The testimony of George Senator was taken at 9:45 a.m., on April 21,
1964, at 200 Maryland Avenue NE., Washington, D.C., by Messrs. Burt W.
Griffin and Leon D. Hubert, Jr., assistant counsel of the President’s
Commission. Dr. Alfred Goldberg, historian, was present.
Mr. HUBERT. This is the deposition of George Senator beginning at 9:45
a.m.
Mr. Senator, my name is Leon Hubert and this is Mr. Burt Griffin. We
are both members of the advisory staff of the President’s Commission.
Under the provisions of 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 the Executive order and
the joint resolution, we have both been authorized to take a sworn
deposition from you, Mr. Senator.
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 as to you, Mr. Senator, 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, and about
Jack Ruby.
Now, Mr. Senator, I think you have appeared today by virtue of written
request made to you by Mr. J. Lee Rankin, general counsel of the staff
of the President’s Commission. Is that a fact, sir?
Mr. SENATOR. Yes.
Mr. HUBERT. Did you receive that letter?
Mr. SENATOR. Yes.
Mr. HUBERT. What is the date of it?
Mr. SENATOR. April 16, 1964.
Mr. HUBERT. When did you receive it?
Mr. SENATOR. I received it Saturday. I don’t know what date it was.
What was the date Saturday?
Mr. HUBERT. Saturday would have been the 18th.
Now, under the rules adopted by the Commission, you are entitled to a
3-day written notice prior to the taking of the deposition, but the
rules adopted by the Commission also provide that a witness may waive
this notice, and I ask you now whether you do waive the notice in the
event that you did not get the full 3 days.
Mr. SENATOR. We will continue.
Mr. HUBERT. I understand by your answer that you say that you do waive
it.
Mr. SENATOR. I waive it.
Mr. HUBERT. All right, Mr. Senator. Will you rise now and take the oath?
Do you solemnly swear that the testimony you are about to give in this
matter will be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth,
so help you God?
Mr. SENATOR. I do.
Mr. HUBERT. Now will you state your full name?
Mr. SENATOR. George Senator.
Mr. HUBERT. How old are you, Mr. Senator?
Mr. SENATOR. Fifty years old. I was born in Gloversville, N.Y.
Mr. HUBERT. And when?
Mr. SENATOR. September 4, 1913.
Mr. HUBERT. What is your present address, that is residence?
Mr. SENATOR. Right now?
Mr. HUBERT. Yes.
Mr. SENATOR. 2255 Grand Concourse, Bronx, N.Y.
Mr. HUBERT. Is that your permanent residence?
Mr. SENATOR. No; I mean I just come up, you know, I just came to New
York about 2½ weeks ago and am staying with my sister temporarily.
Mr. HUBERT. Do you propose to go to another place, to move to another
place?
Mr. SENATOR. Eventually I will, yes; in New York, but momentarily I do
not know where.
Mr. HUBERT. In other words, you are staying at your sister’s home
temporarily?
Mr. SENATOR. Temporarily.
Mr. HUBERT. But your purpose is to live in New York?
Mr. SENATOR. Yes.
Mr. HUBERT. And you will, when you find an apartment, some other place
to live, move out from your sister’s house?
Mr. SENATOR. Yes.
Mr. HUBERT. I wonder if you would go over briefly in your own words the
facts of your life, particularly where you lived, and your occupation,
beginning actually with your education.
Mr. SENATOR. My education was up to the eighth grade.
Mr. HUBERT. And where was that?
Mr. SENATOR. Gloversville, N.Y.
Mr. HUBERT. Then after you finished the eighth grade, what did you do?
Mr. SENATOR. I moved to New York and went to work.
Mr. HUBERT. You mean New York City?
Mr. SENATOR. Yes; New York City. I lived with my sister, too. I mean I
moved in with my sister at that time.
Mr. HUBERT. That is the same sister you are now living with?
Mr. SENATOR. Yes.
Mr. HUBERT. What is her name, by the way?
Mr. SENATOR. Freda Weisberg, Mrs. A. J. Weisberg.
Mr. HUBERT. How long did you live with her?
Mr. SENATOR. Originally, let me say approximately about 3 years. I went
back and forth actually from New York back to home. Of course, I was
only in my teens then.
Mr. HUBERT. What sort of work did you do?
Mr. SENATOR. In New York I was working in a silk house, I was working
for a wholesaler where we delivered silk to the dress manufacturer.