and, if an attempt had been made to commit him involuntarily, who would have done so? Neither Kathy nor Margaret would have done it; both women trusted and felt safe in Whitman's company to the very moment he killed them. None of his friends or teachers considered committing him. Some people thought he was intense, but most thought he was a nice guy. Those close to him would have given testimony to his sanity, not insanity.
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Second guessing Dr. Heatly would have been extraordinarily easy on 2 August 1966 and it may still be tempting. But on 29 March 1966, any commitment of Charles Whitman would have been the result of a "hunch" that most doctors would have found unscientific and most Americans would have found inconsistent with the principles of a free society. Ironically, with the tragic exception of what Dr. Heatly considered a "transient feeling," his report and observations of Charles Whitman were quite insightful and accurate. Arguably, even the "transient feeling'' notation was accurate. The sniping did not take place until four months later, and during that time, no one, not Kathy, not Margaret, not his closest friends, imagined that this all-American boy could be capable of such violence.
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 | 1 Patrick Whitman quoted in
Austin American-Statesman
, 1 August 1986.
|
| 2 APD Files:
SOR
by G. Phifer, 3 August 1966;
Austin American-Statesman
, 4 August 1966.
|
| 3 APD Files:
SOR
by T. J. Allen, 8 August 1966; Connally Report, p. 4;
Daily Texan
, 1 August 1986.
|
| 4 McBee Inquest, 1 August 1966; APD Files:
CAPOR
by D. Kidd and B. Gregory, 1 August 1966,
SOR
by B. Gregory, 1 August 1966.
|
| 5 APD Files:
SOR
by B. Hamm, 3 August 1966; Mrs. D. W. Nowotny quoted in
Austin American-Statesman
, 2 August 1966.
|
| 6 Mike Cox is now the Public Information Officer of the Texas Department of Public Safety. In 1966 as a cub reporter he wrote of his experiences on 1 August. He graciously made available his writings on the incident. Hereafter cited as Cox Papers; APD Files:
SOR
by B. Gregory, 2 August 1966;
Austin American-Statesman
, 4 August 1966.
|
| 7 APD Files: "The Tower Incident" is an unidentified and undated document that appears to be the script of a television broadcast. It is not clear as to why the document is in the file.
SOR
by F. Monk, 1 August 1966;
Austin American-Statesman
, 2 and 7 August 1966. The unidentified Cook Funeral Home employee called in to KLBJ Radio:
The Paul Pryor Show
, 1 August 1995.
|
| 8 APD Files:
SOR
by F. Monk, 1 August 1966; APD Files:
HOR
by D. L. Moody, 1 August 1966.
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