Steve Thomas

Ray, That's why I included all of those pictures. To my way of thinking, what you are seeing is the Black Dog Man. He leaves the steps at the top of the knoll, and you can see him as he moves in front of the pergola and walks down the Elm St. extension heading east. It's roughly 12:30 in the afternoon, so the sun is almost, but not quite directly overhead. It's late in November, so the sun is low in the southern sky. If you face the figure square on, it's roughly about the 7:00 position. There's nothing on that low concrete wall between you and him to cast a shadow over his face. Steve Thomas

David, What would be casting a shadow on him? The sun is in his face. Steve Thomas

David, Thanks for posting the letter. Yes, it appears that way, although I have no idea why he would sign his name Boris Ivanovich. A guy named Zach Jendro said it was a joke. My grasp of cursive Russian is a little rusty, but I'm pretty sure the signed name is Boris Ivanovich Fitzpatrick. In his FBI interview, Fitzpatrick doesn't make any mention of receiving gifts ("records of Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake") from Marina. I don't know if that is significant or not. In his Interview (page 925 of 25H), he said that Oswald's Russian was not as "smooth or grammatically correct" as Marina's. I'm not sure how he would know that for someone who is just beginning to study the language. He also said that Oswald was "evasive" when asked how he got Marina out of Russia. Steve Thomas

David, He's completely blacked out. I mean there's not even any skin tone. Steve Thomas

David, What photographic technique do you think was used on this figure? Steve Thomas

Forget about Lee Harvey Oswald. What about all the books that are floating in mid-air? heh heh heh. Steve Thomas

I think I may have answered the last entry in Stovall's Exhibit A – list of property taken from 2515 W. 5th St. in Irving. The last entry reads: letter addressed to Marina Oswald from Fairhope, AL. In the DPD Archives, Box 6, Folder# 6, Item# 7, page 12 there is this entry: http://jfk.ci.dallas.tx.us/box6.htm Letter (3 pages and envelope) Marina Oswald at New Orleans from Loyda Ville in Russian (Bottlees Wharf, Ala,) Irving According to Google Maps, there is no Bottlees Wharf, but there is a Battles Wharf, AL. Battles Wharf is an unincorporated area in Baldwin Co., AL. Just south of Fairhope. Fairhope is also located in Baldwin County. I can envision a letter from Battles Wharf being postmarked Fairhope. CD 206 is a Report of Robert Gemberling dated January 7, 1964. https://www.maryferrell.org/showDoc.html?docId=10673#relPageId=1&tab=page Beginning on page 373, there is a description of Russian language documents and papers seized from the residence of Ruth Paine at 2515 W. 5th St. in Irving on November 22, 1963. These papers were translated by SA Anatole Boguslav. On page 382, there is a description of Item# 8. . It says that Item# 8 is “A three page letter from Boris Ivanovich Fitzpatrick (apparently) dated August 7, 1963. The letter is written on the stationary of Loyola Villa, Battles Wharf, Alabama. The writer thanks Marina for the interesting conversation they had the week before.... Also expressed appreciation to Lee Oswald for his lecture delivered at the seminary.” Although the writer did not agree with Lee Oswald's conclusions, the seminarians respected him for his idealism and the truth of his research. https://www.maryferrell.org/showDoc.html?docId=10673&relPageId=387&search=%22Battles_Wharf%22 I'm not sure where the name “Boris Ivanovich Fitzpatrick” came from, and why his name would say (apparently) after it, but Robert Fitzpatrick was interviewed by the FBI on November 30, 1963. You can read his recollections of Marina's visit here: Recollections of Robert Fitzpatrick (25H924) CE 2549 CD 24 pp. 1-17 https://www.maryferrell.org/showDoc.html?docId=1141#relPageId=954 Oh well. At least I learned a bunch of stuff about Fairhope I never knew before. Steve Thomas

Is this the FBI report the Mobile Bay Magazine refers to? http://www.latinamericanstudies.org/belligerence/Alpha-66-12-FBI.pdf Alpha-66: FAIRHOPE, ALA: By Apr 63 Alpha-66 office in. [R-759-2- 161] “SHELDON, Craig of Fairhope, Alabama was recruiting for A-66 on Jan 2, 1963. He says he is a member, an ex-marine. [R-759-1-841851” Steve Thomas

Sheldon's Castle Origins -- About Craig Sheldon http://fairhopecastle.com/Craig_Sheldon.html Before you can really begin the story of Fairhope's Story Book Castles, you need to first meet the Man behind the story. In 1940, Craig Sheldon married Annie "Butch Sheldon, and they moved to Fairhope to raise their family at the close of World War II. 'Three children, Craig Sheldon Jr, Susan Megrez, and Pagan were born to the couple in Fairhope. Daughter Suzan Megrez Rudolf inhabits the Sheldon Castle with her husband John to this day. While Daughter, Pagan Mosher inhabits the adjacent Mosher Castle.” “The tower was built in the 1950s with the help of his young son, Craig, Jr. (then called Mac).” Steve Thomas

Is this the boat Oswald tried to board, and did he inform on Buchanan? The News-Herald from Mansfield, Ohio · April 3, 1963 Page 24 https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/45297639/ Friday 24--NEWS-HERALD W.J.. April 3. 1963 Raider denies violation of neutrality law. EDITOR'S NOTE~The following exclusive interview with Jerry 'Buchanan was obtained by his brother, James Buchanan, reporter for the Pompano Beach Sun Sentinel, and made available to the Associated Press. By JAMES BUCHANAN POMPANO BEACH. Fla. (AP) --The American who acted as spokesman for a band of anli-Castro sea raiders in securing their release from British custody told me he did not feel he had broken any neutrality law. Jerry Buchanan, 24. said in an exclusive interview by telephone; from Nassau Monday night, the raiders' boats, Violin III, had not been armed or manned in the country. The 35-foot Violin III was captured at Norman's Cay, a tiny is land in the Bahamas. Buchanan said Magistrate John Baily freed the band of 17 men and releases their boat with a decree that they lad not violated any law in British :territory," Buchanan sad. "_____ went So the boat, where it been there since Saturday morning waiting for us to come in. They knew all about us. "The police came out of the building and said, 'Is your name Buchanan?' They placed both of us under detention." He reported, a platoon of Bahamian police led by a British officer ordered the others to come ashore Buchanan said The Violin II was not captured at sea as reported and that the British frigate credited with the capture steamed into the area Sunday afternoon "The police searched the boa and captured a few of the boys who were well hidden from view. The boat put into the island to refuel, Buchanan said, and he and one of the Cubans aboard under command of Maj. Eveho Duquc went ashore unarmed. "We approached a barracks type building where we encountered a detachment of Bahamian police. "They also found the arms which we had stored on the boat. "Police told us they had us under surveillance all Sunday evening while we were trying to dock. After finding the arms they immediately announced we were being detained. The police refused to use the term 'arrest.' They said we were merely 'detained. " Buchanan said a high official of the Bahamas government, whom he declined to identify, arrived and said he was acting as a delgate from London, representing the Admiralty. "Prior to the official's arrival, however, the frigate was spotted off the east coast of the key," Buchanan said. The navy came ashore in three landing launches. One of these carried a platoon of men completely equipped with machine guns and ready to fight. The police then turned us over to the navy." "I was flown to Nassau at 7 .m. Sunday. I went to court Monday afternoon and we're now out n bond. We're supposed to be put back aboard the boat and escorted out of British waters with out equipment, guns and any of our 'personal effects." Kingsport Times from Kingsport, Tennessee · April 2, 1963 Page 1 https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/78783432/ U.S. CONFISCATES EXILE BOAT British Halt Cuba-Bound Raiders MIAMI, Ffa. (AP)-U.S. customs agents confiscated a Cuban exile boat, British police captured a band of 17 sea raiders and a companion group of commandos continued toward Cuba in a series of lightning-like developments. The exile boat, captured in Miami, was "outfitted for aggression," supervising customs agent Joseph Fortier announced Monday night. He said the 40-foot yacht Alisan was seized Sunday night at North Miami Beach with two homemade bombs and a 20-millimeter cannon on board. The boat's owner, Dr. Santiago Alvarez, said he did not know who had been using the boat or where it was used. No charges were filed. Fortier said the boat was empty when agents boarded it. A group of commandos was refitted (refitting?) nearing Cuba by boat on a mission to fight any Communist boats encountered and to contact rebels inside Cuba. A companion boat with 17 men aboard was halted at Norman's Key, a tiny island in the Exurna chain 200 miles north of the Cuban coast and 350 miles south of Miami. British police took the men into custody, including an American Ex-Kingsport Resident Leader Of Sea Raiders. EDITOR'S NOTE-The leader of the Cuba-bound "sea raiders" halted by the British yesterday was Jerry Buchanan, who was reared in Kingsport. His family lived at 1853 Buckles Drive until 1956, and he attended Long Island Elementary. (That damned Tennessee connection again smile) Steve Thomas

David, Thanks. http://cuban-exile.com/doc_326-350/doc0326.html FAIRHOPE, ALA: By Apr 63 Alpha-66 office in. [R-759-2-161] ADD: 457 OAK STREET [R-759-3-25] May 63 [R-759-3-55] CD 1020 p. 14. https://www.maryferrell.org/showDoc.html?docId=11416#relPageId=16&tab=page "He (Jim Buchanan, brother of Jerry Buchanan) advised that Jerry Buchanan would be available for a few days following the day of interview (April 30, 1964) at 457 Oak St. Fairhope, Alabama, the residence of Craig Sheldon, whom he described as Chairman of the International Anti-Communist Brigade in Alabama." CD 1020 p. 13 https://www.maryferrell.org/showDoc.html?docId=11416#relPageId=15&tab=page Allegedly, Jerry Buchanan and Oswald get into a fight on a dock when Oswald insists on boarding a boat headed out on anti-Castro (bombing?) mission to Cuba. Steve Thomas

David, Cuban Information Archives: http://cuban-exile.com/doc_326-350/doc0326.html ALPHA-66 (Alfa 66) Chronology & Background May 1962 to Nov 1964 FAIRHOPE, ALA: By Apr 63 Alpha-66 office in. [R-759-2-161] ADD: 457 OAK STREET [R-759-3-25] May 63 [R-759-3-55] Steve Thomas

David, Was that last paragraph about Alpha 66 in your post your own words, or was that in the magazine's article? Who is Hawkins? Steve Thomas

From Mary Ferrells's Database: https://www.maryferrell.org/php/marysdb.php?id=1499 BRINGUIER, CARLOS JOSE (DR.) New Orleans head of Anti-Castro Cuban Student Directorate. 201-289248. Got into a scuffle with Oswald in Aug. 1963 when Oswald was passing out FPCC literature. CIA Memo (502, P. 3) admits past contacts with Bringuier and Clay Shaw. SSCIA Dwyer & Greissing interviewed Bringuier 1/12/76 (MMF 1761-1763) (Address in 2003: 16865 J B Ln, Fairhope, AL 36532-6243 334 928-4741 Wife? Michele NO, this is his son's address and phone. Carlos, Sr., lives across street from son and his phone number is 251 990-5976. Now, I'd really like to see that letter. Steve Thomas

Fairhope's significance seems to revolve around the claims by a Jerry Buchanan that he was in a fight with Lee Harvey Oswald in October, 1962 in Miami and that Oswald was distributing FPCC literature in Miami in March, 1963. At the time, Buchanan was living with a Craig Sheldon, who Frank Sturgis said was the Southeastern Director of the International Anti-Communist Brigade. (Just my own thoughts, It's possible that Oswald was trying to infiltrate this group the same way he tried in New Orleans with the DRE and Carlos Bringuer.) FBI Report of SA Joseph T. Boston dated March 30, 1964 Interview of Jerry Buchanan of Fairhope, AL. https://www.maryferrell.org/showDoc.html?docId=1142&relPageId=460&search=Fairhope Buchanan's group, the International Anti-Communist Brigade (of Frank Sturgis fame), had a fight with members of the Fair Play for Cuba Committee in the Bay Front Park section of Miami, FL. In October, 1962. Police broke up the fight. Buchanan said Oswald was there. Also recalled that Oswald was in Miami, FL in March, 1963 distributing literature. Buchanan was living with Craig Sheldon in Fairhope. CD 1020 https://www.maryferrell.org/showDoc.html?docId=11416#relPageId=3&tab=page See CD 1020 page 19 for info on this group's activities: https://www.maryferrell.org/showDoc.html?docId=11416&search=Fairhope#relPageId=21&tab=page See FBI Report of SA Allison A. Catlin dated June 25, 1964. https://www.maryferrell.org/showDoc.html?docId=75614&search=Fairhope#relPageId=3&tab=page Interview of Craig Sheldon. In December, 1962, Sheldon traveled to Puerto Rico, where he met with Bay of Pigs veterans and was raising money for Alpha 66. Sheldon says he is in “regular correspondence” with Antonio Veciana. Copy of Fairhope Courier article January 2, 1963: https://www.maryferrell.org/showDoc.html?docId=75614&relPageId=4&search=Fairhope Steve Thomas

Ron, This is just to help set the scenario. It looks like the City Police took Marina and the kids to City Hall. The County Sheriff's took most of the evidence and Michael Paine. PS: As far as the Rambler? No, it wasn't hers. WC testimony of Richard Stovall: http://mcadams.posc.mu.edu/russ/testimony/stovall.htm “Mr. BALL. Did a Mrs. Randle come in the house also? Mr. STOVALL. No. sir; she didn't. While we were loading this stuff into our car and into the sheriff's deputy's car, we were on the outside,...” WC testimony of John Adamcik: http://mcadams.posc.mu.edu/russ/testimony/adamcik.htm Mr. ADAMCIK. By then we went ahead and took these people and put them in a car. I think Mrs. Oswald took both the children. Mrs. Paine got a neighbor to keep her children, and Mrs. Oswald and her two children were put in our car, the city police car, and Mrs. Paine also went with us, and Michael Paine, Mrs. Paine's husband, went with the county officer, and we proceeded to go to the city police station. Deputy Sheriff Harry Weatherford's Report: http://mcadams.posc.mu.edu/russ/testimony/weatherf.htm “We then loaded all of our findings into our car and brought them and Mr. Michael Payne, taking him and findings to the Dallas Police Station to the Homicide Division.” J.L. Oxford Deputy Sheriff's Report: http://mcadams.posc.mu.edu/russ/testimony/oxford1.htm “We also found about 7 metal boxes which contained pamphlets and literature from abroad. Also, there were cameras and film found. All of this was brought to the City Hall along with Mr. and Mrs. Paine and Mrs. Oswald. The children were also brought along.” WC testimony of Guy Rose: http://mcadams.posc.mu.edu/russ/testimony/rose_g.htm “Mr. BALL. You brought Ruth Paine and Marina down to the police department, did you? Mr. ROSE. Yes; we took Ruth Paine and Marina and Marina's two children in our car and also the blanket--I carried it.” Steve Thomas

Paul, I asked, " If indeed Oswald attempted to insert himself into Cuban affairs,... do you think that that decision was made before he left for New Orleans in April, or after he got there? And you answered, "I would say before, and that might be a good explanation why he went there." Do you think the Walker shooting scenario was a cover story? Or was that a coincidence that happened at the same time? I personally think the Walker shooting was a sham staged by Walker himself to launch him into the Texas gubernatorial race, but that's just me. It's hard for me to envision Marina being strong enough or forceful enough to convince Lee to get out of Dallas. I think that Oswald's job at Jaggars-Chiles-Stovall ended April 6th. His work in Dallas was done. It was time to relocate him. Steve Thomas

Ron, Didn't Ruth drive to New Orleans and pack up all their things (like the rifle supposedly?) in a station wagon and move them back to Irving? Steve Thomas

Ron, I've never put to much stock in this. As I read through Purdue Lawrence's WC testimony, I think got a better picture of the delineation of the motorcade's security assignments. http://mcadams.posc.mu.edu/russ/testimony/lawrence.htm Since this was a City of Dallas event, and would come under the City of Dallas umbrella, I can envision Fritz telling Decker, "You can relax. We got this." I don't know if it was a "stand down" order by Decker, so much as a "Don't get in the way. The City boys got this covered." order. If the Deputies were told to go out front and show your support for the President, and some of them didn't like that very much, I can see that too. There are some Presidents I would not like to show support for too. Steve Thomas

David, Thanks. That explains how they got there. I wondered. It seems like you are saying that the last two items in Stovall's Exhibit A https://www.maryferrell.org/showDoc.html?docId=1138#relPageId=620&tab=page a) an envelope from Ruth to Marina dated July 22nd; and, b ) a letter to Marina from Fairhope, AL. are separate. Who would be writing Marina from Fairhope, AL? Have you ever seen this letter? In his "Recollections", Fitzgerald said he was studying Russian, and that Marina only knew enough English to answer "yes" or "no" to questions. He said that Mrs. Murret could only communicate to Marina through him. He also said that it seemed to him that Marina only had enough education to put her at the high school graduate level; which to me would seem to be more at the level of a pharmacy assistant as opposed to a full fledged pharmacist. The Alpha-66 angle is weird. Steve Thomas

Recollections of Robert Fitzpatrick (25H924) CE 2549 CD 24 pp. 1-17 https://www.maryferrell.org/showDoc.html?docId=1141#relPageId=954 Lee, Marina and daughter June came to Mobile on Saturday, July 27, 1963. Recollections of Robert Fitzpatrick (25H924) CE 2549 CD 24 pp. 1-17 https://www.maryferrell.org/showDoc.html?docId=1141#relPageId=954 Lee, Marina and daughter June came to Mobile on Saturday, July 27, 1963. Fitzgerald has conversations with Marina. Marina tell Fitzpatrick that “she has no living relatives in Russia and that Oswald is away from home a great deal.” (25H925) Mary Ferrells's Chronologies: https://www.maryferrell.org/showDoc.html?docId=40391#relPageId=19&tab=page “The Oswald go to Mobile with the Murrets about noon. Oswald's cousin, Joyce Murret O'Brien and her two children go along. July 26, 1963 The visitor's register at the Atomic Energy Museum in Oak Ridge, Tenn is signed by a “Lee H. Oswald, USSR, Dallas Rd. Dallas, TX.” https://www.maryferrell.org/showDoc.html?docId=40391#relPageId=18&tab=page FBI determines this is not in the handwriting of Lee Harvey Oswald. Steve Thomas

http://www.whokilledjfk.net/oswald4.htm Lee Oswald’s Speech in Alabama Oswald’s Speech and the JFK Assassination In July 1963, Lee Harvey Oswald was living in New Orleans. His cousin, Eugene Murret, was attending the Jesuit House of Studies at Spring Hill College, a couple of hours’ drive away in Mobile, Alabama. Murret asked Oswald to visit the college and give a talk about his experiences of the Soviet system. Oswald’s notes for his speech are given below, followed by an account of the speech assembled by another student, Robert Fitzpatrick. Stovall Exhibit A (21H596) https://www.maryferrell.org/showDoc.html?docId=1138#relPageId=620&tab=page The last two entries on that list are a letter from Ruth Paine to Marina. The envelope is postmarked July 22, 1963 from Fairhope, AL. Does anyone know the date of Oswald's talk? Do you know how he got there? Did Lee and Ruth Paine meet while he was there? Does anyone know what that letter from Ruth to Marina said? Steve Thomas

Paul, If indeed Oswald attempted to insert himself into Cuban affairs, either through divine inspiration or whether he was acting as an agent for someone else (like the FBI), do you think that that decision was made before he left for New Orleans in April, or after he got there? Steve Thomas

Jack Ruby by John Armstrong http://harveyandlee.net/Ruby/Ruby.html “Four Dallas deputy constables (fully empowered peace county-wide jurisdiction) inspected a box containing documents that linked Ruby and Oswald. Deputies Billy J. Preston, Ben Cash, and John Callaghan reported they had seen a motel near New Orleans with Ruby and Oswald's names dated several weeks before the assassination of President Kennedy. They said the receipts showed several phone calls had been placed to Mexico, to numbers identified as the Cuban and Russian embassies. The supervisor (Robie Love), personally turned the box over to Dallas DA Henry Wade, and the box disappeared.” Posted by Bill Kelly in the Education Forum 2/17/2008 http://educationforum.ipbhost.com/topic/12270-dallas-county-das-office-finds-cache-of-jfk-memorabilia/ "AND FROM GARY BUEL'S BLOG: So just how much truth was there to the National Enquirer story quoted yesterday? Deputy Billy J. Preston and some of his associates also spoke to the Dallas Morning News in 1976. I don't have a copy of this article but found this on the web: On March 28, 1976, the Dallas *Morning News* ran an unusual story when four Dallas deputy constables decided to come forward to relate something that had been bothering them for a very long time. Shortly after the assassination the four had examined a box of handwritten notes and assorted other papers in the Dallas County Courthouse, a number of which apparently linked Oswald and Ruby. Deputy Billy Preston, Constable Robie Love, and deputy constables Mike Callahan and Ben Cash all recalled that this box had come from the apartment of a Dallas woman. Preston said, "She was really scared because she had all that stuff. She wanted me to pick it up for her. And I just wished I had made some more copies now." The men couldn't for the life of them remember the name of the woman, except Preston thought her first name was Mary. He recalled that the papers were apparently written by Lee Harvey Oswald. Ben Cash disagreed, recalling that the woman had a live-in "Latin American" boyfriend, and Cash thought the papers had been his. He told reporter Earl Golz that ". . . he mentioned Ruby and he mentioned Oswald in the writings. He didn't mention the third party but he kept referring to a third party. And the third party would have to be him." According to Preston and Love, the box was turned over to Dallas DA Henry Wade in late 1963 or early 1964; Wade told the Morning News that he had no recollection of such a box of papers The deputies tried to recall some of the box's contents. They named newspaper clippings from Mexico; a photocopy of a *Daily Worker* presscard issued to Jack Ruby; a motel receipt from early November 1963 withboth Ruby and Oswald's name on it, as well as references to phone callsmade to Mexico City; papers mapping out a landing strip in Mexico; references to meetings with some kind of "agents" in McAllen and Laredo, Texas (near the Mexico border); a church brochure with handwritten notations concerning a trip to Cuba; and a handwritten note detailing a plan to assassinate President Kennedy during the dedication of a lake or dam in Wisconsin. No one has seen hide nor hair of this mysterious box full of papers since the deputies transferred custody of it." See: Commission Document 385 - FBI Gemberling Report of 11 Feb 1964 re: Oswald https://www.maryferrell.org/showDoc.html?docId=10786&search=%22Mary_Sims%22#relPageId=204&tab=page pp. 199+ On 1/28/64 Billy Preston said he received 33 documents including one 2X4” spiral bound notebook from Mary Sims. (page 200). Irregardless of whether the documents were true or not, it's the fact that they disappeared that's troubling. Steve Thomas

Paul, Saying "Cuban sympathizers" is not the same thing as saying, "Castro supporters". The anti-Castro exiles were Cuban sympathizers too. Perhaps those files were of anti-Castro exiles and what they were up to. Steve Thomas