Huh? Anyone Remember This? Arson at TSBD?

[Benjamin Cole]

DALLAS, July 20 (1972) (UPI)—Arsonists broke into the Texas School Book Depository building today, spread gasoline across five floors and set fire to the 68‐year‐old structure where Lee Harvey Oswald waited to assassinate President Kennedy.

Firemen, aided by the vacant building's sprinkler system, extinguished the blaze within 24 minutes.

L. R. McCowan, assistant fire chief, said, “It was definitely arson. We found gasoline cans on five floors and the smell of gasoline was all through the building.”

Fire damage was limited to $5,000.

---30---

Really? 

[Denis Morissette]

 

[Benjamin Cole]

11 hours ago, Denis Morissette said:

 

Thanks for posting...

Evidently, that is Mr. Byrd, the owner, who is also an expert on the JFKA (well....)

The would-be arsonists poured copious amounts of gasoline on five floors. Huh? 

But a fire inspector happened to see the flames from the get go....

Really? 

Add it to the list of inexplicable or dubious events surrounding the JFKA.....

 

[David Von Pein]

Edited October 27, 2023 by David Von Pein

[Benjamin Cole]

1 hour ago, David Von Pein said:

Note the casual way in which Byrd and the UPI declare LHO was JFK's assassin. 

LHO never had his day in court, and should be referred to as the "alleged assassin." 

Set aside LHO. Until someone is convicted in a court of law, with adequate defense counsel, and exhausts appeals, I regard the person as innocent. 

America has become a place where people are convicted by accusations and headlines. 

[Benjamin Cole]

Are there any records of anyone being arrested for this TBSD arson case? 

And where was E Howard Hunt? 

 

Edited October 28, 2023 by Benjamin Cole

[Ron Bulman]

3 hours ago, David Von Pein said:

This is part of what I remember reading years ago.  Mayhew bought the building from Byrd to open a museum displaying his collection.  Turned out he needed a re-zoning or permit from the city which they did not give.  Some proposed at one point it be torn down.  A financial backer backed out on Mayhew and he got behind on the payments.

There was speculation Mayhew knew the suspected arsonist.  That he had hired him to burn it down for the insurance money.

[Benjamin Cole]

2 minutes ago, Ron Bulman said:

This is part of what I remember reading years ago.  Mayhew bought the building from Byrd to open a museum displaying his collection.  Turned out he needed a re-zoning or permit from the city which they did not give.  Some proposed at one point it be torn down.  A financial backer backed out on Mayhew and he got behind on the payments.

There was speculation Mayhew knew the suspected arsonist.  That he had hired him to burn it down for the insurance money.

Yes, Byrd says in the video they know who bought the gasoline at what gas station. 

Then...nothing. 

Maybe the arsonist's trail led back to people who wanted to destroy evidence?

 

 

[David Andrews]

1 hour ago, Benjamin Cole said:

Maybe the arsonist's trail led back to people who wanted to destroy evidence?

 

 

Also to help efface assassination landmarks from the plaza.  Or to get rid of a building that had become a white elephant for tenant rentals?  (You know - like the WTC.)

[Benjamin Cole]

36 minutes ago, David Andrews said:

Also to help efface assassination landmarks from the plaza.  Or to get rid of a building that had become a white elephant for tenant rentals?  (You know - like the WTC.)

Who knows? The city was evidently blocking the buyer's plans to put a museum into the TBSD, which sounds like a perfect fit. 

The arsonist does not sound like some halfwit who started a dumpster fire and ran away...he (or they) poured gasoline on five different floors. Gallons of the stuff. 

But he or they did not cut off the automatic sprinkler system. 

Shades of E. Howard Hunt?