| Subject: On the umbrella man |
Author:
Harry Altman
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Date Posted: 12:03:31 02/27/02 Wed
In reply to:
Mr Torres
's message, "Miscellaneous" on 11:31:58 02/06/02 Wed
It seems unlikely that Louis Steven Witt, who the HSCA indetified as the umbrella man, was, in fact, the umbrella man. To quote http://www.jfk-assassination.de/
"Coincidently", the Umbrella Man was suddenly identified in Dallas just shortly after this national appeal. An anonymous caller told researcher Penn Jones Jr. that the wanted man was the former Dallas insurance salesman Louis Steven Witt. Jones contacted some local newsmen and together they confronted Witt. Although Witt refused to talk to a newsman, he confirmed that he was in Dealey Plaza when Kennedy was killed. Jones later wrote (2):
I felt the man had been coached. He would answer no questions and pointedly invited us to leave. His only positive statement, which seemed to come very quickly, was that he was willing to appear before the House Select Committee on Assassinations in Washington.
Witt told the Commission that he had the umbrella to heckle Kennedy. He claimed that someone told him that an open umbrella would rile Kennedy. But he did not offer any further explanation of how it would heckle JFK. Some Committee members theorized that the umbrella somehow referred to Kennedy's father who was serving as U.S. ambassador to Britain prior to World War II. The umbrella may have symbolized the policies of Britain's Prime Minister Chamberlain who always carried an umbrella. (3)
I think I went sort of maybe halfway up the grassy area (on the north side of Elm Street), somewhere in that vicinity. I am pretty sure I sat down....(When the motorcade approached) I think I got up and started fiddling with that umbrella trying to get it open, and at the same time I was walking forward, walking toward the street....Whereas other people I understand saw the President shot and his movements; I did not see this because of this thing (the umbrella) in front of me....My view of the car during that length of time was blocked by the umbrella's being open. (4)
None of Witt s statements were accurate. Umbrella man stood waiting for the motorcade with his umbrella in the usual position over his head. Then he pumped it up in the air as Kennedy passed. Despite Witt's bizarre story - totally incompatible with the actions of the man in the photographs - a few researcher accepted Louis Steven Witt as the "Umbrella Man".
The HSCA made no effort to find the second man, the Dark-complected man, who appeared to have been talking on a radio moments after the assassination. Witt claimed he had no recollection of such a person, although on photographs he can be seen talking to him. He only recalled a "Negro man" who sat down near him and mumbling:
They done shot them folks.
Did the govenment cover this up, or did Witt cover this up? Is there a cover up - is it possible that Witt was an umbrella man, but not the famous one? This seems unlikely, as Witt would probably know of The Umbrella Man. So there's a cover up somewhere, apparently - if the umbrella man is actually relevant. An interesting note: if the umbrella man IS relevant in any way other than a signal, it would contradict the Garrison theory - although if it were a signal, it could fit right in even though unmentioned.
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