By Mr. TAYLER: Q. That is the flight that was scheduled to leave on the afternoon of the 29th? A. That is right. Mr. DEVINE. Reservations canceled by whom? The WITNESS. I was unable to find out. It was a telephonic cancellation. Mr. DEVINE. By anyone from our committee? The WITNESS. No, sir; not from this committee. By Mr. TAYLER: Q. Now, Mr. Langston, I am going to show you a copy of a letter from David C. Acheson, special assistant to the Secretary of the Treasury, addressed to Mr. Burleson, chairman, Committee on House Administration, dated October 19, 1966, with an attached report of a Secret Service interview of Mrs. Powell on October 5, 1966, in Puerto Rico. I ask you if that is a copy of the report that you have in your files here. A. Yes, sir; it is. This is a copy of the original report that we have. Q. Are you familiar with the contents of that report, Mr. Langston? A. Yes, sir. Q. Is that a report of an interview of Mrs. Powell by Secret Service agents relative to her salary checks? A. Yes, sir; it is. Q. And the endorsements that appear on the checks which are already in the record of these hearings? A. Yes, sir; that is correct. Q. I direct your attention to page 2 of the report. Will you read the first two paragraphs only, please? A. [Reading:] On the morning of October 5, 1966, a third trip was made to Cerro Gordo where Mrs. Powell was interviewed in her home by SAIC Gittens and SA Gonzalez. When advised of the nature of our business and shown photostatic copies of the checks in question, Mrs. Powell said that the checks did not bear her genuine endorsement, that she had not authorized the endorsements, that to the best of her knowledge she at no time had given her husband, Representative Adam Clayton Powell, expressed or implied authority to negotiate the checks. Concerning the question of whether she had received funds and/or benefits from those checks, Mrs. Powell said that she really did not know. She said that she has neither seen nor heard from her husband in more than a year, that the question of support is now being handled by her attorney, Mr. Gonzalo Diago Betancourt, First National City Bank Building, Suite 702, Hato Rey, Puerto Rico. She further explained that Mr. Diago is her cousin. That is the end of the second paragraph. Mr. TAYLER. Will you mark that "Langston No. 19". CA A OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY October 19, 1966 LANGSTON NO. 19 Dear Mr. Chairman: Reference is made to your letter of September 26 and to my reply of September 29, regarding the endorsement on various Treasury checks issued to Y. Marjorie Flores. Attached, for your confidential information, is a copy of the investigation report of Charles L. Gittens, Special Agent in Charge, U. S. Secret Service, San Juan, giving the results of his inquiries with the payee and her attorney in Puerto Rico during the period October 3 to 13, 1966. do so. If we can further assist you, we shall be glad to Sincerely yours, Hand C. Acheron David C. Acheson Special Assistant to the Secretary (for Enforcement) The Honorable Omar Burleson Chairman, Committee on House Administration House of Representatives Washington, D. C. 20515 OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY WASHINGTON, D.C. 20220 October 19, 1966 Dear Mr. Chairman: Reference is made to your letter of September 26. and to my reply of September 29, regarding the endorsement on various Treasury checks issued to Y. Marjorie Flores. Attached, for your confidential information, is a copy of the investigation report of Charles L. Gittens, Special Agent in Charge, U. S. Secret Service, San Juan, giving the results of his inquiries with the payee and her attorney in Puerto Rico during the period October 3 to 13, 1966. If we can further assist you, we shall be glad to do so. Sincerely yours, (Signed) David C. Acheson David C. Acheson Special Assistant to the Secretary (for Enforcement) The Honorable Omar Burleson Chairman, Committee on House Administration House of Representatives Washington, D. C. 20515 72-404 0-67-24 Reference is made to office memorandum of Assistant Director Thomas J. Kelley, dated Soptember 30, 1966, received in this office Cctober 3, 1966, forwarding 19 checks issued to Y. Marjorie Flores, wife of Representative Adam Clayton Powell. It was requested that Mrs. Powell be interviewed immediately to determine whether the checks bear her genuine endorsement and to obtain any other information pertinent to this inquiry. On Cctober 3, 1966 SAIC Gittens and SA Gonzalez proceeded to Barrio Cerro Cordo in Voga Alta, Puerto Rico where Mrs. Powell's home is located. Although she was at home at the time of this visit, she declined to be interviewed and relayed information through a third party (believed to be a maid or a visitor) that she was ill; that she would call this office the next morning to arrange for an interview. On October 4, Mrs. Powell failed to call this office. It was learned that her telephone was out of order. On the afternoon of October 4, a second trip was made to Cerro Gordo, but this time, Mrs. Powell was not at home. File No. CO-1-15,136 On the morning of October 5, 1966 a third trip was made to Cerro Gordo, where Mrs. Powell was interviewed in her home by SAIC Cittens and SA Gonzalez. When advised of the nature of our business and shown the photostatic copies of the checks in question, Mrs. Powell said that the checks did not bear her genuine endorsement; that she had not authorized the endorsements; that to the best of her knowledge, she at no time had given her husband, Representative Adam Clayton Powell, expressed or implied authority to negotiate the checks. Concerning the question of whether she had received funds and/or benefits from these checks, Mrs. Powell said that she really did not know. She said that she has neither seen nor heard from her husband in more than a year; that the question of support is now being handled by her attorney, Mr. Gonzalo Diago Betancourt, First National City Bank Building, Suite 702, Hato Rey, Puerto Rico. She further explained that Mr. Diago is her cousin. Mrs. Powell declined to make a decision one way or the other with regard to signing any papers (claim or release) in connection with these checks. She requested that she be given time to consider the matter and to discuss the situation with Mr. Diago. She also requested that all further discussion in this matter be held with her attorney. On the same afternoon, Attorney Diago Betancourt was interviewed in his office. The situation was explained to him and he requested that copies of the checks be left with him. He said that he felt that the question of these checks had a direct bearing on a conference he was scheduled to have that afternoon with Mr. Powell's attorney, Virgilio Mendez Cuesta of Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico. He further explained that his appointment with Mr. Mendez Cuesta concerned the question of financial support for Mrs. Powell. Accordingly, the photostats were left with Mr. Diago, who promised to call this office as soon as they had reached a decision. He said that he felt quite certain that he would not know before Monday, October 10, 1966 whether Mrs. Powell would make any kind of statement about the checks. On October 11, 1966 SAIC Gittens again interviewed Mr. Diago in his office, at which time Kr. Diago advised that it was Mrs. Powell's decision not to make any kind of statement in this matter, either oral or written; that she would not sign either a claim or a release. He said that he did not have the photostats of the checks immediately available but that he would return them to this office on October 12, 1966. On October 12, Mr. Diago still did not have the photostats available. He said “ that he and Mrs. Powell needed more time to study this matter, and that perhaps sometime in the future, they would decide on their course of action. He was told that any further inquiries concerning these checks should be made to the Check Claims Division of the U. S. Treasury Department. On October 13, 1966 Mr. Diago returned the 19 photostats to this office. |