Mr. Lawson.

On Monday evening. May I refer to the date of this?

Mr. Stern.

Please.

Mr. Lawson.

November 18; Monday evening.

Mr. Stern.

Now, what steps did you take in Washington before you left, with respect to determining the names and other information about persons who might be in the Dallas area and who might be regarded as potential threats to the President?

Mr. Lawson.

I went--on November 8, after leaving Mr. Kellerman's office, I went to the office in the Executive Office Building where our agents of the Protective Research Section are, and notified agents at that location that I was being assigned the advance for Dallas, Tex. trip, the date of this trip, and that I requested them to check their files and determine as to whether I should have the name of any individual in the Dallas area who was of record to us as an active subject.

Mr. Stern.

Was this request made in writing?

Mr. Lawson.

It was oral, sir.

Mr. Stern.

Is it usually made that way, orally? Do you ever make a written request?

Mr. Lawson.

I have never done so. I don't know about the other individuals.

Mr. Stern.

What did they tell you?

Mr. Lawson.

I was told after waiting there a little while that there were no subjects of record in the Dallas area, of active PRS individuals that we would expect to ham the President.

Mr. Stern.

And this check was made while you were present in the office?

Mr. Lawson.

Yes, sir; that is correct.

Representative Ford.

How long did it take, for example?

Mr. Lawson.

I believe I was there approximately 10 minutes. Not much more than 10 minutes, sir.

Representative Ford.

In other words, they made this check on your behalf in that period of time?

Mr. Lawson.

Yes, sir.

Representative Ford.

Do you know how they went about it? Did you observe how they went about it?

Mr. Lawson.

In looking back I can recall the individuals going to certain files, but I have never worked in the PRS Section and I only know general information about it.

Representative Ford.

You asked somebody to check on the names of people who might be a threat in Dallas?

Mr. Lawson.

That is correct, sir.

Representative Ford.

And within a period of 10 minutes they came back and said there were no names?

Mr. Lawson.

That is right, sir.

Mr. Dulles.

What was their answer again? I didn't quite clearly hear it when you said it the first time.

Mr. Lawson.

I don't believe I could give you an exact answer.

Mr. Dulles.

In general what was your recollection?

Mr. Lawson.

There were no PRS subjects, active PRS subjects which would be a threat to the President to our knowledge in the Dallas area in the files.

Mr. Dulles.

And would you define PRS?

Mr. Lawson.

Protective Research Section.

Mr. Stern.

Was there a file that you yourself checked preliminary to your trip?

Mr. Lawson.

I don't believe so.

Mr. Stern.

Not a file of individuals but a file that might be helpful to you in your advance work for Dallas?

Mr. Lawson.

We have files of past trips, some of President Eisenhower's. I am not sure how long ago they go back because they are probably taken out and put some place else periodically. But for example we have all of President Kennedy's trips right now plus President Johnson's current ones, and an agent could if he desired, if he was being assigned to a city, go and see if the President had been there recently, and look in that for names or perhaps if he was going