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Warren Commission Hearings: Vol. VII - Page 282« Previous | Next »

(Testimony of W. E. Barnes)

Mr. Belin.
Was that with Lee Harvey Oswald?
Mr. Barnes.
It was.
Mr. Belin.
Other than that, you have never made a paraffin test of anyone's cheek?
Mr. Barnes.
No.
Mr. Belin.
Any particular reason why you might not have in any other case?
Mr. Barnes.
It has never been requested of me before.
Mr. Belin.
Based on your knowledge and information about the science of paraffin tests, do you know whether or not it is a common practice or not a common practice to make it of one cheek?
Mr. Barnes.
It is not a common practice.
Mr. Belin.
Any particular reason it is not a common practice, that you can think of or know of?
Mr. Barnes.
Firing a revolver, should he fire a revolver, I would say the revolver most likely would be far enough away where powder residue wouldn't reach his cheek?
Mr. Belin.
What about a rifle?
Mr. Barnes.
Firing a rifle, you get your chamber enclosed with steel metal around it, and the chances of powder residue would be very remote.
Mr. Belin.
Have you fired a bolt-action rifle at all before?
Mr. Barnes.
Many times.
Mr. Belin.
How close would the chamber be to the check as you would be looking through the sight of the gun.
Mr. Barnes.
Be several inches to the rear of the chamber.
Mr. Belin.
Would this have any effect on the paraffin test at all?
Mr. Barnes.
It sure would.
Mr. Belin.
What about telescopic sights? Would that push your face back further or not?
Mr. Barnes.
Push it even further back.
Mr. Belin.
Would this have an effect on the paraffin test?
Mr. Barnes.
The further you get from the chamber, the less possibility of getting powder residue on it would be.
Mr. Belin.
When you made the paraffin cast on the cheek, did you also paint it on with this brush that you are talking about?
Mr. Barnes.
I did.
Mr. Belin.
To about a quarter of an inch thickness?
Mr. Barnes.
Not quite that much.
Mr. Belin.
When you put the gauze on?
Mr. Barnes.
Yes.
Mr. Belin.
And you put some more paraffin on?
Mr. Barnes.
Yes.
Mr. Belin.
Then what did you do? Did you cool it with water, or let it naturally harden by room temperature?
Mr. Barnes.
Nature cools it from room temperature.
Mr. Belin.
Then you removed it from the cheek?
Mr. Barnes.
Yes.
Mr. Belin.
Did you need a scissors when you removed it from the cheek?
Mr. Barnes.
No.
Mr. Belin.
What did you do with these paraffin tests after you made them?
Mr. Barnes.
I placed them in a manila, large manila envelope separately.
Mr. Belin.
Then what did you do?
Mr. Barnes.
I walked out of Captain Fritz' office, and I had a couple of patrolmen trying to weed their way through the news media so that I could have walking room to get to the elevator to get back to the fourth floor, the ID bureau.
Mr. Belin.
The news media had the third floor pretty well jammed at that time?
Mr. Barnes.
I would say it was pretty well Jammed.
Mr. Belin.
About what time of the night was this?
Mr. Barnes.
Approximately 9 o'clock, I would say, approximately.
Mr. Belin.
Did Lee Harvey Oswald say anything to you as you were removing these casts, that you remember?
Mr. Barnes.
Very little, other than what I repeated to you before, that he
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