Post by Rob Caprio on Feb 16, 2023 20:30:45 GMT -5
Truly, Baker & The TSBD
By Raymond Gallagher 5/2011
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First a bit about the TSBD building and the history of the company. The now famous building at 411 Elm Street, In Dallas, was built in 1903. The original owner was International Harvester. In 1936, D. (Dryhole) Harold Byrd, a Texas oil tycoon, bought the building with the intention of using it to manufacture air conditioning units. The plan never developed and the building stood vacant from 1936 to 1940. Byrd then leased the place to Sexton Grocery who used the building as an office and grocery warehouse. Sexton moved out in late 1961 and the book company took out a lease in late 1962.
The TSBD Company was organized in 1908 and incorporated in 1927. Through the 40's, they were located at 2210 Pacific Ave. In 1950, they acquired a four story warehouse at 1917 No. Houston St.(They still operated it in 1963). In 1952, they moved their management and clerical personnel to 501 Elm St. ( The first floor of the Dal-Tex Building across the street from the present TSBD building). In 1962, the city directory shows the warehouse as vacant.
In Nov. 1963, Roy Truly, the manager , told the FBI:
"We had occupied the building at 411 Elm St. for only a few months; the building was occupied by a wholesale grocery company engaged in supplying restaurants and institutions." FBI File DL 100-10461.
On 11-22-63, the first person to see LHO was Patrolman Marion L. Baker , who was riding a two-wheeled motorcycle in the motorcade. As he approached the corner of Houston and Elm St, he heard shots that he believed came from the building in front of him, or the building to the right of him, which was the Dal-Tex Building. He noticed pigeons flying from the top of the TSBD and decided to investigate. Suspicious that the shots came from the upper floors, the officer entered the front door of the building, encountered Truly, the manager, and asked to be directed to the elevator, or the stairs that led to the upper loors, where he concluded he would find the shooter.
TRULY: "... As he ran up the stairway -- I mean the steps, I was almost to the steps, I ran up with him inside the lobby of the building, or possibly the front steps, I don't remember that close. But I remember it occurred to me that this man wants on top of the building. He doesn't know the plan of the floor - and that is - that just popped into my mind and I ran in with him. As we got in the lobby, almost on the inside of the first floor, this policeman asked me where the stairway is. and I said, 'This way,' And I ran diagonally across to the northwest corner of the building." Vol. 3, p. 221 WR
Roy Sanson Truly showed signs of clairvoyance here. Despite the fact that he believed that someone had shot at the President from west of his building, he knew that the policeman knew otherwise and "wants on top of the building." And why he guided the officer to the northwest corner of the first floor, to the rear stairway and the rear freight elevators, is confusing, since there was a stairway and an elevator several feet from where the two men were standing, in the front lobby of the building.
It was true that the lobby stairway only went to the second floor and the elevator only went to the fourth floor, but doesn't it seem natural to head upward from the nearest point and make the move to the rear stairway after reaching the fourth floor, and especially since Truly knew the building better than Baker?
In the May, 1994 issue, of FOURTH DECADE, Wm. Weston provided researchers with information about the TSBD building and its history. His title: 411 Main Street.
The author tells us that the book people had occupied the address for only a couple of months before doing considerable renovation prior to moving in. In addition to the new heating and air conditioning, a narrow shaft-a dumbwaiter- was installed from the fourth floor to the first to facilitate the paperwork movement. From Weston's work: "When the construction of the new office suites had been completed, they initially had one significant drawback: the only means of access to them was either the front stairs, which went up to the second floor, and/or the stairs in the northwest corner of the building which ascended all the way up to the seventh floor. They could not use the two big freight elevators in the back of the building, for they
were reserved for the warehouse workers. Climbing up and down stairs every day was a minor hardship for some people. Yet, this problem was later rectified when a newly constructed passenger elevator became operational.
"As soon as the passenger elevator became operational, the stairway in the northwest corner was closed off in lieu of 'repairs.' No one was allowed to use it. The nature of these repairs remains unknown, although they were not the kind that prevented heavy use of the stairs on the day of the assassination."
From testimony of Pauline Sanders , employee: FBI interview. "SANDERS advised that the stairwell would probably have been the easiest way for Oswald to leave without being too noticeable since the stairwell is in need of repairs and employees had been instructed not to use the stairwell."
Yet, Truly, who probably was responsible for the directive, took Officer Baker to the farthest point in the building to reach the upper floors.
Unfortunately, little attention was paid to the back section of the TSBD in 1963, or even since. It is even difficult to locate clear pictures of the rear of 411 Elm St. as it was in 1963.
To better understand the construction , it would be advantageous to have copies of the WR Commission Exhibits that show the architectural layout of the various floors. CE 1061 shows the first floor; CE 1118 and CE 497, the second floor. Other floors are CE 507 (7TH), CE 487 (5TH) and CE 483 (6TH).
Notice that there are 5 sets of windows (10) along the back of the building on all floors except the first floor. Also notice that the westernmost of the windows is located next to the stairwell and west of the two freight elevators.
Attached to the rear of the building was the loading dock ( no longer there) that had two separate entrances to the building; one to the loading dock itself and another to the Houston St. Dock. (See CE 1061 and CE 362).
Over these docks were TWO roofs; one over the Main Dock and one over the Houston St. Dock. There was also a dock on the west side of the building with two large overhead doors.
The second floor is especially interesting , since it was here that LHO was seen (allegedly) about 90 seconds (questionable time) after the final shot. It was also here that he was seen heading for the front stairway: and notice that there are two restrooms on the west side of the building , with windows facing the triple underpass.
Since numerous witnesses testified that they saw a person, or persons, running away from the TSBD after the shooting, I am suggesting that it was possible for a shooter to exit the place before Baker and Truly reached the second floor ( or even after, since they left the stairwell to encounter LHO).
Eyewitness James Worrell saw a man in a suit with black hair run out the back door of the TSBD a few seconds after the shooting.
See also The Man in the Dark Sports Coat by William Weston.
jfkconspiracyforum.freeforums.net/thread/1570/man-dark-sports-coat
A man in a dark sport coat and light colored pants dashed out of the back door of the TSBD about three minutes after the shots had been fired at the motorcade. He was in his late 20's or early 30's, about 5'8" tall, and had dark brown hair. As he ran south on Houston Street, his coat was flapping backward in the breeze. Who was this man and why was he running away? Was he a conspirator escaping from the scene of the crime, or was he just an excited TSBD employee? Finding an answer to that question is not an easy undertaking, as there is much conflicting testimony.
Nevertheless, a proper analysis of these eyewitness accounts will demonstrate that the apparent conflicts are really non-existent ones. In this article, I shall compare and combine the details of what was seen and heard in order to obtain a unified picture of what was happening behind the TSBD.
www.manuscriptservice.com/DPQ/sports~1.htm
Additionally, it would have been possible to exit the building via the windows above the second floor. It would not have taken a circus maneuver for someone to drop to the higher first roof outside the window, over the docks, and then with another short drop to the lower roof and then to the ground and, escape without encounter or capture.
There is no report of authorities checking the rear windows. One officer checked the rear of the building and the fire escape and saw nothing suspicious.
The entrances and exits of the Texas School Book Depository in November 22, 1963,along with the stairs and elevators, have always been an interesting sub-topic to me. IF,as many contend, there were other shooters in the TSBD, they would have had to enter and exit the building. Presumably, these would be strangers to the normal workers in the building, and they ran the risk of being seen.
First, let us start with a floorplan of the 1st floor of the Texas Schoolbook Depository, and discuss all of the features. The primary outside entrance.
First, let us start with a floorplan of the 1st floor of the Texas Schoolbook Depository,and discuss all of the features. the primary outside entrance into the Depository, were the 2 sets of double glass doors on the south side of the building. Immediately east (right) of this entrance was a set of stairs that only went from the first to the second floor. In this lobby area by the entrance, there was also a small passenger elevator, which only went as high as the 4th floor. (The TSBD was originally built in 1895 as a 5 story building. This elevator was installed with the lift equipment on the 5th floor. After the building burned in 1901, they rebuilt it and added the 6th and 7th floor.) The passenger elevator serviced the office personnel who worked on the first through fourth floors. Although they would use the other elevators on occasion, these were generally left for the order fillers’ use. All employees used the stairs.
In the second glass doors from this lobby area, there is a “Will Call” counter (circle), with a half door and a latch which swings towards the entrance. To the left of this lobby area, were a set of stairs that went into the basement. There was no outside access to the basement.
There was also a door on the north side of the building, which opened out onto the dock area. In addition, there were a series of 4 ‘overhead’ doors on the north and west walls. These would be locked from inside, but would be opened as needed to reach the dock, and the “TSBD Annex” building on the west side. This annex building was originally used to offload/load from the railroad tracks which curved around the north and west side of the building. The only access to the 6th and 7th floors of the building were by the pair of freight elevators on the north side of the building, and the steps in the northwest corner. The stairway was very narrow. It was a ‘one-way’ type of stairway, in that it only went between 2 floors, and then you had to exit the stairway, and walk across the floor to reaccess the stairway again for the next level. The north wall entrance would be going up, you would turn mid-way, and then reach the next highest floor on the west wall.The photo shows the door on the north wall of the second floor. You would take these steps up.
Continue reading. Floor plans and photos are available for study.
SEE:
www.dealey.org/updown.pdf
For other interest see Exhibits : CE 491, CE 488, CE 489, and THE CHICAGO ORDER, CE 490. where the rifle was stored for the shooter who entered the building during the night and waited on the seventh floor until the motorcade was due.
By Raymond Gallagher 5/2011
2.bp.blogspot.com/-ciEh4H8iXKA/WV3x3oetnSI/AAAAAAABMR0/dGDi_JITKrIlv2aEMFl0NExeePXK53-ewCLcBGAs/w1200-h630-p-k-no-nu/LHO-BAKER-TRULY-COKE.jpg
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farm5.staticflickr.com/4643/39154497132_52b8137796_b.jpg
First a bit about the TSBD building and the history of the company. The now famous building at 411 Elm Street, In Dallas, was built in 1903. The original owner was International Harvester. In 1936, D. (Dryhole) Harold Byrd, a Texas oil tycoon, bought the building with the intention of using it to manufacture air conditioning units. The plan never developed and the building stood vacant from 1936 to 1940. Byrd then leased the place to Sexton Grocery who used the building as an office and grocery warehouse. Sexton moved out in late 1961 and the book company took out a lease in late 1962.
The TSBD Company was organized in 1908 and incorporated in 1927. Through the 40's, they were located at 2210 Pacific Ave. In 1950, they acquired a four story warehouse at 1917 No. Houston St.(They still operated it in 1963). In 1952, they moved their management and clerical personnel to 501 Elm St. ( The first floor of the Dal-Tex Building across the street from the present TSBD building). In 1962, the city directory shows the warehouse as vacant.
In Nov. 1963, Roy Truly, the manager , told the FBI:
"We had occupied the building at 411 Elm St. for only a few months; the building was occupied by a wholesale grocery company engaged in supplying restaurants and institutions." FBI File DL 100-10461.
On 11-22-63, the first person to see LHO was Patrolman Marion L. Baker , who was riding a two-wheeled motorcycle in the motorcade. As he approached the corner of Houston and Elm St, he heard shots that he believed came from the building in front of him, or the building to the right of him, which was the Dal-Tex Building. He noticed pigeons flying from the top of the TSBD and decided to investigate. Suspicious that the shots came from the upper floors, the officer entered the front door of the building, encountered Truly, the manager, and asked to be directed to the elevator, or the stairs that led to the upper loors, where he concluded he would find the shooter.
TRULY: "... As he ran up the stairway -- I mean the steps, I was almost to the steps, I ran up with him inside the lobby of the building, or possibly the front steps, I don't remember that close. But I remember it occurred to me that this man wants on top of the building. He doesn't know the plan of the floor - and that is - that just popped into my mind and I ran in with him. As we got in the lobby, almost on the inside of the first floor, this policeman asked me where the stairway is. and I said, 'This way,' And I ran diagonally across to the northwest corner of the building." Vol. 3, p. 221 WR
Roy Sanson Truly showed signs of clairvoyance here. Despite the fact that he believed that someone had shot at the President from west of his building, he knew that the policeman knew otherwise and "wants on top of the building." And why he guided the officer to the northwest corner of the first floor, to the rear stairway and the rear freight elevators, is confusing, since there was a stairway and an elevator several feet from where the two men were standing, in the front lobby of the building.
It was true that the lobby stairway only went to the second floor and the elevator only went to the fourth floor, but doesn't it seem natural to head upward from the nearest point and make the move to the rear stairway after reaching the fourth floor, and especially since Truly knew the building better than Baker?
In the May, 1994 issue, of FOURTH DECADE, Wm. Weston provided researchers with information about the TSBD building and its history. His title: 411 Main Street.
The author tells us that the book people had occupied the address for only a couple of months before doing considerable renovation prior to moving in. In addition to the new heating and air conditioning, a narrow shaft-a dumbwaiter- was installed from the fourth floor to the first to facilitate the paperwork movement. From Weston's work: "When the construction of the new office suites had been completed, they initially had one significant drawback: the only means of access to them was either the front stairs, which went up to the second floor, and/or the stairs in the northwest corner of the building which ascended all the way up to the seventh floor. They could not use the two big freight elevators in the back of the building, for they
were reserved for the warehouse workers. Climbing up and down stairs every day was a minor hardship for some people. Yet, this problem was later rectified when a newly constructed passenger elevator became operational.
"As soon as the passenger elevator became operational, the stairway in the northwest corner was closed off in lieu of 'repairs.' No one was allowed to use it. The nature of these repairs remains unknown, although they were not the kind that prevented heavy use of the stairs on the day of the assassination."
From testimony of Pauline Sanders , employee: FBI interview. "SANDERS advised that the stairwell would probably have been the easiest way for Oswald to leave without being too noticeable since the stairwell is in need of repairs and employees had been instructed not to use the stairwell."
Yet, Truly, who probably was responsible for the directive, took Officer Baker to the farthest point in the building to reach the upper floors.
Unfortunately, little attention was paid to the back section of the TSBD in 1963, or even since. It is even difficult to locate clear pictures of the rear of 411 Elm St. as it was in 1963.
To better understand the construction , it would be advantageous to have copies of the WR Commission Exhibits that show the architectural layout of the various floors. CE 1061 shows the first floor; CE 1118 and CE 497, the second floor. Other floors are CE 507 (7TH), CE 487 (5TH) and CE 483 (6TH).
Notice that there are 5 sets of windows (10) along the back of the building on all floors except the first floor. Also notice that the westernmost of the windows is located next to the stairwell and west of the two freight elevators.
Attached to the rear of the building was the loading dock ( no longer there) that had two separate entrances to the building; one to the loading dock itself and another to the Houston St. Dock. (See CE 1061 and CE 362).
Over these docks were TWO roofs; one over the Main Dock and one over the Houston St. Dock. There was also a dock on the west side of the building with two large overhead doors.
The second floor is especially interesting , since it was here that LHO was seen (allegedly) about 90 seconds (questionable time) after the final shot. It was also here that he was seen heading for the front stairway: and notice that there are two restrooms on the west side of the building , with windows facing the triple underpass.
Since numerous witnesses testified that they saw a person, or persons, running away from the TSBD after the shooting, I am suggesting that it was possible for a shooter to exit the place before Baker and Truly reached the second floor ( or even after, since they left the stairwell to encounter LHO).
Eyewitness James Worrell saw a man in a suit with black hair run out the back door of the TSBD a few seconds after the shooting.
See also The Man in the Dark Sports Coat by William Weston.
jfkconspiracyforum.freeforums.net/thread/1570/man-dark-sports-coat
A man in a dark sport coat and light colored pants dashed out of the back door of the TSBD about three minutes after the shots had been fired at the motorcade. He was in his late 20's or early 30's, about 5'8" tall, and had dark brown hair. As he ran south on Houston Street, his coat was flapping backward in the breeze. Who was this man and why was he running away? Was he a conspirator escaping from the scene of the crime, or was he just an excited TSBD employee? Finding an answer to that question is not an easy undertaking, as there is much conflicting testimony.
Nevertheless, a proper analysis of these eyewitness accounts will demonstrate that the apparent conflicts are really non-existent ones. In this article, I shall compare and combine the details of what was seen and heard in order to obtain a unified picture of what was happening behind the TSBD.
www.manuscriptservice.com/DPQ/sports~1.htm
Additionally, it would have been possible to exit the building via the windows above the second floor. It would not have taken a circus maneuver for someone to drop to the higher first roof outside the window, over the docks, and then with another short drop to the lower roof and then to the ground and, escape without encounter or capture.
There is no report of authorities checking the rear windows. One officer checked the rear of the building and the fire escape and saw nothing suspicious.
The entrances and exits of the Texas School Book Depository in November 22, 1963,along with the stairs and elevators, have always been an interesting sub-topic to me. IF,as many contend, there were other shooters in the TSBD, they would have had to enter and exit the building. Presumably, these would be strangers to the normal workers in the building, and they ran the risk of being seen.
First, let us start with a floorplan of the 1st floor of the Texas Schoolbook Depository, and discuss all of the features. The primary outside entrance.
First, let us start with a floorplan of the 1st floor of the Texas Schoolbook Depository,and discuss all of the features. the primary outside entrance into the Depository, were the 2 sets of double glass doors on the south side of the building. Immediately east (right) of this entrance was a set of stairs that only went from the first to the second floor. In this lobby area by the entrance, there was also a small passenger elevator, which only went as high as the 4th floor. (The TSBD was originally built in 1895 as a 5 story building. This elevator was installed with the lift equipment on the 5th floor. After the building burned in 1901, they rebuilt it and added the 6th and 7th floor.) The passenger elevator serviced the office personnel who worked on the first through fourth floors. Although they would use the other elevators on occasion, these were generally left for the order fillers’ use. All employees used the stairs.
In the second glass doors from this lobby area, there is a “Will Call” counter (circle), with a half door and a latch which swings towards the entrance. To the left of this lobby area, were a set of stairs that went into the basement. There was no outside access to the basement.
There was also a door on the north side of the building, which opened out onto the dock area. In addition, there were a series of 4 ‘overhead’ doors on the north and west walls. These would be locked from inside, but would be opened as needed to reach the dock, and the “TSBD Annex” building on the west side. This annex building was originally used to offload/load from the railroad tracks which curved around the north and west side of the building. The only access to the 6th and 7th floors of the building were by the pair of freight elevators on the north side of the building, and the steps in the northwest corner. The stairway was very narrow. It was a ‘one-way’ type of stairway, in that it only went between 2 floors, and then you had to exit the stairway, and walk across the floor to reaccess the stairway again for the next level. The north wall entrance would be going up, you would turn mid-way, and then reach the next highest floor on the west wall.The photo shows the door on the north wall of the second floor. You would take these steps up.
Continue reading. Floor plans and photos are available for study.
SEE:
www.dealey.org/updown.pdf
For other interest see Exhibits : CE 491, CE 488, CE 489, and THE CHICAGO ORDER, CE 490. where the rifle was stored for the shooter who entered the building during the night and waited on the seventh floor until the motorcade was due.