The Bureau, by William C. Sullivan

This very readable book was finished by Bill Brown in 1979 after the accidental death of William C. Sullivan. Sullivan agreed to testify in 1977 for the Congressional Committee that investigated the JFK Assassination, but was shot in a hunting accident before he could appear. This 286 page book contains sixteen chapters covering 1941 to 1971, three Appendices, and an Index. Bill Brown first met Sullivan in 1968 when doing research for a television documentary ('Introduction'). In the 1970s they talked again about a book to set the record straight about the inner workings of Hoover's organization. Sullivan joined the FBI in 1941 while working for the IRS in Boston. Candidates were carefully selected (p.16). Those "dismissed with prejudice" could never again work for the government.

Chapter 1 tells of Sullivan's first year in Milwaukee and then El Paso. He worked with Charlie Winstead, who shot Dillinger. Hoover didn't like FDR or his liberals (Chapter 2). The FBI grew greatly during FDR's terms, they provided information about public officials. They investigated FDR's political enemies. Hoover hated Truman because he created the CIA to deal with foreign intelligence (p.40). Hoover had a warm relationship with Eisenhower. Hoover disliked all the Kennedys (Chapter 3). Sullivan was puzzled by the accuracy of Oswald's shooting (p.52). Gerald Ford told Hoover what was going on in the Warren Commission. Hoover could never get anything on Bobby Kennedy (p.56). [There is an error on page 57: LBJ was out of office in 1969.] Chapter 4 tells about their work for LBJ (p.59). They investigated those who worked for Goldwater (p.64), or opposed LBJ's policies (p.65). LBJ prevented Goldwater from exploiting a sex scandal (p.70). Sullivan explains why 200 marines were ordered to Mississippi (p.74), then recalled (p.76). They investigated Spiro Agnew in 1968 (p.78), but didn't learn everything.

Puclic relations was most important (Chapter 5). Favorable mention of the FBI or Hoover meant a possible letter of thanks (p.85). The "Crime Records Division" dealt with Congress (p.87). The FBI did not make a typewriter for the Hiss case (p.95). They would turn to the CIA for technical needs (p.97). Sullivan lists the shortcomings of the FBI Lab (p.98), and explains the "Restricted List". Inbreeding (p.99)? Hoover never conducted an investigation or made an arrest (Chapter 6). Did Hoover ever take a vacation (p.105)? He tells about "enforced voluntary overtime" (p.106). The FBI National Academy trained city and state police to provide a network controlled by the FBI (Chapter 7). The Mafia was so powerful Hoover was afraid to tackle it (p.118). Counter-intelligence programs were used against Communists and the Klan. Many informants reported from all over the country (p.129). Sometimes they became agent provocateurs. But it worked (p.134).

Sullivan tells about the FBI's dealings with Martin Luther King Jr. in Chapter 9. James Earl Ray could not have acted alone (p.145). "The New Left" used the examples of the Civil Rights movement (Chapter 10). Did undercover agents create illegal acts (p.155)? Sullivan recommended different agencies, one to handle crime and one for counter-intelligence (Chapter 11). The loss of top-secret information cost hundreds of millions in new radar defense (p.166). An exhaustive investigation led to a suspect. They learned to do break-ins from their experiences in fighting crime (p.179). Hoover's personality had faults (p.188). Nixon and Hoover were political allies since 1947 (Chapter 12). What about John Mitchell (p.199)? Sullivan became the #3 man in 1970 (p.201). Hoover banned illegal techniques in 1970 (Chapter 13). The Huston Plan was "unlawful, unconstitutional, or in violation of civil liberties" (p.212). It failed because of John Mitchell's opposition (p.216). [Was it merely personalities? Who did Tom Huston represent?]

Sullivan says that wiretapping was done without official authorization (p.218). Nixon didn't trust his staff (Chapter 14). They wiretapped four journalists (p.220). [Does the widespread use of cell phones make wiretapping easier?] These tapes were important to the Ellsberg trial (p.227). Haldeman didn't like Sullivan (p.228). Could Sullivan destroy Hoover's image (Chapter 15)? Were the Watergate burglars "expendable in the interests of the country" (p.236)? Why didn't Nixon fire Hoover (p.240)? Sullivan finally documented his views (p.242). And so his career ended (p.247). Did Nixon decide to get rid of Hoover "once and for all" (p.298)? [Curt Gentry's book explained why Hoover could never retire: audits would reveal his financial dealings.]

Most of these anecdotes are entertaining, but present personal views. It is not a general history of The Bureau. The last chapters display a personal vendetta with Hoover. Other books provide a better history of Hoover. So what happened to those who followed as head of the FBI? No one seems to have documented the last forty years. You can appreciate Sullivan's character by his memo on How to Handle Watergate (Appendix B). Was he interested in truth and justice, or a cover-up (Item 10)? Appendix C has his list of complaints.

Below the Border, 1942 film

The film begins with a stagecoach drawn by four horses going through the hills. There is danger in this country. The Sheriff tacks Wanted posters in the stores. Five robbers chase the stagecoach, firing many shots until the guard and driver are shot. Is the stranger a coward? There is drama in the tavern. A cattle buyer from Kansas watches a man mop the floor. The Sheriff sends out men to trail the robbers. Is it healthy to have too good a memory there? Did someone tip off the robbers that valuable jewels were carried by Miss Garcia? We learn the robbers work for Scully, the tavern owner. We learn who is their contact at the Garcia ranch. "The Rough Riders" begin their undercover investigation.

"John Robbins" has a reputation. "Don't tax your brain." "Robbins" can fence those stolen jewels. McCall looks at cattle at the Garcia ranch. Joe Collins is on edge; somebody shoots him. He tells McCall that Slade killed Marshal Gordon. The robbers steal cattle from the Porter ranch. The Sheriff rounds up the boys to chase the rustlers. But Slade knew the real Robbins and knows this one is an imposter! The gang has to work fast. Slade snoops around the Sheriff's office. Buck Roberts chews gum, then meets Slade for a confrontation. There will be no more trouble from Slade. Tim trails the gang to their hideout. They pursue the gang, firing shots. Buck captures Scully and recovers the jewels. Tim and Sandy capture the rest of the gang. There is a happy ending. "The Rough Riders" will separate to their home states and their personal business. Until they ride again.

This is another classic western that is part morality play and a detective story. A ranch owner is threatened by robbers and rustlers. Acquiring property has its costs. The tavern owner is the secret mastermind of the robber gang (a possible legacy of Prohibition?).

Terror By Night, 1946 film

The film shows an expensive diamond 'The Star of Rhodesia'. All who possessed it came to a sudden and violent death. A new coffin will be used to send a body to Scotland. They show scenes of Euston Station in London. Sherlock Holmes studies the faces of passengers. Lady Margaret Carstairs will travel to Scotland with her valuable jewel. Can it be safe from thieves? Watson is late for the train. Holmes inspects this 423-carat diamond. [Did you see anything?] Roland Carstairs does not join his mother in the dining car. The 'Star of Rhodesia' is gone! We see the other passengers in the carriage. One of them must be the murderer. Dr. Watson asks some questions. [Comic relief.] A tempest in a teapot? Someone attacks Holmes in the dark! Later he and Dr. Watson check the baggage compartment and learn a secret.

They question the young lady to learn about her actions. They find the baggage guard on the floor. We learn who are the guilty villains. Will there be more treachery? Can the murderer escape at the border stop? The Scottish police take charge to question the passengers. Inspector McDonald recognizes Colonel Moran, he is arrested after a struggle and taken off the train. But Sherlock Holmes isn't fooled at all! [Did you suspect this?] The gang is caught in spit of their clever plans. Sherlock Holmes explains it all.

Since Professor Moriarity was killed, and Colonel Moran was arrested for murder, what will Sherlock Holmes do next?

This tells of Cliff Stoll's involvement in reconciling a 75 cent bookkeeping discrepancy that led to an intruder who broke into the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory in order to break into classified military systems. Cliff writes with a 'stream of consciousness' style that used over 350 pages where maybe 86 pages would be used in a more concise style. [Is using many pages a mark of bureaucratic style?] Cliff describes his lifestyle as a university serf: eating a lot of pizza, bicycling around, living with friends, sewing quilts. His big event of the year is dressing up for a Halloween parade in San Francisco. This book lacks a Table of Contents and an Index (not intended for reference?). I don't expect a sequel.

This is worth reading as a slow-paced detective or mystery story. But it is unlike a Hammett or Chandler or other detective authors. One lesson is the care needed when talking over a phone line (the "F" entity). Cliff's comments on an uncaring Federal bureaucracy were echoed in the aftermath of 9/11/2001. The personal activities of Cliff and his friends show them to be dedicated followers of fashion who imagine themselves to be radically original. American telephones are computer controlled so they are easy to trace.

Cliff is asked about the "adiabatic lapse rate on Jupiter". This wasn't "by chance", but a test of his bona fides (Chapter 45). Chapter 47 explains how to decrypt Unix passwords from words. Plodding through this book is like running on a dry sandy beach. He could have been more specific. Cliff claims the problem with viruses is they destroy trust (naive?). My advice is: trust no one.

The story opens with a proxy fight to gain control of an Oil Exploration Company. Should a company distribute profits, or invest them for greater profits in the future? The CEO gets a phone call that promises him confidential information about his rival's proxies. Conway must go to a room in a hotel for this document. When he enters, a half-dresses woman acts surprised, and waves a gun at him. Conway disarms her, and leaves; he finds one bullet discharged. Thinking this was a set-up to entrap him, he consults Perry Mason. Mason & Drake return to the room to find the body of a young woman - a different person from earlier! Now they must work fast to investigate these strange events, and clear Mason's client. Mason's clients are never really guilty; that's the rule of this series. Also, the real killer is revealed only in the last pages, even if others seem culpable of something.

Examining stomach contents can time the death once they know when the victim ate their last meal. The position after time of death is indicated by lividity. It takes time for lividity to be established. The fatal bullet can be traced to the pistol, if the latter can be found. This book uses these and other facts to create a puzzling mystery that will entertain you until the last page. Circumstantial evidence is the best evidence, but it can be misinterpreted. If salad, turkey, potatoes, and peas are in the victim's stomach, but they only ordered the first three items, how to account for this discrepancy? The plot takes precedence over character development (which is implicit for adults); this keeps the story moving along. The money figures are many decades out of date.

A contractor is getting grief from building inspectors on a very important job. He is advised to consult with a "public relations expert" (who quotes a price to fix the problems). As Ansley leaves the estate, he has a narrow escape from an accident; the other car overturns. Ansley sees a young woman, who calls for help and a ride home to her apartment. But something worries him. He calls on Perry Mason for advice. When Perry checks up, he finds this woman used a false identity; and her car was stolen. The next day the "public relations expert" is found murdered; the gun that did is found in Ansley's car. Perry Mason and Paul Drake must quickly investigate to uncover the facts. They track down the woman from the fake address (using a real person's identity can provide a clue to the imposter). An undeveloped negative of the model is found in the murdered man's camera (is it proof she was the last person to see him alive?).

Using the facts uncovered by the investigation Perry Mason gets the charges against Ansley dropped at the preliminary hearing. The model is arrested for the murder; she worked at the store where the murder weapon was stolen. But she hires Perry Mason as her advocate, and Perry Mason gets the charges dropped again! By now the facts develop to point to the real killer. The remarks of Lieutenant Tragg on driving to avoid accidents are still valuable.

If you can only read one Perry Mason mystery, this provides a good example of Erle Stanley Gardner's stories. This book is dedicated to a professor of law who is also a doctor of medicine; he once represented a man convicted of murder on circumstantial evidence. The professor found new evidence that caused the state Supreme Court to reverse the death sentence.

This was the most popular film in the summer of 1981, and played to packed audiences. It must have resonated with people's emotions as an action film unlike many others. It starts with an adventure - an explorer travels to a savage society in order to steal their wealth (for scientific knowledge of course). He fails when another adventurer expropriates his winnings, but survives to return to his teaching job at a university. The film shows him traveling in a flying Clipper from the 1930s, but not on a railroad.

It is a good action film, as long as you don't question some of the scenes. Could Nazi Germany have military forces in 1936 Egypt? Could German Schmeisser sub-machine guns be found in 1936 Nepal? I don't believe so. I suspect these scenes were copied from the 1940 serials that entertained moviegoers. "Indian Jones" will entertain you as an action adventure story with a multitude of cliches from long-forgotten films. Sliding under the truck recalls Yakima Canute's famous stunt. Some scenes seem far-fetched to me (when you think about it). Could Indiana Jones on a horse overtake a convoy of trucks? The theme music came from the 1948 film "Don Juan" starring Errol Flynn (rarely seen on TV). The chase through the maze of streets reminds me of 1940 cartoons. Other scenes may be derived from other old movies (the truck knocking down scaffolding from "Abbot & Costello Meet the Keystone Kops"). A few sequels were made, but it failed to be translated into a television series. Just like "Jaws".

This is an interesting, if flawed, novel of suspense. A budding writer is found stabbed to death in her home. The 27 cuts were done in a frenzy of hatred, or by a crazed madman. But how did he enter the home of a frightened woman? [Readers of G. K. Chesterton's "The Invisible Man" can guess.] Soon afterwards a Pulitzer Prize winning novelist, who had befriended Beryl years earlier, is also found murdered outside his home. His sister, who lived with him, soon died afterwards under questionable circumstances. A strange NY lawyer seeks the missing manuscript of Beryl. Medical Examiner Scarpetta begins to investigate the background of Beryl. This takes up most of the book until the killer is caught.

Cornwell describes various scenes within official agencies; she had been a police reporter, employee of the Medical Examiner office, and a volunteer police officer. She uses this experience to provide background facts for her story. My opinion is that Cornwell spent a lot of words describing Dr. Scarpetta. Cornwell describes her heroine as amoral in an amoral world (is she headed for a nervous breakdown?). The motive of the killer seems contrived, almost as an afterthought. It could have happened that way, but it seems like a deus ex machina ending. Would a real ME spend all that time to investigate Beryl's murder? There are many gay characters in this book as background. Is this some sort of message?

This story is as fast moving as a big roller coaster, with as many twists and turns to hold your interest until the last page. Erle Stanley Gardner's taut and sparse prose keeps the story moving along. It is one of the best "Perry Mason" mysteries, superior to any film or TV drama.

The Foreword begins by discussing circumstantial evidence, and the various inferences that can be drawn from a fact. It tells what scientific investigation can deduce from a discarded coat along a highway.

This book starts out when a practical nurse consults with Perry Mason over a possible murder, and ask how to prevent a murder! Next this nurse is arrested for stealing jewelry from her employer; Perry Mason defends her successfully. The problem is assigning guilt when there are numerous suspects. But this story is just starting! Then the patient she cares for is murdered by arsenic. The patient's sister is arrested; she hires Perry Mason to defend her. Now the story picks up speed, and we see numerous twists and surprises to this story. Just how Perry's client is not guilty of this murder comes out at the surprise ending.

This story is as fast moving as a big roller coaster, with as many twists and turns to hold your interest until the last page. Erle Stanley Gardner's taut and sparse prose keeps the story moving along. It is one of the best "Perry Mason" mysteries, superior to any film or TV drama.

The Foreword begins by discussing circumstantial evidence, and the various inferences that can be drawn from a fact. It tells what scientific investigation can deduce from a discarded coat along a highway.

This book starts out when a practical nurse consults with Perry Mason over a possible murder, and ask how to prevent a murder! Next this nurse is arrested for stealing jewelry from her employer; Perry Mason defends her successfully. The problem is assigning guilt when there are numerous suspects. But this story is just starting! Then the patient she cares for is murdered by arsenic. The patient's sister is arrested; she hires Perry Mason to defend her. Now the story picks up speed, and we see numerous twists and surprises to this story. Just how Perry's client is not guilty of this murder comes out at the surprise ending.