Collaborative Timeline Project

[Tom Scully]

Oswald arraigned for murder of JFK by Judge Johnston in 4th floor ID bureau at 1:35 a.m 23rd November 1963.

http://mcadams.posc.mu.edu/russ/testimony/baker_tl.htm

The Anthony Summers Collection: Goddess, Not in Your Lifetime, and Official ...
By Anthony Summers

[Colin Crow]

Trying to get a timestamp for the conversation between Truly and Fritz about Oswald missing.

Mr. BALL. Where did you get the address in Irving, Tex, or the place to go to in Irving, Tex.?
Mr. BOYD. Captain Fritz got it from some man there on the sixth floor. He came up and talked to him a minute and then he told Mr. Sims and I that we should check this Lee Harvey Oswald out, and that was the address they gave us--it was in Irving, Tex.
Mr. BALL. And what did you do then?
Mr. BOYD. We started to go over there and when we got downstairs, like I said, someone told Captain Fritz that Sheriff Decker wanted to see him a minute before he left, and Ave went in there and while we were in there we learned that the man that had shot Officer Tippit, we thought was the man, was on his way up to our office and Captain Fritz wanted to go by there and we carried him there.
Mr. BALL. You were in Decker's office when you heard that a man had been arrested for the murder of Tippit?
Mr. BOYD. Yes; we heard about Tippit getting shot when we were up on the sixth floor.
Mr. BALL. Then, Fritz told you to go to Irving, didn't he?
Mr. BOYD. Yes, sir; we started to Irving.
Mr. BALL. Where were you when you heard the man had been arrested, the suspect for the murder of Tippit?
Mr. BOYD. Well, I think we was still in the Texas Book Depository when we heard about him being arrested over there.
Mr. BALL. Did you go to Decker's office with Fritz?
Mr. BOYD. Yes sir.
Mr. BALL. And then you went with Fritz up to your office?
Mr. BOYD. Yes, sir.
Mr. BALL. And did Fritz send somebody else out to Irving, or do you remember?
Mr. BOYD. I think later on, I believe, he sent someone else out there.
Mr. BALL. He told you to stay there at the police department, did he?
Mr. BOYD. Yes, sir.
Mr. BALL. What did you do when you got there?
Mr. BOYD. Well, we went in and there was a good many people there---I don't recall who all was there--I know we talked to Lieutenant Baker, and he told us that the man that shot Tippit was in the interrogation room and about 5 minutes or so after we were in the office, we took Lee Harvey Oswald out of there and brought him into Captain Fritz' office and he talked to him in there.
Mr. BALL. Tell us about what time of day that was?
Mr. BOYD. I believe it was around 2:20 when we took him out in there; yes, sir.

Boyd seems somewhat confused but Fritz was leaving the TSBD and going across the street to see Decker at about 1.40pm. The rifle was found at 1.22pm.

Mr. BALL. How long were you on the sixth floor of the Texas School Book Depository Building?
Mr. SIMS. Well, sir; let's see--at the time the hulls were found, I think the hulls were found about 1:15, so we were down there just a minute or two. Let's see we got back to the city hall at 2:15 and we went over and talked to Sheriff Decker 10 or 15 minutes.

Mr. BALL. Now, you left the building about what time?
Mr. SIMS. Well, we arrived at the city hall around 2 o'clock--I'll have to look at the record---on this--about 2:15--we left there evidently about 2 o'clock.
Mr. BALL. You and who?
Mr. SIMS. Captain Fritz and Boyd.
Mr. BALL. Then where did you go?
Mr. SIMS. Captain Fritz went over and talked to Sheriff Decker. He sent word he wanted to talk to Captain Fritz, so we talked to the sheriff and then we went to the city hall.
Mr. BALL. Where was Decker when he said he wanted to talk to Fritz?
Mr. SIMS. Well, I didn't go inside the sheriff's office--I stayed out in the corridor there.
Mr. BALL. The sheriff's office is just a half a block from the Texas School Depository Building?

Here is what Fritz recalled.....

Mr. BALL. How long did you stay at the Texas School Book Depository after you found the rifle?
Mr. FRITZ. After he told me about this man almost, I left immediately after he told me that.

What did Truly say?

Mr. BELIN. All right. And then what happened?
Mr. TRULY. So Chief Lumpkin had several officers there that he was talking to, and I assumed that he gave him some instructions of some nature I didn't hear it. And then he turned to me and says, "Now we will go upstairs".
So we got on one of the elevators, I don't know which, and rode up to the sixth floor. I didn't know Captain Fritz was on the sixth floor. And he was over in the northwest corner of the building.
Mr. BELIN. By the stairs there?
Mr. TRULY. Yes; by the stairs.
Mr. BELIN. All right.
Mr. TRULY. And there were other officers with him. Chief Lumpkin stepped over and told Captain Fritz that I had something that I wanted to tell him.
Mr. BELIN. All right. And then what happened
Mr. TRULY. So Captain Fritz left the men he was with and walked over about 8 or 10 feet and said, "What is it, Mr. Truly," or words to that effect. And I told him about this boy missing and gave him his address and telephone number and general description. And he says, "Thank you, Mr. Truly. We will take care of it.

My best guess is that this conversation occurs after the rifle discovery (in the northwest corner) and while Day is over by the western windows fingerprinting it. Somewhere around 1.45pm would be my best guess.

[Colin Crow]

The time Frazier went down to the basement for lunch and returned.

Mr. BALL - Come back up?
Mr. FRAZIER - No, sir; I didn't come back up. I was sitting eating my lunch. I looked at my watch and didn't have but 10 minutes, so I naturally ate faster than normal, so I was eating a couple of sandwiches, and eat an apple or something and come right back up and the guys, the people who worked there, standing around on the first floor, some of them eating their lunches and others merely talking.

Given that the shooting occurred at 12.30 and that the normal lunch time was 12-12.45pm, this suggests that Frazier spent 5 minutes after the shooting before going down to the basement to eat and came back up at 12.45pm.

[Colin Crow]

Some good information from Sweatt.....my comments in bold.

COUNTY OF DALLAS
SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT
SUPPLEMENTARY INVESTIGATION REPORT

Name of Complainant
Assassination Of President Kennedy
Offense
ALLAN SWEATT, Chief Criminal Deputy, Dallas County Sheriff's Office.

Date: Nov 23, 1963

At approximately 12:30 PM, Friday, November 22, 1963, I was standing with a group of Deputy Sheriff's about 30 feat east of the corner of Houston and Main Street on Main Street.

The president's caravan had just passed and about a minute or 2 I heard a shot and about 7 seconds later another shot and approximately 2 or 3 seconds later a third shot which sounded to me like a rifle and coming from the vicinity of Elm and Houston street. Several officers and myself from the Sheriff's department ran around the corner and towards Elm Street and Houston and were told that someone had shot at the President. A man by the name of "Hester" told Deputy John Wiseman that the shots had come from the old Sexton building (aka TSBD). As we approached the building we were told the shots had come from the fence. Deputy Wiseman and a City Officer went to the front door of the building and I continued towards the railroad yards with Deputy Harry Weatherford and I stopped where I could see two sides of the building which was the west and south sides. Deputy Harry Weatherford went into the building through an open window on the 1st floor (this can be seen in a famous photo)and Deputy Wiseman and the DPD officer went in the front door. On the far side of the building opposite me were some DPD Officers. At that time I was told the President had been shot and that Governor Connally also had been shot.

Officers started coming to the scene and approximately 15 deputy sheriff's and a number of DPD officers were at location. At this time, Inspector Sawyer of the DPD came to the front of the building and started taking names of witnesses and I suggested to inspector Sawyer that I get two deputies and send the witnesses to the Sheriff's Office for statements instead of letting the witnesses leave the scene. Inspector Sawyer agreed with this plan and as witnesses were brought together they were taken directly across the street to the Sheriff's Office to wait until statements could be taken. (this is the first bunch of witnesses taken by Walthers)

While I was still at the front of the Building, Deputy Sheriff Luke Mooney stuck his head out of the 5th floor window and the Northeast corner of the building and stated he had found some spent cartridge cases and he was told to let them remain untouched until the DPD Crime Lab arrived on the scene. ( so the witnesses went to the Sherrif's office before Mooney found the shells).

Shortly after, a DPD officer brought a boy in a sport coat up and said "here is the man that had done the shooting". As officers started to question him, the crowd began to talk and pass the word around that this was the individual that had shot the President. At that time, in the company of the city officers, I sent 2 deputy sheriff's to take this man into custody and to take him to the Sheriff's office. Also Inspector Sawyer was informed of this and he sent a DPD detective to the Sheriff's office to talk to the boy. (I assume this was Larry Florer, found in the Dal-Tex)

At this time Sheriff Bill Decker arrived at the location where I was standing and I informed him as to what had been done up to that time. I then returned to the Sheriff's Office to coordinate the taking of statements and see that all persons that were in the office gave statements. I separated certain witnesses who seemed to have more facts than others and turned them over to Mrs. Rosemarry Allen of the Dallas Sheriff's office, Mr. Wallace Heitman of the FBI and Mr. Forrest Sorrells of the Secret Service, and they took witnesses to the Polygraph room of the Sheriff's Office where they obtained statements.

At approximately 1:30 PM, I received word that a Police Officer had been shot on Jefferson Street in Oak Cliff and the suspect was supposedly at large in that area. (I think that 1.30pm might be a bit late for this? Surely news of an officer being shot would travel quickly).I immediately dispatched Officer's Buddy Walthers, James Ramsey, an Frank Vrla to the scene of the shooting (Walthers stated that he was involved in surrounding the library, looking for the Tippet assailant. The library call came at 1.34pm). Officer Bill Courson of the Sheriff's Office joined with them in Oak Cliff. Apprehension was made of the suspect in the Texas Theatre and suspect was turned over to the Dallas Police Department.

After this we correlated all statements, getting copies separated and in separate files. Sent a complete set of all statements taken to Capt. Fritz of the Dallas Police Department

During this time, Deputy Bill Wiseman brought in two girls to me with some pictures they had taken. 1 picture was taken just shortly before the shooting of the President which shows the Sexton Building in the background. This picture was turned over to Secret Service Agent Patterson, who gave this woman his card, advising her that the picture would be returned to her.

I also received copies of pictures taken from a witness by name of "Betzner, Jr.", which have been included in the files of this case.

I have contacted all Deputies to come in this date and make their supplements of activities during the day of November 22nd, 1963.

I still have in my custody all original statements, supplements and copies of pictures by Betzner subject.

[Colin Crow]

From Buddy Walthers' first day statement......my comments in bold

After they left the area with the suspect, me and the officers who were with me got in our car and reported back to sheriff Decker at his office. (Oswald was under arrest  and headed to City Hall by 1.52pm).Sheriff Decker then ordered me, together with Deputy Harry Weatherford and Deputy J. L. Oxford to go to a house at 25115 West 5th Street in Irving, Texas and met some officers from Capt. Will Fritz' office. We arrived at location and met detective Rose and Adamcik from the Homicide division of the Dallas Police Department. (It seems they arrived a few minutes after the detectives, maybe around 2.35pm).

Upon getting to the residence, we were met by Mrs. Michael Payne and upon showing our credentials and advising her who we were, she stated, "It's about the President being shot, Weve been expecting it. Come on in". (Given these comments and the fact that the women were keenly monitoring the news it is doubtful that they are aware that Oswald is under arrest at this time). She informed us that the lady standing beside her was Mrs. Oswald. Mrs. Payne went on to explain that Mrs. Oswald spoke only Russian, however, he would help interpret as she spoke both English and Russian. Upon asking if suspect Oswald lived at this location, she advised that his wife and children lived there, but that Lee Oswald and his wife had been separated and he did not live there. Mrs. Payne gave us permission to search the house or do anything we wanted to and she also, through interpretation, gave us Mrs. Oswald's permission to do the same. Mrs. Payne then gave us a telephone number and stated that was the phone number of Lee Oswald, however, she advised she did not know an address where he was staying. At this time, I called Sheriff Decker and advised him of this and he criss-crossed this telephone number and gave us an address of 1026 North Beckley. He advised he would dispatch other officers to cover this address. About this time, Mr. Michael Payne came to this location. (Other statements by police put the arrival of Michael Paine about 15 minutes after they entered the house, therefore the transferring of the number to Decker by Walthers and discovery of the 1026 N Beckley address could be around 2.50-3.00pm)

[Colin Crow]

We also have this from Fritz regarding the discovery of the rooming house......

Mr. FRITZ. When I started to talk to this prisoner or maybe just before I started to talk to him, some officer told me outside of my office that he had a room on Beckley, I don't know who that officer was, I think we can find out, I have since I have talked to you this morning I have talked to Lieutenant Baker and he says I know maybe who that officer was, but I am not sure yet.
Mr. BALL. Some officer told you that he thought this man had a room on Beckley?
Mr. FRITZ. Yes, sir.
Mr. BALL. Had he been brought into the station by that time?
Mr. FRITZ. He was at the station when we got there, you know.
Mr. BALL. He was?
Mr. FRITZ. Yes, sir; so then I talked to him and I asked him where his room was on Beckley.
Mr. BALL. Then you started to interrogate Oswald, did you?
Mr. FRITZ. yes, sir.

Fritz confirms he arrived at City Hall from Decker's office on Houston after Oswald. He claims that the N Beckley address was known before the interrogation started.

[Colin Crow]

Mr. BALL. What did you do when you got there?
Mr. BOYD. Well, we went in and there was a good many people there---I don't recall who all was there--I know we talked to Lieutenant Baker, and he told us that the man that shot Tippit was in the interrogation room and about 5 minutes or so after we were in the office, we took Lee Harvey Oswald out of there and brought him into Captain Fritz' office and he talked to him in there.
Mr. BALL. Tell us about what time of day that was?
Mr. BOYD. I believe it was around 2:20 when we took him out in there; yes, sir.
Mr. BALL. And who was there in the room with Oswald at that time?
Mr. BOYD. With Oswald at that time?
Mr. BALL. You took Oswald into Fritz' office about 2:20?
Mr. BOYD. Yes, sir.
Mr. BALL. Who was there besides Oswald?
Mr. BOYD. Well, Captain Fritz, and let me see, there was some FBI agents.

Mr. STERN. Why don't you tell us now, turning to your memorandum of the November 22 interview of Lee Harvey Oswald, what transpired from the time you first entered Captain Fritz' office.
Mr. HOSTY. As this interview form will show, the interview commenced at 3:15 p.m. I am certain of that time because I checked my wristwatch, and Agent Bookhout checked my wristwatch. We both agreed on the time, 3:15.

[John Iacoletti]

Mr. BALL. What did you do when you got there?
Mr. BOYD. Well, we went in and there was a good many people there---I don't recall who all was there--I know we talked to Lieutenant Baker, and he told us that the man that shot Tippit was in the interrogation room and about 5 minutes or so after we were in the office, we took Lee Harvey Oswald out of there and brought him into Captain Fritz' office and he talked to him in there.

What evidence did they have at 2:15 that he was ?the man that shot Tippit??