Patrolman Roger Craig Dealey Plaza Witness

8/13/2019 Patrolman Roger Craig Dealey Plaza Witness

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REPlODUCED AI -THE KATIONAL AlCBIVES

kno l l and ~ e a a i d •That sounds l i k e

JUt. · DYMOHD • · r

. .I ob jec t . Your Honor.

You c a n t say what be sa id , Mr. c ra i g .

BY MR. ALCOCX1

As a r e a u l t o f t h i s te lephone conversa t ion d i d

you have occas ion to v i e v anyone?

Yes, a i r , X ve n t to Pol ice Headquar ters .

Did you recogni s • anyone a t Po l i ce Headquar te rs?

Yes,- a i ~ i n Capta in P r i t z 1 s o f f i ce _ he sameA - ... -.... • • • • ' •. .. • •~ . c ,' \. ' .. 4 • :

,. ;,· . man· t h a t , l: . had s e e ~ running · o ~ th e ·-.· : ..· .. . ... - ..... . ..:; i # . • . . . • • ·- ':

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Q ·: : ria £n ' cap ta in P r i t z . s Offic::e at t he t ime

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y a a w t h e i nd iv idua l?

There were two aen i n the o f f i c e . The one

s e a t i n g t o the left a s l: waLked in l:

d i d n t · knov, and be vaa i n a bus iness s u i t

v i t h a whi te -Ste t son h a t and I aaau:aed . he

· -vas one o f Captain P r i t s a men and t h e

.. _· _ o t h e r •an v a • Lee Harvey oswald.

11ow · r ali-ow you Yha.,t has been aarl ted .for,. f _. •.. .. ... .

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l:· • purpo•• o f id en t i f i c a t i o n aa ' S ta-tet· f

E xh i b i t 1 and X aak you if y o ~ rec::oCJnise' '

, -DIETRICH & PICKB'l'l', Inc.- •._ ' - • l •

CTENOTYPB J.EPOI..TBI..S N ATIONAL BA.NIC OP COMMEII.CB BLDG.

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REPlODUCED AT THE NATIONAL .AJ.CHIVES

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in th iS p ic tu re? ·

c a p t a i n P r i t z s Off ice .

:rs t h i s -the-man you saw r llnning down the s lope?

Yes, it i s . ·

The one t h a t got in t he s t a t i o n wagon?

And who is the i nd iv idua l depic t ed in t h i s

p i c t u r e ?

Lee Harvey Oswald.

Did you have occas ion to qo i n to capta in . P r i t z s

O f f i c e at t he t ime Lee Harvey Oswald v a s

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·•-;_:,.. l<. 14 . · A . ~ . ; , : ; ; Y Bi s i ~ S . olpta i l i · P:d tz , showed Ia ' i n t o h i s

15 o f f i c e Where the two ge n t l e. . were sit

16 t i n g ~17 Q Did you have occas ion to conf ron t o r speak to

18 Lee Harvey oswald on t h i s occas ion?

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19 A X did no t . cap ta in P r i t z d id .

20 Q Were you t h e r e Vben he aade any responses to

21 anyth ing c a p ta in F r i t z asked him? ·

22 A Yes. :t . .

23, Q What dicf· he say?

24 A Capta in F r i t s . t h i s . an vas ~25 MR. DYJIOBD 1

DIETRICH & PICKETI, Inc. STENOTYPE 1\EPORTERS • NATIONAL BANIC oP coMMERC. BLDG .



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lEPlODUCED AT tilE NATIODL AICRIVES

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X ob jec t to what cap ta in F r i t s aa i4 .

TBB C O U R ~ 1 t •

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··.You cim • t s ~ y what . <:aptal. n P r i t z s a i d bu t

j u s t what Lee~ y

Oswald s a i d .

TBB WI' 'liESS t

I aade an i d e n t i f i c a t i o n o ~ Lee Harvey

'aswald aa t he same man .1 saw running

down t he g rassy kno l l .

BY Mll. ALCOClts

Q What if anything did he say?

He s a i d •x t o l 4 you people X d i d . •

' .. : KR ·DYMOlfD s

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· What?-·

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,.BB, Jq:TBESSs

•r t o ld you peoplei

d i d . •IBY MR. ALCOCKi .

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Did he say anyth inq e l s a ?

Yea.

What vaa t h a t ? .

x can ··t t e a t.i f y i n. n...,.r to Captain · P r i t z • s

comment• c a us e it va s in response

I aa a f r a i d you c a n t CJive us what cap ta in

ftirts sa id . • i a ~ M t ha t would be he a r·aay .

bu t What if any th ing d i d Lee Harvey

Oswald re •po n 4 t ~ t he q ue s t i o n o ~DIETRICH & PICKEIT, Inc . . STBNOTYPB llEPOB.TEJlS • NATIONAL BANK 01' cowi.a:aa mro.

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. . o ~ C a p t a i ~ r r i t ~He s a i d t h a t th e · . , ta t ion wagon belonged t o

3 Mr.-.. Pa ine .. bu t •non • t t y to drag h e r

'4 in th i s . , .·.-:. ·

Q Did he make any o t h e r reaponsea?

6 A He l eaned back in h i s c h a i r and s a id •zverybody

7 vill knov who X am nov . •

8 Q Did you hea r h i • say any th ing e l s e on t h i s

9 occas ion?

1 A No, a i r . X did no t .

I I Q Hov l ong d i d you _s t a y in the o f f i c e ?

12 A Approximately teft minutes...•

t 13 Q : Did you have occas ion to s e e Lee Harvey Oswald

14 a t · any t ime -subsequent to th i s?

15 A · Not in pe rson .

16 Q lfov O f f i c e r c ra ig . a f t e r observing t h i • i n c i d e n t

where in you 4eac r ibed Lee Harvey Oswald

18 g e t t i n g in a s t a t i o n wagon. d id you have

19 u y t h i n g • l ae , . o r do anyth ing l • t

20 Dealey Plaza be fo re qoing to t h •·It ;;-

2 1 S h e r i ff • Off i c e ?

>22 A Yea, a i r , X ven t to t he School Book Depos i to ry .

· ~ · · ~ . . .v e n t to t he ~ p o s i t o r y and asked f o r- : t ' . : r -, • . ·

23

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anYone who v ~ connec ted with t he4

25 inveatiCJ tion · ao X eoalcl turll a y

DIETRICH 8c PICKEIT , Inc. • ST\ NOTYPB llEPOB.TEU • ~ T I O N BAm: OP COMldn.CB BLDG•

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..: • · r • . • • • ..... ' · ' = ~ : - - - ~ • .; ... - :· . i n ~ o . r a a ~ i o n 'over to thea • . - ·.: .' '·; .· . --·. - 8

2 Did you tu ra your .inforaat: ion over to anyone?

3 :t . did . ' .:...

4 Q. And subsequent t o t h a ~ v b a t if anythinq d i d you

5 do in connection with the inveat iqat ion

6 at the Depository?

7 A I vent f roa the re to the aix th f loor to he lp in

8 the search.

9 Q While you were on the a ix th f loor and in your

10 presence va• any r i f l e found?

11 A Yea.

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Q . And d i d you persona l ly f ind the r i f l e?_ '· · ~ - . . · ~ : : · . : .2.:-.: ~ . 0 . •

> · ; . ; ; lfo -p:. a i r·{,:: :I : i n o ~ .. b u t- L: vaa· about e igh t fee t: , "; ": : : ... , .. . :. . ., .·. . _ -

~ - : ~ < : : · - : . : .. f roa •: the :- q a n t : l e a a n that( found it• .. f •

\ t 4 • · ---- •

15 Q Did you · evar qa t c loae r to the qentleaan hold-

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-.inq the r i f l e ? · '

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-7 A

18 Q Approxiaately bow. far? ·..

19 A About one foot o r one and a ha l f foot . I was..• 20

ia tandil&CJ .next to hiJII •

21 Q Do you r eea l l the man vbo vaa there?

22 .l IO". - ••• an l :D man .fro• the Dal.laa Poliett- -~ ~ : t . ..;.· .. . 23 . · t : > e P a : r b a e n t . l l o V . Y e r . b e di.4 not:- f ind ' t h e

r i i l e . Euqefte ·Boone •. a Deputy S h e r i f ~ ... .. . ...

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25 he found the r i f l e .

DIETRICH c PICKETT, Inc.. . STENOTYPB llBPOa.TEB.S· • NAnO NA.L BANK oP COMMEllCs BLDG.

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-REPIODUCED AT THE KATIONAL AICBIVES\

.. -An i d e n t i f i e a t i o n : • a n from t he Dal laa Pol ice

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Approximately how lang did you view t he r i f l e

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5 a t t h is t ime?

6 A J u s t two o r t h ree a inu tea . They took it away

7 imaedia te ly they he ld it up by the s t r a p

8 and t hen took it away from the re .

9 Q Off ice r c r a ig . l: aa going to show you l:

10 ••an Kr • . c r a i g l : m going to show you Vbat

11 bas been aarke4 fo r purposes o f i d e n t i f ic a -, ... ._

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16 . • . • • ·. ~ ~ e x c e p t i o n i t had . . . · ~ r ~ p connec ted

to i t.- .

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18 Q Off i ce r CraiCJ, were you ab la41 ' to observe the.. 19 l o c a t i o n t h a t t he rif l e vaa found i n ?

20., A Yes •

21 Q

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Where va.- t h a t ?- .

22 A ·· • In. the nor t he a s t · corner o f the ~ t h f l o o r t he r e

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- · t '·• •·• • • ""' '" ·.·. vas a s t ack o_ boxea app rox iaa te l y• .f • r - .. . • . • ·.- •.. .

24 f e a t high andc they ware stacked ll - .a square

25 and iD the a i d d l e o f the square v a s a bole

·• . DIETRICH : P I C K E T £ ~ IDe. • STENOTYPE ll EPOI TEB S . • NATIONAL BANE: OP COMMEJ CB BLDG.

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. lEPlODUCED AT taE IIATIONAL .UCBIVES

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with· your ·. bro t he r o f f i c e r • lool t inq f o r -

2 poss ib l e e v i ~ e n c e ?. '

3 .. A Yes. · sir. _x d id

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4 g can you.·.approxilliate · for us a t t h i s t ime how

5 high t h a t window waa r a i s e d if it vas

6 r a i s e d a t a l l ?

7 A Yea. it was r a i s ed and l eve l with t he bot tom

8 p a r t o f the top if you know What I mean.

9 in o t h e r words. the two were l e v e l

10 Q Mr. c ra i q ean you i nd i ca t e o r tell us Whether

. .1 I o r no t the window v e n t to the f l o o r o r did

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· · : · · ~ - ~ . -:· ~ ~ ? i n ~ t ~ ~ ~ • < 1 ~ ~ 1 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ · t ~ ~ f _ l ~ o ~ ?' ,• - ..

00 t tw • • ' 6 - . :. f J. 1 • I

13 • A :... :•,.Jr Ho . .. t ~ q _.-o; would-: say.: p r o ~ a b l y t h r e e ~ e e t · ·f . " · • • :: . .. •• 1: ·- .... .1 : ·'- :.- ;' .: .. • · :· • ..

14 : ~ ' : • ·· • ' • b ~ ~ ~ ~ tii .::£'t 'ioor.-·:.·the: base 0(• the window......, ._. . ... . .. ... ' .., .... ... .. ..

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15 QDid

y o u n o ~ i c eany

ob j e c t a .around

.t h i a window

16 a t t h e t im• you obaeived -i t ?

17 A Yes.

8 Q What vere these?

19 . A Three spen t e a r t r i d g e a a sack with some

20 ehicken . bonea in it--

21 Q Anything e l se?

22 A llo• t be re were soma pas teboard boxes a taelted up

23 i n ..f r o n t o ~ i t . t • •

.4 Q Bow do you aean • s t acked up i n f ron t •?

5 A I be l l8v • t h ree boxes were at.ac:lted on t op o ~

DIETRlCH c PICKETT. Inc • STENOTYl>B lU POR.TEltS • NAnON..U.JMNJC o r cow.a:Ra BLDG:'



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REPRODUCED AT T H E ~ K A T I O N A L AICBIVES

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and ·titt..'. i ~ l • waa i n t h i a hole.·.

Nr . c r a iq were you ab le to de te rmine f r o • v h a t

· Id i ~ e ~ i o n t he r e po r t • o r aounds you beard

in Dealey · Plaza aminated f roa on t h a t d a y ?

Rot exac t ly . Xt va s to my r i q h t and around the

c o rne r beeause I vaa on Main S t r e e t .

Can you indicates l O f f i c e r c r a i q by perhaps .. i .

s l app inq he re the iD te rva l between t he

sho t a you heard on t h a t day?

Yes, t he first shot vaa tap) and then t he y

came l ik e t h i s t he re vas a pause and t hen

. - .. -. ta p , ;.· tap ) -.;

How ; :. C i a f 9 r you .have · i nd i c a t e d t h a t t h i s ..

JD&D; VaS: runninq dcnm t he s l o p e ~ . t h i s .

' .t h e ~ · Y knol l o ~ in .soae o t h e r a re a ?

-rbe S l ope :t l t a l l t iD9 ~ '=: i a the p o r t i o n

o f t he qraa• d i r e t ~ y in the f r o n t o f t he

vt e b i y o f t he School Book Deposi tory .

-- . .b e you i d e n t i f ie d t h i s man a s Lee Harvey

o a v a ld ?

Yes X d id .

O f f i c e r ' craJ.CJ. r - · .

s t r ike tha t Mr. C r a i g

t h • corner. window- i n the aLxth f l o o r o f :1•

t h • Book , Depos i to ry when you ve re up t he re

DIETRICH tk PICKE'IT, Inc. • STBNOTYPB IJl.POI.'ll llS • NATIONAL BAJ« OP COMMER.CB BLDG.

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REPRODUCED AT THE NATIONAL AICBIVES

. - ~ : : : : : : = = ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ .. ~ - ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ . ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~each o t h e ~ 'by· the window ; · l . - . •·

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can you approxi.Jaate fox u• the s i z e of t he s e

· ProbablY- I: would. aay probabl .y 18 i n c h • • squa re .

Were they s tacked one on t op of t he o the r?

Yea.

In t h i s poa i t i on , t h a t i a s t acked one on top o f

t he o t h e r , would t h a t r each , t h a t i a t he s e

boxes" would they reach the t op o ~ t he

window?

Almoat , y

How eau you deaona t ra t e _parhapa w i t h your banda• '':..; (' .. •.. , .. =' .. .. ... • . •' .. ...· .• .....

- • • • J ' • -

... · \--; { a p p r o x i m a t e ~ how._h ig h .t h i a . window .... ~ . : . - · -·:;. '('-.t • . . ( ...,.... ... .

· .. o p e ~ ? ·· ; · : -.· T • .. - - :

• .. n .... • • -. _ J .. .. • • • . .. .. •

.Bow· h igh? .

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How vide the vindo_v vaa opened when you observed

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it can you a p p r o z ~ a b i w i t h your banda?

Yea, X would s ay probably l i k e t h a t ~ ( i n d i c a t i n q )Hov, Xr . cr&J.q., bow f a r v a • t b a t f roa the..

-

Eloor. can you q i v ~ ~ ~ an approximat ion)

aqaiD w i t h your hands a s t o how f a r t he

l ove r p a r t of tbe o ~ window wa• from t he

f loo·f ?- j • , • ..z . • • .•. ~ .

You a e i . ~ t h ~ vlndov s i l l : it f ?· . : : ~ : : - - ....,_.,.

The vindow -• i \1 ·Lr

DIETRICH : PJCKBTI , Inc. e S l BNOTYPB lll POUE1S • • NATIONAL BAN1C OP COMWEllCll BLDG.

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llEPRODUCED ~ THE NATIONAL AllCHIVES

o f O . ~ ; t : • , , J " , • I ) f · , . . . . • : o L \ o •: • '

• , . . . • -.\' • ·, . • . / • o;·· • - -:I would ·probi&J»ly about l i k e t h a t ( indicat ing) ·.... · 8

Mr. c ra ig . a r e you presen t ly with the

S h e r i ~ ~ ~ • ~ e P a r t m e n t in n a i i ~ Texas?

Bo :I am- no t .

When did you leave the S h e r i f f s O f ~ i e eJu ly 4 , 1967•

And what rank had you obtained when you l e f t

t he S h e r i f f ~ s Department?

It vas the e qu iva l e n t o f Desk Sergeant .

Q And p r i o r t o the da te o f Boveaber 22, 1963 bad

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you r ece ived any a v a r ~ £rom t h e Pol ice• r '

'rBE COUll' ' I . /.,

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JIR. ALCOCKi-

:I t e nde r th witne•s .

MR. DYMOBDr.

May we- r e q u ~ ~ t a f ive-minute recess a t

t h i s t ime be fo re star t inCJ our:

C : r o s a . : . . e x a m i l l a ~ i o n ? .

Yes..

(RECESS.)-

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· DIETRICH : PICKEIT; Inc; • STENOTYP111U :POB.TEU · • NATIONAL .BANit: oir ~ :gr.L)G.

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Xa t he S t a t e 'an4 nerenae ready to proceed?

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MR. DYMOHDa ··

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Yea.

M.R. ALCOCXa

Yea.

TBB COtJR'l' s

I be l i e ve the wi tne s s baa been tendered

fo r cross exam ina t ion .

C R O S S ~ B A T X O B.

. BY MR. DYMOBDI"

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Kr • c ~ ~ ~ · you ; a ~ a t o l d t h i s ·same s to ry to

•,. · . • :..·>,-:- .. ... .. > : ~ ; ~ · : . .'- :· the W a r r ~ n Repor t• l i a v ~ you not?

Not to · the C O a m i a ~ i o n i t s e l ~ . to one o ~ t h e i r

· a t to rneys .

To one o f t he i r i n v e s t ~ g a t o r a o r a t t o ~ e y s ~ o rt he Warren Commiaaion, is t h a t r i q b t ?

Yea. a i r .

. Bow approx i •a te ly bov long ·· h ~ d t b e i o t o r c a d ebeen qone ' f.rom Bl• S t r e e t . when you aav.,t h i s atat ic n vaqon pu11 up and the raan qe t

i n ?. ..

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Pro-.· 'tlie' t i ae oL tlie 'ahootinCJ •. 12 to 15. ... ..·.

a inu tes . ·

Waa t he re a l o t o ~ t r a f ~ i e a long the re a t t h a t

. .· DIETRICH & PICKE'IT; i nc • STENO'IYPB B..BPOB.TER.S · ; NAnONAL BANX o• ooMMJ lla JU.DG.

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llEPitODUCED AT -Tll£ RATIONAL AltCB

Xt vas a t the t i a e t he s t a t i o n wagon pu l l ed up.

There were au toaob i l e s behind the s t a t i o n wagon?

Not in tha t lana. they were in the midd1e l ane

and south l ane .

Were you suspic ious o f these tvo men when you

saw them o r not?

t e e . s i r , X vas .

Well. why d i d n t you commandeer an au toaob i le

I c o u l d n t g e t one.. . .

'"' . - .o u v e r e ~ l a w e n t o r e e a e n t ~ o f f i c e r •• . ; . . l _ _ .

. 14. . f _ .

A . - . X am t ry inq :: to . c r o • s t he s t ree t :. and : abOut to· >

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ge t run over and X c o u ld n t nd X had to

r e t r e a t to the south a ide .

And you d i d n t o l l ~ U when you could g e t a

R o ~ s i r . it vaa t eo l a t e in my mind.

Mr. craiq , vben did you eome to Rev Orleane~

a f t e r t he assass ina t ion . t h a t is to l i v e ?

.. X came dOVD . e ~ ~ in Dece•ber :I b e l i e v e t

X s n t it a t a e t t t h a t t i a e you went: to ~ r k. .

t r Kr . Willard Robinaon vbo i a a aember

DIETRICH 8c PICKETf Inc. • STENOTYPB J.E.POilTEllS • NATIONAL BANK op coMKEB.a BLDG•

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,, ; Self-inflicted wound ~.J K c se w t n·dies of gunshoBy JOE TAYlOR

Staff Writer.

· Former Dllllas County shcr·

tffs deputy Roaer Dean Craia.who gave testimonY to the

Warren Commission which was

contrary to the commission's

report on the 1963 presidential

assassination, is dead of what

police say is e self-lnWcled

iumhot would.

' Dallas Pollee Detective Rob

ert Garza sald Crala. 39. v.as

dead oo anival at Parkland

Hospital about 4 p • m .Thursday.

Garza tenned a aushot to

the upper chest self lnfllcted"

and sald a ..nallber rUle was

found near the body, alonawith a note at Crala'a resl·

dence, 10524 Luna. He had

been Uvfoa with hls father, K.A. Craig.

The medical examiner's report was pendlna.

Craig's father told pollee he

found his son lying In a back

bedroom when he came In

from the lawn . He

sald he did ool hear a aun shot

• Cana sald Crala told pollee

his son bad been taking pain·

killing pills due to lnJunes

received In n autO' accident

tw-o years ago.The man's father also saJd

his son had recelved notice

from t be Social Security

Administration this week that

be had been turned down for

benefits.

The apparent suicide note.

t urned over to the Dallas

County Medical Examiner's of

flee. said In part " I am tired

o1 all this pain," accordJna to

Garza.

In Vol. 6, page 262 of the

Warren Commission report on

the assassination, Crali test ·

lied to lnvestlptors he was ondu ty standfnJ: In front of the

aherill's office when the presi-

dential motorcade went past.

When be beard the ahots

tired, CtaJg testl led underoath. he ran toward Dealy

P laza where he said he hee.rda shrill whistle.

at the man running d

said.

Continuing hisCraig said:

The station wagoalmost directly acrme. The man contin

the hlll and got in t

wagon. I wanted to

both of them. But t

so heavy I couldn't

the street.

And they were aor could,.. he said.

Later, Craig said

ported what be saw

Pollee Capt. Will

Fritz took him Into

where Oswald ..Oas si

Fnt:z asked Craig

the same m n be sato the car. Craig

Yes ..

The Warren Comm

port. states Oswald

depository, got on a

It several blocks, the

red to a ta.'<i and tr

Oak Cliff where he

killed Dallas patrolmTippett.

A close friend of

Penn Jones Jr ., for

lisher o the Midlothi

and author of fourassassination conspir

be first met Craig iber, 1967. Jones s

phone converMtlon

mer New Orleans D

Jim Garrison thattold hlm someone w

to kill Craig.

In October 1.967. C

11n eye witness dep

New Orleans to

After that, Jonel sarepeatedly sald he t

was being followed.

Jones 8..id Craig toCCralg) narrowly misshot In the head whenoff a street at Colu

Carroll In Dallas. Th

was not reported t

Jones said.

Craig was firedsheriff's department

1.967 because of a di

arowina' out of persot e r s , according

department 's personnCraig said he aaw a Uaht

cOlored station wagon puU upln front of the Texas School He since has heldBook Depository where Oswald jobs Including sixis sald by the Warren Commls- 1968 as a municipal

5ion to have fired the shots. Midlothian.

"Tb.a driver was leanlni to Funeral arrangem

}Us right looking up at the



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Por t h i s next wi tne s s we wi l l need the

r i f l e and aay X qo i n t o your c h a m ~ e r •and ge t the r i f l e ?

TBB C L B U a, I f J.

X w i l l get t fo r you.

••• ooo • • •

ROGER .DIUliG ,

a witneaa fo r the Sta te .- a£ te r f i r s t being duly

s w o ~ n by the Minute Clerk , was examined and t e s t i f i e d

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on : h i s ' oat)l' .aa f o l l ~ W U

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I • •

A - Roger Dan• Craig.

a ·. .

• a... I J 4 .• : •

llr ~ r a i q v h ~ ~ ~ you r e s ide?. l i

A Dal laa . 'l'exali •

Q Were you r e s i d i ng in Da l l a s , Texas on November

A

o · .. . On t h a t 'occas ion by who were you employed?

. A ·<. ; t . ' , .

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Q.

Were yoa a Sh er i f f s Deputy on t h a t occas i on?

25A Yea. a i r . X waa.

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. ~ · . - : · t • . _ · .- . ' ' ~ . : : . ' .. - ...B o v l o n q had ; y o u h e e n a " S h e r i f f ' • Deputy on · ·

November 22 • .1963?

••• Pour y e a r • .• ... J '

(} Refer r ing you aga i n to t he da t e o f o ~ e m b e r 22

1963 where were you where were you

asa iqned on t h a t day?

.A I w a s n ' t a c tu a l l y aaa igne4 anywhere h u t I was

. . .s t and i ng in f r o n t o f th e .t ecord Bui ld ing

whi ch va s t he S h e r i f f ' s Off ice at t h a t

t ime a t 505 Main S t r e e t .

Q Did you have any s p e ~ i f i c du t i e s r e l a t i v e to

. ~ .t h e i n c i d e n t now unde r di scuss ion?

· - - ~ : ... : ; . : ~ .. - .-:. .. : · ~ - - :· .·· .. ...- ..

~ · ~ e . . a i r o u r aaaignment w a a t o r e p re s e n t·. th e · -.-. ··•• • •. • · . • : · : . - · ~ . _ . • • •. ' . . . • .. . •

:; _ ·; Sheri££.: s : D e p a r t m e n t b y; s t and ing watch ing ·• -.. '-\. • - . f · "~ ~ · . ' : . -t h a cz,owd •

Q . .. __.;....... ...... . _ .· Were ~ o n i n uni fo rm on t h a t day?

A Ro a i r . X v aa . no t .

Q Did you have occas ion on t h a t day to aee t h e

. . P r e s i d e n t i a l ao to reade?

: 'l.:

Ye s . : a i r , X d id .

o · Where d id you f i r a t observe the P r e s i d e n t i a l

motorcade?.

A I _n ~ o ~ ~ o ~ 505 · ~ ~ S,t .re e_: ; . .. -

Q- ... -

x wonder i r ~ a cou ld l e a ve t he v i t n e e a a t ~ dand t a ke t h i s a i e r o p ~ n a and t e a t l ~ y ~ r o m

'·_ DIETRICH 8c PICKETI, Inc. • STENctrYPB JU PO&TEilS • NATIO;.,AL BAN1C OP COMMEllCB BlDG.

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11'ov.l: ask you to observe what bas....._.

been aarked. fo r purposes o_f i d e n t i f i c a t i o n

as Sta t e s .Exh ib l t 34 and X ask you i

you recognize the a rea depic t ed in t h a t

photograph. the whole photograph?

The e n t i r e photograph?

Yes.

Yes, it is Dealey P la z a .

Can you see on t h a t photograph. Mr. Cra ig ,

where you were l oca ted when you irst saw

t he Pres iden t i a l motorcade?. .Yes, sir• '=:r.cwas standlnq i n / t h i s a rea on Main

. - . ' . ' ..

Would you please p la c e a •c• where you were

.l oca ted when you irst saw the ao torcade .

Rov t h i s is an approxiaa t ion?

Yea.

19 Q Were you with anyone a t t h i s t ime?

2o A Rot p a r t i c u l a r l y •. ' t here were severa l people• l t ~ ~

21

and t he r e was,it

was q u i t e crowded.

22 Q Did you o b - r v e t he motorcade proceed up Main

23 to Houston s t r e e t ?

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24 A Yea, s i r . it went to Houston S t r e e t and made a

25 r i g h t t_urn. .i

DIETRICH : PICKETi:', Inc, . • . O T Y P l l RBPORTHRS. l \

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. :. . .. ..Did you obiierfti it a f t e r it mac e t h a t r i q h t •·

tu rn?

. Ho, it vent · ou t o f my s iq h t .

Did you e v e r aqa in see t he motoreade or d i d

the aotoreade eve r aqa in eome i n t o your

view?

Ho. it d i d not .

A t about o r s h o r t l y a f t e r t he motoreade left

your view d i d you hea r anyth inq unusua l?

A few seeonds a f t e r it t u rned . one minute o r. : :_;-

,_- , ' : . '

one a i n u t e and a h a l f a f t e r I beard a

s h o t ~ . X . i - e d i a t e l y . r a n towards Houston

an,d · ran down the; ·s idewalk. and I ran

a c ros s · - th is p a r t here ' and jumped t h r o ~ u q hone o f t he s e openinqa and to the q r a s s .

Before X reaehed t h i s eorner the o t h e r

two sho ts . , be fore X reached the e a rne r .

in o t he r words the shoot ing was over .

Approximately how f a r had you t rave led from t he

t ime you first heard the f i r s t r e p o r t and

the t i a e you heard t he l a s t two1

r es t imated probably 15 a t e pa .

Were y o ~ wal.kinq o z; running? ·

r w s running,;

Did you reeognize t hese sounds as qunahota?

DIETRICH PICKEIT, Inc. STENOTYPB llEPOJ.TEilS • NATIONAL BANX OP COMME lO BlDG.



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2 Q What d id y o ~ do a f t e r you were running in t he

13 d i r e c t i o n ·acroaa he r e?

4 ~ Af te r r wene th rough ·t h i s opening onto t he

q ra a a , t he r e were se ve ra l people r i q b t

6 in t h i s a re a hera and I cheeked w i t h them

7 to s e e if anybody va s i n ju re d and t hey

8 were no t . A t t h i s t ime I aav a D al l a s

9 p o l i c e of f i ce r running towards the p i c ke t

10 fence and I fol lowed him and ve n t behind.

11 the fence and a t t h i s t ime the re v a s a

12 __ _- - · . brovn Chevro le t p u l l i n g ·· o u t of th e ·. park ing

.. · : = ~ : : : · ~ · · , ~ 3 · _ · ' . . . . . . - . ;t,\··. _ . : . : . ; ? ,··;.·. " " - ~ = 13 t . . ~ : . - - - i : · . · a . • : ~ - ~ . l O t n d a t o p p e d i t a n d took a W o m a ~ from

·--:.:: · . , ~ •\ , , . ~ .. .. .. ,. ;· f ·_· : · : " ' : ~ # , . . : t ~ · ~ : - .... •

·i·: ·,;:.....,. ... ,<';; ' . 'th ef c a r.i n ~ turned · h e i< ·ove r to . ..,

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D e t e c t i v e L u m n e ~ Levia who still vorka fo r

t h e S b ~ r i f ~ ' • Depar tment .

Spel l . t h a t .

L-U-M-•-B-Y L e v i s .

Approxt . . a te ly Where were you l oc a t e d a t the

., t iJ ie . you tu rned t h i a per•on over to t he

Deputy?

At t h a t . tLaa I va • behind the p i c k e t fence •

Do. yo11 • • • · that: on .the d iaqraa?~ ) • ~ L - : _ , J ~ • l • , : . ,. '

It · t• · i a t h i a a r e • · r i g h t he re behind t h i • .t r e e .

Bow d i d you g e t ove r t he p i c k e t fence?

. . . .DIErRICH : PICKB'l'f, Inc. ' . - STENOTYPB I.EPOl.Tl JlS • N ATIONAl. BA.Nit. OP COMMEllCB BLDG



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At t he occas ion w ~ n you were c l i sb ing it d i d

you • • • anyone e l s . ?

There were severa l o f f i c e r s and· peopie were

moving towards t h a t d i rec t ion from t h i s

a re a and a f t e r the woman was tu rned ove r

to t he De tec t ives I moved t hese people

back .

Were they uniformed o f f i c e r s ?

10 A Soae o f them were and some o f f i c e r s I knew.

Q ' 'hey were ou t o f unifona? ,

A. . Yes • .• -.: : _, ·•

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Q ; ~ . , : ; , : Bu t•• o ~ ~ r ~ g n i zed-:' the' _l?:c. " • ,,, -.; . . > ..: ~ . . . •• ' . . . , • . ' • -·.

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16 p leke t fence?

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Nothing. I came from behind the p i c ke t f ence

and began to a s k t he s e people in t h i a a re a

if they had seen anyth ing t h a t might he lp

us in. t he i n v e s t i g a t i o n ~ .

And a f t e r you did t h a t what if anyth ing d i d

yo'l do?

Af t e r ~ .... k i ng to ~ couple o f peo.l)le r.:. ~ u r n e c ; - + . ·. ·

t hea o - n r to Lmaney Lewia u.S he took · ~thea to the S h e r i f f • • Off i c e . Then r.

DIETRICH : PlCKETT, Inc. STI NOTYPB UJ>OB.TI B.S NATIONAL BANK op COMMEB.CE BLDG •



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· croaiied Bla St ree t t-o look ~ o r any marks

on the curb on the south s ide where a

bu l l e t o r pro jec t i l e mic;rht have h i t .

Q Then w h ~ t t d t ~ you do?·

A As X was lookinc;r I heard a s h r i l l whist le and

I stood up and looked around and saw a

man runnin9 down t h i s par t o ~ the grass

cominc;r down here . with a l i gh t c;rreen

Rambler s ta t ion wac;ron with a chrome luqc;rac;re

rack on the top was proceeding alonc;r here .

Q What did you see i ~ anythinc;r?

A 'l'he dr ive r o f : the -ca r was lookinc;r up_ a t the

~ ' m a n · • r u n n i n C J - d o W n ; . toward; him and then the

. · :· - : - . c . , : _ - _ ; ~ : ; ; e : : . c : . t w o c b e c i a m e ~ para l le l . and. the car stopped.

and the man jumped - in and then t d r o v e

A

o ~ f • I at tempted to· atop the £ar bu t the

o ~ f i c e r had l e ~ t h i s pos t a t Blm_and

Houston and t r ~ f i c was flowinc;r and I was

in the middle l ~ e and I cou ldn t qet

. across the-: s t r ee t to the stat ion. wac;ron.

Was the t r a f f i c ~ l o w i n c ; r on t ha t s t r ee t a t the

time?-

Yea, t -waa.'·' :_ '

can you descr ibe the s t a t ion wagon in any grea t

de ta i l ?

DIETRICH PICKE'IT, Inc.. • STENOTYPElU PORTl RS ·; NATIONAL BANK o• COMMERCE BLDG.·

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2 t he luggage r ack on t he back por t ion and

3 . it had ou t o f S t a t e p l a t e • on it and t he

4 rea•oD .X know t h i s i s t h ~ were not the

same co lo r a s ours and I couldn• t read them

6 becaua• o f the angle o f the ca r and the

7 t r a f f i c movement.

8 Q Dld ' you have occas ion to observe the i nd iv idua l

9 o r i nd iv idua l • in the s t a t i o n vaqon?

10 A Yes. s i r . X did . X aav the upper por t ion o f

11 t he b o d y and the e n t i r • head.

12 Q Bov •any persons were in t he • t a t i o n wagon?

13 One'.

• · · ~ 14 Q . :..:...:. could · you · give us · a descr ip t ion o f t h a t

. .1Jr --:··••

15 ind i . idua l?

16 A · . ery dark coaplected.- Lat in look ing v i th b lack

17 h a i r . Be va s v e ry au•cul .ar . had a b u l l

18 neck and yery a t rong faee .

19 ' Q can you desc r ibe t he i nd iv idua l running down

20 the s lope and the i nd i v i dua l t h a t g o t in.. .21 t he • t a t i o n wagon?.22 A Tea. he looked to a e oh approxi l la te ly 5 f o o t 9 .

23 • .l .S.Cl. pounda . • ..andy ~ a i r caucaa ion .• • : $ t • r..._.. • . - ' ,

24 D ALCOCICa ··

25 You v a n t to t ake the ~ d aga in .

i - J DTETRICH PICKETT; IncI • •

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Did you . s e e in what d i r e c t i o n the \sJI:Iltion wagon. . : ; .

-n t a . f te r · the individual- running down t he

s lope got i n?

Xt t r a ve l e d west on Bla S t r e e t .

That would be towards t he T r i p l e Underpass?

Yes. towards the T r i p l e Underpass .

Did you have occas ion Mr. c r a i g , to see the

• __ ..,lllo.

. i nd iv idna l t h a t you saw running down t he

s lope and g e t t i n g i n the s t a t i o n wagon.

d id you have occas ion to see h ia a ga in on

. h t ~ day? .

Y e s • c · l a t e r t h a t evening;.

Where d id you see h i a ?

. - .( : : ~ · .

At Cap ta in Wil1 F r i t s s Of.fice who is c a p t a i n'

o£ Homicide & Robbery in t he Dal las Po l i c e

Department .

What wer_e-.you doing up t he re on t h a t occas ion?

X was . f i l l ing o u t a ..r e po r t a f t e r t he

a ssa s s i na t i on in my o f f i c e and o f c ou r s e

. :X: had knowa about t he o . f f i ee r be ing k i l l e d

a n ~ J: possiblY, l n a y mind pos s ib ly t i e d0 • ,. • • -: " • •

t he two t oge the r and X c a l l e d

cap ta in P r i t z and gave h i a a desc r ip t ion

DIETRICH P CKETf, hie. . • STENOTYPB RE 'OII.TBRS • NATIONAL BANK OP COMMEltCB B t = .



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was standing behind me. We were \'lai t ing for the President of the

United .States. I had a feeling of pride that I was going to be

not more than four fee t from the President but deep ins ide

something kept gnawing at me. I said to Jim Ramsey, He's la te .

Jim's reply stunned me. He said, Maybe somebody will shoot the

son of a b1tch. Then I real iz ed the crowd wa s host i le . The

men about me fe l t that they were FORCED to acknowledge his

presence. Althou gh he was the President, they were making sta te-

ments l ike, 'Why does he have to come to Dallas?"

Something else was bothering me • • • being a t ra ined

off icer , I always looked for any thing which might be amiss about

any si tuat ion with which I was confronted. Suddenly I knew what

was wrong. There were no off icers guarding the intersectionsor controll ing the crowd. My mind flashed back to the meeting

in Decker's office tha t morning, then back to the lack of securi t

in th is area.

Suddenly the motorcade approached and President Kennedy

was smiling and waving and for a moment I relaxed and fe l l in to

the happy mood the President wa s di splaying. The car turned the

corner onto Houston Street . I was s t i l l looking a t the res t of



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reached i t two more shots had been f i red Tell ing myself tha t

i t wasn't true and a t the same time knowing that i t was, I

continued to run. I ran across Houston Street and beside the

pond, which i s on the west side of Houston. I pushed a man out

of my way and he f e l l into the pona. I ran down the grass betwee

Main and Elm. People were lying a l l over the ground. I thought,

My God, they've ki l led a woman and chi ld, who were lying

beside the gut ter on the south side of Elm Street . I checked

th em and they were alr ight I saw a Dallas Police Officer run

up the grassy knoll and go behind the picket fence near the

rai lroad yards. I followed and behind the fence was complete

confusion and hyster ia •

I began to quest ion people when I noticed a woman in

her early th i r t ies attempting to drive out of the parking l o t

She was in a brown 1962 or 1963 Chevrolet. I stopped her,

ident i f ied myself and placed her under arres t She to ld me that

she H D to leave and I said , Lady, you're not going anywhere.

I turned her over to Deputy Sheriff C. I L u ~ m y ) Lewis and to ld

him the circumstances of the arres t Officer Lewis to ld me that

he would take her to Sheri f f e c k e ~ and take care of her car



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by the month to the depu t i e s who worked in the cour t house , exce

f o ~ o f f i c i a l vehic le s . I rented one o f these spaces from Gosse

when I was a dispa tche r and working days or evenings . I paid

Gosset t 3.00 per month and was given a KEY to the l o t . An

i n t e re s t i ng poin t i s tha t the l o t had an i ron bar ac ross the onl

entrance and e x i t (which ~ e r e the same). The bar had a cha in an

lock on it. The only people having access to it were deput ie s

with keys. Point how did the woman ga in access and, what

i s more impor tant , who was she and WHY did she H VE to l e ave ?

This was to be the beg inning of the never-ending cover

Had I known then what I k n o ~ now, I would have personal ly ques

t ioned the woman and impounded and searched her ca r . I had no w

of knowing tha t an of f ice r , with whom I had worked for four year

was capable of l o s ing a t h i r t y year old woman and a th ree thousa

pound automobile. To t h i s day Off ice r Lewis does not know who

she was, where she came r ~ o r what happened to her . STRANGE

Meanwhile, back at the parking l o t , I cont inued to hel

the Dallas Off ice rs r e s to r e order . When t h ings were somewhat

calmer I began to ques t ion the people who were s tanding a t the

top or the grassy kno l l , asking if anyone had seen anyth ing



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decided not to accept Arnold Rowland s story but at l eas t they

did not lose them. Hang in there, Lummyl

The time was approximately 12:40 p.m. I had jus t

turned the Rowlands over to Lummy Lewis when I met E. R. (Buddy)

Walthers. dalthers was a small man with a very arrogant manner.

He was, without a doubt, Decker s favorite pupil . He wore dark-

rimmed glasses add a small brimmed hat because effect ing them

meant that he would resemble Bil l Decker. Walthers had worked fo

the Yellow Cab Company of Dallas before coming to the She r i f f s

Office, about a year before I began working there. His tennina-

t ion from the cab company was the resul t of several shortages of

money. He came to the Sher i f f s Department as a patrolman but

because of his close connection with Just ice of the Peace Bi l l

Richburg, one of Decker s closest a l l i es , Buddy soon ~ s promoted

to detective. He had absolutely no abi l i ty as a law enforcement

off icer , However, he was fast climbing the ladder of success by

lying to Decker and squealing on his fellow off icers . Walthers

ambition was to become Sheriff of Dallas County and he would

do anything or anybody to reach that goal. I t was very clear

tha t Buddy enjoyed more job securi ty with·Decker than anyone



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of Mr. Arnold Rowland. Mr. R o ~ l a n d and his wife w e ~ e standing

a t the top of the grassy knoll on the north side of Elm Stree t ,

Arnold Rowland began t e l l ing me his account of what he saw

before the assassinat ion, He said approximately f i f teen minutes

before President Kennedy arrived he was locking around and

~ something caught his eye, I t was a white man standing by the

6th f loor ;;indcl·l of the Texas School Book Depository Building

in the southeast corner, holding a r i f l e equipped with a te lesco

sight and in the southwest o ~ e r of the sixth f loor was a colore

male pacing back and for th. Needless to say, I was astounded

by his statement, I asked Mr. Rowland why he had net reported

t h i s incident before and he told me that he thought they were

s e c r ~ t service agents - an obvious conclusion for a layman,

Rowland continued, He told me that he looked back at the s ixth

f loor a few minutes l a t e r and the man with the r i f l e was gone so

he dismissed i t from his mind. I was writ ing th i s in my note-

book and when I f in ished I advised Mr. and Mrs. Rowland tha t I

would have to detain them for a statement. I had s tar ted toward

the She r i f f s Office with them when lo and behold I was approach

y Officer· C, L, (Lurnmy Lewis, who asked me What ya got" - -a



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who furnished Decker with a new Fire Engine Red Olds every year a

who was arrested several t imes for Driving while Intoxicated but

never served any j a i l tirr.e. Buddy's acquaint an ces a lso included

several independent oi l operators throu ghout Texa s and several

anti-C a st ro Cubans and many underwor ld characters - espec ia l ly

women He was frequently crashing par t ies ~ h i c h were given by

wealthy fr iends of Decker 's of course while he was on duty.

He often became drunk and bell igerent a t t he se par t ies and a t one

point when asked to leave he thre a tened to pull his gun on the ho

This information can be ver i f ied by Bil ly Courson, who wa s Buddy

partner a t that t ime.

Walthers hi t the big time when, in 1961, two Federal

Narcotics Agents came to Decker 's off ice with charges th a t Buddy

was growing mariju ana in the bac k yard of his home a t 2527 Boyd

Stree t in the Oak Cli f f sect ion of Dallas . This could be con-

sidered conduct unbecoming to a police off icer- - but not fo r

Buddy After a secret meeting between the Federal Agents,

Decker and Buddy the matter was dropped and, ne edless to say,

covered up and Buddy continued his career a s Decker's Representa t

of Law and Order in Dallas County. However, the Dallas Pol ice



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Richburg , whic h was bad enough, but Buddy s wife a l s o worked f or

Richburg and th i s made mat te r s worse . Strange ly enough, they d id

not f ind anyth ing . However , a few weeks l a t e r they were a lit t le

more ca re fu l and made a surpr i se v i s i t to Buddy ' s home where

they , indeed , recovered such t h ings as t oas t e r s , c lo th ing and

var ious i t e m s - - jus t as t h e i r in formers had sa id . I t 'fJOuld seem

t ha t they had him, wouldn t i t ? But not so. Buddy exp la ined tha

he had recovered the merchandise from where it had been hidden

and had not had t ime to make a repor t on them and t u rn them in

to the Property Room The Dal las Po l ice d idn t buy t h i s s t o ry

but the pres su re was again brought to bear by our Pro te c to r , B i l l

Decker, and the Dallas Pol ice were l e f t out in the co ld - -no

charges f i l ed They were c e r t a in ly f u r i o ~ s b u t what could they

do? I f v ~ as c i t i zens c a ~ 1 o t f igh t the Establishrr .ent , h o ~ can

the Establ ishment f i gh t the Establ i shment? I t was c lea r in my

mind, and if the people wi th 'flhom I worked COULD t a lk , I am sure

they would agree tha t Buddy had a powerful hold on Decker .. I

base t h i s on the fac t t ha t Buddy s popu la r i ty with Decker

gre a t ly increased a f t e r the assass ina t ion . Buddy was a chronic

li r

- he was always t e l l i n g Decker t h ings he thought were

happening in the County which he was checking on . Things which



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Buddy also to ld Decker about a family of ant i -Cast ro

Cubans l iving in the Oak Clif f area and said that he was watchi

them, This part may have been t rue because we received the sam

information from the Dallas Police Intel l igence Division but on

day Buddy made a vis i t to the house in Oak Clif f and when the

Police and Sher i f f s Deputies went to question them a few days

l a t e r , they were gone. Did Buddy warn them? After a l l , he was

very, very close to Jack Ruby: In fact , every time Buddy was i

t rouble with one of his employees, especial ly Nancy Perr in Rich

Decker would send Buddy to straighten things out and put Nancy

in her place-- t i th the help of Judge Richburg. Touching Jack

Ruby was a NO NO

There were many other things which made Buddy suspect

as a not-so-law abiding lawman, such as the swiwming pool he

bui l t in his back yard on his salary?) • The concrete '..;as

furnished by a local contr·actor free of charge. The many pi l l s

Buddy carried in the trunk of his u r ~ r k e d squad car he used fo

t rading with cer ta in underworld charac ters --p i l l s for informati

I learned from what I consider a re l iable source tha t these pi l

had been confiscated although no reports were made nor the p i l



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to t ransfera suspect

wantedin Dallas. I t

seemedBuddy

was

given a cer tain amount of t ravel money which he los t a t the

gambling table in Las Vegas. Broke and in t rouble Buddy cal led

no other than w 0. Bankston, who wired him enough money to

bring his prisoner back to Dalla3. Many times I wondered ~ h owas REALLY Sheriff but Buddy was abou t to reach the end of his

rope. In la te 1968 when the Clay Shaw t r i a l was being prepared,

there wa s ta lk of bringing Buddy to New Orleans to t e s t i fy .

Well, that was a blow to the power which ruled Dallas . They cou

not have th i s half -wit on the witness stand. When the word

reached Dallas Decker was working on a double murder which

occurred in his county and had a lead on the suspect in January

of 1969. The Shaw t r i a l ~ a s scheduled for February anc Decker

sent Buddy and his partner , Alvin ~ a d d o x who was about as

eff ic ient as a nutty professor, to a motel on Samuell Boulevard

in Dallas to question ~ a l t e r Cherry about the ki l l ings . Cherry

was an escaped convict and a suspect in a double murder. Decker

sent them without a warrant to t a lk to Cherry. When they entered

the room a t the motel Buddy was shot dead and Maddox wounded in

the FOOT Coincidence? M a y b e ~ At any ra te Buddy had been

si lenced. One more



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t rave l west on Elm Stree t . As we were scanning the curb I heard

a shr i l l whistle coming from the north side of Elm Stree t . I

turned and saw a white male in his twenties running down the

grassy knoll from the direct ion of the 'l 'exas School Book Deposit

Building. A l ight greem Rambler stat ion wc.gon ' as coming slowly

west on Elm Stree t . The driver of the s ta t ion wagon was a husky

looking Latin, with dark wavy hair , wearing a tan wind breaker

type jacket. He was looking up a t the man running to1-1ard him.

He pulled over to the north curb and picked up the man coming

d o ~ the h i l l . I t r ied to cross Elm Street to stop them and f in

out who they were. The t ra f f ic was too heavy and I was unable t

reach them. They drove away going t:est on Elm Stree t . In addi-

t ion to noting that these two men were in an obvious hurry, I re

· tha t these two were the only ones not running TO the scene.

Everyone else was running to see whatever might be seen., The

suspect , as I wil l re fer to him, who ran down the grassy knoll

was wearing faded blue t rousers and a long sleeved work shi r t

made of some type of grainy material . This will become very

important to me l a t e r on and very embarrassing to the author i t ie

F .B.I . , Dallas Police and Warren Commission). I thought the



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a man standing on the s teps of the Book Deposi tory Bui ld ing and

he tu rned to me and sa id , "I 'm with the Secret Service . This

man was about 40 years old, sandy-haired with a d i s t i n c t c l e f t

in h i s chin . He was well dressed in a gray business su i t . I wa

naive enough a t the t ime to be l ieve t ha t the only people the re

were ac tua l ly o f f i c e r s - - a f t e r a l l , t h i s was the c o r ~ ~ a n d pos t .

I gave him the informat ion . He showed little in te re s t in the

persons l eaving . However, he seemed extremely i n t e re s t ed in the

desc r ip t ion of the Rambler. This was the only par t of my s t a t e -

ment which he wrote down in h i s little pad he was holding .

Poin t , Mrs. Ruth Paine , the ~ ; o m a n Narina Oswald l ived Iii th in

I rv ing , Texas, owned a R a ~ b l e r s t a t ion wagon, a t tha t t i ~ e o f

t h i s same color •



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(l ,From the book depository and of course tha t grassy knoll

And the Dal Tex bui lding s shooter fu l f i l led his deadly ro le

The noon day sun was w1tne33 as they took the i r awful t o l l

}His dream goes marching on.

I lear·ned nothing of th i s Secret Service Agent's

ident i ty unt i l December 22, 1967 while we were l iving in New

Orleans. The t e levis ion was on as I came home from work one

night and there on the screen was a picture of th i s man. I did

not know what i t was a l l about unt i l ~ y wife told me that Jim

Garrison had charged him with being a part of the ASSASSINATION

plot . I cal led Jim Garrison then and told him that th is was the

man I had seen in Dallas on November 22, 1963. Jim then sent one

of his invest igators to see ~ e with a bet te r picture which I

ident i f ied . I then learned that th i s man's name was EDGAR EUGENE

B R A D h ~ Y I t was a r e l i e f to me to know his name for I had been

bothered by the fact that I had fa i led to get his name when he

had told me he was a Secret Service Agent and I had given him my

information. On the night of the assassin t ion when I had come

home and discussed the day with my wife I had, of course, told



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informed me tha t the suspect had a l ready l e f t the scene. How

did you know, James Eric? You had j u s t a r r ived . ) Decker then

t o l d me to help them ( the po l ice ) search the Book Depos i tory

Bui ld ing . Decker turned toward h i s of f i ce across the s t r e e t ,

then suddenly s topped, l ooked a t me and sa id Somebody b e t t e r

> t a ke charge o f t h i s i nves t i ga t i on . Then he cont inued wa lk ing

s lowly toward h i s o f f i c e ~ i nd i c a t ing tha t it was not going to

be Decker.

When I en te red the Book Deposi tory Bui ld ing I was jo ine

by Deputy Sher i f f s ~ g e n e Boone and Luke Mooney. We went up the

s t a i r s d i rec t l y to t he s i x t h f l oo r . The room was very dark and

a t h i c k l aye r of dus t seemed to cover everyth ing . We went to the

south ~ i d e of the bu i ld ing , s ince t h i s wcs the s t r e e t s ide and

seemed the most l og ica l place to s t a r t .

Luke Mooney and I reached the southeas t corner a t the

same t ime. We immediate ly found th ree r i f l e c a r t r i dge s l ay ing in

sych a way tha t they looked as though they had been ca re fu l l y

and de l ibe r a t e ly placed t he re - - in p la in s ight on the f loor to

t he r igh t of the so utheast corner window. Mooney and I examined

the ca r t r idges very ca re fu l l y and remarked how close t oge the r

they were. The t h r e e o f them were no more than one i nch a pa r t an



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on but ~ e r e l y crimped over on one small portion of the rim.

The res t of that end was perfectly round.

Laying on the f loor to the l e f t of the same window was

a small brown paper lunch bag containing some well cleaned chicke

bones. I called across the room and s u r r ~ o n e d the Dalla s Police

I . D. man, Lt. Day. When he arrived with his camera Mooney and

I l e f t the window and s tar ted our search of the rest of the

sixth f loor •

We were to ld by Dallas Police to look for a r i f le--some

th ing I had already concluded might be there sin ce the car t r idges

round were, apparently, from a r i f l e . I was nearing the n o r t h ~ . ; ecorner of the sixth f loor when Deputy Eugene Boone cal led out ,

here i t i s . I was about eight feet from Boone, who was standin

next to a stack of cardboard boxes. The boxes were stacked so

tha t there was no opening between them except at the top. Lookin

over the top and down the opening I saw a r i f l e with a te lescopic

sight laying on the f loor with the bolt facing upw ard. At th is

time Boone and I were j o i n e ~ by Lt. Day of the Dallas Police

Department and Dallas Hornicid.e Captain, Ylill Fri tz . The r i f l e

was retrieved by Lt. Day, who activated the bol t , eject ing one

l ive round of ammunition which fe l l to the f loor.



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~ ~ ~ ~ ~business for many years and was famil iar with a l l domestic and

foreign weapons. Capt. Fri tz asked i f anyone knew what kind of

r i f l e i t was. Weitzman asked to see i t . After a close examina-

t ion (much longer than Fr i tz or Day's examination) Weitzman

declared tha t t was a 7.65 German Mauser. Fr i tz agreed with

him. Apparently, s ~ ~ o n a t the Da l l a s Police Department loses

things also but , a t leas t , they are more conscientious. They

did replace i t - -even i f the replacement was made in a different

country. (See Warren Report for I ta l ian Mannlicher-Carcano Cal.

6.5). At tha t exact moment an unknown Dallas police off icer

carne running up the s ta i r s and advised Capt. Fri tz tha t a Dallas

policeman had been shot in the Oak Cl i f f area. I ins t inc t ive ly

looked at my watch. The time wa s 1106 p.m. A token force of

uniformed off icers was l e f t to keep the s ixth floor secure and

Fr i t z , Day, Boone, Mooney, Weitzman and I l e f t the building.

On my way back to the Sher i f f s Office I was nearly

run down several t imes y Dallas Police cars racing to the scene

of the shooting of a fellow off icer . There were more pol ice

uni t s at the J . D. Tippi t shooting than there were a t President

John F. Kennedy's assassinat ion.

Tippi t had been ins t ructed to pat rol the Oak Cli f f area



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Blvd. , and Eighth St . some ten blocks from the place where he

was to be ki l led. The Dallas uispatcher cal led Tippi t a t 1:04 p.

and raceived no answer. He continued to ca l l three t imes and the

was s t i l l no reply. Comparing th is t i ~ e with the time I received

news of the shooting of the police off icer at 1:06 p.m., i t is

fa i r to assume Tippit was dead or being ki l led between 1:04 and

1:06 p.m. This i s also corroborated by the eye ~ i t n e s s e s a t the

Tippi t ki l l ing who said he was shot between 1:05 and 1:08 p.m.

According to Officer Baker, Dallas Police, he ta lked

to Oswald a t 12:35 p.m. in the lunch room of the Texas School

Book Depository, This would give Oswald 30 minutes or less to

f in ish his coke, leave the building, walk four blocks eas t on

Elm Street , catch a bus and ride i t back west in heavy t r a f f i c

for two blocks, get off the bus and walk two more blocks west

and turn south on Lamar Street walk four blocks and have a

conversation with a cab driver and a woman over the use of Whale

( the cab driver) cab, get into the cab and r ide to 500 North

Beckley Street get out and walk to 1026 North Beckley where

his (Oswald s) room was located, pick up something(?) ; and if

tha t i s not enough, Earlene Roberts, the housekeeper where Oswald



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bel ie f that Earl Warren and his C o r r ~ i s s i o n would have had Lee

Harvey Oswald eating dinner in Havana

I was convinced on November 22, 1963, and I am s t i l l

sure, tha t the man entering the Rambler stat ion wagon was Lee

Harvey Oswald. After enter ing the Rambler Oswald and his com-

panion would only have had to drive six blocks west on Elm

Stree t and they would have been on Beckley Avenue and a s t ra igh t

shot to Oswald's rooming house. The Warren Commission could not

accept th i s even though i t mieht have given Oswald time to k i l l

Tippit for having two men involved would have made i t a

CONSPIRACY

As to Lee Harvey Oswald shooting J D. Tippit , l e t us

examine the evidence: Dallas Police Unit #221 (Surr.mers-refer

police radio log) s ta ted on the pol ice radio that he had 2n

"eye ball ' ' witness to the shooting. The suspect was a white male

about twenty-seven, five fee t eleven i n h e s ~ black wavy ha i r

f a i r complexioned, (not Oswald) wearing an Eisenhower-type

jacket of l ight color, dark t rousers , and a white shi r t apparent

armed with a .32 cal iber dark f in i sh automatic pis to l which he

had in his r ight hand. (The jacket st rongly resembles tha t worn



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police radio that the shel ls a t the scene indicated tha t the

suspect was armed with a 38 cal iber automatic. Thir ty-eight

automatic shel ls and 38 revolver shel ls are dis t inc t ly d i f ferent .

(Oswald al legedly had a 38 revolver in his possession when

arrested?)

After much confusion in the Oak Clif f area the Dallas

Police weref ina l ly

directed to the Texas Theater where thesuspect was reported to be. Several squads arrived at the

theater and quickly surrounded i t . At the back door was none

other than William F. Alexander, Assistant D.A., and several

Dallas Police off icers with guns drawn. ~ ~ i l e Dallas Police

Officer McDonald and others entered the theater and turned on

the l ights and the suspect was pointed out to them, they s tar ted

searching people SEVER L rows in front of Oswald, giving him a

chance to run i f he wanted to r ight into the blazing guns of

waiting o f f i c e r s ~This man had to be stopped. He was the most dangerous

criminal in the his tory of the world. Here was a man who was

able to go from one location to another with the swiftness of

Superman, to change his physical character i s t ics a t will and who



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Later that afternoon I received word of the suspect ' s

arres t and fact tha t he was suspected of being involved in the

President ' s death. I immediately thought of the man running d0wn

the grassy knoll . I made a telephone ca l l to Capt. Will Fri tz

and gave him the descrip t ion of the man I had eeen and Fri tz

said, that sounds l ike the suspect we have. Can you co:ne up

and take a look a t him?''

I arr ived at Capt. Fri tz ' off ice shortly af te r 4:30

p.m. I was met by Agent Bookhout from the F.B.I . , who took

my name and place of employment. The door to Capt. Fr i tz '

personal off ice was open and the blinds on the windows were

closed, so that one had to look through the doorway in order to

see into the room. I looked through the open door a t the

request of Capt, Fri tz and ident i f ied the man who I saw running

down the grassy knoll and enter the Rambler s ta t ion wagon - - and

t was Lee Harvey Oswald. Fri tz and I entered his private

off ice together. He to ld Oswald, ' 'This man (pointing to me)

saw you leave. At which time, the suspect repl ied, I to ld

you people I did . Fr i t z , apparently t rying to console Oswald,

said, Take i t easy, son - - we're Just t rying to f ind out what



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from his off ice thanking me. I walked away saddened but re l iev

tha t t was the end of the day and I could go home, where I coul

t ry - -a t leas t for a l i t t l e while--to put the t ra gedy and the

day's events out of my mind. I wa s soon to find out tha t

t roubles had only begun--for I had seen and he a rd t oo tr.uch

tha t fateful d a y ~Saturday, November 23, 1963, I spent the day a t home

ta l ing to my wife, Molly, about Friday's events and playing with

Deanna and Terry, not knowing th at the very next day would bring

another t rag ic event which would af fec t not only my job but n:y

ent i re future.

Like many other ~ ~ e r i c a n s I was watching t e levis ion on

Sunday morning, November 24, 1963 when Jack Ruby shot Lee Ha rvey

Oswald. I would l ike to clear up one thing a t t h i s point con

cerning Ruby's access to the basement of the ci ty j a i l . The

Warren C o ~ ~ i s s i o n concluded tha t Dallas Police Officer R. E.

Vaughn, through negligence, l e t Jack Ruby in to the basement.

What they did not say i s tha t Off cer Vaughn was questioned

extensively af te r the shooting and even submitted to a polygraph

t e s t which he passed, showing that he did not l e t Jack Ruby go



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,I The indus t r ia l and mili tary c cmplex can t survive

Without t he i r l i t t l e horror wars they ar t fu l ly contrive.

I f they push us to the big one then we won't come out al ive

t·His dream goes marching on.· t

Things were fa i r ly normal for me for the next few

months, with the exception of curious persons who popped in to

the Sher i f f s Office from time to t i ~ e to ask me questions

about the assassinat ion.

On the f i r s t anniversary of the assassination a t e a ~of newsmen from ~ n New York came to Dallas. They wanted to do

a documentary on the assassinat ion and they contacted Jim Kerr

of theDallas 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 ta lk to them. im

Kerr indicated to me that he had i t a l l set up. However,

because I knew how Bi l l Decker fe l t about anyone in his Depart-

ment ta lking about t h i s par t icular event , I said that I would

have to get Decker's permission. NBC had been cal l ing ~ e since

October 1964 asking to t a lk to me but I would not commit myself.



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at the same time you had the uneasy feel ing that he was looking

s t ra ight through you. Decker began to t a lk with that even, never

r i s ing voice which commanded at tent ion and gave you the feel ing

that i t was dangerous to interrupt or even quest ion him. Decker

told me to t e l l these people (Jim Kerr and NilC that I was a

Deputy Sheri f f - 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 any-

thing. 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, l i ke me,

knew that he must not challenge Decker 's law •

From tha t day forward B: .ll Decker began to watch my

every move. People in the off ice who, before th i s , very seldom

spoke to me, began to hang around watching my every move and

l i s tening to everything I said. Among these were Rosemary Allen,

E. R. (Buddy) Walthers, Allen Sweatt and Bob M o rg an -- D e ck er 's

four top s toolies .

Combine the foregoing with the run-in I had with Dave

Belin, junior counsel for the Warren Commission, who quest ioned m

in April of 1964 and who changed my testimony fourteen t imes when



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a t the same time you had the uneasy feel ing that he was looKing

s t ra ight through you. Decker uegan to ta lk with that even, never

r i s ing voice which commanded at tent ion and gave you the feel ing

tha t i t was dangerous to interrupt or even question him, Decker

told me to t e l l these people (Jim Kerr and N i3C) 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 any

thing. 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, l ike me,

knew that he must not challenge Decker's law •

From tha t day forward B:l.ll Decker began to watch my

every move. People in the off ice who, before th is , very seldom

spoke to me, began to hang around watching my every move and

l i s tening to everything I said. Among these were Rosemary Allen,

E. R. (Buddy) Walthers, Allen Sweatt and Bob Morgan - ·Decke r s

four top s tool ies .

Combine the foregoing with the run-in I had with Dave

Belin, junior counsel for the Warren Commission, who questioned m

in April or 1964 and who changed my t e s t i m o ~ v fourteen times when



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to my r ight . Between the gi r l and Belin was a tape recorder,

which was turned off , Belin instructed the gi r l not to take not

unt i l he (Belin) said to do so. He then told me tha t the inves-

t iga t ion was being conducted to determine the t ruth as the

evidence indicates . Well, I could take tha t several ways but

I said nothing. Then Belin said, For instance, I will ask you

where you were at a cer ta in time. This will es tabl i sh your

physical location. I t was at t h i s point that I began to feel

tha t I was being led into something but s t i l l I said nothing.

Then Belin said , I ~ ; i l l ask you about what you thought you

heard or saw in regard. Well, t h i s was too much, I interrupte

him and said, ' 'counselor, jus t ask me the questions and i f I can

answer them, I wil l . This seemed to i r r i t a t e Belin and he to ld

the g i r l to s ta r t taking notes with the next quest ion. At t h i s

point Belin turned the recorder on. The f i r s t questions were

typical . Where were you born? ~ ~ e r e did you go to school?

Whem Belin would get to cer ta in quest ions he would turn off the

recorder and stop the g i r l from writing. Then 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 - jus t a

minute. He would then t e l l the g i r l to s tar t writ ing with the



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- - ~ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ~ - - - - Lheard by ignoring his advanced questions and giving a step by

step picture , which further seemed to i r r i t a t e him. At the end

of our session Belin dismissed me but when I star ted to leave the

room, he cal led me back. At th is tiffie I ident i f ied the clothing

wore by the suspect ( the 26 volumes re fe r to a box of clothing -

not boxes. There were two boxes.) After I ident i f ied the clothing

Belin went over the complete testimony again. e 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 tes t imony

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 not i f ied when i t was ready for

signature. Belin did not say th is to me. e said an odd thing

when I l e f t . I t i s 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 off ice to thank Sheriff Decker for his cooperation. ' '

I know of no one else he questioned who he asked to thank a

supervisor , chief , e tc .

I f i r s t saw my testimony in January of 1968 when I looked

a t the 26 volumes which belonged to Penn Jones. My alleged s ta te -



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southeast corner , with a r i f l e equipped with a scope, and tha t

a few minutes l a t e r he looked back and only the whi te man was

t he re . In the Warren C o ~ ~ i s s i o n : Both were white , both were

pacing in f ront of the southwest corner and when Rowland looked

back both were gone; I sa id the Rambler s t a t i on wagon was l igh t

green . The Warren C o ~ m i s s i o n : Changed to a white s t a t ion

? wagon; I sa id the dr i ve r o f the Sta t ion Wagon had on a t an

j acke t . The Warren C o ~ ~ i s s i o n : A white j acket ; I sa id the

l i cense pla te s on the Rambler were not the same color as Texas

p la t e s . The W r ren Commission: Omitted the not - omit ted but

one word, an important one, so t ha t t appeared tha t the l i cense

p la t e s were the same co lo r as Texas pla tes ; I sa id tha t I £2

a good look a t the dr i ve r of the Rambler. The Warren Corrmission:

I did not get a good look a t the Rambler. ( In Capta in F r i t z ' s

of f i ce ) I had sa id tha t Fr i t z had sa id to Oswald, ' 'This man saw

you leave ( ind ica t ing me). Oswald sa id, ' ' I t o ld you people

I did . Fr i t z then sa id , "Now t ake t easy • son, we're j u s t

t ry i ng to f ind out what happened • and then ( to Oswald) • What

about the car? to which Oswald r ep l i ed , That s t a t i o n wagon

belongs to ~ i r s Paine. Don' t t r y to drag her i n t o t h i s . F r i t z

s a i d ca r ( s t a t ion wagon was not mentioned by anyone but Oswald)



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by Oswald was made in a dramatic tone. This was not so.

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The Warren Commission also prin ted , "NO\'i everybody will know

who I am", transposing the now Oswald's tone and a t t i tude

was one of disappointment. ( I f someone were attempting to

conceal his ident i ty as Deputy and he was found out, exposed

his cover blown, his reaction would be dismay and disappointment

This was Oswald's tone and at t i tude--disappointment at being

exposed

Shortly af te r the Kerr and Belin incidents the Sheri f f

took me out of the f ie ld and assigned to the Bond Desk. This

meant that I was s i t t ing di rec t ly in l ine with Decker's off ice

door, where he could watch me. I t made me feel a l i t t l e l ike a

goldf ish in a bowl

While I was on the Bond Desk I noticed Eva Grant ~ a c kRuby's s is te r) was making daily vis i t s to Decker 's off ice .

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During th i s time Eva and I carne to be on good terms, I t was

convenient for her to speak to me when she came in because of

the posi t ion of my desk--close to the door leading in to the

Sh er i f f s Department. As time went on Eva Grant would stop ':le in

the ha l l every time I went for a cup of coffee or took a break.



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Fi r s t he would stand and l i s ten and then head in to Decker 's

off ice .

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After a few days of t h i s and armed with information

from th is so-cal led D ~ E C T I V E who couldn ' t track an elephant

through the snow with a nose bleed, Decker called me into his

off ice and pointed to a chair without saying a word. i; 'ell,

knowing he wasn't giving me the chair or asking me to look i t

over, I sat down. After a long si lence he f inal ly said, What

about i t? This was Decker's way of t e l l ing you he knew t

(whatever i t was) and he wanted you to "confess' ' . I fe l t sure Ev

Grant was going to be the subject of conversation but I was

determined to make him s ta r t the in ter rogat ion--af ter a l l he

wanted the answers and, apparent ly, Buddy had not heard as much

as he thought he had. Final ly he gave in and said, "You've

been ta lk ing to Eva Grant." I said, Yes s i r . Decker then

said, What about?' I repl ied , "She i s concerned about Jack' a

depressed s ta te of mind and worried about the fact tha t he looks

i l l . Decker said, "That 's none of your business." I repl ied

with the only thing tha t Decker would accept--I said , No s i r .

Apparently sure that he had convinced me once again tha t there



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to r her brother. By th i s time the rumor was a l l through the

Sher i f f s off ice that Jack was, indeed, i l l . Most of th i s

information came from the deputies assigned to guard hmm. The

deputies were Walter Neighbors, James R. Keene, Jess Stevenson,

J r . , and others. Finally Decker permitted a doctor to see Jack,

> a psychia t r is t , who said Jack Ruby had a cold

A few weeks passed, during which time I received some

telephone cal ls concerning the assassinat ion and my testimony.

These ca l l s came from various people from different par ts of

the country who were, apparent ly, jus t interested. These ca l l s

somehow were reported to Bil l Decker. Not having a reason to

f i re me, he did the next best thing, he had a monitoring uni t

connected to the telephone system so tha t he could per iodical ly

check any telephone ·cal ls .

I will not go in to the events leading to Jack Ruby's

death. Much has already been writ ten about th is but I would

l ike to say tha t Jack Ruby made several statements to guards,

j a i l supervisors and ass i s tant D.A. 's in which he said THEY are

going to ki l l me." These statements became a private joke among

these people and they discussed them freely in the hal l of the



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I was not too concerned about the minor at tent ion I

was receiving f r o ~ Decker regarding the assassinat ion and i t s

aftermath unt i l August 7, 1966. At 2;)3 a.m, I ~ a s approached

by Hardy M Parkerson, an at torney fro:n New Orleans, La. Mr.

Parkerson was interes ted in the assassinat ion and the Jack

Ruby t r i a l . I was working la te nights on the Bond Desk when

he carne to the Sher i f f s off ice . He asked me several questions

re la t ing to these t ragic events and I answered him as honestly

as I could and he thanked me and l e f t . However, on October 1,

1966 Mr. Parkerson wrote to me advising me that I was receiving

more publici ty than I might be aware of. He mentioned in his

l e t t e r that he had picked up a book on a New Orleans newstand.

The book was ent i t led , 'l'he Secon::i Oswald by Richard H. Popkin an

my report had been mentioned in the booK. This disturbed me

as I knew my populari ty with Decker was fading anyway. On

October 18 I received another l e t t e r from Mr. Parkerson. I t see

tha t he had c ~ ~ e across another book on a New Orleans nesstand

which mentioned my name. This one was Inauest by Edward J

Epstein. Then I began to worry a b i t . or course other names



~

REPRODU ED AT THE NATIONAL ARCHIVE_SJ

unt i l Decker walked up to me and asked, Have you been ta lk ing

to Jim Garriaon? I to ld him that I had not , which was the

t ru th , Decker then said , "Somebody sur'e as hel l has. That

was the beginning of the end of my career as a law of f i ce r and

my fu ture in Dallas County,

As more and more books c r i t i ca l of the Warren Commission

began to hi t the newsstand throughout the country and I received

ca l l s and vis i tors asking questions my fu ture with the Sher i f f ' s

Office became VERY SHAKY. Finally, on July 4, 1967 Bi l l Decker

ca l led me in to hi s off ice and told me to check out, Knowing

there was no grievance board and that Decker was the supreme

ru le r of his d o ~ a i n I l e f t the Sher i f f ' s Office for good.

I ~ a s saddened by the loss of eight years in a jcb tha t

I had given my ALL to . But I was soon to f ind out tha t t h i s was

only thedown

payment on theprice

thatI was to

pay forthe

t ru th I immediately began looking for work and found tha t the

C o r r ~ e r c e Bail Bond ~ p a n y ~ a s jus t opening an off ice and needed

someone to help in the off ice as Les Hancock, the owner, was jus t

s t a r t ing out,

Mr. Hancock and I had a long t a lk and he agreed tha t

I would be an asset to the business because he knew nothing about

t and I was famil iar with bonds and most of the people a t the

Sher i f f ' s 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

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follo•·inc ill = : ; : : : : :; ; tfTytw U. plainuld or toMI

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----- ioz o x - R " E c i o " R ~ - i s - (62:io9o6o>--------- ------------:---

FROM: SAC, DALLAS (89-43)(P) ~/ . ~ -S U B J E C ~ ~ S S A S S I N A T I O N OF PRESIDENT \.l. - ~ - 1 -

JOHN FITZGERALD KENNEDY ~ .11/22/63 ,,. ,, · /. . . • . / ,:. x c v ·DALLAS, TEXAS A• • .f ~ - ~ · i _ qMISCELLANEOUS - INFORMATION CONCERNING

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/ ~ ~ Dallas air te l to Bureau dated 2/9176, enclosing· LHM reflPc ling· information furnished by Mr. and Mrs.( _ ~ ; / 7 . : : : : : ; on 2/4/76, to ASAC GLENN D. -ROSENQUIST:- - _ _

Enclosed are five copies or an LHM reflect inginformation furnished to SA ROBERT P. GEMBERLING on 12/21/76by Mr. ... * ·A ,., rs · ...l s the w ow o ormer eputi.,~ ·•c :'1'-r-c. M ~ - - - - i i d f f D

Sheriff OGER DEAN : CRAIG e c e ~ s e d ) who became somewhatcontroversial · during -the assassination investigation. .

G:- Bureau2 - DallasRPG:mam ·(4) .

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4 JAN 1 1 1977e10 : am o •·•



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FEDERAL 8 l R£All 0 r ~ \ I:STICATION

Dallas, TexasDecember 27, 1976

ASSASSINATION OF PRESIDENTJOHN FITZGERALD KENNEDYNovember 22, 1963Dallas, Texas

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On December 21, 1976, M r . ~ supra, vis i tedthe Dallas FBI Office, s tat ing he h a ~ r n e d that SpecialAgent Robert P. Gemberling, who had coordinated the assassination investigation, w a ~ ret i r ing on December 30, 1976,

and desired to ascertain from SA Gemberling whether or notthe FBI-had conducted a surveillance of ~ i s w i f e ~in early 1976, or otherwise had i n v e s t i g a t e d ~ n~ c t i o n with the assassination investigation. He s tated

since he and his wife visi ted the Dallas FBI Office withan attorney on February ~ 1976, a l l act ivi ty indicatinghis wife was under surveil lance or investigation had ceased.He added that prior to their vis i t on February ~ 1976,he had considered the possibi l i ty his wife may have beenemotionally upset and i m ~ g i n e d she was under surveil lance,but he became convinced that her beliefs were real when photographs she had taken or individuals following her in January1976, came back from the developer blank. He expressed

This document containsof the FBI. I t is the

·· to your agency; i t andoutside your agency • .

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neither recommendations nor conclusionsproperty of the FBI and is loanedi t s contents are not to be dis t r ibuted

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ASSASSINATION OF PRESIDENTJOHN FITZGERALD K E ~ N E D I

the view that a t that time, he fe l t some law enforcementagency had intercepted such photographs so that neitherhe nor his wife would be able to identify the individualsfollowing her.

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~ : : : : : s t a t e d he s t i l l has strong suspicions .that the ~ w ~ s 1nvolved in the act ivi ty outlined by hi• ·and his wife on February ~ . 1976. He stated that had theharassment of his wife not ceased af te r their vis i t to theDallas FBI Office on February 4, 1976, he had planned to

approach the Central Intel l igence Agency (CIA) because hefe l t that agency could be the only other source of theharassment. He stated i t was an unusual coincidence thatthe harassment ceased after F e b r u ~ r y 1976, when they -visi ted the Dallas FBI Office. C : . : ; 7 ~ : : was emphatically ..advised that the Dallas FBI O f f i c ~ aa a t no time conducteda surveillance of his wife or otherwise conducted an invest i gation of her in connection with the assassination invest i -gation or any other invest igat ion. . ...

c .;:::J s tated he had considered endeavoring . . .to determine i tne FBI had actually investigated his wire

through the Freedom of Information Act, but fe l t such a-.procedure would require him to get a lawyer, which would

be expensive. He concluded that although the FBI may not·· have h a r a s ~ e d his wife, he feels some representatives or

some law enforcement agency or private investigative organization had done so. .. .

~ ~ ~ J was courteous throughout the visl t andstated as t le the Dallas FBI Office that he would acceptthe statement the FBI had not been responsible for the harassment of his wife.

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Patrolman Roger Craig Dealey Plaza Witness

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