The testimony of Harold B. Holly, Jr., was taken at 8 p.m., on March
26, 1964, in the office of the U.S. attorney, 301 Post Office Building,
Bryan and Ervay Streets, Dallas, Tex., by Mr. Leon D. Hubert, Jr.,
assistant counsel of the President's Commission.
Mr. HUBERT. This is the deposition of Mr. Harold B. Holly, Jr. Mr.
Holly, my name is Leon D. Hubert. I am a member of the staff of the
general counsel to the President's Commission on the Assassination of
President Kennedy.
Under the authority of the Presidential Proclamation 11130, dated
November 29, 1963, a joint resolution of Congress No. 137, and rules
of procedure that have been adopted by the Commission, I have been
authorized to take your deposition under oath. Now, the general nature
of the inquiry of the Commission is to ascertain the facts concerning
the death of President Kennedy and the death of Lee Harvey Oswald.
In particular as to you, the inquiry is to determine what facts you
know concerning these events, or anything related to them.
I advise you that under the rules adopted by the Commission, you have
a right to a 3-day written notice prior to being asked to come for a
deposition, but the rules also provide that a witness may waive that
right if he wishes to do so.
You have been asked to come because Mr. J. Lee Rankin, the general
counsel of the Commission, wrote a letter to Mr. J. E. Curry asking
that he make you available. But I repeat, you may either waive the
3-day notice, or if you wish you may insist on the 3-day notice. Do you
wish to waive that notice?
Mr. HOLLY. No; I would like to go ahead.
Mr. HUBERT. You mean yes, you wish to waive? You would rather go ahead?
Mr. HOLLY. Yes.
Mr. HUBERT. Then I will ask you to stand and raise your right hand. Do
you solemnly swear that you will tell the truth, the whole truth, and
nothing but the truth, so help you God?
Mr. HOLLY. I do.
Mr. HUBERT. What is your full name, sir?
Mr. HOLLY. Harold B. Holly, Jr.
Mr. HUBERT. How old are you?
Mr. HOLLY. Forty-seven.
Mr. HUBERT. Where do you live?
Mr. HOLLY. 3429 Antilles, Mesquite.
Mr. HUBERT. Mesquite, it is not in Dallas?
Mr. HOLLY. No; it is Mesquite, Tex., a suburb.
Mr. HUBERT. Now, you are actually a reserve officer of the Dallas
police?
Mr. HOLLY. Yes.
Mr. HUBERT. How long have you been connected with the reserves?
Mr. HOLLY. Five years, going on six.
Mr. HUBERT. What is your occupation in civilian life?
Mr. HOLLY. General contractor and cabinetwork.
Mr. HUBERT. Do you own your own business?
Mr. HOLLY. Yes, sir. Nineteen years.
Mr. HUBERT. In that business?
Mr. HOLLY. Yes, sir.
Mr. HUBERT. I know that you performed some services as a reserve
officer on the 22d and 23d, but our inquiry now is as to the functions
you performed on the 24th, or perhaps you didn't perform?
Mr. HOLLY. Let's say the 23d and the 24th. The assassination took place
the 23d, right?
Mr. HUBERT. No, 22d.
Mr. HOLLY. 22d and 23d.
Mr. HUBERT. That was a Saturday. I am asking about Sunday the 24th.
Mr. HOLLY. I was up here all day Saturday. Sunday, I didn't
participate, as well as I can remember.
Mr. HUBERT. You had not anticipated being called?
Mr. HOLLY. No.
Mr. HUBERT. Were you, in fact, called on Sunday?
Mr. HOLLY. I don't recall now. It is pretty vague there. The day of
assassination I was called, and the day Oswald was shot, I was called.
Mr. HUBERT. Well, that was the 24th of November, a Sunday.
Mr. HOLLY. Sunday.
Mr. HUBERT. All right, how were you called?
Mr. HOLLY. I beg your pardon, I was here Friday. Friday, Saturday, and
Sunday; I sure was.
Mr. HUBERT. And at what time were you called on Sunday the 24th the day
Oswald was shot?
Mr. HOLLY. It was the morning. I believe it was around 9 o'clock and
they called and said for me to report downtown. They were going to try
to move him out around 2 o'clock. I immediately come to town.
Mr. HUBERT. You got into uniform?
Mr. HOLLY. Yes; and at the present time, I don't recall, because I got
down about 5 minutes after he was shot. I reported for duty at the
entrance of the Main Street entrance to the city hall.
Mr. HUBERT. He had already been shot?
Mr. HOLLY. Yes.
Mr. HUBERT. To whom did you speak who gave you that information?
Mr. HOLLY. Lieutenant Kriss.
Mr. HUBERT. Did you receive any assignment?
Mr. HOLLY. Yes. I was assigned to direct traffic and keep traffic from
bogging down in front of the city hall entrance. And I stayed there
approximately 30 minutes, and then I was reassigned out at Parkland
Hospital.
Mr. HUBERT. How did you go out there?
Mr. HOLLY. By the convenience of the city. We was hauled out in a squad
car.
Mr. HUBERT. Did you go out with any group?
Mr. HOLLY. Yes; I went out with a group. There were five in our group.
Mr. HUBERT. How long were you out there?
Mr. HOLLY. I was there approximately 3 hours.
Mr. HUBERT. Who was with you in that group?