Mr. Lawson.

Oh, yes; observed them from the back.

Mr. Stern.

Observed them from the back. Did you notice any unusual movement?

Mr. Lawson.

I did not.

Mr. Stern.

Did you know whether the policeman saw your signal or acknowledged it?

Mr. Lawson.

I didn't have any acknowledgment of it, and I don't know he saw the signal or not. At least the people didn't move. They still stayed there in the middle.

Mr. Stern.

Were you able to see the sides of the overpass, apart from t area directly over the lane you were traveling in? Could you observe more?

Mr. Lawson.

I am sure I could have, but I can only recall the people. immediate problem was right up there on the bridge, and I was concentrating right there. I don't recall anything on either side of the embankments.

Mr. Stern.

Or any people?

Mr. Lawson.

No, sir; I do not recall any.

Mr. Stern.

Just this group?

Mr. Lawson.

This group up on the bridge.

Mr. Dulles.

Could I ask one question there. I think you testified just now that your car was very close to the overpass.

Mr. LAWSON. I believe it was.

Mr. Dulles.

And yet your car was only--well, how many feet ahead of President's car was your car at that time, roughly?

Mr. Lawson.

I am not sure because I wasn't looking back right at that time at the President's car. I was looking at the bridge because of the people on the bridge.

Mr. Dulles.

What was the normal distance?

Mr. Lawson.

I think it was a little further ahead than it had been in the motorcade, because when I looked back we were further ahead.
(Discussion off the record.)

Mr. Stern.

Then what happened?

Mr. Lawson.

I heard this very loud report which at first flashing through mind did not say rifle shot to me. It sounded different than a rifle shot. sounded louder and more of a bang rather than a crack.
My first impression was firecracker or bomb or something like that. I can recall spinning around and looking back, and seeing people over on the grassy median area kind of running around and dropping down, which would be this area in here.

Mr. Dulles.

I might just add the witness is now referring to an aerial photograph.

Mr. Stern.

Indicating the area between Elm Street and Main Street, grassy area between the two streets.
Did you observe anything on the grass strip to the right of Elm Street?

Mr. Lawson.

No; I didn't, and it is my impression that my car was in direction, so that when I looked back, that is why I saw this particular here and not things over here that we had actually, see, started this curve so that when I looked back I was looking this way.

Mr. Stern.

You were looking to the grass strip?

Mr. Lawson.

Yes, sir.

Mr. Stern.

In between Elm and Main and not to the grass strip across Elm Street?

Mr. Lawson.

That is correct.

Mr. Stern.

North of Elm Street.

Mr. Dulles.

The curve you referred to is the curve to the right.

Mr. Lawson.

It curves to the right just as it starts at the underpass, continues to the right.

Representative Ford.

Why did you look back? Is that the direction of sound?

Mr. Lawson.

The direction of the sound and the direction of the President.

Representative Ford.

Are you sure that the sound you heard came from the rear and not from the front?

Mr. Lawson.

I am positive that it came from the rear, and then I spun back that way to see what had occurred back there.