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Who Was [Is?] Willie Randall?


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I have been rather reluctatnt to post this, because it might turn out to be misinfo. I have mentioned it on various forums before, but seemingly, I have been the only one that has ever heard of it. In addition, I do not know which JFK related book I did read it, which was a few years ago. It is just that it has always been in the back of my mind and I have not been able to find it again.

What I did read was that the Randles...William and Linnie Mae, had been under investigation, even before JFK was assn. There was no other info other then that. Not why they were being investigated or by whom.

However, at the time I read that, for some reason, I thought maybe William was a private gun dealer. or something in that order. If I can recall. he was some sort of salesman and happened to be working out of town that weekend. I also thought about suspicion of gun running and if possibly true, it sure could relate to certain testimony. I haven't known how to find out if any of this is possibly true or not...but I have still had it in the back of my mind for a long time.

Of course, it is also possible that the Randle (Randal) under investigation was a different person and the writer of that book made an error. Wesley Frazier has reluctantly been interviewed a few times through the years, but I have never heard anything at all about the Randles, since Linnie Mae testified for the WC.

One other thing, their mother, I believe her name was Essie Mae Williams, was also staying with them at the time. Her husband was in a Dallas hospital. In fact, I believe that is where Wesley was picked up, wihile visiting his stepdad, in the hospital....but they first went to the wrong hospital, looking for him.

In addition, I believe that their mother also saw LHO through the window that morning, and said that she did not see LHO carrying anything. There is suppose to be a document about this, but I haven't located it yet. I have only found a refernece to it.

_________

Dixie

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Dixie,

There was a Dallas gun dealer by the name of Thurman Randle who was charged with gun smuggling in the early 1950's. The trial ultimately ending with a hung jury.

He owned a large sports store and was a champion competition shooter. During WW2, Thurman was in charge of small arms training with the Navy.

He had a brother named Raymond who was also a co-owner of the sports store. He was a photographic expert. I have not been able to find out if these Randle's are related to Linnie Mae and William.

FWIW.

James

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Tim: Thansk for your comments!

James, Thanks also for the extra info....interesting!! Probably no realtion to William, but you never know.

Bill: I have no idea where the Randles are today. But I have heard that Wesley Frazier was a neighbor of Dave Perry. True or not, I don't know. A thought anyway.

Dixie

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Does anyone know where Linnie Mae Randall (Randle) or B. Wesley Frazier live today?

Is there anything other than their Warren Commission depositions and testimony?

BK

Bill,

Buell Wesley Frazier was interviewed on the "The Men Who Killed Kennedy" series, one of the 1-6 shows, can't remember which one. The last time I checked Buell Wesley Frazier lived in Texas, the greater Dallas area, I recall.

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Does anyone know where Linnie Mae Randall (Randle) or B. Wesley Frazier live today?

Is there anything other than their Warren Commission depositions and testimony?

BK

Bill,

Buell Wesley Frazier was interviewed on the "The Men Who Killed Kennedy" series, one of the 1-6 shows, can't remember which one. The last time I checked Buell Wesley Frazier lived in Texas, the greater Dallas area, I recall.

Thanks Antti,

I got a bead on BWF, and a handle on Randall.

BK

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While researching on the Mannlicher-Carcano, I came across Warren Commission exhibit CE 1331:

CE 1331

What I found interesting was that the SS was seeking not only records of transactions dealing with Lee Harvey Oswald, but those dealing as well with one Willie Randall. A Google search on "Willie Randall" turned up only references to a jazz musician by that name.

I attempted to search the archives here on the forum for Willie Randall as well, but came up empty handed.

Anyone have a clue why the Secret Service was also interested in Willie Randall, in association with the Mannlicher-Carcano and/or the scope?

Mark, not specifically why the rifle scope, but he was considered a suspect as of 11/23/63.

Warning: shameless self-promotion follows...

Buell Frazier, Linnie Mae and Bill Randle

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Good info, Greg. I'm still wondering about Randle/Randall, but it just fits into a long line of unasked and unanswered questions...such as, why wasn't Goldsmith, of Dave's House of Guns, questioned about the scope--and by extension, the Mannlicher--since he was one of only TWO purchasers of those scopes named by the SOLE importer of that scope; and why weren't the proper questions asked of Bill Randle/Willie Randall; and why did Willie Randall's name come up at all, when investigators were discussing the riflescope ?

It just seems like a lot of unasked questions, and a lot of opportunity for "reasonable doubt" to creep into the case against Oswald, IMHO.

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Greg,

Good stuff.

Regarding the Massey Employment Agency, it was owned by Helen Massey and it was located at 211 North Ervay.

By the mid 1960's it had become the Gould-Massey Personnel Service.

With nothing solid to back this up, I stumbled across the possibility that Helen Massey and Charles Ford (yep, the same one) had some kind of business relationship. I am still working to get details.

Edited to add: I forgot to mention that Marvin Randle was elected to the Irving City Council in 1971. He successfully ran for Irving Mayor in 1977. There were three other brothers, John, Charles and Don. Their father had served in WW1 with the British army.

FWIW.

James

Edited by James Richards
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Lee,

Guessing that this was William Randall [not Randle], Linnie Mae's husband, and Buell Wesley Frazier's Brother-in-Law.

http://www.jfk-assassination.de/warren/wch/vol2/page211.php

No mention of a scope. and nothing on the husband at all anywhere...

Yes, I believe it was Bill Randle - Linnie Mae's husband.

See the FBI Oswald Headquarters File, Section 84. pp98-99.

http://www.maryferrell.org/mffweb/archive/...mp;relPageId=98

Steve Thomas

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Good info, Greg. I'm still wondering about Randle/Randall, but it just fits into a long line of unasked and unanswered questions...such as, why wasn't Goldsmith, of Dave's House of Guns, questioned about the scope--and by extension, the Mannlicher--since he was one of only TWO purchasers of those scopes named by the SOLE importer of that scope; and why weren't the proper questions asked of Bill Randle/Willie Randall; and why did Willie Randall's name come up at all, when investigators were discussing the riflescope ?

It just seems like a lot of unasked questions, and a lot of opportunity for "reasonable doubt" to creep into the case against Oswald, IMHO.

Mark... yep. All those questions just left hanging.

The only excuse I can give the feds re not checking Dave's House of Guns on the scope (and it's not a good one) is that they accepted Retting's opinion that the rifle and scope were purchased as a package from Klein's.

As for why Randle was being investigated at all regarding the scope - who knows? There should be more reports on that somewhere, but I've been unable to locate any.

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Greg,

Good stuff.

Regarding the Massey Employment Agency, it was owned by Helen Massey and it was located at 211 North Ervay.

By the mid 1960's it had become the Gould-Massey Personnel Service.

James, so it still should be shown as Massey Employment Agency in '64? If so, it should have a listing, but doesn't - at least in the White Pages. My contact is looking for a Yellow Pages, so I'll get him to check on both company names, just in case.

211 N Ervay is in the Dallas CBD, whereas Buell gave the address as Shady Grove, Irving. It did strike me as a little odd that Truly would use an out of town employment agency - if he used them at all. I'd like to see evidence he did, and in light of Linnie Mae's testimony, I'd also like to see evidence Buell got the through one.

Berry Caster lived on Shady Grove, and that's also the street Buell moved to when he left his sister's place.

With nothing solid to back this up, I stumbled across the possibility that Helen Massey and Charles Ford (yep, the same one) had some kind of business relationship. I am still working to get details.

More twists in this case than a Chubby Checker lookalike convention.

Edited to add: I forgot to mention that Marvin Randle was elected to the Irving City Council in 1971. He successfully ran for Irving Mayor in 1977.

Yep, and unsuccessfully stood for re-election in '05, only narrowly losing despite the whiff of corruption being resurrected and blown around from his first stint. What helped keep it close was the support he got from local media...

There were three other brothers, John, Charles and Don. Their father had served in WW1 with the British army.

Father's name was Edward. Bill copped that as his middle name. They lived in Illinois during WWII.

The father died in Texas in the late '90's - but going from memory there. Was unaware of a brother named John, so thanks for that. Maybe he was the skeleton in cupboard? :lol:

FWIW.

James

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The fact remains...investigators discovered that there were TWO primary customers of the importer of the Japanese riflescope...one was Klein's, and the other was a gun shop IN DALLAS. Yet apparently nobody followed up on that information...and when they DID interview the proprietor of Dave's House of Guns, the question of the MC and/or the scope apparently never came up.

I guess the Klein's evidence was a "slam dunk"...so no further questions were necessary?

This is "simple" to answer: also if Us legislation allowed surplus company sellers not to have records about their business (not related to weapons), FBI found at Klein's the scope was mounted on the C2766, and then sold to a certain hidell - this happened in january/feb if i remeber well, and the document you cited is part of a "compilation" resuming weeks of investigations. (there at Klein, it was found the link to Crescent, then to Italy and so on: CIA knew this since early december thank to WKHarvey dispatch and passed the info to SS-MAYBE, it is true WKH suggested to pass it to SS).

here for details on the order: http://www.jfklancer.com/pdf/moyer.pdf

To notice, the Carcano was a gun without telescopic sight, and not all firms in Us sell thin kind of weapon modified with a so poor scope (not so strange to find only ONE importer so).

What I find interesting in the document, is that this Willie Randall is considered "at the same level of LHO" in searching for records. And, it appears, SS knows this man brought/had a Carcano with a scope on it.

Edited by Accogli Claudio
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Greg,

Just a couple of things, as for the employment agency, it was officially called the Gould-Massey Employment Agency. Maybe that might help finding the listing. It began operation in 1958 at the North Ervay address but I don't know if it ever relocated.

Also Bill Randle's father's name was Alfred and he died in 1976. And amongst all the brothers there was a sister named Dorothy.

James

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