The testimony of Don Ray Archer was taken at 8:20 p.m., on March 25,
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 Don Ray Archer, isn't that
correct?
Mr. ARCHER. Yes, sir.
Mr. HUBERT. Mr. Archer, my name is Leon D. Hubert. I am a member
of the advisory staff of the general counsel on the President's
Commission under provisions of Executive Order 11130, dated November
29, 1963, and the joint resolution of Congress No. 137, and the rules
of procedure adopted by the President's Commission in conformance with
the Executive order and the joint resolution. I have been authorized
to take a sworn deposition from you, among others. I state to you now
that the general nature of the Commission's inquiry is to ascertain,
evaluate, and report upon the facts relevant to the assassination of
President Kennedy and subsequent violent death of Lee Harvey Oswald. In
particular as to you, Mr. Archer, 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. Archer, you appear today by virtue of a general request made
by J. Lee Rankin, general counsel of the staff of the President's
Commission to Chief Curry. Under the rules adopted by the Commission,
you are entitled to a 3-day written notice prior to the taking of this
deposition, but the rules adopted by the Commission also provide that
a witness may waive this 3-day written notice if he so wishes. Now, do
you desire to waive that notice?
Mr. ARCHER. I will waive.
Mr. HUBERT. All right. Will you stand and raise your right hand.
Mr. HUBERT. Do you solemnly swear that you will tell the truth, the
whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God?
Mr. ARCHER. I do.
Mr. HUBERT. Will you state your name?
Mr. ARCHER. Don Ray Archer.
Mr. HUBERT. And your last name is Archer?
Mr. ARCHER. Yes.
Mr. HUBERT. Your age, sir?
Mr. ARCHER. I am 31.
Mr. HUBERT. Where do you reside?
Mr. ARCHER. 2035 San Francisco, Dallas, Tex.
Mr. HUBERT. What is your occupation?
Mr. ARCHER. I am police officer for the city of Dallas.
Mr. HUBERT. How long have you been on the police force of the city of
Dallas?
Mr. ARCHER. Ten years, May 31.
Mr. HUBERT. What particular duty or function do you have with the
police department?
Mr. ARCHER. I am a detective assigned to auto theft bureau.
Mr. HUBERT. Who is your immediate superior?
Mr. ARCHER. My immediate superior would be Lieutenant Smart, and then
Capt. J. C. Nichols, who is the head of our bureau.
Mr. HUBERT. Did you have the same position and rank and duties and
occupation during the period of November 22 to 24, 1963?
Mr. ARCHER. Yes; I did.
Mr. HUBERT. Now, where were you stationed when you first came on duty
on November 24, 1963?
Mr. ARCHER. On November 24, I reported for duty at 7 a.m., at the auto
theft bureau, which is my normal procedure when I report for work.
Mr. HUBERT. Then did you go about performing your regular duties in the
auto theft bureau, or were you assigned extra and other duties?
Mr. ARCHER. Well, at the beginning of the morning I was performing my
regular duties and carrying out my assignments and making my general
investigations.
Mr. HUBERT. That is in connection with routine auto thefts?
Mr. ARCHER. Yes, sir.
Mr. HUBERT. Were you taken from that routine of duties?
Mr. ARCHER. Yes, sir.
Mr. HUBERT. By whom, and at what time?
Mr. ARCHER. As I recall, and as near as I can recall, and this is only
approximate, about 8:40 a.m., Lieutenant Smart came into our bureau
and advised us that Chief Stevenson had asked us to stand by to remain
in that bureau, to await further orders, which we did. And I continued
carrying on what work I could there in the office concerning my reports.
Mr. HUBERT. So that the first order you got was to remain where you
were, not move out, and stand by?
Mr. ARCHER. Not to leave, that's right, and to be there.
Mr. HUBERT. All right. What happened after that?
Mr. ARCHER. Well, as near as I can remember we did stay in the--in the
bureau, or at least I did until, oh, I would say approximately 10:50
a.m. And that is only an approximate time because I don't remember
looking and seeing the exact time.
Mr. HUBERT. Well, what happened at that time?
Mr. ARCHER. At that time, Lieutenant Smart came in and, of course, we
had been aware that the subject, Oswald, would probably be transferred
that day.
Mr. HUBERT. What made you aware of this?
Mr. ARCHER. Well, for one thing, just the press itself, and quite a
bit in the papers and all. We just had it in our minds that we would.
Actually, nobody told me specifically that he would be, but like I say,
it was in my mind. I just had that impression.
Mr. HUBERT. So, at approximately 10:50, you received orders from whom,
you said?
Mr. ARCHER. Lieutenant Smart.
Mr. HUBERT. To do what?
Mr. ARCHER. He told us to follow him and to go to the basement, which
we did. We left our office and walked to the elevators, got in the
elevator and then proceeded into the basement.
Mr. HUBERT. Which elevator did you use?
Mr. ARCHER. We used the interior elevator, of which there are two
moving from the basement to the fourth floor. It is generally inside
the building.
Mr. HUBERT. The public elevator? Not the jail elevator?
Mr. ARCHER. Oh, no, sir.
Mr. HUBERT. You were in uniform?
Mr. ARCHER. No, no, sir; I was in civilian clothes, much as I am right
now. White shirt, tie and suit.
Mr. HUBERT. You don't wear uniforms?
Mr. ARCHER. No, sir; I am a plainclothes officer.
Mr. HUBERT. Now, you referred to "we" indicating that there were
several of you there. Who were the others? Do you remember?
Mr. ARCHER. I couldn't name you all the officers, I know Detective
Clardy and Detective McMillon and Detective Dawson and Lieutenant Smart
and myself were on this. We rode down in the same elevator. That's all
I recall. There were other officers that eventually gathered in the
basement, riding down, that is the only ones that I recall.
Mr. HUBERT. Did that party move as a party as you left the elevator?
Mr. ARCHER. As a group.
Mr. HUBERT. That is what I mean. Where did you move to from the
elevator?
Mr. ARCHER. Well, after we got onto the--into the basement--the
elevator door was open--now, we got off and walked to in front of the
jail office and I believe Lieutenant Smart told us to standby there
for further orders. Then he walked away, at that particular time and
I stayed standing against the south wall, the south wall which was
opposite the jail office.