Chapter 1
, page 7; yes, sir.
Mr. RANKIN. Now, will you tell the Commission about what the regulation was?
Mr. ROWLEY. "The use of liquor. Employees are strictly enjoined to refrain from the use of intoxicating liquor during the hours they are officially employed at their post of duty or when they may reasonably expect that they may be called upon to perform an official duty."
The one that applies here--"However, all members of the White House detail and special agents cooperating with them on presidential and similar protective assignments are considered to be subject to call for official duty at any time while in travel status. Therefore, the use of intoxicating liquor of any kind, including beer and wine, by members of the White House detail and special agents cooperating with them or by special agents on similar assignments, while they are in a travel status, is prohibited."
Mr. RANKIN. Can you tell the Commission how many men were involved in these trips to the Press Club and the Cellar, where these things were done?
Mr. ROWLEY. There were 9 men involved at the Press Club, and there were 10 men involved at the Cellar.
Mr. RANKIN. Now, how many men, of those 10 men, were in the Presidential motorcade on the day of the assassination?
Mr. ROWLEY. Four--four men were in the followup car.
The CHAIRMAN. Who were they?
Mr. RANKIN. Do you know their names?
Mr. ROWLEY. Yes; Landis, Hill, Ready, and Bennett.
Mr. RANKIN. Did you make any investigation to determine whether or not their violation of the Secret Service regulations had anything to do with the assassination of the President?
Mr. ROWLEY. Yes. They performed their duties from the time they departed in the followup car from Love Field until the point of the tragedy in a most satisfactory manner. There was nothing deficient in their actions or their alertness. They went through the heaviest part of downtown Dallas, through the crowds, and performed in an exemplary manner.
Mr. RANKIN. How do you know that?
Mr. ROWLEY. From the reports that I got from their superiors.
Mr. RANKIN. In the work that you did with the White House detail before you became Chief of the Secret Service, did you know the various responsibilities of the members of the White House detail?
Mr. ROWLEY. Yes, sir.
Mr. RANKIN. Did you ever participate in such motorcades yourself?
Mr. ROWLEY. I have; yes, sir.
Mr. RANKIN. How much?
Mr. ROWLEY. Well, I have participated, in rough numbers, over a period of 22 years--roughly, maybe, a thousand or more.
Mr. RANKIN. Will you briefly describe the functions of the Secret Service agents in connection with the President's car?
The CHAIRMAN. Have you finished this other matter?
Mr. RANKIN. No; I just wanted to----
The CHAIRMAN. All right. Go right ahead.
Mr. ROWLEY. When the President's car leaves the airport or a railroad station or any other location, the agents accompany him to the car and stand to the right and left, in the same order as their designated positions on the followup car, and screen him. And then the car moves out, slowly, because the rest of the cars have to have an opportunity to follow in the motorcade, so that none lingers behind, or is left behind. And then the agent in the lead car determines that the motorcade is intact and is moving, then he steps up his speed, which is a cue to the Presidential driver to step up his speed, and then they go at a speed consistent with the crowd that is there, and so forth.
Now, upon leaving the airport, if there is a huge crowd there, the men are still on the ground running on the right and left side of the President, both rear and front of the vehicle. After they get out of the crowd, then the men in the front beside the Presidential vehicle drop back and take their positions in the followup car.
This is so that they are not in the way of the men running on the right and left rear. They move back last and have a clear opportunity to jump onboard the followup car in the event the speed of the motorcade is stepped up.
When the motorcade comes to intersections or turns which are always vulnerable points, in that if you make a right turn, that is the closest point for someone to come out, the agents on the right side before reaching that point, will jump off, to be available alongside the President's car in the event someone darts out with some malicious plan.
There have also been times when, innocently, ladies and young people will come out to throw a bouquet of flowers. And then if there is a crowd that is sparse, they return to their position in the followup car.
Now, when they come into a big crowd, they take it on foot, and at a little jog, if necessary.
In some instances, if the crowd continues for a prolonged distance, the agents work together. In other words, there are rear steps on the right and left rear of the Presidential car with handrails. These have two purposes. One, for agents to ride on and to screen the President from anything from above; the second, in a situation like this, to keep an additional man available in case of trouble, and also to alternate with the men to the right rear of the President, who are jogging along warding off the crowd.
Mr. RANKIN. Now, what positions did the four men that you referred to that were involved in the press club and the Cellar matter occupy on the day of the assassination?
Mr. ROWLEY. Well, Mr. Ready occupied the right front, Mr. Landis to his rear----
Mr. RANKIN. What do you mean by right front?
Mr. ROWLEY. Right front running board position of the followup car. It was his responsibility or duty to jump off in crowds and to take the position at the right rear of the President's car.
Mr. Landis, if necessary, to jump off if the occasion demanded and take the right front of the President's car.
Mr. Hill was on the left front running board of the followup car, and his responsibility was at the rear of the President's car. His position was assigned there because he was in charge of the First Lady's detail, and she was seated on the left side.
And Mr. McIntyre was to his rear on the left running board. So his assignment would have been up to the left front of the President's car. Mr. Bennett was in the rear seat of the followup car.
Mr. RANKIN. Now, how can you tell that the fact that they were out as they were the night before and violated the regulations, had nothing to do with the assassination?
Mr. ROWLEY. Well, based on the reports of my investigating agents and the facts as to how they performed at the time of the tragedy. Mr. Hill, who was on the left side, responded immediately--as he looked toward the Presidential car, being on the left side, he scanned from left to right, and when he saw there was something happening to the President following a noise, he immediately jumped from his position to get aboard from his side.
Mr. Ready scanned to the right so he was looking away from the President, because he was looking around from the right side. As a consequence, he wasn't aware of what was happening in the front. The car was also going on a turn at that time.
Mr. RANKIN. What about the other two?
Mr. ROWLEY. The other two were watching--they reacted normally--the man on the left side looked to his left rear, and the man, Landis, looked to his right rear.
Mr. RANKIN. Have you done anything to discipline these men for violation of the regulations of the Secret Service?
Mr. ROWLEY. Well, I did consider what type of punishment would be provided.
Then I also considered the fact that these men in no way had--their conduct had no bearing on the assassination. And, therefore, I thought that in the light of history, to place a stigma on them by punishing them at that time, from which inevitably the public would conclude that they were responsible for the assassination of the President--I didn't think this was fair, and that they did not deserve that, with their family and children.
(At this point, Representative Ford entered the hearing room.)
Mr. DULLES. May I ask one question there?
You described the assignment of the four men with respect to the followup car and the President's car. Do they have different assignments with regard to watching what is happening around them, or does that depend on the circumstances in which they are?
Mr. ROWLEY. Both. When they start off they have a certain area that they have to watch. Like the man in the right front would naturally watch slightly to the right and in front of him. The fellow on the side, behind him, will watch to the right and rear. In other words, as they are going by a building, he should scan the building. In the meantime, he picks up where the man in the front has finished. In other words, the scan of the man in the front will cover the building to his front and side; the fellow behind will scan alongside from rear to forward. Their scanning joins. This is the way they are accustomed to doing it.
Mr. DULLES. Who would cover straight ahead?
Mr. ROWLEY. The man in the front seat has that responsibility.
Mr. RANKIN. Chief Rowley, how do you construe subparagraph (c) of your regulation 10 regarding the use of alcoholic liquors?
The CHAIRMAN. Will you read it for the record?
Mr. RANKIN. Will you kindly read it?
Mr. ROWLEY. "Violation or slight disregard of the above paragraphs or the excessive or improper use of intoxicating liquor at any time will be cause for removal from the service. In interpreting the words 'excessive' and 'improper,' slight evidence tending to indicate unusual or questionable conduct will be considered proof that the use of liquor has been improper or excessive. Association with others who drink to excess will be considered as an indication of using more than a moderate amount of liquor. The excuse that liquor was used for medicinal purposes will not be accepted."
Mr. RANKIN. How do you construe and apply that?
Mr. ROWLEY. Well, in this instance, it was wrong.
Mr. RANKIN. Now, were these men under this regulation considered to be on travel status, so that they should not be using intoxicating liquor?
Mr. ROWLEY. Yes, sir.
Mr. RANKIN. And there is no question about that in your mind?
Mr. ROWLEY. No, sir.
Mr. RANKIN. Has anything been done to reprimand and cause them to realize that this is a violation of your regulations?
Mr. ROWLEY. They were interviewed by the inspector at the time. The seriousness of the matter was impressed upon them. And I think they recognize the seriousness of their acts.
The men we recruit are men that are college graduates and mature, and we screen them very carefully, particularly before we assign them to the White House detail. They know and we know that they are in a fishbowl 24 hours a day, and that, therefore, their conduct is always subject to scrutiny, and so forth, and that they are responsible individuals. Their records have indicated that they have been performing in a high degree. They have worked endless hours of overtime. They are dedicated. And if they were not, they would not be on the detail.
They realize the seriousness of the violation, and I went over it with my special agent in charge. He understands it. And I am quite sure that they all understand it at this time.
Mr. RANKIN. I would like to have you examine Commission Exhibit No. 1018, Chief Rowley, and see if that is the regulation of the Secret Service that you have been referring to.
Mr. ROWLEY. Yes; that is what I have been reading here, sir.
Mr. RANKIN. Mr. Chief Justice, I would like to offer as a part of the record the regulation, Commission Exhibit No. 1018.
The CHAIRMAN. It may he admitted.
(The document was marked for identification as Commission Exhibit No. 1018, and received in evidence.)
Mr. RANKIN. Chief Rowley, have you had any other complaints similar to this in regard to the conduct of the Secret Service agents on the Presidential or White House detail?
Mr. ROWLEY. We had one in the last month. We had charges leveled at us by an agent of the Secret Service----
Mr. RANKIN. Will you tell us about that?
Mr. ROWLEY. Who is currently under indictment, and who will be brought to trial on criminal charges on the 29th of June. And, for that reason, while I have no reluctance to discuss it, I think we should go off the record, because I don't want to in any way prejudice the case.
The CHAIRMAN. There is no reason to discuss that case here, Chief.
Is there anything in particular that would affect this situation you wanted to know about, Mr. Rankin?
Mr. RANKIN. Mr. Chief Justice, the only thing would be the investigation as to whether or not there was comparable conduct. I didn't know whether the Commission would like to know what that investigation was and what the results of it were.
The CHAIRMAN. Well, I suppose there is no objection to the Chief telling us what this complaint was, but not insofar as it bears on the crime that he is charged with.
Mr. ROWLEY. Well, it ties in with the crime, because he said he was framed.
Now, he said he was framed because he was prepared to go before your Commission, sir, to testify about this thing that happened 3 years ago, and in the charges he said he advised me, as well as others, and nothing was done. He said he was framed for this reason.
The CHAIRMAN. Had he ever made any complaint to you before?
Mr. ROWLEY. He had never made any complaint to me. It came as a complete surprise.
Representative FORD. The complaint to you came subsequent to the filing of criminal charges against him?
Mr. ROWLEY. He said he had made the charges at the time the alleged incidents occurred, Mr. Congressman, that he notified me, before he left an assignment 3 years ago.
Let me give you the background, so there is no misunderstanding. We have what we call an orientation program. The men we recruit from the colleges, and the type of men that we want, we cannot always get off the civil service roster. Therefore, we have an understanding with Civil Service that we can take men under schedule A. Within a period of 2 years, they will have to be assigned to the White House or dropped from the Service.
Now, in order to determine their ability and fitness for assignment, since some people are better criminal investigators than they are in protection work, we have an orientation program which includes duty on the White House detail. Mr. Bolden was one of the men selected to come in the summer of 1961. He was also a replacement for some regular agent on the detail who was on leave. It was a 30-day assignment. This afforded us an opportunity to observe him, determine whether he was equipped and so forth.
And he was on the White House detail for this short period of time. The time that he describes was a 5-day weekend up in Hyannis Port.
Mr. RANKIN. I don't think that quite answers----
Mr. ROWLEY. I am giving the background.
Mr. RANKIN. I think the question is as to when you got the complaint.
Mr. ROWLEY. Well--excuse me. [Continuing.] Before he left his detail assignment, you see, he alleges that he told me about the condition that was going on up in Hyannis.
Representative FORD. Before he left on this 30-day assignment?
Mr. ROWLEY. When he left to return to his office in Chicago.
Mr. RANKIN. And what is the fact in that regard?
Mr. ROWLEY. The fact is he never informed me. He never informed any of his supervisors or anyone on the detail.
Mr. RANKIN. I think the record should show, Mr. Chairman, that we were never advised that he wanted to testify, nor had we any inquiry or anything about the matter, until after we learned about it in the newspapers. And, even then, he didn't ask to testify. And we asked the FBI to check into it, and he had counsel, and they refused to tell anything about the matter at that time.
Mr. DULLES. Could I ask a question?
Did I understand you to say that the Civil Service prescribes that certain men must be assigned to the White House for a certain detail?
Mr. ROWLEY. No, Mr. Dulles; we have an arrangement with the Civil Service that they will permit us to recruit these men, not from the register, but under what they call schedule A. They give us an opportunity, 2 years, to train these men, with the understanding that within 2 years' time they will have to be assigned to the White House detail or we will not be able to retain them in the Service.
However, during that 2 years, we urge them to take the civil service examination, so that they get on the register. And then when they do--quite frequently this occurs--they are selected from the register, and once they become permanent, if they are not interested in the White House detail, then they continue their work as a criminal investigator in the field.
Mr. DULLES. But if they do not take that special examination, then--and become a part of the civil service, then they have to be assigned to the White House, to stay on?
Mr. ROWLEY. Yes.
Mr. DULLES. I was a little worried when you said certain people had to be assigned to the White House, that you were under compulsion to assign certain people to the White House in order to retain them.
Mr. ROWLEY. No; anyone who works in the White House, whether he is an electrician, a painter, or anything, for a period of 2 years, he automatically becomes eligible for permanent civil service status.
Representative FORD. Is that by law or by regulation?
Mr. ROWLEY. That I cannot say. I would always interpret it as under law. I may be wrong on that, Mr. Ford, but this is what happens. When our men spend 2 years on the detail at the White House, they come within that classification.
Mr. RANKIN. Chief, can you clarify Commissioner Dulles' inquiry? The Civil Service does not direct that you put certain people in the White House?
Mr. ROWLEY. Oh, no; we do that in order to--I see your point, sir. We do that in order to give them the permanency that they should have to continue their employment with the Secret Service.
Mr. RANKIN. But that is the choice of the Secret Service rather than anybody else?
Mr. ROWLEY. Yes, sir.
Mr. DULLES. I gather the Civil Service prescribed if they did not do this, they could not be retained. Is that correct?
Mr. ROWLEY. That is right. In other words----
Mr. DULLES. There is some pressure, I should think.
Mr. ROWLEY. There is no pressure, because we voluntarily entered into an agreement with them, sir, for this arrangement, explaining that we frequently don't get from the register the type of men that we want, and that, therefore, we want the opportunity to recruit the men from the universities or colleges. Once they have served on the White House detail for a period of 2 years, then they would get this permanent status. However, during the 2 years, they have an opportunity and they are encouraged to take the civil service examination, so they get career status. But there is no pressure from the Civil Service. It is a convenience or agreement that they have arranged with us.
Mr. RANKIN. Maybe I can help, Chief. Schedule A is an exemption from the regular civil service roster, is it not?
Mr. ROWLEY. That is correct.
Mr. RANKIN. And the register is a list of employees from which you have to otherwise select Government employees if they are not exempt by reason of their positions, is that correct?
Mr. ROWLEY. That is right.
Representative FORD. In other words, Civil Service Commission has set up for the White House detail all inclusive----
Mr. ROWLEY. Not necessarily for the White House detail, Mr. Ford. For the Secret Service--to allow us to get the type of individuals that we want for both criminal investigation and protective work. Because if you say exclusively for the White House detail, the fellow might not be equipped for the White House detail.
Representative FORD. In other words, every person recruited by Secret Service for any capacity is recruited in the first instance under schedule A.
Mr. ROWLEY. Yes; if he hasn't--if he is not on the register for civil service. We first go to the Civil Service, when we want to select somebody, to see if there is anyone on there that meets our qualifications. And then, if not, then we hire them under schedule A, which is sort of a blanket exemption.
Representative FORD. But I gather from what you have said, or I think you are intimating that most of your recruiting actually is from colleges, and they are under schedule A.
Mr. ROWLEY. That is right; yes, sir. Most of them from your State, sir--Michigan State University.
Representative FORD. It is a fine school.
Mr. ROWLEY. That is where it started, actually. They were the first ones. Now we also recruit on the west coast, in California, they have terrific schools out there.
Mr. RANKIN. Chief Rowley, I don't think you covered the Bolden matter as to whether you had an investigation made. Did you?
Mr. ROWLEY. Yes; I did, sir.
Mr. RANKIN. Did you find out anything about the conduct of your agents?
Mr. ROWLEY. I found out there was no truth to the charges of misconduct. There were 11 charges lodged against us.
One charge, the ninth charge, a part of it was true. The boys did contribute for food. In other words, up there in Hyannis, when they are up there for a week, or a weekend, they would be assigned to a house, which economically was beneficial to them. One shift, and some of the drivers would be in this house. This house was in a remote area from the shopping area and so forth. So they agreed when they arrived there to contribute, to buy food for breakfast, it being an 8 to 4 shift. Eight to four meant they would have breakfast there and dinner.
Mr. RANKIN. What do you mean by that, Chief? Did they get a certain house and were able to live together there to reduce their expenses?
Mr. ROWLEY. That is correct.
Mr. RANKIN. And then they each contributed to that common expense?
Mr. ROWLEY. That is correct.
Mr. RANKIN. And did someone cook for them?
Mr. ROWLEY. One of the agents who enjoyed it as a hobby cooked the meals for them, while the others took care of the dishes.
Mr. RANKIN. They did contribute to supporting that?
Mr. ROWLEY. They contributed to supporting that, sir.
Mr. RANKIN. Was there criticism of that action?
Mr. ROWLEY. There was criticism of the action to this extent: That when they went shopping they bought two or three cases of beer which they had available in the icebox when the men came off duty in the evening.
Mr. RANKIN. Now, were they on a travel status or subject to----
Mr. ROWLEY. Not on travel status under our regulations. They could be there a week, and they would be working their 8 hours. They were not working any longer than their 8 hours. It was comparable to their assignment here in Washington.
Mr. RANKIN. So it was really a summer White House position?
Mr. ROWLEY. Summer White House is what we called it.
Mr. RANKIN. And did you investigate the charges to see whether they were valid?
Mr. ROWLEY. I investigated. This portion was correct. There was some substance to that portion.
He also said he was left on post for a period of 2 hours and wasn't relieved. That an agent had used this time to take care of his private car. We established there was no agent up there who had a private car.
Further, we established that he was left on post because according to our arrangements it was routine that whenever the President went out for a cruise, the agents on the outer perimeter at the time would remain on duty, and the agents in the inner perimeter would accompany the President on the cruise in the followup boat. Naturally, when they were out on the boat, there was no one available to start what we call the push, to rotate the men from one post to another. In other words, in the White House or any place where we establish posts, every half hour one man starts from the office and starts making the push. The first man is relieved and he relieves the next one, so there is no monotony on their jobs. They each have a different area. They are conversant or acquainted with each and every phase of the physical area. But because he was on one post, and not relieved, he complained.
So the next day, to bend over backwards, and show there was not any prejudice, the agent in charge took him on the cruise, so he would not feel he was being ignored.
Mr. RANKIN. Now, from your investigation, did you find any violation at Hyannis of the regulations of the Secret Service?
Mr. ROWLEY. No, sir.
Mr. RANKIN. Have you been informed of any other claims that Secret Service agents had been violating the regulations while on duty?
Mr. ROWLEY. No, sir; I haven't been informed of any others. And it seems in the last few days or few weeks we have been getting complaints that we haven't had in many years. And I think, as I mentioned earlier, because of the fact that we are very careful with the type of men we screen, their record has been above reproach over the years. They have conducted themselves in an exemplary manner. My files are replete with commendations on behalf of the agents wherever they have traveled and worked with committees and individuals in connection with Presidential travels, both here and abroad, which testifies to the impression that they have made.
Mr. RANKIN. Have you ever had a Secret Service agent indicted or a complaint filed against him, a criminal complaint, prior to this time?
Mr. ROWLEY. This is the first time I remember anything like this happening since I have been with the Secret Service.
Representative FORD. Mr. Rankin, I don't recall Chief Rowley saying precisely what the reprimands were specifically for these violations of the regulations in this one instance.
You spoke highly of their background, and you spoke very high in their praise. But I did not hear what reprimand, if any, had actually been lodged against them.
Mr. ROWLEY. There was no reprimand. You are talking about the current thing?
Representative FORD. I am talking about the Dallas trip.
Mr. ROWLEY. I stated in considering what would be an appropriate punishment at the time, I felt that these men, by their conduct, had no bearing on the assassination of the President in Dallas. That to institute formal punishment or disciplinary action would inevitably lead the public to conclude that they were responsible for the assassination of President Kennedy. I did not think in the light of history that they should be stigmatized with something like that, or their families or children. And, for that reason, I took the position that I did.
Representative FORD. So there was no official reprimand or disciplinary
## action?
Mr. ROWLEY. No, sir.
Mr. RANKIN. Did you talk to the agents, to indicate and make it plain to them that this was a violation of the regulations?
Mr. ROWLEY. I talked to some of the agents, as did my inspector at the time, who interviewed each and every one of them.
Mr. RANKIN. And I think the Commission would be interested in whether you can be assured, or assure them that the action you took was sufficient so that this would not happen again.
Mr. ROWLEY. Well, I am confident that it would not happen again, Mr. Rankin.
Mr. RANKIN. Can you tell us why you think so?
Mr. ROWLEY. Because they realize the seriousness of their action.
Initially I can understand the situation--they thought they were going for a dinner, buffet, and they got into the place and it wasn't there.
I talked personally with the agents there, and they just thought while they were there they would have a drink. It was one of those situations.
The important thing was that it was pointed out to them this was wrong, this was a violation. These men are young men with futures, they realize the true situation, innocent as they may have seemed to think it was.
But I am quite confident that we will not have a repetition of that.
And in talking to Mr. Behn--I am confident, too, in him--I know that he will see to it that they are well supervised.
Mr. RANKIN. When they are out on a trip of this kind, Chief Rowley, as I understand your regulations, it is understood by the regulations and by the Secret Service that they are on duty all the time--that is, subject to call?
Mr. ROWLEY. Yes, sir.
Mr. RANKIN. And even though it is late in the evening or they had gone to bed in the early hours of the morning, they could be called to go on duty and perform their responsibility of taking care of the President or the Vice President, or whoever they are charged with; is that right?
Mr. ROWLEY. That is right.
Mr. RANKIN. So that do they understand that when they are out on that kind of duty, they are subject to call at all times, and anything they do contrary to regulations is a violation, because they are subject to the call and must be ready at any moment to perform their duties.
Mr. ROWLEY. They certainly do, because there have been situations, whether or not they have had it with the Kennedy administration I don't know--but I know there have been situations where we have moved fast, all hours of the night. I remember one instance, that has never been disclosed--as Mr. Dulles knows, you never advertise your successes, you just get the other things--that I would like to give you as an example off the record, to answer your question, if I may.
The CHAIRMAN. Off the record.
(Discussion off the record.)
The CHAIRMAN. Back on the record.
Chief, it seems to me that on an assignment of that kind, to be alert at all times is one of the necessities of the situation. And I just wonder if you believe that men who did what these men did, being out until early morning hours, doing a little--even a small amount of drinking--would be as alert the next day as men should be when they are charged with the tremendous responsibility of protecting the President.
Mr. ROWLEY. Well, we checked on that, Mr. Chief Justice, and the agent in charge reported that they were in good physical condition. I don't condone these late hours; no. This is not a rule. This case is an exception. However, because of the activities of any travel such as the Presidents today make from one place to another, to maybe seven States in a weekend, there is constant going.
I don't condone this at all. But these men are young. They are of such age that I think that they responded in this instance adequately and sufficiently as anyone could under the circumstances.
The CHAIRMAN. Well, I am thinking of this. As you go along in the motorcade, you have men who are scanning the buildings along the way, don't you?
Mr. ROWLEY. Yes, sir.
The CHAIRMAN. And they have submachineguns in one of the cars.
Mr. ROWLEY. No; for security reasons, I would like to--we don't have machine-guns now, sir.
The CHAIRMAN. I just thought I heard that from the record here, that they had some kind of guns.
Mr. ROWLEY. They had a weapon, a new weapon; yes, sir.
Mr. CHAIRMAN. Well, whatever it is.
Now, other people, as they went along there, even some people in the crowds, saw a man with a rifle up in this building from which the President was shot. Now, don't you think that if a man went to bed reasonably early, and hadn't been drinking the night before, would be more alert to see those things as a Secret Service agent, than if they stayed up until 3, 4, or 5 o'clock in the morning, going to beatnik joints and doing some drinking along the way?
Mr. ROWLEY. If I remember that witness' testimony--and that was one of the first statements that he made--that witness was with his wife, and he happened to look up there, and I think he said, "There is a man with a rifle, it is a Secret Service man," and let it go at that. He didn't inform any of the authorities.
The CHAIRMAN. No; nobody did. But I say wouldn't an alert Secret Service man in this motorcade, who is supposed to observe such things, be more likely to observe something of that kind if he was free from any of the results of liquor or lack of sleep than he would otherwise?
Mr. ROWLEY. Well, yes; he would be. But then, on the other hand, Mr. Chief Justice, in some instances the men come in from a trip at 1:30 in the morning, which there have been cases on travels that I have made, and have to be up at 3:30 or 4 o'clock, and out in time for a 5 o'clock departure. Then you go all that day until 1 or 2 o'clock the next morning. This is what has happened in the past.
The CHAIRMAN. I am not talking about the past. We are talking about nine men here who were out until rather unusual hours of the morning.
Mr. ROWLEY. Yes, sir.
The CHAIRMAN. They were to be on duty the next day.
The next day--or if not sooner.
The next day they were supposed to be alert to anything that might occur along the line of march. Don't you think that they would have been much more alert, sharper, had they not been doing these things?
Mr. ROWLEY. Yes, sir; but I don't believe they could have prevented the assassination.
The CHAIRMAN. Isn't it a substantial violation of these rules to do a thing of that kind?
Mr. ROWLEY. Yes, sir--on the basis of this section here.
The CHAIRMAN. Yes.
Now, Chief I noticed, also, in reading some of the reports that three of these men whom you speak of, were actually on night duty, protecting the life of the President. And around 4 o'clock in the morning, when they were protecting him at the Texas Hotel, they said that they had a coffee break, and they went from the hotel over to the beatnik joint. Now, is that consistent with your regulations?
Mr. ROWLEY. In this case, I talked to these three agents. They were relieved at different times--because their posts are in the corridor of a stuffy hotel----
The CHAIRMAN. Of the what?
Mr. ROWLEY. The corridor that they were on post outside the President's suite was a stuffy one, and they went downstairs to get a breath of fresh air. And they walked--it was a block--and out of curiosity they went into this place. One fellow looked in and left, he didn't buy any coffee. Another fellow went in and felt, I suppose, when he went in that he would buy a cup of coffee. But they were on what we call reliefs, the same as we relieve them around the White House. There are only so many posts, but you have a group of men in one of the rooms of the hotel where they are available, like an alert squad, and they relieve everyone on post every half hour. It is a part of the rotation of positions we have.
The CHAIRMAN. Do you have any regulations concerning where they shall remain when they are relieved for this short period of time?
Mr. ROWLEY. No, sir.
The CHAIRMAN. They can go any place they want?
Mr. ROWLEY. No; not any place. They usually stay within the immediate confines. That is understood. The hotel or the residence.
The CHAIRMAN. Well, they didn't do that here, did they?
Mr. ROWLEY. No, sir.
The CHAIRMAN. They went to the beatnik joint.
Mr. ROWLEY. Yes, sir.
The CHAIRMAN. Now, is that consistent with their duty?
Mr. ROWLEY. No; it is not consistent or inconsistent with their duty. But as they explained to me, they wanted to get a breath of fresh air. If they are at a residence in a remote place, and they want to walk around the area, they might walk maybe a city block or so, which is what they do on a lot of these assignments--particularly in hotels. This was not an air-conditioned hotel.
The CHAIRMAN. It would seem to me that a beatnik joint is a place where queer people of all kinds gather anyway, and that the mere fact that these men did leave their post of duty might be an indication to someone that the President was not being protected, and might leave an opening for them to go there and try to do something.
Mr. ROWLEY. They were relieved, Mr. Chief Justice. They didn't leave their post of duty. They would not leave their post of duty until they were relieved by someone.
The CHAIRMAN. As I understood the report, they said they left for a coffee break.
Mr. ROWLEY. Well, it is an expression. They left to have coffee, sir.
The CHAIRMAN. Was there any place for coffee in the hotel?
Mr. ROWLEY. I think there was a coffee shop in the hotel; yes, sir.
The CHAIRMAN. That was the only place in town, as I understood, from the reports, outside of the beatnik place they could. But they went down to the beatnik place. Did they do that by prearrangement with the other agents?
Mr. ROWLEY. No, sir; it was curiosity on their part. They hadn't seen the other agents. There was no arrangement of any nature at all, sir.
The CHAIRMAN. But they did there meet other agents?
Mr. ROWLEY. They saw other agents--those that were in the place at the time they looked in. I think they came in after most had left, though.
Mr. DULLES. Were these men off duty for the night or were they going back on duty immediately after this break?
Mr. ROWLEY. No; they were on duty. They were the midnight shift, Mr. Dulles, from 12 to 8 a.m.
Mr. DULLES. They were going back on duty?
Mr. ROWLEY. They were going back on duty; yes, sir; in 10 minutes, 15 minutes.
Mr. DULLES. I see.
Representative FORD. And they did go back on duty and relieve somebody subsequent to this?
Mr. ROWLEY. That is right; yes, sir.
Mr. RANKIN. Chief Rowley, did you give the Commission a letter as of May 5 of this year in regard to this Dallas matter concerning the Press Club and the Cellar?
Mr. ROWLEY. Yes, sir.
Mr. RANKIN. And is that letter correct in regard to what happened as far as you know?
Mr. ROWLEY. Yes, sir.
Mr. RANKIN. And did you make available to the Commission the statements of each agent signed by the agent?
Mr. ROWLEY. Yes, sir.
Mr. DULLES. I think you said Dallas. Did you not mean Fort Worth?
Mr. RANKIN. Yes--it should be Fort Worth, I am sorry. Thank you.
I hand you Commission Exhibit No. 1019 and ask you if that is your letter of May 5 that we have just referred to.
(The document referred to was marked Commission Exhibit No. 1019 for identification.)
Mr. ROWLEY. Yes, sir.
Mr. RANKIN. Mr. Chairman, I offer in evidence Commission Exhibit No. 1019.
The CHAIRMAN. It may be admitted.
(The document heretofore marked for identification as Commission Exhibit No. 1019, was received in evidence.)
The CHAIRMAN. Chief, I notice in the report that was made that while your inspector found that no one--no member of the Secret Service was intoxicated at the club--but that there was someone connected with the group who was intoxicated.
Mr. ROWLEY. Yes, sir.
The CHAIRMAN. I wonder if that also wasn't a violation of that portion of the rule which says, "In interpreting the words 'excessive' and 'improper' slight evidence tending to indicate unusual or questionable conduct will be considered proof that the use of liquor has been improper or excessive. Association with others who drink to excess will be considered as an indication of using more than a moderate amount of liquor."
Did you call that to the attention of your people?
Mr. ROWLEY. Yes, sir. They ran into that individual as they were entering--two agents ran into this individual as they were entering the Fort Worth Club.
The CHAIRMAN. Go ahead.
Mr. RANKIN. Chief Rowley, I hand you Commission Exhibit No. 1020, and ask you if that is a document that you had prepared for the Commission.
(The document referred to was marked Commission Exhibit No. 1020 for identification.)
Mr. ROWLEY. Yes, sir.
Mr. RANKIN. And that includes, under capital letter A, the transmittal from Inspector McCann; B, the report of the investigation by Inspector McCann; C, the Drew Pearson article?
Mr. ROWLEY. Yes, sir.
Mr. RANKIN. D, the statements of the supervisors; and, E, the statements of the special agents; F, the statements of witnesses; and, G, the memorandum of May 19, 1964, by Agent Sorrels, is that right?
Mr. ROWLEY. That is right.
Mr. RANKIN. And are those various documents a part of the official report by the Secret Service to the Commission of this matter?
Mr. ROWLEY. Yes, sir.
Mr. RANKIN. Mr. Chairman, I offer in evidence Commission Exhibit No. 1020.
The CHAIRMAN. It may be so admitted.
(The document heretofore marked for identification as Commission Exhibit No. 1020, was received in evidence.)
Mr. DULLES. Off the record, may I ask a question?
The CHAIRMAN. Yes.
(Discussion off the record.)
The CHAIRMAN. Back on the record.
Chief, I notice--I have read this report. At any place in here, did any of your investigators, Inspector McCann, or your special agents, or anybody else, indicate that there had been any violation of any kind on the part of your people, or particularly any violation of this section 10,