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Warren Commission Hearings: Vol. VII - Page 479« Previous | Next »

(Testimony of Earle Cabell)

Mr. Hubert.
Now when you became conscious that these were shots and that they seemed to be coming from the building known as the Texas School Book Depository Building, did you look toward that building?
Mr. Cabell.
My back was turned to it at the time, because I was riding in the front seat and was conversing with Mrs. Cabell and Mr. Roberts.
Mr. Hubert.
Who were in the back? And you were next to the driver?
Mr. Cabell.
I was sitting in the front seat with the driver. This was a convertible in which we were riding with the top down.
Mr. Hubert.
So that actually the shots seemed to you to come from behind?
Mr. Cabell.
From behind.
Mr. Hubert.
Did you turn in the direction of the shots?
Mr. Cabell.
I turned then, rather looking down toward the Presidential car, and then I saw the people scattering and some throwing themselves on the ground. One man threw himself over a child that was sitting in the grass there. I did not observe anything in connection with the building itself.
Mr. Hubert.
You did not see anybody in any of the windows?
Mr. Cabell.
No.
Mr. Hubert.
Now I think you mentioned that Mrs. Cabell made a remark to you, "Oh, that is a shot." I take it from what you have said, that remark was made immediately after the first shot?
Mr. Cabell.
Just immediately; yes.
Mr. Hubert.
And before the second and third, is that right?
Mr. Cabell.
And really before I could get my answer out--I think it was motivated by wishful thinking as much as anything else, to deny or to say possibly it wasn't--then the second and third shots rang out.
Mr. Hubert.
Were there any other spontaneous remarks made by anyone else in the car?
Mr. Cabell.
Well, in the discussion which followed, both Mr. Roberts and myself said that it must have been from a gun similar to a .30-06.
Mr. Hubert.
By spontaneous, I meant those remarks made just immediately, not the discussion thereafter, you see.
Mr. Cabell.
I don't remember.
Mr. Hubert.
So you do not recall any remarks made by anyone else of a spontaneous nature?
Mr. Cabell.
No; I don't.
Mr. Hubert.
Well, what did you do after the shots were fired and the Presidential car and the vice presidential car went on?
Mr. Cabell.
Then we just followed and told the driver to follow them.
Mr. Hubert.
You went on then to the----
Mr. Cabell.
We went on to the hospital. We could not tell whether they were just going back to the airport or going toward the hospital. Now there was a question raised among us as to where we were headed.
Mr. Hubert.
You didn't in fact know who had been hit, I take it?
Mr. Cabell.
No; we couldn't tell. We could tell, of course, there was confusion in the presidential car--activity. The Secret Service men ran to that car. From out of nowhere appeared one Secret Service man with a submachine gun. His attention seemed to be focused up toward the building. One of the motorcycle officers and the escort pulled his motorcycle over to the side and jumped off with his drawn handgun and ran up the slope toward the building, toward the School Book Depository. I do not recall any other shots being fired than the three which I mentioned.
Mr. Hubert.
I take it also that you got to the hospital very shortly after the Presidential car did?
Mr. Cabell.
Of course, when we turned off of Stemmons Expressway, we knew then that we were headed toward Parkland. Otherwise, we would have proceeded on Stemmons to Mockingbird Lane, which would have been the direct route to the airport.
Mr. Hubert.
When you got to the hospital, had the President been removed from the car?
Mr. Cabell.
He was in the process of being removed; was on the carriage. Another carriage was brought out, and I was there and helped to steady the carriage when the Governor was taken out of the car and placed on the carriage
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