One Witness

[Zeon Mason]

The ? Is: How fast could a 24 year old 135 lb 5’ -9” height ex Maine run up 6 flights of L-shape staircases with 18 steps and mid landing and 15ft of floor landing/foot?

It was calculated the fastest probable average time a person could go DOWN the staircase is approx 10 sec/floor.

A. However going UP is fighting against gravity so it would probably  take at least 15 sec per floor going up. So for 6 floors , the time required would = 90 secs

B.Then there is the 80 ft from
Domino room to the 1st staircase (ground floor) and the 180 ft from
6th floor staircase to the SE window. If Oswald can double time at 8 ft / sec then (80+180)/8 = 260/8 = 32sec

C.The time required to stack 2 boxes and place a 3rd box on the window ledge = 10 sec

D. The time required to get rifle out of some hiding place= 10 sec

Total time from Domino room to SE window 6th floor = A+B+C+D.= 145 secs= 2 min 25 secs.

the radio transmission that Norman and Jarman heard began at is 12;22

The earliest probable time therefore would be approx 12:23 when Norman/Jarman reach the ground floor elevator by the rear staircase after entering the TSBD via rear loading dock and passing by the Domino room.

Therefore Oswald would have had to increase his avg speed to 10ft across the horizontal floor distances and increase his vertical staircase ascent average time to 12 sec/floor to be able to place a box on the 6th floor SE window ledge 12:25.

Seems improbable, except for the fact that Marines are trained to do extraordinary things and a really motivated Marine only 24 years old and only 135 lbs , might be able to do it.

For this reason I prefer to not rely just on the logistical improbability but also take into account the Carolyn Arnold FBI report of sighting Oswald at 12:25 in the FRONT ENTRANCE LOBBY!

That would make it IMPOSSIBLE for Oswald to have placed the box on the window ledge at 12:24- 12:25.

Carolyn may have denied 12:25 report in later years, but there’s no reason for the FBI to make a fake report that gives the their prime suspect Oswald an alibi, nor was there any report stating that report was in error ( as far as I know)

My suspicion is that Ms Arnold realized the significance of the 12:25 time stamp report and decided ( or was “persuaded”) that it was in her best interest to stay with the 12:15 time stamp sighting of Oswald in the 2nd floor lunchroom.

[Zeon Mason]

Imo it’s IMPOSBLE for Oswald to run from the front entrance lobby of the TSBD and place a box on the window ledge of the 6th floor SE window by 12:25 if  Oswald was sighted in the front lobby by  Carolyn Arnold at 12:25.

It’s ALMOST impossible for Oswald to have run from the Domino room to the 6th floor SE window and placed a box in the window ledge by 12:25 if Oswald starts at 12:23 just after seeing Jarman and Norman

[Walt Cakebread]

Imo it’s IMPOSBLE for Oswald to run from the front entrance lobby of the TSBD and place a box on the window ledge of the 6th floor SE window by 12:25 if  Oswald was sighted in the front lobby by  Carolyn Arnold at 12:25.

It’s ALMOST impossible for Oswald to have run from the Domino room to the 6th floor SE window and placed a box in the window ledge by 12:25 if Oswald starts at 12:23 just after seeing Jarman and Norman

Lee Oswald saw Jarman and Norman at approximately 12:27....NOT 12:23....  At 12:23  J & N were still outside at the front of the TSBD trying to find a place were they could view the motorcade.   They decided to go up to the fifth floor at about 12:25, so they would have passed by the 1st floor lunchroom at about 12:26 / 12:27.

I've long been puzzled why they decided to go to the 5th floor rather that the 6th floor..... Had they been told that the sixth floor was off limits during the motorcade?

[Zeon Mason]

Walt, your timeline is the more probable one because mine is based on the 12:22 radio transmission which Norman and Jarman heard and it’s unlikely they left instantly upon hearing that report of the JFK limo en route to Dealey Plaza.

My point was that it’s virtually impossible for Oswald to place that box at 12:25 even if it were probable N&J  left exactly at 12:22 thus passing by Oswald at 12:23 in the Domino room.

It’s highly doubtful that Oswald could run UP each staircase with 18 steps and a 15ft floor landing  at a sustained rate of 12 secs per floor.

And he would have to run at a sustained 10 ft/sec over 80ft of ground floor and 180ft of the  6th floor.

And this doesn’t even consider how Jack Dougherty on the 5th floor and Bonnie Ray Williams on the 6th floor who didn’t take the elevator down from 6th floor until 12.24, missed seeing Oswald.

[Zeon Mason]

IDK if Mr.Ford is still around or will ever visit this thread again to address a question that was raised as to why If Oswald was out front standing at PM location that Oswald never took the opportunity to shout out during any time during camera opportunities, nor did Oswald tell his brother, mother, or his wife about his location “out front” at time of shooting.

As I recall, Mr Fords explanation was something to the effect that Will Fritz had reassured Oswald he was not being charged with the assassination of JFK., so Oswald didn’t think it was necessary to offer up any alibi.

It’s seems unlikely imo, that Oswald would be reassured by anything Fritz may have said to Oswald during his interrogation.

After all, in the 1st hallway scene on camera , Oswald states he is being taken in because he had lived in  the Soviet Union, and he shouts out “I’m just a patsy.”


So an CT alternative reason for Oswald not revealing an iron clad alibi location was, that Oswald WANTED a trial that would give him worldwide publicity and in then drop the bombshell alibi, becoming a sensational character  exonerated and with a potential to sue the government for damages.

No doubt a book would be written and several TV show appearances would follow fulfilling Oswald’s desire to become a man of wealth and fame like his millionaire friend George DeM.

0f course the LN perspective is that PM is simply NOT Oswald . Oswald was the assassin shooter , therefore no reason for Oswald to shout anything other than “I’m a patsy” and “I categorically deny these charges”.

[Ray Mitcham]

IDK if Mr.Ford is still around or will ever visit this thread again to address a question that was raised as to why If Oswald was out front standing at PM location that Oswald never took the opportunity to shout out during any time during camera opportunities, nor did Oswald tell his brother, mother, or his wife about his location “out front” at time of shooting.

As I recall, Mr Fords explanation was something to the effect that Will Fritz had reassured Oswald he was not being charged with the assassination of JFK., so Oswald didn’t think it was necessary to offer up any alibi.

It’s seems unlikely imo, that Oswald would be reassured by anything Fritz may have said to Oswald during his interrogation.

After all, in the 1st hallway scene on camera , Oswald states he is being taken in because he had lived in  the Soviet Union, and he shouts out “I’m just a patsy.”


So an CT alternative reason for Oswald not revealing an iron clad alibi location was, that Oswald WANTED a trial that would give him worldwide publicity and in then drop the bombshell alibi, becoming a sensational character  exonerated and with a potential to sue the government for damages.

No doubt a book would be written and several TV show appearances would follow fulfilling Oswald’s desire to become a man of wealth and fame like his millionaire friend George DeM.

0f course the LN perspective is that PM is simply NOT Oswald . Oswald was the assassin shooter , therefore no reason for Oswald to shout anything other than “I’m a patsy” and “I categorically deny these charges”.

Zeon, just a point of interest, did Oswald know he had been accused of killing the President when he said "I'm just a patsy"? If not, why would he say he was outside the TBSD if  he hadn't?

[Zeon Mason]

Ray, the question is why didn’t Oswald say anything to the cameras ie “rhe public” when he had the chance?

And he didn’t say anything to his brother other than “there’s nothing there.

Neither was anything said to his wife or his mother.

The only time apparently that Oswald said something about being out front was when Hosty was present and made some notes about it.

Then apparently other officials were instructed to interrogate Oswald and wrote notes that Oswald denied ever saying anything pertaining to being out front.

I don’t see why Hosty would fabricate make any kind of notes that give Oswald a potential strong alibi.

However it’s even more a question why Oswald divulged to Hosty the out front declaration, yet then Oswald apparently decides to deny this and then remains silent about it afterwards

Other than the WC theory , the 2 alternatives left it seems to me are either Fritz or other FBI told Oswald something that made Oswald go silent about his “out front “ statement

Or Oswald changed his mind after talking to Hosty and began contemplating how he could advantage of the situation once he could get some prominent attorney of his choice, to whom Oswald would reveal during his trial.

IDK if some kind of coercion or psychological manipulation was used on Oswald to get him to refute something he said to Hosty, and remain silent about it afterwards.