Post by Rob Caprio on Jul 4, 2024 21:01:54 GMT -5
All portions are ©️ Robert Caprio 2006-2025
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The Warren Commission (WC) said that Lee Harvey Oswald (LHO) could prepare for his assassination of President John F. Kennedy (JFK) because the motorcade route was made available to him a full 72 hours ahead of time. Of course, they NEVER showed that LHO saw the Dallas newspapers to see the route, but that is another story.
We have looked at this issue in a different way before in terms of how the Trade Mart was selected and what that meant to the motorcade route, but this article will look at the issue from the perspective of the WC’s handling of this issue in their Report.
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In Appendix XII we see the following claim by the WC.
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Speculation.—Oswald could not have known the motorcade route before he arrived at work on November 22.
Commission finding.—The motorcade route was published in both Dallas papers on November 19 and was therefore available at least 72 hours before Oswald reported for work on November 22. (WCR, p. 642)
www.history-matters.com/archive/jfk/wc/wr/html/WCReport_0333b.htm
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As I have already said, this claim does NOT prove LHO actually read the newspapers (or just one of them) and saw the motorcade route published, but let’s ignore that issue for now. The key issue for us is what was shown in the newspaper in terms of the route. On the following page the WC wrote this.
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Speculation.—The route as shown in the newspaper took the motorcade through the Triple Underpass via Main Street, a block away form the Depository. Therefore, Oswald could not could have known that the motorcade would pass directly by the Texas School Book Depository Building.
Commission finding.—The motorcade route as published showed the motorcade TURNING RIGHT off Main Street onto Houston for one block and then LEFT on Elm to the access to the access road to the Stemmons Freeway. This route was clearly indicated in published descriptions and maps of the motorcade route. There was no mention of continuing on Main Street through the Triple Underpass. (WCR, p. 643) (Emphasis added)
www.history-matters.com/archive/jfk/wc/wr/html/WCReport_0334a.htm
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This is a bold statement for a group who published a CROPPED front page of the The Dallas Morning News in their twenty-six volumes. If you go to Commission Exhibit (CE) 1365 you will see the map portion of the front page is missing.
CE 1365: www.history-matters.com/archive/jfk/wc/wcvols/wh22/pages/WH_Vol22_0324a.jpg
Why did the WC crop out the map on the front page if it supported what they claimed? They wouldn’t obviously, so this leaves us with only one conclusion—it did NOT support what they claimed. It is not hard in today’s world of internet to search for the actual front page of the November 22, 1963, edition of The Dallas Morning News and this is what I found.
dperry1943.com/largedmn.html
As you can see, this map shows NO turns onto Houston and then Elm Street. Here is another map from the Dallas Times Herald November 21, 1963 issue and it does show turns onto Houston and Elm Streets. Now, we have to consider the issue of whether LHO saw this or not as other interviewed employees did NOT have an idea the motorcade was coming until the morning of November 22, 1963.*
dperry1943.com/dthdetl.html
Here is another good site that shows a good copy of the same map. You will see turns onto Houston and Elm Streets, but those streets aren't mentioned on the map.
whokilledjfk.net/parade1.gif
So why did the WC claim the map they CROPPED OUT showed these turns when it clearly might not have? True, back then outside of going to a library it was not easy to check a newspaper from another city, so this went unnoticed by most Americans in 1964 and for some time. So, it was tempting to lie, but now we all can see the truth. Those turns were NOT part of the motorcade route published on November 21 and 22, 1963, in both Dallas newspapers (the last map was not from one of the papers but was done later on).
Also, the WC failed to prove LHO ever learned of the parade route (and as we have just seen even if he did, he would NOT know the motorcade would go right below his workplace) any way, thus, they could not show this was a premeditated crime. Another person who had advanced knowledge of the trip and the motorcade route said he had no idea about any turns onto Houston and Elm Streets. Again, let’s return to the WC Report (WCR).
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Agent Hosty [FBI Agent James Hosty] testified that he was fully aware of the pending Presidential visit to Dallas. He recalled that the special agent in charge of the Dallas office of the FBI, J. Gordon Shanklin, had discussed the President’s visit on several occasions, including the regular biweekly conference on the morning of November 22:
Mr. Shankin advised us, among other things, that in view of the President’s visit to Dallas, that if anyone had any indication of any possibility of any acts of violence or any demonstrations against the President, or Vice President, to immediately notify the Secret Service and confirm it in writing.
Hosty testified that he did not know until the evening of Thursday, November 21, that there was to be a motorcade, however, and NEVER REALIZED that the motorcade would pass the Texas School Book Depository Building. He testified that he did not read the newspaper story describing the motorcade route in detail, since he was interested only in the fact that the motorcade was coming up Main Street, “where maybe I could watch it if I had a chance.” (WCR, pp. 440-441) (Emphasis added)
www.history-matters.com/archive/jfk/wc/wr/html/WCReport_0232b.htm
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Based on what he would have seen in the newspaper (as we have seen) he would NOT know the motorcade was going near the Texas School Book Depository (TSBD) since neither of the newspapers published a map showing there would be turns onto Houston and Elm Streets. He confirms this in his WC testimony.
Mr. STERN. Did you know that there was going to be a motorcade on November 22?
Mr. HOSTY. I found out about 9 p.m. the night before that there was to be a motorcade in downtown Dallas. I read it in the newspaper. That was the first time I knew of it.
Mr. STERN. Did you know that the motorcade would pass the School Book Depository Building?
Mr. HOSTY. No, sir.
Mr. STERN. Did you know the route of the motorcade?
Mr. HOSTY. No, sir.
Mr. DULLES. Had there been any contact between you or the Dallas office with the Secret Service on this point?
Mr. HOSTY. On the motorcade route, sir?
Mr. DULLES. Yes.
Mr. HOSTY. No.
Mr. STERN. The newspaper stories did not as far as you can recall tell what the motorcade route would be?
Mr. HOSTY. Yes; they did. There was a description of the motorcade route, but as I say, I didn't bother to read it in detail. I noticed that it was coming up Main Street. That was the only thing I was interested in, where maybe I could watch it if I had a chance.
His comment about not “reading it in detail” is a nice way to hide the fact the maps did NOT show those two turns without actually lying about it. How much detail is needed to read a map? He sums it up for us in this exchange.
Mr. STERN. So that the fact that Lee Harvey Oswald was working in the Texas School Book Depository meant nothing.
Mr. HOSTY. No.
Mr. STERN. In connection with the motorcade route?
Mr. HOSTY. No.
Since the map showed the Presidential limousine would stay on Main Street he never once thought of a building on Elm Street as a possible danger point. Ditto LHO who he obviously did not view as dangerous since he never reported anything to the SS as requested by his boss if he suspected anything. He then states this in his testimony about a discussion he had with TSBD superintendent Roy Truly in either January or February 1964.
Mr. McCLOY. Can you tell us what transpired between you and Mr. Truly?
Mr. HOSTY. This interview took place quite a bit after the assassination. did talk to Mr. Truly about I believe it was in January or February of 1964, and it concerned the time that he, Mr. Truly, was aware of the fact that there would be a parade through downtown Dallas. And his recollection was that he was not aware of the fact, that the motorcade would pass in front of his building until shortly before noon on the 21st when an article appeared in the Dallas Times Herald.
Now the Dallas Times Herald appears on the street at approximately 10:30 a.m., and Mr. Truly said shortly before noon someone from his office saw this article and mentioned it to the office employees and said they all became excited, and this was apparently the first time anyone at the Texas School Book Depository realized the motorcade was going to pass directly in front of their building.
Representative FORD. This was Thursday?
Mr. HOSTY. Thursday before, yes. It was shortly before noon.
Representative FORD. The 21st?
Mr. HOSTY. On the 21st of November, yes.
Mr. McCLOY. But according to your recollection of what he said, all the employees were excited and became aware of the fact that the motorcade----
Mr. HOSTY. At that time.
Mr. McCLOY. At that time was going to pass the School Book Depository.
Mr. HOSTY. Right.
But, as we have seen already in this article the employees asked about this issue did NOT know about the motorcade coming by their building until the morning of November 22, 1963. In fact, the map does NOT even mention or illustrate those streets so what is Truly talking about? Or what is Hosty talking about?
Also, what is the WC talking about here?
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Speculation.—The motorcade route was changed on November 22 after the map had been printed. The motorcade was shifted from Main Street over to Elm Street to bring it by the Texas School Book Depository Building.
Commission finding.—The motorcade route was decided upon November 18 and published in the Dallas newspapers on November 19. It was NOT changed in any way thereafter. The route called for the motorcade to turn off Main Street at Houston, go up to Elm, and then turn left onto Elm Street. (WCR, 643) (Emphasis added)
www.history-matters.com/archive/jfk/wc/wr/html/WCReport_0334a.htm
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Since we have seen the last edition of November 21st for the Dallas Times Herald showed NO turns and the limousine staying on Main Street we have to say the claim of the WC shown above is false. We have seen the same map appeared on the front page of The Dallas Morning News November 22nd edition that also showed NO turns and this led the WC to CROP IT OUT OF THEIR published version (CE 1365). Exactly where was the WC getting their information that NO alterations occurred in the motorcade route after November 19? Obviously, plans were changed and NO one let the media know so how would LHO know of these changes if he was glued to the coverage of JFK’s visit as claimed?
The final point for this article pertains to the issue of whether the limousine had to turn onto Elm Street to reach the Stemmons Freeway entrance ramp. The WC wrote this about the issue.
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Speculation.—The normal and logical route would have been straight down Main Street through the Triple Underpass to the Stemmons Freeway. It is possible to drive from Main onto the access road to the Stemmons Freeway from a point beyond the underpass.
Commission finding.—The normal, direct, and ONLY permissible route to the Stemmons Freeway from Main Street is via Houston and Elm Streets. Any attempt to turn onto the access road to the Stemmons Freeway from Main Street beyond the Triple Underpass would have been EXTREMELY DIFFICULT because of a concrete strip dividing Elm and Main Streets. Such an attempt would have required making a S-turn beyond the strip at a very tight angle, thereby SLOWING the Presidential car almost to a STOP. (Ibid.)
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The WC got this notion of Elm Street being the “only permissible route” from testimony by SS Agent Forrest Sorrels as he told them this.
Mr. STERN - Why didn't you route the motorcade on Main Street under the triple overpass and on to Stemmons Freeway that way, instead of going to Houston and Elm?
Mr. SORRELS - Well, because you cannot get to the entrance to Stemmons Expressway on Main Street. The traffic is not routed that way. It is impractical.
On the other side of the first underpass there is a section built up to prevent cars from cutting in from Main Street to get over to Elm Street there. And if a person would go from--try to go from Main Street over to Stemmons Expressway, they would have to either hurdle this built-up place there, island, you might call it, or an extension of an island----
Mr. STERN - Do you know what this built-up place is constructed of?
Mr. SORRELS - It is, I am sure, asphalt, or concrete--probably concrete. You would have to go down on Main Street, pass where you would ordinarily turn off, and then come back against traffic, which would be one way that way, and make a hairpin turn, and come back and get on there. It just is not done.
As we have seen previously in this series this is not really an issue as the House Select Committee on Assassinations (HSCA) said this about it.
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However, this question-and-answer process (between Sorrels and Stern) failed to make clear that the Trade Mart was accessible from beyond from the triple overpass in such a way that it was not necessary to enter the Elm Street ramp to the expressway. The motorcade could have progressed westward through Dealey Plaza on Main Street, passed under the overpass, and then proceed on Industrial Boulevard to the Trade Mart. (HSCA XI, p. 522)
www.history-matters.com/archive/jfk/hsca/reportvols/vol11/html/HSCA_Vol11_0264b.htm
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Assistant Chief of Police for the Dallas Police Department (DPD), George Lumpkin, told the SS that the idea of staying on Main Street beyond the Triple Underpass should be rejected because “…the neighborhood surrounding Industrial Boulevard was filled with winos and broken pavement.” (Ibid) However, when Chief Curry was asked about his he failed to mention the winos and broken pavement.
Mr. RANKIN - Going to the Trade Mart building would be assumed that you would go by the Texas Depository Building?
Mr. CURRY - If we went on Stemmons Expressway and that is the way they wanted to go. The only other way we could have gone. We could have continued down Main Street passed through the underpass about a block past there to Industrial Boulevard and then we would have gone Industrial Boulevard and made an entrance from the Trade Mart, from the north side of the Trade Mart there.
Mr. RANKIN - Is the Elm Street route a shorter route than to go by Industrial Boulevard?
Mr. CURRY - It's a more scenic route. The Stemmons Expressway was and it was easier to travel, traffic is easier to control on it, it is a 10-lane highway, and the Industrial Highway is heavily traveled by commercial vehicles and goes through a commercial section of the industrial area. And there was a more scenic route and traffic was more---a freer flow of traffic anyway.
Besides being more "scenic" it allowed for more opportunities to shoot JFK from. It seemed like a much riskier route (Houston and Elm Streets) than staying straight on Main Street. One would have to surmise that was the plan based on the evidence we are seeing in this article.
The WC would tell us that, “The Elm Street approach to the Stemmons Freeway is necessary in order to avoid the traffic hazards which would otherwise exist if right turns were permitted from both Main and Elm into the Freeway. (WCR, p. 39)
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What is silly about all of this is who expects regular traffic when there is a Presidential motorcade? The road would have been sealed off for the motorcade so no other traffic should have been an issue. Above they mention the “S-turn” slowing the limousine to an almost stop, but they do NOT mention this is what happened on both turns (dramatic slowing) and that the limousine was seen by fifty-nine witnesses to come to a near stop on Elm Street. Why is that o.k., but NOT down further on Industrial Boulevard?
Let’s look at a man who was working in the traffic division of the DPD on November 22, 1963, as he should know better than anyone if it was possible to head straight down Main Street to the Stemmons Freeway. His name is Joe M. Smith and here is what he told the WC.
Mr. LIEBELER. Have you been working in any specific type of assignment, or just what has been the nature of your work?
Mr. SMITH. Well, I was in radio patrol 3 1/2 years. Then I went to traffic division point control, and that is what I am doing presently.
Mr. LIEBELER. Yes; and it turned right on Houston Street and then turned left on Elm and was headed toward the triple underpass when the assassination occurred. What would have prevented the motorcade from going directly down Main Street under the triple underpass, remembering now that the motorcade wanted to go onto Stemmons Freeway?
Mr. SMITH. I don't know, sir.
Mr. LIEBELER. Now, could you have gone straight down Main Street and gotten onto Stemmons Freeway down here?
Mr. SMITH. Yes, sir.
This pretty much says it all, but he also said this.
Mr. LIEBELER. Now could you have actually gone off to the right and crossed over Elm Street if you had been on Main Street and gone under the triple underpass?
Mr. SMITH. They merge.
Mr. LIEBELER. They all merge together down there?
Mr. SMITH. Yes, sir.
Since Elm and Main Streets MERGE beyond the Triple Underpass, what was the WC talking about in regard to issues with staying on Main Street? Also, why was SS Agent Forrest Sorrels saying there was NO entrance to the Stemmons Freeway if they stayed on Main Street IF all the roads MERGED after the Triple Underpass?
This exchange has to be a mistake as the limousine did stay on Elm Street so there would be NO reason to ask this question if that is what he meant.
Mr. LIEBELER. So as far as you know, there was no reason why the motorcade couldn't have gone straight down Elm Street and gone on to the Stemmons Freeway headed for the trade mart?
Mr. SMITH. As far as I know, there is no reason.
To me, what was transcribed as “Elm” was really meant as Main Street. Again, if the streets all MERGED why was this question being asked?
Mr. LIEBELER. Is it possible that as you come down Main Street, if you stayed directly on Main Street going under the triple underpass, that you might have difficulty in making the turn with a big car from Main Street to go onto Stemmons Freeway?
Mr. SMITH. Yes, sir.
Also, we saw the limousine had difficulty in making the turn from Houston to Elm Street, but no one seemed to have a problem with that one, and that turn slowed the limousine in a highly dangerous place as it was surrounded by many buildings. It is clear the limousine could have continued down Main Street to Industrial and then onto Stemmons Freeway with no issues. It may have been safer than some other parts of the motorcade route (most definitely safer than Dealey Plaza) as well, and that is why the maps on the evening before and morning of showed NO turns onto Houston and Elm Streets.
I think we see once again the WC made claims that are not in evidence that is included in their own volumes, thus, their conclusion is sunk
*Additional Testimony Showing Employees Did Not Know About Motorcade Until November 22, 1963.
Representative FORD - When did you first learn of the President's motorcade route?
Mr. JARMAN - That morning.
Representative FORD - Friday morning, November 22d?
Mr. JARMAN - Yes, sir.
Representative FORD - How did you find out about it?
Mr. JARMAN - The foreman of the employees on the first floor.
Representative FORD - About what time Friday morning was this?
Mr. JARMAN - I imagine it would be about--I think it was between 8:30 and 9:00. I am not sure.
Representative FORD - You hadn't read about it in the papers the night before or that morning?
Mr. JARMAN - No, sir.
Representative FORD - When did you have this conversation with Lee Oswald, where he asked you--you told him that the motorcade was coming by the School Book Depository Building?
Mr. JARMAN - It was some time that morning, between 9:30 and 10:30.
We see James Jarman did NOT learn about the motorcade coming near the TSBD until Friday morning (11/22/63). His coworker Bonnie Ray Williams would say the same thing before the WC.
Representative FORD. Mr. Mr. Williams, when did you first know that the President's motorcade would come by the Texas School Book Depository?
Mr. WILLIAMS. Well, I never did know the exact time. But I think my wife had mentioned it before that Friday. She had told me, because I never did have too much time reading the paper. And that morning, that Friday morning, we was on the sixth floor, and I think some fellows mentioned it to me again, some of the fellows working with me.
Representative FORD. You did not know the motorcade was coming by your building until Friday morning?
Mr. WILLIAMS. No, sir; I didn't know the exact way it was coming, because I hadn't been reading the papers.
Representative FORD. Was it discussed in the building that morning of November 22d that the motorcade was coming by the Texas School Book Depository?
Mr. WILLIAMS. I believe I heard a couple of fellows say-I don't remember exactly who it was-but I believe I heard them say the motorcade was coming around that way.
Representative FORD. But it was not until Friday that you personally knew it was coming by the building?
Mr. WILLIAMS. Yes, sir.
He too had NO knowledge of it until Friday morning, so how could there be so much excitement in the building when people like Jarman and Williams had not heard about it? Their coworker Harold Norman would say this in his WC testimony.
Mr. BALL. Did you stay there?
Mr. NORMAN. Well, we stayed there I believe until we got the news that the motorcade was coming down, let's see, is that Commerce, no Main, because Commerce- we went back in the building, James Jarman and I.
He says he believed the motorcade was going to be on Main Street so apparently, he too did NOT hear about any change to include Houston and Elm Streets. Jarman had said he heard of the motorcade coming by the building because he had seen William Shelley and Mrs. Lee talking about it, but oddly William Shelley was NOT asked about this by the WC.
Representative FORD - What is his name?
Mr. JARMAN - William Shelley was standing up talking to Mrs. Lee.
Representative FORD - To Mrs. Lee?
Mr. JARMAN - Miss Lee, or Mrs. Lee, I think, and he was discussing to her about the President coming, asked her was she going to stand out there and see him pass.
Why is that? Why was Shelley not asked about when he learned of the motorcade route that included Elm Street? Also, remember how Hosty said Truly knew about the motorcade route including Elm Street during his testimony? Well, here is what Truly said about this.
Mr. BELIN. Now I want to take you to the morning of November 22d. First let me ask you when you first heard your employees discussing the fact that the motorcade would be going by the Texas School Book Depository? Was that first on the morning of November 22d that you heard that, or at any prior date?
Mr. TRULY. I don't recall. I don't recall hearing any particular discussion about him coming by. No, sir; I don't.
This is totally opposite of what FBI Agent James Hosty testified to. Where did Hosty get this information since it does NOT seem to be accurate?
It cannot be shown that LHO knew of the route at all, whether it included no turns or several turns onto Houston and Elm Streets. Therefore, while one could posit, he had “72 hours to plan” it is almost impossible to show he did.
www.archives.gov/files/publications/prologue/2017/fall/images/warren-commission.jpg
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The Warren Commission (WC) said that Lee Harvey Oswald (LHO) could prepare for his assassination of President John F. Kennedy (JFK) because the motorcade route was made available to him a full 72 hours ahead of time. Of course, they NEVER showed that LHO saw the Dallas newspapers to see the route, but that is another story.
We have looked at this issue in a different way before in terms of how the Trade Mart was selected and what that meant to the motorcade route, but this article will look at the issue from the perspective of the WC’s handling of this issue in their Report.
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In Appendix XII we see the following claim by the WC.
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Speculation.—Oswald could not have known the motorcade route before he arrived at work on November 22.
Commission finding.—The motorcade route was published in both Dallas papers on November 19 and was therefore available at least 72 hours before Oswald reported for work on November 22. (WCR, p. 642)
www.history-matters.com/archive/jfk/wc/wr/html/WCReport_0333b.htm
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As I have already said, this claim does NOT prove LHO actually read the newspapers (or just one of them) and saw the motorcade route published, but let’s ignore that issue for now. The key issue for us is what was shown in the newspaper in terms of the route. On the following page the WC wrote this.
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Speculation.—The route as shown in the newspaper took the motorcade through the Triple Underpass via Main Street, a block away form the Depository. Therefore, Oswald could not could have known that the motorcade would pass directly by the Texas School Book Depository Building.
Commission finding.—The motorcade route as published showed the motorcade TURNING RIGHT off Main Street onto Houston for one block and then LEFT on Elm to the access to the access road to the Stemmons Freeway. This route was clearly indicated in published descriptions and maps of the motorcade route. There was no mention of continuing on Main Street through the Triple Underpass. (WCR, p. 643) (Emphasis added)
www.history-matters.com/archive/jfk/wc/wr/html/WCReport_0334a.htm
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This is a bold statement for a group who published a CROPPED front page of the The Dallas Morning News in their twenty-six volumes. If you go to Commission Exhibit (CE) 1365 you will see the map portion of the front page is missing.
CE 1365: www.history-matters.com/archive/jfk/wc/wcvols/wh22/pages/WH_Vol22_0324a.jpg
Why did the WC crop out the map on the front page if it supported what they claimed? They wouldn’t obviously, so this leaves us with only one conclusion—it did NOT support what they claimed. It is not hard in today’s world of internet to search for the actual front page of the November 22, 1963, edition of The Dallas Morning News and this is what I found.
dperry1943.com/largedmn.html
As you can see, this map shows NO turns onto Houston and then Elm Street. Here is another map from the Dallas Times Herald November 21, 1963 issue and it does show turns onto Houston and Elm Streets. Now, we have to consider the issue of whether LHO saw this or not as other interviewed employees did NOT have an idea the motorcade was coming until the morning of November 22, 1963.*
dperry1943.com/dthdetl.html
Here is another good site that shows a good copy of the same map. You will see turns onto Houston and Elm Streets, but those streets aren't mentioned on the map.
whokilledjfk.net/parade1.gif
So why did the WC claim the map they CROPPED OUT showed these turns when it clearly might not have? True, back then outside of going to a library it was not easy to check a newspaper from another city, so this went unnoticed by most Americans in 1964 and for some time. So, it was tempting to lie, but now we all can see the truth. Those turns were NOT part of the motorcade route published on November 21 and 22, 1963, in both Dallas newspapers (the last map was not from one of the papers but was done later on).
Also, the WC failed to prove LHO ever learned of the parade route (and as we have just seen even if he did, he would NOT know the motorcade would go right below his workplace) any way, thus, they could not show this was a premeditated crime. Another person who had advanced knowledge of the trip and the motorcade route said he had no idea about any turns onto Houston and Elm Streets. Again, let’s return to the WC Report (WCR).
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Agent Hosty [FBI Agent James Hosty] testified that he was fully aware of the pending Presidential visit to Dallas. He recalled that the special agent in charge of the Dallas office of the FBI, J. Gordon Shanklin, had discussed the President’s visit on several occasions, including the regular biweekly conference on the morning of November 22:
Mr. Shankin advised us, among other things, that in view of the President’s visit to Dallas, that if anyone had any indication of any possibility of any acts of violence or any demonstrations against the President, or Vice President, to immediately notify the Secret Service and confirm it in writing.
Hosty testified that he did not know until the evening of Thursday, November 21, that there was to be a motorcade, however, and NEVER REALIZED that the motorcade would pass the Texas School Book Depository Building. He testified that he did not read the newspaper story describing the motorcade route in detail, since he was interested only in the fact that the motorcade was coming up Main Street, “where maybe I could watch it if I had a chance.” (WCR, pp. 440-441) (Emphasis added)
www.history-matters.com/archive/jfk/wc/wr/html/WCReport_0232b.htm
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Based on what he would have seen in the newspaper (as we have seen) he would NOT know the motorcade was going near the Texas School Book Depository (TSBD) since neither of the newspapers published a map showing there would be turns onto Houston and Elm Streets. He confirms this in his WC testimony.
Mr. STERN. Did you know that there was going to be a motorcade on November 22?
Mr. HOSTY. I found out about 9 p.m. the night before that there was to be a motorcade in downtown Dallas. I read it in the newspaper. That was the first time I knew of it.
Mr. STERN. Did you know that the motorcade would pass the School Book Depository Building?
Mr. HOSTY. No, sir.
Mr. STERN. Did you know the route of the motorcade?
Mr. HOSTY. No, sir.
Mr. DULLES. Had there been any contact between you or the Dallas office with the Secret Service on this point?
Mr. HOSTY. On the motorcade route, sir?
Mr. DULLES. Yes.
Mr. HOSTY. No.
Mr. STERN. The newspaper stories did not as far as you can recall tell what the motorcade route would be?
Mr. HOSTY. Yes; they did. There was a description of the motorcade route, but as I say, I didn't bother to read it in detail. I noticed that it was coming up Main Street. That was the only thing I was interested in, where maybe I could watch it if I had a chance.
His comment about not “reading it in detail” is a nice way to hide the fact the maps did NOT show those two turns without actually lying about it. How much detail is needed to read a map? He sums it up for us in this exchange.
Mr. STERN. So that the fact that Lee Harvey Oswald was working in the Texas School Book Depository meant nothing.
Mr. HOSTY. No.
Mr. STERN. In connection with the motorcade route?
Mr. HOSTY. No.
Since the map showed the Presidential limousine would stay on Main Street he never once thought of a building on Elm Street as a possible danger point. Ditto LHO who he obviously did not view as dangerous since he never reported anything to the SS as requested by his boss if he suspected anything. He then states this in his testimony about a discussion he had with TSBD superintendent Roy Truly in either January or February 1964.
Mr. McCLOY. Can you tell us what transpired between you and Mr. Truly?
Mr. HOSTY. This interview took place quite a bit after the assassination. did talk to Mr. Truly about I believe it was in January or February of 1964, and it concerned the time that he, Mr. Truly, was aware of the fact that there would be a parade through downtown Dallas. And his recollection was that he was not aware of the fact, that the motorcade would pass in front of his building until shortly before noon on the 21st when an article appeared in the Dallas Times Herald.
Now the Dallas Times Herald appears on the street at approximately 10:30 a.m., and Mr. Truly said shortly before noon someone from his office saw this article and mentioned it to the office employees and said they all became excited, and this was apparently the first time anyone at the Texas School Book Depository realized the motorcade was going to pass directly in front of their building.
Representative FORD. This was Thursday?
Mr. HOSTY. Thursday before, yes. It was shortly before noon.
Representative FORD. The 21st?
Mr. HOSTY. On the 21st of November, yes.
Mr. McCLOY. But according to your recollection of what he said, all the employees were excited and became aware of the fact that the motorcade----
Mr. HOSTY. At that time.
Mr. McCLOY. At that time was going to pass the School Book Depository.
Mr. HOSTY. Right.
But, as we have seen already in this article the employees asked about this issue did NOT know about the motorcade coming by their building until the morning of November 22, 1963. In fact, the map does NOT even mention or illustrate those streets so what is Truly talking about? Or what is Hosty talking about?
Also, what is the WC talking about here?
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Speculation.—The motorcade route was changed on November 22 after the map had been printed. The motorcade was shifted from Main Street over to Elm Street to bring it by the Texas School Book Depository Building.
Commission finding.—The motorcade route was decided upon November 18 and published in the Dallas newspapers on November 19. It was NOT changed in any way thereafter. The route called for the motorcade to turn off Main Street at Houston, go up to Elm, and then turn left onto Elm Street. (WCR, 643) (Emphasis added)
www.history-matters.com/archive/jfk/wc/wr/html/WCReport_0334a.htm
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Since we have seen the last edition of November 21st for the Dallas Times Herald showed NO turns and the limousine staying on Main Street we have to say the claim of the WC shown above is false. We have seen the same map appeared on the front page of The Dallas Morning News November 22nd edition that also showed NO turns and this led the WC to CROP IT OUT OF THEIR published version (CE 1365). Exactly where was the WC getting their information that NO alterations occurred in the motorcade route after November 19? Obviously, plans were changed and NO one let the media know so how would LHO know of these changes if he was glued to the coverage of JFK’s visit as claimed?
The final point for this article pertains to the issue of whether the limousine had to turn onto Elm Street to reach the Stemmons Freeway entrance ramp. The WC wrote this about the issue.
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Speculation.—The normal and logical route would have been straight down Main Street through the Triple Underpass to the Stemmons Freeway. It is possible to drive from Main onto the access road to the Stemmons Freeway from a point beyond the underpass.
Commission finding.—The normal, direct, and ONLY permissible route to the Stemmons Freeway from Main Street is via Houston and Elm Streets. Any attempt to turn onto the access road to the Stemmons Freeway from Main Street beyond the Triple Underpass would have been EXTREMELY DIFFICULT because of a concrete strip dividing Elm and Main Streets. Such an attempt would have required making a S-turn beyond the strip at a very tight angle, thereby SLOWING the Presidential car almost to a STOP. (Ibid.)
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The WC got this notion of Elm Street being the “only permissible route” from testimony by SS Agent Forrest Sorrels as he told them this.
Mr. STERN - Why didn't you route the motorcade on Main Street under the triple overpass and on to Stemmons Freeway that way, instead of going to Houston and Elm?
Mr. SORRELS - Well, because you cannot get to the entrance to Stemmons Expressway on Main Street. The traffic is not routed that way. It is impractical.
On the other side of the first underpass there is a section built up to prevent cars from cutting in from Main Street to get over to Elm Street there. And if a person would go from--try to go from Main Street over to Stemmons Expressway, they would have to either hurdle this built-up place there, island, you might call it, or an extension of an island----
Mr. STERN - Do you know what this built-up place is constructed of?
Mr. SORRELS - It is, I am sure, asphalt, or concrete--probably concrete. You would have to go down on Main Street, pass where you would ordinarily turn off, and then come back against traffic, which would be one way that way, and make a hairpin turn, and come back and get on there. It just is not done.
As we have seen previously in this series this is not really an issue as the House Select Committee on Assassinations (HSCA) said this about it.
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However, this question-and-answer process (between Sorrels and Stern) failed to make clear that the Trade Mart was accessible from beyond from the triple overpass in such a way that it was not necessary to enter the Elm Street ramp to the expressway. The motorcade could have progressed westward through Dealey Plaza on Main Street, passed under the overpass, and then proceed on Industrial Boulevard to the Trade Mart. (HSCA XI, p. 522)
www.history-matters.com/archive/jfk/hsca/reportvols/vol11/html/HSCA_Vol11_0264b.htm
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Assistant Chief of Police for the Dallas Police Department (DPD), George Lumpkin, told the SS that the idea of staying on Main Street beyond the Triple Underpass should be rejected because “…the neighborhood surrounding Industrial Boulevard was filled with winos and broken pavement.” (Ibid) However, when Chief Curry was asked about his he failed to mention the winos and broken pavement.
Mr. RANKIN - Going to the Trade Mart building would be assumed that you would go by the Texas Depository Building?
Mr. CURRY - If we went on Stemmons Expressway and that is the way they wanted to go. The only other way we could have gone. We could have continued down Main Street passed through the underpass about a block past there to Industrial Boulevard and then we would have gone Industrial Boulevard and made an entrance from the Trade Mart, from the north side of the Trade Mart there.
Mr. RANKIN - Is the Elm Street route a shorter route than to go by Industrial Boulevard?
Mr. CURRY - It's a more scenic route. The Stemmons Expressway was and it was easier to travel, traffic is easier to control on it, it is a 10-lane highway, and the Industrial Highway is heavily traveled by commercial vehicles and goes through a commercial section of the industrial area. And there was a more scenic route and traffic was more---a freer flow of traffic anyway.
Besides being more "scenic" it allowed for more opportunities to shoot JFK from. It seemed like a much riskier route (Houston and Elm Streets) than staying straight on Main Street. One would have to surmise that was the plan based on the evidence we are seeing in this article.
The WC would tell us that, “The Elm Street approach to the Stemmons Freeway is necessary in order to avoid the traffic hazards which would otherwise exist if right turns were permitted from both Main and Elm into the Freeway. (WCR, p. 39)
www.history-matters.com/archive/jfk/wc/wr/pages/WCReport_0032a.gif
What is silly about all of this is who expects regular traffic when there is a Presidential motorcade? The road would have been sealed off for the motorcade so no other traffic should have been an issue. Above they mention the “S-turn” slowing the limousine to an almost stop, but they do NOT mention this is what happened on both turns (dramatic slowing) and that the limousine was seen by fifty-nine witnesses to come to a near stop on Elm Street. Why is that o.k., but NOT down further on Industrial Boulevard?
Let’s look at a man who was working in the traffic division of the DPD on November 22, 1963, as he should know better than anyone if it was possible to head straight down Main Street to the Stemmons Freeway. His name is Joe M. Smith and here is what he told the WC.
Mr. LIEBELER. Have you been working in any specific type of assignment, or just what has been the nature of your work?
Mr. SMITH. Well, I was in radio patrol 3 1/2 years. Then I went to traffic division point control, and that is what I am doing presently.
Mr. LIEBELER. Yes; and it turned right on Houston Street and then turned left on Elm and was headed toward the triple underpass when the assassination occurred. What would have prevented the motorcade from going directly down Main Street under the triple underpass, remembering now that the motorcade wanted to go onto Stemmons Freeway?
Mr. SMITH. I don't know, sir.
Mr. LIEBELER. Now, could you have gone straight down Main Street and gotten onto Stemmons Freeway down here?
Mr. SMITH. Yes, sir.
This pretty much says it all, but he also said this.
Mr. LIEBELER. Now could you have actually gone off to the right and crossed over Elm Street if you had been on Main Street and gone under the triple underpass?
Mr. SMITH. They merge.
Mr. LIEBELER. They all merge together down there?
Mr. SMITH. Yes, sir.
Since Elm and Main Streets MERGE beyond the Triple Underpass, what was the WC talking about in regard to issues with staying on Main Street? Also, why was SS Agent Forrest Sorrels saying there was NO entrance to the Stemmons Freeway if they stayed on Main Street IF all the roads MERGED after the Triple Underpass?
This exchange has to be a mistake as the limousine did stay on Elm Street so there would be NO reason to ask this question if that is what he meant.
Mr. LIEBELER. So as far as you know, there was no reason why the motorcade couldn't have gone straight down Elm Street and gone on to the Stemmons Freeway headed for the trade mart?
Mr. SMITH. As far as I know, there is no reason.
To me, what was transcribed as “Elm” was really meant as Main Street. Again, if the streets all MERGED why was this question being asked?
Mr. LIEBELER. Is it possible that as you come down Main Street, if you stayed directly on Main Street going under the triple underpass, that you might have difficulty in making the turn with a big car from Main Street to go onto Stemmons Freeway?
Mr. SMITH. Yes, sir.
Also, we saw the limousine had difficulty in making the turn from Houston to Elm Street, but no one seemed to have a problem with that one, and that turn slowed the limousine in a highly dangerous place as it was surrounded by many buildings. It is clear the limousine could have continued down Main Street to Industrial and then onto Stemmons Freeway with no issues. It may have been safer than some other parts of the motorcade route (most definitely safer than Dealey Plaza) as well, and that is why the maps on the evening before and morning of showed NO turns onto Houston and Elm Streets.
I think we see once again the WC made claims that are not in evidence that is included in their own volumes, thus, their conclusion is sunk
*Additional Testimony Showing Employees Did Not Know About Motorcade Until November 22, 1963.
Representative FORD - When did you first learn of the President's motorcade route?
Mr. JARMAN - That morning.
Representative FORD - Friday morning, November 22d?
Mr. JARMAN - Yes, sir.
Representative FORD - How did you find out about it?
Mr. JARMAN - The foreman of the employees on the first floor.
Representative FORD - About what time Friday morning was this?
Mr. JARMAN - I imagine it would be about--I think it was between 8:30 and 9:00. I am not sure.
Representative FORD - You hadn't read about it in the papers the night before or that morning?
Mr. JARMAN - No, sir.
Representative FORD - When did you have this conversation with Lee Oswald, where he asked you--you told him that the motorcade was coming by the School Book Depository Building?
Mr. JARMAN - It was some time that morning, between 9:30 and 10:30.
We see James Jarman did NOT learn about the motorcade coming near the TSBD until Friday morning (11/22/63). His coworker Bonnie Ray Williams would say the same thing before the WC.
Representative FORD. Mr. Mr. Williams, when did you first know that the President's motorcade would come by the Texas School Book Depository?
Mr. WILLIAMS. Well, I never did know the exact time. But I think my wife had mentioned it before that Friday. She had told me, because I never did have too much time reading the paper. And that morning, that Friday morning, we was on the sixth floor, and I think some fellows mentioned it to me again, some of the fellows working with me.
Representative FORD. You did not know the motorcade was coming by your building until Friday morning?
Mr. WILLIAMS. No, sir; I didn't know the exact way it was coming, because I hadn't been reading the papers.
Representative FORD. Was it discussed in the building that morning of November 22d that the motorcade was coming by the Texas School Book Depository?
Mr. WILLIAMS. I believe I heard a couple of fellows say-I don't remember exactly who it was-but I believe I heard them say the motorcade was coming around that way.
Representative FORD. But it was not until Friday that you personally knew it was coming by the building?
Mr. WILLIAMS. Yes, sir.
He too had NO knowledge of it until Friday morning, so how could there be so much excitement in the building when people like Jarman and Williams had not heard about it? Their coworker Harold Norman would say this in his WC testimony.
Mr. BALL. Did you stay there?
Mr. NORMAN. Well, we stayed there I believe until we got the news that the motorcade was coming down, let's see, is that Commerce, no Main, because Commerce- we went back in the building, James Jarman and I.
He says he believed the motorcade was going to be on Main Street so apparently, he too did NOT hear about any change to include Houston and Elm Streets. Jarman had said he heard of the motorcade coming by the building because he had seen William Shelley and Mrs. Lee talking about it, but oddly William Shelley was NOT asked about this by the WC.
Representative FORD - What is his name?
Mr. JARMAN - William Shelley was standing up talking to Mrs. Lee.
Representative FORD - To Mrs. Lee?
Mr. JARMAN - Miss Lee, or Mrs. Lee, I think, and he was discussing to her about the President coming, asked her was she going to stand out there and see him pass.
Why is that? Why was Shelley not asked about when he learned of the motorcade route that included Elm Street? Also, remember how Hosty said Truly knew about the motorcade route including Elm Street during his testimony? Well, here is what Truly said about this.
Mr. BELIN. Now I want to take you to the morning of November 22d. First let me ask you when you first heard your employees discussing the fact that the motorcade would be going by the Texas School Book Depository? Was that first on the morning of November 22d that you heard that, or at any prior date?
Mr. TRULY. I don't recall. I don't recall hearing any particular discussion about him coming by. No, sir; I don't.
This is totally opposite of what FBI Agent James Hosty testified to. Where did Hosty get this information since it does NOT seem to be accurate?
It cannot be shown that LHO knew of the route at all, whether it included no turns or several turns onto Houston and Elm Streets. Therefore, while one could posit, he had “72 hours to plan” it is almost impossible to show he did.