18 Items Nick McDonald Who Captured President Kennedy’s Assassin Oswald
After shooting President John F. Kennedy at 12:30 p.m., on November 22, 1963, Lee Harvey Oswald left the Texas School Book Depository before police sealed it off. He rode a city bus for a few blocks, then took a taxi to his rooming house. At approximately 1:15 p.m., Dallas Patrolman J. D. Tippit encountered Oswald walking along the street. After exchanging words with Oswald, Tippit got out of his patrol car, and Oswald shot Tippit four times, killing him. A shoe store manager saw Oswald slip into a movie theater without paying and alerted police. Dallas Patrolman M. Nick McDonald was the first to reach Oswald, who said “Well, it’s all over now,” but pointed his pistol at McDonald and pulled the trigger. The pistol did not fire because the hammer struck McDonald’s hand in the struggle. Oswald punched McDonald, who punched back, disarmed Oswald, and took him into custody.[JOHN F. KENNEDY.] Archive of eighteen items related to Officer M. Nick McDonald’s role in capturing Lee Harvey Oswald after the assassination of John F. Kennedy and the murder of a Dallas police officer, ca. 1963-2004. All in very good condition, housed in protective sleeves.Items and Excerpts:
Typed report to Chief of Police J. E. Curry regarding the “Apprehension of suspect in the Death of the President of the United States and Officer J. D. Tippit,” November 22, 1963. 2 pp., 8.5? x 11?. Signed by Sergeant of Police Gerald L. Hill, Acc. Investigator Ray Hawkins, Detective Paul Bentley, and Patrolman M. N. McDonald.“Minutes later, we received additional information that the suspect was in the Texas Theater. Several officers answered the call, and in the process of checking the occupants of the theater, Officer McDonald approached the center section of the third row from the back. As he started to search another suspect, he observed the arrested party sitting in the third seat. As he approached this suspect, the suspect said, ‘This is it’, and sprang from his seat. Officer McDonald began to grapple with the suspect and the suspect got his hand on a gun that was stuck inside his shirt. As the officer and the suspect wrestled for the gun, the suspect pulled the trigger once and the gun snapped, but did not fire.... after a struggle in which the suspect resisted violently he was disarmed and handcuffed.”“The Arrest and Capture of Lee Harvey Oswald,” typescript report by Officer Nick McDonald, signed three times by McDonald, 3 pp., 8.5? x 11?.“After searching the first two men and finding nothing, I start walking towards him. Slowly, and deliberately, I am closing the distance between us. Maybe, just maybe, I can prevent a stand-off and a shootout, if I can get close enough. My pistol remains strapped in my holster. My hand is open and swinging free along my side. My searching eyes are more concentrated on two other persons seated to my left, just a few steps from him. But, I keep him in my vision from the corner of my eyes. Detecting no movement or change in his position, I continue walking calmly up the aisle, trying to act as if I am going to pass him by. This small element of surprise may buy be some time. Like a hunter, I am secretly stalking the prey. I have this strange sensation that everyone in the theatre has their eyes fixed on me and is watching my every move. I am almost there now.”“He stands slowly, facing the movie screen. Turning his head to me, we are face to face. I stare directly into his icy cold, steel blue eyes. In attempting to conceal his guilt, his expression changes to surprise and innocence, like that of a child.”Printed Program for a presentation by Sergeant M. Nick McDonald, “The man who captured Lee Harvey Oswald,” May 5, 2004, South Plainfield High School, South Plainfield, New Jersey. 4 pp., 5.5? x 8.5?. (2 copies)Photocopy of Arrest Report of Lee Harvey Oswald, November 22, 1963, signed by Officer M. Nick McDonald. 1 p., 8.5? x 11?. (2 copies)Composite black-and-white photograph of President Kennedy, Oswald, and McDonald, signed by Officer M. Nick McDonald, 8? x 10?. (2 copies)Autographed Photograph of Officer M. Nick McDonald in uniform on the sidewalk near the assassination site in Dallas, n.d., 8.5? x 11?.Composite black-and-white photograph of President Kennedy, Officer M. Nick McDonald, Officer J. D. Tippit, Lee Harvey Oswald, and Jack Ruby, signed by McDonald, 8.5? x 11?.“John F. Kennedy” Matchbook cover with Seal of the President of the United States and embossed image of the White House, 2? x 4.375?.Signed photograph of McDonald in uniform and holding Oswald’s pistol, [dated November 22, 1963, but likely 1990s], 8? x 10?.Photograph of Braniff Airways plane flying over Dealey Plaza in Dallas, where Oswald assassinated Kennedy, 10? x 8?.Memorial Card for John F. Kennedy, featuring color photograph of his grave at Arlington National Cemetery with an inset portrait, a brief biography, and a quotation from his inaugural address. 4 pp., 7.125? x 5?.A photocopy of the cover of Parade Magazine, The Boston Sunday Globe, March 6, 1964, containing Lloyd Shearer’s story, “The Man Who Captured Oswald.” Inscribed to Ron Hoskins by Nick McDonald. 1 p., 8.5? x 11?.Black-and-white photograph of Oswald’s grave in Rose Hill Cemetery, Fort Worth, Texas, 3.5? x 3.5?.Color Photograph of M. Nick McDonald signing autographs, ca. 2004, 8.5? x 5.75?.Color Photograph of Unidentified Man, 8? x 10?.Maurice Neal “Nick” McDonald (1928-2005) was born in Arkansas and joined the U.S. Navy. After two years of service, he attended the Arkansas State Teachers College. He enlisted in the U.S. Air Force in December 1950. He married Sally Lou Plyler in 1951, and they had two daughters. McDonald served with the Air Force in Mississippi and Indiana before being honorably discharged as a staff sergeant in 1954. In 1955, they relocated to Dallas, Texas, where McDonald became a patrolman with the Dallas Police Department. After his arrest of Oswald, he was promoted to the special services bureau and assigned to the Secret Service protection of Oswald’s widow Marina and her two small children. After his wife died in 1976, he married Rose Daisy Brown in 1978. He retired as a sergeant in 1980, after 25 years of service, and moved to Arkansas.From the collection of Ron Hoskins, assassinologist. This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.WE PROVIDE IN-HOUSE SHIPPING WORLDWIDE.