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Warren Commission Hearings: Vol. XIII - Page 161« Previous | Next »

(Testimony of Edward E. Pierce)

Mr. Pierce.
little vestibule-type doors, one each--that is, one on each side of the revolving door and the two vestibule doors and revolving door are all locked, and I 4o know that they were locked, because for this reason. In the crowd and milling of curiosity seekers and general public that had gone up and down Main Street, as well as Commerce, and in an attempt to get in and see what was going on, a couple two women looked through the glass of the doors there. And apparently thought, well, if they could get in here they could see in, because I believe it was a time no, I wouldn't even say I believe it was a time. It might be they had tried the ramp area, and at any rate, they came up to the door and tried to get in the revolving door as if to come in off of Main Street, and apparently not knowing that the building was closed for the weekend, they thought they could come right in city hall, and I just waved my hand at them this way [indicating] and they had seen it was locked, and I waved my hand at them as if to say, "I'm not going to open it for you. City hall is closed." We have to do that quite often, because people come down and want to pay their water bills and we have to say, "We are closed for the weekend." And I know it was closed because they were trying to see. if they could get in. In fact, this was the time when even I didn't know all this other was going to take place, but I figured, too, curiosity.
Mr. Hubert.
What about the Commerce Street----
Mr. Pierce.
No; it was locked.
Mr. Hubert.
Was it ever open in your presence?
Mr. Pierce.
I opened it myself one time.
Mr. Hubert.
Did Servance open it one time, too?
Mr. Pierce.
He was there, but I opened it.
Mr. Hubert.
I understand that you all stood in the vestibule?
Mr. Pierce.
The other doors stay open for the convenience of people who want to make payments of their water bill. There is a bill drop there.
Mr. Hubert.
So, you opened the door and stood in the vestibule and sometime afterward you locked the door back again, is that correct?
Mr. Pierce.
Sometime afterward I did, but there was a whole lot which took place in between before I locked it back.
Mr. Hubert.
What I am interested in, did anyone come in the building?
Mr. Pierce.
No one came in the building. That, I can safely swear to. The reason I opened those two or three doors there which lock the vestibule there from the entrance to the building that allows people at night, or any hour of the day to come in and make payments, drop their water bill there, and this is the reason I refer to it as a vestibule, foyer.
Now, we are making 45 minutes, I would think or an hour's change in time with relation to this particular occasion when I opened up. This happened after we had been told we couldn't remain in the basement area.
Mr. Hubert.
Did you come up from the basement area?
Mr. Pierce.
We came up from the basement area and porters asked me why they couldn't stand----
Mr. Hubert.
When you came up from the basement area, who was operating the elevator?
Mr. Pierce.
McKinzie was operating the elevator.
Mr. Hubert.
Who came up with you?
Mr. Pierce.
I and Servance and Riggs and the telephone operator named Ruth.
Mr. Hubert.
And Kelly?
Mr. Pierce.
Who?
Mr. Hubert.
Kelly? Did Kelly----
Mr. Pierce.
I don't know a Kelly. Maybe her last name is Kelly.
Mr. Hubert.
No; this is a man called Edward Kelly. What about Henry, or Harold Fuqua?
Mr. Pierce.
Harold Fuqua remained in the basement momentarily. He remained in the basement and started to stay and--he did stay--at that time he wasn't on the elevator when we came up. He did stay, but later he was also required to leave though his immediate job responsibility--he stated he was forced to leave later. At that time he stayed----
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