Bare-Faced Messiah, FBI Archives Early Scientology Fronts

From the files of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Department of Justice, Washington, D.C.

STANDARD FORM NO. 64
Office Memorandum - UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT

DATE: 1/11/57

TO : DIRECTOR, FBI

FROM : SAC, WFO

SUBJECT: _CHANGED_
THE ORGANIZATIONS OF AMERICA
INFORMATION CONCERNING
(INTERNAL SECURITY)
WFO 100-33645

CITIZENS OF WASHINGTON, INCORPORATED
INFORMATION CONCERNING
(INTERNAL SECURITY)
WFO 100-33646)

ReBulet to Washington Field dated 12/19/56.

The title is being marked changed to show the current name of the The
Organizations of America as reflected by its incorporation papers at the
Office of the Recorder of Deeds, 6th and D Streets, N.W., Washington,
D.C.

The following information was either obtained through public sources or
through the utilization of proper pretexts by SA [BLACKED OUT]

The public records of the Officer of the Recorder of Deeds, 6th and D
Streets, N.W., as reviewed on 12/31/56, reveals incorporation papers for
subject organizations as follows:

_CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION OF CITIZENS OF WASHINGTON, INCORPORATED_

"We, the undersigned, all citizens of the United States of America and a
majority citizens and residents of the District of Columbia, of full
age, desiring to associate ourselves as an educational corporation pursuant
to the provisions of Title 29 of Chapter 6 of the District of Columbia Code
(1951) as amended, do hereby certify as follows:

"FIRST: The name or title by which this corporation shall be known in
law shall be: Citizens of Washington, Incorporation. [sic]

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"SECOND: The term for which it is organized shall be: Perpetual

"THIRD: The particular non-profit business and objects of said
corporation shall be:

"The education of the citizens and residents of the District of Columbia
in good citizenship and in the duties of a citizen, and to conduct all
manner of movements and projects for the betterment of the District of
Columbia as a place in which to live and not for profit.

"To promote the objectives set forth above, and not in limitation of the
general powers conferred or permitted by law, this corporation shall
have the following specific powers:

"1. To do all such acts as are necessary or convenient to attain the
objectives herein set forth, to the extent not forbidden by law or by
this Certificate of Incorporation, to the same extent and as fully as
might be done by a natural person; and to establish, maintain, assist,
operate, and terminate associates, affiliated, subsidiary and/or
supplemental organizations, incorporated or unincorporated.

"2.   To charter, conduct, establish, and support lectures, seminars,
classes, and schools as necessary or desirable to the furtherance of the
objectives herein set forth.

"3.  To publish books, pamphlets, tracts, and periodicals, and to train
personnel as necessary or desirable to the furtherance of the objectives
herein set forth.

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"4.  To conduct, promote, and maintain the activities herein set forth,
within or without the District of Columbia, and within or without the
United States of America.

"5.  To acquire, receive rent, charter, lease and/or own such facilities
and equipment, within or without the District of Columbia and within or
without the United States of America as may be necessary or desirable to
the objectives herein set forth.

"6.  To acquire, take, receive, hold, lease, charter, and/or own and
convey all manner of real and personal property the income of which
shall be applied to these purposes; and to lease, mortgage, execute deeds
of trust on, and sell and convey title to all such real and personal
property.

"7.  To accept fees and donations for the objectives herein set forth,
and for the acquisition and maintaince [sic] of the facilities and real
and personal property used in support thereof, and for the payment of
the salaries of personnel employed in connection therewith.

"8.  To issue bonds, notes, debentures and other evidences of
indebtedness, and to secure same by mortgage, deed of trust, or
otherwise; to contract; to sue and be sued; and to do all other things
permitted by law in the furtherance of the objectives of the
corporation.

"9.  To engage in all other activities and to enjoy and exercise all the
powers conferred by the laws of the District of Columbia upon such
non-profit corporation.

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"FOURTH: The number of directors of this corporation for the first year
of its existence shall be: Three (3).  They shall direct the affairs of
the corporation,and shall succeed to the powers and duties of the
incorporators, including but not limited to the power of election of
officers and agents.

"FIFTH: The directors shall not receive compensation for their services
as such, but may be compensated for such other services as they may
render the corporation, and may receive reimbursement of expenses.

"SIXTH: The directors, incorporators, and officers of the corporation
shall never be chargeable with the debts of the corporation except as
may be specially provided by law or as they may contract to be so charged.

"SEVENTH: Should the corporation ever be dissolved, the directors shall
have power to make disposition of its property real and personal and its
other assets, after discharge of all its debts and obligations, as may
in their sole judgement best further the objectives herein set forth.

"EIGHTH: The directors shall have power to establish, through by-laws or
otherwise, such membership and classes thereof as in their sole judgement
will best further the objectives of the corporation, and to admit thereto
such persons as in their sole judgement shall be deemed desirable.

"NINTH: This corporation shall have the right to amend any of the
provisions of this certificate of incorporation in any manner provided
by the laws of the District of Columbia.

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"TENTH: The time of commencement of the affairs of the corporation shall
be the time of filing of the Certificate of Incorporation.

"In TESTIMONY whereof we have this 29th day of November, 1956, hereunto
set our hands and seals as incorporators:

"/s/ KEN SALMEN
1627 19th Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C.

"/s/ DONOVAN G. CRANDALL
1915 N Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C.

"/s/ WILLIAM J. FISK
7901 Garland Avenue,
Takoma Park, 12,
Maryland

"District of Columbia, SS

"I, HERMAN JACOBS, a Notary Public in and for the District of Columbia,
do hereby certify that KEN SALMEN, DONOVAN G. CRANDALL and WILLIAM J.
FISK, Parties to a certain Certificate of Incorporation bearing date on
the 29th of November, 1956, and hereunto annexed, personally appeared
before me in the said District, the said KEN SALMEN, DONOVAN G.
CRANDALL, and WILLIAM J. FISK being personally well known to me as the
persons, who executed the said Certificate of Incorporation, and
severally acknowledged the same to be their act and deed.

"Given under my hand and seal this 29th day of November, 1956.

"/s/ HERMAN JACOBS
Notary Public in and for the District of Columbia

"My commission expires December 14, 1960."

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WFO 100-33645
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The above Certificate of Incorporation was filed by the Office of the
Recorder of Deeds on 11/29/56, and assigned Corporation Number 15781.

The records of the Recorder of Deeds also contained corporation papers
regarding the Organizations of America as follows:

"_CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION_

"We, the undersigned, all citizens of the United States and a majority
citizens and residents of the District of Columbia, of full age, desiring
to associate ourselves as a corporation pursuant to the provisions of
Title 29 of Chapter 6 of the District of Columbia Code (1951), do hereby
certify as follows:

"FIRST: The name or title by which this corporation shall be known in
law shall be THE ORGANIZATIONS OF AMERICA.

"SECOND: The term for which it is organized shall be perpetual.

"THIRD: The particular business and objects of said corporation shall be
to coordinate and serve the activities of social, private and public
organizations interested in public welfare and to publish directories
and lists and papers, books and booklets expressing their opinions and the
desires of their memberships and to be supported by contributions and
booklet sales.

"FOURTH: The number of its trustees, directors or managers for the first
year of its existence shall be 3.

"In TESTIMONY WHEREOF, we have this 19th day of July, 1956, hereunto set
our hands and seals:

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WFO 100-33645
100-33646

"/s/ DONOVAN G. CRANDELL
"/s/ WILLIAM J. FISK
"/s/ ROBERT E. NICHOLS

"I, DOROTHY L. SMITH, a Notary Public in and for the District of Columbia,
do hereby certify that DONOVAN G. CRANDELL, WILLIAM J. FISK and ROBERT
E. NICHOLS, Parties to a certain Certificate of Incorporation bearing date
of the 19th of July, 1956, and hereunto annexed, personally appeared
before me in said District, the said DONOVAN G. CRANDELL, WILLIAM J.
FISK and ROBERT E. NICHOLS being personally well known to me as the
persons who executed the said Certificates of Incorporation, and
severally acknowledged the same to be their act and deed.

"GIVEN under my hand and seal this 19th day of July, 1956.

"/s/ DOROTHY L. SMITH
Notary Public

"My commission expires April 14, 1960."

The above Certificate of Incorporation was received by the Office of
Recorder of Deeds on 7/20/56, and was assigned Corporation Number 14725.

The current District of Columbia Telephone Directory contains no listing
for either of subject organizations; however a check with information of
the telephone company reveals a listing in the name of Citizens of
Washington, Incorporated, 1621 Connecticut Avenue, N.W., Washington,
D.C., telephone North 7-7439.

It is noted that the mailboxes servicing 1621 Connecticut Avenue, N.W.,
lists the following names on the same mailbox:

"Citizens of Washington"
"Constitutional Administration Party of America"
"Organizations of America"

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100-33646

It is noted that there is no record for the "Constitutional Administration
Party of America" at the Office of the Recorder of Deeds.

On 1/2/57, a pretext interview was conducted with [BLACKED OUT] at the
building located at 1621 Connecticut Avenue, N.W.  It was determined that
subject organizations maintains [sic] office space consisting of two
rooms on the fourth floor of this building, and this office space has
been maintained by these organizations since about October, 1956.  There
are no full-time employees at this office; however, a Mr. STEVES (ph)
attends to the office in the mornings once or twice per week.

[BLACKED OUT PARAGRAPH]

[BLACKED OUT PARAGRAPH]

On 1/4/57, literature regarding the Academy of Scientology, 1812 19th
Street, N.W., which is available to the public, was obtained.  This
school is also known as the Academy of Religious Arts and Sciences.  It
was determined that WILLIAM FISK currently is an instructor at this
school.

The pamphlet obtained from this academy regarding matriculation, which
included names of teachers, reveals that DON G. CRANDELL is the Registrar
of this academy.  Dr. RICHARD F. STEVES is the director of training at
this school.

This pamphlet contains a group photograph whichs lists among others, the
names of the following men:

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WFO 100-33645
10033646

W. FISK and R. NICHOLS

This pamphlet also contains a photograph of the following instructors at
this academy:

K.D. BARRETT
R.E. MORLEY
D.G. CRANDELL
R.F. STEVES

Indices of WFO reflect no information identifiable to either subject
organizations, moreover the indices of WFO reflect no information
identifiable to KEN SALMEN, DONOVAN G. CRANDELL, WILLIAM J. FISK, ROBERT
E. NICHOLS or the Constitutional Administration Party of America.

WFO indices are negative of information regarding Dr. RICHARD F. STEVES
and the Academy of Scientology.

WFO indices reflect no information identifiable to the Academy of
Religious Arts and Sciences.

An information bulletin obtained from the Academy of Scientology
described the term "Scientology" as "that branch of psychology which
treats of human ability."

A check at the D.C. Public Library, New York Avenue, N.W., and the
Library of Congress revealed no information regarding subject
organizations.

It would appear from the above that the incorporators of both subject
organizations are either teachers or students at the Academy of
Scientology and the individual servicing the office of subject
organizations at 1621 Connecticut Avenue, N.W., is apparently Dr.
RICHARD F. STEVES of this academy.

No further action is contemplated by the WFO regarding this matter.  C.

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