028 JFK Dallas Police Call, Don Michel

Bob Smith 0:00
It’s the most famous recording you’ve never heard of Donna ravel. This

Speaker 1 0:04
is Don mitula WR AJ news and Anna Illinois calling the Have you located the assassination of President Kennedy.

Speaker 2 0:10
Thanks so we he killed one of our officers and he was arrested shortly after he was on the floor when the President

Bob Smith 0:15
was killed. But that’s a call to the Dallas Texas Police Department on November 22 1963. A call that for the first time revealed the name of Lee Harvey Oswald as the suspected assassin of President John F. Kennedy. We’ll hear it and the story behind it coming up today on the off ramp with Bob Smith.

This is Bob Smith, welcome to the off ramp a chance to slow down steer clear of crazy and get some perspective on life. Today we have two unique recordings surrounding the assassination of President John F. Kennedy a half century ago. One came from a remarkable man I worked for named Don Mitchell. Don gave me my first job after college at his small town broadcasting operation. And soon after I joined I discovered his station was anything but conventional anything but normal. Somehow, Don Mitchell my boss was able to convince scores of famous people to grant interviews to our small 500 watt radio station. Recently on the off ramp. We played an interview on news gathering that he did with the late great Walter Cronkite. But Don also interviewed such luminaries as Ralph Nader Buckminster Fuller Bob Hope Norman Vincent Peale, and landers and Colonel Harland Sanders of Kentucky Fried Chicken fame. Some came to us others he went to all were convinced to spend time with done for a recorded conversation and our little radio station benefited. That was impressive enough. But even more impressive was the fact that 10 years before I joined Taiwan, he covered one of the biggest stories of the century, the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, and He covered it from his radio station and Anna, Illinois. Don is retired today and at the age of 88 lives in Dallas, Texas. Recently I spoke with him about that fateful day in history. I’d like to go back to the most remarkable thing that I know you did. And that happened on November 22 1963. Maybe you could take us back to that day. That famous phone call you made. Oh,

Don Michel 2:58
well. Yeah, fk was shot up. Yes. I was home for lunch. And my friend called me. And he said he had just heard on CBS that President Kennedy was shot as well. Thank you goodbye. And five minutes later, I was at the radio station. The teletype machine that they named Dean and Bob Daley, who was on the only person there during the noon hour, thought it was just a telephone right? And they ignored it. And so we rigged up a microphone to get very quickly to go into the teletype booth or the news was coming in and I read the bulletins right off the right off the wire as they came in. What kept people listening to WR AJ was they thought if they turned it off, they’re gonna miss something they would have liked to hurt

Bob Smith 3:58
that day. You were worried they were missing something because TV was running a story and the teletype had gone dead. Yeah. And

Don Michel 4:07
I we had just gotten direct dial phone service, Illinois, and I called the Dallas Police Department and asked to talk to a certain man who had been mentioned in one of the bulletins.

Bob Smith 4:23
Now let’s stop for just a moment and review with no network radio affiliation. Little WR AJ radio had to rely on its United Press International teletype for news on President John Kennedy’s assassination. And after an initial rush of bulletins, the teletype machine fell silent. It went dead, offering only occasional rehashes of the first dispatches. So frustrated because he knew his listeners were defecting to television. Don decided he’d telephone the Dallas Police Department himself to find out what was going on. He wanted to talk with Captain Pat Galloway and officer who was quoted in one of those early UPI stories, Don ran a tape deck during the call and came away with one of the most remarkable recordings anyone’s ever heard from that day. A correction never heard from that day, because the recording only aired on his little 500 watt radio station in Anna, Illinois, but he occasionally replayed it for astonished listeners for years afterward. It was definitely a different era because amazingly, when Don called the Dallas Police in folksy small town fashion, supplied him with everything he asked for, including the big unknown, the name of John F. Kennedy’s alleged assassin. In fact, Dallas police were so accommodating, he had to cut their conversation short. Now back to Don

Don Michel 5:51
Alicia. Well, he’s he’s down here but to the man who arrested Oswald is here he want to talk to you how much Uh, yes, I certainly do. So, we had about a five minute interview about his capture. I’d

Bob Smith 6:06
love to play that sometime. If you would give us permission that would be great to hear that conversation at some point.

Don Michel 6:12
You certainly have my permission to play. So

Bob Smith 6:15
here with Don’s permission is that call the most famous historic phone call you’ve never heard from November 22 1963.

Unknown Speaker 6:25
Hello, is

Unknown Speaker 6:26
this Dallas Police Department?

Unknown Speaker 6:29
Excuse me, I can read which division did you need? Me to Captain Peddanna way please. long distance calling. The captain isn’t in the office. All right. Hello is Captain Afghan away there. Oh, he’s

Speaker 1 6:45
not here just now. This is Lieutenant who rebel rebel. Tena rebel. This is done mitula WR AJ news and Anna Illinois calling to find out Have you located the assassination of President Kennedy. Thanks.

Speaker 2 6:57
So we he killed one of our officers and he was arrested shortly after he was on the floor when the President was killed. What were the circumstances when he killed the officer? I’m not familiar too familiar with thanks for traffic Mallesh. I see daily officer just shot a

Speaker 1 7:15
couple of times did how did you get? I mean, how did you know this person was the one

Speaker 2 7:24
that they want to visit Basie here trying to I had the security on the President was at the area auditorium where he was to speak and I was there when it happened. And all I’m getting is just piecemeal information, really? As to what actually happened with the officer who arrested him is here. Would you like to talk to him? Yes, I

Speaker 1 7:43
certainly would. Hello, who am I speaking with police? Detective Taylor. Detective Taylor. Did you wreck the did you arrest the person who is thought to be the assassin? And how did it come about?

Speaker 2 7:56
We had information that he was in a theater. Let’s see Texas Theatre in Oak Cliff of Dallas. You received a tip on that? Yes. Then what? We went to the theater and went in there and found him hiding in the lower lower floor theater.

Unknown Speaker 8:13
Did he admit?

Speaker 2 8:15
Well, not readily know. Sure. He’s upstairs now with their home Bureau and they’re talking to him? I don’t know whether he’s admitted it yet or not.

Speaker 1 8:24
Let’s see. Did he shoot one of your officers inside the theater? Sir? Did he shoot and kill one of your officers? Before we’re for what theater he shot and killed? How did he happen to do that? Was this a traffic violation or is it a traffic violation? The

Unknown Speaker 8:38
officer stopped him and he he shouting? I see.

Speaker 1 8:40
And what he is being held upstairs. Do you have his name? Sir? Do you have his name? Yes, sir. What is his name?

Speaker 2 8:50
Lee Harvey. Oswald ALD.

Unknown Speaker 8:54
Oh SW. ALD what is his age?

Speaker 2 8:57
I’m not sure he’s approximately 23 or four years old.

Unknown Speaker 9:01
2324.

Unknown Speaker 9:02
That’s just about parents now.

Speaker 1 9:03
I don’t know. I see white male. And where’s he from?

Unknown Speaker 9:07
Don’t have that.

Speaker 1 9:10
Do you know did he give any reason? I mean, do you have any idea of why he might have shot the President if he did? Well? No,

Speaker 2 9:14
sir. Like I say we have. We took it. We brought it straight down here and released it to Kevin Wilfried to our homicide bureau.

Unknown Speaker 9:22
What time did you take him into custody?

Speaker 2 9:24
Approximately? I’d say approximately two o’clock proximately 2pm.

Speaker 1 9:33
What time do you have there now? 330 here 30. An hour and a half ago then approximately? I see. And he apparently ran a stoplight or something and attracted the attention. Apparently,

Speaker 2 9:44
that’s still very vague. I’d say we haven’t talked to him and we got him out of the theater with with the pistol and he attempted shoot one of our officers in the theater but the pistol clicked and it didn’t fly. err, and we took him out of theater and broken record to Kevin Wilfried. That is our homicide. Captain Wilfried says the homicide officer. And they have him up there now.

Speaker 1 10:10
had any assassination attempt been expected today? No, sir. None expected.

Speaker 2 10:16
We had approximately 300 or 350. city officers on it, plus the state plus. Plus all the Federal officers that were here. Well, it was well guarded.

Unknown Speaker 10:33
Where’s he thought he was shot the president from

Speaker 2 10:37
out of a window in a in a building near near the courthouse. I’m not sure what the main the building is. It’s a fairly large building. And it’s just as he made the corner, turn to build to the trademark where he was going to have a dinner, what sort of weapon you think he used, they found a rifle in the high powered rifle with a scope and in the room that shot was fired at any

Speaker 1 11:07
at any precautions been taken. As far as inspecting windows and, and buildings along the route and that type of thing? Well,

Speaker 2 11:13
I’m not sure I’m sure that probably there was. I was trademark. I don’t know, just done that pain. And I’m sure that it was ticked.

Speaker 1 11:24
I see. Now what was your name again, sir? Taylor, E. Taylor, and you are a detective activist in the Dallas police force. Thank you very much.

Speaker 2 11:33
They can do more information. I could maybe have you transferred upstairs. I don’t know. They put a bid hit their

Unknown Speaker 11:41
expense. And I’ll try later

Speaker 2 11:44
to get it for the homicide and robbery bureau. All right, sir. Thank

Speaker 1 11:47
you very much detective etailer, the Dallas Police Department at 330 this afternoon that the President was assassinated. Thank you. Who knows?

Bob Smith 11:56
Wow. Did you think on your feet that day, Dawn, you were asking all these questions about his height, his race, how he was arrested? What weapon did they think he used? Did he resist? You ask all these questions that in the shock of the assassination, many professionals might have just forgotten, but you didn’t. You had the audacity to make the call. And you got the Dallas Police Department to talk to you’re done on this horrible day where the world’s falling apart. You got them to talk to you. And they gave you the name of the suspect and the assassination. Just like you got all these other famous people to talk to you. What in the world was your secret? How did you get them to speak to you? Well,

Don Michel 12:38
it had a simple answer just asked.

Bob Smith 12:44
Just amazing how you did that? Well,

Don Michel 12:46
it’s just amazing how easy it is to navigate through people. If you know where you’re going and are very well prepared, like a reasonable request to them. It’s amazing how easy it is to get people to do your answers. And whenever you call anywhere from Illinois, people assume you are from Chicago. And so they thought I was from a big time radio station. And as soon as we completed that, we played that tape on the air. And then I called the UPI national bureau which was in Chicago at that time and tell them I had the name of the assassin Yes, that

Bob Smith 13:35
was the first time that up I had the name was from you. Nobody knew at the time. Yeah. Moments after UPI in Chicago heard that call teletypes jerked into action spelling out the name of Lee Harvey Oswald for the very first time. From a tiny station in Anna Illinois. Don Mitchell had scooped the wire services and the White House press corps and he didn’t stop there. In the weekend following the assassination. He called the home of Abraham Zapruder and spoke to the amateur photographer who took the famous film footage of Kennedy’s assassination, he telephoned other witnesses as well. Don Mitchell will forever be associated with the Kennedy assassination and the news coverage of that day for the five minute call with the officer who arrested Lee Harvey Oswald. And because he preserved all of the wire service copy from that day.

Don Michel 14:27
Eventually I saved all of that those copy that’s now on file at a museum library here in Texas, which is interesting because each bullet occurred at the time, so I think it may be a some historic interested in the future. I

Bob Smith 14:45
recently saw some of Don’s teletype copy with my former stations call letters. It hung alongside a teletype at the sixth floor Museum at Dealey Plaza, the Museum of the JFK assassination in Dallas. You

Speaker 1 14:59
have his name Sir, do you have his name? Yes, sir. What is his name? Harvey

Bob Smith 15:08
ALD eventually that name would be burned into the pages of history. And Don Mitchell’s call is what helped make that possible. By the way, Don Mitchell is memorialized on the sixth floor museum’s website, where he’s listed as one of the earliest reporters to broadcast the name of suspect Lee Harvey Oswald. You’re listening to a special edition of the off ramp with historic recordings from the assassination of John F. Kennedy in November 1963. We’ll continue with more in just a moment. We continue with special recordings of news coverage of the assassination of John F. Kennedy in November 1963 On the off ramp with Bob Smith, our next unique recording comes thanks to Davy liason the late Davy liason who was a news director at the Iowa radio station where I worked in the 1970s Katie th. Dave was a media enthusiast as a young man and had his own audio tape recorder at the time of JFK assassination. You have to remember back then, there was no such thing as home video, Dave saw the significance of what he was watching on television and made a move to preserve it. He did so by recording the audio soundtrack to that tragedy from television. I discovered this in 1978 when I was doing a montage of historic recording surrounding the assassination. Dave told me he had something he thought might help and brought in a box of reel to reel recordings from that weekend. I took the tapes into our production room and waited through them one afternoon listening to hour after hour of coverage on the ABC, CBS and NBC television networks. I put Dave’s recordings and mine together to produce this montage. Two

Speaker 3 16:56
years ago, I said that I introduced myself in Paris by saying that I was the man who had accompanied mrs. Kennedy to Paris. I’m getting that somewhat that same sensation that as I travel around Texas.

Unknown Speaker 17:15
Nobody wondered what Linden and I were.

Unknown Speaker 17:27
President Kennedy is offered a large Texas hack.

Speaker 3 17:36
I’ll put it on in the White House on Monday. If you’ll come up there, you’ll have a chance to see it.

Unknown Speaker 17:47
Just a few minutes ago,

Speaker 4 17:48
the President of the United States turned from Houston Street onto Elm Street on his way to a scheduled lunch an appearance at the Stemmons trademark. As the president turned applause broke out from a sparse crowd on both sides of the street. And as he went by the Texas School Book Depository headed for the triple underpass, there were three loud reverberating explosions. Nobody moved, everyone seemed stunned. A few seem to look around wondering who has the firecrackers and suddenly the secret servicemen sprang into action, the convertible bearing the President and Mrs. Kennedy sped away. And officers both plainclothes and uniformed seem to spring from everywhere at once. guns drawn, ordering people to lie flat. There are two witnesses who were near the president’s car at the time of the explosions who say that shots were fired from which upper window we do not know. We do not and cannot confirm the reports at this time that the President has been shocked. One witnesses says he definitely was shocked that he was hit twice that he saw the President slumped in his seat. As I say this is not confirmed at this time from where I am. The police have two witnesses they are bringing them in now. I’m in the Texas School Book Depository building. They’re bringing some witnesses and now we will try to learn further and relay Word to those stations. Stay tuned for further details. This is Piersol been from the Texas School Book Depository building for WF a news

Speaker 5 19:16
they’ll put me on the trademark the motorcade is coming by here. I could have seen many many motorcycles coming by now Police Motorcycle, just got a call on the radio for all units to pick up the motorcade, something has happened here. We understand there has been a presidential car coming up. Now we know it’s the Presidential trying to see mrs. Kennedy as a secret service man. We understand Mr. Connolly are in the car with President Kennedy. We can see who is the head if anybody has been hit but apparently something as long as something is terribly wrong. I mean behind the motorcade to Parkland Hospital, or to park on the desktop I

Speaker 6 20:02
thought about it, and I gave it a great deal of thought.

Speaker 7 20:09
Here’s a bulletin from CBS News. In Dallas, Texas. Three shots were fired at President Kennedy’s motorcade in downtown Dallas. The first reports say that President Kennedy has been seriously wounded by this shooting. More details just arrived. These details about the same as previously, President Kennedy shot today just as his motorcade left downtown Dallas, Mrs. Kennedy jumped up and grabbed Mr. Kennedy. She called Oh no, the motorcade sped on. We interrupt this program for a bulletin.

Speaker 6 20:46
President Kennedy and Governor John Connally of Texas were both hit by a would be assassins bullets as they toured downtown Dallas and an open automobile a short while ago. That is the latest word that had just come in from Dallas on United Press International. The Associated Press and its first report says the President Kennedy was shot just as his motorcade left downtown Dallas, Mrs. Kennedy who was riding with him jumped up and grabbed Mr. Kennedy and cried Oh no. The motorcade spent on waiting in the same car with the president for this particular motorcade was Governor and Mrs. John B. Connally, the governor of the state of Texas. According to the last report, both the President and the governor were hit by the bullets. And now one more ad has come in John Fitzgerald Kennedy, the 35th President of the United States, is dead at the age of 46. Shot by an assassin as he drove through the streets of Dallas, Texas, less than an hour ago,

Speaker 7 21:47
from Dallas, Texas, the flash, apparently official, President Kennedy died at 1pm. Central Standard Time, Vice President Lyndon Johnson has left the hospital in Dallas, but we do not know to where he has proceeded. Presumably he will be taking the oath of office shortly and become the 32nd President of the United States. He

Speaker 8 22:13
was coming down the street and my five year old boy and myself were by ourselves on the grass there on Palmer street, and I asked Joe to wave boom and Joe waved and I waved in the man. That’s all right, sir.

Unknown Speaker 22:27
You’re worried

Speaker 8 22:31
because he was he was waving back. He was he was the shot rang out and he slumped down in the seat and his wife reached up toward him and he was slumping down in the second shot went off and just knocked them down from the seat that who shot two shots?

Unknown Speaker 22:47
Did you see the man who did? No sir, I

Speaker 8 22:48
did not see the man who did have the high. I always all I did was look in the man’s face when he was shot there and saw that expression on his face and grab himself and slide. Then the second one whenever it went, why? Pause positivity I hit him. I hope it didn’t. But I’m positive that it hit him and he went all the way down in the car. Then they speed it up and I didn’t know what was going on. So I just grabbed the boy and fell on him and hopefully there wasn’t a maniac around. Alright, I can’t help you more. But I won’t forget.

Speaker 9 23:21
Ladies and gentleman. We have a press report over the virus. We hope that it is unconfirmed, but we have to doubt it. The President of the United States has been the victim of an assassination

Speaker 9 23:47
we will play the funeral march from Beethoven’s Third Symphony.

Speaker 10 23:58
Tragedy of this day is be beyond instant comprehension. All of us who knew him will bear the grief of his death to the day of ours. And all men everywhere who love peace and justice and freedom will bow their heads. At such a moment, we can only turn to prayer.

Speaker 11 24:24
What was your reaction? Sir? I’m shocked like the rest of the people are shocked. At the fact you have planned. I don’t think it’ll affect my plans at all. I don’t want to discuss it. Sure. Have you had any chance to discuss this with anyone? Nobody? Nobody and I don’t care to discuss and what are your friends? Sir, when you leave Muncie went back to Washington. To how do you think this will affect the operation of government? Or let’s not talk about a Mr. President’s been shot. I don’t care to discuss politics on a day like this. Thank you.

Speaker 12 24:54
I share the sense of shock and dismay. That entire nation must feel at the despicable act that took the life of the nation’s president.

Speaker 13 25:08
This is a sad time for all. We have suffered a loss that cannot be waived. Or me. It is a deep personal tragedy. I know that the world shares the sorrow that Mrs. Kennedy and her family I will do my best. That is all I can do. I ask for your help. And God. And

Speaker 3 25:47
here comes Lee Harvey Oswald. And he back is three you can’t quite see him. His race is still basic fundamental hygenic rights. I mean, like the shower.

Unknown Speaker 25:58
People have given me a hearing without legal representation or anything.

Unknown Speaker 26:02
I didn’t shoot anybody.

Speaker 14 26:06
Because you detail for us what led you to as well?

Speaker 15 26:10
Not exactly except they get in the building. We can move a little bit when we went to the fielding while he was observed in the building at the time, but the manager told us that he worked there. And if you think the smile was the

Speaker 3 26:24
smudges fingerprints that have been found on the rifle which killed the President will be able to establish the identity of the killer. We hope so but I couldn’t say Has he made any admissions at all about the shooting of the police officer denies everything. Why do you think the police officer went to him industry? What was the reason I

Speaker 15 26:39
think he suspected him because of a description has been put out on the radio on the

Unknown Speaker 26:42
police radio chief Caray. When you first hear on the Dallas policeman, what then led you to the theater? What information did you have from there?

Speaker 15 26:50
I understand that someone called I think the ticket taker from the theater call. Chief Do you have we did not have you are not informed? We had not been informed of this.

Speaker 3 26:59
Choose? Do you have any concern for the safety of your prisoner? And do you have the high feeling among the people of Dallas over the assassination of the president?

Speaker 15 27:06
No, the precautions necessary. Precautions will be taken of course but I’m not. I don’t think people try to take the prisoner away from

Speaker 16 27:18
now the prisoner wearing like sweater has changed from his T shirt has been moved out toward an armored car. Being led out by Captain Fritz there is a prisoner you have anything to say to defend

Unknown Speaker 27:41
there’s a shot shot as well as the shot a shot rang up last confusion here. Holy Mecca was a mass confusion rolling and fighting as he was being laid out now he’s been laid back he was thrown to the ground. The police have the entire area blocked off. Did you see

Speaker 16 28:17
what happened? I saw the guy days on Monday rather stocky man with a hat on dark. Stuck a man with a hat on he rushed the question shut him down. I saw the first I was was oh and that’s it as well doubled over there was a big struggle on the ground. Just a moment earlier I had no doubt foolishly jumped in front of him to get an A last question to ask him what happened. Whether he had anything to say in his defense then a split second later the shot rang out. An ambulance has arrived they are rushing a mobile stretcher in as well. This was carried back into the hallway as young as well know is hustling He is lying. To me he appears dead there’s a gunshot wound in his lower abdomen. He is white. Chop down the driver that the driver by Oswald white laying in the ambulance has had his back his unconscious. Dangling his hand is dangling over the edge of the stretcher. And now the ambulance is moving up. The flashing red lights are some police officials. Jack Ruby is Ruby Ruby carousel. He runs the carousel clutch

Speaker 15 29:46
expired at 1:07pm. Dad has 1:07pm we have arrested the man the man will be charged with murder In the

Speaker 17 30:00
body of the late President Kennedy lay and stayed overnight in the great rotunda of the Capitol. A quarter of a million stricken Americans came from near and far waited hours in the cold and darkness to pay their final tribute. And 10,000 were still in line when the capital’s massive bronze doors quietly closed at nine o’clock this morning.

Unknown Speaker 30:33
The people at the curb are silent. They say nothing they simply watch

Unknown Speaker 30:55
is some movement now on the sidewalks.

Unknown Speaker 31:01
People who were at the capitol

Unknown Speaker 31:05
to watch the casket carried down and placed on the case are now beginning to stream up the sidewalk toward the White House. This is the Air Force band

Speaker 14 31:30
this is Kennedy now standing with her brother in law. The Attorney General has moved forward as she has moved to within three or four feet of the bronze casket. her veil gently blowing in this breeze. The troops will be brought to present arms and a 21 gun salute will be sounded. Robert Kennedy has brought Mrs. Jacqueline Kennedy to a position directly in front of the casket and next to it.

Speaker 14 33:41
At this moment, the military honor guard begins to fold the flag which has draped the casket of the late president in prescribed military fashion. The folding almost completed after the flag has been folded the body bearers then we’ll move from the grave side. And the chaplain will bless the eternal flame which is to be lighted here at the graveside during the burial ceremony by Mrs. Kennedy.

Speaker 14 34:40
The flag the American flag has now been handed to Mrs. Kennedy, who receives it she will now in a moment after a final silent prayer. Last look away she bends over toward the casket and lights the eternal flame with a torch Robert Kennedy bends down and takes part as well. And now the President’s youngest brother, Senator Edward Kennedy does some similarly, and the eternal flame is lighted. And the ceremony to all intents and purposes is over. Thus for Mrs. Jacqueline Kennedy, the most difficult day in a series of tragic days, is trying to it’s inevitable close. The former First Lady, heart deeply grieving has turned from a last long look at the casket. Burying the remains of her husband, John F. Kennedy has been laid to rest.

Bob Smith 36:34
And there you have it. My thanks to the late Davy Eliason for those recordings from the weekend of the JFK assassination and all of the events surrounding it in my thanks again to Don Mitchell for granting us our interview and for letting us feature his interview with the Dallas Police Department from November 22 1963. Well, that’s our show for now. I hope you’ve enjoyed this edition of the off ramp, and that you’ll join us again next time. This is Bob Smith.

The off ramp with Bob Smith is produced in association with CPL radio and the Cedarbrook Public Library Cedarburg, Wisconsin.

Transcribed by https://otter.ai