Warren Commission (05 of 26): Hearings Vol. V (of 15)United States. Warren Commission
History
Warren Commission (05 of 26): Hearings Vol. V (of 15)
United States. Warren Commission
Kennedy, John F. (John Fitzgerald), 1917-1963 -- Assassination; Oswald, Lee Harvey
Any thought of ever being close to Havana, Cuba, I called him
frequently because he was down there, and he was the last person to
leave, if I recall, when they had to leave, when he left the casino.
As a matter of fact, on the plane, if I recall, I had an article he
sent me, and I wanted to get it published because I idolized McWillie.
He is a pretty nice boy, and I happened to be idolizing him.
When the plane left Havana and landed in the United States, some
schoolteacher remarked that the United States is not treating Castro
right. When they landed in the United States, this Mr. Louis McWillie
slugged this guy for making that comment.
So I want you to know, as far as him having any subversive thoughts,
and I wanted Tony to put it in the paper here. That is how much I
thought of Mr. McWillie. And that is my only association.
The only other association with him was, there was a gentleman here
that sells guns. He has a hardware store on Singleton Avenue.
Have I told this to you gentlemen? It is Ray's Hardware. His name is
Ray Brantley.
This was--I don't recall when he called me, but he was a little worried
of the new regime coming in, and evidently he wanted some protection.
He called me or sent me a letter that I should call Ray Brantley. He
wanted some four little Cobra guns--big shipment.
So me, I should say myself rather, feeling no harm, I didn't realize,
because he wasn't sending them to me, and I thought there was no crime,
the man wanted protection, he is earning a livelihood.
I called Ray Brantley and I said, "Ray, McWillie called me." I don't
remember if he sent me a letter or he called. He said he wants four
little Cobras, or something like that.
He said "I know Mac. I have been doing business with him for a long
time." Meaning with reference to when he was living in Texas. He did a
lot of hunting and things like that.
Chief Justice WARREN. Yes?
Mr. RUBY. That was the only relationship I had of any mention, outside
of phone calls, to Mr. McWillie, or any person from Havana, Cuba.
Chief Justice WARREN. When was that?
Mr. RUBY. Now the guns--am I correct? Did you ever go to check on it?
On Ray Brantley?
Mr. MOORE. No.
Mr. RUBY. He denies I ever called. Evidently he feels, maybe he feels
it would be illegal to send guns out of the country. I don't know if
you gentlemen know the law. I don't know the law.
Chief Justice WARREN. I don't know.
Mr. RUBY. I kept--did I tell you this, Joe, about this?
Mr. TONAHILL. Yes; you did.
Mr. RUBY. That I wanted someone to go to Ray Brantley?
Mr. TONAHILL. Yes.
Mr. RUBY. When Phil Burleson came back with a letter signed, an
affidavit that Ray Brantley said he never did receive a call from me,
and the only gun he sent to McWillie was to the Vegas, but it came back
that they didn't pick it up because it was a c.o.d. order.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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