The testimony of Willie B. Slack was taken at 11 a.m., on March 31,
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 Patrolman Willie--is that Willie?
Not William?
Mr. SLACK. Willie.
Mr. HUBERT. Willie B. Slack. Mr. Slack, my name is Leon Hubert. I am a
member of the advisory staff of the general counsel of the President's
Commission on the Assassination of President Kennedy. Under the rules
provided by the Executive Order 11130, dated November 29, 1963, and
the joint resolution of Congress, No. 137, together with the rules of
procedure adopted by the President's Commission in conformance with the
Executive order and joint resolution, I have been authorized to take a
sworn deposition from you, Mr. Slack.
I state to you now that the general nature of the Commission's inquiry
is to ascertain, evaluate and report upon the facts relating to the
assassination of President Kennedy, and the subsequent violent death of
Lee Harvey Oswald. In particular to you, Mr. Slack, the nature of the
inquiry today is to determine the facts that you know about the death
of Oswald, and any other pertinent facts you may know about the general
inquiry. Now, Mr. Slack, you have appeared here today by virtue of the
general request made to Chief Curry by J. Lee Rankin, who is general
counsel of the President's Commission. Under the rules adopted by
this Commission, you are entitled to a 3-day written notice that your
deposition is going to be taken, but the rules also provide that you
may waive the 3-day written notice if you see fit to do so. And are you
now willing to waive that 3-day notice?
Mr. SLACK. I do.
Mr. HUBERT. That being the case, will you stand and be sworn?
Do you solemnly swear then to tell the truth, the whole truth, and
nothing but the truth, so help you God?
Mr. SLACK. I do.
Mr. HUBERT. Will you state your name, please?
Mr. SLACK. W. B. Slack.
Mr. HUBERT. Your age?
Mr. SLACK. Thirty-nine.
Mr. HUBERT. Your residence?
Mr. SLACK. 5605 Sumatra, Dallas.
Mr. HUBERT. And your occupation?
Mr. SLACK. Patrolman.
Mr. HUBERT. How long have you been a patrolman on the Dallas Police
Force?
Mr. SLACK. Ten years.
Mr. HUBERT. What is your particular assignment?
Mr. SLACK. Working in the jail office.
Mr. HUBERT. What duties do you have there, in general?
Mr. SLACK. We answer the telephone, and when the officers bring the
worksheets down, we book them on a booking form.
Mr. HUBERT. In other words, book the prisoners in and out?
Mr. SLACK. Check them out when somebody comes in and pays them out.
Mr. HUBERT. When you say, "Pays them out," you mean, makes bond?
Mr. SLACK. Yes, sir; or writs.
Mr. HUBERT. Or writs? Oh, you mean if they are released on a writ?
Mr. SLACK. Yes, sir.
Mr. HUBERT. In other words, your office then is the control center, as
it were, for people coming in and people coming out?
Mr. SLACK. Yes, sir.
Mr. HUBERT. You work in shifts, of course, like all the rest of the
police?
Mr. SLACK. Yes, sir.
Mr. HUBERT. Were you on duty on November 24, 1963, the day that Oswald
was shot?
Mr. SLACK. Yes, sir.
Mr. HUBERT. What time did you come on duty?
Mr. SLACK. 6:30 a.m., in the morning.
Mr. HUBERT. You had what is called the first platoon, I think. Eleven
o'clock, oh, no--I beg your pardon. That would be the second platoon.
Mr. SLACK. Second platoon.
Mr. HUBERT. Comes on at 6:30 and goes off at 2:30?
Mr. SLACK. 2:30.
Mr. HUBERT. Therefore, you were there between 11 and the time Oswald
was shot?
Mr. SLACK. Yes, sir.
Mr. HUBERT. Do you know Jack Ruby?
Mr. SLACK. No, sir.
Mr. HUBERT. Had you ever seen him before that day?
Mr. SLACK. Not to my knowledge; no.
Mr. HUBERT. Do you recall the occasion when Oswald was brought down to
be transferred to the county jail?
Mr. SLACK. Yes, sir.
Mr. HUBERT. Well, tell us what you know about it in your own words.