A gripping portrayal of the final moments leading up to and including the capture of President John F. Kennedy's assassin, Lee Harvey Oswald, as told by Nick McDonald, the officer who almost lost his life when taking Oswald into custody. Rare five page manuscript, handwritten and twice signed by McDonald reads in part,
''...Slowly, deliberately, I was closing the distance between us. Maybe, just maybe, I could prevent a a stand-off and a shoot-out, if I could only get close enough! My pistol remained strapped in my holster...I had him in my peripheral vision. Detecting no movement or change in his position, nor was he even looking at me. I continued walking calmly up the aisle, trying to act as if I were going to pass him by...''
He continues, ''Still no movement from him...I turned quickly into his row! Moving closer, I saw his empty hands were folded in his lap. As he calmly looked up at me, I spoke with a strong voice of authority, 'Get on your feet!' He realized he had waited too long to make a free and open move of aggression.
He stood slowly, as if in slow motion, facing the movie screen, blinking and turning his head to me. We were face to face. I stared into his icy cold, steel blue eyes. In an attempt to conceal his guilt, his expression changed to surprise and innocence, like that of a child caught with his hand in a cookie jar...he spoke softly, 'Well, it's all over now'! I thought he was giving up, and for a moment I was surprised at the simplicity of the arrest! I had him!...''
Oswald then surprises McDonald and the two fight: ''Suddenly, his left hand made a tight fist and it exploded between my eyes...The impact from his fist knocked my head back, momentarily catching me off balance and sent my police cap flying across the seats. With the same darting movement, his right hand went to his waist. With my left hand, I felt him pulling a pistol from underneath his shirt...He brought the pistol up to my chest, I grabbed for it with my left hand and grasped his pistol over the cylinder and hammer, with all the strength I could muster. I could feel the hammer glide under my hand, as he pulled the trigger...I pivoted his pistol to the side and away from my body, and realized I was not shot. With a clutched fist, I hit him over his left eye, knocking him into the seat. With a lunge of desperation, I fell on top of him to cover him with my body...I was in a desperate struggle to gain possession of his pistol...''
McDonald considers shooting Oswald, writing, ''I shoved the muzzle into his stomach, and for a fleeting moment, I thought 'He tried to kill me and I'd be justified in killing him'! But on second thought, 'There is no need to shoot him, now that I have control of his weapon'. I pulled the pistol away and handed it to a detective standing in the aisle. I called out to my fellow officers, 'I've got him'!!!!!! / Officer M.N. 'Nick' McDonald / Captor of Oswald / 11-22-63''. Four page document on four sheets measures 8.5'' x 11''. Near fine condition. One of the few signed, handwritten documents by McDonald himself regarding the capture.