(Testimony of Kenneth Lawry Dowe)
Mr. Hansen.
walk and at that time I turned south on Harwood to go down to the entrance to go down in the basement of the city hall. As I approached the down steps to go down to the basement of the city hall on the Harwood Street side, I got about 8 or 10 feet from the north side of the steps and there is where I saw Jack.
Mr. Griffin.
Was anybody standing there with Jack?
Mr. Hansen.
At the time that he spoke to me, there was several people up and down the sidewalk, and I think there was a uniform policeman and maybe two detectives standing along there talking to one another. I couldn't tell you who it was, because I see it every day. I had no reason to make a special occasion to remember it, but I do remember there was somebody else along there.
Mr. Griffin.
Was Jack standing talking to them or was Jack separated?
Mr. Hansen.
He wasn't standing talking to them, but he wasn't standing far from them, or he walked up or was approaching there.
Mr. Griffin.
What time of day would that have been?
Mr. Hansen.
It was in the morning.
Mr. Griffin.
Before you reported to work, or after?
Mr. Hansen.
It was before I reported to work. I was in civilian clothes. I hadn't suited out. I didn't have my uniform on. I Would say it was probably between 8:15 and 9:30.
Mr. Griffin.
Do you have a regular time to report for work?
Mr. Hansen.
When I go to work on a regular shift, regular hours, unless we are called in early or late, I have to be in the detail room at 9:45. Now, that means I have to be there ready to listen to the sergeant put out the poop on us and all of us come in anywhere from 8:30 until about 9 o'clock. Nearly all policemen come in like that and go to the locker room and shoot the breeze before we get ready to go out, about what happened the day before. So I would say it was probably between 8:15 and 9:30. That is as near as I can estimate it.
Mr. Griffin.
How long did you speak with Jack?
Mr. Hansen.
Oh, I never stopped. I just kept moving. "Hi, Jack, I got to go get ready," something like that. And I said, "See you." It wasn't much of a, like I say, it wasn't what you call a conversation. Just like a running conversation.
Mr. Griffin.
Is it possible that it could have been even 2 or 3 days before the President arrived?
Mr. Hansen.
No; I don't think so. I think it was either the day before he arrived or the morning that he did arrive. Now, I can't remember. I would give anything if I could, because I know it would help you folks, and I have thought about it since I talked to this FBI man 10,000 times. I am not going to say definitely what day it was. I can't say it and be fight in here [pointing to self].
Mr. Griffin.
When did you first remember that you had seen him shortly before the President arrived?
Mr. Hansen.
I didn't even think anything about it until the FBI man asked me.
Mr. Griffin.
How did the FBI man happen to come out and interview you?
Mr. Hansen.
He didn't come out. He come in the city hall and I was there. I don't know whether he was interviewing everybody, and I think I said something about, I am not positive whether it was him or somebody said it. I heard so much going, it is hard to remember. Somebody said something about they had taken pictures and had seen pictures, and I don't know whether somebody took a picture and he had a picture that he saw him, or saw him come down the sidewalk, They may have got it that way. And he asked me if I had seen Ruby, and I sit there and thought about it, and he wanted to know if I had seen Ruby that day or the day before, and I told him I had seen him on the sidewalk.
I believe I said the last time, and I thought back and that is the last time I saw him. I didn't see him or hear anything about it until I was home in Arlington and it come out on the radio. My mother lives up there and I was at her home or in my home, and I walked up to her house and she said, "Have you heard what happened?" And I says, "What happened?" And she said, "A fellow killed Oswald." Then that is when I heard about it. I didn't know anything about it until then. I don't think she even knew that I knew Ruby then, but when she found out I did, she got all shook up and excited.
|
