Steve Thomas

Cliff, ...Uh, pardon me? Prouty and Krulak IDd the gent with the stooped right shoulder, the turned left hand w/class ring photographed with the 3 tramps. Yes, the arrest records on the tramps were not unearthed until 1992. The poster corrects his earlier blog entry in a posting dated August 20, 2007. http://cannonfire.blogspot.com/ Steve Thomas

Jack, I thought it was interesting. If you look at Mary Ferrell's database... Why would a person get married at age 35 in 1960, and then be wandering the country as a hobo in 1963? The last line in the database entry is intriguing. Steve Thomas

According to the Social Security Death Index, John F. Gedney died April 23, 2003. Steve Thomas

John Forrester Gedney was one of the three tramps arrested in the railyards on November 22, 1963. This was posted on a blog called Cannonfire by someone named Joseph on August 17, 2007 concerning a man named Larry Kolb: http://cannonfire.blogspot.com/ The blog by Joseph contains some errors, but the thrust of the article is intriguing. "Having made rather too many enemies in the clandestine world, Kolbe finds himself in a safe house in Florida. He spends a number of pages indicating that this small town functions as a sort of retirement village for spooks. (In much the same way, old carnies would retire to Gibtown, also in Florida.) Faded spies are everywhere. Even the guy who bags his groceries is an old KGB defector -- literally a bag-man. And guess who else happens to live in Spook Central? There was also John Forrester Gedney. Mr. Gedney retired recently after more than twenty years as a code inspector, inspecting houses, like mine, for compliance with building codes. You may have heard his name in the movie J.F.K., or read it in a book. For, as Mr. Gedney announced, and proved, last year [2003], he was one of the three railway tramps arrested behind the grassy knoll in Dallas on November 22, 1963. He was the tall one in the grainy, mysterious photograph used so often by conspiracy theorists as evidence that the CIA and other dark forces were behind the assassination of our president. Gedny shared a cell block with Lee Harvey Oswald. Unlike Oswald, Gedney made it out alive... Actually, Gedney is not mentioned in Oliver Stone's 1991 film; he had not "come out" at that time. The film does reference the identification made by the late CIA/Air Force liaison L. Fletcher Prouty -- who felt that the "tramp" in question was none other than Edward Lansdale, with whom Prouty worked closely. (Lansdale later said that he considered Prouty too paranoid!) The photographic identification was seconded by Lt. General Victor Krulak., who also knew Lansdale well. As noted earlier, I suspect that Larry Kolb may be the son of Ed Lansdale. And even if he is not, we can still safely presume that "Lewis Kolb" worked closely with Lansdale in the Philippines. The man Prouty believed was in Dealey Plaza on November 22, 1963 was either Larry's Dad or one of his many spooky "Uncles." Also worth noting: Larry Kolb mentions, in his acknowledgments, that he asked Oliver Stone to read the manuscript of his book. How did Kolb come to know Stone? I have heard previously that Stone made an attempt to contact Lansdale's family. Is Kolb hinting that we should take another look at the Gedney story? While fingerprint evidence does place Gedney in the Dallas jail that day, such evidence can be, as the spies say, "backstopped." We really only have Gedney's word for it that he was a vagabond and a tramp at that point in his life. One can easily comprehend why the Agency would want to place one of their own contacts near Oswald in that jail. Gedney lives in Melbourne, Florida. Presumably, this was the location of Kolb's safe house -- and of all those other "former" intelligence officers, including the KGB guy turned bag-man. (The name of the town is not mentioned in Overworld.) Melbourne also happens to be the home town of two private "spooked up" airlines run by the notorious Blackwater corporation. If you happen to pass through that burg, and if you run into either John Gedney or Larry Kolb, tell 'em I said "Hi."" From Mary Ferrell’s database: "LAST GEDNEY FIRST JOHN MID/AKA FORRESTER ADDRESS 356 Arlington St., Melbourne, FL 32927 (in 1992) 'PHONE (h) (407) 777-7932; (o) (407) 727-2900 SOURCES Houston Post, Sun. 2/9/92 (A-27); 89A-DL-60165-15 (MMF 2338); 89A-DL-60165-16 (MMF 2342, MMF 2344); 89A-DL-60165-20 (MMF 2348-2352); 89A-DL-60165-22 (MMF 2354); 89A-DL-60165-27 (MMF 2365); 89A-DL-60165-56 (MMF 2479) COMMENT Age: 38. DOB: 2/2/25. POB: Revier, Massachusetts or Orlando, FL (?). SS No. 253-26-4169. 6' 1", 190 lbs. In U.S. Air Force Sept. 5, 1941, to October 2, 1945. Serial # 20480183. Honorable Discharge. Married in Dade County, FL, in 1960. Wife: Lillian Hickman (deceased in 1967). No children. Reported to be one of 3 "tramps" arrested in train boxcar 11/22/63; "they are passing through town. They have no means of support". Report written by Wm. E. Chambers. He was released at 9:00 a.m., 11/26/63. (See Harold Doyle and Gus Abrams). Oliver B. "Buck" Revell, Special Agent in Charge of Dallas FBI Office, confirmed that he interviewed Doyle and Gedney and they were the tramps in Dealey Plaza 11/22/63 with Gus Abrams, who is now deceased. There is alleged to be a sealed case on file in Boston, Massachusetts, on Gedney. In 1992, “Gedney said that he felt that he was interviewed by some Federal Agent who verified Gedney’s identity by calling Miami to determine that Gedney’s identity was correct”. FBI interview with Gedney 3/6/92 He talks again of being interviewed by a Federal Agent, who asked that he call his wife to prove who he was. “Gedney said he got the impression that this Federal person had called which he said he had and then noted that they have nothing on any of you”. FBI Interview by SA Durham with Harold Doyle 2/20/92 (89-DL-43) (P) “Doyle recalled that at the Dallas City Jail, a Federal guy told him that they were lucky because they got to see the man who killed Kennedy, later identified as Lee Harvey Oswald, in person”. (Later identified?) Why do no FBI reports appear contemporaneous with their arrest? Why do both Gedney and Harold Doyle say that they were fingerprinted, and yet no fingerprints appear on their arrest reports? Were the arrest reports manufactured long after 1963? Was Gedney CIA and when the FBI ran the tramps’ fingerprints, they dropped it like a hot potato? Steve Thomas

Stephen, I don't know if you have seen this Gary Shaw Freedom of Information request, but if you haven't, you might be interested in this. See page 11 particularly. http://www.maryferrell.org/mffweb/archive/...c.do?docId=6060 Steve Thomas

John, You can get them from the Mary Ferrell Foundation site here: http://www.maryferrell.org/wiki/index.php/..._Killed_Kennedy Steve Thomas

Mark, Yeah, hadn't LHO been interviewed twice SA Fain by this time? Of course they knew about him. I was more interested in Chiles' description of Oswald as "surly". I'm not sure if it goes back to the Harvey and Lee business, but there seems to be two descriptions of the person being called Oswald. One is surly and uncommunicative, one is likeable but quiet. His coworkers at the TSBD did not describe him as "surly". Steve Thomas

In his 12/13/75 testimony to the Church Committee, Hosty identified the Army Intelligence officer as Ed Coyle. http://www.maryferrell.org/mffweb/archive/...bsPageId=178159 Steve Thomas

And if anyone runs across any I'd sure like to know. Steve Thomas

James, He also served as the first Secretary of the Dallas Police Association. Their organizing efforts ruffled a lot of feathers. Steve Thomas

Peter, The Tippit that Jack knew was named G.M. Tippit. He was a Detective in the Special Service Bureau. He and Jack met during Jack's Silver Spur days. He genuinely liked Jack. Steve Thomas

Greg, You know, you just might be right. Steve Thomas

Greg, That is a reasonable explanation, and you are probably right. Ball's question seems to come out of the blue. Why didn't he ask her if she knew Polish, or German? Why Spanish? Greg, have you ever come across any references that Oswald might have known any of the students at the University of Dallas? I know he was involved with, or spoke to students at Tulane in New Orleans, and there is some suggestion that he might have met with some students while he was in Mexico City. I was just wondering about Dallas. I know I am tilting at windmills, but I'm just mulling over the whole DRE, Fermin de Goicochea, Sarita Odio angle. Steve Thomas

Greg, Actually, I got started compiling the witnesses who seem to have been coached by Forrest Sorrels before their testimony. Aside from Bledsoe and Howard Brennan, I thought I remembered someone along the lines of James Worrell or Amos Euins. As I run across them, I'd like to add them up and compare them to their significance in determining the "official" story of what happened that day.

Greg, I took that into consideration. At the end of her testimony, Bledsoe was relating a telephone call that LHO received on Friday, October 11th. She said: Mr. JENNER - Your son answered the phone? Mrs. BLEDSOE - And he called him to the phone, and seemed like that she was going to have a child and--- Mr. JENNER - You heard enough of the conversation that you have the recollection that he said something about his wife possibly having to go to the hospital? Mrs. BLEDSOE - Yes. Mr. JENNER - For the delivery of her child? Mrs. BLEDSOE - Yes. Mr. JENNER - Was this the first time you had any knowledge that his wife was with child? Mrs. BLEDSOE - Yes. Still and all, referring to a picture that Oswald took out of a billfold and showed to her on Monday the 7th seems pretty concrete, and very bizarre. Steve Thomas

Jack, Yes, she was born February 15, 1962 while the Oswalds were still in Minsk. That would make her about a year and a quarter old at the time of this incident. Steve Thomas

In her testimony before the Warren Commission, Mary Bledsoe spoke of meeting Lee Harvey Oswald on October 7, 1963 when he came to rent a room from her. During her testimony, she said, " Mrs. BLEDSOE - And so, that give me a lead, something to talk about, and I said, "Well, what kind of work do you do? "Oh, I do electronics," he said, and I said, "Well, there is some good jobs because you are young, and you can get a good job a young man like you." And then went on. Then something about him being in the Marines, and I said, "Well, that is wonderful. My son was in the Navy." And talking about him, you know, just getting to know him, and--but, "here is a picture of my wife, and picture of the girl, and the baby." And I said, "Oh, she has got a baby, hasn't she?" And he said, "Yes." http://jfkassassination.net/russ/testimony/bledsoe.htm The only problem is, Rachel Oswald wasn't born until October 20th. Was the man seeking to rent a room LHO whose baby hadn't been born yet, or a double agent with a manufactured past? Steve Thomas

Bill, I especially liked the part where the guy on the bus was going to be in charge of all future prisoner exchanges. Steve Thomas

I wonder... Mary Bledsoe testified to the Warren Commission on April 2, 1964. She said that she rented a room to Lee Harvey Oswald for a week beginning on October 7, 1963. Right in the middle of her testimony, there was this little exchange: Mr. BALL - And the foreign language that you heard Oswald using over the telephone on this Wednesday afternoon, do you know what the language was? Mrs. BLEDSOE - No; I didn't. Mr. BALL - Can you make a guess? Mrs. BLEDSOE - No; I have no idea. I do, because the girl is Spanish, hut I don't know whether he called her or not. Mr. BALL - What girl is Spanish? Mrs. BLEDSOE - I mean--his wife was Russian. This is the week leading up to a meeting of DRE people in Dallas on October 13th at which Oswald was alleged to have attended. Steve Thomas

Tim, I don't believe there would be much to investigate. Here's Mrs. Hayes letter. You can judge for yourself. It starts on page 18 of CD 464 http://www.maryferrell.org/mffweb/archive/...mp;relPageId=20 Steve Thomas

Peter, That was my take on it. Newport 5 Retail Lab is listed in the Bellevue, WA Yellowpages under Miscellanous Retail Establishments. They do not have a web page. Steve Thomas

A reverse address search on this address yields this: Newport 5 Retail Lab Job title: unavailable Company: Newport 5 Retail Lab 12920 SE 38 St Bellevue, WA 98006 (425) 644-5316 Steve Thomas

Here's the other: Steve Thomas

Myra, Based on Sylvia Odio's description, I don't think Edwin Collins was Angelo. Mr. LIEBELER. And the shorter man was about how tall, would you say? Was he taller or shorter than Oswald? Mrs. ODIO. Shorter than Oswald. Mr. LIEBELER. About how much, could you guess? Mrs. ODIO. Five feet seven, something like that. Mr. LIEBELER. So he could have been 2 or 3 inches shorter than Oswald? Mrs. ODIO. That's right. Mr. LIEBELER. He weighed about how much, would you say? Mrs. ODIO. 170 pounds, something like that, because he was short, but he was stocky, and he was the one that had the strange complexion. Mrs. LIEBELER. Was it pock marked, would you say? Mrs. ODIO. No; it was like it wasn't, because he was, oh, it was like he had been in the sun for a long time. Steve Thomas

John, This is kind of interesting, on page 40 of his testimony, Hall talks about going to Dallas and hooking up with Niko Crespi, "after April and before the middle of July." According to the official record, the LHO we all know and love had moved from Dallas to New Orleans on April 24th. I wonder who the "Oswald" that was going to give a pro Castro talk was. And I've never seen this public talk mentioned anywhere else. Steve Thomas