Jump to content
The Education Forum

Identity of man running up steps.


Chuck Robbins

Recommended Posts

The man who turns and runs up the steps as JFK is being shot was identified as Wilfied Daetz of NYC.

The document speaks for itself.

It is in the Dallas archives.

http://4.18.92.49/24/2456-002.gif

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Chuck,

The man who turns and runs up the steps as JFK is being shot was identified as Wilfied Daetz of NYC.

The document speaks for itself.

It is in the Dallas archives.

http://4.18.92.49/24/2456-002.gif

That's interesting. It could be him, although he speaks of running up the slope and not the steps.

Even more interesting is the encounter with the policeman. If it happened directly after the shots, no policeman was supposedly stationed up there.

Steve Thomas

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The man who turns and runs up the steps as JFK is being shot was identified as Wilfied Daetz of NYC.

The document speaks for itself.

It is in the Dallas archives.

http://4.18.92.49/24/2456-002.gif

Hi Chuck.

McAdams on the subject below. What would this guy from NY be doing there anyway? How can you lose hearing in your left ear, but assume that the shot came from the right? Is it possible to be so excited that you would only hear one shot fired?

Finding someone to pretend to have been a phony add-in should prove more difficult. I expected a time traveller at least - that would cover his transparency and ability to disappear into thin air after his incredible balancing act.

- lee

Sinister doings on the grassy knoll?

Another such episode began on December 5, 1966, when the Dallas Police Department received a long-distance telephone call from an individual identifying himself as Wilfred Baetz of New York City. In a letter of December 7 to the Dallas FBI, Police Chief Charles Batchelor reported that Baetz stated that on November 22, 1963, at the time of the assassination of President Kennedy, he was standing on the grass on the north side of Elm Street — on the slope approaching the triple underpass. He recalls only one shot and that immediately after the shot he ran up the slope toward the railroad tracks and was stopped by an unknown police officer who pointed a pistol at him and shouted, “Where are you going?” He then returned down the slope. [He] stated that he could hear very little out of his left ear and that he heard the shot with his right ear and in his opinion the shot came from his right which was the direction of the railroad tracks. He also stated that he saw a puff of smoke come from behind the fence near the railroad tracks. He stated he was so excited he doesn’t recall any additional shots. He further stated that at the time of the incident, he did not reveal himself and had talked to no one regarding this until the recent publicity. He states that he revealed himself and made a statement to the Federal Bureau of Investigation in New York City.

Chas. Batchelor, Chief of Police, Dallas Police Department, letter, December 7, 1966, to J. Gordon Shanklin, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Dallas, Texas.

Although Baetz had not contacted the New York City FBI, as claimed,

U.S. Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York, New York, December 29, 1966, to Department of Justice, Criminal Division (received January 4, 1967), Re: Assassination of President John Fitzgerald Kennedy, Dallas, Texas, November 22, 1963, Miscellaneous — Information Concerning, p. 3.

the FBI investigated and identified Wilfred H. Baetz as a Bronxville, New York, resident with a colorful past.

Born in Darby, England, on February 13, 1911, Wilfred Henry Baetz had, by his own account, lived in the United States since childhood. He had served in the U.S. Army in 1941-42 and subsequently received a medical discharge. He had once enjoyed a career as a radio scriptwriter and singer.

U.S. Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York, New York, December 29, 1966, to Department of Justice, Criminal Division (received January 4, 1967), Re: Assassination of President John Fitzgerald Kennedy, Dallas, Texas, November 22, 1963, Miscellaneous — Information Concerning, p. 3.

In 1943, Baetz had been responsible for composing such patriotic ditties as “Stand By America” and “You Buy ‘Em We’ll Fly ‘Em.” Both Boston, Mass.: Barod Publication, arranged by Del Rodriquez. (“World War II Sheet Music Collection,” SC 1995.7, Ruth T. Watanabe Special Collections, Sibley Music Library, prepared by Mary Rame, Fall 1995.)

Before the war’s end, however, life for Baetz took a darker turn, as he embarked upon an arson spree that spanned at least seven years, resulted in several prison terms and at least one commitment to a mental hospital for observation, and was estimated by Boston police to have been responsible for “25 to 30 fires in Brookline, Allston and Brighton, Massachusetts.”

U.S. Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York, New York, December 29, 1966, to Department of Justice, Criminal Division (received January 4, 1967), Re: Assassination of President John Fitzgerald Kennedy, Dallas, Texas, November 22, 1963, Miscellaneous — Information Concerning, p. 2.

Contacted by the FBI on December 21, 1966, Baetz admitted to his arson record, as well as “a couple of drunk arrests in Brighton, and Boston, Massachusetts.”

U.S. Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York, New York, December 29, 1966, to Department of Justice, Criminal Division (received January 4, 1967), Re: Assassination of President John Fitzgerald Kennedy, Dallas, Texas, November 22, 1963, Miscellaneous — Information Concerning, p. 5.

He stated that he had maintained no steady employment since suffering a heart attack two years earlier, had no children, and lived with his wife, Caroline, who was employed by the Time-Life Company. U.S. Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York, New York, December 29, 1966, to Department of Justice, Criminal Division (received January 4, 1967), Re: Assassination of President John Fitzgerald Kennedy, Dallas, Texas, November 22, 1963, Miscellaneous — Information Concerning, p. 4.

Researcher Debra Conway theorizes that Baetz’s call to Dallas was triggered by a reading of the November 25, 1966, issue of Life magazine, which featured prominent coverage of the assassination’s anniversary (possibly the “recent publicity” Baetz referred to in his phone call) and reports of evidence pointing to a possible grassy knoll gunman. Debra Conway, with contributions from Michael Parks and Mark Colgan, “The Secret Service Agent on the Knoll,” JFK Lancer website, 2001.

However, while it was confirmed that a twelve-minute call to the Dallas Police Department had been charged from Baetz’s home phone number,

U.S. Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York, New York, December 29, 1966, to Department of Justice, Criminal Division (received January 4, 1967), Re: Assassination of President John Fitzgerald Kennedy, Dallas, Texas, November 22, 1963, Miscellaneous — Information Concerning, p. 4.

Baetz denied placing the phone call to the Dallas Police Department. He told the FBI that “on November 22, 1963, the date of President Kennedy’s assassination, he and his wife and his sister-in-law were at his residence and watched the details of the assassination on television. He stated that he was practically ‘glued’ to his television set for the next three days.” He added that “he knows nothing concerning the assassination of President Kennedy other than what he has observed on television or read about,” U.S. Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York, New York, December 29, 1966, to Department of Justice, Criminal Division (received January 4, 1967), Re: Assassination of President John Fitzgerald Kennedy, Dallas, Texas, November 22, 1963, Miscellaneous — Information Concerning, p. 4.

and suggested that someone must have charged the call to his home telephone as some kind of practical joke. U.S. Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York, New York, December 29, 1966, to Department of Justice, Criminal Division (received January 4, 1967), Re: Assassination of President John Fitzgerald Kennedy, Dallas, Texas, November 22, 1963, Miscellaneous — Information Concerning, p. 5.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The man who turns and runs up the steps as JFK is being shot was identified as Wilfied Daetz of NYC.

The document speaks for itself.

It is in the Dallas archives.

http://4.18.92.49/24/2456-002.gif

Hi Chuck.

McAdams on the subject below. What would this guy from NY be doing there anyway? How can you lose hearing in your left ear, but assume that the shot came from the right? Is it possible to be so excited that you would only hear one shot fired?

Finding someone to pretend to have been a phony add-in should prove more difficult. I expected a time traveller at least - that would cover his transparency and ability to disappear into thin air after his incredible balancing act.

- lee

Sinister doings on the grassy knoll?

Another such episode began on December 5, 1966, when the Dallas Police Department received a long-distance telephone call from an individual identifying himself as Wilfred Baetz of New York City. In a letter of December 7 to the Dallas FBI, Police Chief Charles Batchelor reported that Baetz stated that on November 22, 1963, at the time of the assassination of President Kennedy, he was standing on the grass on the north side of Elm Street — on the slope approaching the triple underpass. He recalls only one shot and that immediately after the shot he ran up the slope toward the railroad tracks and was stopped by an unknown police officer who pointed a pistol at him and shouted, “Where are you going?” He then returned down the slope. [He] stated that he could hear very little out of his left ear and that he heard the shot with his right ear and in his opinion the shot came from his right which was the direction of the railroad tracks. He also stated that he saw a puff of smoke come from behind the fence near the railroad tracks. He stated he was so excited he doesn’t recall any additional shots. He further stated that at the time of the incident, he did not reveal himself and had talked to no one regarding this until the recent publicity. He states that he revealed himself and made a statement to the Federal Bureau of Investigation in New York City.

Chas. Batchelor, Chief of Police, Dallas Police Department, letter, December 7, 1966, to J. Gordon Shanklin, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Dallas, Texas.

Although Baetz had not contacted the New York City FBI, as claimed,

U.S. Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York, New York, December 29, 1966, to Department of Justice, Criminal Division (received January 4, 1967), Re: Assassination of President John Fitzgerald Kennedy, Dallas, Texas, November 22, 1963, Miscellaneous — Information Concerning, p. 3.

the FBI investigated and identified Wilfred H. Baetz as a Bronxville, New York, resident with a colorful past.

Born in Darby, England, on February 13, 1911, Wilfred Henry Baetz had, by his own account, lived in the United States since childhood. He had served in the U.S. Army in 1941-42 and subsequently received a medical discharge. He had once enjoyed a career as a radio scriptwriter and singer.

U.S. Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York, New York, December 29, 1966, to Department of Justice, Criminal Division (received January 4, 1967), Re: Assassination of President John Fitzgerald Kennedy, Dallas, Texas, November 22, 1963, Miscellaneous — Information Concerning, p. 3.

In 1943, Baetz had been responsible for composing such patriotic ditties as “Stand By America” and “You Buy ‘Em We’ll Fly ‘Em.” Both Boston, Mass.: Barod Publication, arranged by Del Rodriquez. (“World War II Sheet Music Collection,” SC 1995.7, Ruth T. Watanabe Special Collections, Sibley Music Library, prepared by Mary Rame, Fall 1995.)

Before the war’s end, however, life for Baetz took a darker turn, as he embarked upon an arson spree that spanned at least seven years, resulted in several prison terms and at least one commitment to a mental hospital for observation, and was estimated by Boston police to have been responsible for “25 to 30 fires in Brookline, Allston and Brighton, Massachusetts.”

U.S. Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York, New York, December 29, 1966, to Department of Justice, Criminal Division (received January 4, 1967), Re: Assassination of President John Fitzgerald Kennedy, Dallas, Texas, November 22, 1963, Miscellaneous — Information Concerning, p. 2.

Contacted by the FBI on December 21, 1966, Baetz admitted to his arson record, as well as “a couple of drunk arrests in Brighton, and Boston, Massachusetts.”

U.S. Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York, New York, December 29, 1966, to Department of Justice, Criminal Division (received January 4, 1967), Re: Assassination of President John Fitzgerald Kennedy, Dallas, Texas, November 22, 1963, Miscellaneous — Information Concerning, p. 5.

He stated that he had maintained no steady employment since suffering a heart attack two years earlier, had no children, and lived with his wife, Caroline, who was employed by the Time-Life Company. U.S. Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York, New York, December 29, 1966, to Department of Justice, Criminal Division (received January 4, 1967), Re: Assassination of President John Fitzgerald Kennedy, Dallas, Texas, November 22, 1963, Miscellaneous — Information Concerning, p. 4.

Researcher Debra Conway theorizes that Baetz’s call to Dallas was triggered by a reading of the November 25, 1966, issue of Life magazine, which featured prominent coverage of the assassination’s anniversary (possibly the “recent publicity” Baetz referred to in his phone call) and reports of evidence pointing to a possible grassy knoll gunman. Debra Conway, with contributions from Michael Parks and Mark Colgan, “The Secret Service Agent on the Knoll,” JFK Lancer website, 2001.

However, while it was confirmed that a twelve-minute call to the Dallas Police Department had been charged from Baetz’s home phone number,

U.S. Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York, New York, December 29, 1966, to Department of Justice, Criminal Division (received January 4, 1967), Re: Assassination of President John Fitzgerald Kennedy, Dallas, Texas, November 22, 1963, Miscellaneous — Information Concerning, p. 4.

Baetz denied placing the phone call to the Dallas Police Department. He told the FBI that “on November 22, 1963, the date of President Kennedy’s assassination, he and his wife and his sister-in-law were at his residence and watched the details of the assassination on television. He stated that he was practically ‘glued’ to his television set for the next three days.” He added that “he knows nothing concerning the assassination of President Kennedy other than what he has observed on television or read about,” U.S. Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York, New York, December 29, 1966, to Department of Justice, Criminal Division (received January 4, 1967), Re: Assassination of President John Fitzgerald Kennedy, Dallas, Texas, November 22, 1963, Miscellaneous — Information Concerning, p. 4.

and suggested that someone must have charged the call to his home telephone as some kind of practical joke. U.S. Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York, New York, December 29, 1966, to Department of Justice, Criminal Division (received January 4, 1967), Re: Assassination of President John Fitzgerald Kennedy, Dallas, Texas, November 22, 1963, Miscellaneous — Information Concerning, p. 5.

Which one of the three guys is supposed to be Baetz?

Note that he does not say the STEPS...he says the SLOPE APPROACHING THE UNDERPASS.

Jack

Edited by Jack White
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...