Journalist Recalls His White House Coverage of Assassination by Bill Sterling Oday Marks the 50Th Anniversary of the Assas- Sination of President John F
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Circulation 13,000 Free November 22, 2013 ~ 50 Years Later ~ Journalist Recalls His White House Coverage of Assassination By Bill Sterling oday marks the 50th anniversary of the assas- sination of President John F. Kennedy, an event Tthat changed America and is one of those mile- stones in history that almost everyone alive at the time can recall exactly where they were when they heard the news. Thomas Murray of Accomac was a journalist cov- ering Capitol Hill for the Asbury Park Press and the Jersey City Journal and happened to be at the White House that fateful day. “I was interviewing Andrew Hatcher, the first black person to serve in the White House press of- fice, when I heard five bells go off on the UPI wire service,” Murray recalled. “I knew it was important from the number of bells ringing. I read a story from Merriman Smith coming across the wire that said President Kennedy had been shot.” Smith was a Pulitzer Prize-winning wire service reporter on the scene in Dallas. Murray, then 25, be- lieves he was the lone reporter at the White House at the time because all the UPI and AP reporters were in Dallas covering the president’s trip. “I walked outside the White House and saw may- Thomas Murray, then Washington correspondent for Hearst Newspapers, is pictured standing be 100 people lining up at the iron picket fence that directly behind President Lyndon B. Johnson on Air Force One in the 1960s. surrounds the White House grounds,” said Murray. “Before long, the throng grew to over 1,000. Many Only five months before, Murray had been in Berlin Growing up in New Jersey, Murray learned to play had transistor radios to their ears. when President Kennedy made his famous “Ich bin ein the piano and classics from the honky-tonk era when “And then I will never forget the scene of a main- Berliner” speech. Murray had served in the U.S. Army schools were closed during World War II so the heating tenance man walking slowly to the flag pole, where Special Services in Europe, playing honky-tonk piano oil could be used for American troops. As a young child, the American flag was flying. He looked to be trem- and dancing the Charleston. With the help of some he was sent to stay with his grandmother during school bling and sobbing as he walked. When he lowered American Army GIs, Murray put a piano loaded with closures. “I can’t read a note, but she had an old Victrola the flag to half mast, I never heard such screaming speakers on a truck and played George M. Cohan’s “I’m and played those records all the time. I sat down at the and sobbing. I remember a black lady with a colorful a Yankee Doodle Dandy” when the president’s motor- piano and could soon play those songs,” said Murray. hat crying, ‘Oh God, don’t let it be true. Let him live, cade stopped briefly at an intersection while thousands Now 75, Murray mixed politics and journalism in God. Let him live!’ ” of Berliners chanted “Kennedy, Kennedy.” an interesting career. A graduate of the University of Murray filed stories that ran the next day in his “President Kennedy acknowledged my playing of Maryland’s School of Journalism, he was a Washing- two newspapers describing the scene at the White the famous World War I song,” said Murray. “I was ton correspondent for 14 of the Hearst newspapers House in the moments after the news that President a great admirer of President Kennedy and was sad- during the Vietnam War and the emerging candidacy Kennedy had been assassinated reached Washington. dened at his death.” (Continued on Page 6) 2 • EastErn shorE Post • novEmbEr 22, 2013 Lewis Captures Senate Nomination Shore Woman Hurt By Linda Cicoira 274, McClellan 778 and Miller 1,173 in been on the board” in Fatal Crash Del. Lynwood Lewis, an Accomac Norfolk; Lewis 3, McClellan 18 and Mill- of supervisors for By Linda Cicoira lawyer, secured the Democratic Party’s er 23 in Virginia Beach; and Lewis 137, the last 11 years. A Cape Charles woman was injured nomination Saturday to seek election McClellan 53 and Miller 48 in Mathews. Wolff has held last week in a fatal crash in James to the 6th District State Senate seat. If The governor has not set a date for about 120 infor- City County, according to State Police. elected, the process would likely begin the special election because before he mational meet- Sgt. Michelle Anaya reported that again to fill Lewis’ delegate post. does so, Lt. Gov.-Elect Ralph Northam ings for his con- Carolyn L. Duff, 68, of Randolph Street “I want to thank … voters for the sup- must resign from his Senate seat. stituents and said was airlifted to the Medical College of port they have shown me today,” Lewis Republicans were holding their cau- he has learned Lewis Virginia in Richmond after her vehicle stated on his campaign website Sunday. cuses for Northam’s seat Thursday at what is important to them. “We are all and another collided at around 3 p.m. “Congratulations to Paula Miller and press time. Seeking that party’s nomi- looking for clean water, jobs, good edu- last Thursday, Nov. 14, on Interstate 64 Andria McClellan (both of whom sought nation are Wayne Coleman, CEO and cation.” West in James City County. the nomination), for running campaigns owner of CV International Inc. in Nor- Donald Hart, an active Democrat and Trooper D. Weymouth-German de- about important issues. I look forward to folk; and Richard Ottinger and John chairman of the Accomack Board of Su- termined that after impact, the 2003 working with both of them.” Coggeshall, both Norfolk attorneys. pervisors, would not give a definite an- Chrysler Town & Country driven by Final caucus results showed Lewis win- Accomack County Supervisor Ron swer about his interest in the delegate Lauren Michele Monroe, 43, of Manas- ning in Mathews and both Eastern Shore Wolff already is gearing up for a Lewis post. “I am considering it after many sas, Va., slid into the median, ran off counties. In total, he got 2,658 votes. win. Wolff announced this week that people have contacted me and encour- the road, and struck a tree, partially Miller, a former delegate, took Nor- if Lewis moves up to the Senate, he aged me,” he said Wednesday. “However, ejecting her. Monroe was not wearing folk and Virginia Beach. Her total was would seek the Democratic nomination at this time it is premature to make any a seatbelt. She died at the scene. 1,292. McClellan got a total of 929 votes, for delegate of the 100th District. announcements as … Northam has not The other vehicle, a 2005 Subaru, but did not win in any of the areas. “It’s something I’ve been thinking resigned, no election date for the Senate driven by Duff, also slid into the medi- Figures relayed by Larry Keefe, about for awhile,” said Wolff, who lives has been set and Republicans have not an and ran off the road. It then struck chairman of the 6th Senate District in Assawoman and has a restaurant in chosen a candidate for Senate.” a “high tension wire impact attenua- Democratic Nominating Caucus, were: Atlantic. “The opportunity only presents “Our focus right now as Democrats tor … before overturning,” Anaya said. Lewis 731, McClellan 29 and Miller 21 itself one time,” he continued. “I’d prob- should be to get Lyn Lewis elected to No charges were filed. in Northampton; Lewis 1,513, McClel- ably regret it if I didn’t try. I think I’ve the Senate, not to focus on a future The investigation is continuing, the lan 51 and Miller 29 in Accomack; Lewis had a pretty good experience since I’ve possible race,” Hart remarked. sergeant said. Animal Control provides food and shelter to abandoned, unwanted, lost or stray kittens, cats, dogs, and puppies. They place more animals per year than any other group on The Eastern Shore. Some animals do not make it. Animal Control, however, does their best to reunite those lost pets with their families, find rescue groups that will take the ani- mals until they are adopted and even provides adoption services at their facility. This is only a fraction of what Animal Control does and is responsible for in our community. 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