[AGL] Scoop on Sixties Surveillance!

[thorne dreyer]

Friends,
 
I am working on an article for the Texas Observer and I'd appreciate input from you guys.
When Allen Hamilton died (he was UT campus police chief in the sixties), his son discovered boxes of papers and sold them to Half Price Books who in turn donated them to the UT library.  Most of the stuff was about Whitman and it was delivered immediately; the remainder was records of surveillance by campus police: of sds and other activists, of dopers, lots of mentions of the Ghetto ("a haven for campus Jews"), etc.  Anyway, the good folks at Half Price, fearing that this stuff would be buried by UT, contacted Alice Embree and offered us access to the materials before turning them over. So we went to Dallas and scanned and copied the whole kit 'n caboodle.  There are lists and memos and photos.  Janis Joplin shows up lots! Billy Lee Brammer.  Shelton.  Jerry Jeff Walker. Richard Friedman. As do a number of people on the ghetto list.
 
I'm doing a story on these materials, but also tying them into the larger picture of harassment and surveillance in the sixties, including the Cointelpro activities of the FBI. 
I'm interested in any memories, stories, inside poop any of you may have regarding the campus police, Bert Gerding and the Austin red squad, other law enforcement agencies and so on. Any direct harassment, provocateur actions, dirty tricks. Anything about the murder of George Vizard (Hamilton was a suspect at first!); I may be doing a sidebar looking back at that.  Also, if anybody knew a guy named Jeff Gardner.  He was apparently Austin SDS treasurer for a while, and was an informant.
 
And, of course, I need stuff right away!  This week.  My deadline's the 30th.

Respond onlist or to my rr. email site below.

Thanks for your help,

Thorne

tdreyer at austin.rr.com
512-436-9968
713-210-9608 (cell)
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