Cot_ „4 ASSASSINATION PROBE WITNESS

Novel Is ‘Too Slippery ..... • ...... ,....ZEIMOMMRIMEM* FIGHTS EXTRADITION to Stay Caught'

By JAMES RICHARDS commit simple burglary. He is living in Columbus Of The Dispatch Staff and says, he will fight any extradition move. Gordon Novel, the 29-year-old former Controversial New Orleani Dist. Atty. Jim Gar- night club owner wanted as a wit- rison has called the fugitive a "most important wit- ness in the Kennedy assassination ness" in the assassination probe. probe, would appear to be a man NOVEL PAINTED his own portrait as a financial in a trap. whiz kid who wheeled and dealed himself to and But, by his own description, he through several small fortunes. "I'm not lily white," is too slippery to remain caught. he frankly admitted as he devoured a small filet "I'M LIKE mercury, man. You mignon. can put your thumb on 'me but Brash and boastful, he projects an enormous ego I don't stay under." as he describes his personal exploits. Yet, there is Novel bubbled forth with the something likeable and believable in his verbal tor- story of his life Tuesday in an rent. Novel exclusive interview with The Dis- By words alone, Novel has created a minor politi- patch. He was arrested in Gahanna cal scandal in Baton Rouge, La. He has claimed he April 1 on the charge of conspiracy to was a close confidant of Louisiana Gov. "John Mc-

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Keithen and that the governor purchased from him about three weeks ago has been "Garrison is a fraud, and his investigation is a farce." electronic bugging equipment. Novel told The Dispatch he first met Garrison THE GOVERNOR first denied knowing Nov at a party for "all the bunnies" in New Orleans' then was caught by a Baton Rouge newspaper with French Quarter during May of 1966. "We discussed matters concerning Garrison's his canceled checks showing. framing electronically of high state officials," Novel McKeithen lent credence to Novel's charges Mon- related. -day. NOVEL, through his firm of International Dy- The governor, on the pretext of discussing the namics Corp., manufactured, sold and installed elec- next governor's conference, telephoned Governor tronic bugging equipment. He- takes' great pride in Rhodes. Since Rhodes was out of the city, McKeithen describing his surveillance and anti-surveillance settled for John McElroy, administrative assistant. equipment as the "finest in the world." IN AN ALMOST unheard of move, McKeithen "I refused to work for him," Novel continued, "I asked McElroy to expedite the extradition of Novel didn't like him. During the 1966 election, I worked back to Louisiana as soon as possible. The extradition against him." has not even been officially requested. Early this year, Novel asserted he was invited to Novel's major theme since becoming a fugitive TURN to Page 4, Col 1 mainly, "I was interested in Continued from Page 1 dicted for conspiracy to as- by his flamboyant proclama- sassinate President Kennedy. tions. 'broads.' Garrison's home. At that Novel believes he needs a After four high schools—"I time, Novel indicated, "I NOVEL DECLARED, "Gar- public forum, He fears he didn't like discipline"—he thought he was real." rison told me, 'I'm going to cannot get a fair hearing in was graduated from New Or- put you in this up to your "ON AND OFF, I worked New Orleans. No court in leans' East Jefferson High ears. You've been working Ohio is involved in the New in 1956. for Garrison for about two for the other side.' " weeks." - Orleans probe. From high school he went Novel has yet to reveal, at Garrison and his staff have THE ONLY issue here is west, to Northrup Aeronauti- insisted Novel never was em- least on the public record, cal Institute of Technology just how he can "expose" extradition on a charge of ployed by them. conspiracy to commit simple in Englewood, Calif. Meanwhile, Novel admitted Garrison. However, he has hinted broadly that "Garri- burglary, filed by Garrison That sojurn into engineer- he was privately working for the day before Novel's arrest ing was brief . . . "I got to another New Orleans group son's plot" is bigger than any a ssination plot. in Gahanna. foolin' around with a movie which was intent upon ex- o Novel was born in New Or- star." posing Garrison.A Afie i.rhe most effective re- He moved on to the Uni- rainer on Novel's glib leans on Feb. 7, 1938. His fa- ther died when Gordon, an versity of Southern Califor- "GARRISON turned on tongue is his Columbus at- nia. when he found out I had col- torney, Jerry Weiner. only child, was about 2. lected enough evidence to ex- Novel recalled his mother AFTER ONE semester, he pose him," he charged. WEINER WALKS his own worked as a secretary in a tried motion picture directing Novel said he was chal- personal tightrope. On one prisoner-of-war camp for Ger- lenged by Garrison in a face- side is the bar association, mans in New Orleans during to-face showdown on the waiting to snip the wire if World War II.. steps of the courthouse on Weiner breaks one of the the final day of 's canons concerning pre-trial HE DESCRIBED his child- preliminary hearing. publicity. hood as average. He played Shaw, wealthy New Orleans On the other side is Novel, quarterback on the football businessman, has been in- the client, trapped in part team, tinkered with cars ane

devices. He is most proud of at the Pasadena Playhouse, "retired to Lake Tahoe (Nev.) New Orleans associates, the with an enormous bundle." Louisiana Pavilion at the his anti-bugging gadgets. meanwhile, picking up a few A teetotaler, Novel de- extra dollars by contributing After a couple of months, New York World Fair, the he grinned, "We blew it play- largest commercial, pavilion signed and built a Ramparts "detective reports for Confi- St. supper club, the Jamaican dential magazine." ing five hands of blackjack in the extravaganza. During the fair, Novel be- Village. In 1958 there was a quick at one time." came involved in a much HE ADMITTED the night fling in New York City, still LATE IN 1960 he pro- publicized controversy with on the fringe of the theatrical club primarily was a "cover" back to New Or- duced auto shows in New Or- Robert Moses, fair director. for his other enterprises. world, then, During this period, Novel leans. elans, Baton Rouge and At- His fortunes again were on lanta. was riding high.' He claims the rise. His divorce from the For most people, two years his worth, on paper, ex- in and near the Hollywood There is in early 1961 a beauty queen concluded, he ceeded $1 million. On Jan. 7, hopped to a new romance, arena would have bee brief void, a period about 1964, he married the beauty enough excitement for a life which Novel says he cannot New Orleans Playboy Club queen. "We lived in a lavish "bunny" Abby Mulligan, a time. Not Gordon Novel. talk. Curiously it coincides apartment in New York." with the first etiban crisis, 23-year-old Columbus g i r 1, AGAIN HE gave college a e Bay of Pigs fiasco. THEN THE "f air ex- now living with her parents try, the New Orleans campus ploded," Novel angrily added. at 226 E. Oakland Ave. Novel opened that door The new girlfriend sparked of Louisiana State University. while testifying in a Colum- He said he lost everything— money and wife. But, he is his trips to Columbus during Then he met his future, and bus Municipal Court hearing 1966, which led to his elec- now former wife, beauty about two weeks ago. But, quick to accept blame for the failure of the marriage. "She tronics and restau ant-- coil._ queen Marlene Mancusco, at just as he began a statement n c io s here. concerning "that Cuban busi- was just a young kid. She that time Miss New Orleans. didn't know what was going About a year later, his ness," Attorney Weiner shut NOVEL, SAID he was plan- him up. on." ning, with the backing of a college career ended, Novel, Novel maintains that he in his words, "Got smart and New Orleans financial syndi- HIS COMMERCIAL inter- took the rap financially and cate, a motor resort complex found an angle." est of that year was involve- protected his associates in Novel teamed up with at Baton Rouge when Gar- ment in the design of the fast- the pavilion group from a rison's ax fell. Ranny Ehlinger, who since est unlimited sports car in the fraud and scandal expose. then also has been implicated In six short weeks, Novel world at Bonneville Salt Flats. Broke, he went back to again has fallen to the bottom by Garrison in the assassina- He took time out to accom- tion investigation. New Orleans, sold used cars of the heap, broke, in a pany Miss Mancuso, then Miss to keep alive and taught him- strange city, in need of a job, IN 1960, Novel and Eh- Mississippi, to the Miss' Uni- self the electronics business. and his romance fading. linger parlayed a $500 invest- verse Contest in Miami. Novel contends Garrison ment in a drag racing strip A promotion scheme in By 1965, Novel was in the has "tied up" his bank ac- in Hammond, La., into a small 1962, involving an advertis- "fulltime bugging business," count and has impounded his fortune. ing balloon, marked Novel's eavesdropping on politicians, electronic equipment. "The first day's receipts diplomats and big business- entry into politics. He sold 10 men. STILL he is basking in the were $40,000," he boasted. of the gimmicks to one of the spotlight. He says: "We took it home in a trunk He organized a "financial candidates for mayor in New holding company," Interna- "When I walk into Colum- 3y helicopter. Brinks wouldn't Orleans. :.ome- and get it." tional Dynamics Corp. He bus restaurants, people come HE HIT "the big time" in manufactured, sold and in- up and shake my hand;, they At the end of the summer, wish me luck." the then 23-year-old promoter 1963 when he developed, with stalled electronic listening