(Testimony of John Wilkins Newnam)
Mr. Newnam.
No, sir.
Mr. Hubert.
Was there a telephone at your desk?
Mr. Newnam.
Yes, sir.
Mr. Hubert.
Was there a telephone at desk 22, the desk of Mr. Bates, or does that telephone serve both desks?
Mr. Newnam.
Both desks--it serves both desks--yes extension 386.
Mr. Hubert.
You have previously designated or stated the names of persons who occupied the various desks which are numbered on Exhibit No. 4 and I would like to ask you now whether at the time you saw Jack Ruby, to wit, 12:40 on November 22, 1963--whether all those people were seated at their desk at that time?
Mr. Newnam.
No, sir; they were not.
Mr. Hubert.
Would you give us an estimate of who was there and who wasn't?
Mr. Newnam.
Well, this is of course very vague. In our office people are coming and going and each tending to take care of his own routine matters and you just get to where you pay little attention to them.
Mr. Hubert.
Specifically, was Mr. Campbell there?
Mr. Newnam.
No, sir; Mr. Campbell was not there he was out of the office.
Mr. Hubert.
Was Mr. Jeffery in his office, which has been already identified by you on chart 4?
Mr. Newnam.
At that time I didn't know whether he was or not. There were a number of salesmen in. I think Mr. Allen, Mr. Rea, and Mr. Johnson.
HUBERT. In other words, they weren't all there?
Mr. Newnam.
No, sir.
Mr. Hubert.
I gather that only a quarter of them were there?
Mr. Newnam.
Yes, this was the lunch hour, and.-
Mr. Hubert.
And the Presidential parade, too ?
Mr. Newnam.
Right, and a number of them were over watching the motorcade.
Mr. Hubert.
Was Miss Georgia Mayor or Mrs. Georgia Mayor there, or do you remember?
Mr. Newnam.
I believe she was--yes, she was.
Mr. Hubert.
Now, can you describe just how you first obtained information that the President had been shot or .that there had been any shooting or any rumors or extraordinary events along those lines. How did the news come to you, and where were you?
Mr. Newnam.
I was sitting at Mr. Bates' desk.
Mr. Hubert.
That's No. 22?
Mr. Newnam.
That's No. 22.
Mr. Hubert.
That's of Exhibit No. 4.
Mr. Newnam.
When Mr. Coley, with several other members of the staff, I believe Mr. Mulkey was with him, and I don't recall any others---came back and said on entering the office that the President had been shot--that there had been a shooting.
Mr. Hubert.
About what time was that?
Mr. Newnam.
This---I would place it--approximately 12:45.
Mr. Hubert.
In other words, you are judging it in this way--that it was about
5 minutes after you had come in ?
Mr. Newnam.
Right.
Mr. Hubert.
Was Ruby sitting next to you still ?
Mr. Newnam.
He was.
Mr. Hubert.
Can you tell us whether he also heard that news?
Mr. Newnam.
He did.
Mr. Hubert.
How do you know he did?
Mr. Newnam.
Well, Mr. Coley just passed down the aisle and made the remark as he entered and of course all those sitting there heard it. I assume that Jack heard the same statement I did.
Mr. Hubert.
But other than your assumption that he must have heard it because it was said--in a way, I take it, that everybody within earshot could have heard it?
Mr. Newnam.
Right.
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