"THE CLOSENESS OF THE CALL WAS APPALLING"

PRESIDENT-ELECT'S WOULD-BE ASSASSIN ARRESTED

West Palm Beach, Florida (JFK+50) On December 15, 1960, Richard Paul Pavlick*, a 73 year old retired postal worker, was arrested here in West Palm Beach for plotting to kill President-elect John F. Kennedy.

Pavlick's plan was to drive his dynamite-laden car into JFK's limousine, but fortunately before that could be done, police officer Lester Free saw Pavlick drive his vehicle across the dividing line.  Free stopped and searched Pavlick's car and found seven dynamite sticks along with "spools of wire and a homemade detonation device."

Richard Pavlick was later declared legally insane and would be institutionalized until December 13, 1966.

Secret Service Chief U.E. Baughman** said...

"The closeness of the call was appalling."

 

*Richard Paul Pavlick (1887-1975) was born in Belmont, NH & worked as a postmaster until his retirement.  RPP died at the VA Hospital in Manchester, N.H.

**Urbanus Edward Baughman (1905-1978) was chief of the United States Secret Service 1948 to 1961 serving under Presidents Truman, Eisenhower & Kennedy.

 

SOURCES

"Near Miss:  JFK Assassination Attempt in 1960," by Steve B. Davis, Writings and Wramblings, www.stamperdad.wordpress.com/

"The Kennedy Assassin Who Failed," by Dan Lewis, December 6, 2012, www.smithsonian.com/ 

 

 

 

U. E. Baughman

Retiring Director USSS

August 24 1961

Photo by Robert Knudsen

WE CAME CLOSE TO LOSING OUR PRESIDENT-ELECT, TWICE

FDR & JFK ESCAPED ASSASSINATION ATTEMPTS AS PRESIDENT-ELECT

West Palm Beach, Florida (JFK+50) Fifty-seven years ago today, December 15, 1960,  Richard Paul Pavlick* was stopped here in West Palm Beach by police officer Lester Free who saw him drive across the highway dividing line.  Upon a search of the vehicle, seven sticks of dynamite were discovered along with "spools of wire, and a homemade detonation device."

Pavlick, 73 years old, arrived in Palm Beach with the intention of driving his dynamite-laden vehicle into President-elect John F. Kennedy's limo.   The would-be assassin waited outside the Kennedy compound on Sunday morning, December 11, 1960, but when the president-elect emerged with his wife and two children, Pavlick decided to "try again another day."

Pavlick was a retired postal worker who was known for writing "prolific letters to newspapers" about his belief that Joe Kennedy had been attempting to buy the presidency for his son.   Pavlick, who remained institutionalized until December 13, 1966, had been determined to be legally insane.   Secret Service Chief U.E. Baughman, later wrote...

"The closeness of the call was appalling.  Hardly anybody realized just how near we came...to losing our president-elect to a madman."

John F. Kennedy became the 4th POTUS to be assassinated in November 1963.  The others were Lincoln, Garfield and McKinley.  Four other presidents were targets of assassins.  They are Jackson, Truman, Ford and Reagan.  One more, Theodore Roosevelt, was targeted after his term of office.

Only two presidents-elect were targets of assassination.  They include John F. Kennedy and Franklin D. Roosevelt.  Both of these attempts came on the 15th day of the month:  JFK, Dec 15, 1960; FDR, Feb 15, 1933.

*Richard Paul Pavlick (1887-1975) was born in Belmont, New Hampshire.  He worked as a postmaster until his retirement.  In 1960, RPP mailed strange postcards to Thomas M. Murphy, the postmaster in Belmont.  Murphy became suspicious when the postmarks on these cards coincided with the places visited by President-elect John F. Kennedy. Murphy alerted US Attorney Maurice P. Bois who in turn contacted the Secret Service.  RPP died at the VA Hospital in Manchester, New Hampshire in 1975.

SOURCES

"JFK: the assassin who failed," by Philip Kerr, New Statesman, November 27, 2000

"Near Miss:  JFK Assassination Attempt in 1960," by Steve B. Davis, Writings and Wramblings, www.stamperdad.wordpress.com

"Presidential Assassinations and Assassination Attempts", by Martin Kelly, August 14, 2017, www.thoughtco.com/

"The Kennedy Assassin Who Failed," by Dan Lewis, December 6, 2012 SMITHSONIAN.COM

Pavlick's Car and Weaponry

www.topyaps.com

HOW NEAR WE CAME TO LOSING OUR PRESIDENT-ELECT TO A MADMAN

JFK+50:  Volume 7, No. 2159

PLANNED ASSASSINATION OF PRESIDENT-ELECT KENNEDY

West Palm Beach, Florida (JFK+50) Fifty-six years ago today, December 15, 1960,  Richard Paul Pavlick* was stopped here in West Palm Beach by police officer Lester Free who saw him drive across the highway dividing line.  Upon a search of the vehicle, seven sticks of dynamite were discovered along with "spools of wire, and a homemade detonation device."

Pavlick, who was 73 years old at the time of his arrest, had come to Palm Beach with the intention of driving his dynamite-laden vehicle into President-elect John F. Kennedy's limo.   The would-be assassin waited outside the Kennedy compound on Sunday morning, December 11, 1960, but when the president-elect emerged with his wife and two children, Pavlick decided to "try again another day."

Pavlick was a retired postal worker who was known for writing "prolific letters to newspapers" about his belief that Joe Kennedy had been attempting to buy the presidency for his son.   Pavlick's arrest ended the immediate threat to JFK. 

On January 27, 1961, one week after JFK's Inauguration, Pavlick was committed to the United States Public Health Service Mental Hospital in Springfield, Missouri.  The charges against him were dropped on December 2, 1963, just days after JFK's death in Dallas.

Pavlick, who remained institutionalized until December 13, 1966, had been determined to be legally insane.   Secret Service Chief U.E. Baughman, later wrote...

"The closeness of the call was appalling.  Hardly anybody realized just how near we came...to losing our president-elect to a madman."

*Richard Paul Pavlick (1887-1975) was born in Belmont, New Hampshire.  He worked as a postmaster until his retirement.  In 1960, RPP mailed strange postcards to Thomas M. Murphy, the postmaster in Belmont.  Murphy became suspicious when the postmarks on these cards coincided with the places visited by President-elect John F. Kennedy. Murphy alerted US Attorney Maurice P. Bois who in turn contacted the Secret Service.  RPP died at the VA Hospital in Manchester, New Hampshire in 1975.

SOURCES

"JFK: the assassin who failed," by Philip Kerr, New Statesman, November 27, 2000

"Near Miss:  JFK Assassination Attempt in 1960," by Steve B. Davis, Writings and Wramblings, www.stamperdad.wordpress.com

"The Kennedy Assassin Who Failed," by Dan Lewis, December 6, 2012 SMITHSONIAN.COM

               

Pavlick's Car and Weaponry

www.topyaps.com

WHAT DO FDR & JFK HAVE IN COMMON AS PRESIDENT-ELECT?

JFK+50:  Volume 6, No. 1860

PRESIDENT-ELECT FDR & JFK BOTH ESCAPED ASSASSINATION ATTEMPTS IN FLORIDA

Miami, West Palm Beach, Florida (JFK+50) 83 years ago today, February 15, 1933, President-elect Franklin D. Roosevelt narrowly escaped an assassination attempt at Bayfront Park in Miami while 55 years ago this past December 15, President-elect John F. Kennedy was also fortunate to evade harm at the hands of a would-be assassin.

FDR, who would be sworn-in on March 4, 1933,  had just completed a speech and was seated on the back of his car when shots rang out.  Five shots were fired from a distance of 25 feet from Mr. Roosevelt.   While none of the shots hit FDR,  one seriously wounded Mayor Anton Cermak of Chicago.  Although the mayor's wound healed, he died on March 6, 1933 of ulcerative colitis.  

Four others in the crowd were hit by gunshots, but only one, a woman, died later from her wound.  The suspect, identified as 32 year old Giuseppe "Joe" Zangara*, fired while standing on a wobbly chair.  After the first shot, Lillian Cross reportedly hit Zangara's arm with her purse throwing off the would-be assassin's aim. 

On December 15, 1960,  Richard Paul Pavlick** was stopped in West Palm Beach by police officer Lester Free who saw him drive across the highway dividing line.  Upon a search of the vehicle, seven sticks of dynamite were discovered along with "spools of wire, and a homemade detonation device."

Pavlick, who was 73 years old at the time of his arrest, had come to Palm Beach with the intention of driving his dynamite-laden vehicle into President-elect John F. Kennedy's limo.

 On January 27, 1961, Pavlick was committed to the United States Public Health Service Mental Hospital in Springfield, Missouri.  The charges against him were dropped on December 2, 1963, just days after JFK's death in Dallas.
Pavlick, however, remained institutionalized until December 13, 1966.

*Giuseppe "Joe" Zangara (1900-1933) was born in Ferruzano, Italy and served in WWI.  He emigrated to the U.S. in 1923 and became a naturalized citizen in 1929.  GZ  was tried, found guilty of murder & sentenced to death.  He refused appeal and was electrocuted on March 20, 1933 at the Florida State Penitentiary.  

**Richard Paul Pavlick (1887-1975) was born in Belmont, NH.  He worked as a postmaster until his retirement.  In 1960, RPP mailed strange postcards to Thomas M. Murphy, the postmaster in Belmont.  Murphy became suspicious when the postmarks on these cards coincided with the places visited by JFK. Murphy alerted US Attorney Maurice P. Bois who contacted the Secret Service.  RPP died at the VA Hospital in Manchester, New Hampshire in 1975.

SOURCES

"Assassination Attempt on FDR," by Jennifer Rosenberg, www.history1900s.about.com/

"JFK: the assassin who failed," by Philip Kerr, New Statesman, November 27, 2000

"Near Miss:  JFK Assassination Attempt in 1960," by Steve B. Davis, Writings and Wramblings, www.stamperdad.wordpress.com

"The Five Weeks of Giuseppe Zangara:  The Man Who Would Assassinate FDR," by Blaise Picchi, Chicago Review Press, 1998. 

"The Kennedy Assassin Who Failed," by Dan Lewis, December 6, 2012 SMITHSONIAN.COM

www.murderpedia.org/

               

PLAN TO KILL PRESIDENT-ELECT FOILED

JFK+50:  Volume 6, No. 1798

WOULD BE JFK ASSASSIN ARRESTED 55 YEARS AGO TODAY

West Palm Beach, Florida (JFK+50) Fifty-five years ago today, December 15, 1960,  Richard Paul Pavlick* was stopped here in West Palm Beach by police officer Lester Free who saw him drive across the highway dividing line.  Upon a search of the vehicle, seven sticks of dynamite were discovered along with "spools of wire, and a homemade detonation device."

Pavlick, who was 73 years old at the time of his arrest, had come to Palm Beach with the intention of driving his dynamite-laden vehicle into President-elect John F. Kennedy's limo. 

The would-be assassin waited outside the Kennedy compound on Sunday morning, December 11, 1960, but when the president-elect emerged with his wife and two children, Pavlick decided to "try again another day."

Pavlick was a retired postal worker who was known for writing "prolific letters to newspapers" about his belief that Joe Kennedy had been attempting to buy the presidency for his son.   Pavlick's arrest ended the immediate threat to JFK.

On January 27, 1961, one week after JFK's Inauguration, Pavlick was committed to the United States Public Health Service Mental Hospital in Springfield, Missouri.  The charges against him were dropped on December 2, 1963, just days after JFK's death in Dallas.

Pavlick, who remained institutionalized until December 13, 1966, had been determined to be legally insane.  In other words, at the time of his attempt to kill JFK he was unable to distinguish between right and wrong.

Secret Service Chief U.E. Baughman, later wrote...

"The closeness of the call was appalling.  Hardly anybody realized just how near we came...to losing our president-elect to a madman."


*Richard Paul Pavlick (1887-1975) was born in Belmont, New Hampshire.  He worked as a postmaster until his retirement.  In 1960, RPP mailed strange postcards to Thomas M. Murphy, the postmaster in Belmont.  Murphy became suspicious when the postmarks on these cards coincided with the places visited by President-elect John F. Kennedy. Murphy alerted US Attorney Maurice P. Bois who in turn contacted the Secret Service.  RPP died at the VA Hospital in Manchester, New Hampshire in 1975.

SOURCES

"JFK: the assassin who failed," by Philip Kerr, New Statesman, November 27, 2000

"Near Miss:  JFK Assassination Attempt in 1960," by Steve B. Davis, Writings and Wramblings, www.stamperdad.wordpress.com

"The Kennedy Assassin Who Failed," by Dan Lewis, December 6, 2012 SMITHSONIAN.COM

               

Pavlick's Car and Weaponry

www.topyaps.com

RICHARD PAUL PAVLICK

RICHARD PAUL PAVLICK ARRESTED 54 YEARS AGO TODAY 

West Palm Beach, Florida (JFK+50) Fifty-four years ago today, December 15, 1960,  Richard Paul Pavlick* was stopped here in West Palm Beach by police officer Lester Free who saw him drive across the highway dividing line.  Upon a search of the vehicle, seven sticks of dynamite were discovered along with "spools of wire, and a homemade detonation device."

Pavlick, who was 73 years old at the time of his arrest and had a history of bizarre behavior, was charged the following day for planning to assassinate the President-elect of the United States, John F. Kennedy.

The Secret Service Chief at the time, U.E. Baughman, later wrote...

"The closeness of the call was appalling.  Hardly anybody realized just how near we came...to losing our president-elect to a madman."

               
                  Richard Paul Pavlick
                   Secret Service Photo

Pavlick confessed to officers that he had planned to assassinate the President-elect and when asked why he wanted to kill JFK answered...

"Kennedy money bought the White House and the presidency.  I had the crazy idea I wanted to stop Kennedy from becoming president."

            Pavlick's Car and Weaponry
                   www.topyaps.com


Pavlick had left his home in Belmont, NH and had driven 1500 miles to southern Florida.  Along the way he bought "detonators, blasting caps, seven sticks of dynamite and four large cans of gasoline."

Once in West Palm Beach, he lodged at a motel not far from where JFK's Secret Service detail was staying.  For five days, he was parked outside the Kennedy home at 1095 North Ocean Boulevard.  This was the property Joseph P. Kennedy, Sr. had purchased in the 1930s for $100,000.

Pavlick was a retired postal worker who was known for writing "prolific letters to newspapers" about his belief that Joe Kennedy had been attempting to buy the presidency for his son.

Pavlick also was a fixture at local public meetings where he frequently spoke out on such topics as the improper displaying of the American flag and the poisoning of the town water system.

On Sunday, December 11, 1960, the Secret Service accompanied the Kennedys to St. Edward Church where Agent Jerry Blaine would be posted at the door.
Pavlick, unknown to Blaine, "walked through the front door" but "just didn't seem to fit."

Blaine wrote later that Pavlick caught his attention because he appeared "disheveled."  As the man went down the aisle toward JFK's pew, Blaine grabbed him by the elbow and turned him back toward the front door.

Pavlick exited, got into his car, and drove off but not before Blaine recorded the car's description and license plate number.  Actually, according to Mr. Blaine, Pavlick was listed as a threat in the SS Protective Research Section for sending threatening notes to former U.S. presidents.

After his arrest, Pavlick admitted that he had parked outside JFK's residence waiting for the opportunity to drive his bomb-laden car into the President-elect's but when he saw JFK was with his wife and children decided to wait for another opportunity.

On January 27, 1961, one week after JFK's Inauguration, Pavlick was committed to the United States Public Health Service Mental Hospital in Springfield, Missouri.  The charges against him were dropped on December 2, 1963, just days after JFK's death in Dallas.

Pavlick, who remained institutionalized until December 13, 1966, had been determined to be legally insane.  In other words, at the time of his attempt to kill JFK he was unable to distinguish between right and wrong.

*Richard Paul Pavlick (1887-1975) was born in Belmont, New Hampshire.  He worked as a postmaster until his retirement.  In 1960, RPP mailed strange postcards to Thomas M. Murphy, the postmaster in Belmont.  Murphy became suspicious when the postmarks on these cards coincided with the places visited by President-elect John F. Kennedy. Murphy alerted US Attorney Maurice P. Bois who in turn contacted the Secret Service.  RPP died at the VA Hospital in Manchester, New Hampshire in 1975.

SOURCES

"JFK: the assassin who failed," by Philip Kerr, New Statesman, November 27, 2000

"Near Miss:  JFK Assassination Attempt in 1960," by Steve B. Davis, Writings and Wramblings, www.stamperdad.wordpress.com**

"The Kennedy Assassin Who Failed," by Dan Lewis, December 6, 2012 SMITHSONIAN.COM

"The Kennedy Detail," by Gerald Blaine with Lisa McCubbin, Gallery Books, New York, 2010.

**Steve is also the author of the only book written on this event and its' aftermath.  The book can be purchased at the following links...

http://tinyurl.com/2432nrz

http://tinyurl.com24jlqrc

WOULD BE ASSASSIN ARRESTED IN PALM BEACH

December 15, 1960


WOULD BE ASSASSIN ARRESTED IN PALM BEACH


West Palm Beach, Florida (JFK+50) Secret Service agents arrested a retired postal worker from Belmont, New Hampshire here in West Palm Beach today on charges that he plotted to kill President-elect John F. Kennedy.


The craggy-faced man has been identified as Richard Paul Pavlick.


Pavlick, who is 73 years old & has a history of bizarre behavior, had received treatment in a mental hospital.

               
                   Richard Paul Pavlick
                   Secret Service Photo


The Secret Service learned that on December 11, as Mr. Kennedy & his family prepared to leave the Kennedy compound in Hyannis Port for church, Pavlick waited outside in a car loaded with dynamite.


Pavlick told the agents questioning him that he backed out of his plan when he saw the President-elect was with his wife & children.


When asked why he wanted to kill JFK, Pavlick said:


"Kennedy money bought the White House & the presidency.  I had the crazy idea I wanted to stop Kennedy from becoming president."*

            Pavlick's Car & Weaponry
                   www.topyaps.com


*Secret Service Chief U.E. Baughman later said that the aborted attempt "ranks with the closest calls any President ever had."


Pavlick apparently had written threatening letters to other presidents.


Former Secret Service Agent Gerald Blaine was posted at the door of the church in Palm Beach when Pavlick had attempted to get access to JFK.


In "The Kennedy Detail", Blaine saw Pavlick walk into the church where JFK was worshiping. 


Pavlick caught Blaine's attention because he was "disheveled."


Blaine was able to escort him out of the church whereupon Pavlick got in his car & drove away.  


Agent Blaine was able to get the license plate # & report it to Palm Beach police.

                            Gerald Blaine
          www.coloradanmagazine.org


*A new ebook is available on this topic. 


 It is titled "Near Miss: The Attempted Assassination of JFK" by Steve B. Davis.  


The book sells for $8.99 at Amazon, Borders, & Barnes & Noble.


Steve also has a posting on his excellent website:


 www.stamperdad.wordpress.com.


The charges against Pavlick were dropped in the aftermath of JFK's death, but he was not released from the mental hospital until 1966.


Richard Paul Pavlick died at the VA Hospital in Manchester, NH in 1975.