Fritz Took Notes

Oswald was questioned intermittently for approximately 12 hours ... Captain Fritz of the homicide and robbery bureau did most of the questioning, but he kept no notes and there were no stenographic or tape recordings.

Warren Report, p. 180

That the experienced head of a big city homicide and robbery unit would fail to keep notes on the interrogation of the most important prisoner he had ever had, or likely would have, has always been hard to accept. And lo and behold, it appears that he did keep notes! A little wordplay, fancy semantics, is letting Fritz off the hook, though. The ARRB says in its press release that:

Fritz told the Warren Commission in 1964 that he took no notes during the Oswald interrogations, but indicated that he later typed a report based on "rough notes" that were made "several days later." These notes are believed to be the ones acquired by the Review Board.

Well, he kept notes. Read them, look at this sample page, and decide for yourself whether Fritz lied. Perhaps it no longer matters. The notes are indeed "rough," and look contemporaneous to me. And it remains preposterous that no one would have kept notes or made a tape recording of this momentous event.

"Even if we assume that the public offices in Dallas are unusually small, and the stenographers unusually large," Jim Garrison wrote, "it does not explain why a compact tape recorder was not used."

Fritz died in 1984.

What follows is a transcription of the Fritz notes, as released by the Assassination Records Review Board in November 1997.

Transcription of Captain Fritz Notes From
Oswald Interrogations
Friday, November 22-24, 1963
Note: Prepared by Review Board staff to assist the
reader, but not an official transcription

1st 11-22
B.O. + James P. Hosty
Jame W Bookout

3:15 p.m.
Didn't own rifle saw one at Bldg
M. True + 2 others
home by bus changed britches

Ans Hosty adm going to Russia
adm wrighting [sic] Russian
Embassy + to Hosty
says lived Russia 3 yrs.
Does write over then now
school in Ft W. - to Marines
says got usual medals
claims no political belief
belongs Fair Pl
Hdqts NY off N.O.
says supports Castro Rev.
claims 2nd floor Coke when
off came in
to 1st floor had lunch
out with Bill Shelley in
front
lft wk opinion nothing he
done that day etc.
? punch clock
8-4:45 wre not
rigid abt time
wked reg 1st Fl
but all over
speaks Russian

?Why live O.H. Lee
says landlady did that

Terminate interview
with line up
4:15

4 man left to right as #2

Time of filing 11:26 pm Johnson Pres 22nd Precinct 2

F154
Received evidence 1st then filed

2nd Interview 23rd
Present 10:35-11:34
T.J. Kelly Robt Nash
Grant ??
B.O. + myself
Boyd + Hall

Says 11-22-63 rode bus
got trans same out of pocket
says 1 p.o. box denied bringing
package to wk. Denied telling Frazier
purpose of going to Irving - denied
curtain rods - got off bus after seeing
jam got cab etc .85 fare told you wrong before
at apt. Changed shirts + tr. Put in dirty clothes = long sleeve red sh

+ gray tr.

morning 23rd.
says 11-21-63 says two negr came in
one Jr. + short negro - ask ? for lunch says cheese
sandwiches + apple

says doesn't pay cash for wife staying with Mrs. Payne
denies owning rifle in garage or elsewhere admits other
things these

Came there 63 - N.O.
Says no visitors at apt. Claims never order
owns ???? for gun
denies belonging to Com party
says bgt gun 7 mo Ft W. didn't know what Place.
ams to grest ant questioning
Arv. July 62 from U.S.S.R. Int by F.B.I. Ft W
says Hard + Soft meth etc Buddy
says on interview of Payne by F.B.I. He thought she was intimidated

Desires to talk to Mr. Abt. I ask who
says Smith act att.
Says did live N.O. 4706 Magazine St. Frem Apt.
Wked Wm B. Riley Co 640
says nothing against Pres does not want to
talk further - No Pahy at time in past had
refused
Oswald A.C.L.U. member he says says [sic]
Mrs. Payne was too. I ask abt organization
he says to pay lawyer fees when needed
B.O. asks about Heidel selective s. Card - adm having
would not admit signature - wouldn't say
why he had it. Says add. Book has names of Russian
Emigrants he visits - denies shooting Pres says didn't know
Gov. shot

3rd 11-23 - 6:35

Shows photo of gun. Would not discuss photo
denies buying gun from Kleins.
Comp of wanting jacket for line up.
Says I made picture super imposed

arr 10-11:15
4th. 11-24 Insp Holmes - Sorrels - Kelley et al

Chief

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