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Search formSearch Query for FOIA ERR:
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VANISHED
Document Type:
CREST
Collection:
General CIA Records
Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST):
CIA-RDP88-01350R000200740001-2
Release Decision:
RIPPUB
Original Classification:
K
Document Page Count:
26
Document Creation Date:
December 16, 2016
Document Release Date:
September 20, 2004
Sequence Number:
1
Case Number:
Publication Date:
August 1, 1968
Content Type:
MAGAZINE
File:
Attachment Size
PDF icon CIA-RDP88-01350R000200740001-2.pdf 3.6 MB
Body:
COMPLpproved For F~e~lease 20091?GADP88k1CNg0 00 -2 nLU At 5:54, Stephen Greer parked his car in the Burning Tree parking lot, walked to the locker room, changed his clothes (but not his shoes), picked up his clubs, and went out onto the course. Ten minutes later, the clubs were abandoned at Hole No. 4, and of the man himself, there was not a trace-anywhere! ... by Fletcher Knebel ^ We were three for lunch in the long, cool room: Stephen Greer, Miguel Loo- mis, and I. Greer motioned me to the oak c:iair on his left. That put Miguel on Greer's right at the heavy oak table, an unobtrustive bit of protocol that appeared to elude young Miguel. Although I had known Stephen Greer fairly well for some years, this was the first time that I had been invited to lunch in the law-firm's private dining room in the Ring Building. The conditioned air provided a haven from Washington's late August heat, which stewed on the side- walks and soft macadam of Connecticut Avenue seven stories below. Only the intricate web of politics could bring the White House press secretary and Stephen Greer, a prominent attorney and close friend of President Paul Roude- bush, to this table to listen to a young physicist who had just passed his twenty- fifth birthday. Greer and I had canceled other luncheon appointments to meet here. That was a fascinating aspect of politics, simple enough if one knew the pattern, incomprehensible if one did not. The key at this lunch was Miguel's father, Bernard Loomis. He was a blunt, flinty character, a phenomenal fund- raiser for our party in California and thus a man who could expect any reasonable favor from the administration. Miguel, who had a master's degree in physics, was spending a year in Wash- ington on a fellowship at the Atomic En- ergy Commission as part of his work to- ward a doctorate. "O.K., Mike," Greer said. "Well," said Miguel, "you know I came here in June after getting my master's at Cal. Tech. There are five other men on fel- lowships in my section, all working on Ph.D.s as I am. The idea is to familiarize Approved For Release 2005/08/22 : CIA ` f pggL f 1 &OOR06020OP4OOd1'o2loday & Company, Inc. VANISHED [continued] asked him who the donors were, he the subject off-handedly in a sociil con- ~-~- . Reid e200IM22i;1 ~I-FS-`b~"5doo?0070001-2 us with how the Atomic Energy Com- remain anonymous.' wa ed he seven blocks to the mission works. Anyway, I was surprised "I don't see why this concerns us, White House and entered the west wing to learn that two of the fellowship men Mike," said Greer. lobby, exchanging a few words with the not only get paid by the AEC, as I am, "I think a lot of young physicists are newspapermen sitting on the green but also by another organization being secretly subsidized by the CIA," leather lounges. called ..." Miguel said, "and I think that's a hell When I draped my coat on the back "Whoa!" Greer held up a hand. of a sorry business and I think Presi- of my office swivel chair, Jill's hair, as "Back up a minute. Who's paid by dent Roudebush ought to knock it off." usual, was enfolding the telephone, and whom?" "What makes you think it's the she was whispering into the mouthpiece. "These six fellowships are AEC Agency?" asked Greer. How to explain Jill Nichols? She had grants, paid directly by the commission. "It squares with the way the CIA has been whispering into that same phone But two of the six of us also get extra been known to operate." for more than three years. Once we money-a good deal of it, seventy-five "Assuming what you say is correct," counted the calls for a week and found hundred a year-from the Spruance asked Greer, "what's wrong with Cen- she murmured, "Mr. Culligan's office," Foundation." tral Intelligence subsidizing young ninety-three times a day. "What foundation?" asked Greer. physicists?" Jill's hairdo was ridiculous. Her hair "Spruance," said Miguel. "I'm a physicist, damn it," said Mi- was blond, trimmed in severe bangs, "I never heard of it," I said. guel. His dark face flushed. "We're straight to her shoulders. She was "I went to both of the men and trained to follow the truth wherever it twenty-four years old, but she resem- asked them about it. One guy said the leads, in a laboratory at Cal. Tech or in bled one of those teen-age girls who Spruance Foundation was an outfit that Moscow or Bucharest. We have to trust wear black boots and white stockings wanted to attract more bright, young one another. How would you feel, if and talk obscurely about being unable fellows into physics by offering larger you were a leading physicist, if you to "relate" to anyone. She came to the rewards. If I was interested, he said, found out that your young assistant on press office right out of Swarthmore. he'd send one of the Spruance repre- an experiment was really there to spy I could not fire her because she was sentatives around to talk to me. A cou- on you?" tormentingly efficient, somewhat like a ple of weeks later, a man of about "But if Spruance is really Agency clock that strikes regularly on the forty-five or fifty, a good-looking guy, money, the purpose must be in the na- wrong hour, and, more important, I obviously well educated, called on me tional interest," said Greer. was in love with her. I say "in love" be- one night at the apartment. He said he "Just because it's the Government, cause I was not sure whether I loved was from Spruance and he had a prop- it's in the national interest?" asked Mi- her. I was thirty-eight-or fourteen osition that might appeal to me for guel. "What business does the CIA have years older than Jill-and had no han- what he called `patriotic motives.' All infiltrating the ranks of science? You kering to become known as the poor I really had to do for my money was to can defend that kind of spook business man's William O. Douglas. Also, those listen and remember what I heard if you want to, but I think it stinks." fourteen years could have been three about international developments and Greer ate slowly for several minutes, generations between us. I was a political international ties of physicists. If I then pushed his chair back from the p.r. man. Jill's world teemed with art heard of some new line of work in It- table. "Mike," he said, "if what you shows, introspective novels by Yugo- aly, or Israel or Russia, I was to report surmise is true, I'd be inclined to agree slavs and Chileans, classic Spanish it. Also, Spruance wanted the names of with you. Right off, I see no earthly guitar, vacations at unknown islands, American physicists who worked with reason why the Agency should be us- and off-beat friends who spent their foreign scientists, visited them socially, ing young physicists as a front for one time groping for identity. Jill's best or traveled a lot." of the Agency's `black' operations. friend was her roommate, Butter "Did he give a name?" asked Greer. Gene? What do you think?" Nygaard. In her spare time, Butter "Yes," said Miguel. "Smith. The next "Ditto," I said. Ever since my days twisted iron into pornographic shapes day I went up to the Library of Con- in newspaper city rooms, I had taken a and smoked pot. gress and looked up Spruance in the dim view of the CIA. Now the Agency I didn't understand Jill, but she fas- directory of tax-exempt foundations. It was a colossus, and some of the things cinated me. I saw her as many nights as isn't listed and never has been. I looked I had learned about it since arriving at I could, and sometimes, when Butter up 'Spruance Foundation' in the Wash- the White House more than three years was making the scene somewhere, I ington phone book. No listing. I tried ago increased my misgivings. spent the night at Jill's apartment in the New York directory, and saw a "Just what do you want us to do?" Georgetown. I felt guilty at times for listing for 'Spruance Foundation' at an Greer asked Miguel. monopolizing Jill and keeping her off East Thirty-eighth Street address in New "I hoped," said Miguel, "that you the marriage market, but she said that York City. So this Monday I went up could persuade the President to order was her worry. there. Spruance was on the third floor. the CIA to drop the Spruance subsidy "How's Miguel?" asked Jill. "Butter It turned out the 'foundation' was just of physicists." would like to see more of him. She calls one room, dirty windows, a filing cabi- "Why don't you let Gene and me him the Aztec Apollo. Butter says he net, and a girt at a typewriter who huddle over this and figure out the best has the most beautiful body she ever didn't seem to have much to do. When way to approach the President," Greer saw." I asked her who the officers were, she said. "In the meantime, you just go "I didn't know she saw that much of said there was only one, a Mr. Maury ahead with your work at the AEC." it," I said. Then I told Jill about the Rimmel of Washington." "O.K., Mr. Greer." Miguel arose at meeting with Greer and Loomis. What "Maury Rimmel," repeated Greer, his place. "I'll just wait to hear from Jill heard, she did not repeat. "I know Maury. He's a lobbyist around you. And thanks." I had my own backed-up calls to re- town. Plays golf out at Burning Tree." turn and I worked until three-thirty, I SAID GOODBYE to Steve. He had seen when the President informed me on the MIGUEL NODDED. "I saw Rimmel. He the President two nights ago, on Tues- green phone that he was ready for me. was vague. He said Spruance was a day, he said, and it was unfortunate he r~ group of public-spirited businessmen, had not known then about Miguel's THE THOUGHT that invariably struck giving liberally to t ^l ,., 1 &4d V6yWe1e%96' 6 ~~~~ `~F~ ~d35 0' ~ ~~T ~ 1t1 oval office over- 128 N Apprty lemm 2 Approved For Release 2005/08/22 : CIA-RDP88-0135OR000200740001-2 ok, niopohtan'S ion ?, ?t ?: r f z _ . , , o ?~s( s t ~ r a yr famous .P nm.e for -nly Beautifully gift packaged and especially selected for That Cosmopolitan Girl: Vivara by Emilio Pucci Perfumes International, Inc. Tweed by Lentheric, Inc. Crepe de Chine by F. Millot Emotion by Helena Rubinstein, Inc. Fame by Pa rf urns Corday Replique by Parfums Raphael Golden Autumn by Prince Matchabelli Ours is a perfume Collection that can't be bought in any store in the world! No colognes here, and certainly not samples. Nothing less than generous miniatures in charming replica bottles. And that's just half the beauty of the bargain! The Collection is boxed so lavishly, you'll not only be proud to display it, you'll be proud to give it to everyone you want to please, on every gift occasion. Our supply is limited, so order soon. You'Il'be richer for the experience. Cosmopolitan Perfume Dept. C-8 959 Eighth Avenue, New York, New York 10019 Please send me--package(s) (state number) of That Cosmopolitan Girl's Collection of 7 internationally famous perfumes, for just $5 per package. Price includes all taxes, postage and handling charges. Enclosed is my check or money order for $ Name St reet_ City State Zip Approved For Release 2005/08/22: CIA-RDP88-0135OR000200740001-2 Allow at least 4 Week for delivery. Available only in the United States. Send check or money order only looking the rose garden was that Paul opener. I'm not satisfied with the initial is Gene Culligan, Mrs. Greer. Can I Roudebush looked li P6 IFtQFTRe1MW1005'/08/22 : CIA-RDP88-0135bADDD2b0740001-2 was tall and big-framed, yet with little "Neither am I," I said. "Sure, I'll be "Is Steve there?" excess poundage and no paunch. His glad to stay. I'd like to put my oar in." "Is he supposed to be here?" thick hair, once black, was now almost And so it was that I was working late all gray. He was a plain man at core. that night on the second floor of the His mental processes were uncompli- west wing when I received the puzzling cated. He became angry, openly, but he seldom brooded. He reached decisions with relsonlhle seed --1 he --steel telephone call from Mrs. Susannah Greer, Steve's wife. p little time bewailing his errors. Wj VV HEN SUSANNAH GREER RETURNED There was a naive quality about him to the old brick house on Brookside that I am sure the voters sensed and Drive in Kenwood about six o'clock found appealing. He believed in prog- that evening, she remembered it was ress, in man's ability to improve his own Thursday, Steve's day for after-work nature, and in a bundle of allied con- golf, for last night had been his Wednes- cepts from the American ethic heritage day Potomac Study Club night. He usu- that I had long since soured on. ally arrived from Burning Tree, Wash- When I entered his office, he put ington's all-male golf course, about down a paper he was reading, and seven-thirty. pushed his spectacles up. But tonight, seven-thirty came, and "What are the boys worrying about then eight, and finally eight-thirty, with- today?" out him. Reluctantly, she dialed the I ticked off a half-dozen items. Au- telephone number of Burning Tree. gust had been placid for the Roudebush "This is Mrs. Stephen Greer. I'd like administration, the minority party n-ak- to speak to my husband please, if he's ing most of the headlines with its Hous- still there." ton convention and the nomination of "I'll switch you to the bar." The line Governor Stanley Wolcott of Illinois as stuttered a moment, then a heavy voice the candidate to oppose Roudebush at said: "Nineteenth hole." the November election. "This is Mrs. Stephen Greer. May I The President said: "I got a phone speak to Mr. Greer please?" call from Steve. He told me about Mi- "Oh, Sue. This is Maury Rimmel." guel Loomis's problem and said you'd The voice had a whiskey heartiness. supply the details." "Steve isn't here. Just Joe Hopkinson I told him about the luncheon meet- and myself, finishing up a gin game." ing in Steve Greer's office and Miguel "I was trying to locate Steve." Loomis's suspicions. "Hey, Joe." Rimmel was talking "Spruance," the President said, test- across the room. "When did Steve ing the word. "Physicists. Is that name Greer finish up?" familiar to you, Gene?" The answer was indistinct to Sue. "No. sir. I never heard of it before." Then Rimmel said: "We don't remem- He sat quietly, thinking, for a mo- her seeing Steve since we saw him at ment. "Gene, if this is a CIA operation, number one about six. Why don't I go I know nothing about it. I want to hear see if his car is still in the lot." what Arthur has to say." He flipped the It was five minutes before Rimmel key on his intercom box that connected returned to the phone. "Look, Sue, the with Grace Lalley, his secretary. car's still out in the parking lot, but "Grace, please call Arthur Ingram and Steve's nowhere around the clubhouse. set up an appointment here for 4:30 Joe and l checked his locker and we tomorrow. Thanks." The President set- found his suit hanging in there. On the tled back in his chair. "1 want you in other hand, his golf shoes are in the here, too," he said. locker too. Then Joe remembered that Roudebush had inherited Arthur Vic- when we saw Steve at the first tee, he tor Ingram from the previous adminis- was wearing his street shoes." tration. Ingram's following was so "And nobody's seen him since six?" strong and influential that to dismiss She was upset now. "Could something him would be to provoke instant battle. have happened to him out on the Private dining rooms in the CIA's se- course?" eluded fortress in wooded Langley, Vir- "Tell you what, Sue. Joe and I'll get ginia, were the scenes of weekly dinners a cart and a flashlight and have a look where congressmen were served deftly around." filtered secrets of the intelligence Susannah Greer slowly replaced the agency along with the prime ribs and receiver, aware that anxiety was flood- strawberry mousse. Ingram's command ing the initial flowering of relief. The suites and those of his deputy director golf bag . . . the golf shoes and the occupied most of the top floor on the street clothes in Steve's locker. Could front side of the building which he have been summoned suddenly to stretched as long as an aircraft carrier. the White House? I arose to leave and the President She walked swiftly to the hall tele- said: "Gene, I hope you won't mind phone and dialed 465-1414. staying late tonight. I'd like you to sit "Hello." It was the raspy voice of "He was supposed to be home at seven-thirty and I haven't heard from him." "Let me give the agent on the night detail a ring. Maybe Steve's with the President." A minute dragged by. "No," said Culligan. "Steve hasn't been around tonight. I had lunch with him this noon, and he mentioned he was swamped." "Oh," said Sue. "Thanks, Gene." Sue walked slowly back to the living room, her arms folded against the night chill. The phone rang. She wheeled and ran to the hall again. "Mrs. Greer?" asked an unfamiliar male voice. "Yes. This is Susannah Greer." "Mrs. Greer, I have a message for you. I will read it slowly: Quote. Dear- est Sue: Please don't worry, Cubby. Have faith in me. I'll return when I can, but may take time. I love you. Un- quote." "Who is this?" But in mid-question she heard the telephone click at the other end. THE FIRST BLUE-STREAK EDITION Of the Friday, August 27, Washington Evening Star carried a three-column photograph of Stephen Greer on page one. The story ran a column on the front page and four more inside. The article disclosed the disappear- ance of Greer, a five-hour search of the Burning Tree Club grounds by police, and the surmise of Chief Thad Wilson, of the Metropolitan Police, that Greer probal ly walked off the course about 8 P.M. Thursday. The writer said that Miguel Loomis, a young friend of the family, had been enlisted as a liaison man between Mrs. Greer and the press. The article reported the widespread police opinion that Greer had disap- peared voluntarily. Stephen Byfield Greer is regarded as one of the leading attorneys of the District of Columbia bar and is a senior partner in the prominent firm of Greer, Hilstrater, Tomlin & DeLuca. He has practiced law here since his graduation, third in his class, from Columbia University Law School. The disappearance, unless quickly re- solved, could have national implications in view of the upcoming presidential cam- paign. President Paul Roudebush is slated to open his campaign for re-election eleven days hence with a Labor Day speech in Chicago. Gov. Stanley Wolcott of Illinois, the opposition candidate nomi- nated at the recent Houston convention, will kick off his campaign the same day in Detroit's Cadillac Square. Greer has been close to President Roudebush since the President's terms in the Senate and was an adviser during the successful Roudebush presidential cam- paign. in on the first draft o m Labo ? a F~6I~ t r $ e z ipprovec~ Re~' a i' OU'8 0&f . d -'IbP8T8'61350` (&,kb-r#d-Tj?e - to floor, Sena- 129 VANISHED I~ontinucdl "TueIday night. I said. "Greer came t is 'f 'r nrforatalk " ` 011 NII UP Miami Toledo r U0,01-2 elqAs?, QpWP&?gf: Q14- ~$,4135b~ r clan for Governor Wolcott, leaned to- "I doi't know." ward his colleague on the right. "What do you make of this hii iness Moffat asked. "Its a puzzler." said the other senator. "A close Iriend of it President of the United States doesn't disappear at the outset ref a presidential campaign unless he's had trouble.