Mr. STERN. Where?
Mr. HARGIS. It was to the left-hand side of the street from--south side
of Elm Street.
Mr. STERN. And then what did you do?
Mr. HARGIS. I ran across the street looking over towards the railroad
overpass and I remembered seeing people scattering and running and then
I looked----
Mr. STERN. People on the overpass?
Mr. HARGIS. Yes; people that were there to see the President I guess.
They were taking pictures and things. It was kind of a confused crowd.
I don't know whether they were trying to hide or see what was happening
or what--and then I looked over to the Texas School Book Depository
Building, and no one that was standing at the base of the building
was--seemed to be looking up at the building or anything like they knew
where the shots were coming from, so----
Mr. STERN. How about the people on the incline on the north side of Elm
Street? Do you recall their behavior?
Mr. HARGIS. Yes; I remember a man holding a child. Fell to the ground
and covered his child with his body, and people running everywhere,
trying to get out of there, I guess, and they were about as confused as
to where the shots were coming from as everyone else was.
Mr. STERN. And did you run up the incline on your side of Elm Street?
Mr. HARGIS. Yes, sir; I ran to the light post, and I ran up to this
kind of a little wall, brick wall up there to see if I could get a
better look on the bridge, and, of course, I was looking all around
that place by that time. I knew it couldn't have come from the county
courthouse because that place was swarming with deputy sheriffs over
there.
Mr. STERN. Did you get behind the picket fence that runs from the
overpass to the concrete wall?
Mr. HARGIS. No.
Mr. STERN. On the north side of Elm Street?
Mr. HARGIS. No, no; I don't remember any picket fence.
Mr. STERN. Did you observe anything then on the overpass, or on the
incline, or around the Depository? Anything out of the ordinary besides
people running?
Mr. HARGIS. No; I didn't. That is what got me.
Mr. STERN. So, at that point you were still uncertain as to the
direction of the shots?
Mr. HARGIS. Yes, uh-huh.
Mr. STERN. Then, what did you do?
Mr. HARGIS. Well, then, I thought since I had looked over at the Texas
Book Depository and some people looking out of the windows up there,
didn't seem like they knew what was going on, but none of them were
looking towards, or near anywhere the shots had been fired from. At the
time I didn't know, but about the only activity I could see was on the
bridge, on the railroad bridge so----
Mr. STERN. What sort of activity was that?
Mr. HARGIS. Well, the people that were up there were just trying to get
a better look at what was happening and was in a haze and running, or
in a confused fashion, and I thought maybe some of them had seen who
did the shooting and the rifle.
Mr. STERN. Then what did you do?
Mr. HARGIS. Then I got back on my motorcycle, which was still running,
and rode underneath the first underpass to look on the opposite side
in order to see if I could see anyone running away from the scene, and
since I didn't see anyone coming from that direction I rode under the
second underpass, which is Stemmons Expressway and went up around to
see if I could see anyone coming from across Stemmons and back that
way, and I couldn't see anything that was of a suspicious nature,
so, I came back to the Texas School Book Depository. At that time it
seemed like the activity was centered around the Texas School Book
Depository, so, that is when I heard someone say, one of the sergeants
or lieutenants, I don't know, "Don't let anyone out of the Texas School
Book Depository," and so, I went to a gap that had not been filled,
which was at the southwest corner.
Mr. STERN. And you remained there until you were relieved?
Mr. HARGIS. Yes.
Mr. STERN. Anything else that you haven't told us that you think is
relevant to our inquiry?
Mr. HARGIS. No; I don't believe so.
Mr. STERN. Thank you very much, Mr. Hargis.
The reporter will transcribe your testimony and have it available for
you to read and sign if you care to. Otherwise, you may waive your
right to review and sign the testimony and she will mail it direct to
the Commission, whichever you prefer. It is entirely your option.
Mr. HARGIS. Well; it really doesn't make any difference. It is more or
less what you all think is best.
Mr. STERN. It's entirely up to you.
Mr. HARGIS. Well, how long will it be until she fixes it up?
Mr. STERN. Well, off the record.
(Discussion off the record.)
Mr. STERN. On the record.
Mr. HARGIS. All right. Well, just go ahead and I will just let you go
ahead and send it in without the signature.
Mr. STERN. Thank you very much, Mr. Hargis.