Warren Commission (11 of 26): Hearings Vol. XI (of 15)United States. Warren Commission
History
Warren Commission (11 of 26): Hearings Vol. XI (of 15)
United States. Warren Commission
Kennedy, John F. (John Fitzgerald), 1917-1963 -- Assassination; Oswald, Lee Harvey
The testimony of Kerry Wendell Thornley was taken at 9:40 a.m., on May
18, 1964, at 200 Maryland Avenue NE., Washington, D.C., by Messrs. John
Ely and Albert E. Jenner, Jr., assistant counsel of the President's
Commission.
Mr. JENNER. Mr. Thornley, in the deposition you are about to give, do
you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?
Mr. THORNLEY. I do.
Mr. JENNER. You are Kerry Wendell Thornley, spelled K-e-r-r-y
W-e-n-d-e-l-l T-h-o-r-n-l-e-y?
Mr. THORNLEY. That is correct, sir.
Mr. JENNER. Mr. Thornley, where do you reside now?
Mr. THORNLEY. At 4201 South 31st Street in Arlington, Va.
Mr. JENNER. Did you at one time reside at 1824 Dauphine Street in New
Orleans?
Mr. THORNLEY. Yes, sir.
Mr. JENNER. What is your present occupation?
Mr. THORNLEY. I am a doorman at the building where I reside,
Shirlington House.
Mr. JENNER. Doorman.
Mr. THORNLEY. At the building where I reside.
Mr. JENNER. What is the name of that building?
Mr. THORNLEY. Shirlington House. I also work on the switchboard there
three nights a week.
Mr. JENNER. I see. By the way, Mr. Thornley, you received, did you not,
a letter from Mr. Rankin, the general counsel of the Commission in
which he enclosed----
Mr. THORNLEY. Confirming this appointment----
Mr. JENNER. Copies of the legislation, Senate Joint Resolution No. 137,
authorizing the creation of the Commission and President Johnson's
Order 11130, bringing the Commission into existence and fixing its
powers and duties and responsibilities?
Mr. THORNLEY. Yes, sir.
Mr. JENNER. And also a copy of the rules and regulations of the
Commission for the taking of depositions?
Mr. THORNLEY. Yes, sir.
Mr. JENNER. I take it you understand the basic obligation placed
upon the Commission is to investigate the facts and circumstances
surrounding and bearing upon the assassination of President Kennedy,
and events collateral thereto.
In the course of doing that the Commission and its staff, and I, Albert
E. Jenner, Jr., a member of the Commission legal staff, have been
interviewing and taking the testimony of various persons who, among
other things, came in contact with a man named Lee Harvey Oswald. We
understand that you had some contact with him, fortuitous or otherwise
as it might be. Are we correct in that?
Mr. THORNLEY. Yes, sir.
Mr. JENNER. Would you tell us the--may I ask you this first. Were you
born and reared in this country?
Mr. THORNLEY. Yes, sir.
Mr. JENNER. Are you married or unmarried?
Mr. THORNLEY. Unmarried.
Mr. JENNER. Unmarried you said?
Mr. THORNLEY. Yes, sir.
Mr. JENNER. What is your age?
Mr. THORNLEY. I am 26.
Mr. JENNER. When was your birthday?
Mr. THORNLEY. April 17, this last month.
Mr. JENNER. April 17 of this last month? I am poor in mathematics, what
year was your birth?
Mr. THORNLEY. 1938.
Mr. JENNER. When did you first become acquainted with him?
Mr. THORNLEY. I was--it was around Easter of 1959, either shortly
before or shortly after.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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