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ely A ee | eS Also, on the night of April 3rd Fireman Newsum, in a vholly personal capacity, attended a rally at the Mason Texple where Dr. King made his last speech. When he returned home (about 10:30p.m.) there was a message for him to call Le. J. Smith at the fire department. When he calied, Le. J. Smith ordered him to report to on the morning of April 4th rather than Fire Station No. 2. Newsum claims that Fire Station No. 31 was overstrength at Met tre Station No. 31 the time and his detail made his campany short. Moreover, he says he never has received a satisfactory explanation why he was detailed. However, he did say that Lr. Barnett at one time told him he was detailed at the request of the police. (Interview of Floyd E. Newsum, July 8, 1976, App. B.) . Tune ee Ven LL Interviews of past and present members of the MFD have failed to disclose the individual who initiated the order or the reason for detailing Wallace and Newsum. According to former Lt. Jack Smith, he received a telephone call between 3:00p.m. and 5:00p.m. on April 3, 1968, fran either Captain James T. Baity or former Assistant Chief Arthur J. Rivalto in the personnel department specifically requesting that Newsum be detailed. No reason was given for the detail. Smith said he inmediately called Newsum, but Newsum was not