{"object":[{"sourceId":{"label":"Source ID","value":"34830"},"creditline":{"label":"Credit Line","value":"Gene and Charmaine Boone Family Collection/The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza"},"labelText":{"label":"Description","value":"A copy of a typed, two-page letter written by Dallas County Deputy Sheriff Eugene Boone  to Dallas County Sheriff Bill Decker regarding his discovery of the rifle in the northwest corner of the sixth floor of the Texas School Book Depository on November 22, 1963. \r\n\r\nIn his letter Boone tentatively identified the rifle as a 7.65mm Mauser and noted that he first saw it at 1:22 p.m., less than an hour after the shooting in Dealey Plaza.  He also describes his position when he heard shots fired and his interactions with another eyewitness named H.W. Betzner.  Boone collected photographs taken by Betzner before he went to the Texas School Book Depository to help investigators."},"invno":{"label":"Object number","value":"2011.054.0001"},"description":{"label":"Description","value":"A copy of a letter written by Dallas County Deputy Sheriff Eugene Boone (donor) to Dallas County Sheriff Bill Decker regarding the discovery of the rifle in the northwest corner of the sixth floor of the Texas School Book Depository on November 22, 1963. \r\n\r\nThe full text of the letter is transcribed below:\r\n\"Nov. 22, 1963\r\nMr. Decker;\r\nI was assisting in the search of the 6th floor of the Dallas County Book Depository at Elm St and Houston St. proceeding from the East side of the building. Officer Whitman DPD an I were together as we approached the Northwest corner of the building I was the rifle partially hidden behind a row of books with two (2) other boxes of books against the rifle. The rifle appeared to be a 7.65mm Mauser with a telescopic sight on the rifle. Capt. Fritz was called to the scene and also someone from ID. Pictures were taken and then Capt Fritz picked up the rifle. I first saw the rifle at 1:22pm date.  E.L. Boone 240 DSO\r\n\r\nMr. Decker;\r\nAtt approx. 1pm date I was in front of the Sheriffsoffice at 505 Main St Dallas Texas when I heard three shots comming from the vicinity of where the Presidents car was, I raced across the street (Main & Houston). The Presidential car and other cars were turning onto Stemmons Fwy. Some of the bystanders said the shots came from the overpass. I ran across the street (Elm) and up the imbankment over the retaining wall and into the freight yard and was unable to locate anything. I did however locate one (1) witness H.W. Betzner w/m 5922 Velasco Dr. phone TA-1-9761. He had taken some photos just prior to the shots (35mm film)Betzner was taken by me to the Sheriffs office for a statement. I took the camera and film to Id and had the film developed. Betzner had three (3) pictures just seconds prior to the rifle shots. The camera and negatives were returned to Betzner. The three (3) pictures were retained by me. Officer Homer Reynolds DPD obtained a statement form Betzner. The glossy prints of the pictures were turned over to Ofiicer Reynolds to be placed with Betzners statement. After I had left the film in ID, I got a battery powered light and went over to the Texas School Book Depository to help with t he search of the building. I proceeded to the sixth (6th) floor of the \r\ncont. \r\nbuilding to search for the rifle. I started on the east end of the building and worked my way to the west end of the building. In  the northwest corner of the building approx. three (3) feet from the east wall of the stariwell and behind a row of cases of books I was the rifle. What appeared to be a 7.65mm Mauser with a telescopic site. The rifle had want appeared to be a brownish, black stock and blue steel, metal parts.Capt. Fritz DPD was called to this location and along with an ID man DPD took charge of the rifle. Officer Whitman of Robie Loves office was with me when I found the rifle it was 1:22pm by my watch. I then returned to the station. \r\nE.L. Boone, #240DSO\"\r\n\r\nThe letter is composed of two pages which are stapled together. The letter has been folded in fourths and crease marks are evident."},"medium":{"label":"Medium","value":"Paper"},"onview":{"label":"On View","value":"0"},"media":{"label":"Media","value":[{"mediaURL":"https://emuseum.jfk.org/internal/media/dispatcher/42189/full","displayOrder":"0","mediaType":"Image","mediaId":"42189"},{"mediaURL":"https://emuseum.jfk.org/internal/media/dispatcher/42190/full","displayOrder":"0","mediaType":"Image","mediaId":"42190"}]},"title":{"label":"Title","value":"Letter to Sheriff Decker from Eugene Boone about discovering the rifle"},"classification":{"label":"Classifications","value":"Documents"},"primaryMedia":{"label":"PrimaryMedia","value":"/internal/media/dispatcher/42190/full"},"depth":{"label":"Depth","value":["0E-10"]},"thesconcepts":{"label":"Terms","value":["Investigations","Rifles","Evidence","Letters","Decker, Bill","Boone, Eugene","Betzner, Hugh","Texas School Book Depository","Dallas County Sheriff's Department","Dallas"]},"culture":{"label":"Object","value":"Letter"},"displayDate":{"label":"Date","value":"11/22/1963"},"width":{"label":"Width","value":["21.5900431801"]},"textEntriesTextentries":{"label":"Curatorial Commentary","value":["Gene Boone explained that all deputies were required to write what were called \"Dear Decker\" letters to describe their activities in an incident or investigation. This letter was displayed on the Museum's Seventh Floor as part of the \"Voices from History: Dallas Law Enforcement\" exhibit, November 2006 to October 2007. - Stephen Fagin, Associate Curator"]},"id":{"label":"Id","value":"65116"},"dimensions":{"label":"Dimensions","value":"14 x 8 1/2 in. (35.6 x 21.6 cm)"},"height":{"label":"Height","value":["35.5600711201"]}}]}