18-05-2011, 10:44 PM
First Reports out of Dallas, November 1963 ------------- =
1. FIRST REPORTS OUT OF DALLAS TAKEN FROM THE DALLAS TIMES HERALD, =
11/24/63 ...as police prepared to transfer Oswald...to the county jail =
on Sunday, they indicated there was little hope at that point of =
obtaining a confession of the President's murder. Another employee of =
the firm (TSBD) was interviewed at length Saturday after appearing =
voluntarily. Capt. W.P. Gannaway of the Police Department's Special =
Services Bureau said this man's name has been in the subversive files of =
the department since 1955. He was not jailed and police said he was not =
arrested. =
------------------------------------------------------------------- 2. =
FIRST REPORTS OUT OF DALLAS TAKEN FROM THE DALLAS TIMES HERALD, 11/23/63 =
Officer Tippit was shot TWICE by the fleeing man - who police said was =
Oswald - and who was arrested within less than an hour in an Oak Cliff =
theater. In the BACK of the President's head was a gaping hole in some =
respects simular to the head wound Lincoln suffered in the Ford Theater. =
Another bullet hole was in President Kennedy's neck, just below the =
adam's apple. When Dr. Clark first looked at the stricken President, he =
saw "a large gaping wound in the back of the head. There was loss of =
tissue." He indicated that he knew at that instant there was no hope. =
Wounds in the lower front portion of the neck and the right rear side of =
the head ended the life of President John F. Kennedy, say doctors at =
Parkland Hospital. Dr. Perry was busy with the wound in the President's =
neck. "It was a midline in the lower portion of the neck in the =
front.....Below the Adam's apple.....It was an entrance wound in the =
neck." Back at Parkland, two unidentified plainclothes officers were =
asking to be taken to Gov. Connally's room so they could recover the =
bullet slug. (SAY WHAT???!!! M.P.) Sheriff Decker's voice came on. =
"Notify my office to empty. Send everybody...." (This statement was not =
completed in this paper. M.P.) At 2:30 P.M., police announced their =
search of the Texas Book Depository Building was finished. Famed surgeon =
Dr. Robert R. Shaw, who previously had performed the first chest and =
heart surgery in Afghanistan, was the chief surgeon on Govt. Connally's =
case. ------------------------------------------------------------------ =
4. FIRST REPORTS OUT OF DALLAS TAKEN FROM THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS, =
11/25/63 The Justice Department announced in Washington that Assistant =
Atty. Gen. Jack Miller Jr., who heads its criminal division, was flying =
to Dallas to confer with U.S. District Attorney Barefoot Sanders. A =
spoksman refused to say whether the federal government considered the =
assassination case closed or whether there was a possibility others were =
involved. (This was found in the Early City or 3 star Edition. This note =
was dropped in all later editions of the paper. M.P.) Sheriff Bill =
Decker said officers "did everything humanly possible" to protect both =
President Kennedy and the man accused of assassinating him. "I don't =
think it would make a bit of difference if Oswald had been transferred =
at night," Decker said. "If someone is determined to commit murder, it's =
almost impossible to stop him." Officers said Rubenstein apparently =
mingled with reporters and photographers and, in this way, got a chance =
to shoot Oswald. Wade recalled he saw Rubenstein with reporters Friday =
night when they interviewed Oswald briefly. Rubenstein, who introduced =
himself to Wade, may have been plotting the slaying at that time. (This =
was found in the Early City or 3 star Edition. It was dropped in later =
editions of this paper. M.P.) Rubenstein, who was described as a man =
with a quick temper, is expected to plead temporary insanity. (Again, =
this was found in the Early City or 3 star Edition and was dropped in =
later editions. M.P.) In a telephone conversation with Homicide Capt. =
Will Fritz, Mrs. (Eva) Grant (Ruby's sister) said: "You know that no one =
else could have gotten in that building - but all the boys (policemen) =
knew Jack." Dallas detectives found two large wads of bills and silver =
when they searched his (Ruby's) apartment Sunday afternoon. One was in a =
closet and the other was found in a chest drawer. The amount was not =
disclosed. In an article written for the Associated Press by Dallas =
policeman M.N. McDonald and printed in this paper, he states: "I was =
cruising towards Oak Cliff, across the river (Trinity that splits Dallas =
almost in half). I got a call about 1:30 p.m. The radio dispatcher, G.D. =
Henslee, first told me to check the alleys. The next tip was that a guy =
that fitted the description they were giving was in a branch library out =
in Oak Cliff. This didn't take long to be a phoney. The next one said a =
man acting funny was holed up in the balcony of the Texas Theater. I =
headed that way in a hurry. The cashier at the picture show was the one =
who called in to say this guy was acting supicious and hidden out in the =
balcony." Hugh Aynesworth did a large article about Ruby killing Oswald. =
In later editions of this paper, the following quotes were added to his =
article: "Chief Curry noted he could have moved Oswald secretly 'in the =
dark of night,' but had promised reporters and photographers from =
throughout the free world that he would make the transfer during the =
day." "Police took precautions against any incident. Six armed policemen =
surrounded the cart and attendants as it was moved to the green =
ambulance." "One reporter said he heard the slayer add, "I did it for =
Jackie so she wouldn't have to go through all that...coming back here =
for the trial and everything." "But in Evansville, Ind., entertainer =
Bill Demar told the Associated Press he is positive Oswald was a patron =
in Rubenstein's night club nine days ago. Demar, who has a memory act, =
said Oswald was amoung those who called out an object for him to =
remember." =
------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. =
FIRST REPORTS OUT OF DALLAS TAKEN FROM THE DALLAS TIMES HERALD, 11/22/63 =
The motorcade had just turned into Houston Street from Main Street when =
a shot rang out. Pigeons flew up from the street. Then, two more shots =
rang out and Mr. Kennedy fell to the floor of the car. The shots seemed =
to come from the extension of Elm Street from just beyond the Texas =
Textbook Depository building at the corner of Elm and Houston Streets. =
Sgt. G.D. Henley, police dispatcher, directed ALL available police units =
to the downtown area near the western edge of downtown Dallas. Witnesses =
said six or seven shots were fired. The BURSTS were clearly heard. =
Reporters about five car lengths behind the chief executive heard what =
sounded like three BURSTS of gunfire. Fire equipment was rushed to the =
building from which the shots were believed to have been fired. Firemen =
roped off the area as SECRET SERVICE men (?) and city police swarmed =
through the building. Partolman W.E. Barker saw workers in the Texas =
School Book Depository pecking on a window from the third floor and =
pointing to a man wearing horn-rimmed glasses, a plaid coat and rain =
coat. The officer immediately arrested the man for =
questioning......Officers on the case would not explain what connection =
the man might have with the shooting nor would they identify him. =
------------------------------------------------------------------ 5. =
FIRST REPORTS OUT OF DALLAS TAKEN FROM THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 11/23/63 =
The President died in a sixth-floor surgery room at Parkland Hospital at =
1 p.m., about 40 minutes after the assassin had sent a Mauser 7.62 =
bullet smashing into his head....(** or two star edition paper). The =
President died in a sixth floor surgery room at Parkland Hospital at 1 =
p.m., about 40 minutes after the assassin had sent a Mauser 6.5 rifle =
bullet smashing into his head...(*** or three star edition paper). The =
assassin, firing from the sixth floor of the Texas School Book =
Depository Building near the Triple Underpass sent a Mauser 6.5 rifle =
bullet smashing into the President's head...(**** or four star edition =
paper). He (the assassin) fired at least three carefully measured shots =
into the car. (**) The original plans for President Kennedy's visit =
called for a fast ride from Dallas Love Field to a Trade Mart luncheon. =
Then Democratic leaders urged the President to ride in motorcade through =
Fort Worth and Dallas to give more voters a chance to see him. Jack C. =
Cason, president of the depository, said the sixth floor was used soley =
as a "dead storage" area. It was stacked about eight feet high with =
books. Cason, who left the scene about 30 minutes before the president's =
caravan rode down Main Street, said the firm often had difficulty =
finding employes who had fallen asleep amidst the stacks of books. =
"Somethimes it will be three or four days without anybody going up to =
the sixth floor to get anything," Cason said. He said the "dead storage" =
area was used to keep books already stocked in the basement and on the =
second and fourth floors. Only when they ran out of copies there does =
anybody generally go to the sixth floor. Cason said the killer was =
apparently "well aware" of the building's layout because there was no =
elevator that goes up to the sixth floor from the front entrance. He =
would have had to get off the elevator on the fourth floor, walk to the =
back of the building and get the stairs or one of the two freight =
elevators on the sixth. They (the local police) arrested several =
persons, amoung them a Fort Worth man who was said to be driving a car =
linked with the slayer. Dealey Plaza and assassination witness Mary E. =
Woodward stated: "...After acknowledging our cheers, he (JFK) faced =
forward again and suddenly there was a horrible, ear-shattering noise =
coming from behind us and a little to the right. My first reaction, and =
also my friends', (Maggie Brown, Aurelia Alonzo and Ann Donaldson) was =
that it was a joke, someone had backfired their car. Apparently the =
driver and occupants of the President's car had the same impression, =
because instead of speeding up, the car came almost to a halt. Things =
are a little hazy from this point, but I don't believe anyone was hit =
with the first bullet. The President and Mrs. Kennedy turned and looked =
around, as if they, too, didn't believe the noise was really coming from =
a gun. Then after a moment's pause there was another shot and I saw the =
President start slumping in the car. This was followed rapidly by =
another shot. Mrs. Kennedy stood up in the car, turned half-way around, =
then fell on top of her husband's body.....Next to us were two Negro =
women. One collapsed in the other's arms, weeping and uttering what =
everyone was thinking: 'THEY shot him'." "THEY'VE shot him...THEY'VE =
shot the President," screamed a middle-aged man holding the hand of a =
small boy. Dozens of people thought the reports from the killer's muzzle =
were just firecrackers. A FEW pointed towards the textbook building. BUT =
MOST ran to the west side of the building thinking the shots came from =
behind the bushes and a fence dividing the street from a railroad yard. =
Deputy Police Chief George Lumpkin used scores of firemen and policemen =
in a systematic search of the building. An officer entered and told the =
lawmen that a policeman, J.D. Tippit, had just been killed. No details. =
An employe of the textbook firm walked up: "I don't know if you're =
interested in this...but one of the fellows who works here is gone. =
Can't find him anywhere." Mrs. John Connally told the governor's =
administrative aide Julian Read Friday she believes the assassin's first =
bullet struck President Kennedy." =
------------------------------------------------------------------ 6. =
FIRST REPORTS OUT OF DALLAS TAKEN FROM THE FORT WORTH STAR TELEGRAM, =
11/24/63 A paraffin test showed positive results on both the hands and =
cheek of the 24-year-old ex-Marine. This, officers said, showed that the =
man had fired a gun, probably a rifle. Joe Rodriguez Molina, a co-worker =
of Oswald's, was given a lie detector test and was being questioned. His =
home was also searched. As evidence mounted Saturday night, information =
from a Dallas couple placed Oswald at the intersection of the building =
used by the assassin a short time after the fatal shots were fired. Leon =
Stanfield and his wife, Diane, who had heard an early radio report of =
the shooting, told police they stopped their car for a red light at the =
intersection and asked a young man they later identified as Oswald: "Is =
the President dead?" Mrs. Stanfield said the man replied, "No, he's =
going to wait and let us hang him." Oswald was on the Federal Bureau of =
Investigation's list as a suspected subversive. Police here said the FBI =
knew Oswald was in Dallas working in a building that fronted the =
President's motorcade route. A spokesman for the FBI in Washington, =
however, denied Saturday that the FBI had questioned Oswald or had him =
under surveillance at any time in recent months. =
------------------------------------------------------------------ 7. =
FIRST REPORTS OUT OF DALLAS TAKEN FROM THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 11/24/63 =
A fingerprint expert has obtained evidence which allegegdly links Lee =
Harvey Oswald with the assassination of President Kennedy. (No name to =
this expert or what the fingerprint was found on. M.P.) "We've got a =
print that matches Oswald's," one investigator said. (Again, no name or =
location of where this print was found. M.P.) They (investigators) said =
that three spent shells found near the officer's body (Tippit) matched =
those in the revolver which Oswald carried in the near-by Texas Theater. =
Fritz said a bus transfer slip confirms Oswald's admission that he drove =
from the area where President Kennedy was shot to Oak Cliff, where =
Officer Tippit was slain, in a bus and a taxi. (There had been VARIOUS =
reports that a man fitting Oswald's discription was seen entering a =
station wagon.) "The witness said Tippit pulled his car over to the curb =
and there was a conversation between Tippit and the murderer," Wade =
said. "Tippit got out of his car and started towards the murderer who =
pulled his pistol and fired three shots into Tippit's body. He then =
ejected the cartridge hulls, reloaded his revolver and fled." The Texas =
School Book Depository is privately owned by Jack C. Cason and O.V. =
Truly. Oswald was classified as a part-time employe - a handy man - and =
earned $1.25 a hour, Cason said. Truly (R.S., the superintendent of the =
TSBD) said he saw Oswald about the building Friday prior to the shooting =
and said there was "no indication of nerviousness." The next time he saw =
Oswald was right after the shooting when he and a Dallas policeman =
started a check of the building. "The policeman threw a gun into =
Oswald's stomach and asked me if Oswald belonged there. I told him 'yes' =
and we both went on up the stairs for a check on the other floors. =
Oswald looked a bit startled - just as you or I would if someone =
suddenly threw a gun on you - but he didn't appear too nervious nor =
panicky." Truly aid he placed "no significance" on Oswald's presence =
there "until later when we found him missing and I reported it." The =
building was built in 1903 and is owned by the D. Harold Byrd =
Associates. The school depository firm moved in in 1960 and took a 15 =
year-lease. It was previously occupied by a wholesale grocery firm. =
Cason said they remodled most of the building, except the sixth floor =
where Oswald allegedly stalked his victim. On the first floor is the =
general shipping area and the second is the company's administrative =
offices. The third and fourth floors are occupied by publishers' =
manufacturing representatives. The fifth floor and basement are used for =
filling book orders. Cason said the sixth floor is seldom used. He said =
an employe might go up there two or three times a week. There are two =
freight elevators that go to the sixth floor, but a passenger elevator =
only reaches the fourth floor. Lee Harvey Oswald, charged with murdering =
President Kennedy, was interviewed by the FBI here six days before the =
Friday assassination. But word of the interview with the former defector =
to Russia was not conveyed to the U.S. Secret Service and Dallas police, =
reliable soures told The Dallas Morning News Saturday. However, in =
Washington, a spokesman for the FBI said it was "incorrect" that the FBI =
had questioned Oswald or had him under surveillance at any time in =
resent months, the Associated Press reported. The interview reportedly =
was held Nov. 16 - at a time when the Secret Service and police =
officials were coordinating security plans for the President's ill-fated =
Dallas visit. These sources said the Oswald interview added more data to =
an already "thick file" the FBI has on the 24-year old avowed Marxist =
who defected to Russia in 1959 and returned in 1962. In retracting his =
earlier statement about the FBI interview, Curry told gathered =
reporters: "I do not want to accuse the FBI of withholding information. =
They have no obligation to help us." In an article printed in the Early =
City Edition from the North American Newspaper Alliance, written by =
Priscilla Johnson on her interview with Oswald in Moscow, she states: =
"He had no friends in Russia and he didn't speak a word of the =
language." =
------------------------------------------------------------------ 8. =
FIRST REPORTS OUT OF DALLAS TAKEN FROM THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 11/28/63 =
Here are more tidbits from an article Oswald Planned to Ride by Scene, =
taken from the Dallas Morning News, 11/28/63. Again, the earliest =
reports are the most accurate. All EMPHASES are my own. (Up till now =
this story tells of Oswald's escape from the TSBD, the Tippit killing =
and him fleeing from the scene. I pick it up at this point. M.P.) Oswald =
was reported in a used furniture store that occupies a tall, =
weather-beaten green frame building at 413 E. Jefferson. About the same =
time, spectators at a service station further west up the street saw him =
run into a vacant lot, where police say the killer discarded his newly =
acquired jacket and three pistol shells. (This makes ya wonder just how =
many shell where found. If three were found here and the Davis sisters =
found two and so did Benavides, that makes Oswald carrying a =
seven-shooter. M.P.) Then followed a chase in and out of alleyways in =
the Jefferson - Beckley - Cumberland - Zang area. About 1:45 p.m. Julie =
Postal, cashier at the Texas Theater at 231 W. Jefferson saw a hurrying =
stranger rush past her into the theater. TO THIS DAY, SHE CAN'T RECALL =
WHETHER OR NOT HE BOUGHT A TICKET. "I was so upset listening to the =
radio about the President and all," she said. (Brewer rushed up, Postal =
called the police and the story continues): The cashier immediately =
called police - who had just sped en masse to a false alarm at the =
Dallas Library branch on Jefferson, further to the east. The police =
sirens wailed again. Oddly enough, it was at th
------=_NextPart_000_002E_01C7AAFF.20C0FF10
1. FIRST REPORTS OUT OF DALLAS TAKEN FROM THE DALLAS TIMES HERALD, =
11/24/63 ...as police prepared to transfer Oswald...to the county jail =
on Sunday, they indicated there was little hope at that point of =
obtaining a confession of the President's murder. Another employee of =
the firm (TSBD) was interviewed at length Saturday after appearing =
voluntarily. Capt. W.P. Gannaway of the Police Department's Special =
Services Bureau said this man's name has been in the subversive files of =
the department since 1955. He was not jailed and police said he was not =
arrested. =
------------------------------------------------------------------- 2. =
FIRST REPORTS OUT OF DALLAS TAKEN FROM THE DALLAS TIMES HERALD, 11/23/63 =
Officer Tippit was shot TWICE by the fleeing man - who police said was =
Oswald - and who was arrested within less than an hour in an Oak Cliff =
theater. In the BACK of the President's head was a gaping hole in some =
respects simular to the head wound Lincoln suffered in the Ford Theater. =
Another bullet hole was in President Kennedy's neck, just below the =
adam's apple. When Dr. Clark first looked at the stricken President, he =
saw "a large gaping wound in the back of the head. There was loss of =
tissue." He indicated that he knew at that instant there was no hope. =
Wounds in the lower front portion of the neck and the right rear side of =
the head ended the life of President John F. Kennedy, say doctors at =
Parkland Hospital. Dr. Perry was busy with the wound in the President's =
neck. "It was a midline in the lower portion of the neck in the =
front.....Below the Adam's apple.....It was an entrance wound in the =
neck." Back at Parkland, two unidentified plainclothes officers were =
asking to be taken to Gov. Connally's room so they could recover the =
bullet slug. (SAY WHAT???!!! M.P.) Sheriff Decker's voice came on. =
"Notify my office to empty. Send everybody...." (This statement was not =
completed in this paper. M.P.) At 2:30 P.M., police announced their =
search of the Texas Book Depository Building was finished. Famed surgeon =
Dr. Robert R. Shaw, who previously had performed the first chest and =
heart surgery in Afghanistan, was the chief surgeon on Govt. Connally's =
case. ------------------------------------------------------------------ =
4. FIRST REPORTS OUT OF DALLAS TAKEN FROM THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS, =
11/25/63 The Justice Department announced in Washington that Assistant =
Atty. Gen. Jack Miller Jr., who heads its criminal division, was flying =
to Dallas to confer with U.S. District Attorney Barefoot Sanders. A =
spoksman refused to say whether the federal government considered the =
assassination case closed or whether there was a possibility others were =
involved. (This was found in the Early City or 3 star Edition. This note =
was dropped in all later editions of the paper. M.P.) Sheriff Bill =
Decker said officers "did everything humanly possible" to protect both =
President Kennedy and the man accused of assassinating him. "I don't =
think it would make a bit of difference if Oswald had been transferred =
at night," Decker said. "If someone is determined to commit murder, it's =
almost impossible to stop him." Officers said Rubenstein apparently =
mingled with reporters and photographers and, in this way, got a chance =
to shoot Oswald. Wade recalled he saw Rubenstein with reporters Friday =
night when they interviewed Oswald briefly. Rubenstein, who introduced =
himself to Wade, may have been plotting the slaying at that time. (This =
was found in the Early City or 3 star Edition. It was dropped in later =
editions of this paper. M.P.) Rubenstein, who was described as a man =
with a quick temper, is expected to plead temporary insanity. (Again, =
this was found in the Early City or 3 star Edition and was dropped in =
later editions. M.P.) In a telephone conversation with Homicide Capt. =
Will Fritz, Mrs. (Eva) Grant (Ruby's sister) said: "You know that no one =
else could have gotten in that building - but all the boys (policemen) =
knew Jack." Dallas detectives found two large wads of bills and silver =
when they searched his (Ruby's) apartment Sunday afternoon. One was in a =
closet and the other was found in a chest drawer. The amount was not =
disclosed. In an article written for the Associated Press by Dallas =
policeman M.N. McDonald and printed in this paper, he states: "I was =
cruising towards Oak Cliff, across the river (Trinity that splits Dallas =
almost in half). I got a call about 1:30 p.m. The radio dispatcher, G.D. =
Henslee, first told me to check the alleys. The next tip was that a guy =
that fitted the description they were giving was in a branch library out =
in Oak Cliff. This didn't take long to be a phoney. The next one said a =
man acting funny was holed up in the balcony of the Texas Theater. I =
headed that way in a hurry. The cashier at the picture show was the one =
who called in to say this guy was acting supicious and hidden out in the =
balcony." Hugh Aynesworth did a large article about Ruby killing Oswald. =
In later editions of this paper, the following quotes were added to his =
article: "Chief Curry noted he could have moved Oswald secretly 'in the =
dark of night,' but had promised reporters and photographers from =
throughout the free world that he would make the transfer during the =
day." "Police took precautions against any incident. Six armed policemen =
surrounded the cart and attendants as it was moved to the green =
ambulance." "One reporter said he heard the slayer add, "I did it for =
Jackie so she wouldn't have to go through all that...coming back here =
for the trial and everything." "But in Evansville, Ind., entertainer =
Bill Demar told the Associated Press he is positive Oswald was a patron =
in Rubenstein's night club nine days ago. Demar, who has a memory act, =
said Oswald was amoung those who called out an object for him to =
remember." =
------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. =
FIRST REPORTS OUT OF DALLAS TAKEN FROM THE DALLAS TIMES HERALD, 11/22/63 =
The motorcade had just turned into Houston Street from Main Street when =
a shot rang out. Pigeons flew up from the street. Then, two more shots =
rang out and Mr. Kennedy fell to the floor of the car. The shots seemed =
to come from the extension of Elm Street from just beyond the Texas =
Textbook Depository building at the corner of Elm and Houston Streets. =
Sgt. G.D. Henley, police dispatcher, directed ALL available police units =
to the downtown area near the western edge of downtown Dallas. Witnesses =
said six or seven shots were fired. The BURSTS were clearly heard. =
Reporters about five car lengths behind the chief executive heard what =
sounded like three BURSTS of gunfire. Fire equipment was rushed to the =
building from which the shots were believed to have been fired. Firemen =
roped off the area as SECRET SERVICE men (?) and city police swarmed =
through the building. Partolman W.E. Barker saw workers in the Texas =
School Book Depository pecking on a window from the third floor and =
pointing to a man wearing horn-rimmed glasses, a plaid coat and rain =
coat. The officer immediately arrested the man for =
questioning......Officers on the case would not explain what connection =
the man might have with the shooting nor would they identify him. =
------------------------------------------------------------------ 5. =
FIRST REPORTS OUT OF DALLAS TAKEN FROM THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 11/23/63 =
The President died in a sixth-floor surgery room at Parkland Hospital at =
1 p.m., about 40 minutes after the assassin had sent a Mauser 7.62 =
bullet smashing into his head....(** or two star edition paper). The =
President died in a sixth floor surgery room at Parkland Hospital at 1 =
p.m., about 40 minutes after the assassin had sent a Mauser 6.5 rifle =
bullet smashing into his head...(*** or three star edition paper). The =
assassin, firing from the sixth floor of the Texas School Book =
Depository Building near the Triple Underpass sent a Mauser 6.5 rifle =
bullet smashing into the President's head...(**** or four star edition =
paper). He (the assassin) fired at least three carefully measured shots =
into the car. (**) The original plans for President Kennedy's visit =
called for a fast ride from Dallas Love Field to a Trade Mart luncheon. =
Then Democratic leaders urged the President to ride in motorcade through =
Fort Worth and Dallas to give more voters a chance to see him. Jack C. =
Cason, president of the depository, said the sixth floor was used soley =
as a "dead storage" area. It was stacked about eight feet high with =
books. Cason, who left the scene about 30 minutes before the president's =
caravan rode down Main Street, said the firm often had difficulty =
finding employes who had fallen asleep amidst the stacks of books. =
"Somethimes it will be three or four days without anybody going up to =
the sixth floor to get anything," Cason said. He said the "dead storage" =
area was used to keep books already stocked in the basement and on the =
second and fourth floors. Only when they ran out of copies there does =
anybody generally go to the sixth floor. Cason said the killer was =
apparently "well aware" of the building's layout because there was no =
elevator that goes up to the sixth floor from the front entrance. He =
would have had to get off the elevator on the fourth floor, walk to the =
back of the building and get the stairs or one of the two freight =
elevators on the sixth. They (the local police) arrested several =
persons, amoung them a Fort Worth man who was said to be driving a car =
linked with the slayer. Dealey Plaza and assassination witness Mary E. =
Woodward stated: "...After acknowledging our cheers, he (JFK) faced =
forward again and suddenly there was a horrible, ear-shattering noise =
coming from behind us and a little to the right. My first reaction, and =
also my friends', (Maggie Brown, Aurelia Alonzo and Ann Donaldson) was =
that it was a joke, someone had backfired their car. Apparently the =
driver and occupants of the President's car had the same impression, =
because instead of speeding up, the car came almost to a halt. Things =
are a little hazy from this point, but I don't believe anyone was hit =
with the first bullet. The President and Mrs. Kennedy turned and looked =
around, as if they, too, didn't believe the noise was really coming from =
a gun. Then after a moment's pause there was another shot and I saw the =
President start slumping in the car. This was followed rapidly by =
another shot. Mrs. Kennedy stood up in the car, turned half-way around, =
then fell on top of her husband's body.....Next to us were two Negro =
women. One collapsed in the other's arms, weeping and uttering what =
everyone was thinking: 'THEY shot him'." "THEY'VE shot him...THEY'VE =
shot the President," screamed a middle-aged man holding the hand of a =
small boy. Dozens of people thought the reports from the killer's muzzle =
were just firecrackers. A FEW pointed towards the textbook building. BUT =
MOST ran to the west side of the building thinking the shots came from =
behind the bushes and a fence dividing the street from a railroad yard. =
Deputy Police Chief George Lumpkin used scores of firemen and policemen =
in a systematic search of the building. An officer entered and told the =
lawmen that a policeman, J.D. Tippit, had just been killed. No details. =
An employe of the textbook firm walked up: "I don't know if you're =
interested in this...but one of the fellows who works here is gone. =
Can't find him anywhere." Mrs. John Connally told the governor's =
administrative aide Julian Read Friday she believes the assassin's first =
bullet struck President Kennedy." =
------------------------------------------------------------------ 6. =
FIRST REPORTS OUT OF DALLAS TAKEN FROM THE FORT WORTH STAR TELEGRAM, =
11/24/63 A paraffin test showed positive results on both the hands and =
cheek of the 24-year-old ex-Marine. This, officers said, showed that the =
man had fired a gun, probably a rifle. Joe Rodriguez Molina, a co-worker =
of Oswald's, was given a lie detector test and was being questioned. His =
home was also searched. As evidence mounted Saturday night, information =
from a Dallas couple placed Oswald at the intersection of the building =
used by the assassin a short time after the fatal shots were fired. Leon =
Stanfield and his wife, Diane, who had heard an early radio report of =
the shooting, told police they stopped their car for a red light at the =
intersection and asked a young man they later identified as Oswald: "Is =
the President dead?" Mrs. Stanfield said the man replied, "No, he's =
going to wait and let us hang him." Oswald was on the Federal Bureau of =
Investigation's list as a suspected subversive. Police here said the FBI =
knew Oswald was in Dallas working in a building that fronted the =
President's motorcade route. A spokesman for the FBI in Washington, =
however, denied Saturday that the FBI had questioned Oswald or had him =
under surveillance at any time in recent months. =
------------------------------------------------------------------ 7. =
FIRST REPORTS OUT OF DALLAS TAKEN FROM THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 11/24/63 =
A fingerprint expert has obtained evidence which allegegdly links Lee =
Harvey Oswald with the assassination of President Kennedy. (No name to =
this expert or what the fingerprint was found on. M.P.) "We've got a =
print that matches Oswald's," one investigator said. (Again, no name or =
location of where this print was found. M.P.) They (investigators) said =
that three spent shells found near the officer's body (Tippit) matched =
those in the revolver which Oswald carried in the near-by Texas Theater. =
Fritz said a bus transfer slip confirms Oswald's admission that he drove =
from the area where President Kennedy was shot to Oak Cliff, where =
Officer Tippit was slain, in a bus and a taxi. (There had been VARIOUS =
reports that a man fitting Oswald's discription was seen entering a =
station wagon.) "The witness said Tippit pulled his car over to the curb =
and there was a conversation between Tippit and the murderer," Wade =
said. "Tippit got out of his car and started towards the murderer who =
pulled his pistol and fired three shots into Tippit's body. He then =
ejected the cartridge hulls, reloaded his revolver and fled." The Texas =
School Book Depository is privately owned by Jack C. Cason and O.V. =
Truly. Oswald was classified as a part-time employe - a handy man - and =
earned $1.25 a hour, Cason said. Truly (R.S., the superintendent of the =
TSBD) said he saw Oswald about the building Friday prior to the shooting =
and said there was "no indication of nerviousness." The next time he saw =
Oswald was right after the shooting when he and a Dallas policeman =
started a check of the building. "The policeman threw a gun into =
Oswald's stomach and asked me if Oswald belonged there. I told him 'yes' =
and we both went on up the stairs for a check on the other floors. =
Oswald looked a bit startled - just as you or I would if someone =
suddenly threw a gun on you - but he didn't appear too nervious nor =
panicky." Truly aid he placed "no significance" on Oswald's presence =
there "until later when we found him missing and I reported it." The =
building was built in 1903 and is owned by the D. Harold Byrd =
Associates. The school depository firm moved in in 1960 and took a 15 =
year-lease. It was previously occupied by a wholesale grocery firm. =
Cason said they remodled most of the building, except the sixth floor =
where Oswald allegedly stalked his victim. On the first floor is the =
general shipping area and the second is the company's administrative =
offices. The third and fourth floors are occupied by publishers' =
manufacturing representatives. The fifth floor and basement are used for =
filling book orders. Cason said the sixth floor is seldom used. He said =
an employe might go up there two or three times a week. There are two =
freight elevators that go to the sixth floor, but a passenger elevator =
only reaches the fourth floor. Lee Harvey Oswald, charged with murdering =
President Kennedy, was interviewed by the FBI here six days before the =
Friday assassination. But word of the interview with the former defector =
to Russia was not conveyed to the U.S. Secret Service and Dallas police, =
reliable soures told The Dallas Morning News Saturday. However, in =
Washington, a spokesman for the FBI said it was "incorrect" that the FBI =
had questioned Oswald or had him under surveillance at any time in =
resent months, the Associated Press reported. The interview reportedly =
was held Nov. 16 - at a time when the Secret Service and police =
officials were coordinating security plans for the President's ill-fated =
Dallas visit. These sources said the Oswald interview added more data to =
an already "thick file" the FBI has on the 24-year old avowed Marxist =
who defected to Russia in 1959 and returned in 1962. In retracting his =
earlier statement about the FBI interview, Curry told gathered =
reporters: "I do not want to accuse the FBI of withholding information. =
They have no obligation to help us." In an article printed in the Early =
City Edition from the North American Newspaper Alliance, written by =
Priscilla Johnson on her interview with Oswald in Moscow, she states: =
"He had no friends in Russia and he didn't speak a word of the =
language." =
------------------------------------------------------------------ 8. =
FIRST REPORTS OUT OF DALLAS TAKEN FROM THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 11/28/63 =
Here are more tidbits from an article Oswald Planned to Ride by Scene, =
taken from the Dallas Morning News, 11/28/63. Again, the earliest =
reports are the most accurate. All EMPHASES are my own. (Up till now =
this story tells of Oswald's escape from the TSBD, the Tippit killing =
and him fleeing from the scene. I pick it up at this point. M.P.) Oswald =
was reported in a used furniture store that occupies a tall, =
weather-beaten green frame building at 413 E. Jefferson. About the same =
time, spectators at a service station further west up the street saw him =
run into a vacant lot, where police say the killer discarded his newly =
acquired jacket and three pistol shells. (This makes ya wonder just how =
many shell where found. If three were found here and the Davis sisters =
found two and so did Benavides, that makes Oswald carrying a =
seven-shooter. M.P.) Then followed a chase in and out of alleyways in =
the Jefferson - Beckley - Cumberland - Zang area. About 1:45 p.m. Julie =
Postal, cashier at the Texas Theater at 231 W. Jefferson saw a hurrying =
stranger rush past her into the theater. TO THIS DAY, SHE CAN'T RECALL =
WHETHER OR NOT HE BOUGHT A TICKET. "I was so upset listening to the =
radio about the President and all," she said. (Brewer rushed up, Postal =
called the police and the story continues): The cashier immediately =
called police - who had just sped en masse to a false alarm at the =
Dallas Library branch on Jefferson, further to the east. The police =
sirens wailed again. Oddly enough, it was at th
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