Ron Ecker

The John Hurt whom Oswald tried to call was John David Hurt, who was in U.S. Army Counter Intelligence from 1942 to 1945. http://groverproctor.us/jfk/jfk-hurtbio.html

I have seen excerpts from Hall's testimony quoted in forums, but have been unable to find his complete testimony anywhere on the web. Is it available anywhere? Ron

The surname is spelled Gabaldin in the only book reference I've found (Cover-Up by J. Gary Shaw, p. 164). Is that the correct spelling, or is it Gabaldon?

Larry, According to Peter Dale Scott, Lumpkin was a member of the Army Intelligence Reserve. (Deep Politics, p. 274) Ron

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Maybe Heymann is referring to suppression of reports by Ford's Rockefeller Commission. If the commission suppressed such reports, was Ford that closely involved? In any case, if what Heymann says is true, it's mystifying that Ford's admission escaped everyone's notice except Heymann's. For Heymann not to cite some source for his statement is pretty shoddy work.

I rest my case on the photo comparison posted by James. So there's an age difference. In the book there's a photo of a sculpture by Gibson of what Rogers would supposedly look like in 1992 at the age of 69. Even assuming that it's accurate, it still doesn't look like Frenchy. I should still believe Gibson because she's the expert? As Richard Pryor once said, "Who are you going to believe, me or your lying eyes?"

Gary Mack has referred me to the signed statement that Braden made at the sheriff’s office, at the following link: http://www.history-matters.com/archive/jfk...Vol19_0244a.htm As I told Gary, I find Braden’s story hard to swallow. I don't believe that Braden just happened to be walking down Elm at the time of the shooting (or was just coincidentally in the vicinity of the RFK hit 5 years later), listened to some folks talk about the shooting in the plaza, and then went into Dal-Tex to look for a phone. This gangster was at the plaza to play some role in the assassination. And I don't think he or anyone else involved, after all the planning that went into it, would then have to go searching haphazardly for a phone somewhere, instead of going on about his business, which would be to leave Dealey Plaza. I therefore suspect that his walking around in the plaza first and then going into the building to look for a phone is a cover story for the fact that he was in the building all along, which is why he got arrested. And the man in the plaza with the hat would therefore not be Braden, though there may be some resemblance. But of course there's no way to prove it.

The main flaw I recall in that book is the identification of the tramp Frenchy as Charles Rogers. There is no resemblance between the two men. (That is also a flaw in Chauncey Holt's story.) And before Wim brings up Lois Gibson, she has no credibility, despite her credentials, when she says Rogers is Frenchy. She must have had her reasons for saying that. I don't know her and have no idea what they were, but they had nothing to do with the human form as seen by two human eyes.

It would be nice if Hemming would come on the forum and at least tell us more about Orr. (Or whatever.)

Wim, Why would they walk him out to the plaza instead of putting him into a squad car? Or was the idea to parade him around like the "tramps"? On Holt, has it occurred to you that maybe Chauncey saw a photo of a guy in the plaza wearing a "cowboy hat," and he decided that was going to be Jim Braden in his story? Ron

A used merchandise dealer in Hialeah named Teodosio Bahadue was charged with del Valle's murder, but the charges were dropped before trial in 1969. A sworn statement by Bahadue to detectives is on the Cuban Information Archives website. When the detectives asked Bahadue who killed del Valle, he said, "Who knows? That's a question of sixty-four thousand dollars." Del Valle worked on commission for Bahadue, but the statement implies that de Valle kept the $7,000 that one Manuel Azzam paid for two central air conditioners, which Bahadue subsequently couldn't deliver. Azzam forced Bahadue to write two checks for the money while holding a gun to his head. This was apparently not the only money that Bahadue lost because of dell Valle. Bahadue told the detectives that one rumor he had heard was that de Valle was killed "because he cheated revolutionary (sic) of Haiti; he was very close to Masferrer; I believe he (Masferrer) was convicted of revolutionary (sic) against Duvalier." This is referring to the planned invasion of Haiti that was led by Masferrer in 1966 (with the idea of using Haiti as a base to invade Cuba), and which was aborted when Masferrer and others were arrested for conspiring to violate the Neutrality Act. Is del Valle being accused here of cheating Masferrer some way? It's not clear. In any case, there seems to have been an effort to blame del Valle's murder on a money dispute or something about Masferrer's Haiti invasion and not on del Valle's alleged involvement in the assassination. http://www.cuban-exile.com/doc_051-075/doc0070.html Ron

Jim Braden was arrested in or outside the Dal-Tex Building, and was taken in for questioning. He was therefore not walking around in the plaza.

So he was in two places at once? Is it your theory that while Jim Braden was under arrest, Eugene Hale Brading was free to walk around the plaza? Ron

James, In the photo above of Cuesta with his wife, he looks like the man photographed in Dealey Plaza after the shooting who's wearing the hat with the fancy hatband. Often said to be Jim Braden, but Braden was under arrest at the time. I don't have the photo or I'd post it. Ron

One thing that struck me as odd in Rowland's testimony, although I guess it's not important, is that he said he was familiar with the Texas School Book Depository Building because he had been there on occasion to purchase books. I thought the building was strictly for book storage. It has never been my impression that someone could walk in and buy a book. But that's what Rowland said that he did, after Specter for some reason asked him if he was familiar with the building prior to 11/22. Mr. ROWLAND - That is Houston, Elm running in front of this building. This is the school book depository building. Mr. SPECTER - Were you familiar with that building prior to November 22, 1963? Mr. ROWLAND - Yes; I have been in there on occasion. Mr. SPECTER - You have been in the building? Mr. ROWLAND - Yes, to purchase books. Mr. SPECTER - When were you in the building most recently prior to November 22, 1963? Mr. ROWLAND - Within the first week of November. This was to buy a physics notebook. Mr. SPECTER - What part of the building were you in at that time? Mr. ROWLAND - Just inside the door of the main lobby.

It was actually Lansdale's right shoulder that drooped. And he did apparently have a unique gait. Here are some photos for comparison:

Wim, What if Files (or a non-existent twin) was in Chicago at the time of the assassination? I don't think you've covered that issue. Ron

John, What was Eugene Hale Brading aka Jim Braden doing in the Dal-Tex Building, acting suspiciously enough to get arrested? He may have been doing some menial job, but he was right there at the scene of the crime. Why did the Mafia-connected local gangster Jack Ruby make unusual phone calls, in the days leading up to the assassination, to Hoffa and Marcello lieutenants in Chicago and New Orleans, as well as to long-lost friend McWillie etc? Who ordered Ruby to eliminate Oswald, in broad daylight if necessary? Only someone with total control over him could give such an order. Dallas was in Marcello's territory. JFK was different for a couple of reasons. One, he had been dealing with the Mafia, in particular Giancana, even sleeping with the don's girlfriend, while Bobby was trying to put them all in jail. JFK brought himself down to their level, and the Kennedys were being unbelievably two-faced. Second, there was no danger of political reprisal against the Mafia for participating in the assassination, because they had already been working with the people involved, it was a covert government operation. The Mafia knew it was safe. On the contrary his brother was on a crusade against organized crime. Bobby had Marcello virtually kidnapped, taking him out of the country and dumping him in Guatemala. Marcello wanted vengeance bad, and would hardly pass up a chance to help the government get rid of John and Bobby. And when Oswald needed to be offed, it looks like Marcello took care of it. The Mafia had no power to cover up the conspiracy. That was up to the government. But Mafia had the means, motives, and opportunity to participate in the killing. It was already in league with the CIA in assassination plots, gun running, and what-not. The details of the Dallas hit, in terms of who was given what assignments among CIA, Mafia, and right-wing operatives, Cuban exiles, corrupt cops, etc., we'll probably never know. It was no small conspiracy, and there is evidence that even people who may not have directly participated went to Dallas just to be there. Ron

I don't understand exactly what SS agent Rybka was trying to do at Love Field (or Clint Hill, for that matter, on the other side) that caused Rybka to be left behind. Was Rybka running beside the limo with the intent of then falling back to get on the running board of the follow-up car (and was ordered to fall back immediately), or was he running with the intent of soon getting onto the rear of the presidential limo as it picked up speed, or was he running with the intent of running beside the limo all the way to the Trade Mart?

I think for the same reason that George H.W. Bush wanted to be Reagan's Vice President. Two months after taking office, Reagan was shot. By a lone nut, of course. I recall that LBJ made some kind of remark, before JFK's death, about how many presidents never lived to complete their terms. Does anyone recall that exactly? While many researchers don't seem to think that LBJ was in on the conspiracy, but only involved in the cover-up, there was nothing about him to make one think he would not lead a conspiracy himself. By all accounts, LBJ was about as low as you can get.

Since when do Mafiosi "bow out" of jobs? Luckily this one got done anyway thanks to a driver willing to help out, but why did they wait 13 years to put Johnny in an oil drum? You'll have to ask Files why he made this part of his story. It was last minute, and I doubt that Ruby had the option of bowing out and getting someone else to do it. Ron

From the transcript of Files's "confession" on Wim's website (he's talking, mind you, about the morning of the assassination): "I had parked the car beside the Dal-Tex building, Mr. Nicoletti and I got out and we walked up and down the complete area of Dealey Plaza, we covered every corner, walked by the buildings, looked over several different things. We were just talking, having casual talk about the weather and everything. At about 10:30, Mr. Nicoletti asked me how would I feel in supporting him...in backing him up on this...and he told me I wouldn't fire unless it became extremely necessary. I told Mr. Nicoletti, Jesus, I'd be honored to do anything to back you up. He asked me if you was to be outside here, where would you position yourself at in Dealey Plaza? I told him, I said well, from looking everything over and from walking it in the week I've been down here, I think I would choose up there behind the tree behind the stockade fence on the high ridge by the knoll up there. He says why there? I says well I've got the railroad yard in back of me, we've got a parking lot there and I've got a place to where I could stash whatever I would need. I said I can pass myself off as a railroad worker in the railroad yard for the time being until that time comes and nobody would really pay any attention to me. He asked me then where do you think would be the best place for me? I said well, I think the Dal-Tex building...with the new change in it...I say I think the Dal-Tex building over there...that building would give you the best advantage point there. He said I think so too. So we took a walk over, went through the parking lot over by the tracks, walked around through there and he seemed pretty well pleased with that. Then at that point, oh it was about 11:10, he asked me what weapon would I choose to use over there. I told him I would like to use the Fireball. He said why that one? He said you've only got one shot. I said one shot's all I'm gonna get anyway if I wait until the last moment of fire and I may not fire, I said, and it's easy to conceal and I carry it in a briefcase and nobody will pay any attention to me and it's easier to walk away from there. And that's exactly what we did at that point. . . . " And that's how you plan a presidential assassination. Any questions?

Richard, He was married to her twin sister. Wait, that would still make her Joe Bonanno's daughter. Never mind. Ron

So Files, and no twin brother, was in Chicago on 11/22/63.