William James Lowery, James Patrick Hosty and Lee Oswald

Just thought I'd post one of my posts from the EF here for discussion.  The reason I'm posting it is because I think it directly relates to Sean Murphy's Prayer Man idea.

On the 17th of April, 1978, James P. Kelly and Harold Rose interviewed one William James Lowery of Dallas, Texas. Lowery had been an FBI informant from 1945-1963 after he infiltrated the Communist Party USA. His control in Dallas was James P. Hosty.

In the interview by Rose and Kelly, Lowery stated he worked undercover for the FBI for 19 years in the Communist Party in Texas. He joined the Party in San Antonio and rose to the rank of Secretary-Treasurer of the State apparatus. Lowery was also heavily involved with the American GI Forum from it very beginning and stated that although it wasn't a Communist front organisation it was at one time dominated by Communists. He claimed never to have met Lee Oswald but became apprehensive when he learned that Oswald had been apprehended armed with a pistol in the Texas Theater on West Jefferson Boulevard, Oak Cliff, Dallas on 11/22/63. He felt that Oswald was probably on his way to kill him in reprisal for exposing the Party in Texas. Lowery was a shoe salesman who worked at a store called the Shoe Haven at 620 West Jefferson Boulevard which was approximately three blocks west of the Texas Theater and also three blocks away from Hardy's Shoe Store where another shoe salesman called Johnny Brewer worked.

Lowery was such an important informer for the FBI that on September 23, 1963, he testified at an open Justice Department hearing in Washington and "surfaced as an FBI spy" on the front page of newspapers on the 26th of September in Dallas.

It is also of note that during the open Justice Department hearing both Lowery and Rosalie Urquizo of San Antonio testified against John W. Stanford Jr.. Stanford was represented during the hearing by none other than John Abt.

Lowery did say that the only time Oswald could have been in the same room as him was at the YMCA in Oak Cliff because the CP held meetings there occasionaly.

Lowery was paid $2500 a year by the FBI for working undercover and he received increments of about $200 a month in cash from the local Dallas office. We shall recall that this is the same amount that Waggoner Carr claimed that Oswald was getting each month. Lowery recalled that SA James Hosty was his control in Dallas and paid him on street corners or park benches. Special Agents Harlan Brown and Ed Kuykendall were other agents with whom he dealt.

When interviewed in 1978 Lowery was employed as manager of the shoe section of Margo's La Mode, a women's shoe store at 1708 Elm Street, Dallas, just a few blocks north of the TSBD.

Lowery was tightly linked with Joseph Rodriguez Molina, who worked at the Texas School Book Depository with Lee Oswald, and who was "interviewed" in connection with the assassination and was initially connected as a co-conspirator with a close relationship to Oswald. As most of us are aware, Molina himself believed he was fired from the TSBD in December, 1963, due to what amounted to his "subversive" background however Roy Truly claimed it was because they were getting in a new payroll system.

In attendace at the GI Forum meetings in 1962 and 1963, in addition to Bill Lowery and Joe Molina, was a woman called Ruth Lowery. I can find nothing in any documents that suggests that Lowery was married or had relatives involved with the Forum but the name Ruth sure sticks out like a sore thumb to me. EDIT: I believe Ruth Lowery was Bill's younger sister. The reason Ruth Lowery perks my interest is because I believe she was DL T-4 informant who was formerly DL 15-S and Margaret Landin, also a CP USA member along with her husband Joe, was DL T-2 informant. 

The Lowery's were instrumental in the success that the CP USA had in Texas and it concentrated its recruitment efforts on college students, minority groups and labor unions. All the names of which found their way into the hands of the FBI.

http://www.maryferre...011&relPageId=2
http://www.maryferre...011&relPageId=3
http://www.maryferre...011&relPageId=4

http://www.maryferre...653&relPageId=2 (17 pages)

http://www.maryferre...bsPageId=870155 (4 pages - mentions a Dixie-crat named JOHNSON who paid for fees and travel who was connected to Lone Star Steel)

http://www.maryferre...bsPageId=288839

http://www.maryferre...026&relPageId=1 (Joe Molina's FBI file)

http://contentdm.bay...3158&CISOPAGE=5

How interested were the Warren Commission with Bill Lowery? Well it can be seen here how much interest they had in him:

Mr. MOLINA. I just wanted to state in the record that I want to deny any accusations if there is any doubt in anybody’s mind.
Mr. BALL. No; there is nobody I ever heard has accused you of anything.
Mr. MOLINA. I know there’s a fella that I talk with that belongs to the or had worked with the FBI that knows my position in this thing.
Mr. BALL. I never heard anybody accuse you of any wrong doing in connection with this matter.
Mr. MOLINA. In fact, Bill Lowery worked with the FBI.
Mr. BALL. You don’t have to worry about that: no one is accusing you of anything.

That's how interested they were.

As John Dolva pointed out on his "Ford Hardtop" thread, is it yet another co-incidence that Lowery was a shoe salesman who worked on West Jefferson Boulevard? A man who was being passed $200 a month on park benches by SA James Hosty working just three blocks away from another shoe salesman who fingered Lee Oswald going into the Texas Theater just at the end of the block where his own shoe shop was situated? The same Oswald who it was alleged was also picking up $200 a month from the FBI? Johnny Brewer who, as mentioned by Thomas Purvis, "had just taken delivery of a brand new car - a 1964-model Ford Galaxie XL500 - and it was his intention to spend the day [11/22/63] putting it through its paces." "A pretty nice car for a shoe salesman", said Annti Hynonen. The problems we encounter with Brewer's IBM friends who closed his shop for him as he went hunting Oswald. The FBI informer down the street who was convinced Oswald was gunning for him when he was arrested in the Texas Theater. The same FBI informer who was close friends of Joe Molina who was in daily contact with Oswald as the TSBD. The same informer that gave testimony against other members of the Communist Party that he was an integral part of building in Texas and the people who he testified against in September, 1963, were represented by John Abt.

Did Oswald get the shoe shops mixed up? Was he really looking for William James Lowery for some reason, and instead stumbled upon Johnny Calvin Brewer? Was Lowery connected to Oswald in some way? Was Lowery one of his contacts? Was Oswald given the wrong shoe store address on purpose? Are we to believe that prior to the assassination neither Joe Molina, and more importantly Bill Lowery, didn't know that Lee Oswald was a former defector to the Soviet Union?

You really couldn't make this stuff up.

John Armstrong's Lowery file: http://contentdm.bay...PTR=25293&REC=2 

http://www.maryferre...sPageId=1010393

Report from Harlan Brown, one of Lowery's contacts whilst informing for the FBI, detailing Lowery's contact with "ultra-rightist" EARL LIVELY. LIVELY stated to LOWERY that he has had contact in March, 1964 with HERB PHILBRICK who had come across information that MARGUERITE OSWALD had been a communist at one time.

The information was connected to NATHANIEL WEYL and Garrity Publishing Company.

http://www.aarclibra...arinaOswald.pdf

Page 99 of the above PDF, or alternatively page 415 of Volume XII of the HSCA Volumes detailing Marina Oswald's testimony. The HSCA were a little more interested in William Lowery, although I do emphaises the word "little":

Q. Do you recall how long they kept you at the police station?
A. It seemed like forever.
Q. Were you alone 
A. I don't remember.
Q. Did you have an interpreter or did Mrs. Paine go with you?
A. Would you believe it? I don't recall the names of who was around me.
Q. Did Lee ever discuss with you when you were speaking with him in jail the shooting of Officer Tippett ?
A. No.
Q. Was that mentioned at all?
A. No.
Q. Prior to Lee's being arrested did he ever discuss with you, are you familiar with the name William James Lowery ?
A. No.
Q. Did they ever discuss with you after he was arrested that he had ever done undercover work? Did they say he was a person in Dallas who had been infiltrating the Communist Party?
A. Who discussed with me?
Q. Did Lee ever discuss that with you about informants within the Communist Party in Texas?
A. I don't recall that. Once in a while the Communist Party was mentioned in the conversation but I do not remember when exactly, what period of our lives it was.
Q. What would he say about it, do you remember?,
A. Well, he said that, for example, the Communist Party here is not exactly illegal but they have a very difficult time to survive and the Communist Party in Russia is different than the Communist Party here and he was in favor of them.
Q. The Communist Party?
A. Yes.
Q. Here 
A. Yes.
Q. Did he ever discuss the Communist Party that you recall when you were in Dallas?
A. Pardon?
Q. Did he ever discuss the Communist Party during this time in Dallas?
A. Well, this could be in Dallas and in New Orleans but it was in America.
Q. Did he ever discuss informants generally, what his feelings were about informants?
A. No. 


I struggle to believe that Lowery didn't know Oswald, or at the very least, know of him. To have such close relationships with SA James Hosty, SA Harlan Brown, SA Ed Kuykendall and Joe Molina AND to not know or want to get to know Lee Harvey Oswald simply beggars belief for me.



In August, 1962, Lowery and the rest of the CP USA members in Dallas were promoting the idea of further establishing their ties to their local ACLU and this raises the question as to how familiar were Ruth and Michael Paine with Lowery and the rest of the CP members? I would love to know what was in those metal filing boxes belonging to Mrs. Paine.


http://www.maryferre...891&relPageId=1

On page (7) of the above linked document is says:


"FRANK stated that one of the people he knew, but did not trust had met POLLY, who was "traveling East" and told her that he (FRANK) was in a certain CP club in Houston. FRANK stated that he felt that this person (possibly a fellow worker) was not supposed to know if he (FRANK) belonged to a CP club and certainly should not have known what particular club he (FRANK) belonged to.

AUGUSTINE ESTRADA and JOHN STANFORD agreed that FRANK should be careful of the person in question."

The Frank referred to above is, I believe, FRANK GARCIA, although I'm not 100% on this.

It's also of interest that PENN JONES name appears on page (



http://www.maryferre...891&relPageId=8

And JONES also appears in this document:

http://www.maryferre...sPageId=1257054

There are so many reports on the CP USA meetings and the GI Forum meetings that it's difficult to know where to start.

FROM: James Kelly and Harold Rose
SUBJECT: Tape Recording of Alleged Threat vs. President Kennedy in October 1963 in Dallas, Texas
DATE: April 10, 1978

In an earlier interview, 3/18/78, which the writers had with former Dallas Police Lieutenant George Butler in Rockwall, Texas, we were advised that he was in possession of a tape recording in which the speaker, an anti-Castro Cuban, had made threats against President Kennedy in connection with his upcoming November 22, 1963 visit to Dallas. Mr. Butler told us that he was going to make a copy of this tape for our use. He did so on April 3rd in Rockwall, Texas.

The tape contains approximately 1 1/2 hours of talk, principally by a man identified as Nestor Castellanos.

Castellanos is a Cuban who fought with Castro in the Sierra Maestras in 1959 and left Cuba for the U.S. after Fidel took over. He flew one of the seven planes in the Bay of Pigs operation and returned safely to Miami.

Present with him at this meeting on October 1, 1963 are Ed Hughes, an American-born Cuban from Chicago and Francisco Lalia, a former Bay of Pigs prisoner. Castellanos harangues the group for support, not financial but moral. He is very bitter about President Kennedy because of the Bay of Pigs and repeatedly castigates him. He insists that Kennedy must be gotten out. Finally, the speaker refers to President Kennedy's upcoming visit on November 22, 1963 by saying, "and we're waiting for Kennedy on the 22nd plenty. We're going to see him one way or the other. We're going to give him the works when he gets in Dallas."

These remarks have to be taken in the context of Castellanos background in Dallas in the Fall of 1963. He was in the process of attempting to unite the fractious Cuban anti-Castro groups in the Dallas area.

Memo: Tape Recording of Alleged Threat. Page 2

You will recall several file references to Oswald consorting with Cubans at the 3128 address of Harlandale Ave. in Dallas prior to 11/22/63 (see Jorge Salazar) Castellanos was then working for the Hilton Hotel in Dallas not far from the Dallas Police Headquarters. To this writer's knowledge he was in contact on more than one occasion by Lt. Jack Revill of the Dallas Police Department for background on radical Cubans in the Dallas area. Revill describes him as a "walk-in" who gratuitously offered his services one day.

In the tape Castellanos refers to the Dallas P.D.
with ill-concealed contempt because they refused him a parade permit for the Cubans.
It is interesting to note that Castellanos refers
to a participant at this meeting in laudatory terms. "You know who I think is the biggest hero in the U.S. at this moment? A spy with his family and wife; 19 years working with the FBI inside the Communists, working for them. I call that a regular man with guts… He knows who's who, this man. A shoe salesman." 

Mr. Butler told this writer that Castellanos was referring to William Lowery, an FBI paid-informant who was connected with the Communist party in Dallas. Of interest, his occupation; shoe salesman. Location of his business: Jefferson Blvd. in Oak Cliff the "direction in which L. H. Oswald was heading after he shot Patrolman Tippit. You will
also note that a new pair of shoes was; found among Oswald's possessions after his arrest. Quite possibly they were purchased in Oak Cliff and probably from William Lowery, the Communist working for the FBI. It would also be of interest to determine whether Lowery in this latter function made any oral or written reports to his control who may have been interestingly enough, S.A. James Hosty of the Dallas FBI. Nestor R. Castellanos is now living in Miami, Florida where he works for a South American Airline. This writer spoke to him a few months ago in connection with the Cuban groups in Dallas. He will be reinterviewed.

http://contentdm.bay...SOPTR=597&REC=5

John Simkin's Spartacus page regarding George Butler:

http://www.spartacus...k/JFKbutler.htm

EF Thread on George Butler:

http://educationforu...?showtopic=1991

HSCA Subject File on Rolando and Raimundo Masferrer, information from informant DL T-1 Nestor Castellanos:

http://www.maryferre...698&relPageId=1

I've suggested in the past that the Johnny Brewer-Oswald encounter possibly didn't happen. I have always been incredibly suspicious of Brewer. But I am now thinking that Oswald was being watched closely after he left the TSBD and it is possible that he was meant to go to "a" shoe shop for a contact (with Lowery who worked at the Shoe Haven) but was purposely given the wrong shop. He enters Hardy's looking for Lowery, looks confused and leaves. On cue it's then Brewer's job to follow him to see where he goes. Oswald pays Julia Postal and goes into the Texas Theater (either on the hop or because he was told to go there if the contact isn't at the shop or he was told to meet at the shop and Oswald and his contact would then go the Theater to discuss something), once he's inside Brewer then tells Postal to call the police because the guy has just ducked in his shop looking suspicious.


A lot of conjecture there and a lot of loose ends still but I'm not willing to accept the coincidence of $200 a month FBI informant Lowery working in a shoe store three blocks away from the shoe store that led to his eventual arrest.

Earl Lively Jr. also tried to get Lowery in contact with the Garrison investigation:

http://www.maryferre...45&relPageId=66

And I'm deeply suspicious that the following titled HSCA documents are still unavailable or postponed in full. Some of them have OPEN status but they don't exist on MFF:



ORIGINATOR: HSCA
FROM: [No From]
TO: [No To]
TITLE: SWORN TESTIMONY OF WILLIAM JAMES LOWERY
DATE: 05/26/1978
PAGES: 33
DOCUMENT TYPE: TRANSCRIPT



A 33 page sworn testimony transcript from William James Lowery is still unavailable to us as researchers.

Domestic Intelligence Division 

INFORMATIVE NOTE

January 22nd, 1964

[Redacted name - William James Lowery], former security informant of Dallas Office advised Lt. George Butler of Dallas Police Department (DLPD) allegedly involved in scheme to furnish FBI data furnished DLPD to Earl Lively Jr.. Lively, a writer, reportedly writing anti-communist book which will stress pro-Cuban activities of Oswald. We instructed SAC, Dallas, to discuss this with head of DLPD and determine if allegation concerning Butler true. Attached teletype sets forth results of Dallas contact with DLPD.

END

FBI Dallas

1-22-64

To Director
From Dallas

Today I personally contacted Chief of Police Jesses E. Curry, Dallas, and discussed with him info previously furnished this office by [redacted – William James Lowery]. He very definitely agreed that it was very undesirable for Lt. George Butler to be involved in any such scheme as alleged by [redacted – Lowery]. He pointed out that Lt. Butler in his capacity in the juvenile department. Does not actually have access to either the Oswald or the Ruby filed at the PD, that the Oswald file is kept under lock and key in Capt. Will Fritz’ custody, and the Ruby file is kept by another Asst. Chief of Police. He stated that of course Butler in his contacts with various Police Officers may have some information, but that he would not have actual access to either the police data or anything the FBI has submitted to him, such as lab reports, etc. He did note that Lt. Butler is very far to the right in his thinking and that he is under civil service, but that he will call him and attempt to determine if he is involved in any such scheme. In addition he will point out to him the undesirability of being so involved, as well as possible disciplinary action that would be taken against him if he does become so involved.
Chief Curry has indicated he will advise me when this has been done and I will advise the Bureau.

END 

To: Director, FBI
FROM: SAC, DALLAS

SUBJECT: LEE HARVEY OSWALD, aka IS-R-CUBA

Chief of Police, JESSE E. CURRY advised me this date that he has talked to Lt. GEORGE BUTLER regarding his allegedly going to assist EARL LIVELY, JR. in writing a book and making available information from the files of the Dallas Police Department and any information furnished that Department by the FBI in connection with the LEE HARVEY OSWALD case. Chief CURRY states that BUTLER denies any such connection and has assured CURRY that he will under no circumstances make any such information available to LIVELY. BUTLER stated that he had been at DR. ROBERT MORRIS’ house one night some time ago when LIVELY was there, and a discussion was had concerning LIVELY writing a book, but he (BUTLER) reiterated that he had not agreed to participate in this project and certainly had not agreed to furnish any information from the files of the Dallas Police Department.

SHANKLIN

END

Domestic Intelligence Division

January 31st, 1964

Earl Lively, a writer, originally approached a former informer of our Dallas Office, [redacted] requesting assistance in writing an anticommunist book which would stress the Fair Play for Cuba Committee’s connections with Lee Harvey Oswald. Lively claimed that Lieutenant George Butler of the Dallas Police, was assisting him and was going to try to get any information he could that the FBI turned over to the Dallas PD in connection with the Oswald case. SAC Dallas was instructed to impress upon the head of the Dallas PD the undesirability of Lieutenant Butler being involved in such a scheme. The attached airtel reflects that the Chief of Police advises Butler denies any connection with such plan.

END

So let's summarise this;

CURRY: Did you do this George?
BUTLER: Erm, no.
CURRY: Cheers. Thanks for straightening that out for us.

The information of an FBI informer that had been informing for 18 years was obviously trumped by George denying it, even though he had been consorting with Earl Lively at Dr. Robert Morris’ residence.

http://www.maryferre...bsPageId=702100
http://www.maryferre...4&relPageId=109

W.C. Sullivan

W.A. Branigan

LEE HARVEY OSWALD
IS – R – CUBA

By airtel 1-13-64, Dallas Office reported that on 1-4-64 William James Lowery, Jr., a former security informant of the Dallas Office, reported he had been contacted that date by Earl Lively, Jr., of Dallas, Texas. Lowery stated Lively is reportedly writing an anticommunist book which will stress the Fair Play for Cuba Committee connections of Lee Harvey Oswald. Lively showed Lowery a letter from Herbert Philbrick, former Communist Party member who has testified on behalf of the Government concerning communist activities. According to Lively, Philbrick plans to be in Dallas soon and desrires to meet Lowery.

Lively further informed Lowery that he desired Lowery’s assistance in writing his book. He stated that Dr. Robert Morris, former counsel to the Senate Internal Security Committee under Senator McCarthy, was assisting him, and Lt. George Butler of the Dallas Police Department was going to try to get any information he could that the FBI turned over to the Dallas Police Department in connection with the Lee Harvey Oswald case.

In connection with Lowery mentioned above, he was a member of and active in he Communist Party on a local and state basis from September 23, 1945 to September 22, 1963. He has also testified for the Government before the Subversive Activities Control Board.

Our indices indicate Earl Lively, Jr., probably is identical to Earl William Lively, Jr., In 1963, Office of Special Investigations, Air Force (OSI), furnished us information that Lively was a member of the Air National Guard and at that time was a student at the Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama. He was being investigated by OSI since a national agency shock revealed he was a subscriber to “The Worker” and the “Midweek Worker,” both communist publications. Individuals interviewed by OSI reported Lively was extremely anticommunist and as being extremely rightist in his political views. They reported in their opinion Lively subscribed to communist publication only to obtain background information on the Communist Party line. They also reported Lively extremely anti-Fidel Castro.

Our files also indicate Lively is known as a free-lance writer and does some broadcasting over small town radio stations in Texas. He resides in Dallas, Texas.

OBSERVATIONS:

In view of the serious allegations that Lt, Butler of the Dallas Police Department is involved in scheme to furnish FBI data to Earl Lively, Jr., desirable we have SAC, Dallas personally discuss this allegation with the head of the Dallas Police Department and impress upon him the undesirability of Lt. Butler being involved in such a scheme as alleged by our source. Inasmuch as Lowery has testified for the Government before the Subversive Activities Control Board and is no longer a security informant, we will not jeopardize an important informant situation by discussing his allegation with the head of the Dallas Police Department.

ACTION:

Attached is teletype to SAC, Dallas, instructing the SAC, Dallas, to personally contact the head of the Dallas Police Department and alert him to the information furnished by Lowery and impress upon him the undesirability of individuals in his department divulging to unauthorized individuals data furnished the Dallas Police Department by the FBI. We are also instructing SAC, Dallas, to request that the head of the Dallas Police Department determine whether Lt. George Butler of the Dallas Police Department is involved in a scheme to furnish FBU data to Lively as alleged by Lowery.

END

See also, http://www.maryferre...bsPageId=760521 , where Lt. George Butler’s name is redacted.

As previously mentioned in another post, LIVELY was still in contact with LOWERY in 1967 and was discussing with LOWERY about LOWERY getting in touch with GARRISON:

http://www.maryferre...45&relPageId=64 (2 pages)

and

http://www.maryferre...45&relPageId=66 (2 pages)

Have you seen this document, Lee?
https://www.maryferrell.org/mffweb/archive/viewer/showDoc.do?docId=117897&relPageId=3

Lowery was a member of the Dallas chapter of the Unitarians for Social Justice. Another document on Lowery says they met at the local Unitarian Church.  Wonder if he ever bumped into Mr Paine?

I also note he says that his lawyer is an official with Americans for Democratic Action. This was/is a "progressive" group which grew out of the Socialist Party and  its anti-Sovietism.. Peculiar choice of legal help for a member of the CPUSA...

Lowery in mentioned in this recent article about spying on the GI Forum.

http://www.dallasnews.com/news/jfk50/reflect/20130913-dallas-mexican-americans-remember-the-kennedy-years-surveillance-by-fbi.ece

"Junie needs a new pair of shoes."

Strange that Oswald would mention this to both Marina and Robert while in jail.

Also more about shoes.

MARINA OSWALD -- "One detail that I remember was that he had asked me
whether I had bought some shoes for myself, and I said no, that I
hadn't had any time. He asked me whether June needed anything and told
me to buy everything that I needed for myself and for June and for the
children. This was rather unusual for him, that he would mention that
first."

Given the coincidence of Lowery's story appearing around Sept 63. Are the FBI spying on the GI forum and Oswald  moving back to Dallas around this time and obtaining employment with the TSBD merely coincidences? Did Oswald take over from Lowery with ready made commie credentials? Did he mistake Brewer for Lowery? Was he planning to go back to Brewer's shoe store after the heat dissipated and the store was empty?

Did Lee need a new pair of shoes?

Are these the shoes that Oswald bought from Brewer? 

Mr. RANKIN. Can you tell us whether any of this clothing set out on this desk belonged to Lee Oswald?
Mrs. OSWALD. These are Lee's shoes.
Mr. RANKIN. When you say the shoes, you pointed to Exhibit 149?
Mrs. OSWALD. Yes.
Mr. RANKIN. This is a pair of shoes of which Exhibit 149 is a photograph.
Mrs. OSWALD. These are his bath slippers.
Mr. RANKIN. Exhibit 148 are his bath slippers?
Mrs. OSWALD. Japanese bath slippers. These shoes I have never seen.
Mr. RANKIN. That is Exhibit 147, you say those are shoes you have never seen?

http://www.history-matters.com/archive/jfk/wc/wcvols/wh16/pdf/WH16_CE_147.pdf

Colin Crow wrote:Lowery in mentioned in this recent article about spying on the GI Forum.

http://www.dallasnews.com/news/jfk50/reflect/20130913-dallas-mexican-americans-remember-the-kennedy-years-surveillance-by-fbi.ece

Colin, that story leaves out something rather pertinent:

From: https://groups.google.com/forum/#!search/gi$20forum$20tangled$20web/alt.assassination.jfk/ZPJvJ-_9wRo/Fyz0ckAcx9YJ
In 1960, despite being labelled an agitator and receiving death threats, Garcia co-founded the Viva Kennedy Club in support of Kennedy's presidential campaign. This effort helped him gain the reputation of "someone who understands delivery systems in this country". In a nod to Garcia's help in that narrowest of victories, Kennedy appointed him ambassador to a West Indies treaty-signing.


Disillusionment with Kennedy among those Hispanics who had campaigned so successfully on his behalf however, soon set in. A few appointments here and there were seen as tokenism, and the relationship between Kennedy and the Hispanic community represented by Garcia stagnated.

LBJ's sudden ascension to the throne, however was seen as favorable.

Greg, with the publicity surrounding Lowery it would seem a replacement FBI informant in Dallas reporting to Hosty was required. After Oswald's FPCC jaunt in NO, who better as a ready made replacement? Throw in the Mexico sojourn along the way for good measure.

Might he be aware of the shoe salesman on Jefferson as his predecessor? An earlier reconnaissance down Jefferson finds Brewer and he mistakes him for Lowery. He buys some new shoes, he likely doesn't need during that visit.

Was the Junie's shoes comment a cryptic clue as to his current "mission"? I wonder. Was Oswald trying to seek assistance from Brewer but the others in the store delayed the contact at that time?


An Oswald, Molina association at the TSBD would implicate the CP, GI forum and FPCC in  the events.

Colin Crow wrote:Greg, with the publicity surrounding Lowery it would seem a replacement FBI informant in Dallas reporting to Hosty was required. After Oswald's FPCC jaunt in NO, who better as a ready made replacement? Throw in the Mexico sojourn along the way for good measure.

Might he be aware of the shoe salesman on Jefferson as his predecessor? An earlier reconnaissance down Jefferson finds Brewer and he mistakes him for Lowery. He buys some new shoes, he likely doesn't need during that visit.

Was the Junie's shoes comment a cryptic clue as to his current "mission"? I wonder. Was Oswald trying to seek assistance from Brewer but the others in the store delayed the contact at that time?


An Oswald, Molina association at the TSBD would implicate the CP, GI forum and FPCC in  the events.

Don't worry. I'm with you and Lee on of that. And I didn't mean to distract from it.I merely wanted to point out that they gilded the lily for the 50th in that story. These guys swapped allegiance to LBJ prior to the assassination. That may or may not be significant in itself.

Stumbled across this affidavit from Molina. He names Bill Lowery as one of the GI Forum founding members.

http://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth190086/m1/1/sizes/?q=Texas%20schoolbook%20depository

Colin Crow wrote:Was the Junie's shoes comment a cryptic clue as to his current "mission"? I wonder. Was Oswald trying to seek assistance from Brewer but the others in the store delayed the contact at that time?

I have always wondered about the obsession Lee had with shoes at this juncture. Here he is, arrested for a couple of very big crimes he claims being innocent to and the one thing he repeatedly states is his desire to make sure Junie gets new shoes.

He mentioned it to Ruth, Marina, Marguerite, and his brother, Robert, IIRC. Short of channeling his inner Imelda Marcos, I find it rather odd.

At one point, I thought the phrase "shoes for baby June" might be a close English phonetic for a Russian equivalent but a Russian I spoke with said they could not think of such a phrase. Beyond that, I thought it sounded like some sort of cryptic password or code-phrase...

Perhaps meaning, "take the kids and get the hell out of Dallas!!"?

Colin Crow wrote:Stumbled across this affidavit from Molina. He names Bill Lowery as one of the GI Forum founding members.

http://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth190086/m1/1/sizes/?q=Texas%20schoolbook%20depository

Colin,

Very interesting. Especially the mention of "The present chairman of the forum is Brownie Trevino, owner of Oak Cliff Blind Service."

Blind service, hmm.

Maybe someone could have gone there to buy blinds... or window shades? Even without having to go all the way back to Irving.

Colin Crow wrote:Stumbled across this affidavit from Molina. He names Bill Lowery as one of the GI Forum founding members.

http://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth190086/m1/1/sizes/?q=Texas%20schoolbook%20depository

When Molina, Lowery and Bartello, along with 3 others, formed the Dallas Gi
Forum, Lowery nominated Molina as Chairman, and himself as Sargeant-At-
Arms. They won those respective positions.

According to Richard Helms, to "monitor" a group was merely to attend its
public meetings and hear what any citizen present would hear; to
"infiltrate" a group was to join it as a member and appear to support its
purposes in general; to "penetrate" a group was to gain a leadership
position, and influence or direct its policies and actions.

It seems this was a "penetration" then, in which Molina was an active and
knowing participant. Why else would an FBI informant nominate him as
Chairman?
http://educationforum.ipbhost.com/index.php?showtopic=1097

I've been struggling to understand John Abt. It's a strange story. He was one of the specifically named members of the Elizabeth Bentley spy ring. In other words, a real-live genuine spy.



Yet here is practicing law and representing all kinds of diverse people, and He's the guy that Oswald chooses to call.



That is bizarre, is it not?

terlin wrote:

Colin Crow wrote:Stumbled across this affidavit from Molina. He names Bill Lowery as one of the GI Forum founding members.

http://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth190086/m1/1/sizes/?q=Texas%20schoolbook%20depository

Colin,

Very interesting. Especially the mention of "The present chairman of the forum is Brownie Trevino, owner of Oak Cliff Blind Service."

Blind service, hmm.

Maybe someone could have gone there to buy blinds... or window shades? Even without having to go all the way back to Irving.

Good pick up, terry!

greg parker wrote:

terlin wrote:

Colin Crow wrote:Stumbled across this affidavit from Molina. He names Bill Lowery as one of the GI Forum founding members.

http://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth190086/m1/1/sizes/?q=Texas%20schoolbook%20depository

Colin,

Very interesting. Especially the mention of "The present chairman of the forum is Brownie Trevino, owner of Oak Cliff Blind Service."

Blind service, hmm.

Maybe someone could have gone there to buy blinds... or window shades? Even without having to go all the way back to Irving.

Good pick up, terry!

Lorenzo (Brownie) Trevino 

MEXICAN AMERICAN REPUBLICANS OF TEXAS. Mexican American Republicans of Texas was organized in 1972 as an official auxiliary of the state Republican party to promote Mexican-American interests. The major founder was Lorenzo G. "Brownie" Trevino of Dallas.
https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/wembf

Daniel Trevino, lawyer, Houston, Committee to Reelect the President (CREEP)
http://www.maryferrell.org/mffweb/archive/viewer/showDoc.do?mode=searchResult&absPageId=1475414
http://www.maryferrell.org/mffweb/archive/viewer/showDoc.do?mode=searchResult&absPageId=1476792

nonsqtr wrote:I've been struggling to understand John Abt. It's a strange story. He was one of the specifically named members of the Elizabeth Bentley spy ring. In other words, a real-live genuine spy.



Yet here is practicing law and representing all kinds of diverse people, and He's the guy that Oswald chooses to call.



That is bizarre, is it not?

Actually, considering Lee Oswald was probably working in some intelligence capacity for some agency, his knowing Abt is not really that bizarre.

Lowery 
https://www.nbcuniarchives.com/search?q=jfk+assassination
5th row middle video
17:00 mins in, wait for the audio to kick in, about 3.5 mins worth of footage.

Lowery has finally shown up in some FBI docs....only took me to trawl thru hundreds of pages FFS

https://www.archives.gov/files/research/jfk/releases/docid-32323158.pdf

From earlier posts:



Lowery:
Colin Crowe:
Junie needs a new pair of shoes."

Strange that Oswald would mention this to both Marina and Robert while in jail.

Also more about shoes.

MARINA OSWALD -- "One detail that I remember was that he had asked me
whether I had bought some shoes for myself, and I said no, that I
hadn't had any time. He asked me whether June needed anything and told
me to buy everything that I needed for myself and for June and for the
children. This was rather unusual for him, that he would mention that
first."

Given the coincidence of Lowery's story appearing around Sept 63. Are the FBI spying on the GI forum and Oswald  moving back to Dallas around this time and obtaining employment with the TSBD merely coincidences? Did Oswald take over from Lowery with ready made commie credentials? Did he mistake Brewer for Lowery? Was he planning to go back to Brewer's shoe store after the heat dissipated and the store was empty?

Did Lee need a new pair of shoes?

Are these the shoes that Oswald bought from Brewer? 

Mr. RANKIN. Can you tell us whether any of this clothing set out on this desk belonged to Lee Oswald?
Mrs. OSWALD. These are Lee's shoes.
Mr. RANKIN. When you say the shoes, you pointed to Exhibit 149?
Mrs. OSWALD. Yes.
Mr. RANKIN. This is a pair of shoes of which Exhibit 149 is a photograph.
Mrs. OSWALD. These are his bath slippers.
Mr. RANKIN. Exhibit 148 are his bath slippers?
Mrs. OSWALD. Japanese bath slippers. These shoes I have never seen.
Mr. RANKIN. That is Exhibit 147, you say those are shoes you have never seen?

http://www.history-matters.com/archive/jfk/wc/wcvols/wh16/pdf/WH16_CE_147.pdf
 
 
Greg Parker:
 
Colin Crow wrote:Lowery in mentioned in this recent article about spying on the GI Forum.

http://www.dallasnews.com/news/jfk50/reflect/20130913-dallas-mexican-americans-remember-the-kennedy-years-surveillance-by-fbi.ece
Colin, that story leaves out something rather pertinent:


From: https://groups.google.com/forum/#!search/gi$20forum$20tangled$20web/alt.assassination.jfk/ZPJvJ-_9wRo/Fyz0ckAcx9YJ
In 1960, despite being labelled an agitator and receiving death threats, Garcia co-founded the Viva Kennedy Club in support of Kennedy's presidential campaign. This effort helped him gain the reputation of "someone who understands delivery systems in this country". In a nod to Garcia's help in that narrowest of victories, Kennedy appointed him ambassador to a West Indies treaty-signing.


Disillusionment with Kennedy among those Hispanics who had campaigned so successfully on his behalf however, soon set in. A few appointments here and there were seen as tokenism, and the relationship between Kennedy and the Hispanic community represented by Garcia stagnated.

LBJ's sudden ascension to the throne, however was seen as favorable.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Colin Crowe:
 
 
Re: William James Lowery, James Patrick Hosty and Lee Oswald
on Mon 21 Jul 2014, 2:40 pm
Stumbled across this affidavit from Molina. He names Bill Loweryas one of the GI Forum founding members.

[url=http://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth190086/m1/1/sizes/?q=Texas schoolbook depository]http://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth190086/m1/1/sizes/?q=Texas%20schoolbook%20depository[/url]
 
 
Guest:
 
I've suggested in the past that the Johnny Brewer-Oswald encounter possibly didn't happen. I have always been incredibly suspicious of Brewer. But I am now thinking that Oswald was being watched closely after he left the TSBD and it is possible that he was meant to go to "a" shoe shop for a contact (with Lowery who worked at the Shoe Haven) but was purposely given the wrong shop. He enters Hardy's looking for Lowery, looks confused and leaves. On cue it's then Brewer's job to follow him to see where he goes. Oswald pays Julia Postal and goes into the Texas Theater (either on the hop or because he was told to go there if the contact isn't at the shop or he was told to meet at the shop and Oswald and his contact would then go the Theater to discuss something), once he's inside Brewer then tells Postal to call the police because the guy has just ducked in his shop looking suspicious.


A lot of conjecture there and a lot of loose ends still but I'm not willing to accept the coincidence of $200 a month FBI informant Lowery working in a shoe store three blocks away from the shoe store that led to his eventual arrest.
 
ust thought I'd post one of my posts from the EF here for discussion.  The reason I'm posting it is because I think it directly relates to Sean Murphy's Prayer Man idea.

On the 17th of April, 1978, James P. Kelly and Harold Rose interviewed one William James Lowery of Dallas, Texas. Loweryhad been an FBI informant from 1945-1963 after he infiltrated the Communist Party USA. His control in Dallas was James P. Hosty.

In the interview by Rose and Kelly, Lowery stated he worked undercover for the FBI for 19 years in the Communist Party in Texas. He joined the Party in San Antonio and rose to the rank of Secretary-Treasurer of the State apparatus. Lowery was also heavily involved with the American GI Forum from it very beginning and stated that although it wasn't a Communist front organisation it was at one time dominated by Communists. He claimed never to have met Lee Oswald but became apprehensive when he learned that Oswald had been apprehended armed with a pistol in the Texas Theater on West Jefferson Boulevard, Oak Cliff, Dallas on 11/22/63. He felt that Oswald was probably on his way to kill him in reprisal for exposing the Party in Texas. Lowery was a shoe salesman who worked at a store called the Shoe Haven at 620 West Jefferson Boulevard which was approximately three blocks west of the Texas Theater and also three blocks away from Hardy's Shoe Store where another shoe salesman called Johnny Brewer worked.

Lowery was such an important informer for the FBI that on September 23, 1963, he testified at an open Justice Department hearing in Washington and "surfaced as an FBI spy" on the front page of newspapers on the 26th of September in Dallas.

It is also of note that during the open Justice Department hearing both Lowery and Rosalie Urquizo of San Antonio testified against John W. Stanford Jr.. Stanford was represented during the hearing by none other than John Abt.

Lowery did say that the only time Oswald could have been in the same room as him was at the YMCA in Oak Cliff because the CP held meetings there occasionaly.

Lowery was paid $2500 a year by the FBI for working undercover and he received increments of about $200 a month in cash from the local Dallas office. We shall recall that this is the same amount that Waggoner Carr claimed that Oswald was getting each month. Lowery recalled that SA James Hosty was his control in Dallas and paid him on street corners or park benches. Special Agents Harlan Brown and Ed Kuykendall were other agents with whom he dealt.

When interviewed in 1978 Lowery was employed as manager of the shoe section of Margo's La Mode, a women's shoe store at 1708 Elm Street, Dallas, just a few blocks north of the TSBD.

Lowery was tightly linked with Joseph Rodriguez Molina, who worked at the Texas School Book Depository with Lee Oswald, and who was "interviewed" in connection with the assassination and was initially connected as a co-conspirator with a close relationship to Oswald. As most of us are aware, Molina himself believed he was fired from the TSBD in December, 1963, due to what amounted to his "subversive" background however Roy Truly claimed it was because they were getting in a new payroll system.

In attendace at the GI Forum meetings in 1962 and 1963, in addition to Bill Lowery and Joe Molina, was a woman called Ruth Lowery. I can find nothing in any documents that suggests that Lowery was married or had relatives involved with the Forum but the name Ruth sure sticks out like a sore thumb to me. EDIT: I believe Ruth Lowery was Bill's younger sister. The reason Ruth Lowery perks my interest is because I believe she was DL T-4 informant who was formerly DL 15-S and Margaret Landin, also a CP USA member along with her husband Joe, was DL T-2 informant. 






So is it possible that Lee Oswald phoned Ruth Paine from the TSBD at around 12.40pm Nov22nd '63 and asked to speak with Marina as work had finished for the day, seeking advice or permission to visit there early Friday afternoon ?
Ruth did not pass the phone to Marina, and answered for her, telling Lee that Marina and her were busy at present and it would not be convenient to visit at this time and that he should meet them later at the shoe store ( either Lowery's or Brewers ) as Marina needed new shoes. Ruth went onto advise Lee he should take in a movie at the theatre while he waits for them to catch up. Ruth then phones either Lowery or Brewer to alert them that they should keep an eye out for Oswald entering the theatre. 


Just thinking out loud.

Is it possible 

1. Ruth Paine knew Lowery

2. Ruth Paine knew Brewer

3. The Reverend Campbell knew Lowery

4. Bill Randle knew Lowery

It makes much more sense at least to me that Lowery might have observed Lee Oswald entering the TT.

Did Lowery know Brewer or vise-versa? Shoe stores not 3 blocks apart both. Was Brewer acting under instruction?

Thanks to Malcolm Blunt