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4 ASSASSINATION PROBE WITNESS

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Nove Is Too Slippery

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FIGHTS EXTRADITION

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

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Keithen and that the governor purchased from him electronic bugging equipment. THE GOVERNOR first denied knowing Nov then was caught by a Baton Rouge newspaper with his canceled checks showing. McKeithen lent credence to Novel's charges Mon-day. The governor, on the pretext of discussing the next governor's conference, telephoned Governor Rhodes. Since Rhodes was out of the city, McKeithen settled for John McElroy, administrative assistant. IN AN ALMOST unheard of move, McKeithen asked McElroy to expedite the extradition of Novel back to Louisiana as soon as possible. The extradition has not even been officially requested. Novel's major theme since becoming a fugitive

about three weeks ago has been "Garrison is a fraud, and his investigation is a farce." Novel told The Dispatch he first met Garrison at a party for "all the bunnies" in New Orleans' French Quarter during May of 1966. "We discussed matters concerning Garrison's framing electronically of high state officials," Novel related. NOVEL, through his firm of International Dynamics Corp., manufactured, sold and installed electronic bugging equipment. He- takes' great pride in describing his surveillance and anti-surveillance equipment as the "finest in the world." "I refused to work for him," Novel continued, "I didn't like him. During the 1966 election, I worked against him." Early this year, Novel asserted he was invited to
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mainly, "I was interested in Continued from Page 1 dicted for conspiracy to as- by his flamboyant proclama'broads.' sassinate President Kennedy. tions. 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 rison told me, 'I'm going to cannot get a fair hearing in was graduated from New Orthought he was real." put you in this up to your OFF, I worked ears. You've been working New Orleans. No court in leans' East Jefferson High "ON AND Ohio is involved in the New in 1956. for Garrison for about two for the other side.' " Orleans probe. From high school he went weeks." Novel has yet to reveal, at Garrison and his staff have issue here is west, to Northrup Aeronaution the public record, THE ONLY insisted Novel never was em- leasthow he can "expose" extradition on a charge of cal Institute of Technology just in Englewood, Calif. ployed by them. However, he has conspiracy to commit simple Meanwhile, Novel admitted Garrison. burglary, filed by Garrison That sojurn into engineerhinted broadly that "Garri"I got to he was privately working for plot" is bigger than any the day before Novel's arrest ing was brief . . . a movie another New Orleans group son's foolin' around with in Gahanna. a o ssination plot. which was intent upon exstar." .rhe most effective re- Novel was born in New Or- He moved on to the Unii posing Garrison.A Afie leans on Feb. 7, 1938. His farainer on Novel's glib versity of Southern Califor"GARRISON turned on tongue is his Columbus at- ther died when Gordon, an nia. only child, was about 2. when he found out I had col- torney, Jerry Weiner. Novel recalled his mother AFTER ONE semester, he lected enough evidence to exWEINER WALKS his own worked as a secretary in a tried motion picture directing pose him," he charged. tightrope. On one prisoner-of-war camp for GerNovel said he was chal- personal 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 Clay Shaw's canons concerning pre-trial HE DESCRIBED his childhood as average. He played publicity. preliminary hearing. On the other side is Novel, quarterback on the football Shaw, wealthy New Orleans businessman, has been in- the client, trapped in part team, tinkered with cars ane

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