Fred Litwin
- Sep 2, 2021
- 3 min read

Was Edgar Eugene Bradley One of the Three Tramps?

Updated: Oct 11, 2021

This is the picture that Jim Garrison showed on the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson. The tall tramp in front was supposedly Edgar Eugene Bradley.

I recently posted the Bill Turner and Bill Boxley memos regarding Edgar Eugene Bradley.

Here is a paragraph from the Bill Turner memo:

Here is an article from UPI which included a paragraph about Garrison's identification of Bradley as one of the tramps:

Opelousas Daily World, June 27, 1968

Aydelotte's identification of Bradley as one of the tramps was reinforced by Garrison volunteer investigator Steven Jaffe and photography expert Richard Sprague.

Here is an excerpt of a letter that Steven Jaffe sent to Jim Garrison:

Some of the Garrison staffers were not so sure.

Here is an excerpt from the February 13, 1968, diary entry of Tom Bethell:

"The office staff listening quietly through these explanations by Turner. When he had finished, Charlie Ward showed him the Dallas Morning News pictures of the same two tramps being led away. The facial angle is different, and the lead man obviously is not Bradley (though clearly the same man as in the other picture.) I don't think Turner had seen this picture before, and he was undoubtedly very embarrassed by it. He hummed and hawed, but wouldn't positively say that it wasn't Bradley."

Richard Sprague was certain that one of the tramps was Edgar Eugene Bradley. Here is a letter that Sprague sent to Steve Burton:

Here is a letter that Steve Burton sent to Sprague:

Here is Sprague's reply:

Note the P.S. in the above letter:

"I still believe Bradley is the tramp because of five similar scars but I wish I had a photo of the back of Bradley's right hand taken in 1963."

I have only word in reply: OY!

Richard Sprague sent this letter to Fred Newcomb:

Sprague writes that perhaps Bradley had an operation after November 22, 1963 to alter the protusions from his ears.

Once again: OY!

Fred Newcomb wasn't buying the theory that Bradley was a tramp. Roger Craig had identified Bradley as one of the secret service men in Dealey Plaza. So was Bradley a tramp or secret service?

Sprague even started to believe that there were multiple Bradleys. Here is an exchange of letters between Sprague and Newcomb:

Newcomb was not impressed:

Gary Schoener had some comments about Sprague's effect on Garrison in a letter he sent to Canadian researcher Richard Bernabei on May 2, 1969:

Here's the important quote:

"... well over a year ago I spotted things I didn't trust in Sprague's work, so I began to try to find out more about him and his work. Then Garrison flew me down to see him last March and I became aware of the fact that Sprague's work was playing an important role in the Garrison investigation. Garrison clearly was sure of himself on Bradley largely because Sprague assured him that it was Bradley in that tramp picture, and elaborated about a triangular scar next to the left eye. On seeing the photos I was shocked, and then concerned. Since that time a number of researchers, examining Sprague's other work, have added to the picture and the picture includes a number of examples which could have ruined Garrison, and a number which added to the inaccuracies in his pubic statements and writings. Sprague's carelessness and irresponsibility, for whatever reason, make him a threat as long as there are people like Garrison who are easily led and who can get into the public eye."

Schoener also had some interesting comments about William Turner:

"Turner, from his public writings alone, and most certainly from his Garrison memos, has been throwing in misdirection faster than most of us can dig up good info. His imagination is amazing, and his ability to type sheet after sheet of horseshit and head them with the title "memo" staggers the imagination."

Here is a Sprague letter from July 1969: