Victory and loss

By WALTER R. MEARS

Witnesses said Kennedy was conscious and spoke a few words as he was taken to an ambulance.

His condition was not immediately known. He was taken to Los Angeles Central Receiving Hospital. An Associated Press reporter saw blood rushing from Kennedy's head.

The New York senator had just finished thanking his supporters for their help in California's presidential preference primary election.

Police captured a man believed to be to be the assailant. He was about 25, curly-haired and olive skinned. They hustled him out through the lobby of the Ambassador Hotel, a shotgun at his back.

Stephen Smith, Kennedy's brother-in-law and campaign manager, also was shot and wounded.

So was a television newsman, and perhaps others.

A doctor who said he treated Kennedy at the scene said the senator was conscious and talking with his wife, Ethel.

The turmoil and terror of the shooting was broadcast on live television by cameras set up for the victory statement.

The shooting came as Kennedy won the California Democratic primary over Sen. Eugene J. McCarthy.

From the AP archive:
June 6, 1968

June 8, 1968

The Funeral Train

By Jean Heller

ABOARD THE KENNEDY FUNERAL TRAIN, JUNE 8 (AP) - The little red harbor boat stopped by a Newark railroad bridge to watch this funeral trail pass. Her crew turned out on deck at rigid salute. Her name: "John F. Kennedy."

Along the marshlands of northern New Jersey, five workmen stood on the rusting hulk of a truck and doffed their hard hats, placing them over their hearts.

Outside Philadelphia, a junior high school hand played "America the Beautiful."

At the Philadelphia 30th Street Station, they sang "The Battle Hymn of the Republic."

At Wilmington, Del., they stood in grim silence to watch this train, its black engine, its last car draped in black and renamed, "Robert E Kennedy."

Inside that last car, on a catafalque of wooden chairs and covered with live greens, lay the casket bearing the body of the assassinated senator from New York south to Washington and his Arlington National Cemetery grave.

This was Robert F. Kennedy's fifth train trip since his announcement that he would seek the Democratic nomination for the presidency. Those who made the first four trips with him could not help talking about how there had been crowds before, but none quite like these that gathered at nearly every clearing along the 225-mile route.

They came singly and by the thousands: workmen, businessmen, women and children; Boy ts, American Legionnaires and Little Leaguers who stopped a game to rush to the roadbed.

There were many signs: "God Bless RFK," "God Keep You," and "RFK, RIP."

A passenger train stopped and those aboard got off to stand in silent respect. There were hundreds of flags.

There were many, many tears.

Not all of them were outside this train.