The testimony of John L. Daniels was taken at 10 a.m., on April 1,
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 John L. Daniels.
Mr. DANIELS. That’s right.
Mr. HUBERT. Mr. Daniels, I have to read some things to you. Mr.
Daniels, my name is Leon D. Hubert, and I am a member of the advisory
staff of the General Counsel of the President’s Commission. Under the
Provisions of the Executive Order 11130, dated November 29, 1963,
the Joint Resolution of Congress No. 137, and the rules of procedure
adopted by the Commission in conformance with that Executive order
and the joint resolution, I have been authorized to take the sworn
deposition of you. I state to you now that the general nature of the
Commission’s inquiry is to ascertain, evaluate and report upon the
facts relative to the assassination of President Kennedy and the
subsequent violent death of Lee Harvey Oswald. In particular as to you,
Mr. Daniels, 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 including the parking of the car
that belonged to Mr. Ruby at the parking lot next to you, I think.
Now, Mr. Daniels, I understand that you received a letter from Mr. J.
Lee Rankin, General Counsel of the Commission asking you to appear to
have your testimony taken by this deposition. Did you receive that
letter over 3 days ago from today?
Mr. DANIELS. It has been longer than that.
Mr. HUBERT. It has been longer than that? All right, now, will you
stand and take the oath, please, and raise your right hand.
Do you solemnly swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing
but the truth, so help you God?
Mr. DANIELS. Yes, I do.
Mr. HUBERT. Will you state your name, please. Sit down, please.
Mr. DANIELS. My name is John L. Daniels.
Mr. HUBERT. And your age?
Mr. DANIELS. My age is 32.
Mr. HUBERT. Where do you live, Mr. Daniels?
Mr. DANIELS. 2314 South Boulevard.
Mr. HUBERT. South Boulevard, Dallas, Tex.?
Mr. DANIELS. That’s right.
Mr. HUBERT. What is your present occupation? Where do you work?
Mr. DANIELS. Working out of the Adolphus Garage now.
Mr. HUBERT. Adolphus Garage? That is connected to the Adolphus Hotel?
Mr. DANIELS. Across the street from it, but just the name of it. The
one connected to the Adolphus Hotel is onto the building.
Mr. HUBERT. I see, is that located at 1326 Commerce Street?
Mr. DANIELS. That’s right.
Mr. HUBERT. Now, on November 24, 1963, which was a Sunday, where were
you working?
Mr. DANIELS. Working for Norton parking lot.
Mr. HUBERT. Working for Ralph Norton, Norton’s Auto Park?
Mr. DANIELS. Yes, auto park right across from Western Union.
Mr. HUBERT. That is Main Street?
Mr. DANIELS. Main Street, 2335 Main.
Mr. HUBERT. Is there another parking lot next to yours?
Mr. DANIELS. The one just--used to be the same lot, but divided it up.
Mr. HUBERT. Do you know a man by the name of Theodore Jackson?
Mr. DANIELS. Yes, sir.
Mr. HUBERT. Who is he?
Mr. DANIELS. He is the colored fellow working in the next block to me.
On Sunday our lots work together.
Mr. HUBERT. What time did you go on duty at the parking lot, Mr.
Daniels, on November 24?
Mr. DANIELS. November 24?
Mr. HUBERT. That was the day that Oswald was shot in the jail.
Mr. DANIELS. It was somewhere around, I imagine it was after the shot
was made when I went on, and went down in the city hall, I imagine it
was about----
Mr. HUBERT. Well, I am talking about the time you went to work.
Mr. DANIELS. Time I went to work?
Mr. HUBERT. Yes.
Mr. DANIELS. Somewhere around 12 o’clock, I believe it was. I never did
pay much attention to the time.
Mr. HUBERT. Where did you come from when you went to work?
Mr. DANIELS. I came from home.
Mr. HUBERT. You hadn’t been hanging around the Main Street prior to
that, had you?
Mr. DANIELS. No; I hadn’t been hanging around there.