James B. Donovan Dead at 53; Lawyer Arranged U-2 Swap
NEW YORK, Jan. 19 (AP).-James B. Donovan, the lawver who arranged the trade of Soviet master spy Rudolf Abel for American U2 pilot Francis Gary Powers, died Monday at Brooklyn's Methodist Hospital. He was 53. Death was attributed to heart failure.
Mr. Donovan also negotiated the release of more than 1000 Cubans taken prisoner in the abortive Bay Pigs invasion in 1961.
He accomplished this after four months of talks with the Prime Minister Fidel Castro in 1962.
A graduate of Fordham University and the Harvard Law School, Mr. Donovan served with the U. S. Office of Scientific Research and Development, which supervised development of the atomic bomb, and assisted in the Nuremberg war crimes trials.
He had a thriving law practice, was president of Pratt Institute, and was Democratic candidate for the U. S. Senate in 1962, losing to Sen. Jacob K. Javits of New York.
Mr. Donovan was an expert in intricate insurance law, but his skills most critical to the nation were in delicate negotiations beyond diplomacy.
He first came to public attention in 1957 when he was assigned to defend Abel, captured in Brooklyn after nine years of espionage.
Unruffled by the vilification of cranks, Mr. Donovan mounted a determined defense that saved Abel's life.
During the trial, Donovan observed that a death sentence for Abel might eliminate any future exchange for Americans condemned as spies in Russia. While Mr. Donovan argued for the Russian's life, his own three daughters and son were subjected to scorn and innuendo at school.
Mr. Donovan's prophecy proved out five years later, when Abel, who received a 30-year sentence, was traded for Francis Gary Powers, pilot of a U-2 spy plane downed in Russia. The capture of Powers caused a diplomatic flurry in which Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev canceled a summit meeting with President Dwight D. Eisenhower.
After Donovan's undercover diplomacy in East Berlin, the swap was arranged and on Feb. 10, 1962, Abel and Powers passed each other to freedom across the East-West line in Berlin.
Later that year, Mr. Donovan faced Castro in a tough four months of talks on the prisoners from the Bay of Pigs invasion. On one trip, Donovan took his son John, 18, as evidence of good faith.
Finally he convinced Castro to exchange 1113 prisoners for tons of baby food and medical drugs. Later, Mr. Donovan arranged an exchange of 27 Americans for four Cubans held here.
The Philadelphia Inquirer • 20 Jan 1970, Tue (Obituary)
NEW YORK, Jan. 19 (AP).-James B. Donovan, the lawver who arranged the trade of Soviet master spy Rudolf Abel for American U2 pilot Francis Gary Powers, died Monday at Brooklyn's Methodist Hospital. He was 53. Death was attributed to heart failure.
Mr. Donovan also negotiated the release of more than 1000 Cubans taken prisoner in the abortive Bay Pigs invasion in 1961.
He accomplished this after four months of talks with the Prime Minister Fidel Castro in 1962.
A graduate of Fordham University and the Harvard Law School, Mr. Donovan served with the U. S. Office of Scientific Research and Development, which supervised development of the atomic bomb, and assisted in the Nuremberg war crimes trials.
He had a thriving law practice, was president of Pratt Institute, and was Democratic candidate for the U. S. Senate in 1962, losing to Sen. Jacob K. Javits of New York.
Mr. Donovan was an expert in intricate insurance law, but his skills most critical to the nation were in delicate negotiations beyond diplomacy.
He first came to public attention in 1957 when he was assigned to defend Abel, captured in Brooklyn after nine years of espionage.
Unruffled by the vilification of cranks, Mr. Donovan mounted a determined defense that saved Abel's life.
During the trial, Donovan observed that a death sentence for Abel might eliminate any future exchange for Americans condemned as spies in Russia. While Mr. Donovan argued for the Russian's life, his own three daughters and son were subjected to scorn and innuendo at school.
Mr. Donovan's prophecy proved out five years later, when Abel, who received a 30-year sentence, was traded for Francis Gary Powers, pilot of a U-2 spy plane downed in Russia. The capture of Powers caused a diplomatic flurry in which Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev canceled a summit meeting with President Dwight D. Eisenhower.
After Donovan's undercover diplomacy in East Berlin, the swap was arranged and on Feb. 10, 1962, Abel and Powers passed each other to freedom across the East-West line in Berlin.
Later that year, Mr. Donovan faced Castro in a tough four months of talks on the prisoners from the Bay of Pigs invasion. On one trip, Donovan took his son John, 18, as evidence of good faith.
Finally he convinced Castro to exchange 1113 prisoners for tons of baby food and medical drugs. Later, Mr. Donovan arranged an exchange of 27 Americans for four Cubans held here.
The Philadelphia Inquirer • 20 Jan 1970, Tue (Obituary)
James B. Donovan Dead at 53; Lawyer Arranged U-2 Swap
NEW YORK, Jan. 19 (AP).-James B. Donovan, the lawver who arranged the trade of Soviet master spy Rudolf Abel for American U2 pilot Francis Gary Powers, died Monday at Brooklyn's Methodist Hospital. He was 53. Death was attributed to heart failure.
Mr. Donovan also negotiated the release of more than 1000 Cubans taken prisoner in the abortive Bay Pigs invasion in 1961.
He accomplished this after four months of talks with the Prime Minister Fidel Castro in 1962.
A graduate of Fordham University and the Harvard Law School, Mr. Donovan served with the U. S. Office of Scientific Research and Development, which supervised development of the atomic bomb, and assisted in the Nuremberg war crimes trials.
He had a thriving law practice, was president of Pratt Institute, and was Democratic candidate for the U. S. Senate in 1962, losing to Sen. Jacob K. Javits of New York.
Mr. Donovan was an expert in intricate insurance law, but his skills most critical to the nation were in delicate negotiations beyond diplomacy.
He first came to public attention in 1957 when he was assigned to defend Abel, captured in Brooklyn after nine years of espionage.
Unruffled by the vilification of cranks, Mr. Donovan mounted a determined defense that saved Abel's life.
During the trial, Donovan observed that a death sentence for Abel might eliminate any future exchange for Americans condemned as spies in Russia. While Mr. Donovan argued for the Russian's life, his own three daughters and son were subjected to scorn and innuendo at school.
Mr. Donovan's prophecy proved out five years later, when Abel, who received a 30-year sentence, was traded for Francis Gary Powers, pilot of a U-2 spy plane downed in Russia. The capture of Powers caused a diplomatic flurry in which Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev canceled a summit meeting with President Dwight D. Eisenhower.
After Donovan's undercover diplomacy in East Berlin, the swap was arranged and on Feb. 10, 1962, Abel and Powers passed each other to freedom across the East-West line in Berlin.
Later that year, Mr. Donovan faced Castro in a tough four months of talks on the prisoners from the Bay of Pigs invasion. On one trip, Donovan took his son John, 18, as evidence of good faith.
Finally he convinced Castro to exchange 1113 prisoners for tons of baby food and medical drugs. Later, Mr. Donovan arranged an exchange of 27 Americans for four Cubans held here.
The Philadelphia Inquirer • 20 Jan 1970, Tue (Obituary)
NEW YORK, Jan. 19 (AP).-James B. Donovan, the lawver who arranged the trade of Soviet master spy Rudolf Abel for American U2 pilot Francis Gary Powers, died Monday at Brooklyn's Methodist Hospital. He was 53. Death was attributed to heart failure.
Mr. Donovan also negotiated the release of more than 1000 Cubans taken prisoner in the abortive Bay Pigs invasion in 1961.
He accomplished this after four months of talks with the Prime Minister Fidel Castro in 1962.
A graduate of Fordham University and the Harvard Law School, Mr. Donovan served with the U. S. Office of Scientific Research and Development, which supervised development of the atomic bomb, and assisted in the Nuremberg war crimes trials.
He had a thriving law practice, was president of Pratt Institute, and was Democratic candidate for the U. S. Senate in 1962, losing to Sen. Jacob K. Javits of New York.
Mr. Donovan was an expert in intricate insurance law, but his skills most critical to the nation were in delicate negotiations beyond diplomacy.
He first came to public attention in 1957 when he was assigned to defend Abel, captured in Brooklyn after nine years of espionage.
Unruffled by the vilification of cranks, Mr. Donovan mounted a determined defense that saved Abel's life.
During the trial, Donovan observed that a death sentence for Abel might eliminate any future exchange for Americans condemned as spies in Russia. While Mr. Donovan argued for the Russian's life, his own three daughters and son were subjected to scorn and innuendo at school.
Mr. Donovan's prophecy proved out five years later, when Abel, who received a 30-year sentence, was traded for Francis Gary Powers, pilot of a U-2 spy plane downed in Russia. The capture of Powers caused a diplomatic flurry in which Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev canceled a summit meeting with President Dwight D. Eisenhower.
After Donovan's undercover diplomacy in East Berlin, the swap was arranged and on Feb. 10, 1962, Abel and Powers passed each other to freedom across the East-West line in Berlin.
Later that year, Mr. Donovan faced Castro in a tough four months of talks on the prisoners from the Bay of Pigs invasion. On one trip, Donovan took his son John, 18, as evidence of good faith.
Finally he convinced Castro to exchange 1113 prisoners for tons of baby food and medical drugs. Later, Mr. Donovan arranged an exchange of 27 Americans for four Cubans held here.
The Philadelphia Inquirer • 20 Jan 1970, Tue (Obituary)
