Receipts, papers, notes and files related to Nikola Tesla

Nikola Tesla Documents

Receipts, papers, notes and files related to Nikola Tesla

Nikola Tesla FBI Files - Page 253

STANDARD FORM NO. 64

Office Memorandum • UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT

TO          : MR. TOLSON                               DATE: Jan. 30, 1951

FROM    : L. B. NICHOLS

SUBJECT: [REDUCTED]

     [REDUCTED] called yesterday and said he would be in town for the next two or three days and wanted to see me. I told him I would be glad to see him late yesterday or today at his convenience. He is coming in today at 2:30 p.m.

     I asked him if there was anything special which would require my doing any checking. He stated there were two things he wanted to discuss.

     1. The case of Nikola Tesla and Abraham N. Spanel, President of International Latex Corporation [REDUCTED]

     Our files reflect that Nicola Tesla was one of the world's outstanding scientists and in fact designed the generators installed at Niagara Falls. He died in New York on January 7, 1943, and is supposed to have left details and plans for a so-called death ray. [REDUCTED]

     Our files also reflect that Colonel Erskine of Military Intelligence called us on January 9, 1943, advising that Tesla had died, that A. Spanel had communicated with the War Department regarding this death, that Tesla had a nephew named Sava Kosanovich who had taken possession of Tesla's papers and Spanel thought the papers might be used against our Government.

     We made an immediate inquiry in New York and the first report was that Kosanovich and others entered Tesla's room with the aid of a locksmith, broke into a safe containing some of Tesla's valuable papers including formula.

     Coincident with this, on January 8, L. M. C. Smith called Mr. Tamm regarding the death of Tesla and Smith stated he was talking to the Alien Property Custodian about seizing these items.

     We interviewed Spanel who expressed concern effects and Spanel stated that Kosanovich had turned over the effects of Tesla to the Alien Property Custodian. Spanel further stated the day before Tesla died, he tried to get in touch with the War Department to make available certain patents.