching for a politically radical
In February of 1975, I had attorney. Employed part-time as
begun making cramped, secretive a student assistant and distrustful
notes about the mysterious bald- of the Establishment because of
headed man I had known in New their dishonesty in the past about
Orleans. For the first time since the assassination issue, I wanted
the assassination, the a lawyer who was an idealist
Establishment was expressing because, neither financially nor
suspicions of conspiracy, pushing politically, could I afford any other
for a Congressional probe of the kind. If my information was
events in Dallas. Only recently I relevant, and I believed now that
had been called by CBS. And it probably was, doing anything
someone from Reader's Digest useful with it was still going for a
was even attempting to contact long shot.
me. Expecting that before long I On the other hand, I was
would be called before a less worried than ever about
Congressional committee to seeming paranoid. If one thing
testify, I didn't want to divulge had been made perfectly clear, it
anything sensational until I could was that in the United States of
speak under oath. America, suspicions of conspiracy
Instead, I prepared – quietly. were no longer regarded as
As soon as my notes were symptoms of mental illness.

20
Martin Luther King
In July of 1975, I noted in belong to this Southern faction. I
passing headlines in the local figured the man I remembered
Atlanta papers that the City and feared had to be in there
Commissioner of Public Safety, somewhere as well.
Reginald Eaves, had for some Then I encountered an
time been quietly investigating article in a scandal tabloid that
anew the assassination of Dr. disturbed me more than anything
Martin Luther King, Jr. else, again for largely subjective
Although I had admired King reasons. For no particular
while I held John Kennedy in reason, it seems, one of their
contempt, I was then so correspondents who was probing
preoccupied with things I was links between Carlos Marcello
ferreting out here and there about and the John Kennedy murder
the Presidential assassination had blown his brains out with a
that I failed to take much notice. .38 caliber pistol. As it happened,
For articles about the John this resident of Baton Rouge,
Kennedy murder now seemed to Louisiana named Joe Cooper was
be appearing everywhere. left-handed and the weapon was
From time to time I was found in his right hand.
meeting to compare notes with a A woman I knew met with
staffer on The Great Speckled much the same fate in 1964, just
Bird who had written about the before I returned to New Orleans
Southern Rim. Without for a visit after a year's absence.
mentioning my man in New She was the former girlfriend of
Orleans with the bald head and the man with whom I had
links to Carlos Marcello, I sought discussed murdering the
further evidence that the President.
Cowboys of the military-industrial Then early one morning the
complex had murdered Kennedy phone rang. On the other end of
in their war with the Yankees of the line was the American Civil
the Northeastern Establishment. Liberties Union lawyer who was
Marcello, as well as Nixon and the only person to whom I had
Howard Hunt, were alleged to confided the conversations

21
summarized in my notes. One one of the things my own suspect
afternoon, I had regaled him with had discussed with me all those
a rambling, slightly hysterical years ago was framing a jailbird
account of my worst suspicions. for the John Kennedy murder. In
Now he asked me, "Have fact, I recalled now that I was the
you been following this one who talked him out of it.
investigation by Eaves of the Moreover, he had also talked
Martin Luther King about assassinating Martin Luther
assassination?" King.
I admitted I had not. No longer in doubt that my
"You might want to look into man, known to me as Gary
it," he said. "Their witness seems Kirstein, possessed advanced
to be talking about some of the knowledge of the John Kennedy
same people you mentioned to murder, I went into action. First I
me in connection with Carlos typed up a number of brief
Marcello." memos about our conversations
That afternoon I obtained an and distributed them almost at
Atlanta newspaper and read the random, in order to assure that if I
article pertaining to what was fast was fatally silenced there would
becoming a controversial be evidence to indicate why.
investigation. A young man who Thereafter I endeavored to
supplied accurate information to contact my prospective attorney,
the police about a narcotics ring only to discover that he was out of
was also insisting that just town.
previous to the murder of Martin Convinced that I should act
Luther King, he had overheard fast but unsure of what to do next,
one of its members say of King: " I wound up taking my information
I'm going to shoot that damned to the office of the Commissioner
nigger in the head and frame a of Public Safety. That was after I
jailbird for it, just like I did with first attended a party where I was
Kennedy." given a funny-tasting marijuana
Had the word "jailbird" been cigarette that made me feel
a post-hypnotic trigger planted in uninhibited and talkative, and
my unconscious to release a flood then questioned intensively by a
of memories, results could not group of inquisitive individuals.
have been more dramatic. For And it was after, within a few days

22
of the first incident, I again met once asked me what I thought
one of the people from that party, about letting Hoffa in on a
who handed me a pipeload of conspiracy to assassinate
marijuana that Kennedy.
blistered the Greg Hill, my
inside of my former New
mouth when I Orleans
started to inhale roommate, arrived
the smoke. in Atlanta for a
Eaves then visit to find me
announced a nearly hysterical.
press conference At least once he
wherein he stated had met Gary,
that he would remembering as I
reveal startling did that we had
new evidence in suspected him of
the King case. stealing a
But when the day typewriter from
of the conference our apartment.
arrived, he said he Greg also
was dropping the drew my attention
probe – because, to a magazine
he said, his chief article asserting
witness, Robert that counter-
Byron Watson, cultural publisher
refused to take a Paul Krassner had
lie detector test. uncovered links
I was baffled between the
and frightened. Kennedy
Then the assassination and
newspapers the Manson
announced the family.
disappearance of Twelve days
labor leader after I had taken
Jimmy Hoffa, and I recalled that my information to the Atlanta
the man I knew as Gary Kirstein police, ski-masked bandits pulled

23
a stick-up at a party both Greg Quarter standards, besides being
and I were attending, and stole a reputed underworld fringer he
his identification and mine – dressed like and off-duty
taking only money from other policeman or an engineer.
guests. Slacks, a belt, a little key chain on
From that day in early something that looked like a steel
August of 1975 until the day of tape measure spool, and a short-
this writing my life has been a sleeve shirt with a plastic pocket
constant series of similar guard for pens and pencils
misadventures – including comprised his usual attire.
poisonings, threats and bribe The back of Brother-in-Law's
offers, intense psychological head was rounded and protuding
harassments, mysterious as the back of Oswald's head had
interrogations and occasional been singularly flat – a notable
reminders of those fateful feature in both cases that would
conversations with the unusual make convincing impersonations
man I call that man "Brother-in- of either man unlikely, since
law." consprators with any such
A bald head was his most intention would have to find
conspicuous feature. As he was someone who resembled the
almost certainly in disguise, he subject in skull-structure as well
may have shaved his pate, as facially and in build.
wearing a toupee while on less A most evident, somewhat
clandestine business. The name nasal, mid-Western twang could
he used was Gary. He must have be discerned in Brother-in-law's
been in his late thirties or early voice. Clipped words and abrupt
forties. Of medium build, I guess sentences often dominated his
he stood about five-foot ten, my speech pattern, sometimes
height. Although his arms were punctuated with short giggles.
muscular, he had a pot belly and Standing very erect and drawing
a slightly sunken chest. A his head back until double chins
somewhat protruding lower lip appeared – although he was by
had resulted because of his no means obese – he would
constant pipe smoking. remove his pipe from his mouth
An unsavory character by and grin, protrude his lower lip
my twenty-three-year-old French belligerently and say cheerfully

24
something thoroughly obnoxious, 1963, I lived there until December
as if to assert 'I'm horrible, I know 13, 1963. Beginning in the
it, I like myself this way, and aftermath of the Bay of Pigs, and
what's more there is absolutely continuing up to about the time of
nothing you can do about it – so the Kennedy assassination, Slim
there!' At such times he seemed must have uttered those words
to me like a species of insect, and between fifteen and twenty-five
his choice of words tended to times. Since these invitations
reinforce that impression. If what were far apart and infrequent, I
he said was not cruel it would be never turned Slim down.
ugly in some other way. Among Sometimes Brother-in-law
the gently beautiful people of the would come to the French
New Orleans French Quarter he Quarter the next day and get us.
seemed as misplaced as a More often, Slim would arrange in
metallic slam of a car door in a advance to borrow his car and
flower patch. then would drive us to Brother-in-
I am not at all certain that his law's house out in the country.
name was really Gary Kirstein. If it was difficult to take what
There is every reason to surmise Brother-in-law said about his
he was not using his own name, plans to murder the President
and I remember him most as the seriously, that is partly because it
"brother-in-law" of a French was difficult to take Slim Brooks
Quarter character named Slim seriously. Not that Slim didn't
Brooks. And because of Slim's seem honest. On the contrary, he
extremely distinctive turn of seemed too honest to get himself
speech, he himself seldom called involved with anyone heavy
Gary "my brother-in-law." enough to actually go out and
Instead, it was always, "Let's assassinate a President – if Slim
go visit Brother-in-law tomorrow." would have to lie about it
I had arrived in New Orleans afterwards.
the day after Mardi Gras in 1961. To suspect Slim of being a
Except for May, June, July, conspirator seemed too paranoid
August and part of September of for words.

25
Jim Garrison
In April of 1976, I again had paranoia in the past."
occasion to think One of his
about paranoia in diagnosticians had
relation to the John been me; now I was
Kennedy dealing with exactly
assassination. I the same double
attended a lecture in bind of trying to
Atlanta by none probe conspiracies
other than Jim without coming on
Garrison, for whom like a paranoid in
by then I felt a lot of the eyes of my
sympathy. friends.
In light of what Through an
I remembered now, emissary I let it be
it seemed his known to Garrison
suspicions of me that I wanted to
were only slightly meet with him. His
misplaced. I was reply: "Not only do I
not a field agent in not want to meet
the assassination; I with Kerry Thornley,
was among those I don't even want to
who helped plan it! hear his name. In
In the question fact, I don't even
period after his want to think about
speech Garrison Kerry Thornley!"
said something I Feeling very
found both much alone, I
significant and continued my daily
touching: "Of dealings with what
course, I have to were obviously
lean over conspiracies –
backwards not to be paranoid, including a correspondence with a
because I have been accused of man I hoped was a charming

26
crank who was telling me in his than a decade about exactly that
letters "why we Fascists mystery, I had to admit this was
assassinated Kennedy." How I the first credible hypothesis to
got on Stan Jamison's mailing list explain it without making the
in the first place was a mystery to assassins look like idiots. And
me. Since 1970, though, Greg had they been less than geniuses,
Hill and I both had been receiving there would have been no cover-
from him everything from advice up at all.
on how to grow organic sprouts to Jamison further informed me
racist newspapers published by that the conspiracy was
White Christians who were armed constructed in concentric circles,
and quite dangerous. like Chinese boxes, with
In reply to one of my memos descending levels, so that only
about Kirstein that had fallen into the "man at the center"
his hands indirectly, he wrote me understood afterwards exactly
to say that the tragedy in Dallas what had happened. Of course, I
was plotted by the Secret Order could not ignore the possibility
of Thule in such a way as to that man might have been
assure that no cover-up could Brother-in-law.
remain convincing forever. What brought together the
Motive: to make the American many loose ends in the John
public paranoid about their Kennedy murder mystery for me
government and mass media. was this realization that it was a
For paranoia, he told me, is a big maximum complicity crime.
step in the direction of mental Various factions must have been
health. deliberately implicated on a blind-
People who become alliance basis, so that once the
paranoid, Stan Jamison wrote, event occurred, every group of
will not rest until they discover conspirators was startled at
every last shred of truth. evidence of participation by
Among the devices used to someone besides themselves.
encourage awareness of Like Brother-in-law, Jamison
conspiracy were the many crude seemed morbidly fascinated with
Oswald impersonations that Hitler and Nazi Germany. Both
occurred just previous to the men mentioned particular little-
assassination. Puzzled for more known aspects of the Third Reich

27
– such as the secret pagan rituals intelligence community politics.
of the S.S. and the occult beliefs "I come on all hairy like that
of Hitler's cohorts. Both repeated in my letters," he told me, "to
a rumor that Nazi rocket scientists scare off government agents."
discovered energy secrets that oil Although that statement didn't
companies were repressing to sound convincing, it seemed a
this day. Whether either or both safe bet his motives were not
were living some kind of macabre cruel – a consideration that
hoax or were absolutely fanatical leaves undetermined whether or
was impossible to determine, not they were misguided.
since neither man was without How paranoid is it to fear
humor. For instance, Jamison such an individual? Perhaps that
always signed off with, "Love is is the wrong question. Maybe we
alive and well." should ask ourselves: Is it rational
As might be anticipated, it to dismiss them in the name of
struck me that perhaps Stan popularized notions of sanity?
Jamison and Gary Kirstein were Later on I was to encounter
the same person, so in 1977 I a rumor that Stan Jamison
dropped in unexpectedly at his acquired his information from one
address in Sacramento, Michael Stanley, then serving a
California. Not only was Jamison prison term in California. As
not the same man I had Lovable Ol' Doc Stanley, Michael
conversed with in New Orleans, Stanley was known to me
but it was plain that the spine- personally as one of the heavier,
chilling ranting in his letters was darker characters of the California
just a big put-on. counter-culture. We met each
That isn't to say his other in a hip coffee house after I
information about the moved to Los Angeles about a
assassination could not have year after John Kennedy's
been valid. A warm, intelligent assassination. Although I didn't
human being, obviously like to admit it for fear of seeming
unsympathetic to Fascism, he paranoid, I found Michael Stanley
nevertheless seemed quite terrifying.
versed in secret society and

28
Paranoia
Perhaps if we clearly defined as is more often true, in cases
this thing we call paranoia it would where the subject is incorrect
not cause us to behave so about who to suspect and what to
foolishly. fear – the condition of
Genuine paranoia actually mystification.
contains at least three Unfortunately nearly all
ingredients: fear, suspicion and oppressors in conspiracy politics
mystification. Technically, it is strive skillfully to mystify their
heightened awareness, but not victims – often with enormous
yet perfect awareness. resources to help the work along.
Professional espionage "The arguments he used to
agents are, for example, justify his use of the alias suggest
frequently both suspicious and that Oswald may have come to
mystified, but have long since think that the whole world was
learned to live without much fear. becoming involved in an
For that reason, we don't call increasingly complex conspiracy
them paranoids. against him... Oswald was
To be both frightened and overbearing and arrogant
confused, without a systematic throughout much of the time
method of blaming others for between his arrest and his own
those conditions, is to be death. He consistently refused to
vulnerable to some other admit involvement in the
psychiatric classification than assassination or in the killing of
paranoia. Patrolman Tippit." - The Warren
Fear and suspicion Report
combined with exact, provable Next I shall provide
knowledge as to the identity of additional evidence to that
one's oppressors is generally uncovered by critics of the
considered a prerequisite for Warren Commission that
heroism. Oswald's perceptions of reality
Paranoia, then, only exists in may have been far more accurate
politics where fear and suspicion even than the words of his
linger for no external reason and, accusers.

29
Slim Brooks
I have a photocopy of a "Because of the power
letter I sent my parents in 1961, inherent in hair, great
wherein I mentioned that Slim precautions were taken in
Brooks gave me a haircut for my primitive societies in the
birthday on April 17th. In a tone selection of a barber, in
of fascination, I added the remark appointing an auspicious time
that Slim had worked as a ship's for cutting, and in the disposal
barber, for it seemed this of the remains," says Benjamin
swashbuckling soldier of fortune Walker's The Encyclopedia of
knew how to do everything. In my the Occult, the Esoteric, and the
letters to my father and mother, I Supernatural (Scarborough
shared all that seemed important, Books, 1980).
and even told them that Slim had
good ideas about where to meet "Special days were set
girls. apart for the purpose and spells
Since I was not keeping up and incantations recited.
with the news during that interval, Because hair could be used for
I had no idea the fateful Bay of many magical operations
Pigs invasion was taking place directed against the owner, care
the day I turned 23. had to be taken that it should
I am tempted to believe that not fall into the hands of
Slim's cutting of my hair on the sorcerers. The hair was
day of the Bay of Pigs invasion, therefore buried in a secret
coupled with the coincidence that place..." (p. 111) A hardback
it was also my birthday, was used version of this book is called
to endow me with a peculiar Man and the Beast Within (Stein
significance to a secret society and Day, 1977).
cloaked in a camouflage of
Satanism and witchcraft. I hope it By his own account, Slim
will become evident why I suspect was a merchant seaman who
this possibility as these happened to be in dry-dock with a
recollections unfold. bad case of tuberculosis.
Towering over ordinary mortals

30
like a derrick, his consumptive won did not serve him in the long
frame emphasized his height. By run.
hunching sociably I had first met
and quizzically Slim in a telephone
grinning, he made soliciting "boiler
up for this. room" of an
"You can aluminum awnings
remember my name and siding company
real easy," he would where I was holding
say, "because I'm a down part-time work
long, tall drink of while writing The
water: Slim Brooks." Idle Warriors.
Slim was the He was hired
kind of individual about two weeks
who could have won after I went to work
anyone's trust, there, and one day
practically, at least he doodled some
for awhile. A funky, Japanese
haphazard aspect of ideograms on his
his personality desk, thereby
made him seem like catching my
anything but attention. When I
secretive. told him I was just in
Personal from the Far East
tidiness seemed, in myself and was
fact, to offend him writing a novel
deeply. Much of his about peace-time
barbed wit was Marines overseas,
aimed at people he simply nodded
who thought they knowingly and said,
were too good to "Yeah."
share his lumpen After work that
living habits. That day, we strode back
he carried this to the French
characteristic to such extremes Quarter together, enjoying the
was also the reason what trust he afternoon sunshine and chatting

31
about his adventures and my New Orleans, there'd been a
dreams. Beatnik coffee house on
"I'm just in from Hammond, Exchange Place called the
Louisiana," he told me, "where I Fencing Master. "I was the
was a hand on a river barge. I fencing master at the Fencing
got along with those backwoods Master," he boasted, and it struck
rednecks just fine. I like that me how his thin Douglas
about myself. I get along with Fairbanks mustache lent
about every kind of people." credibility to the claim made
Of Norse descent, Slim took otherwise ridiculous by his
pride in his Viking ancestry. "Hell, quixotic stature.
my people came over here, threw "When you spend months
a party, got drunk and then cooped up on a ship," he added,
politely went home. Your people "and if you happen to be as
still celebrate Columbus Day and ornery as I am, it behooves you to
you ain't even I-talian. Not only learn as many methods of arguing
did you poison the country with by hand as possible."
your mechanical piss, but you hog "Slimericks" was what I was
credit for discovering the eventually to dub these colorful
campsite in the beginning. And embellishments of his. Most of
what's more, you won't even them occurred in the course of
admit we're so much as the conversation, though he also
bastard cousins of your red- wrote homey couplets from time
headed Irishmen – and before us to time, such as this one, titled
Vikings raped 'em they was all "Cortez":
black-haired virgins." "With tongue in cheek and
Then his lilting, soft and sword in hand We made
easy laugh assured me that he Christians of this heathen land."
was not after all such a desperate Occupying a large, mildewy
individual. second-floor room on Dauphine
A walking compendium not Street, Slim served his guests
only of original proverbs and cold coffee in Mason jars, as the
unique quotations, he was also mud-moist Louisiana breeze blew
well versed in the lore of the at the curtains in the large, open
French Quarter. windows.
Shortly before my arrival in A stack of rolled-up

32
navigational maps filled the space "So don't trust him too much,"
beneath a card table in a corner. continued Slim. "Just pay
Ornate French Quarter attention to him. He has a brilliant
rooftops and garrets were part of mind."
the view, with the green tops of "Slim," I objected, "that
nearly tropical trees at a greater sounds frightening!"
distance. Sitting here, you "No. Just keep your wits
couldn't forget you were in New about you. You'll see."
Orleans. Harbor horns bleated as Slim gave me that haircut in
Slim chuckled out phrases like, the new apartment into which
"God willing and weather Greg and I had moved, in a
permitting," while he spun yarns. complex called The Buccaneer on
A vivid memory remains Saint Louis near the Napoleon
from about the time of the haircut, House. And I think it was just
perhaps within days afterwards. I days or maybe weeks after April
recall Slim saying, "Now, my 17, 1961, that I met Brother-in-law
brother-in-law is coming to town in Slim's room.
in a in a few weeks, and I'm going I don't remember who got
to introduce you to him with the there first. Either Brother-in-law
warning that he's kind of a arrived while Slim and I were
weasel, like 'Erman." passing an afternoon together or I
In "San Juan Sinbad," a dropped by for a visit and Brother-
short-story upon which we were in-law was already there. But I
collaborating, the Puerto Rican recall with full clarity what
villain was named Hermando, happened next.
which Slim anglicized as 'Erman.

33
Brother-in-law
Slim introduced us as but Kennedy Catholics and
follows: ”Kerry, this is Gary. Gary, Kennedy Democrats and
this is Kerry." Then looking back Kennedy Liberals. It was
and forth rapidly at both of us he refreshing to discover someone
said, "He doesn't like Kennedy who hated JFK as much as I did.
either," laughing at his own joke. "It's a German company that
"Yes," said Brother-in-law, "I Hitler put together during the
think John F. Kennedy is a Third Reich, Kerry."
menace to the country and I think As was to become my habit
he ought to be assassinated." with Brother-in-law, I probably
We shook hands heartily. tried to change the subject at this
"Oh goody! I was a catalyst!" point.
Slim interjected. But Gary persisted. "In the
We laughed, and I said, "At political realm only did the
last, somebody in the French Germans lose the war, Kerry. In
Quarter who isn't a Liberal!" the economic arena, they won."
"Not only that," Brother-in-
law retorted, "but I'm a Nazi and, According to Peter Batty's
actually, we won the war, Kerry. The House of Krupp (Stein and
Did you know that?" Day, 1967): "Despite the efforts
"Yeah, Slim told me you said to break up the coal and steel
the Marshall Plan proves it. That empires into smaller units, most
was beautiful." of them have in fact come
"Yes, but that was only a together again. The one victory
joke. Kerry, have you ever heard the Allied 'de-cartelisers' can
of a company called I.G. Farben?" point to is that the Vereinigte
Something in his voice Stahlwerke, the notorious giant
scared me a little. That it may steel cartel that dominated the
have been genuine bitterness Ruhr before the war, has not
beneath a National Socialist cover been re-formed. But even that
did not occur to me. But ever is only a hollow victory, for the
since arriving in New Orleans I Thyssen Group, welded in 1963
had been putting up with nothing

34
out of just two segments of it, is his pate, wearing a toupee while
today far bigger than the old VS on less clandestine missions.
ever was. Similarly with I.G. The back of his head was
Farben, the mammoth chemical rounded, protruding. I mention
concern, which was split into the shape of his head in hopes
three by the Allied 'trust-busters' that his identification might be
– now each of the three facilitated if he was in fact
offshoots is larger than its pretending to be someone else.
former parent!" (p. 280) A somewhat nasal
Midwestern twang could be
discerned in his voice. Clipped
To a more perceptive ear, words and abrupt sentences often
Brother-in-law's words may have dominated his speech patterns at
sounded like thinly veiled the same time, however. Short
complaining. But since I bought giggles occasionally punctuated
the Nazi cover story without his sentences.
thinking, to me it sounded like At such times he looked to
right-wing delusions of grandeur – me like a species of insect and
something like the hollow boast of his choice of words usually
a motorcycle gang member. reinforced that impression. If
As I told Slim afterwards, I what he said was not cruel it
liked this brother-in-law of his would disgust me in another way.
more than I thought I would. "I like smoking a pipe," he told me
"Why didn't you tell me he hates once, "because it fumigates my
Kennedy as much as I do?" mouth."
"And spoil the surprise?" he Among the gentle and
said, laughing at the beautiful inhabitants of the French
outrageousness of his humor. Quarter he seemed as misplaced
"Now I wouldn't do that. My as the metallic slam of a car door
name's Slim – not Scrooge!" in a flower patch. And I gathered
A bald head was Brother-in- the perhaps erroneous notion that
law's most striking feature. In he avoided mingling with my
retrospect I wonder if he polished Bohemian friends and
it. This is a serious possibility, for acquaintances whenever it wasn't
he must have been in disguise absolutely necessary.
and may have shaved and shined His eyes were not a

35
Germanic blue nor his eyelashes By and large I was tragically
blond, I recall vividly, however, unimpressed by Brother-in-law.
they were either hazel or green or I never thought much about
blue-green, of a shade light him when I wasn't in his
enough that I was presence, except
not moved to when Slim
doubt his vaunted mentioned him.
German ancestry. Once he told me
Sometimes I that Brother-in-
would look at law had secured
Brother-in-law's a job as a
eyes intently, and bouncer in a
he would meet Bourbon Street
my gaze grinning night club owned
mysteriously, by a colorful
defiantly – as if to Mafioso
say what Lee thereabouts.
Oswald said later Soon afterwards,
to his brother, he told me that
Robert, when he Gary and Ola
visited Lee in jail were now living
after the together in an
assassination: apartment in the
"You won't find vicinity of the
any answers there, brother." Saint Louise Cathedral on Royal
Gary's pupils were neither Street.
dilated nor contracted. There was Ola Holcomb became
no glint either. They were like Brother-in-law's lover shortly after
closed solid gates. his arrival. A month or so earlier I
With faint amusement, he had myself tried to develop a
would just wait patiently, returning romantic relationship with her,
my stare as if he could guess the with disastrous results from the
questions in my mind, but knew standpoint of my tender young
that never in a million years of male ego.
looking would I be able to guess A mysterious woman to me,
the answers in his. Ola professed to be an atheist but

36
insisted on wearing a little gold illegitimate practices among
cross around her neck. She occultists said Gary Kirstein's
rejected my name had
advances for turned up. I
reasons she noticed that
refused to fully whoever I spoke
explain. And to about him
now she was who seemed
living with Slim's knowledgable
unusual Nazi usually
brother-in-law, of mentioned the
all people. Trilateral
In the Commission, as
middle if to hint.
Seventies when I Anyway, it
first began eventually
talking about became pretty
Gary Kirstein I obvious to me
began to sense that whoever I
something weird had met in 1961
in the way in New Orleans
people had probably
responded. been using
There was a Kirstein's name
Gary Kirstein still in order to set
living in New him up.
Orleans listed Brother-in-law
with information. had in fact
A reporter told hinted at the
me he found time that he was
Gary Kirstein's “really more like
name in the a mad scientist”
resisters of than the Nazi
some gun clubs. Kirstein was
A magician in California supposed to be and on one
investigating snuff films and other occasion he spoke emotionally of

37
a scientist named Tom Miethe. John Kennedy's assassins. Since
So in 1977 and early 1978 I assassinating JFK had been one
assumed I had been dealing with of our chief subjects of
Miethe undercover as Kirstein. I discussion, that seemed at least
found that Miethe was one of possible. Then, that same year,
Hitler's rocket scientists who an assassination buff in California
would up working for AVRO in expressed the opinion that I had
Canada after the war. I met two been talking to the Watergate
individuals who claim they knew burglar Edward Howard Hunt. So
him as a teacher of nuclear I read Hunt's autobiography
physics at Georgia Tech in Undercover. Not only did Hunt
Atlanta in the middle Sixties. Still, mention being involved in a
people kept treating me like I was number of CIA projects that the
joking or crazy or trying to frame man I knew as Gary Kirstein
Miethe. discussed with me, a 1959 photo
Then in 1978 somebody of E. Howard Hunt in the book
furnished me with what seemed exactly resembles the man I knew
like a hot tip that my man in New as Kirstein – except that Kirstein
Orleans had actually been neither was bald and Hunt, at that time,
Kirstein nor Meithe but a wasn't. So for the past many
Canadian businessman named years I've been more or less
Mortimer Blomfield – mentioned convinced was dealing with Hunt
in Nomenclature of an in disguise.
Assassination Cabal as one of

38
Greg Hill
Meanwhile I was architecture, Irish Channel slang
preoccupied with the tasks and and crackpot cults all amused him
adventures of day-to-day living in enormously.
the French Quarter, where I Our first outings together in
shared my living space with a El Monte, California, had in fact
young man who had been to meetings of a far-out
accompanied me from Southern religion of flying saucer buffs
California. founded by a man named Daniel
My roommate, Gregory Hill, Fry. The cult was called
was short in physical stature with ”Understanding" (except that it
curly black hair. Elfin blue eyes was spelled with a Christian cross
combine with his squat physique where the "t" would ordinarily go).
to give him a Pan-like Greg found in Slim an
appearance. amusing and intellectually
A lover of wines, cheeses, stimulating companion.
unusual tobaccos, exotic teas, I took Greg to visit Slim's pad
strange blends of coffee, and – where, in keeping with his
anything else calling for subtle notions of hospitality, the
distinctions – including abstract landlocked seaman immediately
optical effects in art and mind- served up a Mason jar full of room
bending intellectual paradoxes – temperature coffee.
a connoisseur of everything Greg took a sip and wrinkled
quaint, particularly when he his nose. "This coffee's cold!"
discovered for himself what was Slim laughed. "Man, you
quaint about it, Greg would spend don't drink coffee – you drink
hours looking into something that temperature!"
most people would never notice. Always a pushover for
Expressions of gratitude to utilitarian logic, Greg was to
Saint Jude and Huey P. Long for remark to me many years later:
prayers answered among the "You know something? From that
personal classifieds of the New day to this I have never once
Orleans Times Picayune, Cajun complained about cold coffee."
jokes, French Quarter Greg and Brother-in-law met

39
only once or twice. First on the liberal cultural and racial views
Sunday before Memorial Day rebuked her Mississippi
when Slim, Gary background. I
and Ola dropped was trying to
into our Saint figure out what
Louis Street pad she saw in a
for a visit. I don't self-proclaimed
recall much of Nazi, since in
the conversation spite of her
that afternoon – professed
only that agreement with
Brother-in-law Ayn Rand, some
kept looking at of my own much
Greg's more rational
typewriter, with right-wing views
which I was seemed to
currently writing annoy her. Slim
my novel about had told me
Oswald. Brother-in-law
Hands liked Ola
behind his head, because he
Gary tipped his deemed her red
chair back and hair a Germanic
stared at the trait.
machine with a In those
loutish grin and days, we were
began talking inclined to leave
about a pawn our door
shop on Canal unlocked, and
Street where it the next day,
was possible to Memorial Day of
have stolen 1961, when
goods fenced. Greg and I were
For my part, out somewhere
I spent most of the time observing drinking coffee and arguing
the serene, resolute Ola, whose philosophy, somebody made off

40
with the typewriter. Both of us price for a new typewriter –
suspected Brother-in-law, but we something which Greg
didn't see how we could prove commented at the time, was
anything – the idea of checking "more than generous," compelling
with the pawn shop he'd me to explain that my motive was
mentioned never dawned on self-interest: "I want to finish The
either of us. Idle Warriors."
We did call the police, Later when the Foster
however. Two cops came to visit Awning phone room closed down,
us. They said from now on to Slim gave up his apartment to live
keep our door locked. "Believe for awhile in a skid-row mission,
me," one of them added, "after and at widely spaced intervals he
you've been in our business would use our shower.
awhile, you know better than to Sometimes he would make such
trust your own brother." a visit when neither Greg or I
As for any hope of were home, and we could always
recovering our stolen property, tell he'd been there because of
the chances were, they allowed, the lingering stench. Slim would
slim. wear the same clothes,
Since I was drawing unwashed, for days at a time.
unemployment, retroactive from This was not simply because of
the period before I got part-time poverty, for he told me once that
work as a phone solicitor, I gladly he actually preferred not to
paid the greater portion of the change clothes.

41
I Can Make You Famous
A few weeks later Slim and I resting on his knees, Brother-in-
went to visit Brother-in-law in the law began to tell me about Papa
ground-floor Rue Royal apartment Joe, saying that he had many
he shared with Ola. Only Gary sons who helped him run the
was there. A painting of a business. Unfortunately, either I
stripper with pasties stood at one changed the subject, or Slim said
end of the room on an easel, it was time to go, because the
prompting me to comment that conversation went no further.
Gary was a good painter. Somewhere around the
"So was Hitler," he same time, I became involved
responded. "In fact once an art with an attractive nineteen-year-
critic complained that you could old Sophie Newcomb coed
count the number of cobblestones named Jessica Luck, and it must
in one of his street scenes. I don't have been during July of that
think that was a very fair criticism. summer, 1961, that Slim invited
Do you, Kerry?" both of us to ride with him and
"I should say not," I chimed Brother-in-law to look at some
in. "We Objectivists like realistic property on Jefferson Highway
art that requires genuine talent. that Gary had just purchased and
That critic was probably an where he was going to build a
abstract expressionist or house for his own use.
something equally decadent." A long stone's throw from
"Precisely." He seemed very the brewery, with its aluminum
pleased with me. kegs lined up in a row on the
Ola came in at some point. I shipping dock, across the road
was telling Gary how much I the vacant land in question was
looked forward to finding out more grown over with tangled vines and
about Papa Joe, his boss at the small trees. I stepped forward
night club, because soon I was into the swampy thicket, but
going to attempt a novel about Brother-in-law cautioned me that
New Orleans that would include there were poisonous snakes
mobsters among the characters. about of a species that would
Leaning forward, his elbows actually chase a human being –

42
the cotton-mouth, I believe. orders," guffawed Slim, beginning
It was late in the day, the to list the small-time crimes to
sun was setting, and I felt drained which Brother-in-law frequently
of energy, for to me it had been boasted.
something of a pointless Of course, Gary had been
expedition. We piled back into referring to the forging of political
the car and returned to the city. alliances, but he laughed with the
Brother-in-law started talking rest of us.
about Nazis and Russians during Then I must have walked
the Hitler-Stalin Pact, and asked Jessica up to the Freret bus stop
me if I knew there had been a lot on Canal Street, because my next
of "going back and forth from one recollection of that evening is that
side to the other" among them at only the three of us – Slim,
that time. Having read as much Brother-in-law and me – were
in Eric Hoffer's The True Believer, sitting in Slim's room, when at one
I could say that I did. point or other in the chatter
By the time we pulled up in Brother-in-law asked, "Kerry, how
front of Slim's place we were would you like to be famous?"
involved in discussing the literal "I'd love it," I replied without
meanings of the names various hesitation. "I've always wanted to
Russian leaders had adopted for be at least famous enough to
revolutionary purposes – make the cover of Time
"Molotov" meant "Hammer," and magazine."
"Stalin" meant "Steel," and so Suddenly very serious,
forth. hunching forward with his elbows
Gary was next to me in the on his knees, he said, "I can
back seat, his hands clasped make you famous."
together, his elbows on his knees, After listening to me rant
in a posture I was coming to about how famous I wanted to be,
recognize as characteristic of him he stammered, "Kerry, in order to
when he urgently wanted to be make you famous I'll have to k-kill
heard. "If I were to assume a five people."
revolutionary name, it would be "Sure," I said with false
'Smith,' because a smith is bravado, not knowing what else to
someone who forges things – “ say. "Go ahead." Perhaps he
"You forge checks, money was planning to rub out some of

43
his underworld associates. I law were very much present there
didn't ask. The remark was one Saturday or Sunday morning.
disconcerting. Slim and Gary and Jessica and I
That night, safely home in were going to the country for a
bed, I thought before going to picnic, and the place was noisy
sleep that Slim's brother-in-law with our preparations.
was turning out to be weirder than Nothing significant happened
I had at first supposed and that in that I recall, so perhaps Greg just
the future it would be a good idea didn't find it worth remembering.
to steer clear of him. Or maybe he was bleary-eyed
As it happened I was not to from a hangover and went back to
encounter Brother-in-law again for bed afterwards and forgot about
many weeks. Slim would make it. Since this time around I had
mention of him from time to time. the bedroom and it was he who
He'd gone out of town to Mussel slept in the living room, I'm sure
Shoals, Alabama. He'd gotten in he must have been awake,
a fight and come out of it with a though possibly he had gone out
black eye. He was going to write early that morning.
a book about the officials of the Something had to be
Third Reich. It would be called purchased to complete our
Hitler Was A Good Guy, and he provisions, so at one point
wanted to pay me to help him Brother-in-law and I ran an errand
research it. together in his car. It was the
I wondered what kind of only time the two of us were alone
book it was going to be; I wasn't for more than two or three
sure I wanted anything to do with minutes that I can remember.
it. Peter, Paul and Mary's then-
Besides the Sunday popular Where Have All The
afternoon before Memorial Day, Flowers Gone? was playing on
Greg does not remember any his car radio.
further meeting with Brother-in- "Heh, heh. I like that song,"
law. But in July of that year we he said with what seemed like
moved to a larger attic apartment cynical relish. "It's so sad! Yeah,
in the same building, and heh, heh – when will they ever
sometime thereafter – possibly learn?"
late August – Slim and Brother-in- And so we picked up the

44
wine or paper cups or sandwich glances, I began to feel I was
bags or whatever we were dealing with a man who was
supposed to get at Waterbury's much too erratic or complex to
Drugs and drove back from the evaluate.
corner of Camp and Canal to the Personally I preferred people
apartment. I saw that Brother-in- like Greg, who belonged to a
law was in a wisecracking mood world I understood. Brother-in-
today and seemed, in his law was from a world I didn't
sardonic way, maybe not such a understand. I did not, in fact,
dangerous character as I had know whether to fear or dismiss
briefly feared. But I wasn't him as a cheap hoodlum's
inclined to bring up the subject of fabrication.
the five people he said he would Slim belonged to both
kill to make me famous, and I worlds. He would enjoy my
hoped he had forgotten about it. labeling him a social amphibian.
Then the four of us drove out But he seemed predominately a
into the backwoods of Jefferson creature of my world, and his
Parish somewhere and sat under fascination with this brother-in-law
the trees eating poor-boy of his was hard to figure.
sandwiches and drinking wine. That autumn I heard from
How unusual for someone Slim that Brother-in-law's new
like Brother-in-law, in his neatly house was now constructed on
pressed slacks with his Mafia the property near the Anheuser
slang and Nazi jokes, to suggest brewery. Moreover, Brother-in-
an outing like this! But he seemed law was now respectably
to be enjoying it all immensely. employed at the brewery. I don't
Now and again he would look at recall whether he got the job there
Jessica with an expression I can first and then purchased the land
only describe as fierce for his house or whether it was
satisfaction. Certainly he wasn't the other way around. What I do
flirting with her, because his remember is that they were just
scrutiny would come when she beginning to produce a new brand
wasn't looking at him. of beer there – Busch Bavarian.
Vaguely disquieted, irritated That he was no longer a
with myself for feeling uneasy, bouncer in a Mafia strip joint I
unable to make any sense of his took as reassuring, for that would

45
perhaps mean he was that much To the best of my recollection it
further removed from any present was green stucco on the outside.
involvement with organized crime. Inside was a living room with an
Authentic New Orleans adjoining kitchen at the back
underworld figures were people I separated by a structure
wanted to learn about – while resembling a breakfast bar. Upon
staying as far away from them as a corner where a dirt or gravel
possible. road joined the highway, it stood
And then there was the far from any other residence.
consideration that Brother-in-law There was a bedroom off to the
was going to try his hand at side opposite the main road. Or
becoming a writer. That was perhaps just a sofa in the living
something I could identify with. room that made into a bed – I
Slim had assured me that Gary don't recall exactly.
was going to keep his personal I remember thinking wistfully
opinions out of Hitler Was A Good what I could do with a place of
Guy. that size – a home base to which I
"By God, he'd better," was could return after the numerous
my response, "if he expects to sell globe-trotting adventures I was
it to a decent publishing house." planning on having as soon as I
It was to be an objectively became a successful writer.
written study of what the policies Surveying the living room for the
of various members of the Third first time, I noticed an unusually
Reich would have been, had they large number of cheap girlie
succeeded in their attempts to magazines stacked here and
seize power from Hitler. The there.
purpose was to argue that of all of This was to be the first of
them, Adolph Hitler was the least perhaps a couple of dozen such
of many terrible evils. visits, filling a two-year span from
So one morning, at Slim's late in 1961 until November of
prior suggestion, I met with him 1963. Each of these visits took
and Gary and we drove in place at Slim's suggestion, and
Brother-in-law's car to the modest each time Slim was to accompany
little flat-roofed house in Harahan, me. Sometimes we would meet
Louisiana, at the corner of Brother-in-law in the French
Jefferson Highway and Plache. Quarter and all three of us would

46
drive out to the house together; Kennedy. As I recalled it vaguely,
other times Slim would have I had decided afterwards he was
already borrowed Gary's car and just playing with my mind.
he and I would make the drive, However, since 1975 I have
with Brother-in-law awaiting us at thought about almost nothing but
the house. Brother-in-law – literally, day in
At the time, these and day out. Times were many I
expeditions comprised a thought my mind would snap from
negligible portion of my life, so it the emotional strain of having to
seemed to me, for they were dwell so constantly on anything so
isolated from my adventures difficult to understand.
among the Bohemians and Gradually it occurred to me
hipsters of the French Quarter – that possibly bizarre words and
the Quarterites, as we called actions contain their own
ourselves. So to phrase it mildly, psychological camouflage. Police
I wasn't taking notes. hasten to close cases like the
So the conversational dialog John Kennedy assassination.
I use in telling this tale is written Earl Warren said of the Dallas
necessarily with a certain amount crimes, "This whole thing just
of poetic or literary license, to makes me sick." Few
capture the mood of each Commission members bothered
situation, as there is no way I am to attend the taking of
able to present a word-for-word depositions. When Jim Garrison
transcript of what was said. reopened the case in the late
Most of my memories of sixties, reporters complained
these talks were repressed for constantly about the bizarre
many years until 1975, when I nature of the probe's cast of
could recall at first only that Slim characters.
Brooks had a weird brother-in-law In our society, distasteful
who seemed obsessed with matters are quickly disposed of
Nazism and who spoke once or with circumspection and minimal
twice with me of killing John attentiveness.

47
The Manson Family
For many years Warren Judgment" which, writes Sanders,
Report critics, as well as anyone "arrived on the Los Angeles
who attempted to take a closer scene in early 1968. They stayed
look at the Manson family, were in public view till a few days after
popularly dismissed as "ghouls" Robert Kennedy's assassination
and "vultures." in June of '68, after which they
"Manson made many friends dropped from sight in Los
during his last seven years in Angeles." (p. 80)
prison," before his release in the We also read in The Family
middle Sixties, according to Ed (p. 73) that Sharon Tate was
Sanders' The Family. "Some cell- initiated into witchcraft by a
mates say that Manson planned disciple of Aleister Crowley, who
all along to collect an army of was technical adviser on the set
outcasts operating 'beneath the of a horror movie she made in
awareness' of the mother culture." London, and that San Francisco
(p. 32) Satanist Anton LaVey played the
That Brother-in-law may role of the Devil in Rosemary's
have been involved in creating Baby. (p. 77)
the Manson cult, as he must have And we also read of Miss
been in on the John Kennedy Tate that in 1966 "her father,
assassination, was a notion that Lieutenant Colonel Paul Tate,
came to me slowly, very much was doing his thing in Vietnam,
intuitively feared before it was capping a career in army
consciously acknowledged. intelligence." (p. 76)
There is the nagging Without the context of
consideration that Robert Brother-in-law's strange
Kennedy dined with Sharon Tate fascinations for both Satanism
and Roman Polanski the night of and military intelligence matters,
his death and that Manson's such circumstantial oddities don't
people were very much involved take on much significance. But
with the "black-caped, black- Sanders makes a further
garbed, death-worshiping observation that lends more
Process Church of the Final weight to any hypothesis for

48
investigation that might arise from member named Lloyd who was
these disturbing hints. working as a chef for one of the
"It is possible that the large Los Angeles hotels, either
Process had a baleful influence the Ambassador or the Sheraton.
on Sirhan Sirhan since Sirhan is Lloyd was around fifty years old"
known, in the and seems to
spring of '68, to have belonged
have frequented to the branch of
clubs in The Process
Hollywood in the called Jehovans.
same turf as the "It is
Process was probably a
proselytizing. coincidence that
Sirhan was very Sirhan seems to
involved in occult have visited a
pursuits. He has friend who
talked several worked in the
times kitchen of the
subsequent to Ambassador
Robert Hotel the day
Kennedy's death before he shot
about an occult Senator
group from Kennedy." (pp.
London which he 95-96)
knew about and Possibly,
which he really as paranoid as it
wanted to go to may seem, it
London to see." was not a
And coincidence.
Process headquarters just Could the Polanskis have been
happens to be in London, where somehow involved in the
they broke off from the local conspiracy to murder Robert
Scientology chapter the year Kennedy? Many people with
President Kennedy was relatives or close friends in
assassinated. Communist bloc countries are
"There was one Process perforce involved with the

49
intelligence community, as may on Sharon Tate and her friends.
have been true of Roman A somewhat far-fetched
Polanski, for if they don't follow hypothesis, I grant you, but those
orders, their loved ones in the old are the kinds of notions about the
country are at the mercy of the disturbing links that kept occurring
secret police. And for that reason to me, sometimes in the form of
many join organizations nightmares.
consisting of exiles bent on Particularly since counter-
liberating the homeland from cultural writer and publisher Paul
Marxist rule. Krassner was also announcing
Might the Tate killings have that his personal investigations
been a revenge crime for the had turned up numerous links
assassination of Robert between the Manson crowd,
Kennedy? Might the murderers military intelligence, and the
have been motivated at a more Kennedy assassinations, they
clandestine level by instigators were not possibilities I could
working both sides of the fence? easily dismiss – especially in light
They would have been in a of what I was now learning about
position to blackmail anyone standard operating procedures in
conspiring with Manson or his secret society combat within the
followers, putting a contract out intelligence community.

50
Hitler Was a Good Guy
By the middle of 1976, it had incompletely in past notes – and I
become obvious to me in a have been scribbling a constant
thousand ways that my efforts to stream of notes every day for
unravel the central mystery of my years.
own life had attracted more than Sometimes I will discuss the
ample attention from someone. I case with a comparative stranger
could no longer afford the luxury who, without admitting to inside
of not thinking about Slim's knowledge, will ask a question so
brother-in-law and equally bizarre pointed as to appear quite well
matters – as much as I would informed. Many is the time such
rather have been contemplating a question renewed memory of
absolutely any other subject another long-forgotten chat with
instead. Brother-in-law.
As a result I have permitted During the first visit to his
my mind to wander to the new house, Gary asked me what
opposite extreme, that of seemed like an academic
endeavoring to remember question: "Kerry, if one man
everything about that unusual saves the life of another man,
man, no matter how repulsive or would you agree with the notion
insignificant, of allowing him to that the first man then has the
become the major focus of my right to do whatever he wants with
thoughts – an individual I once the life of the man he has saved?"
found so boring and tedious that I "I don't know," I shrugged,
actually wondered if he might not "but I read where the Chinese
be prematurely senile. believe that if you save another
Now and again I have man's life, then from that day
received help from the mysterious forward you are to blame for any
forces that surround me in order crimes he commits."
to keep tabs on my actions. A At the beginning of the next
key phrase mentioned by a visit, he said: "I'm interested in
stranger passing me on the street further discussing your opinion of
will trigger additional recollections this matter about one man saving
about a conversation recorded the life of another man, Kerry.

51
Now tell me: What would you no such direct base of power. He
say? Does the man who saves was a great orator who had
the life have the right to do written a book, but he possessed
whatever he wants with the life he no direct access to a single
has saved? Or organization.
not?" The Nazi Party
I could not was an alliance
begin to imagine of the
what possible organizations
difference my under the men
answer would around him.
make. "Yeah, I Hitler was their
guess so," I compromise
finally said. candidate
One of the because they
first chats with could trust him
Brother-in-law at when they could
his house not trust one
centered around another, and
his projected they trusted him
book, Hitler Was only because he
A Good Guy, a had no power of
name I loved for his own. And
its shock value, that's why he
but which Gary was powerful.
took pains to Many of the
remind me was others held
"only a working title." views much more extreme than
"The secret to Hitler's power his, but they didn't trust one
was that he had no power," he another directly so they couldn't
explained. "He was instead do anything about them."
surrounded by powerful men – A nonchalantly pedantic
men with branches of the military, attitude dominated his mercurial
labor unions, police bureaus, personality as he spoke.
organized criminal gangs at their "I'm going to write a
commands. But he himself had fictionalized chapter – a projection

52
of what would have happened – if them – including Hitler's
Martin Bormann had pulled a astrologer – and Hitler got pissed
coup and taken over in Hitler's off about that. God, was he ever
place, another chapter about what pissed! Heh-heh."
would have happened with That seemed to Brother-in-
Himmler in Hitler's shoes, and law a great source of amusement
another one about Rosenberg. and he was to tell the same story
Now he was a beauty – he used many times; he seemed to find
to have anyone with the name the follies of the Nazis as funny as
'Rosenberg' executed as soon as he found their attainments
his troops took over a town. He admirable, which was disarming.
was also the one who formulated Later in the conversations he
the precepts of the Nazi religion, asked me once if I thought Rudolf
which has certain features to Hess ought to be released from
recommend it, incidentally." prison. I agreed that there was
I sat there not knowing how no purpose in keeping him jailed.
to react. I just didn't know how to Over and over he was to
take this guy. remind me that there were many
"Hess was a stupid one. similarities between Nazi and
Literally of below average I.Q., Communist ideology, and that
he's the guy who parachuted into people attracted to one could
England to try to get the British to frequently be recruited away to
join the Germans – as Hitler, the other.
because of his racial theories, at In my research, I found the
first thought they would. Hess diary of Paul Joseph Goebbels to
made that move on the advice of be the most useful source of the
his astrologer. All the English did types of quotations Brother-in-law
was put him in prison. He's said he wanted for his book –
rotting there to this day," he things that sounded worse than
smirked. "Very unfair of them.” what Hitler had said.
A mixture of horror and He'd also told me to be sure
intellectual fascination left me in a to include anything any of them
state resembling paralysis. said against the Catholic Church,
"And when Himmler found and these alleged writings of the
out why Hess did it, he rounded Nazi Propaganda Minister were
up all the astrologers and killed sufficiently anti-Catholic for that

53
purpose. name might be Tom Miethe.
In my own handwriting at the Since then I was led to
top of each folded-over page of believe that his true identity was
letter-size paper, I dutifully wrote, that of a Canadian associated
"Hitler Was A Good Guy." Again with the Permindex Corporation
in my own handwriting, I then named Louis Mortimer
proceeded to quote without Bloomfield. Yet the most credible
comment all the most atrocious suggestion – one made by an
statements I was able to find by individual named Joel Thornton –
Goebbels and the other important is that I was in fact talking to the
Nazis. Unsuspectingly, I then Watergate burglar, E. Howard
turned these notes over to Hunt; my memory of Brother-in-
Brother-in-law. As I recall, he law closely resembles a 1959
gave me ten dollars for my efforts. photo of Hunt to be found in his
Since in those days I was autobiography, Undercover.
given to beginning writing projects
with great optimism and In their book, Coup d'état
enthusiasm and then abandoning In America, Michael Canfield
them in favor of either a new and Alan J. Weberman (Third
inspiration or a more certain Press, Joseph Okpaku
means of relating to the American Publishing Company, New York,
economy, it did not strike me 1975) describe an interview with
peculiar that Brother-in-law soon Seymour Weitzman, an eye-
dropped further mention of his witness to John Kennedy's
proposed magnum opus. For he shooting who ran into the
seemed, if anything, even less parking lot behind the grassy
reliable than me – what with his knoll after the shots were fired.
paranoid theories, his split
personality, and his incessant "In April 1975 Michael
repetitions. Canfield visited Weitzman in a
Once or twice in our home for aged veterans...
conversations he dropped a hint Weitzman said he encountered
that he was actually "more like a a Secret Service agent in the
mad scientist" than a Nazi or parking lot who produced
gangster, and he carefully planted credentials and told him
the idea with me that his real everything was under control.

54
He described the man as being deep. Power is kept by carrying
of medium height, dark hair and deception several steps beyond
wearing a light windbreaker. what any sane person might be
Canfield showed him a photo of inclined to suspect. Whoever he
Sturgis and Barker. He was, it is clear in retrospect that
immediately stated, 'Yes, that's he employed all the professional
him,' pointing to Bernard techniques for covering his tracks.
Barker." Among the first and oddest
things Brother-in-law was to bring
Bernard Barker, of course, up in our talks at his house were
attained notoriety in 1972 as instances of freak radio reception.
one of the Watergate gate A woman had picked up a radio
break-in gang under Hunt's broadcast through her hair
direction. Coup d'état in curlers. Every now and then,
America also contains reprints someone discovered their tooth
of the "tramp photos" of three fillings were sensitive to radio
suspects taken into custody by waves.
the Dallas police and then "Things like that actually
released mysteriously without happen," he said, "although
record of arrest. These appear rarely."
very much to resemble pictures "Yes," I answered. "I think
of E. Howard Hunt and another maybe once or twice it happened
Watergate burglar, Frank to me. A few months ago, when I
Sturgis, dressed in tramp was living across from Lafayette
clothing and walking across Square in a little room over Fred's
Dealey Plaza in police custody Inn, I seemed to hear radio
in the company of a third programs as I was drifting into
individual who could have easily sleep during my afternoon naps –
been mistaken at a distance for with station breaks, news,
Oswald and may have been commercials, weather reports and
used for that purpose, perhaps music. When I woke up
as sixth floor gunman. afterwards, though, I couldn't
remember the call letters of the
Naturally I remain uncertain station."
of his true identity. Strategies in Brother-in-law laughed and
the intelligence community are nodded – as if to indicate that,

55
yes, he knew about that. balding men – a Fraternal Order
Since I had not discussed it of Bald Eagles, if you will, bent on
with anyone, I dismissed his no less sinister a project than the
response as simply inappropriate. destruction of civilization.
From such an unusual man I did
not expect entirely In the Illuminatus! Trilogy,
comprehensible behavior at all (Dell Books, 1975) a series of
times. farcical novels by Robert Shea
I neglected to add that I had and Robert Anton Wilson that
also experienced audio presents an essentially romantic
hallucinations of a different nature view of the assassins, but
when going to sleep at nights seems to be drawn from inside
sometimes when I was in the knowledge about conspiracy
Marines – during the interval I politics, the hero named
was serving with Lee Harvey Hagbard Celine argues:
Oswald in Marine Air Control "Civilization is privilege – or
Squadron Nine. I had written Private Law... And we all know
them off as a peculiar category of where Private Law comes
dreams. Nor did I tend to think from... Out of the barrel of a
that my radio program dreams gun, in the words of a
experienced more recently had gentleman whose bluntness you
other than psychological causes. would appreciate."
I gathered early on that
Brother-in-law had a perchant for
the exceptionally bizarre, and that Rich people like the
his mind tended to wander from Rockefellers, Gary took pains to
one weird variety of trivia to remind me, pressure the
another without the benefit of a government to make laws
healthy skepticism. designed to make business
Sometimes I considered the difficult or impossible for their
possibility that the whole works competitors.
was the creation of a secret I would acknowledge this,
society consisting of bald-headed but was always quick to add that
conspirators – for I have heard it such examples of Private Law, so
second-hand that all the names to speak, were not what was
Brother-in-law used were those of defined as pure laissez-faire, and

56
I thereby dismissed the actual as cannot honestly call it anything
inconsequential because it was else – for John F. Kennedy was
not an aspect of our economic largely based upon the startling
system Ayn Rand deemed worth similarities between New
defending. Frontier economic policies and
those propounded by Wesley
Ayn Rand's novel, Atlas Mouch, the antagonist in Atlas
Shrugged, (Random House, Shrugged whose actions in
1957) had made a lasting government office destroy the
impression on me when I read it American economy.
in the shipping-out barracks in
Japan and on board ship on my In these early conversations
way back to the States. Her at his house, Brother-in-law spoke
arguments for laissez-faire to me frequently of Jesuits. What
economics, delivered by her he said was easy to dismiss as
characters in long philosophical typical Ku Klux Klan anti-
speeches, convinced me that Catholicism.
global prosperity absolutely That the Jesuits deliberately
required unrestricted production persecute people in order to "test"
for profit. their adherence to Christian
That view represented virtues, from which they
quite a jump from the vaguely themselves seem exempt, was
Marxist position I had acquired something upon which he
serving overseas in the insisted. He added that one
Marines, just previous to that, Jesuit ruse was to tempt their
as a result of my experience of victims into blasphemy – into
the conditions in nations calling themselves Christ – and
supposedly under U.S. then to slay them.
protection, namely in the
Philippines and Taiwan, According to Peter Viereck
combined with the shock of the in Metapolitics: Roots of the
U-2 scandal – but not deeply Nazi Mind: "Rosenberg reserves
grounded in reasoned economic much of his most ferocious hate
analysis. for the Jesuits and the Catholic
My intense hatred – I hierarchy. Therefore his outline

57
for the New Order consciously can refute them. Then he would
imitates Jesuit techniques and add that he himself was
the Roman hierarchy." something of a Devil's advocate,
in that he didn't adhere to all the
ideas he was expressing.
In my mind's eye, that Building secret societies that
conjured up images of black- would employ some of the
robed priests attacking unarmed techniques of the Jesuits was an
victims with swords or daggers, idea mentioned, perhaps
and that seemed most improbable conveyed from some other
– but I held back from expressing conspirator's discussions of plans
doubt. in the manner of such an
Sometimes when I appeared advocate, as Brother-in-law also
especially shocked by something warned, or promised, "The day
Brother-in-law said, he would will come when you will find
remind me that in the Vatican yourself surrounded by Devil's
there is a Devil's Advocate whose advocates; if you answer all their
job it is to present the arguments arguments, you will become
of Satan to the Pope, so the Pope philosopher-king."

58
The Philosopher-King
Gary said many times over years?"
again that the best government Of course.
was that of the philosopher-king. "Rosenberg should not be
At great length he would go on accused of wanting dictatorship
about the traits a philosopher-king as a principle," Viereck tells us in
should possess – such as being Metapolitics, adding soon
able to distinguish between afterwards: "He follows the spirit
coincidence and conspiracy. of Wagner's complicated
Another trait he mentioned was distinction between King and
not punishing messengers for monarch. Rejecting alike
bringing bad news. government by parliament or by
Surrounding a man with liars kaiser (monarch), Rosenberg
until he became so disgusted with demands the Volk-king, the hero-
lying that he would not tolerate an dictator risen from the ranks,
untruth was one of his ideas for whom Jahn and Wagner
preparing the philosopher-king for prophesied.
the job. On a separate occasion "The qualities and
he told me that someday I would justification of the Volk-king are
be surrounded by liars, and if I outlined in the Fuhrer section of
could find a way to make them tell the chapter on Wagner's
me the truth I would become metaphysics. This Wagnerian
philosopher-king. concept is basic to Nazism.
"Kerry, there are tribal secret Rosenberg says: 'We want to see
societies that surround their king in a German king a person like
with beautiful women all his life ourselves... But yet the
and watch him make love to them incarnation of a hero myth.'...
– then they sacrifice him." "The gist of the Fuhrer myth
That sounded like a dubious is that the Fuhrer is (incarnates)
honor. the Volk, instead of ruling it
"Kerry, do you think a detachedly like monarch or
philosopher-king should have a economic class or representing it
good enough memory to like a democrat. The Fuhrer is an
remember something for thirteen organic part of the Volk instead of

59
a detached atom. This myth is cause."
absolutely basic to Hitler's rule "Yes, you have mentioned
today. Of that before," was
course, it is only my response
a myth... " after the first
"Kerry, I telling.
think the "Do you
philosopher-king believe the
should be a very saying that power
gentle person, corrupts and that
someone with the absolute power
soul of a poet, corrupts
but that he ought absolutely?"
to be surrounded "Yes. It's
for protection by like Ayn Rand
mad dogs – the says, 'Who will
worst and protect us from
meanest our protectors?'
badasses That's an old
around." Roman saying,
Though but it's in Latin."
wondering what "You've also
type of heard the saying,
administration 'Curiosity killed
that would the cat."
produce, I kept "Yeah,
my speculations that's a bunch of
to myself. shit, though.
"Kerry, you More cats have
know at the end been killed from
of the war Hitler lacking the
came up on the curiosity to look
radio and gave a both ways before
speech calling for crossing the
the werewolves of Germany to street, probably, than by too much
come to the aid of the Nazi curiosity."

60
"You might just want to keep something now about that idea:
it in mind anyway. Someday you "As one good way to do it. Not
may find yourself in a situation the only way."
where it is true." "Sure," I said, eyeing them
"I doubt that very much." both with a mixture of skepticism
"Well – just don't forget you and boredom, "that sounds like
could be wrong." one good way to have a
I was not inclined to persist philosopher-king."
in arguments with a man who "What do you think about the
might be both armed and omnibudsmen they have in
dangerous, not to mention insane. Scandinavian countries to help
"Kerry," he once said, "one ordinary people gain access to
good way to construct the government? What about having
government of the philosopher- people like that in our nation? Do
king would be to arrange it so that you think that would be a good
whoever was king didn't know it, idea?"
and in such a way that he would I did.
be used for decision-making Once Brother-in-law also
purposes while standing in line at asked me if I didn't agree that the
the store and places like that." philosopher-king should also be
So incomprehensible a someone who could keep "state
notion seemed academic to me, secrets."
but I saw no reason to say as I routinely concurred.
much. A stupid idea anyhow, this
philosopher-king jazz, because E. Howard Hunt writes in
even if a dictator managed to rule Undercover that he once
benevolently, what was to received a cable signed jointly
guarantee an equally kind and by Richard Bissell and Tracy
wise successor? That objection Barnes summoning him to
expressed, Slim and Gary both headquarters:
answered, "Yes," and looked
smug, as if they had already "Bissell had succeeded
thought about that one and solved Frank Wisner as chief of the
it. Clandestine Services, and after
As for our unwitting hospitalization brought on by
philosopher-king, Slim contributed overwork Wisner had been

61
assigned to the relatively earlier one – chief of political
relaxed post of London chief of action for a project
station. As a special aide to recommended by the National
Allen Dulles, Bissell had created Security Council and just
the concept of the U-2 aircraft, approved by President
then managed that successful Eisenhower: to assist Cuban
program. I had held several exiles in overthrowing Castro.
perfunctionary meetings with Representative Cuban leaders
Bissell during consultation were grouping in Florida and
periods in Washington and a New York, and my responsibility
lengthier one during a Latin would be to organize them into
American chiefs of station a broadly representative
conference in Lima, Peru. government-in-exile that would,
"As principal assistant to once Castro was disposed of,
Bissell, Tracy Barnes told me, I form a provisional government
was needed for a new project, in Cuba..."
much like the one on which I Such an assignment might
had worked for him in have given Hunt the opportunity
overthrowing Jacobo Arbenz. to experiment with unusual
My job, Tracy told me, would be forms of government.
essentially the same as my

62
Witches Against Caesars
So hideous were many of implacable hatred could underlie
Brother-in-Law's fascinations as such gleeful ferocity.
to defy every shred of taste or But when Gary spoke of his
morality. Not only did he seem to "philosopher-king" it evoked in my
relish the atrocities of the Nazis, imagination visions of an old man
but tortures and brutalities from in trunks on a blanket with his
any other period of history were of legs crossed, surrounded by an
equal interest to orderly circle of
him. Devil's advocates of
He would often restrained and
repeat a platitude, gentle nature,
and I would reply by presenting formal
mentioning yet arguments with
another one; he incense burning in
would tell a joke, the background. It
and I would and try was an image from
to top it with one of a Hindu holy picture,
similar taste; he quite distant from
would tell me everything ugly –
something horrid and I would except for the unavoidably
think of something just as gory to relevant tales of human perfidity.
say to him. Because of his training, my
Jessica had related to me a imaginary king was able to
particularly ghoulish story she had resolve all disputes in the manner
heard in history class, about of Solomon. Not then
warfare between Renaissance understanding anything about the
clans, where a family invited an S.N.A.F.U. factors involved
enemy to a feast and served him anywhere there is not
the flesh of his own child. communication between equals, I
Predictably, Brother-in-law thought of it as a helluva nicer
seemed quite pleased with that way to make a living than
story when I repeated it to him. telephone soliciting.
I wondered what kind of If he really didn't have me in

63
mind for the job, I didn't want to
seem so low as to envy anyone "Kerry, the Jesuits say, 'Give
else who might be appointed – to us a child until he is seven, and
resent the line of work itself – like we will make him ours forever.'
some raving anarchist who was Hitler said the same thing. I
bitter at everyone and moreover wonder who would win in a
had the nerve to look smug about contest between them."
it. Darkly, he spoke of building
If perhaps the idea Gary Satanic secret societies within the
dreamed of wasn't functional, Society of Jesus, cults that
there were still always the practiced human sacrifice and
aesthetic considerations. Omar conjured up the old Saxon fertility
Khayyam never wove such deities. During these
fantasies as these in the minds of conversations, whenever I
his Sultans. And that was so complained about Christianity for
unusual for Gary, who generally any reason, he assured me that
preferred to discuss something Hitler was planning to "do in" the
ugly. Christians as soon as he took
That there was hope for the care of the Jews – that the actual
Jesuits was among his faith of the Nazis had been a
moderating opinions; they were resurrection of the old pagan
intelligent people who could be "religion of the soil."
reformed and made useful, "If
only the Pope could be proved Vincent Bugliosi reported
fallible." in Helter-Skelter, written in
collaboration with Curt Gentry
In 1975 I received a press (W.W. Norton & Company,
release from Robert Anton 1974): "The Process, also
Wilson stating that Pope Paul known as the Church of the
had been granting audiences to Final Judgement, was a very
a spirit medium named Matthew strange cult. Led by one Robert
Manning, who claimed to have DeGrimston, t/n Robert Moore –
placed him in communication who, like Manson, was an ex-
with the souls of a number of Scientologist – its members
Catholic saints. worshiped both Satan and

64
Christ." (p. 244) peoples who would bring it
crumbling to its foundations.
The witches against the
There were times when I Caesars! It was a saga belonging
would complain to Brother-in-law beside the legend of Spartacus in
about the irrational brutality of the the annals of history.
Nazis, or their authoritarianism, One thing Brother-in-law
and he would remind me that "the often mentioned the concept of
German family unit, with the the scapegoat. He told me that it
importance of the German father was originally termed "escape
– its patriarchal structure – is goat" and that it was derived from
probably to blame for much of a tribal ritual mentioned in
that." Leviticus. "The custom was to
"Maybe so," I conceded. take two goats and to kill one of
"The original European them and to sprinkle the altar with
tribalists did not even worship a its blood, and then to take the
father-god as their primary deity. other goat and bestow upon it the
Why do you think the Mother of sins of the tribe," he said. "Then
Jesus is so much more important they let the escape goat go, to
to European Catholics than Christ wander in the wilderness."
or Jehovah? The Church never Once I responded that there
could have won their ancestors was a novel called The
over without the cult of the Virgin. Scapegoat, as I would say for lack
And with the Church came of anything more appropriate, that
Roman imprialism, Kerry – so it there was a novel called The
was imperialism that introduced Devil's Advocate when he would
patriarchy to Europe." touch on that subject.
What exciting possibilities Of one or the other of these
came to mind! Druids forming books, I think the latter by Taylor
ancient secret societies to combat Caldwell written under a
the foreign oppressor from Rome, pseudonym, he would always
leading to the organization of reply, "And that is a very good
alliances between tribes of book, too."
Visigoths and Vandals – gradually With a demented gleam in
surrounding the heart of the his eye, he also spoke once or
empire with raging colonial twice of building a secret society

65
where "at a certain point in time, organizations.
all the members have to kill each Later I'd convinced John
other." Kamus to read Atlas Shrugged.
To my mind it sounded like We then met in a restaurant to
an expensive way to purchase discuss, over coffee and
cheap thrills. sandwiches, Ayn Rand's
There are many respects in philosophy, which he didn't find
which I look back in astonishment very compelling.
at my own stupidity. Sitting there Not long afterwards I
entertaining the notions Brother- mentioned to Gary that John
in-law presented, I never for a Kamus at least agreed with Ayn
moment thought to connect Rand in that he also liked
anything he said with my own Aristotle.
actual future, much less with the Brother-in-law said, "Now,
present. Kerry, that is a Catholic idea –
Yet this was a time in my life that admiration of Aristotle."
when I was a vocal atheist in a "Look, I'm sure John Kamus
city about ninety-five percent isn't a Catholic."
Catholic. Brother-in-law indicated that
Most of my friends in those perhaps my certainty might be out
early days in New Orleans met at of place.
a Friday night discussion group in I probably tried to change
the Quarter. Among the regulars the subject, because I recall his
was a quiet, very intellectual annoying persistence in pointing
painter named John Kamus. out to me that the Society of
Both Ola and Jessica had Jesus had plainclothes spies.
arrived there upon different I was very uncomfortable
occasions, in John's company, about that idea. I would have felt
the first time I met them. disreputable even suspecting
"No wonder she's an John Kamus to be a Catholic spy.
atheist!" exclaimed Ivan, the As much as I detested
discussion group's host, when he religion, accusations like that
learned Jessica's father was sounded little different to me than
president of the Holy Name the racist remarks Gary made
Society and her mother belonged with chronic persistence.
to a number of Catholic auxiliary

66
So You Want to be a Spy?
"Kerry, what do you think of was over to break every single
snuff movies?" one of the Ten Commandments –
Brother-in-law was seated in nihilistic thoughts I had actually
his characteristic elbow-on-knees entertained from time to time, but
position upon a footstool near the which were thoroughly
center of the living room. I was inappropriate to the discussion.
sitting at my usual place near the Gary and Slim looked at one
door. It must have been between another and grinned,
ten and eleven on a Saturday communicating great delight with
morning. We had just arrived at my response.
the house. In addition to The Idle
"What are snuff movies?" I Warriors, I was attempting to write
asked. another novel. My rationale for
"Those are films they make continuing this harrowing
in Mexico," he said, "where a relationship was to gather
woman thinks she is going to be precisely this type of information
shot with a fake gun as part of the about the local Mafia, in order to
script, but they shoot her with a lend authenticity to The Color
real gun, instead." Wheel, a book I was writing about
I could tell right away it was all the different kinds of
going to be one of those days characters in New Orleans. But
when I wished I'd never met the the trauma was starting to get the
sonofabitch. best of my curiosity.
"I think that's a great idea," I Glaring at me with evil glee,
lied. My enthusiasm now was Gary ended the discussion of
entirely sycophantic. Humor the snuff films by saying, "Yeah, I'm
crazy bastard, I figured. That way going to get people into
at least I would minimize my own murdering other people on film,
chances of winding up as a star in and then I'm going to build a
one of his bloody productions. network of blackmailed
I added for good measure murderers."
that killing was natural and that it
was my ambition before my life

67
Says Ed Sanders in The regret as much as the chat about
Family: "Once this writer was in snuff films.
Los Angeles posing as a New Once he said to me: "Kerry,
York pornography dealer with the Cubans are mostly of Spanish
Andy Warhol out-takes for sale. blood, and Spaniards are white
There was an opportunity at that people. So if there is another
time to purchase seven hours of war, and if there is some way of
assorted erotic films including influencing where it occurs, I think
Manson porn collected during it would be good if that war was
the pre-trial investigations. But against somebody other than the
the price was $250,000. Then Cubans – such as an Oriental
there was a note which was race. Don't you?"
written to a reporter by a person "I think there should be a war
named Chuck, a friend of Gary against Communism, " I
Hinman, claiming possession of commented.
films of 'Malibu and San He also used to say, "You
Francisco axe murders.' know, Kerry, occasionally Fidel
Castro turns up at bars right here
"Later it turned out that a in Jefferson Parish."
Los Angeles dope dealer "You're putting me on!"
allegedly sold a film depicting "No. He sneaks into the
the ritual murder of a woman to country and visits bars in
a famous New York artist whose Jefferson Parish, and sometimes
name will not be mentioned he and his friends beat up on a
here." (p. 228) bar girl and kill her."
Sanders not only links the I didn't know whether to
Manson Family with the making believe that or not, but there didn't
of snuff films, but finds reason seem any point in arguing about
to think The Process Church it. On subsequent repetitions of
was involved with them in such the story I would just say, "Yeah,
activities. you said that already."
"Kerry, do you realize that
professional spies never look like
Another exchange in which I
spies? That they don't always
responded fearfully because of
even try to remain
Brother-in-law's fierce attitudes, I
inconspicuous?"

68
"Yes, I read a book called So anything else.
You Want to be a Spy? once. About the roots of Nazism he
Sometimes the best cover is to be spoke intelligently.
very conspicuous – to walk "Nazism, Kerry, is a
through the front door with a reactionary ideology – but it is in
duchess under each arm." reaction against something. And
"Yes. And another cover is it's worth thinking about. What is
to look ordinary." this thing it is reactionary against?
Never did the conversational Roman imperialism – its heritage
theme veer from Nazism for long. in culture, resulting in colonialism
"You know, there were in politics!"
assassination plots against For as we both knew, neither
Hitler." We would discuss these at Germany nor Italy had empires of
great length; he was extremely colonies sending them cheap raw
well informed about them. materials, until they undertook
"Something else happened their fascist rampages. "Kerry, it
near the end of the war, when was a reactionary movement
Hitler could no longer hide from against imperialism – not a pure
himself that he was losing. He one, but those were its roots."
gave orders that all the German Another time he asked me
stockpiles of nerve gas be what I thought of recruiting people
released into the air. He wanted of various, conflicting anti-
to take everybody with him, but imperialist ideologies to the same
Nazis under him in the chain of organization – a secret society
command quietly refused to carry constructed for the purpose of
out his orders." That was another destroying imperialism. Not only
one he brought up again and did it then seem to me an
again. excellent idea, but in spite of all
Sometimes Gary came off as that has happened since then I
a wizened pipe-smoking social cannot quarrel with the basic
philosopher and it seemed concept.
ungracious to think of him as

69
Hideous Dynamics
We sometimes went places FBI and CIA Anti-Castro activities
together, all three were coordinated
of us, before or with exile training
after talking at operations.
Brother-in-law's
house. Usually If Brother-
Slim and I would in-law did
ride along with borrow a wire
Gary as he took recorder from
care of his Guy Banister
mysterious that day, it is an
business. important clue in
Once we the
went into assassination,
Waterbury's drug and also serves
store at the corner as further
of Camp and indication that
Canal, and Slim he may have
and I sat at the actually been E.
counter of the Howard Hunt.
soda fountain
while Brother-in- Guy
law excused Banister was
himself to "run an Director of
errand." Division Five of
About the the Federal
amount of time Bureau of
was involved that Investigation,
it would have the anti-
taken to go next Communist
door and borrow, department. In
say, a pocket wire recorder from those days we now know he
Guy Banister's office, where all was working closely with Hunt

70
and the Double-Check on what was probably a pretext
Corporation of Miami, a Central that Joyce Talley's praise had
Intelligence Agency front aroused their interest.
working with Cuban exiles. Banister's office first came
Brother-in-law never to public attention in the
mentioned Banister by name to summer of 1963 when Lee
me, though he repeatedly Harvey Oswald was to use that
reminded me of the function of address on the Fair-Play-for-
Division Five of the FBI. Cuba leaflets he distributed on
However, I was already Canal Street. Unfortunately,
acquainted with Banister. For since I was out of town at the
the woman who was finally time, I did not learn about this
hired to type the last draft of event until after the
The Idle Warriors manuscript, assassination.
Joyce Talley, introduced me to
her literature professor at After conversing at Brother-
Louisiana State University in in-law's house that day, we
New Orleans – a gentleman returned to Waterbury's in the
named Martin McCullough – evening and again Slim and I sat
who in turn introduced me one waiting while Gary "ran an
evening in the Bourbon House errand."
to Guy Banister, calling him During either the first or
simply "a friend." This occurred second of those intervals, Where
during the summer of 1961 after Have All The Flowers Gone? was
I was working full time at playing on the fountain juke box.
American Photocopy Equipment "Brother-in-law likes that
Company and no longer had song," Slim said with a chuckle.
sufficient time of my own to put "I know," I answered.
the finishing touches on the "That's what he told me."
draft of the novel. "You know, that's how he
Both Martin McCullough makes his money – stirring up
and Guy Banister were chiefly wars for suckers like that to die in.
interested in my book, and in He's that kind of guy. He hires
reading sample chapters of it, himself out to people who make
munitions, et cetera and so forth.

71
And he's right, they never do poisoning the woman's body until
learn." it rejected the fetus, because it
To myself I remember could not support both life
thinking: Yeah, maybe. systems at once in that toxic
Possibly that day we sat condition.
waiting in the drug store was the So dangerous did it sound
same day that I was endeavoring that I never went to the druggist.
to obtain from Brother-in-law Instead, I tried an experiment in
some abortion-causing pills for psychological medicine. From a
Jessica, illegally. Jessica thought Katz and Besthoff pharmacy I
she was pregnant and her obtained an envelope meant for
staunchly Catholic parents were mailing a credit card application.
not even aware we were making Then I obtained some Hershey's
love. "M & M" candies (because they
I was anxious to obtain the looked like pills and that brand
pills Slim said his brother-in-law carried no markings on the
could supply, and it seemed like candies themselves), sorted out
we went everywhere in town first. the white ones, and slipped them
To a restaurant for coffee at one into the envelope.
point, to an anonymous house in They worked perfectly:
the suburbs at another. Brother- Jessica had her period within an
in-law went inside for a minute as hour of swallowing the first
Slim and I waited in the car. Gary placebo. As I hoped and
seemed to be enjoying my suspected, she had been
dependence on him and seemed suffering only from tension
to be drawing it out as long as brought on by the fear of
possible. pregnancy.
At long last, we went way out
in the country and near a clump of In retrospect, though, it
trees somewhere he gave me the seems to me that Brother-in-law
name of a druggist who "even probably accomplished his
sells paregoric to little children – purpose. In his possession was
he'll sell you anything." As we very possibly a recording of our
stood there he also described in conversation, useful for
rather nauseating detail how the inflaming Catholics against me
abortion pills worked – gradually

72
whenever so doing suited his light," asserted the 7 April 1950
purpose – as it may have five or U.S. News & World Report, and
six years later when Jim I mentioned to Brother-in-law
Garrison first tried to recruit me having read in the early fifties
as a witness against Clay Shaw, an article to the same effect in
only to suddenly become Reader's Digest. "What the
suspicious of me in a way that saucers are, how they operate,
admitted to no effective reply. and how they have been tested
Such a recording, together in U.S. All can be told in detail
with my handwritten quotes of at this time," continues the U.S.
the Nazi Propaganda Minister News piece confidently.
discussing the desirability of "That story, without
eradicating the Catholics, once violating present security
the "Jewish problem" had been regulations, points to these
solved, would have served not basic conclusions by engineers
simply to alienate Garrison, but competent to appraise reports
also to give people like of reliable observers:
Jessica's father fits of holy rage. "Flying saucers, seen by
That would have been a perfect hundreds of competent
means for throwing a monkey observers over most parts of
wrench into a probe being U.S., are accepted as real.
conducted in a heavily Roman Evidence is that they are aircraft
Catholic city about of a revolutionary type, a
predominantly Roman Catholic combination of helicopter and
Cuban exiles. fast jet plane. They conform to
well-known principles of
One of Brother-in-law's oft- aerodynamics. An early model
repeated statements was: "You of these saucers was built by
know, Kerry, the Nazis had flying U.S. engineers in 1942,
saucers towards the end of World achieved more than 100
War II." successful test flights. That
project was taken over by Navy
"The real story on 'flying in wartime. Much more
saucers' is finally coming to advanced models are now

73
being built. Just where present might be government aircraft of
saucers are being built is any type.
indicated by evidence now In recent years the mass
available. media, not known for paying
"In more detail, the story much attention normally to the
pieced together from non-secret notions of cranks, has given
testimony of responsible U.S. enormous publicity to the
scientists, private observers and dubious idea that U.F.O.'s have
military officials is this: existed since prehistoric times
"Early models of the flying and even that the Garden of
saucer, pictured on this page Eden may have been populated
and the next, were built by U.S. by a couple of space cadets
government engineers of the from other planets.
National Advisory Committee for Books about flying saucers
Aeronautics. Similar flying- are the same way, although in
saucer projects were begun in one that soundly debunks the
Germany and Italy at the same so-called archaeological
time, in 1942." (p. 13) evidence for cavemen from
Another article ascribing outer space there appears a
flying saucers to the U.S. Air photograph of a U.S.
Force appears in an early Fifties government flying saucer as
back issue of Reader's Digest, well as the following sentence:
in addition to the article "During April 1950, radio
mentioned above. reporter Henry J. Taylor claimed
that flying saucers were highly
But searching the secret American inventions, and
Reader's Guide to Periodical for a short time a satisfactory
Literature for the years since explanation seemed to be
those pieces appeared, one available." But no mention is
looks in vain for any contribution made of why such a thesis was
to flying saucer lore that only viable for "a short time" in
attributes such a mundane Morris Goran's The Modern
origin. Conspicuous, in fact, for Myth: Ancient Astronauts and
their absence are any UFOs (A.S. Barnes & Co.,
speculations that flying saucers

74
1978). the verge of arming themselves
with nuclear power," he
A thinking student of this concluded with a sense of
popular media flying saucer satisfaction that I took for Nazi
literature cannot help but boasting.
wonder if the invisible hand of I do not know why the
very stringent intelligence obvious possibility that Brother-in-
community censorship did not law was recording these sessions
muzzle free debate at some did not occur to me.
point in the early fifties.
Thereafter, providing the In Appointment in Dallas
motivations of the censors were (Hugh McDonald Publishing,
sufficiently strong, as they 1975) by Hugh C. McDonald as
appear to have been, any other told to Geoffrey Bocca, on page
crime, such as an 165, a mysterious CIA-KGB hit
assassination, could be assured man known in the book as
of a powerful cover-up if only its "Saul" and allegedly one of the
perpetrators could somehow John Kennedy assassins
involve it inextricably with describes Oswald's behavior
truthful data about flying during an interval when "Saul"
saucers. claims to have been tailing Lee
in Mexico City during the
And I would say, "Yes, you summer of 1963:
mentioned that already. They "He was always alone at
also had developed the jet mealtime, and he talked audibly
airplane by then." to himself, all the time. His
Looking at me with a grin, he snatches of conversation were
would say, "Yes they had. not rational. He seemed
Furthermore, they were very obsessed with 'Marina' – I know
close to having an atomic bomb." now, of course, that that was his
"Yes. I heard, in fact, that Russian wife – and kept saying
they were working with something the words 'shining hero,' and
called 'heavy water,' used in giggling to himself."
hydrogen bomb development."
"We can say they were on Had Oswald by this time

75
discovered that there was an would say in a tone of inexplicable
eavesdropping device sympathy. "They can."
concealed on his person, it is All these chats contained a
possible that his chatter was sense at the time both of
more rational than might be desolation and desperation, in
supposed, particularly if he was that they seemed to be the
using the same type of brainchild of desperate
intelligence community cant that individuals.
might also explain seemingly Sometimes, for a glimpse of
nonsensical passages in Sirhan a moment, I would wonder if Slim
Sirhan's journal. While such a and Gary had maybe murdered
hypothesis may seem far- both their wives, allegedly sisters,
fetched at first glance, it is not at and were now "on the lam" in a
all inconsistent with the things terrible Leopold-Loeb crunch that
Brother-in-law said to me about required an entire, cumbersome,
possible uses of electronic hopelessly complex conspiracy to
surveillance. explain their actions to the world.
Upon those fleeting
occasions, my psychological
Brother-in-law brought up defense was to forget about it as
the subject himself at the unlikely – and then to dismiss
beginning of one of the lingering remnants of the
conversations – telling me that unpleasant possibility with the
the European wire recorder was probability that no such
much superior to the method conspiracy would succeed
popular in the U.S., particularly for anyhow.
the clandestine recording of a In other words, a
conversation. combination of intellectual
"You know they can also edit cowardice and irresponsibility for
and doctor recorded materials to problems I felt unequipped to
make it sound like you said things solve permitted me to lock the
you did not say." whole experience away
I always pointed out that somewhere in the unvisited
such fakes could be detected archives of my memory.
technologically. Over and over he asked me
"That's right, Kerry," he if I thought there could be any

76
such thing as the perfect crime. something along the lines of the
I was extremely skeptical of Brinks robbery.
any such possibility, for in those "Maybe," I said, "but I doubt
days I understood almost nothing that you'll get away with it." Not
about the nature of practical only was my perspective distorted
politics. by his cover, but also by years of
Brother-in-law would say to cops and robbers movies and
me, "I think I can commit the television programs such as
perfect crime." "Dragnet."
My mental context contained Yet it also passed through
images of Carlos Marcello and his my mind that a crime wave
friends. I believe, but am not launched by Brother-in-law would
certain, that Gary said he had be characterized by the bizarre –
grown up in Kansas City in the embellished with Nazi mystique,
neighborhood of someone perhaps, and possibly involving "
involved in the Ma Barker gang. I snuff movies" and weird religions.
envisioned him as having in mind

77
Partial Enlightenment
We met in spirit in a black, catalyzing the Holy Grail. This
moist, gnomic forest, fertilized fellow knew better than to believe
already so tragically by means of in the efficacy of ancient
such methodically cruel methods philosopher's stones, but the
as to sometimes frighten even possibility of synthesizing one had
Hitler himself. We seemed to occurred to him.
stand there at times in misty Our political scientist took a
heartbreak, and commented to cold, curious attitude towards
one another about the forbidden others. His colleague's
beauty of the flowers they had fed experiments upon homo sapiens
themselves upon the decayed evidenced in the debris did not
flesh of those millions of victims. disturb him, but only seemed silly
Serenely superior to the in their extravagance. Why cause
trauma, Brother-in-law had the millions of people to suffer when
fierce willingness to admit to the with a fraction of the number of
mayhem, to discuss it in as much victims, tormented conspicuously
detail as any normal person. enough, one could probably
Then he would insist that you look perform the equivalent
with open eyes at the quaint sociological alchemy? The only
drama of these bizarre foreigners misfortune, it seemed to him, was
who combined science with that the state of the art was that of
superstition, politics with alchemy, not of nuclear physics.
astrology, police brutality with Whenever Brother-in-law
unorthodox epistemology – to was not boring, he was terrifying
somehow produce something – yet somehow he seemed,
hideously dynamic. perhaps because of the simple
Sometimes he was like a protective effects of trauma on my
brilliant chemist, prowling through part, to be more boring than
the exploded ruins of the anything else.
laboratory of a colleague who had Another psychological
hovered at the instant of his phenomenon took place within
unfortunate tragedy upon me in his company – a

78
perceptible draining of energy then dispensed with hospitality
through the bottom of my altogether. The cup was made of
stomach or spine. plastic and shaped like a tea cup.
It seems I was always sitting
Upon reading Omar V. there, drowsier than I wanted to
Garrison's Tantra, a book of admit, though by no means
Tibetan sexual yoga, I heavily drugged, if drugged at all,
discovered that such an effect is wishing to hell the creep would at
produced in victims of Tantric least offer me some decent
black magic. According to the coffee.
Avon paperback, The Occult It is also a distinct possibility
Reich, Hitler often seemed to that upon other occasions I was
visitors and associates to placed in a formal hypnotic
function as a human energy trance. Once Brother-in-law
vacuum – with a parasitical discussed the Bridey Murphy
vigor that just sapped every case with great enthusiasm and
room of its energy when the asked me if I thought further
little man strode in. Every now examples of reincarnational
and then I continue to meet an memory uncovered with hypnosis
individual who has this effect on should be researched – but
me, independent of any adequately, he emphasized, by
personality traits, and I have someone with resources.
talked to others who .have at When I objected that I did
one time or another felt the not believe in reincarnation, he
same awful drain of energy in replied with sympathetic approval,
the presence of a mysteriously "Neither do I, Kerry, but I think the
enervating individual. possibility should be investigated
anyhow, by someone with more
money than those guys who wrote
I have heard this the Bridey Murphy book,
phenomenon can be produced someone who could conduct a
with drugs, particularly with very thorough investigation."
belladonna. As I recall, Brother- He made sure to obtain my
in-law was a host who served a agreement. But I do not
lukewarm cup of weak instant remember personally volunteering
coffee when I first arrived and to be the subject of any such

79
probe. Lake Pontchartrain, with Brother-
I do possess a distinct in-law inside a houseboat just
memory of sitting across the
with Slim, late narrow dock from
one afternoon, the front window
close to twilight, of the café.
in a corner bar in Again I don't
some podunk recall how we got
Louisiana town, there or where
waiting for we went
Brother-in-law to afterwards.
return. All I More than
remember is that once I have
we were sipping wondered,
beer in a place though, if I was
that resembled in hypnotized
structure the aboard that
Napoleon House, houseboat that
with openings to day, perhaps by
the street instead means of drugs,
of walls on two and then
sides, but plainer methodically
– with Seven-Up programmed.
signs instead of For I have a
wrought-iron number of
frills. I cannot at memories which
this point recall are dreamlike in
how we got there quality and seem
or where we went unrelated to
afterwards. anything else that
Possibly ever happened to
related to an me, except that
earlier time is a they are vaguely
memory of associated with
breakfasting with Slim one blazing Brother-in-law.
morning in a tiny restaurant on Woody Guthrie singing

80
about the "arch and the stones" in danger of partial enlightenment!
one of his albums reminded me A scene I recall vividly took
vividly of these disassociated place as the three of us were
fragments of memory, pertaining returning from a trip somewhere,
to images of myself as the "first walking across the gravel in front
post-revolutionary man" of of Gary's house. I had been
uncharacteristically utopian and discussing the building of a mass
romantic Marxist rhetoric, and as movement, a great Objectivist
a lonely anarchist harmonica army of tax protesters marching
player wandering through into Washington, singing songs
America. and shouting slogans in the
Also I seem to recall having manner of a Civil Rights
received instructions regarding a demonstration.
future mission of saving the U.S. "No," said Brother-in-law as
from a Russian invasion. I have a we approached his door, "that
sense of being told that I would be isn't what you want. To overthrow
able to rely on the radio for help, the government takes an
just by listening to the music. organization that is neither fish
Such things cause me to nor fowl – something that cannot
speculate that Brother-in-law may be readily categorized, with some
have been a high-level double of the aspects of a bureaucracy
agent who sold projects to and others of organized crime.
hypnotically program me to both That way, it will be nearly invisible
Russian intelligence and Division to the average person."
Five of the FBI – without anyone Lacking the necessary color
but Slim knowing what an and flamboyance to interest me,
outrageous practical joke he was and sounding rather sinister
playing on us all. besides, that idea turned me off. I
Swept up in the beauty of an tucked it away in the back of my
abstraction, I was not paying any mind as a warning.
attention whatsoever to what was Once we talked at length
happening with this man in this about the time a few years earlier
room in this particular here and when the U.S. intervened secretly
now – so I freely granted him in Guatemala to overthrow a
permission to brainwash me. leftist regime. Brother-in-law
Zen Masters call that the asked me if I didn't think that was

81
a good policy, and of course in when I was overseas in the
those days I did. Marines, in an aura of official
I went on to recite a few mystery until the U-2 incident
facts about the incident I'd read in involving Powers, the subject of
a national magazine, something the U-2 was of personal interest
which seemed to gratify him, and to me.
thereupon he spoke
knowledgeably about the In Undercover, E. Howard
operation in the manner of Hunt mentions that many of the
someone who had troubled uniformed officers working with
himself to become quite well him at one time had been in
informed about it, but I don't recall private life attorneys. "Among
his mentioning the CIA in that those I came to know," he
respect. writes, "were Navy Lieutenant
We also spoke of the James Donovan, who was later
capture of the Soviet spy, to defend GRU Colonel Rudolf
Rudolph Abel, and of what a Abel, the Soviet spy, and who
brilliant victory for U.S. espionage was instrumental in exchanging
that had been. I do not him for U-2 pilot Gary Powers."
remember, however, whether or Hunt also discusses the U-2
not we ever discussed the trade project in his book, mentioning
of Abel for our U-2 pilot, Francis those involved in its
Gary Powers, made by the development, etc.
Kennedy Administration.
However, since the U-2 planes
took off and landed at Atsugi

82
Haunting Fanaticism
Brother-in-law liked to grin As an Ayn Rand Objectivist I
and chew on his pipe and allow a thought it my rational duty to
considerable silence to pass assume innocence without hard
before changing the subject from evidence of guilt, particularly
one of his little reminders to the when rich capitalists were the
next one. objects of accusation. For as Ayn
"You know, Kerry, there is a Rand incessantly pointed out,
member of the Rockefeller family there were swarms of envious
who travels around the country parasites under every rock, just
making Satanist human looking for safe ways to snipe at
sacrifices. And he has a whole the rich and productive
set-up, like a traveling road show, industrialist.
he takes with him for that
purpose. His name is Tracy Writes E. Howard Hunt in
Barnes. Can you remember that, Undercover, "Then to my
Kerry? Tracy Barnes." welcome surprise I was
In the quiet that followed I summoned to the office of C.
wondered if such a fantastic story Tracy Barnes, a wartime
could be true. Certainly the rich associate of Allen Dulles, Wall
could not be murdering the Street lawyer and brother-in-law
common people in the most of Joe Bryan. Barnes swore me
outrageous of all possible to special secrecy and revealed
manners and be getting away that the National Security
with it simply because they were Council under Eisenhower and
the rich, and not the poor! That Vice President Nixon had
seemed highly unlikely, to say the ordered the overthrow of
least. Guatemala's Communist
But then, if by some quirk in regime. If I accepted the
our system of government or proposed assignment, Barnes
economics it were true, there was told me, it would be as head of
nothing I could be expected to do the project's propaganda and
about it, anyhow. So why this political action staff, and he
urgent insisting to remember?

83
added that naturally no compensate for their deficiency in
clandestine project had higher height by abusing their power?"
priority than this." "Yes," I said, going on at
some length about all the
examples of little men who
Brother-in-law was to tell the shouted orders and made
same story about Tracy Barnes unreasonable demands in high
and the Satanist human sacrifices school ROTC and the Marine
a number of times. That I should Corps.
not forget it seemed especially
urgent to him.
"At headquarters I paid
protocolary calls on Allen Dulles
According to Carl Oglesby and General Cabell, Frank
in The Yankee and the Cowboy Wisner," at this point in
War, "It was in reality such Undercover, Hunt inserts a
'hard-nosed liberals' as the footnote ("A diminutive personal
CIA's Tracy Barnes and Edward assistant to Frank Wisner was
Lansdale (for whom Ellsberg known as the Ozard of Wiz.")
worked in Vietnam) and continuing with, "and his
Kennedy's chief military advisor principal assistant, Tracy
Maxwell Taylor who advocated Barnes. Freed from the
clandestine war, or Special parochialism of OSO, Dick
Forces warfare, as an Helms was now chief of
alternative to conventional operations for the entire
military and diplomatic options Clandestine Services. In each
and thus got the U.S. involved other we discerned kindred
untenably in Cuba and spirits and formed a friendship
Vietnam." which, though sporadic, due to
my extended absences abroad,
"Tracy Barnes is a little man, continued until the summer of
Kerry," he added with what 1972, when my name was first
seemed like genuine anger in his mentioned in connection with
voice. "Don't you agree that little Watergate."
men are subject to Napoleon Since then, in recent
complexes, that they tend to years, I have learned that

84
twitting Tracy Barnes about his future?'"
stature is a favorite CIA "Yeah, in a crystal ball. It
pastime, as also is resistance to used to be in ads in my
"parochial," or Jesuit, grandfather's National
influences, which tend to Geographics."
dominate the intelligence "Well, keep it in mind. There
community, often by indirect may be a Ford in your future."
means. Hunt's wife, Dorothy, "I doubt it." I wasn't much
for example, was Catholic, and into cars.
therefore the statement about At that point Slim spoke up:
his relation to Helms may "Listen to this man, Kerry. He's
contain some subtle allusions. trying to tell you something."
Yeah, sure. I hated it when
Slim became paternalistic like
Very much as Brother-in-law that.
mentioned Tracy Barnes and the Brother-in-law also spoke of
Satanist sacrifices, he remarked the classes in anti-Communism
also that the notorious bombing of that General Edwin Walker gave
the Sunday school in Birmingham in Germany. "He was transferred
had been the work of Griffin Bell, for it, and a bunch of his fellow
a name equally unknown to me at officers resigned when the Army
that time. reprimanded him."
"Griffin Bell is a judge, Kerry. "Good for them," I said of
He is judge of the Fifth Circuit Walker and his friends.
Court. That means he travels "Sometimes I wonder if this
from one place to another, country even wants to win the
hearing cases. He's a circuit Cold War."
judge. Can you remember that, "And you know about the
Kerry?" case of the Air Force general,
"Yes, I can remember that Billy Mitchell?"
because Marryin' Sam in Li'l "Yes, I read about that in
Abner is a circuit judge and I Reader's Digest."
knew a guy in elementary school "I don't think what they did to
named Clifford Bell." Billy Mitchell was fair. Do you?"
"Kerry, remember that "Certainly not. He was like
slogan, 'There's a Ford in your Rickover. He wouldn't tolerate

85
red tape. That was his problem." five. Slim Brooks was our fourth
These were all things he convert to the Discordian
brought up more than once and I Society and, as might be
became adroit at using them as anticipated, Brother-in-law was
excuses to change the subject. A the fifth person to join that
Ford in my future? "They used to facetious cult devoted to the
say you could have any color of Greek goddess of confusion,
Model T Ford you wanted, so long Eris – known to the Romans as
as it was black," I would say. Discordia.
"Yes, that's called a
Hobson's choice. You know, Although I was soon to
Kerry, the anti-Communist forget Brother-in-law's reminder,
department in the FBI is called I remained fascinated with the
Division Five." "law" it inspired, as with the
"Yeah, you've told me that Discordian Society in general,
before." most particularly because of its
"Kerry, five is a very rapid growth in membership.
important number." For in the late sixties and early
seventies both Greg and I
began encountering all manner
In 1964, living in of people calling themselves
Shirlington, Virginia, and Discordians, including that other
corresponding with Greg Hill, I man whose weird ideas about
suggested that our satirical Nazis seemed to so much
religion, the Discordian Society, resemble those of Brother-in-
which Greg and I had originated law, Stan Jamison, whose
in California before going to Discordian name was Coman-
New Orleans, needed a dogma Ra.
– or , as we called it, a catma.
How Coman-Ra entered
Brother-in-law's comment the loosely knit Discordian
was in the back of my mind network of friends and
when I therefore determined acquaintances I'm unaware, but
that it should be the Law of I recall that I first began
Fives: Everything happens in receiving mailings from him in
fives – or can in some other way about 1970. These ranged from
be connected with the number instructions about how to grow

86
bean sprouts to racist right-wing "Keep in mind that is also
hate literature that both Greg true in politics: you might find it
and I thought was rather very useful someday."
alarming. Not until 1975 did "All right, fine."
Coman-Ra intimate to me that "How do you feel about this
he knew something about the idea? What if things were to
John Kennedy assassination. become worse in this country, for
a time, and then to improve
enormously? Do you think that
"There is Division Five of the would be okay?"
FBI, Griffin Bell is with the Fifth "Sure, I guess."
Circuit Court," Brother-in-law "Kerry, have you ever heard
continued, and he may or may not of a game called 'Freeze?'"
have mentioned, in addition to "No."
perhaps two other things related "Well first you turn the lights
to the number five, that there was out in a room. Then everyone
an intelligence community starts doing whatever they want.
organization called the Defense Then someone yells, 'Freeze!' -
Industrial Security Command with and everyone has to hold still as
five front groups. the lights are turned on."
I must have looked rather
When I encountered that puzzled. I remember feeling very
information in William Torbitt's afraid.
unpublished manuscript, Insanely, it seemed to me,
Nomenclature of an Brother-in-law chuckled, and said:
Assassination Cabal, it seemed "That's a very good way to deal
to stimulate my memory, but I with people who are doing all
have never been certain of that kinds of bad things."'
much. "Have you ever heard of
'Splooie?'" I asked in
determination to keep up my end
"Have you ever noticed,
of the conversation.
Kerry, how by just pulling one
"No. What is 'Splooie?'"
thread you can unravel a whole
"A game they play with
sweater?"
pledges in fraternities during Hell
"Yes?"
Week. They assemble them in a

87
dark room and tell them all to start his cloud up to Saint Peter and
jacking off and for the first one said, 'Hey, what gives with those
who guys?' And
ejeculates to Saint Peter
holler, said, 'They're
'Splooie!' And in Hell.' And
then they turn he said, 'Oh
on the lights, yeah? Then
and there is why the wine
always one and women
guy who was for them, and
stupid enough me sitting
to believe here all
them and go alone?' Saint
along with it – Peter said,
and there he 'The Hell of it
is, all alone is, the wine
among them bottles have
with his holes in them
pecker in his and the
hand and cum women
on his don't.'"
trousers." Then the
"There discussion
was a man would drift off
who went to in another
Heaven. And direction that
he found seemed
himself all almost as
alone on a inane. We
cloud. Sailing spoke of the
past him were intelligence of
clouds with dolphins and
guys on them also of their
who were surrounded with wine extreme sociality – of how one
bottles and women. So he sailed dolphin would throw itself into a

88
net so the rest of the school could just a deluded psychopath caught
escape. up in the grandeur that was the
More than once he Third Reich, boasting of the
mentioned that in Germany during power of the Nazis. A dark,
World War II, armament factories Wagnerian opera in a flop house.
owned by the Krupps were But then there was always
spared deliberately by Allied the inconvenient unpleasantry
bombers, though whole civilian that such had been the
populations nearby were predicament of Hitler in his early
decimated. years.
To me that sounded like an Squalor and majestic themes
awkward, top-heavy conspiracy had combined with national
theory. In those days most chauvinism to produce the dark
people seemed to believe that Jungian shadow-roots of the next
Roosevelt's New Deal had proved haunting fanaticism of our age.
that governments were stronger
than big business. According to The House of
Only Crazy David, the Krupp by Peter Batty, in
paranoid, thought cartels existed February of 1956 Alfried Krupp
that were above history in their "made an extensive tour of the
chosen obscurity to the average Far and Middle East, dropping
person. But then he even in to talk to business-heads in
suspected the politicians of rival such capitals as Cairo,
nations conferred with each other Bangkok, Delhi and Karachi.
about how to best destroy one He was in fact the first major
another's people. German industrialist to set foot
Crazy David said that only in the area since the war. At the
sixty families controlled most of outset the trip was described as
America's wealth. That sounded 'a serious attempt' to counter
like a hazy legend left over from the Soviets' economic offensive
the Gilded Age or one of the in the underdeveloped countries
stories my dad used to tell about of Africa and Asia, but on his
the Great Depression in order to return, discovering the Russians
rationalize voting against were now interested in buying
Eisenhower. from him, he changed his tune
Certainly Brother-in-law was

89
and hastened to deny that he generosity was that no other
was waging 'a private crusade war criminal had been punished
against Communism' – to the in this way: 'Confiscation of
chagrin of many American personal (sic) property does not
diplomats whose blue-eyed boy belong to the practices of our
he had recently become... legal system and in general is in
Within a few months he was off contradiction of the American
again to Canada – though... conception of justice. I am not
Canadians were not so ecstatic able, on the basis of the
at having a convicted war evidence against the accused
criminal in their midst and Krupp, to find any degree of
showed their discontent by personal guilt which would put
staging demonstrations him above all the others
everywhere he went in their sentenced by the Nuremberg
country. Alfried's reason for courts.'" Batty goes on to say on
going there was his participation the same pages, 233 and 234,
along with Cyrus Eatton, "Later, when challenged by a
Khruschev's famous capitalist number of eminent Americans
friend from Cleveland, Ohio," in to explain himself further,
a conference. (p. 254) McCloy described his decision
Significantly enough, it is to release Krupp as the most
noted elsewhere in the book 'wearing' he had ever had to
that it was John J. McCloy, who make. But to his eternal shame,
was later to serve on the in my opinion at least, he also
Warren Commission, and who endeavored to play down the
has also been linked to Morgan charges of slave-labor brought
banking interests, who rescued against Alfried at Nuremberg."
the Krupp fortune after the We also learn from The
Nuremberg trials: "He had also House of Krupp that "Alfried's
to many people's surprise first major Russian order came
decided to cancel the order in 1957, after he had exhibited
confiscating Krupp's properties at the Leipzig East German
– it had not been expected that Trade Fair the previous March –
he would go quite that far. an action which at the time
McCloy's justification for his shocked many West Germans."

90
(pp. 257258) It was a contract negotiations broke down on
worth just over four million credit terms – though rumor had
pounds for chemical works and it that the real reason was that
three synthetic fiber plants Alfried had been hobbled at the
"which ironically he was making last moment by the Americans.
under license from an American "Khruschev himself took a
firm. This quickly led to closer hand in the next stage of the
and warmer relations between wooing when, at the Leipzig
Moscow and Essen. Indeed Trade Fair in the following
when Mikoyan, the Russian March, that is March of 1959,
Trade Minister, visited West he made the East German
Germany in 1958 he went out of press drop their usual
his way to talk to Alfried's denunciations of Krupps as
general manager, assuring him warmongers, and of Alfried in
that 'the products of Krupp have particular as a convicted war
an excellent reputation among criminal. Moreover, he visited
our people.' A few weeks after the Krupp stand at the Fair and
this remark of Mikoyan, drank a toast to the firm out of a
Khruschev, then Russia's Prime Krupp stainless steel tumbler
Minister, declared in a speech filled with French Cognac,
to the Central Committee of the expressing regret that the head
Soviet Communist Party in of the House was not there in
Moscow that 'the Soviet Union person, but sending Alfried his
has in the past entertained good good wishes all the same.
relations with the Essen firm of Today, Alfried's name no longer
Krupp.' appears on the Soviet list of war
"Later that same year, a criminals and until quite recently
group of Krupp senior officials the House of Krupp maintained
headed by their general a permanent office in Moscow:
manager were feted in Moscow; perhaps the two most
Mikoyan called them 'the first remarkable, and at the same
swallows of commerce from the time the two most paradoxical,
western world.' The Russians facts in the whole post-war rise
were evidently very eager to do of firm and family."
business with Alfried's men, but

91
Possibly it was such Germany, was the Honorable
maneuvering by Moscow that John J. McCloy later appointed
caused Mao Tsetung to to the President's Commission
denounce Khrushchev's policy on the Assassination of
of "peaceful co-existence" with President John F. Kennedy?
the West as political revisionism In light of such data, one
– not, as many Americans were can only conclude that Brother-
led to believe, any tolerance by in-law was not deceived in
the Russians for American believing there was a
democracy, or any particular conspiracy on behalf of the
hostility by the Chinese toward Krupps in the highest levels of
peaceful relations with the U.S. the U.S. government and that it
But the most disturbing was responsible during the war
question plaguing me is why, for sparing their armament
with a record like that as factories from Allied bombing.
American High Commissioner in

92
Maybe They're Crazy
Slim and I, entering, after striding about the room. "Do you
Brother-in-law answered the door, agree that it is?"
found ourselves places to sit. For "Yes. I was just thinking the
reasons possibly having to do other day that many people
with unconscious fears, I probably resort to violence
preferred the chair just inside the because they lack the ability with
door, right next to it. Slim usually words to express their anger any
sat on the opposite side of the other way."
intimate living room, or "Excellent! And do you think
somewhere in the middle, that if your life depended on it you
sometimes, to my right or my left. could articulate the anger of
"Would you like a cup of others, of people who are more
coffee?" Gary asked. oppressed than you?"
We both said, "Yes." "Definitely!"
After handing me a weak "Wonderful! Then we shall
concoction of instant-smelling find out which is mightier – the
stuff in a pastel blue plastic tea written word, or the force of
cup, Brother-in-law took a seat in arms."
the chair to my left and fiddled "Have you ever seen a copy
with his pipe and a pouch of Half of the Diego Rivera painting
& Half tobacco, exchanging called The Scream?" Another of
comments with Slim about things those questions.
pertaining to the mundane "I'll tell you what I fear as a
logistics of their relationship. A writer," I responded. "It is the
girlie magazine cover briefly people like Smerdyakov in The
attracted my attention. Brothers Karamazov, the people
Brother-in-law announced, who miss the point of what you
very excitedly, "Kerry, I want to write, by taking it too literally or
find out if the pen really is not literally enough, use it to
mightier than the sword!" Such justify actions you aren't actually
were his opening words, and it recommending. Ivan Karamazov
was immediately obvious that this wrote an essay arguing that since
would be one of his days of there is no God there can be no

93
crime, and Smerdyakov, his considerable practice and skill.
bastard brother, read it and Yet it is something that can be
murdered their father. Then later learned."
on he confessed to Ivan and said, Then he added that agents
'But Brother, it was your idea!' in the intelligence community
Knowing that there will always be could use similar techniques for
people like that, somewhere, conveying data upward in a
reading what I have written, bureaucracy in such a way as to
terrifies me." manipulate their superiors on
"Yes, well, the author was different sides of a conflict – "just
trying to put across the idea that like working a saxophone.
people need to believe in God Especially double and triple
whether or not there is a God, agents can use it, deciding which
because otherwise they would information to give which boss,
become criminals – that if God and thereby influencing men in
didn't exist, then it would be power from a position below
necessary to invent Him," them."
Brother-in-law explained. Another thing he said was,
"I understand that, but it's "You know, Kerry, many of the
rot. Robert Ingersoll refuted that people that serve as espionage
notion magnificently in his agents are not doing it by choice;
writings, and also by the example they are being forced to work
of his own life. On the other against their will by means of
hand, more murders and tortures extortion – including people who
have been committed in the name work for our government!"
of God than for any other reason." I explained that I was aware
That Brother-in-law would of that much. I had seen a movie
frequently bring up things that based on a true story starring
seemed related to nothing Ernest Borgnine called Man on a
whatsoever was something I String where an American of
found peevishly irritating. "Have foreign descent was forced to
you ever noticed how a return to the old country on a
saxophone works, Kerry? It is a "vacation" and spy for the U.S.
very complicated instrument. You "Kerry, have you ever heard
have to be extremely physically the story about the little Dutch boy
coordinated, and that takes - the one who saved Holland by

94
plugging the hole in the dike with Another time he said, "Kerry,
his finger?" you know, one of the symptoms of
Another irrelevant comment. schizophrenia is that they develop
It seemed to me to rate an whole languages of their own –
irreverent reply. "Yes. A gay using ordinary words, but
friend of mine in high school used ascribing their own private
to say, 'Did you hear about the meanings to them."
little boy who stuck his finger in "Yes, I read that in one of
the dike? She didn't like it.'" Loy's psychology textbooks from
"Tell me something," nursing school." Loy was a
Brother-in-law replied without French Quarter friend, one of my
laughing at my little joke. "What closest, a serene woman with
would you do in a situation like long black hair who made her
that? That little boy saved his living as an artist.
country. But he also starved to "Well I wonder what makes
death, because nobody found him them invent their own secret
till after he was dead. How would languages. Why would anyone,
you handle that type of especially a crazy person, go to
predicament?" all that trouble?"
I answered that I would "Maybe because they are
probably sit there with my finger crazy. One kind of paranoia is
in the dike constantly thinking of paranoid schizophrenia."
some way to signal for help. "But you know, Kerry, there
That reply seemed to please are some people who have
him very much. exhibited the symptoms of
"And there is also the fable paranoia who were taken to
of a king," he continued, "whose psychiatrists, and when they
people were forbidden to speak to began investigating their
him by a rival monarch, so he backgrounds and their life
worked out a code where every situations they found out the
article of clothing and every patient was really being
gesture stood for something, so persecuted."
they could tell him what was going "Yeah, you've mentioned
on. Do you think you could do that a couple of times before.
something like that in a similar There are also actual paranoids,
situation?" though. Not all of them are really

95
being persecuted." way that made him seem,
"No, Kerry – not all of them." temporarily, more like a leftist
One of Brother-in-law's than a fascist. Merriment at the
recurring themes was the origin of torture-murders of Il Duce and his
the word, "Hollywood." woman dominated his mood at
"It is from the holly plant or, such times.
to the pagans, the holy plant." There was only one way I
"Yes, there is holly growing could take it: this Nazi brother-in-
in the canyons near Hollywood, law of Slim's was weird, and
California." Slim's fascination with him was
weird, and that's all there was to
Something else he said it.
about Hollywood is vague in my "Kerry, there are bureaucrats
memory now – but it concerned in the CIA who okay things
the importance of not remaining without reading them. Don't you
in a political condition, having to agree that that kind of behavior
do with pagan secret societies, should be punished?"
that would be called "Yes!" I exclaimed. "There
"Hollywood." is such a thing as criminal
negligence. In Manila there were
people living in pasteboard hovels
Another time he spoke who were starving to death, and
sympathetically of the "Hollywood the Philippines was a US
Ten" – the screenwriters who possession until the late forties.
were blackballed for their That's another example of
suspected Communist something made possible only by
connections. That was one of criminal negligence."
those inconsistencies in his
politics I found so disconcerting.
What business had a Nazi like My hypothetical
him worrying about the civil interpretation of the remark
liberties of accused Reds? about CIA employees is as
What the Communist follows:
underground in Italy did to Assuming Brother-in-law
Mussolini and his mistress was was a high-level CIA operative,
another subject he discussed in a he or someone he knew –

96
possibly Richard Nixon in his October 15 over WLS Radio
Vice Presidential capacity as Station in Chicago.
director of planning the invasion "Skolnick, speaking in the
of Cuba – discovered that early morning hours on WLS
agency officers routinely okayed Radio talk show Point-
project proposals handed them Counterpoint, said the
by trusted underlings without documents were among those
first bothering to read them. being used by E. Howard Hunt
Thereupon the person making and his wife Dorothy to
this discovery invented the blackmail President Richard
rationalization for taking Nixon. Skolnick said Mrs. Hunt
advantage of such behavior, was carrying the documents
that it should be punished, in with her on United Airlines flight
order to create his own virtual 553 when it crashed last
government within the US December killing Mrs. Hunt,
Security apparatus. CBS Newswoman Michele
Confirmation for this Clark and forty- three others.
possibility comes from these Skolnick has charged the jet
statements in the following was sabotaged.
article reprinted in the March, "One of the documents the
1974, issue of The Yipster Hunts were using to blackmail
Times from either The Los the President, according to
Angeles Star or The Boston Skolnick, is a top secret
Real Paper: National Security Council
"A number of top secret memorandum bearing the
and politically dynamite signature of then President
documents link President Nixon Dwight D. Eisenhower. The
to a plot to kill former President memorandum is dated
John F. Kennedy, according to November 22, 1960, just weeks
private researcher Sherman after Kennedy was elected
Skolnick of Chicago. Skolnick President and while Eisenhower
referred to one of the was filling out his term as the
documents during a five- hour nation's chief executive.
radio talk show broadcast "The memorandum says,

97
according to Skolnick, that in (Prentice-Hall, 1973) by
the opinion of the Eisenhower Fletcher Prouty, as he explains
National Security Council John how the automatic okay process
F. Kennedy's ascendancy to the was facilitated: "Once the CIA
office of the Presidency was not had become involved in a series
in the best interests of the of clandestine operations, it
country. 'The Eisenhower then would make a practice of
National Security Council took it going back to the NSC... And
upon themselves,' Skolnick ostentatiously brief the next
said, 'to declare Kennedy a operation as a series. As they
threat to the national security.' hoped, after awhile the
"The private researcher important and very busy
said the NSC document members of the NSC or of the
recommends 'in so many words' NSC subcommittee would plead
that JFK be dealt with so he other duties and designate
could not hold the office of the someone else to act for them at
Presidency. The memorandum, the meetings. This diluted the
according to Skolnick, control mechanism appreciably.
'recommends that Kennedy be Further, the CIA saw to it that
murdered.' ... men who would always go
along with them were the
"In November of 1960, the designated alternates." (p. 108)
date of the top secret
memorandum, Richard Nixon
was Vice President of the "And in building our secret
United States and thus a society to fight imperialism I think
member of the NSC. If the NSC we should follow the policy of not
document is authentic, as letting the right hand know what
Skolnick says it is, then Nixon the left hand is doing. Is that
was one of those who okay, Kerry?"
recommended that Kennedy be "It's okay with me," I said
murdered." innocently.
"And I think one of the
Further insight as to how legitimate functions of
such a thing is conceivable is government ought to be the
provided in The Secret Team enforcement of contracts. How

98
about you?" policies.
"Yes, definitely. That's one
of the only proper functions of With Nixon and Hunt
government, according to Ayn working together in anti-Castro
Rand." activities, and in light of
"And I think any contract allegations that Hunt was in a
made by anyone over the age of position during Watergate to
twenty-one ought to be binding. blackmail Nixon, it is probable
Is that okay with you?" both men were among the
"Yes." perpetrators of such ruses.
"Yes! And I also think oral Once any proposal such as the
contracts ought to be binding. A John Kennedy death warrant –
man's word should be as good as and who knows what else? -
his bond." was written up, perhaps all that
"Yes," I replied, wondering to remained necessary was to
myself why Slim seemed place it in the "IN" basket on the
suddenly so excited. As usual, he desk of a bureaucrat who
wasn't contributing to the routinely okayed all projects.
discussion, but he seemed almost
beside himself with glee – Of course it did not occur to
grinning in admiration at Brother- me that I had just okayed
in-law, looking at me with a very something without examining it,
pleased expression in his eyes. and had moreover set myself up
so that every time I agreed with
The National Security Brother-in-law thereafter he would
Council is empowered by law to possess the power to make it a
direct CIA actions, but was binding contract. For as far as I
gradually lulled into approving was concerned at the time I was
actions initiated within the CIA, only humoring the pipe dreams of
instead. After that it was easy a maniac, for fear that if I
for empire builders within the offended him he would become
CIA to turn both the upper levels dangerous to me – or, as with the
of the agency and the National above, because I happened to
Security Council into a rubber agree, but thought my agreement
stamp operation for their was only academic.
Upon other occasions Slim

99
became incomprehensibly excited ram from the railroad cars to their
when Gary was talking of things doom. And that happens over
that seemed utterly irrelevant, and and over again, every time a new
his silent batch arrives
eagerness was and is
distracting. For unloaded."
example, when A splendid
Brother-in-law new addition to
was talking my trivia
about the roots collection.
in mythology for Sometimes
the meanings of he could really
the names of seem mundane
the days of the and pointless.
week, Slim was "You know, dog
almost bouncing is 'god' spelled
up and down in backwards."
his seat. Then there
"Kerry, you were his
know among ridiculously low-
sheep they brow jokes.
have a ram with "You know what
a bell around its they call a man
neck, to keep who likes
the others from womens'
straying from breasts? A
the flock. Well chestnut."
in the Chicago "Did you
stockyard they hear about the
have a belled old maids who
ram like that had a beer party
also, and it is at the beach
trained to go to and got sand in
the area where their Schlitz?" I
the sheep are slaughtered. So would reply, drawing from my
the other sheep follow the lead Marine Corps experience.

100
"There was a nigger in the that Jessica's psychology
hills of Tennessee," he would tell professor had said that rubbing
me, "who read Mein Kampf in the one's nose was a negative sign
late thirties or early forties and while stroking one's hair was a
thought it was the greatest book positive sign.
ever written. And then - heh, heh That such a language would
– he found out that Hitler resemble the cryptic chatter of
regarded Negroes as a schizophrenics and therefore
subhuman species. More inferior would be useful under certain
than Jews." circumstances for dismissing
Now and then he would chat those who spoke it as insane was
with me about the possibility of another relevant possibility that
building a universal language did not occur to me.
based upon the Jungian notion of That several such cant
the collective unconscious, languages have been developed
utilizing associational symbols within the intelligence community
and unconscious archetypes. and conspiracy politics and that at
I remarked to him that Freud least one of them was in use as
insisted that in the analysis of far back as the fifties is something
dreams trains were always known to those familiar with neo-
symbolic of death, and mentioned Nazi Satanism and witchcraft.

101
Can You Remember That?
Sometimes Brother-in-law fruits and nuts.'"
spoke as if he had in mind a very Brother-in-law would then
definite plan that would come to look disappointed or annoyed, as
fruition at a set date and that I if I had missed some kind of point.
would have to recall certain items Again, the subject would
of information in order to survive. shift for no reason I could discern.
"Kerry, keep in mind that the Upon one occasion he said,
Communists will try to make you a "Thirteen years from now will be
martyr for their cause." the American Bicentennial. Kerry,
I would assure him I I want to give this country a
maintained no illusions about the Christmas present!" He sounded
Communist doctrine of the ends angry.
justifying the means. I had read "And I think the Communist
for myself the words of the Third Party ought to be legal, just like
International. any other political party."
Then at other times he would "Yes, " I staunchly agreed. "
say with a smirk: "You know, J. Edgar Hoover says that
Kerry, if you walk down the street outlawing Communism only drives
talking to yourself in public, it underground and makes it
people are going to think you are harder to deal with."
crazy." "And I think there ought to
Obviously. What a strange be places where sadistic people
thing to say! "Of course," I would and psychopaths can go,
agree. "I think people who walk designated national parks or
the streets talking to themselves something, where they can fight
are crazy. Who the hell one another to the death if they
wouldn't?" And then I would want."
begin belaboring my pet peeve: "A place for people like me,"
"There are more people in New he added as Slim laughed, as if
Orleans who act crazy in precisely the two of them were sharing a
that way than anywhere else I've secret joke.
ever been. Then they've got the Such legalized dueling
nerve to call California 'the land of seemed logical, considering the

102
alternatives these dangerous law's point also, though, as far as
characters might otherwise have it went. It was alienating that no
in mind. cruelty seemed to disturb him.
In the long run, the most One day he compared
disquieting thing about Brother-in- himself to a character in Romain
law was his implacable Gary's novel, The Roots of
cheerfulness in the presence of Heaven – the sociopathic gun-
the most heart- rending topics of runner who was content to live in
discussion. the world as it is and exploit its
"Kerry," he said one day, misery. "But perhaps there is
"why is it that people are some way we could work
apathetic to mass murder and yet together," he added, after being
not to the murder of one person?" kind enough to observe that I
"I don't know! I've been wasn't that way.
going crazy about that one ever "Tell me, Kerry, would you
since the Katanga massacre. be afraid to go to jail?"
Had it been an axe murder, it "In a revolutionary situation,"
would be making front page news I said, "jail can be just another
for weeks or months afterwards." station house on the way to
Gary looked so amused political power. That's something
about it, rather pleased. "Yeah, else a Romain Gary character
we double-crossed Tshombe's says. I've read about Mahatma
faction and they were the ones Gandhi's imprisonments and of
who supported the United States. how he made a yoga discipline of
It wasn't even in our national self- them, and I could also do that.
interest to support the Sometimes that's how I handled
Congolese!" being in the Marine Corps."
As nationalistic as I was in "Kerry, there are some
my Ayn Rand days, that was people called Scientologists who
hardly the traumatic message of want to create a society based on
women being hoisted on bamboo human sacrifice. Did you realize
poles crammed into their vaginas, that?"
little boys and girls being burned "Slim has mentioned them.
alive in piles of wood by a United That's L. Ron Hubbard's new
Nations police force. religion, isn't it? But he didn't say
I agreed with Brother-in- they were into human sacrifice."

103
"Well, they are. And it would however, the mass media –
be a good idea for you to keep particularly the Liberals – were
that in mind. You might be in a misrepresenting the Birchers as
position to keep them from taking para-military subversives. With
over someday." encouragement from the White
Then there was the time he House, the media were attacking
talked at length about Frederick all extreme political positions.
Demara – a Canadian con artist Rhetoric labeling intellectual
who had passed himself off as a minorities as dangerous, simply
doctor and performed successful for being out of the "mainstream,"
brain surgery. "He sounds like a regardless of their positions on
pretty smart man. Wouldn't you violence, seemed itself both
say so?" dangerous and irresponsible.
I contributed to what seemed That was one of the chief reasons
like an exchange of trivia at this I hated John F. Kennedy as much
point by saying: "They say that as I did: I valued dissent; he
con men generally try to establish considered it unpatriotic.
that there is some larceny in the "Kerry, you aren't the kind of
hearts of their prospective victims person who is likely to give up
before they bilk them." and commit suicide in a difficult
Slim and Gary looked at me situation, are you?"
and nodded, a slight smile playing "You'll never meet anyone
on Slim's lips, a twinkle in less inclined to suicide than me," I
Brother-in-law's eyes, as if that retorted. For at that age I had not
were a much more relevant thought much about my own
statement than I realized. thinking, riddled with
"Kerry. What do you think contradictions as it was. I was
about the idea of building a secret attracted to every possible sort of
society that uses the methods of dangerous adventure. Quite
Communism to fight literally, I did not expect to be
Communism?" alive thirteen years in the future,
We both expressed when Brother-in-law's political
sympathy from time to time for the timetable was supposed to
John Birch Society, though activate his revolution.
neither of us agreed completely Yet nothing seemed sicker to
with its politics. In those days, me than deliberately taking

104
sleeping pills, for example – a made into a movie – the most
depressingly popular activity recent one, Suddenly, Last
among Quarterites. As a good Summer. Death is the face of
Objectivist, I despised with Ayn God – the only God there is:
Rand all that was "anti-life." absolute nothingness."
Yet as an aspiring soldier of Slim said, "Kerry wants to
fortune and globe trotter, I felt live fast, die young – and leave a
only contempt for pedestrian and beautiful corpse. That isn't my
plodding individuals who did not philosophy, but I can understand
agree with me that life was to be how he feels."
measured "not by its length, but "That's right."
by its intensity." How much you Occasionally, I would share
could cram into your lifespan was short-story or novel ideas with
what counted, not how long you Slim and Brother-in-law. One of
endured. To me the first only was them was for a story called Apex:
living; simple contentment with God of the North, about a great
nothing more than survival was iceberg with a computer
merely existing. Secure in the operations center concealed
feeling I was preaching to the within it, secretly controlling all
converted, I explained my history from its submerged
philosophy of life to Brother-in-law location close to the North Pole.
here very often. I was also contemplating a
"Kerry, how would you like to sequel titled AnaPex: God of the
be placed in danger every day of South. Gary seemed mildly
your life?" entertained by these notions. At
"Great! I'd love it!" least he didn't dismiss them as
"I can arrange for that to unwelcome digressions.
happen – if that's what you want." And Slim was so interested
A hint of warning colored his tone in my writing projects that
of voice. sometimes he would ask me for
"That's exactly what I want. my notes when I was through with
Life means nothing except when it them, with the flattering words,
is seen in contrast to its "Someday you'll be a famous
background of oblivion. That's writer and they'll be worth
the message I got out of that something."
Tennessee Williams play they At times I even suspected

105
Slim of swiping notes from me – In the service I had once
although it was difficult to imagine gone so far as to appoint
a motive for going to that another Marine, Raul Gayon,
extreme. Since I tend to be my chief of intelligence. Shortly
absent-minded about my personal thereafter, though, we quarreled
effects, I usually wound up and stopped speaking to one
depreciating the latter suspicion another.
as routine paranoia.
I remember clearly that my
suddenly missing notes were in
Among notes that pencil. I don't recall how
vanished mysteriously about the thoroughly they explained the
time of one of Slim's visits were diagram. I think they were
some about an idea I had been probably rather scant, with just
playing with since my Marine enough information to convey
Corps days, for building a secret the general notion and no more.
society of assassins to kill
foreign dictators. Vanishing at about the
same time were jottings about a
They featured a diagram publishing business I was
shaped like a Maltese cross. At thinking of establishing, called
the center was the leader, who Thor Thunderpress. Slim had
would then appoint one said Thor was the Norse god of
assistant in each of four areas: thunder; his name consisted of
administration, intelligence, the first four letters of my last
operations and logistics – the name. I don't believe he further
organizational divisions of mentioned to me that the
Marine Corps activity. symbol of Thor's hammer was
Each assistant would then the swastika, nor that Hitler took
appoint followers whose identity that insignia from the Finnish Air
would remain unknown to the Force.
leader, as would his to them. In fact, I think Brother-in-
Every follower was to recruit two law told me the swastika was
more followers and so on, in favored by Hitler because it was
descending levels of authority, the symbol used by the Aryans
creating four pyramidal wings. in conquering pre-Vedic India.

106
be better just to torment one man
Brother-in-law seemed – instead of a whole minority, like
attracted to any idea that the Jews?"
smacked of clandestine "Yes, but how much would
administration. Once he said: " this one man be tormented?"
Hitler was a clown. He never Slim chuckled.
should have gone public. He Brother-in-law smirked and
should have lived as an ordinary said, "Not very much," waving his
citizen, ruling from behind the hand in a depreciating gesture.
scenes." Sometimes Brother-in-law
Another example of how could appear competent enough
Brother-in-law paid attention to to give me pause. Briefly, I would
ideas that fascinated me occurred worry that I was underestimating
when he once warned: "There will him. An isolated visual memory
come a time in your life when one sticks in my mind of Gary
of your friends will begin to standing next to his car in
behave exactly like Francisco sunglasses, chewing the stem of
d'Anconia in Atlas Shrugged – his pipe, looking like a most
inexplicably seeming to abandon efficient Nazi general. In that
ideals both of you shared. Can instant he seemed to be
you keep that in mind? His contemplating me as if I
motives will be similar to represented to him a valuable
Francisco's in Ayn Rand's novel – prize – someone who would be
infiltrating the opposition." useful in his plans.
I assured him that I could, Once he asked me what I
although in fact I was not thought of creating numerous
endeavoring to remember factional conspiracies, consisting
anything this weird, repetitive man of secret societies, small
said. Slim could think Brother-in- countries and so forth, like pieces
law was brilliant and competent if of a puzzle – then, at an
he wanted; I was certain the man appointed time, drawing them
was just a bullshitter, though together in a powerful
possibly a dangerous one. organization large enough to
"And if there was a Nazi conquer the world. I think one of
takeover in this country, a fascist the examples he mentioned was
takeover, don't you think it would Poland. In any case, references

107
to Poland were frequent in his "Yes," I barked. "Nothing is
talks with me – the Polish truer than the saying that the
Corridor in World War II, Hitler's highway to hell is paved with good
contempt for the Poles, etc. intentions. If nearly half the world
Brother-in-law seemed to mention is not to continue starving to
Poland as often as he spoke of death, then ethics has to be
Germany. geared to what will actually
All in all, he seemed as change the present situation.
conscious of Europe as of the What will work, what will feed
United States, mentioning often people has to be the standard of
the poem about Flanders Field, morality – not what seems fair in
for instance, and the sinking of the eyes of spoiled intellectuals
the Titanic. Once, in fact, he who've never been outside the
posed the theory that the Titanic United States. Like the poet
was wrecked deliberately in order Robinson Jeffers says, this
to get rid of some important country has a national
person or other. introversion complex. So does
Contemporary European Japan. Neither country really
affairs were also much in his believes the outside world exists.
mind. We shared an admiration People watch a newsreel or read
for a French rabble-rouser who something in the papers, but
was at that time stirring up a subconsciously it is only
revolt among small shop keepers entertainment to them."
in Paris with the slogan, "Hang That Brother-in-law just
the tax collectors!" loved to hear me talk like this was
Perhaps that explained why evident from the look in his eyes.
his opposition to Communism "And these Liberal professors,
was more qualified than that of these intellectuals you speak of –
the average American anti- did you ever notice how they talk?
Communist patriot of that day. They say, 'I feel' this and 'I feel'
"Kerry, do you agree with the that. Not, 'I think' – but, 'I feel.' I
Marxist-Leninist theory of believe that's what's wrong with
historical responsibility – that them, don't you? They don't think,
people should be held responsible they feel. Don't you agree that
for the results of their actions, reason should prevail over
regardless of their intentions?" emotion at all times?"

108
"Yes – that's just what Ayn why, for example, there were so
Rand says." many otherwise intelligent people
That this alleged Nazi's who believed in God.
politics were riddled with That I was often as
contradictions was something I contradictory as he was never
found puzzling, but not very dawned on me. I would sit there
interesting. In my all-American asserting that when there is a
way, I figured he was just some contradiction in anyone's thinking,
kind of nut. they ought to check their
Humanity's actions were premises. Then, unconsciously, I
replete with examples of illogical would answer a question by
behavior. Ayn Rand said that the contradicting something else I
only free will consisted of the had just said. Not only was I an
decision either to think or not to author simply humoring this man
think. To me it was obvious that in order to gather background
most people thought only when material for a book, I was also
immediate, everyday problems young and brash. Rationality
confronted them. When it came appealed to me as much because
to philosophy and politics, faith Ayn Rand's novel romanticized it
and wishful thinking took over. as for any other reason.
Nothing else could explain to me

109
Destiny's Tots
One of Gary's favorite war and therefore smaller brains, than
stories was about how the Germans."
Germans had once tricked Stalin My policy during such
into purging all his best generals. discussions was usually to
"During the Hitler-Stalin Pact, maintain a tactful, frightened
when the Nazis were making silence. Something about the
preparations to break with Stalin way he laughed awakened the
and attack Russia, they took him possibility that he was not
a list of all his most brilliant sincerely a racist, that it was all
generals and told him they were part of his swaggering, 'bad guy'
plotting treason against him. Not image. I didn't want to take my
only did Stalin believe them, he chances by provoking
said, 'How much do you want for unnecessary arguments, though.
this information?' The damned I was more comfortable
fool actually paid them for it!" when he spoke in terms of
Gary must have told that story American Conservatism, a
nearly a dozen times. philosophy with which I disagreed
"You see, the Russians knew but was in sympathy in that it
Hitler thought Jews were inferior. opposed socialism.
That was no problem to them "Have you ever heard of the
because Russians themselves Hoover Institution for the Study of
have been traditionally anti- War, Peace and Revolution?"
Semitic. In Czarist times they "As a matter of fact, yes. I
used to round 'em up and kill 'em was reading an article about it
in what were called pogroms. recently."
What they didn't understand
about Hitler, though – heh, heh – That article probably
was that he considered Slavs a appeared in The National
subhuman race. Heh, heh – he Observer, to which I subscribed.
hated them! In fact, Rosenberg Although he didn't say so, Karl
used to measure the skulls of Hess was obviously an admirer
Slavic execution victims to try to of Ayn Rand. As publisher and
prove they had smaller heads,

110
editor of that publication, he protest took place in Times
always took the proper Square. Goats had been used as
Objectivist position in relation to guinea pigs in the H-bomb test,
every issue. so "they mounted a stuffed goat
on roller skates and wheeled it
around Times Square with a sign
"What do you think of that hanging from its neck that said:
organization, Kerry? Do you 'Today me – tomorrow you!'" That
approve of the Hoover story he told two or three times.
Institution?" That this Nazi seemed to
"Yes. I like the things I read approve of a peace
about it." demonstration annoyed me, again
Brother-in-law seemed because it was out of character. I
enormously pleased – as if my was not so radical as to believe in
favorable response here were peace marches. What business
crucial. had he taking a position to my
That was a question he only left?
asked once. Another such inquiry Like all Objectivists, I
was, "What do you think of opposed conscription. Yet, in Ayn
developing nuclear power for Rand's view, both war to protect
peaceful purposes? The Atoms American investments and
for Peace Program?" advanced weapons technology
"I think it's a good idea." were justifiable. Blind pacifism,
Then he said something though, was regarded as whim
about an atomic power plant in worshiping. Worrying about The
Oregon. In those days splitting Bomb was for fuzzy-minded
the atom in order to create socialists like Bertrand Russell.
electrical energy was something "How to you feel about
that seemed like a very conservation, Kerry?"
progressive idea, since Unlike other Objectivists, I
theretofore it had only been a was concerned about pollution of
source of explosive power for the natural environment.
weapons. "When I was a teenager I
Also, he spoke of a used to sneak up into the Puente
demonstration against the testing Hills above East Whittier, early in
of the hydrogen bomb at Bikini. A the morning before sunrise, and

111
pull up the surveyor stakes in a government composed of many
construction site for a subdivision philosopher-kings, like sages on
they were building there. I love the side of a mountain, who are
nature." moved up and down this
Brother-in-law gave me the mountain of power according to
impression he was about to their wisdom and abilities?"
become involved in a dynamic Stripped of its majestic
new ecology movement. In this embellishments, this very much
connection, I think he also resembles the methods of the CIA
mentioned he had been initiated in supporting rivals to the power
into an Indian tribe in New of a government slated for
Mexico. overthrow. Various individuals
"Someday, Kerry," Brother- will be selected who for one
in-law said excitedly, "you will find reason or another are more or
yourself in a position of great less incompetent – making them
power. You will not, however, be easy to topple in turn when
aware of who is supporting you." necessary – but for whom
Striding about the small considerable popular support can
room, wheeling and turning, he be marshaled. Then one faction
said: "No one will be able to touch is played against another in order
you. It will be as if you are to keep the Agency in control of
elevated upon a high pillar – and," the overall situation.
he paused dramatically, "there will "And one other thing, Kerry.
be assassins at your disposal." You know, if you expose the
Whenever he became that assassins – you won't become
dramatic, Brother-in-law was philosopher-king."
especially difficult to believe. To "Of course not," I answered,
this day I think that speech was figuring as usual I might as well
preparation for a time I would be humor this grandiose burglar with
deluded into thinking I possessed all these wild daydreams until I
great power, in order to test my could get back to the sane people
true loyalties. I think such a in the French Quarter. "I wouldn't
routine may be a regular feature expect anything else. I mean, it
of CIA "false flag" recruitment. wouldn't make any sense for a
Another time he asked, king to expose his own guards."
"What do you think of a That I would ever repeat

112
anything in these discussions was who are content to think of
the last thing I wanted this man to themselves as quite ordinary.
believe. After all, should he be There are other men who feel
serious – no matter how deluded greatness within themselves from
– he nevertheless probably did the day they are born."
have friends in the underworld. I "Destiny's tots."
was given to understand that if he "Exactly. What kind of man
suspected I would become a stool are you?"
pigeon, Brother-in-law could "I've always felt that way –
arrange to dispose that I am destined
of me in short order. for great things. My
Since I tend friend in high
not to be much good school, Bob Doidge,
at keeping secret used to call it
whatever is on my megalomania. But I
mind, notorious think that is what
blabbermouth that I drives some people
am, I handled this to rise above the
problem by common herd. Like
forgetting all about Howard Roark in
these discussions The Fountainhead –
as quickly as I he knew he was
could. great. Without that
Telling myself sense of
these thoughts were confidence, nobody
both unpleasant and would ever amount
improbable, I to anything."
consoled myself by "You know,
thinking that if by Kerry, Hitler used to
some chance they create myths about
weren't, I was then himself. For
already in so much example, he said
trouble that worrying that before the war
about it wouldn't do he was once
any good. walking in the forest and an old
"Kerry, there are some men woman appeared who told him

113
that someday he would be the manner of my heroes, Richard
ruler of all Germany. He said Halliburton and John Goddard.
things like that," Brother-in-law Then I intended to write non-
asserted with approval, "to make fiction books about my
himself more acceptable to the adventures.
German people." Writing a book about my
On another occasion he political oppression seemed like
mentioned that when Hitler found an awkward, and lengthy, way to
himself involved in a struggle, he deal with it.
wrote a book about it. "That's Like most Nazis I have
something you might try when the known, Brother-in-law was also
time comes." forever speculating that maybe
My ambition at that time was Hitler was still alive and well in
to become a novelist and a short- Argentina. Moreover, he claimed
story writer. After becoming Martin Bormann had been spotted
wealthy that way, I planned to by someone after the war in the
travel the world engaging in Swiss Alps, and that he had been
dangerous adventures, in the briefly pursued.

114
In the Anteroom of History
During one of the Saturday else he knew. "Yes! Something
or Sunday morning visits Slim and about if we could conspire to
I made to his cottage, Brother-in- shatter this sorry scheme of
law asked me if I thought people things and mold another one,
ought to be free, legally and nearer to the heart's desire!
socially, to form any kind of family That's one of my favorite
structure or group living situation quatrains."
they wanted. "Kerry, how would you like to
My answer was one he could conspire with me to shatter this
easily have anticipated, since I sorry scheme of things?"
was thought odd even among the "Great. When do we start?"
Bohemians of the French Quarter "It's going to take years. And
for my outspoken devotion to free I can't tell you much about it,
love and group marriage. This because it's going to have to be
was previous to the time when very secretive. You are going to
Robert Heinlein's novel, Stranger have to work on a need-to-know
in a Strange Land, popularized basis, just like you did when you
that notion among hipsters. One had a security clearance in the
of my novel projects was a Marines. You will receive only
humorous fictionalized account of enough information to perform
my own unsuccessful attempts to your part of the work." Then he
attract converts to join me in a paused and looked at me and
group marriage. asked, "Is that okay?"
After obtaining my "It's okay with me," I
enthusiastic agreement about at answered eagerly.
least that much, Brother-in-law "I don't think jails should
looked at me with a glint in his exist. Do you? I think society
eye , and said: "I'm sure you should find a more humane way
recall that Omar Khayyam verse of dealing with criminals."
about smashing this sorry "Yes. I think they should be
scheme of things." confined comfortably and studied
That I was very much into to find out what makes them
Omar Khayyam was something criminals, so crime can be

115
prevented. As Robert Ingersoll idea," I said. Silently, though, I
said, 'Men do what they must do.' wondered if he simply wanted to
Everything anyone does always divide us into neat geographically
seems to them like a good idea at distributed categories in order to
the time. We should find out why make the job of exterminating the
criminals are attracted to rest of us easier for him and his
antisocial behavior, instead of Germans.
punishing them." I agreed wholeheartedly
"Exactly. And don't you think though to the idea of free trade
it would be better if our among nations with no tariffs
technology were oriented more restricting international
toward the exploration of outer commerce. "Yes, that's one good
space than to the production of thing about our President," one of
war materials?" us said. "The 'Kennedy Rounds'
"Yes," I said, not certain I to negotiate the gradual reduction
was telling the truth. I hadn't of tariffs."
thought much about that one "And I think we should return
before. to a limited, Constitutional
"Now I know you agree that government."
both forced segregation and "Yes," I agreed.
forced integration are wrong. "Government should confine itself
What if people were allowed to to its proper functions: preventing
form their own communities? force and fraud. There should be
What if white racists could live in no bureaucracies except the
segregated communities while police and the military. And the
others were free to form racially military should only be used to
mixed communities? Black defend our shorelines and to
separatists could also form their protect American investments
own communities. That way we abroad."
Germans could maintain our "Kerry, I don't think we
racial purity, you Beatniks could should defend the foreign
intermarry, Malcolm X and his holdings of Americans. I think
friends could go off and live by investors should place their funds
themselves – and everybody at the mercy of foreign
would be happy." governments at their own risk.
"That sounds like a good Otherwise there are too many

116
excuses to get involved in foreign discussion with Brother-in-law.
wars." For if these were his true politics,
We agreed to disagree on how could I take seriously his stuff
that one. about being a
"And I think Nazi?
there ought to be "Kerry, I think
sanctity of the Robert Kennedy's
home. I think a Justice
man's home is his Department was
castle and that's wrong in jailing and
the way it should fining those
be." business
For a brief, executives for Anti-
mad split second I Trust Law
wondered why this violations. Don't
Nazi wanted you?"
privacy like that. "Yes. That's
What was he what Ayn Rand
planning to do in says in one of the
his castle – Objectivist
Bavarian Gothic as newsletters. Of
it was sure to be? course, the
Then I Marxists are
thought about the wrong, and so are
quartering of the Kennedys.
British troops in Punishing the
Colonial American great producers of
homes and the Bill the world is not the
of Rights and the answer to insuring
principles of adequate
Objectivist production."
individualism, and I
felt ashamed of Mixing
allowing sinister government and
possibilities to distract my mind business, Rand says, is a form
from such a refreshingly rational

117
of fascist-socialism. Whether United States and Canada, there
the businessmen or the is enough fertile land and right
government bureaucrats wind weather conditions that both
up ruling the economy, either countries together could feed
way you've got one group of everyone. We could be the
men running everything. I breadbasket of the world.
considered Roger Blough and Instead, our criminal bureaucrats
those others to be great, pay farmers not to grow things."
persecuted heroes, and it "And I think unions ought to
appeared to me that the be free also. If workers want to
Kennedy brothers double- form a radical labor union, I think
crossed them. Besides that, I that is their right."
found the Anti-Trust Laws to be "Yes, I can agree to that. It's
vague and irrational. in keeping with the idea of
separation of the government and
At that time, I believed that the economy."
only unregulated, unrestricted "But I don't believe in the
production would ever be able general strike."
to feed everyone in the world – "What is the general strike?"
like the starving people in the "That's where the workers
Intramuros sector of Manila, the take over a factory and run it
City of Walls, as they call that themselves."
bombed-out slum. That was "Yeah, I don't like that idea
why I became a Marxist, either. Great organizational skill,
temporarily, before I read Atlas perhaps genius, is required to
Shrugged, because of the sight administer a productive
of starving people. It's one corporation. Talent like that
thing to read or hear about deserves whatever rewards it
something like that and quite cares to demand. If workers tried
another to actually witness it. to run things, they'd do it
inefficiently. One of the problems
"Yes," he said. "And I think it is most people think 'profit' is a
would also help if we returned to a dirty word. Kennedy is always
predominantly agricultural calling on people to make
economy." sacrifices to the national interest.
"Certainly. Between the According to my philosophy, that's

118
immoral." Also, he mentioned various
"Ah yes," he said, looking at civil organizations. He said that
me steadily. "What if we could they were involved in politics
give the word 'sacrifice' such a much more than the public
bad name that no one would ever suspected, and that in the future
again listen to talk like that?" they were going to become yet
I wondered what he had in more involved. Among them, I
mind, but I think I was afraid to think he included both the Elks
ask. "That sounds okay, I guess." and Eagles.
"What do you think of local
police? Don't you think it would be
a good idea to "You know,
recruit local Kerry, before his
police to a death John
revolutionary Dillinger wrote a
movement? note insisting
They would be that he had
in favor of local never harmed
control of anyone. Why do
government you suppose he
institutions, of felt that way?"
keeping political "Who the
power closer to hell knows? How
home." could I answer a
"Yes, that question like
might work. that?"
One of our worst "I think
problems in this central banking
country is the ought to be
centralization of abolished. Don't
power in the you agree?"
hands of the "What is
Federal central
Government." banking?"
"That's where bankers have
got the power to inflate or deflate

119
the value of the currency in order me how the hell anarchy could be
to manipulate the economy." made to work.' You know what his
"Debasing the coinage. answer was? 'We live in a very
Yeah, Jessica says they were complex society.' That's all the
doing that at the fall of the Roman dumb sonofabitch would say.
Empire. If that's what you mean, I Over and over again, to each of
agree. That's a form of fraud. I my questions: 'We live in a very
don't think we should let them complex society.' That's all I could
debase the coinage either." get out of him!"
"Kerry, I think the best Brother-in-law's private
person to solve a complicated amusement seemed to increase.
political assassination would be "Kerry," he said, groping for
an anarchist – because he words, "there is a game where the
wouldn't be partial to any of the people form a large circle and
many political factions involved." hold hands – and then they
"Yes, but anarchy isn't choose a person to be in the
practical." middle of that circle, to be what
A smug smile brightened his they call 'the goat.' Now, for the
expression. "Don't be hasty in goat, the object of this game is to
passing judgment on the writings break out of the circle. For all the
of the anarchists. They had some other participants – the people
good ideas, no matter how you who make up the circle – the
feel about the need for object of the game is to keep the
government. For example, goat from breaking out, at their
Bakunin and some of the other particular point in the circle."
anarchists said some very I sat there, annoyed at the
perceptive things about money way he constantly changed the
and banking." His evident subject.
amusement puzzled me at the "Getting back to that
time. anarchist and the Ryder Coffee
"There's a guy who hangs House," I said, trying to hide my
out at the Ryder Coffee House on annoyance at Gary, "he's got a lot
Rampart Street – Ernest or Irv or of other weird ideas besides
something like that – who says anarchy. One night I overheard
he's an anarchist. I asked him him talking to somebody about
about anarchy. I said, 'Explain to how if there was an older man

120
who loved a younger man very Ivan's or the Ryder, I felt like the
much, then maybe there was a young Lenin of rational capitalism.
way the older man could transfer Every hour of my life seemed
all his thoughts and experiences, spent in a dressing room just
his whole mind, to the younger before curtain call; I sat forever
man. That, he said, would twiddling nervously in the
constitute a kind of immortality for anteroom of history. Everything
the older man – maybe, he said, was a matter of being aware
the only immortality possible. enough to seize the opportunity
What an absurd notion! How that would inevitably present
impractical can you get?" itself.
Brother-in-law looked at me About the only time I did not
as if he wanted to say something feel that way was during those
but, for some reason, could not. long, meandering talks with
For a moment it occurred to me Brother-in-law – except now and
that maybe he knew the person in then, when I allowed my natural
question – that both of them optimism to get the better of my
belonged to an occultist-anarchist judgment. But then something he
conspiracy. But that was too would say would always convince
bizarre. I quickly dismissed the me he was deluded, or
notion. impractical, or joking.
"I think the only kind of "I'm only kidding, Kerry."
immortality there is, is fame. As he spoke, he displayed a
They say Omar Khayyam lit up funny little mannerism from time
the sky of the Persian Empire like to time of moving his hands, back
a comet. Everyone knew who he and forth, as if he were
was when he lived, and administering holy water or
remembered him after he died. playing the piano, his fingers
That's how I want to be." wiggling. Usually, this gesture
My every intuition confirmed was indicative of multiplicity –
that I would accomplish my goal. such as of all the many conflicting
Sitting in the Bourbon House, political factions in a complicated
swilling coffee and smoking assassination conspiracy, almost
cigarettes, or debating the "whim- as if he felt they were at his
worshipping existentialists" at fingertips.

121
I Would Risk My Life
In Louisiana, during the afternoon's discussion was not
summer, in the afternoons, when intense. I kept wishing Slim
it is not raining in a heavy, steady would say it was time to go. I
rhythm, it often seems as if it is asked Gary what branch of the
about to rain, even when the sun service he was in.
is shining brightly. For hours, the "I was drafted into the Navy.
air just hangs, stagnant and During World War II they were
muggy. drafting for both the Army and the
I recall that it was on one Navy."
such afternoon that Brother-in-law Slim mentioned previously
mentioned that his family traced that his brother-in-law, as well as
its lineage back to the Crusades. most Midwestern Americans of
Kirstein means in German Germanic background, had been
"follower of the Christ." shipped to the Pacific instead of
When I asked him what Europe – for fear their national
"stein" meant, taken alone, loyalties would tempt them to spy
Brother-in-law said it was for the Germans.
translated as "cup." "My dad was in the Navy," I
In the Marines I had known a said. "He worked on a landing
man named Steinknopf. I barge."
mentioned that and Brother-in-law "I was in Naval Intelligence,"
said it meant "cup head." Brother-in-law remarked.
In German beer-drinking "Where were you stationed?"
fraternities, he told me, "they use That a pro-Nazi second
the top of a human skull for a generation German-American
stein, and that's what that name should be assigned to
means." intelligence, anywhere, was not a
I shuddered. peculiarity I thought to question.
"Do you know what Germans "I was on Guam," he
call a battleground? A rose answered.
garden – because of the red "My dad was stationed on
wounds of the soldiers." Okinawa," I told him.
Conversation lagged. This "Kerry," he said for the third

122
or fourth time, "there are only reminded me that he was "more
three people in the world who like a mad scientist" than the
understand Einstein's theory of person he seemed, he added,
relativity. Do you realize that?" "and I think people like me –
"Not really." people who are more intelligent
I wondered if he was trying than others – are persecuted and
to hint that he was one of them. enslaved because of our superior
In retrospect, I intellect. And I
think he wanted think it ought to
to draw attention be the other way
to the identity of around. I think
those three people like me
individuals. should be able
"Do you to do whatever
know that it is we want with
actually possible people of lesser
to trisect pi?" intelligence.
"In high Don't you agree,
school geometry Kerry, that that
they said pi was is a rational
indeterminate, attitude?"
and therefore I felt like a
could not be mouse engaged
trisected." in a dialogue
"That's with a cat. That
what they say, he was playing
Kerry. They are games with me
wrong, though." for his own
I shrugged. amusement
Mathematics seemed
had always obvious. His
bored me. I motives, though,
wished Brother- were terribly
in-law would obscure –
offer me another cup of coffee. assuming there were any,
After one of the times he besides passing a dull afternoon

123
telling lies to a gullible young man "Well," I said, "let's just say I
from the French Quarter. would be willing to risk my life."
I thought about what he said. "Yes! Yes! To risk your life.
"Yes," I replied hesitantly, "that That's what I'm talking about."
does seem like a rational "When a society becomes
viewpoint." I would have preferred totalitarian, though, I think it is the
not to answer at all. Altruistic average man who is to blame, the
societies unfairly exploited genius second-rater, as Ayn Rand calls
and talent. That was one of Ayn him – like Peter Keating in The
Rand's central contentions. I had Fountainhead."
never thought about whether or "I agree," he snapped, and
not that gave exceptionally Slim laughed.
intelligent people the right to What was Brother-in-law up
exploit the mediocre in return. to? He may have been devil's-
More to the point, it seemed advocating the opinion of a
at the time, was whether or not brilliant scientist connected with
Brother-in-law really was a "mad the intelligence community who
scientist." As unlikely as it saw me as precisely such an
seemed, it was no more average, mediocre person. Or
preposterous than his internally that may have been his own
inconsistent Nazism. opinion of me. Either one would
"Kerry, even Ayn Rand says explain Slim's laughter.
there are times when self- Yet at other times Brother-in-
sacrifice is justified. For example, law seemed to disagree with my
when the society you live in contempt for ordinary individuals
becomes intolerable, she says, it with no ambition to become great.
makes more sense to give your "You know, Kerry, Carl Sandberg
life than to suffer oppression. Do has written a poem celebrating
you agree with that? Wouldn't you the life of an average,
rather give your life," he undistinguished man. Don't you
emphasized the words, "than live think there might be something to
under an intolerable system?" At that idea after all?"
this point he was up and about, "Definitely not!"
becoming animated again.

124
A Chance to Find Out
"You know, Kerry, the Jews "Certainly. I think we ought
in Germany didn't put up much to be at least as rational about
resistance to the Nazis." sex as we are about eating.
"Yeah, that puzzles me. I There are cultures with taboos
met another writer one night in about food that are as silly as
the Quarter, Henry Avery, who ours about sex. That goes to
lived in Israel, fighting Arabs. He show how subjective it all really
talked about that." is."
"It is difficult to figure out "Kerry, do you think the
why they just obligingly marched average person has within himself
into the ovens singing religious the potential to be a genius?"
songs, isn't it?" "That's something I've
"Henry Avery says there always believed. Maybe a
were exceptions. In combination of educators and
Czechoslovakia, young blond scientists and other geniuses
Jewish men infiltrated the SS and could take someone of average
kept their people informed about intelligence and cultivate brilliance
Nazi plans. And in Germany one in them – providing, of course,
old Jewish rabbi stood in his there was no organic damage to
doorway and boldly scolded the brain."
Hitler's police, telling them they "Or perhaps you could
could take him and his family, but create genius in anyone by
that they had better not lay a breaking down all the emotional
hand on his sacred books." blocks and sexual inhibitions."
Genuine admiration seemed I hadn't thought of that. It
to light Brother-in-law's eyes. seemed logical enough. Many of
"Yes!" my own learning disabilities in
Once he gave me his early elementary school had been
mellowed-out hoodlum grin and emotionally grounded.
said, "I think there ought to be However, whenever I would
absolute sexual freedom. I think become exceptionally enthusiastic
people ought to be able to fuck in about sexual freedom, Brother-in-
the streets, if they want to." law would put a damper on my

125
zeal by pointing out proudly that Minsk.' In fact, the CIA had
National Socialism had practiced been told there was a spy
sexual freedom by maintaining school in Minsk as long ago as
breeding camps for the S.S. 1947, and information since the
That wasn't what I had in Kennedy assassination has
mind. confirmed the existence of a
"Kerry, why are so many rich training school with one-way
people attracted to the doctrines windows protected by a high
of Communism?" In tone his wall. This establishment was
question seemed both agonized located close to the Minsk
and sincere. Foreign Language Institute, and
"I've been wondering about in one set of his notes Oswald
that myself. I think maybe it is seems to have gone out of his
because the Communists are not way to obscure the fact that he
actually against the rich. What had been to the language
they are always objecting to is the school..."
middle class. So possibly the
Communists and the rich have
got a common enemy." He was forever instructing
"The same thing has me what to remember and
occurred to me," he said. "And quizzing me about what I knew.
another thing you should keep in "Did you know that Stalin
mind: in Russia they've got an ' had a great number of doubles,
American town' where they train so as to confuse any would-be
spies and assassins for work in assassins?"
this country. Don't forget that." "Yeah, an FBI man who
belonged to the Mormon Church
that I interviewed for a high
In his book, Conspiracy school term paper told me about
(McGraw-Hill, 1980) Anthony that. Also, he gave me a bunch
Summers writes: "FBI Director pamphlets by J. Edgar Hoover.
J. Edgar Hoover was one day to You know what Hoover calls
wonder aloud to the Warren Communism – Red Fascism. I
Commission about the rumored think that's a good name for it."
existence of 'an espionage "Yes, Kerry – so do I."
training school outside of During one conversation like

126
this, he injected the question: rich families got together and tried
"How would you like it, Kerry, if I to overthrow the government so
put you in a position where the as to neutralize Roosevelt. And
people of this country would have General Smedley Butler, a retired
to overthrow the government in Marine, exposed the plot."
order to save your life? Is that From time to time he would
okay with you?" also ask me if I realized the
I suppressed a laugh. For a Rockefellers were Communists.
two-bit hood, this man sure had "I wouldn't be surprised."
big ideas. "Yeah, sure, that's all "But the Rockefellers are
right with me." basically idealistic people, Kerry.
"You will be all alone," he They are not as mean as many
warned. rich people."
"I am not afraid of solitude," I A frequent habit of his was to
said, trying to sound like a hero in balance one opinion with another
an Ayn Rand novel. like that.
"Tell me something: Do you "Kerry, I think your problem
believe familiarity breeds is that you are a good writer, but
contempt?" you don't have anything to write
"No. I've never agreed with about."
that saying. I think familiarity "I agree that that's my
breeds love." problem."
"Kerry, you know, people like "How would you like me to
Fidel Castro – who had to arrange things so that you've got
struggle for their causes – aren't something to write about?"
going to respect you unless you "I'd like that very much!"
also go through a struggle." "Tell me: Do you think
"Who the hell cares about ignorance is bliss?"
the respect of Fidel Castro?" "No."
Brother-in-law and Slim just "You might have a chance to
locked at one another and find out for sure." His voice
grinned. seemed to convey ominous
Many times he said, "During undertones.
the Thirties the Rockefellers, the "Yeah, we've argued about
Morgans, the Mellons, the this before. I most certainly do
duPonts and a handful of other not agree that ignorance is bliss."

127
"Remember Cox's Army, Smedley Butler is to be found in
Kerry? Did you study that in Jules Archer's The Plot to Seize
history?" the White House (Hawthorn
"A bunch of farmers who Books, New York). On page
marched to Washington to protest 213 Archer quotes John J.
hard times. In boot camp our drill McCormack, who probed
instructor used to compare us to Butler's charges in 1934:
Cox's Army when we marched out "'There is no doubt that General
of step." Butler was telling the truth...
"Marching to Washington We believed his testimony one
like that is a good way to capture hundred percent. He was a
the imaginations of the American great, patriotic American in
people. You might want to keep it every respect.'"
in mind."
Exactly when he thought I Details of the plot and
would need to march to excerpts from General Smedley
Washington was unclear to me. Darlington Butler's testimony
Vaguely, it is linked in my memory are also included in A Man in
with the Smedley Butler story. His Time by John L. Spivak and
in 1000 Americans by George
Seldes, as well as Facts and
A complete account of the Fascism by Seldes.
fascist plot exposed by General

128
Switching Signals
"Kerry, I think a revolutionary say and do things to give
ought to be able to make it with themselves away, as if by
no help at all. Don't you? You accident. And when you counter-
know, it is not going to be easy for attack – those above you will give
someone who wants to overthrow way."
the system to get a job. He's That seemed extremely
going to have to learn to live with improbable in all respects.
no help at all. Do you think you "I've got another suggestion
could cope with a situation like for you. You know, a lot of
that?" fascists admire General
"Yes," I lied. Since I had MacArthur. Heh, heh – you might
already been down and out more take up smoking a corn cob pipe."
than once, to me it wasn't an Once, he spoke to me of
academic proposition, and I knew something called "a process." It
damned well I couldn't make it did not, however, sound much like
with no job without at least writing the Process Church. As best I
my parents for money or could gather, it was the plan of a
borrowing "bread" from a friend. fascist think-tank to create a
"And can you keep your society of docile conformists by
sense of humor under means of "processing" each and
persecution?" every citizen.
"Yes – at least I didn't lose "That's horrible," I
my sense of humor during responded.
fraternity hell week." "True, though. They are
Both of them seemed already discussing it."
inordinately excited at this Once, in chatting about cant
response. and syntactical ambiguity, he
"A day will come, Kerry, said, "Someday you are going to
when you will find yourself in a encounter people something like
struggle against very powerful Jesuits who speak a secret
bureaucrats. But the agents they language where the most literal
send to harass you will not be possible meaning of every
loyal to their bosses. They will idiomatic sentence is the true

129
one. That way, they will be able true."
to talk to you without being Occasionally, apropos of
understood by outsiders. Kerry, nothing in particular, Gary would
do you think it's possible to learn begin discussing how scientists
a language just by being exposed went about creating nervous
to it long enough, with no formal breakdowns in laboratory mice.
lessons?" "They keep switching signals
"Of course, that's how we on them. First food behind one
learned to speak English as door and an electric shock behind
children." the other. Then the opposite.
I had read somewhere that Then back again to the first way.
assuming control of important You know what happens? The
symbolic buildings was the key to mouse becomes rigid in his
overthrowing a government, since behavior. Sooner or later, he just
the people are conditioned to look begins hitting at one door
in that direction for leadership. repeatedly – no matter how many
shocks he receives."
An examination of the This discovery seemed a
strategy used by Nixon at the source of morbid fascination to
Watergate Plumbers seems to him. In fact, he seemed happy
indicate precisely such thinking about it.
dictated many of their decisions: "Kerry, you know California,
possession of the White House Arizona, Utah, Colorado, New
seemed more vital to them than Mexico and Texas – all that land
any illusion of fair elections, any once belonged to Mexico." This
pretense of Presidential honesty man's attention span didn't seem
or the least shred of respect for very impressive.
the Constitution. "Yes, I'm aware of that. I
grew up in California – that's part
of our history. We stole that land
Ideas like that seemed more from the Mexicans, and they
practical than devious secret haven't forgotten it, either."
languages and I mentioned my "And I think we should give it
observation to Brother-in-law. back to them. What do you
"Yes," he said as if he had think?"
already thought about it, "that's "Hell, yes! That's a great

130
idea. I think Mexico is a sleeping remind me he still planned to kill
giant anyhow – just like they used the President. Once he said: "I'm
to say about China. going to talk to
Someday, it's going everyone in the
to be an important country who wants
modern nation." Kennedy dead
Then I laughed about the idea of
and said, "One of assassinating him.
my short-story ideas Then I'm going to do
is that Mexico is first it. Then I'm going to
to send an rocket to pay a visit to each
the moon, and they and every one of
cover its surface them. I'm not going
with an Aztec to say anything. I'm
calendar! Can you just going to look at
imagine something them and smile, so
like that?" they'll get the idea.
Brother-in-law After that, I'll feel
nodded and laughed. free to call on them for favors."
From time to time he would

131
Think of Me as the Devil
Somewhere among the get to the point?'"
conversations mentioned "And, Kerry, that motor was
previously, there was one in invented by Nazi rocket scientists
particular that seemed incredible working for Hitler – and it is the
to me at the time. One morning motor that is now used to power
Slim took me out to the house in flying saucers!"
Harahan, and Brother-in-law I should have known
opened things up by announcing Brother-in-law would say that.
that he had just read Atlas Naturally, I was disappointed.
Shrugged. Expecting a convert to what I
Always in search of thought was the most rational
converts, I perked up. "Isn't Ayn philosophy in all the world, I was
Rand a genius?" I said. instead confronted by the same
Snorting, he said, "She's a old, raving paranoiac Nazi maniac
woman." as always.
"So what? She's the greatest
mind of our age." According to personal
"Nothing great is ever correspondence to Stan
produced by a woman." Jamison from a man named
"But – " Crabb of the Borderland
"However, I found Galt's Research Foundation in Vista,
motor fascinating – the one that California: "An ex-Marine here
did not require fuel, but ran in Vista told me that he
instead on static electricity from personally saw operational
the atmosphere. Kerry, did you Flying Saucers at Edwards Air
know that there already is such a Force base in California in 1967
motor, and the oil companies are when he was on temporary duty
suppressing it?" there. So the Air Force has
"That's what my dad says. anti-gravity machines and a
He never read Atlas Shrugged, radical, cheap, universally
though. I tried to read him Galt's available, nonpolluting source of
speech once, but he just kept power which would solve all our
saying, 'When is this guy going to

132
pollution problems, and make Somehow, nothing he said
obsolete the oil industry; so anti- seemed to ring true. More than a
gravity will never be made matter of content was involved:
available for public use as long Brother-in-law seemed so excited
as the oil majors control policy with his pacing about and
here in the U.S." gesturing that it was out of
character. Slim sat there silently,
as usual, looking much too
Brother-in-law was pacing amused.
up and down. With a dramatic "Another thing: one of the
pivot he stopped, looked at me scientists that invented that motor
and said, "Don't you agree that if went to work in Canada after the
such a motor exists, it ought to be war for the AVRO Company.
made known to the world?" Until the Diefenbaker government
"Of course." drove them bankrupt.
"And do you agree that there Diefenbaker was a Liberal, Kerry.
could be no greater crime – no You don't like Liberals, do you?"
greater crime in the world, Kerry – "I certainly don't."
than the suppression of that "Kerry, that scientist was just
engine?" like John Galt in Atlas Shrugged.
"Yes." And when that company went
"No greater crime," he bankrupt – he vanished. Just like
repeated solemnly. John Galt!"
"I agree. If there is a motor I was not at all comfortable
like that." with this notion of a National
"Ayn Rand speaks of Socialist behaving like an Ayn
Prometheus, who brought the fire Rand hero.
of the gods to humanity. "And you know what else?
Remember what happened to That man had designed a flying
him? He was chained to the rocks saucer for A. V. Roe – and when
and vultures fed on his entrails he disappeared, he took his flying
forever. You know, Kerry, if you saucer with him!"
try to expose that motor, that will Sure.
happen to you. The world will Brother-in-law now turned
tear you apart." and crossed the room in my
"I can imagine." direction, saying in what seemed

133
a very angry tone of voice: "And, they were looking for an
Kerry, that man's name was Tom escaped fugitive, but they were
Miethe!” He pronounced the looking under mattresses and in
name with frightening bitterness. drawers – like what they really
Slim was nearly in stitches, wanted was the tapes."
though.
David Braden is thought by
Cid Norris to have contacted Art
I was to hear from a friend, Kunkin of the Los Angeles Free
Cid Norris, in Atlanta in 1975 Press and New Orleans District
that there was in the sixties at Attorney Jim Garrison about the
Georgia Tech a professor of mysterious information
nuclear physics named Tom contained in the tapes. Not long
Miethe. Moreover, he was afterwards, Braden told Norris
known to frequent the he had been warned to leave
Catacombs Coffee House at the town, and not long after, he did.
corner of 14th and Peachtree.
As for Tom Miethe, who
During that time period, a wasn't present the night of the
man identifying himself as a incident, he is alleged to have
runaway CIA agent, bleeding also departed from Atlanta,
from gunshot wounds, arrived at suddenly and mysteriously, with
the Catacombs without warning no word about where he was
and left what he claimed were going – after designing a car
tapes pertaining to a JFK engine that did not use
assassination conspiracy with gasoline.
David Braden, proprietor of the
Catacombs. Most of what Cid Norris
told me was confirmed
No sooner had this alleged independently by another
CIA Maverick departed, in Atlanta woman, Anita Teel, who
great haste, than there arrived a claims to have lived with Miethe
detachment of suited men with for a time. Ms. Teel claims
badges who, according to the Miethe spoke at least one
tale told by Ms. Norris, foreign language, was addicted
thoroughly searched the to collecting guns and
premises. "It was weird," she binoculars and displayed an
told me, "because they said

134
impressive ability to pull strings
with a phone call to this or that "I went to high school with a
anonymous contact. guy who believed in flying saucers
from other planets," I told them.
"You would've liked him," I added,
"Kerry, there also appear to looking at Brother-in-law. "Our
be flying saucers that are from Senior English teacher asked us
outer space." At this point he to write essays about our politics
mentioned a name I do not recall, and he wrote one, insisting that
saying, "He met some flying he was a 'Military Fascist.' What
saucer people on the rim of the surprised us most, though, was
Grand Canyon. They were that our Liberal teacher gave him
dwarfs with enlarged heads and a A+ on it. No shit! His name
they communicated by means of was Hickman. In the essay, he
telepathy with him." said he expected the flying saucer
I looked at Slim. "It's true," people to help him take over the
he said, with a smirk. world. I couldn't believe it when
he got an A+. The teacher, Mr.
Techniques involving the Surface, even had him read it to
use of high-frequency sound the class. He said it was well-
waves exist, and are used written and provocative. I found it
within the intelligence so unusual that I borrowed
community, to produce thoughts Hickman's essay from him and
from the outside in the mind of copied it in my journal."
an unsuspecting victim. Brother-in-law responded as
According to a news report if this was something he already
based on data released under knew about, with a pleasant,
the Freedom of Information Act, confident nod.
the CIA once induced a Soviet "Hickman didn't have many
agent to leap out a window to friends, and he used to always
his own death by this means. It dress completely in black. Only
occurs to me that the same one guy – another social misfit
method could be used to named Dennis – used to hang out
produce an illusion of telepathic with him."
communication. "Kerry, you know Hitler used
to talk about what he called 'the

135
Superman.'" after the spring of 1963,
"Yes, I remember reading although I'm not certain it was
something about that. Hitler included in the discussion of
admired 'the Superman,' but was Tom Miethe.
also afraid of him."
"There was a mysterious At this point a sense of
man named Gurdjieff, Kerry, chronology eludes me. I recall,
whom Ouspensky wrote about." though, linking it to a book I
"Under the initial, 'G.'" read in April of 1963,
"Yes, that's him." Psychotherapy East and West,
"Gurdjieff went to Tibet and in which the Latin term, meta,
was functioning as an emissary of was explained in connection
the Dalai Lama. There's a theory with a discussion of the meta-
that he contacted the Nazis by Freudians.
short-wave radio from Central
Asia, Kerry, and that it was he "Metapolitics," I said. "Yes, I
who was 'the Superman.'" can remember that."
"Metapolitics: The Roots of
In 1978 I found a more the Nazi Mind,” he repeated. "It
complete version of this theory may come in handy in
in an Avon paperback called understanding someone you're
The Occult Reich. going to be up against."
I must have looked
frightened, because both Brother-
"There is going to come a in-law and Slim laughed.
time when all these things will be "You know, in this
very important to you, because generation there are two Dalai
you are going to have to deal with Lamas. There is usually only one.
them. At that time it will help you That is because – "
to read a book by Peter Viereck "I know, and one of them is
called Metapolitics: The Roots of sympathetic with Marxism – the
the Nazi Mind. Can you sonofabitch!"
remember that?" "Yes, he is open to Marxist
ideas, Kerry, but that doesn't
This particular statement necessarily make him a villain."
would have been made in or "I don't know about that."

136
"Kerry, have you ever heard barber?"
that song: 'I'm a ramblin' wreck As best I recall, the answer
from Georgia Tech and a heck of was that the barber was a
an engineer...?'" woman. But I hated talking about
"Sure. Everybody has." philosophical riddles. For a man
"You know, Kerry, Ockham's who showed such irritation at
Razor doesn't always apply to facetiousness in others, Brother-
every problem to be solved." in-law certainly seemed indulgent
"What is Ockham's Razor?" of his own digressions.
"That's the idea that the "Have you heard the story of
hypothesis making the least the riddle of the Sphinx, Kerry?"
number of assumptions is most "Yes." Whoever this man
inclined to be the valid one." was, he definitely possessed a
"Oh yeah, I remember now." classical education. In the French
Occasionally he would Quarter it was not unusual for
launch into a long discourse of college graduates to be working
Zeno's paradoxes. "You know, as barkers on Bourbon Street, so
from a logical point of view an – at the time – it didn't occur to
arrow can never reach its target." me that all this fondness for
"Why not?" ancient fables was inconsistent
"Because if it keeps halving with a gangster's career.
the distance between itself and Appropriate to the situation,
the target it will continue to halve he often mentioned Faust, and
that distance on into seemed to view himself as a
infinitesimally." Mephistopheles. "Just think of
I didn't like arguments me as the Devil," he would say
against logic. "Reason is more with a laugh. "I go around making
than just logic; it also requires pacts with people."
observable facts; it is a As in everything else, his
combination of logic and facts. preference in mythological
And it is a fact that arrows hit themes seemed heavily weighted
targets." in the direction of death and
"If a barber shaves every suffering – or, sometimes, power.
man in a village, but does not "Remember the sword of
shave himself – yet does not have Damocles?"
a beard – then who shaves the "Yeah."

137
"Remember the Greek one don't get you, then the left
mathematician who said, 'Give one will...?'"
me a lever and a place to stand I chose to interpret that as a
and I will move the world?'" warning of some kind.
"I like the one you told me Once, I told a tale that may
about Hitler. About how he said have given Brother-in-law an
nobody should ever make the idea. "I heard a story on the radio
mistake of assuming people are about a French financial genius.
any stupider than they really are." A doctor came to him and offered
"Yes, Hitler did say that." him fifty francs to will his brain to
"That's so true. A certain medical science, so they could cut
amount of rationality is needed it up and find out what made him
just to work at a job and survive. so smart. But when the man died
People aren't near as stupid as and the doctor came to collect his
these politicians think they are." brain, it turned out he had sold it
"Kerry? Do you know that for the same price to fifty other
line from that Tennessee Ernie doctors. Nobody got it. His brain
Ford song: 'I got one fist of iron was buried with him."
and the other of steel; if the right

138
California Mind Control
As sophisticated as he could "You know that saying,
seem, Brother-in-law was never Kerry, about the exception that
above platitudes. "Remember the proves the rule?"
story of the little boy who cried "Yes. That didn't used to
wolf?" Patiently, as if imparting make sense to me. If there is an
great original wisdom, he exception, that proves it is not a
repeated the whole story to me. rule. Then I read somewhere that
"And so when a real wolf came, people use that saying wrong. It
nobody believed him." means the exception that tests
"They used to read that to us the rule; they are using 'prove' in
in grammar school," I said coldly. the sense of testing. I think that
"Remember the story of was in Reader's Digest."
Caesar's wife? About how she "Remember Mendel, Kerry,
couldn't afford even the who discovered genetics? His
appearance of lacking virtue – accomplishments were never
because she was Caesar's wife?" recognized within his own lifetime.
"Yes. I saw the movie with Wouldn't that be horrible? To
Marlon Brando and Greer make an important discovery and
Garson, based on the play." yet to remain anonymous and
"That's an important lesson unrecognized?"
to keep in mind." "A fate worse than death," I
"We went to a sneak preview replied.
when I was in junior high. Our "You wouldn't let that
drama teacher got us free happen to you, would you?"
tickets." "Don't worry. I wouldn't."
"Do you recall Louis XIV? What made these
They called him the Sun King and discussions seem unimportant,
they built a cult around him. He more than anything else, was the
said, 'I am the State.'" way they wandered from one
"Yeah, people used to even topic to another. Swirls of organic
stand around and watch him take verbal coherence would build up
baths. There was a picture of that to the point where we would seem
in one of our history books." to be getting somewhere and I

139
would become excited, then seemed awfully unfair."
Brother-in-law would either seem "You know, that was one of
to change the subject for no Hitler's shortcomings. Toward the
reason, or he would make a end of the war, when the
remark so horrid as to turn me off. Germans were losing, he
As a small boy he must, I figured, instructed his intelligence people
have gone around knocking down not to give him any bad news."
sand castles and sticking "That figures."
firecrackers in ant hills – for he "Did you know, Kerry, that
seemed gleefully delighted with Hitler and most other great
acts of destruction. dictators kept a copy of
"Remember what Priscilla Machiavelli's The Prince at their
said to John Alden?" bedsides?"
"Yeah, 'Speak for yourself, "Eric Hoffer's book, The
John.' I read the Classic Comic of True Believer, seems to be written
The Courtship of Miles Standish. in the same style as The Prince.
A guy I've known since the third He says that one of the sources of
grade had a whole collection of recruiting for fanatical causes is
them. That's how I learned to the bored, because if your own
read." business is worth minding, then
"She wanted to hear what he you usually mind it. I like that
had to say, not what the man who saying. I think one of these days
sent him told him to say." I'll print up business cards that
"Yeah, I bet I would never quote it. New Orleans is just full
have learned to read in school. I of people who don't understand
just wasn't much into Dick, Jane, how to mind their own business.
Sally and Spot." Total strangers are always
"Kerry, I think the walking up to me and giving me
philosopher-king should be free advice. I hate that."
someone who doesn't blame Slim shared my feelings
messengers for bringing bad about the provinciality of New
news." Orleaneans and was always
"I agree. Once in a Captain ready to discuss the subject.
Midnight radio show an evil king Brother-in-law was not the same
had someone shot for bringing way. Avoiding my glance, he
him news he didn't like. That would say nothing.

140
Lulls in the conversation "I think that depends on how
were not unusual. But they would you look at it. Ayn Rand would
always pick up again. say that's a parasitical attitude."
"You know, in the Mayan "Kerry thinks everything Ayn
culture of Central America they Rand says," Slim injected to
used to raise virgins from birth for Brother-in-law, "is about ninety-
the sole purpose of sacrificing nine percent more true than
them to the gods when they came anything anyone else says."
of age." "Not exactly. There are
"Yeah. What a waste! There things in Ayn Rand's writings I
was this documentary film about disagree with."
that they used to show us in "Kerry, imagine a movement
school. It was about Guatemala. based on a man, instead of an
It must have been one of the only idea. Consider the advantages.
films in the library, because they A man possesses many ideas.
showed it nearly every year. He is more flexible than an
They kept the virgins in a gigantic ideology," Brother-in-law went on
well until it was time to cut their in a voice filled with warmth and
hearts out." emotion. "People can identify
"Kerry, do you believe in the with a man as they cannot identify
greatest good for the greatest with cold, abstract ideas. Think of
number?" that – a movement based on a
"Yes. But I believe the man."
greatest number is Old Number "Yes," I said, "I think that's
One here." probably true," unsure of whether
Brother-in-law cracked up. or not he had changed the subject
He liked that one. It was a again.
statement he could identify with. "You know, Kerry, the
One of his trite repetitions, duPont family is very large; there
spoken always with a cheerful, are hundreds and hundreds of
tight little grin, was, "You know, them."
Kerry, it really is a dog-eat-dog He had changed the subject.
world." Then there was something
"That's what my dad used to he mentioned once or twice that
always tell me." seemed even less credible than
"It's true." flying saucers powered by

141
German secrets of perpetual thought control techniques. You
motion. know, there are Fascists in this
"In the state of California, country. Among them is Henry
Kerry, there is a plan to begin Luce, who publishes Time and
performing mind control Life magazines. They are
experiments on people who live planning to build a society
there. I. G. Farben, the economic comprised of nothing but human
arm of the Third Reich is involved robots, with transistors installed in
in it. They are going to put the backs of their heads, so that
surveillance devices in the heads they will be absolutely obedient to
of their experimental victims, in subliminal messages."
order to monitor them, and then "Yeah. There are people
they are going to subject them to who say it can't happen here. But
mind control. So, if I were you, I guess it can."
Kerry, I would think maybe it "Remember the saying
would be a good idea to stay out about how you can lead a horse
of California in the future." to water, but you can't make him
I looked at him. I didn't say drink?"
anything, except to acknowledge "A friend of mine in high
that he had spoken. A picture school used to say, 'You can lead
was conjured up in my mind of a horse to water, but a pencil
thousands of puppets on must be lead.'"
electronic strings being With characteristic
manipulated by a vast, hidden unfairness, Brother-in-law
cartel – of people in psychological seemed annoyed at the
torment that seemed too horrible irrelevance of my remark.
to be possible. This guy was He found my comments
wasting his talents as a cheap about Germans equally irritating.
hood employed in a brewery; he "Every now and then we have
should be writing novels. German tourists at work, where I
A couple of other times he wait tables at the Sheraton-
spoke of what, perhaps because Charles. They're so rude and
of the way it was phrased, crude," I said, borrowing one of
sounded more credible. ”Kerry, Slim's favorite expressions.
the Fascists are now "They blow their noses in the
experimenting with advanced cloth napkins and leave olive pits

142
in the ash trays. When they want New Guinea and vanished. I
a waiter, they snap their fingers. wonder what ever happened to
They talk loud. I him?"
don't like I shrugged
Germans very my shoulders.
much," I added, "Kerry, you
feeling brave. know,
"You criminologists
cannot, however, say that a strand
generalize about of hair is a more
a whole race certain method of
from a few identification
examples." than a
I couldn't fingerprint."
believe my ears! "I read that
"And there in Dick Tracy's
are things about Crimestopper's
the Germans, Textbook," I
Kerry, that are replied, adding
quite admirable. that I had also
They are very learned from the
precise people, same source that
in both their the best murder
music and their weapon was an
devotion to icicle, because it
science. In that melts afterwards
sense they are and cannot be
highly civilized – used as
real sticklers for evidence.
perfection." Once he
"Yeah, I spoke of the
guess that's People's
true." Republic of
"Kerry, one China – a very
of Nelson Rockefeller's sons went mysterious, bellicose foreign
on an expedition in the jungles of power in those days. "You know,

143
Clare Booth Luce is in favor of and such open corruption in my
diplomatic recognition for Red life. I'm tempted to write a book
China." about it."
"No, I didn't realize that. "Kerry, when I take over the
Hell, she supports Goldwater. I country, how would you like to be
don't get it." Secretary of Defense? You are a
"It's true, though." After a strong believer in national
pause, he added, "You know, defense. You would be able to
loyalty to the State is expected travel everywhere in the world,
above loyalty to your own family and that's something I know you
there." would like. I think you'd make a
"Yeah. I saw a picture of a very good Secretary of Defense."
statue once in a book in the "Yes. I'd probably like that
library of a little boy in Communist job."
China who reported his own "Then it's settled. When I
parents to the secret police." take over, you will be my
"Those are the values they Secretary of Defense."
foster there. They've got so many Slim was looking at me and
millions of people to work with laughing.
that their values have to be "And who do you
different than ours." recommend for President – after
"I don't see what difference we kill Kennedy and Johnson's
the number of people makes. term expires?"
That is altruism at its worst "Barry Goldwater," I
extreme, if you ask me." answered without hesitation.
"Kerry, I've got a close friend "Don't talk to me about that
in the New Orleans police raving Red," Brother-in-law said
department. He knows I'm a with a laugh. "I think Nixon ought
burglar. If I ever get in trouble, I to be our man, because Nixon is
can rely on him for favors." unprincipled. A man without
"Yeah, they ought to call the principles is easy to manipulate.
New Orleans police the Blue We want somebody we can
Mafia. Did I tell you about the control, Kerry."
time I got put in jail for nailing I was amused to hear
posters to telephone poles? I Goldwater called a "raving Red."
never saw such rotten conditions Brother-in-law seemed to be

144
making fun of himself – of the In retrospect I wonder if this
extremity of his own paranoia and was a veiled reference to George
right-wing views. Little things like DeMohrenschildt who, according
that always made everything else to his own statements just
he said seem less menacing. previous to his death, was
There were many subjects of involved in the assassination
discussion about which my conspiracy.
memories are vague due to At that time I was unaware
distaste. Barracudas and moray that a man named George
eels were among the themes he DeMohrenschildt was involved in
would dwell on much too long for Dallas in discussions with Oswald
my comfort. Among the only that could easily have resembled
undersea creatures that attack Brother-in-law's talks with me. At
humans without provocation, they least, Oswald seems to have
seemed of particular fascination talked with DeMohrenschildt
to him, as I would sit there alone at length, and he seemed to
fidgeting and trying to change the come away from those
topic to a more pleasant one. discussions with an attitude that
Another depressing subject was as ambivalent toward him as
was Hughes Aircraft, of which he mine was toward Brother-in-law.
spoke quite often, although I do Sometimes I was successful
not recall the details of what he in returning digression for
said – something, I think, about a digression, particularly in the
project invasive of human rights. realm of stories about weird
All that remains in my mind here people. My tales of Southern
is a surrealistic visual impression California's ample lunatic fringe
that seems purely imaginary in seemed to entertain Brother-in-
origin, though associated in his law.
words somehow: greasy airplane Besides Daniel Fry's UFO
parts and scraps of aluminum in a watchers, there was a religious
vacant lot. Brother-in-law was cult in Box Canyon under the
forever dwelling on the mundane leadership of a Messianic ex-
when he was not preoccupied convict calling himself Krishna
with the depressing or the bizarre. Venta – until his followers
"Kerry, have you ever heard assassinated him.
the saying, 'Let George do it?'"

145
"Another input into the away by the very men who died
mind of Manson was provided with him, whose wives he had
by a religious cult, The Fountain been making it with. An eerie
of the World, located West of tape recording explaining their
the Spahn Ranch in Box motives was headlined in the
Canyon near the Santa newspapers as "voices from the
Susanna fire department. He dead" – a gift to history the
was very impressed with the assassins had been kind
Fountain and spent a lot of time enough to contribute before
visiting it. destroying themselves and their
"...The Fountain was Messiah.
formed by a holy man named
Krishna Venta who died by "That man had it made," I
violence. The family grooved said. "Not only was he fucking all
with the violent history of the the women, but he had required
Fountain. The religious retreat all his converts to sign over to him
occupied subterranean all their earthly possessions when
chambers and caves wherein they joined. He said he was not
they did their thing. As the cult born of woman, because he didn't
progressed, dissension ensued have a belly button. I figured he
and parties unknown blew up must've gotten plastic surgery."
the founder, Krishna Venta, and "Kerry, you know how in old
nine of his followers – with forty Westerns they run the bad guys
pieces of dynamite placed in the into a box canyon before rounding
catacombs. This occurred in them up?"
12-10-58, whereafter the Also among the more well-
Fountain struggled onward and known luminaries of Southern
was still thriving when Manson California's more eccentric
discovered it," according to Ed attractions was a television
Sanders on pages 110-111 of personality named Criswell whose
The Family. predictions about the future were
As I remember it now and made in sing-song tones that I
told it to Brother-in-law then, found easy to imitate. A close
Krishna Venta had been blown friend of May West, he once
prophesied she would become

146
President of the United States. danger of what he called the
Then there was a tale told by military-industrial complex?" was
a woman who had lived across a question Brother-in-law only
the street from us about a strange asked me once.
lady she met at a Tupperware "Yeah, I figure Ike was senile
party who had purchased tickets by the time he made that speech."
to Venus from the author of a "No, Kerry, there really is a
then popular book called The military-industrial complex, and
Flying Saucers Have Landed. you had best keep that in mind."
Among the most notable "That's right," Slim added.
lecturers Greg Hill and I had "He ain't lyin'."
encountered at Understanding "Kerry, if the society you are
were Reinholt Schmidt and Jimmy living in begins to become
Valaquez. Schmidt amused us totalitarian, you will be able to
because he said the tell," he said more than once,
interplanetary aliens spoke to him "because, when you attempt to
in High German and that the uncover the past, they will say:
numerals on the dials in their 'Don't bother with the past; only
saucer were "just regular the future is important.'"
numbers." When Greg asked, "Yes, William F. Buckley tells
"Why do you suppose they use a story about Mussolini saying
Arabic numerals just like us?" something like that to an
Schmidt said, "Why, I don't know American general once." My
what other kind of numbers they information was slightly confused.
would use."
Valaquez was a more Mentioned in Buckley's Up
convincing speaker, but then his From Liberalism in connection
story of encountering UFO people with an attempt to officially
was so far-fetched as to require "muzzle" General Smedley
the utmost rhetorical skill. All his Butler, the incident is also
aliens dressed like Jesus and reported in Jules Archer's The
wore sandals that were made of Plot to Seize the White House.
living protoplasm that glowed in General Butler invoked the
the dark. wrath of Herbert Hoover some
"Remember Eisenhower's years previous to his effort to
farewell address, Kerry, about the

147
expose a ruling class
conspiracy against Roosevelt by In the aftermath of
repeating a story told him by a Watergate, when Martha
reporter in which Mussolini's Mitchell died of cancer of the
chauffeur-driven car ran over a bone marrow, I recalled Brother-
small child without stopping in-law's words here. Of
afterwards. everyone involved in that
Page 116 of Jules Archer's scandal, she was by far the
book says: "...The wire services most talkative. A book called
carried journalist Cornelius World Without Cancer,
Vanderbilt's revelation that he circulated by the John Birch
had been the one who had told Society, claims there is a
Butler the true story about Rockefeller-Farben conspiracy
Mussolini. He corrected a few that disposes of its enemies by
details. After running down the means of artificially giving them
child, Vanderbilt said, Mussolini cancer. Jack Ruby, Clay Shaw
had observed the journalist and Werner Von Braun were
looking back in horror and had among persons allegedly
patted his knee reassuringly, connected to the John Kennedy
saying, 'Never look back, Mr. murder plot who died of cancer.
Vanderbilt – always look ahead David Ferrie, one of Jim
in life.'" Garrison's suspects, was known
to have at one time
experimented extensively with
"You will know it is inducing cancer in laboratory
happening – when your society is rats.
becoming totalitarian – as soon
as they start saying: 'Yesterday's
gone. Don't stop thinking about "You know the angel in the
tomorrow.'" Book of Revelations that rules the
"Just like Mussolini." world for a thousand years with a
"And another thing, Kerry: rod of iron? What do you figure
Do you know where the that could symbolize?"
expression, 'swan song,' comes "Anything you want it to," I
from? A swan sings its most replied casually. "That's the
beautiful song as it is dying." advantage of predicting things in

148
vague language: they are bound ambition is to be remembered as
to come true – one way or a man of his own times. Why be
another, sooner or later, if a sensitive genius who brags
someone interprets them with about being misunderstood?
sufficient ingenuity." That's why I am not afraid to use
"Rods are used in nuclear clichés in my writing. Clichés are
energy reactors. They are also the idioms of the common people.
used in computers." Writers who scorn them are
"Like I say." I was not very snobs."
patient with scriptural Both Slim and Brother-in-law
interpretation, especially since I looked at me with hearty
knew Gary professed to be a approval.
pagan, if not an outright atheist. "Kerry, I think it would be
"I think the Bible would make better for the world if eventually
a good code key for a just one ideology – no matter
revolutionary movement, though," what it was – came to
he said. predominate everywhere."
"Yes – especially since there "So do I," I said without
is one in every prison cell and attaching much importance to my
hotel room in the country." words.
Whenever he persisted for Similar to Brother-in-law's
long in discussing Revelations, I fascination with the Revelation of
would turn the discussion to my Saint John the Divine was his
favorite foreign movie, The fondness for the Oracles of
Seventh Seal, since it drew its Nostradamus, toward which I
imagery from the Biblical displayed equal impatience.
Apocalypse. Another of his favorite
"I think the mission of this subjects were recent movies.
century," I would say, "is to "Remember in Night of the
transform religion from the field of Hunter, how the preacher had the
philosophy to the realm of the letters for the words 'LOVE' and
arts." 'HATE' tattooed on the fingers of
"You know, Kerry, you aren't opposite hands?"
going to be able to be too far "Now that was a movie that
ahead of your time." said something valid about
"That's all right with me. My religion. That preacher was a

149
killer." here."
"Remember the woman "Yeah. Most people think
Susan Hayward played in I Want New Orleans is a French town.
to Live? You know that was based Actually, it's a Dago town. Italians
on a true story. Remember how are clowns. Hitler never should
sensual and alive she was and have accepted them into the Axis.
how much people liked her for That's one of the reasons he lost
that reason?" the war."
"Yes! That dance scene with "What about the Japanese?"
the bongos was fantastic! I saw "Now the Japanese are
that when I was at Atsugi, Japan, clever people," he said. "Among
in Marine Air Control Squadron the Asians, they are the Master
One. We turned I Want to Live! Race, together with the Chinese.
into a slogan when we rioted in You know, gunpowder and paper
our barracks. I got office hours were both Chinese inventions."
once for writing it on a post with a "Yeah."
laundry marker. An asshole "Kerry, come over here and
corporal named Curtis reported sit next to me. I want to tell you
me. I hated that guy." something important." I sat on
"Do you know what cant is?" the floor next to the footstool
I wondered if he he was where he was seated, hunched
talking about the German forward with his elbows resting on
philosopher that Jack, a Marxist- both knees.
Leninist who hung out with the "Now listen." He fixed a
rest of the radicals at the Ryder fierce glare in my direction. "If
Coffee House, liked. there was to be a rebellion in the
But no. "Cant is a kind of intelligence community – and if a
slang used by criminal groups in man were to find himself in the
order to make understanding middle of that rebellion – and if he
what they say to each other more were to blow a lot of covers, then
difficult for outsiders," Brother-in- those people whose covers were
law took pains to explain. blown would be very angry. And
"I'm planning to write a novel they would need a method of
that deals with, among other dealing with that anger. So I think
things, organized crime in New that man who exposed them to
Orleans. There's so much of it the government should be taken

150
to sea in a submarine – and Before recalling it clearly, I
tortured to death." was saying in relation to the
An awkward silence rumors, "That's just the type of
followed. thing Slim and Gary would have
"Don't you agree?" been into." Yet today I remember
"I guess so," I answered vividly the morning Gary asked
meekly, quickly pushing the whole me what I thought of "snuff films"
subject from my thoughts. and then explained to me what
There were other subjects they were. I recall exactly where
that I have dealt with by pushing both he and I were sitting in his
them away, even more living room at the time. I
successfully. For example, from remember my intense fear, and
the time that I read in Ed Sanders' how I privately rationalized my
The Family about filmed ritual pretense of agreement. And I
murders until well into 1976 when have recollected ever since early
I began encountering seemingly in 1977 the exact expression in
unrelated rumors about "snuff Gary's eyes as he leered at me
films," I failed to remember the wickedly and spoke of building "a
weird and disturbing discussion network of blackmailed
with Slim and Gary about ”snuff murderers."
movies."

151
Secret Governments
"Did it ever occur to you, services – one based in
Kerry, that one of the best ways Washington's National Press
to hide something is right out in Building – even subsidizing the
plain view, under everybody's printing and distribution of a
noses?" well-known series of travel
books. The work was not
"At the end of 1961," writes particularly demanding, and at
E. Howard Hunt in Undercover, the end of the day, I still had
"Dulles was forced to 'retire,' sufficient energy to write fiction
and Richard Bissell followed. at home."
He was succeeded, not by As a former Marine buddy
Tracy Barnes, but by Richard of Lee Harvey Oswald, writing a
Helms, untainted by the Bay of novel based on a man who may
Pigs. have gone to Russia at CIA
"After a considerable Instigation, I would have been
bureaucratic struggle Barnes within the field of Hunt's official
established the Domestic attention at that time. I find it
Operations Division and hard to believe that he would
appointed me its chief of covert not at least have known about
action. The new division me, if he was not, as I'm
accepted both personnel and inclined to suspect, traveling to
projects unwanted elsewhere New Orleans on an occasional
within CIA, and those covert- weekend and giving me his
action projects that came to me personal attention, using the
were almost entirely concerned name of a man he wanted to
with publishing and publications. implicate in the JFK
We subsidized 'significant' assassination plot: Gary
books, for example, The New Kirstein.
Class, by Milovan Djilas, one of
a number of Frederick A. Perhaps hiding something
Praeger, Inc., titles so out in the open was in fact the
supported; ran a couple of news solution to the John Fitzgerald

152
Kennedy murder. An abundance subject to blackmail) it is actually
of evidence, almost pointedly possible to surmise that the many
ignored by the Warren conflicts between the Report and
Commission, is to be found in the the evidence were intentional.
26 Volumes of testimony and Did Brother-in-law and his
exhibits published by the accessories want to see just how
government shortly after the far they could go in making the
Report was issued. actual truth available to the public,
There we learn that people confident of the probability that it
who could not have been Oswald would be safely ignored long
impersonated him previous to the enough for them to escape
assassination, that eye-witness prosecution? Such a ploy is not
testimony indicates Oswald was as reckless as it may seem if we
on the second floor of the Texas keep in mind that the actual
School Book Depository within assassins would have been
seconds after the shots were positioned so as to take many
fired, that the man who killed important and powerful people
police officer Tippet made his with them if they went to prison.
escape in a car – when it is That would explain Richard
known that Lee had never learned Nixon's sweating in the Watergate
to drive – and finally, that there tapes about E. Howard Hunt's
occurred a host of suspicious power to make public further
activity in the vicinity of Dealey crimes, linked somehow in
Plaza before, during and after the Nixon's mind with "the whole Bay
assassination that casts more of Pigs thing," in which Nixon
than reasonable doubt on the obviously felt himself to be
lone-assassin theory. implicated.
Keeping in mind the Brother-in-law seemed to
assertion conveyed to me by Stan have devoted an unusual amount
Jamison, that certain of the of thought to what "people," the
conspirators at the operational membership of the general public,
level wanted the mystery to come do and do not like. In that respect
unraveled, so as to expose the his intuition seems to have been
people who had hired them (or at keenly informed.
least to heat things up enough to Among observations typical
make their ruling class bosses of his consciousness of public will

153
was a statement he made many "I keep telling him he should
times: "You know, Kerry, the read more science-fiction," Slim
general public becomes very contributed, speaking to Brother-
excited about things for a short in-law and looking at me. "Open
interval, but it has a very brief up that narrow one-track mind of
attention span. Emotions don't his with those horse-blinders on
run high about anything for long." both sides, but he don't want to
"Yeah, one of my teachers in hear that."
high school used to tell us that a "Science fiction bores me," I
Greek philosopher once said, complained in reply. "I like to
'The wrath of the people is great, read relevant stuff about politics
but their memory is short.'" in fiction or non-fiction. Escapist
From that and similar literature isn't my bag."
comments I gathered vaguely that "But, but, but, but, but..."
he was already looking forward to Slim said in typical fashion when
a day when it would be safe for he wanted to point out to anyone
the assassins to win public that they were ignoring
acceptance. something.
"Kerry, did you ever notice Brother-in-law chimed in
how people just love to with, ”Kerry, they can actually
eavesdrop?" design secret governments based
"That's why books about upon clandestine electronic
writing say it is always a good bet communications. That's dealt
to open a story with dialogue." with in some of the science-fiction
"What about the idea of Slim is talking about and it is also
building a whole political going to happen in the real world.
movement on that idea – that Someday there will be individuals
people love to spy on the lives of with microphones planted in their
others. Would it grow fast or heads so that many people can
wouldn't it?" hear what is going on in their
"Sounds to me like it would lives. And they will be the centers
work." of invisible governments, that
"Have you ever thought everyone equipped to listen will
much about the possibilities of belong to – like big houses with
electronic politics? You know, you one person at the center of every
should." one of them. What do you think

154
of that idea?" was more obviously confused
I thought it both bizarre and perhaps than Leary about the
impossible, but I did not want to sources of his oppression.
say as much to them. "Yeah, that
sounds like a pretty clever way to
resist the government." "Kerry, what do you think of
various organizations in the
intelligence community joining
"Sweeney then developed forces for recruiting purposes, by
delusions: he believed that the implanting listening devices on
CIA had implanted a radio individuals and observing their
receiver in his teeth, so he pried behavior until who they should
out some dental work; he work for is decided on the basis of
believed electrodes had been what kind of people they are?"
implanted in his brain, so he Again, I expressed
tried to find a surgeon to agreement to what seemed both
remove them. He also had irrelevant and unlikely.
auditory hallucinations, "Remember Adolph
believing he was picking up Eichmann's plea at his trial in
messages from outer space," Israel that he was only following
writes E. Fuller Torrey in his orders? I think that should be a
article, "The Sweeney- legitimate defense. Don't you?"
Lowenstein Madness," "Like Paul Krassner said in
appearing in the October 1980 The Realist: Where were all the
issue of Psychology Today. defenders of Caryl Chessman at
Like Congressman the Eichmann trial?"
Lowenstein's assassin, Timothy Chessman was a confessed
Leary has been claiming rapist in California whose
somewhat more respectably execution was postponed for
that he receives messages from many years because he also
interstellar aliens, which he calls happened to be quite intellectually
"Starseed signals." That gifted.
Sweeney could not settle on "Liberals are so hypocritical,"
one theory to account for what I added. Actually, I believed in
he experienced does not prove civil disobedience rather than
it was delusory, only that he blindly following orders, but again

155
I saw no reason to say as much at discussions with Brother-in-law
this point to this particular that such agreement existed.
individual. Agreeing with him as
much as I could seemed by far I was determined to
the more prudent policy. oppose Communism;
nevertheless, I found vociferous
nationalism and enthusiastic
I could agree in good militarism to be nothing less
conscience with Brother-in-law, than frightening – not because I
though, that the Nuremberg feared war – I didn't – but
War Crimes Trials had been a because I feared anything that I
farce. That was an opinion I could identify as systematic
had acquired from reading the mindlessness.
story of Senator Taft in John F.
Kennedy's Profiles in Courage.
"That was something that I told Brother-in-law about a
amounted in practice to ex post visit to Rockefeller Center's Radio
facto law, and our Constitution City Music Hall that I made when
is supposed to protect against pulling temporary additional duty
things like that. I think it was in the Marines, on liberty in New
Goering who, according to York, stationed in Washington,
something someone told me, D.C. for a Technique of
stood up during those Instruction Competition. "The
proceedings and said Rockettes, in Israeli Army
something like, 'Why don't you uniforms, with plastic submachine
call off this farce? You won and guns over their shoulders,
we lost. Why do you pretend marched out on the stage and the
you now need a legal excuse to crowd went wild. I felt like I was
kill us?'" at a Nazi rally. I think people who
are persecuted sometimes
Because of similar acquire the characteristics of their
Constitutional technicalities, oppressors."
such as States' Rights, I often Although he expressed
found myself uncomfortably in agreement at my horror, I was
agreement with Southern sure it was for the wrong reasons.
racists, although I found it For when I spoke of what Hitler
handy enough to stress in my said of the power of brass bands

156
to stir up the people, he was hated Batista's government in
equally supportive. Besides that, Cuba," I told him. "When Castro
I had listened many times as he was fighting Batista I admired
spoke cheerfully of Goebbels' wife Fidel enormously. Then he got
suggesting lampshades be into power and executed so many
manufactured from the skins of of Batista's henchmen in the
murdered Jews: "They tried it for carnival atmosphere of those war
a while; it worked." crimes trials. That disappointed
"Speaking of Hermann me. But remember that one guy,
Goering, Kerry, you know he also that general who told them all to
protected Jews from the go to hell? 'Of course I burned
Gestapo." With characteristic homes and killed women and
inconsistency, Brother-in-law children,' he said. 'I was a soldier.
spoke as if he deemed that a That was my job ' And when they
point in Goering's favor. There marched him up to be shot, he
was just no figuring this guy. swore at them all the way, calling
His attitudes about freedom them names right up until the
seemed equally ambivalent. "You moment he was killed. Now I
know, Kemil Ataturk was a have to admire a man like that, no
strongman who took over the matter whose side he is on."
government of Turkey and "Yes, me too," Brother-in-law
directed it firmly out of poverty answered.
and backwardness into the One of my theories to
industrial age. Something like explain the popularity of John
that couldn't have happened there Kennedy was my notion that the
under a democratic regime." American people had never
"Yes. I studied him in matured politically to the point of
college. Whenever he felt outgrowing their need for royalty.
overworked, he used to take a "That's what's wrong with them," I
vacation and plunge himself into a said to Brother-in-law, "the
sex orgy. Now that man was all Kennedys remind them of a royal
right. I can identify with someone family. They've never outgrown
like that." their need for a king. At heart
Strong character was they are still a bunch of
something that appealed to us Englishmen."
both in others. "You know, I I was also intolerant of

157
anything political that was in any freest, noblest and most
way whatsoever tainted with industrially advanced nation in the
religious faith. Eisenhower's world, back the Indians?"
"Pray for Peace" program had At such times I did not think
infuriated me. So again I was about what I said about giving the
able to agree with Brother-in-law's Southwestern US back to Mexico,
conclusions, for reasons different therefore the inconsistency did
than his, when said he thought not occur to me – but then there
Israel ought to be abolished. was no religious issue involved in
"So do I. If the British were that dispute.
not Christians influenced by the Not only did Gary seemed
prophecy in the Bible, that land pleased with my response to his
would have gone back to its Arab proposal to abolish Israel, he
residents at the end of the war. I acted like he would probably
don't think property rights, once being doing something about it,
usurped, ought to extend beyond such as joining a movement for
one generation. What if a foreign that purpose, in the near future.
power gave the United States, the

158
Something Should Be Done
Late in the summer of 1963 I Standing at Brother-in-law's
returned, by way of a side trip to front door in the gravel parking
Mexico City, to New Orleans from space that comprised his front
California – where I had been yard, I had an unobstructed view
staying with my parents since of the majestic bridge that by this
early May of that year. time was so much associated in
Unbeknownst to me, Lee Harvey my mind with the discussions of
Oswald was in New Orleans at Nazism that went on inside the
the time of my arrival, and would house.
soon depart for Mexico City, After we entered and took
where I had just spent one or two our seats, he provided the usual
weeks. weak coffee. Lighting his briar
Yesterday Slim had made pipe, he stood and walked up and
the usual suggestion about down in thought in front of his
visiting Brother-in-law and we chair.
sped through what was then Looking at me, gesturing
remote, rural Louisiana country in with his hand for emphasis, he
the car Slim had arranged to said, "Kerry, do you believe in
borrow from Gary. vengeance?" His motion was one
In those days besides the of almost lunging in my direction
brewery across the field, only an and pointing at the floor with the
immense steel bridge that arched final word. Today he was excited.
over the river and over which cars "Yes! I have just read The
moved in slow, eerie silent Count of Monte Cristo, and it has
procession signaled civilization's just occurred to me recently that
designs. revenge is one of the great,
ignored motivations. In
Today that whole area is economics we talk about quota
an industrial park; the site of systems and profit systems, but
Brother-in-law's cottage is a only in literature do we deal with
concrete parking lot. vengeance as a motive for human
action."
By this time Brother-in-law

159
had again crossed the room and you, Kerry?"
was sitting on the very edge of "Certainly not. A society that
the sofa next to Slim. "Well, you persecutes genius is like a plant
know, Kerry, many of the men that tries to slay its own root
who participated in stem."
the Bay of Pigs "You know,
were left stranded there are others,
on the beach in besides Einstein
Cuba with no air who – to this very
support by John F. day – are being
Kennedy." treated just as he
"Yes. I've was. I'm thinking,
heard about that." for example, of
"They are very German scientists
angry." such as Werner Von
"I don't blame Braun. Watched
them." over everywhere
"Do you think they go; never given
they deserve to be any freedom."
avenged?" "What a
"Yes I do." horrible way to have
"Are you aware to live!"
that Albert Einstein "I think
wound up saying he something should
wished he had be done about it.
become a plumber Don't you, Kerry?"
instead of a great "Yes, of
scientist – because course."
the government "Kerry,
does not permit remember the
brilliant men to live Reichstag fire? You
in freedom? know, that's how the
Because they've got Nazis took over
access to classified Germany. They
information, they are treated as created an emergency and then
slaves. I don't think that's fair, do blamed it on the Communists so

160
they could clamp down. They House of Krupp, informs us on
accused Van der Lubbe of page 253 that "...Luce too was
burning the Reichstag and said to be a good friend of Krupp's,
he was a Communist agent. for in August 1957, on the
Because most people believed occasion of Alfried's fiftieth
them, the Fascists were able to birthday, a largely
rule Germany for all that time." complementary cover-story
"Yeah, the Reichstag was entitled "The House That Krupp
their government record building, Built" appeared in Time
wasn't it?" I said so as not to magazine. Time's proprietor
seem ignorant. was also believed to be
"Kerry? What if Van der instrumental in Alfried's getting
Lubbe had had a friend who a visa to attend a conference for
realized he was innocent? Think statesmen and international
of what would have happened! If businessmen, and which his
that friend had come forward and magazine was sponsoring in
exposed the truth, then Germany San Francisco that same
would have been spared all those autumn, at which Alfried had
years of suffering under the been invited to speak on 'The
Nazis." Brother-in-law seemed Partnership Approach.' Strictly
inappropriately excited about speaking Alfried should have
such an academic speculation. been denied a visa, since he
I didn't know what to say. was after all a convicted war
"Kerry, you know, you aren't criminal and such people were
going to be able to trust Time beyond the pale so far as the
Magazine." United States immigration laws
"A professor at the were concerned. To the New
University of Southern California York Herald Tribune, the whole
used to say that Life is a ploy was 'one of the slickest
magazine for people who can't advertising promotional
read, and Time is a magazine for schemes yet devised.' Nor did it
people who can't think," I escape the attention of certain
commented in agreement. senators, many of whom began
to get angry. Alfried in the end
Peter Batty's book, The preferred not to go – and his

161
visa application has never been shake, when I first got to New
renewed." Orleans. But I've been in the
South long enough now to see
that there really are some people
At moments like this it was who should be called niggers."
typical of me to make what I was thinking of precisely
seemed to me like quite relevant the blacks that Brother-in-law said
contributions, such as, "You he liked – guys who stood
know, there was something in wringing their hats in both hands
The National Observer that I read and mumbling "yazzuh" when you
once and have been thinking asked them for directions. I didn't
about ever since," speaking of say that, though. I was ready to
Fascism. "Why do we drop the subject.
discriminate against people we "Now a nigger who does not
think are inferior, and protect know his place is Martin Luther
people we know are inferior?" I King."
was feeling brave enough to risk
an argument. "Like the mentally
retarded." Late in 1961, after Ola and
"Hitler did not protect the I had not seen one another for
mentally retarded," Brother-in-law months, she sought me out to
said curtly. "He exterminated invite me to attend a Martin
them." Luther King, Jr., speech at the
"But in this country we municipal auditorium. Mayor
discriminate against Negroes and Victor Schiro obtained a
yet we call homes for the mentally restraining order at the last
retarded schools for 'exceptional minute barring King from using
children.'" the building.
"I haven't got anything So we ventured nervously
against niggers – as long as they into the adjoining park and
stay in their place. There is a stood with a flock of Negroes
nigger at work I like. He knows singing spirituals, under
his place." direction of a young white
"There was a time," I said, CORE
"when the use of the word 'nigger' activist who appeared to
used to make me so mad I would

162
me both paternalistic and versus Federal Civil Rights –
condescending. about whether there could be a
"The only thing that we conflict between human rights
done wrong," they sang, "was and property rights. "Property
let segregation stay so long... rights are human rights," I
standing like a tree by the river, insisted, echoing Ayn Rand,
we shall not be moved... " "because only humans own
property."
Rednecks in hot rods
roared past us on the nearby To me it seemed that Ola
road, gunning their engines. was implying that because of
How vulnerable we were to a this belief, I was a racist, and I
casually tossed bomb. grew more and more angry.
"There he is," someone "Racism," I insisted, "is the
shouted, pointing to a car most irrational form of
pulling up at the other end of the collectivism there is. I think a
park. "There he is! That's him!" Negro who owns a restaurant is
We continued our singing as we entitled to refuse service to
ran together through low- anyone for any reason, no
hanging clouds of foggy mist matter how irrational, just like a
and gathered near the fountain, white property owner. Property
where Martin Luther King now rights are absolute."
stood in silence, grinning "But white people own
courageously, as a spokesman most of the property," she
explained that Doctor King lamented.
would deliver his speech at "In fact, but not in law," I
such-and-such a Baptist church. retorted. "Negroes possess the
Neither Ola nor I – nor her same right to own property as
mother, who was with us – whites."
wanted to go to the church, so "But what good does that
we drove to a drug store near do if they can't afford – "
the Garden District for coffee.
"Listen to me very
There Ola and I got into an carefully," I interrupted,
argument about States' Rights speaking slowly, with evident

163
annoyance, "and maybe then when Ola and I went to see him,
you will understand." to feel that way all the time, takes
great courage. I kept thinking
"Come on, Mother," she about how somebody could throw
said, rising to her feet. "Let's a bomb at us."
go." Having said that much, I was
They walked out on me. I quick to abandon the courage of
took the bus home, feeling my convictions by adding, "I didn't
alone and misunderstood. I like that CORE worker, though.
longed so much to belong to the That white Yankee college
Civil Rights Movement. student stood there looking at
Through the French Quarter those Negroes like he thought he
passed many groovy young was their good shepherd or
intellectuals and college something. I think there is racism
students who were active in it. in an attitude like that. And the
If only my Objectivist principles argument I got in with Ola
didn't confine me to the afterwards! Was she ever
sidelines as a critic, instead! irrational! I expected her to at
least understand Ayn Rand's
"The only thing that we
principles. But she just kept
done wrong," I sang to myself in
whining like a wishy-washy
the cold, lonely night, "was let
liberal."
socialism stay so long."
Brother-in-law nodded in
warm approval.
"I like Martin Luther King," I I relaxed – feeling safe
said to Brother-in-law. "To feel again.
like I felt that night in the park

164
The Willingness to Kill
Once Slim was hospitalized Attorney, Jim Garrison.
for tuberculosis for a couple of Along with John and Robert
weeks and I went to visit him. In Kennedy and Pope John XXIII
good spirits, he told me Brother- and Martin Luther King, Garrison
in-law had also been there to see was among the people Brother-in-
him recently. law didn't like. Although I did not
"And look at what he gave agree with the laws against vice,
me," he said, "a list of '101 People Jim Garrison's crackdowns on
Who Must Go.'" Bourbon Street strip joints
At the top were the usual seemed to me an honest
minority groups despised by most enforcement of law, and I felt that
bigots and following them were was unusual in New Orleans,
the generally deficient – the where the open tolerance of
nearsighted, the deaf, the insane, political corruption distressed me.
etc. - and then much more absurd "So I was telling them how
classifications began to appear. much I hated Garrison and they
"People with bald heads," I were defending the clown. Then
read aloud. "People without bald all of a sudden Herb says to me,
heads." 'Just exactly what is it about
"Yeah, ha-he-he-heh-heh, I Garrison that you don't like,
like it. I like it." Gary?' So I thought for a minute,
I supplied an obligatory and then I said, 'I'll tell you what
chuckle, feeling slightly relieved at is: he wears a vest.' Herb cracked
this evidence of humor in Brother- up. Ha-haha-ha-ha-haha!"
in-law's view of his own professed On the other hand was a
notions. story about the brewery first told
I felt much the same way me by Slim. "Brother-in-law
when one day at his house decided to quit his job the other
Brother-in-law told the story of an day. So he went into the brewery
argument at the brewery with a in the morning and walked up
man I think was named Herb. behind this guy he worked with
Like me, Brother-in-law's working that he never did like – and
associates liked the new District kicked him in the back of the head

165
with both feet. Then he went into become a very important man."
the office and said, 'I quit.' Ha-ha! "I doubt that very much," I
He's got a mean streak in him." muttered sullenly.
How it was possible to kick "I'm telling you something,"
someone in the back of the head he said paternalistically. "That
with both feet was a question I man is going to be important, and
didn't ask. I just answered, you had best keep his name in
"Yeah, I figured he could be mind. You might have cause to
mean." want to call on him for favors or
Not long afterwards, at his something. His name is Kirstein.
house, Brother-in-law told a more K-i-r-s-t-e-i-n. Remember that.
elaborate version of the same Kirstein – like in curse."
story. I believe the man was "Yeah. He's a curse, all
standing on one of the runways right."
over the vats and Brother-in-law "And he is also about to
was on a raised platform behind become very important, very
him. Or maybe Gary knew judo – powerful. K-i-r-s-t-e-i-n, Kerry –
I forget. In any case, the same Gary Kirstein."
element of capricious cruelty was "Yeah, sure."
present. Characteristically, Then there was the time
Brother-in-law was cheerfully Slim was with a bunch of us
boastful about it. gathered around a table in the
On one or two other Bourbon House and he said, in
occasions Slim mentioned connection with something or
Brother-in-law in his absence, a other, "Like Brother-in-law! You
topic I did not enjoy discussing should get to know him better,
unless absolutely necessary. Kerry. Has that man ever got
Gary was such an unpleasant some kind of mind!" Slim shook
individual and Slim's admiration of his fingers as if they had just
him seemed so inappropriate that touched a hot stove. "Man, that
I usually became irritated. sonofagun is smart!"
"You had better remember "He reminds me of a biology
his name, Kerry," Slim said one professor we had at the University
dull afternoon as we were sitting of Southern California who used
alone together in his room. to giggle when he told us how to
"Pretty soon he is going to dissect frogs," I objected. "I think

166
he's a drag." significant that there exists in
"Yeah, well," Slim replied. Los Angeles occult groups that
That was his expression for specialize in creating zombie-
indicating that, although he hadn't like followers. These are
changed his mind, he didn't see groups that have degrees of
any reason to keep arguing. trust and discipleship, that use
Brother-in-law claimed he pain and fear and drugs to
didn't like people with beards, yet promote instant obedience.
he usually laughed when he said
that. "These three groups are:
Once at his house I "1. The Process Church of
defended the Bohemians who the Final Judgment, an English
populated the French Quarter. organization dedicated to gore,
"They are much more interesting weirdness and End of the World
than the people Al Thompson slaughter. The Process, as they
calls 'the conformists.'" are known, was active in Los
"Yeah," said Gary, "many of Angeles in 1968, when Manson
the early Nazis were coffeehouse abandoned flowers, and in the
Bohemians. It ain't that I don't summer of 1969 – when murder
like them; it's just that they ain't reigned.
heavy enough. You know what I
"2. The Solar Lodge of the
mean? I'd like to see a fierce Ordo Temple Orientis, a looney-
quality among them – nothing like
tune magical cult specializing in
the mass murder of the National blood-drinking, sado-sodo sex
Socialists – but some hardness,
magic and hatred of blacks.
the willingness to kill somebody The Solar Lodge of the O.T.O.
every now and then."
was run by one Jean Brayton, a
vicious middle-aged devotee of
"Gazing about Los pain who attracted a crowd of
Angeles," writes Ed Sanders on groveling worshipers.
page 69 of The Family, "it is "3. An obscure occult
possible to discern at least three
group of forty or so which we
death-trip groups that have shall here call Kirke Order of
provided powerful sleazo inputs
Dog Blood."
into Manson and the family. It is

167
We could at least agree that At least once, Brother-in-law
much of the art produced in the asked me what I thought of Dr.
French Quarter was decadent so, Land, inventor of the Land-
again, I would seek to avoid an Polaroid camera. I liked him.
outright quarrel by stressing an Brother-in-law seemed pleased.
area of common opinion.
"Show me an artist who Information on page 42 of
distorts the human body in his The U-2 Affair by David Wise
paintings, and I will show you a and Thomas B. Ross (Random
man who hates people," I would House, 1962) indicates that
say, echoing the words of Walt, Edwin H. Land, head of the
an Ayn Rand student from New Polaroid Corporation and
York I had met in the Quarter. developer of the Polaroid
There were also people that camera, was an active member
Brother-in-law seemed to like as of the Science Advisory
much as he detested many Committee, established by the
others. One of them was Charles White House in developing the
A. Lindbergh. Not only did he U-2 concept with Richard Bissell
mention him in admiration, he of the Central Intelligence
also kept bringing up the Agency.
kidnapping of Lindbergh's son.
We both liked William F.
Buckley, Jr., publisher of The Somebody Brother-in-law
National Review. didn't like, as might be expected,
Why he hated Pope John was Mahatma Gandhi. "You
XXIII was unclear to me. I know, during his fasts, he used to
considered him both charming chew a weed that contained a
and witty. From the viewpoint of drug that numbs hunger pangs."
Southern rightists, Pope John Since Gandhi was
was disliked for excommunicating remembered for his altruism, and
some segregationists who also since Ayn Rand rejected altruist
happened to be Catholic, morality as destructive, I
prominent citizens of New welcomed this information. "He
Orleans among them. So I was also very harsh on his own
figured it was probably somehow family," I added. "Gandhi was
related to that. dictatorial toward his wife and he

168
drove one of his sons to we soon found the proprietor to
alcoholism." be stimulating, well-read and
Both Brother-in-law and I felt enterprising. Able to hold forth on
enormous contempt for Bertrand any theme for hours, Carlos
Russell. would shake a kitchen knife in the
"'Better Red than dead,' he air and pontificate in a convincing
says," I complained. "Ayn Rand way with a mixture of facts and
says that is not the choice. She barnyard observations in flowery
says, 'Better see the Reds dead.'" Latin rhetoric.
"Yes!" His agreement A firm believer in anything
seemed genuine and "nat-ur-al" (pronounced by him as
enthusiastic. if it were three distinct words),
"Bertrand Russell also says, including barefoot and pregnant
'Nothing is certain except that women, separation according to
nothing is certain.' What rot! What race, and free market economics,
a confession about his own mind! Carlos both maddened and
Thinking he could escape the delighted me.
ambiguities of language, he In that respect he seemed
devised symbolic logic – and much like Brother-in-law. Once I
when he found his system didn't took Gary and Slim to Castillo's
work as he hoped it would, rather with the expectation they would
than admitting he failed, he probably hit it off.
blamed logic!" Sure enough, Brother-in-law
Besides Brother-in-law and and Carlos swapped racist jokes
maybe Slim, among my own over coffee for about a quarter of
friends in New Orleans, only one an hour that night and seemed to
was a racist: Carlos Castillo, be getting along famously.
owner of a Mexican restaurant at After we departed, I asked
the corner of Exchange Place, Brother-in-law what he thought of
across from the courthouse, in the Carlos.
building that housed The Fencing "I don't like him," he
Master just previous to my arrival answered.
in town. "Why?"
Jessica and I used to eat at "He's a Mexican."
Castillo's Mexican Restaurant and

169
Frame Some Jailbird
In early November of 1963, second-rate notions for disposing
Slim and I arrived at the little of the man Ayn Rand and I
house in Harahan, Louisiana, and considered a fascist-socialist
Brother-in-law said to me, as tyrant. Though most of these
soon as I sat down, "Kerry, give ideas seemed impractical for one
me some ideas about reason or another, Brother-in-law
assassinating John F. Kennedy." seemed happy to hear them, and
I was more than happy to I figured maybe he would offer
oblige; for years I had been suggestions for improving their
saving up ideas about how to weak points.
murder the President. I'd spoken To my surprise he
of assassinating Kennedy to contributed nothing. Collecting
anyone who would listen to me ideas rather than hashing them
ever since my arrival in New out seemed his sole purpose.
Orleans. "Now, Kerry, I think when we
My plans for murder ranged assassinate Kennedy – if it
from concealing sodium in his becomes necessary to sacrifice
vitamin capsules so as to blow his one man in order to protect the
stomach to pieces to designing a assassins, then we should go
remote control model airplane ahead and sacrifice one man."
with a bomb in it to hit him from a "I agree with that."
safe distance through a White "And I think that if, besides
House window. sacrificing one man, we also have
Brother-in-law just sat there to sacrifice one woman for that
on the sofa, nodding eagerly and purpose – then we should
grinning excitedly at the worst of sacrifice that woman."
my suggestions. It was my turn to "Yes," I said, less certain
be moving about and gesturing now of where all this was leading.
wildly. "And then, if we have to
When I finally wound down, sacrifice two men and two
he just smirked and said, "Give women, I think we ought to go
me some more ideas." ahead and sacrifice two men and
Thereupon I ran through my two women. How about you?"

170
Slim was looking at me and this thing?"
laughing silently. Obviously I "I think Jimmy Hoffa is being
looked a little unfairly
scared. persecuted," I
"I agree," I told him. "I think
replied firmly, Jimmy Hoffa is a
annoyed at good man. I saw
Slim's a book on a
amusement. newsstand in
And so it Santa Ana this
went – a most summer called
baffling Jimmy Hoffa's
discussion – Hot. It was
settling at last on sympathetic to
what number of him. I wish I'd
sacrificial victims bought it."
I do not After
remember – and allowing a
to what considerable
reasonable end I silence to elapse,
could not begin he grinned
to guess. obnoxiously and
Already, said, "Next we'll
though, it was get Martin Luther
beginning to King."
sound like a "Aw, what
terribly do you want to
complicated and kill King for?" I
cumbersome asked. It was not
conspiracy. Just the first time he
how many people had made this
did this guy plan suggestion.
to involve, Brother-in-
anyhow? law just laughed
"And what do you think as if it pleased him to say things
about letting Jimmy Hoffa in on he knew would annoy me.

171
"And, Kerry, I think the best wasted engaged in humoring the
way to kill President Kennedy and pipe dreams of a cheap braggart.
get away with it would be to
involve all kinds of people – but to There was one
keep them under the impression bureaucracy in the CIA,
they are working on other mentioned by E. Howard Hunt
projects." in Undercover, that would have
"If you must involve large been excellently equipped to
numbers of people, yes, I guess perform all the tasks Brother-in-
that would be the best way to go law had in mind.
about it."
"But in order to do that," he "...The then CIA director
said, "you would have to have a was Admiral Roscoe
very large bureaucracy under Hillenkoetter, whom I had met
your control." At this point he during one of the admiral's
stood and walked to the center of inspection trips to Vienna. He
the room, where Slim was already was Frank Wisner's nominal
standing. superior, but lacked Frank
I had been seated on the Wisner's political power base,
footstool in front of the sofa and which included such men as
as I stood and followed, I said in a John J. McCoy, Averell
disappointed tone of voice, "Yes." Harriman, William Draper,
For if anything was certain in my Secretary of Defense Forrestal,
mind, it was that scrawny, T.B.- and Secretary of State Marshall.
ridden Slim Brooks and his weird At headquarters, alongside the
Nazi burglar of a brother-in-law reflecting pool, OPC established
did not control any bureaucracies. functional staffs for Paramilitary
Yet, to my bewilderment, Operations, Political and
Slim looked at Gary and Gary Psychological Warfare and
looked at Slim, both with Economic Warfare.
expressions of absolute triumph "The Political and
in their eyes – being so obvious Psychological Warfare staff, to
about it as to seem melodramatic. which I was assigned, was
They had to be putting me on. I headed by Joseph Bryan III,
felt dispirited and depleted. Navy veteran and writer. To
Another afternoon had been assist him he had brought in

172
Finis Farr; Gates Lloyd, go and we headed for the door.
Philadelphia investment banker; "The only remaining
Lewis 'Pinky' Thompson, a New problem," Brother-in-law said, "is
York and New Jersey financier who to frame for it."
and a man of many parts; and We stopped and returned to
Carlton Alsop, late a motion- where he was standing in the
picture producer and once a middle of the living room.
well-known Hollywood agent. "Why frame anybody?" I
All except Alsop and myself asked.
were Princeton alumni. "People need answers," he
said in a harsh, cynical tone, but
"Artist-illustrator Hugh Troy with a little smile. "I figure I'll
joined Bryan's staff and formed frame some jailbird."
a highly competent group of "Why a jailbird?"
political cartoonists and "Criminals who are stupid
polemicists." enough to get caught are an
By the time of my talks inferior breed. They don't
with Brother-in-law, Frank deserve any breaks."
Wisner had passed away. But it I didn't like that line of
is safe to assume the Political reasoning.
and Psychological Warfare staff ”I don't think you should
remained active. frame a jailbird."
A crooked smirk distorted his
Curiously, in addition, I had
mouth so much that he had to
many times mentioned Hugh
bow his head in trying to hide it.
Troy to Brother-in-law, for his
"Well, Kerry, who would you
entertaining exploits as a
suggest framing?"
prankster were recounted in a
"Aw, why don't you frame
book I'd read called The
some Communist," I answered.
Compleat Practical Joker.
"Let's go," Slim said,
heading for the door again.
Slim indicated it was time to

173
Proud of Oswald
News that President the outside world. One of the
Kennedy had been shot reached waiters who went out on a break
me during lunch hour at Arno's returned to say, "Well, at least
Restaurant in the French Quarter, they caught the guy that did it."
where I had recently obtained "What was his name?" I
work waiting tables. Shortly asked.
thereafter, we got the news that "I don't remember," he said.
Kennedy was dead. "It was a funny name. He is an
When another waiter ex-Marine who went to live in
expressed his sorrow, I said, "The Russia for a couple of years."
only reason I didn't kill that "Oswald!" I shouted.
sonofabitch was that I was never "Yes, that was it."
in the right place at the right time "Hell, I know him," I boasted.
with a gun in my hands." "We were in the Marines
In the wake of the together!"
assassination news, the A long silence followed.
restaurant was soon empty of Absolutely everyone was staring
most of its clientele. We at me.
employees seated ourselves Later that day I encountered
around a table used for relaxation Slim Brooks and it occurred to me
during breaks located in the area to ask him, "Say, Brother-in-law
between the kitchen and the didn't have anything to do with
dining rooms. this, did he? You know, just three
Across the table from me sat weeks ago we were talking about
a waitress who was weeping. assassinating Kennedy."
"Where were your tears during "Two weeks ago," Slim
the Katanga massacre, lady?" I corrected, laughing easily. "Nah,
asked belligerently. he didn't have anything to do with
No one in the restaurant it."
possessed a radio, so we sat "That's a relief," I said.
there and argued – me against Needless to say, I was
everyone else – while waiting jubilant at the news of Kennedy's
impatiently for further news from death – something I made no

174
attempt to conceal from anyone, most Americans now thought the
much to the annoyance of most of assassination was the result of a
the Bourbon House regulars. conspiracy. As I moved about the
Besides that, I was extremely French Quarter, it seemed to me I
proud of Oswald for getting was being tailed by middle-aged
himself accused – although I men in suits.
suspected he was innocent, since I decided to go to the FBI
in the service he had displayed a office and volunteer my services
talent for getting blamed of things. in luring out the real assassins of
As for me, I felt betrayed by John F. Kennedy. They could say
most of my French Quarter Oswald had confided in me and
friends, who were obviously grief- use me as a decoy to trap the
stricken. Hadn't they laughed in people who had silenced him. I
the past at my anti-Kennedy spoke to an FBI agent in the
jokes? Where was their integrity? Federal Building who kept
Here I had been thinking they pretending he didn't understand
were potential converts to the what I was talking about. Among
Objectivism of Ayn Rand and, his questions, and typical of most
instead, they were all turning out of them, was, "This Oswald – was
to be a bunch of whim- he a homo of any kind?"
worshipers. In the days that followed I
Then, Sunday morning, I quarreled with virtually every one
learned that Oswald had been of my friends to a greater or
murdered. I was horrified. lesser extent. Mildest among
Irrational violence had won out these disputes were
over good sense once again. disagreements about questions of
Why would anyone want to kill a taste. Couldn't I have at least
pathetic little guy like Lee? Now been silent, instead of offering to
everyone else was smug and I buy drinks for everyone in the
was in mourning. Bourbon House? In the worst
Both the Secret Service and disagreements, tempers flared
the Federal Bureau of and fist fights almost resulted.
Investigation had been to the Only Carlos Castillo
restaurant by then to question staunchly joined me in toasting
me. A poll appeared in the Marine Corps marksmanship
evening paper indicating that instructors at the bar. However,

175
since Carlos happened to be a night of my silly visit to the FBI,
racist, I could not regard his the newspapers had been
conduct as rationally motivated. unanimous in insisting that the
I decided the Bohemian case against Oswald was just
subculture was not for me. Ayn overwhelming.
Rand had always despised "Now, if you are in New
Beatnik lifestyles and now I was York, they'll send a field agent up
beginning to see why. I'd often there to take a statement from
thought of moving to New York you and that'll be all she wrote.
and living among the students of Not much publicity for that novel
Objectivism gathered around "the about this guy who just shot the
greatest mind of our age." President of the United States.
New York intimidated me, With enough publicity, you'll get
though. I had heard that prices that book published – now that
were high and that trying to find a your main character is famous."
good job was discouraging. "Yeah, when he went to
Besides that I hated cold weather Russia, I thought that was a big
and the worst of winter was still deal."
ahead. "Now if you go to Alexandria
Just the other day I'd – that ain't far from Washington.
received a letter from an old They'll probably call you over for a
school chum who now lived in long interview. That should be
Alexandria, Virginia. He enough to make The Idle
mentioned that if I was ever up Warriors almost as well known as
that way I should feel free to stay Lee Harvey Oswald himself! You
with him. want to publish a book and be a
One afternoon in the big-shot author and all that? Go to
Bourbon House I mentioned what Alexandria. Be near Washington
was going through my mind in this when that commission convenes."
respect to Slim, who said: "I As I stepped out into the
notice President Johnson is afternoon sunlight I thought about
calling together a commission to what Slim had said, deciding it
investigate the assassination. By made perfect sense.
now it has become pretty obvious On December 13th of 1963,
that Oswald did it." I boarded a bus for Alexandria.
I had to agree. Since the

176
The Warren Commission
Near Christmas, I secured a and testified at great length.
job as a doorman in a newly In all the time that elapsed
constructed high-rise between since the assassination, I spared
Alexandria and Arlington in very little thought on Slim or the
Virginia. Along with the job came enigmatic Brother-in-law. Then
spacious apartment, where I one night one of the residents in
spent my spare hours working on the building where I worked told
a completely new draft of The Idle me of serving as a test pilot of
Warriors. flying saucers for the Navy.
Heretofore, everyone who By this time, I had graduated
read the manuscript had from my position as doorman to
complained that the plot lacked night PBX desk clerk. This
unity. So I relied on the device of middle-aged man, whose name I
expanding the final chapter, don't remember, used to come
dealing with my hero's defection down into the lobby and talk to
to Russia, to embrace the whole me when things were slow.
story, incorporating earlier events Whether he was truthful or
by means of flashbacks. not was another question. I could
Although the manuscript not, however, avoid thinking of
lacked both the lyricism of the first how closely this man's stories
draft, written in my first months in resembled Brother-in-law's
New Orleans, and the literary theories about UFO origins.
richness of the version I was "Yeah, I know the damned
working on that autumn when the things are an advanced type of
assassination occurred, this effort aircraft, because right after the
at least conformed to the " war I was flying them. We all had
Romantic Realist" ideas of Ayn to sign papers promising to make
Rand – so I was happy with it. a career of the Navy before they'd
And sure enough, just as let us in on the project. It was
Slim predicted, the Warren hush-hush all the way."
Commission contacted me. I "Then why are you a civilian
went to their headquarters in the now?" I wanted to know.
VFW Building in Washington, DC, "Because a bunch of us

177
resigned our commissions all at trying to work out the bugs in it.
the same time. We got pissed off At certain speeds it tended to
at our CO." wobble."
I didn't have to ask many Then he told me U.S. flying
questions. He just liked to talk, so saucers had been used since
I listened. then, in a top secret mission to
"My buddy in that outfit got repel a Russian air attack on this
picked up by the Shore Patrol one country.
day after we got out and that's the After the storyteller departed
last anyone ever saw of him. He I turned to the security guard who
was moving at the time – with half had been sitting nearby saying
of his furniture in one apartment nothing all through the
and the other half in another – conversation. "What do you
and they just came and took him make of that guy?"
away. Why they never came after "Aw, I think that man just
me is anybody's guess." likes to hear himself talk. He's
"Where do you think he is?" just bullshitting. If he thought
I asked. you'd believe it, he'd tell you there
"I know where he is. He's in were Eskimos in the Sahara
a stockade somewhere." Desert."
According to him, the United That was much the way I
States developed toward the end had felt about Brother-in-law.
of World War II a flying saucer Unlike Gary, though, this man
that combined the principles of jet seemed harmless at all times. I
propulsion with those of the kind of liked him. Somehow, that
Sikorsky helicopter. "I test flew it made his story sound more
a number of times," he assured plausible to my ears.
me. "At that time they were still

178
You're Famous Now
Late in the summer of 1964 I hard-core Beatniks. We took out
wrote a letter to Slim Brooks, from the Bourbon House in the
informing him of my plans to visit direction of Esplanade, walking
New Orleans briefly, in about two up Royal Street.
weeks. As we neared the Saint
I traveled by bus from Louis Cathedral, he said casually,
Virginia to Gainesville, Georgia, "Did you happen to know Ola
where one of my old French Holcomb, who lived in that
Quarter friends, Grace Caplinger apartment across the street?"
– now Grace MacEachron – was "I didn't know she lived there
living with her new husband, John but, yeah, I've known Ola for
MacEachron, a teacher at a years."
military academy there. We "She blew her brains out all
drove together in their car, with over the kitchen floor in there with
their baby daughter, Marion, to a .38 pistol a week or so ago."
New Orleans. "Jesus! She and I were very
Venturing forth alone in the close at one time."
French Quarter, I soon began to "I'm sorry. I didn't realize
catch up on the latest news. that. I guess I could have broke
Somebody told me that a number the news some other way."
of my friends had been arrested "Why would Ola, of all
as Communists by the New people, commit suicide?"
Orleans police in a raid on a new "They say she was all bent
coffee house on Esplanade, the out of shape about some guy she
Quorum. Seventy-three people, was in love with who rejected her.
as I recall, were busted in the Her mother came home and
fiasco. Everyone was up in arms found the body."
about it, circulating petitions. "Yeah, last I heard she was
Someone with whom I was living with her mother. She
distantly acquainted offered to seemed very fond of that old gal.
show me where the Quorum was, And Ola was such a strong
saying it had replaced the Ryder woman. It doesn't figure."
as the gathering place for all the "They say she was really

179
stuck on the guy." narrow-minded. We usually have
"You know something?" I a discussion group here," naming
said as we continued our way up such-and-such night, Friday or
the street. "All afternoon I've Saturday, probably. What do you
been looking at the pretty old want to call your rap?"
buildings and all the hip people "'The Intellectually
and wondering why the hell I ever Respectable Right,'" I said. "I
left the French Quarter. Now I want to point out to them that all
remember. What a depressing Goldwater's supporters are not
place! People are always doing anti-intellectual."
themselves in here." "All right. You're on."
When we arrived at the John Kamus was present at
Quorum my companion the Quorum, so I then wandered
introduced me to the owner, a over to his side of the room and
man named Marcus, who was a asked how things were going.
friend of Jack Frazier, proprietor "I'm soliciting donations for
of the Ryder. Glancing at the an Ola Holcomb Memorial
Goldwater button on my shirt, Collection at the New Orleans
Marcus said, "Come on now, Public Library," he said, after we
you're not serious?" had exchanged our condolences
"Not only am I seriously about the tragedy of her death. "
supporting Goldwater," I replied, Ola so loved books, we thought
"but if you'll let me, I'll deliver a that would be an especially fitting
speech here some evening way to honor her."
explaining why." "Yes, I remember. She once
"No," he said, laughing, "I told me what she liked best about
don't think so." the way her apartment was
"Yeah, that's the way you furnished was that anywhere you
liberals are," I retorted. "Always sat, even on the toilet, you saw
talking about freedom and the books." I chipped in a few bucks.
right to dissent – except when the Next I learned that Slim
speaker is of the right instead of Brooks was now living in a small
the left." room right next door to the
After thinking a minute, he Quorum. I went to visit him.
said, "Now, I wouldn't want Slim had found a way to tap
anyone to accuse us of being an extension line into the pay

180
phone located on the sidewalk out "Yeah, that's your brother-in-
front. After showing me how it law. It figures," I said, anxious to
permitted him to make use of free be on my way.
phone service, he suggested we "And one other thing. You
"go stick nose in the Bourbon know, Barbara Reid is still going
House." around telling everyone she saw
Later that night, as we were you sitting with Oswald in the
preparing to go our separate Bourbon House a couple of
ways from the Bourbon House, he months before the assassination."
said, "Incidentally, there is a man "Over a bottle of Old Crow,
who wants to see you before you probably," I scoffed. "She told me
leave town again." about that herself once. I even
"Oh, yeah? Who?" believed it. I couldn't remember
"He lives out on the who the hell I was sitting with that
Jefferson Highway and his name day. Then Clint Bolton and
begins with K." everybody else who knows her
"Oh, him. Your brother-in- said Barbara ties herself into
law." everything that happens. I ain't
"Uh-huh. He made a point worried about what Barbara Reid
of it. Says he definitely wants to says."
see you." "But, but, but, but, but –
I mentioned my appointment there are people who believe
to lecture about Goldwater at the her."
Quorum and we decided Slim "Slim, there are people who
should tell Brother-in-law to meet believe in God. Barbara herself
me there. believes in witchcraft. Anybody
"You know," Slim added, who believes in Barbara Reid I
"he's still cultivating powerful men, am certainly not worried about."
in keeping with his theory about "Yeah, well. I'll see you next
the secret of Hitler's power. And trip, as we say in the merchant
you know what else? Heh-heh. marines."
He went and joined himself up in Clint Bolton, a retired
the Anti-Defamation League. newsman who enjoyed giving me
Kirstein sounds like a Jewish pep talks about my writing, was a
name, so he decided he might as close friend of Barbara Reid,
well get on their mailing list." whom he called Mother Witch.

181
During the days immediately wore a beret and smoked her
after the assassination, when I cigarettes in a holder, like a
was still working at Arno's, I used 1930's Greenwich Village artist.
to find him at Barbara's watching One night Sam and Clint left
television, late at night when I got early and Barbara Reid invited me
off work. to remain there,
With him offering another
usually was a beer. We talked
Sicilian- late into the
American morning hours,
gentleman calmly, about
named Sam, for our differences
whose wholesale concerning John
cigar business Kennedy and
Clint was the
working during assassination.
the day. Sam She claimed to
shared my be a personal
admiration for friend of Robert
Garibaldi. Kennedy,
Clint, aside something I
from a passing didn't find
complaint about extraordinary,
my poor taste, since I knew
was one of the Barbara was
few who had not involved in Civil
come down hard Rights work.
on me for my post-assassination That was when she told me,
antics – so I'd gotten into seeking dramatically, that she had seen
them out, instead of sitting in the Oswald and me together – one
Bourbon House looking for action. afternoon in September – in the
Barbara was something Bourbon House.
else. I didn't know what to make "That isn't possible," I
of her. In her living room was an replied, convinced I was in
imposing voodoo altar, cluttered California and Mexico when Lee
with statuettes and herbs. She was in New Orleans.

182
She produced newspaper the Bourbon House that day.'"
clippings to prove we had in fact "I guess I might have seen
been in town at the same time, for him and just thought he was
a week or two, earlier that year, some French Quarter person
previous to Oswald's departure whose name escaped me. It's
for Mexico City. possible – except I was sitting
"Remember that day you there working on notes for my
were sitting at the corner table book based on Oswald at the
with someone and I called to you time."
from the bar, asking if you had "Kerry, he was talking about
ever worked in radio?" how he planned to go back to
As a matter of fact I did. Texas soon. I remember."
She went on to tell me I had a It did seem that whoever I
beautiful voice and that I should was sitting with had mentioned
think about going into radio. Texas.
Slightly embarrassed, I waved off "I used to work as a casting
the compliment and returned to director and, believe me, I never
my conversation with the man at forget a face. That man was Lee
my table. "But if that had been Harvey Oswald. I'm certain of it."
Lee Oswald, I would have I went home that night
recognized him." somewhat intrigued with the
"Not if someone had notion that maybe Oswald had
hypnotized you to forget." walked into the Bourbon House
I laughed. "That's too that afternoon and nodded in my
paranoid." direction, and that I had gestured
"Could it be that you just for him to join me at my table, just
didn't recognize him out of as Barbara remembered it. More
uniform – that the face was than once I have vaguely
familiar, but... " recognized someone whose
I thought about that. name I didn't recall and spoken to
"Kerry, I'm certain it was them, ashamed to admit I didn't
him. When Oswald's picture remember where we had met
came up on the television screen previously.
after the assassination I Over oyster stew in the
screamed, 'That's him. That's the Bourbon House the next morning
man who was sitting with Kerry in I mentioned to Clint and Sam that

183
Barbara was certain she had had taken such pains to try to
seen me with Oswald last alarm me about Barbara Reid's
September, and that I was gossiping. Slim Brooks made no
inclined to believe it myself. pretense of believing Barbara's
"Barbara is certain, my story. Why, then, did he seem to
young friend, that she has seen enjoy needling me about it?
every famous or notorious person When the night of my lecture
who ever lived somewhere in the at the Quorum arrived, I noted
French Quarter at one time or with slight feelings of relief that
another," Clint droned. Brother-in-law was not in the
Sam concurred heartily, audience. Since he and Ola
going into a number of examples. Holcomb used to be lovers, he
As the day wore on, I would probably be depressed
mentioned Barbara's claim to and, in any case, he was an
others with the same response. individual I found depressing in
Yet there was the nagging fact the brightest of circumstances. I
that I could not recall who I was delivered my speech, fielded a
sitting with that day. few very intelligent questions
afterwards in what I felt was a
More recently I have satisfactory manner and then
decided that the individual in noticed Slim standing off to one
question was a country and side.
western singer named Glen, Upon joining him I learned
who happened to be a friend of that Brother-in-law had not
Millie Fletcher, another of my forgotten our appointment. "He
friends. Glen was from Texas didn't want to listen to your
and at that time was making speech. He thinks your politics
preparations to return. are bullshit – too light-weight for
him. He's in the patio – out back."
Sure enough, there the
A year after the incident, I sonofabitch was – sitting in a
was still trying to figure out who chair, his bald head gleaming in
the mystery man was, although I the dim light, looking as cheerfully
was sure by this time it wasn't nefarious as ever. I didn't
Oswald. What disturbed me mention Ola and he didn't bring
more, though, was the way Slim the subject up either. In fact, it

184
seemed as if there was nothing to the while, puffing his pipe and
talk about. That didn't seem to gloating. Everyone Slim
make him the least bit ill at ease. introduced asked me something
Grinning smugly, he just kept about the assassination and
chewing on the stem of his pipe possibilities that Oswald was
and looking at me. innocent or others were involved.
"I hear you're becoming In each instance, I defended the
famous," he said at last, for the lone-assassin theory.
Warren Report, in which my Brother-in-law and Slim then
testimony was quoted, had just indicated that they had to go
been published. somewhere. I was puzzled. Why
"Yeah, I guess so," I said, had he gone out of his way to
standing there uncertainly. meet with me if he wasn't going to
"Hey, come over here," Slim say anything?
called to a passer-by. "This is As Slim went up to the cash
Kerry Thornley. He knew register to pay their check,
Oswald." Brother-in-law and I waited at a
"Yeah," I said upon being little table just inside the back
introduced, "I master-minded the door.
Kennedy assassination." I looked at him and asked,
Brother-in-law chuckled. He "Well, how are things going with
liked that one. you these days?"
The passing stranger, with "Wonderful," he said. "Just
whom I was now shaking hands, great. You know, I really like
asked me what I thought of the living in that little house way out in
conclusions of the Warren the country, because there are no
Commission and I defended neighbors around – to hear the
them. screams in the middle of the
Slim repeated the same night!" A villainous leer
introduction with someone else accompanied his words.
afterwards and I again quipped Certainly the remark startled
that I had master-minded the me. I must have knitted my brow
assassination, and so on, with and given him a questioning look.
maybe half a dozen different Obviously, he expected
individuals. some other kind of response
Brother-in-law sat there all because, for the first time since I

185
had met him more than three a Nazi who says he is going to
years before, Brother-in-law lost kidnap and murder a black
his composure. woman some night."
Fumbling with his pipe, he "Sure, buddy. If he ever
hemmed and hawed and then goes through with it, don't forget
said, "Yeah, one of these nights to call us."
I'm going to go out and catch me Not then and not for years
a nigger woman, and then take afterwards did I think of this
her home and torture her to unusual meeting in connection
death." with what Brother-in-law had said
Slim came to the rescue and one day at his house during one
together they departed into the of those tedious conversations: "
night. I'm going to talk to everyone in
I stood in the doorway of the the country who wants Kennedy
Quorum watching them disappear dead about assassinating him.
down the street. An awful thought Then I'm going to do it. Then I'm
struck me. If that weird man going to pay a visit to each and
really meant what he just said to every one of them. I'm not going
me, there was absolutely nothing I to say anything. I'm just going to
could do about it. look at them and smile, so they'll
I could just imagine myself get the idea. After that, I'll feel
walking into a New Orleans police free to call on them for favors."
station and saying, "Listen, I know

186
Who Were They?
That my friend Slim Brooks man I knew as Roderick R.
may have been a navigational Brooks both in appearance and
consultant for the Bay of Pigs mannerisms.
Invasion was something I'd never My lack of certainty is due to
have suspected at the time. Yet my inability to determine the
he was perfectly adept at reliability and intent of my
precisely such work. Something informant. That Slim Brooks
about the coffee stains on his might actually have been one
charts seemed to rule out that Jerry Milton Brooks is a nagging
possibility then. possibility I cannot ignore, since
In a Ramparts Magazine Slim never used what he told me
article by William Turner titled in private was his first name in the
"The Garrison Commission" that company of others, always
is reprinted in The preferring to be called "Slim."
Assassinations, an anthology Here is what Fred Turner
edited by Peter Dale Scott, Paul says in "The Garrison
L. Hoch and Russell Stetler ( Commission," first published in
Random House, 1976), there January of 1968, about Jerry
appears a reference to a man Milton Brooks:
who happened to know the "The dilapidated building at
address of Guy Banister's office 544 Camp Street is on the corner
next to the drugstore where Slim of Lafayette Place. Shortly after
and I waited that day when news of Garrison's investigation
Brother-in-law ran his quick and broke, I went to 531 Lafayette
mysterious "errands." Place, an address given me by
Ordinarily, the fairly common Minutemen defector Jerry Milton
last name, "Brooks," would not Brooks as the office of W. Guy
seem more than coincidental. In Banister, a former FBI official who
this instance, however, I received ran a private detective agency.
additional information from a "According to Brooks, who
personal contact indicating that had been a trusted Minutemen
perhaps this individual mentioned aide, Banister was a member of
in Turner's article resembled the the Minutemen and head of the

187
Anti-Communist League of the 1964 he fell or was pushed from
Caribbean, assertedly an the sixth floor of the El Panama
intermediary between the CIA and Hotel in Panama during the early
Caribbean insurgency morning, and was killed instantly."
movements. Brooks said he had Guy Banister is claimed by
worked for Banister on 'anti- another researcher, as I
Communist' research in 1961- previously mentioned, to have
1962, and had known David been undercover for Division Five
Ferrie as a frequent visitor to of the FBI at the time he ran the
Banister's office. detective agency in New Orleans.
"Banister had died of an As Turner goes on to note, 531
apparent heart attack in the Lafayette and 544 Camp are two
summer of 1964. But Brooks had entrances to the same building.
told me of two associates whom I Located next to Waterbury's
hoped to find. One was Hugh F. Drugs, at the corner of Camp and
Ward, a young investigator for Canal, it stands at the other end
Banister who also belonged to the of a very short block at Camp and
Minutemen and the Anti- Lafayette.
Communist League. Then I As for David Ferrie who,
learned that Ward, too, was dead. according to Jerry Brooks,
Reportedly taught to fly by David frequented Banister's office, I met
Ferrie, he was at the controls of a him very briefly and casually once
Piper Aztec when it plunged to at a party and, as I've mentioned
earth near Ciudad Victoria, already, I met Guy Banister one
Mexico, May 23, 1965. evening in the Bourbon House.
"The other associate was What of Maurice Brooks
Maurice Brooks Gatlin Sr., legal Gatlin, though? Notice that Jerry
counsel to the Anti-Communist Brooks claimed this man trusted
League of the Caribbean. Jerry him and also seemed unaware of
Brooks said he had once been a his death four years earlier in
sort of protégé of Gatlin and was Panama. Going with my
in his confidence. Brooks assumption that Jerry Milton
believed Gatlin's frequent world Brooks could have been Slim
travels were as a 'transporter' for Brooks, and with my further
the CIA... The search for Gatlin, assumption would be that Gary
however, was likewise futile: in Kirstein, Slim's alleged Brother-in-

188
law, was actually E. Howard Hunt order to dispose of an identity
using another man's name, a Hunt no longer needed.
fascinating hypothesis suggests Banister is dead. Ward,
itself. whoever he was, is dead. And
According to Torrbit's thesis, Maurice Gatlin is dead or never
the CIA's Double-Check existed and is presumed dead. E.
Corporation of Miami was on loan Howard Hunt's tracks are covered
to Division Five for anti-Castro perfectly. There is almost no way
activities, and both were involved to connect him with the crime of
in the Cuban Revolutionary Kennedy's assassination.
Council headquartered in As for the real Gary Kirstein,
Banister's office. In that case, Tom Lutz of The National Tattler
Banister almost certainly would discovered his name connected
have known and could have been with the Minutemen. Phillip
working with E. Howard Hunt. Emmons Isaac Bonewits, a
Suppose that with Brooks, Berkeley occultist, wrote me that
Hunt was using a false identity – he found it repeatedly in his
that of Maurice Brooks Gatlin. investigations of ”snuff films" and
Then it is easy to imagine how other illegal Satanist activities.
Slim could have become involved Could Gary Kirstein have
in the assassination plot. been someone Hunt was
Moreover, Slim continued to meet attempting to set up in advance
with Brother-in-law in the years for the crime of murdering John
that followed, which would explain Kennedy? Obviously, this theory
why Jerry Milton Brooks seemed makes a number of assumptions
unaware of the death of Gatlin. that are possibly unwarranted.
Either the real Gatlin, whose But then again, multiple
name Hunt was using, or another levels of cover are standard for
individual on assignment with the intelligence agents, and Brother-
Gatlin ID, could have been in-law warned me that the
murdered in Panama shortly after simplest solution was not always
the John Kennedy murder in the correct one.

189
Appendix: Diced
The following are from several hundred pages of original material
received by OVO from Kerry Thornely. This writing is a dialog
between himself and the conspiracy that controlled his life. It is also a
knowing satire of what paranoid people sound like.

I Gentlemen, I ask you: if as


Certain translations of the much is true of Norton what will
Upanishads tell us that when the they forget to say about me?
Rishis of old lost an argument (Actually, I’m past registration age
their heads fell off. This meant to and honorably discharged with an
say they bowed and their heads unearned Good Conduct Medal
touched (fell to) the ground. from the Marines, so I don’t worry
English-language occultism is full about it.) Besides that, this
of similar errors everywhere you notebook must go through the U.
look. That is why Eris Discordia S. Postal Service before it
gave Joshua Norton a reaches the Selective Service
Chaosopher’s Stone, instead of Board anyway, and I’d be bored
an ordinary confusing old apple anyway myself. As I can tell you
like she gave all the rest. from personal experience, quite
Now had Norton shirked his literally, making history isn’t
responsibility to use this hidden always all that exciting, eh? In
knowledge (however accidentally any case, both Honorably
it was hidden) honestly, they Discharged and not having
probably would’ve issued a calculated my earnings yet for this
postage stamp with his likeness year, I’m sending this message to
by this time. (As it is, King Kong you instead of the IRS.
even beat him to the cover of
Time). This is in spite of his Cool Hand Luke was first
taking what was later to become mentioned in a letter from Robert
Drew Pearson’s advice about Anton Wilson in connection with
making people laugh if you didn’t what he and Grace always called
want them to kill you for telling Tampax, Florida, in keeping with
them the truth. Drew Pearson’s advice. (Just

190
after I went to see Robert about accept my personal property, the
getting the assassinations scrupulous bastards.)
investigated, speaking of I’ve gone through various
Pearsons, Eve decided she channels. I guess they all figure
needed a deadbolt to keep this is what I deserve for telling
burglars out of her house.) the Warren Commission Oswald
The reason I’m writing you is was a loner and a paranoid.
that, although this may make me There is also a Colin Wilson
sound like a nut, flying saucers novel called Station K.
keep messing up my sex life, not Don’t get me wrong. I think
to mention my probe of the JFK conscription is slavery. Since this
murder. Could you please draft information is already known to
someone to solve this problem? the public, I figure there is no
It is a national problem. harm in alerting you gentlemen,
According to the intelligence although I have it on credible
community scuttlebutt my sex life authority that the Joint Chiefs of
is more a national problem than Staff were also involved, same
the JFK murder, as a matter of the Commandant of the Marines,
fact. This all began, if I’m to in John Kennedy’s murder. The
believe what is just weird enough old Smedley Butler Tradition, I
to be true, when I was going with guess.
a woman in Yokohama named Anyway, to make a long
Peggy-san, who was allegedly an story short, I met a man in a bar
agent for Jesuits at Sophia in Tujunga, just before the last
University in Tokyo. Pope was summoned into the
Although I enlisted beyond, who assured me he was
voluntarily in the Marines it was to the Original Cool Hand Luke. He
avoid being drafted into the Army, was the last person ever so
and it wouldn’t do any good to foolish to discuss with me in plain
write the CIA, either, since they language (more or less) this
must surely already know about it. problem about the flying saucers
(When I approached the FBI in that are communicating with U.S.
Tampa, Florida, in 1981 with the Navy or Coast Guard ships off the
original draft of my confession to beaches of Florida (although at
the JFK murder they advise me that time the problem was in
that they weren’t authorized to California, since that’s where I

191
was residing). I’ll spare you my is beginning to sound a little like
theories about cattle mutilation, the beginning of Tristam Shandy,
although I’m sure Mildred Loomis which is as far as I ever got. All
of Deep Run Farm in York, that is required are a few good
Pennsylvania, will be all too men who can talk some sense
happy to talk about it with anyone, into some oligarchs posing as
in case you are interested. Me, I aliens from the Dog Star, Sirius, I
was just trying to figure out how to imagine. There might even be a
get her into bed with me the night Mamaluke Sword in it for one of
I was there so I didn’t pay that you guys.
much attention. If you can talk young men
In other words, though, into risking their lives to defend
obviously the assassins multinational corporations you will
premeditated a vast number of find much in common with these
contingency programs – of UFOs men who, beyond their ruse of
are almost the least of my illegal alienism, are much more
problems. honest, about calling human
You gentlemen are hired by slavery by it’s true name, etc.
the government to enslave people (Ahem.)
in order to preserve liberty, so I (I may just send this
figure your minds must be adept notebook, in its unsealed
at coping with convolutions in envelope, to Ivan Stang, as I once
logic. sent copies of David Marston’s
Me, I’m a simple soul. I’ve letter addressed to many foreign
never been very Jesuitical or embassies – including that of the
Machiavellian. Oswald was not Republic of Togo – to Sam
the only person who committed Jamison, who claimed afterwards
spelling errors, which, for some he supplied the postage and
reason, I think of: The Warren mailed them.)
Commission accused him of
acquiring “ficitious” identities. I’m not informed about govt.
(Had Hugh Hefner been allowed matters, being an anarchist, so I
to proofread that material such an don’t know if you gentlemen are
embarrassment never would’ve cleared to read the charter of the
occurred.) National Security Agency or not.
I digress, though. In fact this Harry Truman, I hear, said signing

192
it was the worst mistake he ever farting and we survived that,
made and I suspect he was didn’t we? In fact I think it is a
thinking of me when he said that, comment on the times that
though how great a mistake he whether or not Geo. Washington
surely didn’t anticipate. (Mary smoked hemp is more
Lou Mason at Sun Valley Junior controversial. So I ain’t worried.
High School I 1953 was perhaps What I am worried about is
only the beginning.) how long will discussing this
Fortunately, several matters matter postpone attention to the
don’t embarrass me, although I link between the JFK
occasionally find them irrelevant assassination and the Indo-China
in terms of what else I’m called War, with which I am fully as
upon to ponder. There is this much connected as with my
thing between my legs which the penile extension, and possibly
conspirators seem to take at least more permanently (due to
as seriously as the Washington circumstances Cool Hand Luke
Monument and although I share could probably tell you about if
their sentiments, personally, I you could find him).
don’t see what’s it to them.
Such manifestations are not Have you ever wondered
unusual in history, if that’s any why what with Communist Cuba
consolation to the scandalized. In only 90 miles from home we went
India the indigenous personnel halfway around the globe to shoot
made up stories to tell their British at Asians with our draftees,
conquerors about the Lingam and instead. If that subject is slightly
the Japanese have, and still more important to me than my
celebrate, similar traditions. own prick, how much so for the
So anyway there’s scant rest of humanity?
excuse to distract ourselves with So I’m as you can imagine of
the sillies, although I’m among the a double bind, since I’m certainly
first to appreciate the temptations not inclined to give up sex at this
for the humorist. (In other words, point altogether, yet – as Camden
be assured my studies in Bernares (author of Zen Without
sociology indicate our nation will Zen Masters) says – I tend to
survive this crisis.) After all, Benj. think with my gonads,
Franklin wrote essays about involuntarily, when my individual

193
sexual rights are being grossly all I know.
violated with gunboat diplomacy And although the Indochina
at the alleged behest of flying War is not being fought for
saucers. So it isn’t so much that I whoever we fought it for by the
find the matter embarrassing as Chinese, so that – in strict
incredible. Like, who’d ever accordance with your job
believe it? Meanwhile, these descriptions – there is no problem
Florida short-shorts that are in for you in Asia, I’ve always been
fashion cause me to waste told that preventing future wars
valuable time that could be better requires understanding past wars
spent serving the nation thinking – not exactly your MOs either, I
about all kinds of things. realize.
So, although I’ve got at least But I’ve already contacted
one excuse They haven’t, I’m fully the Senate Select Committee on
as guilty of thinking incessantly Intelligence twice, the Atlanta
about my meager sex life as any Commissioner of Public Safety
Arch Conspirator. And that’s as three times and when I don’t go
far as the double bind goes, through channels I just wind up
because as a hitchhiker who dealing with a lot of Dutch agents
could be maimed anyway any day who probably aren’t even
in a car wreck – what with the connected with the Hague. (It
statistics – I (possibly I alone) seems that Howard Hunt,
don’t worry about whether I’ll be stationed on the Triple
ritually castrated or not. Underpass, was employed that
Being psychologically fateful day in Dallas by the
emasculated when I occasionally Bilderbergers!)
do crawl into bed with someone is So this is an international
problem enough and I sympathize problem that, although this data is
with any of your CID or CIA suppressed, ranges far beyond
agents that were subjected to the nature of the social
such treatment at the hands of environment of my next orgasm –
the Swiss Navy or whoever they although between hunt and the
are in this undeclared war of the Dutch you’d not likely discover as
bedroom that may have much without my prompting in
contributed heavily to John these nutty looking epistles, which
Fitzgerald Kennedy’s demise, for a lazy postal inspector –

194
bureaucrats being what they are – which is the active ingredient and
just might let slip through as backbone of anarchist communist
harmless crankery, though I doubt social organization. In other
it, since these days how I scratch words, for example, anarchists
my ass even receives unmerited say that humans, like all higher
attention, in line at the Post Office mammals, are herd creatures
and elsewhere. I tell you, our that, if they lived in tightly knit,
Republic isn’t what it used to be! self-selecting, voluntary affinity
Call me an alarmist if you will, I groups with a high degree of
say these are terrible times. intimacy, would be only too happy
Today it struck me, for to contribute their labors to
instance, that I’m the type of society free of charge.
person legend might just as easily Here in the alienated world
wind up reporting last seen of conspiracy politics there is a
parachuting off the Jerry Thomas custom called “beer” – wherein
Memorial Bridge into a submarine you are expected to work for
hold – and although it hasn’t unknown absentee bosses for no
happened yet, it would be just the pay. I suspect this is a capitalist
type of thing to appeal to these plot to discredit the communist
Jungian maniacs who manipulate anarchist notion of voluntary
events. So there’s no telling how (unpaid) production. Shit like that
much time we have, gentlemen, I don’t need. If I wanted to
to get down to brass tacks. discuss anarchism with idiots I’d
Especially since that bridge is find a home for the mentally
between Riviera Beach and retarded. There are even what
Singer Island and Stephanie they call “draft beers” – so you
Coffin isn’t going to wait forever. gentlemen might want to look into
the matter to find out if any
One of my pet peeves, while bartenders are practicing
I am at it, is the way the selective service without a
Conspiracy, which I understand is Federal permit.
controlled at least in part by the I know of no other case quite
U.S. military, parodies left as unique as my own. If nothing
anarchist values in order to else, it certainly is unusual. I can
discredit them by applying them assure you that even the Pope in
out of the basic affinity-group the Vatican thinks about me – and

195
yet I’m not famous. And he isn’t to meet a request, made in secret
the only one among titles and of course, by Fidel Castro, to rid
names you would readily his new revolutionary government
recognize – some of them reports in Havana of Russian agents.
of whose deaths have been Although, I think this project
greatly exaggerated, such as failed, I’ve noticed in retrospect
Nelson Rockefeller. So I find the that 1959 was the year I began
usual half-assed civic safeguards experiencing nocturnal
of human rights don’t work for me hallucinations, which until 1979 I
at all. At the risk of sounding vacillated between dismissing as
paranoid, I don’t think it is a non-uncommon psychological
coincidence that I am famous only phenomena and direct messages
among conspiracies. from Great God Almighty Himself,
They allege, although I’ve the Big CO in the Sky.
been unable to validate as much, By the time I realized I’m a
that Justice Warren Burger of the Manchurian Candidate instead of
Supreme Court was blackmailed a holy man it was nevertheless
to say, in a secret hearing, that too late to altogether avoid a
my rights aren’t being violated. (I paranoiac sense of grandeur,
realize that Justice Berger’s since I was by then aware of
extorters are probably past enough other things going on,
military age, and there is probably most of them involving
no way you can force them to go Republicans, to make me at least
fight in El Salvador and, besides, repugnant to someone as famous
preventing a war in Latin America as Gerald Ford. It just ain’t the
is among my priorities at this same as being the Avatar I once
time). fancied myself, though, and quite
frankly I’m bored with the whole
Me and Lee Harvey Oswald experience. From what it once
and David Buckner, of Marine Air seemed, my status can only attain
Control Squadron Nine, probably the level of a mundane imitation
signed away our legal rights that henceforth and I’m in no mood to
fateful day early in 1959 when we settle for Ford when I expected
were asked by a man working the Lord.
with base security to volunteer in As for saner, more material
helping Dwight David Eisenhower utopias of the body rather than

196
the mind, before I went to that your brilliant Nazis in NASA
Reginald Eaves about the JFK and Bulgarian assassins and
assassins in 1976 I was Ronald Regan and probably even
maintaining very satisfactory L. Ron Hubbard himself – not to
relationships with four or mention Jim Garrison – anxiously
sometimes five women at the await the latest news about how
same time and no one was calling many times I scratched my ass in
me paranoid. During most of the line at the Post Office, I
these happy years between 1973 realize I deserve no credit. These
and 1976 I was attending Georgia are not things I planned. They
State University in Atlanta and just happened to me – either
thinking of nothing but passing because they were plotted in
exams and getting laid. So the advance by the World Wildlife
glories of the past – both in what Fund, the Hoover Institution,
seemed like reality physically and Edward Howard Hunt or CBS – or
(between 1976 and 1979) all four.
psychologically – can probably
never hope to be rivaled by any The question of what to do
possible future. Where once about any such situation is almost
there was sex and mysticism, ludicrous in itself. So writing an
today there is only politics. Even essay for Selective Service
in retrospect when I divine the makes as much sense as
actual nature of what I then anything and slightly more than
supposed was true happiness. petitioning, say, Thomas Aquinas
Frederick Demarra and Murphy of General Motors, who is
David Rockefeller were just in a business that kills even far
fighting for my soul – in and out of more Americans than does war.
the bedroom and psychic According to most occult
manifestation. So I see that I’ve metaphysical systems nothing
always just been a plaything of ever happens to anyone unless
the rich and the powerful – a they want it to happen. So in the
political football, a leaf in the wind, Eighteenth Century it became
an individual who achieved quite a fad within the French
everything through no merit of his aristocracy to arrange to have
own. oneself decapitated. What was
So even when I contemplate good enough for King Louis and

197
Marie Antoinette is good enough again, I could be off on another of
for you! Cut off your head with a my tangents.
chain saw and look and feel like In any case, it seems to me
an aristocrat! you waste too much time worrying
about Russians when you should
Lest you get the notion I’m a be worrying about Prussians. I’m
raving Bolshivicki, I assure you a reluctant convert of the school
I’m a member in good standing of of the anonymous man who stood
the Kronstadt Vengence up at a SubGenius Convention
Committee - dues paying, I also and yelled “Let’s go back to
might add. For one thing, the Europe and fight WWII all over
Soviet Ambassador to Cuba and this time, by God, let’s win!”
(“Leon”) was probably involved in
the faction of assassins that Good and Evil: It sounds
escalated the Vietnam like the name of a porno flick,
unpleasantness. So very much doesn’t it?
as I surmise was the case with
George Demonrenschldt, I wind
up playing both ends against the At this time I’m reading two
middle simply in order to try to get books. One of them is an
the plain truth, in spite of my introductory autobiography of
essentially leftist sympathies. Malcolm X, my greatest American
Lee Oswald could have been Black hero, whom I’ve come to
an Illuminist “Light” spying suspect in recent years was
electronically on Nikita K., and murdered by my family, in
conveying in cant and other cooperation with the FBI. The
symbolic actions the Party other is called Jailbird - the title I
Secretary in the Kremlin – for was going to use for my book
which reasons Soviet agents may (already written and called The
have been assigned to frame him. Dreadlock Recollections, which
Oswald may have misinterpreted name I was going to drop) about
Mr. K’s ass scratching in the my own involvement in the JFK
Moscow Post Office and framed murder. John Kennedy wasn’t
him for sabotaging, via “the whole then and is not now in retrospect
Bay of Pigs thing,” the relations one of my heroes. Kurt
between JFK and the CIA Then Vonnegut, who beat me to the

198
title Jailbird, is. Unfortunately, context (ie that I was only
from what I can gather of his humoring Hunt, who was
canted double entendre’s he disguised as a penny ante
wasn’t thrilled with my efforts to mobster, to gather material for a
bring the history of the JFK novel).
murder to light. Then again, I What is relevant is not my
might just be imagining things. opinions. What is relevant is my
Possibly he isn’t writing in cant at memory of those conversations –
all. Or possibly he isn’t writing in which I learned circa 1962 that
about me, if he is. Anyway, I like a war was being planned in Asia
Vonnegut no matter what he in order to avoid an invasion of
thinks of me Cuba, and that the principal
motive for this preference for
There is in Gregory Hill’s fighting Asians instead of Cubans
Norton Archives a file called the was racist.
Change Raving Documents which That’s all the hell there is to
explain all my political principles my case. Everything else is a
so that it isn’t necessary to ask contingency program for
me what I think about this or that prosecuting genocidal racism by
situation of which I have never diverting popular attention to
been provided with sufficient facts another subject – any other
anyway. Nevertheless, I’m subject. Until genocidal racism is
incessantly consulted about what halted, there will be no point in
I think of this or that, so that I can even attempting to deal with any
be punished for my opinion. other issue, such as mind control.
Because when one out of every
The only reason I’m being three people in this world is being
consulted about my political deliberately starved to death,
opinions in the first place is there is going to be so much
because E. Howard Hunt once irrational violence in response
put on half the Royal Arch that accomplishing anything
Masons with some tapes of constructive will be impossible –
conversations with me that were as it already is at this time.
incomplete, both insofar as the I think this whole business of
whole of the discussions were trying to resist mind control with
concerned and in terms of their the help of Muslims is insane,

199
suicidal, bound to lead to someone is a Marxist. Does it
something worse if it succeeds, make sense to imagine that
impossible to accomplish and individual is therefore more
politically dangerous any way you effective in Russia or China than
look at it – except for the remote in the US or Western Europe?
possibility that it might contribute
Wherever I am I’ve always
to defeating racism. Muslim argued. I’ve never in my life been
culture is among the most in a social environment where I
conditioning, traditional of all agreed with many of the people
cultures in the world. What’s the surrounding me. There just aren’t
point of resisting rational any anarchist ghettos.
conditioning via electronics just to Obviously I wouldn’t want to
condone traditional conditioning work for the CIA or NSA if I could
that is equally oppressive to the help it, bureaucracies –
individual? particularly imperialist
I never got around to tellingbureaucracies – being what they
you why I think the draft, and draft
are. A lack of imagination, or
registration, should be abolished. imagination that only channels
If, however, you will read The itself into gaining political power,
Great Explosion by Eric Frank is already enough of a plague in
Russell, a science fiction novel my circumstances. All these
that gets to this point in its closing
organizations as far as I’m
chapters, you will see how concerned, are rightist – although
freedom could be defended they say the NSA isn’t. They also
without shameful compromises. say the NSA is heavily dominated
by the KKK.
II The most pressing question
Something occurred to me in my mind is where can I get
the other day when Nelson asked ample data about what is going
me whether I wanted the CIA, on? How can I wiggle out of the
CBS or the Worldwide Church of agreement I made with Brother-
God. Under ordinary In-Law to work on a need-to-know
circumstances, who you work for basis? I have to find out how my
or what political entity holds you family became involved with the
captive is of secondary intelligence community. A rumor
importance. For example imagine and their obvious unwillingness to

200
tell me tends to make me suspect Penthouse article.)
they were spies for Japan during Although I’ve been getting
WWII. That there is still a lot of more and more suicidal in recent
neo-Nazism involved in this years, I’m not a masochist – and,
conspiracy is evident to me. although the truth about my life is
So I think about that “Mattco” very depressing, the more I find
principle associated with Susan out about it, that truth has always
Roberts (who was linked to “Milk” been there, and I’d be better off
which is a code name for the making a healthy adjustment.
same conspiracy for which the And that requires more
Worldwide Church of God is a information, rather than more faith
front) and I think it is probably the and dedication to unknown
lesser of three evils. That they causes recommended by
are authoritarians and rightists anonymous sources.
doesn’t necessitate that I change
my views – because I can argue John Connelly or someone
them eloquently and perhaps like him says I’m in error about
exert an influence that way the above.
among them.
The Russians don’t want the
JFK murder investigated, as I “Cast aside right states of
understand things (probably as mind, o monks, much less wrong
David Rockefeller describes ones.”
things). The Chinese are Grasping this or that way of
slaughtering both Cambodians looking at things, we block the
and Vietnamese in what is senses with the mind and fail to
probably a Vril Society race war see.
against the inhabitants of the I notice this all the time, of
Indochinese Peninsula. The U.S. course, when people approach
government agencies offer a me expecting cant. Cant is then
milieu that could only appeal to a what they perceive. Or is that my
suicidal masochist. (There are mind blocking my perception? Or
more suicides among NSA agents both?
than among employees of any Also it is observance in what
other intelligence organization in we call buttons. Someone
the world, according to a clutches at a summary of a

201
situation, a conclusion, and they I suspect the source of these
thereby ignore the potentials for problems originates with Bob’s
anything else. This is a Big Boy in Tujunga.
propensity of the human mind. A All I’m certain of about the
conscious relaxing of effort is Matriarchy is that Joan Crawford
needed to avoid it. saw to it that I was allowed to play
Conclusions about things with little girls and once cut off the
received or anxieties, which are prick of a macho male who
there in the first place because of objected.
previous conclusions and their That’s going too far, I’ll
inadequacy. admit. I was much happier,
So we stack one inadequate though. It’s like admiring Mao’s
conclusion on top of another in a China but, when it comes down to
perpetual anxiety producing war it, preferring to live in Japan. Not
against anxiety. Like worsening a because the Japanese political
disease with too many quack system is very nice. Just because
cures. the Japanese understand how to
Paying too much attention mind their own business, instead
can be worse, sometimes, than of parading around like a lot of
paying no conscious attention at Prussians. The old Confucians
all. and cutthroats vs. Buddhists and
soldiers thing. Both are out of
NC says the only way they kilter. It’s still a mixed-up world.
can get accurate data is to Freedom is essential, though,
support landlords. It’s also being before anything else can be
guessed that landlords are accomplished that will endure
responsible for my harassment – beyond the death of the latest
which may explain why all the Party chairman.
data I get about land is incredible, It’s like, to me, the ideal is,
in particular. I’m told that the left as with Mao, the potentials
supports landlordism and that the revealed by the Paris Commune.
right is against it, that racists are The problem is an argument
against landlords and that about how to get there from here
antiracists support them, etc. – and how miserable is it worth
“Ralph” is probably polluting our being over an idea, and for how
information networks. long?

202
Then there is this Pope with who were beginning to realize
his heavy snow. I’m trying to who their actual oppressors were
organize from the bottom up. back into racism, instead. Baby
These autocrats in New Orleans Doc could probably be brought
want me to be isolated from the along to a higher level of
people I live with. I’m not consciousness. Or maybe he will
supposed to tell them what’s be ousted, as he obviously fears.
going on. This is supposed to Anyway, I’ve got these Black
prevent racism. Whoever has “orange trucks” to endure,
been in charge of preventing meanwhile – I guess is what they
racism ought to be fired for are. They seem to be the ones
incompetence – particularly if they who don’t want people around
think secrecy will help. me. Understanding why they are
The period of reconstruction being ordered to persecute me.
after the Civil War gave birth to As long as life is made miserable
the Klan. for me, I will continue – blindly, if
Duvalier is like Senator necessary – to change the
Fishback of Louisiana. He isn’t situation. Since I believe it is the
preventing racism. He’s creating ignorance of the agents used to
racism. I’m not gung ho about hassle me that keeps them from
opposing him because I don’t exposing their bosses, instead, I’ll
need a divisive fight with Blacks continue to fight that ignorance.
who support him. I’ve already As usual, my problems with
taken on the Prussians. If the Rockefellers continue.
Duvalier lived on Uranus, though, Whenever I soften toward them
and me on Mercury, I’d rest a lot they once again demonstrate that
easier. That way I wouldn’t have they are more convoluted that
to worry about pissing him off. Jesuits, as racist as Germans,
As it is, there are Duvalier and – more invisible politically
agents in Miami and Atlanta who than anybody.
are practicing extreme terrorist I don’t trust people who are
tactics. Everybody is afraid of all things to all men. Jim Garrison
them. They are being quite open is the same way. So is Mark
about themselves. Lane. The only thing I like about
This is going to drive a lot of David is that he isn’t a hysteric.
Southern working class people He carries it to greater extremes

203
than I can relate to, though. You find a big foot print, you
Since he seems the only non- assume a large man or woman
hysteric in conspiracy politics, walked there. You find a small
though, he’s all I’ve got in that foot print, you assume a small
department. If he thinks Wilson is person left it.
a Nietchian, though, he is a When, in the Marines,
hysteric about that much. That’s Ronald Wilson told the CO
that Anglo-Saxon thing, again. Ravenhurst was a huge, mountain
Everybody is either a Communist of a man – and then they found
a Capitalist or a Nazi – there are size six shoes under his bunk,
no anarchists in that worldview. they began to suspect things.
Like the CFR scene in the Trilogy. The fact is, vast areas in Africa
The Anarchists are no different (to are suffering famine. All anyone
them) than the hordes of Ghengis talks about is Ethiopia. Then they
Kahn. A nice weak, safe enemy whip up a frenzy of charitable aid.
for all the Powers to pick on, if Then the Marxist government
you ask me. Like potheads and confiscates food supplies.
gays to the police. Rumors say the British have got
That’s speculation about the Marxist politicians there under
where they are at, of course. I surveillance and control.
look at the results and I draw what Eventually, no doubt, they
seem like obvious conclusions. will be overthrown by the Dutch
Non-Caucasians are being who will introduce Carter
exterminated by famines by the capitalism and then the famine
millions, so I conclude the Nazis will end and everyone will be
remain very powerful. more convinced than ever that
Bolsheviks cooperate with revolutionaries are cruel and
this conspiracy of extermination incompetent.
so I conclude they are Eventually the old British and
instruments of the German ruling Dutch colonial empires will rule
class. The Invisible Hand of the Africa again. There’ll be a few
technocracy leaves its fingerprints surviving Blacks, a few lions, a
wherever there are Hitlers or few zebras for the tourist trade.
Stalins or Castros, so I conclude A lot of cheap raw materials
they were all instruments of the in Europe.
same conspiracy. All because of what

204
everyone was taught to call somebody else’s grudge. I’m not
communism. persuaded when they torment me
When the Italian Fascists like a bunch of Inquisitors. Facts,
tried to conquer Ethiopia, they not harassment, change my
weren’t subtle enough to win. views. I don’t feel obligated to be
That was the great lesson of crucified for the Knights of
WWII for Fascism: look as much Columbus though, either –
as possible like your enemies. because all they give me is a
The corollary is to make your bunch of crap about sexual
enemies look as much like esthetics rooted in the conceit
Fascists as possible – by that we are supposed to be
supporting the Senator Fishbacks disembodied spirits rather than
among them. mammals. If just one person is
Then, in comparison, Huey psychotic it is insanity. If many
P. Long looks like a saint. people are psychotic it is religion.
As far as I’m concerned their
I’ve been so horny lately it’s attitude toward their own instincts
been distracting. Maybe it is my is psychotic. If they could find
time of month or maybe I’m just some way to be psychotic without
getting tired of all this Prussian trying to make me just as insane
horseshit about how terrible sex I’d defend them. As long as they
is. I shall never apologize to resort to coercion and abusive,
anyone for being a mammal. If caustic methods to cram their
they want to believe in what values down the throats of
Stirner called spooks that is their unbelievers they aren’t worth it to
business. If I don’t – and chose me.
to act accordingly – that is my So let the Finns bomb the
business. Vatican. I don’t care. I was
Maybe there will be no wrong for sabotaging their first
peace for me until the Vatican is attempt. I’m still no more
bombed during a conclave. I sympathetic with the Satanists,
suspect very much that is the either, though. I was dragged
point someone is trying to make – against my will into a fight that
perhaps the Pope himself. was not my fight and I resent it.
I don’t care whether the And I think the world will be just
Vatican is bombed or not. It is as miserable under the Lucious

205
Trust Fund as under the Vatican – Chinatown. My understanding is
because the epistemology is the they were Fascists who were
same: to win an argument you converted, with great difficulty, to
use the rack and thumbscrews, if laissez-faire capitalism. Not racist
possible. fascists. Just fascists
People always come to economically and politically. They
resemble their worst enemies continue to begrudge the fact that
sooner or later. By their tactics, it they aren’t going to become as
is impossible to distinguish powerful as they’d been led to
between them. An inquisition is believe. That’s what I get –
an inquisition. A Russian or everywhere but at Specialty
Chinese Communist is only a Advertising. The old Marxist
Catholic atheist. Emma Goldman Sarnoff either was never actually
said precisely that about the a Marxist or was deprived of
Russians. effective power by “Sam” long
NBC remains my worst ago.
villain. Everybody thinks I’m Miami was discussed a lot –
fighting with CBS – including equal and opposite things were
CBS, I guess. CBS is all right. said, though. Where? When?
ABC is more informative than I have explained many times
either NBC or CBS. NBC is why it would defeat my purpose to
mean. talk in cant or to pretend to talk in
“CBS? And that’s NBC. cant. The Dreadlock
They only have one camera Recollections is a document
here.” – Nixon in the Forbidden affecting, potentially, more lives
City in China. (as in “see bull than any other in American
shit.” CBS) Besides they are history, lives in the Third World. It
interfering with my sex life. must be understood.
My worst problem at this
Somebody thinks they’re time is that The Dreadlock
Bolsheviks. They sure used to Recollections are being dismissed
get uptight when the Russians as a “fictionalization,” as cant.
bugged my house in Tijunga.
And they nearly went berserk one Nelson Rockefeller headed a
night when I said I was going to commission that agreed with the
the Friendship Bookstore in findings of the Warren

206
Commission. Howard Hunt was cannot be bought off – as some
one of the assassins who sues can.
everyone who tells that truth I can face death, wild
about him. In this situation, I motorcycle rides, etc., without
seem surrounded by Hunt and fear. Speaking for the first time
Rockefeller and Dutch agents. I under ordinary circumstances to a
don’t object to communicating woman, to whom I’m extremely
with these people – provided they attracted, terrifies me. So I’m
can refrain from treating me going to spend a day thinking
sadistically, of which they’ve so about what to say, then I’m going
far proven incapable. As Hunt to drink a couple of beers to relax
himself never tired of repeating: me, then I’m going to call up and
“Power corrupts. Absolute power request a song – probably Jose
corrupts – absolutely.” Hunt and Cuerno by Shelly West – and then
Rockefeller are so drunk with tell you I think you have a
power that they choose to attack beautiful voice and whatever else
me with lice and purgatives as a that is filed away in my
method of dialog. These men are conversational arsenal that seems
not revolutionary nor are they appropriate at that instant, like “I’d
enemies of genocide – they are sure like to meet you sometime.”
mad emperors, like the twelve
Caesars. Some problem about mind
In any case, I object control. Somebody else says
vociferously to being surrounded don’t worry about; it was Rose
by their agents – who are lied to Ann’s misunderstanding –
in order to justify censorship something to do with me and
about the JFK murder and the the Jesuits.
origins of the Vietnam War.
They’ve convinced Tom that the Richard Condon says
Russians will rule America if the Attilla the Hun was a very
truth becomes known. The charming guy. There is a
Russians understand the truth. monument in the Middle East
They’ve been spying on me for mourning an attack by “the
years. It isn’t the Russians Brigand, Joshua.”
Rockefeller and Hunt are worried
about. It is the Vietnamese who Salvador Allende, Dead or

207
Alive? because he was a Bolshevik
More to the point, Allende’s whose people supported him. It is
faction – racist or not. This the masses, not the Marxist
faction is being accused of leaders, these capitalists fear –
parental extortion against my for which reason the U. S.
family. Chileans are much like aluminum companies also topped
Cubans in that they avoided Jamaica. The question is - if
intermarriage with Native Allende’s life was spared by
Americans. That Allende was a S.E.G., was it because, like
socialist is beside the point. He Castro, he is a Castillian racist?
was an elected socialist who was Is he? Or isn’t he? Nazis don’t
disposed by an undemocratic, object to socialism any more than
fascist military clique. Castro’s they object to monopoly cartel
criticism of Allende was the capitalism. Both are the same – a
greatest compliment he ever few handpicked bureaucrats
received: he had not, said Fidel, determine the fates of everyone
instilled the necessary fear of the else. The same clique controls
government, Allende’s socialist both State and economy –
government, in the hearts of his whether they are corporate
people. The American executives selected to serve in
corporations in Chile – Pepsi, the Cabinet or socialist
Lever Brothers, ITT – are among appointees assigned to run
the most conspiratorial factories. The idea is that there
companies anywhere in the world. are such vast differences in
Nationalizing them would have - people that some are fit to rule
although a violation of economic others, though in fact the most
freedom in the eyes of brilliant person seldom can
conservatives – accomplished a competently manage his own
great deal in terms of ending the affairs, much less the affairs of
fraud that Third World people are hundreds of thousands of millions
somehow benefiting from of others.
American investments in their The objection to racism and
nations (see State of Siege). all other forms of elitism is
I have always liked Allende. SOCIOLOGICAL.
I’ve always believed he was victim Communication is only possible
of a terrible injustice – not between equals. One person can

208
only effectively govern one person times – I couldn’t hazard a guess.
– that’s why everybody is The names of everyone
equipped with a brain. (See the involved and their “CKQ” ratings
rest of my corollaries to the would, paradoxically it seems,
SNAFU Principle in a past issue require an atmosphere free of
of Spare Change that appeared in extortion to begin with. A
a past issue of FreFanZine). complex, though probably not
Bureaucracy – whether in the unsolvable, problem.
form of states, caste systems, Anyway, today I’m sitting on
corporations or any other somebody’s grass complaining
coercively enforced hierarchy, is about how pawnly I feel with this
always, inevitably a long road to power struggle that appears to be
betrayal of the goals for which it going on between Rockefeller and
was intended. (And corporations Demarra – and they turn on their
could not exist as we know them sprinklers. That old “I had to
without the State, although leave” thing Berkman mused
Libertarians insist they are about. Sons of men with nowhere
voluntary.) to lie their heads. Or no rest for
the wicked, maybe.
“CKQ”=Child Killing Quotient
A zooty pimp in Atlanta was Andrew Young says, they
before the judge, charged with say, not to get trapped, as he is,
creating turmoil. The case in the Worldwide Church of God.
against him was brief and
credible. His conduct in the III
courtroom was cavalier and One Saturday morning
extroverted. When the judge Mariposa came into the living
dismissed the charges against room just as I was waking up.
him he scratched her cheek. Standing next to the TV set she
That scenario was repeated looked my way and said “Which
in another form the other day. cartoon shall I watch today? This
Both times the accused was one (taking a little bow) or this
symbolized as Mark Lane. one (turning on the television)?” I
Whether it only happened once could tell she was mimicking me.
and I was told about it twice, or She was what I later learned is
whether it happened two or more called a “mirror.” She also made

209
snide remarks in cant when I got rebuke rumors like that.
erections, although how she or At that time I was still not
her controllers could tell masturbating because of that
something like that was experience with the astral witch.
happening was quite beyond me. This, I'd learned, was called a
I began to perceive an “pinch.” This mind control
enormous amount of pressure in causing a lack of sexual desire
this direction. Jude kept during most waking hours. It felt
prominently displaying a book like a “pinch” in my spinal column,
called The Little Flowers of Saint just above my sexual chakra,
Francis. I was supposed by cutting off sexual energy.
somebody to be a celibate holy Nevertheless I wasn't going to be
man – probably because of what celibate forever. They just told
I'd said to June that afternoon we me I was arguing with a straw
fucked and I told her I'd gotten man. “That's extra,” they said –
into tantric celibacy, to explain complete agreement (“X”) with
why I wasn't into attaining an straw.
orgasm. Or else the bastards
were just mad at me for exposing Many years earlier, one calm
their World Wide Church of God hot night in Atlanta, Linda
Conspiracy and this orthodox behaved more unusually than
nagging was their demented usual. “Listen to this Neil
notion of fit punishment. Diamond song” she demanded. I
In any case, that day I woke am, I said, and there was no one
up with a hard-on and had to there, not even a chair. “Have
listen to Mariposa stand there and you ever felt that way?”
tell me I was a “naughty puppy.” I “No,” I shrugged.
became enraged. I stormed up to “Then you wouldn't
the Jack in the Box for coffee and understand,” she said in tears.
told them to tell Jimmy Carter to Not long before this
tell whoever it was that no-one afternoon, hearing that song –
was going to go around saying I having been through what I'd
was celibate, or supposed to be been through – I said “oh, Jesus,
celibate, and get away with it. I do I ever understand now!” That
would, if necessary, publish song was playing again on the
incredibly pornographic writing to radio and I was weeping

210
unashamedly in the middle of eloquent stoned speeches,
Jude's living room. In conspiracy designating coded significances
lingo “Neil Diamond” is Nelson to pieces of furniture to facilitate
Rockefeller and a “check” is silent communication when my
something that confuses matters. hosts returned. I also began
Whitney said “Check it out, he's dealing with lots of intelligence
crying about Neil Diamond.” community Satanism. When I
Nelson Rockefeller's alleged once asked Cameron what the
death had been announced attraction of Satanism was to our
recently, with canted hints that it friends like Ron Garst and Robert
was just staged. I was crying for Anton Wilson, he theorized it was
Linda. I let it pass, though. Not the John Wayne syndrome – the
long afterwards Newport cigarette need for excitement. After three-
billboards appeared with the and-one-half years of tedium and
motto “Check It Out!” Two black boring juvenile harassment I was
people – a man and a woman – beginning to understand this
dressed in blue and yellow, much. I was always being
symbolic of the KKK, were accused of being too restless, of
pictured in the ad laughing like tinkering with plans beyond my
heedless fools it seemed to me. understanding, etc. I also liked
Robert Anton Wilson’s Miltonic
AWL: Anarchist Satanism, expounded in the
Workingclass Satanism. I also Trilogy, epitomized in the motto
called it Zenarchy. I assumed NON SERVIUM! Anarchist in our
that Jude, Witney and Mariposa code was symbolized with the
were all victims of implanted letter “A.” Working class was at
surveillance devices like me. I that time designated with “W.”
also figured there were probably Satanism was “L.” So I called my
bugs in the walls. teachings in that house “AWL,”
Experimentation and feedback after the Zen roshi who compared
convinced me that I could say the enlightened being to “a rusty
anything I wanted when I was in awl.” I wanted something with a
the house alone, although I had to funky, organic mood. Not shrill or
be very careful only to follow cues romantic as conventional
when anyone was present. So I revolutionary ideology. I deemed
explained my political views in it Satanism because in that social

211
environment it involved the material when I testified before
Jesuitical convolution and the Warren Commission in 1964.
craftiness which I associated with Since probably only a minority of
Satanism as I’d come to know it. the assassins wanted to expose
At one end of Jude’s living the Nazi faction and avoid an
room a great bleeding sacred Asian war, a compromise was
heart of Jesus rug covered most probably reached where I would
of the wall. An oblong coffee be given the information and then
table stood perpendicular to it. whether or not I passed it on
“The end of the table nearest the would determine policy for all.
rug is for objects symbolizing The anti-Nazis bet that I would. I
things in positions of political failed them. I didn't want ot seem
strength. Items symbolic of paranoid, so I discounted the
persons or organizations in conversations with Brother-in-law.
conditions of powerlessness,
position at the furthest end of the IV
table from the bleeding heart of The Secret Order of Thule is
Jesus.” This corresponded to my a German conspiracy. The
feeling that power is inseperable Shamballah is a German-
from torment. “Anything about Japanese Tibetian conspiracy.
which you feel distrust, place in The argarthe is a German-Dutch-
this pot,” I added, “this is the Finnish conspiracy. The
doobie pot, for dubious things.” Gerrmatch is a German
conspiracy. The Vril Society is a
Have you ever wondered German-Chinese conspiracy
why, after all these years, the currently dedicated to
truth abut the JFK murder is still exterminating Cambodians and
being suppressed? One of the Vietnamese. The Discordian
main reasons is because neither Arballah is a Pennsylvania Dutch
the right nor the left nor the conspiracy. The Lucius Trust
political center wants you to Fund is an anti-Catholic,
discover the war in Indochina was Theosophical conspiracy. The
a deliberately planned racist act Tri-Lateral Commision is always
of genocide. If I had understood trying to make up its mind
the above van der Lubbe rap I whether to be a Rockefeller-
could have known to mention this communist conspiracy or a

212
Rockefeller-capitalist conspiracy. deficient; in which case they are,
The World Power Foundation is in many states such as California,
probably a New Orleans-based entitled to periodic payments.
conspiracy, about which Two of my graduates, Tom
Loompanics can tell you more. McNamara and Barbara
And of course only paranoids Blackman, were very successful
think the Spare Change in getting SSI compensation.
Investment Corporation is a These courses are reasonably
conspiracy. priced and pertain mostly to how
to make people who were use to
The Second Law of living in the intelligence
Thermodynamics, which used to community under the Shah of Iran
prove the Eristic worldview become paranoid enough about
conclusively, has since been you to blame you for all the
refuted (i.e. in an open or narrowness of the Ayatollah,
infinite system, where new whereupon they will be only to
energy keeps feeding in, like, glad to inflict you with chemically-
perhaps, the universe, it doesn’t induced brain damage.
work). That's only because Eris I can also tell you how to get
got pissed, though. She made it laser-beam induced cancer,
stop working. They should've sodium morphate heart attacks,
called it the Fifth Law of or how to become the star in a
Thermodynamics, the infidel snuff film, if you are feeling
bastards! adventurous or masochistic. All
this information is of course
mailed out in plain brown
Many people wonder how I envelopes.
attained an IQ of under genius. It The most dangerous activity
first became my ambition in the in America, however, remains
Marines, where I perceived driving a car – so think about that
immediately that the stupider you whenever these heavy rumors
are the better off you are. People frighten you. Between 50,000
who've pursued my and 55,000 individuals are killed
correspondence coursed in this every year in traffic accidents, for
discipline have in some cased which opportunity they pay one
qualified as actually mentally day's salary out of every nine in

213
car payments, insurance, highway sacrificial goat (see Leviticus 16
taxes, repairs, etc. Not to for details).
mention the number that are I suppose that sooner or
maimed, crippled, etc. This is the later, before I finish this, I should
result of a fanatical middle-of-the- give you the answer to all
road conspiracy founded by mysteries. But for the moment it
Dwight David Eisenhower called has slipped my mind. As I seem
the Highway Trust Fund. I don't to recall it was astonishingly
charge anywhere near one day's simple, so maybe it's just as well I
salary out of nine for my passed over it because as they
correspondence courses. say, a little knowledge is a
dangerous thing.
Me and Dobbs were
corporals together in the Marines, Robert Anton Wilson once
incidentally, where he accidentally sent me a list of rumors to spread.
shot his own toe once, idly aiming One of them was the George
a .45 pistol at a fly on his shoe on Washington grew hemp on Mount
guard duty. Stang says Dobbs Vernon, to which he added "This
and Nixon were also corporals one is true, but spread it anyway."
together in the Marines; maybe at Wilson and I founded the
a different time, because I don't Anarchist Bavarian Illuminati to
remember anyone in our outfit by give Jim Garrision a hard time –
that name. Of course there were one of whose supporters believe
more than a hundred guys in that the Illuminati owned all the
MACS-1, so maybe I just didn't major TV networks – the
notice him. Conspiring Bavarian Seers
Incidentally, the Treasury (CBS), the Ancient Bavarian
Department is controlled by the Conspiracy (ABC) and the
SS – including the President's Nefarious Bavarian Conspirators
bodyguards – all of whom think I (NBC). Of course that poor nut
am a reincarnation of Edgar was right and we were wrong. Or
Cayce. As a result, Reagan there is truth to the rumor that
thinks I'm very powerful. Actually Wilson is an Illuminatus, although
I am only the ritual scapegoat of not a sinister one. A dexter one.
the Tryall Club of Jamaica, for That of course is probably a
which Oswald was the ritual rumor he decided to spread,

214
although it may have been true Sciences.
anyway. Of this I am certain.
Wilson is not a Discordian. Fang Brunswick, the bowling alley
excommunicated him the week in which Greg and I first
after I ordained him. Anyway, disorganized the Discordian
maybe I (not we) was wrong. Society, is mentioned in the
Wilson's first Illuminati letterhead Oracles of Nostradamus, which I
contained the slogans "Victory only discovered recently. So that
Over Horseshit!" and "Goats is an authentic miracle –
Forever!" He explained this last especially since it says something
one as due to his Capricorn sun about chaos emerging from
sign; a likely story. Brunswick! All bowling alleys are
Slim Brooks called himself sacred to Discordians – since
Aaron Immanuel Viking I (note the most of them have Brunswick pin
role of Aaron in Leviticus), the setting equipment. A
Keeper of the Submarine Keys. synchronistic coincidence that
He said "I like that one because it proves a dogma like that is called
brings to mind two questions. a Katma – a combination of
What submarine? And why is it karma and dogma. Actually I'm
locked?" not a reincarnation of Edgar
Robert Shea was most noted Cayce, no matter what they say.
for taking over the job of I'm a reincarnation of Jean Dixon.
publishing the Saturday Evening There's also a right wing
Post on Hugh Hefner's Xerox Erisian conspiracy of which June
machine when it temporarily went Oswald – Lee Harvey Oswald's
under. Carrying the notice daughter – is Eristic Avatar, so I
"Founded by Benjamin Franklin," hear. How that happened I can
of course. So the Saturday only begin to guess.
Evening Post was the first mass- My own spiritual discipline,
media publication to discuss the all seriousness aside, is a form of
Discordian Society and to expose katma yoga called
the Illuminati. Later, when the Transcendental Paranoia. The
Post resumed publication, he only religion I subscribe to
went modestly back to Benjamin wholeheartedly is Taoism, which
Franklin's original name: The few people know is the actual
Universal Instructor in All Arts and basis of the Discordian Orthodoxy

215
and Zen. The only secret order I Communist Party of Japan –
belong to is the Yellow Turban because we figure if we sound
Society. At this time we are authoritarian enough the
plotting a communist anarchist Establishment won't suspect us of
revolution in Japan and a multiple being much of a threat. Anyway,
bank robbery in Switzerland (via if we succeed with our Peasant
our Fair-Play-for-Switzerland World Revolution, unpremeditated
Committee). The Swiss caper is ass scratching will no longer be a
based on Ocean's Eleven and we criminal offense.
are going to try to recruit Frank And just possibly, one child
Sinatra of the Yippies to help us. under five will no longer starve to
If he's busy, we'll settle for Paul death every two seconds.
Krassner. The Yellow Turban
Society is an ultra-leftist Taoist V
secret society that seeks revenge What is so weird is to think
for the "diced." In the intelligence there is this Iranian Prince
community, when you are "diced" somewhere – right? Who has
it means that agents are told that known me all my life! Who has
what you eat and drink and how been there when I was fucking,
you scratch your ass, etc., is your when I was conning, when I was
secret method of telling them wiping my ass, getting stoned –
what you want. Therefore they who knows me inside and out,
pay no attention to what you say every wrinkle. If not an Iranian
in plain English – which they've Prince, then somebody else.
been taught to assume is only Same thing. Somebody I’ve
cover. My guess is that only never even met, that I don’t know
radical leftists are subjected to the first thing about. What do you
this treatment. If they happen to do about somebody like that? I
be Taoists who believe it is wrong don’t even know whether to love
to premeditate how you scratch them or hate them.
your ass, etc. – the results can be
most infuriating. I myself have The morning after: They just
been "diced" since 1979. Hence, wanna complain they are all so
the Yellow Turban Society. At confused. They are feeling so
this time we are organizing the used. Tell ‘em I ain’t to blame.
Revolutionary Vanguard Tell ‘em I wasn’t there when we

216
decided what’s fair. I was healthy and wealthy, by slavishly
combin’ my hair and I was sniffin’ paying attention for a couple of
the air. years (1979-1980) to advice like
Little Five Points is a sample that – I’ve been ignoring all
example of the absurd behavior unsolicited anonymous free
conspirators expect in this 208th advice, figuring it was worth
year since the Declaration in exactly what I was paying for it.
America. I’m supposed to spend Do you think that stops them?
most of my time in the Point, Not on a bet. They continue
where the only benevolent automatically, mechanically
servants heart and soul of the cranking it out as if they actually
people are in charge. I’m think I’m listening. Not only about
supposed only to enter the pub where I should drink my coffee,
after or immediately before either. About when I should jack
spreading the word about what off in public or when I should jack
I’ve written elsewhere. I’m never, off in private with only the video
ever supposed to enter the cameras concealed (presumably)
Rainbow – because that makes on my person watching and when
me a dirty puritan ridden with sex I should jack off under the covers
guilt. without letting the folks at Jet
For a number of years I have Propulsion Laboratories (or
been ignoring these Soviet travel wherever those Nixonite bastards
restrictions. When I’m hitchhiking are) realize it is happening.
and broke they can still control They also presume to advise
me by refusing to give me spare me about what to write and what
change in front of this or that to say, punishing me if I express
Pancake House or Denny’s or opinions they didn’t need that
MacDonald’s. Usually what I get time. Then there are people who
instead is a long lecture by a think I am king or who at least
talkative patron who at the end imagine wildly and recklessly that
gives me maybe two nickels and I’m a free man. On top of all that,
then I can sit there from hell to not content with the
doomsday and expect nothing but claustrophobia they’ve visited
accusing stares. upon my already traumatized
To the best of my financial psyche, they seek to intensify it by
ability – since getting wise, if not pretending to me that they think

217
I’m slyly and cleverly (oh, Kerry, ways to perform sexual
you crafty devil) communicating intercourse? That way you can
instructions or advice to them remain invisible and not have to
about matters of which I’m next to spend a lot of money on PR
wholly ignorant when I scratch my because everybody will be looking
ass or order scrambled eggs or at one another instead of the staff
tie my backpack strings in square of Station K. – as Colin Wilson
knots, etc. calls it in a book by that name.
The way I figure it is When I become deaf and
somewhere there is a mediocre blind to my true duty to walk on
bureaucrat who wants to be able one side and not another of a
to say he or she was only crack in the sidewalk I’m not
following orders, when the axe supporting whatever the hell I’m
falls. And since Richard Nixon otherwise being used for –
got the CIA to sign innumerable sometimes called a “house,”
orders about me without first called anything but a conspiracy
reading them, I’m what can be and never even passed of in jest
passed off as as good a source of as a mass movement which,
authority as any. Only trouble since we are all assassins and
being that when I was giving war criminals, is out of the
orders I was a raving communist question because then the
anarchist, who thereby made it Africans would find out about my
hard to solicit contributions of obscene phone calls and Julie
cartels and corporations to Nixon would be compromised.
finance the holy wars that are, to An appeal to heaven, as they said
them, the true purpose of life, when King George decided to tax
against Catholics and Muslims. trees.
After all, why try to cause social Another thing is that most of
progress when with half the effort the very annoying people I meet
you can revert the whole world to are simply victims of mind control
a series of feudal dynasties killing – according to the idea I got from
one another’s slaves over listening to Shelly last night. No
whether or not three or one wonder I’m such a failure! For
angels can stand on the head of a nine years I’ve been exhorting a
pin, whether God has co-partners bunch of androids to rise up and
and what are the most tasteful get rid of their oppressors. Page

218
23 of the paperback edition of notebooks, in the event of my
Brave New World. death, to a Zenarchist
What is the meaning of an organization to be established
Anarchist Manchurian Candidate in my memory, called the Kerry
trying to organize Fascist Robots? Thornley Coffee Klatch.
Is it entertaining? Is it amusing?
What is the purpose? As one
non-Caucasian child dies of Coffee remains the finest
starvation every two seconds, drug in the world in my opinion.
here in the heart of the Empire In this I’m in hereditary agreement
collections of machines hold with my paternal grandmother in
pointless discussions. You figure her lengthy Jack Mormon phase.
it out. I did some good acid this
weekend. Better than anything
I’ve dropped in years. Could’ve
Lifestyle: yesterday I been, I guess, a 1,000 mic. tab.
bought a new corn cob pipe for Strong, lympid stuff. Allen, Shelly
a dollar. It gives me a common and Michael also. We went to an
touch, which I previously sorely eviction party. I went back to the
lacked. pub and explained to Yippies why
I think Prussians are the problem
The thing about ignoring the with Russia – and everybody else,
advice of the Conspiracy is that practically. Then I went on strike
my decision conforms to the against thinking about politics.
scientific method. The more I The party looked like it was going
heed their advice, the worse to be boring. They wanted to
things get – war in Cambodia (I discuss Tony Jackson and CBS
was also heeding them in 1978 and Fire and Puritanism –
and ’79), living under bridges and defensively I wasn’t in the mood.
out of Krispy Kreme dumpsters, They shouldn’ta given me LSD-25
etc. When I ignore their signals I if they wanted me to think about
am more relaxed and also things government. So I sat in the pub
go better. and watched Allen and Shelly and
a gnomic teenager and a laughing
I, Kerry Thornley, being of Nigerian exchange student look
sound mind, will all my beautifully esthetic – if that isn’t

219
redundant. Yesterday when I archival man; his vast dining room
woke up I not only was still mildly is converted into a library of
tripping, I also had a hangover magick and science and
from free beers Nat and Shelly assassination history – an
and Allen bought me. Very extension of his mind, which
unusual. I took an Excedrin, seems saturated with like
smoked a roach, then a joint – information, both known and
and the rest of the day was even unknown. I slept in the house in
more unusually nirvanic. It rained his backyard last night – Monday
and that was nice and night – with his permission, after
psychedelic of the Weather first discussing the astrological
Conspiracy – because this conjunctions of Saturn and Jupiter
morning it has added to the at the time of both John
pleasant acidy illusion that the Kennedy’s and John Lennon’s
world had just been to a car wash. assassinations. Similar tragedies
have clouded history every 20
I keep thinking, whenever I years when that conjunction
think about Woody Guthrie, about occurs: in 1940 Franklin Delano
how “KILL FASCISTS” was Roosevelt became President.
emblazoned on his guitar. How That is what Randall said.
times change. Now that I think of it, FDR was
What rock singer of the President all through the Thirties.
Sixties would’ve written KILL I’ll have to mention that to him.
anything on an instrument. That, FDR didn’t get us out of the
I guess, was the function of the Depression until getting us into
rock group, The Who. There was the War. And his War
hypocrisy going down. Administration began after his
More and more I feel like I 1940 re-election so maybe that’s
should tremble as I write and it. These things become more
speak. I make the most casual and more manifest the harder you
jokes and the whole world seems look.
to go into upheaval. Of course Anyway, the Saturn, Jupiter
worrying about it also seems conjunction is supposed to
ridiculous. symbolize the death of the old
king and the ascension of the new
Randall Carlson is an king.

220
else. These are not new ideas
The Satanists (I almost said I've suddenly acquired – opposing
Catholics) think I'm interested in starvation and supporting
starvation as a sneaky way of intentional communities – since
fighting mind control. I've been 1979. People who are worries
fanatical about starvation since just about Catholics or Muslims or
1959. I've only known I'm a mind atheists or Satanists have always
control victim since 1979. I would seemed quaintly irrelevant to me
never have plotted to kill JFK if in my philosophy of Jubilant
Ayn Rand's Objectivist Cynicism.
Newsletters hadn't convinced me Cynicism observes that
he was going to plunge the whole people do not practice what they
world into hunger with price believe most of the time.
controls, etc. I wouldn't be Jubulant Cynicism has taken a
interested in politics at this time long hard look at what it is they
were it not for the genocidal believe.
holocaust of starvation, war, etc. Latin Catholics don't much
Politics is much too macabre resemble American Catholics, as
to command the attention of a a rule. There are Muslims who
mentally healthy person except in keep harems of young boys.
emergencies that engulf the Belief is only related to behavior
whole planet. Any hope of by tenuous connections.
abolishing mind control seems Someone's character is usually
hopeless to me. That's like formed, as a result of
wanting to unilaterally act in such predominately accidental social
a way as to get rid of all nuclear conditioning, by the time they are
weapons – no way to get there six years old. Convert a bastard
there that way. to, say, Marxism and you will get
I've always thought self- a Marxist bastard. Convert a
selecting intentional communities saint and you will get a Marxist
could solve cultural problems, saint.
provided objective arms Conditions – such as not
inspection methods were present. having to live in psychologically
I don't see, never have seen, any overcrowded conditions –
point in religious wars – Satanists improve the tolerability of
infiltrating Catholics or anything behavior. Which is why coercive

221
Puritanism and land monopoly encouraged to migrate to Hong
have to go if we aren't all going to Kong and Taiwan were made an
suffer. autonomous Taiwanese Republic
What ideologies most people within the People's Republic of
maintain in elaboration of all the China? Hong Kong looks as if it
additional trivialities of existence may become a de facto
don't much influence anything at autonomous community of
all. reactionary Chinese under
So I just don't think about the guidance of China. That's just a
Satanists much. I like their brainstorming suggestion that
defiant irreverent spirit. It just might spur a more sophisticated
gets bogged down in taking idea among the same lines.
religion too seriously though. To Wouldn't it be rational to
me there isn't much difference in emphasize the rights of Taiwan's
attitude between a Satanist and native population?
an Irish Catholic. Both like to fight The woman I met didn't like
about Jesus. Both are very foreigners ruling Taiwan since the
colorful. Both are quite militant KMT exile-occupation either.
about any number of absurdly To me, if all anti-Catholics
feeble abstractions. Both think simply organized to stop the
they are somewhere near the Church's tampering with States,
center of the whole universe. the Catholics would cease to be a
We could give Ireland to the problem to anyone but
Catholics and California to the themselves. And it would happen
Satanists. soon, if everyone weren't
Both California and Nevada spreading their efforts too thin.
if we let the Okies keep the Great Instead, people as complicated as
Central Valley as an autonomous Jesuits try to destroy them once
republic. and for all.
The Libertarian premise is
I met a Taiwanese woman groups only become problems
one day. Before that I'd never when they begin pointing
thought much about the weapons (via military or legalistic
indigenous population of maneuvers) at other groups. For
Formosa. What if all the example, what's to prevent
reactionary Chinese were Catholics from outlawing

222
cremation? Or Christian forces here in Atlanta. Indira
Scientists from outlawing all Gandhi, who violated the
medicines and funerals? Once a "American" law of Omerta by
private subjective faith can be saying Sihk riots in India were
made into a law there is no being instigated by the US –
reason why – if abortion is adding, "via Canada, of course" –
legalized for the sake of Catholics was assassinated, according to
and Baptists – medical doctors this morning's news. Maybe it was
shouldn't be outlawed for the sake the Panamericans in revenge for
of Christian Scientists, etc. the Trujilios murder, though, if she
Facts. Ideology. was involved in that.
Speculation. Facts are more
relevant than opinions. Opinions Brother-in-law's dying
are sometimes more and swan rap in the Conversations.
sometimes less relevant than
speculation. Understanding they
are not all in the same category is Any way I interpret battle
most relevant, at this time, of all. reports since the ascension of
Confusions prevails among Pope John Paul II it has not been
people who think my opinions are good. I'm losing. The battle is
more important to me than being fought between my legs
following up factual leads in order that was formerly being fought in
to obtain further data. The most I. G. Farbin's boardroom,
beautiful opinion is useless if it is according to battle reports of that
held – even by everyone – in time. A whole "high school class"
ignorance. was progressed that wasn't told
about my function as an
The prognosis is worse than assassination witness, according
terrible: they say they are giving to Garrison in 1981.
me cancer. I was told that would Anyway, I mailed my MS out
be the price of my book's yesterday to Isaf and Shulman,
publication, in the beginning, Atlanta's only literary agents,
which I'm willing to pay. However according to the Yellow Pages.
they are telling me also my book So I continue performing
won't be published. We are, if necessary actions. Detachment,
that's true, overwhelmed by Nazi Kerry, is all you need in addition

223
to that. No worse than a car ride Orleans, the Singhs are a large
with a wreckless driver anyways. family, among the Sikhs – very
I should've titled my book – which large, whose name translates as
I changed from The Dreadlock Lion in English.
Recollections to Jailbird: Publish People who are being lied to
This Book! Subtitle Or Else! are the worst problem in the
Anyway, they want me to intelligence community that I
think about things like square encounter. Trying to figure out
"holes" at the bottom of tribal exactly what about takes all my
organizations, instead. Probably time. By then it is usually too late;
puritans in the neighborhood they've already carried out their
Justice Center. There's no idiot orders. In showering them
evidence of true Kropotkinist with rose petals of data in self-
tribalism, as I advocated it. If defense they usually accuse me
there was, it would probably just of trying to smother them.
be a Jim Jones front for the Earth, Besides that, everybody is
anyway. The leaders are trying to trying to change the subject from
foster the illusion of participatory war crimes to banking. I'm no
democracy when there isn't even Mickey Mouse. I spent years
Republican democracy in this ranting about usury. As soon as I
nation. If there was true tribalism figured out that wasn't the most
I'd join an affinity group that was relevant issue in relation to my
politically autonomous. own history, the whole world took
up one or the other side. The
Someone says: "my story of my life. Maybe there is a
grandfather's real sick." rule in the Order of Dogblood or
whatever it is that requires them
to be gung ho about whatever my
So it is another Gandhi last crusade was, ignoring the
death day, like the opening of present one. When I got into
Ape and Essence – only this libertarian anarchy everyone else
Gandhi wasn't much of a became a limited government
mahatma. According to rumor, Objectivist. When I got into LSD,
she killed by the Singhs of they became anarcho-capitalists.
Pallistan – like the Odums of When I got into Edgar Cayce,
Texas or the Landrys of New they got into non-mystical LSD

224
trips. When I gave up mysticism Barbara Reid gave me a copy she
they began prattering about autographed "with defiance" as
reincarnation. When K115 FM well as with love. The Doors rock
persuaded me to postpone the group said they derived their
"spring" until last, everybody name from the Huxley title. Was
who'd thereto began opposing my Jim Garrison and Samuel de
efforts to attain a retribution on Lessup Morrison's secret society
moratorium for the assassins if involving "doors" a peyote cult?
they'd tell the truth became I could probably dig it if it
zealously intolerable advocates of was.
that cause. So it goes. So it has Of course all these
always gone. So now they want discouraging battle reports could
to play cops and bank robbers. just be a plot to drive me to
There just must be a secret rule. suicidal despair. When I examine
The only way I could get a war the macro-analysis of the
crimes probe would be to give up planetary milieu, though, I
and get into something else. conclude that opposing genocide
"Now that I'm against 'em, I like is like taking on the United States
'em." – Mac Hall about Blacks. Marines with peashooters. So it
Once Robert LeFeure may is equally possible to me things
have implied cryptically that are as terrible as they indicate.
Dwight Ferguson was being mind Last night I felt like saying, "Send
controlled by land monopolists. us more Japs." Duncan says,
Then again, he may have been lamentingly, that the Japanese
talking about Robert C. are staunchly supporting the
Macdonald or someone else or Vietnamese. That was the way
even no one. I'd've meant it, if I'd said exactly
that.
Glimpses: a threat to kill all Actually, as much of a raving
the Proudhonians if I make my communist I am at heart, I cannot
case a higher priority than my honestly say I'd rather live in
ideology. Page 57 of Alexander China than Japan. Also I'd rather
Berkman. We are losing. The live in Japan than here. It's the
Nazis are grinding us into the culture I like, though – not the
ground with their boot heels. State or the economic system.
The Doors of Perception. I've never seen what

225
problem anarchists envision in my maintain assassination bureau
testifying at war crimes trials. fantasies more than, say, Red
Had John Dean been an and Black Action, are blind in their
anarchist, for example, anarchism analysis there. They ignore multi-
would by this time be understood national corporations as a
by everyone in the country. What coercive factor. So they usually
they want, I guess, is a Jack think I'm betraying the Cause of
London style Assassination Liberty when I'm only trying to
Bureau thing, instead. I probably elevate consciousness about The
could've opted for that old Oppressor.
anarchist dream of radical So I'm like Omar Khayyam
anarchist assassins slaying instead of Hassan-i-Sabbah,
everyone in authority without although I'd much prefer a reality
themselves taking power – just that permitted me to be a Hassan-
maintaining a permanent i-Sabbah. Khayyam was just an
universal power vacuum for as old drunk, a loser. Hassan
long as it took for people to enjoyed the benefits of a cool
discover how to live without neighborhood. No pot busts. No
political bosses. Smedly Butler vice cops. No cultural quibbling.
got to me first, though. George Atop Alamount a prince could
Lakey got to me first. The Quaker smoke his grass in peace and
mafia got to me first. fuck as much as he wanted. I
Corporations tend to be more took a harder path. Bloody and
powerful than governments. beaten, it seems, I'm straggling
Right libertarians, who tend to toward its end.

OVO

226
Bibliography
Report of the President's Commission on the Assassination of President John F.
Kennedy. Washington DC: GPO, 1964.
Thornley, Kerry: Oswald. Chicago: New Classics House, 1965.
Adler, Margot: Drawing Down the Moon. New York: Viking Press, 1979.
Malaclypse the Younger: Principia Discordia. Port Townsend: Loompanics, 1980.
Dobbs, J. R.: The Book of the SubGenius. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1983.
Marrs, Jim: Crossfire. New York: Carroll & Graf, 1990.
Thornley, Kerry: The Idle Warriors. Avondale Estates: IllumiNet Press, 1991.
Thornley, Kerry: Zenarchy. Avondale Estates: IllumiNet Press, 1991.
Duncombe, Stephen: Notes from Underground. London: Verso, 1997.
Thomas, Kenn: Cyberculture Counterconspiracy. St. Louis: Steamshovel Press,
1999.
Russell, Dick: The Man Who Knew Too Much. New York: Carroll & Graf, 2003.
Gorightly, Adam: The Prankster and the Conspiracy. Shelburne, Paraview Press,
2003.
McCoy, Edain: Advanced Witchcraft. Woodbury: Llewellyn Publications, 2004.
Vankin, Jonathan and John Whalen: The Eighty Greatest Conspiracies of All
Time. Kensington: Citadel, 2004.
Lewis, James and Shelley Rabinovitch: The Encyclopedia of Modern Witchcraft.
Kensington: Citadel, 2004.
Johnson, Lloyd: A Toolbox for Humanity. Victoria: Trafford Publishing, 2004.
Bishop, Greg: Project Beta. Shelburne, Paraview Press, 2005.
Berger, Helen: Witchcraft and Magic. Pennsylvania: Penn Press, 2006.
Thornley, Kerry: The Dreadlock Recollections. Portland: OVO, 2007.

OVO

227
Conspirators
1000 Americans (book).....................................128 Bohemians (group)..........16, 35, 47, 115, 167, 176
Abel, Rudolph......................................................82 Bolton, Clint.......................................................181
Agel, Jerome.........................................................13 Bonapart, Napoleon.................................33, 80, 84
Allen................................................................. ...219 Bonewits, Phillip Emmons Isaac.......................189
Allies (group)........................................34p., 89, 92 Book of Revelations (book)............................148p.
Alsop, Carlton....................................................173 Borderland Research Foundation (group).........132
American Civil Liberties Union (group).............21 Borgnine, Ernest...................................................94
AnaPex: God of the South (book).....................105 Bormann, Martin..........................................53, 114
Anti-Communist League of the Caribbean (group) Boston Real Paper, The (periodical)...................97
.....................................................................
........187 Braden, David.....................................................134
Antoinette, Marie............................................197p. Brave New World (book)..................................219
Apex: God of the North (book).........................105 Brayton, Jean......................................................167
Appointment in Dallas (book).............................75 British (group)......................................................53
Arbenz, Jacobo.....................................................62 Brooks, Jerry Milton.....................................187pp.
Archer, Jules............................................128, 147p. Brooks, Roderick R............................................187
Argarthe (group).................................................212 Brooks, Slim...25, 30pp., 39pp., 51, 61, 67, 70pp.,
Argentina (group)...............................................114 76, 80p., 85p., 93, 96, 99p., 102pp., 115, 122,
Aristotle................................................................66 124, 127, 132pp., 140pp., 144, 147, 149, 151,
Assassinations, The (book)................................187 154, 159p., 165pp., 169pp., 176p., 179pp.,
Astral Witch, The (person)................................210 184pp., 215
Ataturk, Kemil....................................................157 brother-in-law. 25, 33, 35, 37, 44p., 47, 51, 72, 83,
Atheists (group)..................................................221 96, 122, 172, 181
Atlas Shrugged (book)...9, 57, 66, 107, 118, 132p. Brother-in-law....24p., 27, 33pp., 39pp., 51pp., 61,
Avery, Henry......................................................125 63, 65pp., 70pp., 75pp., 83pp., 89, 92pp., 99p.,
Avro Company (group)......................................133 102pp., 111pp., 117, 120pp., 127, 130pp., 135pp.,
Baby Doc............................................................203 144pp., 153p., 156pp., 161p., 164pp., 177p., 181,
Banister, Guy.......................................70p., 187pp. 184pp., 223
Barker, Bernard..............................................55, 77 Brother-in-Law.....................................................63
Barnes, Tracy.................................61p., 83pp., 152 Brothers Karamazov, The (book)........................93
Batista.................................................................157 Bryan III, Joseph................................................172
Batty, Peter.............................................34, 89, 161 Bryan, Joe.............................................................83
Beatniks (group)....................16, 32, 116, 176, 179 Buckley Jr., William F.......................................168
Bell, Clifford.........................................................85 Buckley, William F............................................147
Bell, Griffin....................................................85, 87 Bugliosi, Vincent..................................................64
Berkman, Alexander..........................................225 Burger, Warren...................................................196
Bernares, Camden..............................................193 Burnside, Jack......................................................16
Bissell, Richard.................................61p., 152, 168 Butler, Smedley..............................127p., 147, 191
Blackman, Barbara.............................................213 Butler, Smedly....................................................226
Blake, Trevor..........................................................7 C.O.R.E. (group)........................................162, 164
Bloomfield, Louis Mortimer................................54 Cabell....................................................................84
Blough, Roger....................................................118 Caesars (group)..............................................63, 65
Bocca, Geoffrey....................................................75 Caine Mutiny, The (film).....................................14
Bogart, Humphrey................................................14 Cajuns (group)......................................................39

228
Caldwell, Taylor...................................................65 Cool Hand Luke......................................190p., 193
Camp, Loy Ann....................................................14 Cooper, Joe...........................................................21
Canada (group)..............................54, 90, 118, 133 Cortez....................................................................32
Canfield, Michael...........................................17, 54 Count of Monte Cristo, The (book)...................159
Caplinger, Grace.................................................179 Coup d'état in America (book)...................17, 54p.
Captain Midnight...............................................140 Courtship of Miles Standish, The (book)..........140
Carlson, Randall.................................................220 Cowboys (group).....................................18, 21, 84
Carter, Jimmy (person)......................................210 Cox's Army (group)...........................................128
Castillo, Carlos...........................................169, 175 Crabb...................................................................132
Castro, Fidel.....62, 68, 70, 99, 127, 157, 189, 196, Crawford, Joan...................................................202
208 Crazy David....................................................16, 89
Catholics.............................................................222 Crimestopper's Textbook (book).......................143
Cayce, Edgar...........................................214p., 224 Criswell...............................................................146
Celine, Hagbard....................................................56 Crowley, Aleister.................................................48
Central Intelligence Agency 13, 70p., 75, 82, 84p., Cuba (group)62, 68, 71, 73, 84, 97, 157, 160, 189,
96, 98p., 112, 126, 134p., 152, 155, 168, 172, 193
188p., 191, 194, 198, 200, 218 Curtis..............................................................
.....150
Central Intelligence Agency (group).....11, 17, 70, Czechoslovakia (group).....................................125
75, 82, 84p., 96, 98p., 112, 126, 134p., 152, 155, d'Anconia, Francisco..........................................107
172, 188p. Dalai Lama.........................................................136
Chessman, Caryl.................................................155 Dean, John..........................................................226
China (group)..................................131, 143p., 200 Defense Industrial Security Command (group)..87
Chinese (group)....................................................51 DeGrimston, Robert.............................................64
Christ, Jesus. .12, 32, 39, 57, 64pp., 102, 122, 147, Demara, Frederick..............................................104
158, 177, 179 Demarra, Frederick............................................197
Christ, Jesus (person).........................................210 Democratic Party (group)............................34, 157
Christian Scientists (group)...............................223 DeMohrenschildt, George..................................145
Chuck....................................................................68 Demonrenschldt, George...................................198
Church of Later Day Saints (group)..................126 Dennis.................................................................135
Church of Scientology.................................64, 103 Devil's Advocate, The (book)..............................65
Church of Scientology (group)............................49 Diamond, Neil (person).....................................210
Church of the SubGenius (group).....................198 Dillinger, John....................................................119
Clandestine Services (group).........................61, 84 Discordian Arballah (group)..............................212
Clark, Michele......................................................97 Discordian Society (group)..................................86
Coffee.......28, 32, 39p., 66, 72, 79, 93, 120p., 123, Division Five (group).............70p., 81, 86p., 188p.
134, 150, 159, 163, 167, 169, 179, 187 Dixon, Jean.........................................................215
Coffin, Stephanie................................................195 Djilas, Milovan...................................................152
Color Wheel, The (book).....................................67 Dobbs, J. R. "Bob".............................................214
Columbus, Christopher........................................32 Doidge, Bob........................................................113
Coman-Ra..........................................................86p. Donovan, James....................................................82
Communist Party (group)....15, 49, 53, 70, 83, 86, Doors of Perception, The (book).......................225
91, 96, 102, 108, 126p., 144, 160p., 173, 179, 188 Draper, William..................................................172
Compleat Practical Joker, The (book)...............173 Dreadlock Recollections, The (book). .3, 7, 9, 198,
Condon, Richard.................................................207 206, 224
Congolese (group)..............................................103 Druids (group)......................................................65
Conspiracy (group). 9pp., 13, 15pp., 20, 23, 25pp., Dulles, Allen.......................................62, 83p., 152
29, 49p., 56, 58p., 76, 89, 92, 101, 107, 115, 121, DuPonts, The (group)..........................16, 127, 141
126, 134, 145, 148, 153, 171, 175 Eagles (group)..............................................56, 119

229
Eatton, Cyrus........................................................90 Gandhi.............................................................. ...224
Eaves, Reginald..........................21pp., 28, 76, 197 Gandhi, Indira.....................................................223
Eichmann, Adolph..............................................155 Garrision, Jim.....................................................214
Einstein, Albert...................................................160 Garrison, Jim 11pp., 26, 47, 73, 79, 134, 148, 165,
Eisenhower, Dwight D........9, 15, 62, 83, 89, 97p., 187, 197, 203, 223, 225
147, 158, 196, 214 Garrison, Omar V.................................................79
Elks (group)........................................................119 Garson, Greer.....................................................139
Encyclopedia of the Occult, the Esoteric, and the Gary, Romain.....................................................103
Supernatural, The (book).....................................30 Gatlin Sr., Maurice Brooks................................188
England (group)....................................................53 Gayon, Raul........................................................106
Eris........................................................................86 General Motors (group).....................................197
Ernest..................................................................120 Gentry, Curt..........................................................64
Establishment, The (group)..................15, 18, 20p. Gerrmatch (group)..............................................212
Europe (group)...................................................200 Gestapo (group)..................................................157
Eve......................................................................191 Glen..............................................................
.......184
Facts and Fascism (book)..................................128 god.................................65, 86, 100, 106, 133, 141
Fairbanks, Douglas...............................................32 God.................33, 46, 53, 93p., 105, 109, 181, 196
Family, The (book).........12, 48, 68, 146, 151, 167 Goddard, John....................................................114
Farr, Finis............................................................172 Goebbels, Paul Joseph..............................53p., 157
Farther Reaches of Human Nature, The (book)..14 Goering, Herman.............................................156p.
Federal Bureau of Investigation (group).............86 Goldwater, Barry....................................144, 180p.
Federal Bureau of Investigations 70, 81, 86p., 126, Goran, Morris.......................................................74
175p., 187p., 191, 198 Gorightly, Adam.....................................................7
Federal Bureau of Investigations (group).70p., 81, Grace...................................................................190
86p., 126, 175p., 187p. Great Explosion, The (book).............................200
Federal Bureau of Investitation (Group).............81 Great Speckled Bird, The (newspaper)......18p., 21
Ferguson, Dwight...............................................225 Guam (group).....................................................122
Ferrie, David..............................................148, 188 Guatemala (group).........................................81, 83
Finnish Air Force (group)..................................106 Gurdjieff.............................................................136
Fletcher, Millie...................................................184 Guthrie, Woody............................................80, 220
Flying Saucers......................................................39 Halliburton, Richard...........................................114
Flying Saucers (group) 39, 73pp., 132p., 135, 141, Harriman, Averell..............................................172
145, 147, 177p., 191, 194 Hassan-i-Sabbah.................................................226
Flying Saucers Have Landed, The (book)........147 Hayward, Susan..................................................150
Ford, Gerald........................................................196 Hefner, Hugh..............................................192, 215
Ford, Tennessee Ernie........................................138 Heinlein, Robert.................................................115
Forrestal, James..................................................172 Helms, Dick..........................................................84
Fountain of the World, The (group)..................146 Helms, Richard...................................................152
Fountainhead, The (book).........................113, 124 Helter-Skelter (book)...........................................64
Franklin, Benjamin....................................193, 215 Herb....................................................................
.165
Frazier, Jack........................................................180 Hermando....17, 27, 33p., 36, 40, 53, 59p., 65, 69,
FreFanZine (periodical).....................................209 74, 85, 89pp., 108, 110, 114, 116, 122, 125, 140,
French (group)...9, 14, 25, 31pp., 39, 46p., 91, 95, 142p., 147, 150, 157, 160p.
108, 112, 115, 124, 137p., 150, 164, 167p., 174p., Hess, Karl...........................................................110
179p., 183p. Hess, Rudolph......................................................53
Freud, Sigmund.................................13p., 101, 136 Hickman..............................................................135
Fry, Daniel....................................................39, 145 Hill, Greg.....9, 17, 23p., 27, 33, 39pp., 44p., 86p.,
Galt, John............................................................133 147, 168, 199

230
Hillenkoetter, Frank...........................................172 Jackson, Tony.....................................................219
Himmler................................................................53 Jahn.......................................................................59
Hippies (group).....................................................16 Jailbird (book)....................................................224
Hitler, Adolf27p., 34, 42pp., 46, 51pp., 60, 64, 69, Jamison, Sam......................................................192
78p., 89, 101, 106pp., 110, 113p., 125, 132, Jamison, Stan..............................27p., 86, 132, 153
135p., 138, 140, 150, 156, 162, 181 Jeffers, Robinson................................................108
Hitler, Adolph...27p., 34, 42pp., 46, 51pp., 60, 64, Jesuits (group)...............................57p., 64, 85, 129
69, 78p., 89, 101, 106pp., 110, 113p., 125, 132, Jet Propulsion Laboratories (group)..................217
135p., 138, 140, 150, 156, 162, 181 Jewish Anti-Defamation League, The (group). 181
Hoch, Paul L.......................................................187 Jews (group)..........64, 73, 101, 107, 110, 125, 157
Hoffa, Jimmy................................................23, 171 John Birch Society, The (group).........15, 104, 148
Hoffer, Eric...................................................43, 140 Johnson, Lyndon..................................................10
Holcomb, Ola....36, 40, 42, 66, 162pp., 179p., 184 Kamus, John.................................................66, 180
Hollywood Ten (group).......................................96 Karamazov, Ivan..................................................93
Holy Name Society (group).................................66 Keating, Peter.....................................................124
Hoover Institution for the Study of War, Peace Kennedy, John F........3, 9pp., 17pp., 21pp., 25pp.,
and Revolution (group)......................................110 34p., 47pp., 54, 57, 66, 75, 82pp., 87, 92, 97pp.,
Hoover, Herbert..................................................147 104, 116pp., 126, 130p., 134, 144, 146, 148, 152,
Hoover, J. Edgar........................................102, 126 156p., 160, 165, 170, 172, 174pp., 182, 185p.,
House of Krupp, The (book)............34, 89pp., 161 189, 191, 193p., 197pp., 201, 207, 220p.
Hubbard, L. Ron........................................103, 197 Kennedy, Robert.....................................48pp., 117
Hughes Aircraft (group).....................................145 KGB (group).........................................................75
Hunt, Dorothy.......................................................85 Khayyam, Omar...................................64, 115, 121
Hunt, E, Howard Hunt.........................................18 Khruschev, N.....................................................90p.
Hunt, E. Howard...17p., 21, 54p., 61, 70, 82p., 97, King, Martin Luther......11p., 14pp., 27, 30, 34pp.,
152p., 172, 189, 194, 197, 199, 207 39pp., 43, 46, 49p., 52, 54, 58pp., 63, 69pp., 81p.,
Hunt, Edward Howard.........................................38 91, 99pp., 104, 106p., 110, 113, 120, 130, 132,
Hunt, Howard........17p., 21, 54p., 61, 70, 82p., 97, 135pp., 140, 144, 150, 154, 157, 161pp., 171,
152p., 172, 189 183, 186
I Want to Live (film)..........................................150 Kirke Order of Dog Blood (group)...................167
I. G. Farben (group)...........................................142 Kirstein, Gary......22p., 25, 27p., 34, 36, 40, 42pp.,
I. G. Farbin (group)............................................223 46p., 51p., 56, 59, 61, 63p., 66pp., 76p., 81, 93,
Idle Warriors, The (book). .9, 31, 41, 67, 71, 176p. 100, 103pp., 107, 110, 120, 122, 130, 149, 151p.,
Illuminati (group)............................................214p. 158p., 165pp., 169, 172, 178, 181, 188p.
Illuminatus! Trilogy (book).................................56 KMT (group)......................................................222
Ingersoll, Robert...........................................94, 116 Krassner, Paul................................23, 50, 155, 216
Intelligence Community (group).........28, 49p., 55, Krishna Venta..................................................145p.
75p., 85, 87, 94, 101, 124, 135, 150, 155, 191p., Krupp, Alfried......................................................89
200, 213, 216, 224 Krupps, The (group).........................34, 89pp., 161
Internal Revenue Service...................................190 Ku Klux Klan.....................................................200
Irish (group)....................................................32, 39 Ku Klux Klan (group)..........................................57
Irv........................................................................120 Kunkin, Art.........................................................134
Isaf and Shulman (group)..................................223 Lakey, George....................................................226
Israel (group)......................................125, 155, 158 Land, Edwin.......................................................168
Italy (group).............................................69, 74, 96 Landrys (group)..................................................224
ITT......................................................................208 Lane, Mark.................................................203, 209
Ivan...............................................................66, 121 Lanham, Chris......................................................16
Jack in the Box (group)......................................210 Lansdale, Edward.................................................84

231
LaVey, Anton.......................................................48 Mariposa (person)...........................................209p.
Leary, Timothy...................................................155 Marryin' Sam........................................................85
LeFeure, Robert..................................................225 Marshall........................................................34, 172
Lenin...................................................................121 Marston, David...................................................192
Lennon, John......................................................220 Marx, Karl........9, 50, 57, 81, 108, 117p., 136, 150
Leopold-Loeb (group)..........................................76 Mary, Mother of Jesus.........................................65
Lever Brothers (group)......................................208 Maslow, Abraham................................................14
Leviticus (book).................................................214 Mason, Mary Lou...............................................193
Li'l Abner..............................................................85 McCarthy, Joseph.................................................15
Life (periodical).........................................142, 161 McCloy, John J...............................................90, 92
Linda (person)....................................................210 McCormack, John J............................................128
Lindbergh, Charles A.........................................168 McCoy, John J....................................................172
Little Flowers of Saint Francis, The (book)......210 McCullough, Martin.............................................71
Lloyd.....................................................................49 McDonald, Hugh C..............................................75
London, Jack......................................................226 McNamara, Tom................................................213
London, Sondra......................................................7 Mein Kampf (book)...........................................101
Long, Huey P........................................................39 Mellons, The (group).........................................127
Long, Huey P...............................................39, 205 Mendel................................................................139
Loomis, Mildred.................................................192 Metapolitics: Roots of the Nazi Mind (book).....57
Loompanics (group)...........................................213 Metapolitics: The Roots of the Nazi Mind (book)
Los Angeles Free Press (periodical).................134 ................................................................57, 59, 136
Los Angeles Star, The (periodical)......................97 Mexico (group)...67, 75, 112, 130p., 158p., 182p.,
Louis XIV...........................................................139 188
Lovin, Roger......................................................18p. Michael...............................................................219
Lowenstein.........................................................155 Mickey Mouse....................................................224
Loy..................................................................14, 95 Miethe, Tom..................................38, 54, 134, 136
Luce, Clare Booth..............................................143 Mikoyan................................................................91
Lucius Trust Fund (group).................................212 Minsk Foreign Language Institute (group).......126
Luck, Jessica.....42pp., 63, 66, 72p., 101, 120, 169 Mitchell, Billy......................................................85
Lutz, Tom...........................................................189 Mitchell, Martha.................................................148
MacArthur, Douglas...........................................129 Modern Myth: Ancient Astronauts and UFOs,
Macdonald, Robert C.........................................225 The (book)............................................................74
MacEachron, Grace............................................179 Molotov.............................................................. ...43
MacEachron, John..............................................179 Moore, Robert......................................................64
Machiavelli.........................................................140 Morgans, The (group)........................................127
Mafia.....................................................................42 Morrison, Samuel de Lessup.............................225
Mafia (group)..............19, 36, 45, 54, 67, 137, 144 Mouch, Wesley.....................................................57
Mahatma Gandhi........................................103, 168 Murphy, Bridey....................................................79
Man and the Beast Within (book).......................30 Murphy, Thomas Aquinas.................................197
Man in His Time, A (book)...............................128 Muslims (group).........................................200, 221
Man on a String (film).........................................94 Mussolini...................................................96, 147p.
Manila (group).............................................96, 118 Nat.............................................................. .........220
Manning, Mathew................................................64 National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics
Manson, Charles 12p., 23, 48, 50, 64, 68, 146, 167 (group)..................................................................74
Mao.....................................................................202 National Air and Space Administration (group)
Marcello, Carlos....................................18, 21p., 77 .....................................................................
........197
Marcus................................................................180 National Geographic (magazine).........................85
Mariposa........................................................209pp. National Observer, The (periodical).........110, 162

232
National Review, The (periodical)....................168 People without Bald Heads................................165
National Security Agency (group).........192, 200p. Pepsi (group)......................................................208
National Security Council (group).....62, 83, 97pp. Permindex Corporation (group)..........................54
National Security Counsel (group)......................98 Peru (group)..........................................................62
National Socialists (group)........27p., 34p., 37, 40, Peter, Paul and Mary (group)..............................44
43pp., 52pp., 57, 59p., 63pp., 69, 73, 75, 77, 86, Philippines (group).........................................57, 96
89, 96, 101, 107, 109pp., 114, 117, 122, 124pp., Plot to Seize the White House, The (book).....128,
132p., 136, 142, 156, 159pp., 167, 172, 186, 204, 147
223 Plumbers (group)..................................................55
National Tattler, The (periodical)......................189 Plumbers, The (group)..............................17p., 130
Naval Intelligence (group).................................122 Poland (group).................................................107p.
New Class, The (book)......................................152 Polanski, Roman.............................................48pp.
New York Herald Tribune (periodical).............161 Polaroid Corporation (group)............................168
Niggers (group)...........................22, 101, 162, 186 Police..............................................................41, 77
Night of the Hunter (film)..................................149 Police (group).....22p., 41, 47, 50, 52, 55, 78, 103,
Nixon, Julie.........................................................218 116, 119, 125, 144, 153, 179, 186
Nixon, Richard....17, 21, 83, 97pp., 130, 144, 153, Pope, The.......................................58, 64, 165, 168
214, 218 Powers, Francis Gary...........................................82
Nomenclature of an Assassination Cabal (book) Prankster and the Conspiracy: The Story of Kerry
.....................................................................
....38, 87 Thornley and How He Met Oswald and Inspired
Norris, Cid..........................................................134 the Counterculture, The (book).............................7
Norse (group)...............................................32, 106 Prince, The (book)..............................................140
Norton, Joshua...........................................190, 199 Process Church of the Final Judgement (group)
Nostradamus...............................................149, 215 .....................................12p., 48p., 64, 68, 129, 167
Objectivist Newsletter (periodical)...................221 Process Church of the Final Judgment (group). 48,
Objectivists (group) 42, 81, 83, 105, 111, 117, 164 167
Occult Reich, The (book)............................79, 136 Profiles in Courage (book).................................156
Odums (group)...................................................224 Prometheus.........................................................133
Oglesby, Carl........................................................84 Prouty, Fletcher....................................................98
Okies (group)......................................................222 Psychology Today (periodical)..........................155
Oracles of Nostradamus (book)................149, 215 Psychotherapy East and West (book)................136
Order of Dogblood (group)................................224 Quakers (group)..................................................226
OSO (group).........................................................84 Quarterites (group)..........................14, 18, 47, 105
Oswald, June......................................................215 R.O.T.C. (group)..................................................84
Oswald, Lee Harvey.....4, 9pp., 13, 27, 29, 36, 40, Radical Psychiatry Manifesto, The (essay).........13
55p., 71, 75, 126, 145, 152p., 159, 174pp., Radical Therapist (newspaper)............................13
181pp., 191p., 196, 198, 214p. Radical Therapist Anthology, The (book)..........13
Oswald, Marina....................................................75 Ramparts (periodical).........................................187
Oswald, Robert.....................................................36 Rand, Ayn9, 12, 14p., 22, 35, 40, 44p., 57, 60, 66,
Ouspensky, P......................................................136 83, 97pp., 103, 105, 107, 109pp., 117, 124, 127,
OVO (magazine)................................................2, 7 132p., 141, 143, 163p., 168pp., 175pp., 187, 221
pan..........9p., 17, 28, 34, 39, 46, 54, 57, 64, 71, 78 Ravenhurst, Omar Kayyam...............................204
Pan.........................................................................39 Ravenhurst, Omar Khayyam.............................226
Papa Joe................................................................42 Reader's Digest (magazine)..........20, 73p., 85, 139
Pearson, Drew....................................................190 Reader's Guide to Periodical Literature (book). .74
Peggy..................................................................191 Realist, The (periodical)....................................155
Penthouse (periodical).......................................201 Rednecks (group).........................................32, 163
People with Bald Heads (group).......................165 Regan, Ronald....................................................197

233
Reid, Barbara..................................181p., 184, 225 Secret Order of Thule...........................................27
Republic of Togo (group)..................................192 Secret Order of Thule, The (group)...................212
Revelation of Saint John the Divine (book)......149 Secret Service (group).................................54, 175
Revolutionary Vanguard Communist Party of Secret Societies (group).28, 30, 50, 56, 58p., 64p.,
Japan (group)......................................................216 69, 96, 98, 104, 106p.
Rickover................................................................85 Secret Team, The (book).....................................98
Rishis (group).....................................................190 Seldes, George....................................................128
Rivera, Diego........................................................93 Selective Service Board (group)........................190
Roark, Howard...................................................113 Senate Select Committee on Intelligence (group)
Roberts, Susan....................................................201 .....................................................................
........194
Rockefeller, David.....................................197, 201 Seventh Seal, The (film)....................................149
Rockefeller, Nelson...........................143, 196, 206 Shamballah (group)............................................212
Rockefeller, Nelson (person).............................211 Shaw, Clay....................................................73, 148
Rockefellers, The (group)...............16, 56, 83, 127 Shea, Robert.................................................56, 215
Roe, A. V. (group)..............................................133 Shelly..................................................................219
Roman (group)...36, 48, 50, 56, 58, 60, 65, 69, 73, Sinatra, Frank.....................................................216
86, 120, 177 Sinbad...................................................................33
Roman Catholics (group)...34, 53, 57, 64pp., 72p., Singhs (group)....................................................224
85, 168, 221p. Sirhan, Sirhan.................................................49, 76
Roosevelt, Franklin D..........................89, 148, 220 Skolnick, Sherman............................................97p.
Roots of Heaven, The (book)............................103 Smerdyakov.......................................................93p.
Rose Ann............................................................207 Snuff Movies (film)....................67p., 77, 151, 189
Rosemary's Baby (film).......................................48 So You Want to be a Spy? (book).................67, 69
Rosenberg........................................53, 57, 59, 110 Society of Jesus (group).................................64, 66
Ross, Thomas B..................................................168 Solar Lodge of the Ordo Temple Orientis (group)
Royal Arch Masons (group)..............................199 .....................................................................
........167
Ruby, Jack..........................................................148 Solomon................................................................63
Russell, Bertrand........................................111, 169 Soviet Union (group).....................................89, 91
Russell, Eric Frank.............................................200 Spare Change (periodical).................................209
Russia (group)....................................................200 Spare Change Investment Corporation (group)213
Russians........................................43, 89, 91p., 110 Spartacus...............................................................65
Russians (group)..........43, 75, 81, 89pp., 110, 178 Special Forces (group).........................................84
Saint Jude..............................................................39 Spivak, John L....................................................128
Saint Peter.............................................................88 Stalin.....................................................43, 110, 126
Sam.............................................................182, 206 Stang, Ivan..................................................192, 214
Sandberg, Carl....................................................124 Stanley, Michael...................................................28
Sanders, Ed......................12, 48, 68, 146, 151, 167 State of Siege (book)..........................................208
Sarnoff................................................................206 Station K (book).........................................191, 218
Satan. 30, 48, 58, 63pp., 83pp., 101, 132, 137, 189 Steiner, Claude.....................................................13
Satanists (group).................................................221 Steinknopf...........................................................122
Saturday Evening Post (periodical)...................215 Stetler, Russell....................................................187
Saul........................................................................
75 Stirner, Max........................................................205
Scapegoat, The (book).........................................65 Stranger in a Strange Land (book)....................115
Schiro, Victor.....................................................162 Sturgis, Frank.................................................17, 55
Schmidt, Reinholt...............................................147 Suddenly, Last Summer (film)..........................105
Science Advisory Committee (group)...............168 Surface................................................................135
Scott, Dale..........................................................187 Sweeney..............................................................155
Scrooge, Ebenezer................................................35 Taft......................................................................156

234
Taiwan (group).............................................57, 222 United States Coast Guard.................................191
Talley, Joyce.........................................................71 United States Marine Corp (group) 9, 14, 31, 56p.,
Tantra (book)........................................................79 82, 84, 100, 103, 106, 115, 122, 127, 132, 150,
Tate, Paul..............................................................48 152, 156, 174p., 181
Tate, Sharon.............................................12, 48, 50 United States Marines (group)..9, 14, 31, 56p., 82,
Taylor, Henry J.....................................................74 115, 122, 156, 174, 190p., 204, 213p., 225
Taylor, Maxwell...................................................84 United States Navy (group). 73, 82, 122, 172, 177,
Teel, Anita..........................................................134 191
Thompson, Al.....................................................167 United States of America...9, 15, 20, 98, 103, 108,
Thompson, Lewis 'Pinky'...................................173 118, 147, 158, 161, 176, 178
Thornley, Kerry Wendell....7, 19, 26, 34, 42p., 51, United States of America (group).9, 15pp., 20, 27,
59pp., 64pp., 73, 76, 79, 83pp., 93pp., 98, 100, 54p., 57, 62, 71, 73p., 76, 81p., 84, 89pp., 94,
102pp., 108, 111pp., 115pp., 119pp., 132pp., 152, 96p., 102, 108pp., 116p., 122, 126, 128, 133, 141,
154p., 157, 159pp., 166, 170, 172p., 183, 185 147, 157p., 175, 178, 182, 200
Thornley, Kerry Wendell (parents of).................30 United States Supreme Court (group).................15
Thornley, Kerry WendellI.............................32, 68 Universal Instructor in All Arts and Sciences, The
Thornley, Kerry WentellI..........9pp., 16pp., 39pp., (periodical).........................................................215
50pp., 75pp., 79pp., 93pp., 98pp., 154pp. Up From Liberalism (book)...............................147
Thornton, Joel.......................................................54 Valaquez, Jimmy................................................147
Thyssen Group (group)........................................34 Van der Lubbe, Marinus....................................161
Time (magazine)..................................................43 Vandals (group)....................................................65
Time (periodical)...............................142, 161, 190 Vanderbilt, Cornelius.........................................148
Times Picayune (newspaper)...............................39 Vatican City (group)............................................58
Tippet, J. D.........................................................153 Vereinigte Stahlwerke (group)............................34
Tippit, J D.............................................................29 VFW (group)......................................................177
Tom.....................................................................207 Viereck, Peter.........................................57, 59, 136
Torbitt, William....................................................87 Vietnam (group)...................................................84
Torrey, E. Fuller.................................................155 Viking I, Aaron Immanuel.................................215
Tracy, Dick.........................................................143 Vikings..................................................................32
Tri-Lateral Commision (group).........................212 Vikings (group)....................................................32
Tristam Shandy (book)......................................192 Visigoths (group)..................................................65
Troy, Hugh.........................................................173 Von Braun, Werner....................................148, 160
True Believer, The (book)...........................43, 140 Vonnegut Jr., Kurt..............................................198
Truman, Harry....................................................192 Vril Society (group)...........................................212
Tsetung, Mao........................................................92 Wagner, Richard............................................59, 89
Tshombe.............................................................103 Walker, Benjamin.................................................30
Turkey (group)...................................................157 Walker, Edwin......................................................85
Turner, Fred........................................................187 Walt..............................................................
.......168
Turner, William..................................................187 Ward, Hugh F.....................................................188
U-2 Affair, The (book).......................................168 Warhol, Andy.......................................................68
U.S. News & World Report (magazine)............73 Warren Commission (group). 10, 29, 90, 126, 153,
Ugly American, The (book)...................................9 177, 185, 191p., 206
Undercover (book)...............38, 54, 61, 82pp., 152 Warren Report (book).....................10, 29, 48, 185
Understanding (group).................................39, 147 Warren, Earl...................................................15, 47
United States Postal Service (group)................190 Washington, George...........................................214
United Nations (group)......................................103 Watson, Robert Byron..........................................23
United States Air Force (group)....................74, 85 Wayne, John (person)........................................211
United States Army (group)........................85, 122 Weather Conspiracy (group).............................220

235
Weberman, A. J..............................................17, 54 Witches (group)..............................................62, 65
Weitzman, Seymour.............................................54 World Power Foundation (group).....................213
Welch, Robert.......................................................15 World Wide Church of God (group).................210
West, Mae...........................................................146 World Without Cancer (book)...........................148
West, Shelly........................................................207 Worldwide Church of God.....................200p., 209
Where Have All The Flowers Gone? (song) 44, 71 X, Malcolm.................................................116, 198
White Christians (group).....................................27 Yankee and the Cowboy War, The (book).........84
White House, The (group). 17, 104, 128, 130, 168, Yankees (group)...................................................21
170 Yankees, The (group)..................................84, 164
Whitney..............................................................
.211 Yellow Turban Society (group).........................216
Who, The (group)...............................................220 Yippies................................................................219
Wilson, Colin.............................................191, 218 Yippies (group)............................................17, 216
Wilson, Robert Anton...........56, 64, 190, 204, 214 Yipster Times, The (newspaper)................17p., 97
Wilson, Ronald...................................................204 Zen Without Zen Masters (book)......................193
Wisner, Frank......................................61, 84, 172p.

236
Received
Holland, Italy, Japan, Kassel, Russia, Spain, Switzerland, United Kingdom, United
States of America, Uruguay, Yugoslavia
Pedro Bericat: MUTE SOUND. Mail art, collage, 5” by 5”. Pedro Bericat, Apartado 4033, 50080 Zaragoza SPAIN.
Ryosuke Cohen: Brain Cell 639. Mail art, 11” by 16”. Long-term mail art project, recommended. Ryosuke Cohen,
3-76-1-A-613, Yagumokitacho, Moriguchi-City, Osaka 570, JAPAN.
Daniel de Cullá: Mail Art. Mail art, various formats and sizes. Daniel de Cullá, AMA, P. O. Box 3039, 09080
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M. Greenfield: La Bohème Art. Periodical, 8.5” by 5.5”. Mail art and mail artist contacts, recommended. M.
Greenfield, P. O. Box 409, Newcastle, Staff, UNITED KINGDOM.
Ed Hutchins: Fractured Flexagon. A new form of hexaflexagon. Recommended. Ed Hutchins, P. O. Box 624,
Fleetwood NY 10552-0624 USA.
Rorica & Dob Kamperlic: Open World 45. Periodical, 8.5” by 7”. Mail art and mail artist documentation,
recommended. Rorica & Dob Kamperlic, Radivoja Koraca 6, 11000 Beograd JUGOSLAVIA.
C. Z. Lovecraft: Mail Art. Mail art, various formats and sizes. C. Z. Lovecraft, 1743 Park Ave. #201, San Jose CA
95126 USA.
Solamito Luigino: Mail Art. Mail art, various formats and sizes. Solamito Luigino, Via Cavour 44, 18039 Ventimiglia
FM ITALIA.
Willie Melnikov: Mail Art. Mail art, various formats and sizes. Willie Melnikov, 18-88 Kuhmisterova ul., 109 388
Moscow RUSSIA.
Keiichi Nakamura: Postcards. Print, 4” by 6”. Keiichi Nakamura, 1-18-7-402 Kamiochiai, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, 161-
0034 JAPAN.
Jürgen O. Olbrich: Collective Copy 9 / 10 / 11 / 12 / 2005. Book, 11.5” by 8.5”, unpaginated. “Collective Copy is
free. It is done by various, unknown people, who have thrown away fotocopies. I have collected the
fotocopies and arranged them for this magazine / book, which is issued three or four times a year. Ten
Collective Copies are sent [...] Every copy is different from the others. One copy remains in Kassel. You
will only receive one Collective Copy in your life. In this way thrown away information is collected, put
together and distributed again. There will be no other copy of this issue in your town.” Also received: mail
art, various format and sizes. NO-INSTITUTE, Jürgen O. Olbrich, Niederfeldstr. 35, D-34128 Kassel.
Henk J. Van Ooyen: Holland Mail Art. Collage postcard, 7.5” by 5.5”. Holland Mail Art, Henk J. Van Ooyen, VL
Inderveen 258, 3205EJ Spykenisse HOLLAND.
Clemente Padin: ERROR. Collage postcard, 6” by 4”. Clemente Padin, Casilla C. Central 1211, Montevideo
URUGUAY.
Yuri Planer: Mail Art. Postcard, drawing, 4” by 6”. Yuri Planer c/o Tolstov V.L., 109456 P. O. Box 47, Moscow
RUSSIA.
PWK: Mail Art. Stamps, 11.5” by 8.25”. “I like the paintings, the reality is horrible... “ PWK, CH-8123 Ebmatingen,
SWITZERLAND.
Jason Rodgers: Media Junky Issue 2 Summer 2005. Periodical, 11” by 8.5”. “The present-day cultural engineer
refuses to die.” Jason Rodgers, P. O. Box 138, Wilton NH 03086
Giovanni Stradada: Mail Art. Mail art, various formats and sizes. Giovanni Stradada, C. P. 271, 48100 Ravenna
ITALY.
tENTATIVELY, a cONVENIENCE: pond(er). CD. Highest possible recommendation for any research by or about
tENTATIVELY, a cONVENIENCE. http://www.fyi.net/~anon/
Various: MM The Sentence Commuted. Book, 9” by 6”, 406 pages. “A comprehensive commentary on Madison
Morrison's universal epic Sentence of the Gods. Five dozen contributions by four dozen contributors in 20
languages.” Sentence of the Gods Press, Norman, OK USA.

OVO

237
OVO
http://www.ovo127.com/
“At every turn in its thought,
society will find us – waiting.”

All issues available on the Internet


at no charge and given unto the public domain.
OVO 1 (1987): art brut, tape fragmentation, underground european experimental music, first
appearance in print of the phrase "phone tag," Garry Reith, collage art, copy art.
OVO 2 (July 1987): Ernest Mann Becoming More Free, Hakim Bey (first publication of Salon
Apocalypse Secret Theater), tENTATIVELY, a cONVENIENCE Mike Film, body art, copy art, collage
art and graffiti stencil art.
OVO 3 (November 1987): copy art, BBS, surrealism, Neoism, Lunalogue by Cunnichant Night Owl.
OVO 4 (May 1988): color photocopy collage, copy art, posters, stickers, postcards, carved rubber
stamp.
OVO 5 (November 1988): Toronto Anarchist Gathering, nadzrealizem versus anarhizm, stencil art,
Grey Area.
OVO 6 was never produced.
OVO 7 INFORMATION (October 1989): dreamachines, copyrights, Mike Gunderloy, Kerry Wendell
Thornley, tENTATIVELY, a cONVENIENCE, Walter Alter, Hakim Bey, Liberating Wednesday by PM.
OVO 8 (March 1991): Review of Mark Mothersbaugh's My Struggle, Commodore 64 graphics and
fonts.
OVO 9 (May 1991): Pagan Kennedy, Men in Black, Dreamachines, fascist/anti-fascist art.
OVO 10 MAYHEM (July 1991): Commodore 64, Stuart Swezey, Zodiac Cypher Explained, true crime,
Mike Diana, Hakim Bey.
OVO 11 CONTROL (September 1991): Hakim Bey, The Real Reason for Gun Ownership, eating
disorders, V. Vale, Christian terrorism.
OVO 12 SCIENCE (November 1991): Feral Faun, tENTATIVELY, a cONVENIENCE, the Anarchist
Cookbook discredited, Silent Weapons for Quiet Wars, Doc Savage, Walter Alter, alien abduction.
OVO 13 TRAVEL (January 1992): Car crashes, Psychotopography of Disneyland, astral convention.
OVO 14 SUFFERING (March 1992).
OVO 15 SPERM (February 2005): Ashley 8, Chris Cilla, Willi R. Melnikov, Mike Diana. DNA, XYY,
mind control via sperm.
OVO 16 ANTICHRIST (January 2006): The withering away of Christianity through reason and scorn.
OVO 17 THE DREADLOCK REOLLECTIONS by Kerry Wendell Thornley (January 2007): Confession
to the assassination of John F. Kennedy by the co-founder of Discordianism and modern paganism.

238
NOW SOLICITING:

OVO 18
MONEY
ownership / jobs / theft / economics / capitalism / libertarian / socialism
/ gambling / doing without / consumer culture / do-it-yourself / black
market / free market / alternative currencies / free / barter / strikes /
banks / gold / ownership / class / blackmail / sex work / wealth /
mercenaries / poverty / lotteries / open source / intellectual property /
stock market / wages / counterfeit / sabotage / etc.

Deadline: Noon (Pacific Standard Time), 31 October 2007


Publication Date: January 2008

Trevor Blake
P. O. Box 2321
Portland OR 97208 USA

239
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