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Warren Commission Hearings: Vol. XIII - Page 107« Previous | Next »

(Testimony of Ira Jefferson "Jack", Jr. Beers)

Mr. Beers.
No, sir; we have a photographer assigned there most of the time, but it was not any one single photographer.
Mr. Griffin.
Did you work on Saturday?
Mr. Beers.
Yes, sir.
Mr. Griffin.
The 23d?
Mr. Beers.
Yes, sir.
Mr. Griffin.
Do you recall where you were working that day?
Mr. Beers.
Yes, sir; I worked hours 10 to 7 on Saturday, and I received anassignment to go to the city hall, third floor of the city hall near Captain Fritz' office, homicide bureau, and to stand by there to photograph whatever might take place or whoever might be brought in or maybe any pictures of Mr. Oswald as he was going up and down the hall.
I arrived there roughly at 10:30 and remained there until roughly 1 o'clock,1 p.m.
Mr. Griffin.
In the afternoon?
Mr. Beers.
Yes, sir.
Mr. Griffin.
Now, during the period that you were there, did you see JackRuby?
Mr. Beers.
No, sir; I didn't.
Mr. Griffin.
Did you have occasion to return to the police station that day, Saturday?
Mr. Beers.
No, sir; I did not.
Mr. Griffin.
Where did you spend the remainder of Saturday?
Mr. Beers.
I think, I can't remember exactly where I spent the remainder of Saturday, but I think Just on general assignments out of the paper there. On Saturday afternoon it is usually rather quiet, and I possibly, I may have had oneor more assignments, but I don't think so.
Mr. Griffin.
Now, before you left work on Saturday, did you have any instructions as to what you were to do the next day, Sunday?
Mr. Beers.
No; I did not. It was approximately midnight anyway when Ileft work Saturday night. I had no instructions. And at midnight, I wascalled to the telephone and told to report to the basement of the city hall Sun-day morning at 10 a.m., to photograph the transfer of Lee Harvey Oswaldfrom the city jail to the Dallas County Jail.
Mr. Griffin.
What time did you actually arrive there?
Mr. Beers.
I arrived at the city hall just about 9 o'clock.
Mr. Griffin.
Where did you go when you came in?
Mr. Beers.
I went to the basement of the city hall, and then on through the basement out into the police parking area in the basement of the city hall.
Mr. Griffin.
Did you station yourself some place in the parking area?
Mr. Beers.
Yes; I did. I went into the parking area and was in general conversation with various and sundry members of the press who were there for a short while, and I discovered that there was an area along a railing which is on the east side of the driveway that goes through the basement of the city hall, next to some television cameras that would permit one cameraman to be in this area without obstructing the view of the television cameras, so I went to this railing and I stayed there, sitting on this railing until the transfer had started.
When I stood up on the railing and made photographs as Mr. Oswald wasbeing transferred, which included the pictures of Mr. Ruby shooting Mr. Oswald.Then I remained standing on the railing and shot three or four or so further negatives of the scuffle that was going on.
Mr. Griffin.
I am going to hand you--I will turn this around--I am goingto hand you what is a diagram of the basement area in the municipal building, I have marked this diagram "Dallas, Texas, April 14, 1964, Ira J. Beers' Exhibit 5352."
Let me try to explain it a little bit to you. Here is Commerce Street along the right-hand side, and Main Street along the left- hand side, and near thebottom of the page, is a ramp which says, "down ramp leading from Main StreetInto the basement area," and- following on up towards Commerce Street yousee something marked, "up ramp."
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