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The balcony arrest?


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So not to deflect another thread, I have started a new one regarding Oswald's arrest.

This letter below is curious as it was written on the 23rd. Surely by this time, everyone would have their stories straight? There is also a Homicide Report composed on the 22nd which says that Oswald was arrested in the balcony of the Texas Theater.

I am wondering if anyone has an opinion as to what this is all about?

James

Edited by James Richards
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Hi James,

Either nobody can get there stories straight, which I cant believe or there was 3 arrests going on all around the same time at the theater.

With atleast one witness saying there was a arrest outside and to the rear of the theater, plus Oswald's arrest, this third on the balcony just throws you for a loop.

Makes you wonder with so many officers at one scene if there orders were to arrest anyone who looks suspect. This is speculation of course but maybe they knew something might happen to Oswald in the theater?

Does anyone know how many officers were at this scene and a round about figure on how many went inside the theater?

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Here’s what Deputy Sheriff Buddy Walthers wrote in his 11/22/63 statement:

“Upon proceeding to the balcony of the theatre, I ordered the manager to turn on the house lights. Some unknown officer was holding a white man at the steps of the balcony and I proceeded on into the balcony. I looked over the balcony and saw a commotion in the center section, near the back, in the downstairs of the theatre, and I hollered to other officers, ‘He's Downstairs’.”

Here’s what he later told the Warren Commission:

“. . . we got back in the car and got the call to go to the Texas Theatre, that the suspect was in the balcony of the Texas Theatre . . . I had a sawed off shotgun that I took with me inside the building and went up the steps to the landing there and got hold of the 'manager and asked him to turn on the house lights . . . I went on into the balcony and there wasn't anybody in the balcony. It was vacant. I ran to the rail then and looked downstairs and the house lights had just came on and it wasn't too bright, even with them on, and we seen some confusion down in the center section close to the back of the center section of the seats and I hollered to another bunch of officers that were still pouring in the balcony, ‘He must be downstairs.’ or, ‘He is downstairs,’ or something to that effect and I ran back down the steps.”

Who was the “white man” being held by an “unknown officer” at the steps of the balcony? These two people disappear in Walthers’ testimony, and we are informed that the balcony was vacant, except for officers pouring into it. Had some lone occupant of the balcony already been taken away? Who knows.

Ron

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Thanks Ryan and Ron.

One can understand things being confusing during pressure situations like this but the diverging reports is just too bizarre. Walthers also got around. At 12:40pm he was photographed investigating the turf on Elm Street and then he's in the thick of it at the Texas Theater.

I also believe Roger Craig claimed that Walthers was never actually at the theater. More strangeness.

Below is the Homicide Report claiming the arrest was made in the balcony.

James

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In my Southern hometown in the early 1960s, the balcony of the theater was for blacks. The downstairs was for whites only. I don't know if this was common practice throughout the segregated South, or if most towns simply had white theaters and black theaters. Does anyone know if the Texas Theater balcony would have been for black customers? This could be significant in terms of where Oswald or any other white man might be expected to go sit in the theater, depending on whether he was there to meet a contact (as has been commonly assumed) or whether he was looking for a good place to hide.

Ron

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Ryan,

Does anyone know how many officers were at this scene and a round about figure on how many went inside the theater?

Now that the Dallas Police Archives are back up, you can find reports from most of them in Box 2, Folder# 7 here:

http://jfk.ci.dallas.tx.us/box2.htm

I can't vouch that all of them are there, but I think you'll find most.

As for the Report from Stringfellow to Curry about Oswald being arrested in the balcony, that one always puzzled me, because I don't think Stringfellow was even there.

Steve Thomas

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  • 10 months later...

I will make an assertion that there were two arrests in the Texas Theater that day one 'suspect' entering around 1:05 PM, who proceeded to the balcony. Then everybody's favorite patsy Lee Oswald entering afterwards. Some of the Dallas Police knew there was another 'suspect,' while others didn't. While Oswald was being taken out the front by Bill Alexander, probably simultaneously, or minutes earlier the 'suspect was brought down and was escorted out the back. Bernard Haire saw this person who he thought was Oswald coming out the back door of the Theater, surrounded by Dallas' finest who placed him into a police car, which proceeded to drive off........

I know this will generate a lot of 'yeah right' responses. But the Dallas Police had been to the Dallas Public Library branch location, somewhat close to the Tippit shooting, then to the Abundant Life Temple, where another 'Secret Service' agent materialized (that point never addressed by anyone whatsoever).

Bernie thought for 25 years that the person he saw (who was wearing a pullover shirt, slacks and appeared flushed, as if he had been in a scuffle) was Lee Harvey Oswald. He would later say "I don't know who I saw arrested."

In Crossfire Jim Marrs wrote "Neither does anyone else, but it is eloquent testimony that apparently someone other than Oswald led police to the Texas Theater.

The 'suspect' later turned up in a car, sitting in a parking lot near an El Fenix Restaurant, (only blocks awat from the Texas Theater, where he was observed by a man across the street ....after sitting there awhile the 'suspect' drove West on Davis Street at a high rate of speed, and into oblivion........

I also think that there is a photo of this person in the Warren Commission 'Armstrong Exhibits' wearing slacks and a white shirt or sweater, watching the festivities at the Carousel Club. Even though you can only see his face at a poor angle, I think he potentially qualifies as a 'Oswald impersonator.'

Edited by Robert Howard
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I will make an assertion that there were two arrests in the Texas Theater that day one 'suspect' entering around 1:05 PM, who proceeded to the balcony. Then everybody's favorite patsy Lee Oswald entering afterwards. Some of the Dallas Police knew there was another 'suspect,' while others didn't. While Oswald was being taken out the front by Bill Alexander, probably simultaneously, or minutes earlier the 'suspect was brought down and was escorted out the back. Bernard Haire saw this person who he thought was Oswald coming out the back door of the Theater, surrounded by Dallas' finest who placed him into a police car, which proceeded to drive off........

I know this will generate a lot of 'yeah right' responses. But the Dallas Police had been to the Dallas Public Library branch location, somewhat close to the Tippit shooting, then to the Abundant Life Temple, where another 'Secret Service' agent materialized (that point never addressed by anyone whatsoever).

Bernie thought for 25 years that the person he saw (who was wearing a pullover shirt, slacks and appeared flushed, as if he had been in a scuffle) was Lee Harvey Oswald. He would later say "I don't know who I saw arrested."

In Crossfire Jim Marrs wrote "Neither does anyone else, but it is eloquent testimony that apparently someone other than Oswald led police to the Texas Theater.

The 'suspect' later turned up in a car, sitting in a parking lot near an El Fenix Restaurant, (only blocks awat from the Texas Theater, where he was observed by a man across the street ....after sitting there awhile the 'suspect' drove West on Davis Street at a high rate of speed, and into oblivion........

I also think that there is a photo of this person in the Warren Commission 'Armstrong Exhibits' wearing slacks and a white shirt or sweater, watching the festivities at the Carousel Club. Even though you can only see his face at a poor angle, I think he potentially qualifies as a 'Oswald impersonator.'

Er.....nah.

post-675-1140148197_thumb.jpg

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James,

I have read that at 1:51PM on Nov 22, Bernard J. Haire, owner of Bernie's Hobby House, located two doors east of the Texas Theater, walked through his store and out into the back alley when he saw police cars arrive. Haire, at the time was unaware of the assassination news. In the back alley he saw police bring out a young white man dressed in a pullover shirt and slacks. The man appeared flushed as if having just been in a struggle, Haire was under the impression that the man was under arrest. He watched as the police put the man in a police car and drove off. Haire was under the impression he had witnessed the *arrest of LHO. However, it is to my understanding that LHO was brought out of the front door of the theatre? Then who was this man that Haire witnessed being arrested...?

Edited by Adam Wilkinson
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James,

I have read that at 1:51PM on Nov 22, Bernard J. Haire, owner of Bernie's Hobby House, located two doors east of the Texas Theater, walked through his store and out into the back alley when he saw police cars arrive. Haire, at the time was unaware of the assassination news. In the back alley he saw police bring out a young white man dressed in a pullover shirt and slacks. The man appeared flushed as if having just been in a struggle, Haire was under the impression that the man was under arrest. He watched as the police put the man in a police car and drove off. Haire was under the impression he had witnessed the assassination [sic] of LHO. However, it is to my understanding that LHO was brought out of the front door of the theatre? Then who was this man that Haire witnessed being arrested...?

_____________________________________

"...the arrest of LHO."

--Thomas :ice

_____________________________________

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QUOTE:

Reed #2.

According to Dale Myers, the guy in the white shirt, leaning on a parking meter, directly in the center of the picture, right over the middle of the top of the white car is Bernard Haire - he who later walked through the furniture store and out the back to see the police putting someone in a squad car in the alley behind the Theater.

Steve Thomas

3826.jpg

3827.jpg

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James,

I have read that at 1:51PM on Nov 22, Bernard J. Haire, owner of Bernie's Hobby House, located two doors east of the Texas Theater, walked through his store and out into the back alley when he saw police cars arrive. Haire, at the time was unaware of the assassination news. In the back alley he saw police bring out a young white man dressed in a pullover shirt and slacks. The man appeared flushed as if having just been in a struggle, Haire was under the impression that the man was under arrest. He watched as the police put the man in a police car and drove off. Haire was under the impression he had witnessed the assassination [sic] of LHO. However, it is to my understanding that LHO was brought out of the front door of the theatre? Then who was this man that Haire witnessed being arrested...?

_____________________________________

"...the arrest of LHO."

--Thomas :ice

_____________________________________

Thanks Thomas, I'll edit my posts from now on. :ice

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Hi James,

Either nobody can get there stories straight, which I cant believe or there was 3 arrests going on all around the same time at the theater.

With atleast one witness saying there was a arrest outside and to the rear of the theater, plus Oswald's arrest, this third on the balcony just throws you for a loop.

Makes you wonder with so many officers at one scene if there orders were to arrest anyone who looks suspect. This is speculation of course but maybe they knew something might happen to Oswald in the theater?

Does anyone know how many officers were at this scene and a round about figure on how many went inside the theater?

A letter was sent by a convict, from some unidentified state prison, to the DPD.

In this letter the convict stated that he knew Harvey Oswald very well. He said that Jack Ruby and Harvey knew each other very well. He also said that Ruby had offered to pay Harvey to kill JFK. He stated that when Oswald went to the theatre to collect his money from Ruby, that he, the convict, was supposed to go with Harvey. The convict was afraid, so, rather than go with Harvey to the theatre, he had been hiding from Harvey in an alley near the theatre.

This convict, whose name did not appear in the report or on the letter, promised to get Robert and Marguerite Oswald together to set the record straight.

Could this have been one of the men arrested that day?

I will look for the DPD archives copy of the letter, and post it, as soon as I can.

Chuck

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