Chappaquid - Will The Truth Be Known Essays - Kennedy Family

Chappaquid - Will The Truth Be Known Essays - Kennedy Family Chappaquid - Will The Truth Be Known On the night of 18/19 July 1969, twelve people attended a no-spouces party (Meyer Macon Morehouse et al.) on Chappaquid*censored*, a small island off the coast of Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts. Two of the partygoers fell victim to a continuous deception. Mary Jo Kopechne who would have not lost her life but for the inexcusable misconduct of Ted Kennedy. The other partygoer, Senator Ted Kennedy, lost his chance of ever reaching the White House due to his web of lies. Bobby Kennedy's Presidential campaign had been ably assisted by the Boiler room girls. A team of young women who were completely dedicated to the Kennedy cause. They were: Mary Jo Kopechne, Rosemary Keough, Nance Lyons, Mary Ellen Lyons, Susan Tannenbaum and Ester Newburgh. More than just secretaries, the girls' commitment made their role vital to the campaign. In June of 1968 Bobby was assassinated and grief overwhelmed the Kennedy family and the Boiler room girls. It had not even been five years since the assassination of John F. Kennedy. Almost every summer, members of the Kennedy family had traveled to Martha's Vineyard to participate in the Edgartown regatta. 1968 would to be an exception. Bobby's murder was a massive blow to the family and those close to them, but in particular to Ted. The Boiler room girls switched their attention to closing up Bobby's files and his campaign office. A keen sailor, Ted would participate in the regatta aboard a boat that once belonged to his brother Jack (McGinniss 534). Also participating was Ross Richards a personal friend of Teds (McGinniss 535), later to be an important witness in the Chappaquid*censored* plot. Robert Kennedy's son, Joe, was also on the island. As a thank-you for all their hard work on Bobby's Presidential campaign, a party had been planned to which the Boiler room girls were invited. (Oppenheimer 375) The party was to be at a cottage, also known as the Lawrence cottage, a short distance from both the ferry landing and the bridge which would later prove to be important. The cottage had been rented from the Lawrence family by Ted's cousin, Joe Gargan. (YTedK) Kennedy himself arrived on Martha's Vineyard at roughly 1:00 p.m. on Friday 18 July, 1969. He then took the ferry across to Chappaquid*censored* Island, chauffeured by Jack Crimmins. After racing his boat in the regatta, he returned to Chappaquid*censored* and went to the Lawrence cottage at about 7:00 p.m. By this time he had been driven over the Dike Bridge twice by Crimmins in Kennedy's black Oldsmobile. At about 8:00 p.m., Paul Markham arrived at the Cottage, followed roughly half an hour later by Mary Jo Kopechne and the rest of the partygoers in a rented white Valiant. (YTedK) Moderate, but not excessive drinking took place at the party. The Boiler room girls testified at the Inquest in 1970 that Mary Jo had not been drinking that night, and indeed was not a drinker. Ester Newburgh testified that Kopechne had been completely sober at the party and that: Mary Jo was not a drinker. Five or six drinks would have been completely out of order with the way she lived. And if a girl who didn't drink had that much to drink you would certainly be able tell if she was more jovial than normal, and she was not. (YTedK) (Blood tests on Mary Jo's body showed .09% of alcohol, equivalent to 5 or 6 80-90 proof drinks). (McGinniss 583) At roughly 11:15 p.m. Kennedy mentioned to Kopechne that he planned to leave and return to his hotel in Edgartown. Mary Jo also wanted to return to her Edgartown hotel. Despite the fact that Crimmins drove Kennedy on practically every occasion (McGinniss 585), Kennedy asked Crimmins for the keys to the Olds to drive himself. Crimmins testified at the inquest that He told me that he was tired and that he wanted to home and go to sleep He told me that he was going to take Miss Kopechne back; that she wasn't feeling well. (YTedK) According to Kennedy and Crimmins, Kennedy and Mary Jo left the party in his car at 11:15 p.m. to head for the ferry crossing. In his official