</s>FD-302 (Rev. 4-15-64) FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION 10/7/68 Date 1-1- Mrs. B. J. GARRETT, Time Clerk, Engineering Department, District of Columbia Department of Corrections, D. C. Reformatory, Lorton, Virginia, advised her records reflect. that NILS G. NILLSON was at work on the day shift. of June 3, 4, and 5, 1968. 242 On 9/30/68 at Lortons, Virginia 9/30 /68 at Lorton Virginia File # Richmond 62-22/48 Los Angeles 56-156 SA JOHN W. ELWELL: dm 10/4/68 by Date dictated This document contains neither recommendations nor conclusions of the FBI. It is the property of the FBI and is loaned to your agency, it and its contents are not to be distributed outside your agency.

Summary  
The documents detail witness accounts and investigative inquiries related to Robert F. Kennedy’s assassination at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles on June 5, 1968. Key accounts include descriptions of hotel activities during Kennedy’s visit, observations of individuals near the scene, and follow-up investigations into potential suspects. Witnesses reported events such as a chase involving an individual described as dark-skinned with a cardboard tube, noises resembling gunshots during Kennedy’s speech, and increased police presence at the hotel. Names like "Sirian SIRIHAN" (possibly Sirhan Sirhan) and others linked to the hotel or related events were referenced in follow-up inquiries. Multiple individuals provided statements about their presence at the hotel, activities during the visit, and subsequent awareness of the assassination through media.  

Key People  
- **Harlyn Robinson**: Registered at the Ambassador Hotel on June 4, attended a seminar, and stayed until June 5; reported no suspicious activity but heard about the shooting via TV after being stopped by police.  
- **Mrs. Maureen Ross**: Part of RFK’s campaign committee in Sacramento; did not attend the event and learned of the assassination through media.  
- **Kathleen Ryan**: Kennedy campaign worker in Los Angeles; attended a hotel party on June 1, left at 11:45 PM, and watched TV coverage the next morning.  
- **Miss J. J. Simon**: Hotel reservation holder in New York; was turned away but later learned of the shooting.  
- **Joseph Schlon**: Hotel attendee in Providence, Rhode Island; noted crowd activity on June 2 but no direct connection to the assassination.  
- **Thelma Schaeffer** and **Frances Callaghan**: Stayed in the hotel’s fourth-floor room; heard sirens and learned of the shooting via radio.  
- **Joseph Scherr**: Bulova Watch Company employee in Los Angeles; attended a meeting at the Embassy Room, left around 8 PM, and was informed of the shooting the next morning.  
- **Hughes Schroder**: Business convention attendee in Atlanta, Georgia; stayed at the hotel on June 1–2 but learned of the assassination on June 6.  
- **Arthur Schwartz**: Ambassador Hotel guest in Chicago; left before the shooting.  
- **Jay Schwartz**: Hotel guest in New York; checked out on June 4 without observing suspicious behavior.  
- **Richard Schwartz**: IBM associate near the hotel in New Jersey; did not see anyone resembling Sirian B. Stirhan.  
- **Milton Scott** and **Clark Seagraves**: Hospital administrators in Novato and Santa Maria, California; stayed at the hotel during RFK’s visit but reported no direct involvement or knowledge of the assassination.  
- **Herbert Seligmann**: Bulova salesman in Houston, Texas; heard about the shooting via radio after checking out of the hotel.  
- **Albert Sheppard** and his wife Esther: Attended a celebration for Kennedy on June 4–5, left around 11 PM, and could not assist with the investigation.  
- **Alan Short**: California State Senator; guest at the hotel but reported no suspicious activity or knowledge of a conspiracy.  
- **Mary Siciliano**: Described interactions in the Embassy Room, including noises resembling gunshots during Kennedy’s speech.  
- **Frances Simonitis**: Learned of the shooting via television after returning to her room.  
- **Lister Skith**: Hotel employee; had no information about the incident.  
- **Frank Snell**: Present for a convention but did not witness anything unusual.  
- **F. A. Sorensen**: Attended a hospital administrators’ meeting, left early, and had no knowledge of the assassination.  
- **J. Sonosky**: In Los Angeles on personal business; heard about the shooting later via radio.  
- **Henrietta Sterlitz** (and companions Delores Knapkep, Evelyn Planavskey): Observed suspicious behavior involving teenagers popping balloons but did not see anything conclusive.  
- **Patricia Stewart** and her husband Richard H. Stemart: Noted unusual events like a noisy party and a helicopter near the hotel.  
- **Ruth Stimson**: Arrived after the incident.  
- **Edward Sultan**: Attended a meeting at the hotel but was not present during the shooting.  
- **Robert Swanson** (and wife Anne, son Bruce): Stayed for a hospital administrators’ convention, learned of the assassination via TV, and observed increased police presence.  
- **Alice Sykes**: Worked on Kennedy’s campaign; heard noises in the Embassy Room that may have been gunshots and noted Stephen Smith’s actions after the shooting.  

Key Locations  
- **Ambassador Hotel, Los Angeles, California**: Central location for most accounts, including Kennedy’s speech, the shooting, and witness observations.  
- **Embassy Room** (Ambassador Hotel): Site of Kennedy’s speech and associated activities.  
- **Hotel corridors and lobby**: Described as areas where witnesses observed crowd activity and police presence.  
- **Perino’s restaurant** (Wilshire Boulevard): Mentioned in context of other hotel stays.  
- **Century Plaza Hotel**: Referenced in the context of other hotel stays.  
- **IBM building near the hotel** (New Jersey): Workplace of Richard Schwartz.  
- **Novato General Hospital** (California): Affiliation of Milton Scott.  
- **Santa Maria Hospital** (California): Affiliation of Clark Seagraves.  
- **San Francisco, Sacramento, Pittsburgh, Honolulu, Crescent City, Berkeley, Silver Spring, Maryland**: Locations associated with individuals’ residences or travel.  

Key Events  
- **June 4–5, 1968**: Robert F. Kennedy’s visit to Los Angeles; his assassination at the Ambassador Hotel on June 5.  
- **Kennedy’s victory speech** at the Ambassador Hotel on June 4, followed by the shooting later that night.  
- **Witness accounts of noises resembling gunshots** during or after the speech in the Embassy Room.  
- **Observations of suspicious behavior**: Including teenagers popping balloons, unusual helicopter activity, and increased police presence.  
- **Learning about the assassination via television or radio broadcasts** by witnesses who were not present at the scene.  
- **Follow-up inquiries** into individuals named Sirian B. Stirhan, Kalall, and others linked to the hotel or events.  

Key Organizations  
- **Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)**: Conducted interviews and investigations into the assassination.  
- **Kennedy for President Committee of Southern California**: Mentioned in context of campaign activities.  
- **American College of Hospital Administrators**: Seminar attended by Milton Scott and Clark Seagraves.  
- **Hospital Administrators Association**: Referenced in the context of meetings.  
- **Bulova Watch Company**: Employers of Joseph Scherr, Jay Schwartz, and Herbert Seligmann.  
- **IBM Corporation**: Associated with Richard Schwartz near the hotel.  
- **TWA Travel Agency** (Sprowles branch): Mentioned as arranging trips to Los Angeles.  
- **Bank of America Trust Department**: Referenced in travel or financial contexts.

RFK Declassified Files

166-12c-1_serial_1_65-hq-587_12.4.68-part_6_of_8.pdf

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