Dallas County DA's office finds cache of JFK memorabilia

[James Richards]

Don't apologize. You are being more than helpful with your recollections. Do you remember if Waters was a Cuban? I have come to suspect that "Charlie Waters" was an alias, and I have not been able to pin down his nationality. Anything else w.r.t. his physical description you could remember also would be great (i.e. was he a huge soldier of fortune type like Hemming, etc.). Thanks again for all your input with this! (Chris Courtwright)

Charles A. Waters Jr.

In 1963, he was approximately 27 years old, 5' 8", 150 pounds, blue eyes, blonde hair, light complexion.

When in New Orleans he lived at the Lynn Rose Hotel. Later moved to the offices of the Friends of Democratic Cuba in the Balter Building.

Waters would later appear on several committees including the Dallas Citizens for Old Time 4th of July Celebrations.

FWIW.

James

James. In that document or do you know or remember, if his mother was of Cuban background? I was told today (awhile ago) there is a DPD file on him. Also, does the term "The Blade" mean anything to you. I have often thought this was in reference to Frank Struges (Forini?? my health is good... but other matters are going off the shelf.... I mean that in the nicest way directed toward me)

Hi Tosh,

I can't recall anything about Waters having Cuban herritage but I am sure you are correct regarding the DPD having a file on him. I was told Waters during that late 1961 period was working with Eduardo Whitehouse, Dallas BOP vet who would later go to the Congo with Rip Robertson.

As for 'The Blade', could that be referring to Arturo Espaillat? As you would know, Fiorini was in that 1961/62 mix with Espaillat, Robert Emmett Johnson, Larry De Joseph, Dick Whatley, etc.

James

[William Plumlee]

Don't apologize. You are being more than helpful with your recollections. Do you remember if Waters was a Cuban? I have come to suspect that "Charlie Waters" was an alias, and I have not been able to pin down his nationality. Anything else w.r.t. his physical description you could remember also would be great (i.e. was he a huge soldier of fortune type like Hemming, etc.). Thanks again for all your input with this! (Chris Courtwright)

Charles A. Waters Jr.

In 1963, he was approximately 27 years old, 5' 8", 150 pounds, blue eyes, blonde hair, light complexion.

When in New Orleans he lived at the Lynn Rose Hotel. Later moved to the offices of the Friends of Democratic Cuba in the Balter Building.

Waters would later appear on several committees including the Dallas Citizens for Old Time 4th of July Celebrations.

FWIW.

James

James. In that document or do you know or remember, if his mother was of Cuban background? I was told today (awhile ago) there is a DPD file on him. Also, does the term "The Blade" mean anything to you. I have often thought this was in reference to Frank Struges (Forini?? my health is good... but other matters are going off the shelf.... I mean that in the nicest way directed toward me)

Hi Tosh,

I can't recall anything about Waters having Cuban herritage but I am sure you are correct regarding the DPD having a file on him. I was told Waters during that late 1961 period was working with Eduardo Whitehouse, Dallas BOP vet who would later go to the Congo with Rip Robertson.

As for 'The Blade', could that be referring to Arturo Espaillat? As you would know, Fiorini was in that 1961/62 mix with Espaillat, Robert Emmett Johnson, Larry De Joseph, Dick Whatley, etc.

James

James: You always overwhelm me. Thanks much.... your right on. Arturo, I did know. He was a close friend of Sergio's and was at the "Dark Horse Bar" near West Palm as well as the limited hang out at "Sloppy Joes" on Flager St. next to the Mc Alister Hotel across from Bay Front Park, many times. He also worked on the Raider Ship REX with Euduro(bad spelling, forgive. Eddie), I think.., out of Port Everglades and West Palm. He visited the apartment house in Dallas, behind Beckley St., many times. John Stockwell was aware and knew or knew off Whitehorse as we called him(Whitehouse) or horse and was in the Congo. Andreas was another player of the time also was often at the Dark Horse... do you have a picture of Andreas? Whitehorse was sometimes confused with "the big Indian" although he was not a big man. Boy you just kicked me in the butt... Thanks, I needed that. Most of that group were out of TFW, Miami Station at one time..... could have been after the assassination, but not sure.

Whatley was a close associate of Joe Westbrook Rosales and another Chomon? (sp) who at one time was with the M-26-7 before Castro took power. Marquestoe was an informant and got some of those people killed by Batista's police.., security ? (all from memory.. please forgive if I'm all jumbled up on some of this... point being it does ring bells

Thanks Chris for bringing this thread up... I hope I have not diverted it... if so I am really sorry and will in the future try to stay focused on the subject at hand/b]

Edited February 22, 2008 by William Plumlee

[James Richards]

Tosh,

Espaillat had at one time been with Rafael Trujillo's intel group and was mixed up, along with Felix Bernardino in the death of Jesus Galindez and Gerald Lester Murphy - Murphy having previously flown with the Compania Dominicana Aviacion.

Espaillat and Robert Johnson went to Canada and I submit they were responsible for dispatching a French mercenary (explosives expert) to Dallas as part of a back-up plan.

Chomon I take it was Faure Chomon?

As for a picture of Andreas, is that Sergio? If so, yes.

I too apologize for diverting this thread.

James

Edited February 22, 2008 by James Richards

[William Plumlee]

Tosh,

Espaillat had at one time been with Rafael Trujillo's intel group and was mixed up, along with Felix Bernardino in the death of Jesus Galindez and Gerald Lester Murphy - Murphy having previously flown with the Compania Dominicana Aviacion.

Espaillat and Robert Johnson went to Canada and I submit they were responsible for dispatching a French mercenary (explosives expert) to Dallas as part of a back-up plan.

As for a picture of Andreas, is that Sergio? If so, yes.

James

You did it again. Lester was a very close friend of mine. We used to fly the same Twin Beach. (N-1800 or N6800, if I remember right on the N number) I was also going to kidnap Galindez for the agency, but that job went to Murphy. I am not sure if that was really a sanctioned operation or a "special interest" operation. Anyway the gods were with me because Murphy was also killed with Galandez, after they got stateside..., around NY or Jersey I think. Murphy was placed with Dominicana by the Agency and was working as a cut out for the CIA on an Intel operation for the Pentagon and the CIA... The details of this stuff is still Classified. Did you know that? How did you get hold of this info... if I might ask. (not to offend)

In reference to Sergio. Yes... BUT not the Sergio on my flight. Sergio was an Operative name for Andreas. Could you post the picture. I think some are now ready for that. A few years ago I could not get past the 'Gatekeepers" of this forum to even get into any of this. I think it will now lead into something.... I could be wrong... I'm stepping on a thin limb. Do you have any pictures of me at the Dark Hourse or the Twin Spruce of Colorado?

Faure Chomon. Yes. At one time a member of the M26-7 also known as the "Mexico Arms Deal of Pack" for Fidel about 1957 I think (pro-Castro era)

Come on back Chris. Did not mean to hi-jack your thread, but its sort of like the old song "The Hip Bone is Connected to the Thigh Bone..., and the Thigh Bone is Connected to the Leg Bone and....".

Edited February 23, 2008 by William Plumlee

[James Richards]

Murphy was placed with Dominicana by the Agency and was working as a cut out for the CIA on an Intel operation for the Pentagon and the CIA... The details of this stuff is still Classified. Did you know that? How did you get hold of this info... if I might ask. (not to offend) (William Plumlee)

No offense at all, Tosh.

You're right, the spooks did place Murphy with Dominicana. He unfortunately became mixed up with the likes of Espaillat, Bernardino and the dreaded Johnny Abbes Garcia. I came by all this DR internal stuff as a contact of mine was right in the mix at the time. As you can appreciate, he wants to remain anonymous.

James

[Francesca Akhtar]

This may be of interest re: Charles Waters:

http://www.maryferrell.org/mffweb/archive/...amp;relPageId=2

[William Plumlee]

Murphy was placed with Dominicana by the Agency and was working as a cut out for the CIA on an Intel operation for the Pentagon and the CIA... The details of this stuff is still Classified. Did you know that? How did you get hold of this info... if I might ask. (not to offend) (William Plumlee)

No offense at all, Tosh.

You're right, the spooks did place Murphy with Dominicana. He unfortunately became mixed up with the likes of Espaillat, Bernardino and the dreaded Johnny Abbes Garcia. I came by all this DR internal stuff as a contact of mine was right in the mix at the time. As you can appreciate, he wants to remain anonymous.

James

James. I do understand... please believe me... I should be doing that. Ha. To late... Im cooked. Is Garcia still alive? I heard he died or was killed a few years back. You know he was an assassin, free lance for hire.. mafia, CIA and higest bidder.... often went into Cuba. I believe. Could of perhaps been in Dallas... but that is speculations on my part.

[James Richards]

Nice work, Francesca. I have always wondered if Waters was in fact George Damon who was to later morph into Claude Barnes Capehart?

Tosh,

Abbes Garcia was killed in 1967, blown to bits in Haiti by some old enemies - you know who I'm talking about here. I don't think he was in Dallas but he may have faciliated some seeding finance for the JFK hit out of DR. IMO of course.

james

[Francesca Akhtar]

Also found this:

http://www.maryferrell.org/mffweb/archive/...amp;relPageId=6

The McAllister Hotel that Tosh mentioned before is referred to on page 7

[William Plumlee]

Also found this:

http://www.maryferrell.org/mffweb/archive/...amp;relPageId=6

The McAllister Hotel that Tosh mentioned before is referred to on page 7

Good work Francesca. Some of those mentioned were also connected to the Dallas Cubans working for the early Alpha-66 group. I knew of this document but was told it was secret and as I had referenced it and said it was secret I was called a xxxx. I have not had time to go over it, but what year was it declassified? Thanks

[Francesca Akhtar]

Also found this:

http://www.maryferrell.org/mffweb/archive/...amp;relPageId=6

The McAllister Hotel that Tosh mentioned before is referred to on page 7

Good work Francesca. Some of those mentioned were also connected to the Dallas Cubans working for the early Alpha-66 group. I knew of this document but was told it was secret and as I had referenced it and said it was secret I was called a xxxx. I have not had time to go over it, but what year was it declassified? Thanks

Hi Tosh, no problem. Have much enjoyed this thread - very interesting. I know it's been diverted but hopefully the moderators won't mind as I was the one who started it and I don't

It says it was 'released with deletions' on 13th May 1998. The rest of the document (20 pages in all) looks interesting but I will read it tomorrow. I must get some sleep now

Edited February 23, 2008 by Francesca Akhtar

[William Kelly]

DMN writer suggests Dallas DA promoted conspiracy theories

http://metrocolumnistsblog.dallasnews.com/...y-responds.html

District Attorney Craig Watkins has sent along a lengthy response to my column yesterday on his Kennedy materials press conference.

He's not happy.

Mr. Watkins wrote:

Someone recently asked me, "What has been the biggest surprise since taking office?" I would have to say after a year that what has surprised me the most is defending this office and myself against what appears to be intentionally inaccurate reporting by certain members of the news media. I read with amazement this morning Steve Blow's take on our release of the items connected to Jack Ruby and the assassination of JFK that had been locked up in a safe for decades. According to Mr. Blow's column, he is embarrassed by this administration's decision to share the existence of these artifacts with the American people and characterizes the news conference we held on February 18, 2008, as "irresponsible." Let's compare the facts of our announcement earlier this week against Mr. Blow's opinion of why we exposed the information. The headline in the news release distributed to media from our office the morning of the news conference was, "District Attorney Craig Watkins Discloses Historical Documents Connected to Jack Ruby Discovered in DA Office Safe." Similarly, my comments at the news conference simply state how and when I learned of these documents and that we determined the public should know that this information had been stored at the DA's Office for an unspecified amount of time and should in fact be examined and preserved in a proper place.

As I mentioned at the news conference, the fact that this safe existed was brought to my attention by investigators at the DA's Office shortly after I took office in 2007, just as it was brought to the attention of both of the prior administrations who were elected after Henry Wade.

Among his criticisms, Mr. Blow falsely accuses this office of getting off to a bad start in this matter by searching for the Kennedy material because we heard that the gun used by Ruby to kill Lee Harvey Oswald might be found in this safe. Not once did I nor did anyone from this office state that we were searching for Ruby's gun. The gun was never even mentioned.

Next, Mr. Blow says I overstated the fact that the alleged transcript of Ruby and Oswald was somehow legitimate. We gave no impression of the legitimacy of the transcript. In fact, I stated at the news conference that I did not know of its legitimacy and that it probably was a fake.

When Mr. Blow and I spoke on February 20th, I shared with him what our intended message to the public was. Our message was largely centered on the fact that first, these documents had been secretly stored in this safe all these years; and second, to expose the racial and faith-based prejudices found throughout a number of the congratulatory letters and notes written to former District Attorney Henry Wade, who prosecuted Ruby in 1964. As I stated at the news conference, those documents remind us of the racial climate in this country in the 60s, how a person's race or religion seemed more important than his guilt or innocence during that era and just how far we have progressed as a nation in terms of race relations. I spoke with Mr. Blow extensively on this subject, but he failed to include anything from our conversation.

In keeping with this administration's philosophy of transparency, we simply said here are some historical items we found and we think the public has a right to know about it. Whether or not the information has already been seen by investigating authorities in the past or what it means, if anything, is for experts to determine and I have maintained that position from the very beginning. Mr. Blow also cites several international articles and their sensational headlines on the issue. Surely he knows better than most, that headlines are created to sell newspapers and that I certainly cannot control what angle a reporter takes on a story. If I had that kind of power, this would not be

the second response

to a Dallas Morning News article that I have written in 48 hours.

Finally, Mr. Blow characterizes our news conference on the JFK documents as an "embarrassment." I wonder if he was embarrassed by this administration when we exposed the fact that innocent people have been wrongfully convicted by previous administrations and collectively served more than 218 years in prison. Was he embarrassed when 34 Hispanic citizens were convicted for crimes they did not commit in the fake-drug scandal?

I would think the citizens of Dallas County are more embarrassed by Mr. Blow's exaggerated criticism and mischaracterization of a news conference concerning a safe and its contents, when he has had ample opportunities to express his embarrassment over more serious issues like the wrongful convictions, racially-biased prosecutions and prosecutorial misconduct that this administration continues to uncover.

Craig Watkins

Dallas County District Attorney

I won't attempt a point-by-point rebuttal to Mr. Watkins' letter. But I'm certainly distressed that he believes he's the victim of "intentionally inaccurate reporting."

On one point of accuracy, I must respond. The mention of Ruby's gun as a starting point came from Mr. Watkins' own lips to our courthouse reporter, Jennifer Emily. That information was contained in her Sunday story on the Kennedy materials.

Mr. Watkins cites many of the accomplishments of his office. And those are the very things that prompted me to say in the column: "I hate to criticize Mr. Watkins. I think he has done a good job as district attorney."

That judgment still stands -- as well as the belief that he handled this one situation poorly.

When DA spoke of JFK, he misspoke for Dallas

12:00 AM CST on Thursday, February 21, 2008

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/localnews/columnists/sblow/stories/DN-blow_21met.ART0.East.Edition1.45e4340.html

"Irresponsible" is a strong word, and I hate to use it. But it's the word that came to mind after Dallas County District Attorney Craig Watkins' news conference this week.

I'm talking about the casual way he pumped up conspiracy theories surrounding the assassination of President John F. Kennedy.

And let's be clear right at the start. Let's say what the district attorney should have. Absolutely nothing revealed from the DA's "treasure-trove" sheds the slightest new light on the president's murder.

Instead of saying that, however, Mr. Watkins blithely brushed aside questions of truth or relevance. "But what we do know," he said at the news conference heard around the world, "is that this will open up the debate as to whether or not there was a conspiracy to assassinate the president."

Well, yes. If the district attorney in Dallas, Texas, predicts that newly discovered material will reignite conspiracy theories, it most surely will.

And true to that irresponsible, ill-informed prediction, how about this headline? "John F. Kennedy 'assassins' plot revealed.' "

A plot revealed? Good grief. Not even close. Yet that's the story Great Britain got Tuesday from London's Daily Telegraph.

The Web site for an Iranian news service showed a bit more restraint: "Plot to assassinate JFK revealed?" it asked.

The International Herald Tribune, the English-language newspaper read around the world, headlined its story: "Conspiracy buffs may feast on JFK documents."

And for this worldwide blitz of misinformation, we have our very own district attorney to thank. If he or his staff had done just a smidgen of research, that news conference would have never been called.

This whole matter got off to a bad start. The DA's staff went in search of Kennedy material because it had heard that the gun Jack Ruby used to kill Lee Harvey Oswald might be in an office safe.

Wrong. A 30-second Google search would have revealed that the gun was held for years by Ruby's executor and ended up being sold into private hands.

Furthermore, a similar Google search would have immediately shot holes in the ballyhooed "transcript" of an alleged conversation between Ruby and Oswald.

Mr. Watkins unveiled it Monday like a stunning new find. The truth is that it has been sitting in the Warren Commission report all these years – thoroughly discredited as the fevered imagination of a Dallas lawyer with a big drinking problem.

It's Warren Commission Exhibit 2821. You can look it up.

"It was thoroughly debunked at the time," said Kennedy assassination expert Gary Mack, curator of The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza.

Do you suppose Mr. Watkins might call a news conference to say: "Never mind."

Don't count on it.

I hate to criticize Mr. Watkins. I think he has done a good job as district attorney. I admire his willingness to do things differently.

But he has to realize that his words now carry the weight of his office – including his half-baked views on the Kennedy assassination.

He told me Wednesday that he has never believed Oswald acted alone. "I believe in conspiracies," he said. "I think that's just too simple of an explanation."

But he also admitted that he has never studied the matter. "Just all the stuff I see on TV," he said. "I never have delved into it. I just think there's got to be more to it than that."

Let's hope he's not prosecuting crimes based on hunches rather than investigation.

Precisely because he knows so little about the assassination, Mr. Watkins said he chose not to state the obvious at the news conference – that the transcript is clearly bogus. "I never believed it," he said. "People just don't talk like that. But I didn't want to give my opinion of it."

Mr. Watkins is still fairly new to the job. And maybe there's a good lesson for him here:

When you don't know much about a subject, don't call a news conference to announce it.

Thanks to Tom Blackwell for passing this on. Tom doesn't speak for Dallas either- BK Regards, TOM BLACKWELL, PO Box 25403, Dallas, Texas 75225 http://DemocraticResearch.Org

BTW, this article was written by Steve Blow. He doesn't speak for Dallas either.

Steve Blow

HOMETOWN: Tyler, Texas EDUCATION/CAREER TRACK: Tyler Junior College and the University of North Texas. Worked as a reporter at the Fort Worth Press and the Corpus Christi Caller-Times. Joined The Dallas Morning News in 1978. Worked as a reporter until 1989, when I began writing the column.

MOST UNFORGETTABLE EXPERIENCE ON THE JOB: Probably flying in a fighter jet with the Blue Angels. Somewhere in the midst of that looping, zooming, twirling flight, I remember thinking, "I love my job."

SOMETHING PEOPLE DON'T KNOW ABOUT ME: In college, I worked in a funeral home. (It was more lively than you might expect.)

IF I HAD TWO SPARE HOURS, I WOULD: See a movie, preferably one with lots of laughs and not a single gun battle.

THE SECRET TO A GOOD NEWS COLUMN IS: Introduce the reader to a person worth knowing. Or put into words the reader's own thoughts. Or best of all, offer a view that differs from the reader's, but in a way that intrigues, not antagonizes.

I think Dallas DA Craig Watkins is certainly a person worth knowing-BK

[Francesca Akhtar]

Nice work, Francesca. I have always wondered if Waters was in fact George Damon who was to later morph into Claude Barnes Capehart?

James, can you expand on this man? I've not heard of either name before. Thanks

[Francesca Akhtar]

DMN writer suggests Dallas DA promoted conspiracy theories

http://metrocolumnistsblog.dallasnews.com/...y-responds.html

District Attorney Craig Watkins has sent along a lengthy response to my column yesterday on his Kennedy materials press conference.

He's not happy.

Mr. Watkins wrote:

Someone recently asked me, "What has been the biggest surprise since taking office?" I would have to say after a year that what has surprised me the most is defending this office and myself against what appears to be intentionally inaccurate reporting by certain members of the news media. I read with amazement this morning Steve Blow's take on our release of the items connected to Jack Ruby and the assassination of JFK that had been locked up in a safe for decades. According to Mr. Blow's column, he is embarrassed by this administration's decision to share the existence of these artifacts with the American people and characterizes the news conference we held on February 18, 2008, as "irresponsible." Let's compare the facts of our announcement earlier this week against Mr. Blow's opinion of why we exposed the information. The headline in the news release distributed to media from our office the morning of the news conference was, "District Attorney Craig Watkins Discloses Historical Documents Connected to Jack Ruby Discovered in DA Office Safe." Similarly, my comments at the news conference simply state how and when I learned of these documents and that we determined the public should know that this information had been stored at the DA's Office for an unspecified amount of time and should in fact be examined and preserved in a proper place.

As I mentioned at the news conference, the fact that this safe existed was brought to my attention by investigators at the DA's Office shortly after I took office in 2007, just as it was brought to the attention of both of the prior administrations who were elected after Henry Wade.

Among his criticisms, Mr. Blow falsely accuses this office of getting off to a bad start in this matter by searching for the Kennedy material because we heard that the gun used by Ruby to kill Lee Harvey Oswald might be found in this safe. Not once did I nor did anyone from this office state that we were searching for Ruby's gun. The gun was never even mentioned.

Next, Mr. Blow says I overstated the fact that the alleged transcript of Ruby and Oswald was somehow legitimate. We gave no impression of the legitimacy of the transcript. In fact, I stated at the news conference that I did not know of its legitimacy and that it probably was a fake.

When Mr. Blow and I spoke on February 20th, I shared with him what our intended message to the public was. Our message was largely centered on the fact that first, these documents had been secretly stored in this safe all these years; and second, to expose the racial and faith-based prejudices found throughout a number of the congratulatory letters and notes written to former District Attorney Henry Wade, who prosecuted Ruby in 1964. As I stated at the news conference, those documents remind us of the racial climate in this country in the 60s, how a person's race or religion seemed more important than his guilt or innocence during that era and just how far we have progressed as a nation in terms of race relations. I spoke with Mr. Blow extensively on this subject, but he failed to include anything from our conversation.

In keeping with this administration's philosophy of transparency, we simply said here are some historical items we found and we think the public has a right to know about it. Whether or not the information has already been seen by investigating authorities in the past or what it means, if anything, is for experts to determine and I have maintained that position from the very beginning. Mr. Blow also cites several international articles and their sensational headlines on the issue. Surely he knows better than most, that headlines are created to sell newspapers and that I certainly cannot control what angle a reporter takes on a story. If I had that kind of power, this would not be

the second response

to a Dallas Morning News article that I have written in 48 hours.

Finally, Mr. Blow characterizes our news conference on the JFK documents as an "embarrassment." I wonder if he was embarrassed by this administration when we exposed the fact that innocent people have been wrongfully convicted by previous administrations and collectively served more than 218 years in prison. Was he embarrassed when 34 Hispanic citizens were convicted for crimes they did not commit in the fake-drug scandal?

I would think the citizens of Dallas County are more embarrassed by Mr. Blow's exaggerated criticism and mischaracterization of a news conference concerning a safe and its contents, when he has had ample opportunities to express his embarrassment over more serious issues like the wrongful convictions, racially-biased prosecutions and prosecutorial misconduct that this administration continues to uncover.

Craig Watkins

Dallas County District Attorney

I won't attempt a point-by-point rebuttal to Mr. Watkins' letter. But I'm certainly distressed that he believes he's the victim of "intentionally inaccurate reporting."

On one point of accuracy, I must respond. The mention of Ruby's gun as a starting point came from Mr. Watkins' own lips to our courthouse reporter, Jennifer Emily. That information was contained in her Sunday story on the Kennedy materials.

Mr. Watkins cites many of the accomplishments of his office. And those are the very things that prompted me to say in the column: "I hate to criticize Mr. Watkins. I think he has done a good job as district attorney."

That judgment still stands -- as well as the belief that he handled this one situation poorly.

When DA spoke of JFK, he misspoke for Dallas

12:00 AM CST on Thursday, February 21, 2008

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/localnews/columnists/sblow/stories/DN-blow_21met.ART0.East.Edition1.45e4340.html

"Irresponsible" is a strong word, and I hate to use it. But it's the word that came to mind after Dallas County District Attorney Craig Watkins' news conference this week.

I'm talking about the casual way he pumped up conspiracy theories surrounding the assassination of President John F. Kennedy.

And let's be clear right at the start. Let's say what the district attorney should have. Absolutely nothing revealed from the DA's "treasure-trove" sheds the slightest new light on the president's murder.

Instead of saying that, however, Mr. Watkins blithely brushed aside questions of truth or relevance. "But what we do know," he said at the news conference heard around the world, "is that this will open up the debate as to whether or not there was a conspiracy to assassinate the president."

Well, yes. If the district attorney in Dallas, Texas, predicts that newly discovered material will reignite conspiracy theories, it most surely will.

And true to that irresponsible, ill-informed prediction, how about this headline? "John F. Kennedy 'assassins' plot revealed.' "

A plot revealed? Good grief. Not even close. Yet that's the story Great Britain got Tuesday from London's Daily Telegraph.

The Web site for an Iranian news service showed a bit more restraint: "Plot to assassinate JFK revealed?" it asked.

The International Herald Tribune, the English-language newspaper read around the world, headlined its story: "Conspiracy buffs may feast on JFK documents."

And for this worldwide blitz of misinformation, we have our very own district attorney to thank. If he or his staff had done just a smidgen of research, that news conference would have never been called.

This whole matter got off to a bad start. The DA's staff went in search of Kennedy material because it had heard that the gun Jack Ruby used to kill Lee Harvey Oswald might be in an office safe.

Wrong. A 30-second Google search would have revealed that the gun was held for years by Ruby's executor and ended up being sold into private hands.

Furthermore, a similar Google search would have immediately shot holes in the ballyhooed "transcript" of an alleged conversation between Ruby and Oswald.

Mr. Watkins unveiled it Monday like a stunning new find. The truth is that it has been sitting in the Warren Commission report all these years – thoroughly discredited as the fevered imagination of a Dallas lawyer with a big drinking problem.

It's Warren Commission Exhibit 2821. You can look it up.

"It was thoroughly debunked at the time," said Kennedy assassination expert Gary Mack, curator of The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza.

Do you suppose Mr. Watkins might call a news conference to say: "Never mind."

Don't count on it.

I hate to criticize Mr. Watkins. I think he has done a good job as district attorney. I admire his willingness to do things differently.

But he has to realize that his words now carry the weight of his office – including his half-baked views on the Kennedy assassination.

He told me Wednesday that he has never believed Oswald acted alone. "I believe in conspiracies," he said. "I think that's just too simple of an explanation."

But he also admitted that he has never studied the matter. "Just all the stuff I see on TV," he said. "I never have delved into it. I just think there's got to be more to it than that."

Let's hope he's not prosecuting crimes based on hunches rather than investigation.

Precisely because he knows so little about the assassination, Mr. Watkins said he chose not to state the obvious at the news conference – that the transcript is clearly bogus. "I never believed it," he said. "People just don't talk like that. But I didn't want to give my opinion of it."

Mr. Watkins is still fairly new to the job. And maybe there's a good lesson for him here:

When you don't know much about a subject, don't call a news conference to announce it.

Thanks to Tom Blackwell for passing this on. Tom doesn't speak for Dallas either- BK Regards, TOM BLACKWELL, PO Box 25403, Dallas, Texas 75225 http://DemocraticResearch.Org

BTW, this article was written by Steve Blow. He doesn't speak for Dallas either.

Steve Blow

HOMETOWN: Tyler, Texas EDUCATION/CAREER TRACK: Tyler Junior College and the University of North Texas. Worked as a reporter at the Fort Worth Press and the Corpus Christi Caller-Times. Joined The Dallas Morning News in 1978. Worked as a reporter until 1989, when I began writing the column.

MOST UNFORGETTABLE EXPERIENCE ON THE JOB: Probably flying in a fighter jet with the Blue Angels. Somewhere in the midst of that looping, zooming, twirling flight, I remember thinking, "I love my job."

SOMETHING PEOPLE DON'T KNOW ABOUT ME: In college, I worked in a funeral home. (It was more lively than you might expect.)

IF I HAD TWO SPARE HOURS, I WOULD: See a movie, preferably one with lots of laughs and not a single gun battle.

THE SECRET TO A GOOD NEWS COLUMN IS: Introduce the reader to a person worth knowing. Or put into words the reader's own thoughts. Or best of all, offer a view that differs from the reader's, but in a way that intrigues, not antagonizes.

I think Dallas DA Craig Watkins is certainly a person worth knowing-BK

Thanks for posting that Bill. I like this DA, he seems to have his wits about him and not afraid to speak out. I hope your contact with him is fruitful.

[William Plumlee]

Also found this:

http://www.maryferrell.org/mffweb/archive/...amp;relPageId=6

The McAllister Hotel that Tosh mentioned before is referred to on page 7

Good work Francesca. Some of those mentioned were also connected to the Dallas Cubans working for the early Alpha-66 group. I knew of this document but was told it was secret and as I had referenced it and said it was secret I was called a xxxx. I have not had time to go over it, but what year was it declassified? Thanks

Hi Tosh, no problem. Have much enjoyed this thread - very interesting. I know it's been diverted but hopefully the moderators won't mind as I was the one who started it and I don't

It says it was 'released with deletions' on 13th May 1998. The rest of the document (20 pages in all) looks interesting but I will read it tomorrow. I must get some sleep now

The Mc Allister Hotel was east of Sloppy Joe's on Flagler Street. That is the place where we were debriefed and given maps and other material for various missions into Cuba. I had a room there in the spring of 1963 (March-April) before the assassination. John Roselli, John Farrentello, Sturges, (Forini the Blade ?) and others would meet there or at Sloppy Joe's and then go over to Bay Front Park (some called the park "Biscanne Park") where we would get maps at the hotel and then go over the maps and information at the park before going on the mission(being out doors was a safe place to talk, etc.)

The Mc Allister was a "contact or "drop place" for sensitive information to get back to JM/Wave HDQ or Miami Station... it was a type of "Cut-Out" or an approved "Limited Hang Out". Another place was an apartment house on Southwest 9th Ter., in Coral Gables as well as another known as The Green Manisons Resort Hotel, across from Eastern Airlines, in Miami Springs. I believe Waters was at all these places as well as the Dark Horse Bar in West Palm. I do not believe I ever saw him there at least under that name. But most all of us used cutout names and aliases.

I was not aware that this document had been declassified. I referenced it some years ago, but was told I was not being trueful because there were no documents that mentioned the Mc Allister Hotel in Miami Florida, or it being used as a safehouse... (reference West Palm FBI interview June of 1963, in reference to gunrunning to the Cuban Rebels)

A few months before the Bay of Pigs, I flew to Maranda outside Tucson to pick up a WWII A-26 fighter bomber and bring it back to Miami for "retro-fitting" for the up comming BoP. That was the aircraft that Crispin and his co-pilot were found in the wreckage in Central America some thirty years or so later. Their bodies were recovered around 2000 I believe. The Mc Allister was at that time used for covert meetings concerning the early planning for the BoP.

Again "The Thigh Bone connect to the hip bone type thing... sorry for the drifting..

P.S. I was just told by a person in Dallas that they have a reference to the Mc Allister in their files. I am not sure if it was found in the new files released by the DA or if it was one of the files found during the remodling of the DPD basement of a few years ago. The Fort Worrth PD also has a file on some of those who claimed they were associated with the Mc Allister Hotel of Miami. Damon is a familiar name to me around 1959-61 and I connect it to the "LaBarr(pho-spel) training camp near Morgan City La. The hotel Dixie was a safehouse for that operation and a military black man by the name of 'Leroy" was kind of like the 'caretaker" of that operation. (Can't remember his last name, but ))

note:

In one field report a photo was shown to a questionable source and another was put beside it with the name Damon written in the margin. (which was not the name of the person in the photo) The source at first said he did not know any of those in the picture. Later he droped the name Damon and connected it with an operation that did not exist. A few days later this source contacted the Miami Station and told a story that Damon was CIA and worked for him in south Florida. A picture was shown this source without the name written in the margin. He ID'ed the photo as Damon. It was not. He was asked to state the name of the operation in south Florida. He could not do that. CI-3 source mention a fake name and the source ID'ed that name as the operation. The source was dismissed at that point.

As to Damon being Waters I doubt that as I recall..., Damon was taller and Damon was a code name at the time for operation DAMON, or DEMON ??? memory; concerning Dominican Security Forces. I did know a Damon or of a Damon but this was years later, and I do not think he was associated with the earlier operations (my speculations)

Edited February 24, 2008 by William Plumlee