Mary Ann Mitchell

Testimony of Mary Ann Mitchell

The testimony of Mary Ann Mitchell was taken at 2:30 p.m., on April 1, 1964, in the office of the U.S. attorney, 301 Post Office Building, Bryan and Ervay Streets, Dallas, Tex., by Mr. Joseph A. Ball, assistant counsel of the President's Commission.

Mr. Ball.

Miss Mitchell, will you stand up, please, and be sworn; hold up your right hand.
(Complying.)

Mr. BALL. Do you solemnly swear the testimony you will be giving before this Commission will be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God?
Miss MITCHELL. Yes; I do.

Mr. Ball.

Will you state your name, please?
Miss MITCHELL. Mary Ann Mitchell.

Mr. Ball.

What is your occupation?
Miss MITCHELL. I am a deputy district clerk.

Mr. Ball.

For Dallas County?
Miss MITCHELL. For the county of Dallas.

Mr. Ball.

What kind of work is that; do you work in the court?
Miss MITCHELL. No I work in the main office of the clerk of the district courts.

Mr. BALL. Tell me something about your background--where were you born, where were you raised, what schools did you go to ?
Miss MITCHELL. I was born in Roanoke, Tex., which is in Denton County, about 30 miles north of here; graduated from high school in Denton in 1942. I went to college for 2 years at Arlington and moved to Dallas and came to work here in June of 1944. I have held several secretarial and stenographic type jobs before I went to work for the county of Dallas and that was in 1950 and I have been there since then.

Mr. Ball.

Since 1950, you have been with the county with the Clerk of the District Court of Dallas County?
Miss MITCHELL. Yes, sir.

Mr. Ball.

On the 22d of November 1963, about noontime, where were you?
Miss MITCHELL.. About noontime ?

Mr. Ball.

Yes.
Miss MITCHELL. I was in the office about noon.

Mr. Ball.

Working?
Miss MITCHELL Working, which is in the basement of the Records Building.

Mr. BALL. Did you leave there some time, leave the office to see the parade that morning?
Miss MITCHELL. Yes, as a matter of fact, I went up to see the parade since we are in the basement.

Mr. Ball.

What time did you leave the building?
Miss MITCHELL. At possibly 12:25 or 12:27, something like that.

Mr. Ball.

Whom were you with?
Miss MITCHELL. I left the office with Jim Crawford.

Mr. Ball.

Where did you go?

Miss MITCHELL. I went out onto the street and down to the corner of the building.

Mr. Ball.

That means you would be on what corner of what streets?
Miss MITCHELL. I went out the Elm Street entrance of the building and I was on the corner of Elm and Record--I'm sorry, Elm and Houston.

Mr. Ball.

Which corner?
Miss MITCHELL I knew you were going to ask that and I decided it's probably the northwest corner. I am not good at directions.

Mr. Ball.

Let's put it this way---

Miss MITCHELL. It's the corner diagonally across the intersection from the Texas School Book Depository.
Mr. BALL. The Texas School Book Depository is on the northwest corner; that would put you on the southeast corner.