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+LJ001-0001 printing in the only sense with which we are at present concerned differs from most if not from all the arts and crafts represented in the exhibition
+LJ001-0002 in being comparatively modern
+LJ001-0003 for although the chinese took impressions from wood blocks engraved in relief for centuries before the woodcutters of the netherlands by a similar process
+LJ001-0004 produced the block books which were the immediate predecessors of the true printed book
+LJ001-0005 the invention of movable metal letters in the middle of the fifteenth century may justly be considered as the invention of the art of printing
+LJ001-0006 and it is worth mention in passing that as an example of fine typography
+LJ001-0007 the earliest book printed with movable types the gutenberg or fortytwo line bible of about fourteen fiftyfive
+LJ001-0008 has never been surpassed
+LJ001-0009 printing then for our purpose may be considered as the art of making books by means of movable types
+LJ001-0010 now as all books not primarily intended as picturebooks consist principally of types composed to form letterpress
+LJ001-0011 it is of the first importance that the letter used should be fine in form
+LJ001-0012 especially as no more time is occupied or cost incurred in casting setting or printing beautiful letters
+LJ001-0013 than in the same operations with ugly ones
+LJ001-0014 and it was a matter of course that in the middle ages when the craftsmen took care that beautiful form should always be a part of their productions whatever they were
+LJ001-0015 the forms of printed letters should be beautiful and that their arrangement on the page should be reasonable and a help to the shapeliness of the letters themselves
+LJ001-0016 the middle ages brought calligraphy to perfection and it was natural therefore
+LJ001-0017 that the forms of printed letters should follow more or less closely those of the written character and they followed them very closely
+LJ001-0018 the first books were printed in black letter ie the letter which was a gothic development of the ancient roman character
+LJ001-0019 and which developed more completely and satisfactorily on the side of the lowercase than the capital letters
+LJ001-0020 the lowercase being in fact invented in the early middle ages
+LJ001-0021 the earliest book printed with movable type the aforesaid gutenberg bible is printed in letters which are an exact imitation
+LJ001-0022 of the more formal ecclesiastical writing which obtained at that time this has since been called missal type
+LJ001-0023 and was in fact the kind of letter used in the many splendid missals psalters etc produced by printing in the fifteenth century
+LJ001-0024 but the first bible actually dated which also was printed at maintz by peter schoeffer in the year fourteen sixtytwo
+LJ001-0025 imitates a much freer hand simpler rounder and less spiky and therefore far pleasanter and easier to read
+LJ001-0026 on the whole the type of this book may be considered the neplusultra of gothic type
+LJ001-0027 especially as regards the lowercase letters and type very similar was used during the next fifteen or twenty years not only by schoeffer
+LJ001-0028 but by printers in strasburg basle paris lubeck and other cities
+LJ001-0029 but though on the whole except in italy gothic letter was most often used
+LJ001-0030 a very few years saw the birth of roman character not only in italy but in germany and france
+LJ001-0031 in fourteen sixtyfive sweynheim and pannartz began printing in the monastery of subiaco near rome
+LJ001-0032 and used an exceedingly beautiful type which is indeed to look at a transition between gothic and roman
+LJ001-0033 but which must certainly have come from the study of the twelfth or even the eleventh century mss
+LJ001-0034 they printed very few books in this type three only but in their very first books in rome beginning with the year fourteen sixtyeight
+LJ001-0035 they discarded this for a more completely roman and far less beautiful letter
+LJ001-0036 but about the same year mentelin at strasburg began to print in a type which is distinctly roman
+LJ001-0037 and the next year gunther zeiner at augsburg followed suit
+LJ001-0038 while in fourteen seventy at paris udalric gering and his associates turned out the first books printed in france also in roman character
+LJ001-0039 the roman type of all these printers is similar in character
+LJ001-0040 and is very simple and legible and unaffectedly designed for use but it is by no means without beauty
+LJ001-0041 it must be said that it is in no way like the transition type of subiaco
+LJ001-0042 and though more roman than that yet scarcely more like the complete roman type of the earliest printers of rome
+LJ001-0043 a further development of the roman letter took place at venice
+LJ001-0044 john of spires and his brother vindelin followed by nicholas jenson began to print in that city
+LJ001-0045 fourteen sixtynine fourteen seventy
+LJ001-0046 their type is on the lines of the german and french rather than of the roman printers
+LJ001-0047 of jenson it must be said that he carried the development of roman type as far as it can go
+LJ001-0048 his letter is admirably clear and regular but at least as beautiful as any other roman type
+LJ001-0049 after his death in the fourteen eighties or at least by fourteen ninety printing in venice had declined very much
+LJ001-0050 and though the famous family of aldus restored its technical excellence rejecting battered letters
+LJ001-0051 and paying great attention to the press work or actual process of printing
+LJ001-0052 yet their type is artistically on a much lower level than jensons and in fact
+LJ001-0053 they must be considered to have ended the age of fine printing in italy
+LJ001-0054 jenson however had many contemporaries who used beautiful type
+LJ001-0055 some of which as eg that of jacobus rubeus or jacques le rouge is scarcely distinguishable from his
+LJ001-0056 it was these great venetian printers together with their brethren of rome milan
+LJ001-0057 parma and one or two other cities who produced the splendid editions of the classics which are one of the great glories of the printers art
+LJ001-0058 and are worthy representatives of the eager enthusiasm for the revived learning of that epoch by far
+LJ001-0059 the greater part of these italian printers it should be mentioned were germans or frenchmen working under the influence of italian opinion and aims
+LJ001-0060 it must be understood that through the whole of the fifteenth and the first quarter of the sixteenth centuries
+LJ001-0061 the roman letter was used side by side with the gothic
+LJ001-0062 even in italy most of the theological and law books were printed in gothic letter
+LJ001-0063 which was generally more formally gothic than the printing of the german workmen
+LJ001-0064 many of whose types indeed like that of the subiaco works are of a transitional character
+LJ001-0065 this was notably the case with the early works printed at ulm and in a somewhat lesser degree at augsburg
+LJ001-0066 in fact gunther zeiners first type afterwards used by schussler is remarkably like the type of the beforementioned subiaco books
+LJ001-0067 in the low countries and cologne which were very fertile of printed books gothic was the favorite
+LJ001-0068 the characteristic dutch type as represented by the excellent printer gerard leew is very pronounced and uncompromising gothic
+LJ001-0069 this type was introduced into england by wynkyn de worde caxtons successor
+LJ001-0070 and was used there with very little variation all through the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries and indeed into the eighteenth
+LJ001-0071 most of caxtons own types are of an earlier character though they also much resemble flemish or cologne letter
+LJ001-0072 after the end of the fifteenth century the degradation of printing especially in germany and italy
+LJ001-0073 went on apace and by the end of the sixteenth century there was no really beautiful printing done
+LJ001-0074 the best mostly french or lowcountry was neat and clear but without any distinction
+LJ001-0075 the worst which perhaps was the english was a terrible fallingoff from the work of the earlier presses
+LJ001-0076 and things got worse and worse through the whole of the seventeenth century so that in the eighteenth printing was very miserably performed
+LJ001-0077 in england about this time an attempt was made notably by caslon who started business in london as a typefounder in seventeen twenty
+LJ001-0078 to improve the letter in form
+LJ001-0079 caslons type is clear and neat and fairly well designed
+LJ001-0080 he seems to have taken the letter of the elzevirs of the seventeenth century for his model
+LJ001-0081 type cast from his matrices is still in everyday use
+LJ001-0082 in spite however of his praiseworthy efforts printing had still one last degradation to undergo
+LJ001-0083 the seventeenth century founts were bad rather negatively than positively
+LJ001-0084 but for the beauty of the earlier work they might have seemed tolerable
+LJ001-0085 it was reserved for the founders of the later eighteenth century to produce letters which are positively ugly and which it may be added
+LJ001-0086 are dazzling and unpleasant to the eye owing to the clumsy thickening and vulgar thinning of the lines
+LJ001-0087 for the seventeenthcentury letters are at least pure and simple in line the italian bodoni and the frenchman didot
+LJ001-0088 were the leaders in this luckless change though our own baskerville who was at work some years before them went much on the same lines
+LJ001-0089 but his letters though uninteresting and poor are not nearly so gross and vulgar as those of either the italian or the frenchman
+LJ001-0090 with this change the art of printing touched bottom
+LJ001-0091 so far as fine printing is concerned though paper did not get to its worst till about eighteen forty
+LJ001-0092 the chiswick press in eighteen fortyfour revived caslons founts printing for messrs longman the diary of lady willoughby
+LJ001-0093 this experiment was so far successful that about eighteen fifty messrs miller and richard of edinburgh
+LJ001-0094 were induced to cut punches for a series of old style letters
+LJ001-0095 these and similar founts cast by the above firm and others
+LJ001-0096 have now come into general use and are obviously a great improvement on the ordinary modern style in use in england which is in fact the bodoni type
+LJ001-0097 a little reduced in ugliness the design of the letters of this modern old style leaves a good deal to be desired
+LJ001-0098 and the whole effect is a little too gray owing to the thinness of the letters
+LJ001-0099 it must be remembered however that most modern printing is done by machinery on soft paper and not by the hand press
+LJ001-0100 and these somewhat wiry letters are suitable for the machine process which would not do justice to letters of more generous design
+LJ001-0101 it is discouraging to note that the improvement of the last fifty years is almost wholly confined to great britain
+LJ001-0102 here and there a book is printed in france or germany with some pretension to good taste
+LJ001-0103 but the general revival of the old forms has made no way in those countries
+LJ001-0104 italy is contentedly stagnant
+LJ001-0105 america has produced a good many showy books the typography paper and illustrations of which are however all wrong
+LJ001-0106 oddity rather than rational beauty and meaning being apparently the thing sought for both in the letters and the illustrations
+LJ001-0107 to say a few words on the principles of design in typography
+LJ001-0108 it is obvious that legibility is the first thing to be aimed at in the forms of the letters
+LJ001-0109 this is best furthered by the avoidance of irrational swellings and spiky projections and by the using of careful purity of line
+LJ001-0110 even the caslon type when enlarged shows great shortcomings in this respect
+LJ001-0111 the ends of many of the letters such as the t and e are hooked up in a vulgar and meaningless way
+LJ001-0112 instead of ending in the sharp and clear stroke of jensons letters
+LJ001-0113 there is a grossness in the upper finishings of letters like the c the a and so on
+LJ001-0114 an ugly pearshaped swelling defacing the form of the letter
+LJ001-0115 in short it happens to this craft as to others that the utilitarian practice though it professes to avoid ornament
+LJ001-0116 still clings to a foolish because misunderstood conventionality deduced from what was once ornament and is by no means useful
+LJ001-0117 which title can only be claimed by artistic practice whether the art in it be conscious or unconscious
+LJ001-0118 in no characters is the contrast between the ugly and vulgar illegibility of the modern type
+LJ001-0119 and the elegance and legibility of the ancient more striking than in the arabic numerals
+LJ001-0120 in the old print each figure has its definite individuality and one cannot be mistaken for the other
+LJ001-0121 in reading the modern figures the eyes must be strained before the reader can have any reasonable assurance
+LJ001-0122 that he has a five an eight or a three before him unless the press work is of the best
+LJ001-0123 this is awkward if you have to read bradshaws guide in a hurry
+LJ001-0124 one of the differences between the fine type and the utilitarian must probably be put down to a misapprehension of a commercial necessity
+LJ001-0125 this is the narrowing of the modern letters
+LJ001-0126 most of jensons letters are designed within a square
+LJ001-0127 the modern letters are narrowed by a third or thereabout but while this gain of space very much hampers the possibility of beauty of design
+LJ001-0128 it is not a real gain for the modern printer throws the gain away by putting inordinately wide spaces between his lines which probably
+LJ001-0129 the lateral compression of his letters renders necessary
+LJ001-0130 commercialism again compels the use of type too small in size to be comfortable reading
+LJ001-0131 the size known as long primer ought to be the smallest size used in a book meant to be read
+LJ001-0132 here again if the practice of leading were retrenched larger type could be used without enhancing the price of a book
+LJ001-0133 one very important matter in setting up for fine printing is the spacing that is the lateral distance of words from one another
+LJ001-0134 in good printing the spaces between the words should be as near as possible equal
+LJ001-0135 it is impossible that they should be quite equal except in lines of poetry
+LJ001-0136 modern printers understand this but it is only practiced in the very best establishments
+LJ001-0137 but another point which they should attend to they almost always disregard
+LJ001-0138 this is the tendency to the formation of ugly meandering white lines or rivers in the page
+LJ001-0139 a blemish which can be nearly though not wholly avoided by care and forethought
+LJ001-0140 the desirable thing being the breaking of the line as in bonding masonry or brickwork
+LJ001-0141 the general solidity of a page is much to be sought for
+LJ001-0142 modern printers generally overdo the whites in the spacing a defect probably forced on them by the characterless quality of the letters
+LJ001-0143 for where these are boldly and carefully designed and each letter is thoroughly individual in form
+LJ001-0144 the words may be set much closer together without loss of clearness
+LJ001-0145 no definite rules however except the avoidance of rivers and excess of white can be given for the spacing
+LJ001-0146 which requires the constant exercise of judgment and taste on the part of the printer
+LJ001-0147 the position of the page on the paper should be considered if the book is to have a satisfactory look
+LJ001-0148 here once more the almost invariable modern practice is in opposition to a natural sense of proportion
+LJ001-0149 from the time when books first took their present shape till the end of the sixteenth century or indeed later
+LJ001-0150 the page so lay on the paper that there was more space allowed to the bottom and fore margin than to the top and back of the paper
+LJ001-0151 the unit of the book being looked on as the two pages forming an opening
+LJ001-0152 the modern printer in the teeth of the evidence given by his own eyes considers the single page as the unit and prints the page in the middle of his paper
+LJ001-0153 only nominally so however in many cases since when he uses a headline he counts that in
+LJ001-0154 the result as measured by the eye being that the lower margin is less than the top one and that the whole opening has an upsidedown look vertically
+LJ001-0155 and that laterally the page looks as if it were being driven off the paper
+LJ001-0156 the paper on which the printing is to be done is a necessary part of our subject
+LJ001-0157 of this it may be said that though there is some good paper made now
+LJ001-0158 it is never used except for very expensive books although it would not materially increase the cost in all but the very cheapest
+LJ001-0159 the paper that is used for ordinary books is exceedingly bad even in this country but is beaten in the race for vileness
+LJ001-0160 by that made in america which is the worst conceivable
+LJ001-0161 there seems to be no reason why ordinary paper should not be better made
+LJ001-0162 even allowing the necessity for a very low price but any improvement must be based on showing openly that the cheap article is cheap
+LJ001-0163 eg the cheap paper should not sacrifice toughness and durability to a smooth and white surface
+LJ001-0164 which should be indications of a delicacy of material and manufacture which would of necessity increase its cost
+LJ001-0165 one fruitful source of badness in paper
+LJ001-0166 is the habit that publishers have of eking out a thin volume by printing it on thick paper almost of the substance of cardboard
+LJ001-0167 a device which deceives nobody and makes a book very unpleasant to read
+LJ001-0168 on the whole a small book should be printed on paper which is as thin as may be without being transparent
+LJ001-0169 the paper used for printing the small highly ornamented french servicebooks about the beginning of the sixteenth century is a model in this respect
+LJ001-0170 being thin tough and opaque
+LJ001-0171 however the fact must not be blinked that machinemade paper cannot in the nature of things be made of so good a texture as that made by hand
+LJ001-0172 the ornamentation of printed books is too wide a subject to be dealt with fully here but one thing must be said on it
+LJ001-0173 the essential point to be remembered is that the ornament whatever it is whether picture or patternwork should form part of the page
+LJ001-0174 should be a part of the whole scheme of the book
+LJ001-0175 simple as this proposition is it is necessary to be stated
+LJ001-0176 because the modern practice is to disregard the relation between the printing and the ornament altogether
+LJ001-0177 so that if the two are helpful to one another it is a mere matter of accident
+LJ001-0178 the due relation of letter to pictures and other ornament was thoroughly understood by the old printers so that
+LJ001-0179 even when the woodcuts are very rude indeed
+LJ001-0180 the proportions of the page still give pleasure by the sense of richness that the cuts and letter together convey
+LJ001-0181 when as is most often the case there is actual beauty in the cuts
+LJ001-0182 the books so ornamented are amongst the most delightful works of art that have ever been produced
+LJ001-0183 therefore granted welldesigned type due spacing of the lines and words and proper position of the page on the paper
+LJ001-0184 all books might be at least comely and welllooking and if to these good qualities were added really beautiful ornament and pictures
+LJ001-0185 printed books might once again illustrate to the full
+LJ001-0186 the position of our society that a work of utility might be also a work of art if we cared to make it so
+LJ002-0001 the chronicles of newgate volume two by arthur griffiths section four newgate down to eighteen eighteen
+LJ002-0002 under the conditions referred to in the previous chapter
+LJ002-0003 with criminals and misdemeanants of all shades crowding perpetually into its narrow limits the latter state of newgate was worse than the first
+LJ002-0004 the new jail fell as far short of the demands made on it as did the old
+LJ002-0005 the prison population fluctuated a great deal
+LJ002-0006 but it was almost always in excess of the accommodation available and there were times when the place was full to overflowing
+LJ002-0007 neild gives some figures which well illustrate this
+LJ002-0008 on the fourteenth june eighteen hundred there were one hundred ninetynine debtors and two hundred eightynine felons in the prison
+LJ002-0009 on the twentyseventh april in the following year
+LJ002-0010 these numbers had risen to two hundred seventyfive and three hundred seventyfive respectively or six hundred fifty in all
+LJ002-0011 for two more years these high figures were steadily maintained and in eighteen oh three the total rose to seven hundred ten
+LJ002-0012 after that they fell as steadily
+LJ002-0013 till eighteen oh eight the lowest point was touched of one hundred ninetyseven debtors and one hundred eightytwo felons or three hundred seventynine in all
+LJ002-0014 the numbers soon increased however and by eighteen eleven had again risen to six hundred twentynine and mr neild was told that there had been at one time
+LJ002-0015 three hundred debtors and nine hundred criminals in newgate or twelve hundred prisoners in all
+LJ002-0016 previous to that date there had been seven hundred or eight hundred frequently and once in mr akermans time one thousand
+LJ002-0017 trustworthy evidence is forthcoming to the effect that these high figures were constantly maintained for many months at a time
+LJ002-0018 the inadequacy of the jail was noticed and reported upon again and again by the grand juries of the city of london
+LJ002-0019 who seldom let a session go by without visiting newgate
+LJ002-0020 in eighteen thirteen
+LJ002-0021 the grand jury made a special presentment to the court of common council pointing out that on the debtors side which was intended for only one hundred
+LJ002-0022 no less than three hundred forty were crowded to the great inconvenience and danger of the inmates
+LJ002-0023 on the female side matters were much worse
+LJ002-0024 quote the apartments set apart for them being built to accommodate sixty persons now contain about one hundred twenty end quote
+LJ002-0025 returns laid before the house of commons showed that six thousand four hundred thirtynine persons had been committed to newgate
+LJ002-0026 in the three years between eighteen thirteen and eighteen sixteen
+LJ002-0027 and this number did not include the debtors a numerous class who were still committed to newgate pending the completion of the white cross street prison
+LJ002-0028 in order to realize the evils entailed by incarceration in newgate in these days it is necessary to give some account of its interior
+LJ002-0029 as it was occupied and appropriated in eighteen ten
+LJ002-0030 full details of the arrangements are to be found in mr neilds state of prisons in england scotland and wales published in eighteen twelve
+LJ002-0031 the jail at that date was divided into eight separate and more or less distinct departments each of which had its own wards and yard
+LJ002-0032 these were one the male debtors side
+LJ002-0033 two the female debtors side three the chapel yard four the middle yard
+LJ002-0034 five the master felons side six the female felons side seven the state side
+LJ002-0035 eight the press yard
+LJ002-0036 one the male debtors side consisted of a yard fortynine feet by thirtyone
+LJ002-0037 leading to thirteen wards on various floors and a day room
+LJ002-0038 of these wards three were appropriated to the cabin side so called because
+LJ002-0039 they each contained four small rooms or cabins seven feet square
+LJ002-0040 intended to accommodate a couple of prisoners apiece but often much more crowded
+LJ002-0041 two other wards were appropriated to the masters side debtors they were each twentythree feet by fourteen and a half
+LJ002-0042 and supposed to accommodate twenty persons the eight remaining wards were for the common side debtors
+LJ002-0043 long narrow rooms one thirtysix feet six twentythree feet and the eighth eighteen
+LJ002-0044 the whole about fifteen feet wide
+LJ002-0045 the various wards were all about eleven feet in height
+LJ002-0046 and were occupied as a rule by ten to fifteen people when the prison was not crowded but double the number was occasionally placed in them
+LJ002-0047 the day room was fitted with benches and settles after the manner of the tap in a publichouse
+LJ002-0048 two the female debtors side consisted of a courtyard fortynine by sixteen feet
+LJ002-0049 leading to two wards one of which was thirtysix feet by fifteen
+LJ002-0050 and the other eighteen by fifteen and they nominally held twentytwo persons
+LJ002-0051 a high wall fifteen feet in height divided the females courtyard from the mens
+LJ002-0052 three the chapel yard was about fortythree feet by twentyfive
+LJ002-0053 it had been for some time devoted principally to felons of the worst types
+LJ002-0054 those who were the oldest offenders sentenced to transportation and who had narrowly escaped the penalty of death
+LJ002-0055 this arrangement was however modified after eighteen eleven and the chapel yard was allotted to misdemeanants and prisoners awaiting trial
+LJ002-0056 the wards in this part were five in number all in dimensions twenty feet by fifteen with a sixth ward fifteen feet square
+LJ002-0057 these wards were all fitted with barrackbeds but no bedding was supplied
+LJ002-0058 the chapel yard led to the chapel and on the staircase were two rooms frequently set apart for the kings witnesses
+LJ002-0059 those who had turned kings evidence whose safety might have been imperiled had they been lodged with the men against whom they had informed
+LJ002-0060 but these kings witnesses were also put at times into the press yard among the capital convicts seemingly a very dangerous proceeding
+LJ002-0061 or they lodged with the gatesmen the prisoner officers who had charge of the inner gates
+LJ002-0062 the middle yard was at first given up to the least heinous offenders after eighteen twelve it changed functions with the chapel yard
+LJ002-0063 it was fifty feet by twentyfive and had five wards each thirtyeight by fifteen at one end of the yard was an arcade
+LJ002-0064 directly under the chapel in which there were three cells used either for the confinement of disorderly and refractory prisoners
+LJ002-0065 or female convicts ordered for execution
+LJ002-0066 the master felons side consisted of a yard the same size as the preceding appropriated nominally to the most decent and betterbehaved prisoners
+LJ002-0067 but really kept for the few who had funds sufficient to gain them admission to these more comfortable quarters
+LJ002-0068 here were also lodged the gatesmen the prisoners who had charge of the inner gates and who were entrusted with the duty of escorting visitors from the gates
+LJ002-0069 to the various wards their friends occupied
+LJ002-0070 the state side was the part stolen from the female felons side
+LJ002-0071 it was large and comparatively commodious being maintained on a better footing than any other part of the prison
+LJ002-0072 the inmates were privileged either by antecedents or the fortunate possession of sufficient funds to pay the charges of the place
+LJ002-0073 neild takes it for granted that the former rather than the latter prevailed in the selection
+LJ002-0074 and tells us that in the state side quote such prisoners were safely associated whose manners and conduct evince a more liberal style of education
+LJ002-0075 and who are therefore lodged apart from all other districts of the jail end quote
+LJ002-0076 the state side contained twelve goodsized rooms
+LJ002-0077 from twentyone by eighteen feet to fifteen feet square which were furnished with bedsteads and bedding
+LJ002-0078 seven the press yard was that part set aside for the condemned
+LJ002-0079 its name and its situation were the same as those of the old place of carrying out the terrible sentence inflicted on accused persons who stood mute
+LJ002-0080 the long narrow yard still remained as we saw it in jacobite times
+LJ002-0081 and beyond it was now a day room for the capital convicts or those awaiting execution
+LJ002-0082 beyond the press yard were three stories condemned cells fifteen in all with vaulted ceilings nine feet high to the crown of the arch
+LJ002-0083 the ground floor cells were nine feet by six
+LJ002-0084 those on the first floor were rather larger on account of a setoff in the wall and the uppermost were the largest for the same reason
+LJ002-0085 security was provided for in these condemned cells by lining the substantial stone walls with planks studded with broadheaded nails
+LJ002-0086 they were lighted by a doublegrated window two feet nine inches by fourteen inches and in the doors which were four inches thick
+LJ002-0087 a circular aperture had been let in to give ventilation and secure a free current of air
+LJ002-0088 in each cell there was a barrack bedstead on the floor without bedding
+LJ002-0089 eight the female felons were deprived of part of the space which the architect had intended for them
+LJ002-0090 more than half their quadrangle had been partitioned off for another purpose
+LJ002-0091 and what remained was divided into a masters and a common side for female felons
+LJ002-0092 the two yards were adjoining that for the common side much the largest
+LJ002-0093 there were nine wards in all on the female side one of them in the attic
+LJ002-0094 with four casements and two fireplaces being allotted for a female infirmary
+LJ002-0095 and the rest being provided with barrack beds and in dimensions varying from thirty feet by fifteen to fifteen feet by ten
+LJ002-0096 the eight courts above enumerated were well supplied with water
+LJ002-0097 they had dustbins sewers and so forth properly disposed and the city scavenger paid periodical visits to the prison
+LJ002-0098 the prisoners had few comforts beyond the occasional use of a bath at some distance situated in the press yard
+LJ002-0099 to which access was granted rarely and as a great favor but they were allowed the luxury of drink if they could pay for it
+LJ002-0100 a recent reform had closed the tap kept by the jailer within the precincts but
+LJ002-0101 there was still a convenient room which served and quote
+LJ002-0102 near it a grating through which the debtors receive their beer from the neighboring publichouses
+LJ002-0103 the felons side has a similar accommodation and this mode of introducing the beverage is adopted because no publican as such
+LJ002-0104 can be permitted to enter the interior of this prison end quote the taproom and bar were just behind the felons entrance lodge
+LJ002-0105 and beyond it was a room called the wine room because formerly used for the sale of wine but
+LJ002-0106 in which latterly a copper had been fixed for the cooking of provisions sent in by charitable persons
+LJ002-0107 quote on the top of the jail continues neild are a watchhouse and a sentrybox where two or more guards with dogs and firearms
+LJ002-0108 watch all night adjoining the felons side lodge is the keepers office where the prison books are kept and his clerk
+LJ002-0109 called the clerk of the papers attends daily end quote
+LJ002-0110 having thus briefly described the plan and appropriation of the prison i propose to deal now with the general condition of the inmates and the manner of their life
+LJ002-0111 of these the debtors male and female formed a large proportion
+LJ002-0112 the frequency and extent of processes against debtors seventy or eighty years ago will appear almost incredible
+LJ002-0113 in an age when insolvent acts and bankruptcy courts do so much to relieve the impecunious
+LJ002-0114 and imprisonment for debt has almost entirely disappeared
+LJ002-0116 the number of processes against debtors annually was extraordinary
+LJ002-0117 neild gives on the authority of mr burchell the under sheriff of middlesex
+LJ002-0118 a table showing the figures for the year ending michaelmas eighteen oh two
+LJ002-0119 in that period upwards of two hundred thousand writs
+LJ002-0120 had been issued for the arrests of debtors in the kingdom for sums varying from fourpence to five hundred pounds and upwards
+LJ002-0121 fifteen thousand of these were issued in middlesex alone which at that time was reckoned as only a fifteenth of great britain
+LJ002-0122 the number of arrests actually made was one hundred fourteen thousand three hundred for the kingdom and seven thousand twenty for middlesex
+LJ002-0123 barely half of these gave bail bonds on arrests and the remainder went to prison
+LJ002-0124 quite half of the foregoing writs and arrests applied to sums under thirty pounds
+LJ002-0125 neild also says that in seventeen ninetythree
+LJ002-0126 five thousand seven hundred nineteen writs and executions for debts between ten pounds and twenty pounds were issued in middlesex
+LJ002-0127 and the aggregate amount of debts sued for was eightyone thousand seven hundred ninetyone pounds
+LJ002-0128 he also makes the curious calculation that the costs of these actions if undefended
+LJ002-0129 would have amounted to sixtyeight thousand seven hundred twentyeight pounds and if defended
+LJ002-0130 two hundred eightyfive thousand nine hundred fifty pounds in other words that to recover eighty odd thousand pounds
+LJ002-0131 three times the amount would be expended
+LJ002-0132 an elaborate machinery planned for the protection of the trader and altogether on his side had long existed for the recovery of debts
+LJ002-0133 alfred the great established the court baron the hundred court and the county court which among other matters entertained pleas for debt
+LJ002-0134 the county court was the sheriffs who sat there surrounded by the bishop and the magnates of the county
+LJ002-0135 but as time passed difficulties and delays in obtaining judgment led to the removal of causes to the great court of kings bench
+LJ002-0136 and the disuse of the inferior courts
+LJ002-0137 so much inconvenience ensued that in fifteen eighteen the corporation obtained from parliament an act empowering two aldermen
+LJ002-0138 and four common councilmen to hold courts of requests or courts of conscience to hear and determine all causes of debt
+LJ002-0139 under forty shillings arising within the city
+LJ002-0140 these courts were extended two centuries later to several large provincial towns and all were in full activity when neild wrote
+LJ002-0141 and indeed supplied the bulk of the poor debtors committed to prison
+LJ002-0142 these courts were open to many and grave objections
+LJ002-0143 the commissioners who presided were quote little otherwise than selfelected
+LJ002-0144 and when once appointed continued to serve sine die they were generally near in rank to the parties whose causes they decided
+LJ002-0145 often a commissioner had to leave the bench because he was himself a party to the suit that was sub judice
+LJ002-0146 the activity as well as the futility of these courts may be estimated from the statement given by neild
+LJ002-0147 that thirteen hundred and twelve debtors were committed by them to newgate between seventeen ninetyseven and eighteen oh eight
+LJ002-0148 and that no more than one hundred ninetyseven creditors recovered debts and costs
+LJ002-0149 the latter indeed hung like millstones round the neck of the unhappy insolvent wretches who found themselves in limbo
+LJ002-0150 costs were the gallons of sack to the pennyworth of debt
+LJ002-0151 neild found at his visit to newgate in eighteen ten
+LJ002-0152 fourteen men and women who had lain there ten eleven and thirteen years for debts of a few shillings
+LJ002-0153 weighted by treble the amount of costs
+LJ002-0154 thus amongst others thomas blackburn had been committed on october fifteenth for a debt of one shilling five pence
+LJ002-0155 for which the costs were six shillings ten pence
+LJ002-0156 thomas dobson on twentysecond august seventeen ninetynine for one shilling with costs of eight shillings ten pence
+LJ002-0157 and susannah evans in october the same year for two shillings with costs of six shillings eight pence
+LJ002-0158 other cases are recorded elsewhere as at the giltspur street compter where in eighteen oh five mr neild found a man named william grant
+LJ002-0159 detained for one shilling nine pence with costs of five shillings
+LJ002-0160 and john lancaster for one shilling eight pence with costs of seven shillings six pence quote
+LJ002-0161 these surely i thought says mr neild were bad enough but it was not so end quote
+LJ002-0162 he recites another most outrageous and extraordinary case in which one john bird
+LJ002-0163 a market porter was arrested and committed at the suit of a publican
+LJ002-0164 for the paltry sum of four pence with costs of seven shillings six pence
+LJ002-0165 bird was however discharged within three days by a subscription raised among his fellowprisoners
+LJ002-0166 mr buxton in his inquiry into the system of prison discipline
+LJ002-0167 quotes a case which came within his own knowledge of a boy sent to prison for nonpayment of one penny
+LJ002-0168 the lad in question was found in coldbath fields prison to which he had been sent for a month in default of paying a fine of forty shillings
+LJ002-0169 he had been in the employ of a cornchandler at islington and went into london with his masters cart and horse
+LJ002-0170 there was in the city road a temporary bar with a collector of tolls who was sometimes on the spot and sometimes not
+LJ002-0171 the boy declared he saw no one and accordingly passed through without paying the toll of a penny
+LJ002-0172 for this he was summoned before a magistrate and sentenced as already stated
+LJ002-0173 the lad was proved to be of good character and the son of respectable parents
+LJ002-0174 mr buxtons friends at once paid the forty shillings and the boy was released
+LJ002-0175 the costs in heavier debts always doubled the sum if the arrest was made in the country it trebled it
+LJ002-0176 neild gives a list of the various items charged upon a debt of ten pounds which included instructions to sue
+LJ002-0177 affidavit of debt drawing praecipe one pound five shillings capias fee to officer on arrest
+LJ002-0178 affidavit of service and many more amounting in all to twentyseven
+LJ002-0179 and costing eleven pounds fifteen shillings eight pence within ten days
+LJ002-0180 before dealing with the debtors in newgate i may refer incidentally
+LJ002-0181 to those in other london prisons for newgate was not the only place of durance for these unfortunate people there were also the kings bench
+LJ002-0182 the fleet and the marshalsea prisons especially devoted to them
+LJ002-0183 whilst ludgate the giltspur street and borough compters also received them
+LJ002-0184 the latter two being also a prison for felons and vagrants arrested within certain limits
+LJ002-0185 the kings bench was a national prison in which were confined all debtors arrested for debt or for contempt of the court of the kings bench
+LJ002-0186 the population generally amounted to from five hundred to seven hundred the accommodation being calculated for two hundred
+LJ002-0187 every newcomer was entitled to a chummage ticket but did not always get it
+LJ002-0188 being often obliged to pay a high rent for a bed at the coffeehouse or in some room which was vacated by its regular occupant
+LJ002-0189 no fixed rates or rules governed the hiring out of rooms or parts of a room and all sorts of imposition was practiced
+LJ002-0190 the best or at least the most influential prisoners got lodging in the state house which contained eight large handsome rooms
+LJ002-0191 besides those actually resident within the walls
+LJ002-0192 another two hundred more or less took advantage of the rules and lived outside within a circumference of two miles and a half
+LJ002-0193 in these cases security was given for the amount of the debt
+LJ002-0194 and a heavy fee at the rate of eight pounds per one hundred pounds with four pounds for every additional hundred
+LJ002-0195 besides these a number had the privilege of a run on the key which allowed a prisoner to go into the rules for the day
+LJ002-0196 the foregoing rentals and payments for privileges together with fees exacted on commitment and discharge went to the marshal or keeper of the prison
+LJ002-0197 whose net annual income thus entirely derived from the impecunious amounted to between three and four thousand pounds
+LJ002-0198 the office of marshal had been hereditary
+LJ002-0199 but in the twentyseventh george the second the right of presentation was bought by the crown for ten thousand five hundred pounds
+LJ002-0200 the marshal was supposed to be resident either within the prison or the rules
+LJ002-0201 he seems to have felt no responsibility as to the welfare or comfort of those in charge and out of whom he made all his money
+LJ002-0202 the prison was always in the most filthy state imaginable
+LJ002-0203 the half or wholly starved prisoners fished for alms or food at the gratings
+LJ002-0204 when they were sick no more notice was taken of them than of a dog
+LJ002-0205 a man dying of liver complaint lay on the cold stones without a bed or food to eat
+LJ002-0206 dissolute habits prevailed on all sides drunkenness was universal gambling perpetual
+LJ002-0207 the yards were taken up with rackets and five courts and here and there were bumble puppy grounds a game in which the players rolled iron balls
+LJ002-0208 into holes marked with numbers
+LJ002-0209 how to make most profit out of the wretched denizens of the jail was the marshals only care he got a rent for the coffeehouse and the bakehouse
+LJ002-0210 the keeper of the large taproom called the brace because it was once kept by two brothers named partridge also paid him toll
+LJ002-0211 the sale of spirits was forbidden but gin could always be had at the whistling shops where it was known as moonshine sky blue
+LJ002-0212 mexico and was consumed at the rate of a hogshead per week
+LJ002-0213 the fleet which stood in farringdon street
+LJ002-0214 was a prison for debtors and persons committed for contempt by the courts of chancery exchequer and common pleas
+LJ002-0215 it was so used for the date of the abolition of the star chamber in the sixteenth charles the first
+LJ002-0216 the shameful malpractices of bambridge
+LJ002-0217 the warden of the fleet at the commencement of the eighteenth century are too well known to need more than a passing reference
+LJ002-0218 a committee of the house of commons investigated the charges against bambridge who was proved to have connived at the escape of some debtors
+LJ002-0219 and to have been guilty of extortion to others one sir william rich bart he had loaded with heavy irons
+LJ002-0220 in consequence of these disclosures both bambridge and huggin his predecessor in the office were committed to newgate
+LJ002-0221 and many reforms instituted but the condition of the prison and its inmates remained unsatisfactory to the last
+LJ002-0222 it contained generally from six to seven hundred inmates while another hundred more or less resided in the rules outside
+LJ002-0223 the principle of chummage prevailed as in the kings bench
+LJ002-0224 but a number of rooms fifteen more or less were reserved for poor debtors under the name of bartholomew fair
+LJ002-0225 the rentals of rooms and fees went to the warden whose income was two thousand three hundred seventytwo pounds
+LJ002-0226 the same evils of overcrowding uncleanliness want of medical attendance
+LJ002-0227 absence or neglect of divine service were present as in the kings bench but in an exaggerated form
+LJ002-0228 the committee on jails reported that quote although the house of the warden looked into the court
+LJ002-0229 and the turnkeys slept in the prison yet scenes of riot drunkenness and disorder were most prevalent end quote
+LJ002-0230 the state of morals was disgraceful any woman obtained admission if sober and if she got drunk she was not turned out
+LJ002-0231 there was no distinct place for the female debtors who lived in the same galleries as the men
+LJ002-0232 disturbances were frequent owing to the riotous conduct of intoxicated women
+LJ002-0233 twice a week there was a wine and beer club held at night which lasted till two or three in the morning
+LJ002-0234 in the yard behind the prison
+LJ002-0235 were places set apart for skittles fives and tennis which strangers frequented as any other place of public amusement
+LJ002-0236 matters were rather better at the marshalsea
+LJ002-0237 this very ancient prison which stood in the high street southwark
+LJ002-0238 was used for debtors arrested for the lowest sums within twelve miles of the palace of whitehall
+LJ002-0239 also for prisoners committed by the admiralty court
+LJ002-0240 at one time the marshalsea was the receptacle of pirates but none were committed to it after seventeen eightynine
+LJ002-0241 the court of the marshalsea was instituted by charles the first in the sixth year of his reign
+LJ002-0242 to be held before the steward of the royal household the knight marshal and the steward of the court
+LJ002-0243 with jurisdiction to hold pleas in all actions within the prescribed limits the court was chiefly used for the recovery of small debts under ten pounds
+LJ002-0244 but its business was much reduced by the extension of the courts of conscience
+LJ002-0245 the prison was a nest of abuses like its neighbor the kings bench
+LJ002-0246 and came under the strong animadversion of the jail committee of seventeen twentynine
+LJ002-0247 as the business of the marshalsea court declined the numbers in its prison diminished
+LJ002-0248 the population as reported by the committee in eighteen fourteen averaged about sixty
+LJ002-0249 and the prison although wives and children resided within the walls was not overcrowded
+LJ002-0250 their conduct too was orderly on the whole
+LJ002-0251 drunkenness was not common chiefly because liquor was not to be had freely although the tapster paid a rent of two guineas a week for permission to sell it
+LJ002-0252 the inmates who euphemistically styled themselves collegians
+LJ002-0253 were governed by rules which they themselves had framed and under which subscriptions were levied
+LJ002-0254 and fines imposed for conduct disapproved of by the college
+LJ002-0255 a court of the collegians was held every monday to manage its affairs at which all prisoners were required to attend
+LJ002-0256 a committee of collegians was elected to act as the executive also a secretary or accountant to receive monies and keep books
+LJ002-0257 and a master of the aleroom who kept this the scene of their revels clean and saw that boiling water was provided for grog
+LJ002-0258 bad language quarreling throwing water over one another was forbidden on pain of fine and being sent to coventry
+LJ002-0259 but the prevailing moral tone may be guessed from the penalty inflicted upon persons singing obscene songs before nine pm
+LJ002-0260 yet the public opinion of the whole body seems to have checked dissipation
+LJ002-0261 the poorer prisoners were not in abject want as in other prisons
+LJ002-0262 owing to many charitable gifts and bequests which included annual donations from the archbishop of canterbury
+LJ002-0263 the lord steward of the household the steward and officers of the marshalsea court and others
+LJ002-0264 legacies had also been left to free a certain number of debtors notably that of one hundred pounds per annum
+LJ002-0265 left by a mr henry allnutt who was long a prisoner in the marshalsea and came into a fortune while there
+LJ002-0266 his bequest which was charged upon his manor at goring oxon and hence called the oxford charity
+LJ002-0267 was applied only to the release of poor debtors whom four pounds each could free
+LJ002-0268 the supreme control of the marshalsea was vested in the marshal of the royal household but although he drew a salary of five hundred pounds a year
+LJ002-0269 he did nothing beyond visiting the prison occasionally and left the administration to the deputy marshal
+LJ002-0270 the latters salary with fees the rent of the tap and of the chandlers shop amounted to about six hundred pounds a year
+LJ002-0271 the compters of ludgate giltspur street and the borough were discontinued as debtors prisons as was newgate also
+LJ002-0272 on the opening of whitecross prison for debtors in eighteen fifteen
+LJ002-0273 ludgate to the last was the debtors prison for freemen of the city of london
+LJ002-0274 clergymen proctors attorneys and persons specially selected by the corporation
+LJ002-0275 at one time the ludgate debtors accompanied by the keeper
+LJ002-0276 went outside and beyond the prison to call on their creditors and try to arrange their debts but this practice was discontinued
+LJ002-0277 there were fifteen rooms of various sizes and as the numbers imprisoned rarely exceeded fiveandtwenty the place was never overcrowded
+LJ002-0278 while the funds of several bequests and charities were applied in adding to the material comfort of the prisoners
+LJ002-0279 the giltspur street compter received sheriffs debtors also felons vagrants and night charges
+LJ002-0280 it was generally crowded as debtors who would have gone to the poultry compter were sent to giltspur street when the former was condemned as unfit to receive prisoners
+LJ002-0281 the demands for fees were excessive in giltspur street
+LJ002-0282 those who could not pay were thrown into the wards with the night charges
+LJ002-0283 and denied admission to the charity wards which partook of all the benefits of bequests and donations to poor debtors
+LJ002-0284 the borough compter was in a disgraceful state to the last the mens ward had an earth or rather a mud floor
+LJ002-0285 and was so unfit to sleep on that it had not been used for many years so that the men and women associated together indiscriminately
+LJ002-0286 the rooms had no fireplaces so it mattered little that no coals were allowed
+LJ002-0287 there were no beds or bedding no straw even
+LJ002-0288 in one room mr neild found a woman ill of a flux shut up with three men
+LJ002-0289 the latter raised eighteen pence among them to pay for a truss of straw for the poor woman to lie on
+LJ002-0290 neild found the prisoners in the borough compter ragged starving and dirty
+LJ002-0291 i come now to the debtors in newgate the quarters they occupied were divided as i have said into three principal divisions
+LJ002-0292 the masters side the cabin side and the common side payment of a fee of three shillings gained the debtor admission to the two first named
+LJ002-0293 those who could pay nothing went as a matter of course to the common side
+LJ002-0294 a further fee was however demanded from the newcomer before he was made free of either the masters or the cabin side
+LJ002-0295 this was the reprehensible claim for garnish which had already been abolished in all wellconducted prisons but which still was demanded in newgate
+LJ002-0296 garnish on the cabin side was a guinea at entrance for coals candles brooms etc and a gallon of beer on discharge
+LJ002-0297 on the masters side it was thirteen and fourpence and a gallon of beer on entrance although mr newman
+LJ002-0298 in his evidence in eighteen fourteen said it was more
+LJ002-0299 and gave the garnish for the common side at that sum which is five shillings more than mr neild says was extorted on the common side
+LJ002-0300 numerous tyrannies were practiced on all who would not and could not pay the garnish
+LJ002-0301 they were made to wash and swab the ward or they were shut out from the ward fireplace and forbidden to pass a chalked line drawn on the floor
+LJ002-0302 and so were unable either to warm themselves or to cook their food
+LJ002-0303 besides these fees legitimate and illegitimate there were others which must be paid before release
+LJ002-0304 the sheriff demanded four shillings six pence for his liberate the jailer six shillings ten pence more and the turnkey two shillings
+LJ002-0305 and thus when the debtors debt had been actually paid or when he had abandoned his property to the creditors and almost destitute
+LJ002-0306 looked forward to his liberty he was still delayed until he had paid a new debt arising quote
+LJ002-0307 only out of a satisfaction of all his former debts end quote the fees were not always extorted it is true
+LJ002-0308 nor was nonpayment made a pretext for further imprisonment thanks to the humanity of the jailer or the funds provided by various charities
+LJ002-0309 there was this much honest forbearance in newgate in these days
+LJ002-0310 that debtors who could afford the cabin and masters side were not permitted to share in the prison charities
+LJ002-0311 these were lumped together into a general fund
+LJ002-0312 and a calculation made as to the amount that might be expended per week from the whole sum so that the latter might last out the year
+LJ002-0313 it generally ran to about six pounds per week the money which at one time had been distributed quarterly and all went in drink
+LJ002-0314 was after eighteen oh seven through the exertions of the keeper of the jail spent in the purchase of necessaries
+LJ002-0315 but this weekly pittance did not go far when the debtors side was crowded as it often was
+LJ002-0316 notably as when numbers filled newgate in anticipation of lord redesdales bill for insolvent debtors
+LJ002-0317 and there were as many as three hundred and fifty prisoners in at one time
+LJ002-0318 the city also allowed the poor debtors fourteen ounces of bread daily and their share of eight stone of meat an allowance which never varied
+LJ002-0319 issued once a week and divided as far as it would go a very precarious and uncertain ration
+LJ002-0320 the bread was issued every alternate day and while some prisoners often ate their whole allowance at once
+LJ002-0321 others who arrived just after the time of distribution were often fortyeight hours without food the latter might also be six days without meat
+LJ002-0322 share in the weekly allowance of meat might also be denied to debtors who had not paid garnish as well as in the weekly grant from the charitable fund
+LJ002-0323 hence starvation stared many in the face unless friends from outside came to their assistance
+LJ002-0324 or the keeper made them a special grant of six pence per diem out of the common stock
+LJ002-0325 or the sixpenny allowance was claimed for the creditors which seldom happened owing to the expense the process entailed
+LJ002-0326 the poor debtors were not supplied with beds those who could pay the price might hire them from each other
+LJ002-0327 or from persons who made a trade of it or they might bring their beds with them into the prison
+LJ002-0328 failing any of these methods seeing that straw was forbidden for fear of fire they had to be satisfied with a couple of the rugs provided by the city
+LJ002-0329 the supply of which was however limited and there were not always enough to give bedding to all the stock was diminished by theft
+LJ002-0330 female visitors carried them out of the prisons or the debtors destroyed them when the weather was warm
+LJ002-0331 and they were not in great demand in order to convert them into mopheads or cleaningrags
+LJ002-0332 sometimes rugs were urgently required and not forthcoming
+LJ002-0333 a severe winter set in the new stock had not been supplied by the contractors and the poor debtors perished of cold
+LJ002-0334 again there was no regular allowance of fuel coals were purchased out of the garnish money and the charitable fund
+LJ002-0335 so were candles salt pepper mops and brooms but the latter could have been of little service dirt prevailed everywhere
+LJ002-0336 indeed the place with its oak floors caulked with pitch and smoked ceilings
+LJ002-0337 could not be made even to look clean while there was no obligation of personal cleanliness on individuals who often came into the prison in filthy rags
+LJ002-0338 only now and again in extreme cases an unusually nasty companion was stripped haled to the pump
+LJ003-0001 the chronicles of newgate volume two by arthur griffiths section five newgate down to eighteen eighteen part two
+LJ003-0002 the squalor and uncleanness of the debtors side was intensified by constant overcrowding
+LJ003-0003 prisoners were committed to it quite without reference to its capacity
+LJ003-0004 no remonstrance was attended to
+LJ003-0005 no steps taken to reduce the number of committals and the governor was obliged to utilize the chapel as a day and night room
+LJ003-0006 besides this although the families of debtors were no longer permitted to live with them inside the jail
+LJ003-0007 hundreds of women and children came in every morning to spend the day there and there was no limitation whatever to the numbers of visitors admitted to the debtors side
+LJ003-0008 friends arrived about nine am and went out at nine pm when as many as two hundred visitors have been observed leaving the debtors yards at one time
+LJ003-0009 the day passed in revelry and drunkenness although spirituous liquors were forbidden
+LJ003-0010 wine and beer might be had in any quantity the only limitation being
+LJ003-0011 that not more than one bottle of wine or one quart of beer could be issued at one time no account was taken of the amount of liquors admitted in one day
+LJ003-0012 and debtors might practically have as much as they liked if they could only pay for it
+LJ003-0013 no attempt was made to check drunkenness beyond the penalty of shutting out friends from any ward in which a prisoner exceeded
+LJ003-0014 quarreling among the debtors was not unfrequent blows were struck and fights often ensued
+LJ003-0015 for this and other acts of misconduct there was the discipline of the refractory ward or strong room on the debtors side
+LJ003-0016 bad cases were removed to a cell on the felons side and here they were locked in solitary confinement for three days at a time
+LJ003-0017 order throughout the debtors side was preserved
+LJ003-0018 and discipline maintained by a system open to grave abuses and which had the prescription of long usage
+LJ003-0019 and which was never wholly rooted out for many years to come
+LJ003-0020 this was the pernicious plan of governing by prisoners or of setting a favored few in authority over the many
+LJ003-0021 the head of the debtors prison was a prisoner called the steward who was chosen by the whole body from six whom the keeper nominated
+LJ003-0022 this steward was practically supreme
+LJ003-0023 all the allowances of food passed through his hands he had the control of the poorbox for chance charities
+LJ003-0024 he collected the garnish money and distributed the weekly grant from the prison charitable fund
+LJ003-0025 in the latter duties he was however supervised by three auditors freely chosen by the prisoners among themselves
+LJ003-0026 the auditors were paid a shilling each for their services each time the poorbox was opened the steward was also remunerated for his trouble
+LJ003-0027 he had a double allowance of bread deducted of course from the already too limited portion of the rest
+LJ003-0028 and no doubt made the meat also pay toll
+LJ003-0029 under the steward there were captains of wards chosen in the same way and performing analogous duties
+LJ003-0030 these subordinate chiefs were also rewarded out of the scanty prison rations
+LJ003-0031 the same system was extended to the criminal side and cases were on record of the place of wardsman being sold for considerable sums
+LJ003-0032 so valuable were they deemed that as much as fifty guineas was offered to the keeper for the post
+LJ003-0033 enough has been said probably to prove that there was room for improvement in the condition and treatment of debtors in the prisons of the city of london
+LJ003-0034 this gradually was forced upon the consciousness of the corporation
+LJ003-0035 and about eighteen twelve application was made to parliament for funds to build a new debtors prison
+LJ003-0036 authority was given to raise money on the orphans fund to the extent of ninety thousand pounds
+LJ003-0037 a site was purchased between red lion and white cross streets and a new prison planned
+LJ003-0038 which would accommodate the inmates of newgate and of the three compters ludgate
+LJ003-0039 giltspur street and the poultry or about four hundred and seventysix in all
+LJ003-0040 the evils of association for these debtors were perpetuated although the plan provided for the separation of the various contingents committed to it
+LJ003-0041 there was no lack of air and light for the new jail and several exercising yards
+LJ003-0042 the completion of this very necessary building was however much delayed for want of funds
+LJ003-0043 and it was not ready to relieve newgate till late in eighteen fifteen
+LJ003-0044 the reforms which were to be attempted in that prison
+LJ003-0045 more particularly as regarded the classification of prisoners and which were dependent on the space to be gained by the removal of the debtors
+LJ003-0046 could not be carried out till then it is to be feared that long after the opening of white cross street prison
+LJ003-0047 newgate continued to be a reproach to those responsible for its management
+LJ003-0048 i pass now to the criminal side of newgate which consisted of the six quarters or yards already enumerated and described
+LJ003-0049 the inmates of this part as distinguished from the debtors were comprised in four classes
+LJ003-0050 one those awaiting trial
+LJ003-0051 two persons under sentence of imprisonment for a fixed period or until they shall have paid certain fines
+LJ003-0052 three transports awaiting removal to the colonies and four capital convicts condemned to death and awaiting execution
+LJ003-0053 at one time the whole of these different categories were thrown together pellmell young and old the untried with the convicted
+LJ003-0054 an imperfect attempt at classification was however made in eighteen twelve and a yard was as far as possible set apart for the untried
+LJ003-0055 or class one with whom under the imperious demand for accommodation were also associated the misdemeanants or class two
+LJ003-0056 this was the chapel yard with its five wards which were calculated to hold seventy prisoners but often held many more
+LJ003-0057 a further subclassification was attempted by separating at night those charged with misdemeanors from those charged with felony
+LJ003-0058 but all mingled freely during the day in the yard
+LJ003-0059 the sleeping accommodation in the chapelyard wards and indeed throughout the prison consisted of a barrack bed
+LJ003-0060 which was a wooden flooring on a slightly inclined plane with a beam running across the top to serve as a pillow
+LJ003-0061 no beds were issued only two rugs per prisoner
+LJ003-0062 when each sleeper had the full lateral space allotted to him it amounted to one foot and a half on the barrack bed
+LJ003-0063 but when the ward was obliged to accommodate double the ordinary number as was frequently the case
+LJ003-0064 the sleepers covered the entire floor with the exception of a passage in the middle
+LJ003-0065 all the misdemeanants whatever their offense were lodged in this chapel ward
+LJ003-0066 as many various and according to our ideas heinous crimes came under this head
+LJ003-0067 in the then existing state of the law
+LJ003-0068 the man guilty of a common assault found himself side by side with the fraudulent or others who had attempted abominable crimes
+LJ003-0069 in this heterogeneous society were also thrown the unfortunate journalists to whom i have already referred and on whom imprisonment in newgate
+LJ003-0070 was frequently adjudged for socalled libels or too outspoken comments in print
+LJ003-0071 it was particularly recommended by the committee on jails in eighteen fourteen
+LJ003-0072 that some other and less mixed prison should be used for the confinement of persons convicted of libels but this suggestion was ignored
+LJ003-0073 indeed the partial classification attempted seems to have been abandoned within a year or two
+LJ003-0074 the hon h g bennet who visited newgate in eighteen seventeen saw in one yard in a total of seventytwo prisoners
+LJ003-0075 thirtyfive tried and thirtyseven untried of the former three were transports for life
+LJ003-0076 four for fourteen years and three of them persons sentenced to fines or short imprisonment one for little more than a month
+LJ003-0077 two of the untried were for murder and several for housebreaking and highway robbery
+LJ003-0078 nor were the misdemeanants and bail prisoners any longer separated from those whose crimes were of a more serious character
+LJ003-0079 mr bennet refers to a gentleman confined for want of bail who occupied a room with five others
+LJ003-0080 two committed by the bankruptcy commissioner one for perjury and two transports
+LJ003-0081 persons convicted of publishing libels were still immured in the same rooms with transports and felons
+LJ003-0082 the middle yard as far as its limits would permit was appropriated to felons and transports the wards here were generally very crowded
+LJ003-0083 each ward was calculated to hold twentyfour allowing each individual one foot and a half
+LJ003-0084 quote a commonsized man says the keeper mr newman can turn in nineteen inches end quote
+LJ003-0085 these twentyfour could just sleep on the barrack bed when the number was higher and it often rose to forty the surplus had to sleep on the floor
+LJ003-0086 the crowding was in consequence of the delay in removing transports
+LJ003-0087 these often remained in newgate for six months sometimes a year in some cases longer
+LJ003-0088 in one for seven years that of a man sentenced to death for whom great interest had been made but whom it was not thought right to pardon
+LJ003-0089 occasionally the transports made themselves so useful in the jail that they were passed over
+LJ003-0090 mr newman admitted that he had petitioned that certain trusty men might be left in the jail
+LJ003-0091 constantly associated with these convicted felons were numbers of juveniles infants of tender years
+LJ003-0092 there were frequently in the middle yard seven or eight children the youngest barely nine
+LJ003-0093 the oldest only twelve or thirteen exposed to all the contaminating influences of the place
+LJ003-0094 mr bennet mentions also the case of young men of better stamp clerks in city offices and youths of good parentage
+LJ003-0095 quote in this dreadful situation end quote who had been rescued from the hulks through the kindness and attention of the secretary of state
+LJ003-0096 quote yet they had been long enough he goes on to say in the prison associated with the lowest and vilest criminals
+LJ003-0097 with convicts of all ages and characters to render it next to impossible but that with the obliteration of all sense of selfrespect
+LJ003-0098 the inevitable consequence of such a situation their morals must have been destroyed
+LJ003-0099 and though distress or the seduction of others might have led to the commission of this their first offense
+LJ003-0100 yet the society they were driven to live in the language they daily heard and the lessons they were taught in this academy
+LJ003-0101 must have had a tendency to turn them into the world hardened and accomplished in the ways of vice and crime end quote
+LJ003-0102 mr buxton in the work already quoted instances another grievous case of the horrors of indiscriminate association in newgate
+LJ003-0103 it was that of a person quote who practiced in the law and who was connected by marriage with some very respectable families
+LJ003-0104 having been committed to clerkenwell
+LJ003-0105 he was sent on to newgate in a coach handcuffed to a noted housebreaker who was afterwards cast for death
+LJ003-0106 the first night in newgate and for the subsequent fortnight
+LJ003-0107 he slept in the same bed with a highwayman on one side and a man charged with murder on the other
+LJ003-0108 spirits were freely introduced and although he at first abstained
+LJ003-0109 he found he must adopt the manners of his companions or that his life would be in danger
+LJ003-0110 they viewed him with some suspicion as one of whom they knew nothing
+LJ003-0111 he was in consequence put out of the protection of their internal law end quote their code was a subject of some curiosity
+LJ003-0112 when any prisoner committed an offense against the community or against an individual he was tried by a court in the jail
+LJ003-0113 a prisoner generally the oldest and most dexterous thief
+LJ003-0114 was appointed judge and a towel tied in knots was hung on each side in imitation of a wig
+LJ003-0115 the judge sat in proper form he was punctiliously styled my lord
+LJ003-0116 a jury having been selected and duly sworn the culprit was then arraigned justice however was not administered with absolute integrity
+LJ003-0117 a bribe to the judge was certain to secure acquittal and the neglect of the formality was as certainly followed by condemnation
+LJ003-0118 various punishments were inflicted the heaviest of which was standing in the pillory
+LJ003-0119 this was carried out by putting the criminals head through the legs of a chair and stretching out his arms and tying them to the legs
+LJ003-0120 the culprit was then compelled to carry the chair about with him
+LJ003-0121 but all punishments might readily be commuted into a fine to be spent in gin for judge and jury
+LJ003-0122 the prisoner mentioned above was continually persecuted by trials of this kind
+LJ003-0123 the most trifling acts were magnified into offenses
+LJ003-0124 he was charged with moving something which should not be touched with leaving a door open or coughing maliciously to the disturbance of his companions
+LJ003-0125 the evidence was invariably sufficient to convict and the judge never hesitated to inflict the heaviest penalties
+LJ003-0126 the unfortunate man was compelled at length to adopt the habits of his associates
+LJ003-0127 quote by insensible degrees he began to lose his repugnance to their society
+LJ003-0128 caught their flash terms and sung their songs was admitted to their revels and acquired in place of habits of perfect sobriety
+LJ003-0129 a taste for spirits end quote
+LJ003-0130 his wife visited him in newgate and wrote a pitiable account of the state in which she found her husband
+LJ003-0131 he was an inmate of the same ward with others of the most dreadful sort quote
+LJ003-0132 whose language and manners whose female associates of the most abandoned description and the scenes consequent with such lost wretches
+LJ003-0133 prevented me from going inside but seldom and i used to communicate with him through the bars from the passage end quote
+LJ003-0134 one day he was too ill to come down and meet her
+LJ003-0135 she went up to the ward and found him lying down quote
+LJ003-0136 pale as death very ill and in a dreadfully dirty state the wretches making game of him and enjoying my distress
+LJ003-0137 and i learned he had been up with the others the whole night
+LJ003-0138 though they could not force him to gamble he was compelled to drink
+LJ003-0139 and i was obliged afterwards to let him have five shillings to pay his share
+LJ003-0140 otherwise he would have been stripped of his clothes end quote
+LJ003-0141 felons who could pay the price were permitted irrespective of their character or offenses
+LJ003-0142 to purchase the greater ease and comfort of the masters side
+LJ003-0143 the entrance fee was at least thirteen shillings six pence a head with halfacrown a week more for bed and bedding
+LJ003-0144 the wards being furnished with barrack bedsteads upon which each prisoner had the regulation allowance of sleeping room
+LJ003-0145 or about a foot and a half laterally these fees were in reality a substantial contribution towards the expenses of the jail
+LJ003-0146 without them the keeper declared that he could not pay the salaries of turnkeys and servants nor keep the prison going at all
+LJ003-0147 besides the jail fees there was garnish of halfaguinea collected by the steward
+LJ003-0148 and spent in providing coals candles plates knives and forks while all the occupants of this part of the prison
+LJ003-0149 supported themselves they had the ration of prison bread only
+LJ003-0150 but they had no share in the prison meat or other charities and they or their friends found them in food
+LJ003-0151 all who could scrape together the cash seem to have gladly availed themselves of the privilege of entering the masters side
+LJ003-0152 it was the only way to escape the horrors the distress penury and rags of the common yards
+LJ003-0153 idleness was not so universally the rule in this part of the jail
+LJ003-0154 artisans and others were at liberty to work at their trades provided they were not dangerous
+LJ003-0155 tailoring and shoemaking was permitted but it was deemed unsafe to allow a carpenter or blacksmith to have his tools
+LJ003-0156 all the money earned by prisoners was at their own disposal and was spent almost habitually in drink chambering and wantonness
+LJ003-0157 the best accommodation the jail could offer was reserved for the prisoners on the state side
+LJ003-0158 from whom still higher fees were exacted with the same discreditable idea of swelling the revenues of the prison
+LJ003-0159 to constitute this the aristocratic quarter unwarrantable demands were made upon the space properly allotted to the female felons
+LJ003-0160 and no lodger was rejected whatever his status who offered himself and could bring grist to the mill
+LJ003-0161 the luxury of the state side was for a long time open to all who could pay
+LJ003-0162 the convicted felon the transport awaiting removal the lunatic whose case was still undecided
+LJ003-0163 the misdemeanant tried or untried the debtor who wished to avoid the discomfort of the crowded debtors side the outspoken newspaper editor
+LJ003-0164 or the daring reporter of parliamentary debates
+LJ003-0165 the better class of inmate complained bitterly of this enforced companionship with the vile
+LJ003-0166 association at one time forbidden by custom but which greed and rapacity long made the rule
+LJ003-0167 the fee for admission to the state side as fixed by the table of fees was three guineas but mr newman declared that he never took more than two
+LJ003-0168 ten and sixpence a week more was charged as rent for a single bed where two or more slept in a bed the rent was seven shillings a week each
+LJ003-0169 prisoners who could afford it sometimes paid for four beds at the rate of twentyeight shillings and so secured the luxury of a private room
+LJ003-0170 a mr lundy charged with forgery was thus accommodated on the state side for upwards of five years
+LJ003-0171 but the keeper protested that no single prisoner could thus monopolize space if the state side was crowded
+LJ003-0172 the keeper went still further in his efforts to make money
+LJ003-0173 he continued the ancient practice of letting out a portion of his own house and by a poetical fiction treated it as an annex of the state side
+LJ003-0174 mr davison sent to newgate for embezzlement and whose case is given in the preceding chapter
+LJ003-0175 was accommodated with a room in mr newmans house at the extravagant rental of thirty guineas per week
+LJ003-0176 mr cobbett was also a lodger of mr newmans and so were any members of the aristocracy
+LJ003-0177 if they happened to be in funds among whom was the marquis of sligo in eighteen eleven
+LJ003-0178 the female felons wards i shall describe at length in the next chapter
+LJ003-0179 which will deal with mrs frys philanthropic exertions at this period in this particular part of the prison
+LJ003-0180 these wards were always full to overflowing sometimes double the number the rooms could accommodate were crowded into them
+LJ003-0181 there was a masters side for females who could pay the usual fees but they associated with the rest in the one narrow yard common to all
+LJ003-0182 the tried and the untried young and old were herded together
+LJ003-0183 sometimes girls of thirteen twelve even ten or nine years of age were exposed to quote
+LJ003-0184 all the contagion and profligacy which prevailed in this part of the prison end quote
+LJ003-0185 there was no separation even for the women under sentence of death who lived in a common and perpetually crowded ward
+LJ003-0186 only when the order of execution came down were those about to suffer placed apart in one of the rooms in the arcade of the middle ward
+LJ003-0187 i have kept till the last that part of the prison which was usually the last restingplace of so many
+LJ003-0188 the old press yard has been fully described in a previous chapter
+LJ003-0189 the name still survived in the new press yard which was the receptacle of the male condemned prisoners it was generally crowded like the rest of the prison
+LJ003-0190 except in murder cases where the execution was generally very promptly performed
+LJ003-0191 strange and inconceivable delay occurred in carrying out the extreme sentence
+LJ003-0192 hence there was a terrible accumulation of prisoners in the condemned cells
+LJ003-0193 once during the long illness of george the third as many as one hundred were there waiting the report as it was called
+LJ003-0194 at another time there were fifty one of whom had been under sentence a couple of years
+LJ003-0195 mr bennet speaks of thirtyeight capital convicts he found in the press yard in february eighteen seventeen
+LJ003-0196 five of whom had been condemned the previous july four in september and twentynine in october
+LJ003-0197 this procrastination bred certain callousness
+LJ003-0198 few realizing that the dreadful fate would overtake them dismissed the prospect of death
+LJ003-0199 and until the day was actually fixed spent the time in roistering swearing gambling or playing at ball
+LJ003-0200 visitors were permitted access to them without stint
+LJ003-0201 unlimited drink was not denied them provided it was obtained in regulated quantities at one time
+LJ003-0202 these capital convicts says mr bennet quote lessened the ennui and despair of their situation by unbecoming merriment
+LJ003-0203 or sought relief in the constant application of intoxicating stimulants
+LJ003-0204 i saw cashman a few hours before his execution smoking and drinking with the utmost unconcern and indifference end quote
+LJ003-0205 those who were thus reckless reacted upon the penitent who knew their days were numbered
+LJ003-0206 and their gibes and jollity counteracted the ordinarys counsels or the independent preachers earnest prayers
+LJ003-0207 for while roman catholics and dissenters were encouraged to see ministers of their own persuasion
+LJ003-0208 a number of amateurs were ever ready to give their gratuitous ministrations to the condemned
+LJ003-0209 the prisoners in the press yard had free access during the day to the yard and large day room
+LJ003-0210 at night they were placed in the fifteen cells two three or more together according to the total number to be accommodated
+LJ003-0211 they were never left quite alone for fear of suicide and for the same reason they were searched for weapons or poisons
+LJ003-0212 but they nevertheless frequently managed to secrete the means of making away with themselves and accomplished their purpose
+LJ003-0213 convicted murderers were kept continuously in the cells on bread and water
+LJ003-0214 in couples from the time of sentence to that of execution which was about three or four days generally
+LJ003-0215 from friday to monday so as to include one sunday on which day there was a special service for the condemned in the prison chapel
+LJ003-0216 this latter was an ordeal which all dreaded and many avoided by denying their faith
+LJ003-0217 the condemned occupied an open pew in the center of the chapel hung with black in front of them upon a table was a black coffin in full view
+LJ003-0218 the chapel was filled with a curious but callous congregation who came to stare at the miserable people thus publicly exposed
+LJ003-0219 well might mr bennet write that the condition of the condemned side was the most prominent of the manifold evils in the present system of newgate
+LJ003-0220 quote so discreditable to the metropolis end quote
+LJ003-0221 yet it must have been abundantly plain to the reader that the other evils existing were great and glaring a brief summary of them will best prove this
+LJ003-0222 the jail was neither suitable nor sufficiently large it was not even kept weathertight
+LJ003-0223 the roof of the female prison says the grand jury in their presentment in eighteen thirteen let in the rain
+LJ003-0224 supplies of common necessaries such as have now been part of the furniture of every british jail for many years
+LJ003-0225 were meager or altogether absent
+LJ003-0226 the rations of food were notoriously inadequate and so carelessly distributed that many were left to starve
+LJ003-0227 so unjust and unequal was the system that the allowance to convicted criminals was better than that of the innocent debtor
+LJ003-0228 and the general insufficiency was such
+LJ003-0229 that it multiplied beyond all reason the number of visitors many of whom came merely as the purveyors of food to their friends
+LJ003-0230 the prison allowances were eked out by the broken victuals generously given by several eatinghouse keepers in the city
+LJ003-0231 such as messrs birch of cornhill and messrs leach and dollimore of ludgate hill
+LJ003-0232 these were fetched away in a large tub on a truck by a turnkey
+LJ003-0233 amongst the heap was often the meat that had made turtle soup which when heated and stirred together in a saucepan was said to be very good eating
+LJ003-0234 the bedding was scanty fuel and light had to be purchased out of prisoners private means clothing was issued but rarely
+LJ003-0235 even to prisoners almost in nakedness and as a special charitable gift extortion was practiced right and left
+LJ003-0236 garnish continued to be demanded long after it had disappeared in other and betterregulated prisons
+LJ003-0237 the fees on reception and discharge must be deemed exorbitant when it is remembered the impoverished class who usually crowded the jail
+LJ003-0238 and they were exacted to relieve a rich corporation from paying for the maintenance of their own prison
+LJ003-0239 this imposition of fees left prisoners destitute on their discharge without funds to support them in their first struggle to recommence life
+LJ003-0240 with ruined character bad habits and often bad health contracted in the jail
+LJ003-0241 a further and a more iniquitous method of extorting money
+LJ003-0242 was still practiced that of loading newlyarrived prisoners until they paid certain fees
+LJ003-0243 ironing was still the rule not only for the convicted but for those charged with felonies only the misdemeanants escaped
+LJ003-0244 at the commencement of every sessions such of the untried as had purchased easement of irons were called up and refettered
+LJ003-0245 preparatory to their appearance in the old bailey irons were seldom removed from the convicted until discharge
+LJ003-0246 sometimes the wearer was declared medically unfit or he obtained release by long good conduct
+LJ003-0247 or the faithful discharge of some petty office such as gatesman or captain of a ward
+LJ003-0248 the irons weighed from three to four pounds but heavier irons seven or eight pounds weight
+LJ003-0249 were imposed in case of misconduct and when there had been an attempt at escape
+LJ003-0250 the culprit was chained down to the floor by running a chain through his irons which prevented him from climbing to the window of his cell
+LJ003-0251 among other excuses offered for thus manacling all almost without exception was that it was the best and safest method
+LJ003-0252 of distinguishing a prisoner from a stranger and temporary visitor
+LJ003-0253 clothes or prison uniform would not have served the purpose for a disguise can be rapidly and secretly put on
+LJ003-0254 whereas irons cannot well be exchanged without loss of time and attracting much attention
+LJ003-0255 the unchecked admission of crowds of visitors to the felons as well as the debtors side was another unmixed evil
+LJ003-0256 by this means spirits otherwise unattainable and strictly prohibited were smuggled into the jail
+LJ003-0257 searches were made certainly but they were too often superficial or they might be evaded by a trifling bribe
+LJ003-0258 hence the frequent cases of drunkenness of which no notice was taken unless people grew riotous in their cups
+LJ003-0259 and attracted attention by their disorderly behavior
+LJ003-0260 another frightful consequence of this indiscriminate admission was the influx of numbers of abandoned women
+LJ003-0261 only a few of whom had the commendable prudery to pass themselves off as the wives of prisoners
+LJ003-0262 any reputed and indeed any real wife might spend the night in newgate if she would pay the shilling fee commonly known as the bad money
+LJ003-0263 which might have done something towards increasing the prison receipts had it not been appropriated by the turnkey who winked at this evasion of the rules
+LJ003-0264 among the daily visitors were members of the criminal classes still at large
+LJ003-0265 the thieves and burglars who carried on the active business of their profession from which their confederates were temporarily debarred
+LJ003-0266 one notorious character while a prisoner awaiting transfer to the hulks
+LJ003-0267 kept open house so to speak and entertained daily within the walls a select party of the most noted thieves in london
+LJ003-0268 this delectable society enticed into their set a clerk who had been imprisoned for fraud
+LJ003-0269 and offered him half the booty if he would give full information as to the transactions and correspondence of his late employers
+LJ003-0270 owing to the facility of intercourse between inside and outside many crimes were doubtless hatched in newgate
+LJ003-0271 some of the worst and most extensive burglaries were planned there
+LJ003-0273 i believe says mr bennet in the letter already largely quoted
+LJ003-0274 that there is no place in the metropolis where more crimes are projected or where stolen property is more secreted than in newgate
+LJ003-0275 these malpractices were fostered by the absence of all supervision and the generally unbroken idleness
+LJ003-0276 although attempted partially at bridewell and more systematically at the new millbank penitentiary
+LJ003-0277 but just open eighteen sixteen the regular employment of prisoners had never yet been accepted as a principle in the metropolitan prisons
+LJ003-0278 insuperable difficulties were still supposed to stand in the way of any general employment of prisoners at their trades
+LJ003-0279 there was fear as to the unrestricted use of tools
+LJ003-0280 limits of space the interference of the illdisposed who would neither work nor let others do so
+LJ003-0281 and the danger of losing material raw or manufactured
+LJ003-0282 many years were to elapse before these objections should be fairly met and universally overcome
+LJ003-0283 it was not strange therefore that the inmates of newgate should turn their unoccupied brains and idle hands to all manner of mischief
+LJ003-0284 that when they were not carousing plotting or scheming
+LJ003-0285 they should gamble with dice or cards and play at bumble puppy or some other disreputable game of chance
+LJ003-0286 the report of the committee of the house of commons painted so black a picture of newgate as then conducted that the corporation were roused in very shame
+LJ003-0287 to undertake some kind of reform
+LJ003-0288 the abovementioned report was ordered to be printed upon the ninth may
+LJ003-0289 upon the twentyninth july the same year
+LJ003-0290 the court of aldermen appointed a committee of its own body assisted by the town clerk mr dance city surveyor son to the architect of newgate
+LJ003-0291 and mr addison keeper of newgate to make a visitation of the jails supposed to be the best managed including those of petworth and gloucester
+LJ003-0292 this committee was to compare allowances examine rules and certify as to the condition of prisoners
+LJ003-0293 also to make such proposals as might appear salutary and calculated to improve newgate and the rest of the city jails
+LJ003-0294 this committee made its report in september the following year and an excellent report it is so far as its recommendations are concerned
+LJ003-0295 the committee seems to have fully realized even at this early date eighteen fifteen
+LJ003-0296 many of the indispensable conditions of a model prison according to modern ideas
+LJ003-0297 it admitted the paramount necessity
+LJ003-0298 for giving every prisoner a sleeping cell to himself an amount of enlightenment which is hardly general among european nations at this
+LJ003-0299 the latter end of the nineteenth century several of which still fall far short of our english ideal
+LJ003-0300 that all prisoners should always be in separate cells by night and those of short sentences by day
+LJ003-0301 it recommended day cells or rooms for regular labor which should be compulsory upon all transports and prisoners sentenced to hard labor
+LJ003-0302 the work being constant and suitable with certain hours of relaxation and for food and exercise
+LJ003-0303 the personal cleanliness of all prisoners was to be insisted upon they should be made to wash at least once a day
+LJ003-0304 with the penalty of forfeiting the days allowance of food an increase of which the committee had recommended
+LJ003-0305 the provision of more baths was also suggested and the daily sweeping out of the prison
+LJ003-0306 the clothes of prisoners arriving dirty or in rags should be fumigated before worn in the jail
+LJ003-0307 but as yet no suggestion was made to provide prison uniform
+LJ003-0308 a laundry should be established and a matron appointed on the female side where all the prisoners washing could be performed
+LJ003-0309 proper hours for locking and unlocking prisoners should be insisted upon
+LJ003-0310 a bell should give notice thereof and of mealhours workinghours or of escapes
+LJ003-0311 the committee took upon itself to lay down stringent rules for the discipline of the prison
+LJ003-0312 the jailer should be required to visit every part and see every prisoner daily the chaplain should perform service visit the sick
+LJ003-0313 instruct the prisoners quote give spiritual advice and administer religious consolation end quote to all who might need them
+LJ003-0314 the surgeon should see all prisoners whether ill or well once a week and take general charge of the infirmaries
+LJ003-0315 all three governor chaplain and surgeon should keep journals which should be inspected periodically by the visiting magistrates
+LJ003-0316 it should be peremptorily forbidden to the keeper or any officer to make a pecuniary profit out of the supplies of food fuel or other necessaries
+LJ003-0317 no prisoner should be allowed to obtain superior accommodation on the payment of any fees fees indeed should be generally abolished garnish also
+LJ003-0318 no prisoners should in future be ironed except in cases of misconduct
+LJ003-0319 provided only that their security was not jeopardized and dependent upon the enforcement of another new rule
+LJ003-0320 which recommended restrictions upon the number of visitors admitted
+LJ003-0321 no wine or beer should be in future admitted into or sold in the jail
+LJ003-0322 except for the use of the debtors or as medical comforts for the infirmary
+LJ003-0323 drunkenness if it ever occurred should be visited with severe punishment
+LJ003-0324 gaming of all sorts should be peremptorily forbidden under heavy pains and penalties
+LJ003-0325 the feelings of the condemned prisoners should no longer be outraged by their exposure in the chapel and the chapel should be rearranged
+LJ003-0326 so that the various classes might be seated separately and so as not to see each other
+LJ003-0327 it will hardly be denied that these proposals went to the root of the matter
+LJ003-0328 had they been accepted in their entirety little fault could in future have been found with the managers of newgate
+LJ003-0329 in common justice to them it must be admitted that immediate effect was given to all that could be easily carried out
+LJ003-0330 the state side ceased to exist and the female prisoners thus regained the space of which their quadrangle had been robbed
+LJ003-0331 the privileges of the masters side also disappeared fees were nominally abolished and garnish was scotched although not yet killed outright
+LJ003-0332 a certain number of bedsteads were provided and there was a slight increase in the ration of bread
+LJ003-0333 but here the recommendations touched at once upon the delicate subject of expense and it is clear that the committee hesitated on this score
+LJ003-0334 it made this too the excuse for begging the most important issue of the whole question
+LJ003-0335 the committee did not deny the superior advantages offered by such prisons as gloucester and petworth
+LJ003-0336 but it at once deprecated the idea that the city could follow the laudable example thus set in the provinces quote
+LJ003-0337 were a metropolitan prison erected on the same lines with all the space not only for air and exercise but for day rooms and sleeping cells
+LJ003-0338 end quote it would cover some thirty acres and cost a great deal more than the city with the example of whitecross street prison before it
+LJ003-0339 could possibly afford
+LJ003-0340 the committee does not seem to have yet understood that newgate could be only and properly replaced
+LJ003-0341 by a new jail built on the outskirts as holloway eventually was and permitted itself to be altogether countered
+LJ003-0342 and checked in its efforts towards reform by the prohibitory costliness of the land about newgate
+LJ003-0343 with the seeming impossibility of extending the limits of the prison as it then stood
+LJ003-0344 all chances of classification and separation vanished and the greatest evils remained untouched
+LJ003-0345 all the committee could do in this respect was to throw the responsibility on others
+LJ003-0346 it pointed out that the government was to blame for the overcrowding and might diminish it if it chose
+LJ003-0347 it was very desirable that there should be a more speedy removal of transports from newgate to the ships
+LJ003-0348 again there was the new millbank penitentiary now ready for occupation
+LJ003-0349 why not relieve newgate by drawing more largely upon the superior accommodation which millbank offered
+LJ004-0001 the chronicles of newgate volume two by arthur griffiths section seven the beginnings of prison reform
+LJ004-0002 while mrs fry was diligently engaged upon her selfimposed task in newgate
+LJ004-0003 other earnest people inspired doubtless by her noble example were stirred up to activity in the same great work
+LJ004-0004 it began to be understood that prison reform could only be compassed by continuous and combined effort
+LJ004-0005 the pleadings however eloquent of a single individual were unable to more than partially remedy the widespread and colossal evils of british prisons
+LJ004-0006 howards energy and devotion were rewarded by lively sympathy but the desire to improve which followed his exposures was but shortlived
+LJ004-0007 it was so powerless against the persistent neglect of those intrusted with prison management that fiveandtwenty years later
+LJ004-0008 mr neild a second howard
+LJ004-0009 as indefatigable and selfsacrificing found by personal visitation that the condition of jails throughout the kingdom was
+LJ004-0010 with a few bright exceptions still deplorable and disgraceful
+LJ004-0011 mr neild was compelled to admit in eighteen twelve that the great reformation produced by howard
+LJ004-0012 was in several places merely temporary
+LJ004-0013 some prisons that had been ameliorated under the persuasive influence of his kind advice were relapsing into their former horrid state of privation
+LJ004-0014 filthiness severity or neglect many new dungeons had aggravated the evils against which his sagacity could not but remonstrate
+LJ004-0015 the motives for a transient amendment were becoming paralyzed and the effect had ceased with the cause
+LJ004-0016 i have shown in a previous chapter what newgate was at this period despite a vast expenditure and boasted efforts to introduce reforms
+LJ004-0017 some of the county jails and one or two borough jails had been rebuilt
+LJ004-0018 generally through the personal activity of influential and benevolent local magnates but the true principles of prison construction
+LJ004-0019 were as yet but imperfectly understood and such portions of the improved jails of that period as were still extant a few years back
+LJ004-0020 contrast ludicrously with the prison architecture based upon a centurys experience of our own age
+LJ004-0021 the neglect of prison reform in those days was not to be visited upon the legislature
+LJ004-0022 the executive although harassed by internal commotion and foreign war was not entirely callous to the crying need for amelioration in jails
+LJ004-0023 measures remedial although at best partial and incomplete were introduced from time to time
+LJ004-0024 thus in eighteen thirteen the exaction of jail fees had been forbidden by law
+LJ004-0025 and two other acts more peremptory and precise followed on the same subject in succeeding years
+LJ004-0026 in eighteen fourteen a bill was brought in to insist upon the appointment of chaplains in jails and when this had passed into law
+LJ004-0027 it was subsequently amplified and the rates of salaries fixed
+LJ004-0028 various acts were also passed to consolidate and amend previous jail acts
+LJ004-0029 the erection of new prison buildings was made imperative under certain conditions and following certain rules
+LJ004-0030 the principle of classification was freshly enunciated prison regulations were framed for general observance
+LJ004-0031 but the effect of this legislation was rather weakened by the remoteness of the pressure exercised
+LJ004-0032 the onus of improvement lay upon the magistracy the local authorities administering local funds
+LJ004-0033 and they were not threatened with any particular penalties if they evaded or ignored the new acts
+LJ004-0034 moreover the laws applied more particularly to county jurisdictions
+LJ004-0035 the borough jails those in fact under corporate management were not included in the new measures
+LJ004-0036 it was hoped that their rulers would hire accommodation in the county prisons and that the inferior establishments would in course of time disappear
+LJ004-0037 yet the borough jails were destined to survive many years and to exhibit for a long time to come all the worst features of jail mismanagement
+LJ004-0038 it was in eighteen seventeen that a small band of philanthropists resolved to form themselves into an association for the improvement of prison discipline
+LJ004-0039 they were hopeless of any general reform by the action of the executive alone
+LJ004-0040 they felt that private enterprise might
+LJ004-0041 with advantage step in and by the collection and diffusion of information and the reiteration of sound advice greatly assist the good work
+LJ004-0042 the association was organized under the most promising auspices
+LJ004-0043 a kings son the duke of gloucester was the patron among the vicepresidents were many great peers of the realm
+LJ004-0044 several bishops and a number of members of the house of commons including mr manners sutton
+LJ004-0045 mr sturges bourne sir james mackintosh sir james scarlett and william wilberforce
+LJ004-0046 an active committee was appointed comprising many names already well known some of them destined to become famous in the annals of philanthropy
+LJ004-0047 one of the moving spirits was the honorable h g bennet mp whose vigorous protests against the lamentable condition of newgate have already been recorded
+LJ004-0048 mrs frys brother mr samuel hoare junior was chairman of the committee on which also served many noted members of the society of friends
+LJ004-0049 mr gurney mr fry messrs forster and mr t f buxton the coadjutor of wilberforce in the great antislavery struggle
+LJ004-0050 mr buxton had already been associated with mrs fry in the newgate visitation and his attention had thus been drawn to the neglected state of english prisons
+LJ004-0051 when in belgium he had examined with great satisfaction the admirable management of the great maison de force at ghent
+LJ004-0052 which howard had eulogized some forty years before
+LJ004-0054 in order to give greater value to the pamphlet
+LJ004-0055 he personally visited several english jails and pointed his observations by drawing forcible contrasts between the good and bad
+LJ004-0056 mr buxtons small work on prison discipline gave a new aspect to the question he had so much at heart
+LJ004-0057 for the first time the doctrine was enunciated that prisoners had rights of their own
+LJ004-0058 the untried and in the eyes of the law still innocent could claim pure air wholesome and sufficient food and opportunities for exercise
+LJ004-0059 they had a right mr buxton affirmed to be employed in their own crafts provided it could be safely followed in prison
+LJ004-0060 you have no right he says addressing the authorities to subject a prisoner to suffering from cold
+LJ004-0061 by want of bedclothing by night or firing by day
+LJ004-0062 and the reason is plain you have taken him from his home and have deprived him of the means of providing himself with the necessaries or comforts of life
+LJ004-0063 and therefore you are bound to furnish him with moderate indeed but suitable accommodation
+LJ004-0064 you have for the same reason he goes on no right to ruin his habits by compelling him to be idle
+LJ004-0065 his morals by compelling him to mix with a promiscuous assemblage of hardened and convicted criminals
+LJ004-0066 or his health by forcing him at night into a damp unventilated cell with such crowds of companions as very speedily render the air foul and putrid
+LJ004-0067 or to make him sleep in close contact with the victims of contagious and loathsome disease
+LJ004-0068 or amidst the noxious effluvia of dirt and corruption
+LJ004-0069 in short attention to his feelings mental and bodily a supply of every necessary abstraction from evil society
+LJ004-0070 the conservation of his health and industrious habits are the clear evident undeniable rights of an unconvicted prisoner
+LJ004-0071 nor even when found guilty and his liberty forfeited did his privileges cease the law appointed a suitable punishment for the offense
+LJ004-0072 it was for those charged with the administration of the law to guard carefully against any aggravation of that punishment
+LJ004-0073 to see that no circumstances of severity are found in his treatment which are not found in his sentence
+LJ004-0074 no judge ever condemned a man to be halfperished with cold by day or halfsuffocated with heat by night
+LJ004-0075 who ever heard of a criminal being sentenced to catch the rheumatism or the typhus fever
+LJ004-0076 disease cold famine nakedness and contagious and polluted air are not lawful punishments in the hands of the civil magistrates
+LJ004-0077 nor has he a right to poison or starve his fellowcreatures
+LJ004-0078 the convicted delinquent has his rights said mr buxton authoritatively
+LJ004-0079 all measures and practices in prison which may injure him in any way are illegal
+LJ004-0080 because they are not specified in his sentence he is therefore entitled to a wholesome atmosphere
+LJ004-0081 decent clothing and bedding and a diet sufficient to support him
+LJ004-0082 these somewhat novel but undoubtedly indisputable propositions were backed up not by sound arguments only but by the letter of the law
+LJ004-0083 as mr buxton pointed out many old acts of parliament designed to protect the prisoner were still in full force
+LJ004-0084 some might be in abeyance but they had never been repealed and some were quite freshly imported upon the statute book
+LJ004-0085 as far back as the reign of charles the second a law was passed declaring that sufficient provision should be made for the relief and setting on work
+LJ004-0086 of poor and needy prisoners committed to the common jail for felony and other misdemeanors who many times perish before their trial
+LJ004-0087 and the poor there living idle and unemployed become debauched and come forth instructed in the practice of thievery and lewdness
+LJ004-0088 as a remedy justices of the peace were empowered to provide materials for the setting of poor prisoners to work
+LJ004-0089 and to pay overseers or instructors out of the county rates
+LJ004-0090 again the twentytwo charles the second c twenty ordered the jailer to keep felons and debtors separate and apart from one another
+LJ004-0091 in distinct rooms on pain of forfeiting his office and treble damages to the party aggrieved
+LJ004-0092 a much later act the fourteen george the third c fiftynine seventeen seventyfour
+LJ004-0093 which was contemporaneous with howards first journeys laid down precise rules as regards cleanliness and the proper supply of space and air
+LJ004-0094 this act set forth that whereas the malignant fever commonly called the jail distemper
+LJ004-0095 is found to be owing to want of cleanliness and fresh air in the several jails
+LJ004-0096 the fatal consequences whereof might be prevented if the justices of the peace were duly authorized
+LJ004-0097 to provide such accommodations in jails as may be necessary to answer this salutary purpose
+LJ004-0098 it is enacted that the justices shall order the walls of every room to be scraped and whitewashed once every year
+LJ004-0099 ventilators hand and others were to be supplied
+LJ004-0100 an infirmary consisting of two distinct rooms one for males and one for females should be provided for the separate accommodation of the sick
+LJ004-0101 warm and cold baths or commodious bathing tubs
+LJ004-0102 were to be kept in every jail and the prisoners directed to wash in them before release these provisions were almost a dead letter
+LJ004-0103 yet another act passed in seventeen ninetyone if properly observed should have insured proper attention to them
+LJ004-0104 by the thirtyone george the third c fortysix s five
+LJ004-0105 two or more justices were appointed visitors of prisons and directed to visit and inspect three times every quarter
+LJ004-0106 they were to report in writing to quarter sessions as to the state of the jail and as to all abuses which they might observe therein
+LJ004-0107 the most important jail act of that early period however was the twentyfour george the third c fiftyfour s four seventeen eightyfour
+LJ004-0108 which was the first legislative attempt to compel the classification of prisoners or their separation into classes
+LJ004-0109 according to their categories or crimes
+LJ004-0110 it was made incumbent upon the justices to provide distinct places of confinement for five classes of prisoners viz
+LJ004-0111 one prisoners convicted of felony two prisoners committed on a charge or suspicion of felony
+LJ004-0112 three prisoners guilty of misdemeanors four prisoners charged with misdemeanors five debtors
+LJ004-0113 it was further ordered that male prisoners should be kept perfectly distinct from the females
+LJ004-0114 kings evidences were also to be lodged apart
+LJ004-0115 infirmaries separating the sexes were also to be provided a chapel too and warm and cold baths
+LJ004-0116 care also was to be taken that the prisoners shall not be kept in any apartment underground
+LJ004-0117 in an early report of the prison discipline improvement society
+LJ004-0118 published some sixandthirty years after the promulgation of this act the flagrant and persistent violations of it and others
+LJ004-0119 which had continued through that long period are forcibly pointed out
+LJ004-0120 in eighteen eighteen out of five hundred and eighteen prisons in the united kingdom
+LJ004-0121 to which a total of upwards of one hundred thousand prisoners had been committed in the year only twentythree prisons were divided according to law
+LJ004-0122 fiftynine had no division whatever to separate males and females one hundred and thirtysix had only one division for the purpose
+LJ004-0123 sixtyeight had only two divisions and so on
+LJ004-0124 in four hundred and fortyfive prisons no work of any description had been introduced for the employment of prisoners
+LJ004-0125 in the balance some work was done but with the most meager results
+LJ004-0126 the want of room was still a crying evil
+LJ004-0127 in one hundred jails
+LJ004-0128 capable of accommodating only eight thousand five hundred and fortyfive persons as many as thirteen thousand and fiftyseven were crowded
+LJ004-0129 many of the jails were in the most deplorable condition
+LJ004-0130 incommodious as has been stated insecure unhealthy and unprovided with the printed or written regulations required by law
+LJ004-0131 to specify more particularly one or two of the worst it may be mentioned that in the borough compter
+LJ004-0132 the old evils of indiscriminate association still continued unchecked
+LJ004-0133 all prisoners passed their time in absolute idleness or killed it by gambling and loose conversation
+LJ004-0134 the debtors were crowded almost inconceivably in a space twenty feet long by six wide
+LJ004-0135 twenty men slept on eight straw beds with sixteen rugs amongst them and a piece of timber for a bolster
+LJ004-0136 mr buxton who found this declared that it seemed physically impossible but he was assured that it was true
+LJ004-0137 and that it was accomplished by sleeping edgewise
+LJ004-0138 one poor wretch who had slept next the wall said he had been literally unable to move for the pressure
+LJ004-0139 in the morning the stench and heat were so oppressive that he and every one else on waking rushed unclothed into the yard
+LJ004-0140 and the turnkey told mr buxton that the smell on first opening the door was enough to knock down a horse
+LJ004-0141 the hospital was filled with infectious cases and in one room seven feet by nine with closed windows
+LJ004-0142 where a lad lay ill with fever three other prisoners at first perfectly healthy were lodged of course they were seized with the fever
+LJ004-0143 so that the culprit in addition to his sentence
+LJ004-0144 had to endure by the regulations of the city a disease very dangerous in its nature and ran the risk of a lingering and painful death
+LJ004-0145 at guildford prison which mr buxton also visited in eighteen eighteen
+LJ004-0146 there was no infirmary no chapel no work no classification
+LJ004-0147 the irons which nearly every one wore were remarkably heavy those double ironed could not take off their small clothes
+LJ004-0148 no prison dress was allowed and half the inmates were without shirts or shoes or stockings
+LJ004-0149 the diet was limited to dry bread which was of the best certainly and a pound and a half in weight
+LJ004-0150 matters were on much the same footing at st albans
+LJ004-0151 they were far worse at bristol
+LJ004-0152 although at mr buxtons visit a new jail was in process of erection the first step towards reform since howards visitation in seventeen seventyfour
+LJ004-0153 in eighteen eighteen the old jail was so densely packed that it was nearly impossible to pass through the yards for the throng
+LJ004-0154 one hundred and fifty were lodged in a prison just capable of holding fiftytwo
+LJ004-0155 in the crowd all of them persons who had no other avocation or mode of livelihood but thieving mr buxton counted eleven children
+LJ004-0156 children hardly old enough to be released from the nursery
+LJ004-0157 all charged with felony were in heavy irons without distinction of age
+LJ004-0158 all were in ill health almost all were in rags almost all were filthy in the extreme
+LJ004-0159 the state of the prison the desperation of the prisoners broadly hinted in their conversation and plainly expressed in their conduct
+LJ004-0160 the uproar of oaths complaints and obscenity
+LJ004-0161 the indescribable stench presented together a concentration of the utmost misery and the utmost guilt
+LJ004-0162 it was a scene of infernal passions and distresses says buxton which few have imagination sufficient to picture
+LJ004-0163 and of which fewer still would believe that the original is to be found in this enlightened and happy country
+LJ004-0164 there was still worse to come having explored the yards and adjacent day rooms and sleeping cells a door was unlocked
+LJ004-0165 the visitors were furnished with candles and they descended eighteen long steps into a vault
+LJ004-0166 at the bottom was a circular space through which ran a narrow passage and the sides of which were fitted with barrack bedsteads
+LJ004-0167 the floor was on the level of the river and very damp
+LJ004-0168 the smell at one oclock of the day was something more than can be expressed by the term disgusting
+LJ004-0169 on the dirty bedstead lay a wretched being in the throes of severe illness
+LJ004-0170 the only ventilation of this pit this dark cheerless damp unwholesome cavern a dungeon in its worst sense
+LJ004-0171 was by a kind of chimney which the prisoners kept hermetically sealed and which had never been opened in the memory of the turnkey
+LJ004-0172 untried persons were often lodged in this nauseous underground den
+LJ004-0173 and sometimes slept in the pit loaded with heavy irons for a whole year waiting the jail delivery
+LJ004-0174 confinement for twelve months in the bristol jail was counted a punishment equivalent to seven years transportation
+LJ004-0175 in this prison there was no female infirmary
+LJ004-0176 sick women and their children remained in the ordinary wards and propagated disease
+LJ004-0177 no prison dress was allowed no receptionroom was provided no soap towels or baths
+LJ004-0178 the bedclothes consisted only of a single very slight rug
+LJ004-0179 the allowance of food daily to felons was a fourpenny loaf
+LJ004-0180 a price which in those days fluctuated enormously as much as a hundred percent in a couple of years
+LJ004-0181 but as no similar variation occurred in the prisoners appetite his ration was somewhat precarious
+LJ004-0182 as for the debtors they had no allowance whatever and were often in imminent danger of starvation
+LJ004-0183 with all this the inmates were crowded together at night to such a degree as to excite surprise that they should escape suffocation
+LJ004-0184 there reigned through the whole edifice a chilly damp unwholesome atmosphere and the effluvia from the prisoners was so nauseous
+LJ004-0185 that the chaplain found it necessary to take his place before they entered chapel as he could not otherwise have faced the smell
+LJ004-0186 it is consoling to know that there were a few brilliant exceptions to this cruel callous neglect
+LJ004-0187 already as early as eighteen eighteen a prison existed at bury st edmunds which was a model for imitation to others at that time
+LJ004-0188 and which even fulfilled many of the exacting requirements of modern days
+LJ004-0189 the great principles of classification cleanliness and employment were closely observed
+LJ004-0190 there were eightyfour separate sleepingcells and unless the jail was overcrowded every inmate passed the night alone
+LJ004-0191 and in comparative comfort with a bed and proper bedding
+LJ004-0192 the prison stood on a dry airy situation outside the town
+LJ004-0193 prisoners on reception were treated as they are nowadays bathed dressed in prison clothes and inspected by the surgeon
+LJ004-0194 no irons were worn except as a punishment
+LJ004-0195 personal cleanliness was insisted upon and all parts of the prison were kept scrupulously clean
+LJ004-0196 there was an infirmary properly found and duly looked after
+LJ004-0197 no idleness was permitted among the inmates trades were taught or prisoners were allowed to follow their own if suitable
+LJ004-0198 there was besides a mill for grinding corn somewhat similar to a turnspit which prisoners turned by walking in rows
+LJ004-0199 this made exertion compulsory and imposed hard labor as a proper punishment
+LJ004-0200 another jail that of ilchester was also worthy of all commendation it exhibited all the good points of that at bury
+LJ004-0201 at ilchester the rule of employment had been carried further
+LJ004-0202 a system not adopted generally till nearly half a century later had already prevailed at ilchester
+LJ004-0203 the new jail had been in a great measure constructed by the prisoners themselves
+LJ004-0204 masons bricklayers carpenters painters had been employed upon the buildings and the work was pronounced excellent by competent judges
+LJ004-0205 industrial labor had also been introduced with satisfactory results
+LJ004-0206 blanket weaving and cloth spinning was carried on prosperously
+LJ004-0207 and all the material for prisoners apparel was manufactured in the jail
+LJ004-0208 there were workrooms for woolwashing dyeing carding and spinning
+LJ004-0209 the looms were constantly busy tailors were always at work and every article of clothing and bedding was made up within the walls
+LJ004-0210 there was a prison laundry too where all the prisoners linen was regularly washed
+LJ004-0211 the moral welfare of the inmates was as closely looked after as the physical
+LJ004-0212 there was an attentive chaplain a schoolmaster and regular religious and other instruction
+LJ004-0213 compared with those highly meritorious institutions newgate still showed but badly
+LJ004-0214 its evils were inherent and irremediable but some ameliorating measures had been introduced
+LJ004-0215 mainly through the exertions of a new governor mr brown who succeeded mr newman at newgate in eighteen seventeen
+LJ004-0216 the most noticeable of the improvements introduced was a better regulation of dietaries within the prison
+LJ004-0217 the old haphazard system by which meat was issued in bulk
+LJ004-0218 a weeks allowance at a time was abolished and there was a regular scale of daily rations adopted
+LJ004-0219 the diet was now ample it consisted of a pound and a half of bread per diem
+LJ004-0220 for breakfast a pint of gruel for dinner half a pound of boiled meat or a quart of soup with vegetables on alternate days
+LJ004-0221 the food was properly prepared in the prison kitchen
+LJ004-0222 meat was no longer issued raw to be imperfectly cooked before a ward fire and bolted gluttonously the whole two pounds at one sitting
+LJ004-0223 mr brown confidently asserted that no jail in england now fed its inmates so well as did newgate
+LJ004-0224 so plentiful was this dietary that although the old permission remained in force of allowing the friends of prisoners to bring them supplies from outside
+LJ004-0225 the practice was falling into abeyance and the prisoners seldom required private assistance to eke out their meals
+LJ004-0226 it was also claimed for the more ample and more orderly distribution of victuals that the general health of the prisoners had greatly improved
+LJ004-0227 mr brown also much to his own credit brought about the abandonment of the practice of ironing all prisoners as a matter of course
+LJ004-0228 in eighteen eighteen prisoners awaiting trial in newgate were at length relieved from this illegal infliction
+LJ004-0229 convicts were not even compelled to wear irons providing they behaved well
+LJ004-0230 it was found that shackles might be safely dispensed with even in the case of the most desperate characters
+LJ004-0231 this was effected by stopping the nearly indiscriminate admission of visitors which had hitherto prevailed all over the jail
+LJ004-0232 ironing it will be remembered was a distinguishing badge so that when the jail was cleared the free might be readily known from the captive and escapes prevented
+LJ004-0233 under the new rule visitors were not allowed to pass into the interior of the prison but were detained between the grating
+LJ004-0234 this change led to some discontent until it was found that the much greater boon of relief from irons accompanied it and the reform was quietly accepted
+LJ004-0235 indeed the best consequences followed from the removal of irons the prisoners were much better disposed there were no riots and fewer disturbances
+LJ004-0236 but nothing short of radical reform and complete reconstruction could touch the deepseated evils of association overcrowding and idleness
+LJ004-0237 the first still produced deplorable results results to be observable for many years to come
+LJ004-0238 mr buxton mentions the case of a boy whose apparent innocence and artlessness had attracted his attention
+LJ004-0239 he had been committed for an offense for which he was acquitted
+LJ004-0240 he left newgate utterly corrupted and after lapsing into crime soon returned with a very different character
+LJ004-0241 other cases of moral deterioration have already been recorded
+LJ004-0242 some attempt was made to reduce the overcrowding on the recommendation of the house of commons committee of eighteen eighteen but this applied only a partial remedy
+LJ004-0243 the bulk of the prisoners were still left in idleness
+LJ004-0244 a few fortunate criminals many of them kept back from transportation on purpose who were skilled in trades were employed at them
+LJ004-0245 painters plasterers and carpenters were allowed to follow their handicrafts with the reward of sixpence per diem and a double allowance of food
+LJ004-0246 they used their own tools and this without any dangerous consequences as regards facilitating the escape of others
+LJ004-0247 thus disposing of the objection so long raised against the industrial employment of prisoners in newgate
+LJ004-0248 but this boon of toil was denied to all but a very limited number
+LJ004-0249 as the prison discipline society pertinently observed in a report dated eighteen twenty
+LJ004-0250 it is obvious that reformation must be materially impeded and in some cases utterly defeated when the prisoners are defectively classed
+LJ005-0001 the chronicles of newgate volume two by arthur griffiths section eight the beginnings of prison reform
+LJ005-0002 newgate prisoners were the victims to another most objectionable practice which obtained all over london
+LJ005-0003 persons committed to a metropolitan jail at that time were taken in gangs men and women handcuffed together or linked on to a long chain
+LJ005-0004 unless they could afford to pay for a vehicle out of their own funds
+LJ005-0005 even then they were not certain of the favor for i find a reference to a decent and respectable woman sent to newgate
+LJ005-0006 who handed a shilling to the escort warder to provide her with a hackney coach but this functionary pocketed the cash and obliged the woman to walk
+LJ005-0007 chained to the rest as the miserable crew filed through the public streets exposed to the scornful gaze of every passenger
+LJ005-0008 they were followed by a crowd of reckless boys who jeered at and insulted them
+LJ005-0009 many thus led in procession were in a shocking condition of dirt and misery frequently nearly naked and often bearing upon them
+LJ005-0010 the germs more or less developed of contagious disease caravans the forerunners of the prison vans
+LJ005-0011 were first made use of about eighteen twentyseven that the need for prison reform was imperative may be gathered from the few out of many instances i have adduced
+LJ005-0012 yet there were those who wedded to ancient ideas were intolerant of change they would not admit the existence of any evils
+LJ005-0013 one smug alderman a member of the house of commons sneered at the ultra philanthropy of the champions of prison improvement
+LJ005-0014 speaking on a debate on prison matters he declared that
+LJ005-0015 our prisoners have all that prisoners ought to have without gentlemen think they ought to be indulged with turkey carpets
+LJ005-0016 the society for the improvement of prison discipline was taxed with a desire to introduce a system
+LJ005-0017 tending to divest punishment of its just and salutary terrors
+LJ005-0018 an imputation which the society indignantly and very justly repudiated the statement being as they said
+LJ005-0019 refuted by abundant evidence and having no foundation whatever in truth
+LJ005-0020 among those whom the society found arrayed against it was sydney smith
+LJ005-0021 who in a caustic article contributed to the edinburgh review protested against the pampering of criminals
+LJ005-0022 while fully admitting the good intentions of the society he condemned their ultra humanitarianism as misplaced
+LJ005-0023 he took exception to various of the proposals of the society he thought they leant too much to a system of indulgence and education in jails
+LJ005-0024 he objected to the instruction of prisoners in reading and writing
+LJ005-0025 a poor man who is lucky enough he said to have his son committed for a felony
+LJ005-0026 educates him under such a system for nothing while the virtuous simpleton who is on the other side of the wall is paying by the quarter for these attainments
+LJ005-0027 he was altogether against too liberal a diet he disapproved of industrial occupations in jails as not calculated to render prisons terrible
+LJ005-0028 there should be no tea and sugar no assemblage of female felons around the washingtub
+LJ005-0029 nothing but beating hemp and pulling oakum and pounding bricks no work but what was tedious unusual
+LJ005-0030 in prisons which are really meant to keep the multitude in order and to be a terror to evildoers there must be no sharings of profits
+LJ005-0031 no visiting of friends no education but religious education no freedom of diet
+LJ005-0032 no weavers looms or carpenters benches there must be a great deal of solitude coarse food a dress of shame
+LJ005-0033 hard incessant irksome eternal labor a planned and regulated and unrelenting exclusion of happiness and comfort
+LJ005-0034 undeterred by these sarcasms and misrepresentations
+LJ005-0035 the society pursued its laudable undertaking with remarkable energy and great singleness of purpose
+LJ005-0036 the objects it had in view were set forth in one of its earliest meetings
+LJ005-0037 it sought to obtain and diffuse useful information
+LJ005-0038 to suggest beneficial regulations and circulate tracts demonstrating the advantages of classification
+LJ005-0039 constant inspection regular employment and humane treatment generally with religious and moral instruction
+LJ005-0040 it earnestly advocated the appointment of female officers to take exclusive charge of female prisoners
+LJ005-0041 a muchneeded and according to our ideas indispensable reform already initiated by the ladies committee at newgate
+LJ005-0042 it made the subject of the newlyinvented treadwheels or steppingwheels as they were at first called its peculiar affair
+LJ005-0043 and obtained full details from places where they had been adopted of the nature of these new machines
+LJ005-0044 the method by which they were worked and the dietaries of the prisoners employed upon them
+LJ005-0045 nor did it confine itself to mere verbal recommendations
+LJ005-0046 the good it tried to do took active shape in the establishment of temporary refuges at hoxton for males and in the hackney road for females
+LJ005-0047 for the reception of deserving cases discharged from prison the governor of newgate and other metropolitan prisons had orders of admission to this refuge
+LJ005-0048 which he could bestow on prisoners on release and so save the betterdisposed or the completely destitute from lapsing at once into crime
+LJ005-0049 the refuge which had for its object the training of its inmates in habits of industry
+LJ005-0050 and in moral and religious duty and which after a time sought to provide them with suitable situations was supported entirely out of the funds of the society
+LJ005-0051 at the time of its greatest prosperity its annual income from donations and subscriptions was about one thousand six hundred pounds
+LJ005-0052 another point to which the society devoted infinite pains was the preparation of plans for the guidance of architects in the construction of prisons
+LJ005-0053 a very valuable volume published by the society
+LJ005-0054 traced the progress of prison architecture from the days when the jail was the mere annexe of the baronial or episcopal castle
+LJ005-0055 or a dungeon above or below the gate of a town to the first attempts at systematic reconstruction carried out under the advice and supervision of howard
+LJ005-0056 it is interesting to observe that the plan of radiation by which the prison blocks radiated from a central hall like spokes in a wheel
+LJ005-0057 was introduced as early as seventeen ninety by mr blackburn
+LJ005-0058 an architect of eminence who was very largely employed in the erection of prison buildings at the close of the last century
+LJ005-0059 with some important modifications this principle of radiation is still the rule
+LJ005-0060 the society did not limit its remarks to the description of what had already been done
+LJ005-0061 but it offered suggestions for future buildings with numerous carefullyexecuted drawings and designs of the model it recommended for imitation
+LJ005-0062 experience has since shown that in some respects these plans are defective especially in the placing of the governors residence in the center of the prison
+LJ005-0063 it was thought that this would guarantee constant supervision and inspection but it did nothing of the kind and only the presence of warders on duty
+LJ005-0064 is found nowadays to be really efficacious the main recommendations however are based upon common sense
+LJ005-0065 and none are more commendable than that which deprecates the excessive ornamentation of the external parts of the edifice
+LJ005-0066 the new jails as howard says having pompous fronts appear like palaces to the lower class of people and many persons are against them on this account
+LJ005-0067 the prison society reproves the misdirected efforts of ambitious architects who by a lavish and improvident expenditure of public money
+LJ005-0068 sought to rank the prisons they built among the most splendid buildings of the city or town
+LJ005-0069 absence of embellishment is in perfect unison with the character of the establishment
+LJ005-0070 these are principles fully recognized nowadays and it may fairly be conceded that the prison discipline societys ideal
+LJ005-0071 differed little from that kept in view in the construction of the latest and best modern jails
+LJ005-0072 after a few years of active exertion the society was rewarded by fresh legislation
+LJ005-0073 to its efforts and their effect upon parliament and the public mind we must attribute the new jail acts of four george the fourth
+LJ005-0074 cap sixtyfour and five george the fourth cap eightyfive
+LJ005-0075 which having gone through several sessions at last became law in eighteen twentythree to four
+LJ005-0076 by the preamble of the firstnamed act it was declared
+LJ005-0077 expedient to introduce such measures and arrangements as shall not only provide for the safe custody
+LJ005-0078 but shall also tend more effectually to preserve the health
+LJ005-0079 and improve the morals of the prisoners and shall insure the proper measure of punishment to convicted offenders
+LJ005-0080 accordingly due provision was made for the enforcement of hard labor on all prisoners sentenced to it and for the employment of all others
+LJ005-0082 unless such ability to work should cease by reason of sickness infirmity the want of sufficient work or from any other cause
+LJ005-0083 it was distinctly laid down that male and female prisoners should be confined in separate buildings or parts of the prison
+LJ005-0084 so as to prevent them from seeing conversing or holding any intercourse with each other
+LJ005-0085 classification was insisted upon in the manner laid down by the twentyfour george the third cap fiftyfour
+LJ005-0086 with such further separation as the justices should deem conducive to good order and discipline
+LJ005-0087 female prisoners were in all cases to be under the charge of female officers
+LJ005-0088 every prison containing female prisoners was to have a matron who was to reside constantly in the prison
+LJ005-0089 the religious and moral welfare of the prisoners were to be attended to
+LJ005-0090 the first by daily services the latter by the appointment of schoolmasters and instruction in reading and writing
+LJ005-0091 last but not least the use of irons was strictly forbidden except in cases of urgent and absolute necessity
+LJ005-0092 and every prisoner was to be provided with a hammock or cot to himself suitable bedding and if possible a separate cell
+LJ005-0093 the second act passed in the following year enlarged and amended the first and at the same time gave powers to the house
+LJ005-0094 to call for information as to the observance of its provisions
+LJ005-0095 the promulgation of these two jail acts strengthened the hands of the prison discipline society enormously
+LJ005-0096 it had now a legal and authoritative standard of efficiency to apply
+LJ005-0097 and could expose all the local authorities that still lagged behind or neglected to comply with the provisions of the new laws
+LJ005-0098 the society did not shrink from its selfimposed duty but continued year after year with unflagging energy and unflinching spirit to watch closely
+LJ005-0099 and report at length upon the condition of the prisons of the country
+LJ005-0100 for this purpose it kept up an extensive correspondence with all parts of the kingdom and circulated queries to be answered in detail
+LJ005-0101 whence it deduced the practice and condition of every prison that replied
+LJ005-0102 upon these and the private visitations made by various members the society obtained the facts
+LJ005-0103 often highly damnatory which were embodied in its annual reports
+LJ005-0104 the progress of improvement was certainly extremely slow
+LJ005-0105 it was long before the many jurisdictions imitated the few
+LJ005-0106 jails of which the old prison at reading was a specimen were still left intact
+LJ005-0107 in that prison with its cells and yards arranged within the shell of an ancient abbey chapel
+LJ005-0108 the prisoners without firing bedding or sufficient food spent their days in surveying their grotesque prison
+LJ005-0109 or contriving some means of escape by climbing the fluted columns which supported the gothic arches of the aisles
+LJ005-0110 and so passing by the roof down into the garden and on to freedom
+LJ005-0111 in a county prison adjoining the metropolis the separation between the male and female quarters was supposed to be accomplished by the erection of an iron railing
+LJ005-0112 in this same prison capital convicts were chained to the floor until execution
+LJ005-0113 in another jail not far off male and female felons still occupied the same room underground and reached by a ladder of ten steps
+LJ005-0114 in others the separation between the sexes consisted in a hanging curtain
+LJ005-0115 or an imaginary boundary line and nothing prevented parties from passing to either side
+LJ005-0116 but an empty regulation which all so disposed could defy
+LJ005-0117 numbers of the jails were still unprovided with chaplains and the prisoners never heard divine service
+LJ005-0118 in many others there were no infirmaries no places set apart for the confinement of prisoners afflicted with dangerous and infectious disorders
+LJ005-0119 no attempt was made to maintain discipline
+LJ005-0120 half the jails had no code of rules properly prepared and sanctioned by the judges according to law
+LJ005-0121 by degrees however
+LJ005-0122 the changes necessary to bring the prisons into conformity with the recent acts were attempted if not actually introduced into the county prisons to which
+LJ005-0123 with a few of the more important city or borough prisons these acts more especially applied
+LJ005-0124 most of the local authorities embarked into considerable expenditure determined to rebuild their jails de novo on the most approved pattern
+LJ005-0125 or to reappropriate reconstruct and patch up the existing prisons till they were more in accordance with the growing requirements of the times
+LJ005-0126 religious worship became more generally the rule chaplains were appointed and chapels provided for them surgeons and hospitals also
+LJ005-0127 workshops were built at many prisons various kinds of manufactures and trades were set on foot including weaving matting shoemaking and tailoring
+LJ005-0128 the interior of one prison was illuminated throughout with gas still a novelty which had been generally adopted in london only four years previously
+LJ005-0129 a measure which must greatly tend to discourage attempts to escape
+LJ005-0130 there were treadwheels at most of the prisons and regular employment thereon or at some other kind of hard labor
+LJ005-0131 in many places too where the prisoners earned money by their work they were granted a portion of it for their own use after proper deduction for maintenance
+LJ005-0132 only a few glaring evils still demanded a remedy
+LJ005-0133 the provision of separate sleeping cells was still quite inadequate for instance
+LJ005-0134 in twentytwo county jails there were one thousand sixtythree sleeping cells in all in eighteen twentythree
+LJ005-0135 and the average daily number committed that year amounted to three thousand nine hundred eightyfive
+LJ005-0136 the want of sleeping cells long continued a crying need
+LJ005-0137 four years later the prison society reported
+LJ005-0138 that in four prisons which at one time of the year contained one thousand three hundred eight prisoners there were only sixtyeight sleeping rooms or cells
+LJ005-0139 making an average of nineteen persons occupying each room
+LJ005-0140 at the new prison clerkenwell which had become the principal reception jail of middlesex and so took all the untried
+LJ005-0141 the sleeping space per head was only sixteen inches and often as many as two hundred ninetythree men had to be accommodated on barrack beds
+LJ005-0142 occupying barely three hundred ninety feet lineal
+LJ005-0143 the scenes of tumult and obscenity in these night rooms are said to have been beyond description a prisoner in one nocturnal riot lost an eye
+LJ005-0144 yet to clerkenwell were now committed the juveniles and all who were inexperienced in crime
+LJ005-0145 great want of uniformity in treatment in the various prisons was still noticeable
+LJ005-0146 and was indeed destined to continue for another half century in other words until the introduction of the prison act of eighteen seventyseven
+LJ005-0147 at the time of which i am writing there was great diversity of practice as regards the hours of labor
+LJ005-0148 in some prisons the prisoners worked seven hours a day in others ten and ten and a half
+LJ005-0149 the nature of the employment varied greatly in severity especially the treadwheel labor
+LJ005-0150 in some county jails as i have already said female prisoners were placed upon the treadwheel
+LJ005-0151 in others women were very properly exempted from it and also from all severe labor
+LJ005-0152 earnings were very differently appropriated here the prisoners were given the whole amount there a half or a third
+LJ005-0153 sometimes this money might be expended in the purchase of extra articles of food
+LJ005-0154 the rations varied considerably everywhere
+LJ005-0155 it was still limited to bread in some places the allowance of which varied from one to three pounds
+LJ005-0156 in others meat soup gruel beer were given
+LJ005-0157 here and there food was not issued in kind but a money allowance which the prisoner might expend himself
+LJ005-0158 bedding and clothing was still denied but only in a few jails
+LJ005-0159 in others both were supplied in ample quantities the cost varying per prisoner from twenty shillings to five pounds
+LJ005-0160 it was plain that although the law had defined general principles of prison government
+LJ005-0161 too much discretion was still left to the magistracy to fill in the details the legislature only recommended
+LJ005-0162 it did not peremptorily insist too often the letter of the law was observed but not its spirit
+LJ005-0163 one great impediment to wide amelioration was that a vast number of small jails lay out of reach of the law
+LJ005-0164 when the new acts were introduced numerous prisons under local jurisdiction were exempted from the operation of the law
+LJ005-0165 they were so radically bad that reform seemed hopeless and it was thought wiser not to bring them under provisions which clearly could not be enforced
+LJ005-0166 mr peel who as home secretary had charge of the bill
+LJ005-0167 which became the four george the fourth cap sixtyfour said that he had abstained from legislating for these small jurisdictions on mature deliberation
+LJ005-0168 it is not he said that i am insensible of the lamentable and disgraceful situation in which many of them are
+LJ005-0169 but i indulge a hope that many of them will contract with the counties
+LJ005-0170 that many of them will build new jails and that when in a year or two we come to examine their situation
+LJ005-0171 we shall find but few which have not in one or other of these ways removed the grievance of which such just complaint is made
+LJ005-0172 when that time arrives
+LJ005-0173 i shall not hesitate to ask parliament for powers to compel them to make the necessary alterations for it is not to be endured that these local jurisdictions should remain
+LJ005-0174 in the deplorable situation in which many of them now are
+LJ005-0175 at this time there were in england one hundred and seventy boroughs cities towns and liberties
+LJ005-0176 which possessed the right of trying criminals for various offenses
+LJ005-0177 nearly every one of these jurisdictions had its own prison and there were one hundred and sixty such jails in all
+LJ005-0178 many of them consisted of one or two rooms at most
+LJ005-0179 he total number of prisoners they received during the year varied from two persons to many hundreds
+LJ005-0180 it was in these jails withdrawn from the pressure of authority that the new rules were invariably ignored
+LJ005-0181 the right and privilege of the borough to maintain its own place of confinement was so ancient and indisputable
+LJ005-0182 that for long no idea of interfering with them was entertained
+LJ005-0183 all that was urged was that the borough magistracy had no right to govern their jails
+LJ005-0184 so as to corrupt those committed to the injury of the peace and morals of the public
+LJ005-0185 as time passed however these magistrates made no effort at reform
+LJ005-0186 they neither built new jails nor contracted with the counties as had been expected for the transfer of their prisoners
+LJ005-0187 as the society put it in eighteen twentyseven the friends to the improvement of prison discipline will regret to learn
+LJ005-0188 that the jails attached to corporate jurisdictions continue to be the fruitful sources
+LJ005-0189 of vice and misery debasing all who are confined within their walls and disseminating through their respective communities
+LJ005-0190 the knowledge and practice of every species of criminality
+LJ005-0191 the society proceeded to support this indictment by facts it is much the old story
+LJ005-0192 the prisoners were lodged in rooms whence they could converse with passengers in the streets and freely obtain spirits and other prohibited articles
+LJ005-0193 all descriptions of offenders congregated together in the felons wards
+LJ005-0194 the keeper and his officers resided at a distance from the jail and left its inmates to their own devices
+LJ005-0195 there was no decency whatever in the internal arrangements
+LJ005-0196 still no separation of the sexes no means of ablution or other necessary services
+LJ005-0197 one borough prison consisted of nothing more than a couple of cells about ten yards square and absolutely nothing more
+LJ005-0198 in another borough with a population of ten thousand the prison was of the same dimensions
+LJ005-0199 one cell was a dungeon and the other an improper and unhealthy abode for any human being with a watercourse running through it
+LJ005-0200 most of these small jails were still in existence and in much the same state eight years later
+LJ005-0201 as is shown by the report of the commissioners to inquire into the state of the municipal corporations in eighteen thirtyfive
+LJ005-0202 an examination of this report shows how even the most insignificant township had its jail
+LJ005-0203 thus dinas mwddy in merionethshire had besides the pinfold and the stocks or crib a little prison
+LJ005-0204 clun in shropshire had a lockup under the town hall
+LJ005-0205 at eye in suffolk the jail was part of the poorhouse so it was at richmond in yorkshire where the master of the workhouse was also keeper of the jail
+LJ005-0206 at godmanchester there was no jail but a cage to secure prisoners till they could be taken before a magistrate
+LJ005-0207 kidderminster had a prison one damp chill room
+LJ005-0208 the only aperture through which air could be admitted being an iron grating level with the street
+LJ005-0209 through the bars of which quills or reeds were inserted and drink conveyed to the prisoners
+LJ005-0210 at walsall in staffordshire
+LJ005-0211 the jail consisted of six cells frequently so damp that the moisture trickled down the walls there was not space for air or exercise
+LJ005-0212 and the prison allowance was still limited to bread and water
+LJ005-0213 newgate through all these years continued a byeword with the society
+LJ005-0214 some reforms had certainly been introduced such as the abolition of irons already referred to and the establishment of male and female infirmaries
+LJ005-0215 the regular daily visitation of the chaplain was also insisted upon
+LJ005-0216 but it was pointed out in eighteen twentythree that defective construction must always bar the way to any radical improvement in newgate
+LJ005-0217 without enlargement no material change in discipline or interior economy could possibly be introduced
+LJ005-0218 the chapel still continued incommodious and insufficient
+LJ005-0219 female prisoners were still exposed to the full view of the males the netting in front of the gallery being perfectly useless as a screen
+LJ005-0220 in eighteen twentyfour newgate had no glass in its windows except in the infirmary and one ward of the chapel yard
+LJ005-0221 and the panes were filled in with oiled paper an insufficient protection against the weather
+LJ005-0222 and as the windowframes would not shut tight the prisoners complained much of the cold especially at night
+LJ005-0223 there was a diminution in the numbers in custody due to the adoption of the practice of not committing at once to newgate every offender for trial at the old bailey
+LJ005-0224 but nothing had been done to improve the prison buildings
+LJ005-0225 in eighteen twentyseven the society was compelled to report that no material change had taken place in newgate since the passing of the prison laws
+LJ005-0226 and that consequently the observance of their most important provisions was habitually neglected
+LJ005-0227 it was enacted that the court of aldermen should make rules for the government of the prison and that these should be posted publicly within the walls
+LJ005-0228 as yet no rules or regulations had been printed or prepared
+LJ005-0229 by another clause of the jail act two justices were to be appointed to visit the prison at least thrice in every quarter and oftener if occasion required
+LJ005-0230 these justices were to inspect every part of the prison and examine into the state and condition of prisoners
+LJ005-0231 the city justices had not fulfilled this obligation
+LJ005-0232 idleness was still the general rule for all prisoners in newgate in defiance of the law
+LJ005-0233 there was no instruction of adult prisoners in accordance with the law the sleeping accommodation was still altogether contrary to the latest ideas
+LJ005-0234 the visits of friends was once more unreservedly allowed and these incomers freely brought in extra provisions and beer
+LJ005-0235 last and worst of all the arrangements for keeping the condemned prisoners between sentence and execution were more than unsatisfactory
+LJ005-0236 they were not confined apart from each other but were crowded thirty or forty together in the press yard
+LJ005-0237 so that corrupt conversation obliterated from the mind of him who is doomed to suffer every serious feeling and valuable impression
+LJ005-0238 i shall have more to say on this subject and upon the state of newgate generally in the following chapter
+LJ005-0239 the prison society did not relax its efforts as time passed but its leading members had other and more pressing claims upon their energies
+LJ005-0240 mr buxton had succeeded to the great work which william wilberforce had commenced and led the repeated attacks upon slavery in british colonies
+LJ005-0241 till the whole body of the slaves were manumitted in eighteen thirtythree
+LJ005-0242 in the year immediately preceding this parliament was too busy with the great question of its own reform to spare much time for domestic legislation
+LJ005-0243 nevertheless a committee of the house of commons was appointed in eighteen thirtyone to report upon the whole system of secondary punishments
+LJ005-0244 which dealt with jails of all classes as well as transportation
+LJ005-0245 this committee animadverted strongly upon the system in force at the metropolitan jails and more especially upon the condition of newgate
+LJ005-0246 where prisoners before and after trial are under no efficient superintendence and where there was no restraint or attempt at restraint
+LJ005-0247 mr samuel hoare was examined by this committee
+LJ005-0248 and stated that in his opinion newgate as the common jail of middlesex was wholly inadequate to the proper confinement of its prisoners
+LJ005-0249 from the moment of a persons committal he was certain to be plunged deeper and deeper in guilt
+LJ005-0250 the prisoners were crowded together in the jail contrary to the requirements of the four george the fourth
+LJ005-0251 again in eighteen thirtyfive prisons and their inmates became once more the care of the senate and the subject was taken up this time by the house of lords
+LJ005-0252 a committee was appointed under the presidency of the duke of richmond
+LJ005-0253 to inquire into and report upon the several jails and houses of correction in the counties cities and corporate towns within england and wales
+LJ005-0254 upon the rules and discipline therein established with regard to the treatment of unconvicted as well as convicted persons
+LJ005-0255 the committee was also to report upon the manner in which sentences were carried out and to recommend any alterations necessary in the rules
+LJ005-0256 in order to insure uniformity of discipline it met on the thirtyfirst march eighteen thirtyfive and continued its sittings well into july
+LJ005-0257 during which time a host of witnesses were examined and the committee presented three separate reports
+LJ005-0258 embodying recommendations which may be said to have formed the basis of modern prison management
+LJ005-0259 it was laid down as a first and indispensable principle that uniformity of discipline should prevail everywhere
+LJ005-0260 a theory which did not become a practical fact for forty more years
+LJ005-0261 as a means of securing this uniformity
+LJ005-0262 it was suggested that the rules framed for prison government should be subjected to the secretary of state for approval
+LJ005-0263 and not as heretofore to the judges of assize that both to check abuses and watch the progress of improvement
+LJ005-0264 inspectors of prisons should be appointed who should visit all the prisons from time to time and report to the secretary of state
+LJ005-0265 it was recommended that the dietaries should be submitted and approved like the rules that convicted prisoners should not receive any food but the jail allowance
+LJ005-0266 that food and fuel should be issued in kind and never provided by the prisoners themselves out of monies granted them
+LJ005-0267 the use of tobacco hitherto pretty generally indulged in both by men and women
+LJ005-0268 should be strictly prohibited as a stimulating luxury inconsistent with any notion of strict discipline and the due pressure of just punishment
+LJ005-0269 prison officers should not have any share in prisoners earnings
+LJ005-0270 which should be paid into general prison funds and no part of them handed over to the prisoners themselves
+LJ005-0271 as a means of increasing the severity of imprisonment letters and visits from outside should not be permitted during the first six months of an imprisonment
+LJ005-0272 various other recommendations were made as regards the appointment of chaplain and schoolmasters the limitation of the powers of wardsmen
+LJ005-0273 or prisoners employed in positions of trust who should not be permitted to traffic with their fellowprisoners in any way
+LJ005-0274 the committee most of all insisted upon the entire individual separation of prisoners except during the hours of labor
+LJ005-0275 religious worship and instruction as absolutely necessary for preventing contamination
+LJ005-0276 and for securing a proper system of prison discipline
+LJ005-0277 this was the first enunciation of the system of separate confinement
+LJ005-0278 which was eventually to replace the attempted arrangement of prisoners by classes according to antecedents and crimes
+LJ005-0279 an incomplete and fallacious method of preventing contamination
+LJ005-0280 the lords committee fully recognized the painful fact
+LJ005-0281 that the greatest mischief followed from the intercourse which was still permitted in so many prisons to use its words
+LJ005-0282 the comparatively innocent are seduced the unwary are entrapped
+LJ005-0283 and the tendency to crime in offenders not entirely hardened is confirmed by the language the suggestions and the example
+LJ005-0284 of more depraved and systematic criminals
+LJ005-0285 this committee as well as the one preceding it also reported in terms of strong reprobation on the small prisons and jails
+LJ005-0286 still under the borough corporations the commons committee gave it as their opinion that they were in a deplorable state
+LJ005-0287 the same language was used by the commissioners appointed to inquire into the municipal corporations in eighteen thirtyfive
+LJ005-0288 when speaking more particularly of the borough jails
+LJ005-0289 in these the commissioners found additional proof of the evils of continuing the present constitution of the local tribunals
+LJ005-0290 instances rarely occur in which the borough jails admit of any proper classification of the prisoners
+LJ005-0291 in some large towns as at berwick on tweed southampton and southwark they the prisons are in a very discreditable condition
+LJ005-0292 in many of the smaller boroughs they are totally unfit for the confinement of human beings
+LJ005-0293 in these places the prisoners are often without a proper supply of air and light frequently the jails are mere dungeons under the town hall
+LJ005-0294 it was frequently stated in evidence that the jail of the borough was in so unfit a state for the reception of prisoners
+LJ005-0295 that plaintiffs were unwilling to consign the defendants against whom they had obtained execution to confinement within its walls
+LJ005-0296 the lords committee on jails were of the same opinion and considered the prisons under corporate or peculiar jurisdiction in a very unsatisfactory condition
+LJ005-0297 they therefore recommended that the prisoners should be removed
+LJ005-0298 to the county jails from such prisons as were past improvement and that the borough funds should be charged for the accommodation
+LJ005-0299 the whole question was again dealt with in lord john russells bill for the reform of the municipal corporations and with a more liberal election of town councilors
+LJ005-0300 and the establishment of municipal institutions upon a proper footing
+LJ006-0001 the chronicles of newgate volume two by arthur griffiths section nine the first report of the inspector of prisons
+LJ006-0002 in the preceding chapter i have been tempted by the importance of the general question to give it prominence and precedence over the particular branch of which i am treating
+LJ006-0003 newgate has remained rather in the background while the whole of the jails as a body were under discussion
+LJ006-0004 but this digression was necessary in order to present a more complete picture of the state of jails in the early part of the present century
+LJ006-0005 just before the public mind was first awakened to the need for thorough reform
+LJ006-0006 i shall now return to the great jail of the city of london and give a more detailed account of its condition and inner life
+LJ006-0007 as the inspectors of prisons found them in eighteen thirtyfive to six
+LJ006-0008 these gentlemen were appointed in october eighteen thirtyfive owing to the strong representations of the lords committee
+LJ006-0009 backed up by the evidence of several influential witnesses
+LJ006-0010 mr samuel hoare when examined considered it indispensably necessary to carry out whatever system might be established
+LJ006-0011 that inspectors should watch over the observance of the law he saw no objection on the score of their probable interference with the local jurisdiction
+LJ006-0012 but he would not arm them with any authority lest their cooperation might be offensive
+LJ006-0013 sir frederick roe was of the same opinion as regards the appointment but he would give the inspectors the power of acting as well as reporting
+LJ006-0014 they should be persons he thought selected from the highest class the duty was most important
+LJ006-0015 one which required discretion judgment and knowledge of law with sufficient insight and experience to discover defects in prison discipline
+LJ006-0016 these considerations no doubt had weight
+LJ006-0017 with those who made the selection of the first inspectors and the two gentlemen appointed were probably the most fitted in england to be so employed
+LJ006-0018 one was mr william crawford the other the rev whitworth russell
+LJ006-0019 the first named had long been an active philanthropist devoting himself more particularly to the reformation of juvenile criminals
+LJ006-0020 william crawford had been one of the promoters and managers of the philanthropic societys farm school
+LJ006-0021 later on he had devoted himself to the personal investigation of the prisons of the united states
+LJ006-0022 at that time the mild and intelligent prison discipline in force in pennsylvania the legacy of the old quaker immigrants
+LJ006-0023 had made such prisons as auburn a model for imitation
+LJ006-0024 several european states had dispatched emissaries to examine and report upon them
+LJ006-0025 france had sent misseurs beaumont and de tocqueville who subsequently published several interesting works on the subject
+LJ006-0026 england was represented by mr crawford and the result of his inquiry was given to the public as an appendix to the house of commons report on secondary punishments
+LJ006-0027 it is an able and exhaustive state paper testifying to the keenness of the writers perception and his unremitting labor in pursuing his researches
+LJ006-0028 mr crawford was thoroughly versed in the still imperfectly understood science of prison management and fully qualified for his new duties
+LJ006-0029 the second inspector the rev whitworth russell was the chaplain of millbank penitentiary
+LJ006-0030 the great architectural experiment which grew out of the strong representations of jeremy bentham and others and was the first national recognition of the principle
+LJ006-0031 that punishment must be reformatory as well as deterrent
+LJ006-0032 messrs crawford and russell proceeded to carry out their new functions with commendable energy and without a moments loss of time
+LJ006-0033 the ink was barely dry upon their letters of appointment before they appeared at newgate and commenced a searching investigation
+LJ006-0034 they attended early and late they mustered the prisoners examined into their condition
+LJ006-0035 took voluminous evidence from all classes of individuals from the governor down to the convict in the condemned cells
+LJ006-0036 they visited the wards after lockingup time and saw with their own eyes what went on
+LJ006-0038 a subject of magnitude and importance sufficient to exclude other jails they soon narrowed their inquiry still further
+LJ006-0039 and limited it to newgate alone newgate indeed became the sole theme of their first report
+LJ006-0040 the fact was that the years as they passed nearly twenty in all had worked but little permanent improvement in this detestable prison
+LJ006-0041 changes introduced under pressure had been only skin deep
+LJ006-0042 relapse was rapid and inevitable so that the latter state of the prison was worse than the first
+LJ006-0043 the disgraceful overcrowding had been partially ended but the same evils of indiscriminate association were still present there was the old neglect of decency
+LJ006-0044 the same callous indifference to the moral wellbeing of the prisoners the same want of employment and of all disciplinary control
+LJ006-0045 all these evils were set forth at length in the inspectors first report
+LJ006-0046 there was no longer the faintest possible excuse for overcrowding the numbers now committed to newgate had sensibly diminished
+LJ006-0047 the prison had become more or less a place of detention only harboring mainly those awaiting trial
+LJ006-0048 to these were still added an average of about fifty expecting the last penalty of the law a certain number of transports awaiting removal to the colonies
+LJ006-0049 an occasional prisoner or two committed by the houses of parliament the courts of kings bench common pleas
+LJ006-0050 the exchequer the commissioners of bankruptcy and of taxes smugglers and a larger number sentenced for very short terms
+LJ006-0051 and for offenses of the most varying description by the central criminal court
+LJ006-0052 the sum total thus produced was inconsiderable compared with the hundreds that had formerly filled the jail
+LJ006-0053 and the whole by proper management might have been so accommodated as to prevent overcrowding
+LJ006-0054 but incredible as it may appear the authorities of newgate declined to avail themselves of the advantages offered them
+LJ006-0055 and when the population fell they shut up one half the jail and crowded up the other
+LJ006-0056 some rooms remained quite empty and unoccupied while others were full to overflowing
+LJ006-0057 not only were the wards thus needlessly crammed and for no reason but the niggardliness of the corporation which refused a proper supply of bedding
+LJ006-0058 but the occupants of each were huddled together indiscriminately the inspectors found in the same wards in the chapel yard the convicted and the untried
+LJ006-0059 the felon and the misdemeanant the sane and the insane the old and young offender
+LJ006-0060 the classification prescribed by the jail act which laid down that certain prisoners should not intermix was openly neglected
+LJ006-0061 and the greatest contempt shown for the law
+LJ006-0062 in another part there were men charged with and convicted of unnatural offenses shut up with lads of tender years
+LJ006-0063 minor offenders charged with small thefts or nonpayment of small sums were cheek by jowl with convicts sentenced to long terms of transportation
+LJ006-0064 in the masters side yard which had only one washing place as many as seventyeight prisoners frequently more
+LJ006-0065 were associated together of every variety of age habit and delinquency without employment oversight or control
+LJ006-0066 in the middle yard it was still worse
+LJ006-0067 here say the inspectors are herded together the very worst class of prisoners certainly a more wretched combination of human beings can hardly be imagined
+LJ006-0068 we have reason to fear that poverty ragged clothes and an inability to pay the ward dues elsewhere exacted for better accommodation
+LJ006-0069 consign many of the more petty and unpracticed offenders to this place
+LJ006-0070 where they inevitably meet with further contamination from the society of the most abandoned and incorrigible inmates of the jail
+LJ006-0071 no doubt the governor for the time being mr cope was in a great measure to blame for all this and for the want of proper classification
+LJ006-0072 i shall have occasion to speak again and more at length of mr copes careless and perfunctory discharge
+LJ006-0073 of his many manifest duties but i shall here confine myself to animadverting on his neglect as regards the appropriation of his prison
+LJ006-0074 he was unable to give any reason whatever for not utilizing the whole of the wards
+LJ006-0075 he saw certain rooms fill up and yet took no steps to open others that were locked up and empty
+LJ006-0076 he blamed the construction of newgate for the neglect of classification and was yet compelled to confess that he had made no attempt whatever to carry it out
+LJ006-0077 the fact was he did not keep the classification of prisoners on first arrival in his own hands nor even in that of his officers
+LJ006-0078 a new prisoners fate as to location rested really with a powerful fellowprisoner
+LJ006-0079 the inspectors found that prisoners had their places assigned to them
+LJ006-0080 by the inner gatesman himself a convicted prisoner and a wardsman or responsible head of a room
+LJ006-0081 the wardsman still exacted dues of which more directly
+LJ006-0082 and this particular official took excellent care to select as residents for his own ward those most suitable from his own point of view
+LJ006-0083 so great is the authority exercised by him
+LJ006-0084 and so numerous were his opportunities of showing favoritism that all the prisoners may be said to be in his power
+LJ006-0085 if a man is poor and ragged however inexperienced in crime or however trifling may be the offense for which he has been committed
+LJ006-0086 his place is assigned among the most depraved the most experienced and the most incorrigible offenders in the middle yard
+LJ006-0087 it must be admitted that so far but little effort had been made to counteract the evils of indiscriminate association
+LJ006-0088 it was not likely that a system which left innocent men for the great bulk of new arrivals were still untried
+LJ006-0089 to be pitchforked by chance anywhere into any sort of company
+LJ006-0090 within this the greatest nursery of crime in london should exercise even the commonest care for the personal decency or comfort of the prisoners
+LJ006-0091 their treatment was also a matter of chance they still slept on rope mats on the floor herded together in companies of four or more to keep one another warm
+LJ006-0092 and under the scanty covering of a couple of dirty stablerugs apiece
+LJ006-0093 so closely did they lie together that the inspectors at their night visits found it difficult in stepping across the room to avoid treading on them
+LJ006-0094 sometimes two mats were allotted to three sleepers sometimes four slept under the same bedding and left their mats unoccupied
+LJ006-0095 the rugs used were never washed an order existed that the bedding should be taken into the yards to be aired but it was not very punctually obeyed
+LJ006-0096 the only convenience for personal ablutions were the pumps in the yards and the faroff baths in the condemned or pressyard
+LJ006-0097 water might not be taken into the ward for washing purposes
+LJ006-0098 there was some provision of clothing but it was quite insufficient and nothing at all was given if prisoners had enough of their own to cover their nakedness
+LJ006-0099 the inspectors paraded the prisoners and found them generally ragged and illclad squalid and filthy in the extreme
+LJ006-0100 many without stockings and with hardly shoes to their feet
+LJ006-0101 some who had the semblance of covering on the upper part of their feet had no soles to the shoes and their bare feet were on the ground
+LJ006-0102 this too was in the depth of the winter and during a most inclement season
+LJ006-0103 the allowance of food was not illiberal
+LJ006-0104 but its issue was precarious and dependent on the good will of the wardsmen who measured out the portions to each according to his eye
+LJ006-0105 and not with weights and measures no turnkey being present
+LJ006-0106 too much was left to the wardsman it was he who could issue small luxuries
+LJ006-0107 he sold tea coffee sugar tobacco although prohibited and extra beer
+LJ006-0108 he charged a weekly sum as ward dues for the use of knives forks and plates
+LJ006-0109 a perpetuation under another form of the old detestable custom of garnish
+LJ006-0110 he had power where his exactions were resisted of making the ward most uncomfortable for the defaulter
+LJ006-0111 he could trump up a false complaint against his fellowprisoner and so get him punished
+LJ006-0112 he might keep him from the fire or give him his soup or gruel in a pail instead of a basin
+LJ006-0113 the authority of these wardsmen so improperly exalted and so entirely unchecked degenerated into a baneful despotism
+LJ006-0114 they bought their offices from one another and were thus considered to have a vested interest in them
+LJ006-0115 their original capital had been a few shillings and for this they purchased the right to tax their fellows to the extent of pounds per week
+LJ006-0116 the wardsman had a monopoly in supplying provisions gave dinner and breakfast at his own price and was such complete master of the ward
+LJ006-0117 that none of its inmates were suffered to make tea or coffee for themselves lest it should interfere with his sales
+LJ006-0118 he made collections when it suited him for ward purposes to be spent as he chose in candles and so forth
+LJ006-0119 when the wardsman was a man of some education with some knowledge of legal chicanery gained by personal experience he might add considerably to his emoluments
+LJ006-0120 by drawing briefs and petitions for his fellows there was a recognized charge of five shillings per brief
+LJ006-0121 for a petition of from one shilling half pence to eight shillings according to its length
+LJ006-0122 and by these payments a wardsman had been known to amass as much as forty pounds
+LJ006-0123 the man intrusted with this privilege was often the inner gatesman
+LJ006-0124 the prisoner official already mentioned who held the fate of new arrivals as regards location in his hands
+LJ006-0125 it was not strange that he should sometimes misuse his power and when prisoners were not to be cajoled into securing his legal services
+LJ006-0126 had been known to employ threats declaring that he was often consulted by the governor as to a prisoners character
+LJ006-0127 in view of speaking to it at the trial and he could easily do them a good turn or a very bad one
+LJ006-0128 the briefdrawing gatesman and wardsman at the time of the inspectors first visit must have been a particularly powerful personage
+LJ006-0129 he was on the most intimate and improperly familiar terms with the turnkeys
+LJ006-0130 had a key of both the masters side and middle side yards was the only person present at the distribution of beer and was trusted to examine
+LJ006-0131 and if he chose pass in all provisions money clothes and letters brought for prisoners by their friends
+LJ006-0132 all the wardsmen alike were more or less irresponsible
+LJ006-0133 the turnkeys complained bitterly that these old prisoners had more power than they themselves
+LJ006-0134 the governor himself admitted that a prisoner of weak intellect who had been severely beaten and much injured by a wardsman did not dare complain
+LJ006-0135 the victim of this cruel illusage having more fear of the power of the wardsman to injure him than confidence in the governors power to protect him
+LJ006-0136 these wardsmen besides thus ruling the roast had numerous special privileges if such they can be called
+LJ006-0137 they were not obliged to attend chapel and seldom if ever went prisoners said one of them under examination did not like the trouble of going to chapel
+LJ006-0138 they had a standing bedstead to sleep on and a good flock mattress double allowance of provisions filched from the common stock
+LJ006-0139 nobody interfered with them or regulated their conduct they might get drunk when so disposed and did so frequently alone or in company
+LJ006-0140 evidence was given before the inspectors of eight or ten prisoners seen giddy drunk not able to sit upon forms
+LJ006-0141 the female wardswomen were also given to intemperance
+LJ006-0142 the matron deposed to having seen the gateswoman exceedingly drunk and having been insulted by her
+LJ006-0143 there was no penalty attached to drunkenness
+LJ006-0144 a wardsman did not necessarily lose his situation for it nor was drink the only creature comfort he might enjoy
+LJ006-0145 he could indulge in snuff if a snufftaker
+LJ006-0146 and might always smoke his pipe undisturbed for although the use of tobacco had been prohibited since the report of the lords committee
+LJ006-0147 it was still freely introduced into the prison
+LJ006-0148 probably authority would not have been so recklessly usurped by the wardsmen had not the proper officials too readily surrendered it
+LJ006-0149 the turnkeys left the prisoners very much to themselves never entering the wards after lockingup time at dusk till unlocking next morning
+LJ006-0150 and then only went round to count the number
+LJ006-0151 many of them were otherwise and improperly occupied for hours every day in menial services for the governor cleaning his windows or grooming his horse
+LJ006-0152 one turnkey had been so employed several hours daily for nearly eleven years
+LJ006-0153 it was not strange that subordinates should neglect their duty when superiors set the example
+LJ006-0154 nothing was more prominently brought out by the inspectors than the inefficiency of the governor at that time mr cope
+LJ006-0155 he may have erred in some points through ignorance but in others he was clearly guilty of culpable neglect
+LJ006-0156 we have seen that he took no pains to classify and separate prisoners on reception
+LJ006-0157 this was only one of many grave omissions on his part he did not feel it incumbent on himself to visit his prison often or see his prisoners
+LJ006-0158 the act prescribed that he should do both every twentyfour hours but days passed without his entering the wards
+LJ006-0159 the prisoners declared that they did not see him oftener than twice a week
+LJ006-0160 one man who had been in the condemned ward for two months said the governor only came there four times
+LJ006-0161 again a turnkey deposed that his chief did not enter the wards more than once a fortnight
+LJ006-0162 but it is only fair to mr cope to state that he himself said he went whenever he could find time
+LJ006-0163 and that he was constantly engaged attending sessions and going with drafts to the hulks
+LJ006-0164 but when he did visit his inspections were of the most superficial character
+LJ006-0165 sometimes he looked at his bolts and bars but he never examined the cupboards coalboxes or other possible hidingplaces for cards
+LJ006-0166 dice dangerous implements or other prohibited articles
+LJ006-0167 he only attended chapel once on sunday never on the weekday and generally devoted the time service was in progress
+LJ006-0168 to taking the descriptions of newlyarrived prisoners
+LJ006-0169 he really did not know what passed in his jail
+LJ006-0170 and was surprised when the inspectors proved to him that practices of which he was ignorant and which he admitted that he reprehended went on without hindrance
+LJ006-0171 he was satisfied to let matters run on as in the old times he said in his own justification with him what was was right
+LJ006-0172 and evils that should have been speedily rooted out remained because they had the prescription of long usage
+LJ006-0173 he kept no daily journal of occurrences and nothing however important was recorded at the time
+LJ006-0174 the aldermen never called upon him to report and left him nearly unsupervised and uncontrolled
+LJ006-0175 in his administration of discipline he was quite uncertain
+LJ006-0176 the punishments he inflicted were unequal
+LJ006-0177 and it was not the least part of the blame imputed to him that he made special favorites of particular prisoners retaining of his own accord in newgate
+LJ006-0178 and for years felons who should have been sent beyond the seas
+LJ006-0179 but indeed his whole rule was far too mild and under this mistaken leniency
+LJ006-0180 the interior of the jail was more like a beargarden or the noisy purlieus of a publichouse than a prison
+LJ006-0181 it was the same old story evil constantly in the ascendant the least criminal at the mercy of the most depraved
+LJ006-0182 under the reckless contempt for regulations
+LJ006-0183 the apathy of the authorities and the undue ascendancy of those who as convicted felons should have been most sternly repressed
+LJ006-0184 the most hardened and the oldest in vice had the best of it while the inexperienced beginner went to the wall
+LJ006-0185 edward gibbon wakefield who spent three years in newgate a little before the time of the inspectors first report
+LJ006-0186 said with justice that incredible scenes of horror occur in newgate
+LJ006-0187 it was moreover in his opinion undoubtedly the greatest nursery of crime in london
+LJ006-0188 the days were passed in idleness debauchery riotous quarreling immoral conversation
+LJ006-0189 gambling indirect contravention of parliamentary rules instruction in all nefarious processes
+LJ006-0190 lively discourse upon past criminal exploits elaborate discussion of others to be perpetrated after release
+LJ006-0191 no provision whatever was made for the employment of prisoners no materials were purchased no trade instructors appointed
+LJ006-0192 there was no school for adults only the boys were taught anything and their instructor with his assistant were convicted prisoners
+LJ006-0193 idle hands and unoccupied brains found in mischief the only means of whiling away the long hours of incarceration
+LJ006-0194 gaming of all kinds although forbidden by the jail acts was habitually practiced
+LJ006-0195 this was admitted in evidence by the turnkeys and was proved by the appearance of the prison tables which bore the marks of gamingboards deeply cut into them
+LJ006-0196 prisoners confessed that it was a favorite occupation the chief games being shoving halfpence on the table
+LJ006-0197 pitch in the hole cribbage dominoes and common tossing at which as much as four or five shillings would change hands in an hour
+LJ006-0198 but this was not the only amusement most of the wards took in the daily papers
+LJ006-0199 the most popular being the times morning herald and morning chronicle on sunday the weekly dispatch bells life and the weekly messenger
+LJ006-0200 the newsman had free access to the prison he passed in unsearched and unexamined and unaccompanied by an officer
+LJ006-0201 went at once to his customers who bought their paper and paid for it themselves
+LJ006-0202 the newsvendor was also a tobacconist
+LJ006-0203 and he had thus ample means of introducing to the prisoners the prohibited but always muchcoveted and generally procurable weed
+LJ006-0204 in the same way the wardsman laid in his stock to be retailed other light literature besides the daily journals were in circulation
+LJ006-0205 novels flash songs playbooks such as jane shore grimms german tales with cruikshanks illustrations
+LJ006-0206 and publications which in these days would have been made the subject of a criminal prosecution
+LJ006-0207 one of these published by stockdale the inspectors styled a book of the most disgusting nature
+LJ006-0208 there was also a good supply of bibles and prayers
+LJ006-0209 the donation of a philanthropic gentleman captain brown but these particularly the bibles bore little appearance of having been used
+LJ006-0210 drink in more or less unlimited quantities was still to be had
+LJ006-0211 spirits certainly were now excluded but a potman with full permission of the sheriffs
+LJ006-0212 brought in beer for sale from a neighboring publichouse and visited all the wards with no other escort than the prisoner gatesman
+LJ006-0213 the quantity to be issued per head was limited by the prison regulations to one pint
+LJ006-0214 but no steps were taken to prevent any prisoner from obtaining more if he could pay for it
+LJ006-0215 the beerman brought in as much as he pleased he sold it without the controlling presence of an officer
+LJ006-0216 not only did prisoners come again and again for a pint but large quantities were carried off to the wards to be drunk later in the day
+LJ006-0217 there were more varied and at times especially when beer had circulated freely more uproarious diversions
+LJ006-0218 wrestling in which legs were occasionally broken was freely indulged in also such low games as cobham
+LJ006-0219 leapfrog puss in the corner and fly the garter for which purpose the rugs were spread out to prevent feet slipping on the floor
+LJ006-0220 feasting alternated with fighting
+LJ006-0221 the weekly introduction of food to which i shall presently refer formed the basis of luxurious banquets washed down by liquor
+LJ006-0222 and enlivened by flash songs and thrilling longwinded descriptions of robberies and other plants
+LJ006-0223 there was much swearing and bad language the very worst that could be used from the first thing in the morning to the last thing at night
+LJ006-0224 new arrivals especially the innocent and still guileless debutant were tormented with rude horseplay and assailed by the most insulting chaff
+LJ006-0225 if any man presumed to turn in too early
+LJ006-0226 he was toed that is to say a string was fastened to his big toe while he was asleep and he was dragged from off his mat
+LJ006-0227 or his bedclothes were drawn away across the room
+LJ006-0228 the ragged part of the prisoners were very anxious to destroy the clothes of the better dressed and often lighted small pieces of cloth
+LJ006-0229 which they dropped smoldering into their fellowprisoners pockets
+LJ006-0230 often the victim goaded to madness attacked his tormentors a fight was then certain to follow
+LJ006-0231 these fights sometimes took place in the daytime when a ring was regularly formed and two or three stood by the door to watch for the officers approach
+LJ006-0232 more often they occurred at night and were continued to the bitter end
+LJ006-0233 the prisoners in this way administered serious punishment on one another black eyes and broken noses were always to be seen
+LJ006-0234 more cruel injuries were common enough which did not result from honest handtohand fights
+LJ006-0235 the surgeons journal produced to the inspectors contained numerous entries of terrible wounds inflicted in a cowardly way
+LJ006-0236 a serious accident one of the prisoners had a hot poker run into his eye
+LJ006-0237 a lad named matthew white has had a wound in his eye by a bone thrown at him which very nearly destroyed vision
+LJ006-0238 there was a disturbance in the transport yard yesterday evening and the police were called in
+LJ006-0239 during the tumult a prisoner who was one of the worst of the rioters was bruised about the head and body
+LJ006-0240 watkins kneejoint is very severely injured
+LJ006-0241 a prisoner baxter is in the infirmary in consequence of a severe injury to his wristjoint
+LJ006-0242 watkins case referred to above is made the subject of another and a special report from the surgeon
+LJ006-0243 he was in the transport side when one of his fellows in endeavoring to strike another prisoner with a large poker missed his aim and struck watkins knee
+LJ006-0244 violent inflammation and extensive suppuration ensued and for a considerable time amputation seemed inevitable
+LJ006-0245 after severe suffering prolonged for many months the inflammation was subdued but the cartilage of the kneejoint was destroyed and he was crippled for life
+LJ006-0246 on another occasion a young man who was being violently teased seized a knife and stabbed his tormentor in the back
+LJ006-0247 the prisoner who used the knife was secured but it was the wardsman and not the officers to whom the report was made and no official inquiry or punishment followed
+LJ006-0248 matters were at times still worse and the rioting went on to such dangerous lengths as to endanger the safety of the building
+LJ006-0249 on one occasion a disturbance was raised which was not quelled until windows had been broken and forms and tables burnt
+LJ006-0250 the officers were obliged to go in among the prisoners to restore order with drawn cutlasses
+LJ006-0251 but the presence and authority of the governor himself became indispensable
+LJ006-0252 the worst fights occurred on sunday afternoons but nearly every night the act of locking up became from the consequent removal of all supervision
+LJ006-0253 the signal for the commencement of obscene talk revelry and violence
+LJ006-0254 other regulations laid down by the jail acts were still defied one of these was that prisoners should be restricted to the jail allowance of food
+LJ006-0255 but all could still obtain as much extra and of a luxurious kind as their friends chose to bring them in
+LJ006-0256 visitors were still permitted to come with supplies on given days of the week about the only limitation being that the food should be cooked and cold
+LJ006-0257 hot meat poultry and fish were also forbidden
+LJ006-0258 but the inspectors found in the ward cupboards mincepies and other pasties cold joints hams and so forth
+LJ006-0259 many other articles were introduced by visitors including money tobacco pipes and snuff
+LJ006-0260 from the same source came the two or three strong files which the inspectors found in one ward
+LJ006-0261 together with four bradawls several large iron spikes screws nails and knives
+LJ006-0262 all of them instruments calculated to facilitate attempts at breaking out of prison
+LJ006-0263 and capable of becoming most dangerous weapons in the hands of desperate and determined men
+LJ006-0264 the nearly indiscriminate admission of visitors although restricted to certain days continued to be an unmixed evil
+LJ006-0265 the untried might see their friends three times a week the convicted only once
+LJ006-0266 on these occasions precautions were supposed to be taken to exclude bad characters
+LJ006-0267 yet many persons of notoriously loose life continually obtained egress
+LJ006-0268 women saw men if they merely pretended to be wives even boys were visited by their sweethearts
+LJ006-0269 decency was however insured by a line of demarcation and visitors were kept upon each side of a separated double iron railing
+LJ006-0270 but no search was made to intercept prohibited articles at the gate and there was no permanent gatekeeper
+LJ006-0271 which would have greatly helped to keep out bad characters some idea of the difficulty and inconvenience of these lax regulations as regards visiting
+LJ006-0272 may be gathered from the statement that as many as three hundred were often admitted on the same day
+LJ006-0273 enough to altogether upset what small show of decorum and discipline was still preserved in the prison
+LJ006-0274 perhaps the worst feature of the visiting system was the permission accorded to male prisoners under the name of husbands brothers and sons
+LJ006-0275 to have access to the female side on sundays and wednesdays in order to visit their supposed relations there
+LJ006-0276 on this female side where the ladies association still reigned supreme more system and a greater semblance of decorum was maintained
+LJ006-0277 but there were evils akin to those on the male side prominent amongst which was the undue influence accorded to prisoners
+LJ006-0278 a female prisoner kept the registers
+LJ006-0279 wardswomen were allowed much the same authority with the same temptations to excess and intoxication was not unknown among them and others
+LJ006-0280 the clothing was still meager and ragged the washing places insufficient and wanting in decency
+LJ006-0281 in some yards
+LJ006-0282 the pump was the only provision and this in a place within sight of visitors of the windows of the male turnkeys and unprotected from the weather
+LJ006-0283 there was the same crowding in the sleeping arrangements as on the male side the same scarcity of bedding
+LJ006-0284 it was a special evil of this part of the prison that the devotional exercises originally so profitable had grown into a kind of edifying spectacle
+LJ006-0285 which numbers of wellmeaning but inquisitive people were anxious to witness
+LJ006-0286 thus when the inspectors visited there were twentythree strangers and only twentyeight prisoners
+LJ006-0287 the presence of so many strangers many of them gentlemen distracted the prisoners attention and could not be productive of much good
+LJ006-0288 the separation of the sexes was not indeed rigidly carried out in newgate as yet
+LJ006-0289 we have seen that male prisoners visited their female relations and friends on the female side besides this
+LJ006-0290 the gatesman who prepared the briefs had interviews with female prisoners alone while taking their instructions a female came alone and unaccompanied by a matron
+LJ006-0291 to clean the governors office in the male prison
+LJ006-0292 male prisoners carried coal into the female prison when they saw and could speak or pass letters to the female prisoners
+LJ006-0293 and the men could also at any time go for tea coffee and sugar to mrs browns shop which was inside the female gate
+LJ006-0294 in the baildock where most improper general association was permitted the female prisoners were often altogether in the charge of male turnkeys
+LJ006-0295 the governor was also personally responsible for gross contravention of this rule of separation
+LJ006-0296 and was in the habit of drawing frequently upon the female prison for prisoners to act as domestic servants in his own private dwelling
+LJ006-0297 some member of the ladies association observed and commented upon the fact that a young rosycheeked girl had been kept by the governor from transportation
+LJ006-0298 while older women in infirm health were sent across the seas
+LJ006-0299 his excuse was that he had given the girl his promise that she should not go an assumption of prerogative which by no means rested with him
+LJ006-0300 but he afterwards admitted that the girl had been recommended to him by the principal turnkey who knew something of her friends
+LJ006-0301 this woman was really his servant employed to help in cleaning and taken on whenever there was extra work to be done
+LJ006-0302 the governor had a great dislike he said to seeing strangers in his house
+LJ006-0303 this girl had been first engaged on account of the extra work entailed by certain prisoners
+LJ006-0304 committed by the house of commons who had been lodged in the governors own house
+LJ006-0305 the house at this time was full of men and visitors waiters came in from the taverns with meals
+LJ006-0306 some of the prisoners had their valets and all these were constantly in and out of the kitchen where this female prisoner was employed
+LJ006-0307 there was reveling and roistering as usual with high life belowstairs
+LJ006-0308 the governor sent down wine on festive occasions of which no doubt the prisoner housemaid had her share
+LJ007-0001 the chronicles of newgate volume two by arthur griffiths section ten the first report of the inspector of prisons
+LJ007-0002 eighteen years had elapsed since the formation of the ladies association
+LJ007-0003 and mrs fry with her colleagues still labored assiduously in newgate devoting themselves mainly to the female prison
+LJ007-0004 although their ministrations were occasionally extended to the male side
+LJ007-0005 the inspectors paid tribute to the excellence of the motives of these philanthropic ladies and recognized the good they did
+LJ007-0006 they had introduced much order and cleanliness
+LJ007-0007 had provided work for those who had hitherto passed their time in total idleness and had made the treatment of female transports on the way to new south wales
+LJ007-0008 their especial care
+LJ007-0009 they had tried moreover
+LJ007-0010 by their presence and their pious disinterested efforts to restrain the dissolute manners and vicious language of the unhappy and depraved inmates
+LJ007-0011 but it was already plain that they constituted an independent authority within the jails they were frequently in conflict with the chaplain
+LJ007-0012 who not strangely resented the orders issued by the aldermen
+LJ007-0013 that women should be frequently kept from chapel in order that they might attend the ladies lectures and exhortations
+LJ007-0014 the admission of a crowd of visitors to assist in these lay services has already been remarked upon as the inspectors pointed out
+LJ007-0015 it had the bad effect of distracting attention
+LJ007-0016 it tended to dissipate reflection diminish the gloom of the prison and mitigate the punishment which the law has sentenced the prisoner to undergo
+LJ007-0017 it is to be feared too that although the surface was thus whitewashed and decorous much that was vicious still festered and rankled beneath
+LJ007-0018 and that when the restraining influences of the ladies were absent the female prisoners relapsed into immoral and uncleanly discourse
+LJ007-0019 even in the daytime when supervision was withdrawn the language used to be dreadful says one of the women when under examination
+LJ007-0020 swearing and talking of what crimes they had committed and how they had done it another witness declared she had heard the most shocking language in the yard she said
+LJ007-0021 she had never witnessed such scenes before and hopes she never shall again it was dreadful
+LJ007-0022 after lockingup time which varied as on the male side according to the daylight the scenes were often riotous and disgraceful
+LJ007-0023 the poor who could afford no luxuries went to bed early but were kept awake by the revelries of the rich
+LJ007-0024 who supped royally on the supplies provided from outside and kept it up till ten or eleven oclock
+LJ007-0025 there were frequent quarrels and fights shoes and other missiles were freely bandied about
+LJ007-0026 and with all this the most dreadful oaths the worst language too bad to be repeated were made use of every night
+LJ007-0027 bad as were the various parts of the jail already dealt with
+LJ007-0028 there still remained one where the general callous indifference and mismanagement culminated in cruel culpable neglect
+LJ007-0029 the condition of the capitallyconvicted prisoners after sentence was still very disgraceful the side they occupied still known as the pressyard
+LJ007-0030 consisted of two dozen rooms and fifteen cells in these various chambers until just before the inspectors made their report
+LJ007-0031 all classes of the condemned those certain to suffer and the larger number who were nearly certain of a reprieve
+LJ007-0032 were jumbled up together higgledypiggledy the old and the young the murderer and the child who had broken into a dwelling
+LJ007-0033 all privacy was impossible under the circumstances
+LJ007-0034 at times the numbers congregated together were very great as many as fifty and sixty even more were crowded indiscriminately into the pressyard
+LJ007-0035 the betterdisposed complained bitterly of what they had to endure
+LJ007-0036 one man declared that the language of the condemned rooms was disgusting that he was dying a death every day in being compelled to associate with such characters
+LJ007-0037 in the midst of the noisy and blasphemous talk no one could pursue his meditations any who tried to pray became the sport and ridicule of his brutal fellows
+LJ007-0038 owing to the repeated entreaties of the criminals who could hardly hope to escape the gallows some show of classification was carried out
+LJ007-0039 and when the inspectors visited newgate they found the three certain to die in a dayroom by themselves
+LJ007-0040 in a second room were fourteen more who had every hope of a reprieve
+LJ007-0041 the whole of these seventeen had however a common airingyard and took their exercise there at the same time
+LJ007-0042 so that men in the most awful situation daily expecting to be hanged
+LJ007-0043 were associated continually with a number of those who could look with certainty on a mitigation of punishment
+LJ007-0044 the latter lighthearted and reckless conducted themselves in the most unseemly fashion and with as much indifference as the inmates of the other parts of the prison
+LJ007-0045 they amused themselves after their own fashion played all day long at blindmansbuff and leapfrog or beat each other with a knotted handkerchief
+LJ007-0046 laughing and uproarious utterly unmindful of the companionship of men upon whom lay the shadow of an impending shameful death
+LJ007-0047 men whose cases were dangerous and those most seriously inclined complained of these annoyances
+LJ007-0048 so subversive of meditation so disturbing to the thoughts
+LJ007-0049 they suffered sickening anxiety and wished to be locked up alone this indiscriminate association lasted for months
+LJ007-0050 during the whole of which time the unhappy convicts who had but little hope of commutation were exposed to the mockery of their reckless associates
+LJ007-0051 the brutal callousness of the bulk of the inmates of the pressyard may be gathered from the prison punishmentbook which frequently recorded such entries as the following
+LJ007-0052 benjamin vines and daniel ward put in irons for two days for breaking the windows of the day room in the condemned cells
+LJ007-0053 joseph coleman put in irons for three days for striking one of the prisoners in the same place
+LJ007-0054 there were disputes and quarrels constantly among these doomed men it was a word and blow an argument clenched always with a fight
+LJ007-0055 the more peaceably disposed found some occupation in making newgate tokens
+LJ007-0056 leaden hearts and grinding the impressions off pennypieces then pricking figures or words on them to give to their friends as memorials
+LJ007-0057 turnkeys occasionally visited the pressyard but its occupants were under little or no control
+LJ007-0058 the chaplain who might have been expected to make these men his peculiar care and who at one time had visited them frequently often several times a week
+LJ007-0059 had relaxed his efforts because according to his own account he was so frequently stopped in the performance of his duties
+LJ007-0060 in his evidence before the inspectors he declared that for years he gave his whole time to his duties from an early hour in the morning till late in the afternoon
+LJ007-0061 he left off because he was so much interfered with and laughed at and from seeing that no success attended his efforts owing to the evils arising from association
+LJ007-0062 latterly his ministrations to the condemned had been restricted to a visit on sunday afternoons and occasionally about once a fortnight on a weekday
+LJ007-0063 it is only fair to mr cotton to add that according to his own journal he was unremitting in his attentions to convicts who were actually cast for death
+LJ007-0064 and the day of whose execution was fixed he had no doubt a difficult mission to discharge
+LJ007-0065 on the one hand the ladies association supported and encouraged by public approval trenched upon his peculiar province
+LJ007-0066 on the other the governor of the jail sneered at his zeal
+LJ007-0067 stigmatized his often most just strictures on abuses as a bundle of nonsense and the aldermen when he appealed to them for protection and countenance
+LJ007-0068 generally sided with his opponents nevertheless the inspectors summed up against him
+LJ007-0069 while admitting that he had had many difficulties to contend with
+LJ007-0070 and that he had again and again protested against the obstacles thrown in his way the inspectors cannot forbear expressing their opinion that he might have shown greater perseverance
+LJ007-0071 in the face of impediments confessedly discouraging
+LJ007-0072 as regards the private teaching of prisoners and they went on to say that a resolved adherence in spite of discouragements the most disheartening
+LJ007-0073 to that line of conduct which his duty imposed on him
+LJ007-0074 would it is probable have eventually overcome the reluctance of some of the prisoners at least and would have possessed so much moral dignity
+LJ007-0075 as effectually to rebuke and abash the profane spirit of the more insolent and daring of the criminals
+LJ007-0076 the lax discipline maintained in newgate was still further deteriorated by the presence of two other classes of prisoners who ought never to have been inmates of such a jail
+LJ007-0077 one of these were the criminal lunatics who were at this time and for long previous continuously imprisoned there
+LJ007-0078 as the law stood since the passing of the ninth george the fourth c forty any two justices might remove a prisoner found to be insane either on commitment
+LJ007-0079 or arraignment to an asylum and the secretary of state had the same power as regards any who became insane while undergoing sentence
+LJ007-0080 these powers were not invariably put in force and there were in consequence many unhappy lunatics in newgate and other jails
+LJ007-0081 whose proper place was the asylum
+LJ007-0082 at the time the lords committee sat there were eight thus retained in newgate and a return in the appendix of the lords report
+LJ007-0083 gives a total of thirtynine lunatics confined in various jails many of them guilty of murder and other serious crimes
+LJ007-0084 the inspectors in the following year on examining the facts found that some of these poor creatures had been in confinement for long periods
+LJ007-0085 at newgate and york castle as long as five years at ilchester and morpeth for seven years at warwick for eight years
+LJ007-0086 at buckingham and hereford for eleven years
+LJ007-0087 at appleby for thirteen years at anglesea for fifteen years at exeter for sixteen years and at pembroke
+LJ007-0088 for not less a period than twentyfour years
+LJ007-0089 it was manifestly wrong that such persons visited by the most awful of calamities should be detained in a common prison
+LJ007-0090 not only did their presence tend greatly to interfere with the discipline of the prison but their condition was deplorable in the extreme
+LJ007-0091 the lunatic became the sport of the idle and the depraved his cure was out of the question
+LJ007-0092 he was placed in a situation beyond all others calculated to confirm his malady and prolong his sufferings
+LJ007-0093 the matter was still further complicated at newgate by the presence within the walls of sham lunatics some of those included in the category
+LJ007-0094 had actually been returned as sane from the asylum to which they had been sent and there was always some uncertainty as to who was mad and who not
+LJ007-0095 prisoners indeed were known to boast that they had saved their necks by feigning insanity
+LJ007-0096 it was high time that the unsatisfactory state of the law as regards the treatment of criminal lunatics should be remedied
+LJ007-0097 and not the least of the good services rendered by the new inspectors was their inquiry into the status of these unfortunate people and their recommendation to improve it
+LJ007-0098 the other inmates of the prison of an exceptional character and exempted from the regular discipline such as it was
+LJ007-0099 were the ten persons committed to newgate by the house of commons in eighteen thirtyfive
+LJ007-0100 these were the gentlemen concerned in the bribery case at ipswich in eighteen thirtyfive
+LJ007-0101 when a petition was presented against the return of messrs adam dundas and fitzroy kelly various witnesses including messrs j b dasent
+LJ007-0102 pilgrim bond and clamp had refused to give evidence before the house of commons committee a speakers warrant was issued for their arrest when they absconded
+LJ007-0103 mr j e sparrow and mr clipperton
+LJ007-0104 the parliamentary agents of the members whose election was impugned were implicated in aiding and abetting the others to abscond and a mr omally
+LJ007-0105 counsel for the two mps was also concerned
+LJ007-0106 pilgrim and dasent were caught and given into the custody of the sergeantatarms and the rest were either arrested or they surrendered
+LJ007-0107 a resolution at once passed the house without division to commit the whole to newgate where they remained for various terms
+LJ007-0108 dasent and pilgrim were released in ten days on making due submission
+LJ007-0109 omally sent in a medical certificate declaring that the imprisonment was endangering his life and after some question he was also released
+LJ007-0110 the rest were detained for more than a month it being considered that they were the most guilty as being either professional agents who advised the others to abscond
+LJ007-0111 or witnesses who did not voluntarily come forward when the chance was given them
+LJ007-0112 many of the old customs once prevalent in the state side so properly condemned and abolished
+LJ007-0113 were revived for the convenience of these gentlemen whose incarceration was thus rendered as little like imprisonment as possible
+LJ007-0114 a certain number who could afford the high rate of a guinea per diem fixed by the under sheriff were lodged in the governors house
+LJ007-0115 slept there and had their meals provided for them from the sessions house or london coffeehouse
+LJ007-0116 a few others who could not afford a payment of more than half a guinea were permitted to monopolize a part of the prison infirmary
+LJ007-0117 where the upper ward was exclusively appropriated to their use they also had their meals sent in and with the food wine almost ad libitum
+LJ007-0118 a prisoner one of the wardsmen waited on those in the infirmary the occupants of the governors house had their own servants or the governors
+LJ007-0119 as a rule visitors many of them persons of good position came and went all day long and as late as nine at night
+LJ007-0120 some to the infirmary many more to the governors house
+LJ007-0121 there were no restraints cards and backgammon were played and the time passed in feasting and revelry
+LJ007-0122 even mr cope admitted that the committal of this class of prisoners to newgate was most inconvenient
+LJ007-0123 and the inspectors expressed themselves still more strongly in reprehension of the practice
+LJ007-0124 the infirmary at this particular period epitomized the condition of the jail at large
+LJ007-0125 it was diverted from its proper uses and as the place of the greatest comfort was allotted to persons who should not have been sent to newgate at all
+LJ007-0126 all the evils of indiscriminate association were strongly accentuated by the crowd collected within its narrow limits
+LJ007-0127 it may easily be imagined say the inspectors in speaking of the prison generally
+LJ007-0128 what must be the state of discipline in a place filled with characters so various as were assembled there where the tried and the untried the sick and the healthy
+LJ007-0129 the sane and the insane the young and the old the trivial offender and the man about to suffer the extreme penalty of the law
+LJ007-0130 are all huddled together without discrimination oversight or control
+LJ007-0131 enough has probably been extracted from this most damnatory report to give a complete picture of the disgraceful state in which newgate still remained in eighteen thirtyfive
+LJ007-0132 the inspectors however honestly admitted that although the site of the prison was convenient its construction was as bad as bad could be
+LJ007-0133 valuable space was cumbered with many long and winding passages numerous staircases and unnecessarily thick and cumbrous inner walls
+LJ007-0134 the wards were in some cases spacious but they were entirely unsuited for separation or the inspection of prisoners
+LJ007-0135 the yards were narrow and confined mainly because the ground plan was radically vicious these were evils inseparable from the place
+LJ007-0136 but there were others remediable under a better system of management
+LJ007-0137 more attention to ventilation which was altogether neglected and inadequate would have secured a better atmosphere for the unhappy inmates
+LJ007-0138 who constantly breathed an air heavy and when the wards were first opened in the morning particularly offensive
+LJ007-0139 again the discipline commonly deemed inseparable from every place of durance was entirely wanting
+LJ007-0140 the primary object of committing a prisoner to jail as the inspectors pointed out was to deter not only the criminal himself but others from crime
+LJ007-0141 and to dispose him by meditation and seclusion to return to an honest life
+LJ007-0142 but at newgate the convicted prisoner instead of privation and hard fare
+LJ007-0143 is permitted to purchase whatever his own means or the means of his friends in or out of prison can afford
+LJ007-0144 and he can almost invariably procure the luxuries of his class of life beer and tobacco in abundance
+LJ007-0145 instead of seclusion and meditation his time is passed in the midst of a body of criminals of every class and degree in riot debauchery and gaming
+LJ007-0146 vaunting his own adventures or listening to those of others
+LJ007-0147 communicating his own skill and aptitude in crime or acquiring the lessons of greater adepts he has access to newspapers and of course
+LJ007-0148 prefers that description which are expressly prepared for his own class and which abound in vulgar adventure in criminal enterprise and in the histories of the police
+LJ007-0149 the jail and the scaffold
+LJ007-0150 he is allowed intercourse with prostitutes who in nine cases out of ten have originally conduced to his ruin
+LJ007-0151 and his connection with them is confirmed by that devotion and generosity towards their paramours in adversity for which these otherwise degraded women are remarkable
+LJ007-0152 having thus passed his time he returns a greater adept in crime with a wider acquaintance among criminals and what perhaps is even more injurious to him
+LJ007-0153 is generally known to all the worst men in the country not only without the inclination but almost without the ability of returning to an honest life
+LJ007-0154 these pungent and wellgrounded strictures applied with still greater force to the unconvicted prisoner the man who came to the prison innocent and still uncontaminated
+LJ007-0155 to be subjected to the same baneful influences and to suffer the same moral deterioration whether ultimately convicted or set free
+LJ007-0156 the whole system or more correctly the want of system was baneful and pernicious to the last degree
+LJ007-0157 the evils of such association were aggravated by the unbroken idleness one evil inflamed the other reformation
+LJ007-0158 or any kind of moral improvement was impossible the prisoners career was inevitably downward till he struck the lowest depths
+LJ007-0159 forced and constant intercourse with the most depraved individuals of his own class
+LJ007-0160 the employment of those means and agents by which the lowest passions and the most vulgar propensities of man are perpetually kept in the highest state of excitement
+LJ007-0161 drink gaming obscene and blasphemous language utter idleness the almost unrestricted admission of money and luxuries
+LJ007-0162 uncontrolled conversation with visitors of the very worst description prostitutes thieves receivers of stolen goods
+LJ007-0163 all the tumultuous and diversified passions and emotions which circumstances like these must necessarily generate
+LJ007-0164 forbid the faintest shadow of a hope that in a soil so unfavorable for moral culture
+LJ007-0165 any awakening truth salutary exhortation or imperfect resolutions of amendment can take root or grow
+LJ007-0166 strong as were the foregoing remarks the inspectors wound up their report in still more trenchant language
+LJ007-0167 framing a terrible indictment against those responsible for the condition of newgate their words deserve to be quoted in full
+LJ007-0168 we cannot close these remarks say the inspectors without an expression of the painful feelings with which we submit to your lordship
+LJ007-0169 this picture of the existing state of newgate
+LJ007-0170 that in this vast metropolis the center of wealth civilization and information
+LJ007-0171 distinguished as the seat of religion worth and philanthropy
+LJ007-0172 where is to be found in operation every expedient by which ignorance may be superseded by knowledge idleness by industry and suffering by benevolence
+LJ007-0173 that in the metropolis of this highlyfavored country to which the eyes of other lands turn for example a system of prison discipline such as that enforced in newgate
+LJ007-0174 should be for a number of years in undisturbed operation not only in contempt of religion and humanity
+LJ007-0175 but in opposition to the recorded denunciations of authority and in defiance of the express enactments of the law
+LJ007-0176 is indeed a subject which cannot but impress every considerate mind with humiliation and sorrow
+LJ007-0177 we trust however that the day is at hand when this stain will be removed from the character of the city of london
+LJ007-0178 and when the first municipal authority of our land will be no longer subjected to the reproach of fostering an institution which outrages the rights and feelings of humanity
+LJ007-0179 defeats the ends of justice and disgraces the profession of a christian country
+LJ007-0180 the publication of this report raised a storm in the city and the corporation was roused to make an immediate protest
+LJ007-0181 a committee of aldermen was forthwith appointed to report upon the inspectors report
+LJ007-0182 and the result was another lengthy blue book printed in the parliamentary papers eighteen thirtysix
+LJ007-0183 traversing where it was possible the statements of the inspectors and offering explanation and palliation of such evils as could not be denied
+LJ007-0184 the inspectors retorted without loss of time reiterating their charges and pointing out that the committee of aldermen by its own admission
+LJ007-0185 justified the original allegations it was impossible to deny the indiscriminate association the gambling drinking smoking quarreling in the jail
+LJ007-0186 the undue authority given to prisoners the levying of garnish under another name
+LJ007-0187 the neglect of the condemned convicts the filthy condition of the wards the insufficiency of bedding and clothing
+LJ007-0188 the misemployment of officers and prisoners by the governor
+LJ007-0189 the corporation evidently had the worst of it and began to feel the necessity for undertaking the great work of reform
+LJ007-0190 next year we find the inspectors expressing their satisfaction that the full and faithful exposure which we felt it our duty to make of newgate
+LJ007-0191 has been productive of at least some advantage
+LJ007-0192 inasmuch as it has aroused the attention of those upon whom parliamentary reports and grand jury presentments had hitherto failed to make the slightest impression
+LJ007-0193 the measures of improvement introduced were mainly as follows
+LJ007-0194 the fixing of inspection holes in the doors and walls so as to insure more supervision of windows opening into the wellholes
+LJ007-0195 to give better light and ventilation the construction of bedplaces three tiers high alongside the walls for males two tiers for females
+LJ007-0196 the provision of diningrooms and diningtables
+LJ007-0197 the infirmary was enlarged the admission of visitors limited and the passing of articles prevented by a wire screen
+LJ007-0198 the windows were to be glazed and painted to prevent prisoners from looking out
+LJ007-0199 baths fumigating places for clothing washhouse and the removal of dustbins completed the new arrangements in the main prison
+LJ007-0200 in the pressyard the pressroom and ward above it were parceled out into nine separate sleeping cells
+LJ007-0201 each was provided with an iron bedstead and a small desk at which the condemned man might read or write
+LJ007-0202 but the one great and most crying evil remained unremedied
+LJ007-0203 the mischief of jail associations say the inspectors
+LJ007-0204 which has been demonstrably proved to be the fruitful source of all the abuses and irregularities which have so long disgraced newgate
+LJ007-0205 is not only permitted still to exist in the prison but is rendered more powerful than before
+LJ007-0206 in endeavoring to arrest contamination prisoners were more closely confined and associated in smaller numbers
+LJ007-0207 but this had the effect of throwing them into closer contact and of making them more intimately acquainted with more directly influential upon one another
+LJ007-0208 in the inspectors fourth report dated eighteen thirtynine
+LJ007-0209 they return to the charge and again call the corporation to task for their mismanagement of newgate
+LJ007-0210 abuses and irregularities which had been partially remedied by the reform introduced in eighteen thirtyseven were once more in the ascendant
+LJ007-0211 in our late visits they say we have seen manifest indications of a retrograde movement in this respect
+LJ007-0212 and a tendency to return to much of that laxity and remissness which formerly marked the management of this prison
+LJ007-0213 again the following year the inspectors repeat their charge
+LJ007-0214 the prominent evils of this prison newgate evils which the alterations made within the last four years have failed to remove
+LJ007-0215 are the association of prisoners and the unusual contamination to which such association gives rise
+LJ007-0216 for nearly twentytwo hours out of the twentyfour the prisoners are locked up during which time no officer is stationed in the ward with them
+LJ007-0217 they go on to say
+LJ007-0218 newgate is only less extensively injurious than formerly because it is less crowded
+LJ007-0219 the effects of the imprisonment are to vitiate its inmates to extend their acquaintanceship with each other
+LJ007-0220 to corrupt the prisoner charged with an offense of which he may be innocent and to confirm in guilt the young and inexperienced offender
+LJ007-0221 the reports as the years flow on reiterate the same complaints
+LJ007-0222 much bitterness of feeling is evidently engendered and the corporation grows more and more angry with the inspectors
+LJ007-0223 the prison officials appear to be on the side of the inspectors to the great dissatisfaction of the corporation who claimed the full allegiance and support of its servants
+LJ007-0224 in a resolution passed by the court of aldermen on eighteenth march eighteen fortytwo
+LJ007-0225 i find it ordered that the ordinary of newgate be restricted from making any communications to the home office
+LJ007-0226 or the inspectors of prisons and that he be required wholly to confine himself to the performance of his duty as prescribed by act of parliament
+LJ007-0227 the inspectors were not to be deterred however by any opposition from the earnest discharge of their functions and continued to report against newgate
+LJ007-0228 in their tenth report
+LJ007-0229 they state that they are compelled by an imperative sense of duty to advert in terms of decided condemnation to the lamentable condition of the prisons of the city of london
+LJ007-0230 newgate giltspur st compter and the city bridewell
+LJ007-0231 in which the master evil of jail association and consequent contamination still continues to operate directly to the encouragement of crime
+LJ007-0232 the plan adopted for ventilating the diningroom on the masters side and that of the middle yard is very inefficient
+LJ007-0233 it consists of several circular perforations about two inches in diameter
+LJ007-0234 slanting downwards from the top of the walls to the outside adjoining the slaughterhouses of newgate market and occasionally in hot weather
+LJ007-0235 instead of ventilating the apartments they only serve to convey the offensive effluvia arising from the decaying animal matter into the diningrooms
+LJ007-0236 sometimes the stench in hot weather is said to be very bad
+LJ007-0237 many rats also come through these socalled ventilators as they open close to the ground at the back of the prison
+LJ007-0238 at the same time the inspectors animadvert strongly upon the misconduct of prisoners and the frequency of prison punishments
+LJ007-0239 both offenses and punishments affording a sufficient index to the practices going forward and they wind up by declaring
+LJ007-0240 that a strict compliance with their duties gave them no choice but to report matters as we found them
+LJ007-0241 and again and again to protest against newgate as it at present exists
+LJ007-0242 no complete and permanent improvement was indeed possible while newgate remained unchanged
+LJ007-0243 it was not till the erection of the new prison at holloway in eighteen fifty and the entire internal reconstruction of newgate according to new ideas
+LJ008-0001 the chronicles of newgate volume two by arthur griffiths section eleven executions part one
+LJ008-0002 i propose to return now to the subject of newgate executions
+LJ008-0003 which we left at the time of the discontinuance of the longpracticed procession to tyburn
+LJ008-0004 the reasons for this change were fully set forth in a previous chapter
+LJ008-0005 the terrible spectacle was as demoralizing to the public for whose admonition it was intended
+LJ008-0006 as the exposure was brutal and cruel towards the principal actors
+LJ008-0007 the decision to remove the scene of action to the immediate front of the jail itself
+LJ008-0008 was in the right direction as making the performance shorter and diminishing the area of display
+LJ008-0009 but the old bailey was not exclusively used
+LJ008-0010 at first and for some few years after seventeen eightyfour executions took place occasionally at a distance from newgate
+LJ008-0011 this was partly due to the survival of the old notion that the scene of the crime ought also to witness the retribution
+LJ008-0012 partly perhaps because residents in and about the old bailey raised a loud protest against the constant erection of the scaffold in their neighborhood
+LJ008-0013 as regards the first i find that in seventeen eightysix
+LJ008-0014 john hogan the murderer of a mr odell an attorney who resided in charlotte street rathbone place
+LJ008-0015 was executed on a gibbet in front of his victims house
+LJ008-0016 lawrence jones a burglar was in seventeen ninetythree ordered for execution in hatton garden near the house he had robbed
+LJ008-0017 and when he evaded the sentence by suicide his body was exhibited in the same neighborhood
+LJ008-0018 extended upon a plank on the top of an open cart in his clothes and fettered
+LJ008-0019 again as late as eighteen oh nine and eighteen twelve execution dock on the banks of the thames was still retained
+LJ008-0020 here john sutherland commander of the british armed transport the friends suffered on the twentyninth june eighteen oh nine
+LJ008-0021 for the murder of his cabinboy whom he stabbed after much illusage on board the ship as it lay in the tagus
+LJ008-0022 on the eighteenth december eighteen twelve
+LJ008-0023 two sailors charles palm and sam tilling were hanged at the same place for the murder of their captain james keith
+LJ008-0024 of the trading vessel adventure upon the high seas
+LJ008-0025 they were taken in a cart to the place of execution amidst a vast concourse of people
+LJ008-0026 palm as soon as he was seated in the cart
+LJ008-0027 put a quid of tobacco into his mouth and offered another to his companion who refused it with indignation
+LJ008-0028 some indications of pity were offered for the fate of tilling palm execration alone
+LJ008-0029 but the old bailey gradually and in spite of all objections urged monopolized the dread business of execution
+LJ008-0030 the first affair of the kind on this spot was on the third december seventeen eightythree
+LJ008-0031 when in pursuance of an order issued by the recorder to the sheriffs of middlesex and the keeper of his majestys jail newgate
+LJ008-0032 a scaffold was erected in front of that prison for the execution of several convicts named by the recorder
+LJ008-0033 ten were executed
+LJ008-0034 the scaffold hung with black and the inhabitants of the neighborhood having petitioned the sheriffs to remove the scene of execution to the old place
+LJ008-0035 were told that the plan had been well considered and would be persevered in
+LJ008-0036 the following twentythird april it is stated that the malefactors ordered for execution on the eighteenth instead
+LJ008-0037 were brought out of newgate about eight in the morning and suspended on a gallows of a new construction
+LJ008-0038 after hanging the usual time they were taken down and the machine cleared away in halfanhour
+LJ008-0039 by practice the art is much improved and there is no part of the world in which villains are hanged in so neat a manner and with so little ceremony
+LJ008-0040 a full description of this new gallows which was erected in front of the debtors door is to be found in contemporary records
+LJ008-0041 the criminals are not exposed to view till they mount the fatal stage the last part of the stage or that next to the jail
+LJ008-0042 is enclosed by a temporary roof under which are placed two seats for the reception of the sheriffs one on each side of the stairs leading to the scaffold
+LJ008-0043 round the north west and south sides are erected galleries for the reception of officers attendants etc
+LJ008-0044 and at the distance of five feet from the same is fixed a strong railing all round the scaffold to enclose a place for the constables
+LJ008-0045 in the middle of this machinery is placed a movable platform in form of a trapdoor ten feet long by eight wide
+LJ008-0046 on the middle of which is placed the gibbet extending from the jail across the old bailey
+LJ008-0047 this movable platform is raised six inches higher than the rest of the scaffold and on it the convicts stand
+LJ008-0048 it is supported by two beams which are held in their place by bolts the movement of the lever withdraws the bolts the platform falls in
+LJ008-0049 and this being much more sudden and regular than that of a cart being drawn away has the effect of immediate death
+LJ008-0050 a broadsheet dated april twentyfourth seventeen eightyseven describing an execution on the newlyinvented scaffold before the debtors door
+LJ008-0051 says the scaffold on which these miserable people suffered is a temporary machine which was drawn out of the yard of the sessions house by horses
+LJ008-0052 it is supported by strong posts fixed into grooves made in the street
+LJ008-0053 the whole is temporary being all calculated to take to pieces which are preserved within the prison
+LJ008-0054 this contrivance appears to have been copied with improvements from that which had been used in dublin at a still earlier date
+LJ008-0055 for that city claims the priority in establishing the custom of hanging criminals at the jail itself
+LJ008-0056 the dublin engine of death as the gallows are styled in the account from which the following description is taken consisted of an iron bar
+LJ008-0057 parallel to the prison wall and about four feet from it but strongly affixed thereto with iron scroll clamps
+LJ008-0058 from this bar hang several iron loops in which the halters are tied
+LJ008-0059 under this bar at a proper distance is a piece of flooring or platform
+LJ008-0060 projecting somewhat beyond the range of the iron bar and swinging upon hinges affixed to the wall
+LJ008-0061 the entrance upon this floor or leaf is from the middle window over the gate of the prison
+LJ008-0062 and this floor is supported below
+LJ008-0063 while the criminals stand upon it by two pieces of timber which are made to slide in and out of the prison wall through apertures made for that purpose
+LJ008-0064 when the criminals are tied up and prepared for their fate this floor suddenly falls down upon withdrawing the supporters inwards
+LJ008-0065 they are both drawn at once by a windlass and the unhappy culprits remain suspended
+LJ008-0066 this mode of execution it is alleged gave rise to the old vulgar chaff take care or youll die at the fall of the leaf
+LJ008-0067 the machinery in use in dublin is much the same as that employed at many jails nowadays
+LJ008-0068 but the fall apart and inwards of two leaves is considered superior
+LJ008-0069 the latter is the method still followed at newgate
+LJ008-0070 the sentences inflicted in front of newgate were not limited to hanging
+LJ008-0071 in the few years which elapsed between the establishment of the gallows at newgate
+LJ008-0072 and the abolition of the practice of burning females for petty treason more than one woman suffered this penalty at the old bailey
+LJ008-0073 one case is preserved by catnach
+LJ008-0074 that of phoebe harris who in seventeen eightyeight was barbariously executed and burnt before newgate for coining
+LJ008-0075 she is described as a wellmade little woman something more than thirty years of age of a pale complexion and not disagreeable features
+LJ008-0076 when she came out of prison she appeared languid and terrified and trembled greatly as she advanced to the stake
+LJ008-0077 where the apparatus for the punishment she was about to experience
+LJ008-0078 seemed to strike her mind with horror and consternation to the exclusion of all power of recollectedness in preparation for the approaching awful moment
+LJ008-0079 she walked from the debtors door to a stake fixed in the ground about halfway between the scaffold and newgate street
+LJ008-0080 she was immediately tied by the neck to an iron bolt fixed near the top of the stake
+LJ008-0081 and after praying fervently for a few minutes the steps on which she stood were drawn away and she was left suspended
+LJ008-0082 a chain fastened by nails to the stake was then put round her body by the executioner with his assistants
+LJ008-0083 two cartloads of faggots were piled about her and after she had hung for halfanhour the fire was kindled
+LJ008-0084 the flames presently burned the halter the body fell a few inches and hung then by the iron chain
+LJ008-0085 the fire had not quite burnt out at twelve in nearly four hours that is to say
+LJ008-0086 a great concourse of people attended on this melancholy occasion
+LJ008-0087 the change from tyburn to the old bailey had worked no improvement as regards the gathering together of the crowd or its demeanor
+LJ008-0088 as many spectators as ever thronged to see the dreadful show
+LJ008-0089 and they were packed into a more limited space disporting themselves as heretofore by brutal horseplay coarse jests and frantic yells
+LJ008-0090 it was still the custom to offer warm encouragement or bitter disapproval according to the character and antecedents of the sufferer
+LJ008-0091 the highwayman whose exploits many in the crowd admired or emulated was cheered and bidden to die game
+LJ008-0092 the man of better birth could hope for no sympathy whatever his crime
+LJ008-0093 at the execution of governor wall in eighteen oh two the furious hatred of the mob was plainly apparent in their appalling cries
+LJ008-0094 his appearance on the scaffold was the signal for three prolonged shouts from an innumerable populace the brutal effusion of one common sentiment
+LJ008-0095 it was said that so large a crowd had never collected since the execution of mrs brownrigg nor had the public indignation risen so high
+LJ008-0096 pieman and balladmonger did their usual roaring trade amidst the dense throng
+LJ008-0097 no sooner was the job finished than halfadozen competitors appeared each offering the identical rope for sale at a shilling an inch
+LJ008-0098 one was the yeoman of the halter a newgate official the executioners assistant whom mr j t smith who was present at the execution
+LJ008-0099 describes as a most diabolicallooking little wretch jack ketchs head man
+LJ008-0100 the yeoman was however undersold by his wife rosy emma
+LJ008-0101 exuberant in talk and hissing hot from pie corner where she had taken her morning dose of ginandbitters
+LJ008-0102 a little further off says mr smith was a lath of a fellow past threescore years and ten
+LJ008-0103 who had just arrived from the purlieus of black boy alley woebegone as romeos apothecary exclaiming
+LJ008-0104 heres the identical rope at sixpence an inch
+LJ008-0105 mr smiths account of the condemned convict whose cell he was permitted to enter may be inserted here
+LJ008-0106 he was introduced by the ordinary dr forde a name familiar to the reader who met him at the felons door
+LJ008-0107 in his canonicals and with his head as stiffly erect as a sheriffs coachman
+LJ008-0108 the ordinary gravely uttered come this way mr smith
+LJ008-0109 as we crossed the press yard a cock crew and the solitary clanking of a restless chain was dreadfully horrible
+LJ008-0110 the prisoners had not risen
+LJ008-0111 they entered a stone cold room and were presently joined by the prisoner
+LJ008-0112 he was deaths counterfeit tall shriveled and pale
+LJ008-0113 and his soul shot out so piercingly through the portholes of his head that the first glance of him nearly petrified me
+LJ008-0114 his hands were clasped and he was truly penitent
+LJ008-0115 after the yeoman had requested him to stand up he pinioned him as the newgate phrase is
+LJ008-0116 and tied the cord with so little feeling that the governor wall who had not given the wretch his accustomed fee observed
+LJ008-0117 you have tied me very tight upon which dr forde ordered him to slacken the cord which he did but not without muttering
+LJ008-0118 thank you sir said the governor to the doctor it is of little moment
+LJ008-0119 he then made some observations to the attendant about the fire and turning to the doctor questioned him
+LJ008-0120 do tell me sir i am informed i shall go down with great force is it so
+LJ008-0121 after the construction and action of the machine had been explained the doctor asked the governor what kind of men he had commanded at goree
+LJ008-0122 where the murder for which he was condemned had been committed
+LJ008-0123 sir he answered they sent me the very riffraff
+LJ008-0124 the poor soul then joined the doctor in prayer and never did i witness more contrition at any condemned sermon than he then evinced
+LJ008-0125 the sheriff arrived attended by his officers to receive the prisoner from the keeper
+LJ008-0126 a new hat was partly flattened on his head for owing to its being too small in the crown it stood many inches too high behind
+LJ008-0127 as we were crossing the press yard
+LJ008-0128 the dreadful execrations of some of the felons so shook his frame that he observed the clock had struck and quickening his pace
+LJ008-0129 he soon arrived at the room where the sheriff was to give a receipt for his body according to the usual custom
+LJ008-0130 before the colonel had been pinioned he had pulled out two white handkerchiefs one of which he bound over his temples so as nearly to conceal his eyes
+LJ008-0131 the other he kept between his hands
+LJ008-0132 over the handkerchief around his brows he placed a white cap the new hat being on top of all
+LJ008-0133 he was dressed in a mixedcolored loose coat with a black collar swandown waistcoat blue pantaloons and white silk stockings
+LJ008-0134 thus appareled he ascended the stairs at the debtors door
+LJ008-0135 and stepped out on to the platform to be received as has been said by prolonged yells
+LJ008-0136 these evidently deprived him of the small portion of fortitude he had summoned up
+LJ008-0137 he bowed his head under extreme pressure of ignominy
+LJ008-0138 and at his request the ordinary drew the cap further down over his face when in an instant
+LJ008-0139 without waiting for any signal the platform dropped and he was launched into eternity
+LJ008-0140 whenever the public attention had been specially called to a particular crime either on account of its atrocity
+LJ008-0141 the doubtfulness of the issue or the superior position of the perpetrator
+LJ008-0142 the attendance at the execution was certain to be tumultuous and the conduct of the mob disorderly
+LJ008-0143 this was notably the case at the execution of holloway and haggerty
+LJ008-0144 in eighteen oh seven an event long remembered from the fatal and disastrous consequences which followed it
+LJ008-0145 they were accused by a confederate who goaded by conscience had turned approver of the murder of a mr steele
+LJ008-0146 who kept a lavender warehouse in the city and who had gardens at feltham
+LJ008-0147 whither he often went to distill the lavender returning to london the same evening
+LJ008-0148 one night he was missing
+LJ008-0149 and after a long interval his dead body was discovered shockingly disfigured in a ditch this was in eighteen oh two
+LJ008-0150 four years passed without the detection of the murderers
+LJ008-0151 but in the beginning of eighteen oh seven one of them at that time just sentenced to transportation
+LJ008-0152 made a full confession and implicated holloway and haggerty
+LJ008-0153 they were accordingly apprehended and brought to trial the informer hanfield by name being accepted as kings evidence
+LJ008-0154 conviction followed mainly on his testimony but the two men especially holloway stoutly maintained their innocence to the last
+LJ008-0155 very great excitement prevailed in the town throughout the trial and this greatly increased when the verdict was known
+LJ008-0156 an enormous crowd assembled to witness the execution amounting it was said to the hitherto unparalleled number of forty thousand
+LJ008-0157 by eight oclock not an inch of ground in front of the platform was unoccupied
+LJ008-0158 the pressure soon became so frightful that many would have willingly escaped from the crowd but their attempts only increased the general confusion
+LJ008-0159 very soon women began to scream with terror
+LJ008-0160 some especially of low stature found it difficult to remain standing and several although held up for some time by the men nearest them
+LJ008-0161 presently fell and were at once trampled to death
+LJ008-0162 cries of murder murder were now raised and added greatly to the horrors of the scene
+LJ008-0163 panic became general more women children and many men were borne down to perish beneath the feet of the rest
+LJ008-0164 the most affecting and distressing scene was at green arbor lane just opposite the debtors door of the prison
+LJ008-0165 here a couple of piemen had been selling their wares the basket of one of them which was raised upon a fourlegged stool was upset
+LJ008-0166 the pieman stooped down to pick up his scattered stock and some of the mob not seeing what had happened stumbled over him
+LJ008-0167 no one who fell ever rose again
+LJ008-0168 among the rest was a woman with an infant at the breast
+LJ008-0169 she was killed but in the act of falling she forced her child into the arms of a man near her and implored him in gods name to save it
+LJ008-0170 the man needing all his care for his own life threw the child from him
+LJ008-0171 and it passed along the heads of the crowd to be caught at last by a person who struggled with it to a cart and deposited it there in safety
+LJ008-0172 in another part seven persons met their death by suffocation
+LJ008-0173 in this convulsive struggle for bare existence people fought fiercely with one another and the weakest of course the women went under
+LJ008-0174 one cartload of spectators having broken down some of its occupants fell off the vehicle and were instantly trampled to death
+LJ008-0175 this went on for more than an hour and until the malefactors were cut down and the gallows removed
+LJ008-0176 then the mob began to thin and the streets were cleared by the city marshals and a number of constables
+LJ008-0177 the catastrophe exceeded the worst anticipations nearly one hundred dead and dying lay about and after all had been removed
+LJ008-0178 the bodies for identification the wounded to hospitals a cartload of shoes hats petticoats and fragments of wearing apparel were picked up
+LJ008-0180 among the dead was a sailor lad whom no one knew
+LJ008-0181 he had his pockets filled with bread and cheese and it was generally supposed that he had come a long distance to see the fatal show
+LJ008-0182 a tremendous crowd assembled when bellingham was executed in eighteen twelve for the murder of spencer percival at that time prime minister
+LJ008-0183 but there were no serious accidents beyond those caused by the goring of a maddened overdriven ox which forced its way through the crowd
+LJ008-0184 precautions had been taken by the erection of barriers and the posting of placards at all the avenues to the old bailey on which was printed
+LJ008-0185 beware of entering the crowd remember thirty poor persons were pressed to death by the crowd when haggerty and holloway were executed
+LJ008-0186 the concourse was very great notwithstanding these warnings
+LJ008-0187 it was still greater at fauntleroys execution in eighteen twentyfour when no less than one hundred thousand persons assembled it was said
+LJ008-0188 every window and roof which could command a view of the horrible performance was occupied
+LJ008-0189 all the avenues and approaches places even whence nothing whatever could be seen of the scaffold
+LJ008-0190 were blocked by persons who had overflowed from the area in front of the jail
+LJ008-0191 at courvoisiers execution in eighteen forty it was the same or worse
+LJ008-0192 as early as six am the number assembled already exceeded that seen on ordinary occasions
+LJ008-0193 by seven am the whole space was so thronged that it was impossible to move one way or the other
+LJ008-0194 some persons were kept for more than five hours standing against the barriers and many nearly fainted from exhaustion
+LJ008-0195 every window had its party of occupants the adjoining roofs were equally crowded
+LJ008-0196 high prices were asked and paid for front seats or good standing room as much as five pounds was given for the attic story
+LJ008-0197 of the lambs coffee house
+LJ008-0198 two pounds was a common price for a window
+LJ008-0199 at the george publichouse to the south of the drop sir w watkin wynn baronet
+LJ008-0200 hired a room for the night and morning which he and a large party of friends occupied before and during the execution
+LJ008-0201 in an adjoining house that of an undertaker was lord alfred paget also with several friends
+LJ008-0202 those who had hired apartments spent the night in them keeping up their courage with liquids and cigars
+LJ008-0203 numbers of ladies were present although the public feeling was much against their attendance
+LJ008-0204 one welldressed woman fell out of a firstfloor window on to the shoulders of the crowd below but neither she nor any one else was greatly hurt
+LJ008-0205 the city authorities had endeavored to take all precautions against panic and excitement among the crowd
+LJ008-0206 and caused a number of stout additional barriers to be erected in front of the scaffold
+LJ008-0207 and although one of these gave way owing to the extraordinary pressure no serious accident occurred
+LJ008-0208 some years later an eyewitness published a graphic account of one of these scenes
+LJ008-0209 soon after midnight on the sunday night for by this time the present practice of executing on monday morning had been pretty generally introduced
+LJ008-0210 the crowd began to congregate in and about the old bailey
+LJ008-0211 ginshops and coffeehouses were the first to open doors and touts began to bid for tenants for the various rooms upstairs
+LJ008-0212 cries of comfortable room excellent situation beautiful prospect splendid view resounded on every side
+LJ008-0213 by this time the workmen might be heard busily erecting the gallows
+LJ008-0214 the sounds of hammer and saw intermingled with the broad jeers and coarse jests of the rapidly increasing mob
+LJ008-0215 one by one the huge uprights of black timber were fitted together
+LJ008-0216 until presently the huge stage loomed dark above the crowd which was now ranged round the barriers
+LJ008-0217 a throng of people whom neither rain snow storm nor darkness ever hindered from attending the show
+LJ008-0218 they were mainly members of the criminal classes
+LJ008-0219 their conversation was of companions and associates of former years long ago imprisoned transported hanged while they
+LJ008-0220 hoaryheaded and hardened in guilt were still at large
+LJ008-0221 they talked of the days when the convicts were hung up a dozen or more in a row
+LJ008-0222 of those who had shown the white and those who had died game
+LJ008-0223 the approaching ceremony had evidently no terrors for these idolaters of the gallows
+LJ008-0224 with them were younger men and women
+LJ008-0225 the former already vowed to the same criminal career and looking up to their elders with the respect due to successful practitioners
+LJ008-0226 the latter unsexed and brutalized by dissipation
+LJ008-0227 slipshod and slovenly in crushed bonnet and dirty shawl the gown fastened by a single hook
+LJ008-0228 their harsh and halfcracked voices full of maudlin besotted sympathy for those about to die
+LJ008-0229 above the murmur and tumult of that noisy assembly the lowing and bleating of cattle as they were driven into the stalls and pens of smithfield
+LJ008-0230 fell with a strange unnatural sound upon the ear
+LJ008-0231 hush the unceasing murmur of the mob now breaks into a loud deep roar
+LJ008-0232 a sound as if the ocean had suddenly broken through some ancient boundary against which its ever restless billows had for ages battered
+LJ008-0233 the wide dark sea of heads is all at once in motion
+LJ008-0234 each wave seems trying to overleap the other as they are drawn onwards towards this outlet
+LJ008-0235 every link in that great human chain is shaken along the whole lengthened line has the motion jarred and each in turn sees
+LJ008-0236 coiled up on the floor of the scaffold like a serpent the hangmans rope
+LJ008-0237 the human hand that placed it there was only seen for a moment
+LJ008-0238 as it lay white and ghastly upon the black boards and then again was as suddenly withdrawn as if ashamed of the deed it had done
+LJ008-0239 the loud shout of the multitude once more subsided or only fell upon the abstracted ear like the dreamy murmur of an ocean shell
+LJ008-0240 then followed sounds more distinct and audible in which gingerbeer pies fried fish sandwiches and fruit
+LJ008-0241 were vended under the names of notorious murderers highwaymen and criminals
+LJ008-0242 famous in the annals of newgate for the hardihood they had displayed in the hour of execution when they terminated their career of crime at the gallows
+LJ008-0243 threading his way among these itinerant vendors was seen the meekfaced deliverer of tracts the man of good intentions now bonneted
+LJ008-0244 now laughed at the skirt of his seedy black coat torn across yet
+LJ008-0245 though pulled right and left or sent headlong into the crowd by the swing of some brutal and muscular arm
+LJ008-0246 never once from that pale face passed away its benign and patient expression
+LJ008-0247 but ever the same form moved along in the fulfillment of his mission in spite of all persecution
+LJ008-0248 another fight followed the score which had already taken place this time two women were the combatants
+LJ008-0249 blinded with their long hair they tore at each other like two furies their bonnets and caps were trodden underfoot in the kennel
+LJ008-0250 and lay disregarded beside the body of the poor dog which while searching for its master in the crowd
+LJ008-0251 was an hour before kicked to death by the savage and brutal mob
+LJ008-0252 another deep roar louder than any which had preceded it broke from the multitude
+LJ008-0253 then came the cry of hats off and down in front as at a theatre
+LJ008-0254 it was followed by the deep and solemn booming of the deathbell from the church of st sepulchre
+LJ008-0255 the iron knell that rang upon the beating heart of the living man who was about to die
+LJ008-0256 and with blanched cheek and sinking we turned away from the scene
+LJ008-0257 in thus describing the saturnalia before the gallows i have been drawn on somewhat beyond the period with which i am at present dealing
+LJ008-0258 let me retrace my steps and speak more in detail of the treatment of the condemned in those bloodthirsty and brutally indifferent days
+LJ008-0259 and of their demeanor after sentence until the last penalty was paid
+LJ008-0260 one of the worst evils was the terrible and longprotracted uncertainty as to the result
+LJ008-0261 in the case of convicted murderers only was prompt punishment inflicted
+LJ008-0262 and with them indeed this dispatch amounted to undue precipitancy
+LJ008-0263 fortyeight hours was the limit of time allowed to the unhappy man to make his peace and during that time he was still kept on a bare allowance of bread and water
+LJ008-0264 but the murderers formed only a small proportion of the total number sentenced to death and for the rest there was a long period of anxious suspense
+LJ008-0265 although in the long run mercy generally prevailed and very few capitally convicted for crimes less than murder actually suffered
+LJ008-0266 thus in the years between may first eighteen twentyseven and thirtieth april eighteen thirtyone
+LJ008-0267 no less than four hundred and fiftyone sentences of death for capital crimes were passed at the old bailey
+LJ008-0268 but of these three hundred and ninetysix were reversed by the king in council and only fiftytwo were really executed
+LJ008-0269 already the severity of our criminal code and the number of capital felonies upon the statute book had brought a reaction
+LJ008-0270 and while the courts adhered to the letter of the law appeals were constantly made to the royal prerogative of mercy
+LJ008-0271 this was more particularly the practice in london
+LJ008-0272 judges on assize were satisfied with simply recording a sentence of death against offenders whom they did not think deserved the extreme penalty
+LJ008-0273 at the old bailey almost every one capitally convicted by a jury was sentenced to be hanged
+LJ008-0274 the result in the latter case was left in the first place to the king in council
+LJ008-0275 but there was a further appeal then as now to the king himself or practically to the home secretary
+LJ008-0276 neither in town or country were cases entirely taken on their own merits
+LJ008-0277 convicted offenders might have good or bad luck they might be arraigned when their particular crime was uncommon and were then nearly certain to escape
+LJ008-0278 or theirs might be one of many and it might be considered necessary to make an example
+LJ008-0279 in this latter it might fairly be said that a man was put to death less for his own sins than for the crimes of others
+LJ008-0280 the absurdity of the system its irregularity and cruelty were fully touched upon by the inspectors of prisons in their first report
+LJ008-0281 they found at newgate under disgraceful conditions as already described
+LJ008-0282 seventeen capital convicts upon all of whom the sentence of death had been passed eventually two only of the whole number suffered
+LJ008-0283 two others were sentenced to three months imprisonment and the balance to varying terms
+LJ008-0284 nothing could be more strongly marked than the contrast between the ultimate destiny of different individuals all abiding the same awful doom
+LJ008-0285 on the one hand the gallows on the other a short imprisonment
+LJ008-0286 the inspectors very properly desired to call attention to the inevitable tendency in this mode of dealing with the most awful sanctions of the law
+LJ008-0287 to make those sanctions an object of contemptuous mockery
+LJ008-0288 the consequences were plainly proved to the inspectors
+LJ008-0289 capitally convicted prisoners did as a matter of fact treat with habitual and inexpressible levity the sentence of death
+LJ008-0290 of this i have treated at length in the last chapter
+LJ008-0291 the time thus spent varied considerably
+LJ008-0292 but it was seldom less than six weeks it all depended upon the sovereigns disposition to do business
+LJ008-0293 sometimes the privy council did not meet for months and during all that time the convicts languished with hope
+LJ008-0294 nearly indefinitely deferred
+LJ008-0295 when the council had decided the news was conveyed to newgate by the recorder who made his report as it was called
+LJ008-0296 the time of the arrival of this report was generally known at newgate
+LJ008-0297 and its contents were anxiously awaited by both convicts in the pressyard and their friends collected in a crowd outside the gates
+LJ008-0298 sometimes the report was delayed
+LJ008-0299 on one occasion mr wakefield tells us the recorder who had attended the council at windsor did not deliver the report till the following day
+LJ008-0300 the prisoners and their friends therefore were kept in a state of the most violent suspense for many hours
+LJ008-0301 during which they counted the moments the prisoners in their cells as usual and their friends in the street in front of newgate where they passed the night
+LJ008-0302 i have heard the protracted agony of both classes described by those who witnessed it in terms so strong that i am unwilling to repeat them
+LJ008-0303 the crowd of men and women who passed the night in front of newgate began as soon as the hour was passed when they had expected the report
+LJ008-0304 to utter imprecations against the recorder the secretary of state the council and the king
+LJ008-0305 they never ceased cursing until the passion of anger so excited was exchanged for joy in some and grief in others
+LJ008-0306 i myself heard more than one of those whose lives were spared by that decision of the council
+LJ008-0307 afterwards express a wish to murder the recorder for having kept them so long in suspense
+LJ008-0308 the recorders report generally reached newgate late at night
+LJ008-0309 its receipt was immediately followed by the promulgation of its contents to the persons most closely concerned
+LJ008-0310 which was done with a sort of ceremony intended to be impressive
+LJ008-0311 the whole of the convicts were assembled together in one ward and made to kneel down
+LJ008-0312 to them entered the chaplain or ordinary of newgate in full canonicals
+LJ008-0313 who in solemn tones communicated to each in turn the fate in store for him
+LJ008-0314 the form of imparting the intelligence was generally the same
+LJ008-0315 soandso i am sorry to tell you that it is all against you or
+LJ008-0316 a b your case has been taken into consideration by the king in council and his majesty has been mercifully pleased to spare your life
+LJ008-0317 the fatal news was not always received in the same way
+LJ008-0318 the men who were doomed often fell down in convulsions upon the floor
+LJ008-0319 sometimes any who had had a narrow escape fainted but the bulk of those respited looked on with unfeeling indifference
+LJ009-0001 the chronicles of newgate volume two by arthur griffiths section twelve executions part two
+LJ009-0002 it is satisfactory to be able to record that some consideration was shown the capital convict actually awaiting execution
+LJ009-0003 even so severe a critic as mr wakefield states that a stranger to the scene
+LJ009-0004 would be astonished to observe the peculiar tenderness i was going to add respect
+LJ009-0005 which persons under sentence of death obtain from all the officers of the prison
+LJ009-0006 before sentence a prisoner has only to observe the regulations of the jail in order to remain neglected and unnoticed
+LJ009-0007 once ordered to the cells friends of all classes suddenly rise up his fellowprisoners the turnkeys the chaplain
+LJ009-0008 the keepers and the sheriffs all seem interested in his fate and he can make no reasonable request that is not at once granted by whomsoever he may address
+LJ009-0009 this rule has some but very few exceptions such as where a hardened offender behaves with great levity and brutality as if he cared nought for his life
+LJ009-0010 and thought every one anxious to promote his death
+LJ009-0011 mr wakefield goes on to remark that persons convicted of forgery excited an extraordinary degree of interest in all who approached them
+LJ009-0012 this was noticeable with fauntleroy who on account of his birth and antecedents was allowed to occupy a turnkeys room
+LJ009-0013 and kept altogether separate from the other prisoners until the day of his death
+LJ009-0014 it cannot be denied however that the ordinarys treatment was somewhat unfeeling and in proof thereof
+LJ009-0015 i will quote an extract from the reverend gentlemans own journal
+LJ009-0016 he seems to have improved the occasion when preaching the condemned sermon before fauntleroy by pointing a moral from that unhappy mans own case
+LJ009-0017 for this the chaplain was a few days later summoned before the jail committee of aldermen
+LJ009-0018 and informed that the public would not in future be admitted to hear the condemned sermon i was also informed writes mr cotton
+LJ009-0019 that this resolution was in consequence of their the aldermens disapproving of the last discourse delivered by me
+LJ009-0020 previous to the execution of henry fauntleroy for uttering a forged security
+LJ009-0021 in which it was said i had enlarged upon the heinous nature of his crime and warned the public to avoid such conduct
+LJ009-0022 i was informed that this unnecessarily harassed his feelings and that the object of such sermons was solely to console the prisoner
+LJ009-0023 and that from the time of his conviction nothing but what is consolatory should be addressed to a criminal
+LJ009-0024 one of the aldermen moreover informed me that the whole court of aldermen were unanimous in their opinion on this subject
+LJ009-0025 as to the exclusion of strangers on these occasions
+LJ009-0026 the experience i have had convinces me that one and perhaps the only good of an execution i e the solemn admonition to the public
+LJ009-0027 will thereby be lost
+LJ009-0028 probably the reader will side with the aldermen against the ordinary
+LJ009-0029 this episode throws some doubt upon the tenderness and proper feeling exhibited by the chaplain towards the most deserving members of his criminal flock
+LJ009-0030 and the idea will be strengthened by the following account of the sunday service in the prison chapel on the occasion when the condemned sermon was preached
+LJ009-0031 the extract is from mr e gibbon wakefields brochure the date eighteen twentyeight just three years after fauntleroys death
+LJ009-0032 strangers were now excluded but the sheriffs attended in state wearing their gold chains
+LJ009-0033 while behind their pew stood a couple of tall footmen in state liveries
+LJ009-0034 the sheriffs were in one gallery
+LJ009-0035 in the other opposite were the convicts capitally convicted who had been respited
+LJ009-0036 down below between the galleries was the mass of the prison population
+LJ009-0037 the schoolmaster and the juvenile prisoners being seated round the communiontable opposite the pulpit
+LJ009-0038 in the center of the chapel was the condemned pew a large docklike erection painted black
+LJ009-0039 those who sat in it were visible to the whole congregation and still more to the ordinary
+LJ009-0040 whose desk and pulpit were just in front of the condemned pew and within a couple of yards of it
+LJ009-0041 the occupants of this terrible black pew were the last always to enter the chapel
+LJ009-0042 upon the occasion which i am describing they were four in number and here i will continue the narrative in mr wakefields own words
+LJ009-0043 first is a youth of eighteen condemned for stealing in a dwellinghouse goods valued above five pounds
+LJ009-0044 his features have no felonious cast
+LJ009-0045 he steps boldly with head upright looks to the womens gallery and smiles his intention is to pass for a brave fellow
+LJ009-0046 but the attempt fails he trembles his knees knock together and his head droops as he enters the condemned pew
+LJ009-0047 the next convict is clearly and unmistakably a villain
+LJ009-0048 he is a hardened offender previously cast for life reprieved transported to australia and since returned without pardon
+LJ009-0049 for this offense the punishment is death
+LJ009-0050 he has however doubly earned his sentence and is actually condemned for burglary committed since his arrival in england
+LJ009-0051 his look at the sheriffs and the ordinary is full of scorn and defiance
+LJ009-0052 the third convict is a sheepstealer a poor ignorant fellow in whose crime are mitigating circumstances
+LJ009-0053 but who is left to die on the supposition that this is not his first conviction and still more because a good many sheep have of late been stolen by other people
+LJ009-0054 he is quite content to die
+LJ009-0055 indeed the chaplain and others have brought him firmly to believe that his situation is enviable and that the gates of heaven are open to receive him
+LJ009-0056 the last of the four is said to have been a clergyman of the church of england condemned for forgery a miserable old man in a tattered suit of black
+LJ009-0057 already he is half dead
+LJ009-0058 great efforts have been made to save his life
+LJ009-0059 friends even utter strangers have interceded for him and to the last he has buoyed himself up by hope of reprieve
+LJ009-0060 now his doom is sealed irrevocably and he has given himself up to despair
+LJ009-0061 he staggers towards the pew reels into it stumbles forward flings himself on the ground and by a curious twist of the spine
+LJ009-0062 buries his head under his body
+LJ009-0063 the sheriffs shudder their inquisitive friends crane forward the keeper frowns on the excited congregation
+LJ009-0064 the lately smirking footmen close their eyes and forget their liveries the ordinary clasps his hands the turnkeys cry hush
+LJ009-0065 and the old clerk lifts up his cracked voice saying let us sing to the praise and glory of god
+LJ009-0066 the morning hymn is sung first as if to remind the condemned that next morning at eight am they are to die
+LJ009-0067 the service proceeds at last the burial service is reached
+LJ009-0068 the youth alone is able to read but from long want of practice he is at a loss to find the place in his prayerbook
+LJ009-0069 the ordinary observes him looks to the sheriffs and says aloud the service for the dead
+LJ009-0070 the youths hands tremble as they hold the book upside down
+LJ009-0071 the burglar is heard to mutter an angry oath
+LJ009-0072 the sheepstealer smiles and extending his arms upwards looks with a glad expression to the roof of the chapel
+LJ009-0073 the forger has never moved
+LJ009-0074 let us pass on
+LJ009-0075 all have sung the lamentation of a sinner and have seemed to pray especially for those now awaiting the awful execution of the law
+LJ009-0076 we come to the sermon
+LJ009-0077 the ordinary of newgate is an orthodox unaffected church of england divine
+LJ009-0078 who preaches plain homely discourses as fit as any religious discourse can be fit for the irritated audience
+LJ009-0079 the sermon of this day whether eloquent or plain useful or useless must produce a striking effect at the moment of its delivery
+LJ009-0080 the text without another word is enough to raise the wildest passions of the audience
+LJ009-0081 for a while the preacher addresses himself to the congregation at large who listen attentively
+LJ009-0082 except the clergyman and the burglar the former of whom is still rolled up at the bottom of the condemned pew
+LJ009-0083 while the eyes of the latter are wandering round the chapel and one of them is occasionally winked impudently at some acquaintance amongst the prisoners for trial
+LJ009-0084 at length the ordinary pauses and then in a deep tone which though hardly above a whisper is audible to all says
+LJ009-0085 now for you my poor fellow mortals who are about to suffer the last penalty of the law
+LJ009-0086 but why should i repeat the whole
+LJ009-0087 it is enough to say that in the same solemn tone he talks about the minutest of crimes punishments bonds shame
+LJ009-0088 ignominy sorrow sufferings wretchedness pangs
+LJ009-0089 childless parents widows and helpless orphans broken and contrite hearts and death tomorrow morning for the benefit of society
+LJ009-0090 the dying men are dreadfully agitated
+LJ009-0091 the young stealer in a dwellinghouse no longer has the least pretense to bravery he grasps the back of the pew
+LJ009-0092 his legs give way he utters a faint groan and sinks on the floor
+LJ009-0093 why does no one stir to help him where would be the use the hardened burglar moves not nor does he speak
+LJ009-0094 but his face is of an ashy paleness and if you look carefully you may see the blood trickling from his lip
+LJ009-0095 which he has bitten unconsciously or from rage or to rouse his fainting courage
+LJ009-0096 the poor sheepstealer is in a frenzy
+LJ009-0097 he throws his hands far from him and shouts aloud mercy good lord mercy is all i ask the lord in his mercy come
+LJ009-0098 there there i see the lamb of god oh how happy oh this is happy
+LJ009-0099 meanwhile the clergyman still bent into the form of a sleeping dog
+LJ009-0100 struggles violently his feet legs hands and arms even the muscles of his back
+LJ009-0101 move with a quick jerking motion not naturally but as it were like the affected parts of a galvanized corpse
+LJ009-0102 suddenly he utters a short sharp scream and all is still
+LJ009-0103 the silence is short as the ordinary proceeds to conclude
+LJ009-0104 the women set up a yell which is mixed with a rustling noise occasioned by the removal of those whose hysterics have ended in fainting
+LJ009-0105 the sheriffs cover their faces and one of their inquisitive friends blows his nose with his glove
+LJ009-0106 the keeper tries to appear unmoved but his eye wanders anxiously over the combustible assembly
+LJ009-0107 the children round the communiontable stare and gape with childish wonder
+LJ009-0108 the two masses of prisoners for trial undulate and slightly murmur
+LJ009-0109 while the capital convicts who were lately in that black pew appear faint with emotion
+LJ009-0110 this exhibition lasts for some minutes and then the congregation disperses
+LJ009-0111 the condemned returning to the cells the forger carried by turnkeys the youth sobbing aloud convulsively as a passionate child
+LJ009-0112 the burglar muttering curses and savage expressions of defiance whilst the poor sheepstealer shakes hands with the turnkeys
+LJ009-0113 whistles merrily and points upwards with madness in his look
+LJ009-0114 mr wakefield winds up his graphic but somewhat sensational account by describing another religious service which may appropriately be inserted here
+LJ009-0115 he says on the day of execution there is no service in the chapel of newgate
+LJ009-0116 on the following day the capital convicts whose companions have been hanged are required to return thanks for their narrow escape
+LJ009-0117 the firmest disbeliever in religion if he had not lately been irritated by taking part in such a scene as the condemned service in newgate
+LJ009-0118 could hardly witness this ceremony without being affected the men who were so lately snatched from the jaws of death
+LJ009-0119 kneel whilst the rest of the congregation sit and the ordinary in a tone of peculiar solemnity says
+LJ009-0120 almighty god father of all mercies we thine unworthy servants do give thee most humble and hearty thanks
+LJ009-0121 for all thy goodness and lovingkindness to us and to all men
+LJ009-0122 particularly to those who desire now to offer up their praises and thanksgivings for thy late mercies vouchsafed unto them
+LJ009-0123 could any one knowing the late situation of the kneeling men looking as they do at the empty pew
+LJ009-0124 occupied when they saw it last but a few hours ago by their comrades who are now dead
+LJ009-0125 could any one not disgusted with the religious ceremonials of newgate witness this scene without emotion
+LJ009-0126 hardly any one
+LJ009-0127 but what are the feelings of those who take part in it
+LJ009-0128 i have been present at the scene not less than twenty times and have invariably observed
+LJ009-0129 that many of the kneeling men or boys laughed while they knelt pinched each other and when they could do so without fear of being seen by any officer of the prison
+LJ009-0130 winked at other prisoners in derision of what was taking place and i have frequently heard men and lads who had been of the kneeling party
+LJ009-0131 boast to their companions after the service that they had wiped their eyes during the thanksgiving to make the ordinary believe they had been crying
+LJ009-0132 although this misapplication of religious services still went on
+LJ009-0133 the outside public continued to be excluded from the newgate chapel on the day the condemned sermon was preached
+LJ009-0134 this very proper rule was however set aside on the sunday preceding courvoisiers execution
+LJ009-0135 so many applications for admission were made to the sheriffs
+LJ009-0136 that they reluctantly agreed to open the gallery which had formerly been occupied by strangers on these occasions
+LJ009-0137 cards were issued and to such an extent that although the service was not to commence till halfpast ten by nine am
+LJ009-0138 all the avenues to the prison gates were blocked by ticketholders
+LJ009-0139 in spite of the throng owing to the excellent arrangements made by the sheriffs
+LJ009-0140 no inconvenience was suffered by the congregation among whom were lord adolphus fitz clarence lord coventry
+LJ009-0141 lord paget lord bruce several members of the house of commons and a few ladies
+LJ009-0142 contemporary accounts give a minute description of the demeanor of the convict upon this solemn occasion
+LJ009-0143 he sat on a bench before the pulpit the hideous condemned pew had been swept away and never once raised his eyes during the service
+LJ009-0144 in fact his looks denoted extreme sorrow and contrition
+LJ009-0145 and he seemed to suffer great inward agitation when the ordinary particularly alluded to the crime for the perpetration of which he stood condemned
+LJ009-0146 mr carver the ordinary appears to have addressed himself directly to courvoisier
+LJ009-0147 and to have dwelt with more emphasis than good taste upon the nature of the crime and the necessity for repentance
+LJ009-0148 but the chaplain admitted that the solitude of the convicts cell
+LJ009-0149 was more appropriate for serious reflection and profitable ministration than this exciting occasion before a large and public assembly
+LJ009-0150 so far as i can find courvoisier was the last condemned criminal who was thus exhibited to a crowd of morbidly curious spectators
+LJ009-0151 the atrocity of the murder no doubt attracted extraordinary attention to it
+LJ009-0152 the crowd outside newgate on the day of execution has already been described but there was also a select gathering of distinguished visitors within the jail
+LJ009-0153 first came the sheriffs the undersheriffs and several aldermen and city officials then lord powerscourt and several other peers of the realm
+LJ009-0154 mr charles kean the tragedian was also present
+LJ009-0155 drawn to this terrible exhibition by the example of his father the more celebrated edmund kean who had witnessed the execution of thistlewood
+LJ009-0156 with a view as he himself said to his professional studies
+LJ009-0157 but there is little doubt that as executions became more rare they made more impression on the public mind
+LJ009-0158 already a strong dislike to the reckless and almost indiscriminate application of the extreme penalty was apparent in all classes
+LJ009-0159 and the mitigation of the criminal code for which romilly had so strenuously labored was daily more and more of an accomplished fact
+LJ009-0160 in eighteen thirtytwo
+LJ009-0161 capital punishment was abolished for forgery except in cases of forging or altering wills or powers of attorney to transfer stock
+LJ009-0162 nevertheless after that date no person whatever was executed for this offense
+LJ009-0163 in the same year capital punishment was further restricted and ceased to be the legal sentence for coining
+LJ009-0164 sheep or horse stealing and stealing in a dwellinghouse
+LJ009-0165 housebreaking as distinguished from burglary was similarly exempted in the following year
+LJ009-0166 next the offenses of returning from transportation stealing postoffice letters and sacrilege were no longer punishable with death
+LJ009-0167 in eighteen thirtyseven lord john russells acts swept away a number of capital offenses including cutting and maiming rickburning
+LJ009-0168 robbery burglary and arson
+LJ009-0169 within a couple of years the number of persons sentenced to death in england had fallen from four hundred and thirtyeight in eighteen thirtyseven
+LJ009-0170 to fiftysix in eighteen thirtynine
+LJ009-0171 gradually the application of capital punishment became more and more restricted and was soon the penalty for murder alone
+LJ009-0172 while in london for instance in eighteen twentynine twentyfour persons had been executed for crimes other than murder
+LJ009-0173 from eighteen thirtytwo to eighteen fortyfour not a single person had been executed in the metropolis except for this the gravest crime
+LJ009-0174 in eighteen thirtyseven the death penalty was practically limited to murder or attempts to murder
+LJ009-0175 and in eighteen fortyone this was accepted as the almost universally established rule
+LJ009-0176 seven other crimes however were still capital by law and so continued till the passing of the criminal consolidation acts of eighteen sixtyone
+LJ009-0177 with the amelioration of the criminal code other cruel concomitants of execution also disappeared
+LJ009-0178 in eighteen thirtytwo the dissection of bodies cut down from the gallows which had been decreed centuries previously was abolished
+LJ009-0179 the most recent enactment in force was the ninth george the fourth cap thirtyone which directed the dissection of all bodies of executed murderers
+LJ009-0180 the idea being to intensify the dread of capital punishment that such dread was not universal or deepseated may be gathered from the fact
+LJ009-0181 that authentic cases were known previous to the first cited act of criminals selling their own bodies to surgeons for dissection
+LJ009-0182 this dissection was carried out for newgate prisoners in surgeons hall adjoining newgate
+LJ009-0183 the site of the present sessions house of the old bailey and the operation was witnessed by students and a number of curious spectators
+LJ009-0184 lord ferrers body was brought to surgeons hall after execution in his own carriage and six
+LJ009-0185 after the post mortem had been carried out the corpse was exposed to view in a firstfloor room
+LJ009-0186 pennant speaks of surgeons hall as a handsome building ornamented with ionic pilasters and with a double flight of steps to the first floor
+LJ009-0187 beneath is a door for the admission of the bodies of murderers and other felons there were other public dissecting rooms for criminals
+LJ009-0188 one was attached to hicks hall the clerkenwell sessions house built out of monies provided by sir baptist hicks a wealthy alderman of the reign of james the first
+LJ009-0189 persons were still living in eighteen fiftyfive who had witnessed dissections at hicks hall and
+LJ009-0190 whom the horrid scene with the additional effect of some noted criminals hanging on the walls drove out again sick and faint
+LJ009-0191 as we have heard some relate and with pale and terrified features to get a breath of air
+LJ009-0192 the dissection of executed criminals was abolished soon after the discovery of the crime of burking
+LJ009-0193 with the idea that ignominy would no longer attach to an operation which ceased to be compulsory for the most degraded beings
+LJ009-0194 and that executors or persons having lawful possession of the bodies
+LJ009-0195 of people who had died friendless would voluntarily surrender them for the advancement of medical science
+LJ009-0196 another brutal practice had nearly disappeared about the time of the abolition of dissection this was the public exhibition of the body
+LJ009-0197 as was done in the case of mrs phipoe the murderess who was executed in front of newgate in seventeen ninetyeight
+LJ009-0198 and her body publicly exhibited in a place built for the purpose in the old bailey
+LJ009-0199 about this time i find that the bodies of two murderers clench and mackay
+LJ009-0200 were publicly exposed in a stable in little bridge street near apothecaries hall
+LJ009-0201 surgeons hall being let to the lieutenancy of the county for the accommodation of the militia
+LJ009-0202 in eighteen eleven williams who murdered the marrs in ratcliffe highway having committed suicide in jail to escape hanging
+LJ009-0203 it was determined that a public exhibition should be made of the body through the neighborhood which had been the scene of the monsters crimes
+LJ009-0204 a long procession was formed headed by constables who cleared the way with their staves
+LJ009-0205 then came the newlyformed horse patrol with drawn cutlasses
+LJ009-0206 parish officers peace officers the high constable of the county of middlesex on horseback and then the body of williams
+LJ009-0207 extended at full length on an inclined platform
+LJ009-0208 erected on the cart about four feet high at the head and gradually sloping towards the horse giving a full view of the body
+LJ009-0209 which was dressed in blue trousers and a blueandwhite striped waistcoat but without a coat as when found in the cell
+LJ009-0210 on the left side of the head the fatal mall
+LJ009-0211 and on the right the ripping chisel with which the murders had been committed were exposed to view
+LJ009-0212 the countenance of williams was ghastly in the extreme and the whole had an appearance too horrible for description
+LJ009-0213 the procession traversed ratcliffe twice halting for a quarter of an hour in front of the victims dwelling
+LJ009-0214 and was accompanied throughout by an immense concourse of persons eager to get a sight of the murderers remains
+LJ009-0215 all the shops in the neighborhood were shut and the windows and tops of the houses were crowded with spectators
+LJ009-0216 hanging in chains upon the gibbet which had served for the execution
+LJ009-0217 or on another specially erected on some commanding spot had fallen into disuse by eighteen thirtytwo
+LJ009-0218 but there was an attempt to revive it at that date when the act for dispensing with the dissection of criminals was passed
+LJ009-0219 a clause was inserted to the effect that
+LJ009-0220 the bodies of all prisoners convicted of murder should either be hung in chains or buried under the gallows on which they had been executed
+LJ009-0221 according to the discretion of the court before whom the prisoners might be tried
+LJ009-0222 the revival of this barbarous practice caused much indignation in certain quarters
+LJ009-0223 but it was actually tried in two provincial towns leicester and durham
+LJ009-0224 at the firstnamed the exhibition nearly created a tumult and the body was taken down and buried
+LJ009-0225 but not before the greatest scandal had been caused by the unseemly proceedings of the crowd that flocked to see the sight a sort of fair was held
+LJ009-0226 gamingtables were set up cards were played under the gibbet to the disturbance of the public peace and the annoyance of all decent people
+LJ009-0227 at jarrow stake where the durham murderers body was exposed there were similar scenes mingled with compassion for the culprits family
+LJ009-0228 and a subscription was set on foot for them then and there at the foot of the gibbet
+LJ009-0229 later on after dark some friends of the deceased stole the body and buried it in the sand and this was the end of hanging in chains
+LJ009-0230 after this a law was passed which prescribed that the bodies of all executed murderers should be buried within the walls of the jail
+LJ009-0231 although these objectionable practices had disappeared
+LJ009-0232 there were still many shocking incidents at executions owing to the bungling and unskilful way in which the operation was performed
+LJ009-0233 the rope still broke sometimes although it was not often that the horrid scene seen at jersey at the beginning of the century was repeated
+LJ009-0234 there the hangman added his weight to that of the suspended culprit
+LJ009-0235 and having first pulled him sideways then got upon his shoulders so that the rope broke
+LJ009-0236 to the great surprise of all who witnessed this dreadful scene
+LJ009-0237 the poor criminal rose straight upon his feet with the hangman on his shoulders and immediately loosened the rope with his fingers
+LJ009-0238 after this the sheriffs sent for another rope but the spectators interfered and the man was carried back to jail
+LJ009-0239 the whole case was referred to the king and the poor wretch whose crime had been a military one was eventually pardoned
+LJ009-0240 a somewhat similar event happened at chester not long afterwards the ropes by which two offenders were turned off broke a few inches from their necks
+LJ009-0241 they were taken back to jail and were again brought out in the afternoon by which time fresh and stronger ropes had been procured
+LJ009-0242 and the sentence was properly and completely carried out
+LJ009-0243 other cases might be quoted
+LJ009-0244 especially that of william snow alias sketch who slipped from the gallows at exeter and fell to the ground
+LJ009-0245 he soon rose to his feet and hearing the sorrowful exclamations of the populace coolly said
+LJ009-0246 good people do not be hurried i am not i can wait
+LJ009-0247 similar cases were not wanting as regards the executions before newgate others were not less horrible although there was no failure of apparatus
+LJ009-0248 sometimes the condemned man made a hard fight for life
+LJ009-0249 when charles white was executed in eighteen twentythree for arson he arranged a handkerchief
+LJ009-0250 in such a way that the executioner found a difficulty in pinioning his hands
+LJ009-0251 white managed to keep his wrists asunder and continued to struggle with the officials for some time eventually he was pinioned with a cord in the usual manner
+LJ009-0252 on the scaffold he made a violent attempt to loosen his bonds and succeeded in getting his hands free
+LJ009-0253 then with a strong effort he pushed off the white cap and tried to liberate his neck from the halter which by this time had been adjusted
+LJ009-0254 the hangman summoned assistance and with help tied the cap over whites face with a handkerchief
+LJ009-0255 the miserable wretch during the whole of this time was struggling with the most determined violence to the great horror of the spectators
+LJ009-0256 still he resisted
+LJ009-0257 and having got from the falling drop to the firm part of the platform he nearly succeeded in tearing the handkerchief from his eyes
+LJ009-0258 however the ceremony went forward and when the signal was given the drop sank
+LJ009-0259 the wretched man did not fall with it but jumped on to the platform and seizing the rope with his hands tried to avoid strangulation
+LJ009-0260 the spectacle was horrible
+LJ009-0261 the convict was half on the platform half hanging and the convulsions of his body were appalling
+LJ009-0262 the crowd vociferously yelled their disapproval and at length
+LJ009-0263 the executioner forced the struggling criminal from the platform so that the rope sustained his whole weight
+LJ009-0264 his face was visible to the whole crowd and was fearful to behold
+LJ009-0265 even now his sufferings were not at an end
+LJ009-0266 and his death was not compassed until the executioner terminated his sufferings by hanging on to his legs
+LJ009-0267 when luigi buranelli was executed in eighteen fiftyfive
+LJ009-0268 through the improper adjustment of the rope his sufferings were prolonged for five minutes
+LJ009-0269 his chest heaved and it was evident that his struggle was a fearful one
+LJ009-0270 a worse case still was that of william bousfield who when awaiting execution for murder about the same date
+LJ009-0271 had attempted to throw himself upon the fire in his condemned cell
+LJ009-0272 he was in consequence so weak when brought out for execution that he had to be carried by four men
+LJ009-0273 two supporting his body and two his legs
+LJ009-0274 his wretched abject condition seated in a chair under the drop was such as almost to unnerve the executioner calcraft
+LJ009-0275 who bad been further upset by a letter threatening to shoot him when he appeared to perform his task
+LJ009-0276 calcraft the moment he had adjusted the cap and rope ran down the steps drew the bolt and disappeared
+LJ009-0277 for a second or two the body hung motionless then with a strength that astonished the attendant officials
+LJ009-0278 bousfield slowly drew himself up and rested with his feet on the right side of the drop
+LJ009-0279 one of the turnkeys rushed forward and pushed him off
+LJ009-0280 again the wretched creature succeeded in obtaining foothold but this time on the left side of the drop
+LJ009-0281 calcraft was forced to return and he once more pushed bousfield off
+LJ009-0282 who for the fourth time regained his foothold again he was repelled
+LJ009-0283 this time calcraft adding his weight to the body and the strangulation was completed
+LJ009-0284 it was stated in evidence before the commission on capital punishment in eighteen sixtyfour
+LJ009-0285 that calcrafts method of hanging was very rough much the same as if he had been hanging a dog
+LJ009-0286 there has never been much science in the system of carrying out the extreme penalty in this country the finisher of the law
+LJ009-0287 has come more by chance than fitness or special education to exercise his loathsome office
+LJ009-0288 calcraft of whom mention has just been made was by trade a ladys shoemaker
+LJ009-0289 and before he took to hanging he was employed as a watchman at reids brewery in liquorpond street
+LJ009-0290 he was at first engaged as assistant to the executioner tom cheshire but in due course rose to be chief
+LJ009-0291 he was always known as a mildmannered man of simple tastes much given to angling in the new river and a devoted rabbit fancier
+LJ009-0292 he was well known in the neighborhood where he resided and the street gamins cried jack ketch as he went along the street
+LJ009-0293 while calcraft was in office other aspirants to fame appeared in the field
+LJ009-0294 one was askern
+LJ009-0295 who had been a convicted prisoner at york but who consented to act as hangman when calcraft was engaged and no other functionary could be obtained
+LJ009-0296 it was not always easy to hire a hangman
+LJ009-0297 there is still extant a curious petition presented to the treasury by ralph griffith esq high sheriff of flintshire
+LJ009-0298 which sets forth that the petitioner had been at great expense by sending clerks and agents to liverpool and shrewsbury to hire an executioner
+LJ009-0299 the man to be hanged belonged to wales and no welshman would do the job
+LJ009-0300 traveling expenses of these agents cost fifteen pounds and another ten pounds were spent in the hire of a shropshire man
+LJ009-0301 who deserted and was pursued but without success
+LJ009-0302 another man was hired himself a convict whose fees for self and wife were twelve guineas
+LJ009-0303 then came the cost of the gallows
+LJ009-0304 four pounds twelve shillings and finally the funeral cart coffin and other petty expenses amounting to seven pounds ten
+LJ010-0001 the chronicles of newgate volume two by arthur griffiths section thirteen newgate notorieties part one
+LJ010-0002 in chapter two of the present volume i brought down the record of crime to the second decade of the present century
+LJ010-0003 i propose now to continue the subject and to devote a couple of chapters to criminal occurrences of a more recent date
+LJ010-0004 only premising that as accounts become more voluminous i shall be compelled to deal with fewer cases
+LJ010-0005 taking in preference those which are typical and invested with peculiar interest it is somewhat remarkable that a marked change soon comes over the calendar
+LJ010-0006 certain crimes those against the person especially diminished gradually they became less easy or remunerative
+LJ010-0007 police protection was better and more effective
+LJ010-0008 the streets of london were well lighted the suburbs were more populous and regularly patrolled
+LJ010-0009 people too were getting into the habit of carrying but little cash about them and no valuables but their watches or personal jewelery
+LJ010-0010 street robberies offered fewer inducements to depredators and evildoers were compelled to adopt other methods of preying upon their fellows
+LJ010-0011 this led to a rapid and marked increase in all kinds of fraud
+LJ010-0012 and prominent in the criminal annals of newgate in these later years will be found numerous remarkable instances of this class of offense
+LJ010-0013 forgeries committed systematically and for long periods as in the case of fauntleroy
+LJ010-0014 to cover enormous defalcations the fabrication of deeds wills and false securities
+LJ010-0015 for the purpose of misappropriating funds or feloniously obtaining cash
+LJ010-0016 thefts of bullion banknotes specie and golddust planned with consummate ingenuity
+LJ010-0017 eluding the keenest vigilance and carried out with reckless daring
+LJ010-0018 jewelboxes cleverly stolen under the very noses of owners or caretakers
+LJ010-0019 as time passed
+LJ010-0020 the extraordinary extension of all commercial operations led to many entirely novel and often gigantic financial frauds
+LJ010-0021 the credulity of investors the unscrupulous dishonesty of bankers
+LJ010-0022 the slackness of supervision over wholly irresponsible agents produced many terrible monetary catastrophes
+LJ010-0023 and lodged men like cole robson and redpath in newgate
+LJ010-0024 while the varying conditions of social life thus brought about many changes in the character of offenses against property
+LJ010-0025 those against the person became more and more limited to the most heinous or those which menaced or destroyed life
+LJ010-0026 there was no increase in murder or manslaughter the number of such crimes remained pretty constant proportionately to population
+LJ010-0027 nor did the methods by which they were perpetrated greatly vary from those in times past
+LJ010-0028 the causes also continued much the same passion revenge cupidity sudden ebullitions of homicidal rage
+LJ010-0029 the coldblooded calculating atrocity born of selfinterest were still the irresistible incentives to kill
+LJ010-0030 the brutal ferocity of the wild beast once aroused the same means the same weapons were employed to do the dreadful deed
+LJ010-0031 the same and happily often futile precautions taken to conceal the crime
+LJ010-0032 pegsworth and greenacre and daniel good merely reproduced types that had gone before and that have since reappeared
+LJ010-0033 esther hibner was as inhuman in her illusage of the parish apprentice she killed as martha brownrigg had been
+LJ010-0034 thurtell and hunt followed in the footsteps of billings wood and catherine hayes
+LJ010-0035 courvoisier might have lived a century earlier
+LJ010-0036 hocker was found upon the scene of his crime irresistibly attracted thither as was theodore gardelle
+LJ010-0037 now and again there seemed to be a recurrence of a murder epidemic
+LJ010-0038 as there had been before as in the year eighteen fortynine a year memorable for the rush murders at norwich
+LJ010-0039 the gleeson wilson murder at liverpool that of the mannings in london and of many more
+LJ010-0040 men like mobbs the miscreant known as general haynau on account of his bloodthirstiness still murdered their wives
+LJ010-0041 or like cannon the chimneysweeper who savagely killed the policeman
+LJ010-0042 a not altogether new crime however akin to murder
+LJ010-0043 although happily never passing beyond dastardly attempts cropped up in these times and was often frequently repeated within a short interval
+LJ010-0044 the present queen very soon after her accession
+LJ010-0045 became the victim of the most cowardly and unmanly outrages and the attempted murder of the sovereign by oxford in eighteen forty
+LJ010-0046 was followed in the very next year by those of francis and of bean in two consecutive months
+LJ010-0047 while in eighteen fifty her majesty was the victim of another outrage at the hands of one pate
+LJ010-0048 these crimes had their origin too often in the disordered brains of lunatics at large like captain goode
+LJ010-0049 their perpetrators were charged with high treason but met with merciful clemency as irresponsible beings
+LJ010-0050 but at various dates treason more distinct and tangible came to the front attempts to levy war against the state
+LJ010-0051 the wellknown cato street conspiracy
+LJ010-0052 which grew out of disturbed social conditions after the last french war amidst general distress
+LJ010-0053 and when the people were beginning to agitate for a larger share of political power was among the earliest and to some extent the most desperate of these
+LJ010-0054 its ringleaders thistlewood and the rest were after capture honored by committal as state prisoners to the tower
+LJ010-0055 but they came one and all to newgate for trial at the old bailey and remained there after conviction till they were hanged
+LJ010-0056 later on the chartists agitated persistently for the concession embraced in the socalled peoples charter many of which
+LJ010-0057 are by this time actually and by more legitimate efforts engrafted upon our constitution
+LJ010-0058 but the chartists sought their ends by riot and rebellion and gained only imprisonment for their pains
+LJ010-0059 some five hundred in all were arrested but as only three of these were lodged in newgate i shall not recur to them in my narrative
+LJ010-0060 the cato street conspiracy would have been simply ridiculous but for the recklessness of the desperadoes who planned it
+LJ010-0061 that some thirty or more needy men should hope to revolutionize england is a sufficient proof of the absurdity of their attempt
+LJ010-0062 but they proceeded in all seriousness and would have shrunk from no outrage or atrocity in furtherance of their foolhardy enterprise
+LJ010-0063 the massacre of the whole of the cabinet ministers at one stroke was to be followed by an attack
+LJ010-0064 upon the old man and the old woman as they styled the mansion house and the bank of england
+LJ010-0065 at the former the provisional government was to be established
+LJ010-0066 which under thistlewood as dictator was to rule the nation by first handing over its capital to fire and pillage
+LJ010-0067 this thistlewood had seen many vicissitudes throughout his strange adventurous career the son of a respectable lincolnshire farmer
+LJ010-0068 he became a militia officer and married a woman with ten thousand pounds in which however she had only a life interest
+LJ010-0069 she died early and thistlewood left to his own resources
+LJ010-0070 followed the profession of arms first in the british service and then in that of the french revolutionary government
+LJ010-0071 it was during this period that he was said to have imbibed his revolutionary ideas
+LJ010-0072 returning to england
+LJ010-0073 he found himself rich in a small landed property which he presently sold to a man who became bankrupt before he had paid over the purchase money
+LJ010-0074 after this he tried farming but failed
+LJ010-0075 he married again and came to london where he soon became notorious as a reckless gambler and a politician holding the most extreme views
+LJ010-0076 in this way he formed the acquaintance of watson and others with whom he was arraigned for treasonable practices and imprisoned
+LJ010-0077 on his release he sent a challenge to lord sidmouth the home secretary and was again arrested and imprisoned
+LJ010-0078 on his second release goaded by his fancied wrongs he began to plot a dark and dreadful revenge
+LJ010-0079 and thus the conspiracy in which he was the prime mover took shape and came to a head
+LJ010-0080 the government obtained early and full information of the nefarious scheme
+LJ010-0081 one of the conspirators by name edwards
+LJ010-0082 made a voluntary confession to sir herbert taylor one morning at windsor after which thistlewood and his accomplices were closely watched
+LJ010-0083 and measures taken to arrest them when their plans were so far developed that no doubt could remain as to their guilt
+LJ010-0084 the day appointed for the murder and rising actually arrived before the authorities interfered
+LJ010-0085 it was the day on which lord harrowby was to entertain his colleagues at dinner in grosvenor square
+LJ010-0086 the occasion was considered excellent by the conspirators for disposal of the whole cabinet at one blow
+LJ010-0087 and it was arranged that one of their number should knock at lord harrowbys door on the pretense of leaving a parcel
+LJ010-0088 and that when it was opened the whole band should rush in
+LJ010-0089 while a few secured the servants the rest were to fall upon lord harrowby and his guests
+LJ010-0090 handgrenades were to be thrown into the diningroom and during the noise and confusion the assassination of the ministers was to be completed
+LJ010-0091 the heads of lord castlereagh and lord sidmouth being carried away in a bag
+LJ010-0092 lord harrowbys dinnerparty was postponed but the conspirators knew nothing of it
+LJ010-0093 and those who watched his house were further encouraged in their mistake by the arrival of many carriages
+LJ010-0094 bound as it happened to the archbishop of yorks
+LJ010-0095 meanwhile the main body remained at their headquarters a ruined stable in cato street
+LJ010-0096 edgeware road completing their dispositions for assuming supreme power after the blow had been struck
+LJ010-0097 here they were surprised by the police headed by a magistrate and supported by a strong detachment of her majestys guards
+LJ010-0098 the police were the first to arrive on the spot the guards having entered the street at the wrong end
+LJ010-0099 the conspirators were in a loft approached by a ladder and a trapdoor access through which could only be obtained one by one
+LJ010-0100 the first constable who entered thistlewood ran through the body with a sword but others quickly followed
+LJ010-0101 the lights were extinguished and a desperate conflict ensued
+LJ010-0102 the guards headed by lord adolphus fitz clarence now reinforced the police and the conspirators gave way
+LJ010-0103 nine of the latter were captured with all the war material cutlasses pistols handgrenades and ammunition
+LJ010-0104 thistlewood and fourteen more succeeded for the moment in making their escape but most of them were subsequently taken
+LJ010-0105 thistlewood was discovered next morning in a mean house in white street moorfields
+LJ010-0106 he was in bed with his breeches on in the pockets of which were found a number of cartridges the black belt he had worn at cato street
+LJ010-0107 and a military sash
+LJ010-0108 the trial of the conspirators came on some six weeks later at the old bailey
+LJ010-0109 thistlewood made a long and rambling defense the chief features of which were abuse of lord sidmouth and the vilification of the informer edwards
+LJ010-0110 several of the other prisoners took the same line as regards edwards
+LJ010-0111 and there seems to have been good reason for supposing that he was a greater villain than any of those arraigned
+LJ010-0112 he had been in a state of abject misery and when he first joined the reformers as the cato street conspirators called themselves
+LJ010-0113 he had neither a bed to lie upon nor a coat to his back
+LJ010-0114 his sudden access to means unlimited was no doubt due to the profitable role he soon adopted of government informer and spy
+LJ010-0115 and it is pretty certain that for some time he served both sides
+LJ010-0116 on the one inveigling silly enthusiasts to join in the plot and denouncing them on the other
+LJ010-0117 the employment of edwards and the manner in which the conspirators were allowed to commit themselves further and further before the law was set in motion against them
+LJ010-0118 were not altogether creditable to the government
+LJ010-0119 it was asserted not without foundation at these trials that edwards repeatedly incited the associates he was betraying
+LJ010-0120 to commit outrage to set fire to houses throw handgrenades into the carriages of ministers
+LJ010-0121 that he was to use thistlewoods words a contriver instigator and entrapper
+LJ010-0122 the government were probably not proud of their agent for edwards after the conviction had been assured went abroad to enjoy it was said
+LJ010-0123 an ample pension so long as he did not return to england
+LJ010-0124 five of the conspirators thistlewood ings brunt davidson and tidd were sentenced to death
+LJ010-0125 and suffered in the usual way in front of newgate with the additional penalty of decapitation as traitors after they had been hanged
+LJ010-0126 a crowd as great as any known collected in the old bailey to see the ceremony about which there were some peculiar features worth recording
+LJ010-0127 the reckless demeanor of all the convicts except davidson was most marked thistlewood and ings sucked oranges on the scaffold
+LJ010-0128 they with brunt and tidd scorned the ordinarys ministrations
+LJ010-0129 but ings said he hoped god would be more merciful to him than men had been
+LJ010-0130 ings was especially defiant he sought to cheer davidson who seemed affected crying out
+LJ010-0131 come old cockofwax it will soon be over
+LJ010-0132 as the executioner fastened the noose he nodded to a friend he saw in the crowd
+LJ010-0133 and catching sight of the coffins ranged around the gallows he smiled at the show with contemptuous indifference
+LJ010-0134 he roared out snatches of a song about death or liberty and just before he was turned off
+LJ010-0135 yelled out three cheers to the populace whom he faced
+LJ010-0136 he told the executioner to do it tidy to pull it tight and was in a state of hysterical exaltation up to the very last
+LJ010-0137 davidson who was the only one who seemed to realize his awful situation listened patiently and with thankfulness to the chaplain
+LJ010-0138 and died in a manner strongly contrasting with that of his fellows
+LJ010-0139 after the five bodies had hung for halfanhour a man in a mask came forward to complete the sentence
+LJ010-0140 contemporary reports state that from the skillful manner in which he performed the decapitation
+LJ010-0141 he was generally supposed to be a surgeon
+LJ010-0142 be this as it may the weapon used was only an ordinary axe which rather indicates that force not skill was employed
+LJ010-0143 this axe is still in existence and is preserved at newgate with various other unpleasant curiosities
+LJ010-0144 but is only an ordinary commonplace tool
+LJ010-0145 these were the last executions for high treason but not the last prisoners by many who passed through newgate charged with sedition
+LJ010-0146 attacks upon the sovereign as i have said became more common after the accession of the young queen victoria in eighteen thirtyeight
+LJ010-0147 it was a form of high treason not unknown in earlier reigns in seventeen eightysix a mad woman margaret nicholson
+LJ010-0148 tried to stab george the third as he was alighting from his carriage at the gate of st jamess palace
+LJ010-0149 she was seized before she could do any mischief
+LJ010-0150 and eventually lodged in bethlehem hospital where she died after forty years detention at the advanced age of one hundred
+LJ010-0151 again a soldier by name hatfield who had been wounded in the head and discharged from the army for unsoundness of mind
+LJ010-0152 fired a pistol at george the third from the pit of drury lane theatre in eighteen hundred
+LJ010-0153 william the fourth was also the victim of a murderous outrage on ascot racecourse in eighteen thirtytwo
+LJ010-0154 when john collins a person in the garb of a sailor of wretched appearance and having a wooden leg
+LJ010-0155 threw a stone at the king which hit him on the forehead but did no serious injury
+LJ010-0156 collins when charged pleaded that he had lost his leg in action that he had petitioned without success for a pension
+LJ010-0157 and that as he was starving he had resolved on this desperate deed
+LJ010-0158 feeling as he said that he might as well be shot or hanged as remain in such a state
+LJ010-0159 he was eventually sentenced to death but the plea of lunacy was allowed and he was confined for life
+LJ010-0160 none of the foregoing attempts were however so dastardly or determined as that made by oxford upon our present gracious queen
+LJ010-0161 two years after she ascended the throne
+LJ010-0162 the cowardly crime was probably encouraged by the fearless and confiding manner in which the queen
+LJ010-0163 secure as it seemed in the affections of her loyal people freely appeared in public
+LJ010-0164 oxford who was only nineteen at the time his offense was committed had been born at birmingham
+LJ010-0165 but he came as a lad to london and took service as a potboy to a publican
+LJ010-0166 from this he was promoted to barman and as such had charge of the business in various publichouses
+LJ010-0167 he left his last situation in april eighteen forty and established himself in lodgings in lambeth
+LJ010-0168 after which he devoted himself to pistol practice in shootinggalleries sometimes in leicester square
+LJ010-0169 sometimes in the strand or the west end
+LJ010-0170 his acquaintances often asked his object in this but he kept his own counsel till the tenth june
+LJ010-0171 on that day oxford was on the watch at buckingham palace
+LJ010-0172 he saw prince albert return there from a visit to woolwich and then passed on to constitution hill
+LJ010-0173 where he waited till four pm the time at which the queen and prince consort usually took an afternoon drive
+LJ010-0174 about six pm the royal carriage a low open vehicle drawn by four horses ridden by postilions left the palace
+LJ010-0175 oxford who had been pacing backwards and forwards with his hands under the lapels of his coat saw the carriage approach
+LJ010-0176 he was on the right or north side of the road prince albert occupied the same side of the carriage the queen the left
+LJ010-0177 as the carriage came up to him oxford turned put his hand into his breast drew a pistol and fired at the queen
+LJ010-0178 the shot missed and as the carriage passed on oxford drew a second pistol and fired again
+LJ010-0179 the queen saw this second movement and stooped to avoid the shot
+LJ010-0180 the prince too rose to shield her with his person again providentially the bullet went wide of the mark
+LJ010-0181 and the royal party drove back to clarence house the queen being anxious to give the first news of the outrage and of her safety to her mother
+LJ010-0182 the duchess of kent
+LJ010-0183 meanwhile the pistolshots had attracted the attention of the bystanders of whom there was a fair collection as usual waiting to see the queen pass
+LJ010-0184 oxford was seized by a person named lowe who was at first mistaken for the assailant
+LJ010-0185 but oxford at once assumed the responsibility for his crime saying it was i i did it ill give myself up
+LJ010-0186 there is no occasion to use violence i will go with you
+LJ010-0187 he was taken into custody and removed first to a police cell thence committed to newgate after he had been examined before the privy council
+LJ010-0188 oxford expressed little anxiety or concern
+LJ010-0189 he asked more than once whether the queen was hurt and acknowledged that the pistols were loaded with ball
+LJ010-0190 a craze for notoriety to be achieved at any cost was the one absorbing idea in young oxfords disordered brain
+LJ010-0191 after his arrest he thought only of the excitement his attempt had raised nothing of its atrocity
+LJ010-0192 or of the fatal consequences which might have ensued
+LJ010-0193 when brought to trial he hardly realized his position
+LJ010-0194 but gazed with complacency around the crowded court and eagerly inquired what persons of distinction were present
+LJ010-0195 he smiled continually and when the indictment was read burst into loud and discordant fits of laughter
+LJ010-0196 these antics may have been assumed to bear out the plea of insanity set up in his defense
+LJ010-0197 but that there was madness in his family and that he himself was of unsound mind could not be well denied
+LJ010-0198 his father it was proved in evidence had been at times quite mad and oxfords mental state might be inferred from his own proceedings
+LJ010-0199 among his papers was found a curious document purporting to be the rules of an association called
+LJ010-0200 young england which oxford had evolved out of his own inflated selfconceit and which had never any real corporeal existence
+LJ010-0201 young england was a secret society with no aim or object
+LJ010-0202 its sworn members known only to oxford and all of them mere shadows
+LJ010-0203 were bound to provide themselves with sword rifle dagger and a pair of pistols
+LJ010-0204 to wear a black crape mask to obey punctually the orders of their commanderinchief
+LJ010-0205 and to assume any disguise if required to go into the country on the business of the association
+LJ010-0206 the officers of the society were to be known only by factitious names
+LJ010-0207 thus among the presidents were those of gowrie justinian aloman colsman kenneth and godfrey
+LJ010-0208 hannibal and ethelred were on the council anthony augustus and frederic were among the generals
+LJ010-0209 louis and amadeus among the captains and hercules neptune and mars among the lieutenants of the association
+LJ010-0210 the various grades were distinguished by cockades and bows of different colors
+LJ010-0211 the society was supposed to meet regularly and its proceedings together with the speeches made were duly recorded
+LJ010-0212 with oxfords other papers were found letters from the secretary written as it seemed by oxford to himself after the manner of mr toots
+LJ010-0213 all of which declared their approval of the commanderinchief
+LJ010-0214 one expressed pleasure that oxford improved so much in speaking and declared that his oxfords speech the last time was beautiful
+LJ010-0215 this letter went on to say that a new member had been introduced by lt mars a fine tall gentlemanly young man
+LJ010-0216 and it is said that he is a military officer but his name has not yet transpired
+LJ010-0217 soon after he was introduced we were alarmed by a violent knocking at the door
+LJ010-0218 in an instant our faces were covered we cocked our pistols and with drawn swords stood waiting to receive the enemy
+LJ010-0219 while one stood over the fire with the papers another stood with lighted torch to fire the house
+LJ010-0220 we then sent the old woman to open the door and it proved to be some little boys who had knocked and ran away
+LJ010-0221 another letter directed oxford to attend an extraordinary meeting of young england
+LJ010-0222 in consequence of having received some information of an important nature from hanover
+LJ010-0223 you must attend and if your master will not give you leave you must come in defiance of him
+LJ010-0224 no serious importance could be attached to these the manifest inventions of a disordered intellect
+LJ010-0225 the whole of the evidence pointed so strongly towards insanity that the jury brought in a verdict of acquittal on that ground
+LJ010-0226 and oxford was ordered to be detained during her majestys pleasure
+LJ010-0227 he went from newgate first to bethlehem from which he was removed to broadmoor on the opening of the great criminal lunatic asylum at that place
+LJ010-0228 he was released from broadmoor in eighteen seventyeight and went abroad
+LJ010-0229 within a couple of years a second attempt to assassinate the queen was perpetrated in nearly the same spot by a man named john francis
+LJ010-0230 who was arrested in the very act just as he had fired one shot
+LJ010-0231 his motives for thus imitating the dastardly crime of oxford are shrouded in obscurity
+LJ010-0232 he could not plead insanity like his predecessor and no attempt was made at his trial to prove him of unsound mind
+LJ010-0233 here again probably it was partly the love of notoriety which was the incentive
+LJ010-0234 backed possibly with the hope that as in a much more recent case
+LJ010-0235 he would be in some way provided for he having been for some time previously in abject circumstances
+LJ010-0236 the deed was long premeditated and would have been executed a day earlier had not his courage failed him at the last moment
+LJ010-0237 a youth named pearson had seen him present a pistol at the queens carriage
+LJ010-0238 but draw it back again exclaiming presently i wish i had done it
+LJ010-0239 pearson weakly allowed francis to go off without securing his apprehension but later he gave full information
+LJ010-0240 the queen was apprised of the danger and begged not to go abroad
+LJ010-0241 but she declared she would not remain a prisoner in her own palace and next day drove out as usual in an open barouche
+LJ010-0242 nothing happened till her majesty returned to buckingham palace about six pm when on descending constitution hill
+LJ010-0243 with an equerry riding close on each side of her carriage a man who had been leaning against the palace garden wall suddenly advanced
+LJ010-0244 leveled a pistol at the queen and fired he was so close to the carriage that the smoke of his pistol enveloped the face of colonel wylde
+LJ010-0245 one of the equerries the queen was untouched and at first it is said hardly realized the danger she had escaped
+LJ010-0246 francis had already been seized by a policeman named trounce who saw his movement with the pistol but too late to prevent its discharge
+LJ010-0247 the prisoner was conveyed without delay to the home office and there examined by the privy council which had been hastily summoned for the purpose
+LJ010-0248 on searching him the pistol was found in his pocket the barrel still warm also some loose powder and a bullet
+LJ010-0249 there was some doubt as to whether the pistol when fired was actually loaded with ball but the jury brought in a verdict of guilty
+LJ010-0250 of the criminal intent to kill
+LJ010-0251 francis was sentenced to be hanged decapitated and quartered
+LJ010-0252 the old traitors doom but was spared and subsequently transported for life
+LJ010-0253 the enthusiasm of the people at the queens escape was uproarious and her drive next day was one long triumphal progress
+LJ010-0254 at the italian opera in the evening the audience on the queens appearance greeted her with loud cheers and called for the national anthem
+LJ010-0255 this was in may eighteen fortytwo
+LJ010-0256 undeterred by the wellmerited punishment which had overtaken francis
+LJ010-0257 a third miscreant made a similar but far less serious attempt in the month of july following
+LJ010-0258 as the queen was driving from buckingham palace to the chapel royal
+LJ010-0259 a deformed lad among the crowd was seen to present a pistol at her majestys carriage
+LJ010-0260 in the mall about halfway between buckingham and st jamess palaces
+LJ010-0261 only one person saw the movement a lad named dasset who at once collared the cripple and taking him up to two policemen
+LJ010-0262 charged him with the offense
+LJ010-0263 the policemen treated the matter as a hoax and allowed the culprit to make off
+LJ010-0264 later on however dasset was himself seized and interrogated
+LJ010-0265 and on his information handbills were circulated giving the exact description of the deformed youth who had a humpback
+LJ010-0266 and a long sickly pale face with light hair
+LJ010-0267 his nose was marked with a scar or black patch and he was altogether of a dirty appearance
+LJ010-0268 it happened that a lad named bean had absconded from his fathers home some weeks before
+LJ010-0269 whose description as given by his father to the police
+LJ010-0270 exactly tallied with that of the deformed person wanted for the assault on the queen
+LJ010-0271 a visit to the fathers residence was followed by the arrest of the son who had by this time returned
+LJ010-0272 this son john william bean was fully identified by dasset and presently examined by the privy council
+LJ010-0273 he was eventually charged with a misdemeanor the capital charge having been abandoned and committed for trial
+LJ010-0274 much the same motives of seeking notoriety seem to have impelled bean who was perfectly sane to his rash act
+LJ010-0275 but it was proved that the pistol was not loaded with ball
+LJ010-0276 and he was only convicted of an attempt to harass vex and grieve the sovereign
+LJ010-0277 lord abinger sentenced him to eighteen months imprisonment in newgate
+LJ010-0278 but the place of durance was changed to meet the existing law to millbank penitentiary
+LJ010-0279 i shall mention briefly one more case in which however there was no murderous intent before i pass on to other crimes
+LJ010-0280 on june eighteen fifty the queen was once more subjected to cowardly outrage the offender being a mr pate a gentleman by birth
+LJ010-0281 who had borne the queens commission first as cornet and then lieutenant in the tenth hussars
+LJ010-0282 pate was said to be an eccentric person given to strange acts and antics such as mixing whiskey and camphor with his morning bathwater
+LJ010-0283 and walking for choice through prickly gorse bushes
+LJ010-0284 he always kept the blinds down at his chambers in jermyn street and as the st jamess clock chimed quarterpast three
+LJ010-0285 invariably went out in a cab for which he always paid the same fare
+LJ010-0286 nine shillings all in shillings and no other coin
+LJ010-0287 but this was not sufficient to constitute lunacy nor was his plea of momentary uncontrollable impulse
+LJ010-0288 deemed valid as any palliation of his offense
+LJ010-0289 that offense was a brutal assault upon her majesty whom he struck in the face with a small stick just as she was leaving cambridge house
+LJ010-0290 the blow crushed the bonnet and bruised the forehead of the queen who was happily not otherwise injured
+LJ010-0291 pate was found guilty and sentenced to seven years transportation the judge baron alderson abstaining from inflicting the penalty of whipping
+LJ010-0292 which was authorized by a recent act on account of mr pates family and position in life
+LJ010-0293 i have already remarked that as violence was more and more eliminated from crimes against the person
+LJ010-0294 frauds indicating great boldness extensive design and ingenuity became more prevalent
+LJ010-0295 the increase of bank forgeries and its cause i referred to in a previous chapter
+LJ010-0296 at one session of the old bailey in eighteen twentyone no less than thirtyfive true bills were found for passing forged notes
+LJ010-0297 but there were other notorious cases of forgery
+LJ010-0298 that of fauntleroy the banker in eighteen twentyfour
+LJ010-0299 caused much excitement at the time on account of the magnitude of the fraud and the seeming probity of the culprit
+LJ010-0300 mr fauntleroy was a member of a banking firm which his father had established in conjunction with a gentleman of the name of marsh and others
+LJ010-0301 he had entered the house as clerk in eighteen hundred
+LJ010-0302 in eighteen oh seven and when only twentytwo he succeeded to his fathers share in the business
+LJ010-0303 according to fauntleroys own case he found at once that the firm was heavily involved
+LJ010-0304 through advances made to various builders and that it could only maintain its credit by wholesale discounting
+LJ010-0305 its embarrassments were greatly increased by the bankruptcy of two of its clients in the building trade
+LJ010-0306 and the bank became liable for a sum of one hundred seventy thousand pounds
+LJ010-0307 new liabilities were incurred to the extent of one hundred thousand pounds by more failures and in eighteen nineteen
+LJ010-0308 by the death of one of the partners a large sum in cash had to be withdrawn from the bank to pay his heirs
+LJ010-0309 during these numerous and trying difficulties it is mr fauntleroy who speaks
+LJ010-0310 the house was nearly without resources and the whole burthen of management falling on me i sought resources where i could
+LJ010-0311 in other words he forged powers of attorney and proceeded to realize securities lodged in his bank under various names
+LJ010-0312 among the prisoners private papers one was found giving full details of the stock he had feloniously sold out
+LJ010-0313 the sum total amounting to some one hundred seventy thousand pounds with a declaration in his own handwriting to the following effect
+LJ010-0314 in order to keep up the credit of our house i have forged powers of attorney for the above sums and parties
+LJ010-0315 and sold out to the amount here stated and without the knowledge of my partners
+LJ010-0316 i kept up the payments of the dividends but made no entries of such payments in my books
+LJ010-0317 the bank began first to refuse our acceptances and to destroy the credit of our house the bank shall smart for it
+LJ011-0001 the chronicles of newgate volume two by arthur griffiths section fourteen newgate notorieties part one
+LJ011-0002 many stories were in circulation at the time of fauntleroys trial with regard to his forgeries it was said that he had by means of them
+LJ011-0003 sold out so large an amount of stock that he paid sixteen thousand pounds a year in dividends to escape detection
+LJ011-0004 once he ran a narrow risk of being found out
+LJ011-0005 a lady in the country who had thirteen thousand pounds in the stocks desired her london agent to sell them out
+LJ011-0006 he went to the bank and found that no stocks stood in her name he called at once upon fauntleroy his clients bankers for an explanation
+LJ011-0007 and was told by mr fauntleroy that the lady had desired him to sell out which i have done added the fraudulent banker and here are the proceeds
+LJ011-0008 whereupon he produced exchequer bills to the amount
+LJ011-0009 nothing more was heard of the affair although the lady declared that she had never instructed fauntleroy to sell
+LJ011-0010 on another occasion the banker forged a gentlemans name while the latter was sitting with him in his private room
+LJ011-0011 and took the instrument out to a clerk with the ink not dry
+LJ011-0012 it must be added that the bank of england on discovering the forgeries
+LJ011-0013 replaced the stock in the names of the original holders who might otherwise have been completely ruined
+LJ011-0014 a newspaper report of the time describes fauntleroy as a wellmade man of middle stature
+LJ011-0015 his hair though gray was thick and lay smooth over his forehead
+LJ011-0016 his countenance had an expression of most subdued resignation
+LJ011-0017 the impression which his appearance altogether was calculated to make was that of the profoundest commiseration
+LJ011-0018 the crime long carried on without detection was first discovered in eighteen twenty
+LJ011-0019 when it was found that a sum of ten thousand pounds standing in the name of three trustees of whom fauntleroy was one
+LJ011-0020 had been sold out under a forged power of attorney
+LJ011-0021 further investigations brought other similar frauds to light
+LJ011-0022 and fixed the whole sum misappropriated at one hundred seventy thousand pounds the first forgery dating back to eighteen fourteen
+LJ011-0023 a run upon the bank immediately followed which was only met by a suspension of payment and the closing of its doors
+LJ011-0024 meanwhile public gossip was busy with fauntleroys name
+LJ011-0025 and it was openly stated in the press and in conversation that the proceeds of these frauds had been squandered in chambering gambling and debauchery
+LJ011-0026 fauntleroy was scouted as a licentious libertine a deep and determined gamester a spendthrift whose extravagance knew no bounds
+LJ011-0027 the veil was lifted from his private life and he was accused of persistent immorality
+LJ011-0028 in his defense
+LJ011-0029 he sought to rebut these charges which indeed were never clearly made out and it is pretty certain that his own account of the causes which led him into dishonesty
+LJ011-0030 was substantially true
+LJ011-0031 he called many witnesses seventeen in all to speak of him as they had found him and these all respectable city merchants and business men
+LJ011-0032 declared that they had hitherto formed a high opinion of his honor integrity and goodness of disposition
+LJ011-0033 deeming him the last person capable of a dishonorable action
+LJ011-0034 these arguments availed little with the jury who after a short deliberation found fauntleroy guilty and he was sentenced to death
+LJ011-0035 every endeavor was used however to obtain a commutation of sentence his case was twice argued before the judges on points of law
+LJ011-0036 but the result in both cases was unfavorable
+LJ011-0037 appeals were made to the home secretary and all possible political interest brought to bear but without success
+LJ011-0038 fauntleroy meanwhile lay in newgate not herded with other condemned prisoners as the custom was
+LJ011-0039 but in a separate chamber that belonging to one of the warders of the jail
+LJ011-0040 i find in the chaplains journal under date eighteen twentyfour various entries relative to this prisoner
+LJ011-0041 visited mr fauntleroy my application for books for him not having been attended i had no prayerbook to give him
+LJ011-0042 visited mr fauntleroy the sheriffs have very kindly permitted him to remain in the turnkeys room where he was originally placed nor can i omit expressing a hope
+LJ011-0043 that this may prove the beginning of a better system of confinement and that every description of persons who may be unfortunately under sentence of death
+LJ011-0044 will no longer be herded indiscriminately together
+LJ011-0045 the kindliness of the city authorities to fauntleroy was not limited to the assignment of a separate place of durance
+LJ011-0046 as i have already said they took the chaplain seriously to task for the bad taste shown in the condemned sermon preached before fauntleroy
+LJ011-0047 this was on the text
+LJ011-0048 wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall and was full of the most pointed allusions to the culprit
+LJ011-0049 fauntleroy constantly groaned aloud while the sermon proceeded and contemporary reports declared
+LJ011-0050 that he appeared to feel deeply the force of the reverend gentlemans observations especially when the chaplain spoke of
+LJ011-0051 the great magnitude of our erring brothers offense one of the most dangerous description in a trading community
+LJ011-0052 the sermon ended with an appeal to the dying man exhorting him to penitence
+LJ011-0053 this personality and it can be called by no other name is carefully excluded from prison pulpit utterances on the eve of an execution
+LJ011-0054 a very curious and in its way amusing circumstance in connection with this case was the offer of a certain italian
+LJ011-0055 edmund angelini to take fauntleroys place
+LJ011-0056 angelini wrote to the lord mayor to this effect
+LJ011-0057 urging that fauntleroy was a father a citizen his life is useful mine a burthen to the state
+LJ011-0058 he was summoned to the mansion house where he repeated his request crying accordez moi cette grâce with much urgency
+LJ011-0059 there were doubts of his sanity
+LJ011-0060 he wrote afterwards to the effect that the moment he had offered himself an unknown assassin came to aim a blow at him
+LJ011-0061 let this monster give his name i am ready to fight him i am still determined to put myself in the place of mr fauntleroy
+LJ011-0062 if the law of this country can receive such a sacrifice my death will render to heaven an innocent man and to earth a repentant sinner
+LJ011-0063 fauntleroy was not entirely dependent upon the ordinary for ghostly counsel in his extremity
+LJ011-0064 he was also attended by the rev mr springett and the indefatigable mr baker whose name has already been mentioned
+LJ011-0065 when led out on the morning of his execution these two lastnamed gentlemen each took hold of one of his arms and so accompanied him to the scaffold
+LJ011-0066 the concourse in front of newgate was enormous but much sympathy was evinced for this unfortunate victim to human weakness and ruthless laws
+LJ011-0067 a report was moreover widely circulated and the impression long prevailed that he actually escaped death
+LJ011-0068 it was said that strangulation had been prevented by the insertion of a silver tube in his windpipe
+LJ011-0069 and that after hanging for the regulated time he was taken down and easily restored to consciousness
+LJ011-0070 afterwards according to the common rumor he went abroad and lived there for many years but the story is not only wholly unsubstantiated
+LJ011-0071 but there is good evidence to show that the body after execution was handed over to his friends and interred privately
+LJ011-0072 some years were still to elapse before capital punishment ceased to be the penalty for forgery and in the interval
+LJ011-0073 several persons were sentenced to or suffered death for this crime
+LJ011-0074 there were two notable capital convictions for forgery in eighteen twentyeight
+LJ011-0075 one was that of captain montgomery who assumed the aliases of colonel wallace and colonel morgan
+LJ011-0076 his offense was uttering forged notes and there was strong suspicion that he had long subsisted entirely by this fraud
+LJ011-0077 the act for which he was taken into custody was the payment of a forged tenpound note for halfadozen silver spoons
+LJ011-0078 montgomery was an adept at forgery he had gone wrong early although born of respectable parents and gazetted to a commission in the army
+LJ011-0079 he soon left the service and betook himself to dishonest ways
+LJ011-0080 his first forgery was the marvelous imitation of the signature of the hon mr neville mp who wrote an extremely cramped and curious hand
+LJ011-0081 he was not prosecuted for this fraud on account of the respectability of his family and soon after this escape
+LJ011-0082 he came to london where he practiced as a professional swindler and cheat
+LJ011-0083 for a long time justice did not overtake him for any criminal offense but he was frequently in newgate and in the kings bench for debt
+LJ011-0084 after three years confinement in the latter prison he passed himself off as his brother colonel montgomery
+LJ011-0085 a distinguished officer and would have married an heiress had not the imposture been discovered in time
+LJ011-0086 he then took to forging banknotes and was arrested as i have described above
+LJ011-0087 montgomery was duly sentenced to death but he preferred suicide to the gallows after sentence his demeanor was serious yet firm
+LJ011-0088 the night previous to that fixed for his execution he wrote several letters one of them being to edward gibbon wakefield a fellowprisoner
+LJ011-0089 and listened attentively to the ordinary who read him the wellknown address written and delivered by dr dodd previous to his own execution for forgery
+LJ011-0090 but next morning he was found dead in his cell
+LJ011-0091 in one corner after much search a phial was found labeled prussic acid
+LJ011-0092 which it was asserted he had been in the habit of carrying about his person ever since he had taken to passing forged notes as an antidote against disgrace
+LJ011-0093 this phial he had managed to retain in his possession in spite of the frequent searches to which he was subjected in newgate
+LJ011-0094 the second conviction for forgery in eighteen twentyeight was that of the quaker joseph hunton a man of previously the highest repute in the city of london
+LJ011-0095 he had prospered in early life was a slopseller on a large scale at bury st edmunds and a sugarbaker in the metropolis
+LJ011-0096 he married a lady also belonging to the society of friends who brought him a large fortune which and his own money he put into a city firm
+LJ011-0097 that of dickson and co
+LJ011-0098 he soon however became deeply involved in stock exchange speculations
+LJ011-0099 and losing heavily to meet the claims upon him he put out a number of forged bills of exchange or acceptances
+LJ011-0100 to which the signature of one wilkins of abingdon was found to be forged
+LJ011-0101 hunton tried to fly the country on the detection of the fraud but was arrested at plymouth just as he was on the point of leaving england in the new york packet
+LJ011-0102 he had gone on board in his quaker dress but when captured was found in a lightgreen frock
+LJ011-0103 a pair of light gray pantaloons a black stock and a foraging cap
+LJ011-0104 hunton was put upon his trial at the old bailey and in due course sentenced to death
+LJ011-0105 his defense was that the forged acceptances would have been met on coming to maturity and that he had no real desire to defraud
+LJ011-0106 hunton accepted his sentence with great resignation although he protested against the inhumanity of the laws which condemned him to death
+LJ011-0107 on entering newgate he said
+LJ011-0108 i wish after this day to have communication with nobody let me take leave of my wife and family and friends i have already suffered an execution
+LJ011-0109 my heart has undergone that horrible penalty
+LJ011-0110 he was however visited by and received his wife and several members of the society of friends
+LJ011-0111 two elders of the meeting sat up with him in the press yard the whole of the night previous to execution and a third
+LJ011-0112 mr sparks moline came to attend him to the scaffold
+LJ011-0113 he met his death with unshaken firmness only entreating that a certain blue handkerchief
+LJ011-0114 to which he seemed fondly attached should be used to bandage his eyes which request was readily granted
+LJ011-0115 huntons execution no doubt aroused public attention to the cruelty and futility of the capital law against forgery
+LJ011-0116 a society which had already been started against capital punishment
+LJ011-0117 devoted its efforts first to a mitigation of the forgery statute but could not immediately accomplish much
+LJ011-0118 in eighteen twentynine the gallows claimed two more victims for this offense
+LJ011-0119 one was richard gifford a welleducated youth who had been at christs hospital and afterwards in the national debt office
+LJ011-0120 unfortunately he took to drink lost his appointment and fell from bad to worse
+LJ011-0121 suddenly after being at the lowest depths he emerged and was found by his friends living in comfort in the waterloo road
+LJ011-0122 his funds which he pretended came to him with a rich wife were really the proceeds of frauds upon the bank of england
+LJ011-0123 he forged the names of people who held stock on the bank books and got the value of the stock
+LJ011-0124 he also forged dividend receipts and got the dividends he was only sixandtwenty when he was hanged
+LJ011-0125 the other and the last criminal executed for forgery in this country was one maynard who was convicted of a fraud upon the custom house
+LJ011-0126 in conjunction with two others one of whom was a clerk in the custom house
+LJ011-0127 and had access to the official records he forged a warrant for one thousand ninehundred seventythree pounds and was paid the money by the comptroller general
+LJ011-0128 maynard was convicted of uttering the forged document jones of being an accessory the third prisoner was acquitted
+LJ011-0129 maynard was the only one who suffered death
+LJ011-0130 this was on the last day of eighteen twentynine in the following session sir robert peel brought in a bill to consolidate the acts relating to forgery
+LJ011-0131 upon the third reading of this bill sir james macintosh moved as an amendment that capital punishment should be abolished for all crimes of forgery
+LJ011-0132 except the forgery of wills and powers of attorney
+LJ011-0133 this amendment was strongly supported outside the house and a petition in favor of its passing was presented
+LJ011-0134 signed by more than a thousand members of banking firms
+LJ011-0135 macintoshs amendment was carried in the commons but the new law did not pass the lords who reenacted the capital penalty
+LJ011-0136 still no sentence of death was carried out for the offense and in eighteen thirtytwo
+LJ011-0137 the attorneygeneral introduced a bill to abolish capital punishment entirely for forgery
+LJ011-0138 it passed the commons but opposition was again encountered in the lords
+LJ011-0139 this time they sent back the bill reenacting only the two penalties for will forging and the forging of powers of attorney
+LJ011-0140 in other words they had advanced in eighteen thirtytwo to the point at which the lower house had arrived in eighteen thirty
+LJ011-0141 there were at the moment in newgate six convicts sentenced to death for forging wills
+LJ011-0142 the question was whether the government would dare to take their lives at the bidding of the house of lords
+LJ011-0143 and in defiance of the vote of the assembly which more accurately represented public opinion it was indeed announced that their fate was sealed
+LJ011-0144 but mr joseph hume pressed the government hard and obtained an assurance that the men should not be executed
+LJ011-0145 the new forgery act with the lords amendment passed into law but the latter proved perfectly harmless
+LJ011-0146 and no person ever after suffered death for any variety of this crime
+LJ011-0147 i will include in this part of the present chapter almost one of the last instances of a crime which in time past
+LJ011-0148 had invariably been visited with the death penalty and which was of a distinctly fraudulent nature
+LJ011-0149 the abduction of miss turner by the brothers wakefield bore a strong resemblance to the carrying off and forcible marrying of heiresses as already described
+LJ011-0150 miss turner was a schoolgirl of barely fifteen
+LJ011-0151 only child of a gentleman of large property in cheshire of which county he was actually high sheriff at the time of his daughters abduction
+LJ011-0152 the elder brother
+LJ011-0153 edward gibbon wakefield the prime mover in the abduction was a barrister not exactly briefless but without a large practice
+LJ011-0154 he had it was said a good private income and was already a widower with two children at the time of his committing the offense for which he was subsequently tried
+LJ011-0155 he had eloped with his first wife from school
+LJ011-0156 while on a visit to macclesfield he heard by chance of miss turner and that she would inherit all her fathers possessions
+LJ011-0157 he thereupon conceived an idea of carrying her off and marrying her willy nilly at gretna green
+LJ011-0158 the two brothers started at once for liverpool where miss turner was at school with a mrs daulby
+LJ011-0159 at manchester en route a traveling carriage was purchased which was driven up to mrs daulbys door at eight in the morning
+LJ011-0160 and a servant hurriedly alighted from it bearing a letter for miss turner
+LJ011-0161 this purported to be from the medical attendant of mr turner written at shrigley mr turners place of residence
+LJ011-0162 and it stated that mrs turner had been stricken with paralysis
+LJ011-0163 she was not in immediate danger but she wished to see her daughter as it was possible she might soon become incapable of recognizing any one
+LJ011-0164 miss turner greatly agitated accompanied the messenger who had brought this news a disguised servant of wakefields
+LJ011-0165 who had plausibly explained that he had only recently been engaged at shrigley
+LJ011-0166 the road taken was via manchester where the servant said a dr hull was to be picked up to go on with them to shrigley
+LJ011-0167 at manchester however the carriage stopped at the albion hotel
+LJ011-0168 miss turner was shown into a private room where mr wakefield soon presented himself
+LJ011-0169 miss turner not knowing him would have left the room but he said he came from her father and she remained
+LJ011-0170 wakefield in reply to her inquiries satisfied her that her mother was well and that the real reason for summoning her from school
+LJ011-0171 was the state of her fathers affairs
+LJ011-0172 mr turner was on the verge of bankruptcy he was at that moment at kendal and wished her to join him there at once
+LJ011-0173 miss turner consented to go on and they traveled night and day towards the north
+LJ011-0174 but at kendal there was no mr turner and to allay miss turners growing anxiety
+LJ011-0175 wakefield found it necessary to become more explicit regarding her fathers affairs
+LJ011-0176 he now pretended that mr turner was also on his way to the border pursued by sheriffs officers
+LJ011-0177 the fact was wakefield went on to say an uncle of his had advanced mr turner sixty thousand pounds which had temporarily staved off ruin
+LJ011-0178 but another bank had since failed and nothing could save mr turner but the transfer of some property to miss turner and its settlement on her
+LJ011-0179 so that it might become the exclusive property of her husband whoever he might be
+LJ011-0180 wakefield added that it had been suggested he should marry miss turner but that he had laughed at the idea
+LJ011-0181 wakefields uncle took the matter more seriously and declared that unless the marriage came off mr turner must be sold up
+LJ011-0182 miss turner thus pressed consented to go on to gretna green
+LJ011-0183 passing through carlisle she was told that mr turner was in the town but could not show himself
+LJ011-0184 nothing could release him from his trouble but the arrival of the marriage certificate from gretna green
+LJ011-0185 filial affection rose superior to all scruples and miss turner having crossed the border was married to wakefield
+LJ011-0186 by the blacksmith in the usual way
+LJ011-0187 returning to carlisle she now heard that her father had been set free and had gone home to shrigley whither they were to follow him
+LJ011-0188 they set out but at leeds wakefield found himself called suddenly to paris
+LJ011-0189 the other brother was accordingly sent on a pretended mission to shrigley to bring mr turner on to london whither wakefield and miss turner also proceeded
+LJ011-0190 on arrival wakefield pretended that they had missed mr turner and must follow him over to france
+LJ011-0191 the strangelymarried couple thereupon pressed on to dover and crossed over to calais
+LJ011-0192 the fact of the abduction did not transpire for some days
+LJ011-0193 then mrs daulby learnt that miss turner had not arrived at shrigley but that she had gone to manchester
+LJ011-0194 friends went in pursuit and traced her to huddersfield and further north
+LJ011-0195 the terror and dismay of her parents were soon intensified by the receipt of a letter from wakefield at carlisle announcing the marriage
+LJ011-0196 mr turner at once set off for london where he sought the assistance of the police
+LJ011-0197 and presently ascertained that wakefield had gone to the continent with his involuntary bride
+LJ011-0198 an uncle of miss wakefields accompanied by his solicitor and a bow street runner at once went in pursuit
+LJ011-0199 meanwhile a second letter turned up from wakefield at calais in which he assured mrs turner that miss turner was fondly attached to him
+LJ011-0200 and went on to say i do assure you madam that it shall be the anxious endeavor of my life to promote her happiness by every means in my power
+LJ011-0201 the game however was nearly up miss turner was met by her uncle on calais pier as she was walking with wakefield
+LJ011-0202 the uncle claimed her the husband resisted
+LJ011-0203 monsieur le maire was appealed to and decided to leave it to the young lady who at once abandoned wakefield
+LJ011-0204 as he still urged his rights over his wife miss turner cried out in protest no no i am not his wife
+LJ011-0205 he carried me away by fraud and stratagem and forced me to accompany him to gretna green
+LJ011-0206 by the same forcible means i was compelled to quit england and to trust myself to the protection of this person
+LJ011-0207 whom i never saw until i was taken from liverpool and never want to see again
+LJ011-0208 on this wakefield gave in
+LJ011-0209 he surrendered the bride who had never been a wife and she returned to england with her friends while wakefield went on alone to paris
+LJ011-0210 mr william wakefield was arrested at dover conveyed to chester and committed to lancaster jail for trial at the next assizes
+LJ011-0211 when indictments were preferred against both brothers for having carried away ellen turner spinster
+LJ011-0212 then a maid and heir apparent unto her father for the sake of the lucre of her substance and for having afterwards unlawfully and against her will
+LJ011-0213 married the said ellen turner
+LJ011-0214 they were tried in march of the following year edward wakefield having apparently given himself up
+LJ011-0215 and found guilty remaining in lancaster jail for a couple of months when they were brought up to the court of kings bench for judgment
+LJ011-0216 the prosecution pressed for a severe penalty edward wakefield pleaded that his trial had already cost him three thousand pounds
+LJ011-0217 mr justice bayley in summing up
+LJ011-0218 spoke severely of the gross deception practiced upon an innocent girl and sentenced the brothers each to three years imprisonment
+LJ011-0219 william wakefield in lancaster jail and edward gibbon wakefield in newgate which sentences were duly enforced
+LJ011-0220 the marriage was annulled by an act of parliament although wakefield petitioned against it
+LJ011-0221 and was brought from newgate at his own request to oppose the second reading of the bill
+LJ011-0222 he also wrote and published a pamphlet from the jail to show that miss turner had been a consenting party to the marriage and was really his wife
+LJ011-0223 neither his address nor his pamphlet availed much for the bill for the divorce passed both houses
+LJ011-0224 that mr wakefield was a shrewd critic and close observer of all that went on in the newgate of those days
+LJ011-0225 will be admitted by those who have read his book on the punishment of death
+LJ011-0226 which was based on his jail experiences and of which i have availed myself in the last chapter
+LJ011-0227 after their release from lancaster and newgate respectively both wakefields went abroad
+LJ011-0228 mr w wakefield served in a continental army and rose to the rank of colonel
+LJ011-0229 after which he went to new zealand and held an important post in that colony
+LJ011-0230 mr e g wakefield took part in the scheme for the colonization of north australia and for some years resided in that colony
+LJ011-0231 miss turner subsequently married mr legh of lym hall cheshire
+LJ011-0232 it must not be imagined that although highway robbery was now nearly extinct and felonious outrages in the streets were rare
+LJ011-0233 that thieves or depredators were idle or entirely unsuccessful
+LJ011-0234 bigger jobs than ever were planned and attempted
+LJ011-0235 as in the burglary at lambeth palace when the thieves were fortunately disappointed the archbishop having before he left town
+LJ011-0236 sent his platechests eight in number to the silversmiths for greater security
+LJ011-0237 the jewelers were always a favorite prey of the london thieves
+LJ011-0238 shops were broken into as when that of grimaldi and johnson in the strand was robbed of watches to the value of six thousand pounds
+LJ011-0239 where robbery with violence was intended the perpetrators had now to adopt various shifts and contrivances to secure their victim
+LJ011-0240 no more curious instance of this ever occurred than the assault made by one howard upon a mr mullay with intent to rob him
+LJ011-0241 the latter had advertised offering a sum of one thousand pounds to anyone who would introduce him to some mercantile equipment
+LJ011-0242 howard replied desiring mr mullay to call upon him in a house in red lion square
+LJ011-0243 mr mullay went and a second interview was agreed upon when a third person mr owen
+LJ011-0244 through whose interest an appointment under government was to be obtained for mullay would be present
+LJ011-0245 mr mullay called again taking with him five hundred pounds in cash howard discovered this and his manner was very suspicious
+LJ011-0246 there were weapons in the room a long knife a heavy trapball bat and a poker
+LJ011-0247 mr mullay became alarmed and as mr owen did not appear withdrew
+LJ011-0248 howard strange to say making no attempt to detain him probably because mullay promised to return a few days later and to bring more money
+LJ011-0249 on this renewed visit mr owen was still absent and mr mullay agreed to write him a note from a copy howard gave him
+LJ011-0250 while thus engaged howard thrust the poker into the fire
+LJ011-0251 mullay protested and then howard under the influence of ungovernable rage as it seemed jumped up
+LJ011-0252 locked the door and attacked mullay violently with the trapball bat and knife
+LJ011-0253 mullay defended himself and managed to break the knife but not before he had cut himself severely
+LJ011-0254 a life and death struggle ensued mullay cried murder
+LJ011-0255 howard swore he would finish him but proved the weaker of the two and mullay got him down on the floor
+LJ011-0256 by this time the neighbors were aroused and several people came to the scene of the affray
+LJ011-0257 howard was secured given into custody and committed to newgate
+LJ011-0258 the defense he set up was that mullay had used epithets towards him while they were negotiating a business matter
+LJ011-0259 and that being an irritable temper he had struck mullay after which a violent scuffle took place
+LJ011-0260 it was however proved that howard was in needy circumstances and that his proposals to mr mullay could only have originated in a desire to rob him
+LJ011-0261 he was found guilty of an assault with intent and sentenced to transportation for fourteen years
+LJ011-0262 a more complicated and altogether most extraordinary case of assault with intent to extort money occurred a few years later
+LJ011-0263 it was perpetrated upon a respectable country solicitor
+LJ011-0264 mr gee of bishop stortford who administered the estate of a certain mr canning deceased
+LJ011-0265 this mr canning had left his widow a life interest in two thousand pounds so long as she remained unmarried
+LJ011-0266 the money went after her to her children
+LJ011-0267 mr gee had invested one thousand two hundred pounds of this and was seeking how best to place the remaining eight hundred pounds
+LJ011-0268 when he was asked to meet a mr heath in london with regard to the sale of certain lands at bishop stortford
+LJ011-0269 an appointment was made and kept by mr gee
+LJ011-0270 but on arrival he was met by a young sailor with a letter which begged mr gee to go to heaths house as the latter was not well
+LJ011-0271 mr gee went in the coach sent for him and alighted at twentyseven york street west commercial road
+LJ011-0272 the coach immediately drove off mr gee entered the house asked for mr heath was told he would find him in the back kitchen at breakfast
+LJ011-0273 he was about to descend the stairs when three persons one of them the young sailor
+LJ011-0274 fell upon him and in spite of his resistance carried him into a sort of den partitioned off at the end of the back kitchen
+LJ011-0275 there he was seated on some sort of wooden bench and securely fastened
+LJ011-0276 a chain fixed to staples at his back passed round his chest under his arms and was padlocked on the left side
+LJ011-0277 his feet were bound with cords and made fast to rings in the floor thus manacled one of the party who pretended to be mrs cannings brother
+LJ011-0278 addressed him insisting that he should forthwith sign a cheque for the eight hundred pounds of the canning inheritance still uninvested
+LJ011-0279 and write an order sufficient to secure the surrender of the other one thousand two hundred pounds
+LJ011-0280 mr gee at first stoutly refused
+LJ011-0281 then as they warned him that he would be kept a prisoner in total darkness in this horrible den until he agreed to their demands
+LJ011-0282 he gave in and signed the documents thus illegally extorted
+LJ011-0283 one was a cheque for eight hundred pounds on his bankers the other an order to mr bell of newport essex requesting the surrender of a deed
+LJ011-0284 his captors having thus succeeded in their designs left him no doubt to realize the money
+LJ011-0285 the door of his place of durance stood open and mr gee began to consider whether he might not escape
+LJ011-0286 for three hours he struggled without success with his bonds
+LJ011-0287 but at length managed to wriggle out of the chain which confined his body and soon loosened the ropes round his feet
+LJ011-0288 thus free he eluded the vigilance of two of the party who were at dinner in the front kitchen
+LJ011-0289 and creeping out into the garden at the back climbed the wall and got into the street
+LJ011-0290 his first act was to send a messenger to stop the cheque and the order to mr bell his next to seek the help of the police
+LJ011-0291 two bow street runners were dispatched to the house in york street which had evidently been taken on purpose for the outrage
+LJ011-0292 there was no furniture in the place and the den in the kitchen had been recently and specially constructed of boards of immense strength and thickness
+LJ011-0293 it was a cell five feet by three within another the intervening being filled with rammed earth to deaden the sound
+LJ012-0001 the chronicles of newgate volume two by arthur griffiths section fifteen newgate notorieties part three
+LJ012-0002 on the arrival of the police the house was empty
+LJ012-0003 the two men on guard had gone off immediately after mr gee had escaped but they returned later in the day and were apprehended
+LJ012-0004 inquiries set on foot also elicited the suspicion that the person who had represented mrs cannings brother
+LJ012-0005 was a blind man named edwards who had taken this house in york street and who was known to be a frequent visitor at mrs cannings
+LJ012-0006 a watch was set on him at her house where he was soon afterwards arrested
+LJ012-0007 edwards whom mr gee easily identified with the others at once admitted that he was the prime mover of the conspiracy
+LJ012-0008 he had sought by all legal means to obtain possession of the two thousand pounds but had failed and had had recourse to more violent means
+LJ012-0009 it turned out that he was really married to mrs canning
+LJ012-0010 both having been recognized by the clergyman who had performed the ceremony and the assault had been committed to secure the money
+LJ012-0011 which mrs canning had lost by remarriage
+LJ012-0012 all three men were committed for trial although edwards wished to exculpate the others as having only acted under his order
+LJ012-0013 at the trial the indictment charging them with felony could not be sustained but they were found guilty of conspiracy and assault
+LJ012-0014 edwards was sentenced to two years imprisonment in newgate
+LJ012-0015 weedon and lecasser to twelve and six months respectively in coldbath fields
+LJ012-0016 at no period could thieves in london or elsewhere have prospered had they been unable to dispose of their illgotten goods
+LJ012-0017 the trade of fence or receiver therefore is very nearly as old as the crimes which it so obviously fostered
+LJ012-0018 one of the most notorious and for a time most successful practitioners in this illicit trade passed through newgate in eighteen thirtyone
+LJ012-0019 the name of ikey solomons was long remembered by thief and thieftaker
+LJ012-0020 he began as an itinerant street vendor at eight at ten he passed bad money
+LJ012-0021 at fourteen he was a pickpocket and a duffer or a seller of sham goods
+LJ012-0022 he early saw the profits to be made out of purchasing stolen goods but could not embark in it at first for want of capital
+LJ012-0023 he was taken up when still in his teens for stealing a pocketbook and was sentenced to transportation but did not get beyond the hulks at chatham
+LJ012-0024 on his release an uncle a slopseller in chatham gave him a situation as barker or salesman
+LJ012-0025 at which he realized one hundred fifty pounds within a couple of years
+LJ012-0026 with this capital he returned to london and set up as a fence
+LJ012-0027 he had such great aptitude for business and such a thorough knowledge of the real value of goods
+LJ012-0028 that he was soon admitted to be one of the best judges known of all kinds of property from a glass bottle to a five hundred guinea chronometer
+LJ012-0029 but he never paid more than a fixed price for all articles of the same class whatever their intrinsic value
+LJ012-0030 thus a watch was paid for as a watch whether it was of gold or silver a piece of linen as such whether the stuff was coarse or fine
+LJ012-0031 this rule in dealing with stolen goods continues to this day and has made the fortune of many since ikey
+LJ012-0032 solomons also established a system of provincial agency by which stolen goods were passed on from london to the seaports and so abroad
+LJ012-0033 jewels were reset
+LJ012-0034 diamonds refaced all marks by which other articles might be identified the selvages of linen the stamps on shoes
+LJ012-0035 the number and names on watches were carefully removed or obliterated after the goods passed out of his hands
+LJ012-0036 on one occasion the whole of the proceeds of a robbery from a boot shop was traced to solomons
+LJ012-0037 the owner came with the police and was morally convinced that it was his property
+LJ012-0038 but could not positively identify it and ikey defied them to remove a single shoe
+LJ012-0039 in the end the injured bootmaker agreed to buy back his stolen stock
+LJ012-0040 at the price solomons had paid for it and it cost him about a hundred pounds to restock his shop with his own goods
+LJ012-0041 as a general rule ikey solomons confined his purchases to small articles mostly of jewelery and plate
+LJ012-0042 which he kept concealed in a hidingplace with a trapdoor just under his bed
+LJ012-0043 he lived in rosemary lane and sometimes he had as much as twenty thousand pounds worth of goods secreted on the premises
+LJ012-0044 when his trade was busiest he set up a second establishment at the head of which although he was married
+LJ012-0045 he put another lady with whom he was on intimate terms
+LJ012-0046 the second house was in lower queen street islington and he used it for some time as a depot for valuables
+LJ012-0047 but it was eventually discovered by mrs solomons a very jealous wife
+LJ012-0048 and this with the danger arising from an extensive robbery of watches in cheapside in which ikey was implicated as a receiver
+LJ012-0049 led him to think seriously of trying his fortunes in another land
+LJ012-0050 he was about to emigrate to new south wales when he was arrested at islington and committed to newgate on a charge of receiving stolen goods
+LJ012-0051 while thus incarcerated he managed to escape from custody but not actually from jail by an ingenious contrivance which is worth mentioning
+LJ012-0052 he claimed to be admitted to bail and was taken from newgate on a writ of habeas before one of the judges sitting at westminster
+LJ012-0053 he was conveyed in a coach driven by a confederate and under the escort of a couple of turnkeys
+LJ012-0054 solomons while waiting to appear in court persuaded the turnkeys to take him to a publichouse where all might refresh
+LJ012-0055 while there he was joined by his wife and other friends
+LJ012-0056 after a short carouse the prisoner went into westminster his case was heard bail refused and he was ordered back to newgate
+LJ012-0057 but he once more persuaded the turnkeys to pause at the public where more liquor was consumed
+LJ012-0058 when the journey was resumed mrs solomons accompanied her husband in the coach halfway to newgate she was taken with a fit
+LJ012-0059 one turnkey was stupidly drunk and ikey persuaded the other who was not much better
+LJ012-0060 to let the coach change and pass petticoat lane en route to the jail where the suffering woman might be handed over to her friends
+LJ012-0061 on stopping at a door in this low street ikey jumped out ran into the house slamming the door behind him
+LJ012-0062 he passed through and out at the back and was soon beyond pursuit
+LJ012-0063 byandby the turnkeys sobered by their loss returned to newgate alone and pleaded in excuse that they had been drugged
+LJ012-0064 ikey left no traces and the police could hear nothing of him he had in fact gone out of the country to copenhagen whence he passed on to new york
+LJ012-0065 there he devoted himself to the circulation of forged notes he was also anxious to do business in watches
+LJ012-0066 and begged his wife to send him over a consignment of cheap righteous watches or such as had been honestly obtained and not on the cross
+LJ012-0067 but mrs solomons could not resist the temptation to dabble in stolen goods and she was found shipping watches of the wrong category to new york
+LJ012-0068 for this she received a sentence of fourteen years transportation and was sent to van diemens land
+LJ012-0069 ikey joined her at hobart town where they set up a general shop and soon began to prosper
+LJ012-0070 he was however recognized and ere long an order came out from home for his arrest and transfer to england
+LJ012-0071 which presently followed and again found himself an inmate of newgate waiting trial as a receiver and a prisonbreaker
+LJ012-0072 he was indicted on eight charges two only of which were substantiated but on each of them he received a sentence of seven years transportation
+LJ012-0073 at his own request he was reconveyed to hobart town where his son had been carrying on the business
+LJ012-0074 whether ikey was assigned to his own family is not recorded but no doubt he succeeded to his own property when the term of servitude had expired
+LJ012-0075 no doubt on the removal of ikey solomons from the scene his mantle fell upon worthy successors
+LJ012-0076 there was an increase rather than an abatement in jewel and bullion robberies in the years immediately following
+LJ012-0077 and the thieves seem to have had no difficulty in disposing of their spoil
+LJ012-0078 one of the largest robberies of its class was that effected upon the custom house in the winter of eighteen thirtyfour
+LJ012-0079 a large amount of specie was nearly always retained here in the department of the receiver of fines
+LJ012-0080 this was known to some clerks in the office who began to consider how they might lay hands on a lot of cash
+LJ012-0081 being inexperienced they decided to call in the services of a couple of professional housebreakers
+LJ012-0082 jordan and sullivan who at once set to work in a businesslike way to obtain impressions of the keys of the strong room and chest
+LJ012-0083 but before committing themselves to an attempt on the latter it was of importance to ascertain how much it usually contained
+LJ012-0084 for this purpose jordan waited on the receiver to make a small payment for which he tendered a fiftypound note
+LJ012-0085 the chest was opened to give change and a heavy tray lifted out which plainly held some four thousand pounds in cash
+LJ012-0086 some difficulty then arose as to gaining admission to the strong room and it was arranged that a man may another custom house clerk
+LJ012-0087 should be introduced into the building and secreted there during the night to accomplish the robbery
+LJ012-0088 may was smuggled in through a window on the esplanade behind an opened umbrella when the place was quite deserted
+LJ012-0089 he broke open the chest and stole four thousand seven hundred pounds in notes with a quantity of gold and some silver
+LJ012-0090 he went out next morning with the booty when the doors were reopened and attracted no attention
+LJ012-0091 the spoil was fairly divided part of the notes were disposed of to a traveling receiver who passed over to the continent and there cashed them easily
+LJ012-0092 this occurred in november eighteen thirtyfour the custom house officials were in a state of consternation
+LJ012-0093 and the police were unable at first to get on the track of the thieves
+LJ012-0094 while the excitement was still fresh a new robbery of diamonds was committed at a bonded warehouse in the immediate neighborhood on custom house quay
+LJ012-0095 the jewels had belonged to a spanish countess recently deceased who had sent them to england for greater security on the outbreak of the first carlist war
+LJ012-0096 at her death the diamonds were divided between her four daughters but only half had been claimed
+LJ012-0097 and at the time of the robbery there were still six thousand pounds worth in the warehouse
+LJ012-0098 these were deposited in an iron chest of great strength on the second floor
+LJ012-0099 the thieves it was supposed had secreted themselves in the warehouse during business hours and waited till night to carry out their plans
+LJ012-0100 some ham sandwiches several cigar ends and two empty champagne bottles were found on the premises next day showing how they had passed their time
+LJ012-0101 they had had serious work to get at the diamonds it was necessary to force one heavy door from its hinges and to cut through the thick panels of another
+LJ012-0102 the lock and fastenings of the chest were forced by means of a jack an instrument known to housebreakers
+LJ012-0103 which if introduced into a keyhole and worked like a bit and brace will soon destroy the strongest lock
+LJ012-0104 the thieves were satisfied with the diamonds they broke open other cases containing gold watches and plate but abstracted nothing
+LJ012-0105 the police were of opinion that these robberies were both the work of the same hand
+LJ012-0106 but it was not until the autumn that they traced some of the notes stolen from the custom house to jordan and sullivan
+LJ012-0107 about this time also suspicion fell upon huey one of the clerks who was arrested soon afterwards and made a clean breast of the whole affair
+LJ012-0108 there was a hunt for the two wellknown housebreakers who were eventually heard of at a lodging in kennington
+LJ012-0109 but they at once made tracks and took up their residence under assumed names in a tavern in bloomsbury
+LJ012-0110 the police lost all trace of them for some days but at length sullivans brother was followed from the house in kennington to the abovementioned tavern
+LJ012-0111 both the thieves were now apprehended but only a small portion of the lost property was recovered
+LJ012-0112 notwithstanding a minute search through the room they had occupied
+LJ012-0113 after their arrest jordans wife and sullivans brother came to the inn and begged to be allowed to visit this room
+LJ012-0114 but their request in spite of their earnest entreaties
+LJ012-0115 was refused at the instigation of the police a few days later a frequent guest at the tavern arrived and had this same room allotted to him
+LJ012-0116 a fire was lit in it and the maid in doing so threw a lot of rubbish as it seemed which had accumulated under the grate on top of the burning coals
+LJ012-0117 byandby the occupant of the room noticed something glittering in the center of the fire which to inspect more closely he took out with the tongs
+LJ012-0118 it was a large gold brooch set in pearls but a portion of the mounting had melted with the heat
+LJ012-0119 the fire was raked out and in the ashes were found seven large and four dozen small brilliants also seven emeralds
+LJ012-0120 one of them of considerable size
+LJ012-0121 a part of the swag stolen from the bonded warehouse was thus recovered but it was supposed that a number of the stolen notes had perished in the fire
+LJ012-0122 the condign punishment meted out to these custom house robbers had no deterrent effect seemingly
+LJ012-0123 within three months three new and most mysterious burglaries were committed at the west end all in houses adjoining each other
+LJ012-0124 one was occupied by the portuguese ambassador who lost a quantity of jewelery from an escritoire and his neighbors lost plate and cash
+LJ012-0125 not the slightest clue to these large affairs was ever obtained but it is probable that they were put up jobs or managed with the complicity of servants
+LJ012-0126 the next year twelve thousand sovereigns were cleverly stolen in the mile end road
+LJ012-0127 the golddust robbery of eighteen thirtynine the first of its kind was cleverly and carefully planned with the assistance of a dishonest employee
+LJ012-0128 a young man named caspar clerk to a steamship company
+LJ012-0129 learnt through the firms correspondence that a quantity of golddust
+LJ012-0130 brought in a manofwar from brazil had been transhipped at falmouth for conveyance to london
+LJ012-0131 the letter informed him of the marks and sizes of the cases containing the precious metal
+LJ012-0132 and he with his father arranged that a messenger should call for the stuff with forged credentials and anticipating the rightful owner
+LJ012-0133 the fraudulent messenger by the help of young caspar established his claim to the boxes paid the wharfage dues and carried off the golddust
+LJ012-0134 presently the proper person arrived from the consignees but found the golddust gone
+LJ012-0135 the police were at once employed and after infinite pains they discovered the person one moss who had acted as the messenger
+LJ012-0136 moss was known to be intimate with the elder caspar
+LJ012-0137 father of the clerk to the steamship company and these facts were deemed sufficient to justify the arrest of all three
+LJ012-0138 they also ascertained that a goldrefiner
+LJ012-0139 solomons had sold bar gold to the value of one thousand two hundred pounds to certain bullion dealers
+LJ012-0140 solomons was not straightforward in his replies as to where he got the gold and he was soon placed in the dock with the caspars and moss
+LJ012-0141 moss presently turned approver
+LJ012-0142 and implicated money moses another jew for the whole affair had been planned and executed by members of the hebrew persuasion
+LJ012-0143 money moses had received the stolen golddust from moss fatherinlaw davis or isaacs who was never arrested
+LJ012-0144 and passed it on to solomons by his daughter a widow named abrahams
+LJ012-0145 solomons was now also admitted as a witness and his evidence with that of moss secured the transportation of the principal actors in the theft
+LJ012-0146 in the course of the trial it came out that almost every one concerned except the caspars had endeavored to defraud his accomplices
+LJ012-0147 moss peached because he declared he had been done out of the proper price of the golddust but it was clear that he had tried to appropriate the whole of the stuff
+LJ012-0148 instead of handing it or the price of it back to the caspars
+LJ012-0149 money moses and mrs abrahams imposed upon moss as to the price paid by solomons
+LJ012-0150 mrs abrahams imposed upon her father by abstracting a portion of the dust and selling it on her own account
+LJ012-0151 solomons cheated the whole lot by retaining half the gold in his possession and only giving an i o u for it
+LJ012-0152 which he refused to redeem on account of the row about the robbery
+LJ012-0153 moses it may be added was a direct descendant of ikey solomons
+LJ012-0154 he was ostensibly a publican
+LJ012-0155 and kept the black lion in vinegar yard drury lane where secretly he did business as one of the most daring and successful fencers ever known in the metropolis
+LJ012-0156 his arrest and conviction cast dismay over the whole gang of receivers and for a time seriously checked the nefarious traffic
+LJ012-0157 it may be added that prison life did not agree with money moses a striking change came over his appearance while in newgate
+LJ012-0158 before his confinement he had been a sleek round person addicted obviously to the pleasures of the table
+LJ012-0159 he did not thrive on prison fare
+LJ012-0160 now more strictly meager thanks to the inspectors and the more stringent discipline and before he embarked for australia to undergo his fourteen years
+LJ012-0161 he was reported to have fallen away to a shadow
+LJ012-0162 having brought down the records of great frauds forgeries and thefts from about eighteen twentyfive to eighteen forty
+LJ012-0163 i will now retrace my steps and give some account of the more remarkable murders during that period
+LJ012-0164 no murder has created greater sensation and horror throughout england than that of mr weare by thurtell hunt and probert
+LJ012-0165 as this was accomplished beyond the limits of the metropolis and its perpetrators arraigned at hertford
+LJ012-0166 where the principal actor suffered death the case hardly comes within the limits of my subject
+LJ012-0167 but probert who turned kings evidence and materially assisted conviction
+LJ012-0168 was tried at the old bailey the following year for horsestealing and hanged in front of newgate
+LJ012-0169 the murder was still fresh in the memory of the populace and probert was all but lynched on his way to jail
+LJ012-0170 according to his statement when sentenced to death he had been driven to horsestealing by the execration which had pursued him after the murder
+LJ012-0171 every door had been closed against him every hope of future support blasted
+LJ012-0172 since the calamitous event he went on that happened at hertford i have been a lost man
+LJ012-0173 the event which he styles calamitous we may well characterize as one of the most deliberately atrocious murders on record
+LJ012-0174 thurtell was a gambler and weare had won a good deal of money from him
+LJ012-0175 weare was supposed to carry a private bank about with him in a pocket in his under waistcoat
+LJ012-0176 to obtain possession of this thurtell with his two associates resolved to kill him
+LJ012-0177 the victim was invited to visit proberts cottage in the country near elstree
+LJ012-0178 thurtell drove him down in a gig to be killed as he traveled in thurtells own words
+LJ012-0179 the others followed and on overtaking thurtell found he had done the job alone in a retired part of the road known as gills hill lane
+LJ012-0180 the murderer explained that he had first fired a pistol at weares head but the shot glanced off his cheek
+LJ012-0181 then he attacked the others throat with a penknife and last of all drove the pistol barrel into his forehead
+LJ012-0182 after the murder the villains divided the spoil and went on to proberts cottage and supped off porkchops brought down on purpose
+LJ012-0183 during the night they sought to dispose of the body by throwing it into a pond but two days later had to throw it into another pond
+LJ012-0184 meanwhile the discovery of pistol and knife spattered with human blood and brains
+LJ012-0185 raised the alarm and suspicion fell upon the three murderers who were arrested
+LJ012-0186 the crime was brought home to thurtell by the confession of hunt
+LJ012-0187 one of his accomplices who took the police to the pond where the remains of the unfortunate mr weare were discovered sunk in a sack weighted by stones
+LJ012-0188 probert was then admitted as a witness and the case was fully proved against thurtell who was hanged in front of hertford jail
+LJ012-0189 hunt in consideration of the information he had given escaped death and was sentenced to transportation for life
+LJ012-0190 widespread horror and indignation was evoked throughout the kingdom by the discovery of the series
+LJ012-0191 of atrocious murders perpetrated in edinburgh by the miscreants burke and hare
+LJ012-0192 the first of whom has added to the british language a synonym for illegal suppression
+LJ012-0193 the crimes of these inhuman purveyors to medical science do not fall within the limits of this work
+LJ012-0194 but burke and hare had their imitators further south
+LJ012-0195 and of these bishop and williams who were guilty of many peculiar atrocities ended their murderous careers in front of the debtors door at newgate
+LJ012-0196 bishop whose real name was head married a halfsister of williams williams was a professional resurrectionist or bodysnatcher
+LJ012-0197 a trade almost openly countenanced when subjects for the anatomy schools were only to be got by rifling graves or worse
+LJ012-0198 bishop was a carpenter but having been suddenly thrown out of work he joined his brotherinlaw in his line of business
+LJ012-0199 after a little
+LJ012-0200 bishop got weary of the dangers and fatigues of exhumation and proposed to williams that instead of disinterring they should murder their subjects
+LJ012-0201 bishop confessed that he was moved to this by the example of burke and hare
+LJ012-0202 they pursued their terrible trade for five years without scruple and without detection
+LJ012-0203 eventually the law overtook them but almost by accident
+LJ012-0204 they presented themselves about noon one day at the dissecting room of kings college hospital accompanied by a third man
+LJ012-0205 an avowed snatcher and habitué of the fortune of war a publichouse in smithfield frequented openly by men of this awful profession
+LJ012-0206 this man may asked the porter at kings college if he wanted anything the euphemism for offering a body
+LJ012-0207 the porter asked what he had got and the answer was a male subject
+LJ012-0208 reference was made to mr partridge the demonstrator in anatomy
+LJ012-0209 and after some haggling they agreed on a price and in the afternoon the snatchers brought a hamper which contained a body in a sack
+LJ012-0210 the porter received it but from its freshness became suspicious of foul play
+LJ012-0211 mr partridge was sent for and he with some of the students soon decided that the corpse had not died a natural death
+LJ012-0212 the snatchers were detained the police sent for and arrest followed as a matter of course
+LJ012-0213 an inquest was held on the body which was identified as that of an italian boy
+LJ012-0214 carlo ferrari who made a living by exhibiting white mice about the streets
+LJ012-0215 and the jury returned a verdict of willful murder against persons unknown expressing a strong opinion that bishop
+LJ012-0216 williams and may had been concerned in the transaction
+LJ012-0217 meanwhile a search had been made at nova scotia gardens bethnal green where bishop and williams lived
+LJ012-0218 at first nothing peculiar was found but at a second search the backgarden ground was dug up
+LJ012-0219 and in one corner at some depth a bundle of clothes were unearthed which with a hairy cap
+LJ012-0220 were known to be what ferrari had worn when last seen
+LJ012-0221 in another portion of the garden more clothing partly male and partly female was discovered
+LJ012-0222 plainly pointing to the perpetration of other crimes
+LJ012-0223 these facts were represented before the police magistrate
+LJ012-0224 who examined bishop and his fellows and further incriminating evidence adduced to the effect that the prisoners had bartered for a coach to carry a stiff un
+LJ012-0225 they had also been seen to leave their cottage carrying out a sack with something heavy inside on this they were fully committed to newgate for trial
+LJ012-0226 this trial came off in due course at the central criminal court where the prisoners were charged on two counts
+LJ012-0227 one that of the murder of the italian boy the other that of a boy unknown
+LJ012-0228 the evidence from first to last was circumstantial
+LJ012-0229 but the jury after a short deliberation did not hesitate to bring in a verdict of guilty and all three were condemned to death
+LJ012-0230 shortly before the day fixed for execution bishop made a full confession the bulk of which bore the impress of truth
+LJ012-0231 although it included statements that were improbable and unsubstantiated
+LJ012-0232 he asserted that the victim was a lincolnshire lad and not an italian boy although the latter was fully proved
+LJ012-0233 according to the confession death had been inflicted by drowning in a well whereas the medical evidence all pointed to violence
+LJ012-0234 it was however pretty clear that this victim like preceding ones had been lured to nova scotia gardens and there drugged with a large dose of laudanum
+LJ012-0235 while they were in a state of insensibility the murder was committed
+LJ012-0236 bishops confession was endorsed by williams and the immediate result was the respite of may
+LJ012-0237 a very painful scene occurred in newgate when the news of his escape from death was imparted to may
+LJ012-0238 he fainted and the warrant of mercy nearly proved his deathblow the other two looked on at his agitation with an indifference amounting to apathy
+LJ012-0239 the execution took place a week or two later in the presence of such a crowd as had not been seen near newgate for years
+LJ012-0240 i will close this chapter with a brief account of another murder
+LJ012-0241 the memory of which is still fresh in the minds of londoners although half a century has passed since it was committed
+LJ012-0242 the horror with which greenacres crime struck the town was unparalleled since the time when catherine hayes slew her husband
+LJ012-0243 there were many features of resemblance in these crimes
+LJ012-0244 the decapitation and dismemberment the bestowal of the remains in various parts of the town the preservation of the head in spirits of wine
+LJ012-0245 in the hope that the features might some day be recognized were alike in both
+LJ012-0246 the murder in both cases was long a profound mystery in this which i am now describing
+LJ012-0247 a bricklayer found a human trunk near some new buildings in the edgeware road one morning in the last week of eighteen thirtysix
+LJ012-0248 the inquest on these remains which medical examination showed to be those of a female
+LJ012-0249 returned a verdict of willful murder against some person unknown
+LJ012-0250 on the seventh july eighteen thirtyseven
+LJ012-0251 the lockman of ben jonson lock in stepney fields found a human head jammed into the lock gates
+LJ012-0252 closer investigation proved that it belonged to the trunk already discovered on the second february
+LJ012-0253 a further discovery was made in an osier bed near cold harbor lane camberwell
+LJ012-0254 where a workman found a bundle containing two human legs in a drain
+LJ012-0255 these were the missing members of the same mutilated trunk
+LJ012-0256 and there was now evidence sufficient to establish conclusively that the woman thus collected piecemeal had been barbarously done to death
+LJ012-0257 but the affair still remained a profound mystery no light was thrown upon it till towards the end of march
+LJ012-0258 a mr gay of goodge street came to view the head and immediately recognized it as that of a widowed sister hannah brown
+LJ012-0259 who had been missing since the previous christmas day
+LJ012-0260 the murdered individual was thus identified the next step was to ascertain where and with whom she had last been seen
+LJ012-0261 this brought suspicion on to a certain james greenacre
+LJ012-0262 whom she was to have married and in whose company she had left her own lodgings to visit his in camberwell
+LJ012-0263 the police wished to refer to greenacre but as he was not forthcoming
+LJ012-0264 a warrant was issued for his apprehension which was effected at kennington on the twentyfourth march
+LJ012-0265 a woman named gale who lived with him was arrested at the same time the prisoners were examined at the marylebone police court
+LJ012-0266 greenacre a stout middleaged man wrapped in a brown greatcoat assumed an air of insolent bravado
+LJ012-0267 but his despair must have been great as was evident from his attempt to strangle himself in the stationhouse
+LJ012-0268 suspicion grew almost to certainty as the evidence was unfolded
+LJ012-0269 mrs brown was a washerwoman supposed to be worth some money hence greenacres offer of marriage
+LJ012-0270 she had realized all her effects and brought them with her furniture to greenacres lodgings the two when married were to emigrate to hudsons bay
+LJ012-0271 whether it was greed or a quarrel that drove greenacre to the desperate deed remains obscure
+LJ012-0272 they were apparently good friends when last seen together at a neighbors where they seemed perfectly happy and sociable and eager for the wedding day
+LJ012-0273 but greenacre in his confession pretended that he and his intended had quarreled over her property or the want of it
+LJ012-0274 and that in a moment of anger he knocked her down
+LJ012-0275 he thought he had killed her and in his terror began at once to consider how he might dispose of the body and escape arrest
+LJ012-0276 while she was senseless but really still alive he cut off her head and dismembered the body in the manner already described
+LJ012-0277 it is scarcely probable that he would have gone to this extremity if he had had no previous evil intention
+LJ012-0278 and the most probable inference is that he inveigled mrs brown to his lodgings with the set purpose of taking her life
+LJ012-0279 his measures for the disposal of the corpus delicti remind us of those taken by mrs hayes and her associates
+LJ012-0280 or of gardelles frantic efforts to conceal his crime
+LJ012-0281 the most ghastly part of the story is that which deals with his getting rid of the head
+LJ012-0282 this wrapped up in a silk handkerchief
+LJ012-0283 he carried under his coatflaps through the streets and afterwards on his cap in a crowded city omnibus
+LJ012-0284 it was not until he left the bus and walked up by the regents canal that he conceived the idea of throwing the head into the water
+LJ012-0285 another day elapsed before he got rid of the rest of the body
+LJ012-0286 all of which according to his own confession made no doubt with the idea of exonerating mrs gale he accomplished without her assistance
+LJ012-0287 on the other hand it was adduced in evidence that mrs gale had been at his lodgings the very day after the murder
+LJ012-0288 and was seen to be busily engaged in washing down the house with bucket and mop
+LJ012-0289 greenacre when tried at the old bailey admitted that he had been guilty of manslaughter
+LJ012-0290 while conversing with mrs brown he declared the unfortunate woman was rocking herself to and fro in a chair
+LJ012-0291 as she leant back he put his foot against the chair and so tilted it over
+LJ012-0292 mrs brown fell with it and greenacre to his horror found that she was dead
+LJ012-0293 but the medical evidence was clear that the decapitation had been effected during life and the jury after a short deliberation
+LJ012-0294 without hesitation brought in a verdict of willful murder
+LJ012-0295 the woman gale was also found guilty but sentence of death was only passed on greenacre
+LJ012-0296 the execution was as usual attended by an immense concourse and greenacre died amidst the loudest execrations
+LJ013-0001 the chronicles of newgate volume two by arthur griffiths section sixteen newgate notorieties continued part one
+LJ013-0002 as the century advanced crimes of fraud increased
+LJ013-0003 they not only became more numerous but they were on a wider scale
+LJ013-0004 the most extensive and systematic robberies were planned and carried out so as long to escape detection
+LJ013-0005 one of the earliest of the big operators in fraudulent finance was edward beaumont smith
+LJ013-0006 who was convicted in eighteen fortyone of uttering false exchequer bills to an almost fabulous amount
+LJ013-0007 a not entirely novel kind of fraud but one carried out on a larger scale than heretofore
+LJ013-0008 came to light in this same year eighteen fortyone
+LJ013-0009 this was the willful shipwreck and casting away of a vessel which with her supposed cargo had been heavily insured
+LJ013-0010 the dryad was a brig owned principally by two persons named wallace one a seaman the other merchant
+LJ013-0011 she was freighted by the firm of zulueta and co for a voyage to santa cruz
+LJ013-0012 her owners insured her for a full sum of two thousand pounds after which the wallaces insured her privily
+LJ013-0013 with other underwriters for a second sum of two thousand pounds
+LJ013-0014 after this on the faith of forced bills of lading the captain loose by name
+LJ013-0015 being a party to the intended fraud they obtained further insurances on goods never shipped
+LJ013-0016 it was fully proved in evidence that when the dryad sailed she carried nothing but the cargo belonging to zulueta and co
+LJ013-0017 yet the wallaces pretended to have put on board quantities of flannels cloths cotton prints
+LJ013-0018 beef pork butter and earthenwares on all of which they effected insurances
+LJ013-0019 loose had his instructions to cast away the ship on the first possible opportunity and from the time of his leaving liverpool
+LJ013-0020 he acted in a manner which excited the suspicions of the crew
+LJ013-0021 the larboard pump was suffered to remain choked up and the longboat was fitted with tackles and held ready for use at a moments notice
+LJ013-0022 the ship however met with exasperatingly fine weather and it was not until the captain reached the west india islands
+LJ013-0023 that he got a chance of accomplishing his crime
+LJ013-0024 at a place called the silver keys he ran the ship on the reef
+LJ013-0025 but another ship concluding that he was acting in ignorance rendered him assistance
+LJ013-0026 the dryad was got off repaired and her voyage renewed to santa cruz
+LJ013-0027 he crept along the coast close in shore looking for a quiet spot to cast away the ship
+LJ013-0028 and at last when within fifteen miles of port with wind and weather perfectly fair he ran her on to the rocks
+LJ013-0029 even then she might have been saved but the captain would not suffer the crew to act nearly the whole of the cargo was lost as well as the ship
+LJ013-0030 the captain and crew however got safely to jamaica and so to england the captain dying on the voyage home
+LJ013-0031 the crime soon became public
+LJ013-0032 mate carpenter and crew were eager to disavow complicity and voluntarily gave information
+LJ013-0033 the wallaces were arrested committed to newgate and tried at the old bailey
+LJ013-0034 the case was clearly proved against them and both were sentenced to transportation for life
+LJ013-0035 while lying in newgate awaiting removal to the convict ship both prisoners made full confessions
+LJ013-0036 according to their own statements the loss of the dryad was only one of six intentional shipwrecks with which they had been concerned
+LJ013-0037 the crime of fraudulent insurance they declared was very common and the underwriters must have lost great sums in this way
+LJ013-0038 the merchant wallace said he had been led into the crime by the advice and example of a city friend who had gone largely into this nefarious business
+LJ013-0039 this wallace added that his friend had made several voyages with the distinct intention of superintending the predetermined shipwrecks
+LJ013-0040 the other wallace the sailor also traced his lapse into crime to evil counsel
+LJ013-0041 he was an honest seacaptain he said trading from liverpool where once he had the misfortune to be introduced to a man of wealth
+LJ013-0042 the foundations of which had been laid by buying old ships on purpose to cast them away
+LJ013-0043 this person made much of wallace encouraged his attentions to his daughter
+LJ013-0044 and tempted him to take to fraudulent insurance as a certain method of achieving fortune
+LJ013-0045 wallaces relations warned him against his liverpool friend
+LJ013-0046 but he would not take their advice and developing his transactions ended as we have seen
+LJ013-0047 a clergyman nearly a century later followed in the steps of dr dodd but did not under more humane laws lose his life
+LJ013-0048 the rev w bailey lld was convicted at the central criminal court in february eighteen fortythree of forgery
+LJ013-0049 a notorious miser robert smith had recently died in seven dials where he had amassed a considerable fortune
+LJ013-0050 but among the charges on the estate he left
+LJ013-0051 was a promissory note for two thousand eight hundred seventyfive pounds produced by dr bailey and purporting to be signed by smith
+LJ013-0052 the executors to the estate disputed the validity of this document
+LJ013-0053 miss bailey the doctors sister in whose favor the note was said to have been given
+LJ013-0054 then brought an action against the administrators and at the trial dr bailey swore that the note had been given him by smith
+LJ013-0055 the jury did not believe him and the verdict was for the defendants
+LJ013-0056 subsequently bailey was arrested on a charge of forgery and after a long trial found guilty his sentence was transportation for life
+LJ013-0057 a gigantic conspiracy to defraud was discovered in the following year when a solicitor named william henry barber
+LJ013-0058 joshua fletcher a surgeon and three others were charged with forging wills for the purpose of obtaining unclaimed stock in the funds
+LJ013-0059 there were two separate affairs
+LJ013-0060 in the first a maiden lady miss slack
+LJ013-0061 who was the possessor of two separate sums in consols neglected through strange carelessness on her own part and that of her friends
+LJ013-0062 to draw the dividends on more than one sum
+LJ013-0063 the other remaining unclaimed for ten years was transferred at the end of that time to the commissioners for the reduction of the national debt
+LJ013-0064 barber it was said became aware of this
+LJ013-0065 and that he gained access to miss slack on pretense of conveying to her some funded property left her by an aunt
+LJ013-0066 by this means her signature was obtained a forged will was prepared bequeathing the unclaimed stock to miss slack
+LJ013-0067 a note purporting to be from miss slack was addressed to the governor of the bank of england begging that the said stock might be handed over to her
+LJ013-0068 and a person calling herself miss slack duly attended at the bank where the money was handed over to her in proper form
+LJ013-0069 a second will also forged was propounded at doctors commons as that of a mrs hunt of bristol
+LJ013-0070 mrs hunt had left money in the funds which remained unclaimed and had been transferred as in miss slacks case
+LJ013-0071 here again the money with ten years interest was handed over to barber and another calling himself thomas hunt an executor of the will
+LJ013-0072 it was shown that the will must be a forgery
+LJ013-0073 as its signature was dated eighteen twentynine whereas mrs hunt actually died in eighteen oh six
+LJ013-0074 a third similar fraud to the amount of two thousand pounds was also brought to light
+LJ013-0075 fletcher was the moving spirit of the whole business it was he who had introduced barber to miss slack
+LJ013-0076 and held all the threads of these intricate and nefarious transactions
+LJ013-0077 barber and fletcher were both transported for life although fletcher declared that barber was innocent and had no guilty knowledge of what was being done
+LJ013-0078 barber was subsequently pardoned but was not replaced on the rolls as an attorney till eighteen fiftyfive
+LJ013-0079 when lord campbell delivered judgment on barbers petition to the effect that
+LJ013-0080 the evidence to establish his barbers connivance in the frauds was too doubtful for us to continue his exclusion any longer
+LJ013-0081 banks and bankers continued to be victimized
+LJ013-0082 in eighteen fortyfour
+LJ013-0083 the bank of england was defrauded of a sum of eight thousand pounds by one of its clerks burgess in conjunction with an accomplice named elder
+LJ013-0084 burgess fraudulently transferred consols to the above amount standing in the name of mr oxenford to another party
+LJ013-0085 a person elder of course who personated oxenford attended at the bank to complete the transfer and sell the stock
+LJ013-0086 burgess who was purposely on leave from the bank effected the sale which was paid for with a cheque for nearly the whole amount on lubbocks bank
+LJ013-0087 burgess and elder proceeded in company to cash this but as they wanted all gold
+LJ013-0088 the cashier gave them eight bank of england notes for one thousand pounds each saying that they could get so much specie nowhere else
+LJ013-0089 thither elder went alone provided with a number of canvas and one large carpetbag
+LJ013-0090 but when the latter was filled with gold it was too heavy to lift
+LJ013-0091 and elder had to be assisted by two bank porters who carried it for him to a carriage waiting near the mansion house
+LJ013-0092 the thieves for elder was soon joined by burgess drove together to ben caunts the pugilists publichouse in st martins lane
+LJ013-0093 where the cash was transferred from the carpetbag to a portmanteau
+LJ013-0094 the same evening both started for liverpool and embarking on board the mail steamer britannia escaped to the united states
+LJ013-0095 burgess continued absence was soon noticed at the bank
+LJ013-0096 suspicions were aroused when it was found that he had been employed in selling stock for mr oxenford which developed into certainty
+LJ013-0097 as soon as that gentleman was referred to
+LJ013-0098 mr oxenford having denied that he had made any transfer of stock the matter was at once put into the hands of the police
+LJ013-0099 a smart detective forrester after a little inquiry
+LJ013-0100 established the fact that the man who had personated mr oxenford was a horsedealer named joseph elder an intimate acquaintance of burgess
+LJ013-0101 forrester next traced the fugitives to liverpool
+LJ013-0102 and thence to halifax whither he followed them accompanied by a confidential clerk from the bank
+LJ013-0103 at halifax forrester learnt that the men he wanted had gone on to boston thence to buffalo and canada and back to boston
+LJ013-0104 he found them at length residing at the latter place one as a landed proprietor the other as a publican
+LJ013-0105 elder the former was soon apprehended at his house but he evaded the law by hanging himself with his pockethandkerchief
+LJ013-0106 the inn belonging to burgess was surrounded
+LJ013-0107 but he escaped through a back door on to the river and rowed off in a boat to a hidingplace in the woods
+LJ013-0108 next day a person betrayed him for the reward and he was soon captured
+LJ013-0109 the proceeds of the robbery were lodged in a boston bank
+LJ013-0110 but four hundred sovereigns were found on elder while two hundred more were found in burgess effects
+LJ013-0111 burgess was eventually brought back to england tried at the central criminal court and sentenced to transportation for life
+LJ013-0112 within a month or two the bank of messrs rogers and co clements lane was broken into
+LJ013-0113 robberies as daring in conception as they were boldly executed were common enough
+LJ013-0114 one night a quantity of plate was stolen from windsor castle another time buckingham palace was robbed
+LJ013-0115 of this class was the ingenious yet peculiarly simple robbery effected at the house of lord fitzgerald in belgrave square
+LJ013-0116 the butler on the occasion of a death in the family when the house was in some confusion arranged with a burglar to come in
+LJ013-0117 and with another carry off the platechest in broad daylight and as a matter of business no one interfered or asked any questions
+LJ013-0118 the thief walked into the house in belgrave square and openly carried off the platechest deposited it in a light cart at the door and drove away
+LJ013-0119 howse the steward accused the other servants but they retorted declaring that he had been visited by the thief the day previous
+LJ013-0120 whom he had shown over the plate closet
+LJ013-0121 howse and his accomplice were arrested the former was found guilty and sentenced to fifteen years but the latter was acquitted
+LJ013-0122 stealing plate was about this period the crime of a more aristocratic thief
+LJ013-0123 the club spoons and other articles of plate were long a source of profitable income to a gentleman named ashley
+LJ013-0124 who belonged to five good london clubs
+LJ013-0125 the junior united service the union reform colonial and erechtheum clubs
+LJ013-0126 when one of these clubs was taken in at the army and navy that establishment also suffered
+LJ013-0127 suspicion fell at length upon ashley who was seen to handle the forks and spoons at table in a strange manner
+LJ013-0128 a watch was set on his house in allington street pimlico
+LJ013-0129 and one day a police constable tracked him to a silversmiths in holborn hill
+LJ013-0130 where ashley produced four silver spoons and begged that his initials might be engraved upon them
+LJ013-0131 ashley was arrested as he left the shop the spoons were impounded and it was found that the club monogram had been erased from them
+LJ013-0132 on a search of the prisoners lodgings in allington street a silver fork was found
+LJ013-0133 a number of pawnbrokers duplicates and three small files it was proved at the trial that ashley had asked his landlady for brickdust and leather
+LJ013-0134 and it was contended that these with the files were used to alter the marks on the plate
+LJ013-0135 at most of the clubs the servants had been mulcted to make good lost plate which had no doubt been stolen by the prisoner
+LJ013-0136 several pawnbrokers were subpoenaed and obliged to surrender plate to the extent in some cases of a couple of dozen of spoons or forks
+LJ013-0137 which the various club secretaries identified as the property of their respective clubs
+LJ013-0138 ashley was the son of an army agent and banker
+LJ013-0139 and many witnesses were brought to attest to his previous good character but he was found guilty and sentenced to seven years transportation
+LJ013-0140 a robbery of a somewhat novel kind was executed in rather a bungling fashion by ker a seacaptain
+LJ013-0141 whose ship brought home a mixed cargo from bahia and other ports
+LJ013-0142 part of the freight were four hundred rough diamonds valued at four thousand pounds
+LJ013-0143 these packages were consigned to messrs shroeder of london and as it was known that they were to arrive in kers ship
+LJ013-0144 one of the owners had met her at deal but the captain had already absconded with the packages of precious stones in his pocket
+LJ013-0145 ker came at once to london and by the help of the landlord of a publichouse in smithfield and others disposed of the whole of the diamonds
+LJ013-0146 a jew named benjamin effected the sale to certain merchants named blogg and martin
+LJ013-0147 who declared that the rough diamond market was in such a depressed condition that they could only afford to give one thousand seven fifty pounds for stones worth
+LJ013-0148 four thousand pounds
+LJ013-0149 the circumstances of this purchase of brilliants from a stranger at such an inadequate price was strongly commented upon at kers trial
+LJ013-0150 the moment it was discovered that the diamonds had disappeared the affair was taken up by the police
+LJ013-0151 forrester the detective who had pursued and captured burgess at boston tracked ker to france and following him there eventually captured him
+LJ013-0152 at montreuil he was arraigned at the old bailey and the case fully proved his sentence was seven years transportation
+LJ013-0153 the gravest crimes continued at intervals to inspire the town with horror and concentrate public attention upon the jail of newgate
+LJ013-0154 and the murderers immured within its walls
+LJ013-0155 courvoisiers case made a great stir there was unusual atrocity in this murder of an aged infirm gentleman
+LJ013-0156 a scion of the ducal house of bedford by his confidential valet and personal attendant
+LJ013-0157 lord william russell lived alone in norfolk street park lane he was a widower and seventythree years of age
+LJ013-0158 one morning in may his lordship was found dead in his bed with his throat cut
+LJ013-0159 the fact of the murder was first discovered by the housemaid
+LJ013-0160 who on going down early was surprised to find the diningroom in a state of utter confusion
+LJ013-0161 the furniture turned upside down the drawers of the escritoire open and rifled
+LJ013-0162 a bundle lying on the floor as though thieves had been interrupted in the act
+LJ013-0163 the housemaid summoned the cook and both went to call the valet courvoisier
+LJ013-0164 who came from his room ready dressed a suspicious circumstance as he was always late in the morning
+LJ013-0165 the housemaid suggested that they should see if his lordship was all right and the three went to his bedroom
+LJ013-0166 while courvoisier opened the shutters the housemaid approaching the bed saw that the pillow was saturated with blood
+LJ013-0167 the discovery of the murdered man immediately followed the neighborhood was alarmed the police sent for and a close inquiry forthwith commenced
+LJ013-0168 that lord william russell had committed suicide was at once declared impossible
+LJ013-0169 it was also clearly proved that no forcible entry had been made into the house
+LJ013-0170 the fresh marks of violence upon the door had evidently been made inside and not from outside
+LJ013-0171 moreover the instruments poker and chisel by which they had no doubt been effected
+LJ013-0172 were found in the butlers pantry used by courvoisier
+LJ013-0173 the researches of the police soon laid bare other suspicious facts
+LJ013-0174 the bundle found in the diningroom contained with clothes various small articles of plate and jewelery which a thief would probably have put into his pocket
+LJ013-0175 upstairs in the bedroom a rouleaux box for sovereigns had been broken open
+LJ013-0176 also the jewelbox and notecase from the latter of which was abstracted a tenpound note known to have been in the possession of the deceased
+LJ013-0177 his lordships watch was gone
+LJ013-0178 further suspicion was caused by the position of a book and a wax candle by the bedside
+LJ013-0179 the latter was so placed that it could throw no light on the former which was a life of sir samuel romilly
+LJ013-0180 the intention of the real murderer to shift the crime to burglars was evident although futile
+LJ013-0181 and the police feeling convinced that the crime had been committed by some inmate of the house
+LJ013-0182 took courvoisier into custody and placed the two female servants under surveillance
+LJ013-0183 the valets strange demeanor had attracted attention from the first
+LJ013-0184 he had hung over the body in a state of dreadful agitation answering no questions and taking no part in the proceedings
+LJ013-0185 three days later a close search of the butlers pantry produced fresh circumstantial evidence
+LJ013-0186 behind the skirting board several of his lordships rings were discovered
+LJ013-0187 near it was his waterloo medal and the abovementioned tenpound note
+LJ013-0188 further investigation was rewarded by the discovery in the pantry of a split gold ring used by lord william to carry his keys on
+LJ013-0189 next and in the same place a chased gold key
+LJ013-0190 and at last his lordships watch was found secreted under the leads of the sink
+LJ013-0191 all this was evidence sufficient to warrant courvoisiers committal for trial
+LJ013-0192 but still he found friends and a liberal subscription was raised among the foreign servants in london to provide funds for his defense
+LJ013-0193 courvoisier when put on his trial pleaded not guilty
+LJ013-0194 but on the second day the discovery of fresh evidence more particularly the recovery of some of lord williams stolen plate
+LJ013-0195 induced the prisoner to make a full confession of his crime to the lawyers who defended him
+LJ013-0196 this placed them in a position of much embarrassment to have thrown up their brief would have been to have secured courvoisiers conviction
+LJ013-0197 mr phillips who led in the case went to the other extreme
+LJ013-0198 and in an impassioned address implored the jury not to send an innocent man to the gallows
+LJ013-0199 it will be remembered that the question whether mr phillips had not exceeded the limits usually allowed to counsel was much debated at the time
+LJ013-0200 the jury without hesitation found courvoisier guilty and he was sentenced to death
+LJ013-0201 the prisoners demeanor had greatly changed during the trial
+LJ013-0202 coolness amounting almost to effrontery gave way to hopeless dejection
+LJ013-0203 on his removal to newgate after sentence
+LJ013-0204 he admitted that he had been justly convicted and expressed great anxiety that his fellowservants should be relieved from all suspicion
+LJ013-0205 later in the day he tried to commit suicide by cramming a towel down his throat but was prevented
+LJ013-0206 next morning he made a full confession in presence of his attorney and the governor mr cope
+LJ013-0207 in this he gave as the motives of his crime a quarrel he had with his master who threatened to discharge him without a character
+LJ013-0208 lord william according to the valet was of a peevish difficult temper
+LJ013-0209 he was annoyed with his man for various small omissions and acts of forgetfulness and on the night of the murder had taken courvoisier to task rather sharply
+LJ013-0210 finally on coming downstairs after bedtime lord william had found courvoisier in the diningroom
+LJ013-0211 what are you doing here asked his lordship
+LJ013-0212 you can have no good intentions you must quit my service tomorrow morning
+LJ013-0213 this seems to have decided courvoisier
+LJ013-0214 who took a carvingknife from the sideboard in the diningroom went upstairs to lord williams bedroom and drew the knife across his throat
+LJ013-0215 he appeared to die instantly said the murderer in conclusion
+LJ013-0216 his account of his acts and movements after the deed
+LJ013-0217 varied so considerably in the several documents he left behind that too much reliance cannot be placed upon his confession
+LJ013-0218 his last statement contains the words the public now think i am a liar and they will not believe me when i say the truth
+LJ013-0219 this was no doubt the case but this much truth his confession may be taken to contain
+LJ013-0220 that courvoisier was idle discontented ready to take offense greedy of gain
+LJ013-0221 that he could not resist the opportunity for robbery offered him by his situation at lord william russells that when vexed with his master
+LJ013-0222 he did not shrink from murder both for revenge and to conceal his other crimes
+LJ013-0223 courvoisier wished to commit suicide in newgate but was prevented by the vigilant supervision to which he was subjected while in jail
+LJ013-0224 the attempt was to have been made by opening a vein and allowing himself to bleed to death
+LJ013-0225 the sunday night before his execution he would not go to bed when ordered
+LJ013-0226 the governor insisted but courvoisier showed great reluctance to strip
+LJ013-0227 the order was however at length obeyed and the whole of the prisoners clothes were minutely searched
+LJ013-0228 in the pocket of the coat mr cope the governor found a neatlyfolded cloth and asked what it was for
+LJ013-0229 courvoisier admitted that he had intended to bind it tightly round his arm and bleed himself to death in the night
+LJ013-0230 the next inquiry was how he hoped to open a vein with a bit of sharpened stick picked out of the ordinary firewood
+LJ013-0231 where is it asked the governor
+LJ013-0232 the prisoner replied that he had left it in the mattress of which he had just been deprived
+LJ013-0233 the bed was searched but no piece of sharpened wood was found it was thought that it might have been lost in changing the mattresses
+LJ013-0234 the cloth above referred to belonged to the inner seam of his trousers which he had managed to tear out
+LJ013-0235 there is nothing to show that courvoisier really contemplated selfdestruction
+LJ013-0236 a murder which reproduced many of the features of that committed by greenacre soon followed and excited the public mind even more than that of courvoisiers
+LJ013-0237 daniel goods crime might have remained long undiscovered but for his own careless stupidity
+LJ013-0238 he was coachman to a gentleman at roehampton one day he went into a pawnbrokers at wandsworth and bought a pair of breeches on credit
+LJ013-0239 at the same time he was seen to steal and secrete a pair of trousers the shopboy gave information
+LJ013-0240 good was followed to his stables by a policeman but obstinately denied the theft
+LJ013-0241 the policeman insisted on searching the premises at which good displayed some uneasiness
+LJ013-0242 this increased when the officer accompanied by two others a neighbor and a bailiff entered one of the stables
+LJ013-0243 good now offered to go to wandsworth and satisfy the pawnbroker
+LJ013-0244 just at this moment however the searchers found concealed under two trusses of hay a womans headless and dismembered trunk
+LJ013-0245 at the constables cry of alarm good rushed from the stable and locked the door behind him
+LJ013-0246 some time elapsed before the imprisoned party could force open the doors and by then the fugitive had escaped
+LJ013-0247 medical assistance having been summoned it was ascertained how the dismemberment had been effected
+LJ013-0248 at the same time an overpowering odor attracted them to the adjoining harnessroom where the missing remains were raked out
+LJ013-0249 half consumed in the ashes of a wood fire
+LJ013-0250 in the same room a large axe and saw were found covered with blood
+LJ013-0251 inquiry into the character of good exposed him as a loose liver who kept company with several women
+LJ013-0252 one called his sister but supposed to be his wife had occupied a room in south street manchester square
+LJ013-0253 with a son of goods by a former wife another wife real or fictitious existed in spitalfields
+LJ013-0254 and evidence was given of close relation between good and a third woman a girl named butcher residing at woolwich
+LJ013-0255 the victim was the first of these three
+LJ013-0256 good had told her much to her perturbation that she was to move from south street to roehampton and one day he fetched her
+LJ013-0257 they were seen together on barnes common and again in putney park lane where they were talking loud and angrily
+LJ013-0258 the poor creature was never seen again alive
+LJ013-0259 the actual method of the murder was never exactly ascertained
+LJ013-0260 good himself remained at large for some weeks he had tramped as far as tunbridge where he obtained work as a bricklayers laborer
+LJ013-0261 he there gave satisfaction for industry but he was taciturn and would hold no converse with his fellows
+LJ013-0262 the woman where he lodged noticed that he was very restless at night moaning and sighing much detection came unexpectedly
+LJ013-0263 he was recognized by an expoliceman who had known him at roehampton and immediately arrested
+LJ013-0264 in his effects were found the clothes he had on at the time of his escape from the stables and under the jacket he was wearing
+LJ013-0265 was a piece of a womans calico apron stained with blood which he had used to save the pressure on his shoulder by the hod
+LJ013-0266 good was committed to newgate and tried at the central criminal court before a crowded court
+LJ013-0267 he made a rambling defense ending by saying
+LJ013-0268 good ladies and gentlemen all i have a great deal more to say but i am so bad i cannot say it
+LJ014-0001 the chronicles of newgate volume two by arthur griffiths section seventeen newgate notorieties continued part two
+LJ014-0002 hockers murder is in its way interesting as affording another proof of the extraordinary way in which the culprit returned to the scene of his guilt
+LJ014-0003 the cries of his victim a mr delarue
+LJ014-0004 brought passersby and policemen to the spot a lonely place near a dead wall beyond belsize hall hampstead
+LJ014-0005 but too late to give substantial aid
+LJ014-0006 while the body lay there still warm battered and bleeding from the cruel blows inflicted upon him by his cowardly assailant a man came by singing
+LJ014-0007 he entered into conversation with the policemen and learnt as it seemed for the first time what had happened
+LJ014-0008 his remark was it is a nasty job he took hold of the dead hand and confessed that he felt queer at the shocking sight
+LJ014-0009 this sight was his own handiwork
+LJ014-0010 yet he could not overcome the strange fascination it had for him and remained by the side of the corpse till the stretcher came
+LJ014-0011 even then he followed it as far as belsize lane
+LJ014-0012 it was here that the others engaged in their dismal office in removing the dead first got a good look at the strangers face
+LJ014-0013 he wanted a light for a cigar and got it from a lantern which was lifted up and fully betrayed his features
+LJ014-0014 it was noticed that he wore a mackintosh next day the police in making a careful search of the scene of the murder
+LJ014-0015 picked up a coatbutton which afterwards played an important part in the identification of the murderer
+LJ014-0016 a letter which afforded an additional clue was also found in the pocket of the deceased still it was many weeks before any arrest was made
+LJ014-0017 in the mean time the police were not idle
+LJ014-0018 it came out by degrees that the person who had been seen in belsize lane on the night the body was found was a friend of the deceased
+LJ014-0019 his name was hocker he was by trade a ladies shoemaker and it was also ascertained that after the day of the murder he was flush of money
+LJ014-0020 he was soon afterwards arrested on suspicion and a search of his lodgings brought to light several garments saturated with blood
+LJ014-0021 a coat among them much torn and stained with three buttons missing one of which corresponded with that picked up at hampstead
+LJ014-0022 the letter found in the pocket of the deceased was sealed with a wafer marked f
+LJ014-0023 and many of the same sort were found in the possession of the accused this was enough to obtain a committal
+LJ014-0024 after several remands but the case contained elements of doubt and the evidence at the trial was entirely circumstantial
+LJ014-0025 a witness deposed to meeting hocker soon after the cries of murder were heard
+LJ014-0026 running at a dogtrot into london and others swore that they plainly recognized him as the man seen soon afterwards in the lane
+LJ014-0027 a woman whom he called on the same evening declared he had worn a mackintosh his coat was much torn there was a stain of blood on his shirtcuff
+LJ014-0028 and he was in possession the first time to her knowledge of a watch
+LJ014-0029 this was delarues watch fully identified as such which hocker told his brother delarue had given him the morning of the murder
+LJ014-0030 these were damnatory facts which well supported the prosecution
+LJ014-0031 the prisoner made an elaborate defense in which he sought to vilify the character of deceased
+LJ014-0032 as the seducer of an innocent girl to whom he hocker had been fondly attached
+LJ014-0033 when her ruin was discovered her brother panted for revenge
+LJ014-0034 hocker whose skill in counterfeiting handwriting was known was asked to fabricate a letter making an assignation with delarue
+LJ014-0035 in a lonely part of hampstead
+LJ014-0036 hocker and the brother went to the spot where the latter left him to meet his sisters seducer alone
+LJ014-0037 soon afterwards hocker heard cries of murder
+LJ014-0038 and proceeding to where they came from found delarue dead slain by the furious brother
+LJ014-0039 hocker was so overcome feeling himself the principal cause of the tragedy
+LJ014-0040 that he rushed to a slaughterhouse in hampstead and purposely stained his clothes with blood
+LJ014-0041 such an extravagant defense did not weigh with judge or jury
+LJ014-0042 the first summed up dead against the prisoner and the latter after retiring for ten minutes found him guilty
+LJ014-0043 hockers conduct in newgate while under sentence of death was most extraordinary
+LJ014-0044 he drew up several long statements containing narratives purely fictitious imputing crimes to his victim and repeating his line of defense
+LJ014-0045 that delarue had suffered by the hands of imaginary outraged brothers acting as the avengers of females deeply injured by him
+LJ014-0046 hocker made several pretended confessions and revelations all of which were proved to be absolutely false by the police on inquiry
+LJ014-0047 his demeanor was a strange compound of wickedness falsehood and deceit
+LJ014-0048 but at the fatal hour his hardihood forsook him and he was almost insensible when taken out of his cell for execution
+LJ014-0049 restoratives were applied but he was in a fainting condition when tied and had to be supported by the assistant executioner
+LJ014-0050 while calcraft adjusted the noose
+LJ014-0051 there was an epidemic of murder in the united kingdom about eighteen fortyeight to nine
+LJ014-0052 in november of the firstnamed year occurred the wholesale slaughter of the jermys in their house stanfield hall by the miscreant rush
+LJ014-0053 soon afterwards in gloucestershire
+LJ014-0054 a maidservant sarah thomas murdered her mistress an aged woman by beating out her brains with a stone
+LJ014-0055 next year john gleeson wilson at liverpool murdered a woman ann henrichson also a maidservant and two children
+LJ014-0056 while in ireland a wife dashed out her husbands brains with a hammer
+LJ014-0057 london did not escape the contagion and prominent among the detestable crimes of the period stands that of the mannings at bermondsey
+LJ014-0058 these great criminals suffered at horsemonger lane jail but they were tried at the central criminal court and were for some time inmates of newgate
+LJ014-0059 their victim was a man named patrick oconnor a customhouse gauger who had been a suitor of marie de roux before she became mrs manning
+LJ014-0060 marie de roux up to the time of her marriage had been in service as ladys maid to lady blantyre daughter of the duchess of sutherland
+LJ014-0061 and manning hoped to get some small government appointment through his wifes interest
+LJ014-0062 he had failed in this as well as in the business of a publican which he had at one time adopted
+LJ014-0063 after the marriage a close intimacy was still maintained between oconnor and the mannings
+LJ014-0064 he lived at mile end whence he walked often to call at three minver place bermondsey the residence of his old love
+LJ014-0065 oconnor was a man of substance he had long followed the profitable trade of a moneylender
+LJ014-0066 and by dint of usurious interest on small sums advanced to needy neighbors had amassed as much as eight thousand pounds or ten thousand pounds
+LJ014-0067 his wealth was well known to maria as he called mrs manning who made several ineffectual attempts to get money out of him
+LJ014-0068 at last this fiendish woman made up her mind to murder oconnor and appropriate all his possessions
+LJ014-0069 her husband to whom she coolly confided her intention
+LJ014-0070 a heavy brutish fellow was yet aghast at his wifes resolve and tried hard to dissuade her from bad purpose
+LJ014-0071 in his confession after sentence he declared that she plied him well with brandy at this period
+LJ014-0072 and that during the whole time he was never in his right senses
+LJ014-0073 meanwhile this woman unflinching in her cold bloody determination carefully laid all her plans for the consummation of the deed
+LJ014-0074 one fine afternoon in august oconnor was met walking in the direction of bermondsey
+LJ014-0075 he was dressed with particular care as he was to dine at the mannings and meet friends one a young lady
+LJ014-0076 he was seen afterwards smoking and talking with his hosts in their back parlor and never seen again alive
+LJ014-0077 it came out in the husbands confession that mrs manning induced oconnor to go down to the kitchen to wash his hands that she followed him to the basement
+LJ014-0078 that she stood behind him as he stood near the open grave she herself had dug for him
+LJ014-0079 and which he mistook for a drain and that while he was speaking to her she put the muzzle of a pistol close to the back of his head and shot him down
+LJ014-0080 she ran upstairs told her husband made him go down to look at her handiwork and as oconnor was not quite dead
+LJ014-0081 manning gave the coup de grace with a crowbar
+LJ014-0082 after this mrs manning changed her dress and went off in a cab to oconnors lodgings
+LJ014-0083 which having possessed herself of the murdered mans keys she rifled from end to end
+LJ014-0084 returning to her own home where manning meantime had been calmly smoking and talking to the neighbors over the basement wall
+LJ014-0085 the corpse lying just inside the kitchen all the while the two set to work to strip the body and hide it under the stones of the floor
+LJ014-0086 this job was not completed till the following day as the hole had to be enlarged and the only tool they had was a dustshovel
+LJ014-0087 a quantity of quicklime was thrown in with the body to destroy all identification
+LJ014-0088 this was on a thursday evening
+LJ014-0089 for the remainder of that week and part of the next the murderers stayed in the house and occupied the kitchen close to the remains of their victim
+LJ014-0090 on the sunday mrs manning roasted a goose at this same kitchen fire and ate it with relish in the afternoon
+LJ014-0091 this coldblooded indifference after the event was only outdone by the premeditation of this horrible murder
+LJ014-0092 the hole must have been excavated and the quicklime purchased quite three weeks before oconnor met his death
+LJ014-0093 and during that time he must frequently have stood or sat over his own grave
+LJ014-0094 discovery of the murder came in this wise oconnor a punctual and wellconducted official was at once missed at the london docks
+LJ014-0095 on the third day his friends began to inquire for him
+LJ014-0096 and at their request two police officers were sent to bermondsey to inquire for him at the mannings with whom it was well known that he was very intimate
+LJ014-0097 the mannings had seen or heard nothing of him of course as oconnor still did not turn up the police after a couple of days returned to minver place
+LJ014-0098 the house was empty bare and stripped of all its furniture and its former occupants had decamped
+LJ014-0099 the circumstance was suspicious and a search was at once made of the whole premises
+LJ014-0100 in the back kitchen one of the detectives remarked that the cement between certain stones looked lighter than the rest and on trying it with a knife
+LJ014-0101 he found that it was soft and new while elsewhere it was set and hard
+LJ014-0102 the stones were at once taken up
+LJ014-0103 beneath them was a layer of fresh mortar beneath that a lot of loose earth amongst which a stocking was turned up and presently a human toe
+LJ014-0104 six inches lower the body of oconnor was uncovered
+LJ014-0105 he was lying on his face his legs tied up to his hips so as to allow of the body fitting into the hole
+LJ014-0106 the lime had done its work so rapidly that the features would have been indistinguishable but for the prominent chin and a set of false teeth
+LJ014-0107 the corpse settled all doubts and the next point was to lay hands upon the mannings
+LJ014-0108 it was soon ascertained that the wife had gone off in a cab with a quantity of luggage
+LJ014-0109 part of this she had deposited to be left till called for at one station while she had gone herself to another that at euston square
+LJ014-0110 at the first the boxes were impounded opened and found to contain many of oconnors effects
+LJ014-0111 at the second exact information was obtained of mrs mannings movements she had gone to edinburgh
+LJ014-0112 a telegraphic message then newly adapted to the purposes of criminal detection
+LJ014-0113 advised the edinburgh police of the whole affair and within an hour an answer was telegraphed stating that mrs manning was in custody
+LJ014-0114 she had been to brokers to negotiate the sale of certain foreign railway stock with which they had been warned from london not to deal
+LJ014-0115 and they had given information to the police
+LJ014-0116 her arrest was planned and when the telegram arrived from london completed
+LJ014-0117 an examination of her boxes disclosed a quantity of oconnors property
+LJ014-0118 mrs manning was transferred to london and lodged in the horsemonger lane jail where her husband soon afterwards joined her
+LJ014-0119 he had fled to jersey where he was recognized and arrested
+LJ014-0120 each tried to throw the blame on the other manning declared his wife had committed the murder mrs manning indignantly denied the charge
+LJ014-0121 the prisoners were in due course transferred to newgate to be put upon their trial at the central criminal court
+LJ014-0122 a great number of distinguished people assembled as usual at the old bailey on the day of trial
+LJ014-0123 the mannings were arraigned together the husband standing at one of the front corners of the dock his wife at the other end
+LJ014-0124 manning who was dressed in black appeared to be a heavy bullnecked repulsivelooking man with a very fair complexion and light hair
+LJ014-0125 mrs manning was not without personal charms
+LJ014-0126 her face was comely she had dark hair and good eyes and was above the middle height yet inclined to be stout
+LJ014-0127 she was smartly dressed in a plaid shawl a white lace cap
+LJ014-0128 her hair was dressed in long crepe bands she had lace ruffles at her wrist and wore primrosecolored kid gloves
+LJ014-0129 the case rested upon the facts which have been already set forth and was proved to the satisfaction of the jury who brought in a verdict of guilty
+LJ014-0130 manning when sentence of death was passed on him said nothing
+LJ014-0131 but mrs manning speaking in a foreign accent addressed the court with great fluency and vehemence
+LJ014-0132 she complained that she had no justice there was no law for her she had found no protection either from judges the prosecutor or her husband
+LJ014-0133 she had not been treated like a christian but like a wild beast of the forest she declared that the money found in her possession had been sent her from abroad
+LJ014-0134 that oconnor had been more to her than her husband that she ought to have married him
+LJ014-0135 it was against common sense to charge her with murdering the only friend she had in the world
+LJ014-0136 the culprit was really her husband who killed oconnor out of jealousy and revengeful feelings
+LJ014-0137 when the judge assumed the black cap
+LJ014-0138 mrs manning became still more violent shouting no no i will not stand it you ought to be ashamed of yourselves
+LJ014-0139 and would have left the dock had not mr cope the governor of newgate restrained her
+LJ014-0140 after judgment was passed she repeatedly cried out shame
+LJ014-0141 and stretching out her hand she gathered up a quantity of the rue which following ancient custom dating from the days of the jail fever
+LJ014-0142 was strewn in front of the dock and sprinkled it towards the bench with a contemptuous gesture
+LJ014-0143 on being removed to newgate from the court mrs manning became perfectly furious
+LJ014-0144 she uttered loud imprecations cursing judge jury barristers witnesses and all who stood around
+LJ014-0146 they had to handcuff her by force against the most violent resistance and still she raged and stormed
+LJ014-0147 shaking her clenched and manacled hands in the officers faces
+LJ014-0148 from newgate the mannings were taken in separate cabs to horsemonger lane jail
+LJ014-0149 on this journey her manner changed completely she became flippant joked with the officers asked how they liked her resolution in the dock
+LJ014-0150 and expressed the utmost contempt for her husband whom she never intended to acknowledge or speak to again
+LJ014-0151 later her mood changed to abject despair
+LJ014-0152 on reaching the condemned cell she threw herself upon the floor and shrieked in an hysterical agony of tears
+LJ014-0153 after this until the day of execution she recovered her spirits and displayed reckless effrontery
+LJ014-0154 mocking at the chaplain and turning a deaf ear to the counsels of a benevolent lady who came to visit
+LJ014-0155 now she abused the jury now called manning a vagabond
+LJ014-0156 and through all ate heartily at every meal slept soundly at nights and talked with cheerfulness on almost any subject
+LJ014-0157 nevertheless she attempted to commit suicide by driving her nails purposely left long into her throat
+LJ014-0158 she was discovered just as she was getting black in the face
+LJ014-0159 mannings demeanor was more in harmony with his situation and the full confession he made
+LJ014-0160 elucidated all dark and uncertain points in connection with the crime
+LJ014-0161 the actual execution which took place at another prison than newgate is rather beyond the scope of this work
+LJ014-0162 but it may be mentioned that the concourse was so enormous that it drew down the wellmerited and trenchant disapproval of charles dickens
+LJ014-0163 who wrote to the times saying that he believed a sight so inconceivably awful
+LJ014-0164 as the wickedness and levity of the immense crowd collected at the execution this morning could be imagined by no man
+LJ014-0165 and presented by no heathen land under the sun
+LJ014-0166 faded in my mind before the atrocious bearing looks and language of the assembled spectators
+LJ014-0167 when i came upon the scene at midnight the shrillness of the cries and howls that were raised from time to time
+LJ014-0168 denoting that they came from a concourse of boys and girls already assembled in the best places made my blood run cold
+LJ014-0169 it will be in the memory of many that mrs manning appeared on the scaffold in a black satin dress which was bound tightly round her waist
+LJ014-0170 this preference brought the costly stuff into disrepute and its unpopularity lasted for nearly thirty years
+LJ014-0171 i will briefly describe one or two of the more remarkable murders in the years immediately following then pass on to another branch of crime
+LJ014-0172 robert marley at the time of his arrest called himself a surgical instrument maker
+LJ014-0173 it was understood also that he had served in the army as a private and had moreover undergone a sentence of transportation
+LJ014-0174 but it was supposed that he had been once in a good position well born and well educated
+LJ014-0175 when lying under sentence of death in newgate he was visited by a lady a gentlewoman in every sense of the word who was said to be his sister
+LJ014-0176 his determined addiction to evil courses had led to his being cast off by his family
+LJ014-0177 and he must have been at the end of his resources when he committed the crime for which he suffered
+LJ014-0178 his offense was the murder of richard cope
+LJ014-0179 a working jeweler shopman to a mr berry of parliament street it was copes duty to stay in the shop till the last close the shutters
+LJ014-0180 secure the stock of watches and jewelry then lock up the place and take on the keys to mr berrys private house in pimlico
+LJ014-0181 cope a small man crippled and of weakly constitution was alone in the shop about ninethirty
+LJ014-0182 the shutters were up and he was preparing to close when marley entered and fell upon him with a lifepreserver
+LJ014-0183 meaning to kill him and rifle the shop
+LJ014-0184 the noise of the struggle was heard outside in the street
+LJ014-0185 and bystanders peeped in through the shutters but no one entered or sought to interfere in what seemed only a domestic quarrel
+LJ014-0186 a milliners porter
+LJ014-0187 lerigo was also attracted by the noise of the row but after walking a few paces he felt dissatisfied and returned to the spot
+LJ014-0188 pushing the shopdoor open he saw marley finishing his murderous assault
+LJ014-0189 lerigo turned for assistance to take the man into custody
+LJ014-0190 marley disturbed picked up a cigar and parcel from the counter then ran out pursued by lerigo only
+LJ014-0191 marley ran along the street down into cannon row
+LJ014-0192 then into palace yard where the waterman of the cabtank in obedience to lerigos shouts collared the fugitive
+LJ014-0193 escorted by his two captors marley was taken back into parliament street to the jewelers shop
+LJ014-0194 the policemen were now in possession
+LJ014-0195 two of them supported cope who was still alive although insensible and marley was apprehended the evidence against him was completed
+LJ014-0196 by his identification by cope in westminster hospital who survived long enough to make a formal deposition before mr jardine
+LJ014-0197 the police magistrate that marley was the man who had beaten him to death
+LJ014-0198 marley at his trial was undefended and the sheriffs offered him counsel but he declined the witnesses against him all spoke the truth he said
+LJ014-0199 there was no case to make out why waste money on lawyers for the defense his demeanor was cool and collected throughout
+LJ014-0200 he seemed while in newgate to realize thoroughly that there was no hope for him and was determined to face his fate bravely
+LJ014-0201 after sentence the newgate officers who had special charge of him noticed that he slept well and ate well enjoying all his meals
+LJ014-0202 one of them went into his cell just at dinnertime
+LJ014-0203 the great clock of st sepulchres close by was striking the hour and marley who had his elbows on the table
+LJ014-0204 with his head resting on his hands looked up and observed calmly go along clock come along gallows
+LJ014-0205 on the dread morning he came out to execution quite gaily and tripped up the stairs to the scaffold
+LJ014-0206 his captors it may be added lerigo and allen were warmly commended by the judge for their courage and activity
+LJ014-0207 the former was given a reward of twenty and the latter of ten pounds
+LJ014-0208 a murderous assault on a police constable which so nearly ended fatally that the culprit was sentenced to death although not executed
+LJ014-0209 was perpetrated in eighteen fiftytwo the case was accompanied with the most shocking brutality
+LJ014-0210 cannon by trade a chimneysweep had long been characterized by the bitterest hatred of the police force
+LJ014-0211 and had been repeatedly sentenced to imprisonment for most desperate and ferocious attacks upon various constables his last victim was dwyer
+LJ014-0212 a fine young officer who had been summoned to take cannon into custody when the latter was drunk and riotous in front of a publichouse
+LJ014-0213 dwyer found cannon bleeding profusely from a wound in the head and persuaded him to go to a doctors
+LJ014-0214 they walked together quietly for some little distance then cannon without the slightest warning
+LJ014-0215 threw the constable on his back and violently assaulted him by jumping on his chest and stomach
+LJ014-0216 and by getting his hand inside dwyers stock with the idea of strangling him
+LJ014-0217 dwyer managed to overpower his assailant and got to his feet but cannon butted at him with his head and again threw him to the ground
+LJ014-0218 after which he kicked his prostrate foe in the most brutal and cowardly manner and until he was almost senseless and bruised from head to foot
+LJ014-0219 once more dwyer got to his feet and managed by drawing his staff to keep cannon at bay until a second constable came to his aid
+LJ014-0220 all this time not one of a numerous body of bystanders offered to assist the policeman in his extremity
+LJ014-0221 on the contrary many of them encouraged the brutal assailant in his savage attack
+LJ014-0222 to cannons infinite surprise he was indicted for attempt to murder and not for a simple assault and found guilty
+LJ014-0223 the judge in passing sentence of death told him he richly deserved the punishment
+LJ014-0224 as dwyer survived cannon escaped the death sentence which was commuted to penal servitude for life
+LJ014-0225 a handsome sum was subscribed for the injured constable who was disabled for life
+LJ014-0226 only a few have vied with cannon in fiendish cruelty and brutality
+LJ014-0227 one of these was mobbs who lived in the minories
+LJ014-0228 generally known by the soubriquet of general haynau a name execrated in england about this time
+LJ014-0229 mobbs systematically illused his wife for a long space of time and at last cut her throat
+LJ014-0230 for this he was executed in front of newgate in eighteen thirtythree
+LJ014-0231 emmanuel barthelemy again
+LJ014-0232 the french refugee was a murderer of the same description who dispatched his victim with a loaded cane after which to secure his escape
+LJ014-0233 he shot an old soldier who had attempted to detain him he was convicted and executed
+LJ014-0234 he died impenitent declaring that he had no belief and that it was idle to ask forgiveness of god
+LJ014-0235 i want forgiveness of man i want those doors of the prison opened
+LJ014-0236 barthelemy was generally supposed to have been a secret agent of the french police
+LJ014-0237 i will now pass to grave but less atrocious crimes
+LJ014-0238 in eighteen fifty occurred the first of a series of gigantic frauds
+LJ014-0239 which followed each other at no long intervals which had a strong family likeness and originated all of them to make money easily
+LJ014-0240 without capital and at railroad speed
+LJ014-0241 walter watts was an inventor a creator who struck an entirely new and original line of crime
+LJ014-0242 employed as a clerk in the globe assurance
+LJ014-0243 he with unusual quickness of apprehension discovered and promptly turned to account an inexcusably lax system of management
+LJ014-0244 which offered peculiar chances of profit to an ingenious and unscrupulous man
+LJ014-0245 it was the custom in this office to make the bankers passbook the basis of the entries in the companys ledgers
+LJ014-0246 thus when a payment was made by the company the amount disbursed was carried to account in the general books from its entry in the passbook
+LJ014-0247 and without reference to or comparison with the documents in which the payment was claimed
+LJ014-0248 this passbook when not at the bank was in the exclusive custody of watts
+LJ014-0249 the cheques drawn by the directors also passed through his hands to him too they came back to be verified and put by
+LJ014-0250 after they had been cashed by the bank
+LJ014-0251 in this way watts had complete control over the whole of the monetary transactions of the company
+LJ014-0252 he could do what he liked with the passbook and by its adoption as described as the basis of all entries
+LJ014-0253 there was no independent check upon him if he chose to tamper with it
+LJ014-0254 this he did to an enormous extent
+LJ014-0255 continually altering erasing and adding figures to correspond with and cover the abstractions he made of various cheques as they were drawn
+LJ014-0256 it seems incredible that this passbook which when produced in court
+LJ014-0257 was a mass of blots and erasures should not have created suspicion of foul play either at the bank or at the companys board
+LJ014-0258 implicit confidence appears to have been placed in watts who was the son of an old and trusted employee and moreover a young man of plausible address
+LJ014-0259 watts led two lives
+LJ014-0260 in the west end he was a man of fashion with a town house a house at brighton and a cellar full of good wine at both
+LJ014-0261 he rode a priceless hack in rotten row or drove down to richmond in a mail phaeton and pair
+LJ014-0262 he played high and spent his nights at the club or in joyous and dissolute company
+LJ014-0263 when other pleasures palled he took a theatre and posed as a munificent patron of the dramatic art
+LJ014-0264 under his auspices several stars appeared on the boards of the marylebone theatre
+LJ014-0265 and later he became manager of the newly rebuilt olympic at wych street
+LJ014-0266 no one cared too closely to inquire into the sources of wealth some said he was a fortunate speculator in stocks
+LJ014-0267 others that he had had extraordinary luck as a golddigger had his west end and littleinformed associates followed him into the city
+LJ014-0268 whither he was taken every morning in a smart brougham they would have seen him alight from it in cornhill
+LJ014-0269 and walk forward on foot to enter as a humble and unpretending employee the doors of the globe assurance office
+LJ014-0271 nevertheless in this position through the culpable carelessness which left him unfettered he managed between eighteen fortyfour
+LJ014-0272 and eighteen fifty to embezzle and apply to his own purposes some seventyone thousand pounds
+LJ014-0273 the detection of these frauds came while he was still prominently before the world as the lessee of the olympic
+LJ014-0274 rumors were abroad that serious defalcations had been discovered in one of the insurance offices
+LJ014-0275 but it was long before the public realized that the fraudulent clerk and the great theatrical manager were one and the same person
+LJ014-0276 wattss crime was discovered by the secretary of the globe company who came suddenly upon the extensive falsification of the passbook
+LJ014-0277 an inquiry was at once set on foot and the frauds were traced to watts
+LJ014-0278 the latter when first taxed with his offense protested his innocence boldly and positively denied all knowledge of the affair
+LJ014-0279 and he had so cleverly destroyed all traces that it was not easy to bring home the charge
+LJ014-0280 but it was proved that watts had appropriated one cheque for fourteen hundred pounds
+LJ014-0281 which he had paid into his own bankers and on this he was committed to newgate for trial
+LJ014-0282 there were two counts in the indictment one for stealing a cheque value fourteen hundred pounds the second for stealing a bit of paper value one penny
+LJ014-0283 the jury found him guilty of the latter only with a point of law reserved this was fully argued before three judges
+LJ014-0285 and not for the slight offense as it appeared on the record
+LJ014-0286 the sentence of the court one of ten years transportation struck the prisoner with dismay
+LJ014-0287 he had been led to suppose that twelve months imprisonment was the utmost the law could inflict and he broke down utterly under the unexpected blow
+LJ014-0288 that same evening he committed suicide in newgate
+LJ014-0289 the details of the suicide were given at the inquest watts had been in illhealth from the time of his first arrest
+LJ014-0290 in giltspur street compter where he was first lodged
+LJ014-0291 he showed symptoms of delirium tremens and admitted that he had been addicted to the excessive use of stimulants
+LJ014-0292 his health improved but was still indifferent when he was brought up for sentence and he was an occupant of the newgate infirmary
+LJ014-0293 he returned from court in a state of gloomy dejection
+LJ014-0294 and in the middle of the night one of the fellowprisoners who slept in the same ward noticed that he was not in his bed
+LJ014-0295 this man got up to look for him and found him hanging from the bars of a neighboring room
+LJ014-0296 he had made use of a piece of rope cut out from the sacking of his bedstead and had tied his feet together with a silk pockethandkerchief
+LJ014-0297 the prison officers were called but watts was quite cold and stiff when he was cut down
+LJ014-0298 strange to say a second suicide occurred in newgate the same night
+LJ014-0299 that of a prizefighter named donovan tried the same day and convicted of manslaughter
+LJ014-0300 sentence of death had been recorded against donovan who like watts had seemingly been overcome with sudden despair
+LJ014-0301 in eighteen fiftythree a second case of gigantic fraud alarmed and scandalized the financial world
+LJ014-0302 it outshone the defalcations of watts
+LJ014-0303 nothing to equal the excitement caused by the forgeries of robert ferdinand pries had been known before in the city of london
+LJ014-0304 he was a corn merchant who operated largely in grain
+LJ014-0305 so enormous were his transactions that they often affected the markets and caused great fluctuations in prices
+LJ014-0306 these had been attributed to political action some thought that the large purchases in foreign grains effected at losing prices
+LJ014-0307 were intended by the protectionists to depress the wheat market and secure the support of the farmers at the forthcoming election
+LJ014-0308 others that napoleon the third but recently proclaimed emperor of the french wished to gain the popularity necessary to secure the people
+LJ014-0309 few realized that these mysterious operations were the convulsive attempt of a ruined and dishonest speculator to sustain his credit
+LJ014-0310 pries although enjoying a high reputation in the city had long been in a bad way
+LJ014-0311 his extensive business had been carried on by fraud
+LJ014-0312 his method was to obtain advances twice over on the same bills of lading or corn warrants the duplicates were forged
+LJ014-0313 in this way he obtained vast sums from several firms and one to which he was indebted upwards of fifty thousand pounds subsequently stopped payment
+LJ014-0314 pries at length was discovered
+LJ014-0315 through a dishonored cheque for three thousand pounds paid over as an installment of eighteen thousand pounds owing for an advance on warrants
+LJ014-0316 inquiries were instituted when the cheque was protested which led to the discovery of the forgeries
+LJ014-0317 pries was lodged in newgate tried at the old bailey and transported for life
+LJ014-0318 another set of frauds which resembled those of pries in principle although not in practice were soon afterwards discovered
+LJ014-0320 proposed to gain the capital he needed for business purposes by raising money on dock warrants for imported goods which had no real existence
+LJ014-0321 when such goods arrived they were frequently left at a wharf paying rent until it suited the importer to remove them
+LJ014-0322 the dock warrant was issued by the wharfinger as certificate that he held the goods
+LJ014-0323 the warrant thus represented money and was often used as such being endorsed and passed from hand to hand as other negotiable bills
+LJ014-0324 coles plan was to have a wharf of his own nominally occupied by a creature trading as maltby and co
+LJ014-0325 goods would be landed at this wharf
+LJ014-0326 maltby and co would issue warrants on them deliverable to the importer and the goods were then passed to be stored in neighboring warehouses
+LJ014-0327 the owners of the latter would then issue a second set of warrants on these goods in total ignorance of the fact that they were already pledged
+LJ014-0328 cole quickly raised money on both sets of warrants he carried on this game for some time with great success
+LJ014-0329 and so developed his business that in one year his transactions amounted to a couple of millions of pounds
+LJ014-0330 he had several narrow escapes
+LJ014-0331 once a warrantholder sent down a clerk to view certain goods and the clerk found that these goods had already a stop upon them or were pledged
+LJ014-0332 cole escaped by throwing the blame on a careless partner and at once removed the stop
+LJ014-0333 again some of the duplicate and fictitious warrants were held by a firm which suspended payment and there was no knowing into whose hands they might fall
+LJ014-0334 cole found out where they were and redeemed them at a heavy outlay thus obtaining business relations with the firm that held them
+LJ014-0335 which were soon developed much to that firms subsequent anger and regret
+LJ014-0336 last of all the wellknown bankers overend and gurney whose own affairs created much excitement some years later
+LJ014-0337 wishing to verify the value of warrants they held and sending to maltby and cos wharf found out half the truth
+LJ014-0338 these bankers wishing for more specific information
+LJ014-0339 asked davidson and gordon a firm with which cole was closely allied whether the warrants meant goods or nothing
+LJ014-0340 they could not deny that the latter was the truth and were forthwith stigmatized by mr chapman overend and gurneys representative as rogues
+LJ015-0001 chronicles of newgate volume two by arthur griffiths section eighteen newgate notorieties continued part three
+LJ015-0002 the course of the swindlers was by no means smooth but it was not till eighteen fiftyfour that suspicion arose that anything was wrong
+LJ015-0003 a firm which held a lot of warrants suddenly demanded the delivery of the goods they covered
+LJ015-0004 the goods having no existence cole of course could not deliver them
+LJ015-0005 about this time davidson and gordon the people abovementioned
+LJ015-0006 who had fraudulent warrants out of their own to the extent of one hundred fifty thousand pounds suspended payment and absconded
+LJ015-0007 this affected coles credit and ugly reports were in circulation charging him with the issue of simulated warrants
+LJ015-0008 these indeed were out to the value of three hundred sixtyseven thousand eight hundred pounds
+LJ015-0009 coles difficulties increased more and more warrantholders came down upon him demanding to realize their goods
+LJ015-0010 cole now suspended payment
+LJ015-0011 maltby who had bolted was pursued and arrested to end his life miserably by committing suicide in a newgate cell
+LJ015-0012 cole too was apprehended and in due course tried at the central criminal court
+LJ015-0013 he was found guilty and sentenced to the seemingly inadequate punishment of four years transportation
+LJ015-0014 davidson and gordon were also sentenced to imprisonment
+LJ015-0015 a more distressing case stands next on the criminal records
+LJ015-0016 the failure and subsequent sentence of the bankers messrs strahan paul and bates
+LJ015-0017 for the fraudulent disposal of securities lodged in their hands this firm was one of the oldest banking establishments in the kingdom
+LJ015-0018 and dated back to the commonwealth when under the title of snow and walton it carried on business as pawnbrokers
+LJ015-0019 the strahan of the firm which came to grief was a snow who changed his name for a fortune of two hundred thousand pounds
+LJ015-0020 he was a man esteemed and respected in society and the world of finance incapable as it was thought of a dishonest deed
+LJ015-0021 sir john dean paul had inherited a baronetcy from his father together with an honored name
+LJ015-0022 he was himself a prominent member of the low church of austere piety active in all good works
+LJ015-0023 mr bates had been confidential managing clerk and was taken into the firm not alone as a reward for long and faithful service
+LJ015-0024 but that he might strengthen it by his long experience and known business capacity
+LJ015-0025 the bank enjoyed an excellent reputation it had a good connection and was supposed to be perfectly sound
+LJ015-0026 moreover the partners were sober steady men who paid unremitting attention to business
+LJ015-0027 yet even so early as the death of the first sir john paul
+LJ015-0028 the bank was insolvent and instead of starting on a fresh life with a new name it should then and there have closed its doors
+LJ015-0029 in december eighteen fiftyone the balance sheet showed a deficiency of upwards of seventy thousand pounds
+LJ015-0030 the bank had been conducted on false principles
+LJ015-0031 it had assumed enormous responsibilities on one side by the ownership of the mostyn collieries a valueless property
+LJ015-0032 and on the other by backing up
+LJ015-0033 an impecunious and rotten firm of contractors with vast liabilities and pledged to impossible works abroad
+LJ015-0034 the engagements of the bank on these two heads amounting to nearly half a million of money
+LJ015-0035 produced immediate embarrassment and financial distress
+LJ015-0036 the bank was already insolvent
+LJ015-0037 and the partners had to decide between suspending payment or continuing to hold its head above water by flagitious processes
+LJ015-0038 they chose unhappily for themselves the latter alternative
+LJ015-0039 money they must have and money they raised to meet their urgent necessities upon the balances and securities deposited with them by their customers
+LJ015-0040 this borrowing continued and on such a scale that their paper was soon at a discount
+LJ015-0041 and the various discount houses would not advance sufficient sums to relieve the necessities of the bank
+LJ015-0042 then it was that instead of merely pledging securities the bank sold them outright and thus passed the rubicon of fraud
+LJ015-0043 this went on for some time and might never have been discovered had some good stroke of luck provided any of the partners
+LJ015-0044 with money enough to retrieve the position of the bank but that passed from bad to worse
+LJ015-0045 the firms paper went down further and further in value an application to the committee of bankers for assistance was peremptorily refused
+LJ015-0046 then came a run on the bank and it was compelled to stop payment
+LJ015-0047 its debts amounted to threequarters of a million and the dividend it eventually paid was three and twopence in the pound
+LJ015-0048 but worse than the bankruptcy was the confession made by the partners in the court
+LJ015-0049 they admitted that they had made away with many of the securities entrusted to their keeping
+LJ015-0050 following this warrants were issued for their arrest
+LJ015-0051 the specific charge being the unlawful negotiation of danish bonds and other shares belonging to the rev dr griffiths of rochester
+LJ015-0052 to the value of twenty thousand pounds
+LJ015-0053 bates was at once captured in norfolk street strand
+LJ015-0054 police officers went down at night to nutfield near reigate and arrested sir john paul but allowed the prisoner to sleep there
+LJ015-0055 next morning they only just saved the train to town and left sir john behind on the platform but he subsequently surrendered himself
+LJ015-0056 mr strahan was arrested at a friends house in bryanston square
+LJ015-0057 all three were tried at the central criminal court and sentenced to fourteen years transportation passing some time in newgate en route
+LJ015-0058 bates the least guilty was pardoned in eighteen fiftyeight
+LJ015-0059 two cases of extensive embezzlement which were discovered almost simultaneously those of robson and redpath
+LJ015-0060 will long be remembered both within and without the commercial world
+LJ015-0061 they both reproduced many of the features of the case of watts already described
+LJ015-0062 but in neither did the sums misappropriated reach quite the same high figure
+LJ015-0063 but neither robson nor redpath would have been able to pursue their fraudulent designs with success had they not like watts
+LJ015-0064 been afforded peculiar facilities by the slackness of system and the want of methodical administration in the concerns by which they were employed
+LJ015-0065 robson was of humble origin but he was well educated and he had some literary abilities
+LJ015-0066 his proclivities were theatrical and he was the author of several plays
+LJ015-0067 one at least of which love and loyalty with wallack in a leading part achieved a certain success
+LJ015-0068 he began life as a lawwriter earning thereby some fifteen or eighteen shillings a week
+LJ015-0069 but the firm he served got him a situation as clerk in the office of the great northern railway
+LJ015-0070 whence he passed to a better position under the crystal palace company
+LJ015-0071 he now married although his salary was only a pound a week but he soon got on
+LJ015-0072 he had a pleasant address showed good business aptitudes and quickly acquired the approval of his superiors
+LJ015-0073 within a year he was advanced to the post of chief clerk in the transfer department at a salary of one hundred fifty pounds a year
+LJ015-0074 his immediate chief was a mr fasson upon whose confidence he gained so rapidly through his activity industry and engaging manners
+LJ015-0075 that ere long the whole management of the transfer department was entrusted to him
+LJ015-0076 some time elapsed before robson succumbed to temptation
+LJ015-0077 he was not the first man of loose morality and expensive tastes
+LJ015-0078 who preferred to risk his future reputation and liberty to the present discomfort of living upon narrow means
+LJ015-0079 the temptation was all the greater because the chances of successful fraud lay ready to hand
+LJ015-0080 shares in the company were represented by certificates which often enough never left the companys or more exactly robsons hands
+LJ015-0081 he conceived the idea of transferring shares bogus shares from a person who held none to any one who would buy them in the open market
+LJ015-0082 he took it for granted that the certificates representing these bogus shares and which practically did not exist would never be called for
+LJ015-0083 this ingenious method of raising funds he adopted and carried on without detection
+LJ015-0084 till the defalcations from fraudulent transfers and fraudulent issues combined amounted to twentyseven thousand pounds
+LJ015-0085 with the proceeds of these flagitious frauds robson feasted and made merry
+LJ015-0086 he kept open house at kilburn priory
+LJ015-0087 entertained literary artistic and dramatic celebrities had a smart turn out attended all the racemeetings and dressed in the latest fashion
+LJ015-0088 to his wife poor soul he made no pretense of fidelity and she enjoyed only so much of his company as was necessarily spent
+LJ015-0089 in receiving guests at home or could be spared from two rival establishments in other parts of the town
+LJ015-0090 to account for his revenues he pretended to have been very lucky on the stock exchange which was at one time true to a limited extent
+LJ015-0091 and to have succeeded in other speculations
+LJ015-0092 when his friends asked why he a wealthy man of independent means continued to slave on as a clerk on a pittance
+LJ015-0093 he replied gaily that his regular work at the crystal palace office was useful as a sort of discipline and kept him steady
+LJ015-0094 all this time his position was one of extreme insecurity he was standing over a mine which at any moment might explode
+LJ015-0095 the blow fell suddenly and when least expected one morning mr fasson asked casually for certain certificates
+LJ015-0096 whether representing real or fictitious shares does not appear but they were certificates connected in some way with robsons long practiced frauds
+LJ015-0097 and he could not produce them his chief asked sternly where they were
+LJ015-0098 robson said they were at kilburn priory
+LJ015-0099 let us go to kilburn for them together said mr fasson growing suspicious
+LJ015-0100 they drove there and robson on arrival did the honors of his house rang for lunch to gain time
+LJ015-0101 but at mr fassons pressing demands went upstairs to fetch the certificates
+LJ015-0102 he came back to explain that he had mislaid them
+LJ015-0103 mr fasson more and more ill at ease would not accept this subterfuge and declared they must be found
+LJ015-0104 robson again left him but only to gather together hastily all the money and valuables on which he could lay his hands with which he left the house
+LJ015-0105 mr fasson waited and waited for his subordinate to reappear and at last discovered his flight
+LJ015-0106 a reward was forthwith offered for robsons apprehension
+LJ015-0107 meanwhile the absconding clerk had coolly driven to a favorite diningplace in the west end
+LJ015-0108 where a fish curry and a brace of partridges were set before him
+LJ015-0109 and he discussed the latter with appetite but begged that they would never give him curry again as he did not like it
+LJ015-0110 after dinner he went into hiding for a day or two
+LJ015-0111 then accompanied by a lady not mrs robson he took steamer and started for copenhagen
+LJ015-0112 but the continental police had been warned to look out for him and two danish inspectors got upon his track
+LJ015-0113 followed him over to sweden and arrested him at helsingfors
+LJ015-0114 thence he was transferred to copenhagen and surrendered in due course to a london police officer
+LJ015-0115 little more remains to be said about robson he appears to have accepted his position and to have at once resigned himself to his fate
+LJ015-0116 when brought to trial he took matters very coolly and at first pleaded not guilty but subsequently withdrew the plea
+LJ015-0117 sergeant ballantine who prosecuted
+LJ015-0118 paid him the compliment of describing him as a young man of great intelligence considerable powers of mind
+LJ015-0119 and possessed of an education very much beyond the rank of life to which he originally belonged
+LJ015-0120 robson was found guilty and sentenced to two terms of transportation one for twenty and one for fourteen years
+LJ015-0121 newgate officers who remember robson still describe him as a fine young man who behaved well as a prisoner
+LJ015-0122 but who had all the appearance of a careless thoughtless happygolucky fellow
+LJ015-0123 in many respects the embezzlement of which leopold redpath was guilty closely resembled that of robson
+LJ015-0124 but it was based upon more extended and audacious forgeries
+LJ015-0125 redpaths crime arose from his peculiar and independent position as registrar of stock of the great northern railway company
+LJ015-0126 this offered him great facilities for the creation of artificial stock its sale from a fictitious holder and transfer to himself
+LJ015-0127 all the signatures in the transfer were forged not only did he thus transfer and realize bogus stock
+LJ015-0128 but he bought bona fide amounts and increased their value by altering the figures
+LJ015-0129 by inserting say one before five hundred and thus making it
+LJ015-0130 fifteen hundred pounds which larger amount was duly carried to his credit on the register and entered upon the certificates of transfer
+LJ015-0131 by these means redpath misappropriated vast sums during a period extending over ten years
+LJ015-0132 the total amount was never exactly made out but the false stock created and issued by him was estimated at two hundred twenty thousand pounds
+LJ015-0133 even when the bubble burst redpath who had lived at the rate of twenty thousand a year
+LJ015-0134 had assets in the shape of land house furniture pictures and objets dart to the value of fifty thousand pounds
+LJ015-0135 he began in a very small way
+LJ015-0136 first a lawyers clerk he then got an appointment in the peninsular and oriental companys office
+LJ015-0137 afterwards he set up as an insurance broker on his own account but presently failed
+LJ015-0138 his fault was generosity
+LJ015-0139 an openhanded unthinking charity which gave freely to the poor and needy the money which belonged to his creditors
+LJ015-0140 after his bankruptcy he obtained a place as clerk in the great northern railway office
+LJ015-0141 from which he rose to be assistant registrar with the special duties of transferring shares
+LJ015-0142 he soon proved his ability and by unremitting attention mastered the whole work of the office
+LJ015-0143 later on he became registrar and in this more independent position
+LJ015-0144 developed to a colossal extent the frauds he had already practiced as a subordinate
+LJ015-0145 now he launched out into great expenditure took a house in chester terrace and became known as a maecenas and patron of the arts
+LJ015-0146 he had a nice taste in bricàbrac and was considered a good judge of pictures
+LJ015-0147 leading social and artistic personages were to be met with at his house and his hospitality was far famed
+LJ015-0148 the choicest wines the finest fruits
+LJ015-0149 peas at ten shillings a quart fiveguinea pines and early asparagus were to be found on his table
+LJ015-0150 but his chief extravagance his favorite folly was the exercise of an ostentatious benevolence
+LJ015-0151 the philanthropy he had displayed in a small way when less prosperous became now a passion
+LJ015-0152 his name headed every subscription list his purse was always open
+LJ015-0153 not content with giving where assistance was solicited he himself sought out deserving cases and personally afforded relief
+LJ015-0154 when the crash came there were pensioners and other recipients of his bounty who could not believe
+LJ015-0155 that so good a man had really been for years a swindler and a rogue
+LJ015-0156 down at weybridge where he had a country place his name was long remembered with gratitude by the poor
+LJ015-0157 during the days of his prosperity he was a governor of christs hospital
+LJ015-0158 of the st anns society and one of the supporters and managers of the patriotic fund
+LJ015-0159 in his person he was neat and fastidious
+LJ015-0160 he patronized the best tailors and had a fashionable coiffeur from hanover square daily to curl his hair
+LJ015-0161 there was something dramatic in redpaths detection
+LJ015-0162 just after robsons frauds had agitated the minds of all directors of companies the chairman of the great northern mr denison
+LJ015-0163 was standing at a railway station talking to a certain wellknown peer of the realm
+LJ015-0164 redpath passed and lifted his hat to his chairman the latter acknowledged the salute
+LJ015-0165 but the peer rushed forward and shook redpath warmly by the hand
+LJ015-0166 what do you know of our clerk asked mr denison of his lordship only that he is a capital fellow who gives the best dinners and balls in town
+LJ015-0167 redpath had industriously circulated reports that he had prospered greatly in speculation
+LJ015-0168 but the chairman of the great northern could not realize that a clerk of the company could honestly be in the possession of unlimited wealth
+LJ015-0169 it was at once decided at the board to make a thorough examination of all his books
+LJ015-0170 redpath was called in and informed of the intended investigation he tried to stave off the evil hour by declaring that everything was perfectly right
+LJ015-0171 but finding he could not escape he said he would resign his post and leaving the boardroom disappeared
+LJ015-0172 the inquiry soon revealed the colossal character of the frauds
+LJ015-0173 warrants were issued for redpaths arrest but he had flown to paris
+LJ015-0174 thither police officers followed only to find that he had returned to london
+LJ015-0175 a further search discovered him at breakfast at a small house in the new road
+LJ015-0176 he was arrested examined before a police magistrate and committed to newgate
+LJ015-0177 great excitement prevailed in the city and the west end when redpaths defalcations were made public
+LJ015-0178 the stock market was greatly affected and society more especially that which frequents exeter hall was convulsed
+LJ015-0179 the central criminal court when the trial came on
+LJ015-0180 was densely crowded and many curious eyes were turned upon the somewhat remarkable man who occupied the dock
+LJ015-0181 he is described by a contemporary account as a freshlooking man of forty years of age slightly bald inclined to embonpoint
+LJ015-0182 and thoroughly embodying the idea of english respectability
+LJ015-0183 his manner was generally selfpossessed but his face was marked with uneasy earnestness
+LJ015-0184 and he looked about him with wayward furtive glances
+LJ015-0185 when the jury found a verdict of guilty he remained unmoved he listened without emotion to the judges wellmerited censures
+LJ015-0186 and received his sentence of transportation for life without much surprise
+LJ015-0187 redpath passed away into the outer darkness of a penal colony where he was still living a year or two back
+LJ015-0188 but his name lingers still in this country as that of the first swindler of his time
+LJ015-0189 and the prototype of a class not uncommon in our later days
+LJ015-0190 that of dishonest rogues who assume piety and philanthropy as a cloak for their misdeeds
+LJ015-0191 in newgate redpath is remembered by the prison officer as a difficult man to deal with
+LJ015-0192 from the moment of his reception he gave himself great airs as a martyr and a man heavily wronged
+LJ015-0193 byandby when escape seemed hopeless and after sentence he suddenly degenerated into the lowest stamp of criminal
+LJ015-0194 and behaved so as to justify a belief that he had been a jailbird all his life
+LJ015-0195 it has been already remarked in these pages that with changed social conditions came a great change in the character of crimes
+LJ015-0196 highway robberies for instance had disappeared if we except the spasmodic and severely repressed outbreak of garotting
+LJ015-0197 which at one time spread terror throughout london thieves preferred now to use ingenuity rather than brute force
+LJ015-0198 it was no longer possible to stop a coach or carriage or rob the postman who carried the mail
+LJ015-0199 the improved methods of locomotion had put a stop to these depredations people traveled in company as a rule
+LJ015-0200 only when single and unprotected were they in any danger of attack and that but rarely
+LJ015-0201 there were still big prizes however to tempt the daring and none appealed more to the thievish instinct than the custom of transmitting gold by rail
+LJ015-0202 the precious metal was sent from place to place carefully locked up and guarded no doubt
+LJ015-0203 but were the precautions too minute the vigilance too close to be eluded or overcome
+LJ015-0204 this was the question which presented itself to the fertile brain of one pierce
+LJ015-0205 who had been concerned in various jobs of a dishonest character and who for the moment was a clerk in a betting office
+LJ015-0206 he laid the suggestion before agar a professional thief who was of opinion it contained elements of success
+LJ015-0207 but the collusion and active assistance of employees of the railway carriers were indispensable and together
+LJ015-0208 they sounded one burgess a guard on the southeastern railway a line by which large quantities of bullion were sent to the continent
+LJ015-0209 burgess detailed the whole system of transmission
+LJ015-0210 the gold packed in an ironbound box was securely lodged in safes locked with patent chubbs
+LJ015-0211 each safe had three sets of double keys all held by confidential servants of the company
+LJ015-0212 one pair was with the traffic superintendent in london another with an official in folkestone
+LJ015-0213 a third with the captain of the folkestone and boulogne boat
+LJ015-0214 at the other side of the channel the french railway authorities took charge
+LJ015-0215 the safes while on the line en route between london and folkestone were in the guards van
+LJ015-0216 this was an important step and they might easily be robbed some day when burgess was the guard provided only that they could be opened
+LJ015-0217 the next step was to get impressions and fabricate false keys
+LJ015-0218 a new accomplice was now needed within the companys establishment and pierce looked about long before he found the right person
+LJ015-0219 at last he decided to enlist one tester a clerk in the traffic department whom he thought would prove a likely tool
+LJ015-0220 the four waited patiently for their opportunity
+LJ015-0221 which came when the safes were sent to chubbs to be repaired and chubbs sent them back but only with one key
+LJ015-0222 in such a way that tester had possession of this key for a time
+LJ015-0223 he lent it to agar for a brief space who promptly took an impression on wax but the safes had a double lock
+LJ015-0224 the difficulty was to get a copy of the second key
+LJ015-0225 this was at length effected by agar and pierce
+LJ015-0226 after hanging about the folkestone office for some time they saw at last that the key was kept in a certain cupboard
+LJ015-0227 still watching and waiting for the first chance they seized it when the clerks left the office empty for a moment
+LJ015-0228 pierce boldly stepped in found the cupboard unlocked he removed the key handed it to agar outside
+LJ015-0229 who quickly took the wax impression handed it back to pierce pierce replaced it left the office and the thing was done
+LJ015-0230 after this nothing remained but to wait for some occasion when the amount transmitted would be sufficient to justify the risks of robbery
+LJ015-0231 it was testers business who had access to the railway companys books to watch for this
+LJ015-0232 meanwhile the others completed their preparations with the utmost care
+LJ015-0233 a weight of shot was bought and stowed in carpet bags ready to replace exactly the abstracted gold
+LJ015-0234 courier bags were bought to carry the stuff slung over the shoulders
+LJ015-0235 and last but not least agar frequently traveled up and down the line to test the false keys he had manufactured with pierces assistance
+LJ015-0236 burgess admitted him into the guards van where he fitted and filed the keys till they worked easily and satisfactorily in the locks of the safe
+LJ015-0237 one night tester whispered to agar and pierce all right as they cautiously lounged about london bridge
+LJ015-0238 the thieves took firstclass tickets handed their bags full of shot to the porters who placed them in the guards van
+LJ015-0239 just as the train was starting agar slipped into the van with burgess and pierce got into a firstclass carriage
+LJ015-0240 agar at once got to work on the first safe
+LJ015-0241 opened it took out and broke into the bullion box removed the gold substituted the shot from a carpet bag
+LJ015-0242 refastened and resealed the bullion box and replaced it in the safe
+LJ015-0243 at redhill tester met the train and relieved the thieves of a portion of the stolen gold
+LJ015-0244 at the same station pierce joined agar in the guards van and there were now three to carry on the robbery
+LJ015-0245 the two remaining safes were attacked and nearly entirely despoiled in the same way as the first and the contents transferred to the courier bags
+LJ015-0246 the train was now approaching folkestone and agar and pierce hid themselves in a dark part of the van
+LJ015-0247 at that station the safes were given out heavy with shot not gold the thieves went on to dover and byandby
+LJ015-0248 with ostend tickets previously procured returned to london without mishap and by degrees disposed of much of the stolen gold
+LJ015-0249 the theft was discovered at boulogne when the boxes were found not to weigh exactly what they ought but no clue was obtained to the thieves
+LJ015-0250 and the theft might have remained a mystery but for the subsequent bad faith of pierce to his accomplice agar
+LJ015-0251 the latter was ere long arrested on a charge of uttering forged cheques convicted and sentenced to transportation for life
+LJ015-0252 when he knew that he could not escape his fate
+LJ015-0253 he handed over to pierce a sum of three thousand pounds his own whether rightly or wrongly acquired never came out
+LJ015-0254 together with the unrealized part of the bullion amounting in all to some fifteen thousand pounds
+LJ015-0255 and begged his accomplice to invest it as a settlement on a woman named kay by whom he had had a child
+LJ015-0256 pierce made kay only a few small payments then appropriated the rest of the money
+LJ015-0257 kay who had been living with agar at the time of the bullion robbery
+LJ015-0258 went to the police in great fury and distress and disclosed all she knew of the affair
+LJ015-0259 agar too in newgate heard how pierce had treated him and at once readily turned approver
+LJ015-0260 as the evidence he gave incriminated pierce burgess and tester all three were arrested and committed to newgate for trial
+LJ015-0261 the whole strange story the long incubation and the elaborate accomplishment of the plot
+LJ015-0262 came out at the old bailey and was acknowledged to be one of the most extraordinary on record
+LJ015-0263 scarcely had the conviction of these daring and astute thieves been assured than another gigantic fraud was brought to light
+LJ015-0264 the series of boldlyconceived and cleverlyexecuted forgeries in which james townshend saward commonly called jem the penman
+LJ015-0265 was the prime mover
+LJ015-0266 has probably no parallel in the annals of crime saward himself is a striking and in some respects an unique figure in criminal history
+LJ015-0267 a man of birth and education a member of the bar and of acknowledged legal attainments his proclivities were all downward
+LJ015-0268 instead of following an honorable profession he preferred to turn his great natural talents and ready wits to the most nefarious practices
+LJ015-0269 he was known to the whole criminal fraternity as a highclass receiver of stolen goods a negotiator more especially of stolen paper
+LJ015-0270 cheques and bills of which he made a particular use
+LJ015-0271 he dealt too in the precious metals when they had been improperly acquired
+LJ015-0272 and it was to him that agar pierce and the rest applied when seeking to dispose of their stolen bullion
+LJ015-0273 but sawards operations were mainly directed to the fabrication and uttering of forged cheques
+LJ015-0274 his method was comprehensive and deeply laid
+LJ015-0275 burglars brought him the cheques they stole from houses thieves what they got in pocketbooks
+LJ015-0276 cheques blank and canceled were his stockintrade the former he filled up by exact imitation of the latter signature and all
+LJ015-0277 when he could get nothing but the blank cheque he set in motion all sorts of schemes for obtaining signatures such as
+LJ015-0278 commencing sham actions and addressing formal applications merely for the reply
+LJ015-0279 one stroke of luck which he turned to great account
+LJ015-0280 was the return from transportation of an old pal and confederate who brought with him some bills of exchange
+LJ015-0281 sawards method of negotiating the cheques was equally well planned
+LJ015-0282 like his great predecessor old patch he never went to a bank himself nor did any of his accomplices
+LJ015-0283 the bearer of the cheque was always innocent and ignorant of the fraudulent nature of the document he presented
+LJ015-0284 in order to obtain messengers of this sort saward answered advertisements of persons seeking employment
+LJ015-0285 and when these presented themselves entrusted them as a beginning with the duty of cashing cheques
+LJ015-0286 a confederate followed the emissary closely
+LJ015-0287 not only to ensure fair play and the surrender of the proceeds if the cheque was cashed but to give timely notice if it was not
+LJ015-0288 so that saward and the rest might make themselves scarce
+LJ015-0289 as each transaction was carried out from a different address and a different messenger always employed
+LJ015-0290 the forgers always escaped detection but fate overtook two of the gang
+LJ015-0291 partly through their own carelessness when transferring their operations to yarmouth
+LJ015-0292 one named hardwicke assumed the name of ralph and to obtain commercial credit in yarmouth paid in two hundred fifty pounds to a yarmouth bank
+LJ015-0293 as coming from a mr whitney
+LJ015-0294 he forgot to add that it was to be placed to ralphs credit and when he called as ralph
+LJ015-0295 he was told it was only at mr whitneys disposal and that it could be paid to no one else
+LJ015-0296 hardwicke or ralph appealed to saward in his difficulty
+LJ015-0297 and that clever schemer sent an elaborate letter of instructions how to ask for the money
+LJ015-0298 but while hardwicke was in communication with saward the bank was in communication with london
+LJ015-0299 and the circumstances were deemed sufficiently suspicious to warrant the arrest of the gentlemen at yarmouth on a charge of forgery and conspiracy
+LJ015-0300 sawards letter to hardwicke fell into the hands of the police and compromised him
+LJ015-0301 while hardwicke and atwell were in newgate awaiting trial active search was made for saward
+LJ015-0302 who was at length taken in a coffeeshop near oxford street under the name of hopkins he resisted at first and denied his identity
+LJ015-0303 but on being searched two blank cheques of the london and westminster bank were found in his pocket
+LJ015-0304 he then confessed that he was the redoubtable jem saward or jem the penman and was conveyed to a policecourt and thence to newgate
+LJ015-0305 at his trial atwell and hardwicke two of his chief allies and accomplices turned approvers
+LJ015-0306 and the whole scheme of systematic forgery was laid bare
+LJ015-0307 the evidence was corroborated by that of many of the victims who had acted as messengers
+LJ015-0308 and others who swore to the meetings of the conspirators and their movements saward was found guilty
+LJ015-0309 and the judge in passing sentence on him of transportation for life expressed deep regret that the ingenuity skill and talent
+LJ015-0310 which had received so perverted and mistaken direction
+LJ015-0311 had not been guided by a sense of virtue and directed to more honorable and useful pursuits
+LJ015-0312 the proceeds of these forgeries amounted it was said to some thousands per annum
+LJ015-0313 saward spent all his share at low gaming houses and in all manner of debaucheries
+LJ015-0314 he was in person a short squarebuilt man of gentlemanly address sharp and shrewd in conversation and manner
+LJ016-0001 the chronicles of newgate volume two by arthur griffiths section nineteen later records
+LJ016-0002 the old notion always prevailed that newgate was impregnable so to speak from within
+LJ016-0003 and that none of its inmates could hope to escape from its secure precincts
+LJ016-0004 yet the jail in spite of its fortresslike aspect was by no means really safe
+LJ016-0005 year after year prisoners determined to get free and occasionally succeeded in their efforts
+LJ016-0006 the inspectors reports mention many cases of evasion accomplished
+LJ016-0007 there were others less successful
+LJ016-0008 charles thomas white awaiting execution for arson made a desperate effort to escape from newgate in eighteen twentyseven
+LJ016-0009 he had friends and auxiliaries inside the jail and out the cell he occupied was near the outer wall
+LJ016-0010 and had he but been able to remove its iron bars he might have descended into newgate street by means of a rope ladder
+LJ016-0011 the ladder was actually made of black sewingthread firmly and closely interwoven but white could not remove the bars
+LJ016-0012 the instruments needed for the purpose never reached him
+LJ016-0013 it was noticed that he was most anxious to receive a pair of shoes for which he had asked and when they arrived they were closely examined
+LJ016-0014 sewn in between the upper and lower leathers several spring saws were found which would have easily cut through any bars
+LJ016-0015 white when taxed with his attempt admitted that the accusation was true and spoke with pride and satisfaction of the practicability of his scheme
+LJ016-0016 there is an attempt at escape mentioned in mr wakefields book which might have been an intended suicide
+LJ016-0017 john williams a young fellow only twentythree years of age awaited execution in eighteen twentyseven for stealing in a dwellinghouse
+LJ016-0018 on the very morning on which he was to suffer he eluded the vigilance such as it was of his officers
+LJ016-0019 and climbed up the pipe of a cistern in the corner of the press yard some thought with the idea of drowning himself
+LJ016-0020 he never reached the cistern but fell back into the yard injuring his legs severely
+LJ016-0021 although his execution was imminent a surgeon attended to his wounds and he was carried more dead than alive to the scaffold
+LJ016-0022 a harrowing scene followed
+LJ016-0023 the wounds broke open and bled profusely while the last dread penalty was being performed to the manifest excitement and indignation of the crowd
+LJ016-0024 a more daring and skilful escape was effected in eighteen thirtysix by the chimneysweep henry williams
+LJ016-0025 who while detained in the pressyard as a capital convict under sentence of death for burglary
+LJ016-0026 managed to get away in the very same spot where his namesake had nine years before so miserably failed
+LJ016-0027 escape seemed absolutely hopeless
+LJ016-0028 and would certainly have been impossible to any one less nimble than a chimneysweep trained under the old system to ascend the most intricate flues
+LJ016-0029 even after williams had got out persons were disposed to disbelieve that the escape had been accomplished in the manner indicated
+LJ016-0030 they preferred to credit it to carelessness or collusion from officers of the jail
+LJ016-0031 yet from the circumstantial account given by williams after recapture there can be little doubt that he got away as will be described
+LJ016-0032 williams as a capital convict was lodged in the pressyard or condemned ward
+LJ016-0033 he had access to the airing yard and there was for hours no kind of supervision
+LJ016-0034 in one corner of the airing yard stood a cistern at some height from the ground
+LJ016-0035 the wall beneath and above it was rusticated in other words the granite surface had become roughened and offered a sort of foothold
+LJ016-0036 about fifty feet from the ground level and above the cistern a revolving chevauxdefrise of iron was fixed
+LJ016-0037 with only a short interval between it and the wall supported by a horizontal iron railing with upright points
+LJ016-0038 in the wall above the chevauxdefrise projected a series of iron spikes sharp enough to forbid further ascent
+LJ016-0039 williams surveyed these formidable obstacles to evasion and calmly proceeded to surmount them
+LJ016-0040 his first task was to gain the top of the cistern this he effected by keeping his back to one side of the angle
+LJ016-0041 and working with his hands behind him while he used his bare feet like claws upon the other side of the wall angle
+LJ016-0042 the condition of the stone surface just mentioned assisted him in this and he managed to get beyond the cistern to the railing below the chevauxdefrise
+LJ016-0043 the least slip now would have been fatal to him but he could not thrust his body in through the narrow space left by the chevauxdefrise
+LJ016-0044 and was compelled to work along the railing round threequarters of the square of the yard
+LJ016-0045 and at length reached a point opposite the top of the building containing the condemned wards this had been a perilous and painful task
+LJ016-0046 the spikes of the railing penetrated his flesh and made progression slow and difficult
+LJ016-0047 but the worst part of the business was to jump from this irksome foothold of the iron grating on to the top of the building just mentioned
+LJ016-0048 a distance of eight or nine feet
+LJ016-0049 he had here completed his ascent
+LJ016-0050 his next job was to descend outside newgate
+LJ016-0051 clambering along the roof
+LJ016-0052 he passed to the top of the ordinarys residence hoping to find an open skylight by which he might enter and so work downstairs
+LJ016-0053 if the worst came to the worst he intended to have gone down some chimney as he had often done before in the way of business
+LJ016-0054 but he did not like the risk of entering a room by the fireplace and the chances of detection it offered
+LJ016-0055 he traversed vainly all the roofs in newgate street
+LJ016-0056 running a great risk of discovery as he passed by a lot of workmen at tylers manufactory in warwick square which had formerly been the college of physicians
+LJ016-0057 as his coat was an encumbrance he left it on the top of the third house in newgate street and thus in shirtsleeves barefoot and bareheaded
+LJ016-0058 he worked along to the roofs in warwick lane
+LJ016-0059 here he came upon a woman on the leads hanging out clothes to dry
+LJ016-0060 williams concealed himself behind a chimney till she had reentered her garret
+LJ016-0061 and then following her down a step ladder into the house told his story appealed to and won her compassion
+LJ016-0062 she suffered him to pass downstairs
+LJ016-0063 below he met another woman and a girl both of whom were terrified at his appearance but
+LJ016-0064 when he explained that he was running away from the gallows they left him the road clear
+LJ016-0065 to walk out into the street was an easy affair and he was now free with one and fourpence in his pocket and a shirt and trousers for all his clothing
+LJ016-0066 denied admission everywhere as a ragged halfnaked beggar
+LJ016-0067 he tramped across london bridge to wandsworth where he refreshed himself with a pint of strong ale the first sustenance he had taken since his escape
+LJ016-0068 and continued his march to kingston where he slept soundly under a hedge till next morning
+LJ016-0069 entering a town he obtained employment at once as a chimneysweep
+LJ016-0070 from a widow woman who gave him bub and grub or food and oneandsixpence for every nine days work
+LJ016-0071 dissatisfied with this remuneration he again took to the road and tramped into hampshire
+LJ016-0072 where he presently committed a burglary at lymington was caught and lodged in winchester jail
+LJ016-0073 mr cope the governor of newgate having been communicated with proceeded to winchester where he at once identified williams
+LJ016-0074 the success although very shortlived which attended him no doubt inspired other inmates of newgate to follow his example
+LJ016-0075 it was for some time after this a constant practice to go up the chimneys in the hopes of escaping by the flue
+LJ016-0076 even then however irons across barred the ascent after a certain distance and in no one case did a fugitive get clear away
+LJ016-0077 a man named lears under sentence of transportation for an attempt at murder on board ship got up part of the way
+LJ016-0078 but had to come down again covered with soot and filth just as the officers entered the ward
+LJ016-0079 lears was rewarded by being obliged to wear cross irons on his legs a punishment rarely inflicted in newgate
+LJ016-0080 and probably one of the few cases of a recurrence but under proper safeguards and limitations to the old system of chains
+LJ016-0081 on another occasion mr cope the governor came in and missed a man
+LJ016-0082 the ward was one short of its number what had become of the fellow
+LJ016-0084 the fugitive uncomfortably ensconced in the flue came down of his own accord like colonel colts raccoon
+LJ016-0085 after this great iron guards just as are to be seen in lunatic asylums
+LJ016-0086 were fixed over the fireplaces and the prisoners had no longer access to the chimneys
+LJ016-0087 among the escapes still remembered was one in eighteen fortynine accomplished by a man who had been employed
+LJ016-0088 working at the roof of the chapel on the female side
+LJ016-0089 he was engaged in whitewashing and cleaning the officer who had him in charge left him on the stairs leading to the gallery
+LJ016-0090 taking advantage of being unobserved he got out through the roof on to the leads and traveled along them towards number one newgate street
+LJ016-0091 this was a publichouse
+LJ016-0092 he stepped in at a garret window coolly walked downstairs and entered the bar
+LJ016-0093 they asked him how he had cut his hand which was bleeding and he said he had done it while working up on the roof
+LJ016-0094 no further notice was taken of him no one seemingly suspected that he was a prisoner and he was suffered to walk off without let or hindrance
+LJ016-0095 in eighteen fiftythree three men escaped in company from one of the wards in the middle yard
+LJ016-0096 they were penal servitude men their names bell brown and barry and they were awaiting transfer to leicester
+LJ016-0097 which with wakefield was utilized as a receptacle for convicts not going to western australia
+LJ016-0098 or any of the new establishments at home at portland dartmoor or elsewhere
+LJ016-0099 these men managed to cut a hole in the ceiling of the ward near the iron cage on the landing and so got access to the roof
+LJ016-0100 at that time rope mats were still used as beds
+LJ016-0101 one of the three shamming ill remained all day in his ward where he employed himself unraveling the rope from the sleepingmats
+LJ016-0102 by evening he manufactured a good long length
+LJ016-0103 and after all was quiet the three got on to the roof through the hole and so on to tylers manufactory close by
+LJ016-0104 whence they let themselves down into the street by the rope
+LJ016-0105 these men were all in prison dress at the time of their escape but one of their number bell sent back his clothes a few days later by parcels delivery
+LJ016-0106 with a civil note to the governor saying he had no further use for them all three fugitives were recaptured
+LJ016-0107 brown almost at once then barry who was taken at the east end in a publichouse where he had arranged to meet a pal
+LJ016-0108 the newgate officers obtained information of this and went to the spot where they effected the capture
+LJ016-0109 but not till they had had an exciting chase down the street
+LJ016-0110 the third bell remained longest at large he too was run into at a lodging in the kingsland road
+LJ016-0111 the officers dropped on to him while he was still in bed but as they came upstairs he jumped up and hid in a cupboard
+LJ016-0112 all three after recapture passed on as originally intended to leicester where they did their bit and were released
+LJ016-0113 but only to be taken soon afterwards for a fresh offense and again pass through newgate with sentences of penal servitude
+LJ016-0114 a later case was still more remarkable as it was effected after the alteration of the prison and its reconstruction on the newest lines
+LJ016-0115 a sailor krapps by name occupied one of the upper cells in the new block
+LJ016-0116 the doors through incomplete knowledge of prison needs were not as now sheeted with iron
+LJ016-0117 the prisoner had nothing to deal with but wooden panels and by dint of cutting and chopping he got both the lower panels out
+LJ016-0118 through the aperture he crept out on to the landing at the dead of night and so down into the central space of the building
+LJ016-0119 under superior orders all the doors and gates of this block were left open at night to allow the night watchman to pass freely to all parts
+LJ016-0120 this was considered safer than intrusting him with keys
+LJ016-0121 krapps walked at once into the yard and across to the female side where he found some of the washing still hanging out to dry
+LJ016-0122 he made a strong rope with several of the sheets then returning to the male yard
+LJ016-0123 got hold of the step ladder used in lighting the gas and which under our more careful supervision would have been as nowadays chained up
+LJ016-0124 cutting the cord which fastened the two legs of the step ladder he opened them out and made one long length
+LJ016-0125 with this placed against the wall near the chevauxdefrise he made an escalade
+LJ016-0126 the top of the wall was gained without difficulty
+LJ016-0127 along this krapps crawled and then dropped down on to the cookhouse
+LJ016-0128 he now put in requisition the rope made of the sheets and with its help lowered himself into the street
+LJ016-0129 down below were marketcarts waiting for daylight and among them krapps found a refuge and friends
+LJ016-0130 the first intimation of his escape was afforded by the police who informed the prison authorities next day that a rope was hanging down from the cookhouse roof
+LJ016-0131 nothing more was heard of krapps the curious thing in his case was that his offense was a trifling one
+LJ016-0132 he was still untried but would almost certainly have escaped with a minor penalty say of three or four months imprisonment
+LJ016-0133 there is however no explanation of the motives which prompt prisoners to attempt escapes
+LJ016-0134 cases well authenticated have been known of men who had all but completed their sentences and for whom the prison gates would open within a few days
+LJ016-0135 who yet faced extraordinary risks to advance their enlargement by only a few hours
+LJ016-0136 on the other hand at the great convict establishments such is the moral restraint of a systematic discipline
+LJ016-0137 that numbers of men lifers and others with ten fourteen or twenty years to do can be trusted to work out of doors without bolts and bars
+LJ016-0138 at a distance from the prison
+LJ016-0139 the last escape from newgate was only three years ago and occurred just before the final closing of the prison
+LJ016-0140 no report of it was made public as the man was almost immediately recaptured
+LJ016-0141 he was at work under the supervision of the artisan warder of the prison
+LJ016-0142 who permitted him to go up on to the roof of the old wards in order to throw water for flushing purposes down a shoot
+LJ016-0143 he was out of sight while so employed and remained so long absent that the warder becoming uneasy went in search of him
+LJ016-0144 he had disappeared
+LJ016-0145 encouraged by the shouts and signals of some workmen employed on a building outside the prisoner made one of the most marvellous jumps on record
+LJ016-0146 from the building he was on to a distant wall with a drop of sixty feet between
+LJ016-0147 then he ran along the coping of the wall towards its angle with tylers manufactory and dropped down on to the gridiron below
+LJ016-0148 this was not strong enough to carry him and he fell through
+LJ016-0149 suicides and executions were however always the most effectual methods of making exit from durance
+LJ016-0150 suicides at newgate were numerous enough but they seldom possessed any novel or unusual features
+LJ016-0151 prison suicides seldom do except as regards ingenuity and determination
+LJ016-0152 only great resolution indeed persisted in to the bitter end
+LJ016-0153 would make death a certainty so limited and imperfect are the means generally available
+LJ016-0154 when a bit of rope carefully secreted
+LJ016-0155 braces shoestrings shirt torn into strips are the only instruments and a bar or small hook
+LJ016-0156 at no elevation affords the only drop strangulation would seldom supervene but for the resolution of the miserable felo de se
+LJ016-0157 one curious instance of a suicide carried out under the most adverse and extraordinary circumstances may be quoted
+LJ016-0158 it was that of a long firm swindler by name johnson
+LJ016-0159 who contrived to hang himself from a hammock hook only eighteen inches from the ground
+LJ016-0160 the noose was one of his hammock straps which he buckled round his throat
+LJ016-0161 having carefully spread out a blanket on the floor just below the hammock as it lay suspended
+LJ016-0162 he fastened one end of the strap above mentioned to the hook and then fell down
+LJ016-0163 he might have saved himself at any moment by merely extending an arm but he lay there patiently till death supervened
+LJ016-0164 when discovered next morning quite dead it was found that the strap actually did not touch his throat
+LJ016-0165 three fingers might have been inserted between it and the flesh the pressure was all on the arteries behind the ears
+LJ016-0166 and surgical opinion stated that the stoppage of circulation was the cause of death
+LJ016-0167 probably dissolution came as easily and almost without pain
+LJ016-0168 a laudable desire to invest executions with more and more solemnity and decorum gained ground as they became more rare
+LJ016-0169 as more humane principles were introduced into prison management
+LJ016-0170 greater attention was paid to the capital convicts and the horrors of their situation while awaiting sentence
+LJ016-0171 were as far as possible mitigated and toned down but there was little improvement in the ceremony itself
+LJ016-0172 there were still untoward accidents occasionally at executions and even the chief practitioner of recent times calcraft
+LJ016-0173 was not always to be trusted to do his fell work efficiently
+LJ016-0174 having mentioned calcrafts name
+LJ016-0175 i may be permitted to digress for a moment to give a few particulars concerning the last officially appointed hangman of the city of london
+LJ016-0176 after calcrafts resignation no successor was really appointed
+LJ016-0177 marwood whose name is so familiar with the present generation
+LJ016-0178 had no official status and was merely an operator selected by the corporation and who on the strength of it
+LJ016-0179 contracted with sheriffs and conveners to work by the job
+LJ016-0180 but calcraft regularly succeeded foxen who followed botting and dennis the actor in the seventeen eighty riots
+LJ016-0181 calcraft was born at baddow in essex in eighteen hundred
+LJ016-0182 he was a shoemaker by trade and settled in london after his marriage in eighteen twentyfive
+LJ016-0183 the story goes that about eighteen twentyeight
+LJ016-0184 his attention was drawn early one morning to a man who leant against a lamppost in finsbury square coughing violently
+LJ016-0185 calcraft who in spite of the dreadful calling he subsequently followed was always reputed a kindly man
+LJ016-0186 invited the man with the cough to enter a neighboring house and try a little peppermint for it
+LJ016-0187 the other accepted and they got into conversation
+LJ016-0188 he told calcraft that he was foxen the executioner and that he was that moment on his way to newgate to hang a man
+LJ016-0189 but that his cough was getting so much the master of him that he feared he would not be able to carry on his duties much longer
+LJ016-0190 i have no idea who the sheriffs will get to do the work after me said foxen adding that his assistant tom cheshire
+LJ016-0191 was given to drink and not to be trusted
+LJ016-0192 i think i could do that sort of job said calcraft on the spur of the moment
+LJ016-0193 foxen asked him his name and address and went away
+LJ016-0194 calcraft thought no more of what had occurred till the next sessions at the old bailey when the sheriffs sent for him
+LJ016-0195 and offered him the post of executioner for the city of london and middlesex
+LJ016-0196 he accepted having at first tom cheshire as his assistant then for a time when cheshire was dismissed for drunkenness a man named osborne
+LJ016-0197 after that he worked alone
+LJ016-0198 i cannot find that calcraft was sworn in when appointed or any exact information when the old forbidding ceremony ceased to be practiced
+LJ016-0199 it was customary to make the executioner take the bible in his hand and swear solemnly that he would dispatch every criminal condemned to die
+LJ016-0200 without favoring father or mother or any other relation or friend
+LJ016-0201 when he had taken the oath he was dismissed with the words get thee hence wretch
+LJ016-0202 calcrafts emoluments were a guinea per week and an extra guinea for every execution
+LJ016-0203 he got besides halfacrown for every man he flogged and an allowance to provide cats or birch rods
+LJ016-0204 for acting as executioner of horsemonger lane jail
+LJ016-0205 he received a retaining fee of five pounds five shillings with the usual guinea for each job
+LJ016-0206 he was also at liberty to engage himself in the country where he demanded and was paid ten pounds on each occasion
+LJ016-0207 it was not always easy to get a hangman so cheap as i have already indicated on a previous page
+LJ016-0208 the onus and responsibility of carrying out the sentence is personal to the sheriff a good story is told illustrating this
+LJ016-0209 some wags in scotland seized calcraft and kept him in durance the night before the execution
+LJ016-0210 meanwhile the convener or sheriff was in despair expecting that failing the executioner he would have to do the job himself
+LJ016-0211 but fortunately for him just at the last moment calcraft was set free
+LJ016-0212 calcrafts salary was more than the proverbial thirteenpence halfpenny hangmans wages
+LJ016-0213 the origin of this expression dates it is said from the time when the scottish mark
+LJ016-0214 a silver coin bearing the same relation to the scottish pound that an english shilling does to an english pound was made to pass current in england
+LJ016-0215 the mark was valued at thirteenpence halfpenny or rather more than the shilling which from time immemorial had been the hangmans wages
+LJ016-0216 that very ancient perquisite the convicts clothes was never claimed by calcraft and it may be doubted whether he was entitled to it
+LJ016-0217 on one particular occasion however he got them a gentleman whose sins brought him to the gallows at maidstone
+LJ016-0218 wished to do calcraft a good turn and sent to his london tailor for a complete new suit in which he appeared at his execution
+LJ016-0219 he expressly bequeathed them to calcraft who was graciously pleased to accept them
+LJ016-0220 on another occasion an importunate person begged calcraft eagerly to claim his right to the clothes and give them to him
+LJ016-0221 calcraft consented got and bestowed the clothes only to find that the person he had obliged exhibited them publicly
+LJ016-0222 it may be added that of late years the clothes in which a convict has suffered are invariably burnt
+LJ016-0223 capital convicts go to the gallows in their own clothing and not in prison dress unless the former is quite unfit to be worn
+LJ016-0224 calcraft shared the odium which his office not strangely has always inspired but he was admitted into the jail
+LJ016-0225 which his predecessors were not and who were paid their wages over the gate to obviate the necessity for letting them enter
+LJ016-0226 to this curious etiquette was due the appointment of an official whose office has long since disappeared the yeoman of the halter
+LJ016-0227 whose business it was to provide the rope and do the pinioning and who was paid a fee of five shillings
+LJ016-0228 they did not dislike calcraft however at newgate he was an illiterate simpleminded man who scarcely remembered what executions he had performed
+LJ016-0229 he kept no record of them and when asked questions referred to the officers of the jail
+LJ016-0230 his nature must have been kindly
+LJ016-0231 when he came to the prison for his wages his grandchildren often accompanied him affectionately clinging to his hands
+LJ016-0232 and he owned a pet pony which would follow him about like a dog
+LJ016-0233 in his own profession
+LJ016-0234 he was not unskilful but he proceeded entirely by rule of thumb leaving the result very much to chance and the strength of the rope
+LJ016-0235 he was so much in favor of short drops that his immediate successor marwood stigmatized him as shortdrop man
+LJ016-0236 marwood being on the other hand in favor of giving a man as much rope as possible
+LJ016-0237 with calcrafts method there were undoubtedly many failures and it was a common custom for him to go below the gallows
+LJ016-0238 just to steady their legs a little in other words to add his weight to that of the hanging bodies
+LJ016-0239 marwood till latterly seemed to have done his work more effectually and has been known to give as much as six feet fall
+LJ016-0240 this generally produces instantaneous death although cases where complete fracture of the spinal cord occurred are said to be rare
+LJ016-0241 calcraft served the city of london till eighteen seventyfour when he was pensioned at the rate of twentyfive shillings per week
+LJ016-0242 the last execution at which he acted was that of godwin on the twentyfifth may eighteen seventyfour
+LJ016-0243 marwood who succeeded him and who died while these sheets were in the press was a lincolnshire man a native of horncastle
+LJ016-0244 who first took to the work from predilection and the idea of being useful in his generation as he himself assured the writer of these pages
+LJ016-0245 until the time of his death he kept a small shop close to the church in horncastle
+LJ016-0246 over the door in gilt letters were the words crown office in the window was a pile of official envelopes ostentatiously displayed
+LJ016-0247 while round about were shoestrings bootlaces and lasts marwood strange to say followed the same trade as calcraft
+LJ016-0248 marwood was proud of his calling and when questioned as to whether his process was satisfactory replied that he heard no complaints
+LJ016-0249 the strange competition amongst hundreds to succeed marwood is a strange fact too recently before the public to need mention here
+LJ016-0250 it may however be remarked that the wisdom of appointing any regular hangman is very open to question
+LJ016-0251 and must be strongly deprecated on moral grounds as tending to the utter degradation of one individual
+LJ016-0252 possibly such changes may be introduced into the method of execution
+LJ016-0253 that the ceremony may be made more mechanical thus rendering the personal intervention of a skilled functionary unnecessary
+LJ016-0254 executions long continued to be in public in spite of remonstrance and reprobation
+LJ016-0255 the old prejudices such as that which enlisted dr johnson on the side of the tyburn procession still lingered and prevented any change
+LJ016-0256 it was thought that capital punishment would lose its deterrent effect if it ceased to be public
+LJ016-0257 and the raison dêtre of the penalty which in principle so many opposed would be gone
+LJ016-0258 this line of argument prevailed over the manifest horrors of the spectacle these increased as time passed
+LJ016-0259 the graphic and terrible account given by charles dickens of the awful scene before horsemonger lane jail at the execution of the mannings
+LJ016-0260 has already been quoted again the concourse of people collected in front of newgate to witness the execution
+LJ016-0261 simultaneously of the five pirates part of the mutinous crew of the flowery land was greater than on any previous occasion
+LJ016-0262 it was a callous careless crowd of coarseminded semibrutalized folk who came to enjoy themselves
+LJ016-0263 few if any showed any feeling of terror none were impressed with the solemnity or realized the warning which the sight conveyed
+LJ016-0264 the upturned faces of the eager spectators resembled those of the gods at drury lane on boxing night
+LJ016-0265 the crowd had come to witness a popular and gratuitous public performance better than a prizefight or a play
+LJ016-0266 no notion that they were assisting at a vindication of the law filled the minds of those present with dread
+LJ016-0267 on the contrary the prevailing sentiment was one of satisfaction at the success of the spectacle
+LJ016-0268 the remarks heard amongst the crowd were of coarse approval
+LJ016-0271 the reply evinced equal satisfaction and the speaker with a profane oath declared that he would like to act as jack ketch to the whole lot
+LJ016-0272 to the disgrace of the bettereducated and betterbred public executions could still command the attendance of curious aristocrats from the west end
+LJ016-0273 at müllers execution there was great competition for front seats
+LJ016-0274 and the windows of the opposite houses which commanded a good view as usual fetched high prices
+LJ016-0275 as much as twentyfive pounds was paid for a firstfloor front on this occasion
+LJ016-0276 never indeed had an execution been more generally patronized
+LJ016-0277 this is proved by contemporary accounts especially one graphic and realistic article which appeared in the times
+LJ016-0278 and which contributed in no small degree to the introduction of private executions a great crowd was expected and a great crowd came
+LJ016-0279 they collected over night in the bright light of a november moon
+LJ016-0280 there were welldressed and illdressed old men and lads women and girls
+LJ016-0281 rain fell heavily at intervals but did not thin the concourse
+LJ016-0282 till three oclock it was one long revelry of songs and laughter shouting and often quarreling though
+LJ016-0283 to do them mere justice there was at least till then a halfdrunken ribald gaiety among the crowd that made them all akin
+LJ016-0284 there were preachers among the crowd but they could not get a patient hearing
+LJ016-0285 then one struck up the hymn of the promised land and the refrain was at once taken up with a mighty chorus
+LJ016-0286 oh my think ive got to die
+LJ016-0287 this was presently superseded by a fresh catch
+LJ016-0288 müller müller hes the man till a diversion was created by the appearance of the gallows which was received with continuous yells
+LJ016-0289 as day broke the character of the crowd was betrayed
+LJ016-0290 there were but few women except of the most degraded sort the men were mostly young men
+LJ016-0291 sharpers thieves gamblers betting men the outsiders of the boxing ring
+LJ016-0292 bricklayers laborers dock workmen german artisans and sugarbakers
+LJ016-0293 with the rakings of cheap singinghalls and billiardrooms the fast young men of london
+LJ016-0294 but all whether young or old men or women seemed to know nothing feel nothing to have no object but the gallows and to laugh
+LJ016-0295 curse or shout as in this heaving and struggling forward they gained or lost in their strong efforts to get nearer where müller was to die
+LJ016-0296 the actual execution made some impression
+LJ016-0297 the crowd was for a moment awed and stilled by the quiet rapid passage from life to death
+LJ016-0298 but before the slight slow vibrations of the body had well ended
+LJ016-0299 robbery and violence loud laughing oaths fighting obscene conduct and still more filthy language reigned round the gallows far and near
+LJ016-0300 such too the scene remained with little change or respite till the old hangman calcraft slunk again along the drop
+LJ016-0301 amid hisses and sneering inquiries of what he had had to drink that morning
+LJ016-0302 he after failing once to cut the rope made a second attempt more successfully and the body of müller disappeared from view
+LJ016-0303 it was preposterous to claim for such a scene as this that it conveyed any great moral lesson or had any deterring influence
+LJ016-0304 numbers of humane and thoughtful persons had long been convinced of this
+LJ016-0305 already the urgent necessity for abolishing public executions had been brought before the house of commons by mr hibbert
+LJ016-0306 and the question as part of the whole subject of capital punishment had been referred to a royal commission in january eighteen sixtyfour
+LJ016-0307 full evidence was taken on all points and on that regarding public executions there was a great preponderance of opinion towards their abolition
+LJ016-0308 yet the witnesses were not unanimous
+LJ016-0309 some of the judges would have retained the public spectacle the ordinary of newgate was not certain that public executions were not the best
+LJ016-0310 another distinguished witness feared
+LJ016-0311 that any secrecy in the treatment of the condemned would invest them with a new and greater interest which was much to be deprecated
+LJ016-0312 foreign witnesses too were in favor of publicity
+LJ016-0313 on the other hand lords cranworth and wensleydale recommended private executions so did mr spencer walpole mp
+LJ016-0314 sir george grey thought there was a growing feeling in favor of executions within the prison precincts
+LJ016-0315 colonel now sir edmund henderson was strongly in favor of them
+LJ016-0316 based on his experience of them in western australia he not only thought them likely to be more deterrent
+LJ016-0317 but believed that a public ceremony destroyed the whole value of an execution
+LJ016-0318 other officials great lawyers governors of prisons and chaplains supported this view
+LJ016-0319 the only doubts expressed were as to the sufficiency of the safeguards as to the certainty of death and its subsequent publication
+LJ016-0320 but these it was thought might be provided by the admission of the press and the holding of a coroners inquest
+LJ016-0321 duly impressed with the weight of evidence in favor of abolition
+LJ016-0322 the commission recommended that death sentences should be carried out within the jail under such regulations as might be considered necessary
+LJ016-0323 to prevent abuse and satisfy the public that the law had been complied with
+LJ016-0324 but it is curious to note that there were several dissentients among the commissioners to this paragraph of the report
+LJ016-0325 the judge of the admiralty court the right hon stephen lushington the right hon james moncrieff
+LJ016-0326 lord advocate mr charles neate mr william ewart and last but not least mr john bright
+LJ016-0327 declared that they were not prepared to agree to the resolution respecting private executions
+LJ016-0328 nevertheless in the very next session
+LJ016-0329 a bill was introduced by mr hibbert mp and accepted by the government providing for the future carrying out of executions within prisons
+LJ016-0330 it was read for the first time in march eighteen sixtysix but did not become law till eighteen sixtyeight
+LJ016-0331 the last public execution in front of newgate was that of the fenian michael barrett
+LJ016-0332 who was convicted of complicity in the clerkenwell explosion intended to effect the release of burke and casey
+LJ016-0333 from clerkenwell prison by which many persons lost their lives
+LJ016-0334 unusual precautions were taken upon this occasion as some fresh outrage was apprehended
+LJ016-0335 there was no interference with the crowd which collected as usual although not to the customary extent
+LJ016-0336 but newgate and its neighborhood was carefully held by the police both city and metropolitan
+LJ016-0337 in the houses opposite the prison numbers of detectives mixed with the spectators
+LJ016-0338 inside the jail was colonel frazer the chief commissioner of the city police and at no great distance although in the background
+LJ016-0339 troops were held in readiness to act if required everything passed off quite quietly however
+LJ016-0340 and calcraft who had been threatened with summary retribution if he executed barrett carried out the sentence without mishap
+LJ016-0341 the sufferer was stolid and reticent to the last
+LJ016-0342 the first private execution under the new law took place within the precincts of maidstone jail
+LJ016-0343 the sufferer was a porter on the london chatham and dover railway sentenced to death for shooting the stationmaster at dover
+LJ016-0344 the ceremony which was witnessed by only a few officials and representatives of the press was performed with the utmost decency and decorum
+LJ016-0346 a fact duly advertised as completed by the hoisting of the black flag over the jail
+LJ016-0347 had undoubtedly a solemn impressive effect upon those outside
+LJ016-0348 the same was realized in the first private execution within newgate
+LJ016-0349 that of alexander mackay who murdered his mistress at norton folgate by beating her with a rollingpin and furnacerake
+LJ016-0350 and who expiated his crime on the eighth september eighteen sixtyeight
+LJ016-0351 a more marked change from the old scene can hardly be conceived instead of the roar of the brutalized crowd
+LJ016-0352 the officials spoke in whispers there was but little moving to and fro
+LJ016-0353 almost absolute silence prevailed until the great bell began to toll its deep note and broke the stillness with its regular and monotonous clangour
+LJ016-0354 and the ordinary in a voice trembling with emotion read the burial service aloud
+LJ016-0355 mackays fortitude which had been great
+LJ016-0356 broke down at the supreme moment before the horror of the stillness the awful impressiveness of the scene in which he was the principal actor
+LJ016-0357 no time was lost in carrying out the dread ceremony but it was not completed without some of the officials turning sick and the moment it was over
+LJ016-0358 all who could were glad to escape from the last act of the ghastly drama at which they had assisted
+LJ016-0359 private executions at their first introduction were not popular with the newgate officials and for intelligible reasons
+LJ016-0360 the change added greatly to the responsibilities of the governor and his subordinates hitherto the public had seemed to assist at the ceremony
+LJ016-0361 the moment too that the condemned man had passed through the debtors door on to the scaffold the prison had done with him
+LJ016-0362 and the great outside world shared in the completion of the sacrifice
+LJ016-0363 this feeling was the stronger because
+LJ016-0364 all the ghastly paraphernalia the gallows itself and the process of erecting and removing it rested with the city architect and not with the prison officials
+LJ016-0365 moreover after the execution under the old system the latter had only to receive the body for burial after it had been cut down by the hangman
+LJ016-0366 and placed decently in a shell by the workmen who removed the gallows
+LJ016-0367 under the new system the whole of the arrangements from first to last fell upon the officers
+LJ016-0368 it was they who formed the chief part of the small select group of spectators
+LJ016-0369 upon them devolved the painful duty of cutting down the body and preparing for the inquest
+LJ016-0370 all that the hangman whoever he may be does under the new regime is to unhook the halter and remove the pinioning straps
+LJ016-0371 the interment in a shell filled with quicklime in the passageway leading to the old bailey is also a part of the duty of the prison officials
+LJ016-0373 and for the greater security of prisoners it is roofed in with iron bars which gives it at least overhead the aspect of a huge cage
+LJ016-0374 underfoot and upon the walls roughly cut into the stones are single initial letters the brief epitaphs of those who lie below
+LJ016-0375 as this burialground leads to the adjacent central criminal court accused murderers on going to and returning from trial
+LJ016-0376 literally walked over what in case of conviction would be their own graves
+LJ016-0377 the older officers with several of whom i have conversed have thus had unusual opportunities of watching the demeanor of murderers both before trial
+LJ016-0378 and after sentence
+LJ016-0379 all as a rule unless poignant remorse has brought a desire to court their richlymerited retribution are buoyed up
+LJ016-0380 with hope to the last there is always the chance of a flaw in the indictment of a missing witness or extenuating circumstances
+LJ016-0381 even when in the condemned cell with a shameful death within measurable distance
+LJ016-0382 many cling still to life expecting much from the intercession of friends or the humanitarianism of the age
+LJ016-0383 all almost without exception sleep soundly at night except the first after sentence
+LJ016-0384 when the first shock of the verdict and the solemn notification of the impending blow keeps nearly all awake or at least disturbs their nights rest
+LJ016-0385 but the uneasiness soon wears off the second night sleep comes readily and is sound
+LJ016-0386 many of the most abandoned murderers snore peacefully their eight hours even on the night immediately preceding execution
+LJ016-0387 all too have a fairly good appetite and eat with relish up to the last moment
+LJ016-0388 a few go further and are almost gluttonous
+LJ016-0389 giovanni lanni the italian boy who murdered a frenchwoman in the haymarket
+LJ016-0390 and was arrested on board ship just as he was about to leave the country had a little spare cash which he devoted entirely to the purchase of extra food
+LJ016-0391 he ate constantly and voraciously after sentence as though eager to cram as many meals as possible into the few hours still left him to live
+LJ016-0392 jeffrey who murdered his own child an infant of six by hanging him in a cellar in seven dials
+LJ016-0393 called for a roast duck directly he entered the condemned cell
+LJ016-0394 the request was not granted as the old custom of allowing capital convicts whatever they asked for in the way of food has not been the rule in newgate
+LJ016-0395 the diet of the condemned is the ordinary diet of the prison
+LJ016-0396 but to which additions are sometimes made chiefly of stimulants if deemed necessary by the medical officer of the jail
+LJ016-0397 the craving for tobacco which so dominates the habitual smoker often leads the convicted to plead hard for a last smoke
+LJ016-0398 as a special favor
+LJ016-0399 wainwright was allowed a cigar the night before execution which he smoked in the prison yard walking up and down with the governor mr sydney smith
+LJ016-0400 wainwrights demeanor was one of reckless effrontery steadily maintained to the last
+LJ016-0401 his conversation turned always upon his influence over the weaker sex and the extraordinary success he had achieved
+LJ016-0402 no woman could resist him he calmly assured mr smith that night as they walked together and he recounted his villanies one by one
+LJ016-0403 his effrontery was only outdone by his cool contempt for the consolations of religion
+LJ016-0404 the man who had made a pious life a cloak for his misdeeds the once exemplary young man and indefatigable sunday school teacher
+LJ016-0405 went impenitent to the gallows the only sign of feeling he showed was in asking to be allowed to choose the hymns on the sunday
+LJ016-0406 the condemned sermon was preached in the prison chapel and this was probably only that he might hear the singing of a lady with a magnificent voice
+LJ016-0407 who generally attended the prison services
+LJ016-0408 during the singing of these hymns wainwright fainted but whether from real emotion or the desire to make a sensation was never exactly known
+LJ016-0409 on the fatal morning he came gaily out of his cell
+LJ016-0410 nodded pleasantly to the governor who stood just opposite and then walked briskly towards the execution shed smiling as he went along
+LJ016-0411 there was a smile on his face when it was last seen and just as the terrible white cap was drawn over it
+LJ016-0412 wainwrights execution was within the jail but only nominally private
+LJ016-0413 no less than sixtyseven persons were present admitted by special permission of the sheriff
+LJ016-0414 rumour even went so far as to assert that among the spectators were several women disguised in male habiliments
+LJ016-0415 but the story was never substantiated and we may hope that it rested only on the idle gossip of the day
+LJ016-0416 many like wainwright were calm and imperturbable throughout their trying ordeal
+LJ016-0417 catherine wilson the poisoner was reserved and reticent to the last expressing no contrition but also no fear
+LJ016-0418 a tall gaunt repulsivelooking woman who no more shrank from cowardly secret crimes than from the penalty they entailed
+LJ016-0419 kate webster who was tried at the central criminal court and passed through newgate although she suffered at wandsworth
+LJ016-0420 is remembered at the former prison as a defiant
+LJ016-0421 brutal creature who showed no remorse but was subject to fits of ungovernable passion when she broke out into language the most appalling
+LJ016-0422 the man marley displayed fortitude of a less repulsive kind he acknowledged his guilt from the first
+LJ016-0423 when the sheriff offered him counsel for his defense he declined saying he wished to make none the witnesses for the prosecution spoke the truth
+LJ016-0424 during the trial and after sentence he remained perfectly cool and collected
+LJ016-0425 when visited one day in the condemned cell just as st sepulchres clock was striking he looked up and said laughingly go along clock
+LJ016-0426 come along gallows
+LJ016-0427 he tripped up the chapelstairs to hear the condemned sermon and came out with cheerful alacrity on the morning he was to die
+LJ016-0428 some condemned convicts converse but little with the warders who have them unceasingly in charge
+LJ016-0429 others talk freely enough on various topics but principally upon their own cases
+LJ016-0430 when vanity is strongly developed there is the keen anxiety to hear what is being said about them outside
+LJ016-0431 one was vexed to think that his victims had a finer funeral than he would have
+LJ016-0432 the only subject another showed any interest in was the theatres and the new pieces that were being produced a third christian satler
+LJ016-0433 laughed and jested with the officers about jack ketch who through the postponement of the execution would lose his christmas dinner
+LJ016-0434 when they brought in the two watchers to relieve guard one night sattler said
+LJ016-0435 two fresh men may i speak to them yes i must caution you he went on to the warders not to go to sleep or i shall be off through that little hole
+LJ016-0436 pointing to an aperture for ventilating the cell on the morning of execution he asked how far it was to the gallows and was told it was quite close
+LJ016-0438 that the convicts clothes were still the executioners perquisite
+LJ016-0439 often the convicts give way to despair they are too closely watched to be allowed to do themselves much mischief or suicides would probably be more frequent
+LJ016-0440 but it is neither easy to obtain the instruments of selfdestruction nor to elude the vigilance of their guard
+LJ016-0441 the man bousfield however whose execution was so sadly bungled
+LJ016-0442 made a determined effort to burn himself to death by throwing himself bodily on to the fire in the condemned ward
+LJ016-0443 he was promptly rescued from his perilous condition but not before his face and hands were badly scorched
+LJ016-0444 they were still much swollen when he was led out to execution
+LJ016-0445 miller the chelsea murderer who packed his victims body in a box and tried to send it by parcels delivery tried to kill himself
+LJ016-0446 but ineffectively by running his head against his cell wall
+LJ017-0001 the chronicles of newgate volume two by arthur griffiths section twenty newgate notorieties part one
+LJ017-0002 as these records draw to a close the crimes i chronicle become so much more recent in date that they will be fresh in the memory of most of my readers
+LJ017-0003 nevertheless in order to give completeness to the picture
+LJ017-0004 i have attempted to draw of crime in connection with newgate from first to last i must make some mention in this my penultimate chapter
+LJ017-0005 of some of the most heinous offenses of modern times
+LJ017-0006 the crime of poisoning has always been viewed with peculiar loathing and terror in this country
+LJ017-0007 it will be remembered that as far back as the reign of henry the eighth a new and most cruel penalty was devised for the punishment of the bishop of rochesters cook
+LJ017-0008 who had poisoned his master and many of his dependents
+LJ017-0009 sir thomas overbury was undoubtedly poisoned by lord rochester in the reign of james the first
+LJ017-0010 and it is hinted that james himself nearly fell a victim to a nefarious attempt of the duke of buckingham
+LJ017-0011 but secret poisoning on a wholesale scale such as was practiced in italy and france was happily never popularized in england
+LJ017-0012 the wellknown and lethal aqua toffania
+LJ017-0013 so called after its inventress a roman woman named toffana and which was so widely adopted by ladies anxious to get rid of their husbands
+LJ017-0014 was never introduced into this country its admission was probably checked by the increased vigilance at the custom houses
+LJ017-0015 the necessity for which was urged by mr addison when secretary of state in seventeen seventeen
+LJ017-0016 the cases of poisoning in the british calendars are rare nor indeed was the guilt of the accused always clearly established
+LJ017-0017 it is quite possible that catherine blandy who poisoned her father at the instigation of her lover
+LJ017-0018 was ignorant of the destructive character of the powders probably arsenic which she administered
+LJ017-0019 captain donellan who was convicted of poisoning his brotherinlaw sir theodosius broughton and executed for it
+LJ017-0020 would probably have had the benefit in these days of the doubts raised at his trial
+LJ017-0021 a third case more especially interesting to us as having passed through newgate
+LJ017-0022 was that of eliza fenning who was convicted of an attempt to poison a whole family
+LJ017-0023 by putting arsenic in the dumplings she had prepared for them the charge rested entirely on circumstantial evidence
+LJ017-0024 and as fenning although convicted and executed protested her innocence in the most solemn manner to the last
+LJ017-0025 the justice of the sentence was doubted at the time
+LJ017-0026 yet it was clearly proved that the dumplings contained arsenic that she and she alone had made the dough
+LJ017-0027 that arsenic was within her reach in the house
+LJ017-0028 that she had had a quarrel with her mistress and that the latter with all others who tasted the dumplings were similarly attacked although no one died
+LJ017-0029 the crime of poisoning is essentially one which will be most prevalent in a high state of civilization
+LJ017-0030 when the spread of scientific knowledge places nefarious means at the disposal of many
+LJ017-0031 instead of limiting them as in the days of the borgias and brinvilliers to the specially informed and unscrupulously powerful few
+LJ017-0032 the first intimation conveyed to society of the new terror which threatened it was in the arrest and arraignment of william palmer
+LJ017-0033 a medical practitioner charged with doing to death persons who relied upon his professional skill
+LJ017-0034 the case contained elements of much uncertainty and yet it was so essential
+LJ017-0035 in the interests and for the due protection of the public that the fullest and fairest inquiry should be made
+LJ017-0036 that the trial was transferred to the central criminal court
+LJ017-0037 under the authority of an act passed on purpose known as the trial of offenses act and sometimes as lord campbells act
+LJ017-0038 that the administration of justice should never be interfered with by local prejudice or local feeling
+LJ017-0039 is obviously of paramount importance and the powers granted by this act have been frequently put in practice since
+LJ017-0040 the trial of catherine winsor the baby farmer
+LJ017-0041 was thus brought to the central criminal court from exeter assizes and that of the stauntons from maidstone
+LJ017-0042 palmers trial caused the most intense excitement
+LJ017-0043 the direful suspicions which surrounded the case filled the whole country with uneasiness and misgiving
+LJ017-0044 and the deepest anxiety was felt that the crime if crime there had been should be brought home to its perpetrator
+LJ017-0045 the central criminal court was crowded to suffocation
+LJ017-0046 great personages occupied seats upon the bench
+LJ017-0047 the rest of the available space was allotted by ticket to secure which the greatest influence was necessary
+LJ017-0048 people came to stare at the supposed coldblooded prisoner
+LJ017-0049 with morbid curiosity to scan his features and watch his demeanor through the shifting nicelybalanced phases of his protracted trial
+LJ017-0050 palmer who was only thirtyone at the time of his trial was in appearance short and stout with a round head
+LJ017-0051 covered rather scantily with light sandy hair
+LJ017-0052 his skin was extraordinarily fair his cheeks fresh and ruddy altogether his face though commonplace was not exactly ugly
+LJ017-0053 there was certainly nothing in it which indicated cruel cunning or deliberate truculence
+LJ017-0054 his features were not careworn but rather set and he looked older than his age
+LJ017-0055 throughout his trial he preserved an impassive countenance but he clearly took a deep interest in all that passed
+LJ017-0056 although the strain lasted fourteen days he showed no signs of exhaustion either physical or mental
+LJ017-0057 on returning to jail each day he talked freely and without reserve to the warders in charge of him chiefly on incidents in the days proceedings
+LJ017-0058 he was confident to the very last that it would be impossible to find him guilty
+LJ017-0059 even after sentence and until within a few hours of execution he was buoyed up with the hope of reprieve
+LJ017-0060 the conviction that he would escape had taken so firm a hold of him
+LJ017-0061 that he steadily refused to confess his guilt lest it should militate against his chances
+LJ017-0062 in the condemned cell he frequently repeated quote i go to my death a murdered man end quote
+LJ017-0063 he made no distinct admissions even on the scaffold but when the chaplain at the last moment exhorted him to confess
+LJ017-0064 he made use of the remarkable words quote if it is necessary for my souls sake to confess this murder
+LJ017-0065 i ought also to confess the others i mean my wife and my brothers end quote
+LJ017-0066 yet he was silent when specifically pressed to confess that he had killed his wife and his brother
+LJ017-0067 palmer was ably defended but the weight of evidence was clearly with the prosecution led by sir alexander cockburn
+LJ017-0068 and public opinion at the termination of the trial coincided with the verdict of the jury
+LJ017-0069 originally a doctor in practice at rugeley in staffordshire he had gradually withdrawn from medicine and devoted himself to the turf
+LJ017-0070 but his sporting operations did not prosper and he became a needy man always driven to desperate straits for cash
+LJ017-0071 to meet his liabilities he raised large sums on forged bills of acceptance drawn upon his mother a woman of some means
+LJ017-0072 whose signature he counterfeited
+LJ017-0073 in eighteen fiftyfour he owed a very large sum of money but he was temporarily relieved by the death of his wife
+LJ017-0074 whose life he had insured for thirteen thousand pounds
+LJ017-0075 there is every reason to suppose that he poisoned his wife to obtain possession of this sum upon her death
+LJ017-0076 his brother was supposed to have been his next victim upon whose life he had also effected an insurance for another thirteen thousand pounds
+LJ017-0077 the brother too died conveniently but the life office took some exception to the manner of the death and hesitated to disburse the funds claimed by palmer
+LJ017-0078 palmer tried to get a new insurance on the life of a hangeron one bates but no office would accept it no doubt greatly to batess longevity
+LJ017-0079 meanwhile the bill discounters who held the forged acceptances with other promissory notes began to clamor for payment and talk of issuing writs
+LJ017-0080 palmer alive to the danger he ran of a prosecution for forgery should the fraud he had committed be brought to light
+LJ017-0081 sought about for a fresh victim to supply him with funds
+LJ017-0082 he fixed upon a sporting friend mr john parsons cook who had been in luck at shrewsbury races both as a winner and a backer
+LJ017-0083 whom he persuaded to go and stay at rugeley in an hotel just opposite his own house
+LJ017-0084 it was there that cook was first taken ill with violent retchings and vomitings all dating from visits of palmer who brought him medicines and food
+LJ017-0085 palmers plan was to administer poison in quantities insufficient to cause death but enough to produce illness which would account for death
+LJ017-0086 for this purpose he gave or there was the strongest presumption that he gave
+LJ017-0087 antimony which caused cooks constant sickness
+LJ017-0088 quantities of antimony were found in the body after death
+LJ017-0089 while cook lay ill palmer in his name pocketed the proceeds of the shrewsbury settling
+LJ017-0090 and so got the money for which he was prepared to barter his soul
+LJ017-0091 the last act now approached and in order to avoid the detection of this last fraud palmer laid his plans for disposing of cook
+LJ017-0092 he decided to use strychnia or the vegetable poison otherwise known as nux vomica
+LJ017-0093 and one of the many links in the long chain of evidence was an entry in a book of palmers to the effect that quote
+LJ017-0094 strychnia kills by causing tetanic fixing of the respiratory muscles end quote
+LJ017-0095 the purchase by palmer of strychnia was proved
+LJ017-0096 the night he bought it cook who had been taking certain pills under medical advice not palmers was seized with violent convulsions
+LJ017-0097 he had swallowed his pills as usual at least palmer had administered them
+LJ017-0098 whether the ordinary or his own pills will never be known except as may be inferred from the results which indicate that he had taken the latter
+LJ017-0099 cook recovered this time it was probably palmers intention that he should recover wishing to encourage the supposition that cook was in a bad way
+LJ017-0100 next night cook had a second and a more violent attack
+LJ017-0101 that day palmer had bought more strychnia and had called in a fresh doctor
+LJ017-0102 the second attack was fatal and ended in cooks death from tetanus
+LJ017-0103 this tetanus according to the prosecution was produced by strychnia and followed the administration of pills by palmer
+LJ017-0104 prescribed nominally by the fresh doctor for which palmer had substituted his own
+LJ017-0105 cooks death was horrible
+LJ017-0106 fearful paroxysms and cramps ending in suffocation by the tetanic rigor which caught the muscles of the chest
+LJ017-0107 after cooks death his stepfather who was much attached to him came to rugeley
+LJ017-0108 he was struck with the appearance of the corpse which was not emaciated as after a long disease ending in death
+LJ017-0109 while the muscles of the fingers were tightly clenched not open as usual in a corpse
+LJ017-0110 he said nothing but began to feel uneasy when he found that cooks bettingbook was missing and that palmer put it forward
+LJ017-0111 that his friend had died greatly embarrassed with bills to the amount of four thousand pounds out in his name
+LJ017-0112 palmer too showed an indecent haste in preparing the body for interment and in obtaining the usual certificate
+LJ017-0113 after this the stepfather insisted upon a postmortem which was conducted somewhat carelessly
+LJ017-0114 the intestines were however preserved and sent for analysis
+LJ017-0115 but it was proved that palmer tried hard to get possession of the jar containing them
+LJ017-0116 and even sought to upset the vehicle by which they were being conveyed a part of the way to london
+LJ017-0117 the examination of the stomach betrayed the presence of antimony in large quantities but no strychnia
+LJ017-0118 and it was on the entire absence of the latter that the defense was principally based when palmer was brought to trial
+LJ017-0119 all the circumstances were so suspicious that he could not escape the criminal charge
+LJ017-0120 he had already been arrested on a writ issued at the instance of the moneylenders and an action had been commenced against mrs palmer on her acceptances
+LJ017-0121 it came out at once that these had been forged and the whole affair at once took the ugliest complexion
+LJ017-0122 a government prosecution was instituted and palmer was brought to newgate for trial at the central criminal court
+LJ017-0123 there was not much reserve about him when there
+LJ017-0124 he frequently declared before and during the trial that it would be impossible to find him guilty
+LJ017-0125 he never actually said that he was not guilty but he was confident he would not be convicted
+LJ017-0126 he relied on the absence of the strychnia
+LJ017-0127 but the chain of circumstantial evidence was strong enough to satisfy the jury who agreed to their verdict in an hour
+LJ017-0128 at the last moment palmer tossed a bit of paper over to his counsel on which he had written quote i think there will be a verdict of not guilty end quote
+LJ017-0129 even after the death sentence had been passed upon him he clung to the hope that the government would grant him a reprieve
+LJ017-0130 to the last therefore he played the part of a man wrongfully convicted and did not abandon hope
+LJ017-0131 even when the high sheriff had told him there was no possibility of a reprieve and within a few hours of execution
+LJ017-0132 he suffered at stafford in front of the jail
+LJ017-0133 palmer speedily found imitators
+LJ017-0134 within a few weeks occurred the leeds poisoning case in which the murderer undoubtedly was inspired by the facts made public at palmers trial
+LJ017-0135 dove a fiendish brute found from the evidence in that case that he could kill his wife whom he hated
+LJ017-0136 with exquisite torture and with a poison that would leave as he thought no trace
+LJ017-0137 in the latter hope he was happily disappointed but as this case is beyond my subject i merely mention it as one of the group already referred to
+LJ017-0138 three years later came the case of dr smethurst
+LJ017-0139 presenting still greater features of resemblance with palmers for both were medical men and both raised difficult questions of medical jurisprudence
+LJ017-0140 in both the jury had no doubt as to the guilt of the accused only in smethursts case the then home secretary sir george cornewall lewis
+LJ017-0141 could not divest his mind of serious doubt and of which the murderer got the benefit
+LJ017-0142 smethursts escape may have influenced the jury in the poplar poisoning case
+LJ017-0143 which followed close on its heels although in that the verdict of not guilty was excusable as the evidence was entirely circumstantial
+LJ017-0144 there was no convincing proof that the accused had administered the poison although beyond question that poison had occasioned the death
+LJ017-0145 dr smethurst was long an inmate of newgate and was tried at the central criminal court
+LJ017-0146 he had all the characteristics of the poisoner the calm deliberation
+LJ017-0147 the protracted dissimulation as with unshrinking relentless wickedness the deadly work is carried on to the end
+LJ017-0148 smethursts victim was a miss bankes with whom he had contracted a bigamous marriage
+LJ017-0149 he had met her at a boardinghouse where he lived with his own wife a person of shady antecedents
+LJ017-0150 and whom he left without scruple to join miss bankes
+LJ017-0151 the latter seems to have succumbed only too willingly to his fascinations and to have as readily agreed to marry him
+LJ017-0152 in spite of the existence of the other mrs smethurst
+LJ017-0153 probably the doctor had told her the story he brought forward when tried for bigamy namely
+LJ017-0154 that mrs smethurst had no right to the name but had a husband of her own one johnson alive a story subsequently disproved
+LJ017-0155 miss bankes seems to have counted upon some species of whitewashing no less than the repudiation of the other marriage
+LJ017-0156 and told her sister as much when they last met
+LJ017-0157 for some months smethurst and miss bankes lived together as man and wife first in london and then at richmond
+LJ017-0158 she had a little fortune of her own some one thousand seven hundred pounds or one thousand eight hundred pounds
+LJ017-0159 and a lifeinterest in five thousand pounds a fact on which smethursts counsel dwelt with much weight
+LJ017-0160 as indicating a motive for keeping her alive rather than killing her
+LJ017-0161 but probably the lump sum was the bait or perhaps smethurst wished to return to his temporarily deserted first wife
+LJ017-0162 whatever the exact cause which impelled him to crime it seems certain that he began to give her some poison
+LJ017-0163 either arsenic or antimony or both in small quantities
+LJ017-0164 with the idea of subjecting her to the irritant poison slowly but surely until the desired effect death was achieved
+LJ017-0165 as she became worse and worse smethurst called in the best medical advice in richmond
+LJ017-0166 but was careful to prime them with his facts and lead them if possible to accept his diagnosis of the case
+LJ017-0167 smethurst was found guilty by the jury and sentenced to death
+LJ017-0168 but a long public discussion followed and in consequence he was reprieved
+LJ017-0169 the home secretary in a letter to the lord chief baron stated that quote although the facts are full of suspicion against smethurst
+LJ017-0170 there is not absolute and complete evidence of his guilt end quote
+LJ017-0171 smethurst was therefore given a free pardon for the offense of murder
+LJ017-0172 but he was subsequently again tried for bigamy and sentenced to twelve months imprisonment
+LJ017-0173 catherine wilson was a female poisoner who did business wholesale
+LJ017-0174 she was tried in april eighteen sixtytwo on suspicion of having attempted to poison a neighbor with oil of vitriol
+LJ017-0175 the circumstances were strange mrs wilson had gone to the chemists for medicine
+LJ017-0176 and on her return had administered a dose of something which burnt the mouth badly but did not prove fatal
+LJ017-0177 wilson was acquitted on this charge but other suspicious facts cropped up while she was in newgate
+LJ017-0178 it appeared that several persons with whom she was intimate had succumbed suddenly
+LJ017-0179 in all cases the symptoms were much the same
+LJ017-0180 vomiting violent retching purging such as are visible in cholera and all dated from the time when she knew a young man named dixon
+LJ017-0181 who had been in the habit of taking colchicum for rheumatism mrs wilson heard then casually from a medical man
+LJ017-0182 that it was a very dangerous medicine and she profited by what she had heard
+LJ017-0183 soon afterwards dixon died showing all the symptoms already described
+LJ017-0184 soon afterwards a friend mrs atkinson came to london from westmoreland and stayed in mrs wilsons house
+LJ017-0185 she was in good health on leaving home and had with her a large sum of money
+LJ017-0186 while with mrs wilson she became suddenly and alarmingly ill and died in great agony
+LJ017-0187 her husband who came up to town would not allow a postmortem and again mrs wilson escaped
+LJ017-0188 mrs atkinsons symptoms had been the same as dixons then mrs wilson went to live with a man named taylor
+LJ017-0189 who was presently attacked in the same way as the others but but thanks to the prompt administration of remedies he recovered
+LJ017-0190 after this came the charge of administering oil of vitriol which failed as has been described
+LJ017-0191 last of all mrs wilson poisoned her landlady mrs soames under precisely the same conditions as the foregoing
+LJ017-0192 here however the evidence was strong and sufficient
+LJ017-0193 it was proved that mrs wilson had given mrs soames something peculiar to drink
+LJ017-0194 that immediately afterwards mrs soames was taken ill with vomiting and purging
+LJ017-0195 and that mrs wilson administered the same medicine again and again
+LJ017-0196 the last time mrs soames showed great reluctance to take it but wilson said it would certainly do her good
+LJ017-0197 this mysterious medicine wilson kept carefully locked up and allowed no one to see it
+LJ017-0198 but its nature was betrayed when this last victim also died
+LJ017-0199 the first postmortem indicated death from natural causes
+LJ017-0200 but a more careful investigation attributed it beyond doubt to overdoses of colchicum
+LJ017-0201 dr alfred taylor the great authority and writer on medical jurisprudence corroborated this and in his evidence on the trial
+LJ017-0202 fairly electrified the court by declaring it his opinion that many deaths supposed to be from cholera were really due to poison
+LJ017-0203 this fact was referred to by the judge in his summing up
+LJ017-0204 who said that he feared it was only too true that secret poisoning was at that time very rife in the metropolis
+LJ017-0205 wilson was duly sentenced to death and suffered impenitent hardened and without any confession of her guilt
+LJ017-0206 although murder by insidious methods had become more common cases where violence of the most deadly and determined kind was offered
+LJ017-0207 had not quite disappeared i will mention two cases of this class one accompanied with piracy on the high seas
+LJ017-0208 the other perpetrated in a railwaycarriage and showing the promptitude with which criminals accept and utilize altered conditions of life
+LJ017-0209 more particularly as regards locomotion
+LJ017-0210 the first case was that of the flowery land
+LJ017-0211 which left london for singapore on the twentyeighth july eighteen sixtythree with a cargo of wine and other goods
+LJ017-0212 her captain was john smith
+LJ017-0213 the first and second mates karswell and taffir there were two other englishmen on board and the rest of the crew were a polyglot lot
+LJ017-0214 most of them as was proved by their subsequent acts blackguards of the deepest dye
+LJ017-0215 six were spaniards or rather natives of manilla and men of color one was a greek another a turk
+LJ017-0216 there were also a frenchman a norwegian the carpenter three chinamen a sclavonian and a black on board
+LJ017-0217 navigation and discipline could not be easy with such a nondescript crew
+LJ017-0218 the captain was kindly but somewhat intemperate the first mate a man of some determination
+LJ017-0219 and punishment such as ropesending and tying to the bulwarks had to be applied to get the work properly done
+LJ017-0220 the six spaniards the greek and the turk were in the same watch
+LJ017-0221 eight truculent and reckless scoundrels who brooding over their fancied wrongs and burning for revenge
+LJ017-0222 hatched amongst them a plot to murder their officers and seize the ship
+LJ017-0223 the mutiny was organized with great secrecy and broke out most unexpectedly in the middle of the night
+LJ017-0224 a simultaneous attack was made upon the captain and the first mate
+LJ017-0225 the latter had the watch on deck
+LJ017-0226 one half of the mutineers fell upon him unawares with handspikes and capstanbars
+LJ017-0227 he was struck down imploring mercy but they beat him about the head and face
+LJ017-0228 till every feature was obliterated and then still living flung him into the sea
+LJ017-0229 meanwhile the captain roused from his berth
+LJ017-0230 came out of the cabin was caught near the companion by the rest of the mutineers and promptly dispatched with daggers
+LJ017-0231 his body was found lying in a pool of blood in a nightdress stabbed over and over again in the left side
+LJ017-0232 the captains brother a passenger on board the flowery land was also stabbed to death and his body thrown overboard
+LJ017-0233 the second mate who had heard the hammering of the capstanbars and the handspikes with the first mates and captains agonized cries had come out
+LJ017-0234 verified the murderers and then shut himself up in his cabin
+LJ017-0235 he was soon summoned on deck but as he would not move the mutineers came down and stood in a circle round his berth
+LJ017-0236 leon or lyons who spoke english
+LJ017-0237 when asked said they would spare his life if he would navigate the ship for them to the river plate or buenos aires
+LJ017-0238 taffir the second mate agreed but constantly went in fear of his life for the remainder of the voyage
+LJ017-0239 and although the mutineers spared him they illtreated the chinamen and cut one badly with knives
+LJ017-0240 immediately after the murder cases of champagne which formed part of the cargo were brought on deck and broached
+LJ017-0241 the captains cabin ransacked his money and clothes divided amongst the mutineers as well as much of the merchandise on board
+LJ017-0242 leon wished to make every one on board share and share alike so as to implicate the innocent with the guilty
+LJ017-0243 but vartos or watto the turk would not allow any but the eight mutineers to have anything
+LJ017-0244 the murders were perpetrated on the tenth september and the ship continued her voyage for nearly three weeks meeting and speaking one ship only
+LJ017-0245 on the second october they sighted land ten miles distant
+LJ017-0246 the mutineers took command of the ship put her about till nightfall by which time they had scuttled her got out the boats and all left the ship
+LJ017-0247 the rest of the crew were also permitted to embark except the chinamen one of whom was thrown into the water and drowned
+LJ017-0248 while the other two were left to go down in the ship and were seen clinging to the tops until the waters closed over them
+LJ017-0249 the boats reached the shore on the fourth october leon had prepared a plausible tale to the effect that they belonged to an american ship
+LJ017-0250 from peru bound to bordeaux which had foundered at sea
+LJ017-0251 that they had been in the boats five days and nights but that the captain and others had been lost
+LJ017-0252 the place at which they landed was not far from the entrance to the river plate
+LJ017-0253 a farmer took them in for the night and drove them next day to rocha a place north of maldonado
+LJ017-0254 taffir the mate finding there was a man who could speak english at another place twenty miles off
+LJ017-0255 repaired there secretly and so gave information to the brazilian authorities
+LJ017-0256 the mutineers were arrested the case inquired into by a naval courtmartial
+LJ017-0257 and the prisoners eventually surrendered to the british authorities brought to england and lodged in newgate
+LJ017-0258 their trial followed at the central criminal court
+LJ017-0259 eight were arraigned at the same time six spaniards leon blanco duranno santos and marsolino
+LJ017-0260 vartos the turk and carlos the greek
+LJ017-0261 seven were found guilty of murder on the high seas and one carlos acquitted
+LJ017-0262 two of the seven santos and marsolino were reprieved and their sentences commuted to penal servitude for life
+LJ017-0263 the remaining five were executed in one batch
+LJ017-0264 they were an abject miserable crew cowards at heart but some especially lopez continued bloodthirsty to the last
+LJ017-0265 lopez took a violent dislike to the officer of the ward in charge of them and often expressed a keen desire to do for him
+LJ017-0266 they none of them spoke much english except leon commonly called lyons
+LJ017-0267 after condemnation as the rules now kept capital convicts strictly apart they could not be lodged in the two condemned cells
+LJ017-0268 and they were each kept in an ordinary separate cell of the newlyconstructed block with the traps or square openings in the cell door
+LJ017-0269 let down a full view of them was thus at all times obtainable by the officers who without intermission day and night patrolled the ward
+LJ017-0270 on the morning of execution the noise of fixing the gallows in the street outside awoke one or two of them
+LJ017-0271 lyons asked the time and was told it was only five
+LJ017-0272 ah he remarked they will have to wait for us then till eight
+LJ017-0273 lopez was more talkative
+LJ017-0274 when the warder went in to call him he asked for his clothes he was told he would have to wear his own
+LJ017-0276 then he wanted to know when the policemen would arrive and was told none would come
+LJ017-0277 the soldiers then
+LJ017-0278 no soldiers either
+LJ017-0280 the convicts were pinioned one by one and sent singly out to the gallows
+LJ017-0281 as the first to appear would have some time to wait for his fellows a difficult and painful ordeal
+LJ017-0282 the seemingly most courageous was selected to lead the way
+LJ017-0283 this was duranno but the sight of the heaving mass of uplifted impassioned faces
+LJ017-0284 was too much for his nerves and he so nearly fainted that he had to be seated in a chair
+LJ018-0001 the chronicles of newgate volume two by arthur griffiths section twentyone newgate notorieties part two
+LJ018-0002 in july eighteen sixtyfour occurred the murder of mr briggs a gentleman advanced in years and chief clerk in robarts bank
+LJ018-0003 as the circumstances under which it was perpetrated were somewhat novel
+LJ018-0004 and as some time elapsed before the discovery and apprehension of the supposed murderer
+LJ018-0005 the public mind was greatly agitated by the affair for several months the story of the murder must be pretty familiar to most of my readers
+LJ018-0006 mr briggs left the bank one afternoon as usual dined with his daughter at peckham
+LJ018-0007 then returned to the city to take the train from fenchurch street home traveling by the north london railway
+LJ018-0008 he lived at hackney but he never reached it alive
+LJ018-0009 when the train arrived at hackney station a passenger who was about to enter one of the carriages found the cushions soaked with blood
+LJ018-0010 inside the carriage was a hat a walkingstick and a small black leather bag
+LJ018-0011 about the same time a body was discovered on the line near the railwaybridge by victoria park
+LJ018-0012 it was that of an aged man whose head had been battered in by a lifepreserver
+LJ018-0013 there was a deep wound just over the ear the skull was fractured and there were several other blows and wounds on the head
+LJ018-0014 strange to say the unfortunate man was not yet dead and he actually survived more than fourandtwenty hours
+LJ018-0015 his identity was established by a bundle of letters in his pocket which bore his full address
+LJ018-0016 t briggs esq robarts and co lombard street
+LJ018-0017 the friends of mr briggs were communicated with and it was ascertained that when he left home the morning of the murderous attack
+LJ018-0018 he wore goldrimmed eyeglasses and a gold watch and chain
+LJ018-0019 the stick and bag were his but not the hat
+LJ018-0020 a desperate and deadly struggle must have taken place in the carriage and the stain of a bloody hand marked the door
+LJ018-0021 the facts of the murder and its object robbery were thus conclusively proved
+LJ018-0022 it was also easily established that the hat found in the carriage had been bought at walkers a hatters in crawford street
+LJ018-0023 marylebone while within a few days mr briggs gold chain was traced to a jewelers in cheapside
+LJ018-0024 mr death who had given another in exchange for it to a man supposed to be a foreigner
+LJ018-0025 more precise clues to the murderer were not long wanting indeed the readiness with which they were produced and followed up
+LJ018-0026 showed how greatly the publicity and wide dissemination of the news regarding murder facilitate the detection of crime
+LJ018-0027 in little more than a week a cabman came forward and voluntarily made a statement which at once drew suspicion to a german franz müller
+LJ018-0028 who had been a lodger of his müller had given the cabmans little daughter a jewelers cardboard box bearing the name of mr death
+LJ018-0029 a photograph of müller shown the jeweler was identified as the likeness of the man who had exchanged mr briggs chain
+LJ018-0030 last of all the cabman swore that he had bought the very hat found in the carriage for müller at the hatters walkers of crawford street
+LJ018-0031 this fixed the crime pretty certainly upon müller who had already left the country thus increasing suspicion under which he lay
+LJ018-0032 there was no mystery about his departure he had gone to canada by the victoria sailing ship starting from the london docks and bound to new york
+LJ018-0033 directly the foregoing facts were established a couple of detective officers armed with a warrant to arrest müller
+LJ018-0034 and accompanied by mr death the jeweler and the cabman went down to liverpool and took the first steamer across the atlantic
+LJ018-0035 this was the city of manchester which was expected to arrive some days before the victoria and did so
+LJ018-0036 the officers went on board the victoria at once müller was identified by mr death and the arrest was made
+LJ018-0037 in searching the prisoners box mr briggs watch was found wrapped up in a piece of leather
+LJ018-0038 and müller at the time of his capture was actually wearing mr briggs hat cut down and somewhat altered
+LJ018-0039 the prisoner was forthwith extradited and sent back to england which he reached with his escort on the seventeenth september the same year
+LJ018-0040 his trial followed at the next sessions of the central criminal court and ended in his conviction
+LJ018-0041 the case was one of circumstantial evidence but as sir robert collyer the solicitorgeneral pointed out
+LJ018-0042 it was the strongest circumstantial evidence which had ever been brought forward in a murder case
+LJ018-0043 it was really evidence of facts which could not be controverted or explained away
+LJ018-0044 there was the prisoners poverty his inability to account for himself on the night of the murder and his possession of the property of the murdered man
+LJ018-0045 an alibi was set up for the defense but not well substantiated and the jury without hesitation returned a verdict of guilty
+LJ018-0046 müller protested after sentence of death had been passed upon him that he had been convicted on a false statement of facts
+LJ018-0047 he adhered to this almost to the very last his case had been warmly espoused by the society for the protection of germans in this country
+LJ018-0048 and powerful influence was exerted both here and abroad to obtain a reprieve
+LJ018-0049 müller knew that any confession would ruin his chances of escape
+LJ018-0050 his arguments were specious and evasive when pressed to confess why should man confess to man he replied
+LJ018-0051 man cannot forgive man only god can do so man is therefore only accountable to god
+LJ018-0052 but on the gallows when the cap was over his eyes and the rope had been adjusted round his neck and within a second of the moment when he would be launched into eternity
+LJ018-0053 he whispered in the ear of the german pastor who attended him on the scaffold
+LJ018-0054 while in the condemned cell he conversed freely with the warders in broken english or through an interpreter
+LJ018-0055 he is described as not a badlooking man with a square german type of face
+LJ018-0056 blue eyes which were generally half closed and very fair hair
+LJ018-0057 he was short in stature his legs were light for the upper part of his body which was powerful almost herculean
+LJ018-0058 it is generally supposed that he committed the murder under a sudden access of covetousness and greed
+LJ018-0059 he saw mr briggs watchchain and followed him instantly into the carriage determined to have it at all costs
+LJ018-0060 his crime under this aspect of it was less premeditated and less atrocious therefore than that of lefroy
+LJ018-0061 one other curious murder may be added to the two foregoing
+LJ018-0062 christian sattler was by birth a german
+LJ018-0063 he had led a wild life had left his native land and enlisted first in the french army in algeria
+LJ018-0064 afterwards in the british german legion raised for the crimean war
+LJ018-0065 at the disbandment of the force as he was without resources he turned his attention to hotel robberies by which he lived for some years
+LJ018-0066 he at length stole a carpetbag containing valuables and fled to hamburgh
+LJ018-0067 thither he was pursued by a detective officer
+LJ018-0068 inspector thain who being unable to obtain his extradition legally had him inveigled on board an english steamer
+LJ018-0069 where the arrest was made
+LJ018-0070 sattler was ironed for safe custody
+LJ018-0071 a proceeding which he vehemently resented and begged that they might be removed as the handcuffs hurt his wrists
+LJ018-0072 the inspector said that they could not be removed till he reached england
+LJ018-0073 this reply of his contained no promise of immediate release
+LJ018-0074 sattler probably misunderstood and he declared that the police officer had broken faith with him having moreover stated that
+LJ018-0075 while at sea the captain of the ship was responsible for the security of the prisoner
+LJ018-0076 as sattler brooded over his wrongs his rage got the upper hand and he resolved to wreak it upon thain
+LJ018-0077 although manacled he managed to get a pistol from his chest and load it
+LJ018-0078 the next time thain entered his cabin he fired at him pointblank and lodged three bullets in his breast
+LJ018-0079 the unfortunate man survived till he landed but died in guys hospital
+LJ018-0080 sattler was tried for murder and convicted
+LJ018-0081 his defense being that he had intended to commit suicide but that on the appearance of this officer who had wronged him
+LJ018-0082 he had yielded to an irresistible impulse to kill him
+LJ018-0083 sattler was a very excitable although not an illtempered man
+LJ018-0084 while in newgate awaiting trial he frequently tried to justify his murder by declaring that the police officer had broken faith with him
+LJ018-0085 he would shoot any man or any policeman like a dog or any number of them who had treated him in that way
+LJ018-0086 his demeanor immediately preceding his execution i have referred to in the last chapter
+LJ018-0087 several cases of gigantic fraud rivaling any already recorded were brought to light between eighteen fiftysix and eighteen seventythree
+LJ018-0088 i propose next to describe the leading features of the most important of these
+LJ018-0089 another case of longcontinued successful forgery was brought to light two years after the convictions of saward and his accomplices
+LJ018-0090 this conspiracy was cleverly planned but had scarcely so many ramifications as that of saward its originators were a couple of men
+LJ018-0091 wagner and bateman who had already been convicted of systematic forgery and sentenced to transportation but they had been released on ticketofleave
+LJ018-0092 in eighteen fiftysix
+LJ018-0093 as a blind for their new frauds they set up as lawstationers in york buildings adelphi and at once commenced their nefarious traffic
+LJ018-0094 forged cheques and bills were soon uttered in great numbers as well as base coin
+LJ018-0095 the police suspecting the house in york buildings put a watch on the premises which they kept up for more than a year
+LJ018-0096 and thus obtained personal knowledge of all who passed in and out but without obtaining any direct evidence
+LJ018-0097 at length a man was caught in the act of passing a forged cheque at the union bank
+LJ018-0098 and recognized as one of the frequenters of the bogus lawstationers his arrest led to that of others
+LJ018-0099 among them was a man named chandler formerly a bill discounter by profession who by degrees to meet his extravagant expenditure
+LJ018-0100 took to appropriating the bills intrusted to him and so lost his business after which he became a clerk to messrs wagner and bateman
+LJ018-0101 chandler while in newgate turned informer and betrayed the whole conspiracy
+LJ018-0102 besides his employers a jeweler named humphreys was in the swim at whose shop in red lion square was discovered a quantity of base gold
+LJ018-0103 and silver coins with all the latest appliances for coining including those of electroplating
+LJ018-0104 also a furniture dealer and one or two more commonplace rogues the arch villain was never taken into custody
+LJ018-0105 he like saward was an artist in penmanship
+LJ018-0106 he was a german named kerp
+LJ018-0107 eighty years of age who had spent his whole life in imitating other peoples signatures and had acquired the most consummate skill in the practice
+LJ018-0108 his copies were generally pronounced indistinguishable from and as good as the originals
+LJ018-0109 the aged but wary kerp the moment the plot was discovered vanished and was never more heard of
+LJ018-0110 much the same plan was adopted by these forgers as by saward to get their cheques cashed
+LJ018-0111 they advertised for clerks and employed the most likely of the applicants by sending them to the bank
+LJ018-0112 it was one of these glendinning who had allowed himself to be utilized for some time in this way whose capture led to the breaking up of the gang
+LJ018-0113 the principals in this conspiracy wagner and bateman were sentenced to penal servitude for life
+LJ018-0114 the others to twenty and ten years
+LJ018-0115 it was stated in evidence that the monies obtained by these forgeries amounted to eight thousand pounds or ten thousand pounds
+LJ018-0116 and that the forged cheques which had been presented but refused amounted to double the sum
+LJ018-0117 wagner after conviction offered to reveal for a reward of three thousand pounds
+LJ018-0118 a system which had long been in practice of defrauding the exchequer of vast sums by means of forged stamps
+LJ018-0119 his offer was not however accepted
+LJ018-0120 a more elaborate plot in many ways more secretly more patiently prepared than the preceding or indeed than any in the calendar
+LJ018-0121 was the case of the forgeries upon the bank of england discovered in eighteen sixtythree
+LJ018-0122 but not before the forged paper had been put in circulation for more than a couple of years in eighteen sixtyone
+LJ018-0123 a man named burnett came with his wife and took up his residence at whitchurch hampshire at no great distance from laverstock
+LJ018-0124 where are messrs portals mills for the manufacture of banknote paper
+LJ018-0125 burnett had only just come out of jail after completing a sentence of penal servitude
+LJ018-0126 his object in visiting whitchurch was to undermine the honesty of some workman in the mills
+LJ018-0127 and he eventually succeeded his wife making the first overtures in persuading a lad named brown to steal some of the bank paper
+LJ018-0128 brown took several sheets and then was detected by brewer a fellowworkman of superior grade
+LJ018-0129 who threatened to betray the theft but brewer either before or after this succumbed to temptation
+LJ018-0130 and stole paper on a much larger scale than brown
+LJ018-0131 all that was taken was handed over to burnett or a woman in black whom brown met by appointment at waterloo station
+LJ018-0132 to facilitate his operations brewer obtained a false master key from burnett
+LJ018-0133 which gave him access to all parts of the mills the packingroom included
+LJ018-0134 in this part of the mills a large quantity of banknote paper was kept at the period of the robbery
+LJ018-0135 and in the states known as waterleaf and sized which are the penultimate processes of manufacture
+LJ018-0136 one more remains that of glazing without which no paper is issued for engraving
+LJ018-0137 none of the stolen paper was glazed and this was an important clue to the subsequent discovery of the crime
+LJ018-0138 some time in eighteen sixtytwo a large deficiency in stock of bank paper unglazed was discovered at the mills
+LJ018-0139 soon afterwards the inspectors of banknotes at the bank of england detected the presentation at the bank of spurious notes on genuine paper
+LJ018-0140 the two facts taken in conjunction
+LJ018-0141 led to the employment of the police and the offer of a reward of fifteen hundred pounds for the detection of the offenders
+LJ018-0142 by this time brown alone had stolen three or four hundred sheets
+LJ018-0143 each containing two notes many of the sheets suitable for engraving any kind of note from one thousand pounds downwards
+LJ018-0144 the amount of brewers abstractions who was eventually acquitted was never exactly estimated
+LJ018-0145 suspicion appears to have rested on brown who had left laverstock
+LJ018-0146 and he was soon approached by the police almost directly he was questioned he made a clean breast of the whole affair
+LJ018-0147 the next step was to take the principals and under such circumstances as would insure their conviction
+LJ018-0148 a watch was set on burnett who was followed to the shop of one buncher a butcher in strutton ground
+LJ018-0149 buncher was then tracked to north kent terrace new cross where a mr and mrs campbell resided
+LJ018-0150 with whom he did business in exchanging the false notes
+LJ018-0151 the police officers now taxed mrs campbell with complicity and frightened her into collusion
+LJ018-0152 with her assistance on a certain day a couple of bricks were taken out of the wall dividing her front and back parlors
+LJ018-0153 the officers ensconced themselves in the latter and waited for bunchers expected visit
+LJ018-0154 he came to complete a sale of forged notes and he wanted a couple of hundred pounds for what he had
+LJ018-0155 mrs campbell offered him less and there was an altercation in the course of which buncher became very violent and at length
+LJ018-0156 after using much intemperate language he left the place in a huff
+LJ018-0157 in the course of his remarks however he said
+LJ018-0158 i am the man that has got all the bank paper i have thirty thousand pounds now and the bank of england cannot stop it
+LJ018-0159 this was all the police wanted to know
+LJ018-0160 they next watched buncher and found that he paid frequent visits to birmingham
+LJ018-0161 they also discovered that through the intermediacy of one robert cummings well known as a reputed coiner
+LJ018-0162 he had been introduced to a man named griffiths an engraver and copperplate printer
+LJ018-0163 griffiths was an unusually clever and skilful workman
+LJ018-0164 who had devoted all his talent and all his energies for some seventeen years to the fabrication of false banknotes
+LJ018-0165 on a certain day the twentyseventh october eighteen sixtytwo the two were arrested simultaneously
+LJ018-0166 buncher in london and griffiths in birmingham
+LJ018-0167 nothing was found in bunchers premises in strutton ground which were thoroughly searched
+LJ018-0168 but proofs of griffiths guilt were at once apparent on entering his workroom
+LJ018-0169 in one corner was a printingpress actually in use and on it were twentyone forged bank of england notes without date or signature
+LJ018-0170 on the bed were twenty forged tenpound notes complete and ready for use and twentyfive fivepound notes
+LJ018-0171 mother plates for engraving the body of the notes lay about and other plates for various processes
+LJ018-0172 more than this griffiths took the police to a field where in a bank a number of other plates were secreted
+LJ018-0173 griffiths afterwards admitted that he had been employed in defrauding the bank since eighteen fortysix
+LJ018-0174 and the prominent part he played secured for him on conviction the heaviest sentence of the law
+LJ018-0175 this was penal servitude for life bunchers sentence being twentyfive and burnetts twenty years
+LJ018-0176 cummings who had introduced buncher to griffiths was also tried for being in possession of stolen bank paper for improper purposes
+LJ018-0177 but as there was no independent corroboration of the informers evidence according to the custom of the british law
+LJ018-0178 the case was considered not proved and he was acquitted
+LJ018-0179 on his return to newgate to be finally discharged cummings jumped up the stairs and fairly danced for joy
+LJ018-0180 but he was not long at large he was too active an evildoer
+LJ018-0181 and was perpetually in trouble commencing life as a resurrection man when that trade failed through the change in the law
+LJ018-0182 and no more bodies were to be bought
+LJ018-0183 he devoted his energies to coining and forgery and in the latter line was a friend and associate of sawards
+LJ018-0184 one narrow escape he had however before he abandoned his old business
+LJ018-0185 a bow street officer saw him leaving london in the evening by camberwell green accompanied by two other men
+LJ018-0186 it was well known that they were resurrectionists and a strict watch was kept at all the turnpike gates on the southern roads leading into london
+LJ018-0187 an officer was placed for this purpose at new cross camberwell and kennington gates
+LJ018-0188 presently old bob drove up to camberwell gate in the same cart in which he had been seen to start
+LJ018-0189 the officers rushed out to detain him what have you got here we must search the cart they cry
+LJ018-0190 by all means replies bob and a close investigation follows without any detection of the corpse concealed
+LJ018-0191 bob was therefore allowed to pass on
+LJ018-0192 but they had the body all the same it had been dressed up in decent clothes and made to stand upright in the cart
+LJ018-0193 with the police officers it had passed muster as a living member of the party
+LJ018-0194 cummings was repeatedly run in for the offense of coining and uttering bad money whether coin or notes
+LJ018-0195 his regular trade followed before he took to the life of resurrectionist was that of an engraver
+LJ018-0196 he was a notorious criminal
+LJ018-0197 an habitual offender in his own particular line one who would stick at no trifles to evade detection or escape capture
+LJ018-0198 it is told of bob brennan an official specially employed for years by the mint
+LJ018-0199 to watch and prosecute coiners that he received information that coining was carried on by cummings and others at a place in westminster
+LJ018-0200 he went there with a posse of officers and forced his way upstairs to the first floor
+LJ018-0201 where the coiners unexpectedly disturbed fell an easy prey
+LJ018-0202 but the police nearly paid the penalty of capture with their lives
+LJ018-0203 proceeding cautiously down the stairs they found that the flooring at the bottom had been taken up
+LJ018-0204 where it had lain was a yawning gulf or trap sufficient to do for the whole body of police engaged in the capture
+LJ018-0205 cummings was caught shortly afterwards
+LJ018-0206 he was a tall slender man with a long face and irongray hair
+LJ018-0207 the community of coiners of which he was so notorious a member
+LJ018-0208 were a low lot the lowest among criminals except perhaps the smashers or those who passed the counterfeit money
+LJ018-0209 it was not easy to detect coiners or bring home their guilt to them
+LJ018-0210 those who manufactured and those who passed had no direct dealings with each other
+LJ018-0211 the false coin was bought by an agent from an agent and dealings were carried on secretly at the clock house in seven dials
+LJ018-0212 the annals of fraudulent crime probably contain nothing
+LJ018-0213 which in dramatic interest can compare with the conviction of william roupell for forgery
+LJ018-0214 as the case must still be well remembered by the present generation it will be necessary to give here only the briefest summary
+LJ018-0215 william roupell was the eldest but illegitimate son of a wealthy man who subsequently married roupells mother and had further legitimate issue
+LJ018-0216 william was brought up as an attorney and became in due course his fathers man of business
+LJ018-0217 as such he had pretty general control over his fathers estates and affairs
+LJ018-0218 in eighteen fiftyfive
+LJ018-0219 he instructed certain solicitors to prepare a deed of gift as from his father conveying to him estates near kingston
+LJ018-0220 the old gentlemans signature to this deed of gift was a forgery
+LJ018-0221 but upon this forged and false conveyance william roupell who had already embarked upon a career of wild extravagance
+LJ018-0222 obtained a mortgage of seven thousand pounds
+LJ018-0223 in eighteen fiftysix the father died
+LJ018-0224 it had been supposed up to this date that he had willed his property amounting in all to upwards of two hundred thousand pounds
+LJ018-0225 but after the funeral william roupell produced another and a later will
+LJ018-0226 leaving everything to the widow and constituting william sole executor
+LJ018-0227 this will was a deliberate forgery
+LJ018-0228 five or six years later william roupell minutely described how he had effected the fraud
+LJ018-0229 the day his father died he got the keys of his private bureau opened it and took out the authentic will
+LJ018-0230 after reading it and finding this unfavorable to himself he resolved to carry out his deliberate plan
+LJ018-0231 namely to suppress it and substitute another
+LJ018-0232 he himself prepared it on a blank form which he had brought with him on purpose
+LJ018-0233 to this fraudulent instrument he appended forged signatures and in due course obtained probate
+LJ018-0234 as he possessed nearly unbounded influence over his mother her accession to the property meant that william could dispose of it as he pleased
+LJ018-0235 he embarked forthwith in a career of the wildest extravagance and ere long he had parted in his mothers name with most of the landed estates
+LJ018-0236 one large item of his expenditure was a contested election at lambeth which he gained at a cost of ten thousand pounds
+LJ018-0237 no fortune could stand the inroads he made into his mothers money
+LJ018-0238 and in eighteen sixtytwo he was obliged to fly the country hopelessly and irretrievably ruined
+LJ018-0239 his disappearance gave color and substance to evil reports already in circulation that the will and conveyance above referred to
+LJ018-0240 were fictitious documents his next brother who should have inherited under the authentic will
+LJ018-0241 forthwith brought an ejectment on the possessor of lands purchased on the authority of the forged conveyance and will
+LJ018-0242 the case was tried at guildford assizes and caused intense excitement
+LJ018-0243 the hardship to the holders of these lands being plain should the allegations of invalidity be made good
+LJ018-0244 the effect of establishing the forgeries would be to restore to the roupell family lands for which a price had already been paid
+LJ018-0245 in all good faith to another but a criminal member of the family
+LJ018-0246 at first the case was contested hotly but to the profound astonishment of every one inside and outside the court
+LJ018-0247 william roupell himself was brought as a principal witness to clench the case by a confession altogether against himself
+LJ018-0248 he told his story with perfect coolness and selfpossession but in a grave and serious tone
+LJ018-0249 every word he uttered was said with consideration and sometimes with a long pause
+LJ018-0250 but at the same time with an air of the most entire truthfulness and candor
+LJ018-0251 he confessed himself a perjurer in having sworn to the false will and a wholesale forger having manufactured no less than ten false signatures
+LJ018-0252 to deeds involving on the whole some three hundred fifty thousand pounds
+LJ018-0253 for these crimes william roupell was tried at the central criminal court on the twentyfourth september eighteen sixtytwo
+LJ018-0254 he declined to plead but a plea of not guilty was recorded
+LJ018-0255 the case was easily and rapidly disposed of
+LJ018-0256 roupell made a long statement more in exculpation than in his defense
+LJ018-0257 he complained that he had at first been the dupe of others and admitted that he had too readily fallen astray
+LJ018-0258 but while repudiating the charges made against him of systematic extravagance and immorality
+LJ018-0259 he confessed that his whole life had been a gigantic mistake and he was ready to make what atonement he could
+LJ018-0260 mr justice byles in passing sentence commented severely upon the commission of such crimes by a man in roupells position in life
+LJ018-0261 and passed the heaviest sentence of the law transportation for life
+LJ018-0262 roupell received the announcement with a cheerful countenance
+LJ018-0263 and left the dock with evident satisfaction and relief at the termination of a most painful ordeal
+LJ018-0264 roupell was quiet and submissive while in newgate unassuming in manner and ready to make the best of his position
+LJ018-0265 he carried this character with him into penal servitude and after enduring the full severity of his punishment for several years
+LJ018-0266 was at length advanced to the comparative ease of a post much coveted by convicts that of hospital nurse
+LJ018-0267 his uniform good conduct gained him release from portland on ticketofleave in eighteen eightytwo just twenty years after his conviction
+LJ018-0268 a daring and cleverlyplanned robbery of diamonds was that of the tarpeys man and wife
+LJ018-0269 from an assistant of loudon and ryders the jewelers in bond street the trick was an old one
+LJ018-0270 the assistant called with the jewels on approbation at a house specially hired for the purpose in the west end
+LJ018-0271 and was rendered insensible by chloroform after which he was bound and the precious stones stolen
+LJ018-0272 mrs tarpey was almost immediately captured and put on her trial but she was acquitted on the plea that she had acted under the coercion of her husband
+LJ018-0273 tarpey was caught through his wife
+LJ018-0274 who was followed disguised and with her hair dyed black to a house in the marylebone road where she met her husband
+LJ018-0275 on tarpeys defense it was stated that the idea of the theft had been suggested to him by a novel at a time he had lost largely on the turf
+LJ018-0276 the first plot was against mr harry emmanuel but he escaped and the attempt was made upon loudon and ryder
+LJ018-0277 the last great case of fraud upon the bank of england will fitly close this branch of the criminal records of newgate
+LJ018-0278 this was the well and astutely devised plot of the brothers bidwell
+LJ018-0279 assisted by macdonell and noyes all of them citizens of the united states by which the bank lost upwards of one hundred thousand pounds
+LJ018-0280 the commercial experience of these clever rogues was cosmopolitan
+LJ018-0281 their operations were no less worldwide
+LJ018-0282 in eighteen seventyone they crossed the atlantic
+LJ018-0283 and by means of forged letters of credit and introduction from london obtained large sums from continental banks in berlin
+LJ018-0284 dresden bordeaux marseilles and lyons
+LJ018-0285 with this as capital they came back to england via buenos aires
+LJ018-0286 and austin bidwell opened a bona fide credit in the burlington or west end branch of the bank of england
+LJ018-0287 to which he was introduced by a wellknown tailor in saville row
+LJ018-0288 after this the other conspirators traveled to obtain genuine bills and master the system of the leading houses at home and abroad
+LJ018-0289 when all was ready bidwell first refreshed his credit at the bank of england as well as disarmed suspicion
+LJ018-0290 by paying in a genuine bill of messrs rothschilds for fortyfive hundred pounds which was duly discounted
+LJ018-0291 then he explained to the bank manager
+LJ018-0292 that his transactions at birmingham would shortly be very large owing to the development of his business there in the alleged manufacture of pullman cars
+LJ018-0293 the ground thus cleared the forgers poured in from birmingham numbers of forged acceptances
+LJ018-0294 all of which were discounted to the value of one hundred two thousand two hundred seventeen pounds
+LJ018-0295 the fraud was rendered possible by the absence of a check usual in the united states
+LJ018-0296 there such bills would be sent to the drawer to be initialed and the forgery would have been at once detected
+LJ018-0297 it was the discovery of this flaw in the banking system which had encouraged the americans to attempt this crime
+LJ018-0298 time was clearly an important factor in the fraud hence the bills were sent forward in quick succession
+LJ018-0299 long before they came to maturity the forgers hoped to be well beyond arrest they had moreover sought to destroy all clue
+LJ018-0300 the sums obtained by bidwell in the name of warren at the bank of england
+LJ018-0301 were lodged at once by drafts to horton another alias in the continental bank
+LJ018-0302 for these cash was obtained in notes the notes were exchanged by one of the conspirators for gold at the bank of england and again the same day
+LJ018-0303 a second conspirator exchanged the gold for notes but just as all promised well the frauds were detected through the carelessness of the forgers
+LJ018-0304 they had omitted to insert the dates in certain bills
+LJ018-0305 the bills were sent as a matter of form to the drawer to have the date added and the forgery was at once detected
+LJ018-0306 noyes was seized without difficulty as it was a part of the scheme that he should act as the dupe and remain on the spot in london till all the money was obtained
+LJ018-0307 through noyes the rest of the conspirators were eventually apprehended very little if any of the illgotten proceeds however was ever recovered
+LJ018-0308 large sums as they were realized were transmitted to the united states and invested in various american securities
+LJ018-0309 where probably the money still remains
+LJ018-0310 the prisoners who were committed to newgate for trial
+LJ018-0311 had undoubtedly the command of large funds while there and would have readily disbursed it to effect their enlargement
+LJ018-0312 a plot was soon discovered
+LJ018-0313 deep laid and with many ramifications by which some of the newgate warders were to be bribed to allow the prisoners to escape from their cells at night
+LJ018-0314 certain friends of the prisoners were watched and found to be in communication with these warders
+LJ018-0315 to whom it was said one hundred pounds apiece had been given down as the price of their infidelity
+LJ018-0316 further sums were to have been paid after the escape
+LJ018-0317 and one warder admitted that he was to have one thousand pounds more paid to him and to be provided with a passage to australia
+LJ018-0318 the vigilance of the newgate officials assisted by the city police completely frustrated this plot
+LJ018-0319 a second was nevertheless set on foot
+LJ018-0320 in which the plan of action was changed and the freedom of the prisoners was to be obtained by means of a rescue from the dock during the trial
+LJ018-0321 an increase of policemen on duty sufficed to prevent any attempt of this kind
+LJ018-0322 nor were these two abortive efforts all that were planned
+LJ018-0323 a year or two after when the prisoners were undergoing their life sentences of penal servitude
+LJ018-0324 much uneasiness was caused at one of the convict prisons by information that bribery on a large scale was again at work amongst the officials
+LJ018-0325 but extra precautions and close supervision have so far proved effectual and the prisoners are still in custody after a lapse of ten years
+LJ018-0326 i propose to end at this point the detailed account of the more prominent criminal cases which lodged their perpetrators in newgate
+LJ018-0327 the most recent affairs are still too fresh in the public mind to need more than a passing reference
+LJ018-0328 few of the newgate notorieties of late years show any marked peculiarities
+LJ018-0329 their crimes follow in the lines of others already found and often more than once in the calendars
+LJ018-0330 violent passions too easily aroused prompted the frenchwoman marguerite dixblanc
+LJ018-0331 to murder her mistress madame riel in park lane as courvoisier the swiss had been tempted to murder lord william russell
+LJ018-0332 greed in the latter case was a secondary motive
+LJ018-0333 it was the principal incentive with kate webster that fierce and brutal female savage who took the life of her mistress at richmond
+LJ018-0334 webster it may be mentioned here was one of the worst prisoners ever remembered in newgate
+LJ018-0335 most violent in temper and addicted to the most frightful language
+LJ018-0336 websters devices for disposing of the body of her victim will call to mind those of theodore gardelle
+LJ018-0337 of good and greenacre and catherine hayes
+LJ018-0338 greed in another form led the stauntons to make away with mrs patrick staunton murdering her with devilish cruelty by slow degrees
+LJ018-0339 the judge sir henry hawkins in passing sentence
+LJ018-0340 characterized this as a crime more black and hideous than any in the criminal annals of the country
+LJ018-0341 but it was scarcely worse than that of mrs brownrigg or that of the meteyards both of whom did their helpless apprentices to death
+LJ018-0342 it was to effect the rupture of an irksome tie that led henry wainwright to murder harriet lane deliberately and in cold blood
+LJ018-0343 in this case the tie was unsanctified but it was not more inconvenient than that which urged greenacre to a similar crime
+LJ018-0344 in coldblooded premeditation it rivaled that of the mannings
+LJ018-0345 as in that case the grave had been dug long in anticipation and the chloride of lime purchased to destroy the corpse
+LJ018-0346 henry wainwrights attempt to get rid of the body was ingenious but not original
+LJ018-0347 and the circumstances which led to detection were scarcely novel proofs of the old adage that murder will out
+LJ018-0348 henry wainwrights impassioned denial of his crime even after it had been brought fully home to him has many parallels in the criminal records
+LJ018-0349 his disclaimer distinct and detailed on every point was intended simply for effect
+LJ018-0350 he might swear he was not the murderer that he never fired a pistol in his life
+LJ018-0351 and that in spite of the verdict of the jury he left the dock with a calm and quiet conscience
+LJ018-0352 but there was no doubt of his guilt as the lord chief justice told him while expressing great regret at his rash assertion
+LJ018-0353 wainwrights demeanor after sentence has been described in the last chapter
+LJ018-0354 doubts were long entertained whether thomas wainwright
+LJ018-0355 who was convicted as an accessory after the fact had not really taken an active part in the murder
+LJ018-0356 but a conversation overheard between the two brothers in newgate satisfactorily exonerated thomas wainwright
+LJ018-0357 poisoning has still its victims
+LJ018-0358 christina edmunds had resort to strychnia the same lethal drug that palmer used
+LJ018-0359 her object being first to dispose of the wife of a man for whom she had conceived a guilty passion
+LJ018-0360 then to divert suspicion from herself by throwing it on a confectioner whose sweetmeats she bought
+LJ018-0361 tampered with and returned to the shop
+LJ018-0362 the trial of miss edmunds was transferred to the central criminal court under lord campbells act already referred to
+LJ018-0363 she was found guilty
+LJ018-0364 it will be remembered that she made a statement which led to the empaneling of a jury of matrons who decided that there was no cause for an arrest of judgment
+LJ018-0365 kate webster followed the same course but these pleas of pregnancy are not common nowadays
+LJ018-0366 although sentence of death was passed on edmunds it was commuted to penal servitude for life
+LJ018-0367 but she eventually passed into broadmoor lunatic asylum where she busies herself with watercolor drawing
+LJ018-0368 the still more recent cases of poisoning which have occurred were not connected with newgate
+LJ018-0369 the mysterious bravo case that of dr lamson and that of kate dover
+LJ018-0370 unhappily show that society is more than ever at the mercy of the insidious and unscrupulous administration of poisonous drugs
+LJ018-0371 a case reproducing many of the features of the flowery land occurred twelve years later when the crew of the lennie
+LJ018-0372 mutinied murdered the captain and mates sparing the steward only on condition that he would navigate the ship to the mediterranean
+LJ018-0373 the mutineers were of the same stamp as the crew of the flowery land
+LJ018-0374 foreigners vindictive reckless and truculent ruffians easily moved to murderous rage
+LJ018-0375 the lennies men were all greeks except one known as french peter
+LJ018-0376 who was the ringleader and who had long been an habitual criminal a reputed murderer and certainly an inmate more than once of a french bagne
+LJ018-0377 conviction was obtained through the evidence of the steward and two of the least culpable of the crew
+LJ018-0378 in newgate the lennie mutineers were extremely well behaved
+LJ018-0379 resolute determinedlooking men their courage broke down in confinement
+LJ018-0380 they paid close attention to the counsels of the archimandrite and died quite penitent a story is told of one of them big harry
+LJ018-0381 the wildest and most cutthroat looking of the lot which proves that he could be grateful for kindness and was not all bad
+LJ018-0382 he had steadfastly refused to eat meat on some religions scruples and for the same reason would not touch soup
+LJ018-0383 he was glad therefore to get an extra allowance of bread
+LJ018-0384 and to show his gratitude to the warder who procured this privilege for him he made him a present
+LJ018-0385 it was his own handiwork a bird pecking at a flower
+LJ018-0386 the whole manufactured while in the condemned cell of the crumb of bread made into paste
+LJ018-0387 the flower had berries also of bread fixed on stems made from the fiber drawn from the stuffing of his mattress
+LJ018-0388 and the birds legs were a couple of teeth broken off the prisoners comb
+LJ018-0389 of the lesser criminals forgers thieves swindlers newgate continued to receive its full share up to the last
+LJ018-0390 but there were few cases so remarkable as the great ones already recorded
+LJ018-0391 mr bamell oakley made a rich harvest for a time and was said at the time of his trial
+LJ018-0392 to have obtained as much as forty thousand pounds by false and fraudulent pretenses
+LJ018-0393 messrs swindlehurst saffery and langley cleared a large profit
+LJ018-0394 by swindling the artisans dwellings company and madame rachel passed through newgate on her way to millbank
+LJ018-0395 convicted of obtaining jewelery under the false pretense of making silly women beautiful for ever
+LJ018-0396 the greatest causes célèbre however of recent times were the turf frauds by which the comtesse de goncourt was swindled
+LJ018-0397 out of large sums in sham sporting speculations the conviction of the principals in this nefarious transaction
+LJ018-0398 benson the two kurrs bale and murray led to strange revelations of dishonest practices amongst the detective police
+LJ019-0001 the chronicles of newgate volume two by arthur griffiths section twentytwo newgate reformed
+LJ019-0002 the time at length approached when a radical and complete change was to come over the old city jail
+LJ019-0003 it was impossible for newgate to escape for ever the influences pressing so strongly towards prison reform
+LJ019-0004 elsewhere the spirit had been more or less active although not uniformly or always to the same extent
+LJ019-0005 there had been a pause in legislation except of a permissive kind the second and third victoria cap fiftysix
+LJ019-0006 laid it down that individuals might be confined separately and apart in single cells
+LJ019-0007 by other acts local authorities were empowered to construct new jails or hire accommodation in the district
+LJ019-0008 but no steps had been taken in parliament to enforce a better system of discipline
+LJ019-0009 or to insist upon the construction of prisons on the most approved plan
+LJ019-0010 as regards the first however sir james graham when home secretary in eighteen fortythree
+LJ019-0011 had appointed a committee of prison inspectors presided over by the under secretary of state to draw up rules and dietaries
+LJ019-0012 which were then recommended to and generally adopted by the visiting justices all over the kingdom
+LJ019-0013 as regards the second the government had set a good example and in deciding upon the erection of pentonville prison
+LJ019-0014 had embarked on a considerable expenditure in order to provide a model prison for general imitation
+LJ019-0015 the first stone of pentonville prison was laid on the tenth april eighteen forty by the marquis of normanby
+LJ019-0016 then home secretary and the prison which contained five hundred and twenty cells was occupied on the twentyfirst december eighteen fortytwo
+LJ019-0017 this building was a costly affair the site was uneven and had to be leveled
+LJ019-0018 moreover the gross expenditure was increased partly from its being considered necessary as it was a national prison
+LJ019-0019 to make a great archway and to make the character of it more imposing than if it had been situated in the country and had been an ordinary prison
+LJ019-0020 up to the twentyfirst december eighteen fortytwo
+LJ019-0021 with the additions made to that date the total expenditure amounted to nearly ninety thousand pounds or about one hundred eighty pounds per cell
+LJ019-0022 on the other hand it must be admitted
+LJ019-0023 that this was an experimental construction and that too strict a limitation of outlay would have militated seriously against the usefulness of the building
+LJ019-0024 nor must it be overlooked that this the first model prison although obtained at a considerable cost became actually what its name implied
+LJ019-0025 pentonville has really been the model on which all subsequent prison construction has been based all prisons at home and abroad are but variations
+LJ019-0026 of course with the added improvements following longer experience of the pattern originated by the architectural genius of sir joshua jebb
+LJ019-0027 the internal arrangements of the new model were carefully supervised by a body of distinguished men among which were many peers lord john russell
+LJ019-0028 mr shawlefevre the speaker of the house of commons sir benjamin brodie
+LJ019-0029 major jebb re and the two prison inspectors messrs crawford and russell with whose names the reader is already familiar
+LJ019-0030 major afterwards sir joshua jebb
+LJ019-0031 was the moving spirit among these commissioners and he is now generally recognized as the originator of modern prison architecture
+LJ019-0032 the movement thus laudably initiated by the government soon spread to the provinces
+LJ019-0033 some jurisdictions greatly to their credit strove at once to follow the lead of the central authority
+LJ019-0034 within halfadozen years no less than fiftyfour new prisons were built on the pentonville plan others were in progress
+LJ019-0035 and the total number of separate cells provided amounted to eleven thousand odd
+LJ019-0036 this list included wakefield leeds kirkdale manchester birmingham and dublin
+LJ019-0037 liverpool was building a new prison with a thousand cells the county of surrey one with seven hundred
+LJ019-0038 the cost in each varied considerably the general average being from one hundred twenty pounds to one hundred thirty pounds per cell
+LJ019-0039 at pentonville the rate was higher but there the expense had been increased by the site
+LJ019-0040 the difficulty of access and the admitted necessity of giving architectural importance to this the national model prison
+LJ019-0041 other jurisdictions were less prompt to recognize their responsibilities the city of london among the number as i shall presently show at length
+LJ019-0042 these were either satisfied with a makeshift and modified existing buildings without close regard to their suitability or for a long time did nothing at all
+LJ019-0043 among the latter were notably the counties of cheshire lincolnshire norfolk suffolk nottinghamshire the east and north ridings of yorkshire
+LJ019-0044 the south and west of england were also very laggard and many years were still to elapse before the prisons in these parts were properly reconstituted
+LJ019-0045 not less remarkable than this diverse interpretation of a manifest duty
+LJ019-0046 was the variety of views as regards the discipline to be introduced in these new prisons the time was one
+LJ019-0047 when thoughtful people who concerned themselves closely with social questions were greatly exercised as to the best system of treating the inmates of a jail
+LJ019-0048 a new and still imperfectly understood science had arisen
+LJ019-0049 the principles of which were debated by disputants of widely opposite opinions with an earnestness that sometimes bordered upon acrimony
+LJ019-0050 one school were strongly in favor of the continuous separation of prisoners
+LJ019-0051 the other supported the theory of labor in association but under a stringent rule of silence with isolation only at night
+LJ019-0052 both systems came to us from the united states the difference was really more in degree than in principle
+LJ019-0053 and our modern practice has prudently tried to steer between the two extremes accepting as the best system a judicious combination of both
+LJ019-0054 but about eighteen fifty the two sides were distinctly hostile and the controversy ran high
+LJ019-0055 high authorities were in favor of continuous separation
+LJ019-0056 colonel jebb preferred it messrs crawford and whitworth russell were convinced that the complete isolation of criminals from one another
+LJ019-0057 was the true basis of a sound system of prison discipline
+LJ019-0058 prison chaplains of experience and high repute such as messrs field clay kingsmill burt and osborne also advocated it
+LJ019-0059 it was claimed for it that it was more deterrent
+LJ019-0060 that in districts where it was the rule evildoers especially dreaded coming under its irksome conditions
+LJ019-0061 another argument was that it afforded more hope of the reformation of criminals
+LJ019-0062 the system of associated labor in silence had also its warm supporters
+LJ019-0063 who maintained that under this system prisoners were more industrious and more healthy
+LJ019-0064 that their condition was more natural and approximated more nearly to that of daily life
+LJ019-0065 better industrial results were obtained from it and instruction in trades was easier and prisoners were more likely to leave jail
+LJ019-0066 with the means of earning an honest livelihood if so disposed
+LJ019-0067 the opposing champions were not slow to find faults and flaws in the system they condemned
+LJ019-0068 separation was injurious to health mental or physical said one side men broke down when subjected to it for more than a certain period
+LJ019-0069 and it was unsafe to fix this limit above twelve months although some rash advocates were in favor of eighteen months some indeed of two years
+LJ019-0070 the other side retorted that the system of associated labor was most costly so many officers being required to maintain the discipline of silence
+LJ019-0071 moreover it was nearly impossible to prevent communication and mutual contamination
+LJ019-0072 it is scarcely necessary to follow the controversy further i have only introduced the subject as showing how little as yet the state
+LJ019-0073 was impressed with the necessity for authoritative interference
+LJ019-0074 the legislature was content to let local jurisdictions experimentalize for themselves with the strange anomalous result
+LJ019-0075 that a thief or other criminal might be quite differently treated according as he was incarcerated on one side or another of a border line
+LJ019-0076 this variety was often extended to all branches of prison economy
+LJ019-0077 there was an absolute want of uniformity in dietaries in some prisons it was too liberal in others too low
+LJ019-0078 the amount of exercise varied from one or two hours daily to half the working day
+LJ019-0079 the cells inhabited by prisoners were of very varying dimensions
+LJ019-0080 some were not sufficiently ventilated others were warmed artificially and were unwholesomely close
+LJ019-0081 the use of gas or some other means of lighting might be adopted but more often was dispensed with
+LJ019-0082 in a great number of prisons no provision was made for the education of prisoners in some others there was a sufficient staff of schoolmasters and instructors
+LJ019-0083 the discipline also varied greatly from the severely penal to the culpably lax
+LJ019-0084 the greatest pains might be taken to secure isolation
+LJ019-0085 the prisoners might be supervised and watched at every step and made liable to punishment for a trifling breach of an irksome code of regulations
+LJ019-0086 or they might herd together or communicate freely as in the old worst days they might see each other when they liked and converse sotto voce
+LJ019-0087 or make signs or the chances of recognizing or being recognized were reduced to a minimum by the use of a mask
+LJ019-0088 there was no general rule of employment hard labor was often not insisted upon in separate confinement
+LJ019-0089 sometimes it embraced the treadwheel or the newlyinvented instruments known as cranks which ground air
+LJ019-0090 the alternative between labor or idleness or the selection of the form of labor
+LJ019-0091 were mere matters of chance and decided according to the views of the local magistracy
+LJ019-0092 they were approved of and employed at some prisons at others objected to because they were unproductive
+LJ019-0093 and because the machine was often so imperfect that the amount of effort could not be exactly regulated
+LJ019-0094 opinions differed greatly with regard to the treadwheel some authorities advocated it as a very severe and irksome punishment
+LJ019-0095 which was yet under full control and might be made to work cornmills or prove otherwise productive
+LJ019-0096 other authorities as strongly condemned it as brutalizing unequal in its operation and altogether a deplorable invention
+LJ019-0097 this want of uniformity in prison discipline became ere long an acknowledged evil pressing for some remedy
+LJ019-0098 and the question was once more taken up in the house of commons in eighteen fortynine mr charles pearson mp
+LJ019-0099 moved for a committee to report upon the best means of securing some uniform system which should be punitive reformatory and selfsupporting
+LJ019-0100 but the session was far advanced and the matter was relegated to the following year
+LJ019-0101 in eighteen fifty sir george grey brought forward a new motion to the same effect
+LJ019-0102 which was promptly carried with the additional instruction to the committee to suggest any improvements
+LJ019-0103 the latter had reference more especially to a proposal emanating from mr charles pearson himself
+LJ019-0104 that gentleman had come to the conclusion that the ordinary and hackneyed methods of treatment were practically inefficacious
+LJ019-0105 and that a new system of prison discipline should be introduced
+LJ019-0106 his plan was to devote the whole labor of prisoners sentenced to any term between three months and four years to agriculture
+LJ019-0107 district prisons were to be established for this purpose each of which would be in the heart of a farm of a thousand acres
+LJ019-0108 the prisoners were to cultivate the land and raise sufficient produce for their own support
+LJ019-0109 mr pearson backed up his recommendations by many sound arguments
+LJ019-0110 field labor he urged and with reason was a very suitable employment
+LJ019-0111 healthful easily learnt and well adapted to the circumstances of unskilled laborers
+LJ019-0112 such excellent returns might be counted upon that a margin of profit would be left after the cost of the prisons had been defrayed
+LJ019-0113 the scheme was no doubt fascinating and in many respects feasible
+LJ019-0114 but mr pearson overlooked some points in which a more practical mind would have foreseen difficulty and perhaps forecasted failure
+LJ019-0115 in his proposal he dwelt much upon the humanizing effects of healthful openair toil
+LJ019-0116 anticipating the best results from a system which made earnings and indeed release dependent upon the amount of work done
+LJ019-0117 that industry might thus be stimulated and encouraged was probable enough
+LJ019-0118 and later experience has fully proved the advantage of a judicious system of gratuities for labor
+LJ019-0119 but mr pearson hardly considered the converse sufficiently and
+LJ019-0120 omitted the fact that he might have to deal with that persistent idleness which is not an unknown characteristic of the criminal class
+LJ019-0121 the hope of reward might do much but no system of penal discipline is complete unless it can also count upon the fear of punishment
+LJ019-0122 mr pearson seems to have taken for granted that all prisoners would behave well in his district prisons
+LJ019-0123 on that account he made no provision to insure safe custody
+LJ019-0124 thinking perhaps that prisoners so well disposed would cheerfully remain in jail of their own accord
+LJ019-0125 but an open farm of a thousand acres would have offered abundant chances of escape which some at least would have attempted probably with success
+LJ019-0126 the creation of an expensive staff for supervision
+LJ019-0127 or the still more costly process of walling in the whole farm would have greatly added to the charges of these establishments
+LJ019-0128 i have lingered too long perhaps over mr pearsons proposal but some reference was indispensable to a scheme
+LJ019-0129 which marked the growth of public interest in prison affairs and which was the germ of the new system
+LJ019-0130 since admirably developed in the convict prisons of this country
+LJ019-0131 mr pearson and the committee of eighteen fifty have the more claim on our consideration because
+LJ019-0132 in the inquiry which followed attention was again attracted to newgate
+LJ019-0133 the condition of that prison in eighteen fifty may be gathered from the pages of the report not much had been done to remedy the old defects
+LJ019-0134 radical improvement was generally considered impossible the great evil however had been sensibly diminished
+LJ019-0135 there was no longer or at worst but rarely and for short periods the same overcrowding
+LJ019-0136 this was obviated by the frequent sessions of the central criminal court and the utilization of the two subsidiary prisons in giltspur street and southwark
+LJ019-0137 the prison population of newgate was still subject to great fluctuations but it seldom rose above two hundred and fifty or three hundred
+LJ019-0138 at the most crowded periods or just before the sessional jail delivery and at its lowest it fell sometimes to fifty or sixty
+LJ019-0139 these numbers would have still further decreased and the jail would have been almost empty but for the misdemeanants who were still sent to newgate
+LJ019-0140 at times on long terms of imprisonment and for the transports whom the home office were often as of old slow to remove
+LJ019-0141 the old wards day rooms and sleeping rooms combined of which the reader has already heard so much
+LJ019-0142 now seldom contained more than ten or a dozen each some sort of decorum was maintained among the occupants in the daytime
+LJ019-0143 drinking and gaming
+LJ019-0144 the indiscriminate visitation of friends and the almost unlimited admission of extra food these more glaring defects had disappeared
+LJ019-0145 but reformation was only skin deep below the surface many of the old evils still rankled
+LJ019-0146 there was as yet no control over the prisoners after lockingup time
+LJ019-0147 this occurred in summer at eight but in the winter months it took place at dusk and was often as early as four or five
+LJ019-0148 the prisoners were still left to themselves till next mornings unlocking
+LJ019-0149 and they spent some fourteen or fifteen hours in total darkness and almost without check or control
+LJ019-0150 captain williams who was the inspector of prisons for the home district in succession to messrs crawford and russell
+LJ019-0151 stated in evidence that he was visiting newgate one night when he heard a great disturbance in one of the day and sleeping rooms
+LJ019-0152 and on entering it found the prisoners engaged in kicking bundles of wood from one end of the ward to the other
+LJ019-0153 some attempt at supervision was exercised by the night watchman stationed on the leads who might hear what went on inside
+LJ019-0154 if any disturbance reached his ears he reported the case to the governor who next morning visited the ward in fault and asked for the culprit
+LJ019-0155 the enforcement of discipline depended upon the want of honor among thieves
+LJ019-0156 unless the guilty prisoner was given up the whole ward was punished either by the exclusion of visitors or the deprivation of fire
+LJ019-0157 sharp tests which generally broke down the fidelity of the inmates of the ward to one another
+LJ019-0158 later on a more efficacious but still imperfect method of supervision was introduced iron cages which are still to be seen in newgate
+LJ019-0159 were constructed on the landings ensconced in which warders spent the night on duty and alert to watch the sleepers below
+LJ019-0160 and check by remonstrance or threat of punishment all who broke the peace of the prison
+LJ019-0161 these disciplinary improvements were however only slowly and gradually introduced
+LJ019-0162 other changes affecting the condition and proper treatment of prisoners were not made until the inspector had urged and recommended them
+LJ019-0163 thus the wards which as i have said were left in complete darkness were now to be lighted with gas and after this most salutary addition
+LJ019-0164 the personal superintendence of night officers as already described became possible
+LJ019-0165 the rule became general as regards the prison dress hitherto clothing had been issued only to such as were destitute or in rags and all classes of prisoners
+LJ019-0166 those for trial and those sentenced for short terms or long
+LJ019-0167 wore no distinguishing costume although its use was admitted not only for cleanliness but as a badge of condition and a security against escape
+LJ019-0168 renewed recommendations to provide employment resulted in the provision of a certain amount of oakum for picking
+LJ019-0169 and one or two men were allowed to mend clothes and make shoes the rules made by the secretary of state were hung up in conspicuous parts of the prison
+LJ019-0170 more officers were appointed as the time of so many of those already on the staff was monopolized by attendance at the central criminal court
+LJ019-0171 another custom which had led to disorder was abolished
+LJ019-0172 prisoners who had been acquitted were not permitted to return to the prison to show their joy and receive the congratulations of their unfortunate fellows
+LJ019-0173 the corporation seems to have introduced these salutary changes without hesitation
+LJ019-0174 it was less prompt apparently in dealing with structural alterations and improvements
+LJ019-0175 wellfounded complaints had been made of the want of heating appliances in the jail
+LJ019-0176 the wards had open fires but the separate cells were not warmed at all
+LJ019-0177 a scheme for heating the whole prison with hotwater pipes after the system now generally adopted elsewhere was considered
+LJ019-0178 and abandoned because of the expense as to the entire reconstruction of newgate nothing had been done as yet
+LJ019-0179 this with a scheme for limiting the jail to untried prisoners had been urgently recommended by lord john russell in eighteen thirty
+LJ019-0180 his letter to the corporation under date fourth june
+LJ019-0181 is an interesting document and shows that even at that date the government contemplated the erection of a model prison
+LJ019-0182 lord john russell commenting upon the offer of the corporation to improve newgate
+LJ019-0183 provided it was henceforth used only for untried prisoners suggested that newgate should be entirely reconstructed and the new building adopted as a model
+LJ019-0184 the corporation had agreed to spend twenty thousand pounds on alterations but sixty thousand pounds would suffice to reconstruct
+LJ019-0185 lord john with great fairness admitted that the whole of this burthen could not be imposed upon the city
+LJ019-0186 seeing that since the establishment of the central criminal court newgate received prisoners for trial from several counties
+LJ019-0187 and he was therefore prepared to submit to parliament a proposal that half the cost of reconstruction should be borne by public funds
+LJ019-0188 he forwarded plans prepared by the inspectors of prisons not for blind adoption but as a guide
+LJ019-0189 this plan was on the principle of cellular separation a system according to lord john russell desirable in all prisons
+LJ019-0190 but in a metropolitan prison absolutely essential the corporation in reply demurred rather to accepting strict separation as a rule
+LJ019-0191 feeling that it approached too nearly to solitary confinement
+LJ019-0192 the court was however prepared to consider lord john russells proposal with regard to the cost of rebuilding
+LJ019-0193 but as the plan was confessedly experimental for the benefit of the country generally the amount for which the city should be responsible should be distinctly limited
+LJ019-0194 not to exceed a certain sum to be agreed upon
+LJ019-0195 a proviso was also made that the magistrates should continue to exercise full control over the new jail
+LJ019-0196 free from any other interference than that of the inspectors on the part of government
+LJ019-0197 no doubt wiser counsels prevailed with lord john russell
+LJ019-0198 and on a more mature consideration he realized that the limited area of the existing newgate site
+LJ019-0199 and the costliness of enlarging it forbade all idea of entirely reconstructing the jail so as to constitute it a model prison
+LJ019-0200 it would be far better to begin at the beginning
+LJ019-0201 to select a sufficiently spacious piece of ground and erect a prison which from foundations to roofs should be in conformity with the newest ideas
+LJ019-0202 the preference given to the pentonville system destroyed all hopes of a complete reformation of newgate
+LJ019-0203 but the condition of the great city jail was evidently considered a reproach by the city authorities and a year after the opening of the new model at pentonville
+LJ019-0204 a serious effort was made to reconstruct newgate
+LJ019-0205 in eighteen fortyfive the jail committee brought forward a definite proposal to purchase ground in the immediate vicinity for the erection of a new jail
+LJ019-0206 this jail was nominally to replace the giltspur street compter
+LJ019-0207 the site of which was to be sold to christs hospital but the intention was of course to embody and absorb old newgate in the new construction
+LJ019-0208 the proposal made was to purchase some fifty thousand square feet between newgate warwick lane and the sessions house
+LJ019-0209 the situation having been proved by long experience to be salubrious
+LJ019-0210 but when this suggestion was brought before the court of aldermen various amendments were proposed
+LJ019-0211 it was urged that the area selected for purchase must be excessively costly to acquire and still quite inadequate for the city needs
+LJ019-0212 the home secretary had laid it down that at least five acres would be indispensable and such an area it was impossible to obtain within the limits of the city
+LJ019-0213 now for the first time the tuffnell estate in holloway was mentioned
+LJ019-0214 the corporation owned lands there covering from nineteen to twenty acres
+LJ019-0215 why not move the city prison bodily into this more rural spot with its purer air and greater breathing space
+LJ019-0216 eventually holloway was decided upon as a site for the new city prison
+LJ019-0217 the necessary preliminaries took some time but the contracts for the new building were completed in eighteen fortynine when the works were commenced
+LJ019-0218 the prison was to contain four hundred and four prisoners and the estimated expenditure was seventynine thousand pounds
+LJ019-0219 it was to accommodate only the convicted prisoners sentenced to terms short of penal servitude and after its completion
+LJ019-0220 the uses of newgate were narrowed almost entirely to those of a prison of detention
+LJ019-0221 it was intended as far as possible that except awaiting trial no prisoner should find himself relegated to newgate
+LJ019-0222 this principle became more and more generally the rule although it has never been punctiliously observed now and again
+LJ019-0223 misdemeanants have found their way into newgate and within the last few years one offender against the privileges of the house of commons
+LJ019-0224 with the reduction of numbers to be accommodated there was ample space in newgate for its reconstruction on the most approved modern lines
+LJ019-0225 in eighteen fiftyseven
+LJ019-0226 the erection of a wing or large block of cells was commenced within the original walls of the prison and upon the north or male side
+LJ019-0227 this block contained one hundred and thirty cells embracing every modern improvement
+LJ019-0228 it also contained eleven reception cells six punishment cells and a couple of cells for condemned criminals
+LJ019-0229 this block was completed in eighteen fiftynine after which the hitherto unavoidable and longcontinued promiscuous association of prisoners
+LJ019-0230 in eighteen sixtyone a similar work was undertaken to provide separate cellular accommodation for the female inmates of newgate
+LJ019-0231 and by the following year fortyseven new cells had been built on the most approved plan
+LJ019-0232 during this reconstruction the female prisoners were lodged in holloway
+LJ019-0233 and when it was completed both sides of the prison were brought into harmony with modern ideas
+LJ019-0234 the old buildings were entirely disused and the whole of the inmates of newgate were kept constantly in separate confinement
+LJ019-0235 with the last reedification of newgate a work executed some seven centuries after the first stone of the old jail was laid
+LJ019-0236 the architectural records of the prison end nothing much was done at newgate in the way of building outside or in after eighteen sixtytwo
+LJ019-0237 the act for private executions led to the erection of the gallows shed in the exercising yard and at the flank of the passage from the condemned cells
+LJ019-0238 the first glass house or room in which prisoners could talk in private with their attorneys but yet be seen by the warder on the watch had been constructed
+LJ019-0239 and others were subsequently added
+LJ019-0240 but no structural alterations were made from the date first quoted until the time of closing the prison in eighteen eightyone
+LJ019-0241 but in the interval very comprehensive and i think it must be admitted salutary changes were successively introduced into the management of prisons
+LJ019-0242 newgate naturally shared in any advantages due to these reforms i propose therefore to refer to them in the concluding pages of this work
+LJ019-0243 and thus bring the history of prison discipline down to our own times
+LJ019-0244 the last inquiry into the condition and management of our jails and houses of correction was that made by the lords committee in eighteen sixtythree
+LJ019-0245 the inquiry was most searching and complete and the committee spoke plainly in its report
+LJ019-0246 it animadverted strongly on the many and wide differences as regards construction labor diet and general discipline
+LJ019-0247 which existed in the various prisons
+LJ019-0248 leading to an inequality uncertainty and inefficiency of punishment productive of the most prejudicial results
+LJ019-0249 the varieties in construction were still very marked
+LJ019-0250 in many prisons the prisoners were still associated and from the want of a sufficient number of cells the principle of separation was still greatly neglected
+LJ019-0251 yet this principle as the committee pointed out must now be accepted as the foundation of prison discipline
+LJ019-0252 while its rigid maintenance was in its opinion vital to the efficiency of the jails
+LJ019-0253 even where cells had been built
+LJ019-0254 they were frequently below the standard size and were therefore not certified for occupation as was required by law
+LJ019-0255 great numbers were not lighted at night and were without means by which their inmates could communicate in case of urgent necessity with their keepers
+LJ019-0256 still greater were the differences with regard to employment the various authorities held widely different opinions as to what constituted hard labor
+LJ019-0257 here the treadwheel was in use there cellular cranks or hardlabor machines
+LJ019-0258 both however varied greatly in mechanism and in the amount of energy they called forth
+LJ019-0259 while the former was intended for the congregate labor of a number and the latter as its name implies imposed continuous solitary toil
+LJ019-0260 at other prisons shotdrill the lifting and carrying of heavy round shot was the favorite method of inflicting penal labor
+LJ019-0261 with these differences were others as opposed concerning industrial occupation
+LJ019-0262 the jail authorities often gave the highest possibly undue importance to the value of remunerative employment
+LJ019-0263 and sought to make profitable returns from prisoners labor the test of prison efficiency in this view the committee could not coincide
+LJ019-0264 and it was decidedly of opinion that in all short sentences the hard labor of the treadwheel crank and so forth should be the invariable rule
+LJ019-0265 in dietaries again the same wide diversity of practice obtained
+LJ019-0266 the efforts made by sir james graham years before to introduce uniformity in this particular had failed of effect
+LJ019-0267 the secretary of states suggested scale of diet had seldom been closely followed
+LJ019-0268 in some places the dietary was too full in others too meager its constituents were not of the most suitable character
+LJ019-0269 more animal food was given than was necessary
+LJ019-0270 vegetables especially the potato that most valuable antiscorbutic was too often omitted
+LJ019-0271 in a word the value of diet as a part of penal discipline was still insufficiently recognized
+LJ019-0272 the prisons were still far from inflicting the three punishments hard labor hard fare and a hard bed
+LJ019-0273 which sir joshua jebb told the committee he considered the proper elements of penal discipline
+LJ019-0274 it is interesting to note here
+LJ019-0275 that the committee of eighteen sixtythree fully endorsed sir joshuas recommendations as regards a hard bed and recommended that
+LJ019-0276 during short sentences or the earlier stages of a long confinement
+LJ019-0277 the prisoners should be made to dispense with the use of a mattress and should sleep on planks
+LJ019-0278 this suggestion was adopted in the act of eighteen sixtyfive which followed the committees report and of which more directly
+LJ019-0279 clause ninetytwo schedule one of that act authorized the use of plank beds which were adopted in many prisons
+LJ019-0280 they are now the universal rule
+LJ019-0281 introduced as was erroneously supposed by the prison commissioners appointed under the prison act of eighteen seventyseven
+LJ019-0282 their origin it will be seen dates back much further than that
+LJ019-0283 beds might well be made hard and their use strictly limited
+LJ019-0284 according to this committee of eighteen sixtythree beds in the smaller and most carelessly conducted prisons formed a large element in the life of a prisoner
+LJ019-0285 in one jail fifteen hours were spent in bed out of the twentyfour this was in keeping with other grave defects and omissions
+LJ019-0286 the minor borough prisons were the worst blot on the still dark and imperfect system
+LJ019-0287 they were very numerous very imperfect in construction and management and they were very little required
+LJ019-0288 in them according to the committee the old objectionable practices were still in full force
+LJ019-0289 there was unrestrained association of untried and convicted juvenile with adult prisoners vagrants misdemeanants felons
+LJ019-0290 there were dormitories without light control or regulation at night
+LJ019-0291 which warders dreading assault were afraid to enter after dark even to check rioting and disturbance
+LJ019-0292 prisoners still slept two in a bed
+LJ019-0293 in one prison the bedsteads had been removed lest the prisoners should break them up and convert them into weapons of offense
+LJ019-0294 the prison buildings were in many places out of repair other houses often overlooked them
+LJ019-0295 a single officer was the only custodian and disciplinary authority in the jail
+LJ019-0296 complete idleness was tolerated there was neither penal labor nor light employment
+LJ019-0297 the prisoners intercommunicated freely and exercised the most injurious corrupting influences upon one another
+LJ019-0298 the total want of administration was very marked
+LJ019-0299 but in one prison it was such that the prisoners food was supplied daily from the neighboring inn and the innkeepers bill constituted the only accounts kept
+LJ019-0300 the committee might well suggest the abolition of these jails or their amalgamation with the larger county establishments in their immediate neighborhood
+LJ019-0301 some idea of the comparative uselessness of these small borough prisons was conveyed by some figures quoted by the committee
+LJ019-0302 in eighteen sixtytwo there were in all one hundred and ninetythree jails in england and wales
+LJ019-0303 of these sixtythree gave admittance during the entire year to less than twentyfive prisoners
+LJ019-0304 twentytwo others received between eleven and twentyfive
+LJ019-0305 fourteen received less than eleven and more than six
+LJ019-0306 while twentyseven received less than six prisoners and were in some instances absolutely tenantless
+LJ019-0307 the result of the recommendation of the committee of eighteen sixtytwo was the prison act of eighteen sixtyfive
+LJ019-0308 the penultimate of such enactments many of the provisions of which still remain in force
+LJ019-0309 the main object of this act was to compass that uniformity in discipline and treatment generally
+LJ019-0310 which had long been admitted as indispensable and had never as yet been properly obtained
+LJ019-0311 the legislature was beginning to overcome its disinclination to interfere actively or authoritatively
+LJ019-0312 with the local jurisdictions although still very leniently disposed
+LJ019-0313 however it now laid down in plain language and with precise details the requirements of a good jail system
+LJ019-0314 the separation of prisoners in cells duly certified by the inspectors was insisted upon
+LJ019-0315 also their constant employment in labor appropriate to their condition
+LJ019-0316 hard labor of the first and second class was carefully defined
+LJ019-0317 the former which consisted principally of the treadwheel cranks capstans shotdrill
+LJ019-0318 was to be the rule for all convicted prisoners throughout the early stages of their detention
+LJ019-0319 while the latter which included various forms of industrial employment
+LJ019-0320 was the boon to which willing industry extending over a long period established a certain claim
+LJ019-0321 the infliction of punishment more or less uniform was thus aimed at
+LJ019-0322 on the other hand new and careful regulations were framed to secure the moral and material wellbeing of the inmates of the jails
+LJ019-0323 the law made it imperative that every prison should have a prison chapel and that daily and sunday services should be held
+LJ019-0324 the chaplains duties were enlarged and the principle of toleration accepted to the extent of securing to all prisoners
+LJ019-0325 the ministrations of ministers of their own form of belief
+LJ019-0326 steps were taken to provide the illiterate with secular instruction
+LJ019-0327 no less close was the care as regards preservation of health
+LJ019-0328 stringent rules were prescribed for the prison surgeons
+LJ019-0329 every prison was ordered to keep up an infirmary and the medical supervision was to be strict and continuous
+LJ019-0330 dietaries were drawn up for adoption on the recommendation of a committee of experts
+LJ019-0331 baths were provided ablutions ordered and all appliances to insure personal cleanliness
+LJ019-0332 the administration of good government was to be watched over by the local magistracy certain of whom styled visiting justices
+LJ019-0333 were elected to inspect the prisons frequently to examine the prisoners hear complaints and check abuses
+LJ019-0334 under them the governor or jailer was held strictly responsible
+LJ019-0335 the books and journals he was to keep were minutely specified and his constant presence in or near the jail was insisted upon
+LJ019-0336 his disciplinary powers were defined by the act and his duties
+LJ019-0337 both in controlling his subordinates and in protecting the prisoners from petty tyranny and oppression every one of whom he was to see once every twentyfour hours
+LJ019-0338 but discipline was to be maintained if necessary by punishment
+LJ019-0339 while decency and good order were to be insured by the strict prohibition of gambling and drunkenness
+LJ019-0340 the latter was rendered nearly impossible by the penalties imposed on persons bringing spirituous liquors into the jail
+LJ019-0341 the old custom so fruitful of the worst evils of keeping a tap inside the prison was made illegal
+LJ019-0342 so was the employment of prisoners in any position of trust or authority
+LJ019-0343 they were not to be turnkeys or assistant turnkeys neither wardsman nor yardsman overseer
+LJ019-0344 monitor or schoolmaster nor to be engaged in the service of any officer of the prison
+LJ019-0345 the act of eighteen sixtyfive also encouraged and empowered the local authorities to alter enlarge or rebuild their prisons
+LJ019-0346 they might raise funds for this purpose provided a certificate for the necessity for the new works was given either by the recorder
+LJ019-0347 chairman of quarter sessions or even by a couple of justices
+LJ019-0348 every facility was promised the sanction of the secretary of state would not be withheld if plans and estimates were duly submitted
+LJ019-0349 and they met with the approval of his professional adviser the surveyorgeneral of prisons
+LJ019-0350 the funds necessary would be advanced by the public works loan commissioners and the interest might be charged against the county or borough rates
+LJ019-0351 nor were these the only inducements offered where local authorities were indisposed to set their prisons in order
+LJ019-0352 or hesitated to embark upon any considerable expenditure to alter or rebuild
+LJ019-0353 they were at liberty to hire suitable cell accommodation from any neighbors who might have it to spare the only proviso
+LJ019-0354 that no such contract was valid between one jurisdiction and another unless the secretary of state was satisfied that the prison it was intended to use
+LJ019-0355 came up in all respects to modern requirements
+LJ019-0356 but the act was not limited to permissive legislation its provisions and enactments were backed up by certain penalties
+LJ019-0357 the secretary of state was empowered to deal rather summarily with inadequate prisons in other words
+LJ019-0358 with those in which there was no separation no proper enforcement of hard labor no chapel infirmary and so forth
+LJ019-0359 he could in the first place withhold the government grant in aid of prison funds by refusing the certificate to the treasury upon which the allowance was paid
+LJ019-0360 this he might do on the representation of the inspector of prisons
+LJ019-0361 who was bound to report any deficiencies and abuses he might find at his periodical visits the secretary of state might go further
+LJ019-0362 where the local authority had neglected to comply with the provisions of the eighteen sixtyfive act for four consecutive years
+LJ019-0363 he could close the inadequate prison by declaring it unfit for the reception of prisoners
+LJ019-0364 his order would at the same time specify some neighboring and more satisfactory prison which the local authority would be compelled to utilize instead
+LJ019-0365 and with the concurrence of the other authority and on payment a few provisos governed these rather extensive powers
+LJ019-0366 it was necessary for instance to give due notice when the government grant was to be withdrawn
+LJ019-0367 and with the warning a copy of the particular defects and allegations was to be sent to the local authority
+LJ019-0368 the latter too was to be laid before the house of commons
+LJ019-0369 in the same way six months notice was required in cases where the closing of a prison was contemplated
+LJ019-0370 but if these conditions were observed the secretary of state could deal sharply enough with the defaulting jurisdictions
+LJ019-0371 yet the law was seldom if ever enforced
+LJ019-0372 it was practically inoperative as regards the penalties for neglect it was no doubt as irksome and inconvenient to the secretary of state
+LJ019-0373 to avail himself of his powers as it was difficult to bring home the derelictions of duties and evasion of the acts too much was left to the inspectors
+LJ019-0374 it was nearly impossible for them to exercise a very close supervision over the whole of the prisons of the country
+LJ019-0375 there were only two of them and they could not visit each prison more than once in each year sometimes not oftener than once in eighteen months
+LJ019-0376 the task imposed upon them tending as it did to the imposition of a fine upon the local authorities was not a pleasant one
+LJ019-0377 and it is not strange if they did not very frequently hand up the offenders to the reproof and correction of the secretary of state
+LJ019-0378 as the almost inevitable consequence while the more glaring defects in prison management disappeared
+LJ019-0379 matters went on after the eighteen sixtyfive act much the same as they had done before districts differed greatly in the attention they paid to prison affairs
+LJ019-0380 in one part the most praiseworthy activity prevailed
+LJ019-0381 in another there was halfheartedness even apathy and an almost complete contempt for the provisions of the act
+LJ019-0382 as the years passed great want of uniformity continued to prevail throughout the prisons of the united kingdom
+LJ019-0383 the whole question assumed sufficient importance to become a part of the government program when lord beaconsfield took office in eighteen seventyfour
+LJ019-0384 the home secretary in that administration
+LJ019-0385 mr now sir richard cross having applied himself vigorously to the task of reorganizing the whole system became convinced
+LJ019-0386 that no complete reform could be accomplished so long as the prisons were left under the jurisdiction of the local authorities
+LJ019-0387 the prisons bill of eighteen seventysix contemplated the transfer of the prisons to government
+LJ019-0388 this bill reintroduced in eighteen seventyseven became law that year after which the whole of the prisons including newgate
+LJ019-0389 passed under the more direct control of the state
+LJ019-0390 since then a strong central authority has labored steadfastly to compass concentration
+LJ019-0391 to close useless prisons and to insure that uniformity of system which all thoughtful persons had long admitted to be of paramount importance
+LJ019-0392 in the administration of prisons
+LJ019-0393 three years after the advent of the prison commissioners it was decided that newgate was an excessively costly and redundant establishment
+LJ019-0394 it was only filled at the periods when the sessions of the central criminal court were in progress
+LJ019-0395 at others an expensive staff was maintained with little or nothing to do
+LJ019-0396 at a short distance stood another prison of detention that of clerkenwell
+LJ019-0397 with spare accommodation sufficient to receive all prisoners who were then committed to newgate these arguments were unanswerable
+LJ019-0398 accordingly it was ordered by sir william harcourt the present secretary of state that newgate should cease to be used as a regular prison
+LJ019-0399 and it is now except during sessions or when the gallows is in requisition practically and for ever closed
+LJ020-0001 marion harlands cookery for beginners bread sponge and breakfast breads
+LJ020-0002 bread raised with what is known to bakers as a sponge requires more time and a trifle more work than the simpler form for which i have just already given directions
+LJ020-0003 but it keeps fresh longer is softer and more nutritious and a secondrate brand of flour thus treated produces a better loaf
+LJ020-0004 than when mixed up with yeast and water only
+LJ020-0005 spongemaking is therefore an important if not an essential accomplishment in a cook be she novice or veteran
+LJ020-0006 three potatoes of fair size peeled and boiled mealy
+LJ020-0007 five tablespoonfuls of yeast one tablespoonful of white sugar
+LJ020-0008 one tablespoonful of butter
+LJ020-0009 three cups of lukewarm water in which the potatoes were boiled strained through a coarse cloth
+LJ020-0010 one heaping cup of sifted flour
+LJ020-0011 put the potatoes into a large bowl or tray and mash them to powder with a potato beetle or a wooden spoon
+LJ020-0012 while still hot mix in the sugar and butter beating all to a lumpless cream
+LJ020-0013 add a few spoonfuls at a time the potatowater alternately with the flour by the handful
+LJ020-0014 beating the batter smooth as you go on until all of the liquid and flour has gone in
+LJ020-0015 beat hard one minute before pouring in the yeast
+LJ020-0016 it is well to stir into the yeast a bit of soda no larger than a grain of corn already wet up in a teaspoonful of boiling water
+LJ020-0017 now whip up the batter with a wooden spoon for another minute and the sponge is made
+LJ020-0018 throw a cloth over the bowl and set by for five or six hours to rise
+LJ020-0019 if you intend to bake in the forenoon make the sponge at bedtime if in the afternoon early in the morning
+LJ020-0020 when the sponge is light sift a quart and a cup of flour into a bowl or tray with two teaspoonfuls of salt
+LJ020-0021 into a hollow like a crater in the middle of the flour empty your spongebowl and work the flour down into it
+LJ020-0022 wash out the bowl with a little lukewarm water and add this to the dough if it should prove too soft work in cautiously a little more flour
+LJ020-0023 if too stiff warm water a spoonful at a time until you can handle the paste easily the danger is in getting it too stiff now
+LJ020-0024 knead and set for risings first and second as you have already been instructed this sponge will be found especially useful in making graham bread
+LJ020-0025 one quart of graham flour one cup of white flour
+LJ020-0026 one half cup of indian meal one half cup of molasses two teaspoonfuls of salt soda the size of a pea
+LJ020-0027 half the quantity of sponge given in preceding receipt
+LJ020-0028 warm water for rinsing bowl about half a cup
+LJ020-0029 put the brown or graham flour unsifted into the breadbowl
+LJ020-0030 sift into it white flour meal and salt and stir up well while dry
+LJ020-0031 into the crater dug out in the middle pour the sponge warm water the molasses and soda dissolved in hot water
+LJ020-0032 knead as you would white bread and set aside for the rising
+LJ020-0033 it will not swell so fast as the white so give yourself more time for making it
+LJ020-0034 when light knead well and long
+LJ020-0035 make into two loaves then put into wellgreased pans and leave for an hour or until it becomes more than twice the original size of the dough
+LJ020-0036 take care that it does not burn in baking the molasses renders it liable to scorching
+LJ020-0037 the oven must be steady but not so hot as for white bread nor will the graham bread be done quite so soon as that made of bolted flour
+LJ020-0038 turn the pans once while baking moving them as gently as possible
+LJ020-0039 if rudely shaken or jarred there will be heavy streaks in loaves
+LJ020-0040 graham bread is wholesome and sweet and ought to be eaten frequently in every family particularly by young people whose bones and teeth are in forming
+LJ020-0041 the phosphates which the process of bolting removes to a large extent from white flour go directly to the manufacture of bone
+LJ020-0042 and these also tend to nourish and strengthen the brain
+LJ020-0043 after mixing your bread in the morning either with sponge or with yeast divide the kneaded dough into two portions
+LJ020-0044 mould one into a round ball and set aside for a loaf as already directed
+LJ020-0045 make a hole in the middle of the other batch and pour into it a tablespoonful of butter just melted but not hot
+LJ020-0046 close the dough over it dust your hands and kneadingboard with flour and work in the shortening until the dough is elastic and ceases to be sticky
+LJ020-0047 put it into a floured bowl cover with a cloth and set away out of draught and undue heat for three hours
+LJ020-0048 knead it again then and wait upon its rising for another three hours the dough should be as soft as can be handled
+LJ020-0049 when it is light for the second time flour your board rubbing in the flour and blowing lightly away what does not adhere to the surface
+LJ020-0050 toss the lump dough upon it and knead thoroughly for five minutes
+LJ020-0051 flour a rollingpin and roll the dough into a sheet not more than half an inch thick
+LJ020-0052 cut this into round cakes with a biscuitcutter or a sharpedged tumbler and fold not quite in the middle
+LJ020-0053 in the form of turnovers pinching the corners of the fold pretty hard to hinder the flap of dough from flying up as the rising proceeds
+LJ020-0054 rub the bottom and sides of a bakingpan with sweet lard or butter do this with a bit of clean soft rag or tissuepaper
+LJ020-0055 visiting every corner of the pan but not leaving thick layers and streaks of grease after it
+LJ020-0056 arrange the rolls in regular rows in the pan about a quarter of an inch apart
+LJ020-0057 cover with a cloth and set nearer the fire than you dared trust the dough and let them rise for an hour
+LJ020-0058 peep under the cloth two or three times to see whether they rise evenly and turn the pan around once that all may be equally exposed to the heat
+LJ020-0059 when the time is up and the rolls are puffy and promising set them in a pretty quick oven and bake half an hour
+LJ020-0060 turning the pan once in this time and covering with clean never printed paper should they brown too fast
+LJ020-0061 break the rolls apart from one another and eat warm they are also good cold and if the directions be followed implicitly very good always
+LJ020-0062 graham rolls are made by treating the dough mixed for graham bread as above and following the foregoing receipt in every section but allowing more time for rising and baking
+LJ020-0063 they are even better when cold than hot
+LJ020-0064 breakfast biscuit
+LJ020-0065 two cups of fresh milk slightly warmed
+LJ020-0066 one quart and a cup of flour sifted
+LJ020-0067 five tablespoonfuls of yeast
+LJ020-0068 one even tablespoonful of white sugar
+LJ020-0069 one even teaspoonful of salt
+LJ020-0070 bit of soda as large as a pea dissolved in hot water
+LJ020-0071 one tablespoonful of butter just melted not hot
+LJ020-0072 yolk of one egg beaten light
+LJ020-0073 sift the flour salt and sugar into a bowl
+LJ020-0074 hollow the heap in the center and pour in the milk working down the flour into the liquid with a spoon or your hands until it is thoroughly melted
+LJ020-0075 into a second hollow pour the yeast and knead thoroughly for fifteen minutes
+LJ020-0076 wrap bowl and biscuit in a thick cloth and set to rise where it will neither become chilled nor sour over night
+LJ020-0077 study the temperature in different parts of the kitchen and kitchen closets to the end of finding the best places for raising dough and sponge
+LJ020-0078 do all this at bedtime early in the morning turn out the dough upon a floured board work it for a minute into manageable shape
+LJ020-0079 drill several fingerholes in it and fill them with the melted butter the dissolved soda and the beaten yolk of egg
+LJ020-0080 pinch the dough hard to stop the mouths of these cavities
+LJ020-0081 and knead for ten minutes carefully at first lest the liquids should be wasted and more boldly when they are absorbed by the paste
+LJ020-0082 roll out into a sheet half an inch thick with a floured rollingpin cut into round cakes set these closely together in a wellgreased pan
+LJ020-0083 prick each with a fork and let them rise near the fire for half an hour covered with a light cloth
+LJ020-0084 bake from twenty to twentyfive minutes in a quick oven turning the pan around once quickly and lightly
+LJ020-0085 break apart from one another and pile on a plate throwing a clean doily or a small napkin over them break open at table
+LJ020-0086 hot rolls and muffins should never be cut
+LJ020-0087 one word with regard to getting up early in order to give dough a chance for the second rising
+LJ020-0088 it is not a wholesome practice for any woman least of all a young girl to be out of bed two hours before she eats her breakfast
+LJ020-0089 studying upon an empty stomach provokes dyspepsia and injures the eyes
+LJ020-0090 active exercise in like circumstances tempts debility and disease
+LJ020-0091 yet our bread and rolls must be looked after at the proper time
+LJ020-0092 have yourself called on biscuit mornings an hour earlier than usual
+LJ020-0093 rise wash face and hands rinse the mouth out and brush back the hair
+LJ020-0094 put on stockings and slippers such underclothing as may be needed to prevent cold a wrapper and the kitchen apron
+LJ020-0095 cover your hair entirely with a handkerchief or sweeping cap
+LJ020-0096 before beginning operations downstairs eat a halfslice of dry bread or a biscuit
+LJ020-0097 you will not relish it but take it all the same to appease the empty discontented stomach
+LJ020-0098 having made out your rolls and tucked them up snugly for the final rise return to your chamber for a comfortable bath and toilet
+LJ020-0099 when habited for the day in all except the outer gown collar etc slip on the wrapper again and run down to put the biscuits in the oven
+LJ020-0100 unless it is too hot they will get no harm while you finish dressing in ten minutes just in season to turn the pan
+LJ020-0101 from the beginning of your apprenticeship in housewifery learn how to dovetail your duties neatly into one another
+LJ020-0102 a wise accommodation of parts and angles and compactness in the adjustment of mustbedones
+LJ020-0103 are better than mere personal strength in the accomplishment of such tasks as fall to women to perform
+LJ020-0104 master these and do not let them master you
+LJ020-0105 weave the little duties in and under and among what seem to be the greater
+LJ020-0106 while your bread is taking a three hours rise you are free in body and mind for other things
+LJ020-0107 the grand secret of keeping house well and without worry lies in the art of packing and fitting different kinds of work and in picking up the minutes
+LJ020-0108 other things besides rising dough get on quite as well without your standing by to watch them
+LJ021-0001 the fireside chats of franklin delano roosevelt by franklin d roosevelt section six
+LJ021-0002 september thirty nineteen thirtyfour
+LJ021-0003 three months have passed since i talked with you shortly after the adjournment of the congress
+LJ021-0004 tonight i continue that report though because of the shortness of time i must defer a number of subjects to a later date
+LJ021-0005 recently the most notable public questions that have concerned us all
+LJ021-0006 have had to do with industry and labor and with respect to these certain developments have taken place which i consider of importance
+LJ021-0007 i am happy to report that after years of uncertainty culminating in the collapse of the spring of nineteen thirtythree
+LJ021-0008 we are bringing order out of the old chaos
+LJ021-0009 with a greater certainty of the employment of labor at a reasonable wage and of more business at a fair profit
+LJ021-0010 these governmental and industrial developments hold promise of new achievements for the nation
+LJ021-0011 men may differ as to the particular form of governmental activity
+LJ021-0012 with respect to industry and business but nearly all are agreed that private enterprise in times such as these
+LJ021-0014 but also our processes of civilization
+LJ021-0015 the underlying necessity for such activity
+LJ021-0016 is indeed as strong now as it was years ago when elihu root said the following very significant words
+LJ021-0017 instead of the give and take of free individual contract
+LJ021-0018 the tremendous power of organization has combined great aggregations of capital in enormous industrial establishments
+LJ021-0019 working through vast agencies of commerce and employing great masses of men in movements of production
+LJ021-0020 and transportation and trade so great in the mass that each individual concerned in them is quite helpless by himself
+LJ021-0021 the relations between the employer and the employed between the owners of aggregated capital and the units of organized labor
+LJ021-0022 between the small producer the small trader the consumer
+LJ021-0023 and the great transporting and manufacturing and distributing agencies
+LJ021-0024 all present new questions for the solution of which the old reliance upon the free action of individual wills appears quite inadequate
+LJ021-0025 and in many directions the intervention of that organized control which we call government
+LJ021-0026 seems necessary to produce the same result of justice and right conduct
+LJ021-0027 which obtained through the attrition of individuals before the new conditions arose
+LJ021-0028 it was in this spirit thus described by secretary root
+LJ021-0029 that we approached our task of reviving private enterprise in march nineteen thirtythree
+LJ021-0030 our first problem was of course the banking situation because as you know the banks had collapsed
+LJ021-0031 some banks could not be saved but the great majority of them either through their own resources or with government aid
+LJ021-0032 have been restored to complete public confidence
+LJ021-0033 this has given safety to millions of depositors in these banks
+LJ021-0034 closely following this great constructive effort we have through various federal agencies
+LJ021-0035 saved debtors and creditors alike in many other fields of enterprise such as loans on farm mortgages and home mortgages
+LJ021-0036 loans to the railroads and insurance companies and finally help for home owners and industry itself
+LJ021-0037 in all of these efforts the government has come to the assistance of business
+LJ021-0038 and with the full expectation that the money used to assist these enterprises will eventually be repaid
+LJ021-0039 i believe it will be
+LJ021-0040 the second step we have taken in the restoration of normal business enterprise
+LJ021-0041 has been to clean up thoroughly unwholesome conditions in the field of investment
+LJ021-0042 in this we have had assistance from many bankers and businessmen
+LJ021-0043 most of whom recognize the past evils in the banking system in the sale of securities in the deliberate encouragement of stock gambling
+LJ021-0044 in the sale of unsound mortgages and in many other ways in which the public lost billions of dollars
+LJ021-0045 they saw that without changes in the policies and methods of investment
+LJ021-0046 there could be no recovery of public confidence in the security of savings
+LJ021-0047 the country now enjoys the safety of bank savings under the new banking laws
+LJ021-0048 the careful checking of new securities under the securities act
+LJ021-0049 and the curtailment of rank stock speculation through the securities exchange act
+LJ021-0050 i sincerely hope that as a result
+LJ021-0051 people will be discouraged in unhappy efforts to get rich quick by speculating in securities
+LJ021-0052 the average person almost always loses
+LJ021-0053 only a very small minority of the people of this country believe in gambling as a substitute for the old philosophy of benjamin franklin
+LJ021-0054 that the way to wealth is through work
+LJ021-0055 in meeting the problems of industrial recovery the chief agency of the government has been the national recovery administration
+LJ021-0056 under its guidance trades and industries covering over ninety percent of all industrial employees
+LJ021-0057 have adopted codes of fair competition which have been approved by the president
+LJ021-0058 under these codes in the industries covered child labor has been eliminated
+LJ021-0059 the work day and the work week have been shortened
+LJ021-0060 minimum wages have been established and other wages adjusted toward a rising standard of living
+LJ021-0061 the emergency purpose of the nra was to put men to work and since its creation more than four million persons have been reemployed
+LJ021-0062 in great part through the cooperation of american business brought about under the codes
+LJ021-0063 benefits of the industrial recovery program have come
+LJ021-0064 not only to labor in the form of new jobs in relief from overwork and in relief from underpay
+LJ021-0065 but also to the owners and managers of industry because
+LJ021-0066 together with a great increase in the payrolls there has come a substantial rise in the total of industrial profits
+LJ021-0067 a rise from a deficit figure in the first quarter of nineteen thirtythree
+LJ021-0068 to a level of sustained profits within one year from the inauguration of nra
+LJ021-0069 now it should not be expected that even employed labor and capital would be completely satisfied with present conditions
+LJ021-0070 employed workers have not by any means all enjoyed a return to the earnings of prosperous times
+LJ021-0071 although millions of hitherto underprivileged workers are today far better paid than ever before
+LJ021-0072 also billions of dollars of invested capital have today a greater security of present and future earning power than before
+LJ021-0073 this is because of the establishment of fair competitive standards and because of relief from unfair competition
+LJ021-0074 in wage cutting which depresses markets and destroys purchasing power
+LJ021-0075 but it is an undeniable fact that the restoration of other billions of sound investments to a reasonable earning power
+LJ021-0076 could not be brought about in one year
+LJ021-0077 there is no magic formula
+LJ021-0078 no economic panacea which could simply revive overnight the heavy industries and the trades dependent upon them
+LJ021-0079 nevertheless the gains of trade and industry as a whole have been substantial
+LJ021-0080 in these gains and in the policies of the administration there are assurances that hearten all forward looking men and women
+LJ021-0081 with the confidence that we are definitely rebuilding our political and economic system on the lines laid down by the new deal
+LJ021-0082 lines which as i have so often made clear are in complete accord with the underlying principles of orderly popular government
+LJ021-0083 which americans have demanded since the white man first came to these shores
+LJ021-0084 we count in the future as in the past on the driving power of individual initiative
+LJ021-0085 and the incentive of fair private profit
+LJ021-0086 strengthened with the acceptance of those obligations to the public interest which rest upon us all
+LJ021-0087 we have the right to expect that this driving power will be given patriotically and wholeheartedly to our nation
+LJ021-0088 we have passed through the formative period of code making in the national recovery administration
+LJ021-0089 and have effected a reorganization of the nra
+LJ021-0090 suited to the needs of the next phase which is in turn a period of preparation for legislation which will determine its permanent form
+LJ021-0091 in this recent reorganization we have recognized three distinct functions
+LJ021-0092 first the legislative or policy making function
+LJ021-0093 second the administrative function of code making and revision and third the judicial function which includes enforcement
+LJ021-0094 consumer complaints and the settlement of disputes between employers and employees and between one employer and another
+LJ021-0095 we are now prepared to move into this second phase on the basis of our experience in the first phase
+LJ021-0096 under the able and energetic leadership of general johnson
+LJ021-0097 we shall watch carefully the working of this new machinery for the second phase of nra
+LJ021-0098 modifying it where it needs modification and finally making recommendations to the congress
+LJ021-0099 in order that the functions of nra which have proved their worth may be made a part of the permanent machinery of government
+LJ021-0100 let me call your attention to the fact that the national industrial recovery act
+LJ021-0101 gave businessmen the opportunity they had sought for years to improve business conditions through what has been called selfgovernment in industry
+LJ021-0102 if the codes which have been written have been too complicated
+LJ021-0103 if they have gone too far in such matters as price fixing and limitation of production
+LJ021-0104 let it be remembered that so far as possible consistent with the immediate public interest of this past year
+LJ021-0105 and the vital necessity of improving labor conditions
+LJ021-0106 the representatives of trade and industry were permitted to write their ideas into the codes
+LJ021-0107 it is now time to review these actions as a whole to determine through deliberative means in the light of experience
+LJ021-0108 from the standpoint of the good of the industries themselves as well as the general public interest
+LJ021-0109 whether the methods and policies adopted in the emergency
+LJ021-0110 have been best calculated to promote industrial recovery and a permanent improvement of business and labor conditions
+LJ021-0111 there may be a serious question as to the wisdom of many of those devices to control production
+LJ021-0112 or to prevent destructive price cutting which many business organizations have insisted were necessary
+LJ021-0113 or whether their effect may have been to prevent that volume of production which would make possible lower prices and increased employment
+LJ021-0114 another question arises as to whether in fixing minimum wages on the basis of an hourly or weekly wage
+LJ021-0115 we have reached into the heart of the problem which is to provide such annual earnings for the lowest paid worker as will meet his minimum needs
+LJ021-0116 we also question the wisdom of extending code requirements suited to the great industrial centers and to large employers
+LJ021-0117 to the great number of small employers in the smaller communities
+LJ021-0118 during the last twelve months our industrial recovery has been to some extent retarded by strikes
+LJ021-0119 including a few of major importance
+LJ021-0120 i would not minimize the inevitable losses to employers and employees and to the general public through such conflicts
+LJ021-0121 but i would point out that the extent and severity of labor disputes during this period
+LJ021-0122 has been far less than in any previous comparable period
+LJ021-0123 when the businessmen of the country were demanding the right to organize themselves adequately to promote their legitimate interests
+LJ021-0124 when the farmers were demanding legislation which would give them opportunities and incentives to organize themselves for a common advance
+LJ021-0125 it was natural that the workers should seek and obtain a statutory declaration of their constitutional right
+LJ021-0126 to organize themselves for collective bargaining as embodied in section seven a of the national industrial recovery act
+LJ021-0127 machinery set up by the federal government has provided some new methods of adjustment
+LJ021-0128 both employers and employees must share the blame of not using them as fully as they should
+LJ021-0129 the employer who turns away from impartial agencies of peace
+LJ021-0130 who denies freedom of organization to his employees or fails to make every reasonable effort at a peaceful solution of their differences
+LJ021-0131 is not fully supporting the recovery effort of his government
+LJ021-0132 the workers who turn away from these same impartial agencies and decline to use their good offices to gain their ends
+LJ021-0133 are likewise not fully cooperating with their government
+LJ021-0134 it is time that we made a cleancut effort to bring about that united action of management and labor
+LJ021-0135 which is one of the high purposes of the recovery act
+LJ021-0136 we have passed through more than a year of education
+LJ021-0137 step by step we have created all the government agencies necessary to insure as a general rule industrial peace
+LJ021-0138 with justice for all those willing to use these agencies whenever their voluntary bargaining fails to produce a necessary agreement
+LJ021-0139 there should be at least a full and fair trial given to these means of ending industrial warfare
+LJ021-0140 and in such an effort we should be able to secure for employers and employees and consumers
+LJ021-0141 the benefits that all derive from the continuous peaceful operation of our essential enterprises
+LJ021-0142 accordingly i propose to confer within the coming month
+LJ021-0143 with small groups of those truly representative of large employers of labor and of large groups of organized labor
+LJ021-0144 in order to seek their cooperation in establishing what i may describe as a specific trial period of industrial peace
+LJ021-0145 from those willing to join in establishing this hopedfor period of peace
+LJ021-0146 i shall seek assurances of the making and maintenance of agreements which can be mutually relied upon
+LJ021-0147 under which wages hours and working conditions
+LJ021-0148 may be determined and any later adjustments shall be made either by agreement or in case of disagreement
+LJ021-0149 through the mediation or arbitration of state or federal agencies
+LJ021-0150 i shall not ask either employers or employees permanently to lay aside the weapons common to industrial war
+LJ021-0151 but i shall ask both groups to give a fair trial to peaceful methods of adjusting their conflicts of opinion and interest
+LJ021-0152 and to experiment for a reasonable time with measures suitable to civilize our industrial civilization
+LJ021-0153 closely allied to the nra
+LJ021-0154 is the program of public works provided for in the same act and designed to put more men back to work
+LJ021-0155 both directly on the public works themselves and indirectly in the industries supplying the materials for these public works
+LJ021-0156 to those who say that our expenditures for public works and other means for recovery are a waste that we cannot afford
+LJ021-0157 i answer that no country however rich can afford the waste of its human resources
+LJ021-0158 demoralization caused by vast unemployment is our greatest extravagance
+LJ021-0159 morally it is the greatest menace to our social order
+LJ021-0160 some people try to tell me that we must make up our minds that for the future we shall permanently have millions of unemployed
+LJ021-0161 just as other countries have had them for over a decade
+LJ021-0162 what may be necessary for those countries is not my responsibility to determine
+LJ021-0163 but as for this country i stand or fall by my refusal to accept as a necessary condition of our future
+LJ021-0164 a permanent army of unemployed
+LJ021-0165 on the contrary
+LJ021-0166 we must make it a national principle that we will not tolerate a large army of unemployed and that we will arrange our national economy
+LJ021-0167 to end our present unemployment as soon as we can and then to take wise measures against its return
+LJ021-0168 i do not want to think that it is the destiny of any american to remain permanently on relief rolls
+LJ021-0169 those fortunately few in number who are frightened by boldness and cowed by the necessity for making decisions
+LJ021-0170 complain that all we have done is unnecessary and subject to great risks
+LJ021-0171 now that these people are coming out of their storm cellars they forget that there ever was a storm
+LJ021-0172 they point to england
+LJ021-0173 they would have you believe that england has made progress out of her depression by a donothing policy by letting nature take her course
+LJ021-0174 england has her peculiarities and we have ours
+LJ021-0175 but i do not believe any intelligent observer can accuse england of undue orthodoxy in the present emergency
+LJ021-0176 did england let nature take her course no
+LJ021-0177 did england hold to the gold standard when her reserves were threatened
+LJ021-0178 has england gone back to the gold standard today
+LJ021-0179 did england hesitate to call in ten billion dollars of her war bonds bearing five percent interest
+LJ021-0180 to issue new bonds therefore bearing only three and one half percent interest
+LJ021-0181 thereby saving the british treasury one hundred and fifty million dollars a year in interest alone
+LJ021-0182 and let it be recorded that the british bankers helped
+LJ021-0183 is it not a fact that ever since the year nineteen oh nine
+LJ021-0184 great britain in many ways has advanced further along lines of social security than the united states
+LJ021-0185 is it not a fact that relations between capital and labor on the basis of collective bargaining are much further advanced in great britain
+LJ021-0186 than in the united states
+LJ021-0187 it is perhaps not strange that the conservative british press has told us with pardonable irony
+LJ021-0188 that much of our new deal program is only an attempt to catch up with english reforms that go back ten years or more
+LJ021-0189 nearly all americans are sensible and calm people
+LJ021-0190 we do not get greatly excited nor is our peace of mind disturbed whether we be businessmen or workers or farmers
+LJ021-0191 by awesome pronouncements concerning the unconstitutionality of some of our measures of recovery and relief and reform
+LJ021-0192 we are not frightened by reactionary lawyers or political editors
+LJ021-0193 all of these cries have been heard before
+LJ021-0194 more than twenty years ago when theodore roosevelt and woodrow wilson were attempting to correct abuses in our national life
+LJ021-0195 the great chief justice white said
+LJ021-0196 there is great danger it seems to me to arise from the constant habit which prevails where anything is opposed or objected to
+LJ021-0197 of referring without rhyme or reason to the constitution as a means of preventing its accomplishment thus creating the general impression
+LJ021-0198 that the constitution is but a barrier to progress instead of being the broad highway through which alone true progress may be enjoyed
+LJ021-0199 in our efforts for recovery
+LJ021-0200 we have avoided on the one hand the theory that business should and must be taken over into an allembracing government
+LJ021-0201 we have avoided on the other hand
+LJ021-0202 the equally untenable theory that it is an interference with liberty to offer reasonable help when private enterprise is in need of help
+LJ021-0203 the course we have followed fits the american practice of government a practice of taking action step by step
+LJ021-0204 of regulating only to meet concrete needs a practice of courageous recognition of change
+LJ021-0205 i believe with abraham lincoln that the legitimate object of government is to do for a community of people
+LJ021-0206 whatever they need to have done but cannot do at all or cannot do so well for themselves in their separate and individual capacities
+LJ021-0207 i am not for a return to that definition of liberty under which for many years a free people were being gradually regimented
+LJ021-0208 into the service of the privileged few
+LJ021-0209 i prefer and i am sure you prefer that broader definition of liberty under which we are moving forward to greater freedom
+LJ021-0210 to greater security for the average man than he has ever known before in the history of america
+LJ022-0001 the fireside chats of franklin delano roosevelt by franklin d roosevelt section seven
+LJ022-0002 april twentyeight nineteen thirtyfive
+LJ022-0003 since my annual message to the congress on january fourth last i have not addressed the general public over the air
+LJ022-0004 in the many weeks since that time the congress has devoted itself to the arduous task of formulating legislation necessary to the countrys welfare
+LJ022-0005 it has made and is making distinct progress
+LJ022-0006 before i come to any of the specific measures however i want to leave in your minds one clear fact
+LJ022-0007 the administration and the congress are not proceeding in any haphazard fashion in this task of government
+LJ022-0008 each of our steps has a definite relationship to every other step
+LJ022-0009 the job of creating a program for the nations welfare is in some respects like the building of a ship
+LJ022-0010 at different points on the coast where i often visit they build great seagoing ships
+LJ022-0011 when one of these ships is under construction and the steel frames have been set in the keel
+LJ022-0012 it is difficult for a person who does not know ships to tell how it will finally look when it is sailing the high seas
+LJ022-0013 it may seem confused to some but out of the multitude of detailed parts that go into the making of the structure
+LJ022-0014 the creation of a useful instrument for man ultimately comes
+LJ022-0015 it is that way with the making of a national policy the objective of the nation has greatly changed in three years
+LJ022-0016 before that time individual self interest and group selfishness were paramount in public thinking
+LJ022-0017 the general good was at a discount
+LJ022-0018 three years of hard thinking have changed the picture
+LJ022-0019 more and more people
+LJ022-0020 cause of clearer thinking and a better understanding are considering the whole rather than a mere part relating to one section or to one crop
+LJ022-0021 or to one industry or to an individual private occupation
+LJ022-0022 that is a tremendous gain for the principles of democracy
+LJ022-0023 the overwhelming majority of people in this country know how to sift the wheat from the chaff in what they hear and what they read
+LJ022-0024 they know that the process of the constructive rebuilding of america cannot be done in a day or a year
+LJ022-0025 but that it is being done in spite of the few who seek to confuse them and to profit by their confusion
+LJ022-0026 americans as a whole are feeling a lot better a lot more cheerful than for many many years
+LJ022-0027 the most difficult place in the world to get a clear open perspective of the country as a whole is washington
+LJ022-0028 i am reminded sometimes of what president wilson once said
+LJ022-0029 so many people come to washington who know things that are not so
+LJ022-0030 and so few people who know anything about what the people of the united states are thinking about
+LJ022-0031 that is why i occasionally leave this scene of action for a few days
+LJ022-0032 to go fishing or back home to hyde park so that i can have a chance to think quietly about the country as a whole
+LJ022-0033 to get away from the trees as they say and to look at the whole forest
+LJ022-0034 this duty of seeing the country in a longrange perspective
+LJ022-0035 is one which in a very special manner attaches to this office to which you have chosen me
+LJ022-0036 did you ever stop to think that there are after all only two positions in the nation
+LJ022-0037 that are filled by the vote of all of the voters the president and the vicepresident
+LJ022-0038 that makes it particularly necessary for the vice president and for me to conceive of our duty toward the entire country
+LJ022-0039 i speak therefore tonight to and of the american people as a whole
+LJ022-0040 my most immediate concern is in carrying out the purposes of the great work program just enacted by the congress
+LJ022-0041 its first objective is to put men and women now on the relief rolls to work and incidentally
+LJ022-0042 to assist materially in our already unmistakable march toward recovery
+LJ022-0043 i shall not confuse my discussion by a multitude of figures so many figures are quoted to prove so many things
+LJ022-0044 sometimes it depends upon what paper you read and what broadcast you hear
+LJ022-0045 therefore let us keep our minds on two or three simple essential facts in connection with this problem of unemployment
+LJ022-0046 it is true that while business and industry are definitely better our relief rolls are still too large
+LJ022-0047 however for the first time in five years the relief rolls have declined instead of increased during the winter months
+LJ022-0048 they are still declining
+LJ022-0049 the simple fact is that many million more people have private work today than two years ago today or one year ago today
+LJ022-0050 and every day that passes offers more chances to work for those who want to work
+LJ022-0051 in spite of the fact that unemployment remains a serious problem
+LJ022-0052 here as in every other nation we have come to recognize the possibility and the necessity of certain helpful remedial measures
+LJ022-0053 these measures are of two kinds
+LJ022-0054 the first is to make provisions intended to relieve to minimize and to prevent future unemployment
+LJ022-0055 the second is to establish the practical means to help those who are unemployed in this present emergency
+LJ022-0056 our social security legislation is an attempt to answer the first of these questions our works relief program the second
+LJ022-0057 the program for social security now pending before the congress is a necessary part of the future unemployment policy of the government
+LJ022-0058 while our present and projected expenditures for work relief are wholly within the reasonable limits of our national credit resources
+LJ022-0059 it is obvious that we cannot continue to create governmental deficits for that purpose year after year
+LJ022-0060 we must begin now to make provision for the future
+LJ022-0061 that is why our social security program is an important part of the complete picture
+LJ022-0062 it proposes by means of old age pensions
+LJ022-0063 to help those who have reached the age of retirement to give up their jobs and thus give to the younger generation greater opportunities for work
+LJ022-0064 and to give to all a feeling of security as they look toward old age
+LJ022-0065 the unemployment insurance part of the legislation
+LJ022-0066 will not only help to guard the individual in future periods of layoff against dependence upon relief
+LJ022-0067 but it will by sustaining purchasing power cushion the shock of economic distress
+LJ022-0068 another helpful feature of unemployment insurance is the incentive it will give to employers to plan more carefully
+LJ022-0069 in order that unemployment may be prevented by the stabilizing of employment itself
+LJ022-0070 provisions for social security however are protections for the future
+LJ022-0071 our responsibility for the immediate necessities of the unemployed has been met by the congress
+LJ022-0072 through the most comprehensive work plan in the history of the nation
+LJ022-0073 our problem is to put to work three and onehalf million employable persons now on the relief rolls
+LJ022-0074 it is a problem quite as much for private industry as for the government
+LJ022-0075 we are losing no time getting the governments vast work relief program underway
+LJ022-0076 and we have every reason to believe that it should be in full swing by autumn
+LJ022-0077 in directing it i shall recognize six fundamental principles
+LJ022-0078 one the projects should be useful
+LJ022-0079 projects shall be of a nature that a considerable proportion of the money spent will go into wages for labor
+LJ022-0080 projects will be sought which promise ultimate return to the federal treasury of a considerable proportion of the costs
+LJ022-0081 funds allotted for each project should be actually and promptly spent and not held over until later years
+LJ022-0082 in all cases projects must be of a character to give employment to those on the relief rolls
+LJ022-0083 six projects will be allocated to localities or relief areas in relation to the number of workers on relief rolls in those areas
+LJ022-0084 i next want to make it clear exactly how we shall direct the work
+LJ022-0085 i have set up a division of applications and information
+LJ022-0086 to which all proposals for the expenditure of money must go for preliminary study and consideration
+LJ022-0087 after the division of applications and information has sifted those projects
+LJ022-0088 they will be sent to an allotment division composed of representatives of the more important governmental agencies
+LJ022-0089 charged with carrying on work relief projects
+LJ022-0090 the group will also include representatives of cities and of labor farming banking and industry
+LJ022-0091 this allotment division will consider all of the recommendations submitted to it
+LJ022-0092 and such projects as they approve will be next submitted to the president who under the act is required to make final allocations
+LJ022-0093 the next step will be to notify the proper government agency
+LJ022-0094 in whose field the project falls and also to notify another agency which i am creating a progress division
+LJ022-0095 this division will have the duty of coordinating the purchases of materials and supplies
+LJ022-0096 and of making certain that people who are employed will be taken from the relief rolls
+LJ022-0097 it will also have the responsibility of determining work payments in various localities
+LJ022-0098 of making full use of existing employment services and to assist people engaged in relief work
+LJ022-0099 to move as rapidly as possible back into private employment when such employment is available
+LJ022-0100 moreover this division will be charged with keeping projects moving on schedule
+LJ022-0101 i have felt it to be essentially wise and prudent to avoid so far as possible
+LJ022-0102 the creation of new governmental machinery for supervising this work
+LJ022-0103 the national government now has at least sixty different agencies with the staff
+LJ022-0104 and the experience and the competence necessary to carry on the two hundred and fifty or three hundred kinds of work that will be undertaken
+LJ022-0105 these agencies therefore will simply be doing on a somewhat enlarged scale the same sort of things that they have been doing
+LJ022-0106 this will make certain that the largest possible portion of the funds allotted
+LJ022-0107 will be spent for actually creating new work and not for building up expensive overhead organizations here in washington
+LJ022-0108 for many months preparations have been under way
+LJ022-0109 the allotment of funds for desirable projects has already begun
+LJ022-0110 the key men for the major responsibilities of this great task already have been selected
+LJ022-0111 i well realize that the country is expecting before this year is out to see the dirt fly as they say in carrying on the work
+LJ022-0112 and i assure my fellow citizens that no energy will be spared in using these funds effectively
+LJ022-0113 to make a major attack upon the problem of unemployment
+LJ022-0114 our responsibility is to all of the people in this country
+LJ022-0115 this is a great national crusade to destroy enforced idleness which is an enemy of the human spirit
+LJ022-0116 generated by this depression
+LJ022-0117 our attack upon these enemies must be without stint and without discrimination
+LJ022-0118 no sectional no political distinctions can be permitted
+LJ022-0119 it must however be recognized that when an enterprise of this character is extended over more than three thousand counties throughout the nation
+LJ022-0120 there may be occasional instances of inefficiency bad management or misuse of funds
+LJ022-0121 when cases of this kind occur
+LJ022-0122 there will be those of course who will try to tell you that the exceptional failure is characteristic of the entire endeavor
+LJ022-0123 it should be remembered that in every big job there are some imperfections
+LJ022-0124 there are chiselers in every walk of life there are those in every industry who are guilty of unfair practices
+LJ022-0125 every profession has its black sheep but long experience in government has taught me
+LJ022-0126 that the exceptional instances of wrongdoing in government are probably less numerous than in almost every other line of endeavor
+LJ022-0127 the most effective means of preventing such evils in this works relief program will be the eternal vigilance of the american people themselves
+LJ022-0128 i call upon my fellow citizens everywhere to cooperate with me
+LJ022-0129 in making this the most efficient and the cleanest example of public enterprise the world has ever seen
+LJ022-0130 it is time to provide a smashing answer for those cynical men who say that a democracy cannot be honest and efficient
+LJ022-0131 if you will help this can be done
+LJ022-0132 i therefore hope you will watch the work in every corner of this nation
+LJ022-0133 feel free to criticize tell me of instances where work can be done better or where improper practices prevail
+LJ022-0134 neither you nor i want criticism conceived in a purely faultfinding or partisan spirit
+LJ022-0135 but i am jealous of the right of every citizen to call to the attention of his or her government
+LJ022-0136 examples of how the public money can be more effectively spent for the benefit of the american people
+LJ022-0137 i now come my friends to a part of the remaining business before the congress
+LJ022-0138 it has under consideration many measures which provide for the rounding out of the program of economic and social reconstruction
+LJ022-0139 with which we have been concerned for two years
+LJ022-0140 i can mention only a few of them tonight but i do not want my mention of specific measures
+LJ022-0141 to be interpreted as lack of interest in or disapproval of many other important proposals that are pending
+LJ022-0142 the national industrial recovery act expires on the sixteenth of june
+LJ022-0143 after careful consideration i have asked the congress to extend the life of this useful agency of government
+LJ022-0144 as we have proceeded with the administration of this act
+LJ022-0145 we have found from time to time more and more useful ways of promoting its purposes
+LJ022-0146 no reasonable person wants to abandon our present gains
+LJ022-0147 we must continue to protect children
+LJ022-0148 to enforce minimum wages to prevent excessive hours
+LJ022-0149 to safeguard define and enforce collective bargaining and while retaining fair competition
+LJ022-0150 to eliminate so far as humanly possible the kinds of unfair practices by selfish minorities which unfortunately
+LJ022-0151 did more than anything else to bring about the recent collapse of industries
+LJ022-0152 there is likewise pending before the congress
+LJ022-0153 legislation to provide for the elimination of unnecessary holding companies in the public utility field
+LJ022-0154 i consider this legislation a positive recovery measure
+LJ022-0155 power production in this country is virtually back to the nineteen twentynine peak
+LJ022-0156 the operating companies in the gas and electric utility field are by and large in good condition but
+LJ022-0157 under holding company domination the utility industry has long been hopelessly at war within itself and with public sentiment
+LJ022-0158 by far the greater part of the general decline in utility securities had occurred before i was inaugurated
+LJ022-0159 the absentee management of unnecessary holding company control
+LJ022-0160 has lost touch with and has lost the sympathy of the communities it pretends to serve
+LJ022-0161 even more significantly it has given the country as a whole an uneasy apprehension of overconcentrated economic power
+LJ022-0162 a business that loses the confidence of its customers and the goodwill of the public cannot long continue to be a good risk for the investor
+LJ022-0163 this legislation will serve the investor by ending the conditions which have caused that lack of confidence and goodwill
+LJ022-0164 it will put the public utility operating industry on a sound basis for the future
+LJ022-0165 both in its public relations and in its internal relations
+LJ022-0166 this legislation will not only in the long run result in providing lower electric and gas rates to the consumer
+LJ022-0167 but it will protect the actual value and earning power of properties now owned by thousands of investors
+LJ022-0168 who have little protection under the old laws against what used to be called frenzied finance
+LJ022-0169 it will not destroy values
+LJ022-0170 not only business recovery but the general economic recovery of the nation will be greatly stimulated by the enactment of legislation
+LJ022-0171 designed to improve the status of our transportation agencies
+LJ022-0172 there is need for legislation providing for the regulation of interstate transportation by buses and trucks
+LJ022-0173 for the regulation of transportation by water for the strengthening of our merchant marine and air transport
+LJ022-0174 for the strengthening of the interstate commerce commission to enable it to carry out a rounded conception of the national transportation system
+LJ022-0175 in which the benefits of private ownership are retained while the public stake in these important services is protected by the publics government
+LJ022-0176 finally the reestablishment of public confidence in the banks of the nation
+LJ022-0177 is one of the most hopeful results of our efforts as a nation to reestablish public confidence in private banking
+LJ022-0178 we all know that private banking actually exists by virtue of the permission of and regulation by the people as a whole
+LJ022-0179 speaking through their government
+LJ022-0180 wise public policy however requires not only that banking be safe
+LJ022-0181 but that its resources be most fully utilized in the economic life of the country
+LJ022-0182 to this end it was decided more than twenty years ago
+LJ022-0183 that the government should assume the responsibility of providing a means by which the credit of the nation might be controlled
+LJ022-0184 not by a few private banking institutions but by a body with public prestige and authority
+LJ022-0185 the answer to this demand was the federal reserve system
+LJ022-0186 twenty years of experience with this system have justified the efforts made to create it
+LJ022-0187 but these twenty years have shown by experience definite possibilities for improvement
+LJ022-0188 certain proposals made to amend the federal reserve act deserve prompt and favorable action by the congress
+LJ022-0189 they are a minimum of wise readjustments of our federal reserve system in the light of past experience and present needs
+LJ022-0190 these measures i have mentioned are in large part the program which under my constitutional duty i have recommended to the congress
+LJ022-0191 they are essential factors in a rounded program for national recovery
+LJ022-0192 they contemplate the enrichment of our national life
+LJ022-0193 by a sound and rational ordering of its various elements and wise provisions for the protection of the weak against the strong
+LJ022-0194 never since my inauguration in march nineteen thirtythree have i felt so unmistakably the atmosphere of recovery
+LJ022-0195 but it is more than the recovery of the material basis of our individual lives
+LJ022-0196 it is the recovery of confidence in our democratic processes and institutions
+LJ022-0197 we have survived all of the arduous burdens and the threatening dangers of a great economic calamity
+LJ022-0198 we have in the darkest moments of our national trials retained our faith in our own ability to master our destiny
+LJ022-0199 fear is vanishing and confidence is growing on every side
+LJ022-0200 renewed faith in the vast possibilities of human beings to improve their material and spiritual status
+LJ022-0201 through the instrumentality of the democratic form of government
+LJ022-0202 that faith is receiving its just reward
+LJ022-0203 for that we can be thankful to the god who watches over america
+LJ023-0001 the fireside chats of franklin delano roosevelt by franklin d roosevelt section nine
+LJ023-0002 march nine nineteen thirtyseven part one
+LJ023-0003 last thursday i described in detail certain economic problems which everyone admits now face the nation
+LJ023-0004 for the many messages which have come to me after that speech and which it is physically impossible to answer individually
+LJ023-0005 i take this means of saying thank you
+LJ023-0006 tonight sitting at my desk in the white house i make my first radio report to the people in my second term of office
+LJ023-0007 i am reminded of that evening in march four years ago when i made my first radio report to you
+LJ023-0008 we were then in the midst of the great banking crisis
+LJ023-0009 soon after with the authority of the congress
+LJ023-0010 we asked the nation to turn over all of its privately held gold dollar for dollar to the government of the united states
+LJ023-0011 todays recovery proves how right that policy was
+LJ023-0012 but when almost two years later it came before the supreme court its constitutionality was upheld only by a fivetofour vote
+LJ023-0013 the change of one vote would have thrown all the affairs of this great nation back into hopeless chaos
+LJ023-0014 in effect four justices ruled that the right under a private contract
+LJ023-0015 to exact a pound of flesh was more sacred than the main objectives of the constitution to establish an enduring nation
+LJ023-0016 in nineteen thirtythree you and i knew that we must never let our economic system get completely out of joint again
+LJ023-0017 that we could not afford to take the risk of another great depression
+LJ023-0018 we also became convinced that the only way to avoid a repetition of those dark days was to have a government with power to prevent
+LJ023-0019 and to cure the abuses and the inequalities which had thrown that system out of joint
+LJ023-0020 we then began a program of remedying those abuses and inequalities to give balance and stability to our economic system
+LJ023-0021 to make it bombproof against the causes of nineteen twentynine
+LJ023-0022 today we are only partway through that program
+LJ023-0023 and recovery is speeding up to a point where the dangers of nineteen twentynine are again becoming possible
+LJ023-0024 not this week or month perhaps but within a year or two
+LJ023-0025 national laws are needed to complete that program
+LJ023-0026 individual or local or state effort alone cannot protect us in nineteen thirtyseven any better than ten years ago
+LJ023-0027 it will take time and plenty of time to work out our remedies administratively even after legislation is passed
+LJ023-0028 to complete our program of protection in time therefore
+LJ023-0029 we cannot delay one moment in making certain that our national government has power to carry through
+LJ023-0030 four years ago action did not come until the eleventh hour
+LJ023-0031 it was almost too late
+LJ023-0032 if we learned anything from the depression
+LJ023-0033 we will not allow ourselves to run around in new circles of futile discussion and debate always postponing the day of decision
+LJ023-0034 the american people have learned from the depression
+LJ023-0035 for in the last three national elections
+LJ023-0036 an overwhelming majority of them voted a mandate that the congress and the president begin the task of providing that protection
+LJ023-0037 not after long years of debate but now
+LJ023-0038 the courts however have cast doubts on the ability of the elected congress to protect us against catastrophe
+LJ023-0039 by meeting squarely our modern social and economic conditions
+LJ023-0040 we are at a crisis in our ability to proceed with that protection
+LJ023-0041 it is a quiet crisis there are no lines of depositors outside closed banks
+LJ023-0042 but to the farsighted it is farreaching in its possibilities of injury to america
+LJ023-0043 i want to talk with you very simply about the need for present action in this crisis
+LJ023-0044 the need to meet the unanswered challenge of onethird of a nation illnourished illclad illhoused
+LJ023-0045 last thursday i described the american form of government as a three horse team provided by the constitution to the american people
+LJ023-0046 so that their field might be plowed
+LJ023-0047 the three horses are of course the three branches of government the congress the executive and the courts
+LJ023-0048 two of the horses are pulling in unison today the third is not
+LJ023-0049 those who have intimated that the president of the united states is trying to drive that team
+LJ023-0050 overlook the simple fact that the president as chief executive is himself one of the three horses
+LJ023-0051 it is the american people themselves who are in the drivers seat
+LJ023-0052 it is the american people themselves who want the furrow plowed
+LJ023-0053 it is the american people themselves who expect the third horse to pull in unison with the other two
+LJ023-0054 i hope that you have reread the constitution of the united states in these past few weeks
+LJ023-0055 like the bible it ought to be read again and again
+LJ023-0056 it is an easy document to understand when you remember that it was called into being
+LJ023-0057 because the articles of confederation under which the original thirteen states tried to operate after the revolution
+LJ023-0058 showed the need of a national government with power enough to handle national problems
+LJ023-0059 in its preamble the constitution states that it was intended to form a more perfect union and promote the general welfare
+LJ023-0060 and the powers given to the congress to carry out those purposes can be best described by saying
+LJ023-0061 that they were all the powers needed to meet each and every problem which then had a national character
+LJ023-0062 and which could not be met by merely local action
+LJ023-0063 but the framers went further
+LJ023-0064 having in mind that in succeeding generations many other problems then undreamed of would become national problems
+LJ023-0065 they gave to the congress the ample broad powers to levy taxes
+LJ023-0066 and provide for the common defense and general welfare of the united states
+LJ023-0067 that my friends is what i honestly believe
+LJ023-0068 to have been the clear and underlying purpose of the patriots who wrote a federal constitution to create a national government
+LJ023-0069 with national power intended as they said to form a more perfect union
+LJ023-0070 for ourselves and our posterity
+LJ023-0071 for nearly twenty years there was no conflict between the congress and the court
+LJ023-0072 congress passed a statute which in eighteen oh three the court said violated an express provision of the constitution
+LJ023-0073 the court claimed the power to declare it unconstitutional and did so declare it
+LJ023-0074 but a little later the court itself admitted
+LJ023-0075 that it was an extraordinary power to exercise and through mr justice washington laid down this limitation upon it
+LJ023-0076 it is but a decent respect due to the wisdom the integrity and the patriotism of the legislative body
+LJ023-0077 by which any law is passed
+LJ023-0078 to presume in favor of its validity until its violation of the constitution is proved beyond all reasonable doubt
+LJ023-0079 but since the rise of the modern movement for social and economic progress through legislation
+LJ023-0080 the court has more and more often and more and more boldly
+LJ023-0081 asserted a power to veto laws passed by the congress and state legislatures in complete disregard of this original limitation
+LJ023-0082 in the last four years the sound rule of giving statutes the benefit of all reasonable doubt has been cast aside
+LJ023-0083 the court has been acting not as a judicial body but as a policymaking body
+LJ023-0084 when the congress has sought to stabilize national agriculture to improve the conditions of labor
+LJ023-0085 to safeguard business against unfair competition
+LJ023-0086 to protect our national resources and in many other ways to serve our clearly national needs
+LJ023-0087 the majority of the court has been assuming the power to pass on the wisdom of these acts of the congress
+LJ023-0088 and to approve or disapprove the public policy written into these laws
+LJ023-0089 that is not only my accusation
+LJ023-0090 it is the accusation of most distinguished justices of the present supreme court
+LJ023-0091 i have not the time to quote to you all the language used by dissenting justices in many of these cases
+LJ023-0092 but in the case holding the railroad retirement act unconstitutional for instance
+LJ023-0093 chief justice hughes said in a dissenting opinion that the majority opinion was a departure from sound principles
+LJ023-0094 and placed an unwarranted limitation upon the commerce clause
+LJ023-0095 and three other justices agreed with him
+LJ023-0096 in the case of holding the aaa unconstitutional
+LJ023-0097 justice stone said of the majority opinion that it was a tortured construction of the constitution
+LJ023-0098 and two other justices agreed with him
+LJ023-0099 in the case holding the new york minimum wage law unconstitutional justice stone said
+LJ023-0100 that the majority were actually reading into the constitution their own personal economic predilections and that
+LJ023-0101 if the legislative power is not left free to choose the methods of solving the problems of poverty
+LJ023-0102 subsistence and health of large numbers in the community then
+LJ023-0103 government is to be rendered impotent
+LJ023-0104 and two other justices agreed with him
+LJ023-0105 in the face of these dissenting opinions there is no basis for the claim made by some members of the court
+LJ023-0106 that something in the constitution has compelled them regretfully to thwart the will of the people
+LJ023-0107 in the face of such dissenting opinions it is perfectly clear that as chief justice hughes has said
+LJ023-0108 we are under a constitution but the constitution is what the judges say it is
+LJ023-0109 the court in addition to the proper use of its judicial functions has improperly set itself up as a third house of the congress
+LJ023-0110 a superlegislature as one of the justices has called it
+LJ023-0111 reading into the constitution words and implications which are not there and which were never intended to be there
+LJ023-0112 we have therefore
+LJ023-0113 reached the point as a nation where we must take action to save the constitution from the court and the court from itself
+LJ023-0114 we must find a way to take an appeal from the supreme court to the constitution itself
+LJ023-0115 we want a supreme court which will do justice under the constitution not over it
+LJ023-0116 in our courts we want a government of laws and not of men
+LJ023-0117 i want as all americans want an independent judiciary as proposed by the framers of the constitution
+LJ023-0118 that means a supreme court that will enforce the constitution as written
+LJ023-0119 that will refuse to amend the constitution by the arbitrary exercise of judicial power amended by judicial sayso
+LJ023-0120 it does not mean a judiciary so independent that it can deny the existence of facts which are universally recognized
+LJ023-0121 how then could we proceed to perform the mandate given us
+LJ023-0122 it was said in last years democratic platform
+LJ023-0123 if these problems cannot be effectively solved within the constitution
+LJ023-0124 we shall seek such clarifying amendment as will assure the power to enact those laws
+LJ023-0125 adequately to regulate commerce protect public health and safety and safeguard economic security
+LJ023-0126 in other words we said we would seek an amendment only if every other possible means by legislation were to fail
+LJ023-0127 when i commenced to review the situation with the problem squarely before me
+LJ023-0128 i came by a process of elimination to the conclusion that short of amendments
+LJ023-0129 the only method which was clearly constitutional and would at the same time carry out other much needed reforms
+LJ023-0130 was to infuse new blood into all our courts
+LJ023-0131 we must have men worthy and equipped to carry out impartial justice
+LJ023-0132 but at the same time we must have judges who will bring to the courts a presentday sense of the constitution
+LJ023-0133 judges who will retain in the courts the judicial functions of a court
+LJ023-0134 and reject the legislative powers which the courts have today assumed
+LJ023-0135 in fortyfive out of the fortyeight states of the union judges are chosen not for life but for a period of years
+LJ023-0136 in many states judges must retire at the age of seventy
+LJ023-0137 congress has provided financial security
+LJ023-0138 by offering life pensions at full pay for federal judges on all courts who are willing to retire at seventy
+LJ023-0139 in the case of supreme court justices that pension is twenty thousand dollars a year
+LJ023-0140 but all federal judges once appointed
+LJ023-0141 can if they choose hold office for life no matter how old they may get to be
+LJ024-0001 the fireside chats of franklin delano roosevelt by franklin d roosevelt
+LJ024-0002 section ten march nine nineteen thirtyseven part two
+LJ024-0003 what is my proposal
+LJ024-0004 it is simply this whenever a judge or justice of any federal court
+LJ024-0005 has reached the age of seventy and does not avail himself of the opportunity to retire on a pension
+LJ024-0006 a new member shall be appointed by the president then in office
+LJ024-0007 with the approval as required by the constitution of the senate of the united states
+LJ024-0008 that plan has two chief purposes
+LJ024-0009 by bringing into the judicial system a steady and continuing stream of new and younger blood i hope first
+LJ024-0010 to make the administration of all federal justice speedier and therefore less costly
+LJ024-0011 secondly to bring to the decision of social and economic problems younger men who have had personal experience and contact
+LJ024-0012 with modern facts and circumstances under which average men have to live and work
+LJ024-0013 this plan will save our national constitution from hardening of the judicial arteries
+LJ024-0014 the number of judges to be appointed would depend wholly on the decision of present judges now over seventy
+LJ024-0015 or those who would subsequently reach the age of seventy
+LJ024-0016 if for instance any one of the six justices of the supreme court now over the age of seventy should retire as provided under the plan
+LJ024-0017 no additional place would be created
+LJ024-0018 consequently although there never can be more than fifteen there may be only fourteen or thirteen or twelve
+LJ024-0019 and there may be only nine
+LJ024-0020 there is nothing novel or radical about this idea
+LJ024-0021 it seeks to maintain the federal bench in full vigor
+LJ024-0022 it has been discussed and approved by many persons of high authority
+LJ024-0023 ever since a similar proposal passed the house of representatives in eighteen sixtynine
+LJ024-0024 why was the age fixed at seventy
+LJ024-0025 because the laws of many states the practice of the civil service the regulations of the army and navy
+LJ024-0026 and the rules of many of our universities and of almost every great private business enterprise
+LJ024-0027 commonly fix the retirement age at seventy years or less
+LJ024-0028 the statute would apply to all the courts in the federal system
+LJ024-0029 there is general approval so far as the lower federal courts are concerned
+LJ024-0030 the plan has met opposition only so far as the supreme court of the united states itself is concerned
+LJ024-0031 if such a plan is good for the lower courts it certainly ought to be equally good for the highest court from which there is no appeal
+LJ024-0032 those opposing this plan have sought to arouse prejudice and fear by crying that i am seeking to pack the supreme court
+LJ024-0033 and that a baneful precedent will be established
+LJ024-0034 what do they mean by the words packing the court
+LJ024-0035 let me answer this question with a bluntness that will end all honest misunderstanding of my purposes
+LJ024-0036 if by that phrase packing the court it is charged that i wish to place on the bench spineless puppets
+LJ024-0037 who would disregard the law and would decide specific cases as i wished them to be decided i make this answer
+LJ024-0038 that no president fit for his office would appoint
+LJ024-0039 and no senate of honorable men fit for their office would confirm that kind of appointees to the supreme court
+LJ024-0040 but if by that phrase the charge is made
+LJ024-0041 that i would appoint and the senate would confirm justices worthy to sit beside present members of the court
+LJ024-0042 who understand those modern conditions
+LJ024-0043 that i will appoint justices who will not undertake to override the judgment of the congress on legislative policy
+LJ024-0044 that i will appoint justices who will act as justices and not as legislators
+LJ024-0045 if the appointment of such justices can be called packing the courts
+LJ024-0046 then i say that i and with me the vast majority of the american people favor doing just that thing now
+LJ024-0047 is it a dangerous precedent for the congress to change the number of the justices the congress has always had and will have that power
+LJ024-0048 the number of justices has been changed several times before
+LJ024-0049 in the administration of john adams and thomas jefferson both signers of the declaration of independence
+LJ024-0050 andrew jackson abraham lincoln and ulysses s grant
+LJ024-0051 i suggest only the addition of justices to the bench
+LJ024-0052 in accordance with a clearly defined principle relating to a clearly defined age limit
+LJ024-0053 fundamentally if in the future america cannot trust the congress it elects to refrain from abuse of our constitutional usages
+LJ024-0054 democracy will have failed far beyond the importance to it of any king of precedent concerning the judiciary
+LJ024-0055 we think it so much in the public interest to maintain a vigorous judiciary
+LJ024-0056 that we encourage the retirement of elderly judges by offering them a life pension at full salary
+LJ024-0057 why then should we leave the fulfillment of this public policy to chance
+LJ024-0058 or make independent on upon the desire or prejudice of any individual justice
+LJ024-0059 it is the clear intention of our public policy to provide for a constant flow of new and younger blood into the judiciary
+LJ024-0060 normally every president appoints a large number of district and circuit court judges and a few members of the supreme court
+LJ024-0061 until my first term practically every president of the united states has appointed at least one member of the supreme court
+LJ024-0062 president taft appointed five members and named a chief justice
+LJ024-0063 president wilson three president harding four including a chief justice president coolidge one
+LJ024-0064 president hoover three including a chief justice
+LJ024-0065 such a succession of appointments should have provided a court wellbalanced as to age
+LJ024-0066 but chance and the disinclination of individuals to leave the supreme bench
+LJ024-0067 have now given us a court in which five justices will be over seventyfive years of age before next june
+LJ024-0068 and one over seventy
+LJ024-0069 thus a sound public policy has been defeated
+LJ024-0070 i now propose that we establish by law an assurance against any such illbalanced court in the future
+LJ024-0071 i propose that hereafter when a judge reaches the age of seventy
+LJ024-0072 a new and younger judge shall be added to the court automatically
+LJ024-0073 in this way i propose to enforce a sound public policy by law
+LJ024-0074 instead of leaving the composition of our federal courts including the highest
+LJ024-0075 to be determined by chance or the personal indecision of individuals
+LJ024-0076 if such a law as i propose is regarded as establishing a new precedent
+LJ024-0077 is it not a most desirable precedent
+LJ024-0078 like all lawyers like all americans i regret the necessity of this controversy
+LJ024-0079 but the welfare of the united states and indeed of the constitution itself is what we all must think about first
+LJ024-0080 our difficulty with the court today rises not from the court as an institution but from human beings within it
+LJ024-0081 but we cannot yield our constitutional destiny to the personal judgment of a few men who being fearful of the future
+LJ024-0082 would deny us the necessary means of dealing with the present
+LJ024-0083 this plan of mine is no attack on the court
+LJ024-0084 it seeks to restore the court to its rightful and historic place in our constitutional government
+LJ024-0085 and to have it resume its high task of building anew on the constitution a system of living law
+LJ024-0086 the court itself can best undo what the court has done
+LJ024-0087 i have thus explained to you the reasons that lie behind our efforts to secure results by legislation within the constitution
+LJ024-0088 i hope that thereby the difficult process of constitutional amendment may be rendered unnecessary but
+LJ024-0089 let us examine the process
+LJ024-0090 there are many types of amendment proposed
+LJ024-0091 each one is radically different from the other
+LJ024-0092 there is no substantial groups within the congress or outside it who are agreed on any single amendment
+LJ024-0093 it would take months or years to get substantial agreement upon the type and language of the amendment
+LJ024-0094 it would take months and years thereafter to get a twothirds majority in favor of that amendment in both houses of the congress
+LJ024-0095 then would come the long course of ratification by threefourths of all the states
+LJ024-0096 no amendment which any powerful economic interests or the leaders of any powerful political party have had reason to oppose
+LJ024-0097 has ever been ratified within anything like a reasonable time
+LJ024-0098 and thirteen states which contain only five percent of the voting population can block ratification
+LJ024-0099 even though the thirty five states with ninetyfive percent of the population are in favor of it
+LJ024-0100 a very large percentage of newspaper publishers chambers of commerce
+LJ024-0101 bar association manufacturers associations who are trying to give the impression that they really do want a constitutional amendment
+LJ024-0102 would be the first to exclaim as soon as an amendment was proposed
+LJ024-0103 oh i was for an amendment all right but this amendment you proposed is not the kind of amendment that i was thinking about
+LJ024-0104 i am therefore going to spend my time my efforts and my money
+LJ024-0105 to block the amendment although i would be awfully glad to help get some other kind of amendment ratified
+LJ024-0106 two groups oppose my plan on the ground that they favor a constitutional amendment
+LJ024-0107 the first includes those who fundamentally object to social and economic legislation along modern lines
+LJ024-0108 this is the same group who during the campaign last fall tried to block the mandate of the people
+LJ024-0109 now they are making a last stand
+LJ024-0110 and the strategy of that last stand is to suggest the timeconsuming process of amendment in order to kill off by delay
+LJ024-0111 the legislation demanded by the mandate
+LJ024-0112 to them i say i do not think you will be able long to fool the american people as to your purposes
+LJ024-0113 the other groups is composed of those who honestly believe the amendment process is the best
+LJ024-0114 and who would be willing to support a reasonable amendment if they could agree on one
+LJ024-0115 to them i say we cannot rely on an amendment as the immediate or only answer to our present difficulties
+LJ024-0116 when the time comes for action
+LJ024-0117 you will find that many of those who pretend to support you will sabotage any constructive amendment which is proposed
+LJ024-0118 look at these strange bedfellows of yours
+LJ024-0119 when before have you found them really at your side in your fights for progress
+LJ024-0120 and remember one thing more
+LJ024-0121 even if an amendment were passed and even if in the years to come it were to be ratified
+LJ024-0122 its meaning would depend upon the kind of justices who would be sitting on the supreme court bench
+LJ024-0123 an amendment like the rest of the constitution
+LJ024-0124 is what the justices say it is rather than what its framers or you might hope it is
+LJ024-0125 this proposal of mine will not infringe in the slightest upon the civil or religious liberties so dear to every american
+LJ024-0126 my record as governor and president proves my devotion to those liberties
+LJ024-0127 you who know me can have no fear that i would tolerate the destruction by any branch of government of any part of our heritage of freedom
+LJ024-0128 the present attempt by those opposed to progress to play upon the fears of danger to personal liberty
+LJ024-0129 brings again to mind that crude and cruel strategy tried by the same opposition
+LJ024-0130 to frighten the workers of america in a payenvelope propaganda against the social security law
+LJ024-0131 the workers were not fooled by that propaganda then the people of america will not be fooled by such propaganda now
+LJ024-0132 i am in favor of action through legislation
+LJ024-0133 first because i believe that it can be passed at this session of the congress
+LJ024-0134 second because it will provide a reinvigorated
+LJ024-0135 liberalminded judiciary necessary to furnish quicker and cheaper justice from bottom to top
+LJ024-0136 third because it will provide a series of federal courts willing to enforce the constitution as written
+LJ024-0137 and unwilling to assert legislative powers by writing into it their own political and economic policies
+LJ024-0138 during the past half century the balance of power between the three great branches of the federal government
+LJ024-0139 has been tipped out of balance by the courts in direct contradiction of the high purposes of the framers of the constitution
+LJ024-0140 it is my purpose to restore that balance
+LJ024-0141 you who know me will accept my solemn assurance that in a world in which democracy is under attack
+LJ024-0142 i seek to make american democracy succeed
+LJ024-0143 you and i will do our part
+LJ025-0001 the science history of the universe volume five
+LJ025-0002 edited by francis roltwheeler biology chapter seven organic functions part one
+LJ025-0003 the facts dealing with the physiology of organisms the activities associated with that which we call life
+LJ025-0004 are often designated organic functions
+LJ025-0005 the terms animal physiology plant physiology and human physiology are in common use and often suggest to the lay reader
+LJ025-0006 that the functions or workings of the organs of plants animals or man are quite distinct
+LJ025-0007 so much so as to require discussion in different treatises
+LJ025-0008 this is true only as a matter of detail
+LJ025-0009 for in the past fifty years it has been made evident that in general principles all living things are fundamentally similar
+LJ025-0010 one of the most important summaries of this similarity
+LJ025-0011 is huxleys famous essay the border territory between the animal and vegetable kingdoms written in eighteen seventysix
+LJ025-0012 extracts from which follow
+LJ025-0013 in the second edition of the regne animal published in eighteen twentyeight
+LJ025-0014 cuvier devotes a special section to the division of organized beings into animals and vegetables
+LJ025-0015 in which the question is treated with that comprehensiveness of knowledge and clear critical judgment which characterize his writings
+LJ025-0016 and justify biologists in regarding them as representative expressions of the most extensive if not the profoundest knowledge of his time
+LJ025-0017 he affirms that living beings have been subdivided from the earliest times into animated beings which possess sense and motion
+LJ025-0018 and inanimated beings which are devoid of these functions and simply vegetable
+LJ025-0019 although the roots of plants direct themselves toward moisture and their leaves toward air and light
+LJ025-0020 although the parts of some plants exhibit oscillating movements without any perceptible cause and the leaves of others retract when touched
+LJ025-0021 yet none of these movements justify the ascription to plants of perception of will
+LJ025-0022 from the mobility of animals cuvier with his characteristic partiality for teleological reasoning
+LJ025-0023 reduces the necessity of the existence in them of an alimentary cavity or reservoir of food
+LJ025-0024 whence their nutrition may be drawn by vessels which are a sort of internal roots and in the presence of this alimentary cavity
+LJ025-0025 he naturally sees the primary and the most important distinction between animals and plants
+LJ025-0026 following out his teleological argument cuvier remarks that the organization of this cavity
+LJ025-0027 and its appurtenances must needs vary according to the nature of the aliment and the operations which it has to undergo
+LJ025-0028 before it can be converted into substances fitted for absorption
+LJ025-0029 while the atmosphere and the earth supply plants with juices ready prepared and which can be absorbed immediately
+LJ025-0030 as the animal body required to be independent of heat and of the atmosphere
+LJ025-0031 there were no means by which the motion of its fluids could be produced by internal causes
+LJ025-0032 hence arose the second great distinctive character of animals or the circulatory system which is less important than the digestive
+LJ025-0033 since it was unnecessary and therefore is absent in the more simple animals
+LJ025-0034 animals further needed muscles for locomotion and nerves for sensibility
+LJ025-0035 hence says cuvier it was necessary that the chemical composition of the animal body should be more complicated than that of the plant
+LJ025-0036 and it is so inasmuch as an additional substance nitrogen enters into it as an essential element
+LJ025-0037 while in plants nitrogen is only accidentally joined with the three other fundamental constituents of organic beings
+LJ025-0038 carbon hydrogen and oxygen
+LJ025-0039 he afterward affirms that nitrogen is peculiar to animals and herein he places the third distinction between the animal and the plant
+LJ025-0040 the soil and the atmosphere supply plants with water composed of hydrogen and oxygen
+LJ025-0041 and carbonic acid containing carbon and oxygen
+LJ025-0042 they retain the hydrogen and the carbon exhale the superfluous oxygen and absorb little or no nitrogen
+LJ025-0043 the essential character of vegetable life is the exhalation of oxygen which is effected through the agency of light
+LJ025-0044 animals on the contrary derive their nourishment either directly or indirectly from plants
+LJ025-0045 they get rid of the superfluous hydrogen and carbon and accumulate nitrogen
+LJ025-0046 the relations of plants and animals to the atmosphere are therefore inverse
+LJ025-0047 the plant withdraws water and carbonic acid from the atmosphere the animal contributes both to it
+LJ025-0048 respiration that is the absorption of oxygen and the exhalation of carbonic acid
+LJ025-0049 is the specially animal function of animals and constitutes their fourth distinctive character
+LJ025-0050 thus wrote cuvier in eighteen twentyeight
+LJ025-0051 but in the fourth and fifth decades of this century
+LJ025-0052 the greatest and most rapid revolution which biological science has ever undergone was effected by the application of the modern microscope
+LJ025-0053 to the investigation of organic structure
+LJ025-0054 by the introduction of exact and easily manageable methods of conducting the chemical analysis of organic compounds and finally
+LJ025-0055 by the employment of instruments of precision for the measurement of the physical forces which are at work in the living economy
+LJ025-0056 that the semifluid contents which we now term protoplasm of the cells of certain plants
+LJ025-0057 such as the charae are in constant and regular motion was made out by bonaventura corti a century ago
+LJ025-0058 but the fact important as it was fell into oblivion and had to be rediscovered by treviranus in eighteen oh seven
+LJ025-0059 robert brown noted the more complex motions of the protoplasm in the cells of tradescantia in eighteen thirtyone
+LJ025-0060 and now such movements of the living substance of plants are well known to be some of the most widely prevalent phenomena of vegetable life
+LJ025-0061 agardh and other of the botanists of cuviers generation who occupied themselves with the lower plants had observed that
+LJ025-0062 under particular circumstances the contents of the cells of certain waterweeds were set free and moved about with considerable velocity
+LJ025-0063 and with all the appearances of spontaneity as locomotive bodies
+LJ025-0064 which from their similarity to animals of simple organization were called zoospores
+LJ025-0065 even as late as eighteen fortyfive however a botanist of schleidens eminence dealt very skeptically with these statements
+LJ025-0066 and his skepticism was the more justified since ehrenberg in his elaborate and comprehensive work on the infusoria
+LJ025-0067 had declared the greater number of what are now recognized as locomotive plants to be animals
+LJ025-0068 at the present day writes huxley
+LJ025-0069 innumerable plants and free plant cells are known to pass the whole or part of their lives in an actively locomotive condition
+LJ025-0070 in nowise distinguishable from that of one of the simpler animals and
+LJ025-0071 while in this condition their movements are to all appearances as spontaneous as much the product of volition as those of such animals
+LJ025-0072 hence the teleological argument for cuviers first diagnostic character
+LJ025-0073 the presence in animals of an alimentary cavity or internal pocket in which they can carry about their nutriment
+LJ025-0074 has broken down so far at least as his mode of stating it goes and
+LJ025-0075 with the advance of microscopic anatomy the universality of the fact itself among animals has ceased to be predicable
+LJ025-0076 many animals of even complex structure which live parasitically within others are wholly devoid of an alimentary cavity
+LJ025-0077 their food is provided for them
+LJ025-0078 not only ready cooked but ready digested and the alimentary canal become superfluous has disappeared and again
+LJ025-0079 the males of most rotifers have no digestive apparatus
+LJ025-0080 finally amid the lowest forms of animal life the speck of gelatinous protoplasm which constitutes the whole body
+LJ025-0081 has no permanent digestive cavity or mouth but takes in its food anywhere and digests so to speak all over its body
+LJ025-0082 but although cuviers leading diagnosis of the animal from the plant will not stand a strict test
+LJ025-0083 it remains one of the most constant of the distinctive characters of animals
+LJ025-0084 and if we substitute for the possession of an alimentary cavity the power of taking solid nutriment into the body and there digesting it
+LJ025-0085 the definition so changed will cover all animals except certain parasites
+LJ025-0086 and the few and exceptional cases of nonparasitic animals which do not feed at all
+LJ025-0087 on the other hand the definition thus amended will exclude all ordinary vegetable organisms
+LJ025-0088 cuvier himself practically gives up his second distinctive mark when he admits that it is wanting in the simpler animals
+LJ025-0089 the third distinction is based on a completely erroneous conception of the chemical differences
+LJ025-0090 and resemblances between the constituents of animal and vegetable organisms for which cuvier is not responsible
+LJ025-0091 as it was current among contemporary chemists
+LJ025-0092 it is now established that nitrogen is as essential a constituent of vegetable as of animal living matter
+LJ025-0093 and that the latter is chemically speaking just as complicated as the former
+LJ025-0094 starchy substances cellulose and sugar
+LJ025-0095 once supposed to be exclusively confined to plants are now known to be regular and normal products of animals
+LJ025-0096 amylaceous and saccharine substances are largely manufactured even by the highest animals
+LJ025-0097 cellulose is widespread as a constituent of the skeletons of the lower animals
+LJ025-0098 and it is probable that amyloid substances are universally present in the animal organism though not in the precise form of starch
+LJ025-0099 moreover although it remains true that there is an inverse relation between the green plant in sunshine and the animal
+LJ025-0100 in so far as under these circumstances the green plant
+LJ025-0101 decomposes carbonic acid and exhales oxygen while the animal absorbs oxygen and exhales carbonic acid
+LJ025-0102 yet the exact researches of the modern chemical investigators of the physiological processes of plants have clearly demonstrated the fallacy
+LJ025-0103 of attempting to draw any general distinction between animals and vegetables on this ground in fact the difference vanishes with the sunshine
+LJ025-0104 even in the case of the green plant which in the dark absorbs oxygen and gives out carbonic acid like any animal
+LJ025-0105 on the other hand those plants such as the fungi
+LJ025-0106 which contain no chlorophyll and are not green are always so far as respiration is concerned in the exact position of animals
+LJ025-0107 they absorb oxygen and give out carbonic acid
+LJ025-0108 thus by the progress of knowledge cuviers fourth distinction between the animal and the plant
+LJ025-0109 has been as completely invalidated as the third and second and even the first can be retained only in a modified form
+LJ025-0110 and subject to exceptions
+LJ025-0111 but has the advance of biology simply tended to break down old distinctions without establishing new ones
+LJ025-0112 with a qualification to be considered presently the answer to this question is undoubtedly in the affirmative
+LJ025-0113 the famous researches of schwann and schleiden in eighteen thirtyseven and the following years
+LJ025-0114 founded the modern science of histology or that branch of anatomy which deals with the ultimate visible structure of organisms as revealed by the microscope
+LJ025-0115 and from that day to this the rapid improvement of methods of investigation and the energy of a host of accurate observers
+LJ025-0116 have given greater and greater breadth and firmness to schwanns great generalization
+LJ025-0117 that a fundamental unity of structure obtains in animals and plants
+LJ025-0118 and that however diverse may be the fabrics or tissues of which their bodies are composed all these varied structures result
+LJ025-0119 from the metamorphosis of morphological units termed cells in a more general sense than that in which the word cells was at first employed
+LJ025-0120 which are not only similar in animals and in plants respectively
+LJ025-0121 but present a close resemblance when those of animals and those of plants are compared together
+LJ025-0122 the contractility which is the fundamental condition of locomotion continues huxley
+LJ025-0123 has not only been discovered to exist far more widely among plants than was formerly imagined
+LJ025-0124 but in the plants the act of contraction has been found to be accompanied
+LJ025-0125 as dr burdon sandersons interesting investigations have shown by a disturbance of the electrical state of the contractile substance
+LJ025-0126 comparable to that which was found by du bois reymond to be a concomitant of the activity of ordinary muscle in animals again
+LJ025-0127 i know of no test by which the reaction of the leaves of the sundew and of other plants to stimuli so fully and carefully studied by mr darwin
+LJ025-0128 can be distinguished from those acts of contraction following upon stimuli which are called reflex in animals
+LJ025-0129 on each lobe of the bilobed leaf of venus flytrap are three delicate filaments which stand out at right angles from the surface of the leaf
+LJ025-0130 touch one of them with the end of a fine human hair
+LJ025-0131 and the lobes of the leaf instantly close together in virtue of an act of contraction of part of their substance
+LJ025-0132 just as the body of a snail contracts into its shell when one of its horns is irritated
+LJ025-0133 the reflex action of the snail is the result of the presence of a nervous system in the animal
+LJ025-0134 a molecular change takes place in the nerve of the tentacle
+LJ025-0135 is propagated to the muscles by which the body is retracted and causing them to contract the act of retraction is brought about
+LJ025-0136 of course the similarity of the acts does not necessarily involve the conclusion that the mechanism by which they are effected is the same
+LJ025-0137 but it suggests a suspicion of their identity which needs careful testing
+LJ025-0138 the results of inquiries into the structure of the nervous system of animals
+LJ025-0139 converge toward the conclusion that the nerve fibers which have been regarded as ultimate elements of nervous tissue
+LJ025-0140 are not such but are simply the visible aggregations of vastly more attenuated filaments
+LJ025-0141 the diameter of which dwindles down to the limits of our present microscopic vision
+LJ025-0142 greatly as these have been extended by modern improvements of the microscope and that a nerve is in its essence
+LJ025-0143 nothing but a linear tract of specially modified protoplasm between two points of an organism
+LJ025-0144 one of which is able to affect the other by means of the communication so established
+LJ025-0145 hence it is conceivable that even the simplest living being may possess a nervous system
+LJ025-0146 and the question whether plants are provided with a nervous system or not thus acquires a new aspect and presents the histologist and physiologist
+LJ025-0147 with a problem of extreme difficulty which must be attacked from a new point of view and by the aid of methods which have yet to be invented
+LJ025-0148 thus it must be admitted he says again that plants may be contractile and locomotive
+LJ025-0149 that while locomotive their movements may have as much appearance of spontaneity as those of the lowest animals
+LJ025-0150 and that many exhibit actions comparable to those which are brought about by the agency of a nervous system in animals
+LJ025-0151 and it must be allowed to be possible that further research may reveal the existence of something comparable to a nervous system in plants
+LJ025-0152 so that i know not where we can hope to find any absolute distinction between animals and plants unless we return to their mode of nutrition
+LJ025-0153 and inquire whether certain differences of a more occult character than those imagined to exist by cuvier
+LJ025-0154 and which certainly hold good for the vast majority of animals and plants are of universal application
+LJ025-0155 a bean may be supplied with water in which salts of ammonia and certain other mineral salts are dissolved in due proportion
+LJ025-0156 with atmospheric air containing its ordinary minute dose of carbonic acid and with nothing else but sunlight and heat
+LJ025-0157 under these circumstances unnatural as they are with proper management the bean will thrust forth its radicle and its plumule
+LJ025-0158 the former will grow down into roots the latter grow up into the stem and leaves of a vigorous beanplant
+LJ025-0159 and this plant will in due time flower and produce its crop of beans just as if it were grown in the garden or in the field
+LJ025-0160 the weight of the nitrogenous protein compounds
+LJ025-0161 of the oily starchy saccharine and woody substances contained in the fullgrown plant and its seeds
+LJ025-0162 will be vastly greater than the weight of the same substances contained in the bean from which it sprang
+LJ025-0163 but nothing has been supplied to the bean save water carbonic acid ammonia potash lime
+LJ025-0164 iron and the like in combination with phosphoric sulphuric and other acids
+LJ025-0165 neither protein nor fat nor starch nor sugar nor any substance in the slightest degree resembling them has formed part of the food of the bean
+LJ025-0166 but the weights of the carbon hydrogen oxygen nitrogen phosphorus sulfur and other elementary bodies contained in the beanplant
+LJ025-0167 and in the seeds which it produces are exactly equivalent to the weights of the same elements which have disappeared from the materials supplied to the bean during its growth
+LJ025-0168 whence it follows that the bean has taken in only the raw materials of its fabric and has manufactured them into beanstuffs
+LJ025-0169 the bean has been able to perform this great chemical feat by the help of its green coloring matter or chlorophyll
+LJ025-0170 for it is only the green parts of the plant which under the influence of sunlight have the marvelous power of decomposing carbonic acid
+LJ025-0171 setting free the oxygen and laying hold of the carbon which it contains
+LJ025-0172 in fact the bean obtains two of the absolutely indispensable elements of its substance from two distinct sources
+LJ025-0173 the watery solution in which its roots are plunged contains nitrogen but no carbon
+LJ025-0174 the air to which the leaves are exposed contains carbon
+LJ025-0175 but its nitrogen is in the state of a free gas in which condition the bean can make no use of it
+LJ025-0176 and the chlorophyll is the apparatus by which the carbon is extracted from the atmospheric carbonic acid the leaves being the chief laboratories
+LJ026-0001 the science history of the universe volume five edited by francis roltwheeler biology chapter eight
+LJ026-0002 life processes part one
+LJ026-0003 nutrition thus as has been pointed out makes it possible to classify most organisms as animals or plants
+LJ026-0004 yet there are many unicellular forms in which both kinds of nutrition go on at the same time
+LJ026-0005 that is the forms may possess a mouth for the ingestion of solid food and green coloring matter chlorophyll
+LJ026-0006 for the manufacture of starchy food from gaseous matter
+LJ026-0007 many of the lowest forms of life have long been puzzles
+LJ026-0008 and the beginner in biological study is surprised to find them described in textbooks of both botany and zoology
+LJ026-0009 the fact is that they are on the border line are neither plants nor animals but simply organisms
+LJ026-0010 since they cannot be classified it is necessary that they be listed both under botany and zoology in order to make sure that they will not be omitted entirely
+LJ026-0011 because of these uncertain forms of life
+LJ026-0012 haeckel proposed once to include all onecelled animals and plants in a third kingdom to be called protista meaning the first of all life
+LJ026-0013 parkers definition of animals and plants
+LJ026-0014 based on the foregoing considerations is convenient for distinguishing between animals and plants in all cases except the doubtful unicellar forms
+LJ026-0015 he says animals are organisms of fixed and definite form in which the cellbody is not covered with a cellulose wall
+LJ026-0016 they ingest solid proteinaceous food
+LJ026-0017 their nutritive processes result in oxidation they have a definite organ of excretion and are capable of automatic movement
+LJ026-0018 plants are organisms of constantly varying form in which the cell body is surrounded by a cellulose wall
+LJ026-0019 they cannot ingest solid food but are nourished by a watery solution of nutrient materials
+LJ026-0020 if chlorophyll is present the carbon dioxide of the air serves as a source of carbon
+LJ026-0021 nitrogen is obtained from simple salts and the nutritive processes result in deoxidation
+LJ026-0022 if chlorophyll is absent carbon is obtained from sugar or some similar compound
+LJ026-0023 nitrogen either from simple salts or from proteids and the process of nutrition is one of oxidation
+LJ026-0024 there is no special excretory organ and except in the case of certain reproductive bodies there is usually no locomotion
+LJ026-0025 the important point to recognize is that these boundaries are artificial and that there are no scientific frontiers in nature
+LJ026-0026 as in the liquefaction of gases there is a critical point at which the substance under experiment is neither gaseous nor liquid
+LJ026-0027 as in a mountainous country it is impossible to say where mountain ends and valley begins as in the development of an animal
+LJ026-0028 it is futile to argue about the exact period when for instance the egg becomes a tadpole or the tadpole a frog
+LJ026-0029 so in the case under discussion
+LJ026-0030 the distinction between the higher plants and animals is perfectly sharp and obvious
+LJ026-0031 but when the two groups are traced downward they are found gradually to merge
+LJ026-0032 as it were into an assemblage of organisms which partake of the characters of both kingdoms and cannot without a certain violence
+LJ026-0033 be either included in or excluded from either
+LJ026-0034 when any given protist has to be classified the case must be decided on its individual merits
+LJ026-0035 the organism must be compared in detail with all those which resemble it closely in structure physiology and life history
+LJ026-0036 and then a balance must be struck and the doubtful form placed in the kingdom with which it has on the whole most points in common
+LJ026-0037 it will no doubt occur to the reader that on the theory of evolution
+LJ026-0038 the fact of the animal and vegetable kingdoms being related to one another like two trees united at the roots may be accounted for by the hypothesis that
+LJ026-0039 the earliest organisms were protists and that from them animals and plants were evolved along divergent lines of descent
+LJ026-0040 and in this connection the fact that some bacteria the simplest organisms known and devoid of chlorophyll
+LJ026-0041 may flourish in solutions wholly devoid of organic matter is very significant
+LJ026-0042 the lower plants and animals referred to above are so far from everyday observation
+LJ026-0043 and hence so unfamiliar that to most people the comparison made will mean little in terms of ordinary green flowering plants and common vertebrate animals
+LJ026-0044 in order to emphasize the fundamental similarity of organic function in higher and lower animals and plants let us compare any higher plant
+LJ026-0045 eg a bean plant with a higher animal eg frog or even man
+LJ026-0046 in each the life is the sum total of a series of definite processes nutrition or food supply
+LJ026-0047 circulation metabolism excretion oxygenation part of respiration
+LJ026-0048 movement irritability nervous activity and reproduction
+LJ026-0049 in turn these will be compared for the animal and the plant
+LJ026-0050 following in part the comparisons of certain animals and plants by sedgwick and wilson and others
+LJ026-0051 these comparisons will however be translated into terms applicable to any species of higher plants or animals
+LJ026-0052 in the nutrition of the animal the most essential and characteristic part of the food supply is derived from vegetable
+LJ026-0053 or animal matter in the form of various organic compounds of which the most important are proteids protoplasm albumen etc
+LJ026-0054 carbohydrates starch cellulose and fats
+LJ026-0055 these materials are used by the animal in the manufacture of new protoplasm to take the place of that which has been used up
+LJ026-0056 it is however impossible for the animal to build these materials directly into the substance of its own body
+LJ026-0057 they must first undergo certain preparatory chemical changes known collectively as digestion
+LJ026-0058 and only after the completion of this process can all the food be absorbed into the circulation
+LJ026-0059 for this purpose the food is taken not into the body proper but into a kind of tubular chemical laboratory called the alimentary canal
+LJ026-0060 through which it slowly passes being subjected meanwhile to the action of certain chemical substances or reagents known as digestive ferments
+LJ026-0061 these substances which are dissolved in a watery liquid to form the digestive fluid are secreted by the walls of the alimentary tube
+LJ026-0062 through their action the solid portions are liquefied and the food is rendered capable of absorption into the body proper
+LJ026-0063 the food supply of the higher plant like that of the animal is the source of the required matter and energy
+LJ026-0064 but unlike that of the animal it is not chiefly an income of foods but only of the raw materials of food
+LJ026-0065 matter enters the plant in the liquid or gaseous form by diffusion
+LJ026-0066 both from the soil through the roots liquids and from the atmosphere through the leaves gases
+LJ026-0067 we have here the direct absorption into the body proper of foodstuffs precisely as the animal takes in water and oxygen
+LJ026-0068 energy enters the plant to a small extent
+LJ026-0069 as the potential energy of foodstuffs but comes in principally as the kinetic energy of sunlight absorbed in the leaves
+LJ026-0070 of the substances the solids salts etc must be dissolved in water before they can be taken in
+LJ026-0071 water and dissolved salts continually pass by diffusion from the soil into the roots where together they constitute the sap
+LJ026-0072 the sap travels throughout the whole plant the main though not the only cause of movement
+LJ026-0073 being the constant transpiration evaporation of watery vapor from the leaves especially through the stomata
+LJ026-0074 the gaseous matters carbon dioxide oxygen nitrogen enter the plant mainly by diffusion from the atmosphere
+LJ026-0075 are dissolved by the sap in the leaves and elsewhere and thus may pass to every portion of the plant
+LJ026-0076 the green plant owes its power of absorbing the energy of sunlight
+LJ026-0077 to the chlorophyll bodies or chromatophores for plants which like fungi etc are devoid of chlorophyll are unable thus to acquire energy
+LJ026-0078 entering the chlorophyll bodies the kinetic energy of sunlight is applied to the decomposition of carbon dioxide and water
+LJ026-0079 after passing through manifold but imperfectly known processes the elements of these substances finally reappear as starch
+LJ026-0080 often in the form of granules embedded in the chlorophyll bodies and free oxygen most of which is returned to the atmosphere
+LJ026-0081 thus the leaf of a green plant in the light is continually absorbing carbon dioxide and giving forth free oxygen
+LJ026-0082 carbon dioxide and water contain no potential energy since the affinities of their constituent elements are completely satisfied
+LJ026-0083 starch however contains potential energy since the molecule is relatively unstable
+LJ026-0084 ie capable of decomposition into simpler stabler molecules in which stronger affinities are satisfied
+LJ026-0085 and this is due to the fact that in the manufacture of starch in the chlorophyll bodies
+LJ026-0086 the kinetic energy of sunlight was expended in lifting the atoms into position of vantage thus endowing them with energy of position
+LJ026-0087 in this way some of the radiant and kinetic energy of the sun comes to be stored up as potential energy in the starch
+LJ026-0088 in short the green plant is able by cooperation with sunlight to use simple raw materials carbon dioxide water oxygen etc
+LJ026-0089 poor in energy or devoid of it and out of them to manufacture food ie complex compounds rich in available potential energy
+LJ026-0090 this power is possessed by green plants alone all other organisms being dependent for energy upon the potential energy of readymade food
+LJ026-0091 this must in the first instance be provided for them by green plants and hence without chlorophyllbearing plants
+LJ026-0092 animals and colorless plants as well apparently could not long exist
+LJ026-0093 the plant absorbs also a small amount of kinetic energy independently of the sunlight in the form of heat
+LJ026-0094 this however is probably not a source of vital energy but only contributes to the maintenance of the body temperature
+LJ026-0095 food starch thus produced in the green leaves of higher plants and the inorganic foods
+LJ026-0096 water nitrites or nitrates and various mineral substances in solution in water
+LJ026-0097 furnish the materials and energy required for the life and growth of the plant
+LJ026-0098 the circulatory system distributes these foods in animals foods prepared for absorption in the stomach and intestine by digestion
+LJ026-0099 are absorbed by the circulating liquids blood and lymph and transported to all cells of the animal body
+LJ026-0100 in the plant the inorganic matter in water from the soil are absorbed by the roots and carried up definite tubes in the woody part of the stem
+LJ026-0101 the causes of this ascent are not clear
+LJ026-0102 but root pressure due to osmosis capillary action and evaporation from the leaves are factors
+LJ026-0103 just as the solid food of animals must be digested in preparation for absorption
+LJ026-0104 so starch manufactured in the leaves must be digested dissolved before it can be transported
+LJ026-0105 this is done by diastase an enzyme of plant cells
+LJ026-0106 the change is from starch to a sugar capable of diffusion
+LJ026-0107 dissolved in water the sugar is transported down delicate tubes chiefly in the growing bark region of the stem
+LJ026-0108 it is clear that there are upward and downward currents of water containing food comparable to blood of an animal
+LJ026-0109 but no system of complete circulation as in the blood vessels of a higher animal
+LJ026-0110 however the result in distributed food is the same in the plant and in the animal
+LJ026-0111 in the cells the foods undergo metabolic changes
+LJ026-0112 in an animal the foods in the circulating liquids blood and lymph are selected and absorbed by the cells
+LJ026-0113 only proteid foods form new protoplasm
+LJ026-0114 and even of proteids only a limited amount seventyfive to one hundred grams a day for a man is built into new protoplasm
+LJ026-0115 the excess undergoes oxidation and forms nitrogen excretions
+LJ026-0116 the foods containing only the elements carbon hydrogen and oxygen fats and carbohydrates
+LJ026-0117 are directly oxidized to excretions and lacking nitrogen cannot serve for making new animal protoplasm
+LJ026-0118 fat and carbohydrate foods then never become living matter
+LJ026-0119 they may be stored especially as fat until needed for oxidation to supply energy
+LJ026-0120 the building up of the protoplasm from proteids is anabolism constructive metabolism
+LJ026-0121 the destruction of protoplasm excess proteids or the fat and carbohydrate foods is catabolism destructive metabolism
+LJ026-0122 catabolism is probably due to enzyme action but the final result is chiefly carbon dioxide and water
+LJ026-0123 which could be derived by the ordinary chemical evolution of protoplasm proteid sugar starch or fats
+LJ026-0124 in the plant starch as has been seen is first formed in the chlorophyllbodies
+LJ026-0125 but the formation of starch all important as it is is after all only the manufacture of food
+LJ026-0126 as a preliminary to the real processes of nutrition
+LJ026-0127 these processes must take place everywhere in ordinary protoplasm
+LJ026-0128 for it is here that oxidation occurs and the need for a renewal of matter and energy consequently arises
+LJ026-0129 sooner or later the starch grains are changed into a kind of sugar glucose which unlike starch dissolves in the sap
+LJ026-0130 and may thus be easily transported to all parts of the plant
+LJ026-0131 wherever there is need for new protoplasm whether to repair previous waste or to supply materials for growth
+LJ026-0132 after absorption into the cells the elements of the starch or glucose are by the living protoplasm in some unknown way
+LJ026-0133 combined with nitrogen and sulphur probably also with salts water etc to form proteid matter
+LJ026-0134 the particles of this newly formed compound are incorporated into the protoplasm
+LJ026-0135 if a larger quantity of starch is formed in the chlorophyll bodies than is immediately needed by the protoplasm for purposes of repair or growth
+LJ026-0136 it may be reconverted into starch after journeying as glucose through the plant
+LJ026-0137 and be laid down as reserve starch in the cells of root or stem or elsewhere
+LJ026-0138 apparently when this reserve supply is finally needed at any point in the plant it is again changed to glucose and transported thither
+LJ026-0139 it is probable that new leaves and new tissues generally are always formed in part from this reserve starch
+LJ026-0140 in the plant as in the animal metabolism must consist of anabolic and catabolic processes
+LJ026-0141 the construction in the cells of new proteid from the absorbed carbohydrate and the materials from the soil is true anabolism
+LJ026-0142 it is also clear that catabolism or oxidation for the liberation of energy occurs as in animals but this process is slower
+LJ026-0143 probably foods containing carbon hydrogen and oxygen are the sources of energy in the higher plants as in animals
+LJ026-0144 in both plants and animals simple waste substances result from the catabolic processes in the cells
+LJ026-0145 in the animal carbon dioxide water and nitrogen compounds are the chief excretions
+LJ026-0146 they are absorbed by the circulating liquids and carried to the eliminating organs lungs and kidneys chiefly for elimination
+LJ026-0147 in the higher plants the excretions are carbon dioxide which escapes through the epidermis of root stem and leaf and through the stomata
+LJ026-0148 water which is lost by evaporation especially from the leaf surface through the stomata
+LJ026-0149 excretions which are lost by osmosis through the roots and the accumulated but useless mineral substances which are eliminated by leaf fall
+LJ026-0150 in both animals and plants oxygen is essential to the catabolic part of metabolism
+LJ026-0151 hence oxygen must be supplied to the cells
+LJ026-0152 oxygenation is the term used to denote the oxygensupplying part of respiration
+LJ026-0153 the other part of respiration elimination of carbon dioxide has been treated under excretions
+LJ026-0154 in the animal oxygen is absorbed by the blood in excess by the hemoglobin of the red cells of the blood
+LJ026-0155 and later is absorbed from the blood and lymph by all the living cells
+LJ026-0156 in the plant also oxygen is absorbed through the epidermis and stomata from the air
+LJ026-0157 this process is however obscured during the day because of the oxygen freed in the manufacture of starch which goes on at that time
+LJ026-0158 probably this freed oxygen is used for the purpose of oxygenation but more is freed in the photosynthetic process than is needed for oxygenation
+LJ026-0159 and hence the excess oxygen is eliminated while starch manufacture is in process
+LJ026-0160 in comparing a higher animal and a green plant confusion must be avoided regarding the part played by oxygen and carbon dioxide in true respiration
+LJ026-0161 with the part played by the same substances in starch formation photosynthesis
+LJ026-0162 in nongreen plants like the indian pipe and mushrooms the breathing of oxygen and the excretion of carbon dioxide are as in the animal
+LJ026-0163 this is true also of green plants in darkness and even in the light of all parts of green plants except the chlorophyllbodies
+LJ026-0164 these constitute a sort of extra mechanism enabling green plants to make their own carbohydrate food
+LJ026-0165 imagine a higher animal with an attachment for turning the carbon dioxide and water excreted
+LJ026-0166 back to starch usable as food and the comparison of the green plant and the animal would be complete
+LJ027-0001 the science history of the universe volume five edited by francis roltwheeler
+LJ027-0002 biology chapter ten morphology and embryology part one
+LJ027-0003 the facts of biology which admit of adequate explanation only in connection with the theory of descent
+LJ027-0004 are grouped by romanes and other writers on organic evolution under the heads of morphology embryology classification
+LJ027-0005 paleontology distribution and domestication
+LJ027-0006 in all these lines the facts are drawn together by a strong thread of unity
+LJ027-0007 there are numberless similarities and correlations and surprising uniformities
+LJ027-0008 the great variety of life as exhibited in the countless species of plants and animals has been referred to and yet great as this variety is
+LJ027-0009 there are after all only a few types of structure among all animals and plants some three or four or eight or ten general modes of development
+LJ027-0010 and all the rest are modifications from these few types
+LJ027-0011 it is moreover true that all living forms are but series of modifications and extensions of one single plan of structure
+LJ027-0012 all have the same ultimate substance
+LJ027-0013 the mysterious semifluid network of protoplasm which is so far as is known the physical basis of all life
+LJ027-0014 and the equally mysterious nuclear substance or chromatin
+LJ027-0015 which in some fashion presides over all the movements of the protoplasm and is the physical basis of the phenomena of heredity
+LJ027-0016 the same laws of heredity variability and of response to outside stimulus hold in all parts of the organic world
+LJ027-0017 all organisms have the same need of reproduction
+LJ027-0018 all are forced to make concession after concession to their surroundings and in these concessions all progress in life consists
+LJ027-0019 and at last each organism or each alliance of organisms must come to the greatest concession of all which is called death
+LJ027-0020 the unity in life then is not less a fact than is lifes great diversity
+LJ027-0021 whatever emphasis is laid upon the diversity of life the essential unity of all organisms must not be forgotten
+LJ027-0022 an examination of the facts in each of the lines of evidence makes it clear
+LJ027-0023 that the only reasonable explanation for the existence of a fundamental unity in organic life
+LJ027-0024 is the theory of descent ie that similarities are due to blood relationship and that differences come from adaptive modifications
+LJ027-0025 the facts adduced from morphology being the result of researches into the structure of adult animals and plants
+LJ027-0026 lead to a preview of certain principles of adaptation necessary for their interpretation
+LJ027-0027 first it must be noted that some structures are not nonadaptive that is do not change to fit changed habits or conditions of life
+LJ027-0028 such structures or organs are most often found internally
+LJ027-0029 for illustration a change in the locomotive habit of a bird from that of flying to that of an ostrich
+LJ027-0030 is associated with an adaptive modification of locomotor structures legs and wings
+LJ027-0031 but not in any striking way is there change in the internal organs
+LJ027-0032 internal organs may persist unchanged and hence they offer good guides to classification
+LJ027-0033 on the other hand external structures are likely to undergo adaptation when habits or conditions of life change
+LJ027-0034 hence as jordan has said the inside of an animal tells the real history of its ancestry the outside tells us only where its ancestors have been
+LJ027-0035 in the second place it must be noted that adaptations to similar conditions may result in superficial resemblances
+LJ027-0036 for example there is a superficial resemblance between the wing of an insect and the wing of a bird
+LJ027-0037 both adaptations to an aerial environment
+LJ027-0038 between the heart of an insect and the heart of a vertebrate animal
+LJ027-0039 both adaptations for pumping blood
+LJ027-0040 between the fin of a fish and the paddle of a whale
+LJ027-0041 both adaptive swimming organs yet the resemblance in these cases does not go deeper than the surface it is one of function only
+LJ027-0042 all such cases of resemblance in function but not in detailed plan of structure are called analogies
+LJ027-0043 and mean nothing more than similarity of environment
+LJ027-0044 turning to more fundamental resemblances such as the wing of a bat and the wing of a bird
+LJ027-0045 careful study shows detailed internal as well as external similarities of structure such cases are homologies
+LJ027-0046 on the one hand then are found structures which are perfectly analogous and yet in no way homologous
+LJ027-0047 totally different structures are modified to perform the same functions
+LJ027-0048 on the other hand are found structures which are perfectly homologous and yet in no way analogous
+LJ027-0049 the structural elements remain but are profoundly modified to perform totally different functions
+LJ027-0050 homology thus means identity of structure which is the result of identity of parentage it is the stamp of heredity
+LJ027-0051 it means blood relationship
+LJ027-0052 these principles of homology are essential to a correct interpretation of the facts of morphology
+LJ027-0053 the most striking fact of similar structure among plants and among animals is the existence of a common general plan in any group
+LJ027-0054 since backboned animals are best known to most readers they may be taken as an illustration
+LJ027-0055 all vertebrate animals and none other says le conte have an internal jointed skeleton worked by muscles on the outside
+LJ027-0056 the relation of skeleton and muscle in arthropods is exactly the reverse
+LJ027-0057 in all vertebrates and in none other the axis of this skeleton is a jointed backbone vertebral column
+LJ027-0058 enclosing and protecting the nervous centers cerebrospinal axis
+LJ027-0059 these therefore may well be called backboned animals
+LJ027-0060 all vertebrates and none other have a number of their anterior vertebral joints enlarged and consolidated into a box to form the skull
+LJ027-0061 in order to enclose and protect a similar enlargement of the nervous center
+LJ027-0062 viz the brain and also usually but not always a number of posterior joints
+LJ027-0063 enlarged and consolidated to form the pelvis to serve as a firm support to the hindlimbs
+LJ027-0064 all vertebrates and none other have two cavities
+LJ027-0065 enclosed and protected by the skeleton viz the neural cavity above and the visceral or body cavity below the vertebral column
+LJ027-0066 all vertebrates with few exceptions and no other animals have two and only two pair of limbs
+LJ027-0067 the exceptions are of two kinds viz a some lowest fishes amphioxus and lampreys
+LJ027-0068 which probably represent the vertebrate condition before limbs were acquired
+LJ027-0069 and b degenerate forms like snakes and some lizards which have lost their limbs by disuse
+LJ027-0070 so much concerns the general plan of skeletal structures and is strongly suggestive of in fact it is inexplicable without common origin
+LJ027-0071 but much more remains which is not only suggestive but demonstrative of such origin
+LJ027-0072 by extensive comparison in the taxonomic and ontogenic series the whole vertebrate structure in all its details in different animals
+LJ027-0073 may be shown to be modifications one of another
+LJ027-0074 sometimes a piece is enlarged sometimes diminished or even becomes obsolete sometimes several pieces are consolidated into one
+LJ027-0075 but in spite of all these obscurations corresponding parts usually may be made out
+LJ027-0076 these remarkable similarities in the common general plan alone are convincing evidences of descent
+LJ027-0077 but attention may be called to a like similarity extending to the details of structure
+LJ027-0078 for example the wings of a bat a mammal a bird and a fossil flying reptile all show the same bones adaptively modified
+LJ027-0079 a series of either fore or hind limbs of a mammal with one toe horse
+LJ027-0080 two toes sheep four toes hog and five toes dog
+LJ027-0081 exhibit a remarkable series of homologies pointing to a fivetoed ancestor
+LJ027-0082 and any other series of organs of vertebrates would give the same evidence of fundamental resemblances homologies
+LJ027-0083 for such a series of facts the reader must be referred to special books like wiedersheims comparative anatomy of the vertebrates
+LJ027-0084 romaness darwin and after darwin and le contes evolution
+LJ027-0085 the existence of great similarities in vertebrate structure is not always fully recognized
+LJ027-0086 to the superficial observer the bodies of animals of different classes seem to differ fundamentally in plan
+LJ027-0087 to be entirely different machines made each for its own purposes at once out of hand
+LJ027-0088 extensive comparison on the contrary shows them to be the same although the essential identity is obscured by adaptive modifications
+LJ027-0089 the simplest in fact the only scientific explanation of the phenomena of vertebrate structure is the idea of a primal vertebrate
+LJ027-0090 modified more and more through successive generations by the necessities of different modes of life
+LJ027-0091 see then the difference between mans mode of working and natures
+LJ027-0092 a man having made a steamengine and desiring to use it for a different purpose from that for which it was first designed and used
+LJ027-0093 will nearly always be compelled to add new parts not contemplated in the original machine
+LJ027-0094 nature rarely makes new parts never if she can avoid it but on the contrary adapts an old part to the new function
+LJ027-0095 it is as if nature were not free to use any and every device to accomplish her end but were conditioned by her own plans of structure
+LJ027-0096 as indeed she must be according to the derivation theory
+LJ027-0097 thus in the fin of a fish the forepaw of a reptile or a mammal the wing of a bird and the arm and hand of a man
+LJ027-0098 is found the same part variously modified for many purposes
+LJ027-0099 another striking class of the facts of morphology which admit of scientific explanation only along the line of homology
+LJ027-0100 are the thousands of cases of rudimentary or vestigial structures to be found
+LJ027-0101 throughout both the animal and vegetable kingdoms dwarfed and useless representatives of organs are constantly met with
+LJ027-0102 which in other and allied kinds of animals and plants are of large size and functional utility
+LJ027-0103 thus for instance the unborn whale has rudimentary teeth
+LJ027-0104 which are never destined to cut the gums and throughout its life this animal retains in a similarly rudimentary condition
+LJ027-0105 a number of organs which never could have been of use to any kind of creature save a terrestrial quadruped
+LJ027-0106 other wellknown examples among vertebrates are vestiges of hind limbs in certain snakes reduced wings in the apteryx and ostriches
+LJ027-0107 rudiments of eyes in cave fishes hind limbs beneath the skin of whales the vermiform appendix in man
+LJ027-0108 as well as useless muscles to move the ears and the skin and also a very much reduced hairy covering over the surface of the body
+LJ027-0109 wiedersheim has recorded more than one hundred and eighty such structural reminiscences in man
+LJ027-0110 now rudimentary organs of this kind are of such frequent occurrence that almost every species of organism presents one or more of them
+LJ027-0111 usually indeed a considerable number
+LJ027-0112 how then are they to be accounted for
+LJ027-0113 of course the theory of descent with adaptive modification has a simple answer to supply
+LJ027-0114 namely that when from changed conditions of life an organ which was previously useful becomes useless
+LJ027-0115 it will be suffered to dwindle away in successive generations under the influence of certain natural causes
+LJ027-0116 on the other hand the theory of special creation can only maintain that these rudiments are formed for the sake of adhering to an ideal type
+LJ027-0117 now here again the former theory appears to be triumphant over the latter says romanes
+LJ027-0118 for without waiting to dispute the wisdom of making dwarfed and useless structures merely for the whimsical motive assigned
+LJ027-0119 surely if such a method were adopted in so many cases we should expect that in consistency it would be adopted in all cases
+LJ027-0120 this reasonable expectation however is far from being realized
+LJ027-0121 in numberless cases such as that of the forelimbs of serpents no vestige of a rudiment is present
+LJ027-0122 but the vacillating policy in the matter of rudiments does not end here for it is shown in a still more aggravated form
+LJ027-0123 where within the limits of the same natural group of organisms a rudiment is sometimes present and sometimes absent
+LJ027-0124 for instance although in nearly all the numerous species of snakes there are no vestiges of limbs
+LJ027-0125 in the python we find very tiny rudiments of the hindlimbs now
+LJ027-0126 is it a worthy conception of deity that
+LJ027-0127 while neglecting to maintain his unity of ideal in the case of nearly all the numerous species of snakes he should have added a tiny rudiment in the case of the python
+LJ027-0128 and even in that case should have maintained his ideal very inefficiently inasmuch as only two limbs instead of four are represented
+LJ027-0129 convincing as are the evidences of descent recorded in the structure of plants and animals
+LJ027-0130 these evidences have been in the past thirty years somewhat overshadowed by the far more surprising evidences
+LJ027-0131 of descent discovered in the development of plant and animal embryos
+LJ027-0132 a dozen volumes would be necessary
+LJ027-0133 to present the mass of embryological evidence but a few salient facts will illustrate the kind of evidence to be deduced from embryology
+LJ027-0134 most remarkable of all the principles which have been discovered by embryologists is the recapitulation doctrine
+LJ027-0135 which briefly stated is that individual development ontogeny recapitulates ancestral history phylogeny
+LJ027-0136 illustrations quoted from the works of romanes and le conte will make this principle clear
+LJ027-0137 it is an observable fact says romanes
+LJ027-0138 that there is often a close correspondence between developmental changes as revealed by any chronological series of fossils which may happen to have been preserved
+LJ027-0139 and developmental changes which may be observed during the life history of now existing individuals belonging to the same group of animals
+LJ027-0141 is closely reproduced in the lifehistory of existing deer or in other words
+LJ027-0142 the antlers of an existing deer furnish in their development a kind of resume or recapitulation of the successive phases
+LJ027-0143 whereby the primitive horn was gradually superseded by horns presenting a greater and greater number of prongs in successive species of extinct deer
+LJ027-0144 now it must be obvious
+LJ027-0145 that such a recapitulation in the life history of an existing animal of developmental changes successively distinctive of sundry allied
+LJ027-0146 though now extinct species speaks strongly in favor of evolution
+LJ027-0147 for as it is of the essence of this theory that new forms arise from older forms by way of hereditary descent
+LJ027-0148 we should antecedently expect if the theory is true
+LJ027-0149 that the phases of development presented by the individual organism would follow in their main outlines those phases of development
+LJ027-0150 through which their long line of ancestors had passed
+LJ027-0151 the only alternative view is that as species of deer
+LJ027-0152 for instance were separately created additional prongs were successively added to their antlers and yet that
+LJ027-0153 in order to be so added to successive species every individual deer belonging to later species was required to repeat in his own lifetime
+LJ027-0154 the process of successive additions which had previously taken place in a remote series of extinct species
+LJ027-0155 now i do not deny that this view is a possible view but i do deny that it is a probable one
+LJ027-0156 according to the evolutionary interpretation of such facts we can see a very good reason why the lifehistory of the individual
+LJ027-0157 is thus a condensed resume of the life history of its ancestral species
+LJ027-0158 but according to the opposite view no reason can be assigned why such should be the case
+LJ027-0159 it is well known likewise comments le conte
+LJ027-0160 that the embryo or larva of a frog or toad when first hatched is a legless tailswimming waterbreathing gillbreathing animal
+LJ027-0161 it is essentially a fish and would be so classed if it remained in this condition
+LJ027-0162 the fish retains permanently this form but the frog passes on
+LJ027-0163 next it forms first one pair and then another pair of legs and meanwhile it begins to breathe also by lungs
+LJ027-0164 at this stage it breathes equally by lungs and by gills ie both air and water
+LJ027-0165 now the lower forms of amphibians such as siredon menobranchus siren etc
+LJ027-0166 retain permanently this form and are therefore called perennibranchs but the frog still passes on
+LJ027-0167 then the gills gradually dry up as the lungs develop and they now breathe wholly by lungs but still retain the tail
+LJ027-0168 now this is the permanent mature condition of many amphibians
+LJ027-0169 such as the triton the salamander etc which are therefore called caducibranchs but the frog still passes on
+LJ027-0170 finally it loses the tail or rather its tail is absorbed and its material used in further development and it becomes a perfect frog
+LJ027-0171 the highest order anoura of this class thus then in ontogeny the fish goes no further than the fish stages
+LJ027-0172 the perennibranch passes through the fish stage to the perennibranch amphibian
+LJ027-0173 the caducibranch takes first the fish form then the perennibranch form and finally the caducibranch form but goes no further
+LJ027-0174 last the anoura takes first the fishform then that of the perennibranch then that of the caducibranch and finally becomes anoura
+LJ027-0175 now this is undoubtedly the order of succession of forms in geological times ie in the phylogenic series
+LJ027-0176 fishes first appeared in the devonian and upper silurian in very reptilian or rather amphibian forms
+LJ027-0177 then in the carboniferous fishes still continuing there appeared the lowest ie most fishlike forms of amphibians
+LJ027-0178 these were undoubtedly perennibranchs in the permian and triassic higher forms appeared which were certainly caducibranch
+LJ027-0179 finally only in the tertiary so far as we yet know do the highest form anoura appear
+LJ027-0180 the general similarity of the three series is complete
+LJ028-0001 the seven wonders of the ancient world by edgar j banks chapter two the walls of babylon
+LJ028-0002 in the old city of damascus you climb to the hump of a tall fleet dromedary
+LJ028-0003 with guides and guards about you you ride through the covered bazaars crowded with darkfaced arabs in strange costumes
+LJ028-0004 and along the narrow winding lane which was once called the street called straight
+LJ028-0005 leaving the city by the eastern gate and passing a small village or two
+LJ028-0006 you ascend the hill to the plateau and before you as far as the eye can reach stretches the great arabian desert
+LJ028-0007 with mingling fear and wonder at the mystery always lying beyond the desert horizon
+LJ028-0008 you tap gently with your heel upon the shoulder of the dromedary to urge her on
+LJ028-0009 at first paying little heed to you she hesitates and glances anxiously about the desert as if in search of an enemy
+LJ028-0010 now and then she reaches down to graze the thorny argool along the way
+LJ028-0011 as the taps upon her shoulder are repeated she stretches out her long neck and with long strides makes for the eastern horizon
+LJ028-0012 she realizes that she is bound on the long journey across the desert hour after hour she bears you over the hard monotonous plain
+LJ028-0013 the damascus mosques and their minarets sink beneath the western sky
+LJ028-0014 the desert about you shows no signs of life
+LJ028-0015 only a tall column of whirling sand rearing its head until it is lost in the blue above moves majestically along
+LJ028-0016 in the distance your eyes detect a beautiful lake with shores fringed with trees
+LJ028-0017 but soon the phantom lake vanishes while others still farther beyond appear and vanish in rapid succession
+LJ028-0018 like a great ball of fire the sun sinks in the west
+LJ028-0019 the stars come out one by one and shine brighter than elsewhere as if to light you on your way
+LJ028-0020 late at night the weary dromedary kneels and on the ground close beside her you lie down to sleep
+LJ028-0021 again long before the stars have been scattered by the morning sun you are on your way
+LJ028-0022 day after day you travel on scorched by the heat of noonday shivering in the chill winds of the night
+LJ028-0023 two weeks pass and at last you stand on the eastern edge of the plateau
+LJ028-0024 gazing down upon the great euphrates winding along the valley beneath
+LJ028-0025 you have crossed the arabian desert the first stage of the long journey to the walls of babylon
+LJ028-0026 here in the valley the water is sweet and the food abundant
+LJ028-0027 for ten days you follow down the river through little villages and black tent encampments among scenes of strange arab life which never lose their charm
+LJ028-0028 everywhere the valley is dotted with the mounds of buried cities carefully guarding the secrets of the centuries of long ago
+LJ028-0029 at last you see before you a mound rising like a mountain from the level plain
+LJ028-0030 your journey is at an end before you is babylon the gate of god as the old name means
+LJ028-0031 about you is all that remains of the second of the seven wonders of the world
+LJ028-0032 babylon even in the days of nebuchadnezzar was an old old city
+LJ028-0033 there is a hebrew tradition that it was the oldest of all cities but now we know that great empires flourished and passed away before babylon was built
+LJ028-0034 old king sargon i who may have lived as early as three thousand eight hundred bc
+LJ028-0035 seems to have been the first to mention babylon and one of his inscriptions seems to say that he built the city and gave it its name
+LJ028-0036 but in those very early days babylon was little more than a shrine surrounded with mud huts and date palms
+LJ028-0037 it was about twentytwo fifty bc when the great hammurabi made it his capital that it became the chief city of babylonia
+LJ028-0038 its history for the next fifteen hundred years or more is obscure
+LJ028-0039 we know the names of its kings and the records speak of long wars with the assyrians
+LJ028-0040 in the year six eightynine bc sinacherib king of nineveh captured babylon
+LJ028-0041 tore down its palaces and temples and walls and scraped even the foundations of the city into the river
+LJ028-0042 the place where the old city had stood for three thousand years again became a desert
+LJ028-0043 esarhaddon the son of sinacherib was the next king of nineveh
+LJ028-0044 he rebuilt babylon that in accordance with the ancient custom he might be crowned in the sacred city
+LJ028-0045 when esarhaddon died one of his sons samassumyukin was made king of babylon
+LJ028-0046 another son assurbanipal or the great sardanapalus of the greeks became the king of nineveh
+LJ028-0047 war broke out between the two brothers and again babylon was captured
+LJ028-0048 in six twentysix assurbanipal died
+LJ028-0049 and in that same year nabopolassar the father of the great nebuchadnezzar became the king of babylon
+LJ028-0050 the building of the babylon so famous in history began with nabopolassar
+LJ028-0051 he enlarged the old city erected temples and began the construction of its walls
+LJ028-0052 in six oh six nineveh the old enemy of babylon fell never to rise again
+LJ028-0053 the next year in six oh five nabopolassar died and nebuchadnezzar succeeded him to the throne
+LJ028-0054 he continued the building operations of his father until babylon became the greatest city of its age
+LJ028-0055 and surrounded it with walls the like of which no other city has ever seen
+LJ028-0056 nebuchadnezzar or nebuchadrezzar as his name should be spelled was the greatest character in babylonian history
+LJ028-0057 but about his name so many legends have grown that it is sometimes difficult to learn the facts of his life
+LJ028-0058 early he married amuhia a daughter of the medean king
+LJ028-0059 his military career began while he was still the crown prince and his father was on the throne
+LJ028-0060 in six oh five
+LJ028-0061 at the head of the babylonian army he defeated the egyptians in the famous battle of carchemish the old hittite capital
+LJ028-0062 and drove them from asia
+LJ028-0063 then syria and palestine were added to his future empire
+LJ028-0064 in five ninetyseven when he sent his army to jerusalem he won the hatred of the jews by taking jehoiakin the king captive
+LJ028-0065 eleven years later in five eightysix he destroyed the sacred hebrew city
+LJ028-0066 transported the jews to babylon and brought the hebrew kingdom to an end
+LJ028-0067 centuries afterward even to this day jewish mothers teach their children to hate his name
+LJ028-0068 they tell how he forced the exiles to carry heavy bags of sand across the desert to increase their burdens
+LJ028-0069 how he cast hebrew lads into a fiery furnace and into the lions den
+LJ028-0070 and how in punishment for all his wickedness he became a calf and for seven years grazed the grass in the fields about the city
+LJ028-0071 late in his life in five sixtyseven he invaded egypt
+LJ028-0072 during all his reign there was little peace in his great mixed turbulent empire
+LJ028-0073 the walls of the palaces of many of the assyrian kings were lined with great stone slabs engraved with reliefs and sometimes with the portrait of a king
+LJ028-0074 but in babylonia stone was difficult to obtain and sculptures were very rare
+LJ028-0075 therefore it was useless to hope that nebuchadnezzars portrait would be found on his palace walls
+LJ028-0076 however several decades ago an oriental appeared at the berlin museum
+LJ028-0077 offering for sale a small cameo engraved with a helmeted head of a greek type
+LJ028-0078 about the head was an inscription in greek characters saying that the face was that of nebuchadnezzar
+LJ028-0079 the museum authorities believed that the cameo was one of the many spurious objects which the eastern forgers were constantly sending to europe
+LJ028-0080 yet they took an impression of it and returned it to its owner
+LJ028-0081 years later when the archaeologists could readily distinguish the false from the true
+LJ028-0082 it was recognized that the cameo was genuine and that it bore the likeness of the great king
+LJ028-0083 unfortunately the little stone seal perhaps the only one to preserve for us his features appears to have been lost for ever
+LJ028-0084 its impression shows the face of a beardless young man intelligent and refined
+LJ028-0085 the eyes are suggestive of the semitic the nose is of the greek type
+LJ028-0086 the lips are thin the chin prominent the neck is that of a strong vigorous man
+LJ028-0087 such was the appearance of the builder of the walls of babylon
+LJ028-0088 religion and cruelty frequently go hand in hand and nebuchadnezzar was exceedingly religious
+LJ028-0089 though a great warrior it was not for his military deeds that he was best known
+LJ028-0090 he was fond of restoring the ruined temples of the old babylonian cities
+LJ028-0091 and most of the records which have come from his time speak chiefly of his deeds of piety
+LJ028-0092 read the introduction to any of his inscriptions of which the following is one and you will call him vain and proud
+LJ028-0093 but his scribe wrote it in the manner customary for the scribes of those days to write of their royal masters
+LJ028-0094 nebuchadnezzar king of babylon the exalted prince the favorite of marduk the lofty patesi
+LJ028-0095 the beloved of nabu the arbiter the possessor of wisdom who seeks out the path of their divinity
+LJ028-0096 who reverences their lordship the untiring governor who ponders daily concerning the maintenance of esagil and ezida
+LJ028-0097 and is continually anxious for the shrines of babylon and borsippa
+LJ028-0098 the wise the pious the maintainer of esagil and ezida
+LJ028-0099 the firstborn son of nabopolassar king of babylon am i
+LJ028-0100 however cruel and religiously intolerant nebuchadnezzar may have been he was undoubtedly the greatest builder the world has ever seen
+LJ028-0101 there is scarcely one of the thousands of ruin mounds in babylonia which does not contain bricks bearing his name
+LJ028-0102 there is scarcely a royal record from his reign which is not chiefly occupied with descriptions of his building operations
+LJ028-0103 he rebuilt scores of the ancient temples surrounded many cities with walls
+LJ028-0104 lined the shores of the rivers with embankments and spanned the rivers with bridges
+LJ028-0105 tradition says that to please his foreign wife from the mountainous country he built the famous hanging gardens but that may be only a tradition
+LJ028-0106 his palace in babylon was one of the worlds largest buildings but the walls with which he protected his palace and city were the wonder of the whole world
+LJ028-0107 the ancients never tired of describing them
+LJ028-0108 fortunately in several of his long inscriptions recently discovered in the babylonian mounds nebuchadnezzar speaks of the building of the walls
+LJ028-0109 in one of them he says
+LJ028-0110 i completed imgurbel and nimittibel the great walls of babylon the mighty city the city of his exalted power
+LJ028-0111 at the entrance of the great gates i erected strong bulls of bronze and terrible serpents standing upright
+LJ028-0112 my father did that which no previous king had done
+LJ028-0113 with mortar and bricks he built two moatwalls about the city
+LJ028-0114 and i with mortar and bricks built a third great moatwall and joined it and united it closely with the moatwalls of my father
+LJ028-0115 i laid its foundation deep to the water level
+LJ028-0116 i raised its summit mountain high i constructed a moatwall of burned bricks about the west wall of babylon
+LJ028-0117 my father built the moatwall of the arachtu canal securely with mortar and bricks
+LJ028-0118 he built well the quays along the opposite shore of the euphrates but he did not finish all his work
+LJ028-0119 but i his firstborn the beloved of his heart
+LJ028-0120 built the moatwalls of arachtu with mortar and bricks and joining them together with those of my father made them very solid
+LJ028-0121 a thing which no king before had ever done
+LJ028-0122 to the west of babylon at a greater distance from the outer wall i constructed an enclosing wall four thousand cubits in length about the city
+LJ028-0123 i dug its moat to the water level
+LJ028-0124 i walled up its side with mortar and burned bricks and i united it securely with the moatwalls of my father
+LJ028-0125 along its edge i built a great wall of mortar and burned bricks mountain high
+LJ028-0126 berossus a priest of the temple of bel at babylon writing about two fifty bc
+LJ028-0127 was living in the city while the walls were still standing though in a ruinous condition
+LJ028-0128 his brief description of them should not be omitted he says that nebuchadnezzar
+LJ028-0129 built three walls round about the inner city and three others about that which was the outer and this he did with burnt brick
+LJ028-0130 and after he had walled the city and adorned its gates he built another palace before his fathers palace but so that they joined to it
+LJ028-0131 to describe whose vast height and immense riches it would perhaps be too much for me to attempt
+LJ028-0132 yet as large and lofty as they were they were completed in fifteen days
+LJ028-0133 he also erected elevated places for walking of stone and made it resemble mountains and built it so that it might be planted with all sorts of trees
+LJ028-0134 he also erected what is called a pensile paradise
+LJ028-0136 of all the ancient descriptions of the famous walls and the city they protected that of herodotus is the fullest
+LJ028-0137 perhaps herodotus had never been in babylon
+LJ028-0138 perhaps the tales that travelers told him were exaggerated as travelers tales are likely to be
+LJ028-0139 yet he at least tried to be accurate he says
+LJ028-0140 the city stands on a broad plain and is an exact square a hundred and twenty furlongs in length each way
+LJ028-0141 so that the entire circuit is four hundred and eighty furlongs
+LJ028-0142 while such is its size in magnificence there is no other city that approaches to it
+LJ028-0143 it is surrounded in the first place by a broad and deep moat full of water behind which rises a wall
+LJ028-0144 fifty royal cubits in width and two hundred in height
+LJ028-0145 and here i may not omit to tell the use to which the mould dug out of the great moat was turned nor the manner wherein the wall was wrought
+LJ028-0146 as fast as they dug the moat the soil which they got from the cutting was made into bricks
+LJ028-0147 and when a sufficient number were completed they baked the bricks in kilns
+LJ028-0148 then they set to building and began by bricking the borders of the moat after which they proceeded to construct the wall itself
+LJ028-0149 using throughout for their cement hot bitumen and interposing a layer of wattled reeds at every thirtieth course of the bricks
+LJ028-0150 on the top along the edges of the wall they constructed buildings of a single chamber facing one another
+LJ028-0151 leaving between them room for a fourhorse chariot to turn
+LJ028-0152 in the circuit of the wall are a hundred gates all of brass with brazen lintels and sideposts
+LJ028-0153 the bitumen used in the work was brought to babylon from is a small stream which flows into the euphrates
+LJ028-0154 at the point where the city of the same name stands eight days journey from babylon
+LJ028-0155 lumps of bitumen are found in great abundance in this river
+LJ028-0156 the city is divided into two portions by the river which runs through the midst of it
+LJ028-0157 this river is the euphrates a broad deep swift stream which rises in armenia and empties itself into the erythraean sea
+LJ028-0158 the city wall is brought down on both sides to the edge of the stream
+LJ028-0159 thence from the corners of the wall there is carried along each bank of the river a fence of burned bricks
+LJ028-0160 the houses are mostly three and four stories high
+LJ028-0161 the streets all run in straight lines not only those parallel to the river but also the cross streets which lead down to the waterside
+LJ028-0162 at the river end of these cross streets are low gates in the fence that skirts the stream
+LJ028-0163 which are like the great gates in the outer wall of brass and open on the water
+LJ028-0164 the outer wall is the main defense of the city
+LJ028-0165 there is however a second inner wall of less thickness than the first but very little inferior to it in strength
+LJ028-0166 the center of each division of the town is occupied by a fortress
+LJ028-0167 in the one stood the palace of the kings surrounded by a wall of great strength and size
+LJ028-0168 in the other was the sacred precinct of jupiter belus
+LJ028-0169 a square enclosure two furlongs each way with gates of solid brass which was also remaining in my time
+LJ028-0170 in the middle of the precinct there was a tower of solid masonry a furlong in length and breadth
+LJ028-0171 upon which was raised a second tower and on that a third and so on up to eight
+LJ028-0172 the ascent to the top is on the outside by a path which winds round all the towers
+LJ028-0173 when one is about halfway up one finds a resting place and seats where persons are wont to sit sometimes on their way to the summit
+LJ028-0174 other ancient descriptions of the walls have been left us by ctesias of the fifth century bc and by strabo of the beginning of the christian era
+LJ028-0175 but they add little to our knowledge
+LJ028-0176 should we compare these ancient descriptions of the walls we should find them hopelessly conflicting
+LJ028-0177 however they teach us that in those early days when most cities were surrounded by enormous walls
+LJ028-0178 the walls of babylon were so long and wide and high that all who saw them were amazed
+LJ028-0179 it is only from their ruins that we may hope to obtain accurate information of the strongest fortifications in the ancient world
+LJ028-0180 in the year five sixtytwo after a long reign of fortythree years nebuchadnezzar died
+LJ028-0181 he was followed by three kings whose reigns were short
+LJ028-0182 and in five fiftyfive nabonidus the father of the biblical belshazzar came to the throne
+LJ028-0183 cyrus the king of persia was rising to power and after he had defeated the medes
+LJ028-0184 he extended his empire to the mediterranean and even to egypt
+LJ028-0185 perhaps babylon was so strongly fortified that at first he made no attempt to add it to his empire
+LJ028-0186 but when nabonidus joined with the king of egypt and with the wealthy croesus of lydia in an alliance against him
+LJ028-0187 cyrus decided that babylon must be taken
+LJ028-0188 in five thirtyeight the city fell and for a time it became the home of the persian king
+LJ028-0189 the fall of babylon with its lofty walls was a most important event in the history of the ancient world
+LJ028-0190 a great empire which had existed for more than three thousand years was brought to an end
+LJ028-0191 the old enemies of babylon rejoiced
+LJ028-0192 when the news came to the hebrews who were held there in exile they excitedly rushed about the streets crying babylon is fallen
+LJ028-0193 and to them came hope of returning to jerusalem
+LJ028-0194 but how did the mighty city fall how could cyrus take babylon whose walls were strong enough to resist any army
+LJ028-0195 it is a long story poets have sung it historians have written it prophets have preached it legends have gathered about it
+LJ028-0196 every child knows the story of the writing of the hand on the wall it was the night that babylon fell
+LJ028-0197 belshazzar the king he was really the kings son gave a feast to a thousand of his nobles
+LJ028-0198 in the great banquet hall of the palace when the guests were drinking from the golden cups and the revelry was at its highest
+LJ028-0199 there suddenly appeared upon the wall an armless hand
+LJ028-0200 high up where all might see it the armless hand wrote the kings fate
+LJ028-0201 thou art weighed in the balances and art found wanting
+LJ028-0202 in that night so the story ends belshazzar the chaldean king was slain
+LJ028-0203 less picturesque than this hebrew legend is the royal record of babylon which fortunately was inscribed upon a clay cylinder from the ruins of the city
+LJ028-0204 it refers to the death of the kings son possibly to belshazzar of the bible story
+LJ028-0205 in the month tammuz when cyrus fought the troops of akkad babylonia at opis on the river salsallat
+LJ028-0206 he subdued the people and wherever they collected he slew them
+LJ028-0207 on the fourteenth day sippar was taken without a battle
+LJ028-0208 nabonidus fled
+LJ028-0209 on the sixteenth day the troops of cyrus entered babylon without a battle
+LJ028-0210 nabonidus was taken prisoner in babylon on the third of marchesvan cyrus entered babylon and proclaimed peace to all the city
+LJ028-0211 he appointed gobrias governor of babylon
+LJ028-0212 on the night of the eleventh day gobrias killed the son of the king
+LJ028-0213 nor does the royal record of babylon contain the only contemporary account of the fall of the city
+LJ028-0214 for upon a barrelshaped cylinder of clay bearing a long inscription we have cyruss account of his capture of babylon extracts from it are as follows
+LJ028-0215 marduk the great lord looking with joy on his pious works and upright heart
+LJ028-0216 commanded him cyrus to go forth to his city babylon and he went by his side as a friend and companion
+LJ028-0217 his many troops whose number like the waters of the river could not be counted marched in full armor at his side
+LJ028-0218 without a skirmish or a battle he permitted them to enter babylon and sparing the city he delivered the king nabonidus to him
+LJ028-0219 all the people of babylon prostrated themselves before him and kissing his feet rejoiced in his sovereignty while happiness shone on their faces
+LJ028-0220 the inscription continues i am cyrus king of the world
+LJ028-0221 when i made my gracious entry into babylon with exceeding joy i took up my abode in the royal palace
+LJ028-0222 my many troops marched peacefully into babylon
+LJ028-0223 i gave heed to the needs of babylon and its cities and the servitude of the babylonians whatever was oppressive i removed from them
+LJ028-0224 i quieted their sighings and soothed their sorrows
+LJ028-0225 a much longer account of the capture of babylon by cyrus appears in the writings of herodotus
+LJ028-0226 though herodotus wrote nearly a hundred years after babylon fell his story seems to bear the stamp of truth
+LJ028-0227 he certainly mentions details which neither nabonidus nor cyrus would care to have appear in their royal records his story is as follows
+LJ028-0228 cyrus with the first approach of the ensuing spring marched forward against babylon
+LJ028-0229 the babylonians encamped without their walls awaited his coming
+LJ028-0230 a battle was fought at a short distance from the city in which the babylonians were defeated by the persian king
+LJ028-0231 whereupon they withdrew within their defenses
+LJ028-0232 here they shut themselves up and made light of his siege having laid in a store of provision for many years in preparation against this attack
+LJ028-0233 for when they saw cyrus conquering nation after nation they were convinced that he would never stop and their turn would come at last
+LJ028-0234 cyrus was now reduced to great perplexity as time went on and he made no progress against the place
+LJ028-0235 in this distress either someone made this suggestion to him or he bethought himself of a plan which he proceeded to put in execution
+LJ028-0236 he placed a portion of his army at the point where the river enters the city and another body at the back of the place where it issues forth
+LJ028-0237 with orders to march into the town by the bed of the stream as soon as the water became shallow enough
+LJ028-0238 he then himself drew off with the unwarlike portion of his host and made for the place where nitocris dug the basin for the river
+LJ028-0239 where he did exactly what she had done formerly he turned the euphrates by a canal into the basin which was then a marsh
+LJ028-0240 on which the river sank to such an extent that the natural bed of the stream became fordable
+LJ028-0241 hereupon the persians who had been left for the purpose at babylon by the river side
+LJ028-0242 entered the stream which had now sunk so as to reach about midway up a mans thigh and thus got into the town
+LJ028-0243 had the babylonians been apprised of what cyrus was about or had they noticed their danger they would never have allowed the persians to enter the city
+LJ028-0244 but would have destroyed them utterly for they would have made fast all the street gates which gave upon the river
+LJ028-0245 and mounting upon the walls along both sides of the stream would so have caught the enemy as it were in a trap
+LJ028-0246 but as it was the persians came upon them by surprise and so took the city
+LJ028-0247 owing to the vast size of the place the inhabitants of the central parts as the residents of babylon declare
+LJ028-0248 long after the outer portions of the town were taken knew nothing of what had chanced but as they were engaged in a festival
+LJ028-0249 continued dancing and reveling until they learned the capture but too certainly
+LJ028-0250 such then were the circumstances of the first taking of babylon
+LJ028-0251 when cyrus took babylon little or no force was employed
+LJ028-0252 only the kings son belshazzar was killed
+LJ028-0253 the city was spared the great walls were left standing the daily sacrifices were continued in the temples and cyrus made his home in the royal palace
+LJ028-0254 the people enjoying the greater freedom which cyrus permitted them were contented and life in babylon went on about as before
+LJ028-0255 in five twentynine cyrus died
+LJ028-0256 during the reigns of the two following persian kings babylon was slowly regaining its independence
+LJ028-0257 and in five twentyone nebuchadnezzar the third a native babylonian was placed on the throne
+LJ028-0258 then the babylonians secretly plotted to throw off the persian yoke
+LJ028-0259 that same year when darius hystaspes came to the persian throne the babylonians openly rebelled
+LJ028-0260 the following story from herodotus tells the results
+LJ028-0261 at last when the time came for rebelling openly they did as follows
+LJ028-0262 having first set apart their mothers each man chose besides out of his whole household one woman whomsoever he pleased
+LJ028-0263 these alone were allowed to live while all the rest were brought to one place and strangled
+LJ028-0264 the women chosen were kept to make bread for the men while the others were strangled that they might not consume the stores
+LJ028-0265 when tidings reached darius of what had happened
+LJ028-0266 he drew together all his power and began the war by marching straight upon babylon and laying siege to the place
+LJ028-0267 the babylonians however cared not a whit for his siege
+LJ028-0268 mounting upon the battlements that crowned their walls they insulted and jeered at darius and his mighty host
+LJ028-0269 one even shouted to them and said why sit ye there persians why do ye not go back to your homes till mules foal ye will not take our city
+LJ028-0270 this was said by a babylonian who thought that a mule would never foal
+LJ028-0271 now when a year and seven months had passed darius and his army were quite wearied out finding that they could not anyhow take the city
+LJ028-0272 all stratagems and all arts had been used and yet the king could not prevail
+LJ028-0273 not even when he tried the means by which cyrus had made himself master of the place
+LJ028-0274 the babylonians were ever upon the watch and he found no way of conquering them
+LJ028-0275 at last in the twentieth month
+LJ028-0276 a marvelous thing happened to zopyrus son of the megabyzus who was among the seven men that overthrew the magus
+LJ028-0277 one of his sumptermules gave birth to a foal
+LJ028-0278 zopyrus when they told him not thinking that it could be true went and saw the colt with his own eyes
+LJ028-0279 after which he commanded his servants to tell no one what had come to pass while he himself pondered the matter
+LJ028-0280 calling to mind then the words of the babylonian at the beginning of the siege
+LJ028-0281 till mules foal ye shall not take our city he thought as he reflected on this speech that babylon might now be taken
+LJ028-0282 for it seemed to him that there was a divine providence in the man having used the phrase and then his mule having foaled
+LJ028-0283 as soon therefore as he felt within himself that babylon was fated to be taken he went to darius and asked him if he set a very high value on its conquest
+LJ028-0284 when he found that darius did indeed value it highly he considered further with himself how he might make the deed his own and be the man to take babylon
+LJ028-0285 noble exploits in persia are ever highly honored and bring their authors to greatness
+LJ028-0286 he therefore reviewed all ways of bringing the city under
+LJ028-0287 but found none by which he could hope to prevail unless he maimed himself and then went over to the enemy
+LJ028-0288 to do this seeming to him a light matter he mutilated himself in a way that was utterly without remedy
+LJ028-0289 for he cut off his own nose and ears and then clipping his hair close and flogging himself with a scourge
+LJ028-0290 he came in this plight before darius
+LJ028-0291 wrath stirred within the king at the sight of a man of his lofty rank in such a condition
+LJ028-0292 leaping down from his throne he exclaimed aloud and asked zopyrus who it was that had disfigured him and what he had done to be so treated
+LJ028-0293 zopyrus answered there is not a man in the world but thou o king that could reduce me to such a plight
+LJ028-0294 no strangers hands have wrought this work on me but my own only
+LJ028-0295 i maimed myself because i could not endure that the assyrians should laugh at the persians wretched man said darius
+LJ028-0296 thou coverest the foulest deeds with the fairest possible name when thou sayest thy maiming is to help our siege forward
+LJ028-0297 how will thy disfigurement thou simpleton induce the enemy to yield one day sooner
+LJ028-0298 surely thou hadst gone out of thy mind when thou didst so misuse thyself
+LJ028-0299 had i told thee rejoined the other what i was bent on doing thou wouldst not have suffered it
+LJ028-0300 as it is i kept my own counsel and so accomplished my plans
+LJ028-0301 now therefore if there be no failure on thy part we shall take babylon
+LJ028-0302 i will desert to the enemy as i am and when i get into their city i will tell them that it is by thee that i have been thus treated
+LJ028-0303 i think they will believe my words and entrust me with a command of troops thou on thy part must wait
+LJ028-0304 till the tenth day after i am entered within the town and then place near to the gates of semiramis a detachment of thy army
+LJ028-0305 troops for whose loss thou wilt care little a thousand men
+LJ028-0306 wait after that seven days and post me another detachment two thousand strong at the nineveh gates
+LJ028-0307 then let twenty days pass and at the end of that time station near the chaldasan gates a body of four thousand
+LJ028-0308 let neither these nor the former troops be armed with any weapons but their swords those thou mayest leave them
+LJ028-0309 after the twenty days are over bid thy whole army attack the city on every side and put me two bodies of persians
+LJ028-0310 one at the belian the other at the cissian gates for i expect that on account of my successes
+LJ028-0311 the babylonians will entrust everything even the keys of their gates to me then it will be for me and my persians to do the rest
+LJ028-0312 having left these instructions zopyrus fled towards the gates of the town often looking back to give himself the air of a deserter
+LJ028-0313 the men upon the towers whose business it was to keep a lookout
+LJ028-0314 observing him hastened down and setting one of the gates slightly ajar questioned him who he was and on what errand he had come
+LJ028-0315 he replied that he was zopyrus and deserted to them from the persians
+LJ028-0316 then the doorkeepers when they heard this carried him at once before the magistrates
+LJ028-0317 introduced into their assembly he began to bewail his misfortunes telling them that
+LJ028-0318 darius had maltreated him in the way they could see only because he had given advice that the siege should be raised since there seemed no hope of taking the city
+LJ028-0319 and now he went on to say my coming to you babylonians
+LJ028-0320 will prove the greatest gain that you could possibly receive while to darius and the persians it will be the severest loss
+LJ028-0321 verily he by whom i have been so mutilated shall not escape unpunished and truly all the paths of his counsels are known to me
+LJ028-0322 thus did zopyrus speak
+LJ028-0323 the babylonians seeing a persian of such exalted rank in so grievous a plight his nose and ears cut off
+LJ028-0324 his body red with marks of scourging and with blood had no suspicion but that he spoke the truth and was really come to be their friend and helper
+LJ028-0325 they were ready therefore to grant him anything he asked
+LJ028-0326 and on his suing for a command they entrusted to him a body of troops with the help of which he proceeded to do as he had arranged with darius
+LJ028-0327 on the tenth day after his flight he led out his detachment and surrounding the thousand men
+LJ028-0328 whom darius according to agreement had sent first he fell upon them and slew them all
+LJ028-0329 then the babylonians seeing that his deeds were as brave as his words were beyond measure pleased and set no bounds to their trust
+LJ028-0330 and when the next period agreed on had elapsed again with a band of picked men he sallied forth and slaughtered the two thousand
+LJ028-0331 after this second exploit his praise was in all mouths
+LJ028-0332 once more however he waited till the interval appointed had gone by and then leading the troops to the place where the four thousand were
+LJ028-0333 he put them also to the sword
+LJ028-0334 this last victory gave him the finishing stroke to his power and made him all in all with the babylonians
+LJ028-0335 accordingly they committed to him the command of their whole army and put the keys of their city into his hands
+LJ028-0336 darius now still keeping to the plan agreed upon
+LJ028-0337 attacked the walls on every side whereupon zopyrus played out the remainder of his stratagem
+LJ028-0338 while the babylonians crowding to the walls did their best to resist the persian assault
+LJ028-0339 he threw open the cissian and belian gates and admitted the enemy
+LJ028-0340 such of the babylonians as witnessed the treachery took refuge in the temple of jupiter belus
+LJ028-0341 the rest who did not see it kept at their posts till at last they too learned that they were betrayed
+LJ028-0342 thus was babylon taken for the second time
+LJ028-0343 darius having become master of the place destroyed the wall and tore down all the gates
+LJ028-0344 for cyrus had done neither the one nor the other when he took babylon
+LJ028-0345 he then chose out near three thousand of the leading citizens and caused them to be crucified while he allowed the remainder still to inhabit the city
+LJ028-0346 further wishing to prevent the race of the babylonians from becoming extinct
+LJ028-0347 he provided wives for them in the room of those whom as i explained before they strangled to save their stores
+LJ028-0348 these he levied from the nations bordering on babylonia
+LJ028-0349 who were each required to send so large a number to babylon that in all there were collected no fewer than fifty thousand
+LJ028-0350 it is from these women that the babylonians of our times are sprung
+LJ028-0351 as for zopyrus he was considered by darius to have surpassed in the greatness of his achievements all other persians
+LJ028-0352 whether of former or of later times except only cyrus with whom no person ever yet thought himself worthy to compare
+LJ028-0353 darius as the story goes would often say that he had rather zopyrus were unmaimed than be master of twenty more babylons
+LJ028-0354 and he honored zopyrus greatly year by year he presented him with all the gifts which are held in most esteem among the persians
+LJ028-0355 he gave him likewise the government of babylon for his life free from tribute and he also granted him many other favors
+LJ028-0356 how much truth there may be in this interesting tale of herodotus we may never know
+LJ028-0357 yet we may be sure that babylon was taken by darius only by use of stratagem its walls were impregnable
+LJ028-0358 cyrus had permitted them to stand and as long as he made babylon his home the city was as strongly protected as ever
+LJ028-0359 darius who besieged the rebellious city twice weakened it by destroying some of its walls
+LJ028-0360 during the reign of xerxes again the city rebelled and in four eightyfour bc he captured it and completely demolished its defenses
+LJ028-0361 yet babylon continued to live
+LJ028-0362 for history mentions the names of two of its later rulers the palace of nebuchadnezzar was occupied by alexander the great
+LJ028-0363 and there on june thirteen three twentythree bc he met his death
+LJ028-0364 the city then fell to seleucus
+LJ028-0365 one of alexanders generals who for a time made it his home but he was a greek and cared little for things babylonian
+LJ028-0366 therefore to destroy the power of the old capital he planned to build seleucia on the tigris about fifty miles to the east
+LJ028-0367 the priests of the temple of bel so a story tells us
+LJ028-0368 learned of his purpose and when they were consulted as to the most favorable time for beginning the work upon the new city
+LJ028-0369 they intentionally mentioned a most unfavorable hour
+LJ028-0370 the priests deception was unavailing and in two seventyfive bc the inhabitants of babylon were transported to seleucia
+LJ028-0371 then the world metropolis stripped of most of its population became a mere village
+LJ028-0372 the poor of the surrounding country occupied its dismantled palaces
+LJ028-0373 the hebrew exiles whose ancestors nebuchadnezzar had brought from jerusalem
+LJ028-0374 settled there and finally the place was abandoned to the arabs of the desert
+LJ028-0375 slowly the few remaining walls fell and were buried in their own ruins
+LJ028-0376 as the centuries passed the mounds into which the city had turned grew higher and higher with the ruins of the huts later built upon them
+LJ028-0377 until at last the foundations of the temples and palaces were buried fully a hundred feet beneath the surface
+LJ028-0378 even the shepherds ceased to graze their sheep there and the wandering arabs
+LJ028-0379 fearing the wild beasts and evil spirits which lurk among all old ruins refused to pitch their tents there
+LJ028-0380 the prophecy of the hebrew isaiah was fulfilled
+LJ028-0381 wild beasts of the desert shall lie there
+LJ028-0382 and their houses shall be full of doleful creatures and owls shall dwell there and satyrs shall dance there
+LJ028-0383 and the wild beasts of the islands shall cry in their desolate houses and dragons in their pleasant palaces
+LJ028-0384 so babylon was buried and forgotten
+LJ028-0385 it had become as dio cassius said mounds and legends and ruins
+LJ028-0386 but the walls of the old city had not yet served their full purpose
+LJ028-0387 the sassanian kings of persia were fond of hunting and babylon then overgrown with trees was their game preserve
+LJ028-0388 the old walls were restored to a height sufficient to prevent the escape of the animals and among the ruins the kings enjoyed their favorite sport
+LJ028-0389 st jerome said
+LJ028-0390 i was informed by a certain elamite brother who came from those regions and now leads the life of a monk at jerusalem
+LJ028-0391 that there is a royal hunting ground at babylon and that wild game of every kind is contained within the circuit of its walls
+LJ028-0392 the statement of st jerome is confirmed by the following passage from zosimus a greek writer of the fifth century ad
+LJ028-0393 as the emperor julian was marching forward through babylonia
+LJ028-0394 he passed other unimportant fortresses and came at last to a walled enclosure which the natives pointed out as a royal hunting ground
+LJ028-0395 it was a low rampart enclosing a wide space planted with trees of every sort in which all kinds of beasts were shut up
+LJ028-0396 they were supplied with food by keepers and gave the king the opportunity of hunting whenever he felt inclined
+LJ028-0397 when julian saw this he caused a large part of the wall to be overthrown and as the beasts escaped they were shot down by his soldiers
+LJ028-0398 the walls of babylon were destined to serve still another purpose
+LJ028-0399 the spread of mohammedanism caused new cities to be built and babylon was the quarry for their building material
+LJ028-0400 the walls of babylon were transformed into the sacred cities of kerbela and nejef
+LJ028-0401 in the eleventh century on the site of the southern part of babylon the city of hillah was built
+LJ028-0402 hillah might be called a child of babylon for it is almost entirely constructed with nebuchadnezzars bricks
+LJ028-0403 the walls of the houses are built of them
+LJ028-0404 the courtyards and streets are paved with them and as you walk about the city the name of nebuchadnezzar everywhere meets your eye
+LJ028-0405 many of the ten thousand people living in hillah still gain their livelihood by digging the bricks from the ruins to sell to the modern builders
+LJ028-0406 the great irrigating dams across the euphrates are constructed entirely of them
+LJ028-0407 the people of hillah too are a survival of babylonian times
+LJ028-0408 some are arabs of the same tribes which used to roam the desert in nebuchadnezzars days some are the children of the hebrew exiles of old
+LJ028-0409 some calling themselves christians are the descendants of babylonians perhaps of nebuchadnezzar himself
+LJ028-0410 there among the ruins they still live in the same kind of houses
+LJ028-0411 dressing the same eating the same food as did their ancestors when nebuchadnezzar built the walls of babylon
+LJ028-0412 among the first of the modern travelers to describe the ruins of babylon was anthony shirley an englishman who visited mesopotamia in fifteen ninetynine
+LJ028-0413 in his quaint way he says
+LJ028-0414 all the ground on which babylon was spread is left now desolate nothing standing in that peninsula between the euphrates and the tigris
+LJ028-0415 but only part and that a small part of the great tower which god hath suffered to stand
+LJ028-0416 if man may speak so confidently of his great impenetrable counsels for an eternal testimony of his great work in the confusion of mans pride
+LJ028-0417 and that arke of nebuchadnezzar for as perpetual a memory of his great idolatry and condigne punishment
+LJ028-0418 about that same time pietro della valle an italian visited babylon
+LJ028-0419 and digging from the wall an inscribed square brick bearing the name of nebuchadnezzar he took it to rome where it may still be seen
+LJ028-0420 that was the first object taken from babylon to europe
+LJ028-0421 it was the beginning of the great collections of babylonian antiquities in the museums of the western world
+LJ028-0422 among the later visitors to babylon was the great niebuhr
+LJ028-0423 in eighteen twelve james claudius rich the british resident at baghdad made the first complete examination of the ruins
+LJ028-0424 porter layard and rawlinson followed him but the real scientific exploration of babylon and its walls
+LJ028-0425 was begun by the deutsche orientgesellschaft in eighteen eightynine and continued till the summer of nineteen fifteen
+LJ028-0426 for fifteen years dr koldewey and his assistants with a force of two hundred native workmen have labored there winter and summer
+LJ028-0427 the enormous amount of debris which buried the palaces and temples and walls of nebuchadnezzars city in places to the depth of a hundred feet
+LJ028-0428 has been removed and the surrounding city walls have been traced
+LJ028-0429 the excavations have shown that babylon as the ancients told us was nearly square
+LJ028-0430 the euphrates flowed through it but the greater part of the city was on the eastern shore
+LJ028-0431 the city walls of which the ancients were so proud appear here and there like low ridges far out on the plain
+LJ028-0432 other parts of them have disappeared entirely
+LJ028-0433 in the northern part of the enclosure to the east of the river
+LJ028-0434 the large high mound which resembles a mountain from a distance still bears the ancient name babel
+LJ028-0435 arabs searching for bricks have burrowed their way down deep into it revealing massive walls and arches
+LJ028-0436 the germans maintain that it is the ruin of the tower of babel
+LJ028-0437 here it has been suggested were the famous hanging gardens which some ancient authors included among the seven wonders of the world
+LJ028-0438 however it is possible that the hanging gardens existed only in the imagination of the greek writers
+LJ028-0439 for none of the many building inscriptions from nebuchadnezzar mentions them
+LJ028-0440 possibly along the terraces of the walls or upon the stages of some lofty temple tower
+LJ028-0441 trees and overhanging vines were planted and thus the travelers tales arose
+LJ028-0442 at a distance of about two miles to the south of babel is the larger and lower mound called the kasr or the fortress
+LJ028-0443 because great masses of masonry used to project from its surface
+LJ028-0444 deep down in the mound the germans discovered the palace of nebuchadnezzar with its hundreds of small chambers and its huge surrounding walls
+LJ028-0445 the mound still farther south is called amran because upon its summit stands the tomb of a mohammedan saint of that name
+LJ028-0446 there lie the ruins of the famous temple of esagil sacred to marduk
+LJ028-0447 upon the little mound jumjuma farther on an arab village has long stood
+LJ028-0448 all of the ancient writers agree in saying that babylon was surrounded with both inner and outer walls and the ruins confirm their statements
+LJ028-0449 parts of the walls of nineveh are still standing to the height of one hundred and twentyfive feet
+LJ028-0450 but the walls of babylon have so long been used to supply bricks to the builders of the neighboring cities that only their bases remain
+LJ028-0451 in places even the bases have disappeared and their moats have long been filled with the drifting sand
+LJ028-0452 the outer wall bore the name of nimittibel its direction was northeast and southwest forming a triangle with the river
+LJ028-0453 the northeastern section may now be traced for a distance of less than three miles and the southwestern for more than a mile
+LJ028-0454 but both sections originally reached the river
+LJ028-0455 it seems that the circuit of the outer wall was about eleven miles
+LJ028-0456 the small portions of it which have been excavated suffice to show its construction
+LJ028-0457 the moat ten feet deep and of a width no longer known ran close to its base the wall was double
+LJ028-0458 its outer part was about twentyfour feet in thickness and its foundations as nebuchadnezzar said were carried down to the water level
+LJ028-0459 its bricks measuring about thirteen inches square and three inches in thickness were burned and stamped with the usual short inscription
+LJ028-0460 nebuchadnezzar king of babylon the restorer of the temples esagil and ezida
+LJ028-0461 the firstborn son of nabopolassar king of babylon
+LJ028-0462 they were laid in bitumen
+LJ028-0463 the inner part of the wall was constructed of unburned bricks and at a distance of about thirtysix feet from the outer part
+LJ028-0464 the intervening space which was filled with dirt probably to the upper inner edge of the outer part
+LJ028-0465 served as an elevated road where several chariots might have been driven abreast
+LJ028-0466 this inner part was about twentyfour feet wide and at intervals of about one hundred and forty feet it was surmounted with towers
+LJ028-0467 the entire width of the outer defense not including the moat was therefore about eightytwo feet
+LJ028-0468 its height was probably more than double its width but that may never be determined
+LJ028-0469 the inner wall of babylon was called imgurbel and like the outer wall it was double
+LJ028-0470 time has dealt even less kindly with it for it may be traced only for the distance of about a mile along its eastern side
+LJ028-0471 nebuchadnezzar says that he built it of burned bricks but only sundried bricks laid in mud now appear
+LJ028-0472 its outer part about twelve feet in width was protected with towers at intervals of sixtyfive feet
+LJ028-0473 a space of about twentythree feet separated it from its inner part which was about twenty feet in width
+LJ028-0474 it too was surmounted with towers
+LJ028-0475 no traces of its moat have appeared
+LJ028-0476 the entire width of this inner defense was about fiftyfive feet its height is uncertain
+LJ028-0477 to protect the sundried bricks of the inner wall from the winter rains
+LJ028-0478 there were drains of large burned bricks some of which bore the following long inscription
+LJ028-0479 nebuchadnezzar king of babylon
+LJ028-0480 the exalted prince the protector of esagil and ezida son of nabopolassar king of babylon am i
+LJ028-0481 nabopolassar the father my begetter built imgurbel the great wall of babylon
+LJ028-0482 but i the devout petitioner the worshipper of the gods built the moat and made its wall of burned brick and bitumen mountain high
+LJ028-0483 o marduk great god look joyfully upon the precious work of my hands be thou my protector
+LJ028-0484 grant me as a gift a life of distant days
+LJ028-0485 the outer and inner defenses of babylon were so strong and so high that no enemy could hope to take them
+LJ028-0486 yet the palace of nebuchadnezzar was protected by a third defense far stronger
+LJ028-0487 fortunately its walls have suffered less from the hands of the brick hunters and the german excavators have been able to reconstruct their plan
+LJ028-0488 they may best be described by means of the accompanying diagram representing a cross section
+LJ028-0489 had the enemy of babylon succeeded in breaking through the outer and inner defenses of the city the royal palace would have still been far from his reach
+LJ028-0490 he would have had to cross a deep moat to scale a wall of burned bricks about twenty feet in thickness and perhaps three times as high
+LJ028-0491 then a second wall still higher a third and fourth and a fifth each stronger and higher than the others
+LJ028-0492 and surmounted with towers and then finally a sixth wall
+LJ028-0493 whose summit reached into the sky as far perhaps as the tallest of the modern buildings
+LJ028-0494 between the several sections were wide spaces where foot soldiers and charioteers might fight
+LJ028-0495 it must have been an imposing sight to one standing without to have seen the walls one after another
+LJ028-0496 rising higher and higher like a great terraced turreted mountain
+LJ028-0497 we do not know their height for the statements of the ancient writers disagree
+LJ028-0498 herodotus says that it was three hundred and thirtyfive feet
+LJ028-0499 ctesias mentions three hundred feet probably they were not far from the truth
+LJ028-0500 the ruins reach the height of about forty feet
+LJ028-0501 nor were the walls about the palace a great mass of dull brick masonry
+LJ028-0502 the ishtar gateway leading to the palace was encased with beautiful blue glazed bricks
+LJ028-0503 and decorated here and there with large reliefs representing bulls and lions and dragons
+LJ028-0504 designed in colors of white and blue and yellow and black
+LJ028-0505 it seems that the bricks of the reliefs were molded and glazed separately and so accurately that when built into the wall they fitted perfectly
+LJ028-0506 a modern artist would have difficulty in doing such accurate work
+LJ028-0507 some of these decorations the most valuable objects found in the ruins of the great city still remain in their places on the walls
+LJ028-0508 others have been taken to the berlin museum
+LJ028-0509 nebuchadnezzar speaks of great bronze gates and of images of bronze but none have been discovered
+LJ028-0510 probably their metal was far too valuable for the enemy to leave behind
+LJ028-0511 should you walk along the shore of the euphrates at babylon you would still see the embankments which nebuchadnezzar constructed of bricks bearing his name
+LJ028-0512 but the river walls have disappeared and the buttresses of the bridges have been torn or washed away
+LJ028-0513 should you cross the river to search for the western inner wall you would find but a small fragment of it
+LJ028-0514 the great outer wall seems to have disappeared completely beneath the desert surface
+LJ028-0515 such were the walls of babylon
+LJ028-0516 the strongest the thickest the loftiest the most intricate perhaps the most beautiful that ever protected a city
+LJ028-0517 walls which no ancient army was ever able to take by storm
+LJ028-0518 it is not strange then that they were included among the seven wonders of the world
+LJ028-0519 or that the babylonian soldier stood confidently upon their summit and jeering at the persian army encamped below shouted
+LJ029-0001 report of the presidents commission on the assassination of president kennedy the warren commission report by the presidents commission on the assassination of president kennedy
+LJ029-0002 chapter two the assassination part one
+LJ029-0003 this chapter describes president kennedys trip to dallas from its origin through its tragic conclusion
+LJ029-0004 the narrative of these events is based largely on the recollections of the participants
+LJ029-0005 although in many instances documentary or other evidence has also been used by the commission
+LJ029-0006 beginning with the advance plans and secret service preparations for the trip
+LJ029-0007 this chapter reviews the motorcade through dallas the fleeting moments of the assassination
+LJ029-0008 the activities at parkland memorial hospital and the return of the presidential party to washington
+LJ029-0009 an evaluation of the procedures employed to safeguard the president with recommendations for improving these procedures appears in chapter eight of the report
+LJ029-0010 planning the texas trip
+LJ029-0011 president kennedys visit to texas in november nineteen sixtythree had been under consideration for almost a year before it occurred
+LJ029-0012 he had made only a few brief visits to the state since the nineteen sixty presidential campaign and in nineteen sixtytwo he began to consider a formal visit
+LJ029-0013 during nineteen sixtythree the reasons for making the trip became more persuasive
+LJ029-0014 as a political leader the president wished to resolve the factional controversy within the democratic party in texas before the election of nineteen sixtyfour
+LJ029-0015 the party itself saw an opportunity to raise funds by having the president speak at a political dinner eventually planned for austin
+LJ029-0016 as chief of state the president always welcomed the opportunity to learn firsthand about the problems which concerned the american people
+LJ029-0017 moreover he looked forward to the public appearances which he personally enjoyed the basic decision on the november trip to texas was made at a meeting of president kennedy
+LJ029-0018 vice president johnson and governor connally on june fifth nineteen sixtythree at the cortez hotel in el paso texas
+LJ029-0019 the president had spoken earlier that day at the air force academy in colorado springs colorado
+LJ029-0020 and had stopped in el paso to discuss the proposed visit and other matters with the vice president and the governor
+LJ029-0021 the three agreed that the president would come to texas in late november nineteen sixtythree
+LJ029-0022 the original plan called for the president to spend only one day in the state making whirlwind visits to dallas fort worth san antonio and houston
+LJ029-0023 in september the white house decided to permit further visits by the president and extended the trip to run from the afternoon of november twentyone
+LJ029-0024 through the evening of friday november twentytwo
+LJ029-0025 when governor connally called at the white house on october four to discuss the details of the visit
+LJ029-0026 it was agreed that the planning of events in texas would be left largely to the governor
+LJ029-0027 at the white house kenneth odonnell special assistant to the president acted as coordinator for the trip
+LJ029-0028 everyone agreed that if there was sufficient time a motorcade through downtown dallas would be the best way for the people to see their president
+LJ029-0029 when the trip was planned for only one day governor connally had opposed the motorcade because there was not enough time the governor stated however that quote
+LJ029-0030 once we got san antonio moved from friday to thursday afternoon where that was his initial stop in texas
+LJ029-0031 then we had the time and i withdrew my objections to a motorcade end quote
+LJ029-0032 according to odonnell quote we had a motorcade wherever we went end quote
+LJ029-0033 particularly in large cities where the purpose was to let the president be seen by as many people as possible
+LJ029-0034 in his experience quote it would be automatic end quote for the secret service to arrange a route which would within the time allotted
+LJ029-0035 bring the president quote through an area which exposes him to the greatest number of people end quote
+LJ029-0036 advance preparations for the dallas trip
+LJ029-0037 advance preparations for president kennedys visit to dallas were primarily the responsibility of two secret service agents
+LJ029-0038 special agent winston g lawson a member of the white house detail who acted as the advance agent and forrest v sorrels
+LJ029-0039 special agent in charge of the dallas office both agents were advised of the trip on november four
+LJ029-0040 lawson received a tentative schedule of the texas trip on november eight from roy h kellerman assistant special agent in charge of the white house detail
+LJ029-0041 who was the secret service official responsible for the entire texas journey
+LJ029-0042 as advance agent working closely with sorrels lawson had responsibility for arranging the timetable for the presidents visit to dallas
+LJ029-0043 and coordinating local activities with the white house staff the organizations directly concerned with the visit and local law enforcement officials
+LJ029-0044 lawsons most important responsibilities were to take preventive action against anyone in dallas considered a threat to the president
+LJ029-0045 to select the luncheon site and motorcade route and to plan security measures for the luncheon and the motorcade
+LJ029-0046 preventive intelligence activities the protective research section prs of the secret service
+LJ029-0047 maintains records of people who have threatened the president or so conducted themselves as to be deemed a potential danger to him
+LJ029-0048 on november eight nineteen sixtythree
+LJ029-0049 after undertaking the responsibility for advance preparations for the visit to dallas agent lawson went to the prs offices in washington
+LJ029-0050 a check of the geographic indexes there revealed no listing for any individual deemed to be a potential danger to the president
+LJ029-0051 in the territory of the secret service regional office which includes dallas and fort worth
+LJ029-0052 to supplement the prs files the secret service depends largely on local police departments and local offices of other federal agencies
+LJ029-0053 which advise it of potential threats immediately before the visit of the president to their community
+LJ029-0054 upon his arrival in dallas on november twelve
+LJ029-0055 lawson conferred with the local police and the local office of the federal bureau of investigation about potential dangers to the president
+LJ029-0056 although there was no mention in prs files of the demonstration in dallas against ambassador adlai stevenson on october twentyfourth
+LJ029-0057 nineteen sixtythree lawson inquired about the incident and obtained through the local police photographs of some of the persons involved
+LJ029-0058 on november twentytwo a secret service agent stood at the entrance to the trade mart where the president was scheduled to speak with copies of these photographs
+LJ029-0059 dallas detectives in the lobby of the trade mart and in the luncheon area also had copies of these photographs
+LJ029-0060 a number of people who resembled some of those in the photographs were placed under surveillance at the trade mart
+LJ029-0061 the fbi office in dallas gave the local secret service representatives the name of a possibly dangerous individual in the dallas area who was investigated
+LJ029-0062 it also advised the secret service of the circulation on november twentyone of a handbill sharply critical of president kennedy
+LJ029-0063 discussed in chapter six of this report
+LJ029-0064 shortly before the dallas police had reported to the secret service that the handbill had appeared on the streets of dallas
+LJ029-0065 neither the dallas police nor the fbi had yet learned the source of the handbill
+LJ029-0066 no one else was identified to the secret service through local inquiry as potentially dangerous
+LJ029-0067 nor did prs develop any additional information between november twelve when lawson left washington and november twentytwo
+LJ029-0068 the adequacy of the intelligence system maintained by the secret service at the time of the assassination
+LJ029-0069 including a detailed description of the available data on lee harvey oswald and the reasons why his name had not been furnished to the secret service
+LJ029-0070 is discussed in chapter eight
+LJ029-0071 an important purpose of the presidents visit to dallas was to speak at a luncheon given by business and civic leaders
+LJ029-0072 the white house staff informed the secret service
+LJ029-0073 that the president would arrive and depart from dallas love field that a motorcade through the downtown area of dallas to the luncheon site should be arranged
+LJ029-0074 and that following the luncheon the president would return to the airport by the most direct route
+LJ029-0075 accordingly it was important to determine the luncheon site as quickly as possible so that security could be established at the site and the motorcade route selected
+LJ029-0076 on november four gerald a behn agent in charge of the white house detail asked sorrels to examine three potential sites for the luncheon
+LJ029-0077 one building market hall was unavailable for november twentytwo
+LJ029-0078 the second the womens building at the state fair grounds
+LJ029-0079 was a onestory building with few entrances and easy to make secure but it lacked necessary foodhandling facilities
+LJ029-0080 and had certain unattractive features including a low ceiling with exposed conduits and beams
+LJ029-0081 the third possibility the trade mart a handsome new building with all the necessary facilities presented security problems it had numerous entrances
+LJ029-0082 several tiers of balconies surrounding the central court where the luncheon would be held and several catwalks crossing the court at each level
+LJ029-0083 on november four sorrels told behn he believed security difficulties at the trade mart could be overcome by special precautions
+LJ029-0084 lawson also evaluated the security hazards at the trade mart on november thirteen
+LJ029-0085 kenneth odonnell made the final decision to hold the luncheon at the trade mart behn so notified lawson on november fourteen
+LJ029-0086 once the trade mart had been selected sorrels and lawson worked out detailed arrangements for security at the building
+LJ029-0087 in addition to the preventive measures already mentioned they provided for controlling access to the building closing off and policing areas around it
+LJ029-0088 securing the roof and insuring the presence of numerous police officers inside and around the building
+LJ029-0089 ultimately more than two hundred law enforcement officers mainly dallas police but including eight secret service agents
+LJ029-0090 were deployed in and around the trade mart
+LJ029-0091 the motorcade route
+LJ029-0092 on november eight when lawson was briefed on the itinerary for the trip to dallas
+LJ029-0093 he was told that fortyfive minutes had been allotted for a motorcade procession from love field to the luncheon site
+LJ029-0094 lawson was not specifically instructed to select the parade route but he understood that this was one of his functions
+LJ029-0095 even before the trade mart had been definitely selected lawson and sorrels began to consider the best motorcade route from love field to the trade mart
+LJ029-0096 on november fourteen lawson and sorrels attended a meeting at love field
+LJ029-0097 and on their return to dallas drove over the route which sorrels believed best suited for the proposed motorcade
+LJ029-0098 this route eventually selected for the motorcade from the airport to the trade mart measured ten miles and could be driven easily within the allotted fortyfive minutes
+LJ029-0099 from love field the route passed through a portion of suburban dallas
+LJ029-0100 through the downtown area along main street and then to the trade mart via stemmons freeway
+LJ029-0101 for the presidents return to love field following the luncheon the agents selected the most direct route which was approximately four miles
+LJ029-0102 after the selection of the trade mart as the luncheon site
+LJ029-0103 lawson and sorrels met with dallas chief of police jesse e curry assistant chief charles batchelor
+LJ029-0104 deputy chief n t fisher and several other command officers to discuss details of the motorcade and possible routes
+LJ029-0105 the route was further reviewed by lawson and sorrels with assistant chief batchelor and members of the local host committee on november fifteen
+LJ029-0106 the police officials agreed that the route recommended by sorrels was the proper one and did not express a belief that any other route might be better
+LJ029-0107 on november eighteen
+LJ029-0108 sorrels and lawson drove over the selected route with batchelor and other police officers verifying that it could be traversed within fortyfive minutes
+LJ029-0109 representatives of the local host committee and the white house staff were advised by the secret service of the actual route on the afternoon of november eighteen
+LJ029-0110 the route impressed the agents as a natural and desirable one
+LJ029-0111 sorrels who had participated in presidential protection assignments in dallas since a visit by president franklin d roosevelt
+LJ029-0112 in nineteen thirtysix as testified that the traditional parade route in dallas was along main street since the tall buildings along the street
+LJ029-0113 gave more people an opportunity to participate
+LJ029-0114 the route chosen from the airport to main street was the normal one except where harwood street was selected as the means of access to main street
+LJ029-0115 in preference to a short stretch of the central expressway which presented a minor safety hazard
+LJ029-0116 and could not accommodate spectators as conveniently as harwood street
+LJ029-0117 according to lawson the chosen route seemed to be the best
+LJ029-0118 it afforded us wide streets most of the way because of the buses that were in the motorcade
+LJ029-0119 it afforded us a chance to have alternative routes if something happened on the motorcade route it was the type of suburban area a good part of the way
+LJ029-0120 where the crowds would be able to be controlled for a great distance and we figured that the largest crowds would be downtown which they were
+LJ029-0121 and that the wide streets that we would use downtown would be of sufficient width to keep the public out of our way
+LJ029-0122 elm street parallel to main street and one block north
+LJ029-0123 was not used for the main portion of the downtown part of the motorcade because main street offered better vantage points for spectators
+LJ029-0124 to reach the trade mart from main street the agents decided to use the stemmons freeway route number seventyseven the most direct route
+LJ029-0125 the only practical way for westbound traffic on main street
+LJ029-0126 to reach the northbound lanes of the stemmons freeway is via elm street which route number seventyseven traffic is instructed to follow in this part of the city
+LJ029-0127 elm street was to be reached from main by turning right at houston
+LJ029-0128 going one block north and then turning left onto elm
+LJ029-0129 on this last portion of the journey only five minutes from the trade mart
+LJ029-0130 the presidents motorcade would pass the texas school book depository building on the northwest corner of houston and elm streets
+LJ029-0131 the building overlooks dealey plaza an attractively landscaped triangle of three acres
+LJ029-0132 from houston street which forms the base of the triangle three streets commerce main and elm
+LJ029-0133 trisect the plaza converging at the apex of the triangle to form a triple underpass beneath a multiple railroad bridge
+LJ029-0134 almost five hundred feet from houston street
+LJ029-0135 elm street the northernmost of the three after intersecting houston curves in a southwesterly arc
+LJ029-0136 through the underpass and leads into an access road
+LJ029-0137 which branches off to the right and is used by traffic going to the stemmons freeway and the dallasfort worth turnpike
+LJ029-0138 the elm street approach to the stemmons freeway is necessary
+LJ029-0139 in order to avoid the traffic hazards which would otherwise exist if right turns were permitted from both main and elm into the freeway
+LJ029-0140 to create this traffic pattern a concrete barrier between main and elm streets presents an obstacle to a right turn
+LJ029-0141 from main across elm to the access road to stemmons freeway and the dallasfort worth turnpike
+LJ029-0142 this concrete barrier extends far enough beyond the access road to make it impracticable for vehicles to turn right from main directly to the access road
+LJ029-0143 a sign located on this barrier instructs main street traffic not to make any turns
+LJ029-0144 in conformity with these arrangements traffic proceeding west on main is directed to turn right at houston
+LJ029-0145 in order to reach the dallasfort worth turnpike which has the same access road from elm street as does the stemmons freeway
+LJ029-0146 the planning for the motorcade also included advance preparations for security arrangements along the route
+LJ029-0147 sorrels and lawson reviewed the route in cooperation with assistant chief bachelor and other dallas police officials who took notes on the requirements
+LJ029-0148 for controlling the crowds and traffic watching the overpasses and providing motorcycle escort
+LJ029-0149 to control traffic arrangements were made for the deployment of foot patrolmen and motorcycle police at various positions along the route
+LJ029-0150 police were assigned to each overpass on the route and instructed to keep them clear of unauthorized persons
+LJ029-0151 no arrangements were made for police or building custodians
+LJ029-0152 to inspect buildings along the motorcade route since the secret service did not normally request or make such a check
+LJ029-0153 under standard procedures the responsibility for watching the windows of buildings was shared by local police stationed along the route
+LJ029-0154 and secret service agents riding in the motorcade
+LJ029-0155 as the date for the presidents visit approached
+LJ029-0156 the two dallas newspapers carried several reports of his motorcade route
+LJ029-0157 the selection of the trade mart as the possible site for the luncheon first appeared in the dallas timesherald on november fifteen nineteen sixtythree
+LJ029-0158 the following day the newspaper reported that the presidential party
+LJ029-0159 quote apparently will loop through the downtown area probably on main street en route from dallas love field end quote
+LJ029-0160 on its way to the trade mart on november nineteen the timesherald afternoon paper detailed the precise route
+LJ029-0161 from the airport the presidents party will proceed to mockingbird lane to lemmon and then to turtle creek turning south to cedar springs
+LJ029-0162 the motorcade will then pass through downtown on harwood
+LJ029-0163 and then west on main turning back to elm at houston and then out stemmons freeway to the trade mart
+LJ029-0164 also on november nineteen the morning news reported that the presidents motorcade would travel from love field along specified streets then
+LJ029-0165 harwood to main main to houston houston to elm elm under the triple underpass to stemmons freeway and on to the trade mart
+LJ029-0166 on november twenty a front page story reported that the streets on which the presidential motorcade would travel included main and stemmons freeway
+LJ029-0167 on the morning of the presidents arrival
+LJ029-0168 the morning news noted that the motorcade would travel through downtown dallas onto the stemmons freeway and reported that quote the motorcade will move slowly
+LJ029-0169 so that crowds can get a good view of president kennedy and his wife
+LJ029-0170 dallas before the visit
+LJ029-0171 the presidents intention to pay a visit to texas in the fall of nineteen sixtythree aroused interest throughout the state
+LJ029-0172 the two dallas newspapers provided their readers with a steady stream of information and speculation about the trip
+LJ029-0173 beginning on september thirteen when the timesherald announced in a front page article that president kennedy was planning a brief oneday tour of four texas cities
+LJ029-0174 dallas fort worth san antonio and houston
+LJ029-0175 both dallas papers cited white house sources on september twentysix as confirming the presidents intention to visit texas on november twentyone and twentytwo
+LJ029-0176 with dallas scheduled as one of the stops
+LJ029-0177 articles editorials and letters to the editor in the dallas morning news and the dallas timesherald after september thirteen
+LJ029-0178 reflected the feeling in the community toward the forthcoming presidential visit
+LJ029-0179 although there were critical editorials and letters to the editors the news stories reflected the desire of dallas officials to welcome the president with dignity and courtesy
+LJ029-0180 an editorial in the timesherald of september seventeen
+LJ029-0181 called on the people of dallas to be congenial hosts even though dallas didnt vote for mr kennedy in nineteen sixty
+LJ029-0182 may not endorse him in sixtyfour
+LJ029-0183 on october three the dallas morning news quoted us representative joe pools hope
+LJ029-0184 that president kennedy would receive a good welcome and would not face demonstrations like those encountered
+LJ029-0185 by vice president johnson during the nineteen sixty campaign
+LJ029-0186 increased concern about the presidents visit was aroused by the incident involving the us ambassador to the united nations adlai e stevenson
+LJ029-0187 on the evening of october twentyfour nineteen sixtythree after addressing a meeting in dallas
+LJ029-0188 stevenson was jeered jostled and spat upon by hostile demonstrators outside the dallas memorial auditorium theater
+LJ029-0189 the local national and international reaction to this incident evoked from dallas officials and newspapers strong condemnations of the demonstrators
+LJ029-0190 mayor earle cabell called on the city to redeem itself during president kennedys visit
+LJ029-0191 he asserted that dallas had shed its reputation of the twenties as the quote southwest hate capital of dixie end quote
+LJ029-0192 on october twentysix the press reported chief of police currys plans
+LJ029-0193 to call in one hundred extra offduty officers to help protect president kennedy
+LJ029-0194 any thought that the president might cancel his visit to dallas was ended
+LJ029-0195 when governor connally confirmed on november eight that the president would come to texas on november twentyone and twentytwo
+LJ029-0196 and that he would visit san antonio houston fort worth dallas and austin
+LJ029-0197 during november the dallas papers reported frequently on the plans for protecting the president stressing the thoroughness of the preparations
+LJ029-0198 they conveyed the pleas of dallas leaders that citizens not demonstrate or create disturbances during the presidents visit
+LJ029-0199 on november eighteen the dallas city council adopted a new city ordinance prohibiting interference with attendance at lawful assemblies
+LJ029-0200 two days before the presidents arrival chief curry warned that the dallas police would not permit improper conduct during the presidents visit
+LJ029-0201 meanwhile on november seventeen
+LJ029-0202 the president of the dallas chamber of commerce referred to the citys reputation for being the friendliest town in america and asserted that citizens would quote
+LJ029-0203 greet the president of the united states with the warmth and pride that keep the dallas spirit famous the world over end quote
+LJ029-0204 two days later a local republican leader called for a civilized nonpartisan welcome
+LJ029-0205 for president kennedy stating that in many respects dallas county has isolated itself from the main stream of life in the world in this decade
+LJ029-0206 another reaction to the impending visit hostile to the president came to a head shortly before his arrival
+LJ029-0207 on november twentyone there appeared on the streets of dallas the anonymous handbill mentioned above
+LJ029-0208 it was fashioned after the wanted circulars issued by law enforcement agencies
+LJ029-0209 beneath two photographs of president kennedy one full face and one profile appeared the caption quote wanted for treason
+LJ029-0210 end quote followed by a scurrilous bill of particulars that constituted a vilification of the president
+LJ029-0211 and on the morning of the presidents arrival there appeared in the morning news a full blackbordered advertisement headed
+LJ029-0212 welcome mr kennedy to dallas sponsored by the american factfinding committee which the sponsor later testified was an ad hoc committee
+LJ029-0213 quote formed strictly for the purpose of having a name to put in the paper end quote
+LJ030-0001 report of the presidents commission on the assassination of president kennedy the warren commission report by the presidents commission on the assassination of president kennedy
+LJ030-0002 chapter two the assassination part two
+LJ030-0003 visits to other texas cities
+LJ030-0004 the trip to texas began with the departure of president and mrs kennedy from the white house
+LJ030-0005 by helicopter at tenfortyfive am eastern standard time on november twentyone nineteen sixtythree for andrews air force base
+LJ030-0006 they took off in the presidential plane air force one at eleven am arriving at san antonio at onethirty pm eastern standard time
+LJ030-0007 they were greeted by vice president johnson and governor connally who joined the presidential party in a motorcade through san antonio
+LJ030-0008 during the afternoon president kennedy dedicated the us air force school of aerospace medicine at brooks air force base
+LJ030-0009 late in the afternoon he flew to houston where he rode through the city in a motorcade
+LJ030-0010 spoke at the rice university stadium and attended a dinner in honor of us representative albert thomas
+LJ030-0011 at rice stadium a very large enthusiastic crowd greeted the president
+LJ030-0012 in houston as elsewhere during the trip the crowds showed much interest in mrs kennedy
+LJ030-0013 david f powers of the presidents staff later stated that when the president asked for his assessment of the days activities powers replied
+LJ030-0014 quote that the crowd was about the same as the one which came to see him before but there were one hundred thousand extra people on hand who came to see mrs kennedy
+LJ030-0015 late in the evening the presidential party flew to fort worth where they spent the night at the texas hotel
+LJ030-0016 on the morning of november twentytwo president kennedy attended a breakfast at the hotel and afterward addressed a crowd at an open parking lot
+LJ030-0017 the president liked outdoor appearances because more people could see and hear him
+LJ030-0018 before leaving the hotel the president mrs kennedy and kenneth odonnell talked about the risks inherent in presidential public appearances
+LJ030-0019 according to odonnell the president commented that quote
+LJ030-0020 if anybody really wanted to shoot the president of the united states it was not a very difficult job
+LJ030-0021 all one had to do was get a high building someday with a telescopic rifle and there was nothing anybody could do to defend against such an attempt
+LJ030-0022 upon concluding the conversation the president prepared to depart for dallas
+LJ030-0023 arrival at love field
+LJ030-0024 in dallas the rain had stopped and by midmorning a gloomy overcast sky had given way to the bright sunshine that greeted the presidential party
+LJ030-0025 when air force one touched down at love field at elevenforty am eastern standard time
+LJ030-0026 governor and mrs connally and senator ralph w yarborough had come with the president from fort worth
+LJ030-0027 vice president johnsons airplane air force two had arrived at love field at approximately eleventhirtyfive am
+LJ030-0028 and the vice president and mrs johnson were in the receiving line to greet president and mrs kennedy
+LJ030-0029 after a welcome from the dallas reception committee
+LJ030-0030 president and mrs kennedy walked along a chainlink fence at the reception area greeting a large crowd of spectators that had gathered behind it
+LJ030-0031 secret service agents formed a cordon to keep the press and photographers from impeding their passage and scanned the crowd for threatening movements
+LJ030-0032 dallas police stood at intervals along the fence and dallas plain clothes men mixed in the crowd
+LJ030-0033 vice president and mrs johnson followed along the fence guarded by four members of the vicepresidential detail
+LJ030-0034 approximately ten minutes after the arrival at love field the president and mrs kennedy went to the presidential automobile to begin the motorcade
+LJ030-0035 organization of the motorcade
+LJ030-0036 secret service arrangements for presidential trips which were followed in the dallas motorcade
+LJ030-0037 are designed to provide protection while permitting large numbers of people to see the president
+LJ030-0038 every effort is made to prevent unscheduled stops although the president may and in dallas did order stops in order to greet the public
+LJ030-0039 men the motorcade slows or stops agents take positions between the president and the crowd
+LJ030-0040 the order of vehicles in the dallas motorcade was as follows
+LJ030-0041 motorcycles dallas police motorcycles preceded the pilot car
+LJ030-0042 manned by officers of the dallas police department this automobile preceded the main party by approximately quarter of a mile
+LJ030-0043 its function was to alert police along the route that the motorcade was approaching and to check for signs of trouble
+LJ030-0044 motorcycles next came four to six motorcycle policemen whose main purpose was to keep the crowd back
+LJ030-0045 the lead car described as a rolling command car this was an unmarked dallas police car driven by chief of police curry
+LJ030-0046 and occupied by secret service agents sorrels and lawson and by dallas county sheriff j e decker
+LJ030-0047 the occupants scanned the crowd and the buildings along the route
+LJ030-0048 their main function was to spot trouble in advance and to direct any necessary steps to meet the trouble
+LJ030-0049 following normal practice the lead automobile stayed approximately four to five car lengths ahead of the presidents limousine
+LJ030-0050 the presidential limousine
+LJ030-0051 the presidents automobile was specially designed nineteen sixtyone lincoln convertible
+LJ030-0052 with two collapsible jump seats between the front and rear seats
+LJ030-0053 it was outfitted with a clear plastic bubbletop which was neither bulletproof nor bullet resistant
+LJ030-0054 because the skies had cleared in dallas lawson directed that the top not be used for the days activities
+LJ030-0055 he acted on instructions he had received earlier from assistant special agent in charge roy h kellerman who was in fort worth with the president
+LJ030-0056 kellerman had discussed the matter with odonnell whose instructions were quote
+LJ030-0057 if the weather is clear and it is not raining have that bubbletop off end quote
+LJ030-0058 elevated approximately fifteen inches above the back of the front seat
+LJ030-0059 was a metallic frame with four handholds that riders in the car could grip while standing in the rear seat during parades
+LJ030-0060 at the rear on each side of the automobile were small running boards each designed to hold a secret service agent
+LJ030-0061 with a metallic handle for the rider to grasp
+LJ030-0062 the president had frequently stated that he did not want agents to ride on these steps during a motorcade except when necessary
+LJ030-0063 he had repeated this wish only a few days before during his visit to tampa florida
+LJ030-0064 president kennedy rode on the righthand side of the rear seat with mrs kennedy on his left
+LJ030-0065 governor connally occupied the right jump seat mrs connally the left
+LJ030-0066 driving the presidential limousine was special agent william r greer of the secret service
+LJ030-0067 on his right sat kellerman
+LJ030-0068 kellermans responsibilities included maintaining radio communications with the lead and followup cars
+LJ030-0069 scanning the route and getting out and standing near the president when the cars stopped
+LJ030-0070 motorcycles four motorcycles two on each side flanked the rear of the presidential car
+LJ030-0071 they provided some cover for the president but their main purpose was to keep back the crowd
+LJ030-0072 on previous occasions the president had requested that to the extent possible these flanking motorcycles keep back from the sides of his car
+LJ030-0073 presidential followup car
+LJ030-0074 this vehicle a nineteen fiftyfive cadillac eightpassenger convertible especially outfitted for the secret service
+LJ030-0075 followed closely behind the presidents automobile
+LJ030-0076 it carried eight secret service agents two in the front seat two in the rear and two on each of the right and left running boards
+LJ030-0077 each agent carried a thirtyeightcaliber pistol and a shotgun and automatic rifle were also available
+LJ030-0078 presidential assistants david f powers and kenneth odonnell sat in the right and left jump seats respectively
+LJ030-0079 the agents in this car under established procedure had instructions to watch the route for signs of trouble
+LJ030-0080 scanning not only the crowds but the windows and roofs of buildings overpasses and crossings
+LJ030-0081 they were instructed to watch particularly for thrown objects sudden actions in the crowd and any movements toward the presidential car
+LJ030-0082 the agents on the front of the running boards had directions to move immediately to positions just to the rear of the president and mrs kennedy when the presidents car slowed
+LJ030-0083 to a walking pace or stopped
+LJ030-0084 or when the press of the crowd made it impossible for the escort motorcycles to stay in position on the cars rear flanks
+LJ030-0085 the two agents on the rear of the running boards were to advance toward the front of the presidents car whenever it stopped or slowed down sufficiently for them to do so
+LJ030-0086 vicepresidential car
+LJ030-0087 the vicepresidential automobile a fourdoor lincoln convertible obtained locally for use in the motorcade
+LJ030-0088 proceeded approximately two to three car lengths behind the presidents followup car
+LJ030-0089 this distance was maintained so that spectators would normally turn their gaze from the presidents automobile by the time the vice president came into view
+LJ030-0090 vice president johnson sat on the righthand side of the rear seat mrs johnson in the center and senator yarborough on the left
+LJ030-0091 rufus w youngblood special agent in charge of the vice presidents detail
+LJ030-0092 occupied the righthand side of the front seat and hurchel jacks of the texas state highway patrol was the driver
+LJ030-0093 vicepresidential followup car
+LJ030-0094 driven by an officer of the dallas police department
+LJ030-0095 this vehicle was occupied by three secret service agents and clifton c garter assistant to the vice president
+LJ030-0096 these agents performed for the vice president the same functions that the agents in the presidential followup car performed for the president
+LJ030-0097 remainder of motorcade
+LJ030-0098 the remainder of the motorcade consisted of five cars for other dignitaries including the mayor of dallas and texas congressmen
+LJ030-0099 telephone and western union vehicles a white house communications car
+LJ030-0100 three cars for press photographers an official party bus for white house staff members and others and two press buses
+LJ030-0101 admiral george g burkley physician to the president
+LJ030-0102 was in a car following those quote containing the local and national representatives end quote
+LJ030-0103 police car and motorcycles
+LJ030-0104 a dallas police car and several motorcycles at the rear kept the motorcade together and prevented unauthorized vehicles from joining the motorcade
+LJ030-0105 communications in the motorcade
+LJ030-0106 a base station at a fixed location in dallas operated a radio network which linked together the lead car
+LJ030-0107 presidential car presidential followup car
+LJ030-0108 white house communications car trade mart love field and the presidential and vicepresidential airplanes
+LJ030-0109 the vicepresidential car
+LJ030-0110 and vicepresidential followup car used portable sets with a separate frequency for their own cartocar communication
+LJ030-0111 the drive through dallas
+LJ030-0112 the motorcade left love field shortly after elevenfifty am and drove at speeds up to twentyfive to thirty miles an hour
+LJ030-0113 through thinly populated areas on the outskirts of dallas
+LJ030-0114 at the presidents direction his automobile stopped twice the first time to permit him to respond to a sign asking him to shake hands
+LJ030-0115 during this brief stop agents in the front positions on the running boards of the presidential followup car came forward and stood beside the presidents car
+LJ030-0116 looking out toward the crowd and special agent kellerman assumed his position next to the car
+LJ030-0117 on the other occasion the president halted the motorcade to speak to a catholic nun and a group of small children
+LJ030-0118 in the downtown area large crowds of spectators gave the president a tremendous reception
+LJ030-0119 the crowds were so dense that special agent clinton j hill
+LJ030-0120 had to leave the left front running board of the presidents followup car four times to ride on the rear of the presidents limousine
+LJ030-0121 several times special agent john d ready came forward from the right front running board of the presidential followup car
+LJ030-0122 to the right side of the presidents car
+LJ030-0123 special agent glen a bennett once left his place inside the followup car to help keep the crowd away from the presidents car
+LJ030-0124 when a teenage boy ran toward the rear of the presidents car ready left the running board to chase the boy back into the crowd
+LJ030-0125 on several occasions when the vice presidents car was slowed down by the throng special agent youngblood stepped out to hold the crowd back
+LJ030-0126 according to plan the presidents motorcade proceeded west through downtown dallas on main street
+LJ030-0127 to the intersection of houston street which marks the beginning of dealey plaza
+LJ030-0128 from main street the motorcade turned right and went north on houston street passing tall buildings on the right
+LJ030-0129 and headed toward the texas school book depository building
+LJ030-0130 the spectators were still thickly congregated in front of the buildings which lined the east side of houston street but the crowd thinned abruptly along elm street
+LJ030-0131 which curves in a southwesterly direction as it proceeds downgrade toward the triple underpass and the stemmons freeway
+LJ030-0132 as the motorcade approached the intersection of houston and elm streets there was general gratification in the presidential party about the enthusiastic reception
+LJ030-0133 evaluating the political overtones kenneth odonnell was especially pleased
+LJ030-0134 because it convinced him that the average dallas resident was like other american citizens in respecting and admiring the president
+LJ030-0135 mrs connally elated by the reception turned to president kennedy and said quote mr president you cant say dallas doesnt love you
+LJ030-0136 end quote the president replied that is very obvious
+LJ030-0137 the assassination
+LJ030-0138 at twelvethirty pm eastern standard time as the presidents open limousine proceeded at approximately eleven miles per hour along elm street
+LJ030-0139 toward the triple underpass shots fired from a rifle mortally wounded president kennedy and seriously injured governor connally
+LJ030-0140 one bullet passed through the presidents neck
+LJ030-0141 a subsequent bullet which was lethal shattered the right side of his skull
+LJ030-0142 governor connally sustained bullet wounds in his back the right side of his chest right wrist and left thigh
+LJ030-0143 the exact time of the assassination was fixed by the testimony of four witnesses
+LJ030-0144 special agent rufus w youngblood observed that the large electric sign clock atop the texas school book depository building
+LJ030-0145 showed the numerals twelvethirty as the vicepresidential automobile proceeded north on houston street a few seconds before the shots were fired
+LJ030-0146 just prior to the shooting david f powers riding in the secret service followup car remarked to kenneth odonnell
+LJ030-0147 that it was twelvethirty pm the time they were due at the trade mart
+LJ030-0148 seconds after the shooting roy kellerman riding in the front seat of the presidential limousine
+LJ030-0149 looked at his watch and said twelvethirty to the driver special agent greer
+LJ030-0150 the dallas police radio log reflects that chief of police curry reported the shooting of the president
+LJ030-0151 and issued his initial orders at twelvethirty pm
+LJ030-0152 speed of the limousine
+LJ030-0153 william greer operator of the presidential limousine estimated the cars speed at the time of the first shot as twelve to fifteen miles per hour
+LJ030-0154 other witnesses in the motorcade estimated the speed of the presidents limousine from seven to twentytwo miles per hour
+LJ030-0155 a more precise determination has been made from motion pictures taken on the scene by an amateur photographer abraham zapruder
+LJ030-0156 based on these films the speed of the presidents automobile is computed at an average speed of eleven point two miles per hour
+LJ030-0157 the car maintained this average speed over a distance of approximately one hundred eightysix feet immediately preceding the shot which struck the president in the head
+LJ030-0158 while the car traveled this distance the zapruder camera ran one hundred fiftytwo frames
+LJ030-0159 since the camera operates at a speed of eighteen point three frames per second
+LJ030-0160 it was calculated that the car required eight point three seconds to cover the one hundred thirtysix feet
+LJ030-0161 this represents a speed of eleven point two miles per hour
+LJ030-0162 in the presidential limousine
+LJ030-0163 mrs john f kennedy on the left of the rear seat of the limousine looked toward her left and waved to the crowds along the route
+LJ030-0164 soon after the motorcade turned onto elm street she heard a sound similar to a motorcycle noise and a cry from governor connally
+LJ030-0165 which caused her to look to her right
+LJ030-0166 on turning she saw a quizzical look on her husbands face as he raised his left hand to his throat
+LJ030-0167 mrs kennedy then heard a second shot and saw the presidents skull torn open under the impact of the bullet
+LJ030-0168 as she cradled her mortally wounded husband mrs kennedy cried quote
+LJ030-0169 oh my god they have shot my husband i love you jack
+LJ030-0170 governor connally testified that he recognized the first noise as a rifle shot
+LJ030-0171 and the thought immediately crossed his mind that it was an assassination attempt
+LJ030-0172 from his position in the right jump seat immediately in front of the president
+LJ030-0173 he instinctively turned to his right because the shot appeared to come from over his right shoulder
+LJ030-0174 unable to see the president as he turned to the right
+LJ030-0175 the governor started to look back over his left shoulder but he never completed the turn because he felt something strike him in the back
+LJ030-0176 in his testimony before the commission governor connally was certain that he was hit by the second shot which he stated he did not hear
+LJ030-0177 mrs connally too heard a frightening noise from her right
+LJ030-0178 looking over her right shoulder she saw that the president had both hands at his neck but she observed no blood and heard nothing
+LJ030-0179 she watched as he slumped down with an empty expression on his face
+LJ030-0180 roy kellerman in the right front seat of the limousine heard a report like a firecracker pop
+LJ030-0181 turning to his right in the direction of the noise kellerman heard the president say
+LJ030-0182 my god i am hit and saw both of the presidents hands move up toward his neck
+LJ030-0183 as he told the driver quote lets get out of here we are hit end quote
+LJ030-0184 kellerman grabbed his microphone and radioed ahead to the lead car
+LJ030-0185 quote we are hit get us to the hospital immediately end quote
+LJ030-0186 the driver william greer heard a noise which he took to be a backfire from one of the motorcycles flanking the presidential car
+LJ030-0187 when he heard the same noise again greer glanced over his shoulder and saw governor connally fall
+LJ030-0188 at the sound of the second shot
+LJ030-0189 he realized that something was wrong and he pressed down on the accelerator as kellerman said quote get out of here fast end quote
+LJ030-0190 as he issued his instructions to greer and to the lead car kellerman heard a flurry of shots within five seconds of the first noise
+LJ030-0191 according to kellerman mrs kennedy then cried out quote
+LJ030-0192 what are they doing to you end quote looking back from the front seat
+LJ030-0193 kellerman saw governor connally in his wifes lap and special agent clinton j hill lying across the trunk of the car
+LJ030-0194 mrs connally heard a second shot fired and pulled her husband down into her lap
+LJ030-0195 observing his bloodcovered chest as he was pulled into his wifes lap governor connally believed himself mortally wounded
+LJ030-0196 he cried out quote oh no no no my god they are going to kill us all end quote
+LJ030-0197 at first mrs connally thought that her husband had been killed
+LJ030-0198 but then she noticed an almost imperceptible movement and knew that he was still alive she said quote its all right be still end quote
+LJ030-0199 the governor was lying with his head on his wifes lap when he heard a shot hit the president
+LJ030-0200 at that point both governor and mrs connally observed brain tissue splattered over the interior of the car
+LJ030-0201 according to governor and mrs connally it was after this shot that kellerman issued his emergency instructions and the car accelerated
+LJ030-0202 reaction by secret service agents
+LJ030-0203 from the left front running board of the presidents followup car
+LJ030-0204 special agent hill was scanning the few people standing on the south side of elm street after the motorcade had turned off houston street
+LJ030-0205 he estimated that the motorcade had slowed down to approximately nine or ten miles per hour
+LJ030-0206 on the turn at the intersection of houston and elm streets and then proceeded at a rate of twelve to fifteen miles per hour
+LJ030-0207 with the followup car trailing the presidents automobile by approximately five feet
+LJ030-0208 hill heard a noise which seemed to be a firecracker coming from his right rear
+LJ030-0209 he immediately looked to his right quote and in so doing my eyes had to cross the presidential limousine
+LJ030-0210 and i saw president kennedy grab at himself and lurch forward and to the left end quote
+LJ030-0211 hill jumped from the followup car and ran to the presidents automobile
+LJ030-0212 at about the time he reached the presidents automobile
+LJ030-0213 hill heard a second shot proximately five seconds after the first which removed a portion of the presidents head
+LJ030-0214 at the instant that hill stepped onto the left rear step of the presidents automobile and grasped the handhold
+LJ030-0215 the car lurched forward causing him to lose his footing he ran three or four steps regained his position and mounted the car
+LJ030-0216 between the time he originally seized the handhold and the time he mounted the car hill recalled
+LJ030-0217 quote mrs kennedy had jumped up from the seat and was it appeared to me reaching for something coming off the fight rear bumper of the car
+LJ030-0218 the right rear tail when she noticed that i was trying to climb on the car
+LJ030-0219 she turned toward me and i grabbed her and put her back in the back seat crawled up on top of the back seat and lay there
+LJ030-0220 david powers who witnessed the scene from the presidents followup car
+LJ030-0221 stated that mrs kennedy would probably have fallen off the rear end of the car and been killed if hill had not pushed her back into the presidential automobile
+LJ030-0222 mrs kennedy had no recollection of climbing onto the back of the car
+LJ030-0223 special agent ready on the right front running board of the presidential followup car
+LJ030-0224 heard noises that sounded like firecrackers and ran toward the presidents limousine
+LJ030-0225 but he was immediately called back by special agent emory p roberts in charge of the followup car
+LJ030-0226 who did not believe that he could reach the presidents car at the speed it was then traveling
+LJ030-0227 special agent george w hickey jr in the rear seat of the presidential followup car
+LJ030-0228 picked up and cocked an automatic rifle as he heard the last shot
+LJ030-0229 at this point the cars were speeding through the underpass and had left the scene of the shooting
+LJ030-0230 but hickey kept the automatic weapon ready as the car raced to the hospital
+LJ030-0231 most of the other secret service agents in the motorcade had drawn their sidearms
+LJ030-0232 roberts noticed that the vice presidents car was approximately onehalf block
+LJ030-0233 behind the presidential followup car at the time of the shooting and signaled for it to move in closer
+LJ030-0234 directing the security detail for the vice president from the right front seat of the vicepresidential car special agent youngblood recalled quote
+LJ030-0235 as we were beginning to go down this incline all of a sudden there was an explosive noise
+LJ030-0236 i quickly observed unnatural movement of crowds like ducking or scattering and quick movements in the presidential followup car
+LJ030-0237 so i turned around and hit the vice president on the shoulder and hollered get down
+LJ030-0238 and then looked around again and saw more of this movement and so i proceeded to go to the back seat and get on top of him
+LJ030-0239 youngblood was not positive that he was in the rear seat before the second shot but thought it probable because of president johnsons statement
+LJ030-0240 to that effect immediately after the assassination
+LJ030-0241 president johnson emphasized youngbloods instantaneous reaction after the first shot
+LJ030-0242 i was startled by the sharp report or explosion
+LJ030-0243 but i had no time to speculate as to its origin because agent youngblood turned in a flash immediately after the first explosion
+LJ030-0244 hitting me on the shoulder and shouted to all of us in the back seat to get down
+LJ030-0245 i was pushed down by agent youngblood
+LJ030-0246 almost in the same moment in which he hit or pushed me he vaulted over the back seat and sat on me
+LJ030-0247 i was bent over under the weight of agent youngbloods body toward mrs johnson and senator yarborough end quote
+LJ030-0248 clifton c carter riding in the vice presidents followup car a short distance behind
+LJ030-0249 reported that youngblood was in the rear seat using his body to shield the vice president before the second and third shots were fired
+LJ030-0250 other secret service agents assigned to the motorcade remained at their posts during the race to the hospital
+LJ030-0251 none stayed at the scene of the shooting and none entered the texas school book depository building at or immediately after the shooting
+LJ030-0252 secret service procedure requires that each agent stay with the person being protected
+LJ030-0253 and not be diverted unless it is necessary to accomplish the protective assignment
+LJ030-0254 forrest v sorrels special agent in charge of the dallas office was the first secret service agent to return to the scene of the assassination
+LJ030-0255 approximately twenty or twentyfive minutes after the shots were fired
+LJ031-0001 report of the presidents commission on the assassination of president kennedy
+LJ031-0002 the warren commission report by the presidents commission on the assassination of president kennedy chapter two the assassination part three
+LJ031-0003 parkland memorial hospital the race to the hospital
+LJ031-0004 in the final instant of the assassination the presidential motorcade began a race to parkland memorial hospital
+LJ031-0005 approximately four miles from the texas school book depository building
+LJ031-0006 on receipt of the radio message from kellerman to the lead car that the president had been hit
+LJ031-0007 chief of police curry and police motorcyclists at the head of the motorcade led the way to the hospital
+LJ031-0008 meanwhile chief curry ordered the police base station to notify parkland hospital that the wounded president was en route
+LJ031-0009 the radio log of the dallas police department shows that at twelvethirty pm on november twentytwo
+LJ031-0010 chief curry radioed quote go to the hospital parkland hospital have them stand by end quote
+LJ031-0011 a moment later curry added quote looks like the president has been hit have parkland stand by end quote
+LJ031-0012 the base station replied quote they have been notified end quote
+LJ031-0013 traveling at speeds estimated at times to be up to seventy or eighty miles per hour down the stemmons freeway and harry hines boulevard
+LJ031-0014 the presidential limousine arrived at the emergency entrance of the parkland hospital at about twelvethirtyfive pm
+LJ031-0015 arriving almost simultaneously were the presidents followup car the vice presidents automobile and the vice presidents followup car
+LJ031-0016 admiral burkley the presidents physician arrived at the hospital quote between three and five minutes following the arrival of the president end quote
+LJ031-0017 since the riders in his car quote were not exactly aware what had happened end quote and the car went on to the trade mart first
+LJ031-0018 when parkland hospital received the notification the staff in the emergency area was alerted and trauma rooms one and two were prepared
+LJ031-0019 these rooms were for the emergency treatment of acutely ill or injured patients although the first message mentioned an injury only to president kennedy
+LJ031-0020 two rooms were prepared
+LJ031-0021 as the presidents limousine sped toward the hospital twelve doctors to the emergency area surgeons drs malcolm o perry
+LJ031-0022 charles r baxter robert n mcclelland ronald c jones the chief neurologist dr william kemp clark
+LJ031-0023 four anesthesiologists drs marion t jenkins adolph h giesecke jr jackie h hunt
+LJ031-0024 gene c akin
+LJ031-0025 urological surgeon dr paul c peters an oral surgeon dr don t curtis and a heart specialist
+LJ031-0026 dr fouad a bashour
+LJ031-0027 upon arriving at parkland hospital
+LJ031-0028 lawson jumped from the lead car and rushed into the emergency entrance where he was met by hospital staff members wheeling stretchers out to the automobile
+LJ031-0029 special agent hill removed his suit jacket and covered the presidents head and upper chest to prevent the taking of photographs
+LJ031-0030 governor connally who had lost consciousness on the ride to the hospital regained consciousness when the limousine stopped abruptly at the emergency entrance
+LJ031-0031 despite his serious wounds governor connally tried to get out of the way so that medical help could reach the president
+LJ031-0032 although he was reclining in his wifes arms he lurched forward in an effort to stand upright and get out of the car but he collapsed again
+LJ031-0033 then he experienced his first sensation of pain which became excruciating
+LJ031-0034 the governor was lifted onto a stretcher and taken into trauma room two
+LJ031-0035 for a moment mrs kennedy refused to release the president whom she held in her lap
+LJ031-0036 but then kellerman greer and lawson lifted the president onto a stretcher and pushed it into trauma room one
+LJ031-0037 treatment of president kennedy
+LJ031-0038 the first physician to see the president at parkland hospital was dr charles j carrico a resident in general surgery
+LJ031-0039 dr carrico was in the emergency area examining another patient when he was notified that president kennedy was en route to the hospital
+LJ031-0040 approximately two minutes later dr carrico saw the president on his back being wheeled into the emergency area
+LJ031-0041 he noted that the president was bluewhite or ashen in color had slow spasmodic agonal respiration without any coordination
+LJ031-0042 made no voluntary movements had his eyes open with the pupils dilated without any reaction to light
+LJ031-0043 evidenced no palpable pulse and had a few chest sounds which were thought to be heartbeats
+LJ031-0044 on the basis of these findings dr carrico concluded that president kennedy was still alive
+LJ031-0045 dr carrico noted two wounds a small bullet wound in the front lower neck
+LJ031-0046 and an extensive wound in the presidents head where a sizable portion of the skull was missing
+LJ031-0047 he observed shredded brain tissue and quote considerable slow oozing end quote from the latter wound
+LJ031-0048 followed by quote more profuse bleeding end quote after some circulation was established
+LJ031-0049 dr carrico felt the presidents back and determined that there was no large wound there which would be an immediate threat to life
+LJ031-0050 observing the serious problems presented by the head wound and inadequate respiration dr carrico directed his attention to improving the presidents breathing
+LJ031-0051 he noted contusions hematoma to the right of the larynx which was deviated slightly to the left
+LJ031-0052 and also ragged tissue which indicated a tracheal injury
+LJ031-0053 dr carrico inserted a cuffed endotracheal tube past the injury inflated the cuff and connected it to a bennett machine to assist in respiration
+LJ031-0054 at that point direction of the presidents treatment was undertaken by dr malcolm o perry who arrived at trauma room one a few moments after the president
+LJ031-0055 dr perry noted the presidents back brace as he felt for a femoral pulse which he did not find
+LJ031-0056 observing that an effective airway had to be established if treatment was to be effective dr perry performed a tracheotomy which required three to five minutes
+LJ031-0057 while dr perry was performing the tracheotomy drs carrico and ronald jones made cutdowns on the presidents right leg and left arm respectively
+LJ031-0058 to infuse blood and fluids into the circulatory system
+LJ031-0059 dr carrico treated the presidents known adrenal insufficiency by administering hydrocortisone
+LJ031-0060 dr robert n mcclelland entered at that point and assisted dr perry with the tracheotomy
+LJ031-0061 dr fouad bashour chief of cardiology dr m t jenkins chief of anesthesiology and dr a h giesecke jr
+LJ031-0062 then joined in the effort to revive the president
+LJ031-0063 when dr perry noted free air and blood in the presidents chest cavity he asked that chest tubes be inserted to allow for drainage of blood and air
+LJ031-0064 drs paul c peters and charles r baxter initiated these procedures
+LJ031-0065 as a result of the infusion of liquids through the cutdowns the cardiac massage and the airway
+LJ031-0066 the doctors were able to maintain peripheral circulation as monitored at the neck carotid artery and at the wrist radial pulse
+LJ031-0067 a femoral pulse was also detected in the presidents leg
+LJ031-0068 while these medical efforts were in progress
+LJ031-0069 dr clark noted some electrical activity on the cardiotachyscope attached to monitor the presidents heart responses
+LJ031-0070 dr clark who most closely observed the head wound
+LJ031-0071 described a large gaping wound in the right rear part of the head with substantial damage and exposure of brain tissue and a considerable loss of blood
+LJ031-0072 dr clark did not see any other hole or wound on the presidents head
+LJ031-0073 according to dr clark the small bullet hole on the right rear of the presidents head discovered during the subsequent autopsy
+LJ031-0074 quote could have easily been hidden in the blood and hair end quote
+LJ031-0075 in the absence of any neurological muscular or heart response the doctors concluded that efforts to revive the president were hopeless
+LJ031-0076 this was verified by admiral burkley the presidents physician who arrived at the hospital after emergency treatment was underway and concluded that quote
+LJ031-0077 my direct services to him at that moment would have interfered with the action of the team which was in progress end quote
+LJ031-0078 at approximately one pm after last rites were administered to the president by father oscar l huber dr clark pronounced the president dead
+LJ031-0079 he made the official determination because the ultimate cause of death the severe head injury was within his sphere of specialization
+LJ031-0080 the time was fixed at one pm as an approximation since it was impossible to determine the precise moment when life left the president
+LJ031-0081 president kennedy could have survived the neck injury but the head wound was fatal
+LJ031-0082 from a medical viewpoint president kennedy was alive when he arrived at parkland hospital
+LJ031-0083 the doctors observed that he had a heartbeat and was making some respiratory efforts
+LJ031-0084 but his condition was hopeless and the extraordinary efforts of the doctors to save him could not help but to have been unavailing
+LJ031-0085 since the dallas doctors directed all their efforts to controlling the massive bleeding caused by the head wound and to reconstructing an airway to his lungs
+LJ031-0086 the president remained on his back throughout his medical treatment at parkland
+LJ031-0087 when asked why he did not turn the president over dr carrico testified as follows
+LJ031-0088 this man was in obvious extreme distress and any more thorough inspection would have involved several minutes well several
+LJ031-0089 considerable time which at this juncture was not available
+LJ031-0090 a thorough inspection would have involved washing and cleansing the back and this is not practical in treating an acutely injured patient
+LJ031-0091 you have to determine which things which are immediately life threatening and cope with them before attempting to evaluate the full extent of the injuries
+LJ031-0092 did you ever have occasion to look at the presidents back
+LJ031-0093 answer no sir before well in trying to treat an acutely injured patient you have to establish an airway adequate ventilation
+LJ031-0094 and you have to establish adequate circulation
+LJ031-0095 before this was accomplished the presidents cardiac activity had ceased and closed cardiac massage was instituted which made it impossible to inspect his back
+LJ031-0096 question was any effort made to inspect the presidents back after he had expired answer no sir
+LJ031-0097 question and why was no effort made at that time to inspect his back answer
+LJ031-0098 i suppose nobody really had the heart to do it
+LJ031-0099 moreover the parkland doctors took no further action after the president had expired because they concluded that it was beyond the scope of their permissible duties
+LJ031-0100 treatment of governor connally
+LJ031-0101 while one medical team tried to revive president kennedy a second performed a series of operations on the bullet wounds sustained by governor connally
+LJ031-0102 governor connally was originally seen by dr carrico and dr richard dulany
+LJ031-0103 while dr carrico went on to attend the president dr dulany stayed with the governor and was soon joined by several other doctors
+LJ031-0104 at approximately twelvefortyfive pm dr robert shaw
+LJ031-0105 chief of thoracic surgery arrived at trauma room two to take charge of the care of governor connally
+LJ031-0106 whose major wound fell within dr shaws area of specialization
+LJ031-0107 governor connally had a large sucking wound in the front of the right chest which caused extreme pain and difficulty in breathing
+LJ031-0108 rubber tubes were inserted between the second and third ribs to reexpand the right lung which had collapsed because of the opening in the chest wall
+LJ031-0109 at onethirtyfive pm after governor connally had been moved to the operating room dr shaw started the first operation
+LJ031-0110 by cutting away the edges of the wound on the front of the governors chest and suturing the damaged lung and lacerated muscles
+LJ031-0111 the elliptical wound in the governors back located slightly to the left of the governors right armpit approximately fiveeighths inch a centimeter and a half
+LJ031-0112 in its greatest diameter was treated by cutting away the damaged skin and suturing the back muscle and skin
+LJ031-0113 this operation was concluded at threetwenty pm
+LJ031-0114 two additional operations were performed on governor connally for wounds which he had not realized he had sustained until he regained consciousness the following day
+LJ031-0115 from approximately four pm to fourfifty pm on november twentytwo
+LJ031-0116 dr charles f gregory chief of orthopedic surgery operated on the wounds of governor connallys right wrist
+LJ031-0117 assisted by drs william osborne and john parker
+LJ031-0118 the wound on the back of the wrist was left partially open for draining and the wound on the palm side was enlarged cleansed and closed
+LJ031-0119 the fracture was set and a cast was applied with some traction utilized
+LJ031-0120 while the second operation was in progress
+LJ031-0121 dr george t shires assisted by drs robert mcclelland charles baxter and ralph don patman
+LJ031-0122 treated the gunshot wound in the left thigh
+LJ031-0123 this punctuate missile wound about twofifths inch in diameter one centimeter and located approximately five inches above the left knee
+LJ031-0124 was cleansed and closed with sutures but a small metallic fragment remained in the governors leg
+LJ031-0125 vice president johnson at parkland
+LJ031-0126 as president kennedy and governor connally were being removed from the limousine onto stretchers
+LJ031-0127 a protective circle of secret service agents surrounded vice president and mrs johnson
+LJ031-0128 and escorted them into parkland hospital through the emergency entrance
+LJ031-0129 the agents moved a nurse and patient out of a nearby room lowered the shades and took emergency security measures to protect the vice president
+LJ031-0130 two men from the presidents followup car were detailed to help protect the vice president
+LJ031-0131 an agent was stationed at the entrance to stop anyone who was not a member of the presidential party
+LJ031-0132 us representatives henry b gonzalez
+LJ031-0133 jack brooks homer thornberry and albert thomas joined clifton c carter and the group of special agents protecting the vice president
+LJ031-0134 on one occasion mrs johnson accompanied by two secret service agents left the room to see mrs kennedy and mrs connally
+LJ031-0135 concern that the vice president might also be a target for assassination prompted the secret service agents to urge him to leave the hospital and return to washington immediately
+LJ031-0136 the vice president decided to wait until he received definitive word of the presidents condition
+LJ031-0137 at approximately onetwenty pm vice president johnson was notified by odonnell that president kennedy was dead
+LJ031-0138 special agent youngblood learned from mrs johnson the location of her two daughters
+LJ031-0139 and made arrangements through secret service headquarters in washington to provide them with protection immediately
+LJ031-0140 when consulted by the vice president odonnell advised him to go to the airfield immediately and return to washington
+LJ031-0141 it was decided that the vice president should return on the presidential plane rather than on the vicepresidential plane because it had better communication equipment
+LJ031-0142 the vice president conferred with white house assistant press secretary malcolm kilduff
+LJ031-0143 and decided that there would be no release of the news of the presidents death until the vice president had left the hospital
+LJ031-0144 when told that mrs kennedy refused to leave without the presidents body the vice president said that he would not leave dallas without her
+LJ031-0145 on the recommendation of the secret service agents vice president johnson decided to board the presidential airplane air force one
+LJ031-0146 and wait for mrs kennedy and the presidents body
+LJ031-0147 secret service emergency security arrangements
+LJ031-0148 immediately after president kennedys stretcher was wheeled into trauma room one secret service agents took positions at the door of the small emergency room
+LJ031-0149 a nurse was asked to identify hospital personnel and to tell everyone except necessary medical staff members to leave the emergency room
+LJ031-0150 other secret service agents posted themselves in the corridors and other areas near the emergency room
+LJ031-0151 special agent lawson made certain that the dallas police kept the public and press away from the immediate area of the hospital
+LJ031-0152 agents kellerman and hill telephoned the head of the white house detail gerald a behn to advise him of the assassination
+LJ031-0153 the telephone line to washington was kept open throughout the remainder of the stay at the hospital
+LJ031-0154 secret service agents stationed at later stops on the presidents itinerary of november twentytwo were redeployed
+LJ031-0155 men at the trade mart were driven to parkland hospital in dallas police cars
+LJ031-0156 the secret service group awaiting the president in austin were instructed to return to washington
+LJ031-0157 meanwhile the secret service agents in charge of security at love field started to make arrangements for departure
+LJ031-0158 as soon as one of the agents learned of the shooting he asked the officer in charge of the police detail at the airport
+LJ031-0159 to institute strict security measures for the presidential aircraft the airport terminal and the surrounding area
+LJ031-0160 the police were cautioned to prevent picture taking
+LJ031-0161 secret service agents working with police cleared the areas adjacent to the aircraft including warehouses
+LJ031-0162 other terminal buildings and the neighboring parking lots of all people
+LJ031-0163 the agents decided not to shift the presidential aircraft to the far side of the airport because the original landing area was secure
+LJ031-0164 and a move would require new measures
+LJ031-0165 when security arrangements at the airport were complete the secret service made the necessary arrangements for the vice president to leave the hospital
+LJ031-0166 unmarked police cars took the vice president and mrs johnson from parkland hospital to love field
+LJ031-0167 chief curry drove one automobile occupied by vice president johnson us representatives thomas and thornberry and special agent youngblood
+LJ031-0168 in another car mrs johnson was driven to the airport accompanied by secret service agents and representative brooks
+LJ031-0169 motorcade policemen who escorted the automobiles were requested by the vice president and agent youngblood not to use sirens
+LJ031-0170 during the drive vice president johnson at youngbloods instruction kept below window level
+LJ031-0171 removal of the presidents body
+LJ031-0172 while the team of doctors at parkland hospital tried desperately to save the life of president kennedy
+LJ031-0173 mrs kennedy alternated between watching them and waiting outside
+LJ031-0174 after the president was pronounced dead
+LJ031-0175 odonnell tried to persuade mrs kennedy to leave the area but she refused
+LJ031-0176 a casket was obtained and the presidents body was prepared for removal
+LJ031-0177 before the body could be taken from the hospital
+LJ031-0178 two dallas officials informed members of the presidents start that the body could not be removed from the city until an autopsy was performed
+LJ031-0179 despite the protests of these officials the casket was wheeled out of the hospital placed in an ambulance and transported to the airport shortly after two pm
+LJ031-0180 at approximately twofifteen pm the casket was loaded with some difficulty because of the narrow airplane door
+LJ031-0181 onto the rear of the presidential plane where seats had been removed to make room
+LJ031-0182 concerned that the local officials might try to prevent the planes departure odonnell asked that the pilot take off immediately
+LJ031-0183 he was informed that takeoff would be delayed until vice president johnson was sworn in
+LJ031-0184 swearing in of the new president
+LJ031-0185 from the presidential airplane the vice president telephoned attorney general robert f kennedy
+LJ031-0186 who advised that mr johnson take the presidential oath of office before the plane left dallas
+LJ031-0187 federal judge sarah t hughes hastened to the plane to administer the oath
+LJ031-0188 members of the presidential and vicepresidential parties filled the central compartment of the plane to witness the swearing in
+LJ031-0189 at twothirtyeight pm eastern standard time lyndon baines johnson took the oath of office as the thirtysixth president of the united states
+LJ031-0190 mrs kennedy and mrs johnson stood at the side of the new president as he took the oath of office
+LJ031-0191 nine minutes later the presidential airplane departed for washington dc
+LJ031-0192 return to washington dc
+LJ031-0193 on the return flight mrs kennedy sat with david powers kenneth odonnell and lawrence obrien
+LJ031-0194 at fivefiftyeight pm eastern standard time
+LJ031-0195 air force one landed at andrews air force base where president kennedy had begun his last trip only thirtyone hours before
+LJ031-0196 detailed security arrangements had been made by radio from the presidents plane on the return flight
+LJ031-0197 the public had been excluded from the base and only government officials and the press were permitted near the landing area
+LJ031-0198 upon arrival president johnson made a brief statement over television and radio
+LJ031-0199 president and mrs johnson were flown by helicopter to the white house from where mrs johnson was driven to her residence under secret service escort
+LJ031-0200 the president then walked to the executive office building where he worked until nine pm
+LJ031-0201 given a choice between the national naval medical center at bethesda maryland and the armys walter reed hospital
+LJ031-0202 mrs kennedy chose the hospital in bethesda for the autopsy because the president had served in the navy
+LJ031-0203 mrs kennedy and the attorney general
+LJ031-0204 with three secret service agents accompanied president kennedys body on the fortyfiveminute automobile trip from andrews air force base to the hospital
+LJ031-0205 on the seventeenth floor of the hospital mrs kennedy and the attorney general joined other members of the kennedy family to await the conclusion of the autopsy
+LJ031-0206 mrs kennedy was guarded by secret service agents in quarters assigned to her in the naval hospital
+LJ031-0207 the secret service established a communication system with the white house and screened all telephone calls and visitors
+LJ031-0208 the hospital received the presidents body for autopsy at approximately seventhirtyfive pm
+LJ031-0209 xrays and photographs were taken preliminarily and the pathological examination began at about eight pm
+LJ031-0210 the autopsy report noted that president kennedy was fortysix years of age seventytwo and one half inches tall
+LJ031-0211 weighed one hundred seventy pounds had blue eyes and reddishbrown hair
+LJ031-0212 the body was muscular and well developed with no gross skeletal abnormalities except for those caused by the gunshot wounds
+LJ031-0213 under pathological diagnosis the cause of death was set forth as gunshot wound head
+LJ031-0214 the autopsy examination revealed two wounds in the presidents head
+LJ031-0215 one wound approximately onefourth of an inch by fiveeighths of an inch six by fifteen millimeters
+LJ031-0216 was located about an inch two point five centimeters to the right and slightly above the large bony protrusion
+LJ031-0217 external occipital protuberance which juts out at the center of the lower part of the back of the skull
+LJ031-0218 the second head wound measured approximately five inches thirteen centimeters in its greatest diameter
+LJ031-0219 but it was difficult to measure accurately because multiple crisscross fractures radiated from the large defect
+LJ031-0220 during the autopsy examination federal agents brought the surgeons three pieces of bone recovered from elm street and the presidential automobile
+LJ031-0221 when put together these fragments accounted for approximately threequarters of the missing portion of the skull
+LJ031-0222 the surgeons observed through xray analysis thirty or forty tiny dustlike fragments of metal
+LJ031-0223 running in a line from the wound in the rear of the presidents head toward the front part of the skull
+LJ031-0224 with a sizable metal fragment lying just above the right eye
+LJ031-0225 from this head wound two small irregularly shaped fragments of metal were recovered and turned over to the fbi
+LJ031-0226 the autopsy also disclosed a wound near the base of the back of president kennedys neck slightly to the right of his spine
+LJ031-0227 the doctors traced the course of the bullet through the body and as information was received from parkland hospital
+LJ031-0228 concluded that the bullet had emerged from the front portion of the presidents neck that had been cut away by the tracheotomy at parkland
+LJ031-0229 the nature and characteristics of this neck wound are discussed fully in the next chapter
+LJ031-0230 after the autopsy was concluded at approximately eleven pm the presidents body was prepared for burial
+LJ031-0231 this was finished at approximately four am
+LJ031-0232 shortly thereafter the presidents wife family and aides left bethesda naval hospital
+LJ031-0233 the presidents body was taken to the east room of the white house where it was placed under ceremonial military guard
+LJ032-0001 report of the presidents commission on the assassination of president kennedy the warren commission report by the presidents commission on the assassination of president kennedy
+LJ032-0002 chapter four the assassin part one
+LJ032-0003 the preceding chapter has established that the bullets which killed president kennedy and wounded governor connally
+LJ032-0004 were fired from the southeast corner window of the sixth floor of the texas school book depository building
+LJ032-0005 and that the weapon which fired these bullets was a mannlichercarcano
+LJ032-0006 six point fivemillimeter italian rifle bearing the serial number c two seven six six
+LJ032-0007 in this chapter the commission evaluates the evidence upon which it has based its conclusion concerning the identity of the assassin
+LJ032-0008 this evidence includes one the ownership and possession of the weapon used to commit the assassination
+LJ032-0009 two the means by which the weapon was brought into the depository building
+LJ032-0010 three the identity of the person present at the window from which the shots were fired
+LJ032-0011 four the killing of dallas patrolman j d tippit within fortyfive minutes after the assassination five
+LJ032-0012 the resistance to arrest and the attempted shooting of another police officer by the man lee harvey oswald subsequently accused of assassinating president kennedy
+LJ032-0013 and killing patrolman tippit
+LJ032-0014 six the lies told to the police by oswald seven
+LJ032-0015 the evidence linking oswald to the attempted killing of maj gen edwin a walker resigned us army on april ten nineteen sixtythree
+LJ032-0016 and eight oswalds capability with a rifle
+LJ032-0017 ownership and possession of assassination weapon
+LJ032-0018 purchase of rifle by oswald
+LJ032-0019 shortly after the mannlichercarcano rifle was found on the sixth floor of the texas school book depository building agents of the fbi
+LJ032-0020 learned from retail outlets in dallas that crescent firearms inc of new york city
+LJ032-0021 was a distributor of surplus italian six point fivemillimeter military rifles during the evening of november twentytwo nineteen sixtythree
+LJ032-0022 a review of the records of crescent firearms revealed that the firm had shipped an italian carbine serial number c two seven six six
+LJ032-0023 to kleins sporting goods co of chicago illinois
+LJ032-0024 after searching their records from ten pm to four am
+LJ032-0025 the officers of kleins discovered that a rifle bearing serial number c two seven six six had been shipped to one a hidell
+LJ032-0026 post office box two nine one five dallas texas on march twenty nineteen sixtythree
+LJ032-0027 according to its microfilm records kleins received an order for a rifle on march thirteen nineteen sixtythree
+LJ032-0028 on a coupon clipped from the february nineteen sixtythree issue of the american rifleman magazine
+LJ032-0029 the order coupon was signed in handprinting a hidell po box two nine one five dallas texas
+LJ032-0030 it was sent in an envelope bearing the same name and return address in handwriting
+LJ032-0031 document examiners for the treasury department and the fbi testified unequivocally
+LJ032-0032 that the bold printing on the face of the mailorder coupon was in the handprinting of lee harvey oswald and that the writing on the envelope was also his
+LJ032-0033 oswalds writing on these and other documents was identified by comparing the writing and printing on the documents in question
+LJ032-0034 with that appearing on documents known to have been written by oswald such as his letters passport application and endorsements of checks
+LJ032-0035 in addition to the order coupon the envelope contained a us postal money order for twentyone dollars fortyfive cents
+LJ032-0036 purchased as number two two zero two one three zero four six two in dallas texas on march twelve nineteen sixtythree
+LJ032-0037 the canceled money order was obtained from the post office department
+LJ032-0038 opposite the printed words pay to were written the words kleins sporting goods
+LJ032-0039 and opposite the printed word from
+LJ032-0040 were written the words a hidell po box two nine one five dallas texas
+LJ032-0041 these words were also in the handwriting of lee harvey oswald
+LJ032-0042 from kleins records it was possible to trace the processing of the order after its receipt
+LJ032-0043 a bank deposit made on march thirteen nineteen sixtythree included an item of twentyone dollars fortyfive cents kleins shipping order form
+LJ032-0044 shows an imprint made by the cash register which recorded the receipt of twentyone dollars fortyfive cents on march thirteen nineteen sixtythree
+LJ032-0045 this price included nineteen dollars ninetyfive cents for the rifle and the scope and one dollar fifty cents for postage and handling
+LJ032-0046 the rifle without the scope cost only twelve dollars seventyeight cents
+LJ032-0047 according to the vice president of kleins william waldman
+LJ032-0048 the scope was mounted on the rifle by a gunsmith employed by kleins and the rifle was shipped fully assembled in accordance with customary company procedures
+LJ032-0049 the specific rifle shipped against the order had been received by kleins from crescent on february twentyone nineteen sixtythree
+LJ032-0050 it bore the manufacturers serial number c two seven six six
+LJ032-0051 on that date kleins placed an internal control number v c eight three six on this rifle
+LJ032-0052 according to kleins shipping order form one italian carbine six point five x four x scope
+LJ032-0053 control number v c eight three six serial number c two seven six six was shipped parcel post to
+LJ032-0054 a hidell po box two nine one five dallas texas on march twenty nineteen sixtythree
+LJ032-0055 information received from the italian armed forces intelligence service has established that this particular rifle was the only rifle of its type
+LJ032-0056 bearing serial number c two seven six six
+LJ032-0057 the post office box to which the rifle was shipped was rented to lee h oswald from october nine nineteen sixtytwo
+LJ032-0058 to may fourteen nineteen sixtythree
+LJ032-0059 experts on handwriting identification from the treasury department and the fbi
+LJ032-0060 testified that the signature and other writing on the application for that box were in the handwriting of lee harvey oswald
+LJ032-0061 as was a changeofaddress card dated may twelve nineteen sixtythree
+LJ032-0062 by which oswald requested that mail addressed to that box be forwarded to him in new orleans where he had moved on april twentyfour
+LJ032-0063 since the rifle was shipped from chicago on march twenty nineteen sixtythree it was received in dallas during the period when oswald rented and used the box
+LJ032-0064 it is not known whether the application for post office box two nine one five listed a hidell as a person entitled to receive mail at this box
+LJ032-0065 in accordance with postal regulations the portion of the application which lists names of persons other than the applicant entitled to receive mail
+LJ032-0066 was thrown away after the box was closed in may nineteen sixtythree
+LJ032-0067 postal inspector harry d holmes of the dallas post office testified however that when a package is received for a certain box
+LJ032-0068 a notice is placed in that box regardless of whether the name on the package is listed on the application as a person entitled to receive mail through that box
+LJ032-0069 the person having access to the box then takes the notice to the window and is given the package
+LJ032-0070 ordinarily inspector holmes testified identification is not requested because it is assumed that the person with the notice is entitled to the package
+LJ032-0071 oswalds use of the name hidell to purchase the assassination weapon was one of several instances in which he used this name as an alias
+LJ032-0072 when arrested on the day of the assassination he had in his possession a smith and wesson thirtyeight caliber revolver
+LJ032-0073 purchased by mailorder coupon from seaporttraders inc a mailorder division of george rose and co los angeles
+LJ032-0074 the mailorder coupon listed the purchaser as a j hidell age twentyeight
+LJ032-0075 with the address of post office box two nine one five in dallas
+LJ032-0076 handwriting experts from the fbi and the treasury department testified that the writing on the mailorder form was that of lee harvey oswald
+LJ032-0077 among other identification cards in oswalds wallet at the time of his arrest were a selective service notice of classification
+LJ032-0078 a selective service registration certificate and a certificate of service in the us marine corps all three cards being in his own name
+LJ032-0079 also in his wallet at that time
+LJ032-0080 were a selective service notice of classification and a marine certificate of service in the name of alek james hidell
+LJ032-0081 on the hidell selective service card there appeared a signature alek j hidell
+LJ032-0082 and the photograph of lee harvey oswald
+LJ032-0083 experts on questioned documents from the treasury department and the fbi testified that the hidell cards were counterfeit photographic reproductions
+LJ032-0084 made by photographing the oswald cards retouching the resulting negatives and producing prints from the retouched negatives
+LJ032-0085 the hidell signature on the notice of classification was in the handwriting of oswald
+LJ032-0086 in oswalds personal effects found in his room at ten twentysix north beckley avenue in dallas
+LJ032-0087 was a purported international certificate of vaccination signed by dr a j hideel
+LJ032-0088 post office box three zero zero one six new orleans
+LJ032-0089 it certified that lee harvey oswald had been vaccinated for smallpox on june eight nineteen sixtythree
+LJ032-0090 this too was a forgery the signature of a j hideel was in the handwriting of lee harvey oswald
+LJ032-0091 there is no dr hideel licensed to practice medicine in louisiana
+LJ032-0092 there is no post office box three zero zero one six in the new orleans post office
+LJ032-0093 but oswald had rented post office box three zero zero six one in new orleans on june three nineteen sixtythree
+LJ032-0094 listing marina oswald and a j hidell
+LJ032-0095 as additional persons entitled to receive mail in the box the new orleans postal authorities had not discarded the portion of the application
+LJ032-0096 listing the names of those other than the owner of the box entitled to receive mail through the box
+LJ032-0097 expert testimony confirmed that the writing on this application was that of lee harvey oswald
+LJ032-0098 hidells name on the post office box application was part of oswalds use of a nonexistent hidell
+LJ032-0099 to serve as president of the socalled new orleans chapter of the fair play for cuba committee
+LJ032-0100 marina oswald
+LJ032-0101 testified that she first learned of oswalds use of the fictitious name hidell in connection with his procastro activities in new orleans
+LJ032-0102 according to her testimony he compelled her to write the name hidell on membership cards in the space designated for the signature of the chapter president
+LJ032-0103 the name hidell was stamped on some of the chapters printed literature and on the membership application blanks
+LJ032-0104 marina oswald testified
+LJ032-0105 quote i knew there was no such organization and i know hidell is merely an altered fidel and i laughed at such foolishness
+LJ032-0106 end quote hidell was a fictitious president of an organization of which oswald was the only member
+LJ032-0107 when seeking employment in new orleans
+LJ032-0108 oswald listed a sgt robert hidell as a reference on one job application and george hidell as a reference on another
+LJ032-0109 both names were found to be fictitious
+LJ032-0110 moreover the use of alek as a first name for hidell is a further link to oswald because alek was oswalds nickname in russia
+LJ032-0111 letters received by marina oswald from her husband signed alek were given to the commission
+LJ032-0112 oswalds palmprint on rifle barrel
+LJ032-0113 based on the above evidence the commission concluded that oswald purchased the rifle found on the sixth floor of the depository building
+LJ032-0114 additional evidence of ownership was provided in the form of palmprint identification which indicated that oswald had possession of the rifle he had purchased
+LJ032-0115 a few minutes after the rifle was discovered on the sixth floor of the depository building
+LJ032-0116 it was examined by lt j c day of the identification bureau of the dallas police
+LJ032-0117 he lifted the rifle by the wooden stock after his examination convinced him that the wood was too rough to take fingerprints
+LJ032-0118 capt j w fritz then ejected a cartridge by operating the bolt
+LJ032-0119 but only after day viewed the knob on the bolt through a magnifying glass and found no prints
+LJ032-0120 day continued to examine the rifle with the magnifying glass looking for possible fingerprints
+LJ032-0121 he applied fingerprint powder to the side of the metal housing near the trigger and noticed traces of two prints
+LJ032-0122 at elevenfortyfive pm on november twentytwo
+LJ032-0123 the rifle was released to the fbi and forwarded to washington where it was examined on the morning of november twentythree
+LJ032-0124 by sebastian f latona supervisor of the latent fingerprint section of the fbis identification division
+LJ032-0125 in his testimony before the commission latona stated that when he received the rifle the area where prints were visible was protected by cellophane
+LJ032-0126 he examined these prints as well as photographs of them which the dallas police had made and concluded that
+LJ032-0127 the formations the ridge formations and characteristics were insufficient for purposes of either effecting identification
+LJ032-0128 or a determination that the print was not identical with the prints of people
+LJ032-0129 accordingly my opinion simply was that the latent prints which were there were of no value end quote
+LJ032-0130 latona then processed the complete weapon but developed no identifiable prints
+LJ032-0131 he stated that the poor quality of the wood and the metal would cause the rifle to absorb moisture from the skin thereby making a clear print unlikely
+LJ032-0132 on november twentytwo however before surrendering possession of the rifle to the fbi laboratory
+LJ032-0133 lieutenant day of the dallas police department had lifted a palmprint from the underside of the gun barrel
+LJ032-0134 quote near the firing end of the barrel about three inches under the woodstock when i took the woodstock loose end quote
+LJ032-0135 lifting a print involves the use of adhesive material to remove the fingerprint powder which adheres to the original print
+LJ032-0136 in this way the powdered impression is actually removed from the object
+LJ032-0137 the lifting had been so complete in this case that there was no trace of the print on the rifle itself when it was examined by latona
+LJ032-0138 nor was there any indication that the lift had been performed
+LJ032-0139 day on the other hand believed that sufficient traces of the print had been left on the rifle barrel
+LJ032-0140 because he did not release the lifted print until november twentysix when he received instructions to send everything that we had to the fbi
+LJ032-0141 the print arrived in the fbi laboratory in washington on november twentynine mounted on a card on which lieutenant day had written the words
+LJ032-0142 quote off underside gun barrel near end of grip c two seven six six end quote
+LJ032-0143 the prints positive identity as having been lifted from the rifle
+LJ032-0144 was confirmed by fbi laboratory tests which established that the adhesive material bearing the print
+LJ032-0145 also bore impressions of the same irregularities that appeared on the barrel of the rifle
+LJ032-0146 latona testified that this palmprint was the right palmprint of lee harvey oswald
+LJ032-0147 at the request of the commission arthur mandella
+LJ032-0148 fingerprint expert with the new york city police department conducted an independent examination and also determined that this was the right palmprint of oswald
+LJ032-0149 latonas findings were also confirmed by ronald g wittmus another fbi fingerprint expert
+LJ032-0150 in the opinion of these experts it was not possible to estimate the time which elapsed between the placing of the print on the rifle and the date of the lift
+LJ032-0151 experts testifying before the commission agreed that palmprints are as unique as fingerprints for purposes of establishing identification
+LJ032-0152 oswalds palmprint on the underside of the barrel demonstrates that he handled the rifle when it was disassembled
+LJ032-0153 a palmprint could not be placed on this portion of the rifle when assembled because the wooden foregrip covers the barrel at this point
+LJ032-0154 the print is additional proof that the rifle was in oswalds possession
+LJ032-0155 fibers on rifle
+LJ032-0156 in a crevice between the butt plate of the rifle and the wooden stock
+LJ032-0157 was a tuft of several cotton fibers of dark blue grayblack and orangeyellow shades
+LJ032-0158 on november twentythree nineteen sixtythree
+LJ032-0159 these fibers were examined by paul m stombaugh a special agent assigned to the hair and fiber unit of the fbi laboratory
+LJ032-0160 he compared them with the fibers found in the shirt which oswald was wearing when arrested in the texas theatre
+LJ032-0161 this shirt was also composed of dark blue gray black and orangeyellow cotton fibers
+LJ032-0162 stombaugh testified that the colors shades and twist of the fibers found in the tuft on the rifle matched those in oswalds shirt
+LJ032-0163 stombaugh explained in his testimony that in fiber analysis as distinct from fingerprint or firearms identification
+LJ032-0164 it is not possible to state with scientific certainty that a particular small group of fibers come from a certain piece of clothing
+LJ032-0165 to the exclusion of all others because there are not enough microscopic characteristics present in fibers
+LJ032-0166 judgments as to probability will depend on the number and types of matches
+LJ032-0167 he concluded quote there is no doubt in my mind that these fibers could have come from this shirt
+LJ032-0168 there is no way however to eliminate the possibility of the fibers having come from another identical shirt end quote
+LJ032-0169 having considered the probabilities as explained in stombaughs testimony
+LJ032-0170 the commission has concluded that the fibers in the tuft on the rifle most probably came from the shirt worn by oswald when he was arrested
+LJ032-0171 and that this was the same shirt which oswald wore on the morning of the assassination
+LJ032-0172 marina oswald testified that she thought her husband wore this shirt to work on that day
+LJ032-0173 the testimony of those who saw him after the assassination was inconclusive about the color of oswalds shirt
+LJ032-0174 but mary bledsoe a former landlady of oswald saw him on a bus approximately ten minutes after the assassination
+LJ032-0175 and identified the shirt as being the one worn by oswald primarily because of a distinctive hole in the shirts right elbow
+LJ032-0176 moreover the bus transfer which he obtained as he left the bus was still in the pocket when he was arrested
+LJ032-0177 although oswald returned to his roominghouse after the assassination and when questioned by the police claimed to have changed his shirt
+LJ032-0178 the evidence indicates that he continued wearing the same shirt which he was wearing all morning and which he was still wearing when arrested
+LJ032-0179 in light of these findings the commission evaluated the additional testimony of stombaugh
+LJ032-0180 that the fibers were caught in the crevice of the rifles butt plate quote in the recent past end quote
+LJ032-0181 although stombaugh was unable to estimate the period of time the fibers were on the rifle he said that the fibers quote
+LJ032-0182 were clean they had good color to them there was no grease on them and they were not fragmented they looked as if they had just been picked up end quote
+LJ032-0183 the relative freshness of the fibers is strong evidence that they were caught on the rifle on the morning of the assassination or during the preceding evening
+LJ032-0184 for ten days prior to the eve of the assassination oswald had not been present at ruth paines house in irving texas where the rifle was kept
+LJ032-0185 moreover the commission found no reliable evidence that oswald used the rifle at any time between september twentythree
+LJ032-0186 when it was transported from new orleans and november twentytwo the day of the assassination
+LJ032-0187 the fact that on the morning of the assassination oswald was wearing the shirt from which these relatively fresh fibers most probably originated
+LJ032-0188 provides some evidence that they were placed on the rifle that day
+LJ032-0189 since there was limited if any opportunity for oswald to handle the weapon during the two months prior to november twentytwo
+LJ032-0190 on the other hand stombaugh pointed out that fibers might retain their freshness if the rifle had been
+LJ032-0191 quote put aside end quote after catching the fibers
+LJ032-0192 the rifle used in the assassination probably had been wrapped in a blanket for about eight weeks prior to november twentytwo
+LJ032-0193 because the relative freshness of these fibers might be explained by the continuous storage of the rifle in the blanket
+LJ032-0194 the commission was unable to reach any firm conclusion as to when the fibers were caught in the rifle
+LJ032-0195 the commission was able to conclude however that the fibers most probably came from oswalds shirt
+LJ032-0196 this adds to the conviction of the commission that oswald owned and handled the weapon used in the assassination
+LJ032-0197 photograph of oswald with rifle
+LJ032-0198 during the period from march two nineteen sixtythree to april twentyfour nineteen sixtythree
+LJ032-0199 the oswalds lived on neely street in dallas in a rented house which had a small back yard
+LJ032-0200 one sunday while his wife was hanging diapers oswald asked her to take a picture of him holding a rifle a pistol
+LJ032-0201 and issues of two newspapers later identified as the worker and the militant
+LJ032-0202 two pictures were taken the commission has concluded that the rifle shown in these pictures is the same rifle which was found on the sixth floor of the depository building
+LJ032-0203 on november twentytwo nineteen sixtythree one of these pictures exhibit number one thirtythree a shows most of the rifles configuration
+LJ032-0204 special agent lyndal l shaneyfelt a photography expert with the fbi
+LJ032-0205 photographed the rifle used in the assassination attempting to duplicate the position of the rifle and the lighting in exhibit number one thirtythree a
+LJ032-0206 after comparing the rifle in the simulated photograph with the rifle in exhibit number one thirtythree a shaneyfelt testified quote
+LJ032-0207 i found it to be the same general configuration all appearances were the same end quote
+LJ032-0208 he found quote one notch in the stock at this point that appears very faintly in the photograph end quote
+LJ032-0209 he stated however that while he quote found no differences end quote between the rifles in the two photographs he could not make a quote positive identification
+LJ032-0210 to the exclusion of all other rifles of the same general configuration end quote
+LJ032-0211 the authenticity of these pictures has been established by expert testimony which links the second picture
+LJ032-0212 commission exhibit number one thirtythree b to oswalds imperial reflex camera with which marina oswald testified she took the pictures
+LJ032-0213 the negative of that picture commission exhibit number one thirtythree b was found among oswalds possessions
+LJ032-0214 using a recognized technique of determining whether a picture was taken with a particular camera
+LJ032-0215 shaneyfelt compared this negative with a negative which he made by taking a new picture with oswalds camera
+LJ032-0216 he concluded that the negative of exhibit number one thirtythree b was exposed in oswalds imperial reflex camera to the exclusion of all other cameras
+LJ032-0217 he could not test exhibit number one thirtythree a in the same way because the negative was never recovered
+LJ032-0218 both pictures however have identical backgrounds and lighting and judging from the shadows were taken at the same angle
+LJ032-0219 they are photographs of the same scene
+LJ032-0220 since exhibit number one thirtythree b was taken with oswalds camera
+LJ032-0221 it is reasonably certain that exhibit number one thirtythree a was taken by the same camera at the same time as marina oswald testified
+LJ032-0222 moreover shaneyfelt testified that in his opinion the photographs were not composites of two different photographs
+LJ032-0223 and that oswalds face had not been superimposed on another body
+LJ032-0224 one of the photographs taken by marina oswald was widely published in newspapers and magazines
+LJ032-0225 and in many instances the details of these pictures differed from the original and even from each other particularly as to the configuration of the rifle
+LJ032-0226 the commission sought to determine whether these photographs were touched prior to publication
+LJ032-0227 shaneyfelt testified that the published photographs appeared to be based on a copy of the original which the publications had each retouched differently
+LJ032-0228 several of the publications furnished the commission with the prints they had used or described by correspondence the retouching they had done
+LJ032-0229 this information enabled the commission to conclude
+LJ032-0230 that the published pictures were the same as the original except for retouching done by these publications apparently for the purpose of clarifying the lines of the rifle
+LJ032-0231 and other details in the picture
+LJ032-0232 the dates surrounding the taking of this picture and the purchase of the rifle
+LJ032-0233 reinforce the belief that the rifle in the photograph is the rifle which oswald bought from kleins
+LJ032-0234 the rifle was shipped from kleins in chicago on march twenty nineteen sixtythree at a time when the oswalds were living on neely street
+LJ032-0235 from an examination of one of the photographs the commission determined the dates of the issues of the militant and the worker which oswald was holding in his hand
+LJ032-0236 by checking the actual mailing dates of these issues and the time it usually takes to effect delivery to dallas
+LJ032-0237 it was established that the photographs must have been taken sometime after march twentyseven
+LJ032-0238 marina oswald testified that the photographs were taken on a sunday about two weeks before the attempted shooting of maj gen edwin a walker
+LJ032-0239 on april ten nineteen sixtythree
+LJ032-0240 by sunday march thirtyone nineteen sixtythree
+LJ032-0241 ten days prior to the walker attempt oswald had undoubtedly received the rifle shipped from chicago on march twenty
+LJ032-0242 the revolver shipped from los angeles on the same date and the two newspapers which he was holding in the picture
+LJ032-0243 rifle among oswalds possessions
+LJ032-0244 marina oswald testified that the rifle found on the sixth floor of the depository building was the fateful rifle of lee oswald
+LJ032-0245 moreover it was the only rifle owned by her husband following his return from the soviet union in june nineteen sixtytwo
+LJ032-0246 it had been purchased in march nineteen sixtythree and taken to new orleans where marina oswald saw it in their rented apartment
+LJ032-0247 during the summer of nineteen sixtythree
+LJ032-0248 it appears from his wifes testimony
+LJ032-0249 that oswald may have sat on the screenedin porch at night practicing with the rifle by looking through the telescopic sight and operating the bolt
+LJ032-0250 in september nineteen sixtythree
+LJ032-0251 oswald loaded their possessions into a station wagon owned by ruth paine who had invited marina oswald and the baby to live at her home in irving texas
+LJ032-0252 marina oswald has stated that the rifle was among these possessions although ruth paine testified that she was not aware of it
+LJ032-0253 from september twentyfour nineteen sixtythree when marina oswald arrived in irving from new orleans until the morning of the assassination
+LJ032-0254 the rifle was according to the evidence stored in a green and brown blanket in the paines garage among the oswalds other possessions
+LJ032-0255 about one week after the return from new orleans
+LJ032-0256 marina oswald was looking in the garage for parts to the babys crib and thought that the parts might be in the blanket
+LJ032-0257 when she started to open the blanket she saw the stock of the rifle
+LJ032-0258 ruth and michael paine both noticed the rolledup blanket in the garage during the time that marina oswald was living in their home
+LJ032-0259 on several occasions michael paine moved the blanket in the garage
+LJ032-0260 he thought it contained tent poles or possibly other camping equipment such as a folding shovel
+LJ032-0261 when he appeared before the commission michael paine lifted the blanket
+LJ032-0262 with the rifle wrapped inside and testified that it appeared to be the same approximate weight and shape as the package in his garage
+LJ032-0263 about three hours after the assassination a detective and deputy sheriff saw the blanketroll
+LJ032-0264 tied with a string lying on the floor of the paines garage
+LJ032-0265 each man testified that he thought he could detect the outline of a rifle in the blanket even though the blanket was empty
+LJ032-0266 paul m stombaugh of the fbi laboratory
+LJ032-0267 examined the blanket and discovered a bulge approximately ten inches long midway in the blanket
+LJ032-0268 this bulge was apparently caused by a hard protruding object which had stretched the blankets fibers
+LJ032-0269 it could have been caused by the telescopic sight of the rifle which was approximately eleven inches long
+LJ032-0270 having reviewed the evidence that one lee harvey oswald purchased the rifle used in the assassination
+LJ032-0271 two oswalds palmprint was on the rifle in a position which shows that he had handled it while it was disassembled
+LJ032-0272 three fibers found on the rifle most probably came from the shirt oswald was wearing on the day of the assassination
+LJ032-0273 four a photograph taken in the yard of oswalds apartment showed him holding this rifle and five
+LJ032-0274 the rifle was kept among oswalds possessions from the time of its purchase until the day of the assassination
+LJ032-0275 the commission concluded that the rifle used to assassinate president kennedy and wound governor connally was owned and possessed by lee harvey oswald
+LJ033-0001 report of the presidents commission on the assassination of president kennedy the warren commission report by the presidents commission on the assassination of president kennedy
+LJ033-0002 chapter four the assassin part two
+LJ033-0003 the rifle in the building
+LJ033-0004 the commission has evaluated the evidence tending to show how lee harvey oswalds mannlichercarcano rifle serial number c two seven six six
+LJ033-0005 was brought into the depository building where it was found on the sixth floor shortly after the assassination
+LJ033-0006 in this connection the commission considered one
+LJ033-0007 the circumstances surrounding oswalds return to irving texas on thursday november twentyone nineteen sixtythree
+LJ033-0008 two the disappearance of the rifle from its normal place of storage three
+LJ033-0009 oswalds arrival at the depository building on november twentytwo carrying a long and bulky brown paper package
+LJ033-0010 the presence of a long handmade brown paper bag near the point from which the shots were fired and five the palmprint
+LJ033-0011 fiber and paper analyses linking oswald and the assassination weapon to this bag
+LJ033-0012 the curtain rod story
+LJ033-0013 during october and november of nineteen sixtythree
+LJ033-0014 lee harvey oswald lived in a roominghouse in dallas while his wife and children lived in irving at the home of ruth paine
+LJ033-0015 approximately fifteen miles from oswalds place of work at the texas school book depository
+LJ033-0016 oswald traveled between dallas and irving on weekends in a car driven by a neighbor of the paines buell wesley frazier
+LJ033-0017 who also worked at the depository
+LJ033-0018 oswald generally would go to irving on friday afternoon and return to dallas monday morning
+LJ033-0019 according to the testimony of frazier marina oswald and ruth paine it appears that oswald never returned to irving in midweek
+LJ033-0020 prior to november twentyone nineteen sixtythree except on monday october twentyone when he visited his wife in the hospital
+LJ033-0021 after the birth of their second child
+LJ033-0022 during the morning of november twentyone oswald asked frazier whether he could ride home with him that afternoon
+LJ033-0023 frazier surprised asked him why he was going to irving on thursday night rather than friday
+LJ033-0024 oswald replied quote im going home to get some curtain rods to put in an apartment end quote
+LJ033-0025 the two men left work at fourforty pm and drove to irving
+LJ033-0026 there was little conversation between them on the way home
+LJ033-0027 mrs linnie mae randle fraziers sister commented to her brother about oswalds unusual midweek return to irving
+LJ033-0028 frazier told her that oswald had come home to get curtain rods
+LJ033-0029 it would appear however that obtaining curtain rods was not the purpose of oswalds trip to irving on november twentyone
+LJ033-0030 mrs a c johnson his landlady testified that oswalds room at ten twentysix north beckley avenue
+LJ033-0031 had curtains and curtain rods and that oswald had never discussed the subject with her
+LJ033-0032 in the paines garage along with many other objects of a household character
+LJ033-0033 there were two flat lightweight curtain rods belonging to ruth paine but they were still there on friday afternoon after oswalds arrest
+LJ033-0034 oswald never asked mrs paine about the use of curtain rods
+LJ033-0035 and marina oswald testified that oswald did not say anything about curtain rods on the day before the assassination
+LJ033-0036 no curtain rods were known to have been discovered in the depository building after the assassination
+LJ033-0037 in deciding whether oswald carried a rifle to work in a long paper bag on november twentytwo
+LJ033-0038 the commission gave weight to the fact that oswald gave a false reason for returning home on november twentyone
+LJ033-0039 and one which provided an excuse for the carrying of a bulky package the following morning
+LJ033-0040 before dinner on november twentyone oswald played on the lawn of the paines home with his daughter june
+LJ033-0041 after dinner ruth paine and marina oswald were busy cleaning house and preparing their children for bed
+LJ033-0042 between the hours of eight and nine pm they were occupied with the children in the bedrooms located at the extreme east end of the house
+LJ033-0043 on the west end of the house is the attached garage which can be reached from the kitchen or from the outside
+LJ033-0044 in the garage were the personal belongings of the oswald family including as the evidence has shown the rifle wrapped in the old brown and green blanket
+LJ033-0045 at approximately nine pm after the children had been put to bed mrs paine according to her testimony before the commission quote
+LJ033-0046 went out to the garage to paint some childrens blocks and worked in the garage for half an hour or so
+LJ033-0047 i noticed when i went out that the light was on end quote
+LJ033-0048 mrs paine was certain that she had not left the light on in the garage after dinner
+LJ033-0049 according to mrs paine oswald had gone to bed by nine pm
+LJ033-0050 marina oswald testified that it was between nine and ten pm
+LJ033-0051 neither marina oswald nor ruth paine saw oswald in the garage
+LJ033-0052 the period between eight and nine pm however provided ample opportunity for oswald to prepare the rifle for his departure the next morning
+LJ033-0053 only if disassembled could the rifle fit into the paper bag found near the window from which the shots were fired
+LJ033-0054 a firearms expert with the fbi assembled the rifle in six minutes using a tencent coin as a tool
+LJ033-0055 and he could disassemble it more rapidly
+LJ033-0056 while the rifle may have already been disassembled when oswald arrived home on thursday he had ample time that evening to disassemble the rifle
+LJ033-0057 and insert it into the paper bag
+LJ033-0058 on the day of the assassination marina oswald was watching television when she learned of the shooting
+LJ033-0059 a short time later mrs paine told her that someone had shot the president quote from the building in which lee is working end quote
+LJ033-0060 marina oswald testified that at that time quote my heart dropped
+LJ033-0061 i then went to the garage to see whether the rifle was there and i saw that the blanket was still there and i said thank god end quote
+LJ033-0062 she did not unroll the blanket she saw that it was in its usual position and it appeared to her to have something inside
+LJ033-0063 soon afterward at about three pm police officers arrived and searched the house
+LJ033-0064 mrs paine pointed out that most of the oswalds possessions were in the garage
+LJ033-0065 with ruth paine acting as an interpreter detective rose asked marina whether her husband had a rifle
+LJ033-0066 mrs paine who had no knowledge of the rifle first said no but when the question was translated marina oswald replied yes
+LJ033-0067 she pointed to the blanket which was on the floor very close to where ruth paine was standing
+LJ033-0068 mrs paine testified quote
+LJ033-0069 as she marina told me about it i stepped onto the blanket roll
+LJ033-0070 and she indicated to me that she had peered into this roll and saw a portion of what she took to be a gun she knew her husband to have a rifle
+LJ033-0071 and i then translated this to the officers that she knew that her husband had a gun that he had stored in here
+LJ033-0072 i then stepped off of it and the officer picked it up in the middle and it bent so
+LJ033-0073 mrs paine had the actual blanket before her as she testified and she indicated that the blanket hung limp in the officers hand
+LJ033-0074 marina oswald testified that this was her first knowledge that the rifle was not in its accustomed place
+LJ033-0075 the long and bulky package
+LJ033-0076 on the morning of november twentytwo nineteen sixtythree
+LJ033-0077 lee harvey oswald left the paine house in irving at approximately sevenfifteen am while marina oswald was still in bed
+LJ033-0078 neither she nor mrs paine saw him leave the house about halfablock away from the paine house was the residence of mrs linnie mae randle
+LJ033-0079 sister of the man with whom oswald drove to work buell wesley frazier
+LJ033-0080 mrs randle stated that on the morning of november twentytwo while her brother was eating breakfast
+LJ033-0081 she looked out the breakfastroom window and saw oswald cross the street and walk toward the driveway where her brother parked his car near the carport
+LJ033-0082 he carried a quote heavy brown bag end quote
+LJ033-0083 oswald gripped the bag in his right hand near the top quote it tapered like this as he hugged it in his hand
+LJ033-0084 it was more bulky toward the bottom end quote than toward the top
+LJ033-0085 she then opened the kitchen door and saw oswald open the right rear door of her brothers car and place the package in the back of the car
+LJ033-0086 mrs randle estimated that the package was approximately twentyeight inches long and about eight inches wide
+LJ033-0087 she thought that its color was similar to that of the bag found on the sixth floor of the school book depository after the assassination
+LJ033-0088 frazier met oswald at the kitchen door and together they walked to the car
+LJ033-0089 after entering the car frazier glanced over his shoulder and noticed a brown paper package on the back seat
+LJ033-0090 he asked quote whats the package lee end quote oswald replied quote curtain rods end quote
+LJ033-0091 frazier told the commission quote
+LJ033-0092 the main reason he was going over there that thursday afternoon when he was to bring back some curtain rods so i didnt think any more about it when he told me that end quote
+LJ033-0093 frazier estimated that the bag was two feet long quote give and take a few inches end quote and about five or six inches wide
+LJ033-0094 as they sat in the car frazier asked oswald where his lunch was and oswald replied that he was going to buy his lunch that day
+LJ033-0095 frazier testified that oswald carried no lunch bag that day
+LJ033-0096 quote when he rode with me i say he always brought lunch except that one day on november twentytwo he didnt bring his lunch that day end quote
+LJ033-0097 frazier parked the car in the company parking lot about two blocks north of the depository building
+LJ033-0098 oswald left the car first picked up the brown paper bag and proceeded toward the building ahead of frazier
+LJ033-0099 frazier walked behind and as they crossed the railroad tracks he watched the switching of the cars
+LJ033-0100 frazier recalled that one end of the package was under oswalds armpit and the lower part was held with his right hand
+LJ033-0101 so that it was carried straight and parallel to his body
+LJ033-0102 when oswald entered the rear door of the depository building he was about fifty feet ahead of frazier
+LJ033-0103 it was the first time that oswald had not walked with frazier from the parking lot to the building entrance
+LJ033-0104 when frazier entered the building he did not see oswald
+LJ033-0105 one employee jack dougherty
+LJ033-0106 believed that he saw oswald coming to work but he does not remember that oswald had anything in his hands as he entered the door
+LJ033-0107 no other employee has been found who saw oswald enter that morning
+LJ033-0108 in deciding whether oswald carried the assassination weapon in the bag which frazier and mrs randle saw
+LJ033-0109 the commission has carefully considered the testimony of these two witnesses with regard to the length of the bag
+LJ033-0110 frazier and mrs randle testified
+LJ033-0111 that the bag which oswald was carrying was approximately twentyseven or twentyeight inches long whereas the wooden stock of the rifle which is its largest component
+LJ033-0112 measured thirtyfour point eight inches
+LJ033-0113 the bag found on the sixth floor was eightyeight inches long
+LJ033-0114 when frazier appeared before the commission and was asked to demonstrate how oswald carried the package he said quote like i said
+LJ033-0115 i remember that i didnt look at the package very much but when i did look at it he did have his hands on the package like that end quote and at this point
+LJ033-0116 frazier placed the upper part of the package under his armpit and attempted to cup his right hand beneath the bottom of the bag
+LJ033-0117 the disassembled rifle was too long to be carried in this manner
+LJ033-0118 similarly when the butt of the rifle was placed in fraziers hand it extended above his shoulder to ear level
+LJ033-0119 moreover in an interview on december one nineteen sixtythree with agents of the fbi frazier had marked the point on the back seat of his car
+LJ033-0120 which he believed was where the bag reached when it was laid on the seat with one edge against the door
+LJ033-0121 the distance between the point on the seat and the door was twentyseven inches
+LJ033-0122 mrs randle said when shown the paper bag
+LJ033-0123 that the bag she saw oswald carrying quote wasnt that long i mean it was folded down at the top as i told you it definitely wasnt that long end quote
+LJ033-0124 and she folded the bag to length of about twentyeight and a half inches
+LJ033-0125 frazier doubted whether the bag that oswald carried was as wide as the bag found on the sixth floor although mrs randle testified
+LJ033-0126 that the width was approximately the same
+LJ033-0127 the commission has weighed the visual recollection of frazier and mrs randle against the evidence here presented
+LJ033-0128 that the bag oswald carried contained the assassination weapon and has concluded that frazier and randle are mistaken as to the length of the bag
+LJ033-0129 mrs randle saw the bag fleetingly
+LJ033-0130 and her first remembrance is that it was held in oswalds right hand quote and it almost touched the ground as he carried it end quote
+LJ033-0131 fraziers view of the bag was from the rear he continually advised that he was not paying close attention for example he said quote
+LJ033-0132 i didnt pay too much attention the way he was walking because i was walking along there looking at the railroad cars and watching the men on the diesel switch them cars
+LJ033-0133 and i didnt pay too much attention on how he carried the package at all end quote
+LJ033-0134 frazier could easily have been mistaken when he stated that oswald held the bottom of the bag cupped in his hand with the upper end tucked into his armpit
+LJ033-0135 location of bag
+LJ033-0136 a handmade bag of wrapping paper and tape was found in the southeast corner of the sixth floor alongside the window from which the shots were fired
+LJ033-0137 it was not a standard type bag which could be obtained in a store and it was presumably made for a particular purpose
+LJ033-0138 it was the appropriate size to contain in disassembled form
+LJ033-0139 oswalds mannlichercarcano rifle serial number c two seven six six which was also found on the sixth floor
+LJ033-0140 three cartons had been placed at the window apparently to act as a gun rest and a fourth carton was placed behind those at the window
+LJ033-0141 a person seated on the fourth carton could assemble the rifle without being seen from the rest of the sixth floor
+LJ033-0142 because the cartons stacked around the southeast corner would shield him
+LJ033-0143 the presence of the bag in this corner is cogent evidence that it was used as the container for the rifle
+LJ033-0144 at the time the bag was found lieutenant day of the dallas police wrote on it quote found next to the sixth floor window gun fired from
+LJ033-0145 may have been used to carry gun lt j c day end quote
+LJ033-0146 scientific evidence linking rifle and oswald to paper bag
+LJ033-0147 oswalds fingerprint and palmprint found on bag
+LJ033-0148 using a standard chemical method involving silver nitrates
+LJ033-0149 the fbi laboratory developed a latent palmprint and latent fingerprint on the bag
+LJ033-0150 sebastian f latona supervisor of the fbis latent fingerprint section
+LJ033-0151 identified these prints as the left index fingerprint and right palmprint of lee harvey oswald
+LJ033-0152 the portion of the palm which was identified was the heel of the right palm ie the area near the wrist on the little finger side
+LJ033-0153 these prints were examined independently by ronald g wittmus of the fbi
+LJ033-0154 and by arthur mandella a fingerprint expert with the new york city police department
+LJ033-0155 both concluded that the prints were the right palm and left index finger of lee oswald no other identifiable prints were found on the bag
+LJ033-0156 oswalds palmprint on the bottom of the paper bag indicated of course that he had handled the bag
+LJ033-0157 furthermore it was consistent with the bag having contained a heavy or bulky object when he handled it since a light object is usually held by the fingers
+LJ033-0158 the palmprint was found on the closed end of the bag
+LJ033-0159 it was from oswalds right hand in which he carried the long package as he walked from fraziers car to the building
+LJ033-0160 materials used to make bag
+LJ033-0161 on the day of the assassination the dallas police obtained a sample of wrapping paper and tape
+LJ033-0162 from the shipping room of the depository and forwarded it to the fbi laboratory in washington
+LJ033-0163 james c cadigan a questioneddocuments expert with the bureau compared the samples with the paper and tape in the actual bag
+LJ033-0164 he testified quote
+LJ033-0165 in all of the observations and physical tests that i made i found the bag and the paper sample were the same end quote
+LJ033-0166 among other tests the paper and tape were submitted to fiber analysis and spectrographic examination
+LJ033-0167 in addition the tape was compared to determine whether the sample tape and the tape on the bag had been taken from the tape dispensing machine at the depository
+LJ033-0168 when asked to explain the similarity of characteristics cadigan stated quote well briefly
+LJ033-0169 it would be the thickness of both the paper and the tape the color under various lighting conditions of both the paper and the tape
+LJ033-0170 the width of the tape the knurled markings on the surface of the fiber the texture of the fiber the letting pattern
+LJ033-0171 i found that the paper sack found on the sixth floor and the sample
+LJ033-0172 had the same observable characteristics both under the microscope and all the visual tests that i could conduct
+LJ033-0173 the papers i also found were similar in fiber composition therefore in addition to the visual characteristics
+LJ033-0174 microscopic and uv ultra violet characteristics end quote
+LJ033-0175 mr cadigan concluded that the paper and tape from the bag were identical in all respects to the sample paper and tape
+LJ033-0176 taken from the texas school book depository shipping room on november twentytwo nineteen sixtythree
+LJ033-0177 on december one nineteen sixtythree a replica bag was made from materials found on that date in the shipping room
+LJ033-0178 this was done as an investigatory aid
+LJ033-0179 since the original bag had been discolored during various laboratory examinations and could not be used for valid identification by witnesses
+LJ033-0180 cadigan found that the paper used to make this replica sack had different characteristics from the paper in the original bag
+LJ033-0181 the science of paper analysis enabled him to distinguish between different rolls of paper even though they were produced by the same manufacturer
+LJ033-0182 since the depository normally used approximately one roll of paper every three working days
+LJ033-0183 it was not surprising that the replica sack made on december one nineteen sixtythree
+LJ033-0184 had different characteristics from both the actual bag and the sample taken on november twentytwo
+LJ033-0185 on the other hand since two rolls could be made from the same batch of paper
+LJ033-0186 one cannot estimate when prior to november twentytwo oswald made the paper bag
+LJ033-0187 however the complete identity of characteristics between the paper and tape in the bag found on the sixth floor
+LJ033-0188 and the paper and tape found in the shipping room of the depository on november twentytwo
+LJ033-0189 enabled the commission to conclude that the bag was made from these materials
+LJ033-0190 the depository shipping department was on the first floor to which oswald had access in the normal performance of his duties filling orders
+LJ033-0191 fibers in paper bag matched fibers in blanket
+LJ033-0192 when paul m stombaugh of the fbi laboratory examined the paper bag
+LJ033-0193 he found on the inside a single brown delustered viscose fiber and several light green cotton fibers
+LJ033-0194 the blanket in which the rifle was stored was composed of brown and green cotton viscose and woolen fibers
+LJ033-0195 the single brown viscose fiber found in the bag matched some of the brown viscose fibers from the blanket in all observable characteristics
+LJ033-0196 the green cotton fibers found in the paper bag matched some of the green cotton fibers in the blanket
+LJ033-0197 quote in all observable microscopic characteristics end quote
+LJ033-0198 despite these matches however stombaugh was unable to render on opinion that the fibers which he found in the bag had probably come from the blanket
+LJ033-0199 because other types of fibers present in the blanket were not found in the bag
+LJ033-0200 he concluded quote
+LJ033-0201 all i would say here is that it is possible that these fibers could have come from this blanket
+LJ033-0202 because this blanket is composed of brown and green woolen fibers brown and green delustered viscose fibers and brown and green cotton fibers
+LJ033-0203 we found no brown cotton fibers no green viscose fibers and no woolen fibers
+LJ033-0204 so if i found all of these then i would have been able to say these fibers probably had come from this blanket but since i found so few
+LJ033-0205 then i would say the possibility exists these fibers could have come from this blanket end quote
+LJ033-0206 stombaugh confirmed that the rifle could have picked up fibers from the blanket and transferred them to the paper bag
+LJ033-0207 in light of the other evidence linking lee harvey oswald the blanket and the rifle to the paper bag found on the sixth floor
+LJ033-0208 the commission considered stombaughs testimony of probative value in deciding whether oswald carried the rifle into the building in the paper bag
+LJ033-0209 the preponderance of the evidence supports the conclusion that lee harvey oswald one
+LJ033-0210 told the curtain rod story to frazier to explain both the return to irving on a thursday
+LJ033-0211 and the obvious bulk of the package which he intended to bring to work the next day
+LJ033-0212 two took paper and tape from the wrapping bench of the depository and fashioned a bag large enough to carry the disassembled rifle
+LJ033-0213 three removed the rifle from the blanket in the paines garage on thursday evening
+LJ033-0214 four carried the rifle into the depository building concealed in the bag
+LJ034-0001 report of the presidents commission on the assassination of president kennedy
+LJ034-0002 the warren commission report by the presidents commission on the assassination of president kennedy chapter four the assassin part three
+LJ034-0003 oswald at window
+LJ034-0004 lee harvey oswald was hired on october fifteen nineteen sixtythree by the texas school book depository as an order filler
+LJ034-0005 he worked principally on the first and sixth floors of the building gathering books listed on orders and delivering them to the shipping room on the first floor
+LJ034-0006 he had ready access to the sixth floor from the southeast corner window of which the shots were fired
+LJ034-0007 the commission evaluated the physical evidence found near the window after the assassination and the testimony of eyewitnesses
+LJ034-0008 in deciding whether lee harvey oswald was present at this window at the time of the assassination
+LJ034-0009 palmprints and fingerprints on cartons and paper bag
+LJ034-0010 below the southeast corner window on the sixth floor was a large carton of books
+LJ034-0011 measuring approximately eighteen by twelve by fourteen inches which had been moved from a stack along the south wall
+LJ034-0012 atop this carton was a small carton marked rolling readers measuring approximately thirteen by nine by eight inches
+LJ034-0013 in front of this small carton and resting partially on the windowsill was another small rolling readers carton
+LJ034-0014 these two small cartons had been moved from a stack about three aisles away
+LJ034-0015 the boxes in the window appeared to have been arranged as a convenient gun rest
+LJ034-0016 behind these boxes was another carton placed on the floor on which a man sitting
+LJ034-0017 could look southwesterly down elm street over the top of the rolling readers cartons
+LJ034-0018 next to these cartons was the handmade paper bag previously discussed
+LJ034-0019 on which appeared the print of the left index finger and right palm of lee harvey oswald
+LJ034-0020 the cartons were forwarded to the fbi in washington
+LJ034-0021 sebastian f latona supervisor of the latent fingerprint section
+LJ034-0022 testified that twenty identifiable fingerprints and eight palmprints were developed on these cartons
+LJ034-0023 the carton on the windowsill and the large carton below the window contained no prints which could be identified as being those of lee harvey oswald
+LJ034-0024 the other rolling readers carton however contained a palmprint and a fingerprint which were identified by latona
+LJ034-0025 as being the left palmprint and right index fingerprint of lee harvey oswald
+LJ034-0026 the commission has considered the possibility that the cartons might have been moved in connection with the work that was being performed on the sixth floor on november twentytwo
+LJ034-0027 depository employees were laying a new floor at the west end and transferring books from the west to the east end of the building
+LJ034-0028 the rolling readers cartons however had not been moved by the floor layers and had apparently been taken to the window from their regular position for some particular purpose
+LJ034-0029 the rolling readers boxes contained instead of books light blocks used as reading aids
+LJ034-0030 they could be easily adjusted and were still solid enough to serve as a gun rest
+LJ034-0031 the box on the floor behind the three near the window
+LJ034-0032 had been one of these moved by the floor layers from the west wall to near the east side of the building in preparation for the laying of the floor
+LJ034-0033 during the afternoon of november twentytwo
+LJ034-0034 lieutenant day of the dallas police dusted this carton with powder and developed a palmprint on the top edge of the carton on the side nearest the window
+LJ034-0035 the position of this palmprint on the carton was parallel with the long axis of the box and at right angles with the short axis
+LJ034-0036 the bottom of the palm rested on the box
+LJ034-0037 someone sitting on the box facing the window would have his palm in this position if he placed his hand alongside his right hip
+LJ034-0038 this print which had been cut out of the box was also forwarded to the fbi and latona identified it as oswalds right palmprint
+LJ034-0039 in latonas opinion quote
+LJ034-0040 not too long end quote a time had elapsed between the time that the print was placed on the carton and the time that it had been developed by the dallas police
+LJ034-0041 although bureau experiments had shown that twentyfour hours was a likely maximum time latona stated
+LJ034-0042 that he could only testify with certainty that the print was less than three days old
+LJ034-0043 the print therefore could have been placed on the carton at any time within this period
+LJ034-0044 the freshness of this print could be estimated only because the dallas police developed it through the use of powder
+LJ034-0045 since cartons absorb perspiration powder can successfully develop a print on such material only within a limited time
+LJ034-0046 when the fbi in washington received the cartons the remaining prints including oswalds on the rolling readers carton
+LJ034-0047 were developed by chemical processes
+LJ034-0048 the freshness of prints developed in this manner cannot be estimated
+LJ034-0049 so no conclusions can be drawn as to whether these remaining prints preceded or followed the print developed in dallas by powder
+LJ034-0050 most of the prints were found to have been placed on the cartons by an fbi clerk
+LJ034-0051 and a dallas police officer after the cartons had been processed with powder by the dallas police
+LJ034-0052 in his independent investigation arthur mandella of the new york city police department
+LJ034-0053 reached the same conclusion as latona that the prints found on the cartons were those of lee harvey oswald
+LJ034-0054 in addition mandella was of the opinion that the print taken from the carton on the floor
+LJ034-0055 was probably made within a day or a day and a half of the examination on november twentytwo
+LJ034-0056 another expert with the fbi ronald g wittmus conducted a separate examination and also agreed with latona that the prints were oswalds
+LJ034-0057 in evaluating the significance of these fingerprint and palmprint identifications
+LJ034-0058 the commission considered the possibility that oswald handled these cartons as part of his normal duties
+LJ034-0059 since other identifiable prints were developed on the cartons the commission requested that they be compared with the prints of the twelve warehouse employees
+LJ034-0060 who like oswald might have handled the cartons they were also compared with the prints of those law enforcement officials who might have handled the cartons
+LJ034-0061 the results of this investigation are fully discussed in chapter six page two fortynine
+LJ034-0062 although a person could handle a carton and not leave identifiable prints
+LJ034-0063 none of these employees except oswald left identifiable prints on the cartons
+LJ034-0064 this finding in addition to the freshness of one of the prints and the presence of oswalds prints on two of the four cartons and the paper bag
+LJ034-0065 led the commission to attach some probative value to the fingerprint and palmprint identifications in reaching the conclusion
+LJ034-0066 that oswald was at the window from which the shots were fired although the prints do not establish the exact time he was there
+LJ034-0067 oswalds presence on sixth floor approximately thirtyfive minutes before the assassination
+LJ034-0068 additional testimony linking oswald with the point from which the shots were fired
+LJ034-0069 was provided by the testimony of charles givens who was the last known employee to see oswald inside the building prior to the assassination
+LJ034-0070 during the morning of november twentytwo givens was working with the floorlaying crew in the southwest section of the sixth floor
+LJ034-0071 at about elevenfortyfive am the floorlaying crew used both elevators to come down from the sixth floor
+LJ034-0072 the employees raced the elevators to the first floor givens saw oswald standing at the gate on the fifth floor as the elevator went by
+LJ034-0073 givens testified that after reaching the first floor quote
+LJ034-0074 i discovered i left my cigarettes in my jacket pocket upstairs and i took the elevator back upstairs to get my jacket with my cigarettes in it end quote
+LJ034-0075 he saw oswald a clipboard in hand walking from the southeast corner of the sixth floor toward the elevator
+LJ034-0076 givens said to oswald quote boy are you going downstairs its near lunch time end quote
+LJ034-0077 oswald said quote no sir when you get downstairs close the gate to the elevator end quote
+LJ034-0078 oswald was referring to the west elevator which operates by pushbutton and only with the gate closed givens said okay
+LJ034-0079 and rode down in the east elevator
+LJ034-0080 when he reached the first floor the west elevator the one with the gate was not there
+LJ034-0081 givens thought this was about elevenfiftyfive am
+LJ034-0082 none of the depository employees is known to have seen oswald again until after the shooting
+LJ034-0083 the significance of givens observation that oswald was carrying his clipboard
+LJ034-0084 became apparent on december two nineteen sixtythree when an employee frankie kaiser
+LJ034-0085 found a clipboard hidden by book cartons in the northwest corner of the sixth floor at the west wall a few feet from where the rifle had been found
+LJ034-0086 this clipboard had been made by kaiser and had his name on it
+LJ034-0087 kaiser identified it as the clipboard which oswald had appropriated from him when oswald came to work at the depository
+LJ034-0088 three invoices on this clipboard each dated november twentytwo were for scottforesman books located on the first and sixth floors
+LJ034-0089 oswald had not filled any of the three orders
+LJ034-0090 eyewitness identification of assassin
+LJ034-0091 howard l brennan was an eyewitness to the shooting as indicated previously the commission considered his testimony as probative
+LJ034-0092 in reaching the conclusion that the shots came from the sixth floor southeast corner window of the depository building
+LJ034-0093 brennan also testified that lee harvey oswald
+LJ034-0094 whom he viewed in a police lineup on the night of the assassination was the man he saw fire the shots from the sixthfloor window of the depository building
+LJ034-0095 when the shots were fired brennan was in an excellent position to observe anyone in the window he was sitting on a concrete wall
+LJ034-0096 on the southwest corner of elm and houston streets looking north at the depository building which was directly in front of him
+LJ034-0097 the window was approximately one hundred twenty feet away
+LJ034-0098 in the six to eight minute period before the motorcade arrived brennan saw a man leave and return to the window quote a couple of times end quote
+LJ034-0099 after hearing the first shot which he thought was a motorcycle backfire brennan glanced up at the window he testified that quote
+LJ034-0100 this man i saw previously was aiming for his last shot as it appeared to me he was standing up and resting against the left window sill end quote
+LJ034-0101 brennan saw the man fire the last shot and disappear from the window
+LJ034-0102 within minutes of the assassination brennan described the man to the police
+LJ034-0103 this description most probably led to the radio alert sent to police cars at approximately twelvefortyfive pm which described the suspect as white
+LJ034-0104 slender weighing about one sixtyfive pounds about five foot ten inches tall and in his early thirties
+LJ034-0105 in his sworn statement to the police later that day
+LJ034-0106 brennan described the man in similar terms except that he gave the weight as between one hundred sixtyfive and one hundred seventyfive pounds and the height was omitted
+LJ034-0107 in his testimony before the commission brennan described the person he saw as quote
+LJ034-0108 man in his early thirties fair complexion slender but neat neat slender possible five foot ten
+LJ034-0109 onesixty to oneseventy pounds
+LJ034-0110 oswald was five foot nine inches slender and twentyfour years old
+LJ034-0111 when arrested he gave his weight as one hundred forty pounds on other occasions he gave weights of both one hundred forty and one hundred fifty pounds
+LJ034-0112 the new orleans police records of his arrest in august of nineteen sixtythree show a weight of one hundred thirtysix pounds
+LJ034-0113 the autopsy report indicated an estimated weight of one hundred fifty pounds
+LJ034-0114 brennans description should also be compared with the eyewitness description broadcast over the dallas police radio at onetwentytwo pm
+LJ034-0115 of the man who shot patrolman j d tippit
+LJ034-0116 the suspect was described as quote a white male about thirty five foot eight black hair slender end quote
+LJ034-0117 at onetwentynine pm the police radio reported
+LJ034-0118 that the description of the suspect in the tippit shooting was similar to the description which had been given by brennan in connection with the assassination
+LJ034-0119 approximately seven or eight minutes later
+LJ034-0120 the police radio reported that quote an eyeball witness end quote described the suspect in the tippit shooting as quote a white male
+LJ034-0121 twentyseven five foot eleven one hundred sixtyfive pounds black wavy hair end quote
+LJ034-0122 as will be discussed fully below the commission has concluded that this suspect was lee harvey oswald
+LJ034-0123 although brennan testified that the man in the window was standing when he fired the shots most probably he was either sitting or kneeling
+LJ034-0124 the halfopen window the arrangement of the boxes and the angle of the shots virtually preclude a standing position
+LJ034-0125 it is understandable however for brennan to have believed that the man with the rifle was standing a photograph of the building taken seconds after the assassination
+LJ034-0126 shows three employees looking out of the fifthfloor window directly below the window from which the shots were fired
+LJ034-0127 brennan testified that they were standing which is their apparent position in the photograph
+LJ034-0128 but the testimony of these employees together with photographs subsequently taken of them at the scene of the assassination
+LJ034-0129 establishes that they were either squatting or kneeling
+LJ034-0130 since the window ledges in the depository building are lower than in most buildings
+LJ034-0131 a person squatting or kneeling exposes more of his body than would normally be the case
+LJ034-0132 from the street this creates the impression that the person is standing
+LJ034-0133 brennan could have seen enough of the body of a kneeling or squatting person to estimate his height
+LJ034-0134 shortly after the assassination brennan noticed
+LJ034-0135 two of these employees leaving the building and immediately identified them as having been in the fifthfloor windows
+LJ034-0136 when the three employees appeared before the commission brennan identified the two whom he saw leave the building
+LJ034-0137 the two men harold norman and james jarman jr each confirmed that when they came out of the building
+LJ034-0138 they saw and heard brennan describing what he had seen
+LJ034-0140 jarman heard brennan quote talking to this officer about that he had heard these shots and he had seen the barrel of the gun sticking out the window
+LJ034-0141 and he said that the shots came from inside the building end quote
+LJ034-0142 during the evening of november twentytwo brennan identified oswald as the person in the lineup who bore the closest resemblance to the man in the window
+LJ034-0143 but he said he was unable to make a positive identification
+LJ034-0144 prior to the lineup
+LJ034-0145 brennan had seen oswalds picture on television and he told the commission that whether this affected his identification quote is something i do not know
+LJ034-0146 in an interview with fbi agents on december seventeen nineteen sixtythree
+LJ034-0147 brennan stated that he was sure that the person firing the rifle was oswald
+LJ034-0148 in another interview with fbi agents on january seven nineteen sixtyfour
+LJ034-0149 brennan appeared to revert to his earlier inability to make a positive identification
+LJ034-0150 but in his testimony before the commission brennan stated that his remarks of january seven were intended by him merely as an accurate report
+LJ034-0151 of what he said on november twentytwo
+LJ034-0152 brennan told the commission that he could have made a positive identification in the lineup on november twentytwo
+LJ034-0153 but did not do so because he felt that the assassination was quote a communist activity
+LJ034-0154 and i felt like there hadnt been more than one eyewitness and if it got to be a known fact that i was an eyewitness my family or i either one might not be safe
+LJ034-0155 when specifically asked before the commission
+LJ034-0156 whether or not he could positively identify the man he saw in the sixthfloor window as the same man he saw in the police station
+LJ034-0157 brennan stated quote i could at that time i could with all sincerity identify him as being the same man end quote
+LJ034-0158 although the record indicates that brennan was an accurate observer he declined to make a positive identification of oswald when he first saw him in the police lineup
+LJ034-0159 the commission therefore does not base its conclusion concerning the identity of the assassin
+LJ034-0160 on brennans subsequent certain identification of lee harvey oswald as the man he saw fire the rifle
+LJ034-0161 immediately after the assassination however
+LJ034-0162 brennan described to the police the man he saw in the window and then identified oswald as the person who most nearly resembled the man he saw
+LJ034-0163 the commission is satisfied that at the least
+LJ034-0164 brennan saw a man in the window who closely resembled lee harvey oswald and that brennan believes the man he saw was in fact
+LJ034-0165 lee harvey oswald
+LJ034-0166 two other witnesses were able to offer partial descriptions of a man they saw in the southeast corner window
+LJ034-0167 of the sixth floor approximately one minute before the assassination although neither witness saw the shots being fired
+LJ034-0168 ronald fischer and robert edwards were standing on the curb at the southwest corner of elm and houston streets
+LJ034-0169 the same corner where brennan was sitting on a concrete wall
+LJ034-0170 fischer testified that about ten or fifteen seconds before the motorcade turned onto houston street from main street
+LJ034-0171 edwards said quote look at that guy there in that window end quote
+LJ034-0172 fischer looked up and watched the man in the window for ten or fifteen seconds and then started watching the motorcade which came into view on houston street
+LJ034-0173 he said that the man held his attention until the motorcade came because the man quote
+LJ034-0174 appeared uncomfortable for one and secondly he wasnt watching he didnt look like he was watching for the parade
+LJ034-0175 he looked like he was looking down toward the trinity river and the triple underpass down at the end toward the end of elm street and
+LJ034-0176 all the time i watched him he never moved his head he never he never moved anything just was there transfixed
+LJ034-0177 fischer placed the man in the easternmost window on the south side of the depository building on either the fifth or the sixth floor
+LJ034-0178 he said that he could see the man from the middle of his chest to the top of his head and that as he was facing the window the man was in the lower righthand portion of the window
+LJ034-0179 and quote seemed to be sitting a little forward end quote
+LJ034-0180 the man was dressed in a lightcolored openneck shirt which could have been either a sports shirt or a tshirt
+LJ034-0181 and he had brown hair a slender face and neck with light complexion and looked to be twentytwo or twentyfour years old
+LJ034-0182 the person in the window was a white man and quote looked to me like he was looking straight at the triple underpass end quote down elm street
+LJ034-0183 boxes and cases were stacked behind him
+LJ034-0184 approximately one week after the assassination according to fisher policemen showed him a picture of oswald
+LJ034-0185 in his testimony he said quote i told them that that could have been the man
+LJ034-0186 that that could have been the man that i saw in the window in the school book depository building but that i was not sure end quote
+LJ034-0187 fischer described the mans hair as some shade of brown quote it wasnt dark and it wasnt light end quote
+LJ034-0188 on november twentytwo fischer had apparently described the man as quote lightheaded end quote
+LJ034-0189 fischer explained that he did not mean by the earlier statement that the man was blond but rather that his hair was not black
+LJ034-0190 robert edwards said that while looking at the south side of the depository building shortly before the motorcade
+LJ034-0191 he saw nothing of importance quote except maybe one individual who was up there in the corner room of the sixth floor which was crowded in among boxes end quote
+LJ034-0192 he said that this was a white man about average in size quote possibly thin end quote and that he thought the man had lightbrown hair
+LJ034-0193 fischer and edwards did not see the man clearly enough or long enough to identify him
+LJ034-0194 their testimony is of probative value however because their limited description is consistent with that of the man who has been found by the commission
+LJ034-0195 based on other evidence to have fired the shots from the window
+LJ034-0196 another person who saw the assassin as the shots were fired was amos l euins age fifteen
+LJ034-0197 who was one of the first witnesses to alert the police to the depository as the source of the shots as has been discussed in chapter three
+LJ034-0198 euins who was on the southwest corner of elm and houston streets testified that he could not describe the man he saw in the window
+LJ034-0199 according to euins however as the man lowered his head in order to aim the rifle down elm street he appeared to have a white bald spot on his head
+LJ034-0200 shortly after the assassination euins signed an affidavit describing the man as white
+LJ034-0201 but a radio reporter testified that euins described the man to him as quote colored end quote
+LJ034-0202 in his commission testimony
+LJ034-0203 euins stated that he could not ascertain the mans race and that the statement in the affidavit was intended to refer only to the white spot on the mans head
+LJ034-0204 and not to his race
+LJ034-0205 a secret service agent who spoke to euins approximately twenty to thirty minutes after the assassination
+LJ034-0206 confirmed that euins could neither describe the man in the window nor indicate his race
+LJ034-0207 accordingly euins testimony is considered probative as to the source of the shots but is inconclusive as to the identity of the man in the window
+LJ034-0208 in evaluating the evidence that oswald was at the southeast corner window of the sixth floor at the time of the shooting
+LJ034-0209 the commission has considered the allegation that oswald was photographed standing in front of the building when the shots were fired
+LJ034-0210 the picture which gave rise to these allegations was taken by associated press photographer james w altgens
+LJ034-0211 who was standing on the south side of elm street between the triple underpass and the depository building
+LJ034-0212 as the motorcade started its descent down elm street altgens snapped a picture of the presidential limousine with the entrance to the depository building in the background
+LJ034-0213 just before snapping the picture altgens heard a noise which sounded like the popping of a firecracker
+LJ034-0214 investigation has established that altgens picture was taken approximately two seconds after the firing of the shot
+LJ034-0215 which entered the back of the presidents neck
+LJ034-0216 in the background of this picture were several employees watching the parade from the steps of the depository building
+LJ034-0217 one of these employees was alleged to resemble lee harvey oswald
+LJ034-0218 the commission has determined that the employee was in fact billy lovelady who identified himself in the picture
+LJ034-0219 standing alongside him were buell wesley frazier and william shelley who also identified lovelady
+LJ035-0001 report of the presidents commission on the assassination of president kennedy the warren commission report by the presidents commission on the assassination of president kennedy
+LJ035-0002 chapter four the assassin part four oswalds actions in building after assassination
+LJ035-0003 in considering whether oswald was at the southeast corner window at the time the shots were fired
+LJ035-0004 the commission has reviewed the testimony of witnesses who saw oswald in the building within minutes after the assassination
+LJ035-0005 the commission has found that oswalds movements as described by these witnesses
+LJ035-0006 are consistent with his having been at the window at twelvethirty pm
+LJ035-0007 the encounter in the lunchroom
+LJ035-0008 the first person to see oswald after the assassination was patrolman m l baker of the dallas police department
+LJ035-0009 baker was riding a twowheeled motorcycle behind the last press car of the motorcade
+LJ035-0010 as he turned the corner from main onto houston at a speed of about five to ten miles per hour
+LJ035-0011 a strong wind blowing from the north almost unseated him
+LJ035-0012 at about this time he heard the first shot
+LJ035-0013 having recently heard the sounds of rifles while on a hunting trip baker recognized the shots as that of a highpowered rifle quote
+LJ035-0014 it sounded high and i immediately kind of looked up
+LJ035-0015 and i had a feeling that it came from the building either right in front of me the depository building or of the one across to the right of it end quote
+LJ035-0016 he saw pigeons flutter upward he was not certain quote but i am pretty sure they came from the building right on the northwest corner end quote
+LJ035-0017 he heard two more shots spaced quote pretty well even to me
+LJ035-0018 end quote after the third shot he quote revved that motorcycle up end quote
+LJ035-0019 drove to the northwest corner of elm and houston and parked approximately ten feet from the traffic signal
+LJ035-0020 as he was parking he noted that people were quote falling and they were rolling around down there grabbing their children end quote and rushing about
+LJ035-0021 a woman screamed quote oh they have shot that man they have shot that man end quote
+LJ035-0022 baker quote had it in mind that the shots came from the top of this building here end quote so he ran straight to the entrance of the depository building
+LJ035-0023 baker testified that he entered the lobby of the building and quote spoke out and asked where the stairs or elevator was
+LJ035-0024 and this man mr truly spoke up and says it seems to me like he says
+LJ035-0025 i am a building manager follow me officer and i will show you end quote
+LJ035-0026 baker and building superintendent roy truly went through a second set of doors and stopped at a swinging door where baker bumped into trulys back
+LJ035-0027 they went through the swinging door and continued at quote a good trot end quote
+LJ035-0028 to the northwest corner of the floor where truly hoped to find one of the two freight elevators
+LJ035-0029 neither elevator was there
+LJ035-0030 truly pushed the button for the west elevator which operates automatically if the gate is closed
+LJ035-0031 he shouted twice quote turn loose the elevator end quote
+LJ035-0032 when the elevator failed to come baker said quote lets take the stairs end quote and he followed truly up the stairway which is to the west of the elevator
+LJ035-0033 the stairway is located in the northwest corner of the depository building
+LJ035-0034 the stairs from one floor to the next are lshaped with both legs of the l approximately the same length
+LJ035-0035 because the stairway itself is enclosed neither baker nor truly could see anything on the secondfloor hallway until they reached the landing at the top of the stairs
+LJ035-0036 on the secondfloor landing there is a small open area with a door at the east end
+LJ035-0037 this door leads into a small vestibule and another door leads from the vestibule into the secondfloor lunchroom
+LJ035-0038 the lunchroom door is usually open but the first door is kept shut by a closing mechanism on the door
+LJ035-0039 this vestibule door is solid except for a small glass window in the upper part of the door
+LJ035-0040 as baker reached the second floor he was about twenty feet from the vestibule door he intended to continue around to his left toward the stairway going up
+LJ035-0041 but through the window in the door he caught a fleeting glimpse of a man walking in the vestibule toward the lunchroom
+LJ035-0042 since the vestibule door is only a few feet from the lunchroom door the man must have entered the vestibule only a second or two before baker arrived at the top of the stairwell
+LJ035-0043 yet he must have entered the vestibule door before truly reached the top of the stairwell since truly did not see him
+LJ035-0044 if the man had passed from the vestibule into the lunchroom baker could not have seen him
+LJ035-0045 baker said quote he truly had already started around the bend to come to the next elevator going up
+LJ035-0046 i was coming out this one on the second floor and i dont know i was kind of sweeping this area as i come up i was looking from right to left
+LJ035-0047 and as i got to this door here i caught a glimpse of this man just you know a sudden glimpse and it looked to me like he was going away from me
+LJ035-0048 i cant say whether he had gone on through that door the lunchroom door or not
+LJ035-0049 all i did was catch a glance at him and evidently he was this door might have been you know closing and almost shut at that time end quote
+LJ035-0050 with his revolver drawn baker opened the vestibule door and ran into the vestibule
+LJ035-0051 he saw a man walking away from him in the lunchroom
+LJ035-0052 baker stopped at the door of the lunchroom and commanded quote come here end quote
+LJ035-0053 the man turned and walked back toward baker
+LJ035-0054 he had been proceeding toward the rear of the lunchroom
+LJ035-0055 along a side wall of the lunchroom was a soft drink rending machine but at that time the man had nothing in his hands
+LJ035-0056 meanwhile truly had run up several steps toward the third floor
+LJ035-0057 missing baker he came back to find the officer in the doorway to the lunchroom facing lee harvey oswald
+LJ035-0058 baker turned to truly and said quote do you know this man does he work here end quote
+LJ035-0059 truly replied yes
+LJ035-0060 baker stated later that the man did not seem to be out of breath he seemed calm quote he never did say a word or nothing
+LJ035-0061 in fact he didnt change his expression one bit end quote
+LJ035-0062 truly said of oswald quote he didnt seem to be excited or overly afraid or anything he might have been a bit startled like i might have been if somebody confronted me
+LJ035-0063 but i cannot recall any change in expression of any kind on his face end quote
+LJ035-0064 truly thought that the officers gun at that time appeared to be almost touching the middle portion of oswalds body
+LJ035-0065 truly also noted at this time that oswalds hands were empty
+LJ035-0066 in an effort to determine whether oswald could have descended to the lunchroom
+LJ035-0067 from the sixth floor by the time baker and truly arrived commission counsel asked baker and truly to repeat their movements from the time of the shot
+LJ035-0068 until baker came upon oswald in the lunchroom
+LJ035-0069 baker placed himself on a motorcycle about two hundred feet from the corner of elm and houston streets where he said he heard the shots
+LJ035-0070 truly stood in front of the building
+LJ035-0071 at a given signal they reenacted the event bakers movements were timed with a stopwatch
+LJ035-0072 on the first test the elapsed time between the simulated first shot and bakers arrival on the secondfloor stair landing
+LJ035-0073 was one minute and thirty seconds
+LJ035-0074 the second test run required one minute and fifteen seconds
+LJ035-0075 a test was also conducted to determine the time required to walk from the southeast corner of the sixth floor to the secondfloor lunchroom by stairway
+LJ035-0076 special agent john howlett of the secret service carried a rifle from the southeast corner of the sixth floor along the east aisle to the northeast corner
+LJ035-0077 he placed the rifle on the floor near the site where oswalds rifle was actually found after the shooting
+LJ035-0078 then howlett walked down the stairway to the secondfloor landing and entered the lunchroom
+LJ035-0079 the first test run at normal walking pace required one minute eighteen seconds
+LJ035-0080 the second test at a fast walk took one minute fourteen seconds
+LJ035-0081 the second test followed immediately after the first
+LJ035-0082 the only interval was the time necessary to ride in the elevator from the second to the sixth floor and walk back to the southeast corner
+LJ035-0083 howlett was not short winded at the end of either test run
+LJ035-0084 the minimum time required by baker to park his motorcycle and reach the secondfloor lunchroom was within three seconds of the time needed to walk
+LJ035-0085 from the southeast corner of the sixth floor down the stairway to the lunchroom
+LJ035-0086 the time actually required for baker and truly to reach the second floor on november twentytwo was probably longer than in the test runs for example
+LJ035-0087 baker required fifteen seconds after the simulated shot to ride his motorcycle one hundred eighty to two hundred feet
+LJ035-0088 park it and run fortyfive feet to the building
+LJ035-0089 no allowance was made for the special conditions which existed on the day of the assassination
+LJ035-0090 possible delayed reaction to the shot jostling with the crowd of people on the steps and scanning the area along elm street and the parkway
+LJ035-0091 baker said quote we simulated the shots and by the time we got there we did everything that i did that day
+LJ035-0092 and this would be the minimum because i am sure that i you know it took me a little longer end quote
+LJ035-0093 on the basis of this time test therefore
+LJ035-0094 the commission concluded that oswald could have fired the shots and still have been present in the secondfloor lunchroom when seen by baker and truly
+LJ035-0095 that oswald descended by stairway from the sixth floor to the secondfloor lunchroom
+LJ035-0096 is consistent with the movements of the two elevators which would have provided the other possible means of descent
+LJ035-0097 when truly accompanied by baker ran to the rear of the first floor
+LJ035-0098 he was certain that both elevators which occupy the same shaft were on the fifth floor
+LJ035-0099 baker not realizing that there were two elevators thought that only one elevator was in the shaft and that it was two or three floors above the second floor
+LJ035-0100 in the few seconds which elapsed while baker and truly ran from the first to the second floor
+LJ035-0101 neither of these slow elevators could have descended from the fifth to the second floor furthermore no elevator was at the second floor when they arrived there
+LJ035-0102 truly and baker continued up the stairs after the encounter with oswald in the lunchroom
+LJ035-0103 there was no elevator on the third or fourth floor
+LJ035-0104 the east elevator was on the fifth floor when they arrived the west elevator was not
+LJ035-0105 they took the east elevator to the seventh floor and ran up a stairway to the roof where they searched for several minutes
+LJ035-0106 jack dougherty an employee working on the fifth floor
+LJ035-0107 testified that he took the west elevator to the first floor after hearing a noise which sounded like a backfire
+LJ035-0108 eddie piper the janitor told dougherty that the president had been shot
+LJ035-0109 but in his testimony piper did not mention either seeing or talking with dougherty during these moments of excitement
+LJ035-0110 both dougherty and piper were confused witnesses they had no exact memory of the events of that afternoon
+LJ035-0111 truly was probably correct in stating that the west elevator was on the fifth floor when he looked up the elevator shaft from the first floor
+LJ035-0112 the west elevator was not on the fifth floor when baker and truly reached that floor
+LJ035-0113 probably because jack dougherty took it to the first floor while baker and truly were running up the stairs or in the lunchroom with oswald
+LJ035-0114 neither elevator could have been used by oswald as a means of descent
+LJ035-0115 oswalds use of the stairway is consistent with the testimony of other employees in the building
+LJ035-0116 three employees james jarman jr
+LJ035-0117 harold norman and bonnie ray williams were watching the parade from the fifth floor directly below the window from which the shots were fired
+LJ035-0118 they rushed to the west windows after the shots were fired and remained there
+LJ035-0119 until after they saw patrolman bakers white helmet on the fifth floor moving toward the elevator
+LJ035-0120 while they were at the west windows their view of the stairwell was completely blocked by shelves and boxes
+LJ035-0121 this is the period during which oswald would have descended the stairs in all likelihood
+LJ035-0122 dougherty took the elevator down from the fifth floor after jarman norman and williams ran to the west windows and were deciding what to do
+LJ035-0123 none of these three men saw dougherty probably because of the anxiety of the moment and because of the books which may have blocked the view
+LJ035-0124 neither jarman norman williams or dougherty saw oswald
+LJ035-0125 victoria adams who worked on the fourth floor of the depository building
+LJ035-0126 claimed that within about one minute following the shots she ran from a window on the south side of the fourth floor
+LJ035-0127 down the rear stairs to the first floor where she encountered two depository employees william shelley and billy lovelady
+LJ035-0128 if her estimate of time is correct she reached the bottom of the stairs before truly and baker started up
+LJ035-0129 and she must have run down the stairs ahead of oswald and would probably have seen or heard him
+LJ035-0130 actually she noticed no one on the back stairs if she descended from the fourth to the first floor as fast as she claimed in her testimony
+LJ035-0131 she would have seen baker or truly on the first floor or on the stairs unless they were already in the secondfloor lunchroom talking to oswald
+LJ035-0132 when she reached the first floor she actually saw shelley and lovelady slightly east of the east elevator
+LJ035-0133 shelley and lovelady however have testified
+LJ035-0134 that they were watching the parade from the top step of the building entrance when gloria calverly who works in the depository building
+LJ035-0135 ran up and said that the president had been shot
+LJ035-0136 lovelady and shelley moved out into the street
+LJ035-0137 about this time shelley saw truly and patrolman baker go into the building
+LJ035-0138 shelley and lovelady at a fast walk or trot turned west into the railroad yards and then to the west side of the depository building
+LJ035-0139 they reentered the building by the rear door several minutes after baker and truly rushed through the front entrance
+LJ035-0140 on entering lovelady saw a girl on the first floor who he believes was victoria adams
+LJ035-0141 if miss adams accurately recalled meeting shelley and lovelady when she reached the bottom of the stairs
+LJ035-0142 then her estimate of the time when she descended from the fourth floor is incorrect
+LJ035-0143 and she actually came down the stairs several minutes after oswald and after truly and baker as well
+LJ035-0144 oswalds departure from building
+LJ035-0145 within a minute after baker and truly left oswald in the lunchroom mrs r a reid clerical supervisor for the texas school book depository
+LJ035-0146 saw him walk through the clerical office on the second floor toward the door leading to the front stairway
+LJ035-0147 mrs reid had watched the parade from the sidewalk in front of the building with truly and mr o v campbell vice president of the depository
+LJ035-0148 she testified that she heard three shots which she thought came from the building
+LJ035-0149 she ran inside and up the front stairs into the large open office reserved for clerical employees
+LJ035-0150 as she approached her desk she saw oswald
+LJ035-0151 he was walking into the office from the back hallway
+LJ035-0152 carrying a full bottle of cocacola in his hand presumably purchased after the encounter with baker and truly
+LJ035-0153 as oswald passed mrs reid she said quote oh the president has been shot but maybe they didnt hit him end quote
+LJ035-0154 oswald mumbled something and walked by she paid no more attention to him
+LJ035-0155 the only exit from the office in the direction oswald was moving was through the door to the front stairway
+LJ035-0156 mrs reid testified that when she saw oswald he was wearing a tshirt and no jacket
+LJ035-0157 when he left home that morning marina oswald who was still in bed suggested that he wear a jacket
+LJ035-0158 a blue jacket later identified by marina oswald as her husbands was subsequently found in the building apparently left behind by oswald
+LJ035-0159 mrs reid believes that she returned to her desk from the street about two minutes after the shooting
+LJ035-0160 reconstructing her movements mrs reid ran the distance three times and was timed in two minutes by stopwatch
+LJ035-0161 the reconstruction was the minimum time accordingly she probably met oswald at about twelvethirtytwo
+LJ035-0162 approximately thirty to fortyfive seconds after oswalds lunchroom encounter with baker and truly
+LJ035-0163 after leaving mrs reid in the front office oswald could have gone down the stairs and out the front door by twelvethirtythree pm
+LJ035-0164 three minutes after the shooting
+LJ035-0165 at that time the building had not yet been sealed off by the police
+LJ035-0166 while it was difficult to determine exactly when the police sealed off the building
+LJ035-0167 the earliest estimates would still have permitted oswald to leave the building by twelvethirtythree
+LJ035-0168 one of the police officers assigned to the corner of elm and houston streets for the presidential motorcade w e barnett
+LJ035-0169 testified that immediately after the shots he went to the rear of the building to check the fire escape
+LJ035-0170 he then returned to the corner of elm and houston where he met a sergeant who instructed him to find out the name of the building
+LJ035-0171 barnett ran to the building noted its name and then returned to the corner
+LJ035-0172 there he was met by a construction worker in all likelihood howard brennan who was wearing his work helmet
+LJ035-0173 this worker told barnett that the shots had been fired from a window in the depository building
+LJ035-0174 where upon barnett posted himself at the front door to make certain that no one left the building
+LJ035-0175 the sergeant did the same thing at the rear of the building
+LJ035-0176 barnett estimated that approximately three minutes elapsed between the time he heard the last of the shots and the time he started guarding the front door
+LJ035-0177 according to barnett quote there were people going in and out end quote during this period
+LJ035-0178 sgt d v harkness of the dallas police
+LJ035-0179 said that to his knowledge the building was not sealed off at twelvethirtysix pm when he called in on police radio
+LJ035-0180 that a witness amos euins had seen shots fired from a window of the building
+LJ035-0181 at that time inspector herbert v sawyers car was parked in front of the building
+LJ035-0182 harkness did not know whether or not two officers with sawyer were guarding the doors
+LJ035-0183 at twelvethirtyfour pm sawyer heard a call over the police radio that the shots had come from the depository building
+LJ035-0184 he then entered the building and took the front passenger elevator as far as it would go the fourth floor
+LJ035-0185 after inspecting this floor sawyer returned to the street about three minutes after he entered the building
+LJ035-0186 after he returned to the street he directed sergeant harkness to station two patrolmen at the front door and not let anyone in or out
+LJ035-0187 he also directed that the back door be sealed off
+LJ035-0188 this was no earlier than twelvethirtyseven pm and may have been later
+LJ035-0189 special agent forrest v sorrels of the secret service who had been in the motorcade
+LJ035-0190 testified that after driving to parkland hospital he returned to the depository building about twenty minutes after the shooting
+LJ035-0191 found no police officers at the rear door and was able to enter through this door without identifying himself
+LJ035-0192 although oswald probably left the building at about twelvethirtythree pm his absence was not noticed until at least onehalf hour later
+LJ035-0193 truly who had returned with patrolman baker from the roof saw the police questioning the warehouse employees
+LJ035-0194 approximately fifteen men worked in the warehouse and truly noticed that oswald was not among those being questioned
+LJ035-0195 satisfying himself that oswald was missing truly obtained oswalds address phone number and description from his employment application card
+LJ035-0196 the address listed was for the paine home in irving
+LJ035-0197 truly gave this information to captain fritz who was on the sixth floor at the time
+LJ035-0198 truly estimated that he gave this information to fritz about fifteen or twenty minutes after the shots
+LJ035-0199 but it was probably no earlier than onetwentytwo pm the time when the rifle was found
+LJ035-0200 fritz believed that he learned of oswalds absence after the rifle was found
+LJ035-0201 the fact that truly found fritz in the northwest corner of the floor near the point where the rifle was found supports fritz recollection
+LJ035-0202 fingerprint and palmprint evidence establishes that oswald handled two of the four cartons next to the window
+LJ035-0203 and also handled a paper bag which was found near the cartons
+LJ035-0204 oswald was seen in the vicinity of the southeast corner of the sixth floor approximately thirtyfive minutes before the assassination
+LJ035-0205 and no one could be found who saw oswald anywhere else in the building until after the shooting
+LJ035-0206 an eyewitness to the shooting immediately provided a description of the man in the window which was similar to oswalds actual appearance
+LJ035-0207 this witness identified oswald in a lineup as the man most nearly resembling the man he saw and later identified oswald as the man he observed
+LJ035-0208 oswalds known actions in the building immediately after the assassination are consistent with his having been at the southeast corner window of the sixth floor
+LJ035-0209 at twelvethirty pm
+LJ035-0210 on the basis of these findings the commission has concluded that oswald at the time of the assassination
+LJ036-0001 report of the presidents commission on the assassination of president kennedy the warren commission report by the presidents commission on the assassination of president kennedy
+LJ036-0002 chapter four the assassin part five
+LJ036-0003 the killing of patrolman j d tippit
+LJ036-0004 after leaving the depository building at approximately twelvethirtythree pm lee harvey oswald proceeded to his roominghouse by bus and taxi
+LJ036-0005 he arrived at approximately one pm and left a few minutes later
+LJ036-0006 at about onesixteen pm a dallas police officer j d tippit was shot less than one mile from oswalds roominghouse
+LJ036-0007 in deciding whether oswald killed patrolman tippit the commission considered the following
+LJ036-0008 one positive identification of the killer by two eyewitnesses who saw the shooting
+LJ036-0009 and seven eyewitnesses who heard the shots and saw the gunman flee the scene with the revolver in his hand
+LJ036-0010 two testimony of firearms identification experts establishing the identity of the murder weapon
+LJ036-0011 three evidence establishing the ownership of the murder weapon
+LJ036-0012 four evidence establishing the ownership of a zipper jacket
+LJ036-0013 found along the path of flight taken by the gunman from the scene of the shooting to the place of arrest
+LJ036-0014 oswalds movements after leaving depository building
+LJ036-0015 according to the reconstruction of time and events which the commission found most credible
+LJ036-0016 lee harvey oswald left the building approximately three minutes after the assassination
+LJ036-0017 he probably walked east on elm street for seven blocks to the corner of elm and murphy
+LJ036-0018 where he boarded a bus which was heading back in the direction of the depository building on its way to the oak cliff section of dallas
+LJ036-0019 when oswald was apprehended a bus transfer marked for the lakewoodmarsalis route was found in his shirt pocket
+LJ036-0020 the transfer was dated friday november twentytwo sixtythree and was punched in two places by the bus driver
+LJ036-0021 on the basis of this punchmark which was distinctive to each dallas driver
+LJ036-0022 the transfer was conclusively identified as having been issued by cecil j mcwatters a busdriver for the dallas transit co
+LJ036-0023 on the basis of the date and time on the transfer mcwatters was able to testify that the transfer had been issued by him
+LJ036-0024 on a trip which passed a check point at st paul and elm streets at twelvethirtysix pm november twentytwo nineteen sixtythree
+LJ036-0025 mcwatters was sure that he left the checkpoint on time
+LJ036-0026 and he estimated that it took him three to four minutes to drive three blocks west from the checkpoint to field street
+LJ036-0027 which he reached at about twelveforty pm
+LJ036-0028 mcwatters recollection is that he issued this transfer to a man who entered his bus just beyond field street
+LJ036-0029 where a man beat on the front door of the bus boarded it and paid his fare
+LJ036-0030 about two blocks later a woman asked to get off to make a one oclock train at union station
+LJ036-0031 and requested a transfer which she might use if she got through the traffic
+LJ036-0032 so i gave her a transfer and opened the door and she was going out the gentleman i had picked up about two blocks back
+LJ036-0033 asked for a transfer and got off at the same place in the middle of the block where the lady did
+LJ036-0034 it was the intersection near lamar street it was near poydras and lamar street
+LJ036-0035 the man was on the bus approximately four minutes
+LJ036-0036 at about sixthirty pm on the day of the assassination mcwatters viewed four men in a police lineup
+LJ036-0037 he picked oswald from the lineup as the man who had boarded the bus at the quote lower end of town on elm around houston end quote
+LJ036-0038 and who during the ride south on marsalis had an argument with a woman passenger
+LJ036-0039 in his commission testimony mcwatters said he had been in error and that a teenager named milton jones was the passenger he had in mind
+LJ036-0040 in a later interview jones confirmed that he had exchanged words with a woman passenger on the bus during the ride south on marsalis
+LJ036-0041 mcwatters also remembered that a man received a transfer at lamar and elm streets and that a man in the lineup was about the size of this man
+LJ036-0042 however mcwatters recollection alone was too vague to be a basis for placing oswald on the bus
+LJ036-0043 riding on the bus was an elderly woman mary bledsoe who confirmed the mute evidence of the transfer
+LJ036-0044 oswald had rented a room from mrs bledsoe about six weeks before on october seven but she had asked him to leave at the end of a week
+LJ036-0045 mrs bledsoe told him quote i am not going to rent to you any more end quote
+LJ036-0046 she testified quote i didnt like his attitude there was just something about him i didnt like or want him just didnt want him around me end quote
+LJ036-0047 on november twentytwo mrs bledsoe came downtown to watch the presidential motorcade
+LJ036-0048 she boarded the marsalis bus at st paul and elm streets to return home she testified further quote
+LJ036-0049 and after we got past akard at murphy i figured it out lets see i dont know for sure
+LJ036-0050 oswald got on he looks like a maniac his sleeve was out here his shirt was undone
+LJ036-0051 was a hole in it hole and he was dirty and i didnt look at him i didnt want to know i even seen him
+LJ036-0052 he looked so bad in his face and his face was so distorted hole in his sleeve right here
+LJ036-0053 end quote as mrs bledsoe said these words she pointed to her right elbow
+LJ036-0054 when oswald was arrested in the texas theatre he was wearing a brown sport shirt with a hole in the right sleeve at the elbow
+LJ036-0055 mrs bledsoe identified the shirt as the one oswald was wearing and she stated she was certain that it was oswald who boarded the bus
+LJ036-0056 mrs bledsoe recalled that oswald sat halfway to the rear of the bus which moved slowly and intermittently as traffic became heavy
+LJ036-0057 she heard a passing motorist tell the driver that the president had been shot
+LJ036-0058 people on the bus began talking about it as the bus neared lamar street oswald left the bus and disappeared into the crowd
+LJ036-0059 the marsalis bus which oswald boarded traveled a route west on elm
+LJ036-0060 south on houston and southwest across the houston viaduct to service the oak cliff area along marsalis
+LJ036-0061 a beckley bus which also served the oak cliff area
+LJ036-0062 followed the same route as the marsalis bus through downtown dallas except that it continued west on elm
+LJ036-0063 across houston in front of the depository building past the triple underpass into west dallas and south on beckley
+LJ036-0064 marsalis street is seven blocks from beckley
+LJ036-0065 oswald lived at ten twentysix north beckley
+LJ036-0066 he could not reach his roominghouse on the marsalis bus but the beckley bus stopped across the street
+LJ036-0067 according to mcwatters the beckley bus was behind the marsalis bus but he did not actually see it
+LJ036-0068 both buses stopped within one block of the depository building
+LJ036-0069 instead of waiting there oswald apparently went as far away as he could and boarded the first oak cliff bus which came along
+LJ036-0070 rather than wait for one which stopped across the street from his roominghouse
+LJ036-0071 in a reconstruction of this bus trip agents of the secret service and the fbi walked the seven blocks from the front entrance of the depository building
+LJ036-0072 to murphy and elm three times averaging six point five minutes for the three trips
+LJ036-0073 a bus moving through heavy traffic on elm from murphy to lamar was timed at four minutes
+LJ036-0074 if oswald left the depository building at twelvethirtythree pm
+LJ036-0075 walked seven blocks directly to murphy and elm and boarded a bus almost immediately
+LJ036-0076 he would have boarded the bus at approximately twelveforty pm and left it at approximately twelvefortyfour pm
+LJ036-0077 roger d craig a deputy sheriff of dallas county
+LJ036-0078 claimed that about fifteen minutes after the assassination he saw a man whom he later identified as oswald
+LJ036-0079 coming from the direction of the depository building and running down the hill north of elm street
+LJ036-0080 toward a lightcolored rambler station wagon which was moving slowly along elm toward the underpass
+LJ036-0081 the station wagon stopped to pick up the man and then drove off
+LJ036-0082 craig testified that later in the afternoon he saw oswald in the police interrogation room
+LJ036-0083 and told captain fritz that oswald was the man he saw
+LJ036-0084 craig also claimed that when fritz pointed out to oswald that craig had identified him
+LJ036-0085 oswald rose from his chair looked directly at fritz and said quote everybody will know who i am now end quote
+LJ036-0086 the commission could not accept important elements of craigs testimony
+LJ036-0087 captain fritz stated that a deputy sheriff whom he could not identify did ask to see him that afternoon
+LJ036-0088 and told him a similar story to craigs
+LJ036-0089 fritz did not bring him into his office to identify oswald but turned him over to lieutenant baker for questioning
+LJ036-0090 if craig saw oswald that afternoon he saw him through the glass windows of the office
+LJ036-0091 and neither captain fritz nor any other officer can remember that oswald dramatically arose from his chair
+LJ036-0092 and said quote everybody will know who i am now end quote
+LJ036-0093 if oswald had made such a statement captain fritz and others present would probably have remembered it
+LJ036-0094 craig may have seen a person enter a white rambler station wagon fifteen or twenty minutes after the shooting and travel west on elm street
+LJ036-0095 but the commission concluded that this man was not lee harvey oswald
+LJ036-0096 because of the overwhelming evidence that oswald was far away from the building by that time
+LJ036-0097 the taxicab ride
+LJ036-0098 william whaley a taxicab driver told his employer on saturday morning november twentythree
+LJ036-0099 that he recognized oswald from a newspaper photograph as a man whom he had driven to the oak cliff area the day before
+LJ036-0100 notified of whaleys statement the police brought him to the police station that afternoon
+LJ036-0101 he was taken to the lineup room where according to whaley five young teenagers all handcuffed together were displayed with oswald
+LJ036-0102 he testified that oswald looked older than the other boys
+LJ036-0103 the police asked him whether he could pick out his passenger from the lineup
+LJ036-0104 whaley picked oswald
+LJ036-0105 he said quote
+LJ036-0106 you could have picked him out without identifying him by just listening to him
+LJ036-0107 because he was bawling out the policeman telling them it wasnt right to put him in line with these teenagers and all of that
+LJ036-0108 and they asked me which one and i told them it was him all right the same man he showed no respect for the policemen
+LJ036-0109 he told them what he thought about them they knew what they were doing and they were trying to railroad him and he wanted his lawyer
+LJ036-0110 whaley believes that oswalds conduct did not aid him in his identification quote because i knew he was the right one as soon as i saw him
+LJ036-0111 whaleys memory of the lineup is inaccurate there were four men altogether not six men in the lineup with oswald
+LJ036-0112 whaley said that oswald was the man under number two
+LJ036-0113 actually oswald was under number three
+LJ036-0114 only two of the men in the lineup with oswald were teenagers john t horn aged eighteen was number one
+LJ036-0115 david knapp aged eighteen was number two
+LJ036-0116 lee oswald was number three
+LJ036-0117 and daniel lujan aged twentysix was number four
+LJ036-0118 when he first testified before the commission
+LJ036-0119 whaley displayed a trip manifest which showed a twelve oclock trip from travis hotel to the continental bus station
+LJ036-0120 unloaded at twelvefifteen pm
+LJ036-0121 a twelvefifteen pm pickup at continental to greyhound unloaded at twelvethirty pm
+LJ036-0122 and a pickup from greyhound bus station at twelvethirty pm
+LJ036-0123 unloaded at five hundred north beckley at twelvefortyfive pm
+LJ036-0124 whaley testified that he did not keep an accurate time record of his trips but recorded them by the quarter hour
+LJ036-0125 and that sometimes he made his entry right after a trip while at other times he waited to record three or four trips
+LJ036-0126 as he unloaded his continental bus station passenger in front of greyhound he started to get out to buy a package of cigarettes
+LJ036-0127 he saw a man walking south on lamar from commerce
+LJ036-0128 the man was dressed in faded blue color khaki work clothes a brown shirt and some kind of work jacket that almost matched his pants
+LJ036-0129 the man asked quote may i have the cab end quote and got into the front seat
+LJ036-0130 whaley described the ensuing events as follows quote
+LJ036-0131 and about that time an old lady i think she was an old lady i dont remember nothing but her sticking her head down past him in the door and said
+LJ036-0132 driver will you call me a cab down here she had seen him get this cab and she wanted one too
+LJ036-0133 and he opened the door a little bit like he was going to get out and he said i will let you have this one and she says no the driver can call me one
+LJ036-0134 i asked him where he wanted to go and he said five hundred north beckley well i started up
+LJ036-0135 i started to that address and the police cars the sirens was going running crisscrossing everywhere just a big uproar in that end of town and i said
+LJ036-0136 what the hell i wonder what the hell is the uproar
+LJ036-0137 and he never said anything so i figured he was one of these people that dont like to talk so i never said any more to him
+LJ036-0138 but when i got pretty close to five hundred block at neches and north beckley which is the five hundred block he said this will do fine and i pulled over to the curb right there
+LJ036-0139 he gave me a dollar bill the trip was ninetyfive cents
+LJ036-0140 he gave me a dollar bill and didnt say anything just got out and closed the door and walked around the front of the cab over to the other side of the street
+LJ036-0141 east side of the street of course the traffic was moving through there and i put it in gear and moved on that is the last i saw of him
+LJ036-0142 whaley was somewhat imprecise as to where he unloaded his passenger
+LJ036-0143 he marked what he thought was the intersection of neches and beckley on a map of dallas with a large x
+LJ036-0144 he said quote yes sir that is right because that is the five hundred block of north beckley end quote
+LJ036-0145 however neches and beckley do not intersect
+LJ036-0146 neches is within onehalf block of the roominghouse at ten twentysix north beckley where oswald was living
+LJ036-0147 the five hundred block of north beckley is five blocks south of the roominghouse
+LJ036-0148 after a review of these inconsistencies in his testimony before the commission whaley was interviewed again in dallas
+LJ036-0149 the route of the taxicab was retraced under the direction of whaley
+LJ036-0150 he directed the driver of the car to a point twenty feet north of the northwest corner of the intersection of beckley and neely
+LJ036-0151 the point at which he said his passenger alighted
+LJ036-0152 this was the seven hundred block of north beckley
+LJ036-0153 the elapsed time of the reconstructed run from the greyhound bus station to neely and beckley was five minutes and thirty seconds by stopwatch
+LJ036-0154 the walk from beckley and neely to ten twentysix north beckley was timed by commission counsel at five minutes and fortyfive seconds
+LJ036-0155 whaley testified that oswald was wearing either the gray zippered jacket or the heavy blue jacket
+LJ036-0156 he was in error however
+LJ036-0157 oswald could not possibly have been wearing the blue jacket during the trip with whaley since it was found in the domino room of the depository late in november
+LJ036-0158 moreover mrs bledsoe saw oswald in the bus without a jacket and wearing a shirt with a hole at the elbow
+LJ036-0159 on the other hand whaley identified commission exhibit number one fifty the shirt taken from oswald upon arrest as the shirt his passenger was wearing
+LJ036-0160 he also stated he saw a silver identification bracelet on his passengers left wrist
+LJ036-0161 oswald was wearing such a bracelet when he was arrested
+LJ036-0162 on november twentytwo oswald told captain fritz that he rode a bus to a stop near his home and then walked to his roominghouse
+LJ036-0163 when queried the following morning concerning a bus transfer found in his possession at the time of his arrest he admitted receiving it
+LJ036-0164 and when interrogated about a cab ride oswald also admitted that he left the slowmoving bus and took a cab to his roominghouse
+LJ036-0165 the greyhound bus station at lamar and jackson streets where oswald entered whaleys cab
+LJ036-0166 is three to four short blocks south of lamar and elm if oswald left the bus at twelvefortyfour pm
+LJ036-0167 and walked directly to the terminal he would have entered the cab at twelvefortyseven or twelvefortyeight pm
+LJ036-0168 if the cab ride was approximately six minutes as was the reconstructed ride
+LJ036-0169 he would have reached his destination at approximately twelvefiftyfour pm
+LJ036-0170 if he was discharged at neely and beckley and walked directly to his roominghouse
+LJ036-0171 he would have arrived there about twelvefiftynine to one pm
+LJ036-0172 from the five hundred block of north beckley the walk would be a few minutes longer
+LJ036-0173 but in either event he would have been in the roominghouse at about one pm
+LJ036-0174 this is the approximate time he entered the roominghouse according to earlene roberts the housekeeper there
+LJ036-0175 arrival and departure from roominghouse
+LJ036-0176 earlene roberts housekeeper for mrs a c johnson at ten twentysix north beckley
+LJ036-0177 knew lee harvey oswald under the alias of o h lee
+LJ036-0178 she first saw him the day he rented a room at that address on october fourteen nineteen sixtythree
+LJ036-0179 he signed his name as o h lee on the roominghouse register
+LJ036-0180 mrs roberts testified that on thursday november twentyone oswald did not come home
+LJ036-0181 on friday november twentytwo about one pm he entered the house in unusual haste
+LJ036-0182 she recalled that it was subsequent to the time the president had been shot
+LJ036-0183 after a friend had called and told her president kennedy has been shot she turned on the television
+LJ036-0184 when oswald came in she said quote oh you are in a hurry end quote but oswald did not respond
+LJ036-0185 he hurried to his room and stayed no longer than three or four minutes
+LJ036-0186 oswald had entered the house in his shirt sleeves but when he left he was zipping up a jacket
+LJ036-0187 mrs roberts saw him a few seconds later standing near the bus stop in front of the house on the east side of beckley
+LJ036-0188 oswald was next seen about ninetenths of a mile away
+LJ036-0189 at the southeast corner of tenth street and patton avenue moments before the tippit shooting
+LJ036-0190 if oswald left his roominghouse shortly after one pm and walked at a brisk pace
+LJ036-0191 he would have reached tenth and patton shortly after onefifteen pm
+LJ036-0192 tippits murder was recorded on the police radio tape at about onesixteen pm
+LJ036-0193 description of shooting
+LJ036-0194 patrolman j d tippit joined the dallas police department in july nineteen fiftytwo
+LJ036-0195 he was described by chief curry as having the reputation of being a very fine dedicated officer
+LJ036-0196 tippit patroled district number seventyeight in the oak cliff area of dallas during daylight hours
+LJ036-0197 he drove a police car painted distinctive colors with number ten prominently displayed on each side
+LJ036-0198 tippit rode alone as only one man was normally assigned to a patrol car in residential areas during daylight shifts
+LJ036-0199 at about twelvefortyfour pm on november twentytwo
+LJ036-0200 the radio dispatcher on channel one ordered all downtown patrol squads to report to elm and houston code three emergency
+LJ036-0201 at twelvefortyfive pm the dispatcher ordered number seventyeight tippit to quote move into central oak cliff area end quote
+LJ036-0202 at twelvefiftyfour pm tippit reported that he was in the central oak cliff area at lancaster and eighth
+LJ036-0203 the dispatcher ordered tippit to be quote at large for any emergency that comes in end quote
+LJ036-0204 according to chief curry tippit was free to patrol the central oak cliff area
+LJ036-0205 tippit must have heard the description of the suspect wanted for the presidents shooting it was broadcast over channel one at twelvefortyfive pm
+LJ036-0206 again at twelvefortyeight pm and again at twelvefiftyfive pm
+LJ036-0207 the suspect was described as a quote
+LJ036-0208 white male approximately thirty slender build height five foot ten inches weight one hundred sixtyfive pounds end quote
+LJ036-0209 a similar description was given on channel two at twelvefortyfive pm
+LJ036-0210 at approximately onefifteen pm tippit who was cruising east on tenth street
+LJ036-0211 passed the intersection of tenth and patton about eight blocks from where he had reported at twelvefiftyfour pm
+LJ036-0212 about one hundred feet past the intersection tippit stopped a man walking east along the south side of patton
+LJ036-0213 the mans general description was similar to the one broadcast over the police radio
+LJ036-0214 tippit stopped the man and called him to his car
+LJ036-0215 he approached the car and apparently exchanged words with tippit through the right front or vent window
+LJ036-0216 tippit got out and started to walk around the front of the car
+LJ036-0217 as tippit reached the left front wheel the man pulled out a revolver and fired several shots
+LJ036-0218 four bullets hit tippit and killed him instantly
+LJ037-0001 report of the presidents commission on the assassination of president kennedy the warren commission report by the presidents commission on the assassination of president kennedy
+LJ037-0002 chapter four the assassin part six
+LJ037-0003 eyewitnesses
+LJ037-0004 at least twelve persons saw the man with the revolver in the vicinity of the tippit crime scene at or immediately after the shooting
+LJ037-0005 by the evening of november twentytwo five of them had identified lee harvey oswald in police lineups as the man they saw
+LJ037-0006 a sixth did so the next day
+LJ037-0007 three others subsequently identified oswald from a photograph
+LJ037-0008 two witnesses testified that oswald resembled the man they had seen
+LJ037-0009 one witness felt he was too distant from the gunman to make a positive identification
+LJ037-0010 a taxi driver william scoggins
+LJ037-0011 was eating lunch in his cab which was parked on patton facing the southeast corner of tenth street and patton avenue a few feet to the north
+LJ037-0012 a police car moving east on tenth at about ten or twelve miles an hour passed in front of his cab
+LJ037-0013 about one hundred feet from the corner the police car pulled up alongside a man on the sidewalk this man dressed in a lightcolored jacket approached the car
+LJ037-0014 scoggins lost sight of him behind some shrubbery on the southeast corner lot
+LJ037-0015 but he saw the policeman leave the car heard three or four shots and then saw the policeman fall
+LJ037-0016 scoggins hurriedly left his seat and hid behind the cab as the man came back toward the corner with gun in hand
+LJ037-0017 the man cut across the yard through some bushes passed within twelve feet of scoggins and ran south on patton
+LJ037-0018 scoggins saw him and heard him mutter either poor damn cop or poor dumb cop
+LJ037-0019 the next day scoggins viewed a lineup of four persons and identified oswald as the man whom he had seen the day before at tenth and patton
+LJ037-0020 in his testimony before the commission
+LJ037-0021 scoggins stated that he thought he had seen a picture of oswald in the newspapers prior to the lineup identification on saturday
+LJ037-0022 he had not seen oswald on television and had not been shown any photographs of oswald by the police
+LJ037-0023 another witness domingo benavides was driving a pickup truck west on tenth street
+LJ037-0024 as he crossed the intersection a block east of tenth and patton he saw a policeman standing by the left door of the police car parked along the south side of tenth
+LJ037-0025 benavides saw a man standing at the right side of the parked police car he then heard three shots and saw the policeman fall to the ground
+LJ037-0026 by this time the pickup truck was across the street and about twentyfive feet from the police car
+LJ037-0027 benavides stopped and waited in the truck until the gunman ran to the corner
+LJ037-0028 he saw him empty the gun and throw the shells into some bushes on the southeast corner lot
+LJ037-0029 it was benavides using tippits car radio who first reported the killing of patrolman tippit at about onesixteen pm
+LJ037-0030 quote weve had a shooting out here end quote
+LJ037-0031 he found two empty shells in the bushes and gave them to patrolman j m poe who arrived on the scene shortly after the shooting
+LJ037-0032 benavides never saw oswald after the arrest
+LJ037-0033 when questioned by police officers on the evening of november twentytwo benavides told them that he did not think that he could identify the man who fired the shots
+LJ037-0034 as a result they did not take him to the police station
+LJ037-0035 he testified that the picture of oswald which he saw later on television bore a resemblance to the man who shot officer tippit
+LJ037-0036 just prior to the shooting mrs helen markham a waitress in downtown dallas was about to cross tenth street at patton
+LJ037-0037 as she waited on the northwest corner of the intersection for traffic to pass she noticed a young man as he was quote almost ready to get up on the curb end quote
+LJ037-0038 at the southeast corner of the intersection approximately fifty feet away
+LJ037-0039 the man continued along tenth street mrs markham saw a police car slowly approach the man from the rear and stop alongside of him
+LJ037-0040 she saw the man come to the right window of the police car as he talked he leaned on the ledge of the right window with his arms
+LJ037-0041 the man appeared to step back as the policeman quote calmly opened the car door end quote and very slowly got out and walked toward the front of the car
+LJ037-0042 the man pulled a gun mrs markham heard three shots and saw the policeman fall to the ground near the left front wheel
+LJ037-0043 she raised her hands to her eyes as the man started to walk back toward patton
+LJ037-0044 she peered through her fingers lowered her hands and saw the man doing something with his gun quote
+LJ037-0045 he was just fooling with it i didnt know what he was doing i was afraid he was fixing to kill me end quote
+LJ037-0046 the man quote in kind of a little trot end quote headed down patton toward jefferson boulevard a block away
+LJ037-0047 mrs markham then ran to officer tippits side and saw him lying in a pool of blood
+LJ037-0048 helen markham was screaming as she leaned over the body
+LJ037-0049 a few minutes later she described the gunman to a policeman
+LJ037-0050 her description and that of other eyewitnesses led to the police broadcast at onetwentytwo pm
+LJ037-0051 describing the slayer as quote about thirty five foot eight inches black hair slender end quote
+LJ037-0052 at about fourthirty pm mrs markham
+LJ037-0053 who had been greatly upset by her experience was able to view a lineup of four men handcuffed together at the police station
+LJ037-0054 she identified lee harvey oswald as the man who shot the policeman
+LJ037-0055 detective l c graves who had been with mrs markham before the lineup
+LJ037-0056 testified that she was quote quite hysterical end quote and was quote crying and upset end quote
+LJ037-0057 he said that mrs markham started crying when oswald walked into the lineup room
+LJ037-0058 in testimony before the commission mrs markham confirmed her positive identification of lee harvey oswald
+LJ037-0059 as the man she saw kill officer tippit in evaluating mrs markhams identification of oswald the commission considered certain allegations
+LJ037-0060 that mrs markham described the man who killed patrolman tippit as quote short a little on the heavy side end quote
+LJ037-0061 and having quote somewhat bushy end quote hair
+LJ037-0062 the commission reviewed the transcript of a phone conversation in which mrs markham is alleged to have provided such a description
+LJ037-0063 a review of the complete transcript has satisfied the commission
+LJ037-0064 that mrs markham strongly reaffirmed her positive identification of oswald and denied having described the killer
+LJ037-0065 as short stocky and having bushy hair she stated that the man weighed about one hundred fifty pounds
+LJ037-0066 although she used the words quote a little bit bushy end quote to describe the gunmans hair
+LJ037-0067 the transcript establishes that she was referring to the uncombed state of his hair a description fully supported by a photograph of oswald
+LJ037-0068 taken at the time of his arrest
+LJ037-0069 although in the phone conversation she described the man as quote short end quote on november twentysecond
+LJ037-0070 within minutes of the shooting and before the lineup mrs markham described the man to the police as five foot eight inches tall
+LJ037-0071 during her testimony mrs markham initially denied that she ever had the above phone conversation
+LJ037-0072 she has subsequently admitted the existence of the conversation and offered an explanation for her denial
+LJ037-0073 addressing itself solely to the probative value of mrs markhams contemporaneous description of the gunman
+LJ037-0074 and her positive identification of oswald at a police lineup the commission considers her testimony reliable
+LJ037-0075 however even in the absence of mrs markhams testimony there is ample evidence to identify oswald as the killer of tippit
+LJ037-0076 two young women
+LJ037-0077 barbara jeanette davis and virginia davis were in an apartment of a multipleunit house on the southeast corner of tenth and patton
+LJ037-0078 when they heard the sound of gunfire and the screams of helen markham
+LJ037-0079 they ran to the door in time to see a man with a revolver cut across their lawn and disappear around a corner of the house onto patton
+LJ037-0080 barbara jeanette davis assumed that he was emptying his gun as quote he had it open and was shaking it end quote she immediately called the police
+LJ037-0081 later in the day each woman found an empty shell on the ground near the house these two shells were delivered to the police
+LJ037-0082 on the evening of november twentytwo
+LJ037-0083 barbara jeanette and virginia davis viewed a group of four men in a lineup and each one picked oswald as the man who crossed their lawn while emptying his pistol
+LJ037-0084 barbara jeanette davis testified that no one had shown her a picture of oswald before the identification and that she had not seen him on television
+LJ037-0085 she was not sure whether she had seen his picture in a newspaper on the afternoon or evening of november twentytwo prior to the lineup
+LJ037-0086 her reaction when she saw oswald in the lineup was that quote
+LJ037-0087 i was pretty sure it was the same man i saw when they made him turn sideways i was positive that was the one i seen end quote
+LJ037-0088 similarly virginia davis had not been shown pictures of anyone prior to the lineup and had not seen either television or the newspapers during the afternoon
+LJ037-0089 she identified oswald who was the number two man in the lineup as the man she saw running with the gun
+LJ037-0090 she testified quote i would say that was him for sure end quote
+LJ037-0091 barbara jeanette davis and virginia davis were sitting alongside each other when they made their positive identifications of oswald
+LJ037-0092 each woman whispered oswalds number to the detective each testified that she was the first to make the identification
+LJ037-0093 william arthur smith was about a block east of tenth and patton when he heard shots
+LJ037-0094 he looked west on tenth and saw a man running to the west and a policeman falling to the ground
+LJ037-0095 smith failed to make himself known to the police on november twentytwo
+LJ037-0096 several days later he reported what he had seen and was questioned by fbi agents
+LJ037-0097 smith subsequently told a commission staff member
+LJ037-0098 that he saw oswald on television the night of the murder and thought that oswald was the man he had seen running away from the shooting
+LJ037-0099 on television oswalds hair looked blond whereas smith remembered that the man who ran away had hair that was brown or brownish black
+LJ037-0100 later the fbi showed smith a picture of oswald in the picture the hair was brown
+LJ037-0101 according to his testimony smith told the fbi quote it looked more like him than it did on television end quote
+LJ037-0102 he stated further that from quote what i saw of him end quote the man looked like the man in the picture
+LJ037-0103 two other important eyewitnesses to oswalds flight were ted callaway
+LJ037-0104 manager of a usedcar lot on the northeast corner of patton avenue and jefferson boulevard and sam guinyard a porter at the lot
+LJ037-0105 they heard the sound of shots to the north of their lot callaway heard five shots and guinyard three
+LJ037-0106 both ran to the sidewalk on the east side of patton at a point about a half a block south of tenth
+LJ037-0107 they saw a man coming south on patton with a revolver held high in his right hand according to callaway the man crossed to the west side of patton
+LJ037-0108 from across the street callaway yelled quote hey man what the hell is going on end quote
+LJ037-0109 he slowed down halted said something and then kept on going to the corner turned right and continued west on jefferson
+LJ037-0110 guinyard claimed that the man ran down the east side of patton and passed within ten feet of him before crossing to the other side
+LJ037-0111 guinyard and callaway ran to tenth and patton and found tippit lying in the street beside his car
+LJ037-0112 apparently he had reached for his gun it lay beneath him outside of the holster
+LJ037-0113 callaway picked up the gun
+LJ037-0114 he and scoggins attempted to chase down the gunman in scoggins taxicab but he had disappeared
+LJ037-0115 early in the evening of november twentytwo
+LJ037-0116 guinyard and callaway viewed the same lineup of four men from which mrs markham had earlier made her identification of lee harvey oswald
+LJ037-0117 both men picked oswald as the man who had run south on patton with a gun in his hand
+LJ037-0118 callaway told the commission quote so they brought four men in
+LJ037-0119 i stepped to the back of the room so i could kind of see him from the same distance which i had seen him before and when he came out i knew him end quote
+LJ037-0120 guinyard said quote i told them that was him right there i pointed him out right there end quote
+LJ037-0121 both callaway and guinyard testified that they had not been shown any pictures by the police before the lineup
+LJ037-0122 the dallas police department furnished the commission with pictures of the men who appeared in the lineups with oswald
+LJ037-0123 and the commission has inquired into general lineup procedures used by the dallas police as well as the specific procedures in the lineups involving oswald
+LJ037-0124 the commission is satisfied that the lineups were conducted fairly
+LJ037-0125 as oswald ran south on patton avenue toward jefferson boulevard he was moving in the direction of a usedcar lot
+LJ037-0126 located on the southeast corner of this intersection
+LJ037-0127 four men warren reynolds harold russell pat patterson and l j lewis
+LJ037-0128 were on the lot at the time and they saw a white male with a revolver in his hands running south on patton
+LJ037-0129 when the man reached jefferson he turned right and headed west
+LJ037-0130 reynolds and patterson decided to follow him
+LJ037-0131 when he reached a gasoline service station one block away he turned north and walked toward a parking area in the rear of the station
+LJ037-0132 neither reynolds nor patterson saw the man after he turned off jefferson at the service station
+LJ037-0133 these four witnesses were interviewed by fbi agents two months after the shooting
+LJ037-0134 russell and patterson were shown a picture of oswald and they stated that oswald was the man they saw on november twentytwo nineteen sixtythree
+LJ037-0135 russell confirmed this statement in a sworn affidavit for the commission
+LJ037-0136 patterson when asked later to confirm his identification by affidavit said he did not recall having been shown the photograph
+LJ037-0137 he was then shown two photographs of oswald and he advised that oswald was quote unquestionably end quote the man he saw
+LJ037-0138 reynolds did not make a positive identification when interviewed by the fbi but
+LJ037-0139 he subsequently testified before a commission staff member and when shown two photographs of oswald stated that they were photographs of the man he saw
+LJ037-0140 lj lewis said in an interview that because of the distance from which he observed the gunman he would hesitate to state whether the man was identical with oswald
+LJ037-0141 when oswald was arrested he had in his possession a smith and wesson thirtyeight special caliber revolver
+LJ037-0142 serial number v five one zero two one zero
+LJ037-0143 two of the arresting officers placed their initials on the weapon and a third inscribed his name
+LJ037-0144 all three identified exhibit number one fortythree as the revolver taken from oswald when he was arrested
+LJ037-0145 four cartridge cases were found in the shrubbery on the corner of tenth and patton by three of the eyewitnesses domingo benavides
+LJ037-0146 barbara jeanette davis and virginia davis
+LJ037-0147 it was the unanimous and unequivocal testimony of expert witnesses before the commission that these used cartridge cases were fired from the revolver
+LJ037-0148 in oswalds possession to the exclusion of all other weapons
+LJ037-0149 cortlandt cunningham of the firearms identification unit of the fbi laboratory testified
+LJ037-0150 that he compared the four empty cartridge cases found near the scene of the shooting with a test cartridge fired from the weapon in oswalds possession when he was arrested
+LJ037-0151 cunningham declared that this weapon fired the four cartridges to the exclusion of all other weapons
+LJ037-0152 identification was effected through breech face marks and firing pin marks
+LJ037-0153 robert a frazier and charles killion other fbi firearms experts
+LJ037-0154 independently examined the four cartridge cases and arrived at the same conclusion as cunningham
+LJ037-0155 at the request of the commission joseph d nicol superintendent of the illinois bureau of criminal identification investigation
+LJ037-0156 also examined the four cartridge cases found near the site of the homicide and compared them with the test cartridge cases fired from the smith and wesson revolver
+LJ037-0157 taken from oswald
+LJ037-0158 he concluded that all of these cartridges were fired from the same weapon
+LJ037-0159 cunningham compared four lead bullets recovered from the body of patrolman tippit with test bullets fired from oswalds revolver
+LJ037-0160 he explained that the bullets were slightly smaller than the barrel of the pistol which had fired them this caused the bullets to have an erratic passage through the barrel
+LJ037-0161 and impressed upon the lead of the bullets inconsistent individual characteristics which made identification impossible
+LJ037-0162 consecutive bullets fired from the revolver by the fbi experts could not be identified as having been fired from that revolver
+LJ037-0163 cunningham testified that all of the bullets were mutilated one being useless for comparison purposes
+LJ037-0164 all four bullets were fired from a weapon
+LJ037-0165 with five lands and grooves and a right twist which were the rifling characteristics of the revolver taken from oswald
+LJ037-0166 he concluded however that he could not say whether the four bullets were fired from the revolver in oswalds possession
+LJ037-0167 quote the only thing i can testify is they could have on the basis of the rifling characteristics they could have been end quote
+LJ037-0168 nicol differed with the fbi experts on one bullet taken from tippits body
+LJ037-0169 he declared that this bullet was fired from the same weapon that fired the test bullets to the exclusion of all other weapons
+LJ037-0170 but he agreed that because the other three bullets were mutilated he could not determine if they had been fired from the same weapon as the test bullets
+LJ037-0171 the examination and testimony of the experts enabled the commission to conclude that five shots may have been fired
+LJ037-0172 even though only four bullets were recovered
+LJ037-0173 three of the bullets recovered from tippits body were manufactured by winchesterwestern and the fourth bullet by remingtonpeters
+LJ037-0174 but only two of the four discarded cartridge cases found on the lawn at tenth street and patton avenue were of winchesterwestern manufacture
+LJ037-0175 therefore one cartridge case of this type was not recovered
+LJ037-0176 and though only one bullet of remingtonpeters manufacture was recovered two empty cartridge cases of that make were retrieved
+LJ037-0177 therefore either one bullet of remingtonpeters manufacture is missing
+LJ037-0178 or one used remingtonpeters cartridge case which may have been in the revolver before the shooting
+LJ037-0179 was discarded along with the others as oswald left the scene
+LJ037-0180 if a bullet is missing five were fired this corresponds with the observation and memory of ted callaway and possibly warren reynolds
+LJ037-0181 but not with the other eyewitnesses who claim to have heard from two to four shots
+LJ037-0182 ownership of revolver
+LJ037-0183 by checking certain importers and dealers after the assassination of president kennedy and slaying of officer tippit
+LJ037-0184 agents of the fbi determined that george rose and co of los angeles was a major distributor of this type of revolver
+LJ037-0185 records of seaport traders incorporated a mailorder division of george rose and co
+LJ037-0186 disclosed that on january three nineteen sixtythree
+LJ037-0187 the company received from empire wholesale sporting goods ltd montreal a shipment of ninetynine guns in one case
+LJ037-0188 among these guns was a thirtyeight special caliber smith and wesson revolver serial number v five one zero two one zero
+LJ037-0189 the only revolver made by smith and wesson with this serial number when first manufactured it had a fiveinch barrel
+LJ037-0190 george rose and co had the barrel shortened by a gunsmith to two and one quarter inches
+LJ037-0191 sometime after january twentyseven nineteen sixtythree
+LJ037-0192 seaport traders incorporated received through the mail a mailorder coupon for one quote point threeeight
+LJ037-0193 s t w two inch bbl unquote cost twentynine dollars ninetyfive cents
+LJ037-0194 ten dollars in cash was enclosed
+LJ037-0195 the order was signed in ink by quote
+LJ037-0196 a j hidell aged twentyeight end quote the date of the order was january twentyseven no year shown
+LJ037-0197 and the return address was post office box two nine one five dallas texas
+LJ037-0198 also on the order form was an order written in ink for one box of ammunition and one holster but a line was drawn through these items
+LJ037-0199 the mailorder form had a line for the name of a witness to attest that the person ordering the gun was a us citizen and had not been convicted of a felony
+LJ037-0200 the name written in this space was d f drittal
+LJ037-0201 heinz w michaelis office manager of both george rose and co incorporated and seaport traders incorporated
+LJ037-0202 identified records of seaport traders incorporated which showed that a quote point three eight
+LJ037-0203 s and w special twoinch commando serial number v five one zero two one zero end quote
+LJ037-0204 was shipped on march twenty nineteen sixtythree to a j hidell post office box two nine one five dallas texas
+LJ037-0205 the invoice was prepared on march thirteen nineteen sixtythree the revolver was actually shipped on march twenty by railway express
+LJ037-0206 the balance due on the purchase was nineteen dollars ninetyfive cents
+LJ037-0207 michaelis furnished the shipping copy of the invoice and the railway express agency shipping documents showing that
+LJ037-0208 nineteen dollars ninetyfive cents plus one dollar twentyseven cents shipping charge had been collected from the consignee hidell
+LJ037-0209 handwriting experts alwyn cole of the treasury department and james c cadigan of the fbi
+LJ037-0210 testified before the commission that the writing on the coupon was oswalds
+LJ037-0211 the signature of the witness d f drittal
+LJ037-0212 who attested that the fictitious hidell was an american citizen and had not been convicted of a felony was also in oswalds handwriting
+LJ037-0213 marina oswald gave as her opinion that the mailorder coupon was in oswalds handwriting
+LJ037-0214 when shown the revolver she stated that she recognized it as the one owned by her husband
+LJ037-0215 she also testified that this appeared to be the revolver seen in oswalds belt
+LJ037-0216 in the picture she took in late march or early april nineteen sixtythree when the family was living on neely street in dallas
+LJ037-0217 police found an empty revolver holster when they searched oswalds room on beckley avenue after his arrest
+LJ037-0218 marina oswald testified that this was the holster which contained the revolver in the photographs taken on neely street
+LJ037-0219 oswalds jacket
+LJ037-0220 approximately fifteen minutes before the shooting of tippit oswald was seen leaving his roominghouse
+LJ037-0221 he was wearing a zipper jacket which he had not been wearing moments before when he had arrived home
+LJ037-0222 when oswald was arrested he did not have a jacket
+LJ037-0223 shortly after tippit was slain policemen found a lightcolored zipper jacket along the route taken by the killer as he attempted to escape
+LJ037-0224 at onetwentytwo pm the dallas police radio described the man wanted for the murder of tippit as quote a white male about thirty
+LJ037-0225 five foot eight inches black hair slender wearing a white jacket white shirt and dark slacks end quote
+LJ037-0226 according to patrolman poe this description came from mrs markham and mrs barbara jeanette davis
+LJ037-0227 mrs markham told poe
+LJ037-0228 that the man was a quote white male about twentyfive about five feet eight brown hair medium end quote and wearing a quote
+LJ037-0229 white jacket end quote
+LJ037-0230 mrs davis gave poe the same general description a quote white male in his early twenties around five foot seven inches
+LJ037-0231 or eight inches about one hundred fortyfive pounds end quote and wearing a white jacket
+LJ037-0232 as has been discussed previously
+LJ037-0233 two witnesses warren reynolds and b m patterson saw the gunman run toward the rear of a gasoline service station on jefferson boulevard
+LJ037-0234 mrs mary brock the wife of a mechanic who worked at the station was there at the time and she saw a white male
+LJ037-0235 five feet ten inches wearing light clothing a lightcolored jacket walk past her at a fast pace with his hands in his pocket
+LJ037-0236 she last saw him in the parking lot directly behind the service station
+LJ037-0237 when interviewed by fbi agents on january twentyone nineteen sixtyfour
+LJ037-0238 she identified a picture of oswald as being the same person she saw on november twentytwo
+LJ037-0239 she confirmed this interview by a sworn affidavit
+LJ037-0240 at onetwentyfour pm the police radio reported quote
+LJ037-0241 the suspect last seen running west on jefferson from four hundred east jefferson
+LJ037-0242 police capt w r westbrook and several other officers concentrated their search along jefferson boulevard
+LJ037-0243 westbrook walked through the parking lot behind the service station and found a lightcolored jacket lying under the rear of one of the cars
+LJ037-0244 westbrook identified commission exhibit number one sixtytwo as the lightcolored jacket which he discovered underneath the automobile
+LJ037-0245 this jacket belonged to lee harvey oswald marina oswald stated that her husband owned only two jackets one blue and the other gray
+LJ037-0246 the blue jacket was found in the texas school book depository and was identified by marina oswald as her husbands
+LJ037-0247 marina oswald also identified commission exhibit number one sixtytwo the jacket found by captain westbrook as her husbands second jacket
+LJ037-0248 the eyewitnesses vary in their identification of the jacket
+LJ037-0249 mrs earlene roberts the housekeeper at oswalds roominghouse and the last person known to have seen him before he reached tenth street and patton avenue
+LJ037-0250 said that she may have seen the gray zipper jacket but she was not certain
+LJ037-0251 it seemed to her that the jacket oswald wore was darker than commission exhibit number one sixtytwo
+LJ037-0252 ted callaway who saw the gunman moments after the shooting testified that commission exhibit number one sixtytwo
+LJ037-0253 looked like the jacket he was wearing but quote i thought it had a little more tan to it end quote
+LJ037-0254 two other witnesses sam guinyard and william arthur smith
+LJ037-0255 testified that commission exhibit number one sixtytwo was the jacket worn by the man they saw on november twentytwo
+LJ037-0256 mrs markham and barbara davis thought that the jacket worn by the slayer of tippit was darker than the jacket found by westbrook
+LJ037-0257 scoggins thought it was lighter
+LJ037-0258 there is no doubt however that oswald was seen leaving his roominghouse at about one pm wearing a zipper jacket
+LJ037-0259 that the man who killed tippit was wearing a lightcolored jacket
+LJ037-0260 that he was seen running along jefferson boulevard that a jacket was found under a car in a lot adjoining jefferson boulevard
+LJ037-0261 that the jacket belonged to lee harvey oswald and that when he was arrested at approximately onefifty pm he was in shirt sleeves
+LJ037-0262 these facts warrant the finding that lee harvey oswald disposed of his jacket as he fled from the scene of the tippit killing
+LJ037-0263 the foregoing evidence establishes that one two eyewitnesses who heard the shots and saw the shooting of dallas police patrolman j d tippit
+LJ037-0264 and seven eyewitnesses who saw the flight of the gunman with revolver in hand
+LJ037-0265 positively identified lee harvey oswald as the man they saw fire the shots or flee from the scene
+LJ037-0266 two the cartridge cases found near the scene of the shooting were fired from the revolver in the possession of oswald at the time of his arrest
+LJ037-0267 to the exclusion of all other weapons
+LJ037-0268 three the revolver in oswalds possession at the time of his arrest was purchased by and belonged to oswald and four
+LJ037-0269 oswalds jacket was found along the path of flight taken by the gunman as he fled from the scene of the killing
+LJ038-0001 report of the presidents commission on the assassination of president kennedy
+LJ038-0002 the warren commission report by the presidents commission on the assassination of president kennedy chapter four the assassin part seven
+LJ038-0003 oswalds arrest
+LJ038-0004 the texas theatre is on the north side of jefferson boulevard approximately eight blocks from the scene of the tippit shooting and six blocks
+LJ038-0005 from where several witnesses last saw oswald running west on jefferson boulevard shortly after the tippit murder
+LJ038-0006 police sirens sounded along jefferson boulevard
+LJ038-0007 one of the persons who heard the sirens was johnny calvin brewer manager of hardys shoestore a few doors east of the texas theatre
+LJ038-0008 brewer knew from radio broadcasts that the president had been shot and that a patrolman had also been shot in oak cliff
+LJ038-0009 when he heard police sirens he quote looked up and saw the man enter the lobby end quote
+LJ038-0010 a recessed area extending about fifteen feet between the sidewalk and the front door of his store
+LJ038-0011 a police car made a uturn and as the sirens grew fainter
+LJ038-0012 the man in the lobby quote looked over his shoulder and turned around and walked up west jefferson towards the theatre end quote
+LJ038-0013 the man wore a tshirt beneath his outer shirt and he had no jacket
+LJ038-0014 brewer said quote he just looked funny to me his hair was sort of messed up and looked like he had been running and he looked scared and he looked funny end quote
+LJ038-0015 mrs julia postal selling tickets at the box office of the texas theatre
+LJ038-0016 heard police sirens and then saw a man as he quote ducked into end quote the outer lobby space of the theatre near the ticket office
+LJ038-0017 attracted by the sound of the sirens mrs postal stepped out of the box office and walked to the curb
+LJ038-0018 shortly thereafter johnny brewer who had come from the nearby shoestore asked mrs postal whether the fellow that had ducked in had bought a ticket
+LJ038-0019 she said quote no by golly he didnt end quote and turned around but the man was nowhere in sight
+LJ038-0020 brewer told mrs postal that he had seen the man ducking into his place of business and that he had followed him to the theatre
+LJ038-0021 she sent brewer into the theatre to find the man and check the exits told him about the assassination and said quote
+LJ038-0022 i dont know if this is the man they want but he is running from them for some reason end quote she then called the police
+LJ038-0023 at onefortyfive pm the police radio stated quote have information a suspect just went in the texas theatre on west jefferson end quote
+LJ038-0024 patrol cars bearing at least fifteen officers converged on the texas theatre
+LJ038-0025 patrolman m n mcdonald with patrolmen r hawkins t a hutson and c t walker entered the theatre from the rear
+LJ038-0026 other policemen entered the front door and searched the balcony
+LJ038-0027 detective paul l bentley rushed to the balcony and told the projectionist to turn up the house lights
+LJ038-0028 brewer met mcdonald and the other policemen at the alley exit door
+LJ038-0029 stepped out onto the stage with them and pointed out the man who had come into the theatre without paying
+LJ038-0030 the man was oswald he was sitting alone in the rear of the main floor of the theatre near the right center aisle
+LJ038-0031 about six or seven people were seated on the theatres main floor and an equal number in the balcony
+LJ038-0032 mcdonald first searched two men in the center of the main floor about ten rows from the front
+LJ038-0033 he walked out of the row up the right center aisle
+LJ038-0034 when he reached the row where the suspect was sitting mcdonald stopped abruptly and told the man to get on his feet
+LJ038-0035 oswald rose from his seat bringing up both hands
+LJ038-0036 as mcdonald started to search oswalds waist for a gun he heard him say quote well its all over now end quote
+LJ038-0037 oswald then struck mcdonald between the eyes with his left fist with his right hand he drew a gun from his waist
+LJ038-0038 mcdonald struck back with his right hand and grabbed the gun with his left hand they both fell into the seats
+LJ038-0039 three other officers moving toward the scuffle grabbed oswald from the front rear and side
+LJ038-0040 as mcdonald fell into the seat with his left hand on the gun he felt something graze across his hand and heard what sounded like the snap of the hammer
+LJ038-0041 mcdonald felt the pistol scratch his cheek as he wrenched it away from oswald
+LJ038-0042 detective bob k carroll who was standing beside mcdonald seized the gun from him
+LJ038-0043 the other officers who helped subdue oswald corroborated mcdonald in his testimony
+LJ038-0044 except that they did not hear oswald say quote its all over now end quote
+LJ038-0045 deputy sheriff eddy r walthers recalled such a remark but he did not reach the scene of the struggle
+LJ038-0046 until oswald had been knocked to the floor by mcdonald and the others
+LJ038-0047 some of the officers saw oswald strike mcdonald with his fist most of them heard a click which they assumed to be a click of the hammer of the revolver
+LJ038-0048 testimony of a firearms expert before the commission established that the hammer of the revolver never touched the shell in the chamber
+LJ038-0049 although the witnesses did not hear the sound of a misfire
+LJ038-0050 they might have heard a snapping noise resulting from the police officer grabbing the cylinder of the revolver and pulling it away from oswald while he was attempting to pull the trigger
+LJ038-0051 two patrons of the theatre and john brewer
+LJ038-0052 testified regarding the arrest of oswald as did the various police officers who participated in the fight
+LJ038-0053 george jefferson applin jr confirmed that oswald fought with four or five officers before he was handcuffed
+LJ038-0054 he added that one officer grabbed the muzzle of a shotgun drew back and hit oswald with the butt end of the gun in the back
+LJ038-0055 no other theatre patron or officer has testified that oswald was hit by a gun
+LJ038-0056 nor did oswald ever complain that he was hit with a gun or injured in the back
+LJ038-0057 deputy sheriff walthers brought a shotgun into the theatre but laid it on some seats before helping subdue oswald
+LJ038-0058 officer ray hawkins said
+LJ038-0059 that there was no one near oswald who had a shotgun and he saw no one strike oswald in the back with a rifle butt or the butt of a gun
+LJ038-0060 john gibson another patron in the theatre saw an officer grab oswald and he claims that he heard the click of a gun misfiring
+LJ038-0061 he saw no shotgun in the possession of any policeman near oswald
+LJ038-0062 johnny brewer testified he saw oswald pull the revolver and the officers struggle with him to take it away
+LJ038-0063 but that once he was subdued no officer struck him
+LJ038-0064 he further stated that while fists were flying he heard one of the officers say quote kill the president will you end quote
+LJ038-0065 it is unlikely that any of the police officers referred to oswald as a suspect in the assassination
+LJ038-0066 while the police radio had noted the similarity in description of the two suspects the arresting officers were pursuing oswald for the murder of tippit
+LJ038-0067 as oswald handcuffed was led from the theatre he was according to mcdonald quote
+LJ038-0068 cursing a little bit and hollering police brutality end quote
+LJ038-0069 at onefiftyone pm police car two reported by radio that it was on the way to headquarters with the suspect
+LJ038-0070 captain fritz returned to police headquarters from the texas school book depository at twofifteen after a brief stop at the sheriffs office
+LJ038-0071 when he entered the homicide and robbery bureau office he saw two detectives standing there with sgt gerald l hill
+LJ038-0072 who had driven from the theatre with oswald
+LJ038-0073 hill testified that fritz told the detective to get a search warrant go to an address on fifth street in irving
+LJ038-0074 and pick up a man named lee oswald when hill asked why oswald was wanted
+LJ038-0075 fritz replied quote well he was employed down at the book depository and he had not been present for a roll call of the employees end quote
+LJ038-0076 hill said quote captain we will save you a trip there he sits end quote
+LJ038-0077 statements of oswald during detention
+LJ038-0078 oswald was questioned intermittently for approximately twelve hours between twothirty pm on november twentytwo and eleven am
+LJ038-0079 on november twentyfour
+LJ038-0080 throughout this interrogation he denied that he had anything to do either with the assassination of president kennedy or the murder of patrolman tippit
+LJ038-0081 captain fritz of the homicide and robbery bureau did most of the questioning but he kept no notes and there were no stenographic or tape recordings
+LJ038-0082 representatives of other law enforcement agencies were also present including the fbi and the us secret service
+LJ038-0083 they occasionally participated in the questioning
+LJ038-0084 the reports prepared by those present at these interviews are set forth in appendix eleven
+LJ038-0085 a full discussion of oswalds detention and interrogation is presented in chapter five of this report
+LJ038-0086 during the evening of november twentytwo the dallas police department performed paraffin tests on oswalds hands and right cheek
+LJ038-0087 in an apparent effort to determine by means of a scientific test whether oswald had recently fired a weapon
+LJ038-0088 the results were positive for the hands and negative for the right cheek
+LJ038-0089 expert testimony before the commission
+LJ038-0090 was to the effect that the paraffin test was unreliable in determining whether or not a person has fired a rifle or revolver
+LJ038-0091 the commission has therefore placed no reliance on the paraffin tests administered by the dallas police
+LJ038-0092 oswald provided little information during his questioning
+LJ038-0093 frequently however he was confronted with evidence which he could not explain and he resorted to statements which are known to be lies
+LJ038-0094 while oswalds untrue statements during interrogation were not considered items of positive proof
+LJ038-0095 by the commission they had probative value in deciding the weight to be given to his denials that he assassinated president kennedy
+LJ038-0096 and killed patrolman tippit since independent evidence revealed that oswald repeatedly and blatantly lied to the police
+LJ038-0097 the commission gave little weight to his denials of guilt
+LJ038-0098 denial of rifle ownership
+LJ038-0099 from the outset oswald denied owning a rifle
+LJ038-0100 on november twentythree fritz confronted oswald with the evidence that he had purchased a rifle under the fictitious name of hidell
+LJ038-0101 oswald said that this was not true oswald denied that he had a rifle wrapped up in a blanket in the paine garage
+LJ038-0102 oswald also denied owning a rifle and said that since leaving the marine corps he had fired only a small bore twentytwo rifle
+LJ038-0103 on the afternoon of november twentythree officers h m moore
+LJ038-0104 r s stovall and g f rose obtained a search warrant and examined oswalds effects in the paine garage
+LJ038-0105 they discovered two photographs each showing oswald with a rifle and a pistol
+LJ038-0106 these photographs were shown to oswald on the evening of november twentythree and again on the morning of the twentyfourth
+LJ038-0107 according to fritz oswald sneered saying that they were fake photographs that he had been photographed a number of times the day before by the police
+LJ038-0108 that they had superimposed upon the photographs a rifle and a revolver he told fritz a number of times that the smaller photograph
+LJ038-0109 was either made from the larger or the larger photograph was made from the smaller and that at the proper time he would show that the pictures were fakes
+LJ038-0110 fritz told him that the two small photographs were found in the paine garage
+LJ038-0111 at that point oswald refused to answer any further questions
+LJ038-0112 as previously indicated marina oswald testified that she took the two pictures with her husbands imperial reflex camera
+LJ038-0113 when they lived on neely street
+LJ038-0114 her testimony was fully supported by a photography expert who testified that in his opinion the pictures were not composites
+LJ038-0115 at the first interrogation oswald claimed that his only crime was carrying a gun and resisting arrest
+LJ038-0116 when captain fritz asked him why he carried the revolver he answered quote well you know about a pistol i just carried it end quote
+LJ038-0117 he falsely alleged that he bought the revolver in fort worth when in fact he purchased it from a mailorder house in los angeles
+LJ038-0118 the aliases hidell and o h lee
+LJ038-0119 the arresting officers found a forged selective service card with a picture of oswald and the name alek j hidell
+LJ038-0120 in oswalds billfold on november twentytwo and twentythree oswald refused to tell fritz why this card was in his possession
+LJ038-0121 or to answer any questions concerning the card
+LJ038-0122 on sunday morning november twentyfour oswald denied that he knew a j hidell
+LJ038-0123 captain fritz produced the selective service card bearing the name alek j hidell
+LJ038-0124 oswald became angry and said quote
+LJ038-0125 now ive told you all im going to tell you about that card in my billfolds you have the card yourself and you know as much about it as i do end quote
+LJ038-0126 at the last interrogation in november oswald admitted to postal inspector holmes that he had rented post office box two nine one five dallas
+LJ038-0127 but denied that he had received a package in this box addressed to hidell
+LJ038-0128 he also denied that he had received the rifle through this box
+LJ038-0129 holmes reminded oswald that a j hidell was listed on post office box three zero zero six one new orleans
+LJ038-0130 as one entitled to receive mail
+LJ038-0131 oswald replied quote i dont know anything about that end quote
+LJ038-0132 when asked why he lived at his roominghouse under the name o h lee
+LJ038-0133 oswald responded that the landlady simply made a mistake because he told her that his name was lee meaning his first name
+LJ038-0134 an examination of the roominghouse register revealed that oswald actually signed the name o h lee
+LJ038-0135 the curtain rod story
+LJ038-0136 in concluding that oswald was carrying a rifle in the paper bag on the morning of november twentytwo nineteen sixtythree
+LJ038-0137 the commission found that oswald lied when he told frazier that he was returning to irving to obtain curtain rods
+LJ038-0138 when asked about the curtain rod story oswald lied again
+LJ038-0139 he denied that he had ever told frazier that he wanted a ride to irving to get curtain rods for an apartment
+LJ038-0140 he explained that a party for the paine children had been planned for the weekend and he preferred not to be in the paine house at that time
+LJ038-0141 therefore he made his weekly visit on thursday night
+LJ038-0142 actually the party for one of the paines children was the preceding weekend when marina oswald suggested that oswald remain in dallas
+LJ038-0143 when told that frazier and mrs randle had seen him carrying a long heavy package oswald replied quote well they was mistaken
+LJ038-0144 that must have been some other time he picked me up end quote
+LJ038-0145 in one interview he told fritz that the only sack he carried to work that day
+LJ038-0146 was a lunch sack which he kept on his lap during the ride from irving to dallas
+LJ038-0147 frazier testified before the commission that oswald carried no lunch sack that day
+LJ038-0148 actions during and after shooting
+LJ038-0149 during the first interrogation on november twentytwo fritz asked oswald to account for himself at the time the president was shot
+LJ038-0150 oswald told him that he ate lunch in the firstfloor lunchroom and then went to the second floor for a coke which he brought downstairs
+LJ038-0151 he acknowledged the encounter with the police officer on the second floor
+LJ038-0152 oswald told fritz that after lunch he went outside talked with foreman bill shelley for five or ten minutes and then left for home
+LJ038-0153 he said that he left work because bill shelley said that there would be no more work done that day in the building
+LJ038-0154 shelley denied seeing oswald after twelve noon or at any time after the shooting
+LJ038-0155 the next day oswald added to his story
+LJ038-0156 he stated that at the time the president was shot he was having lunch with junior but he did not give juniors last name
+LJ038-0157 the only employee at the depository building named junior was james jarman jr
+LJ038-0158 jarman testified that he ate his lunch on the first floor around five minutes to twelve and that he neither ate lunch with nor saw oswald
+LJ038-0159 jarman did talk to oswald that morning quote
+LJ038-0160 he asked me what were the people gathering around on the corner for and i told him that the president was supposed to pass that morning
+LJ038-0161 and he asked me did i know which way he was coming and i told him yes he probably come down main and turn on houston and then back again on elm
+LJ038-0162 then he said oh i see and that was all
+LJ038-0163 prior attempt to kill
+LJ038-0164 the attempt on the life of maj gen edwin a walker
+LJ038-0165 at approximately nine pm on april ten nineteen sixtythree in dallas texas maj gen edwin a walker
+LJ038-0166 an active and controversial figure on the american political scene since his resignation from the us army in nineteen sixtyone
+LJ038-0167 narrowly escaped death when a rifle bullet fired from outside his home passed near his head as he was seated at his desk
+LJ038-0168 there were no eyewitnesses although a fourteenyearold boy in a neighboring house claimed that immediately after the shooting
+LJ038-0169 he saw two men in separate cars drive out of a church parking lot adjacent to walkers home a friend of walkers testified that
+LJ038-0170 two nights before the shooting he saw quote two men around the house peeking in windows end quote
+LJ038-0171 general walker gave this information to the police before the shooting but it did not help solve the crime
+LJ038-0172 although the bullet was recovered from walkers house in the absence of a weapon it was of little investigatory value
+LJ038-0173 general walker hired two investigators to determine whether a former employee might have been involved in the shooting
+LJ038-0174 their results were negative
+LJ038-0175 until december three nineteen sixtythree the walker shooting remained unsolved
+LJ038-0176 the commission evaluated the following evidence in considering whether lee harvey oswald fired the shot which almost killed general walker
+LJ038-0177 a note which oswald left for his wife on the evening of the shooting
+LJ038-0178 two photographs found among oswalds possessions after the assassination of president kennedy
+LJ038-0179 three firearm identification of the bullet found in walkers home and four
+LJ038-0180 admissions and other statements made to marina oswald by oswald concerning the shooting note left by oswald
+LJ038-0181 on december two nineteen sixtythree mrs ruth paine turned over to the police some of the oswalds belongings
+LJ038-0182 including a russian volume entitled quote book of useful advice end quote in this book was an undated note written in russian
+LJ038-0183 in translation the note read as follows one
+LJ038-0184 this is the key to the mailbox which is located in the main post office in the city on ervay street
+LJ038-0185 this is the same street where the drugstore in which you always waited is located
+LJ038-0186 you will find the mailbox in the post office which is located four blocks from the drugstore on that street
+LJ038-0187 i paid for the box last month so dont worry about it
+LJ038-0188 two send the information as to what has happened to me to the embassy
+LJ038-0189 and include newspaper clippings should there be anything about me in the newspapers i believe that the embassy will come quickly to your assistance on learning everything
+LJ038-0190 three i paid the house rent on the second so dont worry about it four recently i also paid for water and gas
+LJ038-0191 five the money from work will possibly be coming the money will be sent to our post office box go to the bank and cash the check
+LJ038-0192 six you can either throw out or give my clothing etc away do not keep these
+LJ038-0193 however i prefer that you hold on to my personal papers military civil etc
+LJ038-0194 seven certain of my documents are in the small blue valise
+LJ038-0197 ten i left you as much money as i could
+LJ038-0198 sixty dollars on the second of the month you and the baby can live for another two months using ten dollars per week
+LJ038-0199 eleven if i am alive and taken prisoner
+LJ038-0200 the city jail is located at the end of the bridge through which we always passed on going to the city right in the beginning of the city after crossing the bridge
+LJ038-0201 james c cadigan fbi handwriting expert testified that this note was written by lee harvey oswald
+LJ038-0202 prior to the walker shooting on april ten oswald had been attending typing classes on monday tuesday and thursday evenings
+LJ038-0203 he had quit these classes at least a week before the shooting which occurred on a wednesday night
+LJ038-0204 according to marina oswalds testimony on the night of the walker shooting her husband left their apartment on neely street shortly after dinner
+LJ038-0205 she thought he was attending a class or was on his own business
+LJ038-0206 when he failed to return by ten or tenthirty pm marina oswald went to his room and discovered the note she testified quote
+LJ038-0207 when he came back i asked him what had happened he was very pale
+LJ038-0208 i dont remember the exact time but it was very late and he told me not to ask him any questions he only told me he had shot at general walker
+LJ038-0209 oswald told his wife that he did not know whether he had hit walker
+LJ038-0210 according to marina oswald when he learned on the radio and in the newspapers the next day that he had missed
+LJ038-0211 he said that he quote was very sorry that he had not hit him end quote marina oswalds testimony was fully supported by the note itself
+LJ038-0212 which appeared to be the work of a man expecting to be killed or imprisoned or to disappear
+LJ038-0213 the last paragraph directed her to the jail
+LJ038-0214 and the other paragraphs instructed her on the disposal of oswalds personal effects and the management of her affairs if he should not return
+LJ038-0215 it is clear that the note was written while the oswalds were living in dallas before they moved to new orleans in the spring of nineteen sixtythree
+LJ038-0216 the references to house rent and payments for water and gas
+LJ038-0217 indicated that the note was written when they were living in a rented apartment therefore it could not have been written while marina oswald was living with the paines
+LJ038-0218 moreover the reference in paragraph three to paying quote the house rent on the second end quote
+LJ038-0219 would be consistent with the period when the oswalds were living on neely street since the apartment was rented on march three nineteen sixtythree
+LJ038-0220 oswald had paid the first months rent in advance on march two nineteen sixtythree
+LJ038-0221 and the second months rent was paid on either april two or april three
+LJ038-0222 the main post office quote on ervay street end quote refers to the post office where oswald rented box two nine one five
+LJ038-0223 from october nine nineteen sixtytwo to may fourteen nineteen sixtythree
+LJ038-0224 another statement which limits the time when it could have been written is the reference quote you and the baby end quote
+LJ038-0225 which would indicate that it was probably written before the birth of oswalds second child on october twenty nineteen sixtythree
+LJ038-0226 oswald had apparently mistaken the county jail for the city jail
+LJ038-0227 from neely street the oswalds would have traveled downtown on the beckley bus across the commerce street viaduct
+LJ038-0228 and into downtown dallas through the triple underpass
+LJ038-0229 either the viaduct or the underpass might have been the bridge mentioned in the last paragraph of the note
+LJ038-0230 the county jail is at the corner of houston and main streets quote right in the beginning of the city end quote after one travels through the underpass
+LJ038-0231 in her testimony before the commission in february nineteen sixtyfour
+LJ038-0232 marina oswald stated that when oswald returned home on the night of the walker shooting he told her that he had been planning the attempt for two months
+LJ038-0233 he showed her a notebook three days later containing photographs of general walkers home and a map of the area where the house was located
+LJ038-0234 although oswald destroyed the notebook three photographs found among oswalds possessions after the assassination
+LJ038-0235 were identified by marina oswald as photographs of general walkers house
+LJ038-0236 two of these photographs were taken from the rear of walkers house
+LJ038-0237 the commission confirmed by comparison with other photographs that these were indeed photographs of the rear of walkers house
+LJ038-0238 an examination of the window at the rear of the house the wall through which the bullet passed and the fence behind the house
+LJ038-0239 indicated that the bullet was fired from a position near the point where one of the photographs was taken
+LJ038-0240 the third photograph identified by marina oswald depicts the entrance to general walkers driveway from a back alley
+LJ038-0241 also seen in the picture is the fence on which walkers assailant apparently rested the rifle
+LJ038-0242 an examination of certain construction work appearing in the background of this photograph revealed that the picture was taken between march eight
+LJ038-0243 and twelve nineteen sixtythree and most probably on either march nine or march ten
+LJ038-0244 oswald purchased the money order for the rifle on march twelve the rifle was shipped on march twenty and the shooting occurred on april ten
+LJ038-0245 a photography expert with the fbi
+LJ038-0246 was able to determine that this picture was taken with the imperial reflex camera owned by lee harvey oswald
+LJ038-0247 a fourth photograph showing a stretch of railroad tracks
+LJ038-0248 was also identified by marina oswald as having been taken by her husband presumably in connection with the walker shooting
+LJ038-0249 investigation determined that this photograph was taken approximately seventenths of a mile from walkers house
+LJ038-0250 another photograph of railroad tracks found among oswalds possessions was not identified by his wife
+LJ038-0251 but investigation revealed that it was taken from a point slightly less than half a mile from general walkers house
+LJ038-0252 marina oswald stated that when she asked her husband what be had done with the rifle
+LJ038-0253 he replied that he had buried it in the ground or hidden it in some bushes and that he also mentioned a railroad track in this connection
+LJ038-0254 she testified that several days later oswald recovered his rifle and brought it back to their apartment
+LJ038-0255 firearms identification
+LJ038-0256 in the room beyond the one in which general walker was sitting on the night of the shooting the dallas police recovered a badly mutilated bullet
+LJ038-0257 which had come to rest on a stack of paper
+LJ038-0258 the dallas citycounty investigation laboratory tried to determine the type of weapon which fired the bullet
+LJ038-0259 the oral report was negative because of the battered condition of the bullet
+LJ038-0260 on november thirty nineteen sixtythree the fbi requested the bullet for ballistics examination
+LJ038-0261 the dallas police department forwarded it on december two nineteen sixtythree
+LJ038-0262 robert a frazier an fbi ballistics identification expert testified that he was quote unable to reach a conclusion end quote
+LJ038-0263 as to whether or not the bullet recovered from walkers house had been fired from the rifle found on the sixth floor of the texas school book depository building
+LJ038-0264 he concluded that quote the general rifling characteristics of the rifle are of the same type as those found on the bullet
+LJ038-0265 and further on this basis the bullet could have been fired from the rifle on the basis of its land and groove impressions end quote
+LJ038-0266 frazier testified further that the fbi avoids the category of probable identification
+LJ038-0267 unless the missile or cartridge case can be identified as coming from a particular weapon to the exclusion of all others
+LJ038-0268 the fbi refuses to draw any conclusion as to probability
+LJ038-0269 frazier testified however that he found no microscopic characteristics or other evidence
+LJ038-0270 which would indicate that the bullet was not fired from the mannlichercarcano rifle owned by lee harvey oswald
+LJ038-0271 it was a six point fivemillimeter bullet
+LJ038-0272 and according to frazier relatively few types of rifles could produce the characteristics found on the bullet
+LJ038-0273 joseph d nicol
+LJ038-0274 superintendent of the illinois bureau of criminal identification and investigation conducted an independent examination of this bullet
+LJ038-0275 and concluded quote that there is a fair probability end quote that the bullet was fired from the rifle used in the assassination of president kennedy
+LJ038-0276 in explaining the difference between his policy and that of the fbi on the matter of probable identification nicol said quote
+LJ038-0277 i am aware of their position this is not i am sure arrived at without careful consideration
+LJ038-0278 however to say that because one does not find sufficient marks for identification that it is a negative
+LJ038-0279 i think is going overboard in the other direction
+LJ038-0280 and for purposes of probative value for whatever it might be worth
+LJ038-0281 in the absence of very definite negative evidence i think it is permissible to say that in an exhibit such as five seven three
+LJ038-0282 there is enough on it to say that it could have come and even perhaps a little stronger to say that it probably came from this
+LJ038-0283 without going so far as to say to the exclusion of all other guns this i could not do end quote
+LJ038-0284 although the commission recognizes that neither expert was able to state
+LJ038-0285 that the bullet which missed general walker was fired from oswalds rifle to the exclusion of all others this testimony was considered probative
+LJ038-0286 when combined with the other testimony linking oswald to the shooting
+LJ038-0287 additional corroborative evidence
+LJ038-0288 the admissions made to marina oswald by her husband are an important element in the evidence that lee harvey oswald fired the shot at general walker
+LJ038-0289 as shown above the note and the photographs of walkers house and of the nearby railroad tracks
+LJ038-0290 provide important corroboration for her account of the incident
+LJ038-0291 other details described by marina oswald coincide with facts developed independently of her statements
+LJ038-0292 she testified that her husband had postponed his attempt to kill walker
+LJ038-0293 until that wednesday because he had heard that there was to be a gathering at the church next door to walkers house on that evening
+LJ038-0294 he indicated that he wanted more people in the vicinity at the time of the attempt so that his arrival and departure would not attract great attention
+LJ038-0295 an official of this church told fbi agents that services are held every wednesday at the church except during the month of august
+LJ038-0296 marina oswald also testified that her husband had used a bus to return home
+LJ038-0297 a study of the bus routes indicates that
+LJ038-0298 oswald could have taken any one of several different buses to walkers house or to a point near the railroad tracks where he may have concealed the rifle
+LJ038-0299 it would have been possible for him to take different routes in approaching and leaving the scene of the shooting
+LJ038-0300 based on one the contents of the note which oswald left for his wife on april ten nineteen sixtythree
+LJ038-0301 two the photographs found among oswalds possessions
+LJ038-0302 three the testimony of firearms identification experts and four the testimony of marina oswald
+LJ038-0303 the commission has concluded that lee harvey oswald attempted to take the life of maj gen edwin a walker resigned us army
+LJ038-0304 on april ten nineteen sixtythree
+LJ038-0305 the finding that lee harvey oswald attempted to murder a public figure in april nineteen sixtythree
+LJ038-0306 was considered of probative value in this investigation although the commissions conclusion concerning the identity of the assassin
+LJ039-0001 for more information or to volunteer please visit librivox dot org
+LJ039-0002 report of the presidents commission on the assassination of president kennedy
+LJ039-0003 the warren commission report by the presidents commission on the assassination of president kennedy
+LJ039-0004 chapter four the assassin part eight
+LJ039-0005 richard m nixon incident
+LJ039-0006 another alleged threat by oswald against a public figure involved former vice president richard m nixon
+LJ039-0007 in january nineteen sixtyfour marina oswald and her business manager james martin
+LJ039-0008 told robert oswald lee harvey oswalds brother that oswald had once threatened to shoot former vice president richard m nixon
+LJ039-0009 when marina oswald testified before the commission on february three to six nineteen sixtyfour
+LJ039-0010 she had failed to mention the incident when she was asked whether oswald had ever expressed any hostility
+LJ039-0011 toward any official of the united states
+LJ039-0012 the commission first learned of this incident when robert oswald related it to fbi agents on february nineteen nineteen sixtyfour
+LJ039-0013 and to the commission on february twentyone
+LJ039-0014 marina oswald appeared before the commission again on june eleven nineteen sixtyfour
+LJ039-0015 and testified that a few days before her husbands departure from dallas to new orleans on april twentyfour nineteen sixtythree
+LJ039-0016 he finished reading a morning newspaper quote and put on a good suit i saw that he took a pistol
+LJ039-0017 i asked him where he was going and why he was getting dressed he answered nixon is coming i want to go and have a look end quote
+LJ039-0018 he also said that he would use the pistol if the opportunity arose
+LJ039-0019 she reminded him that after the walker shooting he had promised never to repeat such an act
+LJ039-0020 marina oswald related the events which followed quote
+LJ039-0021 i called him into the bathroom and i closed the door and i wanted to prevent him and then i started to cry
+LJ039-0022 and i told him that he shouldnt do this and that he had promised me
+LJ039-0023 i remember that i held him we actually struggled for several minutes and then he quieted down end quote
+LJ039-0024 she stated that it was not physical force which kept him from leaving the house quote i couldnt keep him from going out if he really wanted to end quote
+LJ039-0025 after further questioning
+LJ039-0026 she stated that she might have been confused about shutting him in the bathroom but that quote there is no doubt that he got dressed and got a gun end quote
+LJ039-0027 oswalds revolver
+LJ039-0028 was shipped from los angeles on march twenty nineteen sixtythree and he left for new orleans on april twentyfour nineteen sixtythree
+LJ039-0029 no edition of either dallas newspaper during the period january one nineteen sixtythree to may fifteen nineteen sixtythree
+LJ039-0030 mentioned any proposed visit by mr nixon to dallas
+LJ039-0031 mr nixon advised the commission that the only time he was in dallas in nineteen sixtythree
+LJ039-0032 was on november twenty to twentyone nineteen sixtythree
+LJ039-0033 an investigation failed to reveal any invitation extended to mr nixon during the period when oswalds threat reportedly occurred
+LJ039-0034 the commission has concluded therefore that regardless of what oswald may have said to his wife
+LJ039-0035 he was not actually planning to shoot mr nixon at that time in dallas
+LJ039-0036 on april twentythree nineteen sixtythree
+LJ039-0037 vice president lyndon b johnson was in dallas for a visit which had been publicized in the dallas newspapers
+LJ039-0038 throughout april the commission asked marina oswald whether she might have misunderstood the object of her husbands threat she stated quote
+LJ039-0039 there is no question that in this incident it was a question of mr nixon end quote
+LJ039-0040 when asked later whether it might have been mr johnson she said quote yes no
+LJ039-0041 i am getting a little confused with so many questions
+LJ039-0042 i was absolutely convinced it was nixon and now after all these questions i wonder if i am right in my mind end quote
+LJ039-0043 she stated further that oswald had only mentioned nixons name once during the incident marina oswald might have misunderstood her husband
+LJ039-0044 mr johnson was the then vice president and his visit took place on april twentythird
+LJ039-0045 this was one day before oswald left for new orleans and marina appeared certain that the nixon incident quote
+LJ039-0046 wasnt the day before perhaps three days before end quote
+LJ039-0047 marina oswald speculated that the incident may have been unrelated to an actual threat
+LJ039-0048 she said quote it might have been that he was just trying to test me
+LJ039-0049 he was the kind of person who could try and wound somebody in that way possibly he didnt want to go out at all but was just doing this all as a sort of joke
+LJ039-0050 not really as a joke but rather to simply wound me to make me feel bad end quote
+LJ039-0051 in the absence of other evidence that oswald actually intended to shoot someone at this time
+LJ039-0052 the commission concluded that the incident as described by marina oswald
+LJ039-0053 was of no probative value in the commissions decision concerning the identity of the assassin of president kennedy
+LJ039-0054 oswalds rifle capability
+LJ039-0055 in deciding whether lee harvey oswald fired the shots which killed president kennedy and wounded governor connally
+LJ039-0056 the commission considered whether oswald using his own rifle
+LJ039-0057 possessed the capability to hit his target with two out of three shots under the conditions described in chapter three
+LJ039-0058 the commission evaluated one the nature of the shots two oswalds marine training in marksmanship
+LJ039-0059 three his experience and practice after leaving the marine corps and four the accuracy of the weapon and the quality of the ammunition
+LJ039-0060 the nature of the shots
+LJ039-0061 for a rifleman situated on the sixth floor of the texas school book depository building
+LJ039-0062 the shots were at a slowmoving target proceeding on a downgrade in virtually a straight line
+LJ039-0063 with the alinement of the assassins rifle at a range of one hundred seventyseven to two hundred sixtysix feet
+LJ039-0064 an aerial photograph of dealey plaza shows that elm street runs at an angle
+LJ039-0065 so that the president would have been moving in an almost straight line away from the assassins rifle
+LJ039-0066 in addition the three degree downward slope of elm street was of assistance in eliminating at least some of the adjustment
+LJ039-0067 which is ordinarily required when a marksman must raise his rifle as a target moves farther away
+LJ039-0068 four marksmanship experts testified before the commission
+LJ039-0069 maj eugene d anderson assistant head of the marksmanship branch of us marine corps
+LJ039-0070 testified that the shots which struck the president in the neck and in the head were quote not particularly difficult end quote
+LJ039-0071 robert a frazier fbi expert in firearms identification and training said quote
+LJ039-0072 from my own experience in shooting over the years
+LJ039-0073 when you shoot at one hundred seventyfive feet or two hundred sixty feet which is less than a hundred yards with a telescopic sight
+LJ039-0074 you should not have any difficulty in hitting your target i mean it requires no training at all to shoot a weapon with a telescopic sight
+LJ039-0075 once you know that you must put the crosshairs on the target and that is all that is necessary
+LJ039-0076 ronald simmons chief of the us army infantry weapons evaluation branch of the ballistics research laboratory said quote
+LJ039-0077 well in order to achieve three hits it would not be required that a man be an exceptional shot a proficient man with this weapon yes end quote
+LJ039-0078 the effect of a fourpower telescopic sight on the difficulty of these shots was considered in detail
+LJ039-0079 by master sgt james a zahm noncommissioned officer in charge of the marksmanship training unit in the weapons training battalion
+LJ039-0080 of the marine corps school at quantico virginia
+LJ039-0081 referring to a rifle with a fourpower telescope sergeant zahm said quote
+LJ039-0082 this is the ideal type of weapon for moving targets
+LJ039-0083 using the scope rapidly working a bolt and using the scope to relocate your target quickly and at the same time when you locate that target
+LJ039-0084 you identify it and the crosshairs are in close relationship to the point you want to shoot at
+LJ039-0085 it just takes a minor move in aiming to bring the crosshairs to bear and then it is a quick squeeze
+LJ039-0086 i consider it a real advantage particularly at the range of one hundred yards in identifying your target
+LJ039-0087 it allows you to see your target clearly and it is still of a minimum amount of power that it doesnt exaggerate your own body movements
+LJ039-0088 it just is an aid in seeing in the fact that you only have the one element the crosshair
+LJ039-0089 in relation to the target as opposed to iron sights with aligning the sights and then aligning them on the target end quote
+LJ039-0090 characterizing the fourpower scope as quote a real aid an extreme aid end quote in rapid fire shooting
+LJ039-0091 sergeant zahm expressed the opinion that the shot which struck president kennedy in the neck at one hundred seventysix point nine
+LJ039-0092 to one hundred ninety point eight feet was quote very easy end quote and the shot which struck the president in the head
+LJ039-0093 at a distance of two hundred sixtyfive point three feet was quote an easy shot end quote
+LJ039-0094 after viewing photographs depicting the alignment of elm street in relation to the texas school book depository building
+LJ039-0095 zahm stated further quote
+LJ039-0096 this is a definite advantage to the shooter the vehicle moving directly away from him and the downgrade of the street and he being in an elevated position
+LJ039-0097 made an almost stationary target while he was aiming in very little movement if any end quote
+LJ039-0098 oswalds marine training
+LJ039-0099 in accordance with standard marine procedures oswald received extensive training in marksmanship
+LJ039-0100 during the first week of an intensive eightweek training period he received instruction in sighting aiming and manipulation of the trigger
+LJ039-0101 he went through a series of exercises called dry firing where he assumed all positions which would later be used in the qualification course
+LJ039-0102 after familiarization with live ammunition in the twentytwo rifle and the twentytwo pistol
+LJ039-0103 oswald like all marine recruits received training on the rifle range at distances up to five hundred yards
+LJ039-0104 firing fifty rounds each day for five days
+LJ039-0105 following that training oswald was tested in december of nineteen fiftysix and obtained a score of two hundred twelve
+LJ039-0106 which was two points above the minimum for qualifications as a sharpshooter in a scale of marksman sharpshooter expert
+LJ039-0107 in may of nineteen fiftynine on another range oswald scored one hundred ninetyone which was one point over the minimum for ranking as a marksman
+LJ039-0108 the marine corps records maintained on oswald further show that he had fired and was familiar with the browning automatic rifle
+LJ039-0109 fortyfive caliber pistol and twelvegauge riot gun
+LJ039-0110 based on the general marine corps ratings lt col a g folsom jr
+LJ039-0111 head records branch personnel department headquarters us marine corps
+LJ039-0112 evaluated the sharpshooter qualification as a quote fairly good shot end quote and a low marksman rating
+LJ039-0113 as a quote rather poor shot end quote
+LJ039-0114 when asked to explain the different scores achieved by oswald on the two occasions when he fired for record
+LJ039-0115 major anderson said quote when he fired that two twelve
+LJ039-0116 he had just completed a very intensive preliminary training period
+LJ039-0117 he had the services of an experienced highly trained coach
+LJ039-0118 he had high motivation he had presumably a good to excellent rifle and good ammunition
+LJ039-0119 we have nothing here to show under what conditions the b course was fired it might well have been a bad day for firing the rifle
+LJ039-0120 windy rainy dark there is little probability that he had good expert coach
+LJ039-0121 and he probably didnt have as high a motivation because he was no longer in recruit training and under the care of the drill instructor
+LJ039-0122 there is some possibility that the rifle he was firing might not have been as good a rifle as the rifle that he was firing in his a course firing
+LJ039-0123 because he may well have carried this rifle for quite some time and it got banged around in normal usage
+LJ039-0124 end quote major anderson concluded quote i would say that as compared to other marines receiving the same type of training
+LJ039-0125 that oswald was a good shot somewhat better than or equal to better than the average let us say
+LJ039-0126 as compared to a civilian who had not received this intensive training he would be considered as a good to excellent shot end quote
+LJ039-0127 when sergeant zahm was asked whether oswalds marine corps training would have made it easier to operate a rifle with a fourpower scope he replied quote
+LJ039-0128 based on that training his basic knowledge in sight manipulation and trigger squeeze and what not i would say that he would be capable of sighting that rifle in well
+LJ039-0129 firing it with ten rounds
+LJ039-0130 after reviewing oswalds marksmanship scores
+LJ039-0131 sergeant zahm concluded quote i would say in the marine corps he is a good shot slightly above average
+LJ039-0132 and as compared to the average male of his age throughout the civilian throughout the united states that he is an excellent shot end quote
+LJ039-0133 oswalds rifle practice outside the marines
+LJ039-0134 during one of his leaves from the marines oswald hunted with his brother robert
+LJ039-0135 using a twentytwo caliber boltaction rifle belonging either to robert or roberts inlaws
+LJ039-0136 after he left the marines and before departing for russia oswald his brother and a third companion went hunting for squirrels and rabbits
+LJ039-0137 on that occasion oswald again used a boltaction twentytwo caliber rifle and according to robert
+LJ039-0138 lee oswald exhibited an average amount of proficiency with that weapon
+LJ039-0139 oswald obtained a hunting license joined a hunting club and went hunting about six times as discussed more fully in chapter six
+LJ039-0140 soon after oswald returned from the soviet union
+LJ039-0141 he again went hunting with his brother robert and used a borrowed twentytwo caliber boltaction rifle
+LJ039-0142 after oswald purchased the mannlichercarcano rifle he told his wife that he practiced with it
+LJ039-0143 marina oswald testified that on one occasion she saw him take the rifle concealed in a raincoat from the house on neely street
+LJ039-0144 oswald told her he was going to practice with it
+LJ039-0145 according to george de mohrenschildt oswald said that he went target shooting with that rifle
+LJ039-0146 marina oswald testified that in new orleans in may of nineteen sixtythree she observed oswald sitting with the rifle on their screened porch at night
+LJ039-0147 sighting with the telescopic lens and operating the bolt
+LJ039-0148 examination of the cartridge cases found on the sixth floor of the depository building
+LJ039-0149 established that they had been previously loaded and ejected from the assassination rifle
+LJ039-0150 which would indicate that oswald practiced operating the bolt
+LJ039-0151 accuracy of weapon
+LJ039-0152 it will be recalled from the discussion in chapter three
+LJ039-0153 that the assassin in all probability hit two out of the three shots during the maximum time span of
+LJ039-0154 four point eight to five point six seconds if the second shot missed
+LJ039-0155 or if either the first or third shots missed the assassin fired the three shots during a minimum time span of seven point one
+LJ039-0156 to seven point nine seconds
+LJ039-0157 a series of tests were performed to determine whether the weapon and ammunition used in the assassination
+LJ039-0158 were capable of firing the shots which were fired by the assassin on november twentytwo nineteen sixtythree
+LJ039-0159 the ammunition used by the assassin was manufactured by western cartridge co of east alton illinois
+LJ039-0160 in tests with the mannlichercarano c twentyseven sixtysix rifle over one hundred rounds of this ammunition were fired by the fbi
+LJ039-0161 and the infantry weapons evaluation branch of the us army there were no misfires
+LJ039-0162 in an effort to test the rifle under conditions which simulated those which prevailed during the assassination
+LJ039-0163 the infantry weapons evaluation branch of the ballistics research laboratory had expert riflemen fire the assassination weapon
+LJ039-0164 from a tower at three silhouette targets at distances of one hundred seventyfive two hundred forty and two hundred sixtyfive feet
+LJ039-0165 the target at two hundred sixtyfive feet was placed to the right of the two hundred fortyfoot target
+LJ039-0166 which was in turn placed to the right of the closest silhouette
+LJ039-0167 using the assassination rifle mounted with the telescopic sight three marksmen rated as master by the national rifle association
+LJ039-0168 each fired two series of three shots
+LJ039-0169 in the first series the firers required time spans of four point six six point seven five
+LJ039-0170 and eight point two five seconds respectively
+LJ039-0171 on the second series they required five point one five six point four five and seven seconds
+LJ039-0172 none of the marksmen had any practice with the assassination weapon except for exercising the bolt for two or three minutes on a dry run
+LJ039-0173 they had not even pulled the trigger because of concern about breaking the firing pin
+LJ039-0174 the marksmen took as much time as they wanted for the first target and all hit the target
+LJ039-0175 for the first four attempts the firers missed the second shot by several inches
+LJ039-0176 the angle from the first to the second shot
+LJ039-0177 was greater than from the second to the third shot and required a movement in the basic firing position of the marksmen
+LJ039-0178 this angle was used in the test because the majority of the eyewitnesses to the assassination
+LJ039-0179 stated that there was a shorter interval between shots two and three than between shots one and two
+LJ039-0180 as has been shown in chapter three if the three shots were fired within a period of from four point eight to five point six seconds
+LJ039-0181 the shots would have been evenly spaced and the assassin would not have incurred so sharp an angular movement
+LJ039-0182 five of the six shots hit the third target where the angle of movement of the weapon was small
+LJ039-0183 on the basis of these results simmons testified that in his opinion the probability of hitting the targets at the relatively short range at which they were hit
+LJ039-0184 considering the various probabilities which may have prevailed during the actual assassination
+LJ039-0185 the highest level of firing performance which would have been required of the assassin and the c two seven six six rifle
+LJ039-0186 would have been to fire three times and hit the target twice within a span of four point eight to five point six seconds
+LJ039-0187 in fact one of the firers in the rapid fire test in firing his two series of three shots
+LJ039-0188 hit the target twice within a span of four point six and five point one five seconds
+LJ039-0189 the others would have been able to reduce their times if they had been given the opportunity to become familiar with the movement of the bolt and the trigger pull
+LJ039-0190 simmons testified that familiarity with the bolt could be achieved in dry practice and as has been indicated above
+LJ039-0191 oswald engaged in such practice if the assassin missed either the first or third shot
+LJ039-0192 he had a total of between four point eight and five point six seconds between the two shots which hit
+LJ039-0193 and a total minimum time period of from seven point one to seven point nine seconds for all three shots
+LJ039-0194 all three of the firers in these tests
+LJ039-0195 were able to fire the rounds within the time period which would have been available to the assassin under those conditions
+LJ039-0196 three fbi firearms experts tested the rifle in order to determine the speed with which it could be fired
+LJ039-0197 the purpose of this experiment was not to test the rifle under conditions which prevailed at the time of the assassination
+LJ039-0198 but to determine the maximum speed at which it could be fired
+LJ039-0199 the three fbi experts each fired three shots from the weapon at fifteen yards in six seven and nine seconds
+LJ039-0200 and one of these agents robert a frazier
+LJ039-0201 fired two series of three shots at twentyfive yards in four point six and four point eight seconds
+LJ039-0202 at fifteen yards each mans shots landed within the size of a dime
+LJ039-0203 the shots fired by frazier at the range of twentyfive yards landed within an area of two inches and five inches respectively
+LJ039-0204 frazier later fired four groups of three shots at a distance of one hundred yards in five point nine six point two
+LJ039-0205 five point six and six point five seconds
+LJ039-0206 each series of three shots landed within areas ranging in diameter from three to five inches
+LJ039-0207 although all of the shots were a few inches high and to the right of the target
+LJ039-0208 this was because of a defect in the scope which was recognized by the fbi agents and which they could have compensated for if they were aiming to hit a bullseye
+LJ039-0209 they were instead firing to determine how rapidly the weapon could be fired and the area within which three shots could be placed
+LJ039-0210 frazier testified that while he could not tell when the defect occurred but that a person familiar with the weapon could compensate for it
+LJ039-0211 moreover the defect was one which would have assisted the assassin aiming at a target which was moving away
+LJ039-0212 frazier said quote the fact that the crosshairs are set high would actually compensate for any lead which had to be taken
+LJ039-0213 so that if you aimed with this weapon as it actually was received at the laboratory it would not be necessary to take any lead whatsoever
+LJ039-0214 in order to hit the intended object the scope would accomplish the lead for you end quote
+LJ039-0215 frazier added that the scope would cause a slight miss to the right
+LJ039-0216 it should be noted however that the presidents car was curving slightly to the right when the third shot was fired
+LJ039-0217 based on these tests the experts agreed that the assassination rifle was an accurate weapon
+LJ039-0218 simmons described it as quote quite accurate end quote in fact as accurate as current military rifles
+LJ039-0219 frazier testified that the rifle was accurate that it had less recoil than the average military rifle
+LJ039-0220 and that one would not have to be an expert marksman to have accomplished the assassination with the weapon which was used
+LJ039-0221 the various tests showed that the mannlichercarcano was an accurate rifle and that the use of a fourpower scope
+LJ039-0222 was a substantial aid to rapid accurate firing
+LJ039-0223 oswalds marine training in marksmanship his other rifle experience and his established familiarity with this particular weapon
+LJ039-0224 show that he possessed ample capability to commit the assassination
+LJ039-0225 based on the known facts of the assassination
+LJ039-0226 the marine marksmanship experts major anderson and sergeant zahm concurred in the opinion that oswald had the capability to fire three shots
+LJ039-0227 with two hits within four point eight and five point six seconds
+LJ039-0228 concerning the shots which struck the president in the back of the neck
+LJ039-0229 sergeant zahm testified quote
+LJ039-0230 with the equipment he oswald had and with his ability i consider it a very easy shot end quote
+LJ039-0231 having fired this slot
+LJ039-0232 the assassin was then required to hit the target one more time within a space of from four point eight to five point six seconds
+LJ039-0233 on the basis of oswalds training and the accuracy of the weapon as established by the tests
+LJ039-0234 the commission concluded that oswald was capable of accomplishing this second hit even if there was an intervening shot which missed
+LJ039-0235 the probability of hitting the president a second time would have been markedly increased if in fact he had missed either the first or third shots
+LJ039-0236 thereby leaving a time span of four point eight to five point six seconds between the two shots which struck their mark
+LJ039-0237 the commission agrees with the testimony of marine marksmanship expert zahm
+LJ039-0238 that it was an easy shot to hit some part of the presidents body and that the range where the rifleman would be expected to hit
+LJ039-0239 would include the presidents head
+LJ039-0240 on the basis of the evidence reviewed in this chapter the commission has found that lee harvey oswald one
+LJ039-0241 owned and possessed the rifle used to kill president kennedy and wound governor connally
+LJ039-0242 two brought this rifle into the depository building on the morning of the assassination
+LJ039-0243 three was present at the time of the assassination at the window from which the shots were fired
+LJ039-0244 killed dallas police officer j d tippit in an apparent attempt to escape
+LJ039-0245 five resisted arrest by drawing a fully loaded pistol and attempting to shoot another police officer
+LJ039-0246 six lied to the police after his arrest concerning important substantive matters
+LJ039-0247 seven attempted in april nineteen sixtythree to kill maj gen edwin a walker and eight
+LJ039-0248 possessed the capability with a rifle which would have enabled him to commit the assassination
+LJ040-0001 report of the presidents commission on the assassination of president kennedy the warren commission report by the presidents commission on the assassination of president kennedy
+LJ040-0002 chapter seven lee harvey oswald background and possible motives part one
+LJ040-0003 the evidence reviewed above identifies lee harvey oswald as the assassin of president kennedy and indicates that he acted alone in that event
+LJ040-0004 there is no evidence that he had accomplices or that he was involved in any conspiracy directed to the assassination of the president
+LJ040-0005 there remains the question of what impelled oswald to conceive and to carry out the assassination of the president of the united states
+LJ040-0006 the commission has considered many possible motives for the assassination including those which might flow from oswalds commitment to marxism or communism
+LJ040-0007 the existence of some personal grievance
+LJ040-0008 a desire to effect changes in the structure of society or simply to go down in history as a well publicized assassin
+LJ040-0009 none of these possibilities satisfactorily explains oswalds act if it is judged by the standards of reasonable men
+LJ040-0010 the motives of any man however must be analyzed in terms of the character and state of mind of the particular individual involved
+LJ040-0011 for a motive that appears incomprehensible to other men may be the moving force of a man whose view of the world has been twisted
+LJ040-0012 possibly by factors of which those around him were only dimly aware
+LJ040-0013 oswalds complete state of mind and character are now outside of the power of man to know
+LJ040-0014 he cannot of course be questioned or observed by those charged with the responsibility for this report or by experts on their behalf
+LJ040-0015 there is however a large amount of material available in his writings
+LJ040-0016 and in the history of his life which does give some insight into his character and possibly into the motives for his act
+LJ040-0017 since oswald is dead
+LJ040-0018 the commission is not able to reach any definite conclusions as to whether or not he was quote sane unquote under prevailing legal standards
+LJ040-0019 under our system of justice no forum could properly make that determination unless oswald were before it
+LJ040-0020 it certainly could not be made by this commission which as has been pointed out above
+LJ040-0021 ascertained the facts surrounding the assassination but did not draw conclusions concerning oswalds legal guilt
+LJ040-0022 indications of oswalds motivation
+LJ040-0023 may be obtained from a study of the events relationships and influences which appear to have been significant in shaping his character and in guiding him
+LJ040-0024 perhaps the most outstanding conclusion of such a study is that oswald was profoundly alienated from the world in which he lived
+LJ040-0025 his life was characterized by isolation frustration and failure
+LJ040-0026 he had very few if any close relationships with other people and he appeared to have great difficulty in finding a meaningful place in the world
+LJ040-0027 he was never satisfied with anything
+LJ040-0028 when he was in the united states he resented the capitalist system which he thought was exploiting him and others like him
+LJ040-0029 he seemed to prefer the soviet union and he spoke highly of cuba
+LJ040-0030 when he was in the soviet union he apparently resented the communist party members
+LJ040-0031 who were accorded special privileges and who he thought were betraying communism and he spoke well of the united states
+LJ040-0032 he accused his wife of preferring others to himself and told her to return to the soviet union without him but without a divorce
+LJ040-0033 at the same time he professed his love for her and said that he could not get along without her
+LJ040-0034 marina oswald thought that he would not be happy anywhere quote only on the moon perhaps end quote
+LJ040-0035 while oswald appeared to most of those who knew him as a meek and harmless person he sometimes imagined himself as quote the commander end quote
+LJ040-0036 and apparently seriously as a political prophet a man who said that after twenty years he would be prime minister
+LJ040-0037 his wife testified that he compared himself with great readers of history
+LJ040-0038 such ideas of grandeur were apparently accompanied by notions of oppression
+LJ040-0039 he had a great hostility toward his environment whatever it happened to be
+LJ040-0040 which he expressed in striking and sometimes violent acts long before the assassination
+LJ040-0041 there was some quality about him that led him to act with an apparent disregard for possible consequences
+LJ040-0042 he defected to the soviet union shot at general walker tried to go to cuba and even contemplated hijacking an airplane to get there
+LJ040-0043 he assassinated the president shot officer tippit resisted arrest and tried to kill another policeman in the process
+LJ040-0044 oswald apparently started reading about communism when he was about fifteen
+LJ040-0045 in the marines he evidenced a strong conviction as to the correctness of marxist doctrine
+LJ040-0046 which one associate described as quote irrevocable end quote but also as quote theoretical end quote
+LJ040-0047 that associate did not think that oswald was a communist
+LJ040-0048 oswald did not always distinguish between marxism and communism
+LJ040-0049 he stated several times that he was a communist but apparently never joined any communist party
+LJ040-0050 his attachment to marxist and communist doctrine was probably in some measure an expression of his hostility to his environment
+LJ040-0051 while there is doubt about how fully oswald understood the doctrine which he so often espoused it seems clear
+LJ040-0052 that his commitment to marxism was an important factor influencing his conduct during his adult years
+LJ040-0053 it was an obvious element in his decision to go to russia and later to cuba and it probably influenced his decision to shoot at general walker
+LJ040-0054 it was a factor which contributed to his character and thereby might have influenced his decision to assassinate president kennedy
+LJ040-0055 the discussion below will describe the events known to the commission which most clearly reveals the formation and nature of oswalds character
+LJ040-0056 it will attempt to summarize the events of his early life his experience in new york city and in the marine corps and his interest in marxism
+LJ040-0057 it will examine his defection to the soviet union in nineteen fiftynine his subsequent return to the united states and his life here
+LJ040-0058 after june of nineteen sixtytwo
+LJ040-0059 the review of the latter period will evaluate his personal and employment relations his attempt to kill general walker his political activities
+LJ040-0060 and his unsuccessful attempt to go to cuba in late september of nineteen sixtythree
+LJ040-0061 various possible motives will be treated in the appropriate context of the discussion outlined above
+LJ040-0062 the early years
+LJ040-0063 significant in shaping the character of lee harvey oswald was the death of his father a collector of insurance premiums
+LJ040-0064 this occurred two months before lee was born in new orleans on october eighteen nineteen thirtynine
+LJ040-0065 that death strained the financial fortunes of the remainder of the oswald family
+LJ040-0066 it had its effect on lees mother marguerite his brother robert who had been born in nineteen thirtyfour
+LJ040-0067 and his halfbrother john pic who had been born in nineteen thirtytwo during marguerites previous marriage
+LJ040-0068 it forced marguerite oswald to go to work to provide for her family
+LJ040-0069 reminding her sons that they were orphans and that the familys financial condition was poor
+LJ040-0070 she placed john pic and robert oswald in an orphans home
+LJ040-0071 from the time marguerite oswald returned to work until december twentysix nineteen fortytwo when lee too was sent to the orphans home
+LJ040-0072 he was cared for principally by his mothers sister by babysitters and by his mother when she had time for him
+LJ040-0073 marguerite oswald withdrew lee from the orphans home and took him with her to dallas when he was a little over four years old
+LJ040-0074 about six months later she also withdrew john pic and robert oswald
+LJ040-0075 apparently that action was taken in anticipation of her marriage to edwin a ekdahl which took place in may of nineteen fortyfive
+LJ040-0076 in the fall of that year john pic and robert oswald went to a military academy
+LJ040-0077 where they stayed except for vacations until the spring of nineteen fortyeight
+LJ040-0078 lee oswald remained with his mother and ekdahl to whom he became quite attached
+LJ040-0079 john pic testified that he thought lee found in ekdahl the father that he never had
+LJ040-0080 that situation however was shortlived
+LJ040-0081 for the relations between marguerite oswald and ekdahl were stormy and they were finally divorced after several separations and reunions
+LJ040-0082 in the summer of nineteen fortyeight
+LJ040-0083 after the divorce mrs oswald complained considerably about how unfairly she was treated
+LJ040-0084 dwelling on the fact that she was a widow with three children
+LJ040-0085 john pic however did not think her position was worse than that of many other people
+LJ040-0086 in the fall of nineteen fortyeight she told john pic and robert oswald
+LJ040-0087 that she could not afford to send them back to the military school and she asked pic to quit school entirely to help support the family
+LJ040-0088 which he did for four months in the fall of nineteen fortyeight
+LJ040-0089 in order to supplement their income further she falsely swore that pic was seventeen years old so that he could join the marine corps reserves
+LJ040-0090 pic did turn over part of his income to his mother
+LJ040-0091 but he returned to high school in january of nineteen fortynine where he stayed until three days before he was scheduled to graduate
+LJ040-0092 when he left school in order to get into the coast guard since his mother did not approve of his decision to continue school
+LJ040-0093 he accepted the responsibility for that decision himself and signed his mothers name to all his own excuses and report cards
+LJ040-0094 pic thought that his mother overstated her financial problems and was unduly concerned about money
+LJ040-0095 referring to the period after the divorce from ekdahl which was apparently caused in part by marguerites desire to get more money from him
+LJ040-0096 pic said quote
+LJ040-0097 lee was brought up in this atmosphere of constant money problems and i am sure it had quite an effect on him and also robert end quote
+LJ040-0098 marguerite oswald worked in miscellaneous jobs after her divorce from ekdahl
+LJ040-0099 when she worked for a time as an insurance saleslady
+LJ040-0100 she would sometimes take lee with her apparently leaving him alone in the car while she transacted her business
+LJ040-0101 when she worked during the school year lee had to leave an empty house in the morning
+LJ040-0102 return to it for lunch and then again at night his mother having trained him to do that rather than to play with other children
+LJ040-0103 an indication of the nature of lees character at this time was provided in the spring of nineteen fifty
+LJ040-0104 when he was sent to new orleans to visit the family of his mothers sister mrs lillian murret for two or three weeks
+LJ040-0105 despite their urgings he refused to play with the other children his own age
+LJ040-0106 it also appears that lee tried to tag along with his older brothers
+LJ040-0107 but apparently was not able to spend as much time with them as he would have liked because of the age gaps of five and seven years
+LJ040-0108 which became more significant as the children grew older
+LJ040-0109 whatever problems may have been created by lees home life in louisiana and texas
+LJ040-0110 he apparently adjusted well enough there to have had an average although gradually deteriorating school record
+LJ040-0111 with no behavior or truancy problems
+LJ040-0112 that was not the case however after he and his mother moved to new york in august of nineteen fiftytwo shortly before lees thirteenth birthday
+LJ040-0113 they moved shortly after robert joined the marines they lived for a time with john pic who was stationed there with the coast guard
+LJ040-0114 relations soon became strained however so in late september lee and his mother moved to their own apartment in the bronx
+LJ040-0115 pic and his wife would have been happy to have kept lee however
+LJ040-0116 who was becoming quite a disciplinary problem for his mother having struck her on at least one occasion
+LJ040-0117 the shortlived stay with the pics was terminated after an incident in which lee allegedly pulled out a pocket knife during an argument
+LJ040-0118 and threatened to use it on mrs pic
+LJ040-0119 when pic returned home mrs oswald tried to play down the event but mrs pic took a different view and asked the oswalds to leave
+LJ040-0120 lee refused to discuss the matter with pic whom he had previously idolized and their relations were strained thereafter
+LJ040-0121 on september thirty nineteen fiftytwo lee enrolled in ps one seventeen
+LJ040-0122 a junior high school in the bronx where the other children apparently teased him because of his quote western clothes and texas accent
+LJ040-0123 he began to stay away from school preferring to read magazines and watch television at home by himself
+LJ040-0124 this continued despite the efforts of the school authorities and to a lesser extent of his mother to have him return to school
+LJ040-0125 truancy charges were brought against him alleging that he was quote beyond the control of his mother insofar as school attendance is concerned end quote
+LJ040-0126 oswald was remanded for psychiatric observation to youth house an institution in which children are kept for psychiatric observation
+LJ040-0127 or for detention pending court appearance or commitment to a childcaring or custodial institution such as a training school
+LJ040-0128 he was in youth house from april sixteen to may seven nineteen fiftythree
+LJ040-0129 during which time he was examined by its chief psychiatrist dr renatus hartogs
+LJ040-0130 and interviewed and observed by other members of the youth house staff
+LJ040-0131 marguerite oswald visited her son at youth house where she recalled that she waited in line quote
+LJ040-0132 with puerto ricans and negroes and everything end quote
+LJ040-0133 she said that her pocketbook was searched quote because the children in this home were such criminals dope fiends and had been in criminal offenses
+LJ040-0134 that anybody entering this home had to be searched in case the parents were bringing cigarettes or narcotics or anything end quote
+LJ040-0135 she recalled that lee cried and said quote mother i want to get out of here
+LJ040-0136 there are children in here who have killed people and smoke i want to get out end quote
+LJ040-0137 marguerite oswald said that she had not realized until then in what kind of place her son had been confined
+LJ040-0138 on the other hand lee told his probation officer john carro that quote
+LJ040-0139 while he liked youth house he missed the freedom of doing what he wanted he indicated that he did not miss his mother end quote
+LJ040-0140 mrs evelyn d siegel a social worker who interviewed both lee and his mother while lee was confined in youth house
+LJ040-0141 reported that lee quote confided that the worse thing about youth house was the fact that he had to be with other boys all the time
+LJ040-0142 was disturbed about disrobing in front of them taking showers with them etc end quote
+LJ040-0143 contrary to reports that appeared after the assassination the psychiatric examination did not indicate that lee oswald was a potential assassin
+LJ040-0144 potentially dangerous that quote his outlook on life had strongly paranoid overtones end quote or that he should be institutionalized
+LJ040-0145 dr hartogs did find oswald to be a tense withdrawn and evasive boy who intensely disliked talking about himself and his feelings
+LJ040-0146 he noted that lee liked to give the impression that he did not care for other people but preferred to keep to himself
+LJ040-0147 so that he was not bothered and did not have to make the effort of communicating
+LJ040-0148 oswalds withdrawn tendencies and solitary habits were thought to be the result of quote
+LJ040-0149 intense anxiety shyness feelings of awkwardness and insecurity end quote
+LJ040-0150 he was reported to have said quote i dont want a friend and i dont like to talk to people end quote and quote i dislike everybody end quote
+LJ040-0151 he was also described as having a quote vivid fantasy life
+LJ040-0152 turning around the topics of omnipotence and power through which he tries to compensate for his present shortcomings and frustrations end quote
+LJ040-0153 dr hartogs summarized his report by stating
+LJ040-0154 quote this thirteen year old well built boy has superior mental resources and functions only slightly below his capacity level
+LJ040-0155 in spite of chronic truancy from school which brought him into youth house
+LJ040-0156 no finding of neurological impairment or psychotic mental changes could be made
+LJ040-0157 lee has to be diagnosed as quote personality pattern disturbance with schizoid features and passiveaggressive tendencies end quote
+LJ040-0158 lee has to be seen as an emotionally quite disturbed youngster
+LJ040-0159 who suffers under the impact of really existing emotional isolation
+LJ040-0160 and deprivation lack of affection absence of family life and rejection by a self involved and conflicted mother
+LJ040-0161 dr hartogs recommended that oswald be placed on probation on condition that he seek help and guidance through a child guidance clinic
+LJ040-0162 there he suggested lee should be treated by a male psychiatrist who could substitute for the lack of a father figure
+LJ040-0163 he also recommended that mrs oswald seek quote psychotherapeutic guidance through contact with a family agency end quote
+LJ040-0164 the possibility of commitment was to be considered only if the probation plan was not successful
+LJ040-0165 lees withdrawal was also noted by mrs siegel who described him as a quote seriously detached withdrawn youngster end quote
+LJ040-0166 she also noted that there was quote a rather pleasant appealing quality about this emotionally starved affectionless youngster
+LJ040-0167 which grows as one speaks to him end quote
+LJ040-0168 she thought that he had detached himself from the world around him because quote no one in it ever met any of his needs for love end quote
+LJ040-0169 she observed that since lees mother worked all day he made his own meals and spent all his time alone
+LJ040-0170 because he didnt make friends with the boys in the neighborhood she thought that he quote withdrew into a completely solitary and detached existence
+LJ040-0171 where he did as he wanted and he didnt have to live by any rules or come into contact with people end quote
+LJ040-0172 mrs siegel concluded that lee quote just felt that his mother never gave a damn for him
+LJ040-0173 he always felt like a burden that she simply just had to tolerate end quote
+LJ040-0174 lee confirmed some of those observations by saying that he felt almost as if there were a veil between him and other people
+LJ040-0175 through which they could not reach him but that he preferred the veil to remain intact
+LJ040-0176 he admitted to fantasies about being powerful and sometimes hurting and killing people but refused to elaborate on them
+LJ040-0177 he took the position that such matters were his own business
+LJ040-0178 a psychological human figuredrawing test corroborated the interviewers findings that lee was insecure and had limited social contacts
+LJ040-0179 irving sokolow a youth house psychologist reported that quote
+LJ040-0180 the human figure drawings are empty poor characterizations of persons approximately the same age as the subject
+LJ040-0181 they reflect a considerable amount of impoverishment in the social and emotional areas
+LJ040-0182 he appears to be a somewhat insecure youngster exhibiting much inclination for warm and satisfying relationships to others
+LJ040-0183 there is some indication that he may relate to men more easily than to women in view of the more mature conceptualisation
+LJ040-0184 he appears slightly withdrawn and in view of the lack of detail within the drawings this may assume a more significant characteristic
+LJ040-0185 he exhibits some difficulty in relationship to the maternal figure suggesting more anxiety in this area than in any other
+LJ040-0186 lee scored an iq of one eighteen on the wechsler intelligence scale for children
+LJ040-0187 according to sokolow this indicated a quote present intellectual functioning in the upper range of bright normal intelligence end quote
+LJ040-0188 sokolow said that although lee was quote presumably disinterested in school subjects he operates on a much higher than average level end quote
+LJ040-0189 on the monroe silent reading test lees score indicated no retardation in reading speed and comprehension
+LJ040-0190 he had better than average ability in arithmetical reasoning for his age group
+LJ040-0191 lee told carro his probation officer that he liked to be by himself because he had too much difficulty in making friends
+LJ040-0192 the reports of carro and mrs siegel also indicate an ambivalent attitude toward authority on oswalds part
+LJ040-0193 carro reported that lee was disruptive in class after he returned to school on a regular basis in the fall of nineteen fiftythree
+LJ040-0194 he had refused to salute the flag and was doing very little if any work
+LJ040-0195 it appears that he did not want to do any of the things which the authorities suggested in their efforts to bring him out of the shell
+LJ040-0196 into which he appeared to be retreating
+LJ040-0197 he told mrs siegel that he would run away if sent to a boarding school
+LJ040-0198 on the other hand he also told her that he wished his mother had been more firm with him in her attempts to get him to return to school
+LJ040-0199 the reports of the new york authorities indicate that lees mother gave him very little affection and did not serve as any sort of substitute for a father
+LJ040-0200 furthermore she did not appear to understand her own relationship to lees psychological problems
+LJ040-0201 after her interview with mrs oswald
+LJ040-0202 mrs siegel described her as a smartly dressed gray haired woman very selfpossessed and alert and superficially affable
+LJ040-0203 but essentially a quote defensive rigid selfinvolved person
+LJ040-0204 who had real difficulty in accepting and relating to people end quote and who had quote little understanding end quote of lees behavior
+LJ040-0205 and of the quote protective shell he has drawn around himself end quote dr hartogs reported that mrs oswald did not understand
+LJ040-0206 that lees withdrawal was a form of quote violent but silent protest against his neglect by her
+LJ040-0207 and represents his reaction to a complete absence of any real family life end quote
+LJ040-0208 carro reported that when questioned about his mother lee said quote
+LJ040-0209 well ive got to live with her i guess i love her end quote
+LJ040-0210 it may also be significant that as reported by john pic quote lee slept with my mother until i joined the service in nineteen fifty
+LJ040-0211 this would make him approximately ten well almost eleven years old end quote
+LJ040-0212 the factors in lee oswalds personality which were noted by those who had contact with him in new york indicate
+LJ040-0213 that he had great difficulty in adapting himself to conditions in that city
+LJ040-0214 his usual reaction to the problems which he encountered there was simply withdrawal
+LJ040-0215 those factors indicated a severe inability to enter into relationships with other people
+LJ040-0216 in view of his experiences when he visited his relatives in new orleans in the spring of nineteen fifty and his other solitary habits
+LJ040-0217 lee had apparently been experiencing similar problems before going to new york
+LJ040-0218 and as will be shown below this failure to adapt to his environment was a dominant trait in his later life
+LJ040-0219 it would be incorrect however to believe that those aspects of lees personality which were observed in new york
+LJ040-0220 could have led anyone to predict the outburst of violence which finally occurred
+LJ040-0221 carro was the only one of oswalds three principal observers who recommended that he be placed in a boys home or similar institution
+LJ040-0222 but carro was quite specific that his recommendation was based primarily on the adverse factors in lees environment
+LJ040-0223 his lack of friends the apparent unavailability of any agency assistance and the ineffectualness of his mother
+LJ040-0224 and not on any particular mental disturbance in the boy himself
+LJ040-0225 carro testified that quote there was nothing that would lead me to believe when i saw him at the age of twelve that them would be seeds of destruction for somebody
+LJ040-0226 i couldnt in all honesty sincerely say such a thing
+LJ040-0227 mrs siegel concluded her report with the statement that quote
+LJ040-0228 despite his withdrawal he gives the impression that he is not so difficult to reach as he appears and patient prolonged effort
+LJ040-0229 in a sustained relationship with one therapist might bring results
+LJ040-0230 there are indications that he has suffered serious personality damage but if he can receive help quickly this might be repaired to some extent end quote
+LJ040-0231 lee oswald never received that help
+LJ040-0232 few social agencies even in new york were equipped to provide the kind of intensive treatment that he needed
+LJ040-0233 and when one of the citys clinics did find room to handle him
+LJ040-0234 for some reason the record does not show advantage was never taken of the chance afforded to oswald
+LJ040-0235 when lee became a disciplinary problem upon his return to school in the fall of nineteen fiftythree
+LJ040-0236 and when his mother failed to cooperate in any way with school authorities
+LJ040-0237 authorities were finally forced to consider placement in a home for boys
+LJ040-0238 such a placement was postponed however perhaps in part at least because lees behavior suddenly improved
+LJ040-0239 before the court took any action the oswalds left new york in january of nineteen fiftyfour
+LJ040-0240 and returned to new orleans where lee finished the ninth grade before he left school to work for a year
+LJ041-0001 report of the presidents commission on the assassination of president kennedy the warren commission report by the presidents commission on the assassination of president kennedy
+LJ041-0002 chapter seven lee harvey oswald background and possible motives part two
+LJ041-0003 return to new orleans and joining the marine corps
+LJ041-0004 after his return to new orleans oswald was teased at school because of the northern accent which he had acquired
+LJ041-0005 he concluded that school had nothing to offer him
+LJ041-0006 his mother exercised little control over him and thought he could decide for himself whether to go on in school
+LJ041-0007 neighbors and others who knew him at that time recall an introverted boy who read a great deal
+LJ041-0008 he took walks and visited museums and sometimes rode a rented bicycle in the park on saturday mornings
+LJ041-0009 mrs murret believes that he talked at length with a girl on the telephone but no one remembers that he had any dates
+LJ041-0010 a friend edward voebel testified that quote he was more bashful about girls than anything else end quote
+LJ041-0011 several witnesses testified that lee oswald was not aggressive he was however involved in some fights
+LJ041-0012 once a group of white boys beat him up for sitting in the negro section of a bus which he apparently did simply out of ignorance
+LJ041-0013 another time he fought with two brothers who claimed that he had picked on the younger of them three years oswalds junior
+LJ041-0014 two days later quote some big guy probably from a high school he looked like a tremendous football player end quote
+LJ041-0015 accosted oswald on the way home from school and punched him in the mouth making his lip bleed and loosening a tooth
+LJ041-0016 voebel took oswald back to the school to attend to his wounds and their quote mild friendship end quote stemmed from that incident
+LJ041-0017 voebel also recalled that oswald once outlined a plan to cut the glass in the window of a store on rampart street and steal a pistol
+LJ041-0018 but he was not sure then that oswald meant to carry out the plan and in fact they never did
+LJ041-0019 voebel said that oswald quote wouldnt start any fights but if you wanted to start one with him he was going to make sure that he ended it
+LJ041-0020 or you were going to really have one because he wasnt going to take anything from anybody end quote
+LJ041-0021 in a space for the names of quote close friends end quote on the ninth grade personal history record
+LJ041-0022 oswald first wrote quote edward vogel end quote an obvious misspelling of voebels name
+LJ041-0023 and quote arthor abear end quote most likely arthur hebert a classmate who has said that he did not know oswald well
+LJ041-0024 oswald erased those names however and indicated that he had no close friends
+LJ041-0025 it has been suggested that this misspelling of names apparently on a phonetic basis was caused by a readingspelling disability
+LJ041-0026 from which oswald appeared to suffer
+LJ041-0027 other evidence of the existence of such a disability is provided by the many other misspellings that appear in oswalds writings portions of which are quoted below
+LJ041-0028 sometime during this period and under circumstances to be discussed more fully below
+LJ041-0029 oswald started to read communist literature which he obtained from the public library
+LJ041-0030 one of his fellow employees palmer mcbride stated that oswald said he would like to kill president eisenhower because he was exploiting the working class
+LJ041-0031 oswald praised khrushchev and suggested that he and mcbride join the communist party quote to take advantage of their social functions end quote
+LJ041-0032 oswald also became interested in the new orleans amateur astronomy association an organization of high school students
+LJ041-0033 the associations then president william e wulf testified that he remembered an occasion when oswald quote
+LJ041-0034 started expounding the communist doctrine and saying that he was highly interested in communism that communism was the only way of life for the worker et cetera
+LJ041-0035 and then came out with a statement that he was looking for a communist cell in town to join but he couldnt find any
+LJ041-0036 he was a little dismayed at this and he said that he couldnt find any that would show any interest in him as a communist
+LJ041-0037 and subsequently after this conversation my father came in and we were kind of arguing back and forth about the situation and my father came in the room
+LJ041-0038 heard what we were arguing on communism and that this boy was loudmouthed boisterous and my father asked him to leave the house and politely put him out of the house
+LJ041-0039 and that is the last i have seen or spoken with oswald end quote
+LJ041-0040 despite this apparent interest in communism oswald tried to join the marines when he was sixteen years old
+LJ041-0041 this was one year before his actual enlistment and just a little over two point five years after he left new york
+LJ041-0042 he wrote a note in his mothers name to school authorities in new orleans saying that he was leaving school because he and his mother were moving to san diego
+LJ041-0043 in fact he had quit school in an attempt to obtain his mothers assistance to join the marines
+LJ041-0044 while he apparently was able to induce his mother to make a false statement about his age
+LJ041-0045 he was nevertheless unable to convince the proper authorities that he was really seventeen years old
+LJ041-0046 there is evidence that oswald was greatly influenced in his decision to join the marines by the fact that his brother robert had done so
+LJ041-0047 approximately three years before robert oswald had given his marine corps manual to his brother lee
+LJ041-0048 who studied it during the year following his unsuccessful attempt to enlist until quote he knew it by heart end quote
+LJ041-0049 according to marguerite oswald quote lee lived for the time that he would become seventeen years old to join the marines that whole year end quote
+LJ041-0050 in john pics view
+LJ041-0051 oswald was motivated to join the marines in large part by a desire quote to get from out and under the yoke of oppression from my mother end quote
+LJ041-0052 oswalds inability or lack of desire to enter into meaningful relationships with other people
+LJ041-0053 continued during this period in new orleans nineteen fiftyfour to nineteen fiftysix
+LJ041-0054 it probably contributed greatly to the general dissatisfaction which he exhibited with his environment
+LJ041-0055 a dissatisfaction which seemed to find expression at this particular point
+LJ041-0056 in his intense desire to join the marines and get away from his surroundings and his mother
+LJ041-0057 his study of communist literature
+LJ041-0058 which might appear to be inconsistent with his desire to join the marines could have been another manifestation of oswalds rejection of his environment
+LJ041-0059 his difficulty in relating to other people and his general dissatisfaction with the world around him continued while he was in the marine corps
+LJ041-0060 kerry thornley a marine associate
+LJ041-0061 who shortly after oswalds defection wrote an as yet unpublished novel based in considerable part on oswalds life
+LJ041-0062 testified that quote definitely the marine corps was not what he had expected it to be when he joined end quote
+LJ041-0063 he said that oswald quote seemed to guard against developing real close friendships end quote
+LJ041-0064 daniel powers another marine who was stationed with oswald for part of his marine career
+LJ041-0065 testified that oswald seemed quote always to be striving for a relationship but whenever he did
+LJ041-0066 his general personality would alienate the group against him end quote
+LJ041-0067 other marines also testified that oswald had few friends and kept very much to himself
+LJ041-0068 while there is nothing in oswalds military records to indicate that he was mentally unstable or otherwise psychologically unfit for duty in the marine corps
+LJ041-0069 he did not adjust well to conditions which he found in that service
+LJ041-0070 he did not rise above the rank of private first class even though he had passed a qualifying examination for the rank of corporal
+LJ041-0071 his marine career was not helped by his attitude
+LJ041-0072 that he was a man of great ability and intelligence and that many of his superiors in the marine corps were not sufficiently competent to give him orders
+LJ041-0073 while oswald did not seem to object to authority in the abstract he did think that he should be the one to exercise it
+LJ041-0074 john e donovan one of his former officers testified that oswald thought quote
+LJ041-0075 that authority particularly the marine corps ought to be able to recognize talent such as his own without a given magic college degree
+LJ041-0076 and put them in positions of prominence end quote oswald manifested this feeling about authority by baiting his officers
+LJ041-0077 he led them into discussions of foreign affairs about which they often knew less than he did since he had apparently devoted considerable time to a study of such matters
+LJ041-0078 when the officers were unable to discuss foreign affairs satisfactorily with him oswald regarded them as unfit to exercise command over him
+LJ041-0079 nelson delgado one of oswalds fellow marines testified that oswald tried to quote cut up anybody that was high ranking end quote
+LJ041-0080 in those arguments quote and make himself come out top dog end quote
+LJ041-0081 oswald probably engaged his superiors in arguments on a subject that he had studied
+LJ041-0082 in an attempt to attract attention to himself and to support his exaggerated idea of his own abilities
+LJ041-0083 thornley also testified that he thought that oswalds extreme personal sloppiness in the marine corps quote
+LJ041-0084 fitted into a general personality pattern of his to do whatever was not wanted of him a recalcitrant trend in his personality end quote
+LJ041-0085 oswald quote seemed to be a person who would go out of his way to get into trouble end quote
+LJ041-0086 and then used the quote special treatment end quote he received as an example of the way in which he was being picked on and quote
+LJ041-0087 as a means of getting or attempting to get sympathy end quote in thornleys view oswald labored under a persecution complex
+LJ041-0088 which he strove to maintain and quote felt the marine corps kept a pretty close watch on him because of his subversive activities end quote
+LJ041-0089 thornley added quote i think it was kind of necessary to him to believe that he was being picked on
+LJ041-0090 it wasnt anything extreme i wouldnt go as far as to call it call him a paranoid but a definite tendency there was in that direction i think end quote
+LJ041-0091 powers considered oswald to be meek and easily led
+LJ041-0092 an quote individual that you would brainwash and quite easy but i think once he believed in something he stood in his beliefs end quote
+LJ041-0093 powers also testified that oswald was reserved and seemed to be quote somewhat the frail little puppy in the litter end quote
+LJ041-0094 he had the nickname quote ozzie rabbit end quote
+LJ041-0095 oswald read a good deal said powers but quote he would never be reading any of the shootemup westerns or anything like that
+LJ041-0096 normally it would be a good type of literature and the one that i recall was leaves of grass by walt whitman end quote
+LJ041-0097 according to powers oswald said quote
+LJ041-0098 all the marine corps did was to teach you to kill and after you got out of the marines you might be good gangsters end quote
+LJ041-0099 powers believed that when oswald arrived in japan he acquired a girlfriend quote
+LJ041-0100 finally attaining a male status or image in his own eyes end quote that apparently caused oswald to become more selfconfident
+LJ041-0101 aggressive and even somewhat pugnacious although powers quote wouldnt say that this guy is a troublemaker end quote
+LJ041-0102 powers said quote now he was oswald the man rather than oswald the rabbit end quote
+LJ041-0103 oswald once told powers that he didnt care if he returned to the united states at all
+LJ041-0104 while in japan oswalds new found apparent self confidence and pugnaciousness
+LJ041-0105 led to an incident in which he spilled a drink on one of his sergeants and abusively challenged him to fight
+LJ041-0106 at the courtmartial hearing which followed oswald admitted that he had been rather drunk when the incident occurred
+LJ041-0107 he testified that he had felt the sergeant had a grudge against him and that he had unsuccessfully sought a transfer from the sergeants unit
+LJ041-0108 he said that he had simply wanted to discuss the question with the sergeant and the drink had been spilled accidentally
+LJ041-0109 the hearing officer agreed with the latter claim but found oswald guilty of wrongfully using provoking words and sentenced him to twentyeight days
+LJ041-0110 canceling the suspension of a twentyday sentence that oswald had received in an earlier courtmartial
+LJ041-0111 for possessing an unauthorized pistol with which he had accidentally shot himself
+LJ041-0112 at his own request
+LJ041-0113 oswald was transferred from active duty to the marine corps reserve under honorable conditions in september of nineteen fiftynine
+LJ041-0114 three months prior to his regularly scheduled separation date ostensibly to care for his mother who had been injured in an accident at her work
+LJ041-0115 he was undesirably discharged from the marine corps reserve to which he had been assigned on inactive status following his transfer from active duty
+LJ041-0116 after it was learned that he had defected to the soviet union
+LJ041-0117 in an attempt to have this discharge reversed
+LJ041-0118 oswald wrote to then secretary of the navy connally on january thirty nineteen sixtytwo
+LJ041-0119 stating that he would quote employ all means to right this gross mistake or injustice end quote
+LJ041-0120 governor connally had just resigned to run for governor of texas so he advised oswald that he had forwarded the letter to his successor
+LJ041-0121 it is thus clear that oswald knew that governor connally was never directly concerned with his discharge
+LJ041-0122 and he must have known that president kennedy had had nothing to do with it
+LJ041-0123 in that connection it does not appear that oswald ever expressed any dissatisfaction of any kind with either the president or governor connally
+LJ041-0124 marina oswald testified that she quote had never heard anything bad about kennedy from lee and he never had anything against him end quote
+LJ041-0125 mrs oswald said that her husband did not say anything about governor connally after his return to the united states she testified quote
+LJ041-0126 but while we were in russia he spoke well of him lee said that when he would return to the united states he would vote for him for governor end quote
+LJ041-0127 oswald must have already learned that the governor could not help him with his discharge because he was no longer secretary of the navy at the time he made that remark
+LJ041-0128 even though oswald apparently did not express any hostility against the president or governor connally
+LJ041-0129 he continued to be concerned about his undesirable discharge it is clear that he thought he had been unjustly treated
+LJ041-0130 probably his complaint was due to the fact that his discharge was not related to anything he had done while on active duty
+LJ041-0131 and also because he had not received any notice of the original discharge proceedings since his whereabouts were not known
+LJ041-0132 he continued his efforts to reverse the discharge by petitioning the navy discharge review board
+LJ041-0133 which finally declined to modify the discharge and so advised him in a letter dated july nineteen sixtythree
+LJ041-0134 governor connallys connection with the discharge although indirect caused the commission to consider whether he might have been oswalds real target
+LJ041-0135 in that connection it should be noted that marina oswald testified on september six nineteen sixtyfour that she thought her husband quote
+LJ041-0136 was shooting at connally rather than president kennedy end quote
+LJ041-0137 in support of her conclusion mrs oswald noted her husbands undesirable discharge
+LJ041-0138 and that she could not think of any reason why oswald would want to kill president kennedy
+LJ041-0139 it should be noted however that at the time oswald fired the shots at the presidential limousine the governor occupied the seat in front of the president
+LJ041-0140 and it would have been almost impossible for oswald to have hit the governor without hitting the president first
+LJ041-0141 oswald could have shot the governor as the car approached the depository or as it was making the turn onto elm street
+LJ041-0142 once it had started down elm street toward the triple underpass however
+LJ041-0143 the president almost completely blocked oswalds view of the governor prior to the time the first shot struck the president
+LJ041-0144 oswald would have had other and more favorable opportunities to strike at the governor than on this occasion when as a member of the presidents party
+LJ041-0145 he had more protection than usual it would appear therefore that to the extent oswalds undesirable discharge affected his motivation
+LJ041-0146 it was more in terms of a general hostility against the government and its representatives rather than a grudge against any particular person
+LJ041-0147 interest in marxism
+LJ041-0148 as indicated above oswald started to read communist literature after he and his mother left new york and moved to new orleans
+LJ041-0149 he told aline mosby a reporter who interviewed him after he arrived in moscow quote
+LJ041-0150 im a marxist i became interested about the age of fifteen from an ideological viewpoint
+LJ041-0151 an old lady handed me a pamphlet about saving the rosenbergs i looked at that paper and i still remember it for some reason i dont know why end quote
+LJ041-0152 oswald studied marxism after he joined the marines and his sympathies in that direction and for the soviet union appear to have been widely known
+LJ041-0153 at least in the unit to which he was assigned after his return from the far east
+LJ041-0154 his interest in russia led some of his associates to call him comrade or oswaldskovitch
+LJ041-0155 he always wanted to play the red pieces in chess because as he said in an apparently humorous context
+LJ041-0156 he preferred the quote red army end quote
+LJ041-0157 he studied the russian language read a russian language newspaper and seemed interested in what was going on in the soviet union
+LJ041-0158 thornley who thought oswald had an irrevocable conviction that his marxist beliefs were correct testified quote
+LJ041-0159 i think you could sit down and argue with him for a number of years and i dont think you could have changed his mind on that unless you knew why he believed it in the first place
+LJ041-0160 i certainly dont i dont think with any kind of formal argument you could have shaken that conviction and that is why i say irrevocable
+LJ041-0161 it was just never getting back to looking at things from any other way once he had become a marxist whenever that was end quote
+LJ041-0162 thornley also testified about an incident which grew
+LJ041-0163 out of a combination of oswalds known marxist sympathies and george orwells book nineteen eightyfour one of oswalds favorite books
+LJ041-0164 which thornley read at oswalds suggestion
+LJ041-0165 shortly after thornley finished reading that book the marine unit to which both men were assigned was required to take part in a saturday morning parade
+LJ041-0166 in honor of some retiring noncommissioned officers an event which they both approached with little enthusiasm
+LJ041-0167 while waiting for the parade to start they talked briefly about nineteen eightyfour
+LJ041-0168 even though oswald seemed to be lost in his own thoughts after a brief period of silence oswald remarked on the stupidity of the parade
+LJ041-0169 and on how angry it made him to which thornley replied quote well comes the revolution you will change all that end quote
+LJ041-0170 thornley testified quote at which time he looked at me like a betrayed caesar and screamed screamed definitely not you too thornley
+LJ041-0171 and i remember his voice cracked as he said this he was definitely disturbed at what i had said and i didnt really think i had said that much
+LJ041-0172 i never said anything to him again and he never said anything to me again end quote
+LJ041-0173 thornley said that he had made his remark only in the context of nineteen eightyfour
+LJ041-0174 and had not intended any criticism of oswalds political views which is the way in which thornley thought oswald took his remarks
+LJ041-0175 lieutenant donovan testified that oswald thought that quote there were many grave injustices concerning the affairs in the international situation end quote
+LJ041-0176 he recalled that oswald had a specific interest in latin america particularly cuba
+LJ041-0177 and expressed opposition to the batista regime and sympathy for castro an attitude which donovan said was quote
+LJ041-0178 not unpopular end quote at that time donovan testified
+LJ041-0179 that he never heard oswald express a desire personally to take part in the elimination of injustices anywhere in the world and that he quote
+LJ041-0180 never heard him in any way shape or form confess that he was a communist or that he ever thought about being a communist end quote
+LJ041-0181 delgado testified that oswald was quote a complete believer that our way of government was not quite right end quote
+LJ041-0182 and believed that our government did not have quote too much to offer end quote but was not in favor of quote the communist way of life end quote
+LJ041-0183 delgado and oswald talked more about cuba than russia and sometimes imagined themselves as leaders in the cuban army or government
+LJ041-0184 who might quote lead an expedition to some of these other islands and free them too end quote
+LJ041-0185 thornley also believed that oswalds marxist beliefs led to an extraordinary view of history under which quote he looked upon the eyes of future people
+LJ041-0186 as some kind of tribunal
+LJ041-0187 and he wanted to be on the winning side so that ten thousand years fromnow people would look in the history books and say well this man was ahead of his time
+LJ041-0188 the eyes of the future became the eyes of god
+LJ041-0189 he was concerned with his image in history and i do think that is why he chose the particular method of defecting he chose and did it in the way he did
+LJ041-0190 it got him in the newspapers it did broadcast his name out end quote
+LJ041-0191 thornley thought that oswald not only wanted a place in history but also wanted to live comfortably in the present
+LJ041-0192 he testified that if oswald could not have that quote degree of physical comfort that he expected or sought
+LJ041-0193 i think he would then throw himself entirely on the other thing he also wanted which was the image in history
+LJ041-0194 i think he wanted both if he could have them if he didnt he wanted to die with the knowledge that or with the idea that he was somebody end quote
+LJ041-0195 oswalds interest in marxism led some people to avoid him
+LJ041-0196 even though as his wife suggested that interest may have been motivated by a desire to gain attention he used his marxist and associated activities
+LJ041-0197 as excuses for his difficulties in getting along in the world which were usually caused by entirely different factors
+LJ041-0198 his use of those excuses to present himself to the world as a person who was being unfairly treated
+LJ041-0199 is shown most clearly by his employment relations after his return from the soviet union of course he made his real problems worse to the extent
+LJ041-0200 that his use of those excuses prevented him from discovering the real reasons for and attempting to overcome his difficulties
+LJ041-0201 of greater importance
+LJ041-0202 oswalds commitment to marxism contributed to the decisions which led him to defect to the soviet union in nineteen fiftynine and later
+LJ041-0203 to engage in activities on behalf of the fair play for cuba committee in the summer of nineteen sixtythree
+LJ042-0001 report of the presidents commission on the assassination of president kennedy
+LJ042-0002 the warren commission report by the presidents commission on the assassination of president kennedy chapter seven lee harvey oswald
+LJ042-0003 background and possible motives part three
+LJ042-0004 defection to the soviet union
+LJ042-0005 after oswald left the marine corps in september of nineteen fiftynine ostensibly to care for his mother
+LJ042-0006 he almost immediately left for the soviet union where he attempted to renounce his citizenship
+LJ042-0007 at the age of nineteen oswald thus committed an act which was the most striking indication he had yet given
+LJ042-0008 of his willingness to act on his beliefs in quite extraordinary ways
+LJ042-0009 while his defection resulted in part from oswalds commitment to marxism
+LJ042-0010 it appears that personal and psychological factors were also involved
+LJ042-0011 on august seventeen nineteen sixtythree oswald told mr william stuckey
+LJ042-0012 who had arranged a radio debate on oswalds activities on behalf of the fair play for cuba committee
+LJ042-0013 that while he had begun to read marx and engels at the age of fifteen the conclusive thing that made him decide that marxism was the answer
+LJ042-0014 was his service in japan
+LJ042-0015 he said living conditions over there convinced him something was wrong with the system and that possibly marxism was the answer
+LJ042-0016 he said it was in japan that he made up his mind to go to russia
+LJ042-0017 and see for himself how a revolutionary society operates a marxist society
+LJ042-0018 on the other hand at least one person who knew oswald after his return thought that his defection had a more personal and psychological basis
+LJ042-0019 the validity of the latter observation is borne out by some of the things oswald wrote in connection with his defection
+LJ042-0020 indicating that his motivation was at least in part a personal one on november twentysix nineteen fiftynine
+LJ042-0021 shortly after he arrived in the soviet union and probably before soviet authorities had given him permission to stay indefinitely
+LJ042-0022 he wrote to his brother robert that the soviet union was a country which quote i have always considered to be my own end quote
+LJ042-0023 and that he went there quote only to find freedom i could never have been personally happy in the us end quote
+LJ042-0024 he wrote in another letter that he would quote never return to the united states which is a country i hate end quote
+LJ042-0025 his idea that he was to find quote freedom end quote in the soviet union was to be rudely shattered
+LJ042-0026 whatever oswalds reasons for going to the soviet union might have been however there can be little doubt that his desire to go was quite strong
+LJ042-0027 in addition to studying the russian language while he was in the marines
+LJ042-0028 oswald had managed to save enough money to cover the expenses of his forthcoming trip
+LJ042-0029 while there is no proof that he saved fifteen hundred dollars as he claimed
+LJ042-0030 it would have taken considerable discipline to save whatever amount was required to finance his defection out of the salary of a low ranking enlisted man
+LJ042-0031 the extent of oswalds desire to go to the soviet union
+LJ042-0032 and of his initial commitment to that country can best be understood however in the context
+LJ042-0033 of his concomitant hatred of the united states which was most clearly expressed in his november twentysix
+LJ042-0035 and communists would like to see the present capitalist government of the us overthrown end quote oswald stated
+LJ042-0036 that that government supported an economic system quote which exploits all its workers end quote
+LJ042-0037 and under which quote art culture and the sprit of man are subjected to commercial enterprising
+LJ042-0038 and religion and education are used as a tool to suppress what would otherwise be a population questioning their governments unfair
+LJ042-0039 economic system and plans for war end quote
+LJ042-0040 he complained in his letter about segregation
+LJ042-0041 unemployment automation and the use of military forces to suppress other populations
+LJ042-0042 asking his brother why he supported the american government and what ideals he put forward oswald wrote quote
+LJ042-0043 ask me and i will tell you i fight for communism
+LJ042-0044 i will not say your grandchildren will live under communism look for yourself at history look at a world map america is a dicing country
+LJ042-0045 i do not wish to be a part of it nor do i ever again wish to be used as a tool in its military aggressions
+LJ042-0046 this should answer your question and also give you a glimpse of my way of thinking so you speak of advantages do you think that is why i am here
+LJ042-0047 for personal material advantages happiness is not based on oneself it does not consist of a small home of taking and getting
+LJ042-0048 happiness is taking part in the struggle where there is no borderline between ones own personal world and the world in general
+LJ042-0049 i never believed i would find more material advantages at this stage of development in the soviet union than i might of had in the us
+LJ042-0050 i have been a procommunist for years and yet i have never met a communist instead i kept silent and observed
+LJ042-0051 and what i observed plus my marxist learning brought me here to the soviet union
+LJ042-0052 i have always considered this country to be my own end quote
+LJ042-0053 responding to roberts statement that he had not renounced him
+LJ042-0054 oswald told his brother quote on what terms i want this arrangement end quote he advised robert that one
+LJ042-0055 in the event of war i would kill any american who put a uniform on in defense of the american government any american
+LJ042-0056 two that in my own mind i have no attachments of any kind in the us
+LJ042-0057 three that i want to and i shall live a normal happy and peaceful life here in the soviet union for the rest of my life
+LJ042-0058 that my mother and you are in spite of what the newspaper said not objects of affection but only examples of workers in the us
+LJ042-0059 despite this commitment to the soviet union
+LJ042-0060 oswald met disappointments there just as he had in the past at the outset the soviets told him that he could not remain
+LJ042-0061 it seems that oswald immediately attempted suicide a striking indication of how much he desired to remain in the soviet union
+LJ042-0062 it shows how willing he was to act dramatically and decisively when he faced an emotional crisis
+LJ042-0063 with few readily available alternatives at hand he was shocked to find that the soviet union did not accept him with open arms
+LJ042-0064 the entry in his selfstyled quote historic diary end quote for october twentyone nineteen fiftynine reports quote
+LJ042-0065 i am shocked my dreams i have waited for two years to be accepted
+LJ042-0066 my fondest dreams are shattered because of a petty official i decide to end it
+LJ042-0067 soak fist in cold water to numb the pain then slash my left wrist than plunge wrist into bathtub of hot water
+LJ042-0068 somewhere a violin plays as i watch my life whirl away
+LJ042-0069 i think to myself how easy to die and a sweet death to violins end quote
+LJ042-0070 oswald was discovered in time to thwart his attempt at suicide
+LJ042-0071 he was taken to a hospital in moscow where he was kept until october twentyeight nineteen fiftynine
+LJ042-0072 still intent however on staying in the soviet union
+LJ042-0073 oswald went on october thirtyone to the american embassy to renounce his us citizenship
+LJ042-0074 mr richard e snyder then second secretary and senior consular official at the embassy
+LJ042-0075 testified that oswald was extremely sure of himself and seemed quote to know what his mission was
+LJ042-0076 he took charge in a sense of the conversation right from the beginning end quote he presented the following signed note
+LJ042-0077 quote i lee harvey oswald do hereby request that my present citizenship in the united states of america be revoked
+LJ042-0078 i have entered the soviet union for the express purpose of applying for citizenship in the soviet union through the means of naturalization
+LJ042-0079 my request for citizenship is now pending before the supreme soviet of the ussr i take these steps for political reasons
+LJ042-0080 my request for the revoking of my american citizenship
+LJ042-0081 is made only after the longest and most serious considerations i affirm that my allegiance is to the union of soviet socialist republics
+LJ042-0082 end quote as his quote principal reason end quote for renouncing his citizenship
+LJ042-0083 oswald stated quote i am a marxist end quote he also alluded to hardships endured by his mother as a worker
+LJ042-0084 referring to them as experiences that he did not intend to have himself even though he stated that he had never held a civilian job
+LJ042-0085 he said that his marine service in okinawa and elsewhere had given him quote a chance to observe american imperialism end quote
+LJ042-0086 but he also displayed some sensitivity at not having reached a higher rank in the marine corps
+LJ042-0087 he stated that he had volunteered to give soviet officials any information that he had concerning marine corps operations and intimated
+LJ042-0088 that he might know something of special interest oswalds historic diary describes the event in part as follows quote
+LJ042-0089 i leave embassy elated at this showdown returning to my hotel i feel now my energies are not spent in vain
+LJ042-0090 im sure russians will accept me after this sign of my faith in them end quote
+LJ042-0091 the soviet authorities finally permitted oswald to remain in their country
+LJ042-0092 no evidence has been found that they used him for any particular propaganda or other political or informational purposes
+LJ042-0093 they sent him to minsk to work in a radio and television factory as a metal worker
+LJ042-0094 the soviet authorities denied oswald permission
+LJ042-0095 to attend a university in moscow but they gave him a monthly allowance of seven hundred rubles a month
+LJ042-0096 old exchange rate in addition to his factory salary of approximately equal amount
+LJ042-0097 and considerably better living quarters than those accorded to soviet citizens of equal age and station
+LJ042-0098 the subsidy apparently similar to those sometimes given to foreigners allowed to remain in the soviet union together with his salary
+LJ042-0099 gave oswald an income which he said approximated that of the director of the factory in which he worked
+LJ042-0100 even though he received more money and better living quarters than other russians doing similar work
+LJ042-0101 he envied his wifes uncle a colonel in the mvd because of the larger apartment in which he lived
+LJ042-0102 reminiscent of his attitude toward his superiors in the marine corps
+LJ042-0103 oswald apparently resented the exercise of authority over him and the better treatment afforded to communist party officials
+LJ042-0104 after he returned to the united states
+LJ042-0105 he took the position that the communist party officials in the soviet union were opportunists who were betraying their positions for personal gain
+LJ042-0106 he is reported to have expressed the conclusion that they had quote fat stinking politicians over there just like we have over here end quote
+LJ042-0107 oswald apparently continued to have personal difficulties while he was in minsk
+LJ042-0108 although marina oswald told the commission that her husband had good personal relationships in the soviet union katherine ford
+LJ042-0109 one of the members of the russian community in dallas with which the oswalds became acquainted upon their arrival in the united states
+LJ042-0110 stated that mrs oswald told her everybody in russia quote hated him end quote
+LJ042-0111 jeanne de mohrenschildt another member of that group
+LJ042-0112 said that oswald told her that he had returned because quote i didnt find what i was looking for end quote
+LJ042-0113 george de mohrenschildt thought that oswald must have become disgusted with life in the soviet union as the novelty
+LJ042-0114 of the presence of an american wore off and he began to be less the center of attention
+LJ042-0115 the best description of oswalds state of mind however is set forth in his own historic diary
+LJ042-0116 under the entry for may one nineteen sixty
+LJ042-0117 he noted that one of his acquaintances quote relates many things i do not know about the ussr
+LJ042-0118 i begin to feel uneasy inside its true end quote
+LJ042-0119 under the entry for august to september of that year he wrote quote
+LJ042-0120 as my russian improves i become increasingly conscious of just what sort of a society i live in
+LJ042-0121 mass gymnastics compulsory afterwork meeting usually political information meeting
+LJ042-0122 compulsory attendance at lectures and the sending of the entire shop collective except me to pick potatoes on a sunday at a state collective farm
+LJ042-0123 a patriotic duty to bring in the harvest the opinions of the workers unvoiced are that its a great pain in the neck
+LJ042-0124 they dont seem to be especially enthusiastic about any of the collective duties a natural feeling
+LJ042-0125 i am increasingly aware of the presence in all thing of lebizen shop party secretary fat fortyish and jovial on the outside
+LJ042-0126 he is a nononsense party regular
+LJ042-0127 finally the entry of january four to thirtyone of nineteen sixtyone quote
+LJ042-0128 i am stating to reconsider my desire about staying the work is drab the money i get has nowhere to be spent
+LJ042-0129 no night clubs or bowling alleys no places of recreation except the trade union dances i have had enough
+LJ042-0130 shortly thereafter less than eighteen months after his defection about six weeks before he met marina prusakova
+LJ042-0131 oswald opened negotiations with the us embassy in moscow looking toward his return to the united states
+LJ042-0132 return to the united states in view of the intensity of his earlier commitment to the soviet union
+LJ042-0133 a great change must have occurred in oswalds thinking to induce him to return to the united states
+LJ042-0134 the psychological effects of that change must have been highly unsettling it should be remembered
+LJ042-0135 that he was not yet twenty years old when he went to the soviet union with such high hopes and not quite twentythree when he returned bitterly disappointed
+LJ042-0136 his attempt to renounce his citizenship had been an open expression of hostility against the united states and a profound rejection of his early life
+LJ042-0137 the dramatic break with society in america now had to be undone
+LJ042-0138 his return to the united states publicly testified to the utter failure of what had been the most important act of his life
+LJ042-0139 marina oswald confirmed the fact that her husband was experiencing psychological difficulties at the time of his return
+LJ042-0140 she said that quote immediately after coming to the united states lee changed i did not know him as such a man in russia end quote
+LJ042-0141 she added that while he helped her as he had done before he became more of a recluse that quote
+LJ042-0142 he was very irritable sometimes for a trifle end quote and that quote lee was very unrestrained and very explosive end quote
+LJ042-0143 during the period from november nineteen nineteen sixtytwo to march of nineteen sixtythree
+LJ042-0144 after the assassination she wrote that quote
+LJ042-0145 in general our family life began to deteriorate after we arrived in america
+LJ042-0146 lee was always hottempered and now this trait of character more and more prevented us from living together in harmony
+LJ042-0147 lee became very irritable and sometimes some completely trivial thing would drive him into a rage
+LJ042-0148 i myself do not have a particularly quiet disposition
+LJ042-0149 but i had to change my character a great deal in order to maintain a more or less peaceful family life end quote
+LJ042-0150 marina oswalds judgment of her husbands state of mind may be substantiated by comparing material which he wrote in the soviet union
+LJ042-0151 with what he wrote while on the way back to the united states and after his return
+LJ042-0152 while in the soviet union he wrote his longest and clearest piece of work the collective
+LJ042-0153 this was a fairly coherent description of life in that country basically centered around the radio and television factory in which he worked
+LJ042-0154 while it was apparently intended for publication in the united states and is in many respects critical of certain aspects of life in the soviet union
+LJ042-0155 it appears to be the work of a fairly well organized person
+LJ042-0156 oswald prefaced his manuscript with a short autobiographical sketch which reads in part as follows quote
+LJ042-0157 lee harvey oswald was born in october nineteen thirtynine in new orleans louisiana the son of a insurance salesmen whose early death
+LJ042-0158 left a far mean streak of independence brought on by neglect
+LJ042-0159 entering the us marine corp at seventeen this streak of independence was strengthened by exotic journeys to japan
+LJ042-0160 the philippines and the scores of odd islands in the pacific
+LJ042-0161 immediately after serving out his three years in the us marine corps he abandoned his american life to seek a new life in the ussr
+LJ042-0162 full of optimism and hope he stood in red square in the fall of nineteen fiftynine vowing to see his chosen course through
+LJ042-0163 after however two years and a lot of growing up i decided to return to the usa
+LJ042-0164 the collective contrasts sharply with material which oswald seems to have written after he left the soviet union
+LJ042-0165 which appears to be more an expression of his own psychological condition than of a reasoned analysis
+LJ042-0166 the latter material expresses great hostility to both communism and capitalism he wrote that to a person knowing both of those systems quote
+LJ042-0167 there can be no mediation between those systems as they exist today and that person
+LJ042-0168 he must be opposed to their basic foundations and representatives end quote
+LJ042-0169 and yet it is immature to take the sort of attitude which says quote a curse on both your houses end quote
+LJ042-0170 there are two great representatives of power in the world
+LJ042-0171 simply expressed the left and right and their offspring factions and concerns any practical attempt at one alternative
+LJ042-0172 must have as its nucleus the traditional ideological best of both systems and yet be utterly opposed to both systems
+LJ042-0173 such an alternative was to be opposed both to capitalism and communism because quote
+LJ042-0174 no man having known having lived under the russian communist and american capitalist system
+LJ042-0175 could possibly make a choice between them there is no choice
+LJ042-0176 one offers oppression the other poverty both offer imperialistic injustice tinted with two brands of slavery end quote
+LJ042-0177 oswald actually did attempt to formulate such an alternative which he planned to quote put forward end quote himself
+LJ042-0178 he thought the new alternative would have its best chance to be accepted after quote conflict between the two world systems leaves the world country
+LJ042-0179 without defense or foundation of government end quote
+LJ042-0180 after which the survivors would quote seek an alternative opposed to those systems which have brought them misery end quote
+LJ042-0181 oswald realized that quote their thinking and education will be steeped in the traditions of those systems
+LJ042-0182 and they would never accept a new order complete beyond their understanding end quote
+LJ042-0183 as a result he thought it would be quote necessary to oppose the old systems but at the same time support their cherished traditions end quote
+LJ042-0184 expanding on his ideas on how his alternative to communism and capitalism might be introduced he wrote of a quote readily foreseeable
+LJ042-0185 economic political or military crisis internal or external
+LJ042-0186 which will bring about the final destruction of the capitalist system and indicated that
+LJ042-0187 preparation in a special party could safeguard an independent course of action after the debacle end quote
+LJ042-0188 which would achieve the goal which was quote the emplacement of a separate democratic pure communist society
+LJ042-0189 but one with union communes
+LJ042-0190 democratic socializing of production and without regard to the twisting apart of marxism marxist communism by other powers
+LJ042-0191 while quote resourcefulness and patient working towards the aforesaid goals
+LJ042-0192 are preferred rather than loud and useless manifestations of protest end quote oswald went on to note quote
+LJ042-0193 but these preferred tactics now may prove to be too limited in the near future
+LJ042-0194 they should not be confused with slowness indecision or fear only the intellectually fearless could even be remotely attracted to our doctrine
+LJ042-0195 and yet this doctrine requires the utmost utmost restraint a state of being in itself majestic in power end quote
+LJ042-0196 oswalds decided rejection of both capitalism and communism
+LJ042-0197 seemed to place him in a situation in which he could not live with satisfaction either in the united states or in the soviet union
+LJ042-0198 the discussion above has already set forth examples of his expression of hatred for the united states
+LJ042-0199 he also expressed hatred of the soviet union and of the communist party usa
+LJ042-0200 even though he later referred to the latter as quote trusted long time fighters for progress end quote
+LJ042-0201 he wrote quote the communist party of the united states has betrayed itself
+LJ042-0202 it has turned itself into the traditional lever of a foreign power to overthrow the government of the united states
+LJ042-0203 not in the name of freedom or high ideals
+LJ042-0204 but in servile conformity to the wishes of the soviet union and in anticipation of soviet russias complete domination of the american continent
+LJ042-0205 there can be no sympathy for those who have turned the idea of communism into a vile curse to western man
+LJ042-0206 the soviets have committed crimes unsurpassed even by their early day capitalist counterparts the imprisonment of their own peoples
+LJ042-0207 with the mass extermination so typical of stalin and the individual suppression and regimentation under khrushchev
+LJ042-0208 the deportations the purposeful curtailment of diet in the consumer slighted population of russia
+LJ042-0209 the murder of history the prostitution of art and culture end quote
+LJ042-0210 a suggestion that oswald hated more than just capitalism and communism
+LJ042-0211 is provided by the following which was apparently written either on the ship coming back or after his return from the soviet union quote
+LJ042-0212 i have often wondered why it is that the communist anarchist capitalist and even the fascist and anarchist elements in american
+LJ042-0213 always profess patriotism toward the land and the people if not the government although their ideals movements must surely lead
+LJ042-0214 to the bitter destruction of all and everything i am quite sure these people must hate not only the government
+LJ042-0215 but our the people culture traditions heritage and very people itself and yet
+LJ042-0216 they stand up and piously pronounce themselves patriots displaying their war medals that they gained in conflicts long past between themselves
+LJ042-0217 i wonder what would happen it somebody was to stand up and say he was utterly opposed not only to the governments but to the people
+LJ042-0218 to the entire land and complete foundations of his society end quote
+LJ042-0219 oswald demonstrated his thinking in connection with his return to the united states by preparing two sets of identical questions of the type which he might have thought
+LJ042-0220 he would be asked at a press conference when he returned
+LJ042-0221 with either great ambivalence or cold calculation he prepared completely different answers to the same questions
+LJ042-0222 judged by his other statements and writings however he appears to have indicated his true feelings in the set of answers first presented
+LJ042-0223 and to have stated in the second what he thought would be least harmful to him as he resumed life in the united states
+LJ042-0224 for example in response to his questions about his decision to go to the soviet union his first draft answered quote
+LJ042-0225 as a mark of discuss and protest against american political policies in foreign countries my personal sign of discontent
+LJ042-0226 and horror at the misguided line of reasoning of the united states government end quote
+LJ042-0227 his second answer was that he quote went as a citizen of the us as a tourist residing in a foreign country which i have a perfect right to do
+LJ042-0228 i went there to see the land the people and how their system works end quote
+LJ042-0229 to the question of quote are you a communist end quote he first answered yes
+LJ042-0230 basically although i hate the ussr and socialist system i still think marxism can work under different circumstances end quote
+LJ042-0231 his second answer to this question was quote no of course not
+LJ042-0232 i have never even know a communist outside of the ones in the ussr but you cant help that end quote
+LJ042-0233 his first set of questions and answers indicated his belief that there were no outstanding differences between the soviet union and the united states
+LJ042-0234 quote except in the us the living standard is a little higher
+LJ042-0235 freedoms are about the same medical aid and the educational system in the ussr is better than in the usa end quote
+LJ042-0236 in the second simulated transcript which ended with the statement quote newspapers thank you sir you are a real patriot end quote
+LJ042-0237 he apparently concluded that the united states offered quote
+LJ042-0238 freedom of speech travel outspoken opposition to unpopular policies freedom to believe in god end quote while the soviet union did not
+LJ042-0239 despite the hatred that oswald expressed toward the soviet union after his residence there
+LJ042-0240 he continued to be interested in that country after he returned to the united states
+LJ042-0241 soon after his arrival he wrote to the soviet embassy in washington
+LJ042-0242 requesting information on how to subscribe to russian newspapers and magazines and asked for quote
+LJ042-0244 oswald subsequently did subscribe to several soviet journals
+LJ042-0245 while marina oswald tried to obtain permission to return to the soviet union she testified that she did so at her husbands insistence
+LJ042-0246 in july of nineteen sixtythree oswald also requested the soviet union to provide a visa for his return to that country
+LJ042-0247 in august of nineteen sixtythree he gave the new orleans police as a reason for refusing to permit his family to learn english
+LJ042-0248 that quote he hated america and he did not want them to become americanized and that his plans were to go back to russia end quote
+LJ042-0249 even though his primary purpose probably was to get to cuba
+LJ042-0250 he sought an immediate grant of visa on his trip to mexico city in late september of nineteen sixtythree
+LJ042-0251 he also inquired about visas for himself and his wife
+LJ043-0001 report of the presidents commission on the assassination of president kennedy
+LJ043-0002 the warren commission report by the presidents commission on the assassination of president kennedy chapter seven lee harvey oswald
+LJ043-0003 background and possible motives part four
+LJ043-0004 personal relations
+LJ043-0005 apart from his relatives oswald had no friends or close associates in texas when he returned there in june of nineteen sixtytwo
+LJ043-0006 and he did not establish any close friendships or associations although it appears that he came to respect george de mohrenschildt
+LJ043-0007 somewhat of a nonconformist
+LJ043-0008 de mohrenschildt was a peripheral member of the socalled russian community with which oswald made contact through mr peter gregory
+LJ043-0009 a russianspeaking petroleum engineer whom oswald met as a result of his contact with the texas employment commission office in fort worth
+LJ043-0010 some of the members of that group saw a good deal of the oswalds through the fall of nineteen sixtythree
+LJ043-0011 and attempted to help mrs oswald particularly in various ways in general oswald did not like the members of the russian community
+LJ043-0012 in fact his relations with some of them particularly george bouhe became quite hostile
+LJ043-0013 part of the problem resulted from the fact that as jeanne de mohrenschildt testified
+LJ043-0014 oswald was quote very very disagreeable and disappointed end quote
+LJ043-0015 he also expressed considerable resentment at the help given to his wife by her russianamerican friends
+LJ043-0016 jeanne de mohrenschildt said quote
+LJ043-0017 marina had a hundred dresses given to her and he objected to that lavish help because marina was throwing it into his face
+LJ043-0018 he was offensive with the people and i can understand why because that hurt him
+LJ043-0019 he could never give her what the people were showering on her no matter how hard he worked and he worked very hard end quote
+LJ043-0020 the relations between oswald and his wife became such that bouhe wanted to liberate her from oswald
+LJ043-0021 while the exact sequence of events is not clear because of conflicting testimony
+LJ043-0022 it appears that de mohrenschildt and his wife actually went to oswalds apartment early in november of nineteen sixtytwo
+LJ043-0023 and helped to move the personal effects of marina oswald and the baby
+LJ043-0024 even though it appears that they may have left oswald a few days before it seems that he resisted the move as best he could
+LJ043-0025 he even threatened to tear up his wifes dresses and break all the baby things according to de mohrenschildt
+LJ043-0026 oswald submitted to the inevitable presumably because he was quote small you know and he was rather a puny individual end quote
+LJ043-0027 de mohrenschildt said that the whole affair made him nervous since he was quote interfering in other peoples affairs after all end quote
+LJ043-0028 oswald attempted to get his wife to come back and over bouhes protest de mohrenschildt finally told him where she was
+LJ043-0029 de mohrenschildt admitted that quote
+LJ043-0030 if somebody did that to me a lousy trick like that to take my wife away and all the furniture i would be mad as hell too
+LJ043-0031 i am surprised that he didnt do something worse end quote
+LJ043-0032 after about a twoweek separation marina oswald returned to her husband
+LJ043-0033 bouhe thoroughly disapproved of this and as a result almost all communication between the oswalds and members of the russian community ceased
+LJ043-0034 contacts with de mohrenschildt and his wife did continue and they saw the oswalds occasionally until the spring of nineteen sixtythree
+LJ043-0035 shortly after his return from the soviet union oswald severed all relations with his mother
+LJ043-0036 he did not see his brother robert from thanksgiving of nineteen sixtytwo until november twentythree nineteen sixtythree
+LJ043-0037 at the time of his defection oswald had said that neither his brother robert
+LJ043-0038 nor his mother were objects of his affection quote but only examples of workers in the us end quote
+LJ043-0039 he also indicated to officials at the american embassy in moscow that his defection was motivated at least in part
+LJ043-0040 by socalled exploitation of his mother by the capitalist system
+LJ043-0041 consistent with this attitude
+LJ043-0042 he first told his wife that he did not have a mother but later admitted that he did but that quote he didnt love her very much end quote
+LJ043-0043 when they arrived from the soviet union oswald and his family lived at first with his brother robert
+LJ043-0044 the latter testified that they quote were just together again end quote as if his brother quote had not been to russia end quote
+LJ043-0045 he also said that he and his family got along well with marina oswald and enjoyed showing her american things
+LJ043-0046 after about a month with his brother
+LJ043-0047 oswald and his family lived for a brief period with his mother at her urging but oswald soon decided to move out
+LJ043-0048 marguerite oswald visited her son and his family at the first apartment which he rented after his return and tried to help them get settled there
+LJ043-0049 after she had bought some clothes for marina oswald and a highchair for the baby oswald emphatically told her to stop
+LJ043-0050 as marguerite oswald testified quote
+LJ043-0051 he strongly put me in my place about buying things for his wife that he himself could not buy end quote
+LJ043-0052 oswald objected to his mother visiting the apartment
+LJ043-0053 and became quite incensed with his wife when she would open the door for her in spite of his instructions to the contrary
+LJ043-0054 oswald moved to dallas on about october eight nineteen sixtytwo without telling his mother where he was going
+LJ043-0055 he never saw or communicated with her in any way again until she came to see him after the assassination
+LJ043-0056 even though oswald cut off relations with his mother
+LJ043-0057 he attempted for the first time to learn something about his family background when he went to new orleans in april of nineteen sixtythree
+LJ043-0058 he visited some of his fathers elderly relatives and the cemetery where his father was buried in an effort to develop the facts of his genealogy
+LJ043-0059 while it does not appear that he established any new relationships as a result of his investigation he did obtain a large picture of his father
+LJ043-0060 from one of the elderly relatives with whom he spoke oswalds interest in such things presents a sharp contrast with his attitude
+LJ043-0061 at the time of his defection when he evidenced no interest in his father and hardly mentioned him even when questioned
+LJ043-0062 oswalds defection his interest in the soviet union and his activities on behalf of the fair play for cuba committee
+LJ043-0063 not only caused him difficulties in his employment relations but they also provided him with excuses for employment failures
+LJ043-0064 which were largely of his own making
+LJ043-0065 oswald experienced some difficulty finding employment perhaps this was partially because of his lack of any specific skill or training
+LJ043-0066 some of his acquaintances feeling that oswald tried to impress people with the fact that he had lived and worked in russia were led to the belief
+LJ043-0067 that his employment difficulties were caused by his telling prospective employers that he had last been employed in minsk
+LJ043-0068 while he might have expected difficulty from such an approach in fact
+LJ043-0069 the evidence indicates that oswald usually told his prospective employers and employment counselors that he had recently been discharged from the marine corps
+LJ043-0070 oswald obtained a job in july of nineteen sixtytwo as a sheet metal worker with a company in fort worth
+LJ043-0071 his performance for that company was satisfactory
+LJ043-0072 even though he told his wife that he had been fired he voluntarily left on october eight nineteen sixtytwo and moved to dallas
+LJ043-0073 on october nine nineteen sixtytwo he went to the dallas office of the texas employment commission
+LJ043-0074 where he expressed a reluctance to work in the industrial field
+LJ043-0075 he indicated an interest in writing an employment counselor testified on the basis of a general aptitude test oswald had taken
+LJ043-0076 that he had some aptitude in that area quote because the verbal score is high and the clerical score is high end quote
+LJ043-0077 while that counselor found that he was qualified to handle many different types of jobs
+LJ043-0078 because of his need for immediate employment she attempted to obtain for him any job that was available at the time oswald made qualifying marks
+LJ043-0079 in nineteen of twentythree categories included on the general aptitude examination and scored one hundred twentyseven on the verbal test as compared
+LJ043-0080 with fifty percent of the people taking it who score less than one hundred
+LJ043-0081 the counselor testified that there was some indication that oswald was capable of doing college work
+LJ043-0082 and noted that oswalds verbal and clerical potential was quote outstanding end quote
+LJ043-0083 employment commission records concerning oswald stated quote wellgroomed and spoken
+LJ043-0084 business suit alert replies expresses self extremely well end quote
+LJ043-0085 oswald said that he hoped eventually to develop qualifications for employment as a junior executive
+LJ043-0086 through a workstudy program at a local college
+LJ043-0087 he indicated however that he would have to delay that program because of his immediate financial needs and responsibilities
+LJ043-0088 on october eleven nineteen sixtytwo the employment commission referred oswald
+LJ043-0089 to a commercial advertising photography firm in dallas where he was employed as a trainee starting october twelve nineteen sixtytwo
+LJ043-0090 even though oswald indicated that he liked photographic work his employer found that he was not an efficient worker
+LJ043-0091 he was not able to produce photographic work
+LJ043-0092 which adhered with sufficient precision to the job specifications and as a result too much of his work had to be redone
+LJ043-0093 he also had difficulty in working with the other employees
+LJ043-0094 this was at least in part because of the close physical confines in which some of the work had to be done
+LJ043-0095 he did not seem to be able to make the accommodations necessary when people work under such conditions and as a result
+LJ043-0096 became involved in conflicts some of which were fairly heated with his fellow employees
+LJ043-0097 in february or march of nineteen sixtythree
+LJ043-0098 it began to appear that oswald was having considerable difficulty doing accurate work and in getting along with the other employees
+LJ043-0099 it appears that his discharge was hastened by the fact that he brought a russian language newspaper to work
+LJ043-0100 it is not possible to tell whether oswald did this to provide an excuse for his eventual discharge
+LJ043-0101 or whether he brought the russian language newspaper with him one day after his other difficulties became clear
+LJ043-0102 it is possible that his immediate supervisor noticed the newspaper at that time because his attention had otherwise been drawn more directly to oswald
+LJ043-0103 in any event oswald was discharged on april six nineteen sixtythree ostensibly because of his inefficiency and difficult personality
+LJ043-0104 his supervisor admitted however
+LJ043-0105 that while he did not fire oswald because of the newspaper incident or even weigh it heavily in his decision quote
+LJ043-0106 it didnt do his case any good end quote
+LJ043-0107 upon moving to new orleans on april twentyfour nineteen sixtythree
+LJ043-0108 oswalds employment problems became more difficult he left his wife and child at the home of a friend mrs ruth paine of irving texas
+LJ043-0109 in new orleans he obtained work as a greaser and oiler of coffee processing machines for the william b reily co
+LJ043-0110 beginning may ten nineteen sixtythree
+LJ043-0111 after securing this job and an apartment oswald asked his wife to join him
+LJ043-0112 mrs paine brought oswalds family to new orleans
+LJ043-0113 refusing to admit that he could only get work as a greaser
+LJ043-0114 oswald told his wife and mrs paine that he was working as a commercial photographer
+LJ043-0115 he lost his job on july nineteen nineteen sixtythree because his work was not satisfactory
+LJ043-0116 and because he spent too much time loitering in the garage next door where he read rifle and hunting magazines
+LJ043-0117 oswald apparently concluded that his fair play for cuba committee activities were not related to his discharge
+LJ043-0118 the correctness of that conclusion is supported by the fact that he does not seem to have been publicly identified with that organization until august nine
+LJ043-0119 nineteen sixtythree almost a month after he lost his job
+LJ043-0120 his fair play for cuba committee activities however made it more difficult for him to obtain other employment
+LJ043-0121 a placement interviewer of the louisiana department of labor
+LJ043-0122 who had previously interviewed oswald saw him on television and heard a radio debate in which he engaged on august twentyone nineteen sixtythree
+LJ043-0123 he consulted with his supervisor and quote it was determined that we should not undertake to furnish employment references for him end quote
+LJ043-0124 ironically he failed to get a job in another photographic firm after his return to dallas in october of nineteen sixtythree
+LJ043-0125 because the president of the photographic firm for which he had previously worked
+LJ043-0126 told the prospective employer that oswald was quote kinda peculiar sometimes and that he had some knowledge of the russian language end quote
+LJ043-0127 and that he quote may be a damn communist i cant tell you if i was you i wouldnt hire him end quote
+LJ043-0128 the plant superintendent of the new firm testified that one of the employees of the old firm quote
+LJ043-0129 implied that oswalds fellow employees did not like him because he was propagandizing
+LJ043-0130 and had been seen reading a foreign newspaper end quote
+LJ043-0131 as a result oswald was not hired
+LJ043-0132 he subsequently found a job with the texas school book depository for which he performed his duties satisfactorily
+LJ043-0133 attack on general walker
+LJ043-0134 the commission has concluded that on april ten nineteen sixtythree
+LJ043-0135 oswald shot at maj gen edwin a walker resigned us army
+LJ043-0136 demonstrating once again his propensity to act dramatically and in this instance violently in furtherance of his beliefs
+LJ043-0137 the shooting occurred two weeks before oswald moved to new orleans and a few days after he had been discharged by the photographic firm
+LJ043-0138 as indicated in chapter four oswald had been planning his attack on general walker for at least one and perhaps as much as two months
+LJ043-0139 he outlined his plans in a notebook and studied them at considerable length before his attack
+LJ043-0140 he also studied dallas bus schedules to prepare for his later use of buses to travel to and from general walkers house
+LJ043-0141 sometime after march twentyseven but according to marina oswald prior to april ten nineteen sixtythree
+LJ043-0142 oswald posed for two pictures
+LJ043-0143 with his recently acquired rifle and pistol a copy of the march twentyfour nineteen sixtythree issue of the worker
+LJ043-0144 and the march eleven nineteen sixtythree issue of the militant
+LJ043-0145 he told his wife that he wanted to send the pictures to the militant and he also asked her to keep one of the pictures for his daughter june
+LJ043-0146 following his unsuccessful attack on walker oswald returned home
+LJ043-0147 he had left a note for his wife telling her what to do in case he were apprehended as well as his notebook and the pictures of himself holding the rifle
+LJ043-0148 she testified that she was agitated because she had found the note in oswalds room
+LJ043-0149 where she had gone contrary to his instructions after she became worried about his absence
+LJ043-0150 she indicated that she had no advance knowledge of oswalds plans
+LJ043-0151 that she became quite angry when oswald told her what he had done and that she made him promise never to repeat such a performance
+LJ043-0152 she said that she kept the note to use against him quote if something like that should be repeated again end quote
+LJ043-0153 when asked if oswald requested the note back she testified that quote he forgot about it but apparently
+LJ043-0154 after he thought that what he had written in his book might be proof against him and he destroyed it the book end quote
+LJ043-0155 she later gave the following testimony question
+LJ043-0156 after he brought the rifle home then he showed you the book
+LJ043-0157 answer yes question and you said it was not a good idea to keep this book answer yes
+LJ043-0158 question and then he burned the book
+LJ043-0159 answer yes
+LJ043-0160 question did you ask him why he had not destroyed the book before he actually went to shoot general walker
+LJ043-0161 answer it never came to me myself to ask him that question
+LJ043-0162 marina oswalds testimony indicates that her husband was not particularly concerned about his continued possession of the most incriminating sort of evidence
+LJ043-0163 if he had been successful and had been apprehended even for routine questioning his apartment would undoubtedly have been searched
+LJ043-0164 and his role would have been made clear by the evidence which he had left behind
+LJ043-0165 leaving the note and picture as he did would seem to indicate that he had considered the possibility of capture
+LJ043-0166 possibly he might have wanted to be caught and wanted his involvement made clear if he was in fact apprehended
+LJ043-0167 even after his wife told him to destroy the notebook
+LJ043-0168 he removed at least some of the pictures which had been pasted in it and saved them among his effects where they were found after the assassination
+LJ043-0169 his behavior was entirely consistent with his wifes testimony that quote
+LJ043-0170 i asked him what for he was making all these entries in the book and he answered that he wanted to leave a complete record so that all the details would be in it
+LJ043-0171 i am guessing that perhaps he did it to appear to be a brave man in case he were arrested but that is my supposition end quote
+LJ043-0172 the attempt on general walkers life deserves close attention in any consideration of oswalds possible motive for the assassination
+LJ043-0173 and the trail of evidence he left behind him on that occasion
+LJ043-0174 while there are differences between the two events as far as oswalds actions and planning are concerned there are also similarities that should be considered
+LJ043-0175 the items which oswald left at home when he made his attack on walker suggest a strong concern for his place in history
+LJ043-0176 if the attack had succeeded and oswald had been caught the pictures showing him with his rifle
+LJ043-0177 and his communist and socialist workers party newspapers would probably have appeared on the front pages of newspapers or magazines all over the country
+LJ043-0178 as in fact one of them did appear after the assassination
+LJ043-0179 the circumstances of the attack on walker coupled with other indications that oswald was concerned about his place in history
+LJ043-0180 and with the circumstances surrounding the assassination have led the commission to believe
+LJ043-0181 that such concern is an important factor to consider in assessing possible motivation for the assassination
+LJ043-0182 in any event the walker incident indicates that in spite of the belief among those who knew him that he was apparently not dangerous
+LJ043-0183 oswald did not lack the determination and other traits required
+LJ043-0184 to carry out a carefully planned killing of another human being and was willing to consummate such a purpose if he thought there was sufficient reason to do so
+LJ043-0185 some idea of what he thought was sufficient reason for such an act may be found in the nature of the motive that he stated for his attack on general walker
+LJ043-0186 marina oswald indicated that her husband had compared general walker to adolph hitler
+LJ043-0187 she testified that oswald said that general walker quote was a very bad man that he was a fascist
+LJ043-0188 that he was the leader of a fascist organization and when i said that even though all of that might be true just the same he had no right to take his life
+LJ044-0001 report of the presidents commission on the assassination of president kennedy
+LJ044-0002 the warren commission report by the presidents commission on the assassination of president kennedy chapter seven
+LJ044-0003 lee harvey oswald background and possible motives part five
+LJ044-0004 political activities
+LJ044-0005 oswalds political activities after his return to the united states center around his interest in cuba and in the fair play for cuba committee
+LJ044-0006 although as indicated above the commission has been unable to find any credible evidence
+LJ044-0007 that he was involved in any conspiracy his political activities do provide insight into certain aspects of oswalds character
+LJ044-0008 and into his possible motivation for the assassination
+LJ044-0009 while it appears that he may have distributed fair play for cuba committee materials on one uneventful occasion in dallas sometime during the period
+LJ044-0010 april six to twentyfour nineteen sixtythree oswalds first public identification with that cause was in new orleans
+LJ044-0011 there in late may and early june of nineteen sixtythree under the name lee osborne
+LJ044-0012 he had printed a handbill headed in large letters quote
+LJ044-0013 hands off cuba end quote an application form for and a membership card in
+LJ044-0014 the new orleans branch of the fair play for cuba committee
+LJ044-0015 he first distributed his handbills and other material uneventfully in the vicinity of the uss wasp
+LJ044-0016 which was berthed at the dumaine street wharf in new orleans on june sixteen nineteen sixtythree
+LJ044-0017 he distributed literature in downtown new orleans on august nine nineteen sixtythree
+LJ044-0018 and was arrested because of a dispute with three anticastro cuban exiles and again on august sixteen nineteen sixtythree
+LJ044-0019 following his arrest he was interviewed by the police and at his own request by an agent of the fbi
+LJ044-0020 on august seventeen nineteen sixtythree he appeared briefly on a radio program and on august twentyone nineteen sixtythree
+LJ044-0021 he debated over radio station wdsu new orleans with carlos bringuier
+LJ044-0022 one of the cuban exiles who had been arrested with him on august nine bringuier claimed that on august five nineteen sixtythree
+LJ044-0023 oswald had attempted to infiltrate an anticastro organization with which he was associated
+LJ044-0024 while oswald publicly engaged in the activities described above his quote organization end quote was a product of his imagination
+LJ044-0025 the imaginary president of the nonexistent chapter was named a j hidell the name that oswald used when he purchased the assassination weapon
+LJ044-0026 marina oswald said she signed that name apparently chosen because it rhymed with fidel
+LJ044-0027 to her husbands membership card in the new orleans chapter
+LJ044-0028 she testified that he threatened to beat her if she did not do so the chapter had never been chartered by the national fpcc organization
+LJ044-0029 it appears to have been a solitary operation on oswalds part in spite of his misstatements to the new orleans police that it had thirtyfive members
+LJ044-0030 five of which were usually present at meetings which were held once a month
+LJ044-0031 oswalds fair play for cuba activities may be viewed as a very shrewd political operation
+LJ044-0032 in which one man single handedly created publicity for his cause or for himself
+LJ044-0033 it is also evidence of oswalds reluctance to describe events accurately
+LJ044-0034 and of his need to present himself to others as well as to himself in a light more favorable than was justified by reality
+LJ044-0035 this is suggested by his misleading and sometime untruthful statements in his letters to mr v t lee
+LJ044-0036 then national director of fpcc in one of those letters dated august one nineteen sixtythree
+LJ044-0037 oswald wrote that an office which he had previously claimed to have rented for fpcc activities had been quote
+LJ044-0038 promptly closed three days later for some obscure reasons by the renters
+LJ044-0039 they said something about remodeling etc im sure you understand end quote
+LJ044-0040 he wrote that quote thousands of circulars were distributed end quote
+LJ044-0041 and that he continued to receive inquiries through his post office box which he endeavored quote to keep answering to the best of my ability end quote
+LJ044-0042 in his letter to v t lee
+LJ044-0043 he stated that he was then alone in his efforts on behalf of fpcc but he attributed his lack of support
+LJ044-0044 to an attack by cuban exiles in a street demonstration and being quote officialy cautioned end quote by the police
+LJ044-0045 events which quote robbed me of what support i had leaving me alone end quote
+LJ044-0047 that anyone ever attacked any street demonstration in which oswald was involved except for the bringuier incident mentioned above
+LJ044-0048 which occurred eight days after oswald wrote the above letter to v t lee
+LJ044-0049 bringuier who seemed to be familiar with many anticastro activities in new orleans was not aware of any such incident
+LJ044-0050 police reports also fail to reflect any activity on oswalds part prior to august nine nineteen sixtythree
+LJ044-0051 except for the uneventful distribution of literature at the dumaine street wharf in june
+LJ044-0052 furthermore the general tenor of oswalds next letter to v t lee
+LJ044-0053 in which he supported his report on the bringuier incident with a copy of the charges made against him
+LJ044-0054 and a newspaper clipping reporting the event suggests that his previous story of an attack by cuban exiles was at least greatly exaggerated
+LJ044-0055 while the legend quote fpcc five four four camp street new orleans louisiana end quote
+LJ044-0056 was stamped on some literature that oswald had in his possession at the time of his arrest in new orleans
+LJ044-0057 extensive investigation was not able to connect oswald with that address although it did develop the fact
+LJ044-0058 that an anticastro organization had maintained offices there for a period ending early in nineteen sixtytwo
+LJ044-0059 the commission has not been able to find any other indication that oswald had rented an office in new orleans
+LJ044-0060 in view of the limited amount of public activity on oswalds part before august nine nineteen sixtythree
+LJ044-0061 there also seems to be no basis for his claim that he had distributed quote
+LJ044-0062 thousands end quote of circulars especially since he had claimed to have printed only two thousand
+LJ044-0063 and actually had only one thousand printed
+LJ044-0064 in addition there is no evidence that he received any substantial amount of materials from the national headquarters
+LJ044-0065 in another letter to v t lee dated august seventeen nineteen sixtythree
+LJ044-0066 oswald wrote that he had appeared on mr william stuckeys fifteenminute television program over wdsutv called quote
+LJ044-0067 latin american focus end quote
+LJ044-0068 as a result of which he was quote flooded with callers and invitations to debates etc as well as people interested in joining the fpcc
+LJ044-0069 new orleans branch end quote
+LJ044-0070 wdsu has no program of any kind called quote latin american focus end quote
+LJ044-0071 stuckey had a radio program called quote latin listening post end quote
+LJ044-0072 on which oswald was heard for less than five minutes on august seventeen nineteen sixtythree
+LJ044-0073 it appears that oswald had only one caller in response to all of his fpcc activities
+LJ044-0074 an agent of bringuiers attempting to learn more about the true nature
+LJ044-0075 of the alleged fpcc quote organization end quote in new orleans
+LJ044-0076 oswalds statements suggest that he hoped to be flooded with callers and invitations to debate
+LJ044-0077 this would have made him a real center of attention as he must have been when he first arrived in the soviet union
+LJ044-0078 and as he was to some extent when he returned to the united states
+LJ044-0079 the limited notoriety that oswald received as a result of the street fracas and in the subsequent radio debate
+LJ044-0080 was apparently not enough to satisfy him he exaggerated in his letters to v t lee in an apparent attempt
+LJ044-0081 to make himself and his activities appear far more important than they really were
+LJ044-0082 his attempt to express himself through his fair play for cuba activities however
+LJ044-0083 was greatly impeded by the fact that the radio debate over wdsu on august twentyone nineteen sixtythree
+LJ044-0084 brought out the history of his defection to the soviet union
+LJ044-0085 the basic facts of the event were uncovered independently by william stuckey who arranged the debate and edward butler
+LJ044-0086 executive director of the information council of the americas who also appeared on the program
+LJ044-0087 oswald was confronted with those facts at the beginning of the debate and was so thrown on the defensive by this that he was forced to state that
+LJ044-0088 fair play for cuba was quote not at all communist controlled regardless of the fact that i had the experience of living in russia end quote
+LJ044-0089 stuckey testified that uncovering oswalds defection was very important quote
+LJ044-0090 i think that we finished him on that program because we had publicly linked the fair play for cuba committee
+LJ044-0091 with a fellow who had lived in russia for three years and who was an admitted marxist
+LJ044-0092 the interesting thing or rather the danger involved was the fact that oswald seemed like such a nice bright boy
+LJ044-0093 and was extremely believable before this we thought the fellow could probably get quite a few members if he was really indeed serious about getting members
+LJ044-0094 we figured after this broadcast of august twentyone why that was no longer possible end quote
+LJ044-0095 in spite of the fact that oswald had been surprised and was on the defensive throughout the debate according to stuckey quote
+LJ044-0096 mr oswald handled himself very well as usual end quote
+LJ044-0097 stuckey thought oswald quote appeared to be a very logical intelligent fellow end quote and quote was arrested by his cleancutness end quote
+LJ044-0098 he did not think oswald looked like the quote type end quote that he would have expected to find associating with a group such as the fair play for cuba committee
+LJ044-0099 stuckey thought that oswald acted very much as would a young attorney
+LJ044-0100 following the disclosure of his defection oswald sought advice from the communist party usa concerning his fair play for cuba activity
+LJ044-0101 he had previously sent apparently unsolicited to the party newspaper the worker
+LJ044-0102 samples of his photographic work offering to contribute that sort of service without charge
+LJ044-0103 the worker replied quote your kind offer is most welcomed and from time to time we shall call on you end quote
+LJ044-0104 he later wrote to another official of the worker seeking employment and mentioning the praise he had received for submitting his photographic work
+LJ044-0105 he presented arnold johnson gus hall
+LJ044-0106 and benjamin j davis honorary membership cards in his nonexistent new orleans chapter of the fair play for cuba committee
+LJ044-0107 and advised them of some of his activities on behalf of the organization
+LJ044-0108 arnold johnson director of the information and lecture bureau of the communist party usa replied stating quote
+LJ044-0109 it is good to know that movements in support of fair play for cuba has developed in new orleans as well as in other cities
+LJ044-0110 we do not have any organizational ties with the committee and yet there is much material that we issue from time to time that is important
+LJ044-0111 for anybody who is concerned about developments in cuba end quote
+LJ044-0112 marina oswald said that such correspondence from people he considered important meant much to oswald
+LJ044-0113 after he had begun his cuban activity in new orleans quote
+LJ044-0114 he received a letter from somebody in new york some communist probably from new york i am not sure from where from some communist leader and he was very happy
+LJ044-0115 he felt that this was a great man that he had received the letter from end quote
+LJ044-0116 since he seemed to feel that no one else understood his political views the letter was of great value to him for it quote was proof
+LJ044-0117 that there were people who understood his activity end quote
+LJ044-0118 he anticipated that the full disclosure of his defection would hinder him in quote the struggle for progress and freedom in the united states end quote
+LJ044-0119 into which oswald in his own words had quote thrown himself he sought advice from the central committee of the communist party usa
+LJ044-0120 in a letter dated august twentyeight nineteen sixtythree about whether he could quote continue to fight
+LJ044-0121 handicapped as it were by my past record and compete with antiprogressive forces aboveground or whether in your opinion
+LJ044-0122 i should always remain in the background ie underground end quote
+LJ044-0123 stating that he had used his position with what he claimed to be the local branch of the fair play for cuba committee to quote foster communist ideals end quote
+LJ044-0124 oswald wrote that he felt that he might have compromised the fpcc and expressed concern lest quote our opponents could use my background
+LJ044-0125 of residence in the ussr against any cause which i join by association
+LJ044-0126 they could say the organization of which i am a member is russian controlled etc end quote
+LJ044-0127 in reply arnold johnson advised oswald that while as an american citizen he had a right to participate in such organizations as he wished quote
+LJ044-0128 there are a number of organizations including possibly fair play which are of a very broad character
+LJ044-0129 and often it is advisable for some people to remain in the background not underground end quote
+LJ044-0130 by august of nineteen sixtythree after a short three months in new orleans the city in which he had been born and had lived most of his early life
+LJ044-0131 oswald had fallen on difficult times
+LJ044-0132 he had not liked his job as a greaser of coffee processing machinery and he held it for only a little over two months
+LJ044-0133 he had not found another job his wife was expecting their second child in october and there was concern about the cost which would be involved
+LJ044-0134 his brief foray on behalf of the fair play for cuba committee had failed to win any support
+LJ044-0135 while he had drawn some attention to himself and had actually appeared on two radio programs he had been attacked by cuban exiles and arrested
+LJ044-0136 an event which his wife thought upset him and as a result of which quote he became less active he cooled off a little end quote
+LJ044-0137 more seriously the facts of his defection had become known leaving him open to almost unanswerable attack by those who opposed his views
+LJ044-0138 it would not have been possible to have followed arnold johnsons advice to remain in the background
+LJ044-0139 since there was no background to the new orleans fpcc quote organization end quote which consisted solely of oswald
+LJ044-0140 furthermore he had apparently not received any letters from the national headquarters of fpcc since may twentynine nineteen sixtythree
+LJ044-0141 even though he had written four detailed letters since that time to mr v t lee and had also kept the national headquarters informed
+LJ044-0142 of each of his changes of mailing address
+LJ044-0143 those events no doubt had their effects on oswald
+LJ044-0144 interest in cuba
+LJ044-0145 by august of nineteen sixtythree oswald had for some time been considering the possibility of leaving the united states again
+LJ044-0146 on june twentyfour nineteen sixtythree he applied for a new passport
+LJ044-0147 and in late june or early july he told his wife that he wanted to return to the soviet union with her she said that he was extremely upset
+LJ044-0148 very unhappy and that he actually wept when he told her that
+LJ044-0149 he said that nothing kept him in the united states that he would not lose anything if he returned to the soviet union that he wanted to be with her
+LJ044-0150 and that it would be better to have less and not have to be concerned about tomorrow
+LJ044-0151 as a result of that conversation marina oswald wrote the soviet embassy in washington concerning a request she had first made
+LJ044-0152 on february seventeen nineteen sixtythree for permission for herself and june to return to the soviet union
+LJ044-0153 while that first request made according to marina oswald at her husbands insistence specifically stated that oswald was to remain in the united states
+LJ044-0154 she wrote in her letter of july nineteen sixtythree
+LJ044-0155 that things are improving due to the fact that my husband expresses a sincere wish to return together with me to the ussr unknown to his wife however
+LJ044-0156 oswald apparently enclosed a note with her letter of july in which
+LJ044-0157 he requested the embassy to rush his wifes entrance visa because of the impending birth of the second child but stated that quote
+LJ044-0158 as for my return entrance visa please consider it separately end quote
+LJ044-0159 thus while oswalds real intentions assuming that they were known to himself are not clear
+LJ044-0160 he may not have intended to go to the soviet union directly if at all it appears that he really wanted to go to cuba
+LJ044-0161 in his wifes words quote
+LJ044-0162 i only know that his basic desire was to get to cuba by any means and that all the rest of it was window dressing for that purpose end quote
+LJ044-0163 marina oswald testified that her husband engaged in fair play for cuba committee activities quote
+LJ044-0164 primarily for purposes of selfadvertising
+LJ044-0165 he wanted to be arrested i think he wanted to get into the newspapers so that he would be known end quote
+LJ044-0166 according to marina oswald he thought that would help him when he got to cuba
+LJ044-0167 he asked his wife to help him to hijack an airplane to get there but gave up that scheme when she refused
+LJ044-0168 during this period oswald may have practiced opening and closing the bolt on his rifle in a screened porch in his apartment
+LJ044-0169 in september he began to review spanish
+LJ044-0170 he approved arrangements for his family to return to irving texas to live with mrs ruth paine
+LJ044-0171 on september twenty nineteen sixtythree mrs paine and her two children arrived in new orleans from a trip to the east coast
+LJ044-0172 and left for irving with marina oswald and june and most of the oswalds effects three days later
+LJ044-0173 while marina oswald knew of her husbands plan to go to mexico and thence to cuba if possible mrs paine was told that oswald was going to houston
+LJ044-0174 and possibly to philadelphia to look for work
+LJ044-0175 oswald left for mexico city on september twentyfive nineteen sixtythree and arrived on september twentyseven nineteen sixtythree
+LJ044-0176 he went almost directly to the cuban embassy and applied for a visa to cuba in transit to russia
+LJ044-0177 representing himself as the head of the new orleans branch of the quote organization called fair play for cuba end quote
+LJ044-0178 he stated his desire that he should be accepted as a friend of the cuban revolution
+LJ044-0179 he apparently based his claim for a visa in transit to russia
+LJ044-0180 on his previous residence his work permit for that country and several unidentified letters in the russian language
+LJ044-0181 the cubans would not however give him a visa until he had received one from the soviets which involved a delay of several months
+LJ044-0182 when faced with that situation oswald became greatly agitated and although he later unsuccessfully attempted
+LJ044-0183 to obtain a soviet visa at the soviet embassy in mexico city he insisted that he was entitled to the cuban visa because of his background
+LJ044-0184 partisanship and personal activities on behalf of the cuban government
+LJ044-0185 he engaged in an angry argument with the consul who finally told him that quote as far as he was concerned
+LJ044-0186 he would not give him a visa end quote and that quote
+LJ044-0187 a person like him oswald in place of aiding the cuban revolution was doing it harm end quote
+LJ044-0188 oswald must have been thoroughly disillusioned when he left mexico city on october two nineteen sixtythree
+LJ044-0189 in spite of his former residence in the soviet union and his fair play for cuba committee activities he had been rebuffed
+LJ044-0190 by the officials of both cuba and the soviet union in mexico city
+LJ044-0191 now there appeared to be no chance to get to cuba where he had thought he might find his communist ideal the us government would not permit travel there
+LJ044-0192 and as far as the performance of the cubans themselves was concerned he was quote disappointed at not being able to get to cuba
+LJ044-0193 and he didnt have any great desire to do so any more because he had run into as he himself said into bureaucracy and red tape end quote
+LJ044-0194 oswalds attempt to go to cuba
+LJ044-0195 was another act which expressed his hostility toward the united states and its institutions as well as a concomitant attachment
+LJ044-0196 to a country in which he must have thought were embodied the political principles to which he had been committed for so long
+LJ044-0197 it should be noted that his interest in cuba seems to have increased along with the sense of frustration which must have developed
+LJ044-0198 as he experienced successive failures in his jobs in his political activity and in his personal relationships
+LJ044-0199 in retrospect his attempt to go to cuba or return to the soviet union may well have been oswalds last escape hatch
+LJ044-0200 his last gambit to extricate himself from the mediocrity and defeat which plagued him throughout most of his life
+LJ044-0201 oswalds activities with regard to cuba raise serious questions as to how much he might have been motivated in the assassination
+LJ044-0202 by a desire to aid the castro regime which president kennedy so outspokenly criticized
+LJ044-0203 for example the dallas times herald of november nineteen nineteen sixtythree
+LJ044-0204 prominently reported president kennedy as having quote all but invited the cuban people today to overthrow fidel castros communist regime
+LJ044-0205 and promised prompt us aid if they do end quote
+LJ044-0206 the castro regime severely attacked president kennedy in connection with the bay of pigs affair the cuban missile crisis the ban on travel to cuba
+LJ044-0207 the economic embargo against that country and the general policy of the united states with regard to cuba
+LJ044-0208 an examination of the militant to which oswald subscribed
+LJ044-0209 for the threemonth period prior to the assassination reflects an extremely critical attitude toward president kennedy and his administration
+LJ044-0210 concerning cuban policy in general as well as on the issues of automation and civil rights issues which appeared to concern oswald a great deal
+LJ044-0211 the militant also reflected a critical attitude toward president kennedys attempts to reduce tensions between the united states and the soviet union
+LJ044-0212 it also dealt with the fear of the castro regime that such a policy might result in its abandonment by the soviet union
+LJ044-0213 the october seven nineteen sixtythree issue of the militant
+LJ044-0214 reported castro as saying cuba could not accept a situation where at the same time the united states was trying to ease world tensions
+LJ044-0215 it also was increasing its efforts to tighten the noose around cuba
+LJ044-0217 was also reported in the october one nineteen sixtythree issue of the worker to which oswald also subscribed
+LJ044-0218 in this connection it should be noted that in speaking of the worker oswald told michael paine apparently in all seriousness that quote
+LJ044-0219 you could tell what they wanted you to do by reading between the lines reading the thing and doing a little reading between the lines end quote
+LJ044-0220 the general conflict of views between the united states and cuba was of course reflected in other media to such an extent
+LJ044-0221 that there can be no doubt that oswald was aware generally of the critical attitude that castro expressed about president kennedy
+LJ044-0222 oswald was asked during the new orleans radio debate in which he engaged on august twentyone nineteen sixtythree
+LJ044-0223 whether or not he agreed with castro that president kennedy was a quote ruffian and a thief end quote he replied that he quote
+LJ044-0224 would not agree with that particular wording end quote
+LJ044-0225 it should also be noted however that one witness testified that shortly before the assassination
+LJ044-0226 oswald had expressed approval of president kennedys active role in the area of civil rights
+LJ044-0227 although oswald could possibly have been motivated in part by his sympathy for the castro government
+LJ044-0228 it should be remembered that his wife testified that he was disappointed with his failure to get to cuba
+LJ044-0229 and had lost his desire to do so because of the bureaucracy and red tape which he had encountered
+LJ044-0230 his unhappy experience with the cuban consul seems thus to have reduced his enthusiasm for the castro regime and his desire to go to cuba
+LJ044-0231 while some of castros more severe criticisms of president kennedy might have led oswald to believe that he would be well received in cuba
+LJ044-0232 after he had assassinated the american president it does not appear that he had any plans to go there
+LJ044-0233 oswald was carrying only thirteen dollars eightyseven cents at the time of his arrest although he had left apparently by design
+LJ044-0234 one hundred seventy dollars in a wallet in his wifes room in irving
+LJ044-0235 if there was no conspiracy which would help him escape the possibility of which has been considered in chapter six
+LJ044-0236 it is unlikely that a reasoning person would plan to attempt to travel from dallas texas to cuba
+LJ044-0237 with thirteen dollars eightyseven cents when considerably greater resources were available to him
+LJ044-0238 the fact that oswald left behind the funds which might have enabled him to reach cuba suggests the absence of any plan to try to flee there
+LJ044-0239 and raises serious questions as to whether or not he ever expected to escape
+LJ045-0001 report of the presidents commission on the assassination of president kennedy the warren commission report by the presidents commission on the assassination of president kennedy
+LJ045-0002 chapter seven lee harvey oswald background and possible motives part six
+LJ045-0003 possible influence of antikennedy sentiment in dallas
+LJ045-0004 it has been suggested that one of the motivating influences operating on lee oswald was the atmosphere in the city of dallas
+LJ045-0005 especially an atmosphere of extreme opposition to president kennedy that was present in some parts of the dallas community
+LJ045-0006 and which received publicity there prior to the assassination
+LJ045-0007 some of that feeling was expressed in the incident involving then vicepresidential candidate johnson during the nineteen sixty campaign
+LJ045-0008 in the treatment of ambassador adlai stevenson late in october of nineteen sixtythree
+LJ045-0009 and in the extreme antikennedy newspaper advertisement and handbills that appeared in dallas at the time of the presidents visit there
+LJ045-0010 the commission has found no evidence that the extreme views expressed toward president kennedy
+LJ045-0011 by some rightwing groups centered in dallas or any other general atmosphere of hate
+LJ045-0012 or rightwing extremism which may have existed in the city of dallas had any connection with oswalds actions on november twentytwo nineteen sixtythree
+LJ045-0013 there is of course no way to judge what the effect of the general political ferment present in that city might have been even though oswald was aware of it
+LJ045-0014 his awareness is shown by a letter that he wrote to arnold johnson of the communist party usa
+LJ045-0015 which johnson said he did not receive until after the assassination the letter said in part quote
+LJ045-0016 on october twentythird i had attended a ultraright meeting headed by general edwin a walker who lives in dallas
+LJ045-0017 this meeting preceded by one day the attack on a e stevenson at the united nations day meeting at which he spoke
+LJ045-0018 as you can see political friction between left and right is very great here
+LJ045-0019 could you advise me as to the general view we have on the american civil liberties union end quote
+LJ045-0020 in any event the commission has been unable to find any credible evidence that oswald had direct contact or association with
+LJ045-0021 any of the personalities or groups epitomizing or representing the socalled right wing
+LJ045-0022 even though he did as he told johnson attend a meeting at which general walker spoke to approximately thirteen hundred persons
+LJ045-0023 oswalds writings and his reading habits indicate that he had an extreme dislike of the right wing an attitude most clearly reflected by his attempt
+LJ045-0024 to shoot general walker
+LJ045-0025 relationship with wife
+LJ045-0026 the relations between lee and marina oswald are of great importance in any attempt to understand oswalds possible motivation
+LJ045-0027 during the period from oswalds return from mexico to the assassination
+LJ045-0028 he and his wife spent every weekend but one together at the irving texas home of mrs ruth paine who was then separated from her husband
+LJ045-0029 the sole exception was the weekend of november sixteen to seventeen nineteen sixtythree the weekend before the assassination
+LJ045-0030 when his wife asked oswald not to come to irving
+LJ045-0031 during the week oswald lived in a roominghouse in dallas but he usually called his wife on the telephone twice a day
+LJ045-0032 she testified that after his return from mexico oswald quote changed for the better
+LJ045-0033 he began to treat me better he helped me more although he always did help but he was more attentive end quote
+LJ045-0034 marina oswald attributed that to their living apart and to the imminent birth of their second child
+LJ045-0035 she testified that oswald quote was very happy end quote about the birth of the child
+LJ045-0036 while those considerations no doubt had an effect on oswalds attitude toward his family it would seem that the need for support and sympathy
+LJ045-0037 after his recent rebuffs in mexico city
+LJ045-0038 might also have been important to him it would not have been the first time that oswald sought closer ties with his family in time of adversity
+LJ045-0039 his past relationships with his wife had been stormy however and it did not seem that she respected him very much
+LJ045-0040 they had been married after a courtship of only about six weeks a part of which oswald spent in the hospital
+LJ045-0041 oswalds diary reports that he married his wife shortly after his proposal of marriage to another girl had been rejected
+LJ045-0042 he stated that the other girl rejected him partly because he was an american a fact that he said she had exploited he stated that quote
+LJ045-0043 in spite of fact i married marina to hurt ella the girl that had rejected him i found myself in love with marina end quote
+LJ045-0044 many of the people with whom the oswalds became acquainted after their arrival in the united states thought that marina oswald had married her husband primarily in the hope
+LJ045-0045 that she would be able to leave the soviet union marina oswald has denied this
+LJ045-0046 marina oswald expressed one aspect of her husbands attitude toward her when she testified that quote lee wanted me to go to russia
+LJ045-0047 and i told him that
+LJ045-0048 if he wanted me to go then that meant that he didnt love me and that in that case what was the idea of coming to the united states in the first place
+LJ045-0049 lee would say that it would be better for me if i went to russia i did not know why i did not know what he had in mind
+LJ045-0050 he said he loved me but that it would be better for me if i went to russia and what he had in mind i dont know end quote
+LJ045-0051 on the other hand oswald objected to the invitation that his wife had received to live with mrs ruth paine
+LJ045-0052 which mrs paine had made in part to give her an alternative to returning to the soviet union marina oswald wrote to mrs paine that quote
+LJ045-0053 many times oswald has recalled this matter to me and said that i am just waiting for an opportunity to hurt him
+LJ045-0054 it has been the cause of many of our arguments end quote oswald claimed that his wife preferred others to him
+LJ045-0055 he said this about members of the russianspeaking group in the dallasft worth area whom she said he tried to forbid her from seeing
+LJ045-0056 and also about mrs paine
+LJ045-0057 he specifically made that claim when his wife refused to come to live with him in dallas as he asked her to do on the evening of november twentyone
+LJ045-0058 nineteen sixtythree
+LJ045-0059 the instability of their relations was probably a function of the personalities of both people oswald was overbearing in relations with his wife
+LJ045-0060 he apparently attempted to be the commander by dictating many of the details of their married life
+LJ045-0061 while marina oswald said that her husband wanted her to learn english
+LJ045-0062 he made no attempt to help her and there are other indications that he did not want her to learn that language
+LJ045-0063 oswald apparently wished to continue practicing his own russian with her lieutenant martello of the new orleans police testified
+LJ045-0064 that oswald stated that he did not speak english in his family because he did not want them to become americanized
+LJ045-0065 marina oswalds inability to speak english also made it more difficult for her to have an independent existence in this country
+LJ045-0066 oswald struck his wife on occasion
+LJ045-0067 did not want her to drink smoke or wear cosmetics and generally treated her with lack of respect in the presence of others
+LJ045-0068 the difficulties which oswalds problems would have caused him in any relationship were probably not reduced by his wifes conduct
+LJ045-0069 katherine ford with whom marina oswald stayed during her separation from her husband in november of nineteen sixtytwo
+LJ045-0070 thought that marina oswald was immature in her thinking and partly responsible for the difficulties that the oswalds were having at that time
+LJ045-0071 mrs ford said that marina oswald admitted that she provoked oswald on occasion
+LJ045-0072 there can be little doubt that some provocation existed
+LJ045-0073 oswald once struck his wife because of a letter which she wrote to a former boyfriend in russia
+LJ045-0074 in the letter marina oswald stated that her husband had changed a great deal and that she was very lonely in the united states
+LJ045-0075 she was quote sorry that i had not married him the russian boyfriend instead that it would have been much easier for me end quote
+LJ045-0076 the letter fell into oswalds hands when it was returned to his post office box
+LJ045-0077 because of insufficient postage which apparently resulted from an increase in postal rates of which his wife had been unaware
+LJ045-0078 oswald read the letter but refused to believe that it was sincere even though his wife insisted to him that it was
+LJ045-0079 as a result oswald struck her as to which she testified quote
+LJ045-0080 generally i think that was right for such things that is the right thing to do there was some grounds for it end quote
+LJ045-0081 although she denied it in some of her testimony before the commission
+LJ045-0082 it appears that marina oswald also complained that her husband was not able to provide more material things for her
+LJ045-0083 on that issue george de mohrenschildt who was probably as close to the oswalds as anyone else during their first stay in dallas
+LJ045-0084 said that quote she was annoying him all the time
+LJ045-0085 why dont you make some money poor guy was going out of his mind we told her she should not annoy him poor guy he is doing his best dont annoy him so much
+LJ045-0086 the de mohrenschildts also testified that quote right in front end quote of oswald marina oswald complained about oswalds inadequacy as a husband
+LJ045-0087 mrs oswald told another of her friends that oswald was very cold to her that they very seldom had sexual relations
+LJ045-0088 and that oswald quote was not a man end quote she also told mrs paine that she was not satisfied with her sexual relations with oswald
+LJ045-0089 marina oswald also ridiculed her husbands political views thereby tearing down his view of his own importance
+LJ045-0090 he was very much interested in autobiographical works of outstanding statesmen of the united states to whom his wife thought he compared himself
+LJ045-0091 she said he was different from other people in quote at least his imagination his fantasy which was quite unfounded
+LJ045-0092 as to the fact that he was an outstanding man end quote
+LJ045-0093 she said that she quote always tried to point out to him that he was a man like any others who were around us but he simply could not understand that end quote
+LJ045-0094 jeanne de mohrenschildt however thought that marina oswald quote said things that will hurt mens pride end quote
+LJ045-0095 she said that if she ever spoke to her husband the way marina oswald spoke to her husband quote we would not last long end quote
+LJ045-0096 mrs de mohrenschildt thought that oswald
+LJ045-0097 whom she compared to quote a puppy dog that everybody kicked end quote had a lot of good qualities in spite of the fact that quote
+LJ045-0098 nobody said anything good about him end quote
+LJ045-0099 she had quote the impression that he was just pushed pushed pushed and she marina oswald was probably nagging nagging nagging end quote
+LJ045-0100 she thought that he might not have become involved in the assassination if people had been kinder to him
+LJ045-0101 in spite of these difficulties however and in the face of the economic problems that were always with them
+LJ045-0102 things apparently went quite smoothly from the time oswald returned from mexico until the weekend of november sixteen to seventeen nineteen sixtythree
+LJ045-0103 mrs paine was planning a birthday party for one of her children on that weekend and her husband michael was to be at the house
+LJ045-0104 marina oswald said that she knew her husband did not like michael paine and so she asked him not to come out that weekend even though he wanted to do so
+LJ045-0105 she testified that she told him quote
+LJ045-0106 that he shouldnt come every week that perhaps it is not convenient for ruth that the whole family be there live there end quote
+LJ045-0107 she testified that he responded quote as you wish if you dont want me to come i wont end quote
+LJ045-0108 ruth paine testified that she heard marina oswald tell oswald about the birthday party
+LJ045-0109 on sunday november seventeen nineteen sixtythree
+LJ045-0110 ruth paine and marina oswald decided to call oswald at the place where he was living unbeknownst to them under the name of o h lee
+LJ045-0111 they asked for lee oswald who was not called to the telephone because he was known by the other name
+LJ045-0112 when oswald called the next day his wife became very angry about his use of the alias he said that he used it because quote
+LJ045-0113 he did not want his landlady to know his real name because she might read in the paper of the fact that he had been in russia and that he had been questioned end quote
+LJ045-0114 oswald also said that he did not want the fbi to know where he lived quote because their visits were not very pleasant for him
+LJ045-0115 and he thought that he loses jobs because the fbi visits the place of his employment end quote
+LJ045-0116 while the facts of his defection had become known in new orleans as a result of his radio debate with bringuier
+LJ045-0117 it would appear to be unlikely that his landlady in dallas
+LJ045-0118 would see anything in the newspaper about his defection unless he engaged in activities similar to those
+LJ045-0119 which had led to the disclosure of his defection in new orleans
+LJ045-0120 furthermore even though it appears that at times oswald was really upset by visits of the fbi
+LJ045-0121 it does not appear that he ever lost his job because of its activities although he may well not have been aware of that fact
+LJ045-0122 while oswalds concern about the fbi had some basis in fact in that fbi agents had interviewed him in the past and had renewed their interest
+LJ045-0123 to some extent after his fair play for cuba committee activities had become known he exaggerated their concern for him
+LJ045-0124 marina oswald thought he did so in order to emphasize his importance
+LJ045-0125 for example in his letter of november nine nineteen sixtythree
+LJ045-0126 to the soviet embassy in washington he asked about the entrance visas for which he and his wife had previously applied
+LJ045-0127 he absolved the soviet embassy in mexico city of any blame for his difficulties there he advised the washington embassy
+LJ045-0128 that the fbi was quote not now end quote interested in his fair play for cuba committee activities but noted that the fbi quote
+LJ045-0129 has visited us here in dallas texas on november one agent james p hasty
+LJ045-0130 warned me that if i engaged in fpcc activities in texas the fbi will again take an interest in me end quote
+LJ045-0131 neither hosty nor any other agent of the fbi spoke to oswald on any subject from august ten nineteen sixtythree
+LJ045-0132 to the time of the assassination
+LJ045-0133 the claimed warning was one more of oswalds fabrications
+LJ045-0134 hosty had come to the paine residence on november one and five nineteen sixtythree
+LJ045-0135 but did not issue any such warning or suggest that marina oswald defect from the soviet union and remain in the united states under fbi protection
+LJ045-0136 as oswald went on to say in oswalds imagination quote
+LJ045-0137 i and my wife strongly protested these tactics by the notorious fbi end quote
+LJ045-0138 in fact his wife testified that she only said that she would prefer not to receive any more visits from the bureau
+LJ045-0139 because of the quote very exciting and disturbing effect end quote they had upon her husband who was not even present at that time
+LJ045-0140 the arguments he used to justify his use of the alias suggest that oswald may have come to think that the whole world was becoming involved
+LJ045-0141 in an increasingly complex conspiracy against him
+LJ045-0142 he may have felt he could never tell when the fbi was going to appear on the scene or who else was going to find out about his defection
+LJ045-0143 and use it against him as had been done in new orleans
+LJ045-0144 on the other hand the concern he expressed about the fbi may have been just another story to support the objective he sought in his letter
+LJ045-0145 those arguments however were not persuasive to marina oswald
+LJ045-0146 to whom quote it was nothing terrible if people were to find out that he had been in russia end quote
+LJ045-0147 she asked oswald quote
+LJ045-0148 after all when will all your foolishness come to an end all of these comedies first one thing and then another and now this fictitious name end quote
+LJ045-0149 she said quote
+LJ045-0150 on monday november eighteen nineteen sixtythree he called several times but after i hung up on him and didnt want to talk to him he did not call again
+LJ045-0151 he then arrived on thursday november twentyone nineteen sixtythree end quote
+LJ045-0152 the events of that evening can best be appreciated through marina oswalds testimony
+LJ045-0153 question did your husband give any reason for coming home on thursday
+LJ045-0154 answer he said that he was lonely because he hadnt come the preceding weekend and he wanted to make his peace with me
+LJ045-0155 question did you say anything to him then
+LJ045-0156 answer he tried to talk to me but i would not answer him and he was very upset question were you upset with him
+LJ045-0157 answer i was angry of course he was not angry he was upset i was angry he tried very hard to please me
+LJ045-0158 he spent quite a bit of time putting away diapers and played with the children on the street
+LJ045-0159 question how did you indicate to him that you were angry with him answer by not talking to him
+LJ045-0160 question and how did he show that he was upset
+LJ045-0161 he was upset over the fact that i would not answer him
+LJ045-0162 he tried to start a conversation with me several times but i would not answer and he said that he didnt want me to be angry at him because this upsets him
+LJ045-0163 on that day he suggested that we rent an apartment in dallas
+LJ045-0164 he said that he was tired of living alone and perhaps the reason for my being so angry was the fact that we were not living together
+LJ045-0165 that if i want to he would rent an apartment in dallas tomorrow that he didnt want me to remain with ruth any longer but wanted me to live with him in dallas
+LJ045-0166 he repeated this not once but several times but i refused and he said that once again i was preferring my friends to him and that i didnt need him
+LJ045-0167 question what did you say to that
+LJ045-0168 answer i said it would be better if i remained with ruth until the holidays he would come and we would all meet together
+LJ045-0169 that this was better because while he was living alone and i stayed with ruth we were spending less money and i told him to buy me a washing machine because two children
+LJ045-0170 it became too difficult to wash by hand
+LJ045-0171 what did he say to that
+LJ045-0172 answer he said he would buy me a washing machine
+LJ045-0173 question what did you say to that answer
+LJ045-0174 thank you that it would be better if he bought something for himself that i would manage end quote that night oswald went to bed before his wife retired
+LJ045-0175 she did not speak to him when she joined him there although she thought that he was still awake
+LJ045-0176 the next morning he left for work before anyone else arose
+LJ045-0177 for the first time
+LJ045-0178 he left his wedding ring in a cup on the dresser in his room he also left one hundred seventy dollars in a wallet in one of the dresser drawers
+LJ045-0179 he took with him thirteen dollars eightyseven cents and the long brown package that frazier and mrs randle saw him carry
+LJ045-0180 and which he was to take to the school book depository the unanswered questions
+LJ045-0181 no one will ever know what passed through oswalds mind during the week before november twentytwo nineteen sixtythree
+LJ045-0182 instead of returning to irving on november fifteen for his customary weekend visit he remained in dallas at his wifes suggestion because of the birthday party
+LJ045-0183 he had argued with her over the use of an alias and had not called her after that argument although he usually telephoned once or twice a day
+LJ045-0184 then on thursday morning november twentyone
+LJ045-0185 he asked frazier for a ride to irving that night stating falsely that he wanted to pick up some curtain rods to put in an apartment
+LJ045-0186 he must have planned his attack at the very latest prior to thursday morning when he spoke to frazier
+LJ045-0187 there is of course no way to determine the degree to which he was committed to his plan at that time
+LJ045-0188 while there is no way to tell when he first began to think specifically of assassinating the president
+LJ045-0189 it should be noted that mention of the trade mart as the expected site of the presidential luncheon
+LJ045-0190 appeared in the dallas times herald on november fifteen nineteen sixtythree
+LJ045-0191 the next day that paper announced the final approval of the trade mart as the luncheon site and stated that the motorcade quote
+LJ045-0192 apparently will loop through the downtown area probably on main street
+LJ045-0193 en route from dallas love field end quote on its way to the trade mart on stemmons freeway
+LJ045-0194 anyone who was familiar with that area of dallas would have known that the motorcade would probably pass the texas school book depository to get from main street
+LJ045-0195 onto the stemmons freeway
+LJ045-0196 that fact was made precisely clear in subsequent news stories on november nineteen twenty and twentytwo
+LJ045-0197 on november fifteen nineteen sixtythree the same day that his wife told him not to come to irving oswald could have assumed
+LJ045-0198 that the presidential motorcade would pass in front of his place of work
+LJ045-0199 whether he thought about assassinating the president over the weekend can never be known but it is reasonably certain
+LJ045-0200 that over the weekend he did think about his wifes request that he not come to irving which was prompted by the birthday party being held at the paine home
+LJ045-0201 oswald had a highly exaggerated sense of his own importance but he had failed at almost everything he had ever tried to do
+LJ045-0202 he had great difficulty in establishing meaningful relations with other people except for his family he was completely alone
+LJ045-0203 even though he had searched in the marine corps in his ideal of communism in the soviet union and in his attempt to get to cuba
+LJ045-0204 he had never found anything to which he felt he could really belong
+LJ045-0205 after he returned from his trip to mexico where his application to go to cuba had been sharply rejected
+LJ045-0206 it must have appeared to him that he was unable to command even the attention of his family
+LJ045-0207 he could not keep them with him in dallas where at least he could see his children whom several witnesses testified he seemed to love
+LJ045-0208 his family lived with mrs paine ostensibly because oswald could not afford to keep an apartment in dallas
+LJ045-0209 but it was also at least in part because his wife did not want to live there with him
+LJ045-0210 now it appeared that he was not welcome at the paine home
+LJ045-0211 where he had spent every previous weekend since his return from mexico and his wife was once again calling into question his judgment
+LJ045-0212 this time concerning his use of an alias
+LJ045-0213 the conversation on monday november eighteen nineteen sixtythree
+LJ045-0214 ended when marina oswald hung up and refused to talk to him although he may long before have decided on the course he was to follow
+LJ045-0215 and may have told his wife the things he did on the evening of november twentyone
+LJ045-0216 nineteen sixtythree merely to disarm her and to provide a justification of sorts
+LJ045-0217 both she and mrs paine thought he had come home to make up after the fight on monday
+LJ045-0218 thoughts of his personal difficulties must have been at least partly on his mind when he went to irving on thursday night and told his wife that he was lonely
+LJ045-0219 that he wanted to make peace with her and bring his family to dallas where they could live with him again
+LJ045-0220 the commission does not believe that the relations between oswald and his wife caused him to assassinate the president
+LJ045-0221 it is unlikely that the motivation was that simple
+LJ045-0222 the feelings of hostility and aggression which seem to have played such an important part in oswalds life
+LJ045-0223 were part of his character long before he met his wife
+LJ045-0224 and such a favorable opportunity to strike at a figure as great as the president would probably never have come to him again
+LJ045-0225 oswalds behavior after the assassination throws little light on his motives
+LJ045-0226 the fact that he took so little money with him when he left irving in the morning indicates that he did not expect to get very far from dallas on his own
+LJ045-0227 and suggests the possibility as did his note to his wife just prior to the attempt on general walker that he did not expect to escape at all
+LJ045-0228 on the other hand he could have traveled some distance with the money he did have and he did return to his room where he obtained his revolver
+LJ045-0229 he then killed patrolman tippit when that police officer apparently tried to question him after he had left his roominghouse and he vigorously resisted arrest
+LJ045-0230 when he was finally apprehended in the texas theatre although it is not fully corroborated by others who were present
+LJ045-0231 two officers have testified that at the time of his arrest oswald said something to the effect that quote its all over now end quote
+LJ045-0232 oswald was overbearing and arrogant throughout much of the time between his arrest and his own death
+LJ045-0233 he consistently refused to admit involvement in the assassination or in the killing of patrolman tippit
+LJ045-0234 while he did become enraged at at least one point in his interrogation
+LJ045-0235 the testimony of the officers present indicates that he handled himself with considerable composure during his questioning
+LJ045-0236 he admitted nothing that would damage him but discussed other matters quite freely
+LJ045-0237 his denials under questioning which have no probative value in view of the many readily demonstrable lies he told at that time
+LJ045-0238 and in the face of the overwhelming evidence against him
+LJ045-0239 which has been set forth above only served to prolong the period during which he was the center of the attention of the entire world
+LJ045-0240 many factors were undoubtedly involved in oswalds motivation for the assassination and the commission does not believe
+LJ045-0241 that it can ascribe to him any one motive or group of motives
+LJ045-0242 it is apparent however that oswald was moved by an overriding hostility to his environment
+LJ045-0243 he does not appear to have been able to establish meaningful relationships with other people he was perpetually discontented with the world around him
+LJ045-0244 long before the assassination he expressed his hatred for american society and acted in protest against it
+LJ045-0245 oswalds search for what he conceived to be the perfect society was doomed from the start
+LJ045-0246 he sought for himself a place in history a role as the great man who would be recognized as having been in advance of his times
+LJ045-0247 his commitment to marxism and communism appears to have been another important factor in his motivation
+LJ045-0248 he also had demonstrated a capacity to act decisively and without regard to the consequences when such action would further his aims of the moment
+LJ045-0249 out of these and the many other factors which may have molded the character of lee harvey oswald
+LJ045-0250 there emerged a man capable of assassinating president kennedy
+LJ046-0001 report of the presidents commission on the assassination of president kennedy the warren commission report by
+LJ046-0002 the presidents commission on the assassination of president kennedy chapter eight the protection of the president part one
+LJ046-0003 in the one hundred years since eighteen sixtyfive
+LJ046-0004 four presidents of the united states have been assassinated
+LJ046-0005 abraham lincoln james a garfield william mckinley and john f kennedy
+LJ046-0006 during this same period there were three other attacks on the life of a president
+LJ046-0007 a presidentelect and a candidate for the presidency which narrowly failed
+LJ046-0008 on theodore roosevelt while campaigning in october of nineteen twelve on presidentelect franklin delano roosevelt
+LJ046-0009 when visiting miami on february fifteen nineteen thirtythree and on president harry s truman on november one nineteen fifty
+LJ046-0010 when his temporary residence blair house was attacked by puerto rican nationalists
+LJ046-0011 one out of every five presidents since eighteen sixtyfive has been assassinated
+LJ046-0012 there have been attempts on the lives of one out of every three
+LJ046-0013 prompted by these dismaying statistics the commission has inquired into the problems and methods of presidential protection in effect
+LJ046-0014 at the time of president kennedys assassination
+LJ046-0015 this study has led the commission to conclude that the public interest might be served by any contribution it can make to the improvement of protective arrangements
+LJ046-0016 the commission has not undertaken a comprehensive examination of all facets of this subject
+LJ046-0017 rather it has devoted its time and resources to those broader aspects of presidential protection
+LJ046-0018 to which the events of last november called attention
+LJ046-0019 in this part of its inquiry the commission has had full access to a major study of all phases of protective activities
+LJ046-0020 prepared by the secret service for the secretary of the treasury following the assassination as a result of this study
+LJ046-0021 the secretary of the treasury has prepared a planning document dated august twentyseven nineteen sixtyfour
+LJ046-0022 which recommends additional personnel and facilities to enable the secret service to expand its protection capabilities
+LJ046-0023 the secretary of the treasury submitted this planning document on august thirtyone nineteen sixtyfour
+LJ046-0024 to the bureau of the budget for review and approval
+LJ046-0025 this planning document has been made a part of the commissions published record the underlying staff and consultants reports reviewed by the commission have not
+LJ046-0026 since a disclosure of such detailed information relating to protective measures might undermine present methods of protecting the president
+LJ046-0027 however all information considered by the commission which pertains to the protective function as it was carried out in dallas has been published as part of this report
+LJ046-0028 the protection of the president of the united states is an immensely difficult and complex task
+LJ046-0029 it is unlikely that measures can be devised to eliminate entirely the multitude of diverse dangers that may arise
+LJ046-0030 particularly when the president is traveling in this country or abroad
+LJ046-0031 the protective task is further complicated by the reluctance of presidents to take security precautions which might interfere with the performance of their duties
+LJ046-0032 or their desire to have frequent and easy access to the people
+LJ046-0033 the adequacy of existing procedures can fairly be assessed only after full consideration of the difficulty of the protective assignment
+LJ046-0034 with particular attention to the diverse roles which the president is expected to fill
+LJ046-0035 after reviewing this aspect of the matter this chapter will set forth the commissions conclusions
+LJ046-0036 regarding certain protective measures in force at the time of the dallas trip and propose recommendations for improvements
+LJ046-0037 the nature of the protective assignment
+LJ046-0038 the president is head of state chief executive commander in chief and leader of a political party
+LJ046-0039 as the ceremonial head of the government the president must discharge a wide range of public duties not only in washington but throughout the land
+LJ046-0040 in this role he appears to the american people in the words of william howard taft as quote
+LJ046-0041 the personal embodiment and representative of their dignity and majesty end quote
+LJ046-0042 as chief executive the president controls the exercise of the vast almost incalculable powers of the executive branch of the federal government
+LJ046-0043 as commander in chief of the armed forces he must maintain ultimate authority over the development and disposition of our military power
+LJ046-0044 in accordance with george washingtons maxim that americans have a government quote of accommodation as well as a government of laws end quote
+LJ046-0045 it is the presidents right and duty to be the active leader of his party as when he seeks to be reelected or to maintain his party in power
+LJ046-0046 in all of these roles the president must go to the people
+LJ046-0047 exposure of the president to public view through travel among the people of this country is a great and historic tradition of american life
+LJ046-0048 desired by both the president and the public it is an indispensable means of communication between the two
+LJ046-0049 more often than not presidential journeys have served more than one purpose at the same time ceremonial
+LJ046-0050 administrative political
+LJ046-0051 from george washington to john f kennedy such journeys have been a normal part of the presidents activities
+LJ046-0052 to promote nationwide acceptance of his administration washington made grand tours that served also to excite interest in the presidency
+LJ046-0053 in recent years presidential journeys have been frequent and extensive
+LJ046-0054 partly because of the greater speed and comfort of travel and partly because of the greater demands made on the president
+LJ046-0055 it is now possible for presidents to travel the length and breadth of a land far larger than the united states
+LJ046-0056 in seventeen eightynine in less time than it took george washington to travel from new york to mount vernon
+LJ046-0057 or thomas jefferson from washington to monticello
+LJ046-0058 during his presidency franklin d roosevelt made almost four hundred journeys and traveled more than three hundred fifty thousand miles
+LJ046-0059 since nineteen fortyfive roosevelts successors have ranged the world
+LJ046-0060 and their foreign journeys have come to be accepted as normal rather than extraordinary
+LJ046-0061 john f kennedys journey to texas in november nineteen sixtythree was in this tradition
+LJ046-0062 his friend and special assistant kenneth odonnell who accompanied him on his last visit to dallas
+LJ046-0063 stated the presidents views of his responsibilities with simplicity and clarity quote
+LJ046-0064 the presidents views of his responsibilities as president of the united states were that he meet the people that he go out to their homes and see them
+LJ046-0065 and allow them to see him and discuss if possible the views of the world as he sees it the problems of the country as he sees them
+LJ046-0066 and he felt that leaving washington for the president of the united states was a most necessary not only for the people but for the president himself
+LJ046-0067 that he expose himself to the actual basic problems that were disturbing the american people
+LJ046-0068 it helped him in his job here he was able to come back here with a fresh view of many things
+LJ046-0069 i think he felt very strongly that the president ought to get out of washington and go meet the people on a regular basis end quote
+LJ046-0070 whatever their purposes presidential journeys have greatly enlarged and complicated the task of protecting the president
+LJ046-0071 the secret service and the federal state and local law enforcement agencies which cooperate with it
+LJ046-0072 have been confronted in recent years with increasingly difficult problems created by the greater exposure of the president during his travels
+LJ046-0073 and the greater diversity of the audiences he must face in a world torn by conflicting ideologies
+LJ046-0074 if the sole goal were to protect the life of the president it could be accomplished with reasonable assurance despite the multiple roles he must play
+LJ046-0075 but his very position as representative of the people prevents him from effectively shielding himself from the people
+LJ046-0076 he cannot and will not take the precautions of a dictator or a sovereign
+LJ046-0077 under our system measures must be sought to afford security without impeding the presidents performance of his many functions
+LJ046-0078 the protection of the president must be thorough but inconspicuous to avoid even the suggestion of a garrison state
+LJ046-0079 the rights of private individuals must not be infringed
+LJ046-0080 if the protective job is well done its performance will be evident only in the unexceptional fact of its success
+LJ046-0081 the men in charge of protecting the president confronted by complex problems and limited as they are in the measures they may employ
+LJ046-0082 must depend upon the utmost cooperation and understanding from the public and the president
+LJ046-0083 the problem and the reasonable approach to its solution were ably stated in a memorandum prepared by fbi director j edgar hoover
+LJ046-0084 for the president soon after the assassination quote
+LJ046-0085 the degree of security that can be afforded the president of the united states
+LJ046-0086 is dependent to a considerable extent upon the degree of contact with the general public desired by the president
+LJ046-0087 absolute security is neither practical nor possible an approach to complete security would require the president
+LJ046-0088 to operate in a sort of vacuum isolated from the general public and behind impregnable barriers
+LJ046-0089 his travel would be in secret his public appearances would be behind bulletproof glass a more practical approach necessitates compromise
+LJ046-0090 any travel any contact with the general public involves a calculated risk on the part of the president and the men responsible for his protection
+LJ046-0091 such risks can be lessened when the president recognizes the security problem
+LJ046-0092 has confidence in the dedicated secret service men who are ready to lay down their lives for him
+LJ046-0093 and accepts the necessary security precautions which they recommend
+LJ046-0094 many presidents have been understandably impatient with the security precautions which many years of experience dictate
+LJ046-0095 because these precautions reduce the presidents privacy and the access to him of the people of the country
+LJ046-0096 nevertheless the procedures and advice should be accepted if the president wishes to have any security
+LJ046-0097 evaluation of presidential protection at the time of the assassination of president kennedy
+LJ046-0098 the history of presidential protection shows growing recognition over the years that the job must be done by able dedicated
+LJ046-0099 thoroughly professional personnel using the best technical equipment that can be devised
+LJ046-0100 the assassination of president kennedy demands an examination of the protective measures employed to safe guard him
+LJ046-0101 and an inquiry whether improvements can be made which will reduce the risk of another such tragedy
+LJ046-0102 this section considers first the means used to locate potential sources of danger to the president in time to take appropriate precautions
+LJ046-0103 in this connection the information available to federal agencies about lee harvey oswald
+LJ046-0104 is set out and the reasons why this information was not furnished to the secret service appraised
+LJ046-0105 second the adequacy of other advance preparations for the security of the president during his visit to dallas
+LJ046-0106 largely measures taken by the secret service is considered
+LJ046-0107 finally the performance of those charged with the immediate responsibility of protecting the president on november twentytwo is reviewed
+LJ046-0108 intelligence functions relating to presidential protection at the time of the dallas trip
+LJ046-0109 a basic element of presidential protection
+LJ046-0110 is the identification and elimination of possible sources of danger to the president before the danger becomes actual
+LJ046-0111 the secret service has attempted to perform this function through the activities of its protective research section
+LJ046-0112 and requests to other agencies federal and local for useful information
+LJ046-0113 the commission has concluded that at the time of the assassination
+LJ046-0114 the arrangements relied upon by the secret service to perform this function were seriously deficient
+LJ046-0115 adequacy of preventive intelligence operations of the secret service
+LJ046-0116 the main job of the protective research section prs
+LJ046-0117 is to collect process and evaluate information about persons or groups who may be a danger to the president
+LJ046-0118 in addition to this function prs is responsible for such tasks
+LJ046-0119 as obtaining clearance of some categories of white house employees and all tradesmen who service the white house
+LJ046-0120 the security processing of gifts sent to the president and technical inspections against covert listening devices
+LJ046-0121 at the time of the assassination prs was a very small group comprised of twelve specialists and three clerks
+LJ046-0122 many persons call themselves to the attention of prs by attempting to visit the president
+LJ046-0123 for bizarre reasons or by writing or in some other way attempting to communicate with him in a threatening or abusive manner
+LJ046-0124 or with undue persistence
+LJ046-0125 robert i bouck special agent in charge of prs
+LJ046-0126 estimated that most of the material received by his office originated in this fashion
+LJ046-0127 or from the occasional investigations initiated by the secret service
+LJ046-0128 while the balance was furnished to prs by other federal agencies with primary source being the fbi
+LJ046-0129 the total volume of information received by prs has risen steadily
+LJ046-0130 in nineteen fortythree prs received approximately nine thousand items of information
+LJ046-0131 in nineteen fiftythree this had increased to more than seventeen thousand items
+LJ046-0132 in nineteen sixtythree the total exceeded thirtytwo thousand items
+LJ046-0133 since many items may pertain to a single case these figures do not show the caseload
+LJ046-0134 in the period from november nineteen sixtyone to november nineteen sixtythree
+LJ046-0135 prs received items in eight thousand seven hundred nine cases
+LJ046-0136 before the assassination of president kennedy
+LJ046-0137 prs expressed its interest in receiving information on suspects in very general terms for example
+LJ046-0138 prs instructed the white house mailroom a source of much prs data
+LJ046-0139 to refer all communications on identified existing cases and in addition
+LJ046-0140 any communication quote that in any way indicates anyone may have possible intention of harming the president end quote
+LJ046-0141 slightly more specific criteria were established for prs personnel processing white house mail referred by the white house mailroom
+LJ046-0142 but again the standards were very general
+LJ046-0143 these instructions to prs personnel appear to be the only instance where an effort was made to reduce the criteria to writing
+LJ046-0144 when requested to provide a specific statement of the standards employed by prs in deciding what information to seek and retain
+LJ046-0145 the secret service responded quote
+LJ046-0146 the criteria in effect prior to november twentytwo nineteen sixtythree for determining whether to accept material for the prs general files
+LJ046-0147 were broad and flexible all material is and was desired accepted and filed if it indicated or tended to indicate
+LJ046-0148 that the safety of the president is or might be in danger either at the present or in the future
+LJ046-0149 there are many actions situations and incidents that may indicate such potential danger some are specific such as threats
+LJ046-0150 danger may be implied from others such as membership or activity in an organization which believes in assassination as a political weapon
+LJ046-0151 all material received by prs was separately screened
+LJ046-0152 and a determination made as to whether the information might indicate possible harm to the president
+LJ046-0153 if the material was evaluated
+LJ046-0154 as indicating some potential danger to the president no matter how small it was indexed in the general prs files
+LJ046-0155 under the name of the individual or group of individuals to whom that material related end quote
+LJ046-0156 the general files of prs consist of folders on individuals card indexed by name
+LJ046-0157 the files are manually maintained without use of any automatic dataprocessing techniques
+LJ046-0158 at the time of the assassination the active prs general files contained approximately fifty thousand cases
+LJ046-0159 accumulated over a twentyyear period some of which included more than one individual
+LJ046-0160 a case file was established if the information available suggested that the subject might be a danger to the president
+LJ046-0161 many of these cases were not investigated by prs
+LJ046-0162 the case file served merely as a repository for information until enough had accumulated to warrant an investigation
+LJ046-0163 during the period november nineteen sixtyone to november nineteen sixtythree
+LJ046-0164 prs investigated thirtyfour newly established or reactivated cases concerning residents of texas
+LJ046-0165 most of these cases involved persons who used threatening language in communications to or about the president
+LJ046-0166 an additional one hundred fifteen cases concerning texas residents were established but not investigated
+LJ046-0167 when prs learns of an individual whose conduct warrants scrutiny it requests an investigation by the closest secret service field office
+LJ046-0168 of which there are sixtyfive throughout the country
+LJ046-0169 if the field office determines that the case should be subject to continuing review prs establishes a file
+LJ046-0170 which requires a checkup at least every six months
+LJ046-0171 this might involve a personal interview or interviews with members of the persons household wherever possible
+LJ046-0172 the secret service arranges for the family and friends of the individual and local law enforcement officials
+LJ046-0173 to advise the field office if the subject displays signs of increased danger or plans to leave his home area
+LJ046-0174 at the time of the assassination there were approximately four hundred persons throughout the country who were subject to periodic review
+LJ046-0175 if prs concludes after investigation
+LJ046-0176 that an individual presents a significant danger to the life of the president his name is placed in a trip index file
+LJ046-0177 which is maintained on a geographical field office basis
+LJ046-0178 at the time of the assassination the names of about one hundred persons were in this index all of whom were included in the group of four hundred
+LJ046-0179 being reviewed regularly
+LJ046-0180 prs also maintains an album of photographs and descriptions of about twelve to fifteen individuals who are regarded as clear risks to the president
+LJ046-0181 and who do not have a fixed place of residence members of the white house detail of the secret service have copies of this album
+LJ046-0182 individuals who are regarded as dangerous to the president
+LJ046-0183 and who are in penal or hospital custody are listed only in the general files of prs
+LJ046-0184 but there is a system for the immediate notification of the secret service by the confining institution when a subject is released or escapes
+LJ046-0185 prs attempts to eliminate serious risks by hospitalization or where necessary
+LJ046-0186 the prosecution of persons who have committed an offense such as threatening the president
+LJ046-0187 in june nineteen sixtyfour prs had arrangements to be notified about the release or escape of approximately one thousand persons
+LJ046-0188 in summary at the time of the assassination
+LJ046-0189 prs had received over a twentyyear period basic information on some fifty thousand cases
+LJ046-0190 it had arrangements to be notified about release from confinement in roughly one thousand cases
+LJ046-0191 it had established periodic regular review of the status of four hundred individuals
+LJ046-0192 it regarded approximately one hundred of these four hundred cases as serious risks
+LJ046-0193 and twelve to fifteen of these cases as highly dangerous risks
+LJ046-0194 members of the white house detail were expected to familiarize themselves with the descriptions and photographs of the highest risk cases
+LJ046-0195 the cases subject to periodic review and the one hundred or so cases in the higher risk category
+LJ046-0196 were filed on a geographic basis and could conveniently be reviewed by a secret service agent preparing for a presidential trip
+LJ046-0197 to a particular part of the country these were the files reviewed by prs on november eight nineteen sixtythree
+LJ046-0198 at the request of special agent lawson advance agent for president kennedys trip to dallas
+LJ046-0199 the general files of prs were not indexed by geographic location and were of little use in preparing for a presidential visit to a specific locality
+LJ046-0200 secret service requests to other agencies for intelligence information
+LJ046-0201 were no more specific than the broad and general instructions its own agents and the white house mailroom
+LJ046-0202 the head of prs testified that the secret service requested other agencies to provide quote
+LJ046-0203 any and all information that they may come in contact with that would indicate danger to the president end quote
+LJ046-0204 these requests were communicated in writing by the secret service rather the service depended on the personal liaison maintained by prs
+LJ046-0205 with the headquarters of the federal intelligence agencies particularly the fbi
+LJ046-0206 and at the working level with personnel of the field offices of the various agencies the service frequently participated
+LJ046-0207 in the training programs of other law enforcement agencies and agents from other agencies attended the regular secret service training schools
+LJ046-0208 presidential protection was an important topic in these training programs
+LJ046-0209 in the absence of more specific instructions other federal agencies interpreted the secret services informal requests
+LJ046-0210 to relate principally to overt threats to harm the president or other specific manifestations of hostility
+LJ046-0211 for example at the time of the assassination the fbi handbook which is in the possession of every bureau special agent provided quote
+LJ046-0212 threats against the president of the us
+LJ046-0213 members of his immediate family the presidentelect and the vicepresident investigation of threats against the president of the united states
+LJ046-0214 members of his immediate family the presidentelect and the vicepresident is within the exclusive jurisdiction of the us secret service
+LJ046-0215 any information indicating the possibility of an attempt against the person or safety of the president
+LJ046-0216 members of the immediate family of the president the presidentelect or the vicepresident
+LJ046-0217 must be referred immediately by the most expeditious means of communication to the nearest office of the us secret service
+LJ046-0218 advise the bureau at the same time by teletype of the information so furnished to the secret service and the fact that it has been so disseminated
+LJ046-0219 the above action should be taken without delay in order to attempt to verify the information and no evaluation of the information should be attempted
+LJ046-0220 when the threat is in the form of a written communication give a copy to local secret service and forward the original to the bureau
+LJ046-0221 where it will be made available to secret service headquarters in washington
+LJ046-0222 the referral of the copy to local secret service should not delay the immediate referral of the information by the fastest available means of communication
+LJ046-0223 to secret service locally end quote
+LJ046-0224 the state department advised the secret service of all crank and threat letter mail
+LJ046-0225 or crank visitors and furnished reports concerning any assassination or attempted assassination of a ruler or other major official anywhere in the world
+LJ046-0226 the several military intelligence agencies reported crank mail and similar threats involving the president
+LJ046-0227 according to special agent in charge bouck
+LJ046-0228 the secret service had no standard procedure for the systematic review of its requests for and receipt of information from other federal agencies
+LJ046-0229 the commission believes that the facilities and procedures of the protective research section of the secret service
+LJ046-0230 prior to november twentytwo nineteen sixtythree were inadequate
+LJ046-0231 its efforts appear to have been too largely directed at the crank threat
+LJ046-0232 although the service recognized that its advance preventive measures must encompass more than these most obvious dangers
+LJ046-0233 it made little effort to identify factors in the activities of an individual
+LJ046-0234 or an organized group other than specific threats which suggested a source of danger against which timely precautions could be taken
+LJ046-0235 except for its special trip index file of four hundred names
+LJ046-0236 none of the cases in the prs general files was available for systematic review on a geographic basis when the president planned a particular trip
+LJ046-0237 as reported in chapter two when the special file was reviewed on november eight
+LJ046-0238 it contained the names of no persons from the entire dallasfort worth area
+LJ046-0239 notwithstanding the fact that ambassador stevenson had been abused by pickets in dallas less than a month before
+LJ046-0240 bouck explained the failure to try to identify the individuals involved in the stevenson incident after it occurred on the ground that
+LJ046-0241 prs required a more direct indication of a threat to the president and that there was no such indication until the presidents scheduled visit to that area became known
+LJ046-0242 such an approach seriously undermines the precautionary nature of prs work
+LJ046-0243 if the presence in dallas of the stevenson pickets might have created a danger for the president on a visit to that city
+LJ046-0244 prs should have investigated and been prepared to guard against it
+LJ046-0245 other agencies occasionally provided information to the secret service concerning potentially dangerous political groups
+LJ046-0246 this was done in the case of the nationalist party of puerto rico for example but only after members of the group had resorted to political violence
+LJ046-0247 however the vague requests for information which the secret service made
+LJ046-0248 to federal intelligence and law enforcement agencies were not well designed to elicit information from them
+LJ046-0249 about persons other than those who were obvious threats to the president
+LJ046-0250 the requests shifted the responsibility for evaluating difficult cases from the service the agency most responsible for performing that task
+LJ046-0251 to the other agencies no specific guidance was provided
+LJ046-0252 although the cia had on file requests from the treasury department for information on the counterfeiting of us currency and certain smuggling matters
+LJ046-0253 it had no written specification of intelligence information collected by cia abroad which was desired by the secret service
+LJ046-0254 in advance of presidential trips outside the united states
+LJ047-0001 report of the presidents commission on the assassination of president kennedy the warren commission report by the presidents commission on the assassination of president kennedy
+LJ047-0002 chapter eight the protection of the president part two
+LJ047-0003 information known about lee harvey oswald prior to the assassination
+LJ047-0004 no information concerning lee harvey oswald appeared in prs files before the presidents trip to dallas
+LJ047-0005 oswald was known to other federal agencies with which the secret service maintained intelligence liaison
+LJ047-0006 the fbi had been interested in him to some degree at least since the time of his defection in october nineteen fiftynine
+LJ047-0007 it had interviewed him twice shortly after his return to the united states again a year later at his request
+LJ047-0008 and was investigating him at the time of the assassination the commission has taken the testimony of bureau agents
+LJ047-0009 who interviewed oswald after his return from the soviet union and prior to november twentytwo nineteen sixtythree
+LJ047-0010 the agent who was assigned his case at the time of the assassination the director of the fbi
+LJ047-0011 and the assistant to the director in charge of all investigative activities under the director and associate director in addition
+LJ047-0012 the director and deputy director for plans of the cia testified concerning that agencys limited knowledge of oswald before the assassination
+LJ047-0013 finally the commission has reviewed the complete files on oswald as they existed at the time of the assassination of the department of state
+LJ047-0014 the office of naval intelligence the fbi and the cia the information known to the fbi is summarized below
+LJ047-0015 from defection to return to fort worth
+LJ047-0016 the fbi opened a file on oswald in october nineteen fiftynine when news reports appeared of his defection to the soviet union
+LJ047-0017 the file was opened quote
+LJ047-0018 for the purpose of correlating information inasmuch as he was considered a possible security risk in the event he returned to this country end quote
+LJ047-0019 oswalds defection was also the occasion for the opening of files by the department of state cia and the office of naval intelligence
+LJ047-0020 until april nineteen sixty fbi activity consisted of placing in oswalds file
+LJ047-0021 information regarding his relations with the us embassy in moscow and background data relating largely to his prior military service
+LJ047-0022 provided by other agencies
+LJ047-0023 in april nineteen sixty mrs marguerite oswald and robert oswald were interviewed
+LJ047-0024 in the course of a routine fbi investigation of transfers of small sums of money from mrs oswald to her son in russia
+LJ047-0025 during the next two years the fbi continued to accumulate information
+LJ047-0026 and kept itself informed on oswalds status by periodic reviews of state department and office of naval intelligence files
+LJ047-0027 in this way it learned that when oswald had arrived in the soviet union
+LJ047-0028 he had attempted to renounce his us citizenship and applied for soviet citizenship
+LJ047-0029 had described himself as a marxist had said he would give the soviet union any useful information he had acquired
+LJ047-0030 as a marine radar technician and had displayed an arrogant and aggressive attitude at the us embassy
+LJ047-0031 it learned also that oswald had been discharged from the marine corps reserve as undesirable in august nineteen sixty
+LJ047-0032 in june nineteen sixtytwo the bureau was advised by the department of state of oswalds plan to return to the united states
+LJ047-0033 the bureau made arrangements to be advised by immigration authorities of his return
+LJ047-0034 and instructed the dallas office to interview him when he got back to determine whether he had been recruited by a soviet intelligence service
+LJ047-0035 oswalds file at the department of state passport office was reviewed in june nineteen sixtytwo
+LJ047-0036 it revealed his letter of january thirty nineteen sixtytwo to secretary of the navy connally
+LJ047-0037 in which he protested his discharge and declared that he would use quote all means end quote to correct it
+LJ047-0038 the file reflected the departments determination that oswald had not expatriated himself
+LJ047-0039 from return to fort worth to move to new orleans
+LJ047-0040 oswald was first interviewed by fbi agents john w fain and b tom carter on june twentysix nineteen sixtytwo
+LJ047-0041 agent fain reported to headquarters that oswald was impatient and arrogant
+LJ047-0042 and unwilling to answer questions regarding his motive for going to the soviet union
+LJ047-0043 oswald quote denied that he had ever denounced his us citizenship and that he had ever applied for soviet citizenship specifically end quote
+LJ047-0044 oswald was however willing to discuss his contacts with soviet authorities he denied having any involvement with soviet intelligence agencies
+LJ047-0045 and promised to advise the fbi if he heard from them
+LJ047-0046 agent fain was not satisfied by this interview and arranged to see oswald again on august sixteen nineteen sixtytwo
+LJ047-0047 according to fains contemporaneous memorandum and his present recollection
+LJ047-0048 while oswald remained somewhat evasive at this interview he was not antagonistic and seemed generally to be settling down
+LJ047-0049 marina oswald however recalled that her husband was upset by this interview
+LJ047-0050 oswald again agreed to advise the fbi if he were approached under suspicious circumstances however he deprecated the possibility of this happening
+LJ047-0051 particularly since his employment did not involve any sensitive information
+LJ047-0052 having concluded that oswald was not a security risk or potentially dangerous or violent
+LJ047-0053 fain determined that nothing further remained to be done at that time and recommended that the case be placed in a closed status
+LJ047-0054 this is an administrative classification indicating that no further work has been scheduled
+LJ047-0055 it does not preclude the agent in charge of the case from reopening it if he feels that further work should be done
+LJ047-0056 from august nineteen sixtytwo
+LJ047-0057 until march nineteen sixtythree the fbi continued to accumulate information regarding oswald but engaged in no active investigation
+LJ047-0058 agent fain retired from the fbi in october nineteen sixtytwo and the closed oswald case was not reassigned
+LJ047-0059 however pursuant to a regular bureau practice of interviewing certain immigrants from iron curtain countries
+LJ047-0060 fain had been assigned to see marina oswald at an appropriate time
+LJ047-0061 this assignment was given to agent james p hosty jr of the dallas office upon fains retirement
+LJ047-0062 in march nineteen sixtythree while attempting to locate marina oswald
+LJ047-0063 agent hosty was told by mrs m f tobias a former landlady of the oswalds at six oh two elsbeth street in dallas
+LJ047-0064 that other tenants had complained because oswald was drinking to excess and beating his wife
+LJ047-0065 this information led hosty to review oswalds file from which he learned that oswald had become a subscriber to the worker
+LJ047-0066 a communist party publication
+LJ047-0067 hosty decided that the lee harvey oswald case should be reopened because of the alleged personal difficulties and the contact with the worker
+LJ047-0068 and his recommendation was accepted he decided however not to interview marina oswald at that time and merely determined
+LJ047-0069 that the oswalds were living at two one four neely street in dallas
+LJ047-0070 on april twentyone nineteen sixtythree the fbi field office in new york
+LJ047-0071 was advised that oswald was in contact with the fair play for cuba committee in new york and that he had written to the committee
+LJ047-0072 stating that he had distributed its pamphlets on the streets of dallas this information did not reach agent hosty in dallas until june
+LJ047-0073 hosty considered the information to be quote stale unquote by that time and did not attempt to verify oswalds reported statement
+LJ047-0074 under a general bureau request to be on the alert for activities of the fair play for cuba committee
+LJ047-0075 hosty had inquired earlier and found no evidence that it was functioning in the dallas area
+LJ047-0076 in new orleans in the middle of may of nineteen sixtythree agent hosty checked oswalds last known residence and found that he had moved
+LJ047-0077 oswald was tentatively located in new orleans in june
+LJ047-0078 and hosty asked the new orleans fbi office to determine oswalds address and what he was doing
+LJ047-0079 the new orleans office investigated and located oswald learning his address and former place of employment on august five nineteen sixtythree
+LJ047-0080 a confidential informant advised the fbi that oswald was not known to be engaged in communist party activities in new orleans
+LJ047-0081 on june twentyfour oswald applied in new orleans for a passport stating that he planned to depart by ship
+LJ047-0082 for an extended tour of western european countries the soviet union finland and poland
+LJ047-0083 the passport office of the department of state in washington had no listing for oswald requiring special treatment
+LJ047-0084 and his application was approved on the following day
+LJ047-0085 the fbi had not asked to be informed of any effort by oswald to obtain a passport
+LJ047-0086 as it might have under existing procedures and did not know of his application
+LJ047-0087 according to the bureau quote
+LJ047-0088 we did not request the state department to include oswald on a list which would have resulted in advising us of any application for a passport
+LJ047-0089 inasmuch as the facts relating to oswalds activities at that time did not warrant such action
+LJ047-0090 our investigation of oswald had disclosed no evidence that oswald was acting under the instructions or on behalf of
+LJ047-0091 any foreign government or instrumentality thereof end quote
+LJ047-0092 on august nine nineteen sixtythree
+LJ047-0093 oswald was arrested and jailed by the new orleans police department for disturbing the peace in connection with a street fight which broke out when he was accosted
+LJ047-0094 by anticastro cubans while distributing leaflets on behalf of the fair play for cuba committee
+LJ047-0095 on the next day he asked the new orleans police to arrange for him to be interviewed by the fbi
+LJ047-0096 the police called the local fbi office and an agent john l quigley was sent to the police station
+LJ047-0097 agent quigley did not know of oswalds prior fbi record when he interviewed him
+LJ047-0098 inasmuch as the police had not given oswalds name to the bureau when they called the office
+LJ047-0099 quigley recalled that oswald was receptive when questioned about his general background
+LJ047-0100 but less than completely truthful or cooperative when interrogated about the fair play for cuba committee
+LJ047-0101 quigley testified quote
+LJ047-0102 when i began asking him specific details with respect to his activities in the fair play for cuba committee in new orleans as to where meetings were held
+LJ047-0103 who was involved what occurred he was reticent to furnish information
+LJ047-0104 reluctant and actually as far as i was concerned was completely evasive on them end quote
+LJ047-0105 in quigleys judgment
+LJ047-0106 oswald quote was probably making a selfserving statement in attempting to explain to me why he was distributing this literature and for no other reason
+LJ047-0107 and when i got to questioning him further then he felt that his purpose had been served and he wouldnt say anything further end quote
+LJ047-0108 during the interview quigley obtained background information from oswald which was inconsistent with information already in the bureaus possession
+LJ047-0109 when quigley returned to his office he learned
+LJ047-0110 that another bureau agent milton r knack had been conducting a background investigation of oswald at the request of agent hosty in dallas
+LJ047-0111 quigley advised knack of his interview and gave him a detailed memorandum
+LJ047-0112 knack was aware of the facts known to the fbi and recognized oswalds false statements
+LJ047-0113 for example oswald claimed that his wifes maiden name was prossa
+LJ047-0114 and that they had been married in fort worth and lived there until coming to new orleans he had told the new orleans arresting officers that he had been born in cuba
+LJ047-0115 several days later the bureau received additional evidence that oswald had lied to agent quigley
+LJ047-0116 on august twentytwo it learned that oswald had appeared on a radio discussion program on august twentyone
+LJ047-0117 william stuckey who had appeared on the radio program with oswald told the bureau on august thirty
+LJ047-0118 that oswald had told him that he had worked and been married in the soviet union
+LJ047-0119 neither these discrepancies nor the fact that oswald had initiated the fbi interview
+LJ047-0120 was considered sufficiently unusual to necessitate another interview alan h belmont assistant to the director of the fbi
+LJ047-0121 stated the bureaus reasoning in this way quote
+LJ047-0122 our interest in this man at this point was to determine whether his activities constituted a threat to the internal security of the country
+LJ047-0123 it was apparent that he had made a selfserving statement to agent quigley it became a matter of record in our files as a part of the case
+LJ047-0124 and if we determined that the course of the investigation required us to clarify or face him down with this information we would do it at the appropriate time
+LJ047-0125 in other words he committed no violation of the law by telling us something that wasnt true and unless this required further investigation at that time
+LJ047-0126 we would handle it in due course in accord with the whole context of the investigation end quote
+LJ047-0127 on august twentyone nineteen sixtythree bureau headquarters instructed the new orleans and dallas field offices
+LJ047-0128 to conduct an additional investigation of oswald in view of the activities which had led to his arrest
+LJ047-0129 fbi informants in the new orleans area familiar with procastro or communist party activity there
+LJ047-0130 advised the bureau that oswald was unknown in such circles
+LJ047-0131 in early september nineteen sixtythree
+LJ047-0132 the fbi transferred the principal responsibility for the oswald case from the dallas office to the new orleans office
+LJ047-0133 soon after on october one nineteen sixtythree
+LJ047-0134 the fbi was advised by the rental agent for the oswalds apartment in new orleans that they had moved again
+LJ047-0135 according to the information received by the bureau
+LJ047-0136 they had vacated their apartment and marina oswald had departed with their child in a station wagon with texas registration
+LJ047-0137 on october three hosty reopened the case in dallas to assist the new orleans office
+LJ047-0138 he checked in oswalds old neighborhood and throughout the dallasfort worth area but was unable to locate oswald
+LJ047-0139 the next word about oswalds location was a communication from the cia to the fbi on october ten
+LJ047-0140 advising that an individual tentatively identified as oswald had been in touch with the soviet embassy in mexico city
+LJ047-0141 in early october of nineteen sixtythree
+LJ047-0142 the bureau had no earlier information suggesting that oswald had left the united states
+LJ047-0143 the possible contact with the soviet embassy in mexico intensified the fbis interest in learning oswalds whereabouts
+LJ047-0144 the fbi representative in mexico city arranged to follow up this information with the cia and to verify oswalds entry into mexico
+LJ047-0145 the cia message was sent also to the department of state where it was reviewed by personnel of the passport office who knew from oswalds file
+LJ047-0146 that he had sought and obtained a passport on june twentyfive nineteen sixtythree
+LJ047-0147 the department of state did not advise either the cia or the fbi of these facts
+LJ047-0148 on october twentyfive
+LJ047-0149 the new orleans office of the fbi learned that in september oswald had given a forwarding address of two five one five
+LJ047-0150 west fifth street irving texas after receiving this information on october twentynine agent hosty attempted to locate oswald
+LJ047-0151 on the same day hosty interviewed neighbors on fifth street and learned that the address was that of mrs ruth paine
+LJ047-0152 he conducted a limited background investigation of the paines intending to interview mrs paine and ask her particularly about oswalds whereabouts
+LJ047-0153 having determined that mrs paine was a responsible and reliable citizen hosty interviewed her on november one
+LJ047-0154 the interview lasted about twenty to twentyfive minutes in response to hostys inquiries mrs paine quote
+LJ047-0155 readily admitted that mrs marina oswald and lee oswalds two children were staying with her
+LJ047-0156 she said that lee oswald was living somewhere in dallas she didnt know where she said it was in the oak cliff area but she didnt have his address
+LJ047-0157 i asked her if she knew where he worked
+LJ047-0158 after a moments hesitation she told me that he worked at the texas school book depository near the downtown area of dallas
+LJ047-0159 she didnt have the exact address and it is my recollection that we went to the phone book and looked it up
+LJ047-0160 found it to be four one one elm street end quote
+LJ047-0161 mrs paine told hosty also
+LJ047-0162 that oswald was living alone in dallas because she did not want him staying at her house although she was willing to let oswald visit his wife and children
+LJ047-0163 according to hosty mrs paine indicated that she thought she could find out where oswald was living and would let him know
+LJ047-0164 at this point in the interview hosty gave mrs paine his name and office telephone number on a piece of paper
+LJ047-0165 at the end of the interview marina oswald came into the room when he observed that she seemed quote quite alarmed end quote about the visit
+LJ047-0166 hosty assured her through mrs paine as interpreter that the fbi would not harm or harass her
+LJ047-0167 on november four hosty telephoned the texas school book depository and learned that oswald was working there
+LJ047-0168 and that he had given as his address mrs paines residence in irving
+LJ047-0169 hosty took the necessary steps to have the dallas office of the fbi rather than the new orleans office reestablished as the office with principal responsibility
+LJ047-0170 on november five hosty was traveling near mrs paines home and took the occasion to stop by to ask whether she had any further information
+LJ047-0171 mrs paine had nothing to add to what she had already told him except that during a visit that past weekend
+LJ047-0172 oswald had said that he was a quote trotskyite communist end quote
+LJ047-0173 and that she found this and similar statements illogical and somewhat amusing on this occasion hosty was at the paine residence for only a few minutes
+LJ047-0174 during neither interview did hosty learn oswalds address
+LJ047-0175 or telephone number in dallas mrs paine testified that she learned oswalds telephone number at the beckley street roominghouse in the middle of october
+LJ047-0176 shortly after oswald rented the room on october fourteen
+LJ047-0177 as discussed in chapter six she failed to report this to agent hosty
+LJ047-0178 because she thought the fbi was in possession of a great deal of information and certainly would find it very easy to learn where oswald was living
+LJ047-0179 hosty did nothing further in connection with the oswald case until after the assassination on november one nineteen sixtythree
+LJ047-0180 he had received a copy of the report of the new orleans office which contained agent quigleys memorandum of the interview in the new orleans jail on august ten
+LJ047-0181 and realized immediately that oswald had given false biographic information hosty knew that he would eventually have to investigate this and quote
+LJ047-0182 was quite interested in determining the nature of his contact with the soviet embassy in mexico city end quote
+LJ047-0183 when asked what his next step would have been hosty replied quote
+LJ047-0184 well as i had previously stated i have between twentyfive and forty cases assigned to me at any one time i had other matters to take care of
+LJ047-0185 i had now established that lee oswald was not employed in a sensitive industry
+LJ047-0186 i can now afford to wait until new orleans forwarded the necessary papers to me to show me i now had all the information
+LJ047-0187 it was then my plan to interview marina oswald in detail concerning both herself and her husbands background question
+LJ047-0188 had you planned any steps beyond that point
+LJ047-0189 answer no i would have to wait until i had talked to marina to see what i could determine and from there i could make my plans
+LJ047-0190 question did you take any action on this case between november five and november twentytwo answer no sir
+LJ047-0191 the official bureau files confirm hostys statement that from november five until the assassination no active investigation was conducted
+LJ047-0192 on november eighteen the fbi learned that oswald recently had been in communication with the soviet embassy in washington
+LJ047-0193 and so advised the dallas office in the ordinary course of business
+LJ047-0194 hosty received this information on the afternoon of november twentytwo nineteen sixtythree
+LJ047-0195 nonreferral of oswald to the secret service
+LJ047-0196 the commission has considered carefully the question whether the fbi
+LJ047-0197 in view of all the information concerning oswald in its files should have alerted the secret service to oswalds presence in dallas
+LJ047-0198 prior to president kennedys visit
+LJ047-0199 the secret service and the fbi differ
+LJ047-0200 as to whether oswald fell within the category of quote threats against the president end quote which should be referred to the service
+LJ047-0201 robert i bouck special agent in charge of the protective research section
+LJ047-0202 testified that the information available to the federal government about oswald before the assassination would if known to prs
+LJ047-0203 have made oswald a subject of concern to the secret service
+LJ047-0204 bouck pointed to a number of characteristics besides oswalds defection the cumulative effect of which would have been to alert the secret service
+LJ047-0205 to potential danger quote
+LJ047-0206 i would think his continued association with the russian embassy after his return
+LJ047-0207 his association with the castro groups would have been of concern to us a knowledge that he had i believe
+LJ047-0208 been courtmartialed for illegal possession of a gun of a handgun in the marines
+LJ047-0209 that he had owned a weapon and did a good deal of hunting or use of it perhaps in russia plus a number of items about his disposition and unreliability of character
+LJ047-0210 i think all of those if we had them all together
+LJ047-0211 would have added up to pointing out a pretty bad individual and i think that together had we known that he had a vantage point
+LJ047-0212 would have seemed somewhat serious to us even though i must admit that none of these in themselves would be
+LJ047-0213 would meet our specific criteria none of them alone but it is when you begin adding them up to some degree that you begin to get criteria that are meaningful
+LJ047-0214 end quote mr bouck pointed out however that he had no reason to believe that any one federal agency had access to all this information
+LJ047-0215 including the significant fact that oswald was employed in a building which overlooked the motorcade route
+LJ047-0216 agent hosty testified that he was fully aware of the pending presidential visit to dallas
+LJ047-0217 he recalled that the special agent in charge of the dallas office of the fbi j gordon shanklin
+LJ047-0218 had discussed the presidents visit on several occasions including the regular biweekly conference on the morning of november twentytwo
+LJ047-0219 quote mr shanklin advised us among other things
+LJ047-0220 that in view of the presidents visit to dallas that if anyone had any indication of any possibility of any acts of violence or any demonstrations against the president
+LJ047-0221 or vice president to immediately notify the secret service and confirm it in writing
+LJ047-0222 he had made the same statement about a week prior at another special conference which we had held
+LJ047-0223 i dont recall the exact date it was about a week prior end quote
+LJ047-0224 in fact hosty participated in transmitting to the secret service two pieces of information pertaining to the visit
+LJ047-0225 hosty testified that he did not know until the evening of thursday november twentyone that there was to be a motorcade however
+LJ047-0226 and never realized that the motorcade would pass the texas school book depository building
+LJ047-0227 he testified that he did not read the newspaper story describing the motorcade route in detail since he was interested only in the fact
+LJ047-0228 that the motorcade was coming up main street quote where maybe i could watch it if i had a chance end quote
+LJ047-0229 even if he had recalled that oswalds place of employment was on the presidents route
+LJ047-0230 hosty testified that he would not have cited him to the secret service as a potential threat to the president hosty interpreted his instructions as requiring quote
+LJ047-0231 some indication that the person planned to take some action against the safety of the president of the united states or the vice president end quote
+LJ047-0232 in his opinion none of the information in the fbi files oswalds defection his fair play for cuba activities in new orleans
+LJ047-0233 his lies to agent quigley his recent visit to mexico city indicated that oswald was capable of violence
+LJ047-0234 hostys initial reaction on hearing that oswald was a suspect in the assassination was quote shock
+LJ047-0235 complete surprise end quote because he had no reason to believe that oswald quote
+LJ047-0236 was capable or potentially an assassin of the president of the united states end quote
+LJ047-0237 shortly after oswald was apprehended and identified hostys superior sent him to observe the interrogation of oswald
+LJ047-0238 hosty parked his car in the basement of police headquarters and there met an acquaintance lt jack revill of the dallas police force
+LJ047-0239 the two men disagree about the conversation which took place between them
+LJ047-0240 they agree that hosty told revill
+LJ047-0241 that the fbi had known about oswald and in particular of his presence in dallas and his employment at the texas school book depository building
+LJ047-0242 revill testified that hosty said also that the fbi had information that oswald was quote capable of committing this assassination end quote
+LJ047-0243 according to revill hosty indicated that he was going to tell this to lieutenant wells of the homicide and robbery bureau
+LJ047-0244 revill promptly made a memorandum of this conversation in which the quoted statement appears
+LJ047-0245 his secretary testified that she prepared such a report for him that afternoon and chief of police jesse e curry
+LJ047-0246 and district attorney henry m wade both testified that they saw it later that day
+LJ047-0247 hosty has unequivocally denied first by affidavit and then in his testimony before the commission
+LJ047-0248 that he ever said that oswald was capable of violence or that he had any information suggesting this
+LJ047-0249 the only witness to the conversation was dallas police detective v j brian who was accompanying revill
+LJ047-0250 brian did not hear hosty make any statement concerning oswalds capacity to be an assassin
+LJ048-0001 report of the presidents commission on the assassination of president kennedy the warren commission report by the presidents commission on the assassination of president kennedy
+LJ048-0002 chapter eight the protection of the president part three
+LJ048-0003 hostys interpretation of the prevailing fbi instructions on referrals to the secret service was defended before the commission by his superiors
+LJ048-0004 after summarizing the bureaus investigative interest in oswald prior to the assassination j edgar hoover concluded that quote
+LJ048-0005 there was nothing up to the time of the assassination that gave any indication that this man was a dangerous character who might do harm to the president
+LJ048-0006 or to the vice president end quote
+LJ048-0007 director hoover emphasized that the first indication of oswalds capacity for violence
+LJ048-0008 was his attempt on general walkers life which did not become known to the fbi until after the assassination
+LJ048-0009 both director hoover and his assistant alan h belmont
+LJ048-0010 stressed also the decision by the department of state that oswald should be permitted to return to the united states
+LJ048-0011 neither believed that the bureau investigation of him up to november twentytwo revealed any information which would have justified referral to the secret service
+LJ048-0012 according to belmont when oswald returned from the soviet union quote
+LJ048-0013 he indicated that he had learned his lesson
+LJ048-0014 was disenchanted with russia and had a renewed concept i am paraphrasing a renewed concept of the american free society
+LJ048-0015 we talked to him twice
+LJ048-0016 he likewise indicated he was disenchanted with russia
+LJ048-0017 we satisfied ourselves that we had met our requirement namely to find out whether he had been recruited by soviet intelligence the case was closed
+LJ048-0018 we again exhibited interest on the basis of these contacts with the worker fair play for cuba committee which are relatively inconsequential
+LJ048-0019 his activities for the fair play for cuba committee in new orleans we knew were not of real consequence as he was not connected with any organized activity there
+LJ048-0020 the interview with him in jail is not significant from the standpoint of whether he had a propensity for violence
+LJ048-0021 question this is the quigley interview you are talking about
+LJ048-0022 answer yes it was a selfserving interview the visits with the soviet embassy were evidently for the purpose of securing a visa
+LJ048-0023 and he had told us during one of the interviews that he would probably take his wife back to soviet russia some time in the future
+LJ048-0024 he had come back to dallas hosty had established that he had a job he was working
+LJ048-0025 and had told mrs paine that when he got the money he was going to take an apartment when the baby was old enough he was going to take an apartment and the family would live together
+LJ048-0026 he gave evidence of settling down
+LJ048-0027 nowhere during the course of this investigation or the information that came to us from other agencies was there any indication of a potential for violence on his part
+LJ048-0028 consequently there was no basis for hosty to go to secret service and advise them of oswalds presence end quote
+LJ048-0029 as reflected in this testimony
+LJ048-0030 the officials of the fbi believed that there was no data in its files which gave warning that oswald was a source of danger to president kennedy
+LJ048-0031 while he had expressed hostility at times toward the state department the marine corps and the fbi as agents of the government
+LJ048-0032 so far as the fbi knew he had not shown any potential for violence
+LJ048-0033 prior to november twentytwo nineteen sixtythree
+LJ048-0034 no law enforcement agency had any information to connect oswald with the attempted shooting of general walker
+LJ048-0035 it was against this background and consistent with the criteria followed by the fbi prior to november twentytwo
+LJ048-0036 that agents of the fbi in dallas did not consider oswalds presence in the texas school book depository building
+LJ048-0037 overlooking the motorcade route as a source of danger to the president and did not inform the secret service of his employment in the depository building
+LJ048-0038 the commission believes however
+LJ048-0039 that the fbi took an unduly restrictive view of its responsibilities in preventive intelligence work prior to the assassination
+LJ048-0040 the commission appreciates the large volume of cases handled by the fbi
+LJ048-0041 six hundred thirtysix thousand three hundred seventyone investigative matters during fiscal year nineteen sixtythree
+LJ048-0042 there were no secret service criteria which specifically required the referral of oswalds case to the secret service
+LJ048-0043 nor was there any requirement to report the names of defectors however there was much material in the hands of the fbi about oswald
+LJ048-0044 the knowledge of his defection his arrogance and hostility to the united states
+LJ048-0045 his procastro tendencies his lies when interrogated by the fbi
+LJ048-0046 his trip to mexico where he was in contact with soviet authorities
+LJ048-0047 his presence in the school book depository job and its location along the route of the motorcade
+LJ048-0048 all this does seem to amount to enough to have induced an alert agency such as the fbi
+LJ048-0049 possessed of this information to list oswald as a potential threat to the safety of the president
+LJ048-0050 this conclusion may be tinged with hindsight but
+LJ048-0051 it stated primarily to direct the thought of those responsible for the future safety of our presidents to the need for a more imaginative
+LJ048-0052 and less narrow interpretation of their responsibilities
+LJ048-0053 it is the conclusion of the commission that even in the absence of secret service criteria
+LJ048-0054 which specifically required the referral of such a case as oswalds to the secret service
+LJ048-0055 a more alert and carefully considered treatment of the oswald case by the bureau might have brought about such a referral
+LJ048-0056 had such a review been undertaken by the fbi
+LJ048-0057 there might conceivably have been additional investigation of the oswald case between november five and november twentytwo
+LJ048-0058 agent hosty testified
+LJ048-0059 that several matters brought to his attention in late october and early november including the visit to the soviet embassy in mexico city
+LJ048-0060 required further attention
+LJ048-0061 under proper procedures knowledge of the pending presidential visit might have prompted hosty
+LJ048-0062 to have made more vigorous efforts to locate oswalds roominghouse address in dallas and to interview him regarding these unresolved matters
+LJ048-0063 the formal fbi instructions to its agents outlining the information to be referred to the secret service were too narrow at the time of the assassination
+LJ048-0064 while the secret service bears the principal responsibility for this failure
+LJ048-0065 the fbi instructions did not reflect fully the secret services need for information regarding potential threats
+LJ048-0066 the handbook referred thus to quote the possibility of an attempt against the person or safety of the president end quote
+LJ048-0067 it is clear from hostys testimony that this was construed at least by him
+LJ048-0068 as requiring evidence of a plan or conspiracy to injure the president
+LJ048-0069 efforts made by the bureau since the assassination on the other hand
+LJ048-0070 reflect keen awareness of the necessity of communicating a much wider range of intelligence information to the service
+LJ048-0071 most important notwithstanding that both agencies have professed to the commission that the liaison between them was close and fully sufficient
+LJ048-0072 the commission does not believe that the liaison between the fbi and the secret service prior to the assassination was as effective as it should have been
+LJ048-0073 the fbi manual of instructions provided quote liaison with other government agencies
+LJ048-0074 to insure adequate and effective liaison arrangements
+LJ048-0075 each sac should specifically designate an agent or agents to be responsible for developing
+LJ048-0076 and maintaining liaison with other federal agencies this liaison should take into consideration
+LJ048-0077 fbiagency community of interests location of agency head quarters and the responsiveness of agency representatives
+LJ048-0078 in each instance liaison contacts should be developed to include a close friendly relationship
+LJ048-0079 mutual understanding of fbi and agency jurisdictions and an indicated willingness by the agency representative
+LJ048-0080 to coordinate activities and to discuss problems of mutual interest
+LJ048-0081 each field office should determine those federal agencies which are represented locally and with which liaison should be conducted end quote
+LJ048-0082 the testimony reveals that liaison responsibilities in connection with the presidents visit
+LJ048-0083 were discussed twice officially by the special agent in charge of the fbi office in dallas as discussed in chapter two
+LJ048-0084 some limited information was made available to the secret service but there was no fully adequate liaison between the two agencies indeed
+LJ048-0085 the commission believes that the liaison between all federal agencies responsible for presidential protection should be improved
+LJ048-0086 other protective measures and aspects of secret service performance
+LJ048-0087 the presidents trip to dallas called into play many standard operating procedures of the secret service in addition to its preventive intelligence operations
+LJ048-0088 examination of these procedures shows that in most respects they were well conceived and ably executed by the personnel of the service
+LJ048-0089 against the background of the critical events of november twentytwo however
+LJ048-0090 certain shortcomings and lapses from the high standards which the commission believes should prevail in the field of presidential protection are evident
+LJ048-0091 advance preparations
+LJ048-0092 the advance preparations in dallas by agent winston g lawson of the white house detail have been described in chapter two
+LJ048-0093 with the assistance of agent in charge sorrels of the dallas field office of the secret service
+LJ048-0094 lawson was responsible for working out a great many arrangements for the presidents trip
+LJ048-0095 the service prefers to have two agents perform advance preparations
+LJ048-0096 in the case of dallas because president kennedy had scheduled visits to five texas cities
+LJ048-0097 and had also scheduled visits to other parts of the country immediately before the texas trip
+LJ048-0098 there were not enough men available to permit two agents to be assigned to all the advance work
+LJ048-0099 agent lawson did the advance work alone from november thirteen to november eighteen when he was joined by agent david b grant
+LJ048-0100 who had just completed advance work on the presidents trip to tampa
+LJ048-0101 the commission concludes that the most significant advance arrangements for the presidents trip were soundly planned
+LJ048-0102 in particular the commission believes that the motorcade route selected by agent lawson upon the advice of agent in charge sorrels
+LJ048-0103 and with the concurrence of the dallas police was entirely appropriate in view of the known desires of the president
+LJ048-0104 there were far safer routes via freeways directly to the trade mart
+LJ048-0105 but these routes would not have been in accordance with the white house staff instructions given the secret service for a desirable motorcade route
+LJ048-0106 much of lawsons time was taken with establishing adequate security over the motorcade route and at the two places where the president would stop
+LJ048-0107 love field and the trade mart
+LJ048-0109 by these secret service agents with the cooperation of the dallas police and other local law enforcement agents were carefully executed
+LJ048-0110 since the president was to be at the trade mart longer than at any other location in dallas and in view of the security hazards presented by the building
+LJ048-0111 the secret service correctly gave particular attention in the advance preparations to those arrangements
+LJ048-0112 the commission also regards the security arrangements worked out by lawson and sorrels at love field as entirely adequate
+LJ048-0113 the commission believes however
+LJ048-0114 that the secret service has inadequately defined the responsibilities of its advance agents who have been given broad discretion
+LJ048-0115 to determine what matters require attention in making advance preparations and to decide what action to take
+LJ048-0116 agent lawson was not given written instructions concerning the dallas trip or advice about any peculiar problems which it might involve
+LJ048-0117 all instructions from higher authority were communicated to him orally
+LJ048-0118 he did not have a checklist of the tasks he was expected to accomplish either by his own efforts or with the cooperation of local authorities
+LJ048-0119 the only systematic supervision of the activities of the advance agent
+LJ048-0120 has been that provided by a requirement that he file interim and final reports on each advance assignment
+LJ048-0121 the interim report must be in the hands of the agent supervising the protective group traveling with the president
+LJ048-0122 long enough before his departure to apprise him of any particular problems encountered and the responsive action taken
+LJ048-0123 agent lawsons interim report was received by agent kellerman on november twenty the day before departure on the texas trip
+LJ048-0124 the secret service has advised the commission that no unusual precautions were taken for the dallas trip and that quote
+LJ048-0125 the precautions taken for the presidents trip were the usual safeguards employed on trips of this kind in the united states during the previous year end quote
+LJ048-0126 special agent in charge sorrels testified that the advance preparations followed on this occasion were quote pretty much the same end quote
+LJ048-0127 as those followed in nineteen thirtysix during a trip to dallas by president roosevelt
+LJ048-0128 which was sorrels first important assignment in connection with presidential work
+LJ048-0129 in view of the constant change in the nature of threats to the president and the diversity of the dangers which may arise in the various cities within the united states
+LJ048-0130 the commission believes that standard procedures in use for many years and applied in all parts of the country may not be sufficient
+LJ048-0131 there is for example no secret service arrangement for evaluating before a trip particular difficulties that might be anticipated
+LJ048-0132 which would bring to bear the judgment and experience of members of the white house detail other than the advance agent
+LJ048-0133 constant reevaluation of procedures with attention to special problems and the development of instructions specific to particular trips
+LJ048-0134 would be a desirable innovation
+LJ048-0135 liaison with local law enforcement authorities
+LJ048-0136 in the description of the important aspects of the advance preparations
+LJ048-0137 there have been references to the numerous discussions between secret service representatives and the dallas police department
+LJ048-0138 the wholehearted support of these local authorities was indispensable to the service in carrying out its duties
+LJ048-0139 the service had twentyeight agents participating in the dallas visit
+LJ048-0140 agent lawsons advance planning called for the deployment of almost six hundred members of the dallas police department
+LJ048-0141 fire department county sheriffs department and the texas department of public safety
+LJ048-0142 despite this dependence on local authorities which would be substantially the same on a visit by the president to any large city
+LJ048-0143 the secret service did not at the time of the assassination have any established procedure governing its relationships with them
+LJ048-0144 it had no prepared checklist of matters to be covered with local police on such visits to metropolitan areas
+LJ048-0145 and no written description of the role the local police were expected to perform
+LJ048-0146 discussions with the dallas authorities and requests made of them were entirely informal
+LJ048-0147 the commission believes
+LJ048-0148 that a more formal statement of assigned responsibilities supplemented in each case to reflect the peculiar conditions of each presidential trip
+LJ048-0149 is essential this would help to eliminate varying interpretations of secret service instructions by different local law enforcement representatives for example
+LJ048-0150 while the secret service representatives in dallas
+LJ048-0151 asked the police to station guards at each overpass to keep quote unauthorized personnel end quote off this term was not defined
+LJ048-0152 at some overpasses all persons were excluded
+LJ048-0153 while on the overpass overlooking the assassination scene railroad and yard terminal workmen were permitted to remain under police supervision
+LJ048-0154 as discussed in chapter three
+LJ048-0155 assistant chief batchelor of the dallas police noted the absence of any formal statement by the secret service of specific work assigned to the police
+LJ048-0156 and suggested the desirability of such a statement
+LJ048-0157 agent lawson agreed that such a procedure would assist him and other agents in fulfilling their responsibilities as advance agents
+LJ048-0158 check of buildings along route of motorcade
+LJ048-0159 agent lawson did not arrange for a prior inspection of buildings along the motorcade route
+LJ048-0160 either by police or by custodians of the buildings since it was not the usual practice of the secret service to do so
+LJ048-0161 the chief of the service has provided the commission a detailed explanation of this policy quote
+LJ048-0162 except for inauguration or other parades involving foreign dignitaries accompanied by the president in washington
+LJ048-0163 it has not been the practice of the secret service to make surveys or checks of buildings along the route of a presidential motorcade
+LJ048-0164 for the inauguration and certain other parades in washington where the traditional route is known to the public long in advance of the event
+LJ048-0165 buildings along the route can be checked by teams of law enforcement officers and armed guards are posted along the route as appropriate
+LJ048-0166 but on outoftown trips where the route is decided on and made public only a few days in advance
+LJ048-0167 buildings are not checked either by secret service agents or by any other law enforcement officers at the request of the secret service
+LJ048-0168 with the number of men available to the secret service and the time available surveys of hundreds of buildings and thousands of windows is not practical
+LJ048-0169 in dallas the route selected necessarily involved passing through the principal downtown section between tall buildings
+LJ048-0170 while certain streets thought to be too narrow could be avoided and other choices made
+LJ048-0171 it was not practical to select a route where the president could not be seen from roofs or windows of buildings
+LJ048-0172 at the two places in dallas where the president would remain for a period of time love field and the trade mart
+LJ048-0173 arrangements were made for building and roof security by posting police officers where appropriate
+LJ048-0174 similar arrangements for a motorcade of ten miles including many blocks of tall commercial buildings is not practical
+LJ048-0175 nor is it practical to prevent people from entering such buildings or to limit access in every building to those employed or having business there
+LJ048-0176 even if it were possible with a vastly larger force of security officers to do so many observers have felt
+LJ048-0177 that such a procedure would not be consistent with the nature and purpose of the motorcade to let the people see their president and to welcome him to their city
+LJ048-0178 in accordance with its regular procedures no survey or other check was made by the secret service or by any other law enforcement agency at its request
+LJ048-0179 of the texas school book depository building or those employed there prior to the time the president was shot end quote
+LJ048-0180 this justification of the secret services standing policy is not persuasive
+LJ048-0181 the danger from a concealed sniper on the dallas trip was of concern to those who had considered the problem
+LJ048-0182 president kennedy himself had mentioned it that morning as had agent sorrels when he and agent lawson were fixing the motorcade route
+LJ048-0183 admittedly protective measures cannot ordinarily be taken with regard to all buildings along a motorcade route
+LJ048-0184 levels of risk can be determined however as has been confirmed by building surveys made since the assassination for the department of the treasury
+LJ048-0185 an attempt to cover only the most obvious points of possible ambush along the route in dallas might well have included the texas school book depository building
+LJ048-0186 instead of such advance precautions the secret service depended in part on the efforts of local law enforcement personnel stationed along the route
+LJ048-0187 in addition secret service agents riding in the motorcade were trained to scan buildings as part of their general observation of the crowd of spectators
+LJ048-0188 these substitute measures were of limited value agent lawson was unable to state whether he had actually instructed
+LJ048-0189 the dallas police to scan windows of buildings lining the motorcade route although it was his usual practice to do so
+LJ048-0190 if such instructions were in fact given they were not effectively carried out
+LJ048-0191 television films taken of parts of the motorcade by a dallas television station
+LJ048-0192 show the foot patrolmen facing the passing motorcade and not the adjacent crowds and buildings as the procession passed
+LJ048-0193 three officers from the dallas police department were assigned to the intersection of elm and houston
+LJ048-0194 during the morning of november twentytwo prior to the motorcade
+LJ048-0195 all received their instructions early in the morning from capt p w lawrence of the traffic division
+LJ048-0196 according to captain lawrence quote
+LJ048-0197 i then told the officers that their primary duty was traffic and crowd control and that they should be alert for any persons who might attempt to throw anything
+LJ048-0198 and although it was not a violation of the law to carry a placard that they were not to tolerate any actions such as the stevenson incident
+LJ048-0199 and arrest any person who might attempt to throw anything or try to get at the president and his party
+LJ048-0200 paying particular attention to the crowd for any unusual activity
+LJ048-0201 i stressed the fact that this was our president and he should be shown every respect due his position and that it was our duty to see that this was done
+LJ048-0202 end quote captain lawrence was not instructed to have his men watch buildings along the motorcade route and did not mention the observation of buildings to them
+LJ048-0203 the three officers confirm that their primary concern was crowd and traffic control
+LJ048-0204 and that they had no opportunity to scan the windows of the depository or any other building in the vicinity of elm and houston when the motorcade was passing
+LJ048-0205 they had however occasionally observed the windows of buildings in the area before the motorcade arrived in accordance with their own understanding of their function
+LJ048-0206 as the motorcade approached elm street
+LJ048-0207 there were several secret service agents in it who shared the responsibility of scanning the windows of nearby buildings
+LJ048-0208 agent sorrels riding in the lead car did observe the texas school book depository building as he passed by
+LJ048-0209 at least for a sufficient number of seconds to gain a quote general impression end quote of the lack of any unusual activity
+LJ048-0210 he was handicapped however by the fact that he was riding in a closed car whose roof at times obscured his view
+LJ048-0211 lawson also in the lead car did not scan any buildings since an important part of his job was to look backward at the presidents car
+LJ048-0212 lawson stated that he quote was looking back a good deal of the time
+LJ048-0213 watching his car watching the sides watching the crowds giving advice or asking advice from the chief
+LJ048-0214 and also looking ahead to the known hazards like overpasses underpasses railroads et cetera end quote
+LJ048-0215 agent roy h kellerman riding in the front seat of the presidential car
+LJ048-0216 stated that he scanned the depository building but not sufficiently to be alerted by anything in the windows or on the roof
+LJ048-0217 the agents in the followup car also were expected to scan adjacent buildings
+LJ048-0218 however the commission does not believe that agents stationed in a car behind the presidential car
+LJ048-0219 who must concentrate primarily on the possibility of threats from crowds along the route provide a significant safeguard against dangers in nearby buildings
+LJ048-0220 conduct of secret service agents in fort worth on november twentytwo
+LJ048-0221 in the early morning hours on november twentytwo nineteen sixtythree
+LJ048-0222 in fort worth there occurred a breach of discipline by some members of the secret service who were officially traveling with the president
+LJ048-0223 after the president had retired at his hotel
+LJ048-0224 nine agents who were off duty went to the nearby fort worth press club at midnight or slightly thereafter expecting to obtain food
+LJ048-0225 they had little opportunity to eat during the day no food was available at the press club
+LJ048-0226 all of the agents stayed for a drink of beer or in several cases a mixed drink
+LJ048-0227 according to their affidavits the drinking in no case amounted to more than three glasses of beer or one and a half mixed drinks
+LJ048-0228 and others who were present say that no agent was inebriated or acted improperly
+LJ048-0229 the statements of the agents involved are supported by statements of members of the fort worth press who accompanied or observed them
+LJ048-0230 and by a secret service investigation
+LJ048-0231 according to their statements the agents remained at the press club for periods varying from thirty minutes to an hour and a half
+LJ048-0232 and the last agent left the press club by two am
+LJ048-0233 two of the nine agents returned to their rooms the seven others proceeded to an establishment called the cellar coffee house
+LJ048-0234 described by some as a beatnik place and by its manager as quote a unique showplace with continuous light entertainment all night
+LJ048-0235 serving only coffee fruit juices and no hard liquors or beer end quote
+LJ048-0236 there is no indication that any of the agents who visited the cellar coffee house had any intoxicating drink at that establishment
+LJ048-0237 most of the agents were there from about onethirty or onefortyfive am to about twofortyfive or three am
+LJ048-0238 one agent was there from two until five am
+LJ048-0239 the lobby of the hotel and the areas adjacent to the quarters of the president were guarded during the night
+LJ048-0240 by members of the midnight to eight am shift of the white house detail
+LJ048-0241 these agents were each relieved for a half hour break during the night
+LJ048-0242 three members of this shift separately took this opportunity to visit the cellar coffee house
+LJ048-0243 only one stayed as long as a half hour and none had any beverage there
+LJ048-0244 chief rowley testified that agents on duty in such a situation usually stay within the building during their relief
+LJ048-0245 but that their visits to the cellar were quote neither consistent nor inconsistent end quote with their duty
+LJ048-0246 each of the agents who visited the press club or the cellar coffee house apart from the three members of the midnight shift
+LJ048-0247 had duty assignments beginning no later than eight am that morning
+LJ048-0248 president kennedy was scheduled to speak across the street from his hotel in fort worth at eightthirty am
+LJ048-0249 and then at a breakfast after which the entourage would proceed to dallas
+LJ048-0250 in dallas one of the nine agents was assigned to assist in security measures at love field and four had protective assignments at the trade mart
+LJ048-0251 the remaining four had key responsibilities as members of the complement of the followup car in the motorcade
+LJ048-0252 three of these agents occupied positions on the running boards of the car and the fourth was seated in the car
+LJ048-0253 the supervisor of each of the offduty agents who visited the press club or the cellar coffee house
+LJ048-0254 advised in the course of the secret service investigation of these events that each agent reported for duty on time
+LJ048-0255 with full possession of his mental and physical capabilities and entirely ready for the performance of his assigned duties chief rowley testified that
+LJ048-0256 as a result of the investigation he ordered he was satisfied that each of the agents performed his duties in an entirely satisfactory manner
+LJ048-0257 and that their conduct the night before did not impede their actions on duty
+LJ048-0258 or in the slightest way prevent them from taking any action that might have averted the tragedy
+LJ048-0259 however chief rowley did not condone the action of the offduty agents particularly since it violated a regulation of the secret service
+LJ048-0260 which provides quote liquor use of
+LJ048-0261 a employees are strictly enjoined to refrain from the use of intoxicating liquor
+LJ048-0262 during the hours they are officially employed at their post of duty or when they may reasonably expect that they may be called upon to perform an official duty
+LJ048-0263 during entire periods of travel status
+LJ048-0264 the special agent is officially employed and should not use liquor until the completion of all of his official duties for the day
+LJ048-0265 after which time a very moderate use of liquor will not be considered a violation however all members of the white house detail
+LJ048-0266 and special agents cooperating with them on presidential and similar protective assignments are considered to be subject to call for official duty
+LJ048-0267 at any time while in travel status
+LJ048-0268 therefore the use of intoxicating liquor of any kind including beer and wine by members of the white house detail
+LJ048-0269 and special agents cooperating with them or by special agents on similar assignments while they are in a travel status is prohibited end quote
+LJ048-0270 the regulations provide further that quote violation or slight disregard end quote of these provisions quote
+LJ048-0271 will be cause for removal from the service end quote
+LJ048-0272 chief rowley testified
+LJ048-0273 that under ordinary circumstances he would have taken disciplinary action against those agents who had been drinking in clear violation of the regulation
+LJ048-0274 however he felt that any disciplinary action might have given rise
+LJ048-0275 to an inference that the violation of the regulation had contributed to the tragic events of november twentytwo
+LJ048-0276 since he was convinced that this was not the case he believed that it would be unfair to the agents and their families to take explicit disciplinary measures
+LJ048-0277 he felt that each agent recognized the seriousness of the infraction and that there was no danger of a repetition
+LJ048-0278 the commission recognizes that the responsibilities of members of the white house detail of the secret service are arduous
+LJ048-0279 they work long hard hours under very great strain and must travel frequently
+LJ048-0280 it might seem harsh to circumscribe their opportunities for relaxation
+LJ048-0281 yet their role of protecting the president is so important to the wellbeing of the country
+LJ048-0282 that it is reasonable to expect them to meet very high standards of personal conduct
+LJ048-0283 so that nothing can interfere with their bringing to their task the finest qualities and maximum resources of mind and body
+LJ048-0284 this is the salutary goal to which the secret service regulation is directed
+LJ048-0285 when it absolutely forbids drinking by any agent accompanying the president on a trip
+LJ048-0286 nor is this goal served when agents remain out until early morning hours and lose the opportunity to get a reasonable amount of sleep
+LJ048-0287 it is conceivable that those men who had little sleep and who had consumed alcoholic beverages even in limited quantities
+LJ048-0288 might have been more alert in the dallas motorcade if they had retired promptly in fort worth
+LJ048-0289 however there is no evidence that these men failed to take any action in dallas within their power that would have averted the tragedy
+LJ049-0001 report of the presidents commission on the assassination of president kennedy
+LJ049-0002 the warren commission report by the presidents commission on the assassination of president kennedy
+LJ049-0003 chapter eight the protection of the president part four
+LJ049-0004 the motorcade in dallas
+LJ049-0005 rigorous security precautions had been arranged at love field with the local law enforcement authorities by agents sorrels and lawson
+LJ049-0006 these precautions included reserving a ceremonial area for the presidential party
+LJ049-0007 stationing police on the rooftops of all buildings overlooking the reception area
+LJ049-0008 and detailing police in civilian clothes to be scattered throughout the sizable crowd
+LJ049-0009 when president and mrs kennedy shook hands with members of the public along the fences surrounding the reception area they were closely guarded by secret service agents
+LJ049-0010 who responded to the unplanned event with dispatch
+LJ049-0011 as described in chapter two the president directed that his car stop on two occasions during the motorcade so that he could greet members of the public
+LJ049-0012 at these stops agents from the presidential followup car stood between the president and the public
+LJ049-0013 and on one occasion agent kellerman left the front seat of the presidents car to take a similar position
+LJ049-0014 the commission regards such impromptu stops as presenting an unnecessary danger
+LJ049-0015 but finds that the secret service agents did all that could have been done to take protective measures
+LJ049-0016 the presidential limousine
+LJ049-0017 the limousine used by president kennedy in dallas was a convertible with a detachable rigid plastic bubble top
+LJ049-0018 which was neither bulletproof nor bullet resistant
+LJ049-0019 the last presidential vehicle with any protection against smallarms fire left the white house in nineteen fiftythree
+LJ049-0020 it was not then replaced because the state of the art did not permit the development of a bulletproof top of sufficiently light weight
+LJ049-0021 to permit its removal on those occasions when the president wished to ride in an open car
+LJ049-0022 the secret service believed that it was very doubtful that any president would ride regularly in a vehicle with a fixed top even though transparent
+LJ049-0023 since the assassination the secret service with the assistance of other federal agencies and of private industry
+LJ049-0024 has developed a vehicle for the better protection of the president
+LJ049-0025 access to passenger compartment of presidential car
+LJ049-0026 on occasion the secret service has been permitted to have an agent riding in the passenger compartment with the president
+LJ049-0027 presidents have made it clear however that they did not favor this or any other arrangement which interferes with the privacy of the president and his guests
+LJ049-0028 the secret service has therefore suggested this practice only on extraordinary occasions
+LJ049-0029 without attempting to prescribe or recommend specific measures which should be employed for the future protection of presidents
+LJ049-0030 the commission does believe that there are aspects of the protective measures employed in the motorcade at dallas which deserve special comment
+LJ049-0031 the presidential vehicle in use in dallas described in chapter two
+LJ049-0032 had no special design or equipment which would have permitted the secret service agent riding in the drivers compartment
+LJ049-0033 to move into the passenger section without hindrance or delay had the vehicle been so designed it is possible that an agent riding in the front seat
+LJ049-0034 could have reached the president in time to protect him from the second and fatal shot to hit the president
+LJ049-0035 however such access to the president was interfered with both by the metal bar some fifteen inches above the back of the front seat
+LJ049-0036 and by the passengers in the jump seats
+LJ049-0037 in contrast the vice presidential vehicle although not specially designed for that purpose
+LJ049-0038 had no passenger in a jump seat between agent youngblood and vice president johnson to interfere with agent youngbloods ability
+LJ049-0039 to take a protective position in the passenger compartment before the third shot was fired
+LJ049-0040 the assassination suggests that it would have been of prime importance
+LJ049-0041 in the protection of the president if the presidential car permitted immediate access to the president by a secret service agent at the first sign of danger
+LJ049-0042 at that time the agents on the framing boards of the followup car were expected to perform such a function
+LJ049-0043 however these agents could not reach the presidents car when it was traveling at an appreciable rate of speed
+LJ049-0044 even if the car is traveling more slowly the delay involved in reaching the president may be crucial
+LJ049-0045 it is clear that at the time of the shots in dallas agent clinton j hill leaped to the presidents rescue as quickly as humanly possible
+LJ049-0046 even so analysis of the motion picture films taken by amateur photographer zapruder
+LJ049-0047 reveals that hill first placed his hand on the presidential car at frame three fortythree thirty frames
+LJ049-0048 and therefore approximately one point six seconds after the president was shot in the head
+LJ049-0049 about three point seven seconds after the president received this wound
+LJ049-0050 hill had both feet on the car and was climbing aboard to assist president and mrs kennedy
+LJ049-0051 planning for motorcade contingencies
+LJ049-0052 in response to inquiry by the commission regarding the instructions to agents in a motorcade
+LJ049-0053 of emergency procedures to be taken in a contingency such as that which actually occurred the secret service responded quote
+LJ049-0054 the secret service has consistently followed two general principles in emergencies involving the president
+LJ049-0055 all agents are so instructed
+LJ049-0056 the first duty of the agents in the motorcade is to attempt to cover the president as closely as possible and practicable
+LJ049-0057 and to shield him by attempting to place themselves between the president and any source of danger
+LJ049-0058 secondly agents are instructed to remove the president as quickly as possible from known or impending danger
+LJ049-0059 agents are instructed that it is not their responsibility to investigate or evaluate a present danger
+LJ049-0060 but to consider any untoward circumstances as serious and to afford the president maximum protection at all times
+LJ049-0061 no responsibility rests upon those agents near the president for the identification or arrest of any assassin or an attacker
+LJ049-0062 their primary responsibility is to stay with and protect the president
+LJ049-0063 beyond these two principles the secret service believes a detailed contingency or emergency plan is not feasible
+LJ049-0064 because the variations possible preclude effective planning
+LJ049-0065 a number of steps are taken however to permit appropriate steps to be taken in an emergency
+LJ049-0066 for instance the lead car always is manned by secret service agents familiar with the area and with local law enforcement officials
+LJ049-0067 the radio net in use in motorcades is elaborate and permits a number of different means of communication with various local points
+LJ049-0068 a doctor is in the motorcade
+LJ049-0069 this basic approach to the problem of planning for emergencies is sound
+LJ049-0070 any effort to prepare detailed contingency plans might well have the undesirable effect of inhibiting quick and imaginative responses
+LJ049-0071 if the advance preparation is thorough and the protective devices and techniques employed are sound
+LJ049-0072 those in command should be able to direct the response appropriate to the emergency the commission finds that the secret service agents in the motorcade
+LJ049-0073 who were immediately responsible for the presidents safety reacted promptly at the time the shots were fired
+LJ049-0074 their actions demonstrate that the president and the nation can expect courage and devotion to duty from the agents of the secret service
+LJ049-0075 recommendations
+LJ049-0076 the commissions review of the provisions for presidential protection at the time of president kennedys trip to dallas demonstrates the need for substantial improvements
+LJ049-0077 since the assassination the secret service and the department of the treasury
+LJ049-0078 have properly taken the initiative in reexamining major aspects of presidential protection
+LJ049-0079 many changes have already been made and others are contemplated some of them in response to the commissions questions and informal suggestions
+LJ049-0080 assassination a federal crime
+LJ049-0081 there was no federal criminal jurisdiction over the assassination of president kennedy
+LJ049-0082 had there been reason to believe that the assassination was the result of a conspiracy federal jurisdiction could have been asserted
+LJ049-0083 it has long been a federal crime to conspire to injure any federal officer on account of or while he is engaged in the lawful discharge of the duties of his office
+LJ049-0084 murder of the president has never been covered by federal law however so that once it became reasonably clear that the killing was the act of a single person
+LJ049-0085 the state of texas had exclusive jurisdiction
+LJ049-0086 it is anomalous that congress has legislated in other ways touching upon the safety of the chief executive or other federal officers
+LJ049-0087 without making an attack on the president a crime threatening harm to the president is a federal offense
+LJ049-0088 as is advocacy of the overthrow of the government by the assassination of any of its officers
+LJ049-0089 the murder of federal judges us attorneys and marshals and a number of other specifically designated
+LJ049-0090 federal law enforcement officers is a federal crime
+LJ049-0091 equally anomalous are statutory provisions which specifically authorize the secret service to protect the president
+LJ049-0092 without authorizing it to arrest anyone who harms him the same provisions authorize the service to arrest without warrant
+LJ049-0093 persons committing certain offenses including counterfeiting and certain frauds involving federal checks or securities
+LJ049-0094 the commission agrees with the secret service that it should be authorized to make arrests without warrant
+LJ049-0095 for all offenses within its jurisdiction as are fbi agents and federal marshals
+LJ049-0096 there have been a number of efforts to make assassination a federal crime particularly after the assassination of president mckinley
+LJ049-0097 and the attempt on the life of presidentelect franklin d roosevelt
+LJ049-0098 in nineteen oh two bills passed both houses of congress but failed of enactment when the senate refused to accept the conference report
+LJ049-0099 a number of bills were introduced immediately following the assassination of president kennedy
+LJ049-0100 the commission recommends to the congress that it adopt legislation which would
+LJ049-0101 punish the murder or manslaughter of attempt or conspiracy to murder kidnaping of and assault upon
+LJ049-0102 the president vice president or other officer next in the order of succession to the office of president the presidentelect and the vicepresidentelect
+LJ049-0103 whether or not the act is committed while the victim is in the performance of his official duties or on account of such performance
+LJ049-0104 such a statute would cover the president and vice president or in the absence of a vice president the person next in order of succession
+LJ049-0105 during the period between election and inauguration the presidentelect and vicepresidentelect would also be covered
+LJ049-0106 restricting the coverage in this way would avoid unnecessary controversy over the inclusion or exclusion of other officials who are in the order of succession
+LJ049-0107 or who hold important governmental posts
+LJ049-0108 in addition the restriction would probably eliminate a need for the requirement which has been urged as necessary for the exercise of federal power
+LJ049-0109 that the hostile act occur while the victim is engaged in or because of the performance of official duties
+LJ049-0110 the governmental consequences of assassination of one of the specified officials give the united states ample power to act for its own protection
+LJ049-0111 the activities of the victim at the time an assassination occurs and the motive for the assassination
+LJ049-0112 bear no relationship to the injury to the united states which follows from the act
+LJ049-0113 this point was ably made in the nineteen oh two debate by senator george f hoar the sponsor of the senate bill quote
+LJ049-0114 what this bill means to punish is the crime of interruption of the government of the united states and the destruction of its security by striking down the life
+LJ049-0115 of the person who is actually in the exercise of the executive power or
+LJ049-0116 of such persons as have been constitutionally and lawfully provided to succeed thereto in case of a vacancy it is important to this country
+LJ049-0117 that the interruption shall not take place for an hour end quote
+LJ049-0118 enactment of this statute would mean that the investigation of any of the acts covered and of the possibility of a further attempt
+LJ049-0119 would be conducted by federal law enforcement officials in particular the fbi with the assistance of the secret service
+LJ049-0120 at present federal agencies participate only upon the sufferance of the local authorities
+LJ049-0121 while the police work of the dallas authorities in the early identification and apprehension of oswald was both efficient and prompt
+LJ049-0122 fbi director j edgar hoover who strongly supports such legislation testified that the absence of clear federal jurisdiction
+LJ049-0123 over the assassination of president kennedy led to embarrassment and confusion in the subsequent investigation by federal and local authorities
+LJ049-0124 in addition the proposed legislation will insure
+LJ049-0125 that any suspects who are arrested will be federal prisoners subject to federal protection from vigilante justice and other threats
+LJ049-0126 committee of cabinet officers as our government has become more complex
+LJ049-0127 agencies other than the secret service have become involved in phases of the overall problem of protecting our national leaders
+LJ049-0128 the fbi is the major domestic investigating agency of the united states
+LJ049-0129 while the cia has the primary responsibility for collecting intelligence overseas to supplement information acquired by the department of state
+LJ049-0130 the secret service must rely in large part
+LJ049-0132 the commission believes that it is necessary to improve the cooperation among these agencies
+LJ049-0133 and to emphasize that the task of presidential protection is one of broad national concern
+LJ049-0134 the commission suggests that consideration might be given to assigning to a cabinetlevel committee or the national security council
+LJ049-0135 which is responsible for advising the president respecting the coordination
+LJ049-0136 of departmental policies relating to the national security the responsibility to review and oversee the protective activities of the secret service
+LJ049-0137 and the other federal agencies that assist in safeguarding the president the committee should include the secretary of the treasury and the attorney general
+LJ049-0138 and if the council is used arrangements should be made for the attendance of the secretary of the treasury
+LJ049-0139 and the attorney general at any meetings which are concerned with presidential protection
+LJ049-0140 the council already includes in addition to the president and vice president the secretaries of state and defense and has a competent staff
+LJ049-0141 the foremost assignment of the committee would be to insure that the maximum resources of the federal government are fully engaged in the job of protecting the president
+LJ049-0142 by defining responsibilities clearly and overseeing their execution
+LJ049-0143 major needs of personnel or other resources might be met more easily on its recommendation than they have been in the past
+LJ049-0144 the committee would be able to provide guidance in defining the general nature of domestic and foreign dangers to presidential security
+LJ049-0145 as improvements are recommended for the advance detection of potential threats to the president it could act as a final review board
+LJ049-0146 the expert assistance and resources which it could draw upon would be particularly desirable in this complex and sensitive area
+LJ049-0147 this arrangement would provide a continuing highlevel contact for agencies that may wish to consult respecting particular protective measures
+LJ049-0148 for various reasons the secret service has functioned largely as an informal part of the white house staff with the result
+LJ049-0149 that it has been unable as a practical matter to exercise sufficient influence over the security precautions which surround presidential activities
+LJ049-0150 a cabinetlevel committee which is actively concerned with these problems would be able to discuss these matters more effectively with the president
+LJ049-0151 responsibilities for presidential protection
+LJ049-0152 the assignment of the responsibility of protecting the president to an agency of the department of the treasury was largely an historical accident
+LJ049-0153 the secret service was organized as a division of the department of the treasury in eighteen sixtyfive to deal with counterfeiting
+LJ049-0154 in eighteen ninetyfour
+LJ049-0155 while investigating a plot to assassinate president cleveland the service assigned a small protective detail of agents to the white house
+LJ049-0156 secret service men accompanied the president and his family to their vacation home in massachusetts
+LJ049-0157 and special details protected him in washington on trips and at special functions
+LJ049-0158 these informal and parttime arrangements led to more systematic protection in nineteen oh two after the assassination of president mckinley
+LJ049-0159 the secret service then the only federal investigative agency assumed fulltime responsibility for the safety of the president
+LJ049-0160 since that time the secret service has had and exercised responsibility for the physical protection of the president
+LJ049-0161 and also for the preventive investigation of potential threats against the president
+LJ049-0162 although the secret service has had the primary responsibility for the protection of the president
+LJ049-0163 the fbi which was established within the department of justice in nineteen oh eight has had in recent years an increasingly important role to play
+LJ049-0164 in the appropriations of the fbi there has recurred annually an item for the quote protection of the person of the president of the united states end quote
+LJ049-0165 which first appeared in the appropriation of the department of justice in nineteen ten under the heading quote miscellaneous objects end quote
+LJ049-0166 although the fbi is not charged with the physical protection of the president it does have an assignment as do other government agencies
+LJ049-0167 in the field of preventive investigation in regard to the presidents security
+LJ049-0168 as discussed above the bureau has attempted to meet its responsibilities in this field by spelling out in its handbook
+LJ049-0169 the procedures which its agents are to follow in connection with information received quote
+LJ049-0170 indicating the possibility of an attempt against the person or safety of the president end quote or other protected persons
+LJ049-0171 with two federal agencies operating in the same general field of preventive investigation
+LJ049-0172 questions inevitably arise as to the scope of each agencys authority and responsibility
+LJ049-0173 as the testimony of j edgar hoover and other bureau officials revealed the fbi did not believe that its directive required the bureau
+LJ049-0174 to notify the secret service of the substantial information about lee harvey oswald which the fbi had accumulated
+LJ049-0175 before the president reached dallas
+LJ049-0176 on the other hand the secret service had no knowledge whatever of oswald his background or his employment at the book depository
+LJ049-0177 and robert i bouck who was in charge of the protective research section of the secret service believed that the accumulation of the facts known to the fbi
+LJ049-0178 should have constituted a sufficient basis to warn the secret service of the oswald risk
+LJ049-0179 the commission believes that both the fbi and the secret service have too narrowly construed their respective responsibilities
+LJ049-0180 the commission has the impression
+LJ049-0181 that too much emphasis is placed by both on the investigation of specific threats by individuals and not enough on dangers from other sources
+LJ049-0182 in addition the commission has concluded that the secret service particularly tends to be the passive recipient of information
+LJ049-0183 regarding such threats and that its protective research section is not adequately staffed or equipped
+LJ049-0184 to conduct the wider investigative work that is required today for the security of the president
+LJ049-0185 during the period the commission was giving thought to this situation
+LJ049-0186 the commission received a number of proposals designed to improve current arrangements for protecting the president
+LJ049-0187 these proposals included suggestions to locate exclusive responsibility for all phases of the work
+LJ049-0188 in one or another government agency to clarify the division of authority between the agencies involved and to retain the existing system
+LJ049-0189 but expand both the scope and the operations of the existing agencies particularly those of the secret service and the fbi
+LJ049-0190 it has been pointed out that the fbi as our chief investigative agency
+LJ049-0191 is properly manned and equipped to carry on extensive information gathering functions within the united states
+LJ049-0192 it was also suggested that it would take a substantial period of time for the secret service to build up the experience and skills necessary to meet the problem
+LJ049-0193 consequently the suggestion has been made on the one hand that all preventive investigative functions relating to the security of the president
+LJ049-0194 should be transferred to the fbi
+LJ049-0195 leaving with the secret service only the responsibility for the physical protection of the president that is the guarding function alone
+LJ049-0196 on the other hand it is urged that all features of the protection of the president and his family should be committed to an elite and independent corps
+LJ049-0197 it is also contended that the agents should be intimately associated with the life of the presidential family
+LJ049-0198 in all its ramifications and alert to every danger that might befall it
+LJ049-0199 and ready at any instant to hazard great danger to themselves in the performance of their tremendous responsibility
+LJ049-0200 it is suggested that an organization shorn of its power to investigate all the possibilities of danger to the president
+LJ049-0201 and becoming merely the recipient of information gathered by others would become limited solely to acts of physical alertness and personal courage
+LJ049-0202 incident to its responsibilities
+LJ049-0203 so circumscribed it could not maintain the esprit de corps or the necessary alertness for this unique and challenging responsibility
+LJ049-0204 while in accordance with its mandate
+LJ049-0205 this commission has necessarily examined into the functioning of the various federal agencies concerned with the tragic trip of president kennedy to dallas
+LJ049-0206 and while it has arrived at certain conclusions in respect thereto it seems clear
+LJ049-0207 that it was not within the commissions responsibility to make specific recommendations as to the longrange organization of the presidents protection
+LJ049-0208 except as conclusions flowing directly from its examination of the presidents assassination can be drawn
+LJ049-0209 the commission was not asked to apply itself as did the hoover commission in nineteen fortynine
+LJ049-0210 for examples to a determination of the optimum organization of the presidents protection
+LJ049-0211 it would have been necessary for the commission to take considerable testimony much of it extraneous to the facts of the assassination of president kennedy
+LJ049-0212 to put it in a position to reach final conclusions in this respect
+LJ049-0213 there are always dangers of divided responsibility
+LJ049-0214 duplication and confusion of authority where more than one agency is operating in the same field but on the other hand
+LJ049-0215 the protection of the president is in a real sense a governmentwide responsibility which must necessarily assumed by the department of state
+LJ049-0216 the fbi the cia and the military intelligence agencies as well as the secret service
+LJ049-0217 moreover a number of imponderable questions have to be weighed if any change in the intimate association now established
+LJ049-0218 between the secret service and the president and his family is contemplated
+LJ049-0219 these considerations have induced the commission to believe
+LJ049-0220 that the determination of whether or not there should be a relocation of responsibilities and functions should be left to the executive and the congress
+LJ049-0221 perhaps upon recommendations based on further studies by the cabinetlevel committee recommended above or the national security council
+LJ049-0222 pending any such determination however this commission is convinced of the necessity of better coordination
+LJ049-0223 and direction of the activities of all existing agencies of government which are in a position to and do furnish information
+LJ049-0224 and services related to the security of the president
+LJ049-0225 the commission feels the secret service and the fbi as well as the state department and the cia when the president travels abroad
+LJ049-0226 could improve their existing capacities and procedures so as to lessen the chances of assassination
+LJ049-0227 without therefore coming to final conclusions respecting the longrange organization of the presidents security
+LJ049-0228 the commission believes that the facts of the assassination of president kennedy point to certain measures which
+LJ049-0229 while assuming no radical relocation of responsibilities
+LJ049-0230 can and should be recommended by this commission in the interest of the more efficient protection of the president
+LJ050-0001 for more information or to volunteer please visit librivox dot org report of the presidents commission on the assassination of president kennedy
+LJ050-0002 the warren commission report
+LJ050-0003 by the presidents commission on the assassination of president kennedy chapter eight the protection of the president part five
+LJ050-0004 general supervision of the secret service
+LJ050-0005 the intimacy of the secret services relationship to the white house
+LJ050-0006 and the dissimilarity of its protective functions to most activities of the department of the treasury
+LJ050-0007 have made it difficult for the treasury to maintain close and continuing supervision
+LJ050-0008 the commission believes that the recommended cabinetlevel committee will help to correct many of the major deficiencies of supervision
+LJ050-0009 disclosed by the commissions investigation other measures should be taken as well to improve the overall operation of the secret service
+LJ050-0010 daily supervision of the operations of the secret service within the department of the treasury should be improved
+LJ050-0011 the chief of the service now reports to the secretary of the treasury
+LJ050-0012 through an assistant secretary whose duties also include the direct supervision of the bureau of the mint
+LJ050-0013 and the departments employment policy program and who also represents the secretary of the treasury on various committees and groups
+LJ050-0014 the incumbent has no technical qualifications in the area of presidential protection
+LJ050-0015 the commission recommends that the secretary of the treasury appoint a special assistant with the responsibility of supervising the service
+LJ050-0016 this special assistant should be required to have sufficient stature and experience in law enforcement intelligence or allied fields
+LJ050-0017 to be able to provide effective continuing supervision
+LJ050-0018 and to keep the secretary fully informed regarding all significant developments relating to presidential protection
+LJ050-0019 this report has already pointed out several respects
+LJ050-0020 in which the commission believes that the secret service has operated with insufficient planning or control
+LJ050-0021 actions by the service since the assassination indicate its awareness of the necessity for substantial improvement in its administration
+LJ050-0022 a formal and thorough description of the responsibilities of the advance agent is now in preparation by the service
+LJ050-0023 work is going forward
+LJ050-0024 toward the preparation of formal understandings of the respective roles of the secret service and other agencies with which it collaborates
+LJ050-0025 or from which it derives assistance and support
+LJ050-0026 the commission urges that the service continue this effort to overhaul and define its procedures
+LJ050-0027 while manuals and memoranda are no guarantee of effective operations
+LJ050-0028 no sizable organization can achieve efficiency without the careful analysis and demarcation of responsibility
+LJ050-0029 that is reflected in definite and comprehensive operating procedures
+LJ050-0030 the commission also recommends
+LJ050-0031 that the secret service consciously set about the task of inculcating and maintaining the highest standard of excellence and esprit for all of its personnel
+LJ050-0032 this involves tight and unswerving discipline as well as the promotion of an outstanding degree of dedication and loyalty to duty
+LJ050-0033 the commission emphasizes that it finds no causal connection between the assassination
+LJ050-0034 and the breach of regulations which occurred on the night of november twentyone at fort worth
+LJ050-0035 nevertheless such a breach in which so many agents participated
+LJ050-0036 is not consistent with the standards which the responsibilities of the secret service require it to meet
+LJ050-0037 preventive intelligence
+LJ050-0038 in attempting to identify those individuals who might prove a danger to the president
+LJ050-0039 the secret service has largely been the passive recipient of threatening communications to the president
+LJ050-0040 and reports from other agencies which independently evaluate their information for potential sources of danger
+LJ050-0041 this was the consequence of the services lack of an adequate investigative staff
+LJ050-0042 its inability to process large amounts of data and its failure to provide specific descriptions of the kind of information it sought
+LJ050-0043 the secret service has embarked upon a complete overhaul of its research activities the staff of the protective research section prs
+LJ050-0044 has been augmented and a secret service inspector has been put in charge of this operation with the assistance of the presidents office of science and technology
+LJ050-0045 and of the advanced research projects agency of the department of defense
+LJ050-0046 it has obtained the services of outside consultants such as the rand corporation
+LJ050-0047 international business machines corporation and a panel of psychiatric and psychological experts
+LJ050-0048 it has received assistance also from data processing experts at the cia
+LJ050-0049 and from a specialist in psychiatric prognostication at walter reed hospital
+LJ050-0050 as a result of these studies the planning document submitted by the secretary of the treasury to the bureau of the budget on august thirtyone
+LJ050-0051 nineteen sixtyfour makes several significant recommendations in this field
+LJ050-0052 based on the commissions investigation the following minimum goals for improvements are indicated
+LJ050-0053 broader and more selective criteria
+LJ050-0054 since the assassination both the secret service and the fbi have recognized
+LJ050-0055 that the prs files can no longer be limited largely to persons communicating actual threats to the president
+LJ050-0056 on december twentysix nineteen sixtythree the fbi circulated additional instructions to all its agents
+LJ050-0057 specifying criteria for information to be furnished to the secret service in addition to that covered by the former standard
+LJ050-0058 which was the possibility of an attempt against the person or safety of the president
+LJ050-0059 he new instructions require fbi agents to report immediately information concerning quote
+LJ050-0060 subversives ultrarightists racists and fascists a possessing emotional instability or irrational behavior
+LJ050-0061 b who have made threats of bodily harm against officials or employees of federal state or local government or officials of a foreign government
+LJ050-0062 c who express or have expressed strong or violent antius sentiments
+LJ050-0063 and who have been involved in bombing or bombmaking or whose past conduct indicates tendencies toward violence and d
+LJ050-0064 whose prior acts or statements depict propensity for violence and hatred against organized government end quote
+LJ050-0065 alan h belmont assistant to the director of the fbi testified that this revision was initiated by the fbi itself
+LJ050-0066 the volume of references to the secret service has increased substantially since the new instructions went into effect
+LJ050-0067 more than five thousand names were referred to the secret service in the first four months of nineteen sixtyfour
+LJ050-0068 according to chief rowley by midjune nineteen sixtyfour
+LJ050-0069 the secret service had received from the fbi some nine thousand reports on members of the communist party
+LJ050-0070 the fbi now transmits information on all defectors a category which would of course have included oswald
+LJ050-0071 both director hoover and belmont expressed to the commission the great concern of the fbi which is shared by the secret service
+LJ050-0072 that referrals to the secret service under the new criteria might if not properly handled
+LJ050-0073 result in some degree of interference with the personal liberty of those involved
+LJ050-0074 they emphasized the necessity that the information now being furnished be handled with judgment and care
+LJ050-0075 the commission shares this concern
+LJ050-0076 the problem is aggravated by the necessity that the service obtain the assistance of local law enforcement officials in evaluating the information which it receives
+LJ050-0077 and in taking preventive steps
+LJ050-0078 in june nineteen sixtyfour the secret service sent to a number of federal law enforcement and intelligence agencies
+LJ050-0079 guidelines for an experimental program to develop more detailed criteria
+LJ050-0080 the suggestions of federal agencies for revision of these guidelines were solicited
+LJ050-0081 the new tentative criteria are useful in making clear that
+LJ050-0082 the interest of the secret service goes beyond information on individuals or groups threatening to cause harm or embarrassment to the president
+LJ050-0083 information is requested also concerning individuals or groups who have demonstrated an interest in the president
+LJ050-0084 or quote other high government officials in the nature of a complaint coupled with an expressed or implied determination to use a means
+LJ050-0085 other than legal or peaceful to satisfy any grievance real or imagined
+LJ050-0086 under these criteria whether the case should be referred to the secret service depends on the existence of a previous history of mental instability
+LJ050-0087 propensity toward violent action or some similar characteristic coupled with some evaluation of the capability of the individual or group
+LJ050-0088 to further the intention to satisfy a grievance by unlawful means
+LJ050-0089 while these tentative criteria are a step in the right direction
+LJ050-0090 they seem unduly restrictive in continuing to require some manifestation of animus against a government official
+LJ050-0091 it is questionable whether such criteria would have resulted in the referral of oswald to the secret service
+LJ050-0092 chief rowley believed that they would
+LJ050-0093 because of oswalds demonstrated hostility toward the secretary of the navy in his letter of january thirty nineteen sixtytwo quote
+LJ050-0094 i shall employ all means to right this gross mistake or injustice to a bona fide us citizen and exservice man
+LJ050-0095 the us government has no charges or complaints against me
+LJ050-0096 i ask you to look into this case and take the necessary steps to repair the damage done to me and my family end quote
+LJ050-0097 even with the advantage of hindsight this letter does not appear to express or imply oswalds quote
+LJ050-0098 determination to use a means other than legal or peaceful to satisfy his grievance end quote within the meaning of the new criteria
+LJ050-0099 it is apparent that a good deal of further consideration and experimentation will be required before adequate criteria can be framed
+LJ050-0100 the commission recognizes that no set of meaningful criteria will yield the names of all potential assassins charles j guiteau
+LJ050-0101 leon f czolgosz
+LJ050-0102 john schrank and guiseppe zangara four assassins or wouldbe assassins
+LJ050-0103 were all men who acted alone in their criminal acts against our leaders none had a serious record of prior violence
+LJ050-0104 each of them was a failure in his work and in his relations with others a victim of delusions and fancies which led to the conviction
+LJ050-0105 that society and its leaders had combined to thwart him it will require every available resource of our government
+LJ050-0106 to devise a practical system which has any reasonable possibility of revealing such malcontents
+LJ050-0107 liaison with other agencies regarding intelligence
+LJ050-0108 the secret services liaison with the agencies that supply information to it has been too casual
+LJ050-0109 since the assassination the service has recognized that these relationships must be far more formal
+LJ050-0110 and each agency given clear understanding of the assistance which the secret service expects
+LJ050-0111 once the secret service has formulated its new standards for collection of information it should enter into written agreements with each federal agency
+LJ050-0112 and the leading state and local agencies that might be a source of such information
+LJ050-0113 such agreements should describe in detail the information which is sought the manner in which it will be provided to the secret service
+LJ050-0114 and the respective responsibilities for any further investigation that may be required
+LJ050-0115 this is especially necessary with regard to the fbi and cia
+LJ050-0116 which carry the major responsibility for supplying information about potential threats
+LJ050-0117 particularly those arising from organized groups within their special jurisdiction
+LJ050-0118 since these agencies are already obliged constantly to evaluate the activities of such groups
+LJ050-0119 they should be responsible for advising the secret service if information develops indicating the existence of an assassination plot
+LJ050-0120 and for reporting such events as a change in leadership or dogma which indicate that the group may present a danger to the president
+LJ050-0121 detailed formal agreements embodying these arrangements should be worked out between the secret service and both of these agencies
+LJ050-0122 it should be made clear that the secret service will in no way seek to duplicate the intelligence
+LJ050-0123 and investigative capabilities of the agencies now operating in this field but will continue
+LJ050-0124 to use the data developed by these agencies to carry out its special duties
+LJ050-0125 once experience has been gained in implementing such agreements with the federal and leading state and local agencies
+LJ050-0126 the secret service through its field offices
+LJ050-0127 should negotiate similar arrangements with such other state and local law enforcement agencies as may provide meaningful assistance
+LJ050-0128 much useful information will come to the attention of local law enforcement agencies in the regular course of their activities
+LJ050-0129 and this source should not be neglected by undue concentration on relationships with other federal agencies
+LJ050-0130 finally these agreements with federal and local authorities will be of little value
+LJ050-0131 unless a system is established for the frequent formal review of activities thereunder in this regard
+LJ050-0132 the commission notes with approval several recent measures taken and proposed by the secret service to improve its liaison arrangements
+LJ050-0133 in his testimony secretary of the treasury c douglas dillon informed the commission
+LJ050-0134 that an interagency committee has been established to develop more effective criteria
+LJ050-0135 according to secretary dillon
+LJ050-0136 the committee will include representatives of the presidents office of science and technology department of defense cia
+LJ050-0137 fbi and the secret service
+LJ050-0138 in addition the department of the treasury has requested five additional agents for its protective research section
+LJ050-0139 to serve as liaison officers with law enforcement and intelligence agencies on the basis of the departments review during the past several months
+LJ050-0140 secretary dillon testified that the use of such liaison officers is the only effective way to insure that adequate liaison is maintained
+LJ050-0141 as a beginning step to improve liaison with local law enforcement officials the secret service on august twentysix nineteen sixtyfour
+LJ050-0142 directed its field representatives to send a form request for intelligence information to all local
+LJ050-0143 county and state law enforcement agencies in their districts
+LJ050-0144 each of these efforts appears sound
+LJ050-0145 and the commission recommends that these and the other measures suggested by the commission be pursued vigorously by secret service
+LJ050-0146 automatic data processing
+LJ050-0147 unless the secret service is able to deal rapidly and accurately with a growing body of data
+LJ050-0148 the increased information supplied by other agencies will be wasted
+LJ050-0149 prs must develop the capacity to classify its subjects on a more sophisticated basis than the present geographic breakdown
+LJ050-0150 its present manual filing system is obsolete
+LJ050-0151 it makes no use of the recent developments in automatic data processing which are widely used in the business world and in other government offices
+LJ050-0152 the secret service and the department of the treasury now recognize this critical need
+LJ050-0153 in the planning document currently under review by the bureau of the budget the department recommends that it be permitted to hire five qualified persons quote
+LJ050-0154 to plan and develop a workable and efficient automated file and retrieval system end quote
+LJ050-0155 also the department requests the sum of one hundred thousand dollars to conduct a detailed feasibility study
+LJ050-0156 this money would be used to compensate consultants to lease standard equipment or to purchase specially designed pilot equipment
+LJ050-0157 on the basis of such a feasibility study
+LJ050-0158 the department hopes to design a practical system which will fully meet the needs of the protective research section of the secret service
+LJ050-0159 the commission recommends that prompt and favorable consideration be given to this request
+LJ050-0160 the commission further recommends that the secret service coordinate its planning as closely as possible with all of the federal agencies from which it receives information
+LJ050-0161 the secret service should not and does not plan to develop its own intelligence gathering facilities to duplicate the existing facilities of other federal agencies
+LJ050-0162 in planning its data processing techniques
+LJ050-0163 the secret service should attempt to develop a system compatible with those of the agencies from which most of its data will come note
+LJ050-0164 in evaluating data processing techniques of the secret service
+LJ050-0165 the commission had occasion to become informed to a limited extent about the data processing techniques of other federal intelligence and law enforcement agencies
+LJ050-0166 the commission was struck by the apparent lack of effort on an interagency basis
+LJ050-0167 to develop coordinated and mutually compatible systems even where such coordination would not seem inconsistent
+LJ050-0168 with the particular purposes of the agency involved the commission recognizes that this is a controversial area
+LJ050-0169 and that many strongly held views are advanced in resistance to any suggestion that an effort be made to impose any degree of coordination
+LJ050-0170 this matter is obviously beyond the jurisdiction of the commission
+LJ050-0171 but it seems to warrant further study before each agency becomes irrevocably committed to separate action
+LJ050-0172 the commission therefore recommends that the president consider ordering an inquiry into the possibility
+LJ050-0173 that coordination might be achieved to a greater extent than seems now to be contemplated without interference with the primary mission of each agency involved
+LJ050-0174 protective research participation in advance arrangements
+LJ050-0175 since the assassination secret service procedures have been changed to require that a member of prs accompany each advance survey team
+LJ050-0176 to establish liaison with local intelligence gathering agencies and to provide for the immediate evaluation of information received from them
+LJ050-0177 this prs agent will also be responsible for establishing an informal local liaison committee
+LJ050-0178 to make certain that all protective intelligence activities are coordinated
+LJ050-0179 based on its experience during this period the secret service now recommends that additional personnel be made available to prs
+LJ050-0180 so that these arrangements can be made permanent without adversely affecting the operations of the services field offices
+LJ050-0181 the commission regards this as a most useful innovation and urges that the practice be continued
+LJ050-0182 liaison with local law enforcement agencies
+LJ050-0183 advice by the secret service to local police in metropolitan areas relating to the assistance expected in connection with a presidential visit
+LJ050-0184 has hitherto been handled on an informal basis
+LJ050-0185 the service should consider preparing formal explanations of the cooperation anticipated during a presidential visit to a city
+LJ050-0186 in formats that can be communicated to each level of local authorities
+LJ050-0187 thus the local chief of police could be given a master plan prepared for the occasion of all protective measures to be taken during the visit
+LJ050-0188 each patrolman might be given a prepared booklet of instructions explaining what is expected of him the secret service has expressed concern
+LJ050-0189 that written instructions might come into the hands of local newspapers to the prejudice of the precautions described
+LJ050-0190 however the instructions must be communicated to the local police in any event and can be leaked to the press whether or not they are in writing
+LJ050-0191 more importantly the lack of carefully prepared and carefully transmitted instructions for typical visits to cities
+LJ050-0192 can lead to lapses in protection such as the confusion in dallas about whether members of the public were permitted on overpasses
+LJ050-0193 such instructions will not fit all circumstances of course
+LJ050-0194 and should not be relied upon to the detriment of the imaginative application of judgment in special cases
+LJ050-0195 inspection of buildings
+LJ050-0196 since the assassination of president kennedy the secret service has been experimenting with new techniques in the inspection of buildings along a motorcade route
+LJ050-0197 according to secretary dillon
+LJ050-0198 the studies indicate that there is some utility in attempting to designate certain buildings as involving a higher risk than others
+LJ050-0199 the commission strongly encourages these efforts to improve protection along a motorcade route
+LJ050-0200 the secret service should utilize the personnel of other federal law enforcement offices
+LJ050-0201 in the locality to assure adequate manpower for this task as it is now doing
+LJ050-0202 lack of adequate resources is an unacceptable excuse for failing to improve advance precautions
+LJ050-0203 in this crucial area of presidential protection
+LJ050-0204 secret service personnel and facilities
+LJ050-0205 testimony and other evidence before the commission
+LJ050-0206 suggest that the secret service is trying to accomplish its job with too few people and without adequate modern equipment
+LJ050-0207 although chief rowley does not complain about the pay scale for secret service agents
+LJ050-0208 salaries are below those of the fbi and leading municipal police forces
+LJ050-0209 the assistant to the director of the fbi testified that
+LJ050-0210 the caseload of each fbi agent averaged twenty to twentyfive and he felt that this was high
+LJ050-0211 chief rowley testified that the present workload of each secret service agent averages one hundred ten point one cases
+LJ050-0212 while these statistics relate to the activities of secret service agents stationed in field offices and not the white house detail
+LJ050-0213 field agents supplement those on the detail particularly when the president is traveling
+LJ050-0214 although the commission does not know whether the cases involved are entirely comparable
+LJ050-0215 these figures suggest that the agents of the secret service are substantially overworked
+LJ050-0216 in its budget request for the fiscal year beginning july one nineteen sixtyfour
+LJ050-0217 the secret service sought funds for twentyfive new positions primarily in field offices this increase has been approved by the congress
+LJ050-0218 chief rowley explained that this would not provide enough additional manpower to take all the measures which he considers required
+LJ050-0219 however the nineteen sixtyfour to sixtyfive budget request was submitted in november nineteen sixtythree
+LJ050-0220 and requests for additional personnel were not made because of the studies then being conducted
+LJ050-0221 the secret service has now presented its recommendations to the bureau of the budget the plan proposed by the service
+LJ050-0222 would take approximately twenty months to implement and require expenditures of approximately three million dollars during that period
+LJ050-0223 the plan provides for an additional two hundred five agents for the secret service seventeen of this number are proposed for the protective research section
+LJ050-0224 one hundred fortyfive are proposed for the field offices to handle the increased volume of security investigations
+LJ050-0225 and be available to protect the president or vice president when they travel
+LJ050-0226 eighteen agents are proposed for a rotating pool which will go through an intensive training cycle and also be available to supplement the white house detail
+LJ050-0227 in case of unexpected need and twentyfive additional agents are recommended to provide the vice president full protection
+LJ050-0228 the commission urges that the bureau of the budget review these recommendations with the secret service and authorize a request for the necessary supplemental appropriation
+LJ050-0229 as soon as it can be justified the congress has often stressed that it will support any reasonable request for funds for the protection of the president
+LJ050-0230 manpower and technical assistance from other agencies
+LJ050-0231 before the assassination the secret service infrequently requested other federal law enforcement agencies to provide personnel
+LJ050-0232 to assist in its protection functions
+LJ050-0233 since the assassination the service has experimented with the use of agents borrowed for short periods from such agencies
+LJ050-0234 it has used other treasury law enforcement agents on special experiments in building and route surveys in places to which the president frequently travels
+LJ050-0235 it has also used other federal law enforcement agents during presidential visits to cities in which such agents are stationed
+LJ050-0236 thus in the four months following the assassination
+LJ050-0237 the fbi on sixteen separate occasions supplied a total of one hundred thirtynine agents to assist in protection work during a presidential visit
+LJ050-0238 which represents a departure from its prior practice
+LJ050-0239 from february eleven through june thirty nineteen sixtyfour
+LJ050-0240 the service had the advantage of nine thousand five hundred hours of work by other enforcement agencies
+LJ050-0241 the fbi has indicated that it is willing to continue to make such assistance available
+LJ050-0242 even though it agrees with the secret service that it is preferable for the service to have enough agents to handle all protective demands
+LJ050-0243 the commission endorses these efforts to supplement the services own personnel by obtaining for short periods of time
+LJ050-0244 the assistance of trained federal law enforcement officers
+LJ050-0245 in view of the everincreasing mobility of american presidents it seems unlikely that the service could or should increase its own staff to a size
+LJ050-0246 which would permit it to provide adequate protective manpower for all situations
+LJ050-0247 the commission recommends that the agencies involved determine how much periodic assistance they can provide and that each such agency
+LJ050-0248 and the secret service enter into a formal agreement defining such arrangements
+LJ050-0249 it may eventually be desirable to codify the practice in an executive order
+LJ050-0250 the secret service will be better able to plan its own longrange personnel requirements if it knows with reasonable certainty
+LJ050-0251 the amount of assistance that it can expect from other agencies
+LJ050-0252 the occasional use of personnel from other federal agencies to assist in protecting the president has a further advantage it symbolizes the reality
+LJ050-0253 that the job of protecting the president has not been and cannot be exclusively the responsibility of the secret service
+LJ050-0254 the secret service in the past has sometimes guarded its right to be acknowledged as the sole protector of the chief executive
+LJ050-0255 this no longer appears to be the case
+LJ050-0256 protecting the president is a difficult and complex task which requires full use of the best resources of many parts of our government
+LJ050-0257 recognition that the responsibility must be shared increases the likelihood that it will be met
+LJ050-0258 much of the secret service work requires the development and use of highly sophisticated equipment
+LJ050-0259 some of which must be specially designed to fit unique requirements even before the assassination and to a far greater extent thereafter
+LJ050-0260 the secret service has been receiving full cooperation in scientific research and technological development
+LJ050-0261 from many government agencies including the department of defense and the presidents office of science and technology
+LJ050-0262 even if the manpower and technological resources of the secret service are adequately augmented
+LJ050-0263 it will continue to rely in many respects upon the greater resources of the office of science and technology and other agencies
+LJ050-0264 the commission recommends that the present arrangements
+LJ050-0265 with the office of science and technology and the other federal agencies that have been so helpful to the secret service be placed on a permanent and formal basis
+LJ050-0266 the exchange of letters dated august thirtyone nineteen sixtyfour
+LJ050-0267 between secretary dillon and donald f hornig special assistant to the president for science and technology is a useful effort in the right direction
+LJ050-0268 the service should negotiate a memorandum of understanding with each agency that has been assisting it and from which it can expect to need help in the future
+LJ050-0269 the essential terms of such memoranda might well be embodied in an executive order
+LJ050-0270 this commission can recommend no procedures for the future protection of our presidents which will guarantee security
+LJ050-0271 the demands on the president in the execution of his responsibilities in todays world are so varied and complex
+LJ050-0272 and the traditions of the office in a democracy such as ours are so deepseated as to preclude absolute security
+LJ050-0273 the commission has however from its examination of the facts of president kennedys assassination
+LJ050-0274 made certain recommendations which it believes would if adopted
+LJ050-0275 materially improve upon the procedures in effect at the time of president kennedys assassination and result in a substantial lessening of the danger
+LJ050-0276 as has been pointed out the commission has not resolved all the proposals which could be made the commission nevertheless is confident that
+LJ050-0277 with the active cooperation of the responsible agencies and with the understanding of the people of the united states in their demands upon their president
+LJ050-0278 the recommendations we have here suggested would greatly advance the security of the office without any impairment of our fundamental liberties