Testimony of C. A. Hamblen

The testimony of C. A. Hamblen was taken at 2:50 p.m., on July 23, 1964, in the office of the U.S. attorney, 3.01 Post Office Building, Bryan and Ervay Streets, Dallas, Tex., by Mr. Wesley J. Liebeler, assistant counsel of the President's Commission.

Mr. Liebeler.

You may remain seated. Will you raise your right hand? Do you solemnly swear that the testimony you are about to give will be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God?

Mr. Hamblen.

I do.

Mr. Liebeler.

My name is Wesley J. Liebeler. I am an attorney on the President's Commission investigating the assassination of President Kennedy. I have been authorized to take your testimony by the Commission pursuant to authority granted to it by Executive Order 11130, dated November 29, 1963, and the joint resolution of Congress, No. 137. You are entitled under the rules of the Commission governing the taking of testimony of witnesses to have an attorney present, should you wish. I understand that you are present pursuant to a subpena that was served on you some days ago by the U.S. Secret Service, and I presume since you don't have an attorney with you at this time, you are prepared to proceed with your testimony without an attorney?

Mr. Hamblen.

I don't need an attorney. You might wish to make a little correction. This should be C. A. Hamblen instead of C. R.

Mr. Liebeler.

Your name is C. A. H-a-m-b-l-e-n?

Mr. Hamblen.

That's right.

Mr. Liebeler.

How old are you?

Mr. Hamblen.

I will be 50 in December.

Mr. Liebeler.

You are employed by the Western Union Telegraph Co.; isn't that right?

Mr. Hamblen.

Yes.

Mr. Liebeler.

How long have you worked for them?

Mr. Hamblen.

It will be 38 years the 6th day of August.

Mr. Liebeler.

I want to come right to the point in this deposition. I think you know basically the reason we have asked you to come over. It is my understanding that you had a conversation with a newspaper reporter by the name of Bob Fenley shortly after the assassination, in which you told him, in substance, that you thought that a man who you thought looked like Lee Oswald had been in your office and had either sent a telegram or cashed a money order telegram that he had in his possession; is that correct?

Mr. Hamblen.

Not exactly.

Mr. Liebeler.

What is it exactly?

Mr. Hamblen.

During that time, I came in contact with newspaper correspondents from all over the world. In my years of service to the company, I have never disclosed the contents of a telegram, who they were addressed to, who they were from, or anything pertaining to them.
I don't think I told Mr. Fenley that a Lee Oswald had been in there, because talking with those correspondents, I wouldn't divulge any patron coming into the telegraph office in search of any of our services, money orders, telegrams, collateral services, collection services, anything that we have to offer. I believe there is some misunderstanding on Mr. Fenley's part there. Perhaps I did tell him that I thought I had seen someone that looked like the man that I saw over television.

Mr. Liebeler.

Do you remember--

Mr. Hamblen.

I thought he was the assassinator.

Mr. Liebeler.

Do you remember talking to Mr. Fenley about this?

Mr. Hamblen.

I don't remember telling anyone that, of anyone filing a telegram with us. I remember talking with Fenley, but I wouldn't disclose any information.

Mr. Liebeler.

What did you say to Fenley?

Mr. Hamblen.

Just in general conversation like I would with Wes Wise or any of the other reporters that I come in contact with.