(Testimony of Prof. Revilo Pendleton Oliver)
Mr. Oliver.
found that all of them very firmly believed that the caparisoned horse named 'Black Jack, in the procession belonged to Mrs. Kennedy and was her favorite mount. That is entirely false.
"As most of you may not know for the national press never reported it, the headquarters detachment of our Army under orders from McNamara's office began to rehearse for the funeral more than a week before the assassination, and 'Black Jack' was an old army horse who was selected at the time of the first rehearsal for the role that he played in the real performance. Incidentally, he was a horse who had never been broken to the saddle and consequently never ridden by anyone. That is what was specifically said by the commander of that detachment when he told his hometown newspaper about the rehearsals." Perhaps I should add that I did not hear of that statement for several days and by the time that I tried to reach him by telephone the commander had been transferred to somewhere in Germany. I mention "Black Jack" and the impression created on television merely as an example of the attention to detail that makes great and impressive performances."
In other words, in my speech I am pointing out that the impression conveyed to these many viewers whom I interviewed, and so far as I know, to all viewers; was that this horse was the horse of Mrs. Kennedy, whereas it was an army horse.
Mr. Jenner.
Upon what source did you rely in making the statement that the special detachment to which you refer began to rehearse for the funeral a week before the assassination?
Mr. Oliver.
I relied primarily on the interview given by Captain Cloy to the Jackson, Miss., Clarion-Ledger.
Mr. Jenner.
Do you have a copy of that?
Mr. Oliver.
On the 21st of February, 1964.
Mr. Jenner.
May I mark it? We will have an exhibit number on it I have marked as Oliver Exhibit No. 8 a photostatic reprint of an article headlined "A lot to remember, McComb Army officer big part in Kennedy funeral" by Kenneth Tolliver, and in the center is written, I assume, in--is that your handwriting, the black lettering?
Mr. Oliver.
Mrs. Oliver's, I believe, which picks up the words "C1arion-Ledger" from the next reproduction.
Mr. Jenner.
For purposes of reproduction, it reads, "Jackson, Mississippi, Clarion-Ledger, February 21, 1964." I take it, sir, that the clipping, I guess this is an actual clipping pasted on here, the upper portion, in any event is either the clipping or a reproduction of it upon which you relied ?
(The document referred to was marked Oliver Exhibit No. 8 for identification.)
Mr. Oliver.
This is a reproduction of the clipping.
Mr. Jenner.
Would you show me where in that clipping it says in any respect whatsoever that Captain Cloy made the statement that he and his unit were rehearsing for the funeral of President Kennedy a week in advance of the assassination ?
Mr. Oliver.
My first knowledge of the rehearsal came from a letter that I received from someone in Arlington, or Alexandria, informing me that the Army had rehearsed the funeral more than a week before the funeral, I think, I cannot be sure.
Mr. Jenner.
The funeral was on Monday, the 25th of November.
Mr. Oliver.
And I would not say that I discounted the letter. I appreciated it, as I appreciate all efforts to give me information. On the other hand, I did not follow it up partly because I was very busy, and partly because I thought it entirely possible that what had been witnessed was some other Army exercise that could easily have been mistaken for a rehearsal of the funeral.
Consequently, I put it aside, and I am afraid I really dropped it from my mind until I received this clipping from the Clarion-Ledger a number of days after it had been published. I wouldn't want to say how many now.
Mr. Jenner.
But you had it prior to your speech at the Santa Ana Valley High School?
Mr. Oliver.
Oh, yes; quite some time before that.
Mr. Jenner.
And before you prepared the speech, part of which you have read?
Mr. Oliver.
That is right. And that confirmed the statement that a funeral had been rehearsed.
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