PROBABLE CAUSE AUSTRALIA
A Continuing Inquiry into the JFK Assassination
Issue 10 - June 1995
Probable Cause Australia is the only Australian magazine dedicated to the JFK assassination.
Editorial
Welcome to the penultimate issue of
"Probable Cause."
This is a bumper issue, more than
the usual 20 pages, as we try to cram as
much in as possible. Even the final double
issue looks as if it will be bigger than it's
normal 40 pages.
In this issue we continue Roger
Craig's article, "When they Kill a
President" and we have the final part of
the FBI's own lovely piece of dogma - on
the acoustic evidence.
The Ticker Tapes is back again!
Thanks to all of those who wrote and
phoned us to support and argue Karen's
case. Her article this issue promises to be
just as thought-provoking! Wait till you
see what she has lined up for our final
issue!
We find out what Jack Ruby
actually said to the Dallas Police in his
deposition and we also look at another
conspiracy - the Lincoln Assassination.
An article on Rose Cheramie also
graces this issue, as well as another great article from Walt
Brown. Reviews make a comeback as we
find many new and interesting books and
audio tapes have hit the market.
As a special treat, we have also
included a free copy of "Open Secrets"
the COPA newsletter from America. Not
only does it have the latest news and
events, but we feel it is the best produced
of all the US newsletters. We recommend
subscribing to this one when Probable
Cause folds in magazine form. There's so much information
about the Assassination Records Review
Board (ARRB - another acronym we're
going to have to get used to) we thought it
was better to print it all in full to give you
the complete picture.
Read and enjoy this issue. We
guarantee you'll love it. And don't forget
we still have one issue to go. An issue we
believe is going to blow you away. It will
answer many questions on the Kennedy
Assassination, along with a few other
cover-ups.
DO NOT MISS THIS ONE.
We plan to ruffle feathers and go out with
fireworks.
There is no higher religion than Truth!
See you in November.
Nothing you ever read will be this important.
- Steve V. Gerlach
The Ticker Tapes - "Chipping at the
Fortress" by Karen Ticker
During the 1980s, Reagan wanted to mark
"classified" government documents which
were, in themselves, not sensitive on the
grounds of "national security," but which,
when put together with other such
documents, would give people an idea of
what was top secret - or what the
government didn't want the average voter
to know. This is the direction in which the
"national security state" is moving.
Those familiar with the cover-up of the
JFK assassination are no strangers to the
phrase "withheld on the grounds of
national security".
But we must understand that material
relating to the JFK assassination makes
up only a tiny percentage of what is
withheld from us by the United States
government. Most of the documents
being held probably have very little to do
with national security and far more to do
with protecting various high-level people
from embarrassment, or with preventing
us from knowing what they have managed
to get away with.
Over the years, the "national security
state" has built a fortress around itself.
The Kennedy assassination is just one
small brick in that wall. Unfortunately,
while you chip away at the one brick, take
it away to be analysed and interpreted for
weaknesses, study the brick, watch it frame by frame, argue about which way it
came from, where it was going, back and
to the left, forwards and to the right, side-
ways and to the middle, how it fits into the
whole puzzle, who stood where, what they
saw, what they heard, did they hear it
after the first shot or second or third or,
heck, maybe fourth! And then, you tramp
back up the hill to the Fortress with your
conclusions (and brick), but the Fortress
has already refortified itself, built stronger
walls and bought more powerful
ammunition to use against you.
They pull out their big guns, their cannons
and bazookas, their government reports,
their media representatives, their Gerald
Posners who shout, "Case Closed" and
"They're nuts." And what have you
gained?
Nothing. In fact, you have probably lost
ground, because while your back was
turned, while you were analysing that
brick, they did it again. Watergate. Iran-
Contra. On a less conspiratorial level, the
Savings & Loan debacle, erosion of well-
being for the average citizen,
Reaganomics.
In other words, there is much more going
on in the world which more directly affects
people's lives than a political
assassination over 30 years ago.
The only way you will find out the
definitive answer to JFK - and everything
else - is to knock the whole fortress down.
And 30 years on, perhaps the best way to
do that is to concentrate on everything
that has happened since and is happening
now. Don't let them keep secrets from
you. Don't let the national security
apparatus continue.
Knock out the foundations, and the
fortress can no longer stand. You have
the right to know. Demand to be able to
use that right. But don't bury yourselves
in the bricks of the JFK assassination.
There are too many other bricks you're
ignoring, and they are all just as
important.
Rambling Rose by Chris Mill
The hymn that was played as the
body was ushered to its final resting
place could hardly have been more apt.
With heads bowed, the mourners heard
the strains of "Take your Burden to the
Lord and Leave it There". As Melba
Christine Marcades was eased into the
next life, it was to be hoped it would
prove more successful than the one she
had recently departed. At 2:00 p.m.,
Monday, 6 September 1965 the world
threw its last handful of dirt on one of
the most intriguing mysteries surrounding the JFK assassination. It had cost
just eighty-five dollars to bury the
truth!
Early life
Melba had begun life on 14 October
1923, and had managed to squeeze a
great deal of sadness into her 41 years.
Her mother still lived in her home town
of Houston, Texas. A State Police rap-
sheet stretched back to 1941, detailing
28 fences until her untimely but nonetheless predictable demise. All of the
early listed offences could be regarded
as minor, ranging from vagrancy to car
theft, and during the war years "aiding
soldiers to escape". By 1947, however,
she was being reported as criminally
insane, and had been arrested on
charges of prostitution; this, presumably
to feed the drink problem that had also
become apparent. Ms Marcades had
used many names during her career of
petty crime. Between the ages of 18 and
24 she would normally give a name
based loosely upon her genuine one -
Melba Christine Youngblood, her father being one Thomas J. Youngblood.
Notably among her many aliases she
never chose to use her mother Minnie's
maiden name of Stroud. By 1956 Melba
had married and gained the name of
Marcades. This appears on her record,
along with several invented names,
throughout the next four years, until
1960, by which time it appears she was
no longer using her husband's name.
Her death certificate states that she was
a divorcee but does not give the date
that her marriage ended. Only once,
prior to her death, does the name by
which most JFK assassination students
know her, show up as Rose Cheramie
on the State Police records. Roselie Renee Cheramie was charged on the 21
October 1964 with vagrancy, her behaviour being described as loud and
erratic.
Having studied the assassination of
JFK for some years, I was familiar with
the story - touched upon briefly in several books - that slightly prior to the
shooting, a woman had been found apparently thrown from a car and taken to
hospital. During her stay, she was said
to have made numerous statements to
police and doctors to the effect that
President Kennedy would be killed during his forthcoming trip to Dallas. I was,
initially, reasonably satisfied that as
several respected "Warren Commission
Critics" had mentioned it in their writings, and the HSCA had apparently investigated
these allegations, there could
be little here but unsubstantiated turn
out. The brief mention given to Cheramie in James Hepburn's "Farewell
America" made me reconsider.
Ruby connection?
In what is almost a throwaway line Hepburn says "Ruby dispatched her on
18.11.63 to Miami" as a drags courier.
James Hepburn was a pseudonym. Even
now the true identity of the writer remains a mystery. The publishing company,
"Frontiers Publishing", did not
exist either. The book was not released
in the USA, and the combination of
these factors gave the author license to
say whatever he liked without the fear
of retribution either through the courts
or otherwise. Could it be true that this
woman worked for Ruby? What information did she have concerning the
assassination and, more importantly,
when did she have it?
Accident victim
On the evening of 20 November
1963 Lt. Francis Fruge, of the Louisiana
State Police, was on duty patrolling
Highway 190, near Eunice, when he
came upon a woman who seemed to be
the victim of a traffic accident. Although she did not seem badly injured
Fruge thought it prudent to take her to
The Moosa Hospital in Eunice to be examined. During the journey the woman
told Fruge that her name was Rose
Cheramie, explaining that she was en-route from Miami to Houston via Dallas, when
an argument developed between herself and the two "Latin" type
men she was travelling with. This concluded with them abandoning her on the
road, after which she was stuck by
another vehicle. Cheramie was examined at the hospital and found to be
suffering from minor abrasions consistent with being struck by a car. As the
Moosa was a private hospital and the
patient had "no financial basis", the medical staff informed Fruge that they
would discharge her. By now it had become obvious that Cheramie was suffering
withdrawal symptoms from
narcotics. In fact she was a nine-year,
mainlining heroin addict having had her
last fix at 2.00 PM that afternoon. Fruge
decided, as was usual in these situations, to take her to Eunice Jail to "sober
up".
Things did not go quite according
to plan. At 10.30 p.m., as Cheramie's
condition deteriorated, medical help in
the form of Assistant Coroner of St.
Landry Parish, Dr. F. J. DeRouen, was
summoned. The doctor administered a
sedative, although he described the patient as being "coherent" at that time.
The medication seemed to have little
effect. DeRouen was recalled later that
evening when Cheramie became violent, she stripped off her clothing, and
began to cut her ankles. The doctor
agreed to commit her to Jackson East
Louisiana State Hospital for treatment.
It fell to Fruge to accompany the patient
on the journey of between 1 and 2 hours.
It was during this journey that the
police officer began to ask Cheramie a
few routine questions. Fruge later stated
to the HSCA:
"She related to me that she was
coming to Dallas with two men who
were Italians, or resembled Italians.
They had stopped at this lounge and
they'd had a few drinks and had gotten
into an argument or something. The
manager of the lounge threw her out and
she got on the road and hitchhiked to
catch a ride. This is when she got hit by
a vehicle."
The lounge from which she had
been ejected was in fact a brothel called
the Silver Slipper. When questioned
about her business in Dallas, she replied
that she intended to "number one, pick
up some money, pick up her baby, and
kill Kennedy".
Although Fruge later described
Cheramie as "quite lucid" at this time,
he understandably chose to ignore this
warning as being the ramblings of a
dope addict going cold-turkey. Late on
the night of 20 November Fruge deposited his charge at the hospital where she
was duly admitted. An initial examination indicated that the patient was suffering from
heroin withdrawal and
clinical shock. This hospital was not a
new environment to Rose Cheramie.
She had been admitted here in March of
1961 suffering from alcoholism and narcotics addiction.
Arrest
Two days later, when Fruge heard
the news of President Kennedy's assassination, he immediately telephoned the
hospital and asked them not to release
Cheramie until he had spoken with her.
Unfortunately the officer had to be patient. Cheramie was apparently not well
enough to be questioned on the 22nd
and Fruge was told he would have to
wait. By Monday, Cheramie had recovered enough to be transferred to a ward
and was interviewed by Fruge.
Now the policeman was taking
more notice of what Cheramie had to
say. The story she told was that as a result of connections made while working
for Jack Ruby, she was involved in a
drags run. Cheramie and her two companions were to go to Dallas where she
believed her two companions would kill
the president - she had overheard this in
a conversation between the two men -
she would then collect $8000 from a
person she could not or would not identify, and proceed on to Houston where
the trio would purchase 8 kilos of heroin
from a seaman who was bringing it in
by boat to the port of Galveston. The
final part of the plan involved escaping
to Mexico. Cheramie furnished the officer with details of not only the names of
her companions, but also the name of
the ship that was bringing the drugs into
Galveston and the name of the hotel in
Houston where the transaction would
take place.
Armed with this information, Fruge informed his superiors who
told him to follow up on it. On Thursday she was released into his custody,
and placed under arrest. Now, Fruge
set out to verify what he could of her
story. Most of what could be investigated checked out. Fruge contacted customs
officers at the port of Galveston
and not only established that the correct
ship was due to dock at the time Cheramie specified, but also the seaman that
she had named was indeed on board.
The customs officer had trailed the seaman as he left the ship but unfortunately
lost him shortly after. Years later Fruge
was to state that he believed the customs officer in Galveston was also able
to verify the name of the man whom
Cheramie had said was holding her
son.
Drug deal
According to Cheramie, the drug
transaction was due to take place in the
Rice Hotel in Houston. Fruge took
Cheramie on a flight to verify this, and
other aspects of her story. On the return
journey she caught sight of a newspaper
with headlines that indicated that the
police were unable to find a link between Oswald and his killer, Jack Ruby.
Cheramie laughed out loud, telling the
officer that she had worked for Ruby, or
"Pinky" as she knew him, in his Dallas
nightclub and that Oswald and Ruby
"had been shacking up for years... They
were bed-mates." Taken literally, this
is unlikely to be true. There is neither
evidence to suggest a long term relationship between Oswald and his killer,
nor a sexual relationship between the
two. It is possible, however that Cheramie was simply using colloquial phrases
to describe how close she believed the
two men to be, or she may simply have
been exaggerating the little knowledge
she actually did possess.
As much of
what the woman had told him checked
out, Fruge telephoned the Dallas Police
Department and managed to get through
to Captain Fritz. Amazingly, Fritz was
dismissive of Fruge's information and
said that, as the assassin was dead and
his assailant in custody, he was "not
interested." Due to the lack of enthusiasm he had encountered, Fruge released
Cheramie and his own
investigation was concluded. Thus ended the first part of the Cheramie story.
It was not until four years later that anyone again showed any interest in the
ramblings of Ms Roselie Renee Cheramie.
Garrison
On 23 February 1967, Detective
Frank Meloche sent a memorandum to
Jim Garrison, then District Attorney of
New Orleans. Garrison had reopened an
investigation into the murder of JFK
after becoming disillusioned with the
Warren Commission's official version of
events. The memorandum was the statement of one Mr. A H Magruder, who
explained that, during the Christmas holidays of 1963, he had been on a
hunting trip with a Dr. Victor J Weiss.
The two men had fallen into conversation at Magruder's home, when Weiss
began to relate some curious events that
had occurred at the East Louisiana State
Hospital around about the time of the
assassination.
Weiss allegedly explained
that he was one of the doctors who had
treated a woman who was brought in as
a narcotics addict and who had supposedly been thrown from an automobile.
According to Magruder, Weiss then repeated the story the woman had told
him, which varied little from that which
Cheramie had told Fruge when first interviewed. She included details of her
employment by Ruby as a dope runner
and the plot to kill the President. This
became one of many leads Garrison was
to follow. He asked Frank Meloche to
investigate further. The detective soon
found that the woman Magruder had
referred to was Rose Cheramie, and before long he had the name of the state
trooper who had taken her to the Hospital.
Now that Garrison had Fruge, and
all the information that nobody had
wanted four years previously, he needed
to find Cheramie. Fruge was detailed to
work for Garrison. He met Meloche in
Houston, on 6 March 1967, and began
to search for Ms Cheramie. They were
soon to be disappointed. In Dallas, Meloche found a Mrs. Morris Wall who
told him that her sister, Melba Christine
Marcares, was dead.
Death
The events surrounding the death of
Marcades/Cheramie are almost as intriguing as the statements that she made
two years earlier. It seems, at least according to the official version, that
Cheramie had a penchant for walking
lonely roads at night. In the early morning of 4 September 1965 she was involved in an
accident on Highway 155, 1.7 miles east of the town of Big Sandy,
Upshur County, Texas and died later that day of head injuries received.
What actually happened deserves closer scrutiny.
At approximately 2.30 am that
morning, Jerry Don Moore was driving
out of Big Sandy towards his home in
Tyler. As Moore drew level with a roadside parking area, he noticed three or
four suitcases laid along the yellow line
in the middle of the road. Naturally he
swerved to his right, to avoid them.
Suddenly, looking up, he saw the prone
figure of a woman lying at ninety degrees to the highway, with her head on
the road. Moore braked as hard as he
could. "I don't know exactly whether I
hit her or not. There was a sound but it
could have been a brake shoe hitting on
that old car." Neither the car nor its
driver were in good shape. Moore admitted that he was "speeding pretty heavy" and
had been drinking, while he
described his vehicle as having only one
headlight and slick (treadless) tires.
Moore managed to stop only after he
had passed the woman. He then returned
to where she lay to offer help. Rose
Cheramie was still alive, although
unconscious. As Moore sought the assistance of a group of black men and women
who were driving north on the
highway, he noticed a red Chevrolet,
which he thought to be either a '63 or
'64 model parked in the lay-by opposite
where the woman lay. He had no recollection of seeing it, or the suitcases,
when he passed this area about 15 minutes earlier. There then followed a bizarre series
of events as Moore
attempted to obtain first aid for the injured woman. First, he asked the occupants of
the car that he had stopped to
move the cases to prevent further accidents and then he put the unconscious
Cheramie into his car and raced off to
Big Sandy where he asked for the nearest doctor. He was told that there was a
doctor in Hawkins, a nearby town, and
once again set off at breakneck speed.
Once in Hawkins Moore found a cop
who escorted him to a doctor's house
where Cheramie was laid out in the
yard. "She was still breathing, but had
pretty good brain damage". The doctor
gave her a few shots before the ambulance arrived to take the patient to
Gladewater Hospital. What happened
at the hospital remains a subject of
some conjecture. In three places on
Melba Marcades death certificate are
the letters D.O.A. (dead on arrival), and
yet on the very same document we are
told that there was a period of nine
hours between onset of injury and death.
The certificate also states the time of
death as 11 am - approximately nine
hours after she was admitted. Did the
doctors work for all this time on a
corpse?
Punctate stellate wound
The cause of death was "Traumatic
head wound with subdural & subarachnoid & Petechial Hemorrhage to the
brain caused by being struck by auto."
There was an autopsy performed but unfortunately, the hospital is now unable to
locate these records. There are three further points which should be
mentioned about Rose's death. First,
Moore noticed definite tread patterns on
the head of the injured woman - the tyres of his vehicle were treadless. There was very
little blood to be found
on the road where she lay, and none at
all on Moore's car. Secondly, the
case was investigated at the time by Officer J A Andrews of the Texas Highway Patrol.
Andrews tried to establish a
connection between the driver and victim but was unable to do so. Due to the
unusual nature of the accident he had
doubts about the information received.
As the relatives of Cheramie did not
wish to pursue the case, it was closed.
Finally, it should be noted that Cheramie's hospital records state that in addition to her
other injuries, she had
suffered a "deep punctate stellate wound
above her right forehead." This type
of injury, according to medical textbooks, often occurs as the result of a
contact gunshot wound. When a gun is
fired touching flesh, the resultant
gasses, trapped between a layer of skin
and the underlying bone, can cause a
bursting, tearing effect on the surrounding tissue leaving a star-shaped
(punctate stellate meaning star-shaped
puncture) wound.
Fruge interviewed Officer Andrews
and reported back to Garrison that although the police report on the incident
would lead one to believe that Cheramie
was involved in an unfortunate accident
whilst trying to hitchhike, in his opinion
this was not a likely scenario. He found,
as well as the aforementioned irregularities, that Highway 155 was a farm-to-
market road running parallel to US
Highways 271 and 80; these would have
offered a much better chance of a ride.
In his report to Garrison, Fruge also
stated that back in November 1963,
when Cheramie had been in police custody, she had volunteered "that she once
worked for Jack Ruby as a stripper,
which was verified."
As Cheramie herself was no longer
available for interrogation, Fruge pursued other avenues of inquiry that had
not been followed up in 1963, but as the
Garrison investigation gathered momentum, and attracted the unwelcome attention of
the media, Fruge's work was
almost forgotten. In Clay Shaw, the
New Orleans D.A. had found a bigger
fish to fry.
The HSCA
The critics, however, had most certainly not forgotten and in many books
published in the late sixties and early
seventies, there were references to the
Cheramie rumour. When the House Select Committee on Assassinations re-
investigated the killing of JFK in the
late seventies, one of the witnesses they
called was Dr Victor Weiss. Weiss was
the doctor mentioned in the Magruder
statement that had set Garrison on
Cheramie's trail. Now Weiss' story was
slightly different from the one he allegedly told to Magruder. Weiss, a resident
physician at Jackson in 1963, said that
on 25 November of that year he was
called by a colleague, Dr Bowers, to
examine a patient who had been committed a few days previously. Bowers
explained that the woman, Rose Cheramie, had stated before the assassination
that the president was going to be killed.
Under questioning from Weiss, Cheramie said she worked for Ruby and
stated that "the word in the underworld"
was that Kennedy would be hit. The
good doctor was very precise about his
dates before the HSCA, certainly more
so than he was ten years earlier when
questioned by Garrison investigator
Frank Meloche. At that time, says Meloche, Weiss stated that he "doesn't recall
whether this was told to him before
or after the assassination." The doctor also went on to say on the Jack Anderson TV
Special "American Expose: Who Killed JFK" that "On the 20th November .... she
(Cheramie) quite openly and readily told a number of the staff,
including the doctors attending her, that
she was aware the President was going
to be assassinated." Dr Bowers, unfortunately, was not interviewed by the
Committee and I am unable to find records of him being interviewed by anyone
else.
Of all the information that the
HSCA received during its investigation
of Cheramie, by far the most difficult to
dismiss came from none other than the
policeman who first found her. When he
had interviewed Rose Cheramie at the
hospital, Fruge said she had given him
the names of her travelling companions.
One, she divulged, had been called
Osanto, the other was Sergio Arcacha
Smith. During his period working for
the Garrison investigation, Fruge had
visited the Silver Slipper lounge and
interviewed the owner, Mr Mac Manual.
The Silver Slipper was the bar where
Cheramie said the argument had taken
place between herself and her two companions. Manual remembered the incident
clearly, and picked out mug shots
of both Arcacha Smith and Osanto from
the stack that Fruge showed to him.
There had been an argument, stated the
bar owner, the woman had become
drunk and abusive and was taken outside and "slapped around" by Smith and
Osanto. Mr Manual said he recognized
the two men as regular transporters of
prostitutes in and out of Miami. Who
was Sergio Arcacha Smith?
Sergio Arcacha Smith
In the month of March, 1952, Fulgencio Batista accomplished a coup
d'etat similar to one that he had successfully carried out twelve years
previously. Once again he was president
of Cuba. Batista encouraged tourism,
gangsters of all types were welcome,
crooked casinos flourished and the
bourgeois and the rich grew richer. Behind this thin veneer of prosperity
seethed a restless under-class. They
lived on the streets, ate when they
could, formed a guerrilla group and
bided their time. That time came on 1st
January 1958. Although the leader of
the rebels opposing Batista was still in
Oriente, some five hundred miles from
Havana, the dictator had fled the country late the previous night and Cuba had
itself a new president - Fidel Castro.
544 Camp Street
Fearful of Castro's reprisals against
Batista's corrupt officials, many of them
followed their leader's example and ran
for safety. One such ex-diplomat was
Sergio Arcacha Smith, who settled in
Miami along with many of his exiled
countrymen. Here they plotted the overthrow of the rebel president and
dreamed of a return to their good old
days. One of their number formed them
into a cohesive group and, with the help
and encouragement of the CIA, leading
exiles moulded the Cuban Democratic
Revolutionary Front. Various cities in
the USA had branches of the movement
and in 1961 Sergio Arcacha Smith was
sent to head the new group in New Orleans. The address of his new office -
544 Camp Street, may raise an eyebrow
on many an assassination student.
This was the same address that would
appear on handbills issued by Lee
Oswald three years later, the same address where Guy Banister, ex-FBI man
and CIA contact, had his private investigators office, the same office in which
witnesses claim to have seen both David
William Ferrie (a major suspect in the
Garrison investigation) and Lee Oswald.
Was this just coincidence? Let us look
closer.
It is likely that the infamous CIA
agent, E Howard Hunt, had helped Arcacha Smith to find the office.
Banister, Hunt, Ferrie and Smith were
active in the 1961 "Bay of Pigs invasion" that went tragically wrong for the
exiles when, at the eleventh hour, Kennedy refused air -support. The attack
was a debacle, with many of the invaders being cut down on the beaches by
Castro's forces before they could make
any headway. The CIA and the surviving Cuban Exiles held the American
President responsible. The exiles continued to train, encouraged and funded by
the CIA, in the southern states of the
USA hoping for a better result on their
next attempt. Ferrie, who had reportedly
been a pilot on the ill-fated invasion, set
to work moulding the Cuban recruits into
a fighting force. The base for this training camp was a ranch owned by the
family of Mafia money-man Meyer
Lanskey. According to an April 1961
FBI report, New Orleans Mafia boss
Carlos Marcello was funding Smith and
his group in return for favors in Havana
when Castro was toppled and the exiles
regained power. Marcello, Hunt, Banister, and Ferrie have all been strongly
linked to the investigation into the assassination of JFK.
Ferrie letter
During the Garrison investigation
of 1967 Smith was accused of a munitions robbery from Schlumberger Well
Surveying Company. His accuser was
Gordon Novel, a self-confessed CIA
agent. The stolen goods were apparently
deposited at Guy Banister's office. David Lewis stated that he saw Quiroga, a
close associate of Smith, in the late
summer of 1963, in a restaurant on
Camp Street in the company of Lee
Harvey Oswald.
When the CDRF folded, the CIA
helped form The Cuban Revolutionary
Council (CRV) to which Smith became
a delegate. As an illustration of his ties
to David Ferrie, consider the following:
when Ferrie, a homosexual, was dismissed as a pilot by Eastern Airlines, a
letter of support was sent to the company describing his heroic efforts on behalf of the
Cuban cause. Its author - Sergio Arcacha Smith. There are
many other witnesses and statements
connecting Smith to Ferrie, Banister,
Marcello and Hunt. Smith was finally
relieved of his post as a result of funds
being mis-appropriated. He moved to
Dallas and in 1967, Garrison, despite
pleas to Texas authorities, was unable to
extradite him. It was actually John Connally himself who refused Garrison's
request.
If Cheramie is to be believed, and
her travelling companion was indeed Arcacha Smith, then by virtue of his connections
in New Orleans it is possible
he did have foreknowledge of the
assassination.
As a final footnote to Smith's alleged involvement - on 17 September
1963 Lee Harvey Oswald, or someone
using his name, applied for a Mexican
tourist visa. The next visa was issued -
by pure coincidence, of course - to CIA
operative William Gaudet. This agent
denied knowing Oswald but, in a later
interview, said "Another vital person is
Sergio Arcacha Smith. I know he knew
Oswald, and knows more about the
Kennedy affair than he ever admitted."
This is not intended to be a definitive article on Arcacha Smith; he deserves much
deeper investigation, but it
has hopefully exposed how unlikely it
would be that Rose Cheramie should
pluck this man's name out of thin air. I
am aware that others are currently researching the Cheramie incident and am
confident that the last word has not yet
been heard on the predictions of "Rambling" Rose Cheramie.
Elf On The Shelf - Walt Brown reviews the latest books - good and bad.
In the last three years, documents have trickled out of their
formerly sacred vaults, witnesses heretofore frightened have
lightened up and told their stories, and Oliver Stone's cinematic JFK
taught a whole new generation that there was more to Dallas than a
lone assassin stooge.
This has brought both good news and bad news. The good news
is that there has been a healthy number of JFK assassination books
published, as opposed to the one every other year schedule typical to
the 70's and early 80's. The bad news is that there has been some
absolutely horrendous tripe put between covers and advertised as
scholarship, a problem that compounds difficulties for scholarly works
of merit that have to defend themselves against an unfriendly media
reception. In short, the bad ones cause credibility problems for the
good ones.
In Kill Zone, former "sniper" (an odd resume entry to say the
least) Craig Roberts tells of standing on the sixth floor of the TSBD and
surveying the landscape of Dealey Plaza and coming to the realization
that the alleged Oswald shots were not the logical way to plan an
assassination. Author Roberts then adds additional data about
weapons and ballistics, which are clearly of value.
Alas, almost nothing in the rest of his book is of equal value. It
suffers from a dreadful lack of editing, and its grammatical
infelicities will overcome the zeal of even the most serious reader.
Roberts also admits that the assassination did not shock or upset him:
"many people actually felt relieved." (p.5)
Beyond that, it is difficult to decide whether the work suffers
from a lack of understanding of the case, or whether the author's
purpose was to sensationalize. Oswald is seen as a "known
Communist with mental problems," (4), a shooter was on the fire
escape of the Dal Tex (55), the mysterious Albert Osborne/John H.
Bowen had a ranch in Mexico where 25-30 professional assassins
were based, and "After the assassination, 'Osborne' disappeared
forever," (69), raising the curious question of whom the FBI and the
CIA interviewed repeatedly.
Those revelations are but the tip of the iceberg. "LBJ insisted
that Texas Governor Connally ride with him in his Cadillac... "(57),
after which LBJ got into his Lincoln. On the subject of Lincolns, JFK's
car goes from blue to black regularly, suggesting it is the "magic
limousine." [For the record, it was Kennedy blue.] Roberts tells us
that one shot was fired "to immobilize Kennedy's head for the high
powered rifle shots to come later." (60) While I respect the author's
understanding of the difficulty of the "Oswald shots," it is hard to
imagine that anyone would fire a shot at the President of the US with
any other purpose than to kill. We are also told that "...all code books
aboard the bombers of the Strategic Air Command were missing" after
the shooting (65), a sensationalized variation on the theme that the
code book on the Cabinet plane bound for Tokyo was missing. Also,
the autopsists at Bethesda were "outranked by almost everyone in
the room." (80) This overlooks the presence of corpsmen,
photographers, x-ray techs, two FBI men, and at least 4 Secret
Service agents, none of whom "outrank" navy doctors in a navy
hospital.
Kill Zone would have been far better as a contribution to a
journal, with some editing, on "everything you always needed to
know about being a sniper," and Mr. Roberts' expertise could be
drawn upon in that venue by those who know the case--and the
players--far better. [Rating * ]
In Breaking the Silence, journalist Bill Sloan, who helped Jean
Hill write her 1992 memoir, reveals a series of assassination related
anecdotes. The prose and style are excellent, as one should expect or
demand from a journalist. But the anecdotes again tend to
sensationalize or suggest a lack of familiarity with the case that
should suggest to the author that he do a little more homework.
The memoirs from Ed Hoffman and James Tague do not break
any silence, as these events have been well told earlier. The reader is
then introduced to Dr. J. Goldstrich, of whom I had never heard, who
was, according to him, in the trauma room where JFK was treated,
and saw the throat wound, clearly of entrance, as between the size
of a nickel and a quarter (89). That struck an odd chord, so I did some
measuring. Four to five mm., the usual given size of the noted wound,
measures 12/64 of one inch. A 6.5 Mannlicher round would measure
17/64; but a nickel is 56/64, and a quarter is 62/64 inch. Given these
numbers, five "standard" entrance wounds would fit side by side
under a quarter, which is about what this theory is worth.
In Chapter 5, "The Kremlin Collection," a "Secret Service" officer
(actually a White House guard according to SS researcher Vince
Palamara), JFK was killed by 5 of the best of 500 secret KGB killers
within the United States, some of which had even infiltrated the SS
and the Dallas Police. To make the "Kremlin kill" even more bizarre,
LBJ knew of it in advance (117). There's a nice piece about Roy
Vaughan, the much maligned officer who was guarding the ramp and
subsequently "fingered" by the WC for letting Ruby into h.q. Vaughan
is now a peace officer elsewhere and reads like a deeply sincere man
whom I would certainly like to meet, even if for just a "hello."
Thereafter, the reader is treated to a tale by Jim Huggins: "I
received many of my assignments during this time directly from
members of the Kennedy family, and I personally took out [one
presumes "killed," not "dated"] thirty-seven people, most of them in
foreign countries, but some of them in the States." (176) In Dealey
Plaza, between 7 and 10 shots were fired, none by Oswald. The
shooters were Harrelson (knoll), Sturgis (in a sewer drain), and Charles
Rogers on the Crim. Courts Bldg. It is further claimed that the FBI
was led in 1963, "as it had since its founding" by Hoover (197), and
Oswald shot at Walker "a couple weeks before the assassination."
(228-9)
And so it goes. I have no doubt that author Sloan just let his
"witnesses" tell their stories and allowed the readers to distinguish
truth from crapola, yet even that will fall off the fence into
sensationalism unless the author is more strident in measuring his
sources and giving credence where it belongs and adding skepticism
where it belongs. Having met Mr. Sloan, I know he did not write to
deceive, but I also know he could have done better. [Rating: * * ]
In JFK: First Day Evidence, Gary Savage presents the memoirs of
Uncle Rusty and Aunt Daisy, and it reads like someone who had spent a
little too much time with the Clampett family before they struck oil.
Much of what he writes is ancient history. No serious student of
the assassination is unaware of the "evidence" found on the "first
day" (in which case the book would have been better titled "Only Day
Evidence", as only the backyard photos turned up after day one).
Beyond the rehash, yet another lack of understanding of the
case is obvious. Air Force One and Two are identical (48), and JFK's
aides were "dumbfounded" that LBJ took A.F.1 (49). The FBI took only
the rifle from the Dallas authorities (62-3), and Oswald ordered both
the rifle and the pistol from Klein's (119).
To prove "Rusty's" sense of humor is not rusty, the assertion is
made that "The Dallas Police did an extremely capable job of
documenting with photographs the crime scene that had just been
discovered." (145-6) [I don't recall any photos of the knoll .... ]
The "Mauser" speculation is totally denied, but then a document
containing it is printed (157-9); Roger Craig, who is not to be
believed, was interviewed by the WC on April 1, 1963 which is also
not to be believed (160); Craig is then trashed for retelling the
Mauser story in a 1976 interview, (162) [Note: Craig died 5/15/1975].
Beyond that, the book just simply lacks bona fides. The major
source, Rusty Livingston, who worked Dallas crime scenes, was asleep
during the shooting, and called in, yet was told to come on at his
regular time of 11pm (71); the source was not called by the WC, nor
does he appear in any contemporary photos, and the epilogue is
fittingly signed, "R.W. Livingston, Old Burnt-Out Detective, July, 1993"
(310). Amen.
It is boldly asserted that "many of the authors have made
assumptions based on an incomplete knowledge of all the facts in the
case." (280) The book JFK; First Day Evidence then sadly proves that
assertion. [Rating: * ]
Archivist Richard Trask, in Pictures of the Pain, puts forward an
argument for the lone-assassin, and does better in the process than
all the conspiracy works cited in this review. Trask's book is a very
well-done self-published effort which is an excellent companion to
Bob Groden's Killing of the President. But where Groden has provided
the photos with "polish" and done so very effectively, Trask has given
us the outtakes, tracking down photos not previously seen by those
interested in the case.
The Zapruder film receives quite lengthy coverage and is
instructive of the fabric of the overall work. Trask shows the precise
chronologies of what happened to the most famous 486 movie frames
ever taken, from Zapruder to the feds to purchase by Time-Life, and,
by implication, to suppression. Trask the archivist has done well. But
Trask the JFK researcher has missed some key concepts. In tracing
the peripatetic Zapruder, an obvious idea is overlooked: Zapruder's
office was in the Dal-Tex, yet it was not seen as a good vantage point
for movies, suggesting it was equally valueless as a sniper's vantage.
And where does Zapruder wind up to get the best "shot"? A few feet
from the knoll. Also, while Trask meticulously takes the reader
through the chain of possession of the film, his research overlooks--
or avoids--the fact that while the film was being exposed, developed,
and having its rights sold, the subject matter of the film was a
criminal case in the hands of the Dallas Police and they never were
provided a copy for the sake of helping their "case." Odd.
Zapruder himself comes across as a very different person than
the weepy, emotional man who testified before the WC. Here, he's a
wheeler-dealer who knows he's sitting on a gold mine, and is even
willing to deceive the public into believing that he gave all the money,
not one-sixth, to charity.
I naturally disagree with Trask's lone-assassin theory, which he
admits to in advance, rather than letting his research speak for itself.
I can understand how he came to believe it, however, as many of his
photos came from media sources, and we know their spin on the
events of November 22. It just seems strange that someone who has
the feel for sources that an archivist would could be hypnotized by
the media. But hey, he's not the first right? While conspiracy
researchers may disagree with Trask's conclusions, his book is a solid
photo reference work, and he is to be given credit for self-publishing
a quality production work, not a cheap pamphlet. I paid full price
with no regrets. [Rating: * * * 1/2]
In Square Peg for a Round Hole, investigator J. W. Hughes has
allowed his ambition to get to the bottom of the JFK case to outrun his
knowledge of events as well as his literary abilities.
I had originally written a strongly worded and highly critical review
of this book, but I had occasion to meet Mr. Hughes at COPA in October
and I came away from our lengthy discussion with the strong belief that
despite literary shortcomings, Hughes (but still not the book...) has a keen
insight into investigative concepts, and has a feel for the marrow of a
case that even some researchers lack.
The book itself is so replete with errors and grammatical problems
as to make it very difficult to read, and believers of the "official version"
will no doubt have a field day, suggesting that Square Peg is the typical
critic's book. It isn't. I told Mr. Hughes, an affable man (after all, he
could stand my company...) that I would edit any or all future works and
for free. He gathered several witnesses to hold me to my statement,
which was not necessary, as I stand by it as his work still needs it. His
willingness to travel from California to DC for COPA, and his round-the-
clock involvement at the conference suggests that his future work will be
more accurate with respect to the case, and perhaps some of the many
concerns in Square Peg will be "history" by the time of his next literary
effort. I commend him for his willingness to use his retirement in search
of the truth. I hope he'll commend me for my future editing. [Rating: Not rated, for
now]
Newcomer Vince Palamara has self-published The Third
Alternative; Survivor's Guilt; The Secret Service and the JFK Murder,
and in so doing has provided us with a wealth of material gained from
extensive interviews with Secret Service "survivors." On that basis
alone, I would highly recommend this seminal work.
Its downside is its lack of focus. It is not stated that the SS
killed JFK; rather, one gets the impression that they were in the
midst of some kind of "security stripping," an experiment in
protection, which backfired in Dallas, and, as a result, the SS had some
covering up of their own to do--ie., their "Survivor's Guilt."
Unfortunately, Palamara's thesis does not jump off his pages, and the
reader often wonders where a particular point is going, and
sometimes you never really find out. Part of this "problem" is that
this is the author's first time out, and part of it is because his depth
of research is so great that it sometimes overwhelms the question
being raised. I have no doubt that Vince Palamara will have many
worthwhile contributions in the future if this first work is any
indication, and it is "must reading" regarding both the Secret Service
and how to do excellent research.
[Rating: * * * ]
Lastly, for "beach reading" in the Virgin Islands, I took along the
Haldeman Diaries; Inside the Nixon White House, a sad commentary on
my reading habits. The book reveals several interesting insights: the
focus during Haldeman's tenure (which ended abruptly on 4/30/1973),
was far more with form than substance. Nixon and his immediate
inner circle were far more concerned with the public perception of
what they were doing than what they actually were doing. The book
also shows a dark side to the former President, as well as a racist,
anti-semitic, and sexist side to Nixon, plus a non-stop preoccupation
with pandering to targeted groups for political gain. Henry Kissinger
comes across as the world's ultimate prima donna, threatening to
resign on every day that ended in a "y."
Of note to conspiracy folks are entries which make LBJ and
Nixon seem very chummy, notes that Hoover's continuance was not
sought, be he couldn't be fired, and comments about how much Nixon
liked John Conally, to the point that it was at one time considered
replacing Agnew with Connally.
The best revelation, however, is saved for page 355. In 1971,
when Nixon had two Supreme Court vacancies to fill, the first
candidate mentioned is--prepare yourself--Arlen Specter! And we
thought Gerry Ford was rewarded for his work on the WC! In an
irony, after the shooting of Wallace, Connally as Treasury Secretary
was ordered to give SS protection to "candidate" Ted Kennedy. In a
Watergate related concern, Nixon and the author discuss the rash of
Southern California (USC) graduates implicated, and they "kid" about
the next USC suspect, allowing for the possibility that somehow Pat
Nixon will be implicated. Or, more ridiculously, OJ Simpson. (520)
Haldeman, of course, comes across far less belligerent in his
diary than he did in the contemporary public perception. And it's a sad
comment that of all the books reviewed here, Haldeman's is at least
as good as the rest, and all this from someone convicted for his
participation in an event that the diary--and subsequent editorial
notes--see as a non-event. But the dirty tricks are there, although
there is no confirmation that Haldeman could never par the second
hole during his imprisonment.
Caveat: Don't spend the full price on this one. If you feel the
need, get it out of the bins for five bucks.
[Rating: Nuthin!]
The Last Words of Lee Harvey Oswald by Mae Brussell
Did Lee Harvey Oswald act alone in shooting
Pres. John F. Kennedy on Nov. 22, 1963. or did
he conspire with others? Was he serving as an
agent of Cuba's Fidel Castro, himself the target of
American assassins? Or in squeezing the trigger
of his carbine was he undertaking some super
"dirty trick" for a CIA anxious to rid itself of a
president whose faith in the "company" had
evaporated in the wake of the Bay of Pigs fiasco ?
Or was he representing a group of Cuban exiles,
the Teamsters Union, the Mafia? Indeed, was it
Lee Harvey Oswald at all who killed JFK? Or was
there a double impersonating Oswald? These
questions continue to nag many people more
than a decade and a half after that dreadful day
in Dallas, in spite of the 26 volumes of hearings
and exhibits served up by the Warren Commission, the congressional investigations, the release
of heretofore classified FBI documents.
Almost everyone, it seems, has been heard
from on the Kennedy assassination and on Lee
Harvey Oswald's guilt or innocence, except one
person--Lee Harvey Oswald himself. From the
time of Oswald's arrest to his own assassination
at the hands of Jack Ruby, no formal transcript or
record was kept of statements made by the alleged killer. It was said that no tape recordings
were made of Oswald's remarks, and many notes
taken of his statements were destroyed.
Determined to learn Oswald's last words, his
only testimony, The People's Almanac assigned
one of the leading authorities on the Kennedy
assassination, Mae Brussell. to compile every
known statement or remark made by Oswald
between his arrest and death. The quotes, edited
for space and clarity, are based on the recollections of a variety of witnesses present at different
times and are not verbatim transcripts.
"After 14 years of research on the JFK assassination." Mae
Brussell concludes, "I am of the opinion that Lee
Harvey Oswald was telling the truth about his
role in the assassination during these interrogations."
12:30 P.M., CST, NOV. 22, 1963
Pres. John F. Kennedy Assassinated
12:33 P.M.
Lee Harvey Oswald left work, entered a bus, and said. "Transfer, please."
12:40--12:45 P.M.
Oswald got off the bus, entered a cab, and said,
"May I have this cab?" A woman approached, wanting a cab. and Oswald said. "I will let you
have this one .... 500 North Beckley Street
[instructions to William Whaley. driver of
another cab] .... This will be fine." Oswald departed cab and walked a few blocks.
1:15 P.M. Officer J. D. Tippit Murdered
1:45 P.M. Arrest at the Texas Theater.
"This is it" or "Well, it's all over now," Oswald arrested. (Patrolman M. N. McDonald
heard these remarks. Other officers who were at the scene did not hear them.) "I don't know why
you are treating me like this. The only thing I
have done is carry a pistol into a movie.... I
don't see why you handcuffed me .... Why
should I hide my face? I haven't done anything
to be ashamed of .... I want a lawyer .... I am
not resisting arrest .... I didn't kill anybody ....
I haven't shot anybody .... I protest this police
brutality .... I fought back there, but I know I
wasn't supposed to be carrying a gun ....What
is this all about?"
2:00--2:15 P.M. Drive to Police Dept.
"What is this all about?... I know my
rights .... A police officer has been killed?... I
hear they burn for murder. Well, they say it just
takes a second to die ..... All I did was carry a
gun .... No. Hidell is not my real name... I
have been in the Marine Corps, have a dishonorable discharge, and went to Russia .... I had
some trouble with police in New Orleans for passing out pro-Castro literature .... Why are
you treating me this way?... I am not being handled right .... I demand my rights."
2:15 P.M. Taken into Police Dept.
2:15--2:20 P.M.
"Talked to" by officers Guy F. Rose and Richard S. Stovall. No notes.
2:25--4:04 P.M. Interrogation of Oswald, Office of Capt. Will Fritz
"My name is Lee Harvey Oswald .... I work at
the Texas School Book Depository Building...
I lived in Minsk and in Moscow .... I worked in
a factory.... I liked everything over there except
the weather .... I have a wife and some children .... My residence is 1026 North Beckley,
Dallas. Tex." Oswald recognized FBI agent
James Hasty and said. "You have been at my
home two or three times talking to my wife. I
don't appreciate your coming out there when I was not there .... I was never in Mexico City, I
have been in Tijuana .... Please take the handcuffs from behind me, behind my back .... I
observed a rifle in the Texas School Book Depository, where. I work. on Nov. 20, 1963 .... Mr.
Roy Truly, the supervisor, displayed the rifle to
individuals in his office on the first floor .... I
never owned a rifle myself .... I resided in the
Soviet Union for three years, where I have many
friends and relatives of my wife....I was secretary of the Fair Play for Cuba Committee in New
Orleans a few months ago .... While in the
Marines I received an award for marksmanship
as a member of the U.S. Marine Corps .... While
living on Becklay Street I used the name O. H.
Lee .... I was present in the Texas School Book
Depository Building. I have been employed
there since Oct. 15, 1963 .... As a laborer. I have
access to the entire building .... My usual place
of work is on the first floor. However. I frequently use the fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh floors
to get books. I was on all floors this morning ....
Because of all the confusion, I figured there
would be no work performed that afternoon so I
decided to go home .... I changed my clothing
and went to a movie .... I carried a pistol with
me to the movie because I felt like it, for no other
reason .... I fought the Dallas Police who arrested me in the movie theater where I received a
cut and a bump .... I didn't shoot Pres. John F.
Kennedy or Officer J. D. Tippit .... An officer
struck me, causing the marks on my left eye,
after I had struck him .... I just had them in
there." when asked why he had bullets in his
pocket.
3:54 P.M.
NBC newsman Bill Ryan announced on national television that "Lee Oswald seems to be the
prime suspect in the assassination of John F. Kennedy."
4:45 P.M. At a Lineup for Helen Markham, Witness to Tippit Murder
"It isn't right to put me in line with these teenagers....You know what you are doing, and you are
trying to railroad me....I want my lawyer....You are doing me an injustice by putting me out there
dressed different than these other men....I am out there, the only one with a bruise on his
head....I don't believe the lineup is fair, and I desire to put on a jacket similar to those worn by
some of the other individuals in the lineup....All of you have a shirt on, and I have a T-shirt on. I
want a shirt or something....This T-shirt is unfair."
4:45--6:30 P.M. Second Interrogation of Oswald, Captain Fritz's Office
"When I left the Texas School Book Depository, I went to my room, where I changed my
trousers, got a pistol, and went to a picture show....You know how boys do when they have a
gun, they carry it....Yes, I had written the Russian Embassy. (On Nov. 9, 1963, Oswald had
written to the Russian Embassy that
FBI agent James Hosty was making some kind of
deals with Marina, and he didn't trust "the
notorious FBI.").... Mr. Hosty, you have been
accosting my wife. You mistreated her on two
different occasions when you talked with
her .... I know you. Well, he threatened her. He
practically told her she would have to go back to
Russia. You know, I can't use a phone .... I want
that attorney in New York, Mr. Abt. I don't know
him personally but I know about a case that he
handled some years ago, where he represented
the people who had violated the Smith Act,
[which made it illegal to teach or advocate the
violent overthrow of the U.S. government].... I
don't know him personally, but that is the attorney I want .... If I can't get him, then I may get
the American Civil Liberties Union to send an attorney."
"I went to school in New York and in Fort
Worth, Tex .... After getting into the Marines, l
finished my high school education .... I support
the Castro revolution .... My landlady didn't
understand my name correctly, so it was her idea
to call me 0. H. Lee .... I want to talk with Mr.
Abt, a New York attorney .... The only package I
brought to work was my lunch ....
I never had a card to the Communist party ....
I am a Marxist, but not a Leninist-Marxist... I bought a pistol
in Fort Worth several months ago .... I refuse to
tell you where the pistol was purchased .... I
never ordered any guns .... I am not malcontent. Nothing irritated me about the
President."
When Capt. Will Fritz asked Oswald, "Do you
believe in a deity?" Oswald replied, "I don't care
to discuss that." "How can I afford a rifle on the
Book Depository salary of $1.25 an hour?....
John Kennedy had a nice family ...." (Sheriff
Roger Craig saw Oswald enter a white station
wagon 15 minutes after the assassination. Oswald confirmed this in Captain Fritz's office. A
man impersonating Oswald in Dallas just prior
to the assassination could have been on the bus
and in the taxicab.) "That station wagon belongs
to Mrs. Ruth Paine. Don't try to tie her into this.
She had nothing to do with it. I told you people I did ....
Everybody will know who I am now."
"Can I get an attorney?... I have not been
given the opportunity to have counsel .... As I
said, the Fair Play for Cuba Committee has definitely been investigated, that is very true ....
The results of the investigation were zero. The
Fair Play for Cuba Committee is not now on the
attorney general's subversive list."
6:30 P.M. Lineup for Witnesses Cecil J. McWatters, Sam Guinyard, and Ted
Callaway
"I didn't shoot anyone," Oswald yelled in the
halls to reporters .... "I want to get in touch
with a lawyer, Mr. Abt, in New York City.... I
never killed anybody."
7:10 P.M. Arraignment: State of Texas v. Lee Harvey Oswald for Murder with Malice of
Officer J. D. Tippit of the Dallas Police Dept.
"I insist upon my constitutional rights ....
The way you are treating me, I might as well be
in Russia .... I was not granted my request to put
on a jacket similar to those worn by other individuals in some previous lineups."
7:50 P.M. Lineup for Witness J. D. Davis
"I have been dressed differently than the other
three .... Don't you know the difference? I still
have on the same clothes I was arrested in. The
other two were prisoners, already in Jail." Seth
Kantor, reporter, heard Oswald yell, "I am only a
patsy."
7:55 P.M. Third Interrogation, Captain Fritz's Office
"I think I have talked long enough. I don't
have anything else to say .... What started out to
be a short interrogation turned out to be rather
lengthy .... I don't care to talk anymore .... I am
waiting for someone to come forward to give me
legal assistance .... It wasn't actually true as to
how I got home. I took a bus, but due to a traffic
jam, I left the bus and got a taxicab, by which
means I actually arrived at my residence."
8:55 P.M. Fingerprints, Identification, Paraffin Tests--All in Fritz's Office
"I will not sign the fingerprint card until I talk
to my attorney. [Oswald's name is on the card
anyway.].... What are you trying to prove with
this paraffin test, that I fired a gun? ... You are
wasting your time. I don't know anything about
what you are accusing me."
11:00--11:20 P.M. "Talked To" by Police Officer John Adamcik and FBI Agent
M. Clements
"I was in Russia two years and liked it in
Russia .... I am 5 ft. 9 in., weigh 140 lb., have
brown hair, blue-gray eyes, and have no tattoos
or permanent scars."
(Oswald had mastoidectomy scars and left
upper-arm scars, both noted in Marine records.
Warren Report, pp. 614-618, lists information
from Oswald obtained during this interview
about members of his family, past employment,
past residences.)
11:20--11:25 P.M. Lineup for Press
Conference; Jack Ruby Present
When newsmen asked Oswald about his black
eye, he answered. "A cop hit me." When asked
about the earlier arraignment, Oswald said,
"Well, I was questioned by Judge Johnston.
However, I protested at that time that I was not
allowed legal representation during that very short and sweet hearing. I really don't know what
the situation is about. Nobody has told me
anything except that I am accused of murdering
a policeman. I know nothing more than that, and
I do request someone to come forward to give me
legal assistance." When asked, "Did you kill the
President?" Oswald replied, "No. I have not
been charged with that. In fact, nobody has said
that to me yet. The first thing I heard about it was
when the newspaper reporters in the hall asked
me that question .... I did not do it. I did not do
it .... I did not shoot anyone."
12:23 A.M., NOV. 23, 1963 Placed in Jail Cell
12:35 A.M. Released by jailer
Oswald complained, "This is the third set of
fingerprints, photographs being taken."
1:10 A.M. Back In Jail Cell
1:35 A.M. Arraignment: State of Texas v. Lee Harvey Oswald for the Murder with Malice of
John F. Kennedy
"Well, sir, I guess this is the trial .... I want to
contact my lawyer, Mr. Abt, in New York City. I
would like to have this gentleman. He is with the
American Civil Liberties Union." (John J. Abt,
now in private practice in New York, was the
general counsel for the Senate Sub-Committee
on Civil Liberties from 1935-1937, and later
served as legal adviser for the Progressive party
from 1948-1951. Mr. Abt has never been a
member of the ACLU.)
10:30 A.M.--1:10 P.M. Interrogation, Capt. Will Fritz's Office
"l said I wanted to contact Attorney Abt. New
York. He defended the Smith Act cases In 1949,
1950, but I don't know his address, except that it
is in New York .... I never owned a rifle ....
Michael Paine owned a car. Ruth Paine owned
two cars .... Robert Oswald, my brother, lives in
Fort Worth. He and the Paines were closest
friends in town .... The FBI has thoroughly interrogated me at various other times... They
have used their hard and soft approach to me, and they use the buddy system .... I am familiar
with all types of questioning and have no intention of making any statements ....
In the past three weeks the FBI has talked to my wife. They
were abusive and impolite. They frightened my
wife, and I consider their activities obnoxious."
(When arrested, Oswald had FBI Agent James
Hosty's home phone and office phone numbers
and car license number in his possession.)
"I was arrested in New Orleans for disturbing
the peace and paid a $10 fine for demonstrating
for the Fair Play for Cuba Committee. I had a
fight with some anti-Castro refugees and they
were released while I was fined....I refuse to take a polygraph. It has always been my practice
not to agree to take a polygraph .... The FBI has
overstepped their bounds in using various tactics in interviewing me .... I didn't shoot John
Kennedy .... I didn't even know Gov. John Connally had been shot .... I don't own a rifle .... I
didn't tell Buell Wesley Frazier anything about bringing back some curtain rods .... My wife
lives with Mrs. Ruth Paine. She [Mrs. Paine] was learning Russian. They needed help with the
young baby, so it made a nice arrangement for both of them .... I don't know Mrs. Paine very
well, but Mr. Paine and his wife were separated a great deal of the time."
[Michael Paine worked at Bell Aerospace as a
scientific engineer. His boss, Walter Dornberger,
was a Nazi war criminal. The first call, the "tip-
off" on Oswald, came from Bell Aerospace.)
"The garage at the Paines' house has some
seabags that have a lot of my personal belongings. I left them after coming back from New
Orleans in September .... The name Alek Hidell
was picked up while working in New Orleans in
the Fair Play for Cuba organization .... I speak
Russian, correspond with people in Russia, and
receive newspapers from Russia .... I don't own
a rifle at all .... I did have a small rifle some
years in the past. You can't buy a rifle in Russia,
you can only buy shotguns. I had a shotgun in
Russia and hunted some while there. I didn't
bring the rifle from New Orleans .... I am not a
member of the Communist party.... I belong to
the Civil Liberties Union .... I did carry a package to the Texas School Book Depository. I carried
my lunch, a sandwich and fruit, which I
made at Paine's house .... I had nothing personal against John Kennedy."
1:10--1:30 P.M. Lee Harvey Oswald Visited by Mother, Marguerite Oswald, and Wife, Marina
Oswald
(To his Mother.) "No. There is nothing you can
do. Everything is fine. I know my rights, and I
will have an attorney. I already requested to get
in touch with Attorney Abt, I think is his name.
Don't worry about a thing."
(To his Wife.) "Oh. no, they have not been
beating me. They are treating me fine .... You're
not to worry about that. Did you bring June and
Rachel?.... Of course we can speak about absolutely anything at all .... It's a mistake. I'm not
guilty. There are people who will help me. There
is a lawyer in New York on whom I am counting
for help .... Don't cry. There is nothing to cry
about. Try not to think about it .... Everything is
going to be all right. If they ask you anything,
you have a right not to answer. You have a right
to refuse. Do you understand?... You are not to
worry. You have friends. They'll help you. If it
comes to that, you can ask the Red Cross for help.
You mustn't worry about me. Kiss Junie and
Rachel for me. I love you .... Be sure to buy
shoes for June."
2:15 P.M. Lineup for Witnesses William W. Scoggins and William Whaley
"I refuse to answer questions. I have my
T-shirt on, the other men are dressed differently ....
Everybody's got a shirt and everything,
and I've got a T-shirt on .... This is unnfair."
3:30--3:40 P.M. Robert Oswald, Brother, in
Ten-Minute Visit
"l cannot or would not say anything, because
the line is apparently tapped. [They were talking
through telephones.].... I got these bruises in
the theater. They haven't bothered me since.
They are treating me all right .... What do you
think of the baby? Well, it was a girl, and I
wanted a boy, but you know how that goes .... I
don't know what is going on. I just don't know
what they are talking about .... Don't believe all
the so-called evidence." When Robert Oswald
looked into Lee's eyes for some clue, Lee said to
him, "Brother, you won't find anything there ....
My friends will take care of Marina
and the two children." When Robert Oswald
stated that he didn't believe the Paines were
friends of Lee's, he answered back, "Yes, they
are .... Junie needs a new pair of shoes."
(Robert Oswald told the Warren Commission,
"To me his answers were mechanical, and I was
not talking to the Lee I knew.")
3:40 P.M, Lee Harvey Oswald Calls Mrs. Ruth Paine
"This is Lee. Would you please call John Abt
in New York for me after 6:00 P.M. The number
for his office is _________, and his residence is
__________ .... Thank you for your concern."
5:30--5:35 P.M. Visit with H. Louis Nichols, President of the Dallas Bar Association
"Well, I really don't know what this is all
about, that I have been kept incarcerated and
kept incommunicado .... Do you know a lawyer
in New York named John Abt? I believe in New
York City. I would like to have him represent me.
That is the man I would like. Do you know any
lawyers who are members of the American Civil
Liberties Union? I am a member of that organization, and I would like to have somebody who is
a member of that organization represent me." Mr. Nichols offered to help find a lawyer, but
Oswald said, "No, not now. You might come back
next week, and if I don't get some of these other
people to assist me, I might ask you to get somebody to represent me."
6:00--6:30 P.M. Interrogation, Captain Fritz's Office
"In time I will be able to show you that this is
not my picture, but I don't want to answer any
more questions .... I will not discuss this photograph [which was used on the cover Feb. 21,
1964 Life magazine] without advice of an attorney .... There was another rifle in the building. I
have seen it. Warren Caster had two rifles, a
30.06 Mauser and a .22 for his son .... That
picture is not mine, but the face is mine. The
picture has been made by superimposing my
face. The other part of the picture is not me at all,
and I have never seen this picture before. I understand photography real well, and that, in
time, I will be able to show you that is not my
picture and that it has been made by someone
else .... It was entirely possible that the Police
Dept. has superimposed this part of the photograph over the body of someone else .... The
Dallas Police were the culprits .... The small
picture was reduced from the larger one, made
by some persons unknown to me .... Since I
have been photographed at City Hall, with
people taking my picture while being transferred from the office to the Jail door, someone
has been able to get a picture of my face, and
with that, they have made this picture .... I
never kept a rifle at Mrs. Paine's garage at Irving,
Tex .... We had no visitors at our apartment on
North Beckley .... I have no receipts for purchase of any gun, and I have never ordered any
guns. I do not own a rifle, never possessed a rifle .... I will not say who wrote A. J. Hidell on
my Selective Service card. [It was later confirmed that Marina Oswald wrote in the name
Hidell.] ... I will not tell you the purpose of
carrying the card or the use I made of it ....
The address book in my possession has the names of
Russian immigrants in Dallas, Tex, whom I have visited."
9:30 P.M. Lee Harvey Oswald Calls His Wife, Marina, at Mrs. Paine's Home
"Marina, please. Would you try to locate her?"
(Marina had moved.)
10:00 P.M. Office of Captain Fritz
"Life is better for the colored people in Russia
than it is in the U.S."
9:30--11:15 A.M., SUNDAY MORNING, NOV. 24, 1963 Interrogation in Capt. Will Fritz's
Office
"After the assassination, a policeman or some
man came rushing into the School Book Depository Building and said, 'Where Is your
telephone?'. He showed me some kind of credential
and identified himself, so he might not have
been a police officer .... 'Right there,' I answered, pointing to the phone .... 'Yes, I can eat
lunch with you,' I told my co-worker, 'but I can't
go right now. You go and take the elevator, but
send the elevator back up.' [The elevator in the
building was broken.] .... After all this commotion started, I just went downstairs and started to
see what it was all about. A police officer and my
superintendent of the place stepped up and told
officers that I am one of the employees in the building .... If you ask me about the shooting of
Tippit, I don't know what you are talking about .... The only thing I am here for is because
I popped a policeman in the nose in the theater
on Jefferson Avenue, which I readily admit I did, because I was protecting myself ....
I learned about the job vacancy at the Texas School Book Depository from people in Mrs.
Paine's neighborhood .... I visited my wife Thursday night,
Nov. 21, whereas I normally visited her over the
weekend, because Mrs. Paine was giving a party
for the children on the weekend. They were having a houseful of neighborhood children. I
didn't want to be around at such a time ....
Therefore, my weekly visit was on Thursday
night instead of on the weekend .... It didn't
cost much to go to Mexico, it cost me some $28 a
small, ridiculous amount to eat, and another
ridiculous small amount to stay all night.... I
went to the Mexican Embassy to try to get this
permission to go to Russia by way of Cuba. I
went to the Mexican Consulate in Mexico City.
I went to the Russian Embassy to go to Russia by
way of Cuba. They told me to come back in
'thirty days.'... I don't recall the shape, it may
have been a small sack, or a large sack; you don't
always find one that just fits your sandwiches ....
The sack was in the car, beside me, on my lap, as it always is ....
I didn't get it crushed. It was not on the back seat. Mr. Frazier
must have been mistaken or else thinking about
the other time when he picked me up.... The
Fair Play for Cuba Committee was a loosely organized thing and we had no officers. Probably
you can call me the secretary of it because I did
collect money. [Oswald was the only member in
New Orleans.].... in New York City they have a
well-organized, or a better, organization... No, not at all; I didn't intend to organize here in
Dallas; I was too busy trying to get a job.... If
anyone else was entitled to get mail in P.O. Box
6525 at the Terminal Annex in New Orleans, the
answer is no .... The rental application said Fair
Play for Cuba Committee and the American Civil
Liberties Union. Maybe I put them on there ....
It is possible that on rare occasions I may have
handed one of the keys to my wife to get my mail,
but certainly nobody else .... I never ordered a
rifle under the name of Hidell, Oswald, or any
other name .... I never permitted anyone else to
order a rifle to be received in this box .... I never
ordered any rifle by mail order or bought any
money order for the purpose of paying for such a
rifle .... I didn't own any rifle. I have not practiced or shot with a rifle .... I subscribe to two
publications from Russia, one being a hometown paper published in Minsk, where I
met and married my wife .... We moved around
so much that it was more practical to simply rent
post office boxes and have mail forwarded from
one box to the next rather than going through the
process of furnishing changes of address to the
publishers .... Marina Oswald and A. J. Hidell
were listed under the caption of persons entitled
to receive mail through my box in New Orleans .... I don't recall anything about the A. J.
Hidell being on the post office card .... I presume you have reference to a map I had in my
room with some X's on it. I have no automobile. I
have no means of conveyance. I have to walk
from where I am going most of the time. I had my
applications with the Texas Employment Commission. They furnished me names and addresses
of places that had openings like I might
fill, and neighborhood people had furnished me
information on jobs I might get .... I was seeking a job. and I would put these markings on this
map so I could plan my itinerary around with
less walking. Each one of these X's represented a
place where I went and interviewed for a job ....
You can check each one of them out if you want
to .... The X on the intersection of Elm and
Houston is the location of the Texas School Book
Depository. I did go there and interview for a job.
In fact, I got the job there. That is all the map
amounts to. [Ruth Paine later stated she had
marked Lee's map.] ...What religion am I? I
have no faith, I suppose you mean, in the Bible. I
have read the Bible. It is fair reading, but not very
interesting. As a matter of fact, I am a student of
philosophy and I don't consider the Bible as
even a reasonable or intelligent philosophy. I
don't think of it .... I told you I haven't shot a
rifle since the Marines, possibly a small bore,
maybe a .22, but not anything larger since I have
left the Marine Corps .... I never received a
package sent to me through the mailbox in Dallas, Box No, 2915, under the name of Alek
Hidell, absolutely not .... Maybe my wife, but I
couldn't say for sure whether my wife ever got
this mail, but it is possible she could have."
Oswald was told that an attorney offered to assist
him, and he answered. "I don't particularly want
him, but I will take him if I can't do any better, and will contact him at a later date .... I have
been a student of Marxism since the age of
14 .... American people will soon forget the
President was shot, but I didn't shoot him ....
Since the President was killed, someone else
would take his place, perhaps Vice-President
Johnson. His views about Cuba would probably
be largely the same as those of President Kennedy .... I never lived on Neely Street. These
people are mistaken about visiting there, because I never lived there ....
It might not be proper to answer further questions, because
what I say might be construed in a different light
than what I actually meant it to be ....
When the head of any government dies, or is killed, there is
always a second in command who would take
over .... I did not kill President Kennedy or
Officer Tippit. If you want me to cop out to
hitting or pleading guilty to hitting a cop in the
mouth when I was arrested, yeah, I plead guilty
to that. But I do deny shooting both the President
and Tippit."
11:10 A.M. Preparation for Oswald's Transfer to County Jail
"I would like to have a shirt from clothing that
was brought to the office to wear over the T-shirt
I am wearing .... I prefer wearing a black Ivy
League-type shirt, which might be a little
warmer. I don't want a hat .... I will just take one
of those sweaters, the black one."
11:15 A.M. Inspector Thomas J. Kelley, U.S. Secret Service, Has Final Conversation
with Lee Harvey Oswald
Kelley approached Oswald, out of the hearing
of others, except perhaps Captain Fritz's men,
and said that, as a Secret Service agent, he was
anxious to talk with him as soon as he secured
counsel, because Oswald was charged with the
assassination of the President but had denied it.
Oswald said, "I will be glad to discuss this proposition with my attorney, and that after I talk with
one, we could either discuss it with him or discuss it with my attorney, if the attorney thinks it is a
wise thing to do, but at the present time I have nothing more to say to you."
11:21 A.M. Lee Harvey Oswald Was Fatally
Wounded by Jack Ruby
When They Kill A President - Part II by Roger Craig
The industrial and military complex can't survive
Without their little horror wars they artfully contrive.
If they push us to the big one then we won't come out alive
His dream goes marching on.
Things were fairly normal for me for the next few months, with the exception of curious
persons who popped into the Sheriff's Office from time to time to ask me questions about the
assassination.
On the first anniversary of the assassination a team of newsmen from NBC New York came to
Dallas. They wanted to do a documentary on the assassination and they contacted Jim Kerr of
the "Dallas Times Herald," who told them of me.
Jim approached me and said that the NBC people were interested in what I had to say and
would I talk to them? Jim Kerr indicated to me that he had it all set up. However, because I knew
how Bill Decker felt about anyone in his Department talking about this particular event, I told him
I would have to get Decker's permission. NBC had been calling me since October 1964 asking to
talk to me but I would not commit myself.
When they arrived during the week of November 22, I went to Decker to ask permission to do
the story. Decker promptly sat me down in the private office, closed the door and sat there
looking at me for several minutes. It was difficult to tell if Decker was looking at you--with that
glass eye of his--but at the same time you had the uneasy feeling that he was looking straight
through you. Decker began to talk with that even, never-rising voice which commanded attention
and gave you the feeling that it was dangerous to interrupt or even question him.
Decker told me to tell these people (Jim Kerr and NBC) that I was a Deputy Sheriff--not an
actor--and for me to keep my mouth shut. He then went on to say, "Tell them you didn't see or
hear anything." He then went back to the papers on his desk and I knew he was through and so
was I. I relayed the message to Jim Kerr, who was very disappointed--and even mad, but he, like
me, knew that he must not challenge Decker's law.
From that day forward Bill Decker began to watch my every move. People in the office who,
before this, very seldom spoke to me, began to hang around watching my every move and
listening to everything I said. Among these were Rosemary Allen, E. R. (Buddy) Walthers, Allen
Sweatt and Bob Morgan--Decker's four top stoolies. Combine the foregoing with the run-in I had
with Dave Belin, junior counsel for the Warren Commission, who questioned me in April of 1964,
and who changed my testimony fourteen times when he sent it to Washington, and you will have
some idea of the pressures brought to bear.
David Belin told me who he was as I entered the interrogation room (April 1964). He had me sit
at the head of a long table. To my left was a female with a pencil and pen. Belin sat to my right.
Between the girl and Belin was a tape recorder, which was turned off. Belin instructed the girl not
to take notes until he (Belin) said to do so. He then told me that the investigation was being
conducted to determine the truth as the evidence indicates. Well, I could take that several ways
but I said: nothing. Then Belin said, "For instance, I will ask you where you were at a certain
time. This will establish your physical location." It was at this point that I began to feel that I was
being led into something but still I said nothing. Then Belin said, "I will ask you about what you
thought you heard or saw in regard." Well, this was too much. I interrupted him and said,
"Counselor, just ask me the questions and if I can answer them, I will." This seemed to irritate
Belin and he told the girl to start taking notes with the next question.
At this point Belin turned the recorder on. The first questions were typical. Where were you
born? Where did you go to school?
When Belin would get to certain questions he would turn off the recorder and stop the girl from
writing. The he would ask me, for example, "Did you see anything unusual when you were
behind the picket fence?" I said, "Yes" and he said, "Fine, just a minute." He would then tell the
girl to start writing with the next question and would again start the recorder. What was the next
question?
"Mr. Craig, did you go into the Texas School Book Depository?" It was clear to me that he
wanted only to record part of the interrogation, as this happened many times.
I finally managed to get in at least most of what I had seen and heard by ignoring his advanced
questions and giving a step-by-step picture, which further seemed to irritate him.
At the end of our session Belin dismissed me but when I started to leave the room, he called me
back. At this time I identified the clothing wore by the suspect (the 26 volumes refer to a box of
clothing--not boxes. There were two boxes.)
After I identified the clothing Belin went over the complete testimony again. He then asked,
"Do you want to follow or waive your signature or sign now?" Since there was nothing but a tape
recording and a stenographer's note book, there was obviously nothing to sign. All other
testimony which I have read (a considerable amount) included an explanation that the person
could waive his signature then or his statement would be typed and he would be notified when it
was ready for signature. Belin did not say this to me.
He said an odd thing when I left. It is the only time that he said it, and I have never read
anything similar in any testimony. "Be SURE, when you get back to the office, to thank Sheriff
Decker for *his* cooperation." I know of no one else he questioned who he asked to thank a
supervisor, chief, etc.
I first saw my testimony in January of 1968 when I looked at the 26 volumes which belonged to
Penn Jones. My alleged statement was included. The following are some of the changes in my
testimony:
* Arnold Rowland told me that he saw two men on the sixth floor of the Texas School Book
Depository 15 minutes before the President arrived: one was a Negro, who was pacing back
and forth by the southwest window. The other was a white man in the southeast
corner, with a rifle equipped with a scope, and that a few minutes later he looked back and only
the white man was there. In the Warren Commission: Both were white, both were
pacing in front of the southwest corner and when Rowland looked back,
both were gone;
* I said the Rambler station wagon was light green. The Warren Commission: Changed to a
white station wagon;
* I said the driver of the Station Wagon had on a tan jacket. The Warren Commission: A white
jacket;
* I said the license plates on the Rambler were not the same color as Texas plates. The
Warren Commission: Omitted the "not" omitted but one word, an important one, so that it
appeared that the license plates were the same color as Texas plates;
* I said that I got a good look at the driver of the Rambler. The Warren Commission: I did
not get a good look at the Rambler.
* (In Captain Fritz's office) I had said that Fritz had said to Oswald, "This man saw you leave"
(indicating me). Oswald said, "I told you people I did." Fritz then said, "Now take it easy, son,
we're just trying to find out what happened", and then (to Oswald), "What about the car?" to
which Oswald replied, "That station wagon belongs to Mrs. Paine. Don't try to drag her into
this." Fritz said "car" -- station wagon was not mentioned by anyone but Oswald. (I had told
Fritz over the telephone that I saw a man get into a station wagon, before I went to the Dallas
Police Department and I had also described the man. This is when Fritz asked me to come
there). Oswald then said, "Everybody will know who I am now;" The Warren Commission:
Stated that the last statement by Oswald was made in a dramatic tone. This was not so. The
Warren Commission also printed, "Now everybody will know who I am", transposing the
"now." Oswald's tone and attitude was one of disappointment. If someone were attempting to
conceal his identity and he was found out, exposed--his cover blown, his reaction would be
dismay and disappointment. This was Oswald's tone and attitude--disappointment at being
exposed!
Shortly after the Kerr and Belin incidents, the Sheriff took me out of the field and assigned me to
the Bond Desk. This meant that I was sitting directly in line with Decker's office door, where he
could watch me. It made me feel a little like a goldfish in a bowl!
While I was on the Bond Desk I noticed Eva Grant (Jack Ruby's sister) was making daily visits to
Decker's office. During this time Eva and I came to be on good terms. It was convenient for her
to speak to me when she came in because of the position of my desk--close to the door leading
into the Sheriff's Department. As time went on Eva Grant would stop me in the hall every time I
went for a cup of coffee or took a break. Decker became very concerned over this and it was not
Iong before I realized that every time Eva and I talked we were joined by someone. In addition to
this, Buddy Walthers would be standing close by and listening. (This is another example of his
talents as a peace officer--that he would make himself so conspicuous.) First he would stand and
listen, and then head into Decker's office.
After a few days of this and armed with information from this so-called detective--who
couldn't track an elephant through the snow with a nose bleed--Decker called me into his office
and pointed to a chair without saying a word. Well, knowing he wasn't giving me the chair or
asking me to look it over, I sat down.
After a long silence he finally said, "What about it?" This was Decker's way of telling you he
knew it (whatever it was) and he wanted you to "confess". I felt sure Eva Grant was going to be
the subject of conversation but I was determined to make him start the interrogation--after all he
wanted the answers and, apparently, Buddy had not heard as much as he thought he had. Finally
he gave in and said, "You've been talking to Eva Grant." I said, "Yes sir." Decker, then said,
"What about?" I replied, "She is concerned about Jack's depressed state of mind and worried
about the fact that he looks ill." Decker said, "That's none of your business." I replied with the
only thing that Decker would accept--I said, "No sir." Apparently sure that he had convinced me
once again that there was no law except Decker's law, he pointed to the door and I left. He was a
man of few words!
The next day Eva and I had another talk. She was getting more and more concerned about
Jack's health. She had been to see Decker several times trying to secure medical help for her
brother. By this time the rumor was all through the Sheriff' s office that Jack was, indeed, ill.
Most of this information came from the deputies assigned to guard him. The deputies were
Walter Neighbors, James R. Keene, Jess Stevenson, Jr., and others. Finally Decker permitted a
doctor to see Jack, a psychiatrist, who said Jack Ruby had a cold!
A few weeks passed, during which time I received some telephone calls concerning the
assassination and my testimony. These calls came from various people from different parts of
the country who were, apparently, just interested. These calls somehow were reported to Bill
Decker. Not having a reason to fire me, he did the next best thing, he had a monitoring unit
connected to the telephone system so that he could periodically check any telephone
calls.
I will not go into the events leading to Jack Ruby's death. Much has already been written about
this but I would like to say that Jack Ruby made several statements to guards, jail supervisors
and assistant D.A.'s in which he said "they are going to kill me."
These statements became a private joke among these people and they discussed them freely in
the hall of the court house. When the Sheriff from Wichita Falls, Texas came to observe the
prisoner he was about to take charge of, due to Ruby's change of venue, he refused to accept
the prisoner on the grounds that Ruby was very ill. Then, and only then, did Decker send Ruby to
Parkland Hospital where he died a few short days later (some cold!).
I was not too concerned about the minor attention I was receiving from Decker regarding the
assassination and its aftermath until August 7, 1966. At 2:03 a.m, I was approached by Hardy M.
Parkerson, an attorney from New Orleans, La. Mr. Parkerson was interested in the assassination
and the Jack Ruby trial. I was working late nights on the Bond Desk when he came to the Sheriff'
s office. He asked me several questions relating to these tragic events and I answered him as
honestly as I could and he thanked me and left.
However, on October 1, 1966 Mr. Parkerson wrote to me advising me that I was receiving more
publicity than I might be aware of. He mentioned in his letter that he had picked up a book on a
New Orleans newsstand. The book was entitled, "The Second Oswald" by Richard H. Popkin and
my report had been mentioned in the book. This disturbed me as I knew my popularity with
Decker was fading anyway.
On October 18 1 received another letter from Mr. Parkerson. It seemed that he had come across
another book on a New Orleans newsstand which mentioned my name. This one was "Inquest"
by Edward J. Epstein. Then I began to worry a bit. Of course other names were mentioned also
in these books but I was concerned because of my employer's attitude and the fact that I was in
definite conflict with the Warren Commission in my testimony. In February of 1967 the lid blew
off. District Attorney Jim Garrison announced publicly his probe into the John F. Kennedy
Assassination. It wasn't long--in fact, a matter of hours--until Decker walked up to me and asked,
"Have you been talking to Jim Garrison?" I told him that I had not, which was the truth. Decker
then said, "Somebody sure as hell has." That was the beginning of the end of my career as a law
officer and my future in Dallas County.
As more and more books critical of the Warren Commission began to hit the newsstands
throughout the country and I received calls and visitors asking questions my future with the
Sheriff's Office became very shaky. Finally, on July 4, 1967 Bill Decker called me into his office
and told me to check out. Knowing there was no grievance board and that Decker was the
supreme ruler of his domain, I left the Sheriff's Office for good.
I was saddened by the loss of eight years in a job that I had given my all to. But I was soon to
find out that this was only the down payment on the price that I was to pay for the truth! I
immediately began looking for work and found that the Commerce Bail Bond Company was just
opening an office and needed someone to help in the office as Les Hancock, the owner, was just
starting out. Mr. Hancock and I had a long talk and he agreed that I would be an asset to the
business because he knew nothing about it and I was familiar with bonds and most of the people
at the Sheriff' Office as well as those wishing to make bond. Les and I seemed to get along very
well. I posted most of the bonds and kept track of our clients. Posting the first few bonds with the
county went slowly--although the money was in escrow, Decker wanted to personally approve all
bonds posted by me. I did not mind this delaying tactic because all it involved was a little extra
time for me. The bonding business was going very well--within two months we were making
money.
I kept up as much as possible on Jim Garrison's probe and decided to write him and tell him
what I knew--if it would help him. Jim Garrison answered my letter and asked me to call him, at
which time he made arrangements for my trip to New Orleans. Les Hancock tried to persuade
me not to go, saying I shouldn't get involved (a little late). I arrived in New Orleans in late
October and was picked up at the airport by Bill Boxley, one of Jim's investigators, and four men
who didn't work for Jim. Boxley took me to a motel where I was to meet Jim and the other
four men followed--apparently, they were not invited. Most of my talks with Jim were at his office
while my "tails" (apparently government agents) searched my room. I must apologize to them for
not bringing what they could "use."
I had several meetings with Jim Garrison. He showed me numerous pictures taken in Dealey
Plaza on November 22, 1963. Among them was a picture of a Latin male. I recognized him as
being the same man I had seen driving the Rambler station wagon in which I had seen Oswald
leave the Book Depository area. I was surprised and I asked Jim who the man was. Jim did not
know but he did say this man was arrested in Dealey Plaza immediately after the assassination
but was released by Dallas Police because he could not speak English! This was, to me, highly
unusual. In my experience as a police officer I had never known of a person (or prisoner) being
released because of a language barrier. Interpreters were, of course, always available.
We also discussed the .45 caliber slug found on the south side of Elm Street, in the grass, by E.
R. (Buddy) Walthers. Buddy had indeed found such a slug. He and I discussed it the evening of
November 22, 1963. Buddy also gave a statement to the Dallas Press confirming this find (found
among bits of brain matter). However, he later denied finding it--after Decker had a long talk with
him and subsequent to newsmen questioning the Sheriff about the evidence.
Jim Garrison also had a picture of an unidentified man picking up this 45 slug and Buddy is also
in that photograph. I asked Buddy about this many times--after his denial--but he never made
any comment.
Jim also asked me about the arrests made in Dealey Plaza that day. I told him I knew of twelve
arrests, one in particular made by R. E. Vaughn of the Dallas Police Department. The man
Vaughn arrested was coming from the Dal-Tex Building across from the Texas School Book
Depository. The only thing which Vaughn knew about him was that he was an independent oil
operator from Houston, Texas.
The prisoner was taken from Vaughn by Dallas Police detectives and that was the last that he
saw or heard of the suspect.
Incidentally, there are no records of any arrests, either by the Dallas Police Department or the
Sheriff's Office, made in Dealey Plaza on November 22, 1963. Very strange! Any and all arrests
made during my eight years as an officer were recorded. It may not have been entered as a
record with the Identification Bureau but a report was always typed and a permanent record kept-
-if only in our case files. A report on any questioning shows a reason for your action and protects
you against false arrest. I am saying that there is *absolutely* no record in the case files or any
place else.
Upon returning to Dallas from my first contact with Jim Garrison, I was picked up by another
"tail". I was followed constantly after that. My wife could not even go to the grocery store without
being followed. Sometimes they would go so far as to pull up next to her and make sure she saw
them talking on their two-way radios. They would also park across from my house and sit for
hours making sure I knew they were there.
On the morning of November 1, 1967 I received a call from a friend of mine. He owned a night
club at Carroll and Columbia Streets in Dallas. Bill said that he wanted to see me and would I
meet him in front of the club. Bill had called me many times when I was a deputy as he was
frequently in financial trouble and I would have the citation issued for him held up until he was in
a position to accept them. Some people in Dallas did receive Special Treatment in the matter of
citations. Bill was not one of these but I did this for him because I knew that by holding it up a
day or so I could save his credit rating--and the creditor would be paid without having a
Judgment entered. We were friends and it was a natural--and practical thing to do.
When Bill called me on November 1 he said he wanted to talk to me about money he owed the
Bonding Company where I worked--for getting one of his employees out of jail on traffic tickets.
He had asked that I meet him at 9:00 a.m. At about 8:30 a.m "me and my shadows" started for
the club, arriving at approximately 9:00 a.m.
When I parked in front of Bill's club "my shadows" began one of the sweetest set-ups I had
ever seen. One car, a tan Pontiac, parked one block in front of my car, racing me, and the other,
a white Chevrolet with a small antenna protruding from the roof, kept circling the block again and
again, never stopping. There were two men in the Chevrolet. I couldn't get a good look at the
driver but the other man was in his early thirties. He had dark hair, was nice looking and wore a
black-and-white checked sport coat. Bill had never been late before for an appointment with me
but he was this time. When it was nearing 10:15 I began to worry that those poor bastards would
get dizzy from driving around and around--and might hit someone.
Finally, at 10:15 a.m Bill arrived and we went to the Waffle House across the street for coffee.
There, as big as life, sitting on a stool was the man in the sport jacket--from the white Chevrolet.
Well... we sat down and had coffee. We talked about how each of us was doing--just shot the
bull--and Bill never did bring up the subject which he had said he wanted to discuss with
me!
When we finished we started to leave and the man in the sport coat jumped up and beat us out
of the door. We paid our checks and walked out the door and my shadow was nowhere in
sight--believe me, I looked. We crossed the parking lot and stopped at the traffic light, as it was
red against us. For some reason I stepped down off the curb before the light changed. As I did,
Bill fell flat on the sidewalk. I was about to find out why. At that very instant a shot rang out
behind me and the hair just above my left ear parted. I felt a pressure and sharp pain on the left
side of my head. I bolted for my car leaving Bill lying on the ground. I heard him say, "You son of
a bitch" and I jumped into my car and drove home as fast as possible. When I arrived home I
told my wife what this good friend had done for me. I pondered the idea of moving my family to
some safe place.
A curious note: my friend (?) Bill was deeply in debt and about to lose his business at the time of
the shooting. However, about a month later he was completely out of debt, his business was
doing great and he had invested in two other businesses which were doing very well. (Payment
was, apparently, not withheld just because the trigger man missed.) I decided to get in touch with
Jim Garrison.
I tried all day and finally reached him around ten that evening. After I told him what had
happened he said someone would be at my home within the hour.
At approximately 11 p.m someone knocked on the door and I opened it with my left hand,
holding my 45 automatic in my fight hand. Standing there was a small but well-built man in his
late forties or early fifties. He said, "My name is Penn Jones. Jim Garrison called me." My hand
tightened on the .45 when my wife, Molly, took hold of me and said, "I've seen him on T.V. He is
Penn Jones." With that I relaxed and he remained Penn Jones!
Penn Jones listened to my story and then began making telephone calls to newsmen and wire
services that he had contact with, explaining to me that the best protection for me was open
coverage on the incident. After a long talk with Penn Jones I found that I had a great deal of
respect and admiration for this man. Although small in stature, I felt he would fight the devil
himself to find the truth about the assassination.
The next day, November 2, 1967, when I went to work at Commerce Bail Bonds I was
approached by two reporters and a photographer from Channel 8 in Dallas. They had picked the
story up on the news wire and wanted a personal interview. After the interview my boss, Les
Hancock, called me into his office and told me he didn't think that I should have done the
interview (giving no specific reason).
The next few days Les' attitude was very cold and he would barely speak to me. Then, on the
7th of November he called me into his office once again. This time he told me the business
wasn't doing well and he would have to let me go because he was closing the office. Of course, I
knew better than this--after all I had access to all the records and I knew the business was
making money. A few days later I found out Les merely moved to another location and his
business continued as usual.
However, this knowledge did not help me for I was back pounding the pavement looking for
work. In the meantime I had been in contact with Jim Garrison. He informed me that there was
an opening at Volkswagen International in New Orleans and that I might try there. By this time
my health had begun to be affected. I had undergone a serious stomach operation in August of
1963 and I suffer from chronic bronchitis and emphysema (not to mention Dallas County Battle
Fatigue).
My family and I made the trip to New Orleans, where I was interviewed by Willard Robertson,
the owner of the company. Mr. Robertson told me he was looking for a Personnel Manager and
because of my background of dealing with the public he hired me. After a long trip back to Dallas
where we gathered up our meager belongings we moved to New Orleans and I felt good--I was
working again!
We had been there but a few days when all of our neighbors and half the people where I was
working knew who I was. This was due to the newspaper and television coverage of Jim
Garrison's probe into the assassination. Again came the never-ending questions, which I did not
mind because outside of Dallas people were sincerely interested and I certainly did not mind
doing what I could to clear up any doubts they had. The people at the office treated me very
well.
Unfortunately, after about a month I realized that I was not doing anything but going in to the
office and coming home--nothing in between. Although I appreciated Jim Garrison
recommending me for the job, I knew by this time that he had done this because he was
concerned about my safety and wanted me out of Dallas. Because this company did not really
need a Personnel Manager and I couldn't take the money for a job I was not doing, I submitted
my resignation to Mr. Robertson and my family and I returned to Dallas.
We arrived back in Dallas on a cold and snowy seventh of January, 1968, and moved in with
Molly's parents as we had very little money and nowhere to stay. The next few days I spent
looking for work. I tried every ad and every lead I could find.
The people who interviewed me always seemed interested but like all companies, they wanted to
check out my references. When I failed to receive any results from my efforts, I called some of
the places where I had placed applications to see what was wrong. I always received the same
answer, "the position had been filled." Finally, I decided something was wrong and I suspected
one employment reference, Bill Decker. I had a friend write Decker asking for an employment
reference--he never received an answer!
My next move was to have someone call Decker and ask for a reference and this took some
doing. Writing him was one thing but talking to him on the telephone was another. He would bait
you on the telephone and, before you knew it, he knew who you were and whether you were
legitimate or not.
Many people in Dallas liked Decker for the favors he could do for them but those who did not
like him were afraid of the tremendous power he possessed in Dallas County. They were afraid
to oppose him in any issue for fear that this man could, indeed, affect their professional careers.
A good example is the charge, "Hold for Decker." This meant that when Decker wanted to talk to
you or some friend of his disagreed with an arrest (without warrant), you were detained in the
county jail until Decker wished to talk or release you. NO attorney in Dallas County would dare
apply for a writ of habeas corpus to secure your release.
Well, to get back to my "minor" problem, I finally found someone to call Decker for a reference
and when he did Decker informed him that, "Mr. Craig had worked for me and I would not re-hire
him and that is all I've got to say about Mr. Craig." So.
...I had worked for the Sheriff for eight years and yet, without a reference, it was as though those
years had never existed. How do you explain this kind of situation to a prospective
employer?
After many more exhaustive interviews, I found a company, on February 1, 1968, which had
just opened a branch office in Dallas and was in BAD need of security guards to work in
department stores where they had new contracts. When I applied for the job I told them of my
background in law enforcement, leaving out the details of my separation with the Sheriff's Office.
I only showed them the watch I was wearing, which is inscribed: Roger D. Craig, First Place,
Sheriff's Department 1960. (The award was for Officer of the Year). They were impressed and
with a sigh of relief I was hired without the customary background check.
My first assignment was a department store in East Dallas, where I held the very important
position of keeping the shopping baskets out of the aisles. (Don't knock it--I was working 12
hours a day and making a whopping $1.60 per hour).
By this time my creditors were knocking on my door day and night. All of the furniture we had,
which was not much, we lost and then "along came Jones."
I had contacted Penn when I arrived back in Dallas and after I lost the car he let me use his 1955
Ford, which he wasn't driving, and I was back in business!
Because of the crowded quarters at Molly's parents, we began to search for an apartment. We
found many and were turned down every time. Some people said they did not want to rent to
families with children. Others would accept us and then when we were ready to move in, they
would say it was already rented and they had "forgotten." Finally, in mid-February we found a
couple on Tremont Street, who were not afraid to rent to us. Oh, they knew who I was but they
said it did not matter--they had kept up on the assassination.
Our only outlet for our tensions were the Sunday trips we made to the Penn Jones home in
Midlothian, Texas. During these visits I would try to bring Penn up to date on the latest from the
Dallas Police Department and Sheriff's Office. I was able to give him some help from time to
time because I could keep in touch with these offices through officers there who were still friendly
toward me. It was fun and relaxing to get together with Penn and his wife L.A., who is a delightful
person with a great sense of humor. The two of them made you feel as though the whole world
was right there.
On one of these visits Penn told me he was going to appear on the Joe Pyne show in Los
Angeles and asked if I would go with him. Needless to say, I owed Penn Jones much over the
previous months and if I would be an asset, I was certainly prepared to go, I told him. I got a
leave of absence from my employer, Penn made the arrangements and we were off to Los
Angeles.
The Los Angeles trip was a success as far as I was concerned, especially when we spoke to the
young people at UCLA. They were very concerned about the assassination and were kind to
Penn and me. The only disappointment came in the form of Otto Preminger, who was sitting in
for Joe Pyne that night. I think his statement to the audience speaks for itself. He said that he
believed whole-heartedly in the Warren Report and when I asked him if he had read the Warren
Report, he said "no"! After a week of appearances on television and radio my lungs were
beginning to give me trouble and I returned to Dallas with Mrs. Jones, while Penn went on to San
Francisco.
After a few weeks back on my important job of keeping the shopping carts in line I found that
at a dollar and sixty cents an hour I had too much month left at the end of the money. We were
behind on our rent and, oh well, back to the want ads. We found a couple who were looking for
someone to live in and care for their elderly mother, rent free. After all this time there was
something free? Getting settled did not take very long--with just a few clothes. This worked out
fairly well. I worked twelve hours a day and Molly did all of the washing, ironing, cooking and
cleaning--in addition to caring for Terry, Deanna and Roger Jr. (who had been staying previously
with his grandmother). Did I say free?
In the meantime Penn had returned from San Francisco and during a visit to our house he told
me he could get me a job in Midlothian working at an oil refinery and that the pay was $500.00
per month.
I hated to give up the prestige of my present position but money was money. I gave my
employer notice and on April 15, 1968 I started work at the refinery. This was not crude oil but
used motor oil--we re-re-processed it. The work was new to me and I had never re-refined used
motor oil before. I found that I was a little soft. I had to dump three thousand pounds (50 fifty-
pound bags) of clay into hot oil every morning and pump it back into the still which cooked it.
This whipped me into shape quite rapidly. I was not concerned with the physical work involved
for I knew that I had, a chance to support my family and that was what counted.
The work went smoothly until the second Thursday of May, 1968 when, while trying to start an
engine at the plant, I slipped and broke my arm--"good ole lady luck." I had my arm set and
missed one day of work. On Monday morning I returned to work, knowing I could not live on
workmen's compensation, which was about $40.00 per week. I painfully continued to work with
the arm in a cast for the next six weeks.
During this six week period my boss had offered to let me move into a house he owned in
Midlothian so that I would be closer to work. I took him up on the offer because I was driving
sixty miles each day to work and back and Molly was worried about me driving and working with
the broken arm and--again I was being followed. During this time a Dallas Sheriff's car stopped
me and asked where I was going. I had known this deputy for several years and there was no
reason for his behavior. Molly's health was getting worse. She had serious stomach disorders
and the strain of past events had not helped--so we moved. Now we were in Midlothian and I was
driving four miles to work and back.
During the time I was still driving back and forth from Dallas to Midlothian--or the job--I
noticed that I was being followed by a blue and white pick-up, occupied by a white male. One
day, after being followed by this truck for several days, as the truck was approaching the driver
stuck a revolver out the window and was about to fire, when another car pulled up behind me
and he withdrew the pistol.
My hours were never the same two days in a row but this man seemed to know the precise hour I
would leave work. Penn Jones and I tried to set a trap for this man but, apparently, he knew it
and got away. I never saw him after that.
It was six weeks since I had broken my arm and this was the day I was to have the cast taken
off. I felt good as it had been quite a burden. On that morning I reported for work and started
preparing the pumps and tanks for cooking the oil when lady luck smiled down on me once
again. I started to light the furnace and it blew up, burning my face and a good deal of hair and
my arms.
This was around the first of July, 1968. After the doctor treated me, he advised me that I would
have to wear the cast another two weeks because he was afraid that I would get an infection in
the burned area if the cast were removed. I do not want to leave the impression that my conflict
with the Dallas establishment was the direct cause of these accidents. However, had the door not
been closed to me in Dallas, I would not have had to turn to work with which I was not
familiar.
In August of 1968 (while living in Midlothian) I received a visit in the middle of the night from
a man in his fifties who said he was out of gas. I was already in bed and Molly was catching up
on some of my court records when this man came to the door. Molly told him I was in bed with a
sprained ankle and would not be able to help him. She directed him to the neighbors down the
road. He went straight to his car, which was parked beside our house, got in, started it right up
and drove off. Apparently, he was not out of gas but wanted us to know we could be found. This
was about the time Penn was printing some pretty hot editorials in his paper with information I
had supplied. I guess someone didn't like it.
I made some friends in Midlothian and was getting along fairly well. I had a job, a place to live
and was able to purchase a used car.
The City Council was taking applications for a city judge. After talking it over with Penn Jones
and some of my other friends, I went before the council for an interview, and, I must say, it was
somewhat of a surprise when they appointed me. The future was beginning to show some
promise. I continued the work at the refinery and pursued my new duties at city hall.
On August 5, 1968, Bill Seward, the only other employee at the refinery, was discussing a
better way to process the oil with Dale Foshee, the owner. They were going to try something new
in an attempt to obtain a better quality of oil. Dale purchased a new type of clay which would
absorb more waste from the used oil as it cooked. Neither of these men told me that this new
clay contained a substantial amount of some sort of acid. This meant that when I dumped it (the
clay) into the hot oil tank, as I did every morning, and did not wear any sort of breathing devise, I
inhaled a great deal of the dust from this new product.
Shortly after I started cooking the oil I noticed I was having trouble breathing. I did not pay
much attention to it and finished the day's work. That night the acid really got to me and I found
myself passing out. I tried lying my head right in the window to get enough air--but still could not.
Penn Jones came to the house and he and Molly rushed me to the hospital in Mansfield, Texas,
about ten miles from Midlothian. I stayed under an oxygen tent for two days. On the fourth day I
felt much better and was released from the hospital.
I had learned, about a week before going to the hospital, that the Justice of the Peace in
Midlothian was resigning and I was persuaded by friends to seek that position. I had talked with
the county commissioners before I went to the hospital and they made their final decision on the
day I came home from the hospital. I was sworn in as Justice of the Peace on August 8, 1968. I
would be an appointee until the November election. Now I was working at the refinery, holding
the position of City Judge and also Justice of the Peace. The city paid me $50.00 a month and
the Justice of the Peace position brought in about $50.00 a month. I was not getting rich but look
at it this way, I was the entire establishment in Midlothian!
The business for the city was very routine and went rather smoothly. However, the Justice Court
was another matter. I was having to correspond with the surrounding counties and they were all
cooperative, with one exception (you guessed it), Dallas County. Some warrants, citations and
subpoenas were sent to the Dallas County Sheriff for service. Needless to say, they were
returned "unable to locate"!
So the door was still closed to me in Dallas--even in matters of the law which these officials
were sworn to uphold. Now, also Decker knew where I was and it was not long before my
creditors, with whom I had been trying to make arrangements to pay a little to each month, had
obtained judgments against me in the Dallas courts and I had been served with the papers. Now
there was no hope of clearing my credit without paying everyone in full, which was impossible (I'll
bet his glass was really shining). The next few weeks I managed to avoid my contact with the
Good People of Dallas, hoping that they would forget about me--a fat chance!
In October 1968, my oldest son (Roger, Jr.) wasn't doing well in school and he decided to run
away from home. I was, of course, very concerned about him--he was only fourteen years old. I
contacted the Dallas Morning News to see if they would print his picture. I might have just as well
invaded Russia. My name was immediately connected with Jim Garrison and before I
[unfortunately, there is a gap here in the original manuscript between the bottom of page 52
and the top of page 53.]
coming up. This would not have been important except for the fact that being Justice of the
Peace served as a deterrent from harassment by certain people, whose names I need not
mention.
It was November and I still had been unable to find a house to rent. Midlothian was a very small
town and there were just no houses to rent. Anyway, the election was over and I had won by
twenty votes. No doubt, twenty people who did not read the paper or watch television. I
continued working at the gas station and living in my former employer's house. The election had
done at least one thing for me. Dale still wanted me to move but was not pressing as hard. The
days which followed were hard--we had rain and some sleet and working in this was beginning to
affect my health. Molly was ill and Deanna, who had suffered from chronic bronchitis since birth,
was not doing any better than we were.
December was on us before I knew it and Mr. Roberts, the owner, decided to retire from the gas
station. This meant, of course, that I was back on the street.
Continued in the next issue of Probable Cause...
The Assassination Of Lincoln by Elmer Gertz
On the evening of April 14, 1865, General and Mrs.
Ulysses S. Grant were to have accompanied President and
Mrs. Lincoln to Ford's Theatre in Washington, D.C., for
a performance of Our American Cousin. The President
himself had urged the great military hero to attend, and
the invitation had been qualifiedly accepted. The newspapers were notified, and advertisements
announced an
event that was certain to augment theatre attendance on
what was normally a bad night, Good Friday.
Quite suddenly, the Grants begged off attending the
theatre, excusing themselves by saying that it was necessary for them to return to their home in
Burlington, New Jersey, to see their children. Had the Grants remained in
Washington and gone to the theatre with the President and
his lady, the General's armed orderly and perhaps others
would have been on guard outside the presidential box,
and possibly inside it as well. Neither John Wilkes Booth
nor any other unauthorized or dangerous person could
then have got within range of the President. With so many
eyes on the hero of the day, it was unlikely that anyone
would attempt the life of the President or get away with it.
With the Grants elsewhere, the Lincolns had to make last-
minute, less satisfactory arrangements for the evening. The
result was disaster and martyrdom.
Students generally pass by this great "if" of history. In
every event there are imponderables, and it sometimes
seems the game of a child, not that of a scholar, to speculate
over them. Dr. Otto Eisenschiml was the great exception.
This enormously interesting man of the widest interests --
chemist, businessman, historian, musician, baseball fan,
and intellectual adventurer -- was deeply absorbed in all
aspects of the Civil War, initially because his father had
been a captain at the battle of Shiloh. Dr. Eisenschiml
probed deeply into the discourtesy of the Grants and found
that their withdrawal was not as simple as had been
assumed. With his usual thoroughness and imaginative
resourcefulness, he determined the manner in which the
Grants would have journeyed to Burlington. To do this, he
dug up old railroad timetables and found, to his bewilderment, that the Grants had gained only
discomfort by going at night. They had to travel in an ordinary coach and to
transfer twice at very bad hours. If they had taken the
morning train, they could have gone with the Lincolns to
the theatre and still have seen the children at Burlington
in the early afternoon. Surely the General, with all the
available information at his disposal, knew this. What was
the meaning of it?
Dr. Eisenschiml asked other questions as he delved
further. Who, during that night of April 14, 1865, had
tampered with the telegraph lines leading out of Washington, impeding communication when it
was most necessary? Why did Secretary of War Stanton, on the flimsiest of
excuses, refuse his Commander in Chief the company of
the extraordinarily strong and alert Major Eckert? Why,
instead, was an utterly incompetent and scatterbrained
bodyguard placed at the presidential box, a man who went
to a nearby saloon, leaving the box unguarded? Why was
this man not punished, or even closely questioned, for his
gross negligence?
"Perhaps the most serious reproach against historical writers," Dr. Eisenschiml concluded, "is not
that they have left such questions unanswered, but [that] they failed to ask them."
Dr. Eisenschiml did ask these and many other questions.
He devoted many years and much money to amazing research and provocative writing on the
subject. He did not rush into print to capture headlines or catch pennies. He
was patient, scholarly, objective,
