Oakland Tribune,Parade: March 8 1964 8 March, 1964 P. - The man who captured Lee Oswald Lloyd Shearer
A native of Camden, Ark., happily married, father of two girls, McDonald is a big, broad (5-feet-11, 200 THE MAN WHO CAPTURED pounds), balding man with an almost perpetual smile. "I'm just glad to be alive," he says. "If Oswald's gun hadn't misfired, I'd be a dead goose today. Maybe," he reflects, "Sally and the kids would have then got- LEE OSWALD by LLOYD SHEARER ten more money than I'll ever make—no doubt about that—but I'd be dead, and what good is a dead hus- band? Marie Tippit—she lives just a few houses DALIALSOWL from bere—she'd gladly give up the $600,000 if only t is an ironical fact of life that the death of she had her husband back. President John F. Kennedy has brought fortune "Money can buy almost anything, but it sure can't to many. bring back the dead. And brother! Let me tell you, I A few days after the President was assassinated, came that close to getting id" a 21-year-old Denver student ordered 5 million key chains stamped with the Kennedy impres- NICK TELLS HIS STORY I sion. Today that student is worth $250,000. A few weeks ago in Oak Cliff, sitting in the living In New York a jeweler came out with Kennedy tie room of 111cDonald's one-story, 3-bedroom brick home clips, a china-maker with Kennedy beer mugs, a sil- (cost $12,850—mortgage $11,900), I asked the versmith with Kennedy memorial platters. police officer to tape-record greedy what had hap- Newsstands are still cluttered with special Kennedy pened to him on November 22, 1963. magazines. Music shops and supermarkets have sold Here are the words he spoke: Kennedy record albums and paperback books by the "On the day President John F. Kennedy was as- million, and at least half a dozen publishers are print- sassinated I reported for duty at my normal hour of ing books this spring of the late President's speeches, 7 A.M. During November I was assigned a trainee who most of which were largely written by Kennedy's had graduated from the previous recruit class. speechwriter, Ted Sorensen. "With this recruit beside me, I went on routine The bonanza has also spread to persons connected patrol of my district, which is the western part of with Lee Harvey Oswald, the suspected Kennedy as- South Oak Cliff, approximately 3 miles west of the sassin. Texas Theatre, where Oswald was finally captured. The family of the Dallas police officer allegedly "That morning was a routine day until we heard gunned down by Oswald, J. D. Tippit, has to date on the police radio that the President of the United received more than $600,000 from 40,000 different States had been shot. At that time we were patrolling people. The largest single donation was made by on Westmoreland Avenue, which is approximately 8 Abraham Zapruder, a Dallas garment manufacturer miles from Elm and Houston in downtown Dallas, who contributed the $25,000 paid him by Life for where the assassination occurred. his motion pictures of the assassination. The second- "The police dispatcher ordered all police units to largest donation, $12,000, was made by Walter H. report to the vicinity of Elm and Houston to cordon Annenberg, publisher of the Philadelphia Inquirer. off the district and try to find the assassin. This paid off the mortgage on the Tippit home. "We proceeded on Code 3 [the emergency pro- Oswald's mother, Marguerite, has sold interviews cedure—siren blaring, red lights flashing] to Elm and to foreign publications, has announced a lecture tour Houston. We got out of the car and ran over to a and is reportedly working on a book. police sergeant, who told us to stand by. Meanwhile, Oswald's 23-year-old widow, Marina, has already the Texas Book Depository Building from which the received more than $35,000 from the public. She shots had been fired was cordoned off and completely has hired as her business manager (for 10 per cent surrounded, and the crowd was being controlled. of the take) James Herbert Martin, formerly manager of the 6 Flags Inn at Arlington, Tex. He reports that AN UNFAMILIAR VOICE Mrs. Oswald has been offered a $50,000 advance to r "At 1:15 we went back to the car, and suddenly I write a book of memoirs on a 50-50 royalty basis in heard over the police radio an unfamiliar voice, a collaboration with Isaac Don Levine or James Burke. voice not acquainted with police procedure, obviously The Saturday Evening Post has also offered a large a civilian. 'A policeman has just been shot!' the voice announced. 'A policeman has just been shot! He was sum, provided Mrs. Oswald has information to divulge driving police car No. 10 from where I am now that she did not reveal to the Warren Commission in talking.' Washington. Hollywood is also interested in filming "When I heard that announcement," McDonald Marina's life story. continued, "I knew at once that officer J. D. Tippit One of the few principals involved in the Presi- had been shot. I knew Tippit had been assigned Patrol dential assassination overlooked both by fame and Car No. 10 in District 78. fortune is Maurice "Nick" McDonald, 36, the Dallas "The voice then continuea: 'It looks as if the patrolman who captured Lee Harvey Oswald in the officer is dead.' When I heard that, I ordered my part- Oak Cliff movie theater 90 minutes after Oswald al- ner into the car. 'Let's get over to Oak Cliff,' I said. legedly killed the President. 'We're standing around here doing nothing. Let's see McDonald is the forgotten man of the assassina- if we can find the guy who shot Tippit.' tion. No one has offered him anything for a magazine "We raced to the 400 block of East Jefferson Blvd. article, a lecture tour or even a TV appearance. All where a sergeant and a few reporters and policemen McDonald received was a $10 donation, which he were trying to shake a house down, to search it to see turned over to the Dallas police fund. if they could find the suspect. It had been reported that a possible suspect had made his way into that house. "I let my partner out at this location and drove my
F F
center of the theater. I decided that I would search search would I that decided I theater. the of center
became dim again, but the movie stopped. stopped. movie the but again, dim became
playing. Several policemen were searching the bal- the searching were policemen Several playing.
cony. As I stepped out through the curtain the lights lights the curtain the through out stepped I As cony.
peeked through the curtain, but the show was still still was show the but curtain, the through peeked
downstairs section. section. downstairs
There were only about 10 or 15 people in the entire entire the in people 15 or 10 about only were There
who, he said, was wearing a brown shirt. It was Os- was It shirt. brown a wearing was said, he who,
wald. He was sitting in the back of the theater, alone. alone. theater, the of back the in sitting was He wald.
him. This shoe salesman went to the stage with me, me, with stage the to went salesman shoe This him.
peeped through the curtain and identified the suspect suspect the identified and curtain the through peeped
salesman who had seen the suspect run into the the into run suspect the seen had who salesman
theater without paying for a ticket and could identify identify could and ticket a for paying without theater
went in through the rear exit door. I remember that that remember I door. exit rear the through in went one of the movies at the Texas was was Texas the at movies the of one
at that location, so I decided to go to the rear of the the of rear the to go to decided I so location, that at
uniformed officers at the rear of the theater, and we we and theater, the of rear the at officers uniformed
theater. I got out of the squad car and joined 3 other other 3 joined and car squad the of out got I theater.
West Jefferson. I drove on Code 3 to the theater. When When theater. the to 3 Code on drove I Jefferson. West running into the Texas Theatre in the 200 block of of block 200 the in Theatre Texas the into running
other radio report. A suspect had just been seen seen been just had suspect A report. radio other
I got to the front, there were 3 or 4 police cars already already cars police 4 or 3 were there front, the to got I No one else in the library did either. either. did library the in else one No
library and ordered all persons out with bands up. up. bands with out persons all ordered and library police description of the unknown assassin at the time. time. the at assassin unknown the of description police
up. A teenager told me that he had just run in to tell tell to in run just had he that me told teenager A up.
the people of the assassination. He didn't match the the match didn't He assassination. the of people the
gun with me. I went through the side door of the the of door side the through went I me. with gun
on Jefferson. I got out in the alley and took my shot- my took and alley the in out got I Jefferson. on
block away. I immediately drove to the public library library public the to drove immediately I away. block
over the radio that a suspect with Oswald's general general Oswald's with suspect a that radio the over
near-by alleys. That's the last time I saw my partner partner my saw I time last the That's alleys. near-by description had raced into the public library about a a about library public the into raced had description
squad car around the alley, then drove up and down down and up drove then alley, the around car squad
that day- day- that
"The two men closest to me were sitting in the the in sitting were me to closest men two "The
"The theater house lights were up at the time. I I time. the at up were lights house theater "The
i
"I ran back to my car. As I got in, there came an- came there in, got I As car. my to back ran "I
"Everybody inside the library came out with hands hands with out came library the inside "Everybody
"As I was patrolling the alleys, another report came came report another alleys, the patrolling was I "As
ust ust
inside the theater we were met by a shoestore shoestore a by met were we theater the inside
A LOOK AT THE SUSPECT SUSPECT THE AT LOOK A
2:j 2:j
Cry of Bank. Bank. of Cry
he sure can kill me if I let go of this gun.' gun.' this of go let I if me kill can sure he
all all
it only dented the primer. I could hear the snap, but but snap, the hear could I primer. the dented only it
over the gun slowed the action of the hammer and and hammer the of action the slowed gun the over no bullet was fired. fired. was bullet no
away from Oswald, he suddenly plunged it forward forward it plunged suddenly he Oswald, from away
into my chest and pulled the trigger, but my hand hand my but trigger, the pulled and chest my into
it came up and cut my face, When I tried to wrench it it wrench to tried I When face, my cut and up came it
ing, 'He can't beat me to death with his left fist, but but fist, left his with death to me beat can't 'He ing,
he had his hand on the trigger part. I remember think- remember I part. trigger the on hand his had he
portion of his gun in my hand, and so did he, only only he, did so and hand, my in gun his of portion
both fell, fighting, into the seats, but I still had some some had still I but seats, the into fighting, fell, both
his left fist Oswald then smashed me right between between right me smashed then Oswald fist left his
the eyes as bard as he could, knocking my cap off. We We off. cap my knocking could, he as bard as eyes the
& Wesson snubnose—blue steel. steel. snubnose—blue Wesson &
it with his right hand. I shouted, 'I've got him!' With With him!' got 'I've shouted, I hand. right his with it
revolver, a Smith & Wesson—what they call a Smith Smith a call they Wesson—what & Smith a revolver,
hands darted over his body as I searched for a weapon. weapon. a for searched I as body his over darted hands
side side Quickly they reached Oswald's waist. On his right right his On waist. Oswald's reached they Quickly
said in a tone of resignation, 'Now it's all over.' My My over.' all it's 'Now resignation, of tone a in said
and slowly raised both his arms. As he did this, he he this, did he As arms. his both raised slowly and
neath, and dark trousers. trousers. dark and neath,
center section. section. center
was was wearing a brown shirt, with a white T-shirt under- T-shirt white a with shirt, brown a wearing
was sitting. Oswald was slumped down in the second second the in down slumped was Oswald sitting. was
aisle and entered the row where Lee Harvey Oswald Oswald Harvey Lee where row the entered and aisle seat, third row from the rear, on the right side of the the of side right the on rear, the from row third seat,
not suspect, I walked out of the 15th row, up the the up row, 15th the of out walked I suspect, not
their shoulders at Oswald, just in case he should should he case in just Oswald, at shoulders their
make a break. These first two men were sitting about about sitting were men two first These break. a make every single person in the orchestra so that I would would I that so orchestra the in person single every
them stand on their feet, and I searched them. them. searched I and feet, their on stand them
miss no one. I walked first to these two men. I had had I men. two these to first walked I one. no miss
15 rows from the screen, in the center. center. the in screen, the from rows 15
"When I heard that snap, I gave one final jerk with with jerk final one gave I snap, that heard I "When
"I held on on held "I
the strength I had. My hand got down to 4butt 4butt to down got hand My had. I strength the
"As I reached for the gun, Oswald also grabbed for for grabbed also Oswald gun, the for reached I "As
"'All right,' I said, 'on your feet.' Oswald stood up up stood Oswald feet.' your 'on said, I right,' "'All
"As I got within one foot of the suspect, I saw he he saw I suspect, the of foot one within got I "As
"After I decided that these men were unarmed and and unarmed were men these that decided I "After
"While I was frisking them I kept glancing over over glancing kept I them frisking was I "While
sitting calmly with his hands on his lap. He was was He lap. his on hands his with calmly sitting
tucked beneath his belt was a .38 snub-nosed snub-nosed .38 a was belt his beneath tucked
as as
we were wrestling for that gun. Once Once gun. that for wrestling were we
what I picked up of the happenings was piecemeal piecemeal was happenings the of up picked I what
no radio in the reception room where I worked, so so worked, I where room reception the in radio no
from people coming and going. going. and coming people from
by the news of the President's assassination.There was was assassination.There President's the of news the by
an oil company, Producing Properties, Inc., on the the on Inc., Properties, Producing company, oil an
past February February past
ald's wife Sally—they were married 14 years this this years 14 married were Sally—they wife ald's 35th floor of the Southland Center Building in Dallas. Dallas. in Building Center Southland the of floor 35th
he had killed the President of the United States. I was was I States. United the of President the killed had he
killed Officer Tippit." Tippit." Officer killed
him. After Oswald was arrested, no one laid a hand hand a laid one no arrested, was Oswald After him.
fairly sure, however, that he was the man who had had who man the was he that however, sure, fairly
and that was in self-defense. self-defense. in was that and resisting arrest and force had to be used to subdue subdue to used be to had force and arrest resisting
on him. I was the only one who hit him at any time, time, any at him hit who one only the was I him. on sented evidence, photographic evidence, that he was was he that evidence, photographic evidence, sented
brutality. If Oswald had lived we would have pre- have would we lived had Oswald If brutality.
Harvey Oswald was already hollering about police police about hollering already was Oswald Harvey from the fighting. fighting. the from
There I reported to Captain Westbrook, and he es- he and Westbrook, Captain to reported I There
of my face. The gun had cut it while Oswald and I had had I and Oswald while it cut had gun The face. my of
been fighting. My nose and lips were also a bit bloody bloody bit a also were lips and nose My fighting. been
corted me to the crime lab, where pictures were taken taken were pictures where lab, crime the to me corted
I walked back to my squad car and drove downtown. downtown. drove and car squad my to back walked I
been assassinatedg assassinatedg been
P.M., P.M.,
and transported him to the City Jail. It was then then was It Jail. City the to him transported and
left, grabbed Oswald's left arm. Officer Ray Hawkins Hawkins Ray Officer arm. left Oswald's grabbed left,
the front. I held on to the suspect with my left hand. hand. left my with suspect the to on held I front. the
in plain clothes. Officer T. A. Hudson then came up up came then Hudson A. T. Officer clothes. plain in
ran to the row in front of us and grabbed Oswald from from Oswald grabbed and us of front in row the to ran
it to another officer, Detective Bob Carroll, who was was who Carroll, Bob Detective officer, another to it
wald's neck. Officer C. T. Walker, running from the the from running Walker, T. C. Officer neck. wald's from the row behind and threw his arm around Os- around arm his threw and behind row the from
and I pulled the gun out of Oswald's hand. I handed handed I hand. Oswald's of out gun the pulled I and
"Like everyone else," she told me, "I was stunned stunned was "I me, told she else," everyone "Like
While all this was going on, officer Nick McDon- Nick officer on, going was this all While
"At the time I captured Oswald, I had no idea that that idea no had I Oswald, captured I time the "At
"The captain wanted photos taken because Lee Lee because taken photos wanted captain "The
"When Oswald was taken from the Texas Theatre, Theatre, Texas the from taken was Oswald "When
"The officers then took Oswald out of the theater theater the of out Oswald took then officers "The
about 90 minutes after President Kennedy had had Kennedy President after minutes 90 about
PHOTOS TO PROVE A POINT POINT A PROVE TO PHOTOS
15
—
was was
working as a receptionist for for receptionist a as working
continued continued 2 2
photo was taken to prove that Oswald resisted arrest. arrest. resisted Oswald that prove to taken was photo
McDonald after capture displays battered cheek. Police Police cheek. battered displays capture after McDonald
"My husband has been shot" shot" been has husband "My
said calmly. 'Just got a few scratches.' scratches.' few a got 'Just calmly. said
the phone, and I heard Nick's voice. 'I'm okay,' he he okay,' 'I'm voice. Nick's heard I and phone, the
it and yelled at me, 'It's your husband.' I lurched for for lurched I husband.' your 'It's me, at yelled and it The officer's wife's first thought: thought: first wife's officer's The
me. And then the phone rang again. Someone grabbed grabbed Someone again. rang phone the then And me.
sterical. People gathered around, trying to console console to trying around, gathered People sterical.
husband was dead. He'd come real close to death two two death to close real come He'd dead. was husband
OSWALD'S CAPTOR CAPTOR OSWALD'S
Now I cursed myself for not having insisted. insisted. having not for myself cursed I Now
times before. I'd wanted him to quit the police force. force. police the quit to him wanted I'd before. times
Nick's been wounded.' wounded.' been Nick's
husband Frank is on the force with Nick. He's Nick's Nick's He's Nick. with force the on is Frank husband
fore I could feel or think anything. I was sure my my sure was I anything. think or feel could I fore
best friend. Ann said, 'Sally, hold on to yourself. yourself. to on hold 'Sally, said, Ann friend. best
called, "I got a phone call from Ann Williams. Her Her Williams. Ann from call phone a got "I called,
Cliff substation immediately, and they told me it was was it me told they and immediately, substation Cliff J. D. Tippit who'd been killed. killed. been who'd Tippit D. J.
the same—was that it was Nick. I phoned the Oak Oak the phoned I Nick. was it that same—was the
shot near Oak Cliff, and the first thought that came came that thought first the and Cliff, Oak near shot to my mind—I guess every policeman's wife thinks thinks wife policeman's every guess mind—I my to
"I began to sob and cry. I guess I was nearly hy- nearly was I guess I cry. and sob to began "I
"I tell you, I went numb. It was a few minutes be- minutes few a was It numb. went I you, tell "I
"Then a few minutes later," Mrs. McDonald re- McDonald Mrs. later," minutes few a "Then
"I heard from someone that a policeman had been been had policeman a that someone from heard "I
continued continued
was entitled to his day in court. Jack Ruby bad no right right no bad Ruby Jack court. in day his to entitled was
to take the law into his own hands." hands." own his into law the take to Tippit, D. J. of murder his to eye-witness an have We
sure he assassinated the President, but certainly he he certainly but President, the assassinated he sure
a woman who saw the whole thing. And I'm equally equally I'm And thing. whole the saw who woman a
ry. "I'm convinced," he says, "that Oswald was guilty. guilty. was Oswald "that says, he convinced," "I'm ry.
his congregation : "Lee Harvey Oswald has just just has Oswald Harvey "Lee : congregation his
following the invocation, the minister announced to to announced minister the invocation, the following to himself, "Oh, my God." God." my "Oh, himself, to
two daughters, Vicki, 13, and Michelle, 10, when, when, 10, Michelle, and 13, Vicki, daughters, two
shot in the basement of City Hall." Hall." City of basement the in shot attending the Oak Woods Christian church with their their with church Christian Woods Oak the attending
and over, 'Thank God. Thank God.' " " God.' Thank God. 'Thank over, and
I saw Nick standing there, breathing, I said over over said I breathing, there, standing Nick saw I
sure. I raced down to police headquarters, and when when and headquarters, police to down raced I sure.
one else,' I said. He put Jerry Hill on the phone. phone. the on Hill Jerry put He said. I else,' one
trying to make me feel good. 'Let me speak to some- to speak me 'Let good. feel me make to trying Jerry assured me Nick was all right. But I still wasn't wasn't still I But right. all was Nick me assured Jerry
When Oswald died, McDonald was genuinely sor- genuinely was McDonald died, Oswald When
McDonald leaned back in his pew and said softly softly said and pew his in back leaned McDonald
Two days later Maurice and Sally McDonald were were McDonald Sally and Maurice later days Two
"I couldn't believe it. I thought he was fibbing, just just fibbing, was he thought I it. believe couldn't "I been been
Unsung hero of Oswald capture, Nick McDonald, poses with wife Sally,daughters Michelle (t),Vicki. (t),Vicki. Michelle Sally,daughters wife with poses McDonald, Nick capture, Oswald of hero Unsung
111111111M11111111t 111111111M11111111t
and make mortgage and other finance payments on on payments finance other and mortgage make and
he found it rough to support a wife and two daughters daughters two and wife a support to rough it found he
I love it more than anything else. My wife keeps nag- keeps wife My else. anything than more it love I
maybe I will. 'But after all,' I tell her, 'Who wants wants 'Who her, tell I all,' after 'But will. I maybe
keeps thinking thinking keeps
to live forever?' " " forever?' live to
ging ging that salary, his wife also works. works. also wife his salary, that a month. Currently he earns $489 a month. Because Because month. a $489 earns he Currently month. a
charge from the Air Force, at a starting salary of $285 $285 of salary starting a at Force, Air the from charge
"nickname"—has been on the Dallas police force 9 9 force police Dallas the on been "nickname"—has
both the Navy and Air Force before he came to Dallas Dallas to came he before Force Air and Navy the both
with his young bride, the former Sally Lou Plyler of of Plyler Lou Sally former the bride, young his with Preseott, Ark. Ark. Preseott,
Arkansas State Teachers College and served hitches in in hitches served and College Teachers State Arkansas parents were divorced when he ,vas 5. He attended attended He 5. ,vas he when divorced were parents
Maurice, and adopted the name Nick from the word word the from Nick name the adopted and Maurice, years. He began on March 3, 1955, following his dis- his following 1955, 3, March on began He years.
ways been considerate, courteous and co-operative co-operative and courteous considerate, been ways
with all the authorities." authorities." the all with she didn't know what she was getting into. She's al- She's into. getting was she what know didn't she
the best. best. the
in-law, probably for good reason, and I wish her only only her wish I and reason, good for probably in-law,
apparently will have nothing to do with her mother- her with do to nothing have will apparently
Oswald, widow of the man who had tried to murder murder to tried had who man the of widow Oswald,
him, in North Dallas. Dallas. North in him,
a fine young woman who looks after two babies. She She babies. two after looks who woman young fine a
agents, was assigned to guard and protect Marina Marina protect and guard to assigned was agents,
says, "Marina Oswald didn't know who I was. She's She's was. I who know didn't Oswald "Marina says,
with other Dallas policemen and several Secret Service Service Secret several and policemen Dallas other with
"Police work," he says, "has become my life, and and life, my become "has says, he work," "Police
Nick McDonald—he dislikes his given name, name, given his dislikes McDonald—he Nick McDonald was raised by his grandparents. His His grandparents. his by raised was McDonald
"In the month that assignment lasted," McDonald McDonald lasted," assignment that month the "In
On January 4 of this year Nick McDonald, along along McDonald, Nick year this of 4 January On
me me
to quit, but she knows I never will. She She will. never I knows she but quit, to
In In
marrying Lee Harvey Oswald I'm sure sure I'm Oswald Harvey Lee marrying
come to some untimely end, and and end, untimely some to come