The testimony of Earle V. Brown was taken at 2:15 p.m., on April 8,
1964, in the office of the U.S. attorney, 301 Post Office Building,
Bryan and Ervay Streets, Dallas, Tex., by Mr. Joseph A. Ball, assistant
counsel of the President's Commission.
Mr. BALL. You have been sworn, so we will just continue with your
deposition, and your name is Earle V. Brown?
Mr. BROWN. Right; E-a-r-l-e (spelling).
Mr. BALL. Mr. Brown, I have had a map made here which I would like to
have you inspect here. The railroad overpass is shown--that runs in a
north and south direction?
Mr. BROWN. Yes.
Mr. BALL. And Stemmons Freeway overpass is shown--that runs north and
south, doesn't it?
Mr. BROWN. Right.
Mr. BALL. Were you on either one of those overpasses?
Mr. BROWN. Either one of those two there?
Mr. BALL. Yes.
Mr. BROWN. No, sir.
Mr. BALL. Where were you?
Mr. BROWN. On this overpass here--this TP Railroad overpass.
Mr. BALL. The overpass that runs in an east and west direction?
Mr. BROWN. Right--yes, sir.
Mr. BALL. Now, will you take this pen and draw on there your position
on the overpass?
Mr. BROWN. Well, you see, on this overpass, of course, there are the
tracks and then there is a railing and then there is a catwalk on each
side and we walked the catwalk, and we would come around on each end
and we would walk the tracks and come around there.
Mr. BALL. Where were you when you saw the President's car turn on
Houston and Elm Street?
Mr. BROWN. I was on the catwalk.
Mr. BALL. Can you mark your position?
Mr. BROWN. I would be--approximately in the center. (Instrument marked
by the witness, as requested by Counsel Ball.)
Mr. BALL. Have you marked the place where you were?
Mr. BROWN. Yes; it would be about the center of that.
Mr. BALL. Is that where you were when you heard the shots?
Mr. BROWN. Yes.
Mr. BALL. And did you see anybody out on the railroad overpass?
Mr. BROWN. No, sir; I didn't see anybody there.
Mr. BALL. You don't recall seeing anybody that would either be where
Elm goes under the overpass or where Main goes under the overpass--you
don't recall seeing anybody?
Mr. BROWN. No; I don't recall seeing anyone there.
Mr. BALL. You told me yesterday you saw some officers.
Mr. BROWN. Well, that would be the police officers--would be the only
ones I saw.
Mr. BALL. Do you know who those officers were?
Mr. BROWN. No, sir; at the time I did, but I wouldn't know now.
Mr. BALL. Did you see any officer on Stemmons Freeway where we have
positioned (1), (2), and (3) on this diagram?
Mr. BROWN. No, I didn't.
Mr. BALL. Now, the place where you marked your location--we will mark
that as Brown Exhibits--the X marks the position of Brown, is that
correct?
Mr. BROWN. Yes.
Mr. BALL. That's all. Thank you very much.
Mr. BROWN. All right. (Instrument marked by the reporter as "Brown
Exhibit A," for identification.)
Mr. BALL. Thank you very much for coming.
Mr. BROWN. All right.