James Truitt
Encyclopedia
James Truitt was an American journalist
who worked for Life
and Time
magazines. He later became the vice president of Newsweek
magazine.
, Illinois
, Truitt was raised in a prominent family in Baltimore, Maryland. He served as a Naval officer in the Pacific theatre of World War II
, then returned to work for the US State Department. He married his first wife, Anne
, in September 1947 in Washington, D.C.
In spring 1948 he went to work for Life
magazine in New York, then became their Washington
correspondent. He spent three years with Life in San Francisco, then he returned to Washington, D.C. in May 1960 to become the personal assistant to Phillip Graham at the Washington Post, where he rose to become vice president. He also worked for Time
, served as publisher of Art News, and became vice president of Newsweek
in 1964. He sported a crew-cut haircut, was friends with Cord Meyer
and James Angleton, and was known for his intelligence, eccentricity, and social graces.
In 1962, Cord Meyer's ex wife Mary Pinchot Meyer
told Truitt that she was having an affair with President Kennedy
. Truitt made notes of the conversation, which years later he showed to journalist Jay Gourley. The notes recorded an episode in July 1962 when Mary Pinchot Meyer and President John F. Kennedy smoked marijuana, and include mention of Pinchot Meyer forgetting her slip after one visit and having it mailed back to her in a White House envelope.
In early 1963, Truitt helped extricate Phillip Graham from an ill-advised appearance at a publishers' conference in Arizona
, where Graham mentioned Kennedy's affair. Graham committed suicide on August 3, 1963. Katharine Graham
assumed ownership of the Washington Post. Later in 1963, Truitt left the Post and moved to Tokyo
as the Japan
bureau chief for Newsweek. There, Anne Truitt received news that her friend, Mary Pinchot Meyer, had been murdered. Anne called James Angleton to see that Meyer's diary was taken care of, per her wishes. The Truitts later returned to Washington and to the Post.
where he was married Evelyn Patterson.
In March 1976, Truitt granted an interview to the National Enquirer. Truitt revealed Mary Pinchot Meyer's affair with President Kennedy (as Philip Graham had alleged). Truitt correctly noted that Pinchot Meyer's diary had been found by Angleton after her murder who knew where to find it having been told its location by Anne Truitt from Tokyo. Initially, Bradlee and Angleton denied the story, but it was soon confirmed by Meyer's friends, who spoke to reporters at Time Magazine, the New York Times and Washington Post, and by others.
on November 18, 1981 in San Miguel de Allende
, Mexico
. Evelyn later claimed that her husband's papers, including copies of Pinchot Meyer's diary, were stolen by CIA
officer Herbert Burrows.
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
who worked for Life
Life (magazine)
Life generally refers to three American magazines:*A humor and general interest magazine published from 1883 to 1936. Time founder Henry Luce bought the magazine in 1936 solely so that he could acquire the rights to its name....
and Time
Time (magazine)
Time is an American news magazine. A European edition is published from London. Time Europe covers the Middle East, Africa and, since 2003, Latin America. An Asian edition is based in Hong Kong...
magazines. He later became the vice president of Newsweek
Newsweek
Newsweek is an American weekly news magazine published in New York City. It is distributed throughout the United States and internationally. It is the second-largest news weekly magazine in the U.S., having trailed Time in circulation and advertising revenue for most of its existence...
magazine.
Career
Born in ChicagoChicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, Truitt was raised in a prominent family in Baltimore, Maryland. He served as a Naval officer in the Pacific theatre of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, then returned to work for the US State Department. He married his first wife, Anne
Anne Truitt
Anne Truitt was a major American artist of the mid-20th century; she is associated with both minimalism and Color Field artists like Morris Louis and Kenneth Noland....
, in September 1947 in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
In spring 1948 he went to work for Life
Life (magazine)
Life generally refers to three American magazines:*A humor and general interest magazine published from 1883 to 1936. Time founder Henry Luce bought the magazine in 1936 solely so that he could acquire the rights to its name....
magazine in New York, then became their Washington
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
correspondent. He spent three years with Life in San Francisco, then he returned to Washington, D.C. in May 1960 to become the personal assistant to Phillip Graham at the Washington Post, where he rose to become vice president. He also worked for Time
Time (magazine)
Time is an American news magazine. A European edition is published from London. Time Europe covers the Middle East, Africa and, since 2003, Latin America. An Asian edition is based in Hong Kong...
, served as publisher of Art News, and became vice president of Newsweek
Newsweek
Newsweek is an American weekly news magazine published in New York City. It is distributed throughout the United States and internationally. It is the second-largest news weekly magazine in the U.S., having trailed Time in circulation and advertising revenue for most of its existence...
in 1964. He sported a crew-cut haircut, was friends with Cord Meyer
Cord Meyer
Cord Meyer, Jr. was an American Central Intelligence Agency official.-Early life:Meyer's father, Cord Meyer Sr., was a diplomat and former real estate developer. His grandfather, also called Cord Meyer, was a property developer and a chairman of the New York State Democratic Committee. He was...
and James Angleton, and was known for his intelligence, eccentricity, and social graces.
In 1962, Cord Meyer's ex wife Mary Pinchot Meyer
Mary Pinchot Meyer
Mary Eno Pinchot Meyer was an American socialite, painter, former wife of Central Intelligence Agency official Cord Meyer and intimate friend of United States president John F. Kennedy, who was often noted for her desirable physique and social skills...
told Truitt that she was having an affair with President Kennedy
John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
. Truitt made notes of the conversation, which years later he showed to journalist Jay Gourley. The notes recorded an episode in July 1962 when Mary Pinchot Meyer and President John F. Kennedy smoked marijuana, and include mention of Pinchot Meyer forgetting her slip after one visit and having it mailed back to her in a White House envelope.
In early 1963, Truitt helped extricate Phillip Graham from an ill-advised appearance at a publishers' conference in Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
, where Graham mentioned Kennedy's affair. Graham committed suicide on August 3, 1963. Katharine Graham
Katharine Graham
Katharine Meyer Graham was an American publisher. She led her family's newspaper, The Washington Post, for more than two decades, overseeing its most famous period, the Watergate coverage that eventually led to the resignation of President Richard Nixon...
assumed ownership of the Washington Post. Later in 1963, Truitt left the Post and moved to Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
as the Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
bureau chief for Newsweek. There, Anne Truitt received news that her friend, Mary Pinchot Meyer, had been murdered. Anne called James Angleton to see that Meyer's diary was taken care of, per her wishes. The Truitts later returned to Washington and to the Post.
Later years
In the years that followed, James Truitt's mental health allegedly declined. In 1969, Ben Bradlee forced him to resign from the Post, with accusations of mental incompetence. Truitt accepted a settlement in exchange for a signed statement that he would not write anything that was "in any way derogatory" of the Washington Post. Truitt and Anne divorced in 1971, and he moved to MexicoMexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
where he was married Evelyn Patterson.
In March 1976, Truitt granted an interview to the National Enquirer. Truitt revealed Mary Pinchot Meyer's affair with President Kennedy (as Philip Graham had alleged). Truitt correctly noted that Pinchot Meyer's diary had been found by Angleton after her murder who knew where to find it having been told its location by Anne Truitt from Tokyo. Initially, Bradlee and Angleton denied the story, but it was soon confirmed by Meyer's friends, who spoke to reporters at Time Magazine, the New York Times and Washington Post, and by others.
Death
James Truitt committed suicideSuicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
on November 18, 1981 in San Miguel de Allende
San Miguel de Allende
San Miguel de Allende is a city and municipality located in the far eastern part of the state of Guanajuato in central Mexico. It is 274 km from Mexico City and 97 km from the state capital of Guanajuato...
, Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
. Evelyn later claimed that her husband's papers, including copies of Pinchot Meyer's diary, were stolen by CIA
Central Intelligence Agency
The Central Intelligence Agency is a civilian intelligence agency of the United States government. It is an executive agency and reports directly to the Director of National Intelligence, responsible for providing national security intelligence assessment to senior United States policymakers...
officer Herbert Burrows.
Sources
- Interview with James Truitt's widow, Anne Truit
- Nina Burleigh , A Very Private Woman : The Life and Unsolved Murder of Presidential Mistress Mary Meyer (Bantam: 1998) (pp. 23, 124, 129, 140-1, 168-9, 171-2, 193, 211-2, 284, 286-8)
- Oberdorfer, Don. "JFK Had Affair With D.C. Artist, Smoked 'Grass,' Paper Alleges." The Washington Post 23 Feb. 1976: pp. A1, A9.
- Bradlee, Benjamin C., A Good Life. Simon & Schuster: New York, 1995. (pp. 270-271, 299).
- Nobilem, Phillip, and Rosenbaum, Ron. "The Circus Aftermath of JFK's Best and Brightest Affair." New Times 9 Jul. 1976: 22-33.
- von Hoffman, Nicholas. "Unasked Questions." The New York Review of Books, 10 June 1976: 3+.
- Ward, Bernie, and Toogood, Granville. "JFK 2-Year White House Romance." National Enquirer 2 Mar. 1976: 1. (Interviews James Truitt, story picked up by Washington Post, NYROB, others.)
- J. DiEugenio, L. Pease, The Assassinations. 2003 (pp. 341, 344)
- T. Kelly, The Imperial Post. 1983 (pp. 120, 157, 213-4)