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I Was There As the Sound of Shots Split The

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I Was There As the Sound of Shots Split The I was there at each other, even falling into each as the sound other. Cops, both uniformed and in plain clothes, darted this way and that. A man close to me holding a small boy gently laid him down and of shots covered him with his body. Out of the corner of my eye I saw the lady in the pink dress thrust her split the air child toward her friend, clutch her stomach and retch on the sidewalk. Several people pointed toward the By Hugh Aynesworth depository building, at the dis- THE VASHINGTON T1MES appearing motorcade, at the police- DALLAS man driving his motorcycle up on he first shot, maybe because the grass to our right. "The president's been hit:' one it was so unexpected, sound- ed to me like the backfire of man cried out. "Oh my God, the pres- T a Dallas police motorcycle. ident's been hit." Standing on Elm Street, at the cor- "I think Lyndon Johnson was hit ner of Houston Street, I glanced too:' added another. slightly to my left to identify the Within five minutes I was inter- noise and, almost immediately, a sec- viewing as many people as I could ond and, shortly afterward, a third stop. Some were crying, others sur- rang out. prisingly composed. In those scant seconds, what had Later that day, I would learn and begun as an exciting, almost festive fall afternoon suddenly churned to- see SEE, page E12 ward fear, disbelief and chaos; fi- nally to a rumbling stomach and a heavy heart. ■ People started I recall explicitly my reactions for a brief period, but some of the twists and turns for the next few minutes yelling, grabbing at don't come back so easily 25 years later— not even with the help of my each other, even notes (written hastily on two enve- lopes) and the sharing of remem- brances with others close by. falling into each other. I'll never forget the large black woman holding a small child, wear- ing a dress almost the color of the pink suit worn by Jackie Kennedy. The president's limousine drifted slowly by as it made the hard left at the 'Texas School Book Depository building, and a woman with her shouted, "Hey, look, she's got your dress ore," and the woman waved wildly, almost dropping the young- ster as she bristled with pride. Seconds later, possibly even be- fore the third shot hit, people started moving. One tall man in a Western hat raised his hands, booming out, "Hey, hey," as if his assertiveness could stop whatever was happening. People started yelling, grabbing columnist who occasionally wrote call in to report that Officer Tippit Before I could run — and I think about Ruby and his two sleazy had been shot. I wanted desperately to do so — at SEE nightclubs, the Carousel and Vegas. "I think he's hurt bad," the caller least three other officers jumped in, There was no greeting between said, as he gave the dispatcher the a couple from the row behind. One From page El us. 1 had seen Ruby far ton often, and location. shouted. "He's got a gun." There see a lot more. Ten hours after the did not like him. It was shout three miles from were a couple of grunts, the sound of first shot I would still be taking In 1963 in Dallas there were few where I stood. This must be part of a cracking seat and a couple of other notes. In between I would go on the clubs to attend, and these that sold this, I thought, as I grabbed a WFAA- remarks. chase for the assassin, see the cops drinks closed early. The Vegas, as an TV newsman and cameraman and "We've got him:" shouted one offi- capture him in the Texas Theater. after-hours club, offered no liquor related what I had heard. With Vic cer as he tried to pull the suspect out interview saddened officers at J.D. but one could get a "near-beer" or Robertson and me waving franti- the west side of the aisle. A couple Tippit's home and Fmd at least three Coke for a couple bucks and see a cally out the windows and Mal Couch others were pulling just as hard to apartments where Oswald had lived comedian and a stripper. driving relentlessly through inter- get him out the other aisle. — including one where I interrupted The Jack Ruby I knew was an sections. we got to the Tippit murder Finally three officers walked the two near-nude lovers who didn't overbearing weirdo, a loudmouthed scene pretty fast. suspect, who, of course. turned out want to talk about Lee Harvey Os- showoff whom I had seen at fires, We almost immediately ran into to be Oswald, out the front door and wald. accidents, bars and the newspaper. Helen Markham, a fidgety woman put him into an unmarked police car. It was a most bizarre and disturb- He seemed to be everywhere news who had been standing on a corner "I protest this police brutality," ing day — the first of many I spent happened or people gathered. I won- waiting for her bus just a few yards Oswald said at least twice in a shrill, digging, interviewing, following in- dered what he got out of it: still do, from Mr. Tippit's police cruiser birdlike voice. vestigative leads. Often I would And, I had seen him beat up when she saw a man shoot the of- At least 200 persons had gathered awake sharply at night, having re- drunks on at least two occasions - ficer. in front of the theater by then, and played part of the drama in my totally without provocation. I never She had no doubt about what she as the cops pushed Oswald quickly dreams. saw him with a woman and won- saw, though the description she gave through the throng, I heard people For months it drained me as I dered about that me of the killer — she told me he was shouting, "Kill the son of a bitch" looked for answers that were not By 11:45, I had left the cafeteria, stocky — later was used by conspir- and "Let us have him. We'll kill him." there. as Ruby leaned slightly leeward in acy theorists to cast doubt on her Mr. Ewell, back at the station, soon Just as they aren't 25 years later. an attempt to peer up the cashier's testimony. We found a couple other learned who the suspect was, but it Though I honestly tried, even dress. people, sisters as I recall, or maybe was quite some time before we knew years and years tater I simply could Had I only grabbed him then and sisters-in-law, who had seen the man he had been involved with the presi- not push myself away from that day, held onto him! run from the scene. dent's death also, what happened and what it caused I headed out for the City Hall William W. Scoggins, a cab driver Meanwhile, we came up with later as a generation went almost press room, where I figured my who was sitting in his car, eating his three Oak Cliff addresses where Os- crazy trying to prove it all happened buddy James Ewell would be cover- lunch, told us he saw the officer's car wald had lived, and it was my job to the way they figured it should have. ing from the third-floor press room approach, stop, the officer get out, find out all I could about him. No matter where I went — from and only a few yards from where the heard the shots and then saw the After I had returned to my desk The Dallas News to Newsweek, from Kennedy motorcade would he slip- killer run by him to escape. and written page after page of copy the Dallas Times Herald to ABC's ping onto Main Street for its final "Man, he was within a dozen feet — which was superbly weaved into a "20/20" and to The Washington few blocks. of me." Mr. Scoggins said. "He was lead story by columnist Paul Crume Times — every time a new conspir- Mr. Ewell wasn't there and homi- kinds loping, trotting, with this pis- — Mr. King suddenly found out no- acy theory came along, every time cide cops had filled the window, so tol in his left hand." body had done anything about the there was a new investigation, every turned and shoved back out into the Did he saw anything? Tippet family. I was sent out to attack time somebody confessed to being street, determined to get a good "He muttered something like that unpleasant task. involved in the president's death, I viewing position along Main Street. 'Poor dumb cop' or 'Poor damn Fortunately there were several would have to grab a telephone. or a Before long, three fellows from cop: " he said. police officers there who could and train or plane, and deal with it - the district attorney's office stopped We didn't know how far behind the did fill me in on details so that I check it OM. me and suggested I go with them. killer we were. I thought I'd check didn't have to bother the grieving At last count, 1 had investigated at They were headed back for their of- in, but couldn't find a telephone. I family. least 75 different conspiracy tales.
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