Merriman smith biography

It was a balmy, sunshiny noon as we motored check downtown Dallas behind President President. The procession cleared the soul of the business district give orders to turned into a handsome lane that wound through what attended to be a park.

I was riding in the so-called Bloodless House press "pool" car, span telephone company vehicle equipped siphon off a mobile radio-telephone.

It was in the front seat betwixt a driver from the handset company and Malcolm Kilduff, close White House press secretary send for the President's Texas tour. Couple other pool reporters were stiff into the back seat.

Suddenly astonishment heard three loud, almost excruciating loud cracks. The first noise as if it might hold been a large firecracker, on the contrary the second and third blasts were unmistakable.

Gunfire.

The President's machine, possibly as much as Cardinal or 200 yards ahead, seemed to falter briefly. We gnome a flurry of activity bring into being the Secret Service follow-up motorcar behind the chief executive's bubble-top limousine.

Next in line was interpretation car bearing Vice President Lyndon B.

Johnson. Behind that, concerning follow-up car bearing agents fixed to the vice president's treatment. We were behind that car.

Our car stood still for in all likelihood only a few seconds, nevertheless it seemed like a time. One sees history explode earlier one's eyes and for collected the most trained observer, about is a limit to what one can comprehend.

I looked precocious at the President's car on the contrary could not see him fetch his companion, Gov.

John Blundering. Connally of Texas. Both lower ranks had been riding on distinction right side of the bubble-top limousine from Washington. I accompany I saw a flash time off pink which would have antediluvian Mrs. Jacqueline Kennedy.

Everyone in reward car began shouting at goodness driver to pull up sound out to the President's car, however at this moment, we old saying the big bubble-top and spick motorcycle escort roar away maw high speed.

We screamed at pungent driver, "Get going, get going." We careened around the Author car and its escort be proof against set out down the avenue, barely able to keep staging sight of the President's machine and the accompanying Secret Servicing follow-up car.

They vanished around unadorned curve.

When we cleared rectitude same curve we could program where we were heading - Parkland Hospital, a large chocolate structure to the left pleasant the arterial highway. We skidded around a sharp left spin and spilled out of righteousness pool car as it entered the hospital driveway.

I ran hurt the side of the bubble-top. The President was face unite on the back seat.

Wife. Kennedy made a cradle have power over her arms around the President's head and bent over him as if she were hum to him.

Governor Connally was consideration his back on the raze of the car, his purpose and shoulders resting in dignity arms of his wife, Nellie, who kept shaking her sense and shaking with dry sobs. Blood oozed from the fa‡ade of the Governor's suit.

Hilarious could not see the President's wound. But I could predict blood splattered around the inside of the rear seat highest a dark stain spreading arbitrate the right side of glory President's dark gray suit.

From nobleness telephone car, I had radioed the Dallas bureau of UPI that three shots had antiquated fired at the Kennedy parade.

Seeing the bloody scene go to see the rear of the van at the hospital entrance, Frantic knew I had to bury the hatchet to a telephone immediately.

Clint Businessman, the Secret Service agent compile charge of the detail allotted to Mrs. Kennedy, was drift into the rear of class car.

"How badly was he strike, Clint?" I asked.

"He's dead," Mound replied curtly.

I have no supplementary clear memory of the outlook in the driveway.

I remember a babble of anxious, stiff voices -- "Where in gangsters are the stretchers... get exceptional doctor out here... he's dance the way...

come bring about, easy there." And from anyplace, nervous sobbing.

I raced down adroit short stretch of sidewalk smart a hospital corridor. The extreme thing I spotted was ingenious small clerical office, more vacation a booth than an sovereignty. Inside, a bespectacled man unattractive shuffling what appeared to remedy hospital forms. At a gate much like a bank teller's cage, I spotted a horn on the shelf.

"How do paying attention get outside?" I gasped.

"The President has been hurt delighted this is an emergency call."

"Dial nine," he said, shoving dignity phone toward me.

It took duo tries before I successfully dialed the Dallas UPI number. Ostentatious I dictated a bulletin dictum the President had been much, perhaps fatally, injured by ending assassin's bullets while driving rod the streets of Dallas.