Who was Richard O. “Dick” Bothun?

[John Butler]

Ike Altgens appears in Bothun photo 4. Do you suspect some photo hanky panky there, John?

Yes, I do.  It would be hard to prove.  I've actually tried to do that with looking at other photos showing the opposite side of Elm at the same time.  Cancellare, if my memory serves me.  I couldn't find him in other photos.  That may simply be a time factor or different angles factor.

There are the shadow problems in Bothun 4 indicating alteration.

I have noticed the same thing about Bothun/Altgens photos.  It's not really suspicious they were in the same places at the same time.  But, everything else about Bothun makes you want to question that.

Why would Bothun give all of his photos to Altgens home base, the Dallas Morning News?  Why was he never questioned by anybody?  What was Jack White doing by covering up what he knew for decades?   

 

Edited January 29, 2017 by John Butler

[Brad Milch]

Some additional similarities between Richard Bothun & James 'Ike' Altgens, John:

- While both photographers were present with cameras at the JFK ambush crime scene, neither photographer photographed the TSBD spectators/police gathered at the southern entrance post-ambush.

- Neither photographer photographed the rail yards, the Pullman trains parked in the rail yard area behind the north pergola, the triple underpass or the southern knoll area post-assassination.

- Neither photographer photographed post-ambush arrests (the 3 tramps & Larry Florer)

- Neither photographer found the rush of spectators converging on the north grassy knoll or the Newmans shielding their children at the bottom of the north pergola newsworthy or interesting enough to bother photographing them (Ike Altgens walked right past the Newmans & was photographed standing in front of them on the Elm Street sidewalk. He knew they were there).

- As the motorcade press cars moved away from the concrete divider in front of the TSBD towards the triple underpass, Richard Bothun is nowhere to be seen in the film footage shot by Malcolm Couch. On the other hand, the footage shot by James Darnell shows Ike Altgens on the Elm Street sidewalk below the north pergola with no Richard Bothum in sight, suggesting only Ike Altgens was present in either direction, not Bothum.

The temptation may be presenting itself for some to theorize that Ike Altgens was using the fake name & person of 'Richard Bothun' as a means to make more money from his pictures that contractual obligations with the Associated Press may have prevented. Songwriters, musicians & song performers (before & beyond Benny Goodman to The Beatles) have been using that slick way to bypass contractual obligations & restrictions since the beginning of recording technology.

If, indeed, you have found a visual mistake concerning Ike Altgens appearing twice in the Z-film frames, may I be among the first to congratulate your sharp eyes, John. Any visual proof that the Z-film was the victim of tampering is important to the history of the JFK cold case.

Unfortunately, you'll probably invite a host of debunkers for your great observation, John. I can almost hear them pouring over their visual collections feverishly searching for ammo to hurl at you (lol).

Respectfully & Sincerely,

Brad Milch

PS: Speaking of visuals debunkers, one or two of them claimed in your Altgens6 thread that the darkened window of Nellie Connally raised up about half-way was caused by a building reflection in Altgens photo #6. If one takes a look at the Jim Walker photos of JFK & entourage in their parade car on Main Street (a couple of blocks before Dealey Plaza) found at the Sixth Floor Museum, they might notice that the photographer's line of sight & distance from the parade car is very close to that of Ike Altgens in Altgens6. Although surrounded by tall buildings, Nellie's window is crystal clear. The closest tall buildings opposite Nellie's window in Altgens 6 would be the Federal building & a portion of the old red courthouse, both considerably further away from JFK's parade car than the buildings surrounding it in the Jim Walker motorcade photos.

Debunkers don't always have the correct, truthful answers.

Edited January 30, 2017 by Brad Milch

[John Butler]

Brad,

- Neither photographer photographed the rail yards, the Pullman trains parked in the rail yard area behind the north pergola, the triple underpass or the southern knoll area post-assassination, etc.

Ike Altgens was a photo editor for the Dallas Morning News.  I believe his photo-taking job was done once the assassination was over and his real job began afterwards.  Altgens 5, 6, and 7 are fakes. 

What does a photo editor do?  He takes part or parts of one picture and adds them to another.  He inserts objects into photos.  The purpose is to tell a new and different story.

Take Altgens 7 as an example.  If you add the 10 or so railroad men and a portion of the railroad bridge to a photo that does not have railroad men on the bridge but, has the presidential vehicle approaching the railroad bridge, then what do you have?  Altgens 7.  It's not a hard task for a photo editor.  It's basic 101 stuff.

Think about Officer J. W. Foster.  He said he allowed the railroad men on the bridge in testimony.  I don't believe it for a minute.  I believe Officer Foster would have CYA in that situation.  If he allowed railroad men on the bridge one could of perhaps spit or urinated on President Kennedy's head as the vehicle passed under the bridge.  He would of made sure nothing could affect his career or well being.

There are other frames and photos that show no one on the railroad bridge.

You can see Officer Foster with his DPD white hat off the railroad bridge and the railroad workers are to his left (screen right). 

Whose correct Bond or Altgens 7?

 

 

Edited February 1, 2017 by John Butler

[John Butler]

- As the motorcade press cars moved away from the concrete divider in front of the TSBD towards the triple underpass, Richard Bothun is nowhere to be seen in the film footage shot by Malcolm Couch. On the other hand, the footage shot by James Darnell shows Ike Altgens on the Elm Street sidewalk below the north pergola with no Richard Bothum in sight, suggesting only Ike Altgens was present in either direction, not Bothum.

That is an excellent observation.  Dick Bothun is not the only character used by the photo editors to plant photos into the visual record.  I would take a good look at Phillip Willis.  He is a very suspicious character. 

Your observation above just about nails the notion that Dick Bothurn probably did not take the pictures credited to him.

[John Butler]

If, indeed, you have found a visual mistake concerning Ike Altgens appearing twice in the Z-film frames, may I be among the first to congratulate your sharp eyes, John. Any visual proof that the Z-film was the victim of tampering is important to the history of the JFK cold case.

Twinned Altgens is just one of many things wrong about the Zapruder film.

The biggest clustering of mistakes is on the SW corner of Elm and Houston.  There are two different versions of reality presented in Elsie Dorman and Zapruder concerning the SW corner.  The number of people is different.  The number of photographers there is different.  There are groups of people (as many as five) in one film and not the other.  There are many couples (about 5 couples) extra in an area the Zapruder film shows only two people then after the gap 4 people. 

Edited January 30, 2017 by John Butler

[Andrew Prutsok]

On 1/29/2017 at 8:53 AM, John Butler said:

Alastair,

Glad you brought up Altgen's bag.  He is accredited with taking only 8 photos.  I've always wondered why such a small number of photos?  He was a professional.  He had his bag with extra cameras, lens, and plenty of film.  He went out to Dealey Plaza before noon.  Why not more photos?  Good question, I guess.

Your dead on about the ageing process.  People were still asking me for an ID when I bought a beer at 26 yrs old.

Been in the newspaper business for 30 years. If I sent Ike Altegens out to shoot the president and he came back with eight frames, I would have fired him on the spot. Once the film is loaded into the camera, it is gone. No reason not to shoot everything.

[John Butler]

Thanks Andrew,

Its nice too have someone agree about the suspicious nature of Altgens.  I always thought as a photographer one would take a lot of photos and then select the better ones.

[Brad Milch]

James 'Ike' Altgens & his Dealey Plaza story before, during & post assassination invites interest & intrigue. With police responders feverishly searching the rail yards for an assassin or team of shooters, Ike is seen in the Darnell film calmly standing on the Elm Street sidewalk in front of the Newman family shielding their kids as if he's waiting for someone to drive up to him.

To linger in Dealey plaza for 5 minutes after the ambush of JFK, avoid the police search & the upset spectators & make his way to his office in the Dallas Morning News building, develop his photos (or hand them off for developing, depending on the version of Altgens' handling of his exclusive photos one reads & believes) & get Altgens photo 6 out on the newswire by 1 PM CST is super fast work for a middle aged man lugging around a camera bag loaded with cameras, accessories & film.

Then, CBS TV news sits on the sensational photos for several hours before showing a couple of them on national TV.

There's more....supposedly Altgens was sent to photograph the scene at Parkland hospital after getting his photos transmitted via newswire.

I was 11 when JFK was assassinated; I'm 64 now & still waiting to see an Ike Altgens photo he took at Parkland hospital.

Ike Altgens & his wife both died mysterious deaths.

Sincerely,

Brad Milch

 

Edited January 31, 2017 by Brad Milch

[Roger DeLaria]

I had heard that Altgens and his wife died mysteriously. You don't hear much, if anything about that. Does anyone know the circumstances of their deaths?

[Josh Cron]

Altgens and his wife died in 1995.

 

New York Times obit:

http://jfk.hood.edu/Collection/Weisberg Subject Index Files/A Disk/Altgens James/Item 07.pdf

[John Butler]

The question is "Is the photo sent out at 1:00 CST the same photo shown on the CBS news at 6:35 or a substitute.  They could have sent many photos or updated photos to the AP before 6:00.

The alterations to Altgens 6 required more then just a few minutes.

Edited January 31, 2017 by John Butler

[John Butler]

Thanks Brad,

Perfect explanation.  Now I can say with some confidence that Altgens more than likely did not go to Parkland.

I have always wanted to say that.

[Michael Clark]

I can never seem to find the Hester's where I think they should be.

 

[John Butler]

This re-opens this thread from 2017.

I want to say before I begin talking about Richard Bothun again, I feel an opinion about Richard Trask’s Pictures of Pain is necessary.  I didn’t care for the book.  In my opinion, Trask’s book is a complimentary piece to the Warren Commission conclusions, or the tale of the official conspiracy.  It is descriptive at best.  As an example, in Chapter 3, he could have at least asked the question why the Chisms and Newmans said the president stood and waved to the crowd before the shooting.  There are no examples in films or photos of this behavior and the majority of witnesses say something different.

From Chapter 3 page 157, “Shortly after the shooting Mr. Bothun apparently went back to work.  He seems not to have been stopped or questioned as a witness at the scene, and apparently did not volunteer information to any official”. 

The fact the record says very little about Bothun and “any official” was not interested or ducked anything to do with Richard Bothun.  There is no DPD, or county statements, no FBI or Secret Service statement, or any Warren Commission testimony.  There were no reporters questioning Bothun.  His photo gets published in the Dallas Morning News and no one questions him. 

Apparently, the only person interested in Richard Bothun was Richard Trask.  Jack White knew Bothun and he gives a description of Bothun as being thin and not like portly Ike Atlgens at the time of the assassination.  This is contrary to Zapruder which shows Altgens and Bothun as being virtual twins.

On November 23, a cropped version of Bothun’s fourth photo appeared in the Dallas Morning News.  Bothun’s wife said he might have dropped it off there.  Bothun’s photos are very similar to Altgens and other photographers such as Willis and Hughes.  Here are his 4 photos:

 

Since Bothun’s photos are similar to Altgens, one might ask the question why did Bothun only take 4 photos.  According to Trask, he was an avid photographer who loved to develop and print his work.  4 photos is strange for that kind of person. 

Altgens took 8.  He might be excused as being a professional who only took the best photos anyone could.  But, a former newspaper editor said once on the forum that if Altgens brought back that many photos from a major event to him he would have fired him.

So, Bothun’s only 4 photos can be considered strange for an amateur photographer who loved his work.  They are very similar to Altgens photos.  Since Bothun and Altgens were mirror twins in Zapruder and Altgens worked at the DMN could Bothun's photo 4 be one of Altgen’s other photos?  I have this image in my mind of a professional photographer’s camera rapidly shooting like a slow machine gun on a roll of say 36 frames.  Strange, indeed.

Edited June 1, 2021 by John Butler

[John Butler]

There is little information on the internet about Richard Bothun.  He is a mysterious and suspicious person as far as I am concerned.  Being suspicious may not be his fault, but rather the fault of the authorities who kept Bothun in the dark.

At the time I did the post, Who was Richard O. “Dick” Bothun, I did not have a copy of Richard B. Trask’s Pictures of Pain.  At the time the price was exorbitant at Amazon, but later came down to a reasonable price and I obtained a copy.  This is an update with new and relevant information from the Trask book.  As you will see there is little relevant and new material to talk about.  

 

Bothun knowledge:

·       Richard “Dick” Bothun was born in 1921 and died in 1981.  This would make him 42 at the time of the assassination.

·       James “Ike” Altgens was born in 1919.  At the time of the assassination he would have been 45.

·       Altgens was an amateur photographer who loved to develop and print his work.  He used a 50mm lens with either a Nikon or Pentax camera according to his wife.

·       We do not have any direct evidence from an interview of Dick Bothun.  Nobody bothered to contact him while he was alive.

·       His photos of the motorcade and the events of Dealey Plaza are virtually the same as Ike Altgens.  This is except for Bothun 4.

·        Richard Bothun was a railroad worker.  Why would a railroad worker be dressed in a suit and tie exactly similar to Altgens?

·        Mr. Bothun took pictures in Dealey Plaza on the day of the assassination.

·        Mr. Bothun took pictures before the assassination and after, but not during the shooting.  He was emotionally overcome.  Why isn’t there any photos prior to the shooting?

·        There are at least 4 photos accredited to Mr. Bothun of which number 4 seems to be the most important.

·        He took photos from the same locations as Ike Altgens on the Houston St. and  Main St. intersection, along Elm St. in the grassy area between Elm St. and Main St.  and, he is with Altgens in the Zapruder film.  His photos are similar to Altgens, Willis, and Hughes.

·        He gave one of his photos to the Dallas Morning News, the home of Ike Altgens.

·        Mr. Bothun did not give any interviews to reporters, or make a statement with either the FBI or Secret Service, nor was he interviewed by attorneys for the WC.  As far as I know he didn’t talk to anyone.  If anyone has something different, please advise.

·        Most of the major assassination researchers do not mention Richard Bothun.  There is little or no information about Bothun.  If they do mention him it is mostly about Bothun 4.

·        There are curious problems with Jack White and his statements over the years regarding the authenticity of the Altgens photos and Dick Bothun.

·        In Bothun 4 there is a woman across the street taking a photo.  The importance of this escapes Trask.  Who was and where is that woman’s photo?

·        Richard Bothun, who photographed JFK motorcade and assassination aftermath, dies of heart attack in 1981.

·        What little is said on the internet about Bothun concerns the photo Bothun 4.

·        Does anyone else know anything extra about Dick Bothun?   Are there any photos of Dick Bothun other than the Zapruder film?

 

If anyone has anything extra to add or clarify please do.

Edited June 1, 2021 by John Butler