James Richards

thanks for the info James,the only copy i have is poor,i'll see if i can do something with it.

Ive heard about the Rambler,does this show up in any other footage taken that day,anybody witnessing its location during the Assassination.

kind regards jim.

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Hi Jim,

The Rambler does appear in this image below. I have circled the appropriate vehicle. Also, if you haven't already done so, may I suggest perusing the work of Richard Bartholomew who has done quite some research on the subject.

http://spot.acorn.net/jfkplace/09/fp.back_...e/rambler1.html

James

In my most humble of opinions, Deep Throat is Fred Fielding.

James

hi James,are these the two persons you mentioned,apologies for the quality.

regards jim.

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Yep, that's them, Jim.

This was about 9 minutes after the shooting. The Oswald look-a-like then made his way down the knoll and loudly whistled. He climbed aboard a 1959 Rambler wagon driven by a man with a dark complexion and departed the scene. This was witnessed by Roger Craig and photographed by Jim Murray.

I have done a comparison below. The other image is a crop from the Murray photograph showing this guy near the Stemmons Freeway sign (center frame).

This time it is my turn to apologize for the poor quality.

James

Does anyone have a clearer version of this image below? Also, has the guy on the right ever been identified?

James

hi Shanet,many thanks for the info.I only came across the witnesses photo recently but that one guy stood out & seemed so familar to me.

regards jim.

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Hi Jim,

Here is the McCord comparison I did.

That photo you posted of the crowd gathering on the knoll is a very interesting one. Amongst many different aspects, you will find present Alfredo Duran, Billie Sol Estes and a known associate of Bernardo De Torres look-a-likes.

If you look over toward the right of frame behind the little wall, there is a guy (2 guys actually), one who in some circles is considered to be Lee Oswald leaving the TSBD. I believe this was the Oswald impersonator.

James

Thanks, Steve.

Well that is fascinating to say the least.

James

Shanet,

It should also be remembered that on the 21st of November, 1963, JFK paid tribute to Albert Thomas as the man who gave America the leadership in space. (see below)

What a difference a day makes.

James

Bernice,

Thanks for the information re Weitzman.

Regarding fake SS identification, we also have the FBI report about Roy Hargraves being a JFK assassination suspect. This was to confirm that Hargraves did indeed have false SS identification in his possession.

Speculation here; but if Hargraves was the Umbrella Man, having SS identification would be handy in case any nosy DPD stopped to ask questions of him or his mysterious companion (DCM). Having Bernard Barker up behind the fence and Hargraves on Elm Street, both men are idealy located to deflect unwanted attention. I wonder if another participant was located around the TSBD with fake SS credentials as well?

James

Thanks, Bernice. Very interesting.

I must say that the phoney SS agent(s) is one of the more interesting aspects of this. My memory is slowly failing me of late, but didn't someone identify Bernard Barker as one who was carrying such false identification?

James

According to the same source, the Willis photo shows the "hard hat man" strolling down toward the Umbrella Man.

Can someone post these photos? Does anyone have good photos of Conein himself? (Tim Gratz)

Tim,

I'm not sure about a Willis slide that shows 'Hard Hat Man' strolling toward UM, but in this Willis photo below, 'Hard Hat Man' can be seen on the right of frame in some kind of bizarre pose.

As for Conein, here he is below with Ed Lansdale.

James

I just wanted to mention that is was not Valenti that winked at LBJ, at he swearing in...it was Cong.Albert Thomas. Here is a photo: (Dixie Dea)

Hi Dixie,

Here is a nice clean version of that photograph.

James

According to Gerald Patrick Hemming, Antonoi Veciana told Hemming that the man he saw Lee Harvey Oswald with in Dallas was not Maurice Bishop but was Jake Esterline. Veciana told Fonzi it was Bishop to protect Esterline. The building where the meeting took place was the building that housed the office of H. L. Hunt. (Tim Gratz)

I must admit that I am having a hard time getting my head around this (not being a rocket scientist to begin with). If Veciana was trying to protect Esterline, why mention it at all?

The question then begs, what was the relationship between Esterline and Veciana?

I do believe it was Bishop/Phillips but it is possible that Veciana saw the LHO imposter? Pondering that possibility certainly offers some new perspective.

James

Nice work on the new pages, John. Spartacus is really becoming one stop shopping regarding information on the assassination.

James

Thanks Al.

I did some Googling and found that an average human adult can run at approximately 15 mph. With that, the key to all of this is the limo slowing enough for Hill to catch it.

I have watched the Zapruder film over and over and I just can't detect the limo slowing to roughly a third of its speed.

BTW, jumping from a vehicle moving at 10 mph and keeping one's footing was a task by itself.

James

Yes, James. The Z film is a fabrication. (Jack White)

Hi Jack,

To continue my earlier babbling, the classic Altgens' photo shows JFK going for his throat so he has obviously been hit and Clint Hill is still positioned on the running boards of the following vehicle. This means he has only a few seconds to get off the vehicle and to catch the limo at the time of the headshot.

A few weeks ago, some friends and I tried to duplicate Hill's performance given that he reacted at the time of the first shot which according to the extant photographic record, he did not which makes his feat even more incredible.

The vehicles we used were travelling at ten miles per hour and were not slowed. Now I am quite fit, not a bad middle distance runner and in six seconds, I didn't even get close. The only way I could get close in the alotted time frame was to slow the lead vehicle down markedly which IMO, the Zapruder film doesn't depict.

FWIW.

James

Several witnesses said that Greer stopped the car after the first shot was fired. This included Jean Hill, who was the closest witness to the car when Kennedy was hot: According to Hill "the motorcade came to almost a halt at the time the shots rang out". James Chaney (one of the four Presidential motorcyclists) - stated that the limousine "after the shooting, from the time the first shot rang out, the car stopped completely, pulled to the left and stopped." Mary Woodward, a journalist with the Dallas Morning News wrote: "Instead of speeding up the car, the car came to a halt... after the first shot". (John Simkin)

Something I have never been able to understand is if you watch the Zapruder film, the limo continues with momentum through the attack. I remember reading somewhere that the vehicle speed was approximately 11 MPH. So, how does Clint Hill manage to jump off the following vehicle and actually catch the limo in such a short space if the limo didn't slow considerably which the Z film doesn't show?

Close examination of the film shows that Hill was at the back of the limo at approximately the time of the head shot. So, if he reacts to the first shot of which no one else seems to have, he has about 6 seconds to leap off the vehicle and to sprint toward the limo which hasn't appeared to have considerably slowed.

For me, that doesn't quite add up. Am I missing something?

Below is the article by Mary Woodward.

James

From 11-21. You can't get a look of the driver, so who knows if it was Greer.

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Hi Nic,

Greer aside, that sure looks like Roy Kellerman standing by the limo's passenger door.

James

I did some research some time ago on Greer's background. I'm pretty much convinced this poor guy was in the wrong place at the wrong time. In no way, shape or form was he involved in the conspiracy, or slowed the limo deliberately. (Richard J. Smith)

I agree, Richard.

As Ryan Crowe has pointed out, if a bullet or bullets came from the front, then his immediate reaction would be not to drive into an ambush. That could explain his apparent non-reaction - simply caught in no man's land.

James

Fascinating information on Esterline. I am currently researching Esterline. This was after I discovered that Easterline ran the "war room" during both the overthrow of Jacobo Arbenz and the attempts to assassinate Castro. (John Simkin)

John,

Esterline was also the Task Force Chief for the Bay of Pigs invasion. Grayston Lynch and Rip Robertson reported directly to him.

Below is a document which shows the command structure.

FWIW.

James

Hi Tim,

Angelo Murgado is a new name for me.

Charles Siragusa is an interesting character though. The following is from one of A.J. Weberman's Nodules.

James

*****************

CHARLES SIRAGUSA: THE CIA'S HITMAN

The CIA's initial efforts to form an assassination section involved Charles Siragusa. Siragusa (born October 28, 1913; died April 17, 1982, Office of Security # 41 82) was raised amid mob violence in New York City's Little Italy. He worked under ANGLETON in the OSS (March 1944 to December 1945), and then was an official of the Federal Bureau of Narcotics. [Winks Cloak and Gown p363] He was sent to Italy in 1951 to neutralize "Lucky" Luciano, who was sending heroin shipments to New York. [sterling, C. Octopus p79] Charles Siragusa was attached to the U.S. Embassy, Rome, where he worked with the CIA Station. A CIA document revealed: "Siragusa was of liaison interest to various components of this Agency from 1961 to 1967, including the Behavioral Activities Branch of the Technical Services Division." [HSCA Gambino/Carpenter 2.28.78] In May 1967 Charles Siragusa supplied the CIA with biographic data that stated he had been employed by the Illinois Crime Commission since 1963. As head of the Commission, Siragusa was instrumental in solving the $4.3 million Purolator theft in 1974 by planting a snitch in the suspected burglary gang. In 1974 the name of Charles Siragusa was given to the Central Cover Staff in response to a request from an individual who might work for a pharmaceutical firm as an investigator.

In October 1977, Charles Siragusa told Senator Edward Kennedy "that he was approached by a CIA employee in 1960 or 1961 who he recalls was Mr. Vincent Thill, who sought Mr. Siragusa's assistance to recruit underworld figures for assassination purposes. Mr. Thill is alleged to have said that one million dollars would be paid for a successful assassination. Mr. Siragusa also stated that in addition to Mr. Thill, he had contact with the following former CIA employees: Sheffield Edwards, JAMES ANGLETON, John Mertz and Robert Bannerman. As related to the CIA, the context of their relationship with Mr. Siragusa was not given. The SSCIA was informed of Mr. Siragusa's allegation. Mr. William Miller, SSCIA, suggested to Commander Bernard McMahon, Executive Assistant to the Director of the CIA, and Mr. John Waller, Inspector General, that CIA investigate the allegation. The Agency has initiated an investigation; following are the results to date: (Deleted)."

CHARLES SIRAGUSA AND VINCENT THILL

Charles Siragusa told journalist Jack Anderson: "After a few minutes of chitchat, the CIA man [Vincent Thill] made this startling suggestion: that Siragusa, drawing on his underworld knowledge and contacts, recruit a crew of mafia torpedoes for standby assassination duty. They would be paid $1 million in fees and expenses for each kill. The CIA would assign the missions and underwrite the payoffs from secret funds." Siragusa, who had underworld and mafia connections because of his position with the Bureau of Narcotics, said that he refused to cooperate. Some evidence, however, indicated Charles Siragusa proposed that narcotics traffickers be utilized as assassins. On December 19, 1960, Harold Meltzer was considered as a possible CIA assassin. Meltzer was an associate of Meyer Lansky. The CIA: "Attached is a rather comprehensive six page biographical history which supplies not only all the information you requested, but many additional facts which will facilitate your evaluation of his potential. Meltzer owns and operates Fried Sportswear Company, Los Angeles, California. On August 3, 1959 he was convicted at Federal Court at Los Angeles for failure to register as a previously convicted narcotics law violator at the time of his travel abroad. He was fined $1,000 and placed on three years probation. Meltzer appeared before a Federal Grand Jury at Los Angeles on March 24, 1960, under subpoena, but invoked the Firth Amendment throughout questioning. Although he was threatened with contempt proceedings, this action never materialized. In the Spring of 1959 he furnished information to our California Office, but has not since cooperated with us. He has the background and talent for the matter we discussed but it is not known whether he would be receptive. Also attached is a copy of his FBI criminal record and an old Wanted Notice which bears a good likeness of him. I have never met Meltzer." [Los Angeles Times 5.3.78; CIA Enc. 12.1960

JAMES ANGLETON AND CHARLES SIRAGUSA

JAMES ANGLETON was interviewed on October 13, 1977, regarding his relationship with Charles Siragusa: "He knows Siragusa from World War II days. Following the war, during the 1950's, Mr. Siragusa was assigned to Rome as the U.S. representative on narcotics matters for Western Europe. ANGLETON had several official contacts with him but none since. Mr. ANGLETON states he was never associated with assassination plotting."

CHARLES SIRAGUSA AND JOHN MERTZ

When CI Director JAMES ANGLETON wanted his own Counter-Intelligence shop in Vietnam he ordered former Pretoria Chief of Station, John Mertz, to set one up. John Mertz told this researcher: "During World War II when ANGLETON was in Italy working for Allen Dulles he made an arrangement where he ran a Counter-Intelligence Unit in Italy. These men were in uniform, and did not report to the military. That was a peculiar situation in Italy for a short period of time. In July 1965 ANGLETON got the idea that he could do the same in Vietnam. They knew at that time that the American forces were thoroughly penetrated by the North Vietnamese and the Viet Cong. He sent me over to talk to General Joseph A. McChristian. He was top intelligence officer in Vietnam. [McChristian was General Westmoreland's intelligence chief from 1965 to 1967.] He later became DIA Chief, when he came back to the States. McChristian sent me over to confer with him to see if it would be possible for the Agency to set up a Counter-intelligence Unit in uniform, not reporting to the military. McChristian kicked me out the country. He said, 'No way, get the hell out of here. Tell ANGLETON, no.' Our Chief of Station was Gordon L. Jorgensen. I came back and made a report to ANGLETON. He sent a couple a guys over there and they got kicked out. [Gordon Jorgensen was succeeded as Chief of Station of Saigon by John Limond Hart.] That's as far as that went. I went to Africa a year and a half after that."

Mr. John Mertz was interviewed at his retirement home in Florida on October 6, 1977 in regard to Charles Siragusa's allegations. "Mr. Mertz related the following regarding his contacts with Mr. Siragusa. In 1960 or 1961, three CIA employees were arrested in Havana, Cuba, while engaged in an intelligence audio operation directed at a third country. They were tried, convicted and sentenced to ten years in prison. Their CIA affiliation was not revealed. Mr. Mertz was tasked with devising a means to free the prisoners. Mr. ANGLETON was Siragusa's OSS Supervisor in Italy during World War II, and suggested to Mr. Mertz that he contact Siragusa...Mr. Mertz states he was never associated with assassination plotting nor did he deal with Mr. Siragusa on any matters other than those discussed above...Mertz says he was never associated with assassination plotting."

CHARLES SIRAGUSA AND ROBERT BANNERMAN

Robert Bannerman, who was Deputy Director, Office of Security, during the early 1960's, and later the Director of the Office of Security "remembers Siragusa as a Office of Security covert contact/informer. He says that when an Office of Security investigation turned up information related to narcotics, Siragusa might be contacted to see if he could provide assistance. Bannerman says he is not aware of any other contacts with Siragusa nor was he involved in any assassination plotting. He says he now knows that Sheffield Edwards was involved in Castro assassination plotting, but was not aware of it at the time." [CIA OGC 77-6457 10.11.77 Robert S. Young]

The Office of the Inspector General of the CIA determined that there was no basis for Siragusa's allegations. William K. Harvey took over the assassination project from Charles Siragusa. Notes on ZR/RIFLE stated: "Maximum security. Kubark [CIA Station] only. e.g. What does Siragusa now know?"

According to Gerald Patrick Hemming, Antonoi Veciana told Hemming that the man he saw Lee Harvey Oswald with in Dallas was not Maurice Bishop but was Jake Esterline.  Veciana told Fonzi it was Bishop to protect Esterline.  The building where the meeting took place was the building that housed the office of H. L. Hunt.

I do not believe Hemming thinks Esterline was involved in the assassination but he did mention one familiar name who he said was involved in transfering funds for the assassination:  Lucien Conein.

Food for thought, anyway.  I await your comments.

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Interesting, thanks, Tim.

Did GPH elaborate on the transfer of funds? Like from where to who? Also, was there an explanation as to how or why GPH would know about the financial arrangements?

Then again, if that is Hemming standing behind Conein at the corner of Main and Houston, who knows what was said.

James

Thanks Larry and John.

I guess it's easy to be scathing of his performance during the drama but armchair critics weren't there with bullets whizzing all around. I found it interesting that he had no special training for the task at hand.

I dug up this image of the Kennedy family in Palm Springs for Easter of 1962. Greer is in the background.

James

I was pondering the performance of William Greer (the limo driver) during the Dealey Plaza attack and wondered whether or not he was the regular driver or was this duty rotated amongst other Secret Service agents?

Any info here would be appreciated. I did manage to find this shot of JFK in mid 1963 and that sure looks like Greer on the far right.

James

Hi Steve,

I think the Harvey note has stirred plenty of interest and in its way, supported the Corsican connection. I have nothing to support the following, but not all agreed with it for all operations.

I am hoping to have some more to offer on this in the future.

Cheers,

James

I agree with Shanet that the Christian David information should be viewed with some suspicion. Issues like deniability, off-shore communication and cut-outs, transport in and out, connecting Oswald, control, all come into play. Trusted local mechanics does make more sense.

The whole Corsican connection just strikes me as being some well crafted disinformation. FWIW.

James