"at the time of the search of the Texas School Book Depository building..."

[Alan Ford]

From Agent Bookhout's solo report on Mr Oswald's first interrogation:

“Oswald stated that on November 22 1963, at the time of the search of the Texas School Book Depository building by Dallas police officers, he was on the second floor of said building, having just purchased a Coca-Cola from the soft-drink machine, at which time a police officer came into the room with pistol drawn and asked him if he worked there.

Mr. Truly was present and verified that he was an employee and the police officer thereafter left the room and continued through the building. Oswald stated that he took this Coke down to the first floor and stood around and had lunch in the employee’s lunch room. He thereafter went outside and stood around for five or ten minutes with foreman Bill Shelley.”

We all think we know what the words "at the time of the search of the Texas School Book Depository building by Dallas police officers" mean: in the aftermath of the assassination.

But what if they don't mean that at all?

Cf! Agent Hosty on the selfsame interrogation:

[Alan Ford]

Now cf this:

Mr. BELIN. All right. When you left the lunchroom, did you leave with the other girls?
Mrs. REID. No; I didn't. The younger girls had gone and I left alone.
Mr. BELIN. Were you the last person in the lunchroom?
Mrs. REID. No; I could not say that because I don't remember that part of it because I was going out of the building by myself, I wasn't even, you know, connected with anyone at all.
Mr. BELIN. Were there any men in the lunchroom when you left there?
Mrs. REID. I can't, I don't, remember that.
Mr. BELIN. All right.
Mrs. REID. I can't remember the time they left.

[Alan Ford]

On the Saturday, Chief Jesse Curry (as quoted in the New York Times) told reporters that Mr. Oswald was seen by an officer in the lunchroom WITH OTHER EMPLOYEES

[Alan Ford]

Now cf this:

Mr. BELIN. All right. When you left the lunchroom, did you leave with the other girls?
Mrs. REID. No; I didn't. The younger girls had gone and I left alone.
Mr. BELIN. Were you the last person in the lunchroom?
Mrs. REID. No; I could not say that because I don't remember that part of it because I was going out of the building by myself, I wasn't even, you know, connected with anyone at all.
Mr. BELIN. Were there any men in the lunchroom when you left there?
Mrs. REID. I can't, I don't, remember that.
Mr. BELIN. All right.
Mrs. REID. I can't remember the time they left.

Mrs. Reid here is--------with caught-on-the-hop vagueness---------recollecting the presence of MEN (plural) in the lunchroom.

Who were these men? Mr. Joe Molina is the only male employee who (other than Mr. Oswald) admitted to having visited for any length of time the lunchroom that lunchtime.

[Alan Ford]

From Agent Bookhout's solo report on Mr Oswald's first interrogation:

“Oswald stated that on November 22 1963, at the time of the search of the Texas School Book Depository building by Dallas police officers, he was on the second floor of said building, having just purchased a Coca-Cola from the soft-drink machine, at which time a police officer came into the room with pistol drawn and asked him if he worked there.

Mr. Truly was present and verified that he was an employee and the police officer thereafter left the room and continued through the building. Oswald stated that he took this Coke down to the first floor and stood around and had lunch in the employee’s lunch room. He thereafter went outside and stood around for five or ten minutes with foreman Bill Shelley.”

This would seem to describe
------------Mr. Truly already present in the lunchroom when the officer came in
------------the police officer going through the building UNACCOMPANIED

[Alan Ford]

From the FBI interview report of Ms. Pauline Sanders, 11/24/63:



Again the motif of Mr. Truly already in the lunchroom when an unaccompanied officer came in................

[Walt Cakebread]

From Agent Bookhout's solo report on Mr Oswald's first interrogation:

“Oswald stated that on November 22 1963, at the time of the search of the Texas School Book Depository building by Dallas police officers, he was on the second floor of said building, having just purchased a Coca-Cola from the soft-drink machine, at which time a police officer came into the room with pistol drawn and asked him if he worked there.

Mr. Truly was present and verified that he was an employee and the police officer thereafter left the room and continued through the building. Oswald stated that he took this Coke down to the first floor and stood around and had lunch in the employee’s lunch room. He thereafter went outside and stood around for five or ten minutes with foreman Bill Shelley.”

We all think we know what the words "at the time of the search of the Texas School Book Depository building by Dallas police officers" mean: in the aftermath of the assassination.

But what if they don't mean that at all?

Cf! Agent Hosty on the selfsame interrogation:

Lee Didn't know what officer Baker was doing....He ASSUMED that was the search which we all know started about 12:50 ....

Lee saw Baker and assumed that is what Fritz was referring to....