May 12, 1973

J B Connally announces May 11 that he will take leave of absence from his law firm, Vinson Elkins Searls Connally & Smith, and resign from all corp bds during time he will serve as special adviser to Pres Nixon

Sen com sources say on May 11 that ex-Acting FBI Dir Gray has told Sen investigators that he talked by telephone with Pres Nixon about 3 wks after Watergate burglary to express concern over White House obstacles in his path and confusion that was hampering his investigation; say Gray was concerned over action of White House aides; various May 11 news repts say that Gray had told Pres of an attempt to impede Watergate investigation and Baltimore Sun repts that Gray recd 'no reaction' from Nixon; com sources say such repts are 'out of focus' and do not fully reflect Gray's position; previous Gray testimony on Watergate noted; sources say that Gray changed details in his story about destruction of papers which were removed from E H Hunt's White House safe; say that Gray now says that he actually took papers to his Conn home, kept them until Christmas and finally threw them in an incinerator there; Gray originally said that he disposed of papers by throwing them in an FBI 'burn bag'; papers involved were said by J W Dean 3d to contain fake State Dept cables linking Kennedy Adm to '63 assassination of S Vietnam Pres Diem; according to NY Daily News and Baltimore Sun, White House obstruction began 10 days after burglary and Gray tried to arrange meeting with then-CIA Dir Helms; newspapers rept that Gray wanted to discuss possible CIA involvement with Helms but that then-White House aide Ehrlichman canceled meeting without explanation; Gray's resignation following disclosure of document destruction noted; Judge Sirica grants Watergate conspirators Barker, Martinez, Sturgis and Gonzales immunity from prosecution on May 11; attys for Sen Watergate com and attys for Common Cause ask Fed Dist Ct to let them see confidential documents locked in suburban safe deposit box by Dean; Amer Bar Assn pres R W Meserve and Amer Coll of Trial Lawyers pres W H Morrison are called on by Atty Gen-designate Richardson on May 11 for their comments on list of names being considered for position of special Watergate prosecutor

3 police prisoners, E McBride, V Perry, 19, and T Grant, 20, escape on May 11 from back of police van, which kept on going, unaware of escape; escape is facilitated by defective lock on back door of truck; 2 of prisoners are handcuffed together; 2 other prisoners attempt to leap out of truck but are apprehended when bystanders attract attention of officers inside truck; map of van's and prisoners' escape route; incident detailed

Expectancy, Then Tears, Shouts years ago. One successful pursuer caught him, dressed in a stylish, English‐cut suit, as he entered the courthouse swinging his briefcase in apparent anticipation of the day ahead.

H A Kissinger and Le Duc Tho, in Paris talks on Vietnam truce accord set for May 17, will discuss observance of accord articles dealing with foreign forces in Laos