Vince Palamara's new book, The Plot to Kill President Kennedy in Chicago and other Traces of Conspiracy Leading to the Assassination of JFK, is an epic failure. Despite the enticing title, Palamara does not provide any evidence of a plot in Chicago in November 1963.
My last blog post discussed the footnotes for this statement in Palamara's book: (page 206 in the Kinde edition)
Direct and indirect corroboration for Mr. Bolden’s accounts of threats to JFK’s life in Chicago, in general, and the 11/2/63 plot in Chicago, in particular, comes from the following sources:
Now I'd like to look at the sixteen pieces of "direct and indirect corroboration for Mr. Bolden's accounts of threats to JFK's life in Chicago."
Maurice Martineau's interview (page 206 in the Kindle edition)
“[Maurice] Martineau said that he was in Chicago when President John F. Kennedy made a visit prior to November 1963. He could not recall the precise date. “We got a telephone threat. The caller was not identified, that Kennedy was going to be killed when he got to Jackson Street. We adjusted the routine to rely on the Chicago Police to cover the area. The threat did not materialize,” he said.… We asked Martineau about threats against JFK in [the] Chicago area [for] November 1963. Martineau visibly stiffened. “I can recall no threat that was significant enough to cause me to recollect it at this time” he said. In contrast to the wealth of detail which flooded his earlier recollections, his answers became vague and less responsive.”
The first part of Martineau's interview with the HSCA refers to a threat that was received during Kennedy's March 1963 visit to Chicago.
Here is a document which details the threat:
What this has to do with a threat or a plot in November 1963 is beyond me.
Martineau's answers to threats in November 1963 might have been vague, but that is hardly proof of a plot. This comment probably reflects more about the state of mind of the interviewers (James Kelly, Lee Matthews) than on Martineau's knowledge.
And then there is this:
While the writers did not ask Mr. Martineau flat out if he knew about the circumstanced which former agent Bolden mentioned to us in his Chicago interview we did question him obliquely about the matter of Thomas Arthur Vallee and the alleged Cuban/Latin types which Bolden mentioned. The paucity of documents in this case makes it difficult to pin down a witness on details or even recollections of past events which the Service seems to treat as a "non-event."
Quite a telling statement about the state of mind of the interviewers and an admission that there are no documents which support Bolden's claim.
Palamara then inserts this excerpt from a memo:
Sounds suspicious, no? This comes directly from this document. And it refers to this document:
And this document refers to Homer Echeverria. This has nothing to do with a plot against JFK in early November 1963.
Former Secret Service Agent George McNally (pages 206 - 207 in the Kindle edition)
Col. George J. McNally, WH Signal Corps and former Secret Service agent: “But during the Chicago visit [3/23/63], the motorcade was slowed to the pace of a mounted Black Horse Troop, and the police got a warning of Puerto Rican snipers. Helicopters searched the roofs along the way, and no incidents occurred.”225 Please note McNally calling the suspects “Puerto Rican.”
I am not sure why this is relevant. It refers to a threat received during the March 1963 visit to Chicago by JFK.
Postcard received (page 207 in the Kindle edition)
“A postcard was received in the Saturday morning mail of the Chicago office threatening the life of the President during the [3/23/63] motorcade from O’Hare Field to the Conrad Hilton Hotel.”
Once again, this refers to the threat that was received in March 1963 and has nothing to do with a threat or a plot in November 1963.
FBI Agent Thomas B. Coll (page 207 in the Kindle edition)
FBI agent Thomas B. Coll: “I remember that case. Some people were picked up. And I’m telling you it wasn’t ours. That was strictly a Secret Service affair. That whole Soldier Field matter was a Secret Service affair … You’ll get no more out of me. I’ve said as much as I’m going to on that subject. Get the rest from the Secret Service.” Note Coll using the plural “people.”
There is no source in Palamara's book for this quote, but it comes from Edwin Black's article. Coll was an FBI public relations flack in Washington D.C. I doubt he had any first-hand knowledge of anything in Chicago. I have little faith in anything in the Black article.
Captain Robert Linsky (page 207 in the Kindle edition)
Captain Robert Linsky, security liaison between the Chicago Police and the Secret Service, remembered the Vallee arrest.
But what does the arrest of Thomas Arthur Vallee have to do with a supposed plot in Chicago. It's even unclear whether there was even a threat from Vallee.
Secret Service Agent Lloyd Stocks (page 207 in the Kindle edition)
Lloyd Stocks remembered, “something about a guy called Vallee.” This was Thomas Arthur Vallee, a man arrested apart from the four-man team. Vallee’s sister Mary Vallee-Portillo told author James Douglass: “My brother probably was set up. He was very much used.”
Again, Palamara brings up Vallee and at least mentions that he was "arrested apart from the four-man team." I don't really care what Vallee's sister thinks. Vallee was not set up and he wasn't used.
As for Agent Lloyd Stocks, here is an excerpt from his outside contact report with the HSCA:
Unfortunately, the next page in the contact report is missing.
Sergeant Lawrence Coffey (page 207 in the Kindle edition)
Sergeant Lawrence Coffey: “Naturally, I remember every detail … How often is anyone involved in a threat against the President’s life?”
Palamara doesn't provide a source for this comment, but it comes from Edwin Black's article. Here is the full quote:
Naturally, I remember every detail ... How often is anyone involved in a threat against the President's life? One involving a lot of heavy weapons like this Vallee character.
Coffey was referring to Vallee and not to any supposed Chicago plot.
Here is an excerpt from his HSCA outside contact report:
Thomas Arthur Vallee (pages 207 - 208 in the Kindle edition)
Thomas Arthur Vallee himself: “Soldiers Field. The plot against John F. Kennedy.” Mr. Vallee claimed he was framed by someone with special knowledge about him, such as his “CIA assignment to train exiles to assassinate Castro.” Vallee told Edwin Black that he had been assigned by the Marines to a U-2 base in Japan, Camp Otsu, which came under the control of the CIA, just as Oswald came under similar control of the CIA at another Marine U-2 base in Japan.
A whole paragraph on Vallee, which has nothing to do with a supposed plot. Palamara's footnote for the second part of the paragraph refers to James Douglass's book, JFK and the Unspeakable, and his source is Edwin Black. Camp Otsu was not a U-2 base when Vallee was stationed there.
These are the first eight pieces of evidence that Palamara claims corroborates Bolden's alleged plot. As you can see, there is nothing in here that corroborates Bolden's story.
The next eight pieces of evidence cited by Palamara will be examined tomorrow.
Previous Relevant Blog Posts
A look at the origin of the supposed plot.
A look at Homer Echeverria.
A look at Lloyd John Wilson.
Chad Nagle tries to argue that there was a plot.
The HSCA did speak to Edwin Black. It was a memorable interview.
There is no evidence of a plot in Chicago against JFK.
Bolden's story about the supposed Chicago plot has changed over the years.
An examination of supposed other plots against JFK.
Bolden didn't say one word about a supposed plot against JFK in Chicago.