I'm not losing it, you're the one providing a song and dance like Walt
and Ben tend to do, who you seem to beat drums that they are WC
shills.
> Some of Armstrong's research is very interesting, but the moment he
> IGNORES or lies about the evidence you should move away from him. YOU
> seem incapable of this however, so perhaps someone else is a WC shill?
No, he is well-respected for his timeless, detailed research. You
aren't quite in his esteemed category.
Instead of trying to profile a person like LNT'ers do instead of
dealing with evidence, you should stick with that vein of thought.
Here are some things that Armstrong has detailed online, and you could
have just gotten there and picked it apart, but it's a little telling
when people just shuck and jive stuff off, without getting into the
evidence.
The bus ride --- On November 22nd, Oswald told Dallas Police Captain
Fritz that he went home by bus.
Mary Bledsoe rented a room to Oswald for $7 per week beginning on
October 7th. Oswald, acknowledging payment of his rent, signed her
calendar (Mrs. Bledsoe's son sold the signed page from her calendar
for $5 --- Vol 6 pg 401).
On October 12 Oswald received a phone call at Bledsoe's house. From
that conversation Bledsoe gathered that Oswald's wife was going to
soon have a child (Vol 6 pg 427). Bledsoe became uncomfortable with
Oswald and asked him to find another place to live, which he did on
October 14th --- he moved to 1026 N. Beckley.
On November 22nd, at approximately 12:35 pm Bledsoe boarded the bus at
at St. Paul and Elm and sat across the aisle from the driver. This
bus, identified as the "Marsalis-Ramona-Elwood", was driven by Cecil
McWatters (vol 2, page 292 WC; also WC exhibit #378). A few blocks
later the bus stopped to pick up a passenger. Bledsoe recognized the
passenger as Oswald when he boarded the bus. He passed by her while
walking toward the rear of the bus (Bledsoe interview by SA Richard
Harrison 11/23/63). When the bus became stalled in traffic, Oswald
again passed by Bledsoe, this time while walking toward the front of
the bus. Oswald obtained a transfer from McWatters and exited through
the front door.
When interviewed on November 23rd, 1963, Bledsoe remembered that
Oswald wore "a brown shirt with holes in the elbows and "ragged grey
work pants". Bledsoe was the only witness on the bus who paid any
attention to Oswald, probably because she knew him, and thus was able
to identify the clothing he wore (as of November 23rd).
Before her WC testimony Bledsoe prepared notes, at the suggestion of
SS Agent Forrest Sorrels, in order to refresh her memory. Reading from
notes to refresh a witnesses testimony is, as any lawyer knows, not
uncommon in courtroom proceedings. It is allowed in all state and
federal court proceedings (Federal Rules of Evidence --- Rule 612 and
Rule 803-S).
Cecil McWatters was interviewed on November 22nd and 23rd. On November
22, McWatters was driving the "Marsalis, Ramona, Elwood, Munger" bus
run, known as run 1213. McWatters, with his time checked by the
company dispatcher, arrived on schedule at St. Paul and Elm at 12:36
pm. At Elm and Griffin "I come to a complete stop, and when I did,
someone come up and beat on the door of the bus, and that is about
even with Griffin St" (Vol 2, pg 264). The man boarded the bus, paid
his 23 cent fare, and "he took the third chair back on the right" (CE
343). Mary Bledsoe, sitting across from McWatters, identified the man
as her former tenant --- Lee Harvey Oswald.
Near Poydrus, when the bus became tied up in traffic, a man got out of
the car in front of the bus, walked back to the bus and told Whaley
the President had been shot. An unknown woman and Oswald got up from
their seats, asked for and obtained bus transfers from McWatters and
left the bus (CE 343). McWatters told the Warren Commission "yes, sir;
I gave him one (bus transfer) about two blocks from where he got
on...the reason I recall the incident, I had --- there was a lady that
when I stopped in this traffic, there was a lady who had a suitcase
and she said, I have got to make a 1 o'clock train at Union
Station ... so I gave her a transfer and opened the door and as she
was going out the gentlemen I had picked up about 2 blocks asked for a
transfer and got off at the same place in the middle of the block
where the lady did...it was the intersection near Lamar St." (Vol 2,
pg 264, 265). Oswald's transfer was valid for 15 minutes or until the
next scheduled bus after the time of issue.
After departing McWatters bus, Oswald walked two blocks south on Lamar
St. and said to William Whaley "may I have this cab?" ( Vol 2, pg
256). After Oswald left the bus two policemen boarded the bus and
informed McWatters and passengers of the assassination. They
questioned each passenger to see if they were carrying weapons (CE
2641). It would be interesting to find out if police boarded any other
city buses looking for passengers carrying weapons.
Interviewed on November 22nd, McWatters did not mention or identify
the clothing worn by Oswald. Before the Warren Commission McWatters
said "to me he had on just work clothes, he didn't have on a suit of
clothes, and some type of jacket. I would say a cloth jacket" (Vol 2,
pg 279). When taken to the DPD that evening for a lineup, McWatters
picked a man "whom he said is the only one in the lineup who resembles
the man who had ridden on his bus on November 22nd, 1963. He
emphasized that he cannot specifically identify him (Oswald) as being
on his bus or as being the person who made the remark to the effect
that the President was shot in the temple" (interview of McWatters by
SA Odum and Ellington 11/23/63).
Roy Milton Jones was not interviewed until March 30, 1964. Jones said
that a "blond woman and a dark haired man boarded the bus
approximately six blocks before Houston Street. The man sat in the
seat behind him and the woman occupied a seat further to the rear of
the bus. When the bus was stopped in traffic, and prior to the
appearance of the police, the woman left the bus by the rear door to
catch a train at the depot (CE 343) and the man who was sitting behind
him (Oswald) left the bus by the front door while the bus was in the
middle of the block (CE 2641). Jones "emphasized he did not have a
good view of this man at any time and could not positively identify
him as being identical with Lee Harvey Oswald. He said he was inclined
to think it might have been Oswald only because the bus driver told
him so".
When interviewed four months later by the FBI, Jones said the man
sitting behind him was wearing a "light blue jacket and gray khaki
trousers". Jones had seen this nondescript and unknown man, who sat
behind him four months earlier, for a brief few seconds. Mr. Jones
should be commended for remembering anything at all about this man.
Laughing matter. McWatters picked up a passenger "between the corner
of Poydras and Elm and the corner of Commerce and Houston". McWatters
said after turning onto Houston Street, he proceeded across the
Houston Street viaduct to Oak Cliff, and then turned south on Marsalis
Street. After McWatters turned south on Marsalis Street he said to a
male passenger "I wonder where they shot the President". The man
replied, "they shot him in the temple".
McWatters continued south on Marsalis and "picked up an old lady at
the corner of Vermont and Marsalis". McWatters, who stated "she was at
least 55 or 60 years of age," did not recall ever seeing her before.
He asked her if she "had heard that the President had been shot. She
told McWatters not to joke about such a matter, and he told her that
if she did not believe him to ask the man sitting behind him. She
looked at this man, who was the one who had told McWatters that the
President had been shot in the temple, and said "why he's smiling;
you're joking!"
McWatters continued south on Marsalis and remembered letting the
smiling man off the bus "south of Saner Avenue." (interview of
McWatters by SA Odum and Ellington 11/23/63). The smiling man,
described by McWatters as a "teenager, about 5'8", 155 lbs, medium
build, slim faced," was later identified as Roy Milton Jones, who
regularly rode McWatters bus. In fact, McWatters said "the man rode
with me the next day," November 23rd (vol. 2 pg 280). McWatters memory
of where the young man got off the bus proved correct. Jones lived one
block south of Saner Avenue at 512 E Brownlee Avenue.
The bus transfer, which McWatters gave to Oswald, was found in
Oswald's left shirt pocket by Detective Sims at 4:05 pm that
afternoon. The transfer, issued by the Dallas Transit System, was
easily traced to McWatters (see below). McWatters was picked up and
transported to Dallas Police headquarters shortly after 6:00 pm where
he was asked to identify, from a police lineup, the man who boarded
and left his bus on Elm Street around 12:40 pm earlier that day.
Bus transfer. A photograph, and not the original bus transfer, was
entered into evidence as exhibit 381-A; WC Vol 16, pg 974). Mr. FF
Yates, Division Superintendent, Dallas Transit System, advised that
company drivers get the amount of transfer books (50 transfers to a
book) they think they will need when they go on duty each day. The
driver tears off the first transfer of each book and writes his badge
number on the back of this transfer. Yates produced transfer No. 4451
which was the first transfer on a book numbered 4451 through 4500,
given to McWatters on the morning of November 22nd. McWatters badge
number, 195, appeared on the back of this transfer.
Each driver is issued a punch which produces a unique punch mark.
(interview of FF Yates by SA Lee and Barrett 3/10/64). Oswald
requested and received bus transfer No 4459 from McWatters near
Poydras and Elm as he was leaving the bus. Bus transfer No. 4459 was
found in Oswald's left shirt pocket by Detective Sims at 4:05 pm on
November 22nd (along with five live rounds of .38 caliber pistol
shells --- WC Sims Exhibit A, Vol 21, pg 514).
The original transfer was examined by National Archives Specialist
Steve Hamilton at my request. On October 6, 1998 Mr. Hamilton wrote
that the original bus transfer "does appear to have creases in it
consistent with folding". When questioned by Dallas Police Captain
Fritz Oswald admitted this transfer was given to him by the bus driver
when he left the bus after being stalled in traffic (CE 2003 pg 37B).
The police find McWatters --- McWatters explained to the Warren
Commission how a bus driver can be located from markings on a bus
transfer. McWatters said "if they have any complaint, any transfers
brought in to him (supervisor), he has a list. When he looked at the
punchmark he knows the man's name, and his badge number" (Vol 2, pg
291).
McWatters was picked up and transported to Dallas Police headquarters
shortly after 6:00 pm. When shown bus transfer No. 4459 McWatters said
"yes, that is the transfer I issued because it had my punch mark on
it ... I only gave two transfers going through town on that trip (from
North Dallas south to Oak Cliff) and that was at the one stop of where
I gave the lady and the gentlemen that got off the bus, I issued two
transfers. But that was the only two transfers were issued". (Vol 2 pg
268-270).
Time Stamp --- McWatters was questioned by the Warren Commission to
explain the bus transfer. McWatters said "all transfers issued on this
run from north (Lakewood) to south (Marsalis) showed a time of 1:00 pm
and that 1:00 pm was shown on the transfer exhibited to him" (FBI
interview by Odum and Ellington 11/23/63). The "1 0" that appears at
the bottom of this transfer indicates the transfer is valid until 1:00
pm. Bus drivers, according to company rules, were supposed to have
punched transfers at 15, 30 and 45 minutes past the hour. But
McWatters punched his transfers by the hour. WC Attorney Ball asked
him "In other words, what you do is punch on the hour rather than the
45 and 15 minutes usually?" "Yes", said McWatters. "In other words,
when I am going one way at 1 o'clock, coming back from the other end
of the line I set them at 2. I am back in there at, my next trip I am
back in there at Lamar Street, I think it is 1:38 but I always set
them at 2 o'clock" (Vol 2 pg 285, 286).
Punch Mark --- All of the bus lines operating out of the east Dallas
division were listed on the transfers. Bus lines ran in both
directions --- north/south/north; east/west/east, etc. McWatters bus
ran from Lakewood (North Dallas) to the end of Marsalis (South Dallas/
Oak Cliff) and back to Lakewood (North Dallas). Bus transfers were
issued to passengers to allow them to transfer to another bus.
To keep a passenger from using the transfer pass for a return trip on
the same bus, a punch system was used. McWatters testified "Each
driver has a different punch. They are all registered" (Vol 2 pg 290).
"While at Marsalis (heading toward the southern end of Marsalis) I
would punch the Lakewood; when I would leave Marsalis coming toward
Lakewood (heading north), I would have "Lakewood" on the front of my
bus (referring to the "scroll" sign above the windshield indicating a
bus's destination) but I would punch the transfer Marsalis". Transfer
#4459, found by DPD officer Sims in Oswald's left front shirt pocket,
was punched "23. Lakewood" with McWatters unique punch mark.
"Lakewood" indicated McWatters had issued this pass after he left
Lakewood (North Dallas) en route to the south end of Marsalis
(McWatters' WC testimony, Vol 2, pg 292).
The brown shirt. Linnie Mae Randle recalled Oswald "wearing a tan
shirt and grey jacket on the morning of November 22." DPD Officer
Baker recalled Oswald was wearing a light brown jacket when he and Roy
Truly encountered Oswald in the TSBD shortly after 12:30 pm (affidavit
by ML Baker, 11/22/63).
The next person who identified Harvey Oswald's brown shirt was Mary
Bledsoe (FBI interview by SA Harrison and Weir, 11/24/63). She said he
was wearing "ragged grey work pants, and a brown shirt with holes in
the elbows."
Also on the bus was McWatters and Jones, who were not asked about
Oswald's clothing until they appeared before the WArren Commission
four months later. At time they said Oswald had on a light blue
jacket. The Warren Commission concluded they had not seen Oswald
wearing a light blue jacket.
The next person who identified Harvey Oswald's brown shirt was cab
driver William Whaley. On November 23rd he said his passenger "had on
a dark shirt with white spots of something on it" (Whaley affidavit CE
2003 pg 64). In testimony before the Warren Commission Whaley said "he
had on a brown shirt with a little silver like stripe on it. His shirt
was open three buttons down here. He had on a t-shirt." (WC Vol 2, pg
255).
When Oswald arrived at N. Beckley, housekeeper Earlene Roberts said "I
don't recall what type of clothing he was wearing" (Earlene Roberts
affidavit 12/5/63). Mrs. Roberts said "he went to his room for a few
minutes. Then I noticed he had a dark color jacket on, the type that
zips up the front."
FBI Agent Bardwell Odum, who observed Oswald as he was being brought
out the front of the Texas Theater, said Oswald was wearing a "brown
jacket". Other witnesses mistakenly identified Oswald as wearing a
"brown jacket" at the time of his arrest. Harvey Oswald was actually
wearing a "brown shirt" (not a brown jacket) over a "white t-shirt".
During his first interview on November 22nd, Oswald told Captain Fritz
that he had arrived at N. Beckley and changed his trousers. The
following day he told Fritz he had changed both his trousers and
shirt. Oswald described his dirty clothes as being a reddish colored,
long sleeved shirt with a button down collar and grey colored
trousers. He indicated that he placed these clothes in the lower
drawer of his dresser (FBI memo of James Bookout). One "brown shirt
with button down collar" and "one pair of grey trousers" were found at
Oswald's N. Beckley address by Dallas Detective Fay M. Turner. Both
articles of clothing were inventoried by Dallas Police and listed as
"1 brown shirt with button-down collar and 1 pair grey trousers and
other miscellaneous men's clothing" (WC --- Turner Exhibit No 1). It
would appear that Oswald had changed shirts.
The bus transfer, given to him by McWatters and placed it into the
left pocket of the brown shirt, was found by Det. Sims at 4:05 pm.
When Bledsoe was shown the brown shirt worn by Oswald when arrested
she first said "No, no, that is not the shirt". Then she asked if the
shirt had a ragged elbow. When she saw the hole in the right elbow she
said "yes, yes, this is the shirt", believing it to be the shirt
Oswald wore on McWatters bus. But Oswald had changed shirts. He left
the brown shirt with the "button down collar", worn by him on
McWatters bus, in the dresser at N. Beckley. He changed into another
brown shirt, worn by him when arrested, which was shown to Bledsoe for
identification. Mary Bledsoe had simply identified the wrong brown
shirt. Someone needs to check to see if the shirt picked up and
inventoried by Dallas Police is in the National Archives and if it has
holes in the elbows, as described by Bledsoe.
The grey pants, remembered by Bledsoe and Jones from the bus and by
cab driver William Whaley, were also found at N. Beckley --- exactly
where Oswald had told Fritz he had placed them. They were inventoried
by Dallas Police Detective Fay M. Turner. The grey jacket worn by
Oswald the morning of November 22, as remembered by Linnie Mae Randle
and Wesley Frazier, may have been found by the Dallas Police at the
TSBD. They found a heavy, blue colored, "Sir Jac" brand jacket at the
TSBD. This jacket was never claimed by anyone (FBI #226) .
Harvey Oswald --- the cab ride. When interviewed on November 22nd,
Oswald told Captain Fritz that he rode the bus home. The following
day, November 23rd, between 10:25 am and 11:30 am, Captain Fritz again
interviewed Oswald. Fritz asked him if he had taken a cab ride after
he left the TSBD. Oswald replied "yes, I did ride the cab..."
Drivers trip manifest --- William Whaley's trip manifest (CE 382 Vol
16 pg 974) was clocked in at 5:05 am on November 22nd. Beginning meter
readings listed on Whaley's trip manifest consisted of the total
number of trips (3591), the units (8308 --- one unit for every 4/10 of
a mile) and the total miles (6011). With each successive trip each of
these meter readings would automatically increase and be totaled and
logged in at the end of each day.
In addition to the automatic meter readings, cab drivers also listed
the amount of each fare, the number of passengers, the time "in and
out" and the mileage "in and out". At the end of the day, drivers
turned in their manifests, which were "date stamped" along with the
amount of cash which was recorded on the manifest with a "machine
stamp." Whaley's last fare on November 22nd ended at 3:45 pm. His trip
manifest was stamped "NOV 22" and 25.15 CA ($25.15 --- the amount of
cash turned in by Whaley). Warren Commission Attorney Ball provided
Whaley his trip manifest (CE 370) in order to "refresh Whaley's
memory".
Lamar to Beckley --- Whaley was sitting in his cab at the Greyhound
bus station at Lamar and Jackson around 12:40 pm. He first saw Harvey
Oswald walking south on Lamar from Commerce toward his cab. Whaley
noticed "the slow way he walked up. He didn't talk. He wasn't in any
hurry. He wasn't nervous or anything." Whaley remembered that Oswald
said "may I have this cab", to which Whaley replied "you sure can".
About that time an old lady said she also wanted a cab. Whaley heard
Oswald say "I will let you have this one" but the lady said "no, the
driver can call me one".
When interviewed by Dallas Police Captain Fritz on November 23rd at
10:25 am, Oswald told Fritz about the incident involving the old lady.
Oswald told Fritz "'yes, I did ride the cab' ... when he [Oswald] got
in the cab a lady came up who also wanted a cab, and he [Whaley] told
Oswald to tell the lady to take another cab" (CE 2003 --- 137-B).
Oswald's and Whaley's stories matched perfectly.
Oswald then said "I want to get to the 500 block of North Beckley".
Whaley described Oswald as "small, five feet eight inches, slender,
had on a dark shirt with white spots of something on it and grey khaki
pants which looked like they had been slept in" (FBI interview by SA
Hardin 11/23/63). He looked like "he was 25 or 26 years old" (CE 2003,
pg 64) and had a bracelet on his left wrist. Whaley remembered
Oswald's "t-shirt was a little soiled around the collar". Whaley
dropped Oswald off about 20 ft north of the intersection of Neely and
Beckley. He did not remember which direction Oswald walked after he
left the cab.
Oswald's stretchband bracelet --- Whaley noticed Oswald's shiny
bracelet on his left wrist. He explained to the Warren Commission "I
always notice watchbands, unusual watchbands, and identification
bracelets like these, because I make them myself ... It was just a
common stretchband identification bracelet. A lot of them are made of
chain links and not stretchbands (Vol 2 pg 293). Stretchbands are
unusual because there is very few of them". A photograph of Oswald
taken shortly after his arrival at DPD headquarters shows a bracelet
on his left wrist. This bracelet was removed from Oswald's left wrist
at DPD headquarters and later photographed. "One I.D. stretch band
with 'Lee' inscribed" is listed on the DPD property form (Dallas
Archives --- Box 1, folder 8, item 1).
500 Beckley or 700 Beckley? --- Whaley said "when he got back to the
Union Terminal he made an entry of the trip (to N Beckley) on his
manifest for the day". WC Attorney Belin asked Whaley why he wrote
down the destination of his passenger (Oswald) as 500 N. Beckley
instead of 700 N. Beckley. Whaley replied "because that is what he
told me and that is what I remember when I wrote the trip up" (WC
testimony of Whaley --- Vol 6 pg 433).
Identifying Oswald --- The next morning Whaley saw a photograph of
Oswald in the newspaper. Whaley said "I told my superior that that had
been my passenger that day (November 22nd) at noon. They called up the
police and they came up and got me. The Dallas Police came down and
took me down and the FBI was waiting there" (at the DPD --- WC
testimony of Whaley Vol 2, pg 260). Whaley was interviewed by FBI SA
Hardin who showed Whaley a New Orleans Police Department photograph of
Oswald. Whaley said it "is definitely the photograph of the man whom
he drove in his cab November 22, 1963".
Police Lineup --- Whaley was then taken to a lineup in the Dallas
Police Department lineup room where he again identified Oswald. Whaley
"without hesitation stated that Oswald is definitely the man whom he
drove in his cab on November 22,1963".
Researchers have occasionally criticized Whaley for identifying Oswald
as the number 3 man in the lineup and then identified him as the
number 2 man in the lineup. A simple reading of Whaley's testimony in
Vol 6, pgs 432, 433 is all that is required to clear up this alleged
inconsistency. Whaley said "I try to tell you exactly what happened,
to the best of my ability, when they brought Oswald out in the lineup
of four. He was the third man out. I don't know which way they count
them". Whaley said "they put the first man out on the right, and the
last one on my left, as near as I can remember". Whaley, in his mind,
thought the first man walking to his right was number 1. The second
man was number 2, the third man as number 3 and the man on the left as
number 4. Whaley, counting from right to left, identified Oswald as
the number 3 man. The Dallas Police, counting from left to right,
identified Oswald as the number 2 man. Whaley went on to say "No 2
from my left. no. 3 from my right".
Some researchers have also criticized Whaley for allegedly signing a
statement which identified Oswald in the Police lineup before he was
taken to the lineup. Again, a reading of Whaley's testimony in Vol 6,
page 430 is all that is required to clear up this alleged
inconsistency. Whaley explained "they wrote it out on paper, and this
officer, Leavelle, I think that is his name, before he finished and
before I signed he wanted me to go with him to the lineup, so I went
to the lineup, and I come back and he asked me which one it was, which
number it was, and I identified the man, and we went back up in the
office again, and then they had me sign this. That is as near as I can
remember."
Driving time from Lamar to Beckley --- An inconsistency pointed out by
researchers is the original time required to drive from the Greyhound
Bus Station to North Beckley. Whaley, when first interviewed by the WC
on March 12, 1964, said it took him 9 minutes to drive Oswald to N.
Beckley. Whaley was asked "Now on this particular trip with Oswald, do
you recall the lights being with you?" Whaley replied, "they were with
me sir; for I timed them that way before I took off. Because I made
that so much that I know the light system and how they are going to
turn". When interviewed again on April 8, 1964 he says it took less
than 5 minutes. I do not understand why or how Whaley's trip of 2 4/10
miles could take 9 minutes to drive. I, accompanied by fellow
researchers Malcolm Blunt, Stan Clark and Bill Drenas drove the same
route at normal speed. It took just over 5 minutes and I drove this
route several times.
CJ