Ruth Paine Telephone Call
Ruth Paine telephoned the Texas School Book Depository on October 14 and spoke with Roy Truly about possible employment for Lee Harvey Oswald.
Historical biography archive · Updated 2026-11-03
Roy Truly Biography and Timeline
Follow Roy Truly through 41 dated historical records for United States of America.
Roy Truly, historical timeline
A chronological timeline drawn from matching World History Database records.
41Distinct records
1 of 2Page
1963–1964Years on this page
1963
Order Filler Hiring
Truly hired Oswald as an order filler after interviewing him at the Texas School Book Depository.
Oswald Employment Interview
Truly interviewed Lee Harvey Oswald at the Texas School Book Depository on October 15 after Ruth Paine had telephoned about possible work.
Texas School Book Depository
Oswald is hired by Roy Truly at Texas School Book Depository
First Floor Work Access
Truly's description of Oswald's duties established that Oswald regularly worked on the first floor of the Texas School Book Depository.
Order Filler Duties
Truly stated that Oswald's work involved gathering books listed on orders and taking them to the first-floor shipping area.
Sixth Floor Work Access
Truly stated that Oswald went to the sixth floor many times each day to obtain books required for customer orders.
Baker Confronts Oswald
When Baker challenged Oswald on the second floor, Truly identified Oswald as an employee of the Texas School Book Depository.
Building Layout Assistance
Truly's knowledge of the Depository's floors, elevators, stairways, and work areas helped police navigate the building during the immediate search.
Depository Employee Records
Truly assisted investigators with employment information concerning Oswald and other Texas School Book Depository workers.
Depository Entry with Baker
Immediately after the shooting, Truly entered the Texas School Book Depository with Dallas motorcycle officer Marrion Baker.
Employee Accountability Check
After the shooting, Truly began checking the whereabouts of Depository employees while police secured and searched the building.
Fifth Floor Passage
Truly and Baker passed through the upper part of the building while other Depository employees were still present on the fifth floor.
Freight Elevator Check
Truly and Baker reached the rear elevator area and found that the freight elevators were not available for their immediate ascent.
Morning Work Supervision
Truly was at work in the Texas School Book Depository on November 22 while Oswald and other employees performed their normal duties before the motorcade arrived.
Motorcade Viewing
Truly went outside the Texas School Book Depository to watch President Kennedy's motorcade pass through Dealey Plaza.
Oswald Absence Report
Truly reported Oswald's unexplained absence to Dallas police during the early investigation at the Texas School Book Depository.
Oswald Employee Identification
Truly told Baker that Oswald worked in the building, after which Baker allowed Oswald to remain and continued the search.
Oswald Identity to Police
Truly provided police with information identifying Oswald as the Depository employee who could not be accounted for after the shooting.
Oswald Missing from Building
Truly determined that Oswald was absent from the Depository after the assassination while most other employees remained or returned to the building.
Police Search Assistance
Because Truly knew the building, he guided Officer Baker through the Depository as they searched for a possible gunman.
Rear Stairway Ascent
Truly led Baker toward the rear stairway after the elevators were unavailable, and the two men continued upward through the building.
Search Continues Upstairs
After the encounter with Oswald, Truly and Baker continued toward the upper floors to search for the source of the gunfire.
Second Floor Arrival
Truly and Baker reached the second floor within a few minutes of the assassination while continuing their search of the Depository.
Second Floor Lunchroom Encounter
Truly was present when Officer Baker encountered Lee Harvey Oswald near the second-floor lunchroom shortly after the assassination.
Shots Heard in Dealey Plaza
Truly was outside the Depository when the shots were fired at President Kennedy and immediately reacted to the emergency.
Upper Floor Search
Truly assisted police as the search moved into the upper floors where officers soon found evidence connected with the shooting.
Assassination Investigation Cooperation
Truly cooperated with federal and local investigators examining Oswald's employment, movements, and access within the Texas School Book Depository.
Daily Sixth Floor Trips
Truly later testified that Oswald had occasion to visit the sixth floor repeatedly during an ordinary working day.
Oswald Work Routine Statement
Truly described Oswald's normal work routine and his regular access to the sixth floor when investigators reconstructed events inside the Depository.
Second Floor Encounter Statement
Truly gave investigators an account of the second-floor encounter involving Baker and Oswald shortly after President Kennedy was shot.
Warehouse Superintendent
Roy Truly served as superintendent of the Texas School Book Depository and supervised employees working throughout the building.
1964
Baker Encounter Testimony
Truly described to the Warren Commission how he and Marrion Baker encountered Oswald on the second floor shortly after the shots.
Oswald Employment Testimony
Truly testified about hiring Oswald and described the duties Oswald performed as an order filler at the Texas School Book Depository.
Second Floor Timing Evidence
Truly's testimony helped the Commission assess how quickly Baker and Truly reached the second floor after entering the building.
Sixth Floor Access Testimony
Truly testified that Oswald routinely went to the sixth floor many times each day while collecting books for customer orders.
Warren Commission Testimony
Roy Truly testified before the Warren Commission on March 24, 1964, about Oswald's employment and events inside the Depository after the assassination.
Depository Route Reconstruction
Truly participated in timing tests that reconstructed the route from the Depository entrance toward the second-floor lunchroom.
Stairway Timing Test
Commission investigators used timing tests involving Truly and Baker to compare their ascent with a possible descent by Oswald from the sixth floor.
Employee Fingerprinting Objection
An FBI memorandum recorded that Truly objected to a proposal to fingerprint all Texas School Book Depository employees during the continuing investigation.
Records, sources and methodology
These dates and descriptions come from the historical_events database. Exact duplicate records have been collapsed. Names are grouped by the country, Name 2 and Name 1 fields; records with missing Name 2 cannot be reliably assigned to an individual biography. Check the underlying sources before formal citation.