Friday, January 25, 2008

Patience is a virtue...Virtue is over-rated

I spoke with 3 representatives of the FBI records only to be told that since I was not an FBI employee I can only recieve information about files in FBI custody through FOIA. I learned that it is actually NARA that decides what files the FBI sends to them are destroyed and which kept. So if Vivian Chase's file was definately destroyed then it's the archives fault. They just can't tell me whether the file was sent to NARA , but I do have a FOIA request outstanding so I'll find out that way. So there is hope.

The photo at left is Clarence Sparger's Alcatraz mug. Sparger is according to one FBI informant responsible for Vivian's death. He shot her because she said something that Sparger did not like. Vivian seems to have had a thing for hot heads. Sparger, Mayes, McDowell and her husband all seemed to enjoy acting before thinking things through. Speaking of her husband, George Chase, I'm having no luck with Missouri Archives in getting his prison record. Archives employees consulted a penitentiary admissions index and that index did not include his name. However, as I pointed out to them George Chase is clearly listed as an inmate in the 1920 Census. I don't think the Census taker made the record up. I gave Missouri a copy of the Census and I'm waiting to hear if they will look any further. I'm having the worst trouble with old lists.