(Testimony of Robert Inman Bouck Resumed)
Mr. Bouck.
if we had had them altogether, would have added up to pointing out a pretty bad individual, and I think that, together, had we known that he had a vantage point would have seemed somewhat serious to us, even though I must admit that none of these in themselves would be would meet our specific criteria, none of them alone.
But it is when you begin adding them up to some degree that you begin to get criteria that are meaningful.
Senator COOPER. I am sure you have answered what I am going to ask but I will ask it anyway. Then it is correct prior to the assassination the Secret Service had no information from any agency or any source----
Mr. Bouck.
That is correct.
Senator COOPER. Relating to Lee Oswald?
Mr. Bouck.
That is correct.
Mr. Stern.
I believe you said earlier, Mr. Bouck, that before Dallas you thought the liaison arrangements were satisfactory and that other Federal agencies, in particular, had full awareness of the kind of information that the Secret Service was looking for under the general criteria that you articulated?
Mr. Bouck.
Yes, sir.
Mr. Stern.
Why then, do you think you were not notified of Oswald? Was there perhaps something wrong with the system?
Mr. Bouck.
This, of course, is opinion. In my opinion, there was no lack of knowledge of what we should have. Insofar as I know no individual knew enough about Oswald to judge him to meet our criteria of presenting a danger to the President. I know of no individual who knew all about Oswald, including the fact that he had a vantage point on the route. If that is so, I don't know. I didn't know.
Mr. Mccloy.
Somebody in the FBI knew it, didn't they?
Mr. Bouck.
I have no record to know that. They knew certain information. I have no record that would indicate they knew all of the derogatory information.
Mr. Mccloy.
I don't know I would say they knew all the derogatory information but they certainly knew the vantage point and they certainly knew the defection elements.
Mr. Bouck.
I know they knew he was in Dallas. Whether they recognized that as being on the route, I don't know that.
Mr. Mccloy.
I think the record shows he was employed there, or the deposition shows.
Mr. Bouck.
I don't know that.
Mr. Stern.
Is it of key importance to what you say now regarding the information on Oswald before the assassination to identify his vantage point? If you would take that away from the other characteristics does he then not become a threat?
Mr. Bouck.
He would not meet the criteria of a threat as we had it at that time, if you take that away.
Mr. Stern.
And the criterion was----
Mr. Bouck.
That there be some specific indication that a possible danger to the President existed.
Mr. Dulles.
Off the record.
(Discussion off the record.)
Mr. Mccloy.
Back on the record.
Mr. Stern.
Well, Mr. Bouck, if the pivotal ingredient is his employment at that Depository, is that because that showed some, to your mind, some intention, some desire to be on the route, because access to the route----
Mr. Bouck.
No; it relates him to the President. This, I think if all the information that was known about him, indicates that he was a pretty untrustworthy individual, I think there was no indication that that untrustworthiness might be of a danger to the President until you associated that he had a vantage point where he might use it toward the President.
There was nothing previous that indicated that the President might be an object of this, and----
Mr. Stern.
As far as any of us know, any citizen had pretty much the same sort of access to the parade route. Is there any difference----
Mr. Bouck.
We would feel the same way if we knew this much derogatory
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