The testimony of Detective James C. Watson was taken at 10 a.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 James C. Watson of the Dallas
Police Department. Mr. Watson, 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 provisions of President Johnson's Executive Order 11130,
dated November 29, 1963, a joint resolution of Congress 137 and
rules of procedure adopted by the Commission in conformance with the
Executive order and the joint resolution I have been authorized to
take a sworn deposition from you, Mr. Watson. I state to you 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 subsequent violent death of Lee Harvey Oswald. And in
particular, as to you, Mr. Watson, the nature of the inquiry today is
to determine what facts you know about the death of Oswald and any
other pertinent facts you may know about the general inquiry. Now, Mr.
Watson, you have appeared here today by virtue of a general request
made to Chief Curry by Mr. J. Lee Rankin, who is the general counsel
on the Staff of the President's Commission. Under the rules adopted by
the Commission you are entitled to a 3-day written notice prior to the
taking of this deposition, and the rules also provide that a witness
may waive his 3-day written notice and I will ask you now if you are
willing to waive the notice?
Mr. WATSON. Yes, sir.
Mr. HUBERT. Will you please stand and raise your right hand and be
sworn?
Do you solemnly swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing
but the truth, so help you God?
Mr. WATSON. I do.
Mr. HUBERT. Will you please state your full name?
Mr. WATSON. James C. Watson. James Colvin Watson.
Mr. HUBERT. Your age?
Mr. WATSON. 43.
Mr. HUBERT. Where do you live, sir?
Mr. WATSON. 2743 Clover Lane, Dallas.
Mr. HUBERT. Clover Lane. What is your occupation and how long have you
been so occupied?
Mr. WATSON. City detective. I have been with the police department 15
years, going on 16 years. Been a detective about 8 years.
Mr. HUBERT. Now, were your particular assignment and duties on November
22, 23, and 24 the same as today? That is to say, same department?
Mr. WATSON. Yes, sir.
Mr. HUBERT. What is that?
Mr. WATSON. Auto theft bureau.
Mr. HUBERT. Normally, of course, members of the auto theft bureau would
have nothing to do with homicide and so forth?
Mr. WATSON. No, sir; they just took men out of each bureau to help out
when they had the lunch out at The Trade Mart.
Mr. HUBERT. And you were simply assigned to assist in the transfer of
Oswald?
Mr. WATSON. Yes, sir.
Mr. HUBERT. And you were on duty that day?
Mr. WATSON. Yes, sir.
Mr. HUBERT. Now, I have marked for purposes of identification what
appears to be a photostatic copy of a letter dated November 22, 1963,
addressed to J. E. Curry, chief of police, apparently signed by you,
consisting of two pages and for the purpose of identification I mark
the first page as follows, to wit: "Dallas, Tex., March 26, 1964,
Exhibit 5102, deposition of J. C. Watson," and I have signed my name.
That inscription is in the right-hand margin of the letter, and on each
page I have placed my initials at the bottom of the page. I think you
have read that statement?
Mr. WATSON. Yes, sir.
Mr. HUBERT. Is that statement correct? Does it contain the truth?
Mr. WATSON. Yes, sir.
Mr. HUBERT. Any modifications or deletions or additions that you wish
to make concerning that letter?
Mr. WATSON. No, sir; only difference in that one that apparently either
FBI or Mr. Scott wrote, I show that I was in Jack Ruby's place, and it
says, "several" there, and I have only seen him one time prior to the
time this happened, and I only saw him after the shooting.
Mr. HUBERT. I think it would be proper for you--when we get to
discussing the FBI documents that you repeat that comment.
Mr. WATSON. Yes, sir.
Mr. HUBERT. I have also marked for the purposes of identification a
letter to Chief Curry dated November 30th, 1963, by C. C. Wallace and
P. G. McCaghren concerning an interview evidently with you. For the
purposes of identification I mark that with the following inscription,
"Dallas, Tex., March 26, 1964. Exhibit 5103, deposition of J. C.
Watson," and I sign my name. That consists of one page. Have you read
that, sir?
Mr. WATSON. Yes, sir; I have.
Mr. HUBERT. That's correct; isn't it?
Mr. WATSON. Yes, sir.
Mr. HUBERT. Now, in order that the record may show that we are both
talking about the same document I would like you to sign your name
below mine on both documents and initial the second page, as I have
done.
Mr. WATSON. Initial those pages?
Mr. HUBERT. No; sign your name below mine. Right there. That's right.
Mr. WATSON. And initial the second page?
Mr. HUBERT. Initial the second page just below my initial. While we
are on that second page I notice that is a photostatic copy and--the
signature, is that yours?
Mr. WATSON. Yes, sir.
Mr. HUBERT. Now, then, would you sign your name below mine on the
document marked Exhibit 5103? Now, I show you a document purporting
to be a report by FBI Agent Scott of an interview of you which took
place, apparently, on November 25, 1963, and for the purposes of
identification, I have marked that document in the right-hand margin
with the following inscription, to wit: "Dallas, Tex., March 26, 1964.
Exhibit 5104. Deposition of J. C. Watson. Leon D. Hubert, Jr." I wonder
if you would sign below my name so as the record may show that we are
talking about the same document?
Mr. WATSON. This is the one?
Mr. HUBERT. You are going to have an opportunity to make the
correction. Just for the purpose of identification put your name on it.
Now, as to this document, which has now been signed by both of us and
identified as 5104, I believe you have some comments to make?
Mr. WATSON. I believe--I thought it was, main letter, but it was my
second letter that states that I only saw Jack Ruby one time and the
FBI letter taken from it where they show that I had saw him on several
occasions. I only saw him one time. We went in there and stayed 10 or
15 minutes. I think we had a cup of coffee and sat and talked to him a
little bit, and that is the only occasion I have seen the man before I
saw him in the basement after the shooting.