Here is my interpretation of the Warren Commission (hereafter WC) testimony of Dallas Postmaster Harry Holmes, who attended the final interrogation of Lee Harvey Oswald (hereafter LHO) on November 24, 1963 and delayed reporting his memoirs about that interrogation to Washington DC authorities for four weeks.
My interpretation begins with the affirmation by my friend, Harry Dean, who told the world in 1965, on the Joe Pyne Show, that he and Loran Hall, along with Larry Howard and Gabby Gabaldon, attended a Minuteman meeting in Southern California in mid-September, 1963, presided by Ex-General Edwin Walker. In that meeting says Harry, General Walker told those gathered that his plot to assassinate JFK would employ a patsy who was currently in New Orleans – a secretary of the Fair Play for Cuba Committee, married to a Russian woman, and a complete Communist.
General Walker lived in Dallas. He was highly respected by the Radical Right all over the USA, but especially in Dallas, his home. Walker was very active in Dallas politics. One month before the JFK trip to Dallas, it was a well-known fact that General Walker organized the radical right wing in Dallas to humiliate United Nations Ambassador Adlai Stevenson at the Dallas Memorial Auditorium on October 24, 1963.
Although this was well-known in Dallas, the authorities in Dallas did not publicly identify him or prosecute him. During the humiliation of Adlai, the famous WANTED poster of JFK was circulated – one month before JFK would arrive. The Dallas FBI knew very well who published it, but the Dallas FBI refused to share those facts with Washington DC, either to FBI headquarters, or to the US Secret Service PRS (Protective Research Section) which specifically asked Dallas FBI agent James Hosty about it.
General Walker was also called to testify before the WC, and we will deal with his testimony only after we have completed our review of the Dallas Police. For today, we will continue to focus on Captain Will Fritz and Dallas Postal Inspector Harry Holmes, who were both present during the final interrogation of LHO.
Given that context, here is my Conspiracy Theory (CT), which is my opinion, about the role of Harry Holmes in the framing of LHO for the JFK Assassination.
In my opinion, Harry Holmes was a follower of General Walker in Dallas. I seek material verification of my opinion, but this information is very hard to obtain. I name not only Holmes, but also Sheriff Bill Decker, Mayor Earl Cabell, Chief Jesse Curry, Captain Will Fritz, Dallas FBI agent James Hosty and Dallas SS agent Forrest Sorrels. There are many others, but these were the highest level of Dallas officials who knew every detail of the JFK assassination in Dallas, and every detail about LHO in Dallas.
Given that premise, here is my interpretation of the WC testimony of Harry Holmes on April 2, 1964, by the numbers:
1. Harry Holmes, 57, Dallas Postal Inspector for 22 years, was in his office on the 5th floor of the Terminal Annex building at the Southwest corner of Houston and Commerce Streets, about two blocks south of the TSBD building. He was watching the JFK motorcade with binoculars.
2. Holmes knew exactly where JFK was to be assassinated. His office overlooking Dealey Plaza was similar to the office of Sheriff Bill Decker across the street at County Jail – which also overlooked Dealey Plaza. In 1963, capital punishment was still enacted inside County Jail. Dealey Plaza was a killing floor. The area behind the picket fence of the Grassy Knoll of Dealey Plaza, was a parking lot for Dallas Deputies and other County employees. Dealey Plaza was the stomping grounds for the Dallas Deputies and Dallas Police. Harry Holmes knew this as well as any highly placed officer in Dallas at the time.
3. Harry Holmes knew very well that the shots he heard from two blocks away from the Grassy Knoll were not firecrackers. He knew very well that nobody threw firecrackers into the JFK limo. He knew very well dust flying up at the Grassy Knoll was not firecracker dust. He knew very well that when he saw Jackie Kennedy through his binoculars, scramble to climb out of the limo onto the trunk, that she was in a panic, trying to get away from gunshots and blood. He watched all of this very calmly, because he knew exactly what was going to happen beforehand. This is because Harry Holmes was an insider in the JFK assassination.
4. Holmes knew that there would be general pandemonium at Dealey Plaza.
5. Holmes said he watched through his binoculars “for hours” to detect any shooters running away. This was an exaggeration, but I believe that Holmes watched though his binoculars for as long as he possibly could, because he was fascinated. He was thrilled by the plot which was working like clockwork, just as planned.
6. An hour later news came over the radio that LHO was arrested for the Tippit shooting. It is unlikely that an ordinary radio station would have information at the same minute that the Dallas Police had it. But I believe that Harry Holmes got that information at the same minute that the Dallas Police got it, because Holmes was an insider to the plot. Holmes claimed that one of his mail clerks remembered the name of Oswald. In my opinion, Holmes had long planned the coordination of the Oswald PO box data – it was already on his desk.
7. It is likely that LHO did rent that PO Box, but I believe that Harry Holmes wrote in the name, “Fair Play for Cuba Committee” on his application. Only somebody who knew that LHO was a fake FPCC officer in New Orleans, would seek to link LHO with the Communists. Holmes also wrote in “American Civil Liberties Union,” because the radical right in Dallas believed that the ACLU was a Communist plot. Holmes also wrote in “non-profit.” Now, it is plausible to me that LHO would write down the wrong address on his application. "3610 North Beckley,” when his room address was really “1026 North Beckley.” It’s likely because LHO wanted privacy and secrecy – another reason he wouldn’t put FPCC or ACLU on his application.
8. Holmes Deposition Exhibit #1 is available on the Internet at this URL:
https://www.history-matters.com/archive/jfk/wc/wcvols/wh20/html/WH_Vol20_0096b.htm
In my opinion, the handwriting, “Fair Play for Cuba Committee” does not match the handwriting for the rest of the application. This, in my opinion, is evidence of a plot to frame LHO as a Communist, and thus as a patsy for the JFK assassination.
9. It is utterly absurd that the Postal employee who rented the box to Lee Oswald could not identify Oswald from any photographs – or mug shots -- however, this same clerk remembered that Oswald “definitely filled this form out himself!” If he could not remember Oswald’s face, then how could he possibly “remember” that Oswald filled out the form himself! It’s amazing to me that Harry Holmes wasn’t called on this nonsense!
10. After the JFK assassination, Holmes' clerks kept a continual surveillance on this box until December 31st. They received two Russian newspapers from Minsk, and,The Daily Worker, which was published by the Communist Party USA. It is likely that LHO did subscribe to these – because Marina said he did.
11. The key to the PO box is useless information. Wasting time.
12. On Saturday morning, November 23, an FBI agent called Holmes to identify a PO money order. Holmes' clerks told him that only the Washington DC Postmaster keeps those records. This is plausible so far. Yet I believe that Harry Holmes already had everything that the Dallas Post Office ever received from LHO on his desk, ready to go.
13. Later the FBI called Holmes, and told him that a 6.5 caliber, Manlicher-Carcano rifle had been purchased from Klein's Sporting Goods in Chicago, delivered to a PO box in Dallas, and that a PO money order for $21.95 had been used to pay for it on March 20, 1963. In my opinion, Harry Holmes already had all this on his desk. It was no surprise to him.
14. Holmes and his clerks searched Dallas Post Office records for the PO money order, but actually, they had searched for it long before the JFK assassination. Holmes lied when he said he sent his secretary out to buy a Field and Stream magazine to search for this rifle ad. In reality, Holmes already had a copy of the ad on his desk, since the Post Office and the FBI had been tracking LHO at the request of General Walker since late 1962, simply because LHO had lived in Russia. The minutia about the 50-cent dispute about the price is useless information. Wasting time.
15. It is likely that the FBI and Harry Holmes contacted the Chicago Post Office to verify that shipment of LHO’s rifle to Alek J. Hidell in March, 1963. In my opinion, this was already closely tracked by FBI agent James Hosty, at the request of General Walker.
16. Holmes and his clerks already had the issuing record for the money order from the main Dallas Post Office, early on the morning of March 12, 1963. They were prepared for these proceedings.
17. Holmes already had LHO’s October 1962 application for a Dallas PO box #2915 Holmes Deposition Exhibit #3 is available at this URL:
https://www.history-matters.com/archive/jfk/wc/wcvols/wh20/html/WH_Vol20_0098b.htm
Notice that LHO left the “name of business” and the “type of business” blank on this form. That is in my opinion how LHO filled out his November 1, 1963 application.
18. Holmes ensured that the Dallas Postmaster telephoned Washington DC quickly, to get the original money order. About 7 PM Saturday night, Washington DC found the original PO money order and sent it to the Secret Service at Washington DC. Holmes’ pals in the Post Office told him that it had been issued to A.J. Hidell. But Holmes already knew that – he had long known it. The Dallas Police told Holmes that Hidell was an alias of LHO; but actually they told Holmes back in September of 1963, when this plot was finally hatched.
19. All Saturday, Holmes kept telephoning back and forth to the Dallas FBI (James Hosty) the Dallas Secret Service (Forrest Sorrels) and the Dallas Police (Captain Fritz and Chief Curry). Holmes claimed that he learned about LHO’s summer in New Orleans at this time – but in fact Holmes learned all about LHO back in September, from radical right meetings, in which film of LHO faking his FPCC in New Orleans was circulated underground. Holmes knew all about it – every detail as known to the Post Office in New Orleans – including LHO’s alias, Alek J. Hidell, with instructions to forward all mail to Ruth Paine’s house in Irving, Texas, where Marina lived. (Ruth Paine testified that LHO did this without her permission; as he sometimes treated Ruth Paine as his personal secretary.)
20. On Sunday, November 24, at about 9:30 AM, Harry Holmes dropped his wife off at Church, and drove to Dallas Police Headquarters to be part of US history by attending the final interrogation of Lee Harvey Oswald in captivity. Present in this closed, 10x15' office were: Captain Fritz, Forrest Sorrels of the Dallas Secret Service, Thomas Kelley of the Washington Secret Service, three guards, and Lee Harvey Oswald, handcuffed and seated at the desk. The office had a window to the hallway, with Venetian blinds. The Venetian blinds were closed. I take all this as historical fact.
21. Holmes Deposition Exhibit #4 is Holmes’ written deposition about that interrogation of LHO, dictated nearly one month later -- on December 17, 1963. That Exhibit is available at this URL:
https://www.history-matters.com/archive/jfk/wc/wcvols/wh20/html/WH_Vol20_0099a.htm
It is only half a page long. The following, however, is taken from the verbal WC testimony of Harry Holmes. Here is my interpretation:
21.1. There was no formality to the interrogation, he claims, and LHO was composed. The reason I believe that this interrogation was not formal, is because there was no actual interrogation. It was a delaying tactic to allow time for the Dallas Police basement to be prepared with Jack Ruby in the press corps. LHO was composed as proved by his appearance immediately before he was shot. Yet my point is that there was no formal interrogation, and no questions were prepared for this. It was entirely a time wasting delay tactic.
21.2. Holmes brought his Dallas PO Box applications and receipts, which he had accumulated weeks in advance. He never mentioned them to Oswald.
21.3. Nobody asked LHO about an attorney. That is balderdash. The notion for LHO to try to contact Attorney John Abt in New York was suggested by the radical right, which had been watching Abt for a long time, as Abt had defended radical left prisoners. LHO did not know the history of Abt, but Captain Fritz in my opinion told LHO that this would be a signal to his New Orleans accomplices to bring bail for him. I believe that LHO tried to contact John Abt, because I believe all of Ruth Paine’s testimony, and she testified that LHO called her, and “ordered” her to get John Abt for him. She was astounded by his arrogant demeanor, insofar as he was in very deep trouble with the law. However, Ruth Paine did try to contact John Abt for LHO. She tried twice. Abt was on vacation in a mountain retreat. In the meantime, this was another way to frame LHO as a Communist fellow-traveler.
21.4. The map of Dealey Plaza found in Oswald's North Beckley room, with markings on it near the TSBD was never mentioned in this interrogation. Fritz got this info the day before. Holmes added this, just to have something to say.
21.5. Holmes added a snippet that he heard LHO say in a newsreel from New Orleans. When interviewed on television along with Carlos Bringuier, LHO said that “I'm a Marxist, but that doesn’t mean that I'm a Communist.” Holmes added this, just to have something to say.
21.6. Forrest Sorrels allegedly asked LHO about Religion. That had nothing to do with the JFK assassination or the Tippit murder – but Holmes decided to add this to his testimony, still confident that he could and should continue to frame LHO as a Communist atheist.
21.7. Holmes’ main point in his December memo was that he asked LHO, "Do you own a rifle?" and LHO replied, "Absolutely not. How would I afford a rifle? I make $1.25 an hour. I can hardly feed myself." Holmes had to add this denial.
21.8. Holmes added the business about the Backyard Photograph, and LHO’s claim that it was fake. Actually, the JFK plotters already had the Backyard Photograph since about the time LHO shot at General Walker in April 10, 1963. They got it from Dallas policeman Roscoe White. White had a copy of this photo since April, since Roscoe’s chin, neck, shoulders, lumpy right wrist and back-leaning stance were the body in that photograph. The photograph was a fake – created by LHO himself, while he worked at Jaggers-Chiles-Stovall, on their sophisticated photography equipment. Roscoe, like young LHO, was hoping for a full-time job in US intelligence. Dream on boys. After the Walker shooting, Roscoe turned against LHO, and showed the Dallas FBI and police the photograph. Holmes had seen this photograph back in April, 1963, and so did General Walker. Walker decided to get even with LHO at this time.
21.9. On Saturday the Dallas Police went over the Backyard Photograph again and again – including the Neely Street address, and Oswald’s continual denials. There was no reason to raise this topic in this final interrogation. Holmes added this, too, just to have something to say.
21.10. Holmes claims he asked LHO about his rifle and A.J. Hidell, and that LHO simply denied everything. Actually, to make the JFK plot work with LHO as the patsy, it was mandatory to get LHO’s rifle in the possession of the Dallas Deputies. Gerry Patrick Hemming told A.J. Weberman that he contacted LHO by phone from Florida, and offered LHO double the price of his rifle, if he would bring it to the TSBD on Friday morning. LHO trusted Hemming, who was a close associate of Guy Banister in New Orleans. LHO believed he was part of an underground team – but he never guessed that they wanted to frame him for the assassination of JFK. LHO brought his rifle to the TSBD and gave it to a trusted confidante – possibly Roscoe White.
21.11. There was literally no reason for Fritz or anybody to press LHO on Sunday about the many fake ID’s that he had in his wallet and in Ruth Paine’s garage. All of that was covered in many hours of interrogation on Saturday. Fritz told Holmes all about it, and Holmes mentioned it, just to have something to say.
21.12. Holmes claims he asked Oswald why he put the "FPCC" and "ACLU" on his rental application on November. It was pointless to ask that question. Holmes mentioned it because it was on his own conscience – since he himself wrote them there.
21.13. The notion that LHO answered questions about the fake FPCC in New Orleans in a calm and sober tone on Sunday, is obviously nonsense. What this testimony shows is that the Dallas radical right was well aware of the activities of LHO in New Orleans, and even had film footage of LHO. This has served to frame LHO as a Communist to this very day.
21.14. The notion that anybody pressed LHO about the FPCC on Sunday is also nonsense. Holmes added this, just to have something to say.
21.15. Nobody asked Oswald why he left the TSBD. Captain Fritz had coordinated his testimony with Forrest Sorrels and Harry Holmes. All three had this fake story of Oswald and his lunch with “Junior.” The TSDB employees all testified that LHO stayed on the sixth floor of the TSBD as they went to lunch, and he asked them so send the elevator back up to him. Officer Baker already testified that he stopped LHO in the TSBD only a few minutes after the JFK assassination. All this was common knowledge in April 1964. There was nothing new here. It’s more repetitive blather.
21.16. The mythology of LHO telling a reporter (possibly Robert McNeil) where the TSBD phone was as he left the TSBD, never came from LHO. Here is where Harry Holmes begins to go off script and put extra words into LHO’s mouth. Nobody else mentioned this reporter but Harry Holmes.
21.17. Nobody asked LHO about shooting Tippit on Sunday. That was already covered on Saturday. All the words that Harry Holmes puts into LHO’s mouth on Sunday are merely words he heard from Captain Fritz. What the interrogators said to LHO on Sunday remains secret, because all those present at LHO’s final interrogation coordinated their stories to conceal the truth. I will hazard a guess – in my opinion, the entire hour was small talk, aimed only at wasting time, so that the Dallas Police Department basement parking garage could be made ready with Jack Ruby in the press corps.
21.18. Holmes pretends that he asked Oswald about his PO boxes. We know this is a pretense, because he puts his Postal Inspector words into LHO’s mouth, to say, "It was much easier to have my mail reach me through PO forwarding, than to try to get somebody in Russia to change my address.”
21.19. Suddenly, Harry Holmes completely goes off script. Although Captain Fritz did not testify about this important information, Harry Holmes pretends that somebody asked LHO about Russia, and that LHO kindly offered personal details about himself; how he met Marina at a dance, and how he subscribed to these Russian newspapers to keep Marina happy.
21.20. Having gone off script already, Holmes then offers very rare details about LHO in Mexico City. Only the CIA and people close to the CIA in the Dallas FBI (i.e. James Hosty) could have known about LHO in Mexico City. But Harry Holmes suddenly offers intricate details about LHO in Mexico – including exactly how much LHO paid for his room, and that LHO went to the Cuban Embassy for passage to Cuba, and that they refused him, and LHO got angry and burst out; and then went to the Russian Embassy saying he wanted to get to Russia via Cuba, but they refused him. It is absurd that LHO would share these Mexico City details with Captain Fritz or Harry Holmes. More urgently, Captain Fritz himself never offered these important details about LHO in Mexico City, and Captain Fritz was in charge of all the interrogations of LHO in Dallas. WHERE DID HARRY HOLMES GET THIS SECRET INFORMATION?
21.21. Holmes added in his WC testimony, just in case anybody doubted him: "I didn't just pick this up from reading the papers. This is what Oswald said in there." Even the WC attorneys did not believe Harry Holmes. They accused him of repeating what he read in the newspapers. But Holmes would not back down. Under oath, he claims that LHO gave those present these details – even though nobody else who testified to the WC “remembered” these crucial details. What was his source? This is material evidence, in my opinion, that Harry Holmes was very close to General Walker, James Hosty and Sheriff Decker, the upper core of the JFK plot. James Hosty was privy to this information through his official contacts with the CIA. Hosty had defected to the Friends of Walker, and he brought this data to Walker. Walker then shared it with everybody inside the JFK plot. This was more “proof” that LHO was a Communist and deserved to be punished severely. However, it was not for the general public. It was top secret. Harry Holmes seriously blundered when he went off-script like this.
22. No doubt Chief Curry would ensure that Captain Fritz knew the latest status of the readiness of the Dallas Police basement parking garage.
23. Chief Curry gave LHO a dark grey, slipover, V-neck sweater. This contradicted the WC testimony of Pamela Mumford and Patricia Winston, who claimed that they were finally convinced that they saw LHO on the bus to Mexico City, “because he was wearing the same sweater on the bus that he was wearing when he was shot on TV.” But LHO never owned such a sweater.
24. Chief Curry and Will Fritz whispered to each other in the corner, confirming that everything was ready in the basement parking garage. Jack Ruby was ready.
25. Holmes went back to his office – he knew what was about to happen to LHO. Holmes knew he was part of US history – and he also knew that it must remain a deep dark secret forever.
And there’s my opinion.