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Warren Commission Hearings: Vol. III - Page 473« Previous | Next »

(Testimony of Cortlandt Cunningham)

Mr. Cunningham.
numbered them, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, on each side of the hairline. On the left is C-49, and on the right is the cartridge case obtained from C-143.
You have this very large, very distinctive imperfection.
Mr. Eisenberg.
You are pointing to circle number 1?
Mr. Cunningham.
In number 1. Also, in number 2, it looks like a little set of railroad tracks, and this one with the same shape coming down through. You can see this little piece and this little piece. Over here you have a real small "railroad track."
Mr. Eisenberg.
That is number 3?
Mr. Cunningham.
That is number 3. And it looks like a little hump or bump, and that is very distinctive.
There is a slight overlapping here, but you can see it is sort of a V shape--in number 4, very distinctive. Down here you have a Z line with a line through it, number 6. I only brought those out to show six of the similarities. If you go through you can pick out places in the firing-pin impressions, that are similar, by yourself.
Mr. Eisenberg.
On the top of each of these photos, C-49 and C--15, there is a large comma- shaped indentation, or comma-shaped mark. What is that caused by, Mr. Cunningham?
Mr. Cunningham.
That is caused by a very large imperfection--a very distinctive imperfection in the firing pin itself. And here it is.
Here I am looking at Commission document 601, the breech face and firing pin. If you will look at the firing pin in this photograph, you will see over on this side, this very large imperfection. It is like a facet--it is a flattened side. It shows up in the photograph of the firing pin.
It is indented--since it is missing from the firing pin, it will show as a flattened area in the firing-pin impression. In other words, what is concave on the firing pin itself, will be convex in the firing-pin impression.
Mr. Eisenberg.
If there are no further questions on the cartridge cases, I will move on to the bullets.
Representative Ford.
Mr. Boggs?
Representative Boggs.
Just one question. What you are saying is that there is no doubt about the fact that the cartridges that you examined came from this revolver?
Mr. Cunningham.
That is correct.
Representative Boggs.
And, of course, there is no question about the fact that this was Mr. Oswald's revolver. Is that so?
Mr. Eisenberg.
That will be proved, I hope, before the end of the hearings. This witness cannot himself testify.
Representative Boggs.
I understand that. I am asking you.
Mr. Eisenberg.
There is no question, I don't think, about that. That will be the subject of testimony.
Representative Boggs.
I know--we are not following the exact rules of evidence around here.
Mr. Eisenberg.
We will connect it up.
Representative Boggs.
In that connection--how many bullets were recovered?
Mr. Eisenberg.
Four were recovered from the body of the officer. But as you will see from the testimony which we will get into right now, that doesn't mean four shots were fired, because there is a slight problem here. I would rather have the witness develop it.
Representative Boggs.
You are being very mysterious now, but it is all right.
Mr. Eisenberg.
Mr. Cunningham, I hand you four bullets in plastic cases marked C-251, C-252, Q-13, and C-253, which have also certain other markings on them, and I ask you if you are familiar with these bullets.
Mr. Cunningham.
I am.
Mr. Eisenberg.
Are your marks on these bullets?
Mr. Cunningham.
Yes, they are.
Mr. Eisenberg.
For the record. I would like to state these four bullets were recovered from the body of Officer Tippit.

When did you receive these bullets, Mr. Cunningham?
Mr. Cunningham.
The Q-13 bullet was delivered to the Laboratory the first
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