(Testimony of Winston G. , Accompanied By Fred B. Smith, Lawson)
Mr. Lawson.
That is my recollection, but it is in the newspapers.
Mr. Dulles.
Do you remember the date of that? Don't delay on this account. Go right ahead.
Representative Ford.
Approximately how many such trips had you handled prior to this one?
Mr. Lawson.
I had assisted on some with a more experienced agent, and I had had a few of my own responsibility with people assisting me. I had assisted in Berlin.
Representative Ford.
Will you speak a little louder please?
Mr. Lawson.
I had assisted in West Berlin in June. I had assisted in Cincinnati on one of the congressional campaign trips in October before they discontinued because of Cuba. I assisted in Albuquerque, N. Mex., on one of his AEC trips. My responsibility, where I had the responsibility myself, had been Cherry Point, N.C..; Billings, Mont.; Little Rock, Ark.
The Billings one, was in September of 1963, and the Little Rock stop was in October, the month before the assassination. Those were my two responsibilities. I assisted in San Diego. That was my first assist. Then I have had other assists and responsibilities here in Washington, fund-raising dinners or speeches, lunches.
Representative Ford.
I gather then you had the principal responsibility in five?
Mr. Lawson.
Yes, sir.
Representative Ford.
Or thereabouts?
Mr. Lawson.
Yes sir.
Representative Ford.
In each of those cases was the procedure the same as far as PRS is concerned?
Mr. Lawson.
Yes, sir.
Representative Ford.
You would go to the PRS and get a list of the names of individuals and this other equipment?
Mr. Lawson.
That is correct.
Representative Ford.
Now in the five or thereabout times that you did this in the past, what was your experience with PRS?
Mr. Lawson.
I was told in Buffalo, N.Y., of a couple individuals, a couple of nuisance-type individuals more than actual threats. Also told that there were a couple of individuals that came up after I had left Washington on-the Little Rock advance. Subsequent to the time that I left, they notified the field office that things were under investigation.
Representative Ford.
But only in the one instance, Buffalo, were you actually given the names of a threat, prior to your departure?
Mr. Lawson.
Yes; I believe that is so. The other ones were subsequent to that time.
Representative Ford.
And in the case of Little Rock you subsequently received----
Mr. Lawson.
Yes.
Representative Ford.
A name or names?
Mr. Lawson.
Yes, sir; and also in Buffalo there were some phone calls to the office that there was a threat involved.
Representative Form.
In the case of Buffalo you had a name or two before you went?
Mr. Lawson.
Yes, sir.
Representative Ford.
But in the other cases where you had the responsibility?
Mr. Lawson.
Nothing.
Representative Ford.
The PRS gave you nothing?
Mr. Lawson.
That is right.
Representative Ford.
Do you know from your own knowledge, conversation with others who have similar responsibilities, whether PRS normally had names to give to the agent in charge?
Mr. Lawson.
Yes; there have been occasions when that has happened, and they are constantly sending over things in Washington, for example. If we are just going out to the Sheraton for a dinner, you always call up and say is there anything particular right now that we should know about, a recent escapee
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