Nikola Tesla FBI Files - Page 171

Letter, DIRECTOR, B₁ NY 65-12290 Gober 17, 1945 gun. SPANEL offered financial aid to FITZGERALD and the two were in the closest contact with each other for a considerable period of time. said that FITZGERALD had lined up a deal for the purchase of the gun by the REMINGTON ARMS COMPANY, but for some reason SPANEL blocked this deal by reaching top men in the REMINGTON OMPANY. SPANEL is then reported as having obtained a job for FITZGERALD with the HIGGENS SHIP BUILDING COMPANY in New Orleans and negotiated a contract with FITZGERALD for the purchase and manufacture of the gun in a manner which would return 80% of the profits derived to SPANEL, stated that at stated that in November of 1943, for some unknown reason but which he believes to be attributable to SPANEL, FITZGERALD was fired by the MICGENS OMPANY. In September of 1944, FITZGERALD was inducted into the Army and for a considerable period of time was located at an ordinance experimental station at Elgin Field, Florida. the present time FITZGERALD is engaged in a highly secret experimental project at Wright Field in Dayton, Ohio. In spite of his rank of Private, FITZRALD actually is the director of this research and is working with many top young scientists who were inducted into Army from leading industrial posts. According to FITZGERAID is presently working on the perfection of TESLA'S "death ray which in FITZGERALD'S opinion is the only Dossible defense against offensive use by another nation of the Atomic Bomb. In this connection, it is noted that the Tew York Times of September 22, 1940 ir an article entitled SCIENCE IN THE NEWS" by WILLIAM A LAURENCE, Science Editor states that TESTA devulged to LAUREN the fact that he had developed a "death ray" or tal-force" which TESIA claimed would melt airplane motors at a distance of 250 miles, so that actually an invisible Chinese Wall would be built around a country against attack by an enemy air force. According to the article in the frys, this electrical device would operate by the generation of power from a plant, a number of which might be located strategically along our coast lines and the beam from which would melt any engine within a radius of 250 miles. stated that during FITZGERALD'S acquaintance with SPANEL, FIT CORALD had told STANEL of his associations with TESLA and had apparently described to SPANEL some of TESLA'S most secret work. believes that SPANCL, who he claims is definitely pro-Russian in attitude, is now attempting through legal procedure to secure custody of TESLA'S effects which are now held by TESLA'S only heir, one SAVA KOSAKOVICE, who is presently in Yugoslavia occupying some governmental post. It will be re called that in an article published on March 15, 1945, by the NG MATRE SYNDICATE INCORPORATED, WESTBROOKLER charged STANEL with spre ing pro-communist and proRussian propaganda through his full pape advertisement in the newspapers, which SPANEL, characterized as being bublished for the TRUATIONAL LATEY RPORATION, as a public service feature. It is also interesting to observe tha in the New York Times of October 2, 1945, ar article appears which states that SPANEL is suing the KINC FATURE SWICATE TNCORPORATED for six million lollars alleging the column by GLER u have been liábelous. 000002 171