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FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION
100-359682-80 Los Angeles Rept. 4-14-50; Made by: Arthur C. Wittenburg; LA File #: 65-4846
Captioned. Dr. Sydney Weinbaum, W.A.S., Israel Weinbaum, Sydney Empson, Sena Weinbaum, Sidney Vanbau. Espionage — R Perjury
Ref. is made to signed statement (See Ser. 85) which was executed by John W. Parsons [Jack Parsons]. As has been reported previously in this case, informants have cast some doubt as to the general reputation of this individual.
At the time Parsons provided the Reporting Agent with the aforementioned statement he stated, "It is probably already known to you, but I got myself mixed up with an occult group. If this info. should come into the possession of a defense attorney it might be possible for him to discredit me."
Source T-5, a reliable informant, was re-interviewed with regard to his knowledge of the general reputation of Parsons at which time he advised the following:
Parsons was one of the original founders of the Aerojet Engineering Corporation in Pasadena. In connection with the organization an Eastern executive was brought in to handle some of the affairs of the firm inasmuch as the incorporators were for the most part scientists and had no practical business knowledge.
This source stated that he learned that the individual brought from the East was attempting "by underhanded means" to wrest control of the corporation from its original founders and that Parsons was one of the stockholders who was working with him in this regard.
The source stated that he made this knowledge available to the principal stockholder in the firm and the individual was terminated. Parsons was not removed, however, inasmuch as he was a stockholder and one of the original incorporators, but that he was gradually "eased out."
In addition, this source stated that he had heard repeated rumors to the effect that in 1943 Parsons had become involved with some sort of "mythic love cult." Source stated that he knew nothing of the exact details as to what transpired, but he understood that women of loose morals were involved and that the story of Parsons' activities had become fairly common knowledge among scientists in this area.
[Redacted] of the Pasadena Police Dept. was interviewed by the Reporting Agent on April 3, 1950 at which time he checked his file and found that the Dept. had received several complaints with regard to the activities in a home at 1003 South Orange Grove Avenue, Pasadena, which in 1943 was leased in the name of Parsons. [Redacted] records reflect some literature which indicated that at these premises were being held meetings of a cult which went under the name of the Church of Thelena [sic]. Descriptive literature in the file indicated that this cult broadly hinted at free love. [Redacted] advised that he had received several complaints of "strange goings-on at this home" and that he recalled at the time that it was a gathering place of perverts.
Source T-6, a reliable informant, was interviewed on 4-3-50 at which time he advised that he had been closely associated with Parsons in the early development of the Aerojet Corporation and was quite friendly with him during the period up to about 1945.
This source offered no info. with regard to any questionable financial dealings with Parsons, but stated that he was fully conversant with his involvement in the "love cult". Likewise, he stated that he was certain that information in this regard was fairly common knowledge among scientists in the Pasadena area.
T-5 [Redacted].
T-6 [Redacted].
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