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On the trail of the Klein's microfilm

This is the longest thing I’ve posted on here by far, and is part of a bigger project I’m working on, but I’d like to get some feedback and see what y’all think. 

The Klein’s microfilm chain of custody has (from what I’ve seen) been discussed in the most detail by David Josephs and John Armstrong. Most of the controversy is based on the two FBI 302 reports, with one saying the microfilm was left with William Waldman on 11/23/63 by Special Agents Robert Dolan, James Mahan and John Toedt, and the other saying the microfilm was obtained from Waldman by Robert Dolan.



Both Josephs and Armstrong refer to the contradictory reports as evidence of conspiracy. 

Josephs:  “The FBI is once again front and center with Evidence proving to be more indicative of the Conspiracy than of the crime.”

Armstrong: “Both FBI reports are fabrications. We know, from numerous FBI reports and Waldman's and Scibor's WC testimony, that the microfilm never remained at Kleins, nor was it placed in a safety deposit box at LaSalle National Bank. On 11/23/63 Waldman gave the microfilm to SA Dolan, was given a receipt for the microfilm, and within hours SA Dolan hand delivered the microfilm to FBI headquarters in Washington, DC.”

So what’s really going on here? Lets take a closer look at the microfilm chain of custody. I will excerpt the relevant quotes from all documents and provide a link to MFF if you want to see the full version just to try to keep this post from being 30 pages long, since some of the documents are quite long. All referenced times will be in Central Standard Time. 

The first report on the microfilm comes at 8:01 a.m. when Chicago sent a teletype with the results of the Klein’s investigation:

RE: New York tel to Chicago and Dallas 11/22 last. Chicago tel to Bureau 11/23 instant and Chicago telephone call to Bureau 11/23 instant. 

Microfilm is being maintained in possession of William J. Waldman, Vice President of Klein’s, Inc. who is person to subpoena to produce microfilm….

...If Bureau and Dallas desire microfilm for handwriting comparison suggest film could be forwarded to laboratory as thermo-fax copies of pertinent transactions on microfilm not sufficiently legible for handwriting comparison. 

https://www.maryferrell.org/showDoc.html?docId=62266#relPageId=33

Ok great, Waldman has the microfilm at 8:01 a.m and Chicago wants to know if they should go back to Klein’s to get it. What happens next? Alex Rosen sends a memo to Alan Belmont regarding the developments from Chicago. We don’t have a timestamp for this memo, but we’ll get some clues as we move forward.

Time of call (5:48) A.M., SA Robert J. Dolan, Chicago Office telephonically furnished significant developments in captioned matter. Agents of the Chicago Office have been successful in locating the source of the weapon believed used in the killing of President Kennedy. Based on investigative developments, this weapon was purchased from Klein's Sporting Goods Inc., 4540 West Madison, Chicago, Illinois. The microfilm indicated Klein's sold an Italian Carbine 6.5 (caliber) with a four-power scope to one A. Hidell, Post Office Box 2915, Dallas Texas. The purchase price for this weapon was $21.45, believed paid by a money order, and was shipped on 3-20-63....

 ….As pointed out the record of this sale is on microfilm and is being maintained by Vice President William J. Waldman, who would be the proper person to subpoena to obtain these records for court. The microfilm has been obtained and is being forwarded to the Bureau by the most expeditious means for handwriting comparison with known handwriting of suspect, Oswald.

https://www.maryferrell.org/showDoc.html?docId=62265#relPageId=26

Um, what? Rosen's sentence regarding the microfilm being left with William Waldman appears to be sourced from the 8:01 a.m. Chicago teletype, but he follows by saying the microfilm “has been obtained” and “is being forwarded to the Bureau”. Where did Rosen get this information? If Dolan told Rosen he had taken custody of the microfilm prior to 5:48 a.m., how do we explain the statement in the Chicago teletype that the microfilm was left with Waldman? Recall that the heading of the  Chicago teletype references a phone call and teletype from “Chicago to Bureau”. The teletype is not available online (as far as I can tell), and even if the phone call is different than the 5:48 a.m. call from Dolan, these communications had to have occured before 8:01 a.m., and neither can explain Rosen’s statement that the microfilm “has been obtained” if we take the 8:01 a.m. Chicago Teletype at face value. To make matters worse, Rosen’s double use of the present tense suggests the microfilm was in two places at the same time. 

At 8:15 a.m., Alan Belmont called Gordon Shanklin and wrote a memo to Clyde Tolson discussing the phone call. 

I talked to SAC Shanklin at (8:15) A.M., November 23, 1963, and we discussed the development where our Chicago Office has found that a rifle with the same serial number as the rifle found in the building in Dallas was mailed by Klein’s Sporting Goods Company, Chicago, Illinois, on March 20, 1963 to A. Hidell, Post Office Box 2915, Dallas, Texas. Shanklin said Agents have checked with the post office, and that this is a post office box in the name of Oswald’s mother and traceable to Oswald. 

According to the Chicago Office the microfilm showing the sale of this gun showed the return address of Hidell, and was paid for by money order. Dallas and Chicago are attempting to trace down the money order. Shanklin pointed out that when Oswald was picked up, he had in his possession a Selective Service Card in the name of A.J. Hidell and a membership card in the Fair Play for Cuba Committee in the name of A.J. Hidell. 

I told Shanklin it was very important to check out this Hidell angle; that we are checking Oswald’s Marine Corps file to get the known handwriting specimens to compare with the signatures of Hidell, and Dallas should be alert for handwriting specimens. The microfilm from Chicago is being sent into the Bureau.

https://www.maryferrell.org/showDoc.html?docId=62256#relPageId=131&search=Microfilm_

This memo may contain a few clues that can help us fill in the gaps in our timeline. All of the information on the rifle attributed to Belmont in this memo appears to be sourced directly from the Rosen-Belmont memo: the sales record found in Chicago, the FBI checking Oswald’s Marine Corps file for handwriting specimens, and the microfilm being forwarded to the Bureau. Therefore, in order for Rosen to know that the microfilm “has been obtained” he must have learned it was in FBI custody prior to Belmont’s 8:15 a.m phone call with Shanklin, with enough time for him to write or dictate his memo. Since the 8:01 a.m Chicago teletype reported that the microfilm was in the possession of William Waldman, our timeline is constrained to a fourteen-minute window:

[8:01] Chicago teletype reports microfilm left with Waldman

[8:??] Chicago obtains microfilm from Waldman

[8:??] Chicago informs Rosen the microfilm has been obtained 

[8:??] Rosen writes Rosen-Belmont memo

[8:??] Rosen delivers memo to Belmont 

[8:15] Belmont calls Shanklin 

The problem with this is that Klein’s Sporting Goods at 4540 West Madison Street was at least a ten minute drive from the Chicago Field Office. The only way for this timeline to work is if an agent was sent to retrieve the microfilm before the 8:01 a.m. Chicago teletype was sent. Otherwise Rosen should have said that the microfilm “is being obtained” instead of “has been obtained” e.g. if Chicago called to ask if the Bureau wanted the microfilm while the 8:01 a.m. teletype was still transmitting.  

At 10:50 a.m. Belmont called Shanklin again (thanks Ed) and requested he obtain the Post Office documents and samples of Oswalds handwriting for comparison with the microfilm. Shanklin “submitted” the documents to the lab on the 23rd. The documents miraculously weren’t reported as received by the lab for 48 hours, but that’s a topic for another time. Shanklin said the following in his submittal memo:

Re Chicago teletype 11/23/63 to Bureau and SACS New York and Dallas

Referenced teletype establishes purchase of the assassination weapon and shipment of same from Chicago to Post Office Box 2915, Dallas, Texas. SAC, Chicago, advised telephonically he was sending a microfilm of record relating to the sale of weapon to Bureau Laboratory.

https://www.maryferrell.org/showDoc.html?docId=62265#relPageId=50

According to Shanklin, SAC Marlin Johnson called and informed him that the Klein’s microfilm was being sent to the FBI Laboratory. The time of this phone call is not known, but it’s possible that Johnson made a similar call to Alex Rosen or someone else at Headquarters to expedite the request in the 8:01 a.m. Chicago teletype: 

If Bureau and Dallas desire microfilm for handwriting comparison suggest film could be forwarded to laboratory as thermo-fax copies of pertinent transactions on microfilm not sufficiently legible for handwriting comparison.

It was standard practice for the FBI to send a teletype as an official summary of an earlier phone call, so it’s possible that the timeline in our discussion of the Belmont-Tolson memo is accurate. For example:

[7:30 a.m.] Johnson calls Rosen to ask if the Bureau wants microfilm for handwriting comparison

[7:45 a.m.] Dolan arrives at Klein’s 

[8:00 a.m] Dolan arrives back at Chicago Field Office

[8:01 a.m.] Chicago teletype submitted

[8:03 a.m] Johnson informed microfilm is in FBI custody

[8:05 a.m.] Johnson calls Rosen to inform him the microfilm has been obtained 

[8:13 a.m] Rosen submits memo to Belmont

[8:15 a.m.]  Belmont calls Shanklin

This is about as close as we can get to explaining the confusing language in the Rosen-Belmont memo suggesting that the microfilm was in two locations simultaneously without impeaching the accuracy of either the 8:01 a.m. Chicago teletype or the Belmont-Tolson memo. This scenario would also provide an alternative to the 5:48 a.m. Dolan phone call for the call referenced in the heading of the 8:01 a.m. Chicago teletype. 

Regardless of the details, I think the evidence suggests that Robert Dolan was sent back to retrieve the microfilm from Waldman around three hours after the FBI originally departed Klein’s Sporting Goods. This explains both Rosen’s memo and the dual Waldman 302 reports, one involving Dolan alone. 

The microfilm chain of custody isn’t reported on again until 3:48 p.m, when a teletype was sent from Chicago to FBI Headquarters and Dallas describing events that occurred over four hours earlier:

SA Robert J. Dolan departed Chicago, Illinois, United Air Lines Flight 846, at 11:40am, instant, with roll of microfilm from Klein’s Sporting Goods containing photos of order blank and envelope pertaining to purchase of instant Italian carbine. Also in SA Dolan’s possession were samples of wrapping materials described below.

William J. Waldman, Vice President, Klein’s, 4540 West Madison, advised SAS H. Sidney Neel, Jr., and Clay M. Brady at 10:15am, November 23, 1963 that the Italian carbine 6.5 with 4x scope was shipped per his records on 3/20, last, by parcel post not broken down, bolt and scope intact. ….. Waldman furnished and initialed six samples of wrapping paper, five samples of paper gummed tapes, one sample of corrugated paper and one sample carton. Above initialed by SA Neel and turned over to SA Dolan at 11:15am for transmittal to FBI Lab. 

https://www.maryferrell.org/showDoc.html?docId=62257#relPageId=167

This teletype implies that Robert Dolan had the roll of microfilm in his possession by 10:15 a.m., and was likely at the airport at 11:15 a.m. when SA Neel dropped off the Klein’s packaging samples. Dolan departed Chicago at 11:40 a.m on a commercial flight for Washington, and upon arrival supposedly drove straight from the airport to Quantico, VA to hand deliver the microfilm and packaging samples to the FBI Laboratory. The average flight time from Chicago O’Hare to Washington National Airport is around two hours, and the drive time from Washington National to the FBI Laboratory is around forty-five minutes. Thus, assuming that Dolan did not make any stops before heading to Quantico we can estimate a reasonable delivery time for the items to the lab around 3:00 p.m.. A lab report was subsequently sent to Dallas and the Bureau discussing delivery of the items and results of the examinations:

Specimens K4 and K5 are being temporarily retained in the Laboratory until called for by a representative of the Washington Field Office. 

Specimen Qc16 was personally returned this date to SA Dolan of the Chicago Office. 

Specimen K6 is being retained in the Laboratory
  
Specimens received:

Personal delivery by SA Edward C. Palmer, Washington Field Office, on 11/23/63.

K4: Two letters obtained from the Navy file of Lee H. Oswald

Personal delivery by SA Eugene C. Gies, Washington Field Office, on 11/23/63

K5: Passport application of Lee H. Oswald

Personal delivery by SA Robert J. Dolan, Chicago Office, on 11/23/63.

K6: Wrapping paper and tape samples obtained from Klein’s Sporting Goods Store,
            Chicago, Illinois

Qc16: Photographs made from microfilm of envelope, order form and order blank of Klein’s Sporting Goods, Chicago, Illinois. Envelope and order blank bear return address “A. Hidell, P.O. Box 2915, Dallas, Texas.” Order blank shows Italian carbine #C2766 with “4X” scope shipped 3/20/63.

https://www.maryferrell.org/showDoc.html?docId=62265#relPageId=51

What’s interesting here is the description of item Qc16 as “photographs made from microfilm”, not the actual microfilm reel. Dolan allegedly hand delivered item Qc16 which was then returned to Dolan. What did Dolan turn over to the lab? Was it the actual microfilm reel or the thermofax copies referenced in the 8:01 a.m. Chicago teletype? What was returned to Dolan? The “c” designation as in Qc16 is seen again in a handwritten notation on an airtel face-sheet discussing delivery of the passport application, K5. In addition to the passport application, Special Agent Eugene Gies turned over rolls of film containing photographs of known examples of Lee Oswald’s handwriting in U.S. State Department files. These rolls of film were designated by the lab as item Kc3. 

https://www.maryferrell.org/showDoc.html?docId=62263#relPageId=76

Thus it is reasonable to assume that Dolan did turn over the actual microfilm reel to the lab and the reel was returned to Dolan after the examination. This is the only example (I’ve seen) of a questioned item being immediately returned to the delivering agent in all the early lab reports concerning handwriting analysis.

A follow-on memorandum sent from W.D. Griffith to Ivan Conrad appears to clarify the record.

We have made a handwriting identification which definitely associates the suspect, Lee H. Oswald, with the murder weapon. 

This afternoon one of our Chicago Agents delivered a roll of microfilm from Klein’s Sporting Goods Company in Chicago from which company the murder weapon originated. We have located on the film an order blank for “Italian Carbine 6.5, Serial C 2766,” made out in the name of “A. Hidell, P.O. Box 2915, Dallas Texas,” which indicates instant weapon was shipped to Hidell on 3/20/63. On the film was Hidell’s order consisting of a clipping from a newspaper or magazine containing blanks to be filled in to place an order for a weapon. This item had been enclosed in an envelope bearing the handwritten address of Klein’s Store and Hidell’s return address in Dallas. 

We have definitely identified the hand printing on the gun order and the handwriting on the envelope in which it was originally enclosed with the writing of Lee H. Oswald. This identification required “known” writings contained in Oswald’s Navy file and a passport application from the State Department, which were made available to us earlier today.

https://www.maryferrell.org/showDoc.html?docId=62255#relPageId=119

According to this memo, a Chicago Agent, supposedly Dolan, delivered the actual microfilm reel to the lab. The lab then independently located the three Klein's documents on the reel and matched Lee Oswald’s handwriting to the order form and envelope. There is no mention of what was done with the microfilm after the examination. 

The last document I’ll include is from CD87. Secret Service Agent Edward E. Tucker wrote a report on November 25th that contains a detailed timeline of the Secret Service investigation in Chicago on November 23rd, and says Dolan actually did take the microfilm at 5:00 a.m.. 

Mr. Waldman said that agents of the FBI has been at his firm from 10:00 p.m. on 11-22-63 to 5:00 a.m. on 11-23-63 and had taken with them the original microfilm of the envelope from A. Hidell and the order blank.
….
At approximately 1:45 p.m., on 11-23-63, Special Agent Tucker arrived at Klein’s Sporting Goods and began an interview of William J. Waldman, Vice President. Waldman advised Special Agent Tucker that the FBI had been at his place of business from approximately 10:00 p.m. on 11-22-63 to approximately 5:00 a.m. on 11-23-63 and also that he, Waldman, had given the original microfilm of records pertaining to the mail order sale of the suspected murder weapon to Special Agent Robert J. Dolan, FBI, and that Dolan has allegedly departed Chicago for Washington, D.C. on the morning of 11-23-63 apparently to hand deliver the microfilm to the FBI Laboratory for analysis. 

https://www.maryferrell.org/showDoc.html?docId=197079#relPageId=91

Waldman’s claim to the Secret Service that the FBI took the “original microfilm” at 5:00 a.m. corroborates the implication in the Rosen-Belmont memo that Dolan advised he had obtained the microfilm in his 5:48 a.m. phone call to Headquarters. Waldman’s reported in-person statements to SA Tucker are slightly more ambiguous however, and leave open the possibility of Dolan returning to Klein’s to retrieve the microfilm. The phrase “and also” seems to imply a separate interaction, but the report is unclear as to whether or not Waldman actually clarified his earlier statement that microfilm had been taken at 5:00 a.m.. If the microfilm wasn’t turned over until three hours later, it’s odd that Waldman would leave out such a key detail. We must remember though that this Secret Service report is from November 25th, and that we have evidence from the 23rd suggesting that the microfilm was still in Waldman’s possession around 8:00 a.m.. 

Well that’s about it. Obviously this is just a theory but I think it’s plausible and a less sinister explanation than a bunch of falsified FBI reports. Dolan just went back to Klein’s, which was 10 minutes away, to get the microfilm a few hours after he originally left with Toedt and Mahan, so he dictated his own 302 report. This scenario raises its own questions though, like: why would Chicago wait 3 hours to ask if they should obtain the microfilm? Why would Waldman say it was taken at 5:00 a.m.? I think what’s really suspicious about the dual FBI reports is that the Dolan, Toedt, Mahan report says the microfilm was placed in a sealed envelope and placed in Waldman’s safe. Dolan’s report says Waldman made available from his safe one reel of microfilm contained in a cardboard box. If Dolan really did return to get the microfilm around 8:00 a.m., who opened the envelope?