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there about midnight. They had departed New Orleans at approxi-
mately 7:00 P.M. for Houma. The explosives were taken directly
to the residence of DAVID FERRIE on Atherton Drive in Metairie
and stored in his garage. LAYTEN MARTENS and DAVID FERRIE and
possibly one or two others unloaded these stolen. explosives
from the van truck and carried them to the storage place. Shortly
after this, EHLINGER recalls, GORDON NOVEL, MRS. GORDON NOVEL
and EHLINGER went to the 17th Street Canal in the Metairie area
and exploded an artillery simulator under water, which, accord-
ing to EHLINGER, created a ten-foot fire ball, and the explosion
shook the levy on which they were standing and caused the water
to rise considerably. EHLINGER stated that NOVEL later told him
that some of these explosives had ultimately reached Havanah,
Cuba. NOVEL had also stated that he was to be paid money for
this by SERGIO ARCACHA SMITH from proceeds that would be raised
from a television telethon ostensibly in the interest of Cuban
refugees. ARCACHA never paid NOVEL and EHLINGER received no
reward either, although he did expect some money from NOVEL.
EHLINGER stated that he slept quite a bit on the return trip
from Houma and does not know for certain how far back the truck
was, nor if any explosives were thrown from this truck and ignited
along the highway during the return trip.
EHLINGER was shown ten black and white photographs from which
he selected one of CLAY SHAW, SERGIO ARCACHA SMITH, LAYTEN
MARTENS and DAVID FERRIE. He said that he had never met CLAY
SHAW but knew who he was and knew that he was a friend of GORDON
NOVEL. He identified the photograph of SERGIO ARCACHA SMITH as
being one of the persons on the Houma trip. The photograph of
LAYTEN MARTENS was identified as another of the persons on this
trip. He identified DAVID FERRIE as being on the trip and as
the one who lived on Atherton Drive in Metairie where the ex-
plosives were eventually stored.
EHLINGER also stated that in 1965 GORDON NOVEL had met with CLAY
SHAW to discuss concession rates in the trade mart. At that
time, SHAW was general manager. NOVEL knew little of the food
or restaurant business and consulted a friend of his, JOE
RICCABONA, for advice. Legal papers for this enterprise involv-
ing SHAW, NOVEL, RICCABONA and one other unidentified person
were drawn up by DEAN ANDREWS.
I asked EHLINGER if he could recall an incident in June 1959 in
which one REX MAGEE of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, accused them of
stealing his Chevrolet Corvet valued at $5,000.00. This vehicle
was, some parts missing, was recovered in a garage rented by
GORDON NOVEL and used by both NOVEL and EHLINGER. At the time
of recovery, NOVEL and EHLINGER were in the process of painting
the motor. The transmission had also been removed from this
vehicle. EHLINGER admits having painted the body of the Corvet
from which both the motor and the transmission had been removed.
EHLINGER added that the purpose of removing the motor and trans-
mission was to sell them. They were mugged, fingerprinted and
booked in Baton Rouge but were not held. Three other individ-
uals Vincent BONNAMO, now deceased, DAVE DI VICENTI, and JULIUS
MARTIN, were later arrested and charged with the actual auto
theft. According to EHLINGER, DI VICENTI was sent to the state
penitentiary following his conviction for this crime. Although
official records of the Baton Rouge Police Department and the
Louisiana State Police show that NOVEL and EHLINGER admitted
knowing that this vehicle was stolen at the time they took it
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"ocrText": "-2-\nthere about midnight. They had departed New Orleans at approxi-\nmately 7:00 P.M. for Houma. The explosives were taken directly\nto the residence of DAVID FERRIE on Atherton Drive in Metairie\nand stored in his garage. LAYTEN MARTENS and DAVID FERRIE and\npossibly one or two others unloaded these stolen. explosives\nfrom the van truck and carried them to the storage place. Shortly\nafter this, EHLINGER recalls, GORDON NOVEL, MRS. GORDON NOVEL\nand EHLINGER went to the 17th Street Canal in the Metairie area\nand exploded an artillery simulator under water, which, accord-\ning to EHLINGER, created a ten-foot fire ball, and the explosion\nshook the levy on which they were standing and caused the water\nto rise considerably. EHLINGER stated that NOVEL later told him\nthat some of these explosives had ultimately reached Havanah,\nCuba. NOVEL had also stated that he was to be paid money for\nthis by SERGIO ARCACHA SMITH from proceeds that would be raised\nfrom a television telethon ostensibly in the interest of Cuban\nrefugees. ARCACHA never paid NOVEL and EHLINGER received no\nreward either, although he did expect some money from NOVEL.\nEHLINGER stated that he slept quite a bit on the return trip\nfrom Houma and does not know for certain how far back the truck\nwas, nor if any explosives were thrown from this truck and ignited\nalong the highway during the return trip.\nEHLINGER was shown ten black and white photographs from which\nhe selected one of CLAY SHAW, SERGIO ARCACHA SMITH, LAYTEN\nMARTENS and DAVID FERRIE. He said that he had never met CLAY\nSHAW but knew who he was and knew that he was a friend of GORDON\nNOVEL. He identified the photograph of SERGIO ARCACHA SMITH as\nbeing one of the persons on the Houma trip. The photograph of\nLAYTEN MARTENS was identified as another of the persons on this\ntrip. He identified DAVID FERRIE as being on the trip and as\nthe one who lived on Atherton Drive in Metairie where the ex-\nplosives were eventually stored.\nEHLINGER also stated that in 1965 GORDON NOVEL had met with CLAY\nSHAW to discuss concession rates in the trade mart. At that\ntime, SHAW was general manager. NOVEL knew little of the food\nor restaurant business and consulted a friend of his, JOE\nRICCABONA, for advice. Legal papers for this enterprise involv-\ning SHAW, NOVEL, RICCABONA and one other unidentified person\nwere drawn up by DEAN ANDREWS.\nI asked EHLINGER if he could recall an incident in June 1959 in\nwhich one REX MAGEE of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, accused them of\nstealing his Chevrolet Corvet valued at $5,000.00. This vehicle\nwas, some parts missing, was recovered in a garage rented by\nGORDON NOVEL and used by both NOVEL and EHLINGER. At the time\nof recovery, NOVEL and EHLINGER were in the process of painting\nthe motor. The transmission had also been removed from this\nvehicle. EHLINGER admits having painted the body of the Corvet\nfrom which both the motor and the transmission had been removed.\nEHLINGER added that the purpose of removing the motor and trans-\nmission was to sell them. They were mugged, fingerprinted and\nbooked in Baton Rouge but were not held. Three other individ-\nuals Vincent BONNAMO, now deceased, DAVE DI VICENTI, and JULIUS\nMARTIN, were later arrested and charged with the actual auto\ntheft. According to EHLINGER, DI VICENTI was sent to the state\npenitentiary following his conviction for this crime. Although\nofficial records of the Baton Rouge Police Department and the\nLouisiana State Police show that NOVEL and EHLINGER admitted\nknowing that this vehicle was stolen at the time they took it"
}