Oswald in the doorway: the blog of the Oswald Innocence Campaign, by Ralph Cinque

You are some piece of work, Backes. You don't say a word about what happened with Dr. McKnight. You know, I did talk to him for over an hour last night. And he did give me permission to add his name to our roster. And it was crystal-clear from what he said that he certainly never bad-mouthed me to you, as you claimed. You are a filthy, disgusting liar. 

What follows is the work of John Armstrong concerning the bus and cab rides. You'll notice that he states multiple times that Detective Sims found Oswald's transfer ticket at 4:05 pm, and it officially went into the record at that time. And once they did that, they couldn't take it back. That was before they got hold of McWatters, which was at 6 pm. So, before they heard a word from McWatters, they were already committed to the bus ride story. And they didn't hear from Mary Bledsoe until the next evening.  

And notice the first thing that Armstrong says below: that Oswald told police that he went home by bus. I would add that Oswald also mentioned the cab ride and the cab fare, which Fritz wrote down.

Now, cast your eyes on the work of a real researcher, Backes: John Armstrong:    


The bus ride --- On November 22nd, Oswald told Dallas Police Captain Fritz that he went home by bus.

Mary Bledsoe rented a room to Oswald for $7 per week beginning on October 7th. Oswald, acknowledging payment of his rent, signed her calendar (Mrs. Bledsoe's son sold the signed page from her calendar for $5 --- Vol 6 pg 401). On October 12 Oswald received a phone call at Bledsoe's house. From that conversation Bledsoe gathered that Oswald's wife was going to soon have a child (Vol 6 pg 427). Bledsoe became uncomfortable with Oswald and asked him to find another place to live, which he did on October 14th --- he moved to 1026 N. Beckley.
On November 22nd, at approximately 12:35 pm Bledsoe boarded the bus at at St. Paul and Elm and sat across the aisle from the driver. This bus, identified as the "Marsalis-Ramona-Elwood", was driven by Cecil McWatters (vol 2, page 292 WC; also WC exhibit #378). A few blocks later the bus stopped to pick up a passenger. Bledsoe recognized the passenger as Oswald when he boarded the bus. He passed by her while walking toward the rear of the bus (Bledsoe interview by SA Richard Harrison 11/23/63). When the bus became stalled in traffic, Oswald again passed by Bledsoe, this time while walking toward the front of the bus. Oswald obtained a transfer from McWatters and exited through the front door.
When interviewed on November 23rd, 1963, Bledsoe remembered that Oswald wore "a brown shirt with holes in the elbows and "ragged grey work pants". Bledsoe was the only witness on the bus who paid any attention to Oswald, probably because she knew him, and thus was able to identify the clothing he wore (as of November 23rd).
Before her WC testimony Bledsoe prepared notes, at the suggestion of SS Agent Forrest Sorrels, in order to refresh her memory. Reading from notes to refresh a witnesses testimony is, as any lawyer knows, not uncommon in courtroom proceedings. It is allowed in all state and federal court proceedings (Federal Rules of Evidence --- Rule 612 and Rule 803-S).
Cecil McWatters was interviewed on November 22nd and 23rd. On November 22, McWatters was driving the "Marsalis, Ramona, Elwood, Munger" bus run, known as run 1213. McWatters, with his time checked by the company dispatcher, arrived on schedule at St. Paul and Elm at 12:36 pm. At Elm and Griffin "I come to a complete stop, and when I did, someone come up and beat on the door of the bus, and that is about even with Griffin St" (Vol 2, pg 264). The man boarded the bus, paid his 23 cent fare, and "he took the third chair back on the right" (CE 343). Mary Bledsoe, sitting across from McWatters, identified the man as her former tenant --- Lee Harvey Oswald.
Near Poydrus, when the bus became tied up in traffic, a man got out of the car in front of the bus, walked back to the bus and told Whaley the President had been shot. An unknown woman and Oswald got up from their seats, asked for and obtained bus transfers from McWatters and left the bus (CE 343). McWatters told the Warren Commission "yes, sir; I gave him one (bus transfer) about two blocks from where he got on...the reason I recall the incident, I had --- there was a lady that when I stopped in this traffic, there was a lady who had a suitcase and she said, I have got to make a 1 o'clock train at Union Station ... so I gave her a transfer and opened the door and as she was going out the gentlemen I had picked up about 2 blocks asked for a transfer and got off at the same place in the middle of the block where the lady did...it was the intersection near Lamar St." (Vol 2, pg 264, 265). Oswald's transfer was valid for 15 minutes or until the next scheduled bus after the time of issue.
After departing McWatters bus, Oswald walked two blocks south on Lamar St. and said to William Whaley "may I have this cab?" ( Vol 2, pg 256). After Oswald left the bus two policemen boarded the bus and informed McWatters and passengers of the assassination. They questioned each passenger to see if they were carrying weapons (CE 2641). It would be interesting to find out if police boarded any other city buses looking for passengers carrying weapons.
Interviewed on November 22nd, McWatters did not mention or identify the clothing worn by Oswald. Before the Warren Commission McWatters said "to me he had on just work clothes, he didn't have on a suit of clothes, and some type of jacket. I would say a cloth jacket" (Vol 2, pg 279). When taken to the DPD that evening for a lineup, McWatters picked a man "whom he said is the only one in the lineup who resembles the man who had ridden on his bus on November 22nd, 1963. He emphasized that he cannot specifically identify him (Oswald) as being on his bus or as being the person who made the remark to the effect that the President was shot in the temple" (interview of McWatters by SA Odum and Ellington 11/23/63).
Roy Milton Jones was not interviewed until March 30, 1964. Jones said that a "blond woman and a dark haired man boarded the bus approximately six blocks before Houston Street. The man sat in the seat behind him and the woman occupied a seat further to the rear of the bus. When the bus was stopped in traffic, and prior to the appearance of the police, the woman left the bus by the rear door to catch a train at the depot (CE 343) and the man who was sitting behind him (Oswald) left the bus by the front door while the bus was in the middle of the block (CE 2641). Jones "emphasized he did not have a good view of this man at any time and could not positively identify him as being identical with Lee Harvey Oswald. He said he was inclined to think it might have been Oswald only because the bus driver told him so".
When interviewed four months later by the FBI, Jones said the man sitting behind him was wearing a "light blue jacket and gray khaki trousers". Jones had seen this nondescript and unknown man, who sat behind him four months earlier, for a brief few seconds. Mr. Jones should be commended for remembering anything at all about this man.
Laughing matter. McWatters picked up a passenger "between the corner of Poydras and Elm and the corner of Commerce and Houston". McWatters said after turning onto Houston Street, he proceeded across the Houston Street viaduct to Oak Cliff, and then turned south on Marsalis Street. After McWatters turned south on Marsalis Street he said to a male passenger "I wonder where they shot the President". The man replied, "they shot him in the temple".
McWatters continued south on Marsalis and "picked up an old lady at the corner of Vermont and Marsalis". McWatters, who stated "she was at least 55 or 60 years of age," did not recall ever seeing her before. He asked her if she "had heard that the President had been shot. She told McWatters not to joke about such a matter, and he told her that if she did not believe him to ask the man sitting behind him. She looked at this man, who was the one who had told McWatters that the President had been shot in the temple, and said "why he's smiling; you're joking!"
McWatters continued south on Marsalis and remembered letting the smiling man off the bus "south of Saner Avenue." (interview of McWatters by SA Odum and Ellington 11/23/63). The smiling man, described by McWatters as a "teenager, about 5'8", 155 lbs, medium build, slim faced," was later identified as Roy Milton Jones, who regularly rode McWatters bus. In fact, McWatters said "the man rode with me the next day," November 23rd (vol. 2 pg 280). McWatters memory of where the young man got off the bus proved correct. Jones lived one block south of Saner Avenue at 512 E Brownlee Avenue.
The bus transfer, which McWatters gave to Oswald, was found in Oswald's left shirt pocket by Detective Sims at 4:05 pm that afternoon. The transfer, issued by the Dallas Transit System, was easily traced to McWatters (see below). McWatters was picked up and transported to Dallas Police headquarters shortly after 6:00 pm where he was asked to identify, from a police lineup, the man who boarded and left his bus on Elm Street around 12:40 pm earlier that day.
Bus transfer. A photograph, and not the original bus transfer, was entered into evidence as exhibit 381-A; WC Vol 16, pg 974). Mr. FF Yates, Division Superintendent, Dallas Transit System, advised that company drivers get the amount of transfer books (50 transfers to a book) they think they will need when they go on duty each day. The driver tears off the first transfer of each book and writes his badge number on the back of this transfer. Yates produced transfer No. 4451 which was the first transfer on a book numbered 4451 through 4500, given to McWatters on the morning of November 22nd. McWatters badge number, 195, appeared on the back of this transfer.
Each driver is issued a punch which produces a unique punch mark. (interview of FF Yates by SA Lee and Barrett 3/10/64). Oswald requested and received bus transfer No 4459 from McWatters near Poydras and Elm as he was leaving the bus. Bus transfer No. 4459 was found in Oswald's left shirt pocket by Detective Sims at 4:05 pm on November 22nd (along with five live rounds of .38 caliber pistol shells --- WC Sims Exhibit A, Vol 21, pg 514).
The original transfer was examined by National Archives Specialist Steve Hamilton at my request. On October 6, 1998 Mr. Hamilton wrote that the original bus transfer "does appear to have creases in it consistent with folding". When questioned by Dallas Police Captain Fritz Oswald admitted this transfer was given to him by the bus driver when he left the bus after being stalled in traffic (CE 2003 pg 37B).
The police find McWatters --- McWatters explained to the Warren Commission how a bus driver can be located from markings on a bus transfer. McWatters said "if they have any complaint, any transfers brought in to him (supervisor), he has a list. When he looked at the punchmark he knows the man's name, and his badge number" (Vol 2, pg 291).
McWatters was picked up and transported to Dallas Police headquarters shortly after 6:00 pm. When shown bus transfer No. 4459 McWatters said "yes, that is the transfer I issued because it had my punch mark on it ... I only gave two transfers going through town on that trip (from North Dallas south to Oak Cliff) and that was at the one stop of where I gave the lady and the gentlemen that got off the bus, I issued two transfers. But that was the only two transfers were issued". (Vol 2 pg 268-270).
Time Stamp --- McWatters was questioned by the Warren Commission to explain the bus transfer. McWatters said "all transfers issued on this run from north (Lakewood) to south (Marsalis) showed a time of 1:00 pm and that 1:00 pm was shown on the transfer exhibited to him" (FBI interview by Odum and Ellington 11/23/63). The "1 0" that appears at the bottom of this transfer indicates the transfer is valid until 1:00 pm. Bus drivers, according to company rules, were supposed to have punched transfers at 15, 30 and 45 minutes past the hour. But McWatters punched his transfers by the hour. WC Attorney Ball asked him "In other words, what you do is punch on the hour rather than the 45 and 15 minutes usually?" "Yes", said McWatters. "In other words, when I am going one way at 1 o'clock, coming back from the other end of the line I set them at 2. I am back in there at, my next trip I am back in there at Lamar Street, I think it is 1:38 but I always set them at 2 o'clock" (Vol 2 pg 285, 286).
Punch Mark --- All of the bus lines operating out of the east Dallas division were listed on the transfers. Bus lines ran in both directions --- north/south/north; east/west/east, etc. McWatters bus ran from Lakewood (North Dallas) to the end of Marsalis (South Dallas/Oak Cliff) and back to Lakewood (North Dallas). Bus transfers were issued to passengers to allow them to transfer to another bus.
To keep a passenger from using the transfer pass for a return trip on the same bus, a punch system was used. McWatters testified "Each driver has a different punch. They are all registered" (Vol 2 pg 290). "While at Marsalis (heading toward the southern end of Marsalis) I would punch the Lakewood; when I would leave Marsalis coming toward Lakewood (heading north), I would have "Lakewood" on the front of my bus (referring to the "scroll" sign above the windshield indicating a bus's destination) but I would punch the transfer Marsalis". Transfer #4459, found by DPD officer Sims in Oswald's left front shirt pocket, was punched "23. Lakewood" with McWatters unique punch mark. "Lakewood" indicated McWatters had issued this pass after he left Lakewood (North Dallas) en route to the south end of Marsalis (McWatters' WC testimony, Vol 2, pg 292).
The brown shirt. Linnie Mae Randle recalled Oswald "wearing a tan shirt and grey jacket on the morning of November 22." DPD Officer Baker recalled Oswald was wearing a light brown jacket when he and Roy Truly encountered Oswald in the TSBD shortly after 12:30 pm (affidavit by ML Baker, 11/22/63).
The next person who identified Harvey Oswald's brown shirt was Mary Bledsoe (FBI interview by SA Harrison and Weir, 11/24/63). She said he was wearing "ragged grey work pants, and a brown shirt with holes in the elbows."
Also on the bus was McWatters and Jones, who were not asked about Oswald's clothing until they appeared before the WArren Commission four months later. At time they said Oswald had on a light blue jacket. The Warren Commission concluded they had not seen Oswald wearing a light blue jacket.
The next person who identified Harvey Oswald's brown shirt was cab driver William Whaley. On November 23rd he said his passenger "had on a dark shirt with white spots of something on it" (Whaley affidavit CE 2003 pg 64). In testimony before the Warren Commission Whaley said "he had on a brown shirt with a little silver like stripe on it. His shirt was open three buttons down here. He had on a t-shirt." (WC Vol 2, pg 255).
When Oswald arrived at N. Beckley, housekeeper Earlene Roberts said "I don't recall what type of clothing he was wearing" (Earlene Roberts affidavit 12/5/63). Mrs. Roberts said "he went to his room for a few minutes. Then I noticed he had a dark color jacket on, the type that zips up the front."
FBI Agent Bardwell Odum, who observed Oswald as he was being brought out the front of the Texas Theater, said Oswald was wearing a "brown jacket". Other witnesses mistakenly identified Oswald as wearing a "brown jacket" at the time of his arrest. Harvey Oswald was actually wearing a "brown shirt" (not a brown jacket) over a "white t-shirt".
During his first interview on November 22nd, Oswald told Captain Fritz that he had arrived at N. Beckley and changed his trousers. The following day he told Fritz he had changed both his trousers and shirt. Oswald described his dirty clothes as being a reddish colored, long sleeved shirt with a button down collar and grey colored trousers. He indicated that he placed these clothes in the lower drawer of his dresser (FBI memo of James Bookout). One "brown shirt with button down collar" and "one pair of grey trousers" were found at Oswald's N. Beckley address by Dallas Detective Fay M. Turner. Both articles of clothing were inventoried by Dallas Police and listed as "1 brown shirt with button-down collar and 1 pair grey trousers and other miscellaneous men's clothing" (WC --- Turner Exhibit No 1). It would appear that Oswald had changed shirts.
The bus transfer, given to him by McWatters and placed it into the left pocket of the brown shirt, was found by Det. Sims at 4:05 pm. When Bledsoe was shown the brown shirt worn by Oswald when arrested she first said "No, no, that is not the shirt". Then she asked if the shirt had a ragged elbow. When she saw the hole in the right elbow she said "yes, yes, this is the shirt", believing it to be the shirt Oswald wore on McWatters bus. But Oswald had changed shirts. He left the brown shirt with the "button down collar", worn by him on McWatters bus, in the dresser at N. Beckley. He changed into another brown shirt, worn by him when arrested, which was shown to Bledsoe for identification. Mary Bledsoe had simply identified the wrong brown shirt. Someone needs to check to see if the shirt picked up and inventoried by Dallas Police is in the National Archives and if it has holes in the elbows, as described by Bledsoe.
The grey pants, remembered by Bledsoe and Jones from the bus and by cab driver William Whaley, were also found at N. Beckley --- exactly where Oswald had told Fritz he had placed them. They were inventoried by Dallas Police Detective Fay M. Turner. The grey jacket worn by Oswald the morning of November 22, as remembered by Linnie Mae Randle and Wesley Frazier, may have been found by the Dallas Police at the TSBD. They found a heavy, blue colored, "Sir Jac" brand jacket at the TSBD. This jacket was never claimed by anyone (FBI #226) .

Harvey Oswald --- the cab ride. When interviewed on November 22nd, Oswald told Captain Fritz that he rode the bus home. The following day, November 23rd, between 10:25 am and 11:30 am, Captain Fritz again interviewed Oswald. Fritz asked him if he had taken a cab ride after he left the TSBD. Oswald replied "yes, I did ride the cab..."

Drivers trip manifest --- William Whaley's trip manifest (CE 382 Vol 16 pg 974) was clocked in at 5:05 am on November 22nd. Beginning meter readings listed on Whaley's trip manifest consisted of the total number of trips (3591), the units (8308 --- one unit for every 4/10 of a mile) and the total miles (6011). With each successive trip each of these meter readings would automatically increase and be totaled and logged in at the end of each day. In addition to the automatic meter readings, cab drivers also listed the amount of each fare, the number of passengers, the time "in and out" and the mileage "in and out". At the end of the day, drivers turned in their manifests, which were "date stamped" along with the amount of cash which was recorded on the manifest with a "machine stamp." Whaley's last fare on November 22nd ended at 3:45 pm. His trip manifest was stamped "NOV 22" and 25.15 CA ($25.15 --- the amount of cash turned in by Whaley). Warren Commission Attorney Ball provided Whaley his trip manifest (CE 370) in order to "refresh Whaley's memory".
Lamar to Beckley --- Whaley was sitting in his cab at the Greyhound bus station at Lamar and Jackson around 12:40 pm. He first saw Harvey Oswald walking south on Lamar from Commerce toward his cab. Whaley noticed "the slow way he walked up. He didn't talk. He wasn't in any hurry. He wasn't nervous or anything." Whaley remembered that Oswald said "may I have this cab", to which Whaley replied "you sure can". About that time an old lady said she also wanted a cab. Whaley heard Oswald say "I will let you have this one" but the lady said "no, the driver can call me one".
When interviewed by Dallas Police Captain Fritz on November 23rd at 10:25 am, Oswald told Fritz about the incident involving the old lady. Oswald told Fritz "'yes, I did ride the cab' ... when he [Oswald] got in the cab a lady came up who also wanted a cab, and he [Whaley] told Oswald to tell the lady to take another cab" (CE 2003 --- 137-B). Oswald's and Whaley's stories matched perfectly.
Oswald then said "I want to get to the 500 block of North Beckley". Whaley described Oswald as "small, five feet eight inches, slender, had on a dark shirt with white spots of something on it and grey khaki pants which looked like they had been slept in" (FBI interview by SA Hardin 11/23/63). He looked like "he was 25 or 26 years old" (CE 2003, pg 64) and had a bracelet on his left wrist. Whaley remembered Oswald's "t-shirt was a little soiled around the collar". Whaley dropped Oswald off about 20 ft north of the intersection of Neely and Beckley. He did not remember which direction Oswald walked after he left the cab.
Oswald's stretchband bracelet --- Whaley noticed Oswald's shiny bracelet on his left wrist. He explained to the Warren Commission "I always notice watchbands, unusual watchbands, and identification bracelets like these, because I make them myself ... It was just a common stretchband identification bracelet. A lot of them are made of chain links and not stretchbands (Vol 2 pg 293). Stretchbands are unusual because there is very few of them". A photograph of Oswald taken shortly after his arrival at DPD headquarters shows a bracelet on his left wrist. This bracelet was removed from Oswald's left wrist at DPD headquarters and later photographed. "One I.D. stretch band with 'Lee' inscribed" is listed on the DPD property form (Dallas Archives --- Box 1, folder 8, item 1).
500 Beckley or 700 Beckley? --- Whaley said "when he got back to the Union Terminal he made an entry of the trip (to N Beckley) on his manifest for the day". WC Attorney Belin asked Whaley why he wrote down the destination of his passenger (Oswald) as 500 N. Beckley instead of 700 N. Beckley. Whaley replied "because that is what he told me and that is what I remember when I wrote the trip up" (WC testimony of Whaley --- Vol 6 pg 433).
Identifying Oswald --- The next morning Whaley saw a photograph of Oswald in the newspaper. Whaley said "I told my superior that that had been my passenger that day (November 22nd) at noon. They called up the police and they came up and got me. The Dallas Police came down and took me down and the FBI was waiting there" (at the DPD --- WC testimony of Whaley Vol 2, pg 260). Whaley was interviewed by FBI SA Hardin who showed Whaley a New Orleans Police Department photograph of Oswald. Whaley said it "is definitely the photograph of the man whom he drove in his cab November 22, 1963".
Police Lineup --- Whaley was then taken to a lineup in the Dallas Police Department lineup room where he again identified Oswald. Whaley "without hesitation stated that Oswald is definitely the man whom he drove in his cab on November 22,1963".
Researchers have occasionally criticized Whaley for identifying Oswald as the number 3 man in the lineup and then identified him as the number 2 man in the lineup. A simple reading of Whaley's testimony in Vol 6, pgs 432, 433 is all that is required to clear up this alleged inconsistency. Whaley said "I try to tell you exactly what happened, to the best of my ability, when they brought Oswald out in the lineup of four. He was the third man out. I don't know which way they count them". Whaley said "they put the first man out on the right, and the last one on my left, as near as I can remember". Whaley, in his mind, thought the first man walking to his right was number 1. The second man was number 2, the third man as number 3 and the man on the left as number 4. Whaley, counting from right to left, identified Oswald as the number 3 man. The Dallas Police, counting from left to right, identified Oswald as the number 2 man. Whaley went on to say "No 2 from my left. no. 3 from my right".
Some researchers have also criticized Whaley for allegedly signing a statement which identified Oswald in the Police lineup before he was taken to the lineup. Again, a reading of Whaley's testimony in Vol 6, page 430 is all that is required to clear up this alleged inconsistency. Whaley explained "they wrote it out on paper, and this officer, Leavelle, I think that is his name, before he finished and before I signed he wanted me to go with him to the lineup, so I went to the lineup, and I come back and he asked me which one it was, which number it was, and I identified the man, and we went back up in the office again, and then they had me sign this. That is as near as I can remember."
Driving time from Lamar to Beckley --- An inconsistency pointed out by researchers is the original time required to drive from the Greyhound Bus Station to North Beckley. Whaley, when first interviewed by the WC on March 12, 1964, said it took him 9 minutes to drive Oswald to N. Beckley. Whaley was asked "Now on this particular trip with Oswald, do you recall the lights being with you?" Whaley replied, "they were with me sir; for I timed them that way before I took off. Because I made that so much that I know the light system and how they are going to turn". When interviewed again on April 8, 1964 he says it took less than 5 minutes. I do not understand why or how Whaley's trip of 2 4/10 miles could take 9 minutes to drive. I, accompanied by fellow researchers Malcolm Blunt, Stan Clark and Bill Drenas drove the same route at normal speed. It took just over 5 minutes and I drove this route several times.