◆ SpookStack

Office Mer andum + UNITED sv °§ GOVERNMENT To 2 Mr, Tolson iy os? DATB 2-28-56 FROM : L, B wn ‘ i, , Reference is made to my memorandum of February 23 concerning Cardi n's interview with SAC Kelly and to the” ; a inquiry which had written a letter made of the Cardinal as to whether he in Minneapolis enclosing a $10,000 check as 2 campaign contr ion, Cardinal Spellman asked SAC Kelly. if a contact sould be made with Qs othe matter could be handled quietly 17, and without publicity inasmuch as he, Cardi liman, had definitely not | sent-am any such campaign contribution to or anyone else, The Director noted we could give no assurance as to what ight do ae to publicity, ASAC Simon of New. York advised my office at 6:00 p.m. 2-23-56 that Cardinal Spellman early in the day could not find the copy 6f the letter and photostat of the check which had sent to him but had durin; i j — ft ted uary 31, 1956, at Miami Beach, Florida, bearing a return address Post Office . The letter stated: "Dear Mr. While taking a little rest here in | canal Florida and getting some much-needed recreation after my trip to the Orient by (they are running at Hialeah), I was given a copy of the announcement of your «eandidacy for the Presidency of the United States on the atheist ticket. I hasten to enclose my contribution of $10,000 fer your campaign. Confidentially, I have a selfish motive in furthering your cause and I wish to give some advice. My advise is to duck the Presbyterian iss Eisenhower and Stevenson were there first--, And second, stick to the atheists and that is where I come in, When you by pure reason and logic have drawn pf out all of the atheists and other intelligent voters from both Republican and Democratic Parties, what will be left? Practically nothing but Christians. I already control a lot of them and with the intelligencia entirely in your party, I will soon get all of the rest, Then I really will have a chance to be the first American Pope, Yours in confidence,’ ed Francis Cardinal Speliman, m, initials FCS:mg. As an enclosure there is a photostat of a check dated 1-31-56 47 fe Bank Trust Company, Number 10983, payable to ampaign Committee in the amount pf $19,000. ROED <b ee ROS OH fi INDEXED - 64 py — cc - Mr, Rosén 6 Rlisrie asi.