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Warren Commission Hearings: Vol. VII - Page 45« Previous | Next »

(Testimony of Gerald Lynn Hill)

Mr. Hill.
Inspector Sawyer---but being I didn't see a broadcast, I couldn't say for sure--- saying we think we have located the building where the shots were fired from at Elm and Houston Streets, and send us some help.
At this time I went back to the personnel office and told the captain that Inspector Sawyer requested assistance at Elm and Houston Streets. The captain said, "Go ahead and go."
And he turned to another man in the office named Joe Fields and told him to get on down there.
I got on the elevator on the third floor and went to the basement and saw a uniformed officer named Jim M. Valentine, and I asked Jim what he was doing, and he said, "Nothing in particular."
And I said, "I need you to take me down to Elm Street."
"The President has been shot."
We started out of the basement to get in his car, and a boy named Jim E. Well, with the Dallas Morning News, had parked his car in the basement and was walking up and asked what was going on, and we told him the President was shot.
And he said, "Where are you going?"
And we said, "Down to Elm and Houston where they think the shots came from."
And he said, "Could I go with you?"
So we took him in the back seat of the car. And I don't remember what the number was.
We came out of the basement on Commerce, went to Central, turned left, went over on Elm, ran into a traffic jam on Elm, went down as far as Pearl Street and turned back to the left on Pearl and went to Jackson Street, went west on Jackson to Houston Street, and turned back to the right and pulled up in front of the Book Depository at Elm and Houston, Jumped out of the car and Inspector Sawyer was there.
I asked him did he have enough men outside to cover the building properly, and he said, "Yes; I believe so."
And I said, "Are you ready for us to go in and shake it down?"
And he said, "Yes, let's go in and check it out."
About this time Captain Fritz and two or three more detectives from homicide. a boy named Roy Westphal, who works for the special service bureau, and a couple of uniformed officers, and a couple of deputy sheriffs came up.
Now you identified them to me the other day, the two boys that were on the sixth floor from the sheriff's office.
Mr. Belin.
I think when we chatted briefly the other day, I believe I said Boone and Mooney. Does that sound familiar?
Mr. Hill.
I wouldn't know, but I know they identified themselves to us as deputy sheriffs, and some more people knew them.
So we went into the building, and Captain Fritz and his men said they would start at the first floor and work up, and they asked several of us to go to the top floor and work down.
We went up to the seventh floor on the elevator and I believe the elevator ran to the sixth, and we cut around the stairway and got to seven and shook it down.
At this time there were the two deputy sheriffs and I and one uniformed officer up there.
Mr. Belin.
You went to the top floor of the building?
Mr. HILL, Right.
Mr. Belin.
Do you know whether or not the elevator went all the way up, or did you climb?
Mr. Hill.
I think we climbed a flight of stairs. In fact, I am almost sure.
Mr. Belin.
Do you think you climbed a flight of stairs because the elevator went no further?
Mr. Hill.
I think it either went to fifth or sixth, but I am almost positive it didn't go to seventh. I may be wrong, but I didn't particularly take notice.
But I think they told us we were going to have to walk up a couple of flights because the elevator didn't go all the way.
Mr. Belin.
Where did you take this elevator?
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