(Testimony of Harry D. Holmes)
Mr. Holmes.
As it came out of Main Street, the President was sitting on the right in the back seat. His wife was on the left. Governor Connally, whom I also recognized, was sitting on the right of the middle seat.
Mr. Belin.
Were you looking with the aid of any optical instrument?
Mr. Holmes.
I had a pair of 7 1/2 x 50 binoculars. They were acknowledging the applause of the crowd and kind of waving, but not standing up. This is a short block.
Mr. Belin.
From Main to Elm?
Mr. Holmes.
To Elm is really not more than a good full block, but the motorcade turned north on Houston and went to Elm and turned left on Elm where it started on a downgrade to what we refer to as a triple underpass. As it turned in front of the School Book Depository, I heard what to me sounded like firecrackers, and it was my recollection that there were three of them.
I had my binoculars on this car, on the Presidential car all the time. I realized something was wrong, but I thought they were dodging somebody throwing things at the car like firecrackers or something, but I did see dust fly up like a firecracker had burst up in the air.
Mr. Belin.
Where did you see the dust?
Mr. Holmes.
Off of President Kennedy and I couldn't tell you which one of the cracks of the firecracker resulted in this.
Mr. Belin.
Do you have any recollection of the amount of time that elapsed between each of the three sounds?
Mr. Holmes.
I have tried to set a time, but it just escapes me. Honestly, I couldn't say. They were rather rapid. Say 20 seconds or something like that.
Mr. Belin.
You mean 20 seconds elapsed between all three, or less than 20 seconds?
Mr. Holmes.
Possibly 20 seconds, or half a minute and then crack and kind of a lapse and then another crack. I wouldn't want to swear to that. I have tried to recall it.
Mr. Belin.
Was there more time between the first and the second one, or between the second and third?
Mr. Holmes.
I couldn't tell you that.
Mr. Belin.
What did you see after that?
Mr. Holmes.
Mr. Kennedy leaned over against his wife, Mrs. Kennedy, as this thing, firecracker, looked like, come out. The car almost came to a stop, and Mrs. Kennedy pulled loose of him and crawled out over the turtleback of this Presidential car and was almost off of the back of the turtleback when a man from a car next to it came running up and I never--I got the impression in one way that she was trying to help him on the bumper.
I got the impression in another way that he was trying to push her back in the seat for fear she would fall and hurt herself. It was so quick that that was my impression, and in fact we discussed it. There was several of us looking out of the window, why she was going out over this car, and we were arguing that she was trying to help the Secret Service man or the Secret Service man was trying to get her back in the car, and this was our impression.
Policemen jumped off of the motorcycles that were along the route and with drawn pistols started rushing into the crowd. I saw many people down on the ground, and I have one particular couple in mind that I had watched on a bench, sitting on a park bench that the man had this woman down. I remember my impression at the time that he was trying to take a gun away from her, or some thing, and by that time I decided maybe there was a gun involved in it instead of firecrackers.
He had her down on the ground. But then it later developed that he was trying to protect her from the shots. But then I didn't know that at the time. And I did watch her as they got up. Then different people hid around behind pillars in this arbor.
Mr. Belin.
Then what did you see happen?
Mr. Holmes.
Then just people went from every direction hunting around the railroad yard and among the ears parked in- the area. I saw a policeman rushing into the School Book Depository Building.
Mr. Belin.
Was this a motorcycle policeman?
Mr. Holmes.
I did definitely see motorcycle policemen, one of--one or two or
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