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Chapter 1 |
"Teddy Kennedy was the weak kitten in the litter, never able to measure up to his brothers. |
Map of Chappiquiddick and points of interest
- The following information is extracted from Senatorial Privilege by Leo Damore. Mr Damore conducted over 200 interviews, many with people close to the case, including police officers. He had access to the files on Chappaquiddick locked in the district attorney's vault in Barnstable, and to personal notes about the case kept by key investigators of the accident. |
Time-line of the events leading up to, and following the fatal accident |
Chapter 1 ~ The Regatta and the Party ~ |
Wednesday July 16, 1969 |
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- Jack Crimmins, Ted Kennedy's chauffeur, arrives on Martha's Vineyard driving Ted's 1967 Oldsmobile Delta 88. He spends the night alone at the Lawrence Cottage on Chappaquiddick. |
Thursday July 17, 1969 |
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- Joseph Gargan and Paul Markham arrive in Edgartown aboard the Victura. They check into the Shiretown Inn, where Gargan had reserved rooms for them. Gargan had also secured rooms at the Inn for Ray LaRosa, Charles Tretter, and Senator Kennedy, who would arrive the following day. |
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Friday July 18, 1969 |
10:00 AM |
- In the morning, the young women shopped the fashionable boutiques of Edgartown, and then went swimming at East Beach on Chappaquiddick. |
1:00 PM |
- Crimmins picked up Senator Kennedy at the Martha's Vineyard airport. They crossed over on the ferry to Chappaquiddick, and drove to the cottage on the island's only paved road - Chappaquiddick Rd. |
2:30 PM |
- Kennedy, Gargan, and Markham raced in the Regatta aboard the Victura, while the young women watched from aboard the charter boat, Bonnie Lisa. Also entered in the race were: Stan Moore (an automobile dealer on Cape Cod) aboard the Uncle Benny, and Ross Richards (a long-time racing rival of Teddy Kennedy) aboard the Bettawin. |
4:30 PM |
- Kennedy and Stan Moore joined the victory party aboard the Bettawin, which was tied up at the dock. Gargan stayed behind on the Victura to put up the sails and batten down. Markham returned to his hotel room, having injured his leg during the race. |
6:00 PM |
- Kennedy and Gargan arrived at the Shiretown Inn in Edgartown. Gargan ordered |
7:00 PM |
- Once the men had finished their beers, Crimmins chauffeured Kennedy to the ferry, and they crossed over to Chappaquiddick. No one was at the cottage when they arrived, so Kennedy soaked in a hot tub while Crimmins made him another rum and coke. |
8:15 PM |
- LaRosa picked up the girls at their motel, and dropped them off at the Edgartown ferry landing. He parked his car at the Shiretown Inn, then walked back to the dock to join the others for the ferry ride across to Chappaquiddick. Gargan was waiting on the island with the Valiant to pick up the party guests. |
8:30 PM |
- The party guests arrived at the Lawrence Cottage. The party was made up of six married men and six single women, crowded into a small living room. The counter dividing the living room from the kitchen was stocked with liquor Crimmins had purchased "for a price" in South Boston. |
- Gargan, suffering from an upset stomach, was not drinking alcohol. "Some people at the party had had quite a few, no question", he observed. "Frankly, everybody was a little bombed, except for LaRosa, who doesn't drink." |
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9:45 PM |
- Dinner was served to the party guests at 9:45 PM. Gargan, who was in charge of preparing the food, had trouble starting the small grill, which had delayed the meal. |
- Fire Captain Foster Silva lived less than 100 yards from the Lawrence cottage. He had no trouble remembering the party held there on Friday night. He had watched television until 10 PM, when his dogs started barking. He went outside to quiet the dogs and saw two cars at the Lawrence house. "There was a lot of singing and laughing coming from the house. I would say it was just a normal cocktail party. They were damned loud, though", he said. |
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between: |
- One of the most disputed questions raised by the accident was what time Senator Kennedy left the party with Mary Jo Kopechne. |
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Senator Kennedy's Confirmed Alcohol Consumption |
4:30 PM |
( 3 ) - Rum and Cokes aboard the Bettawin - (witness: Stan Moore ) |
6:00 PM |
( 2 ) - Heineken Beers at the Shiretown Inn - ( witness: Joseph Gargan ) |
7:00 PM |
( 1 ) - Rum and Coke in hot tub at Lawrence Cottage - ( witness: Jack Crimmins ) |
8:30 PM |
( 2 )* - Rum and Cokes at the Party - ( witness: Ted Kennedy ) |
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Index |
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