Mr. Griffin. But did the crowd gather as early as 8:15 for the President’s motorcade?
Mr. Hansen. Well, to my way of thinking, I would say you asked me a direct question. Every parade that I work, I work so many parades downtown, usually any kind of parade, if it is like you start at 10 o’clock, your colored people come, they are the first ones, because they are going to have a front row. Before anybody comes to work, they are down there. Then you got the ones that, the mommas that haven’t washed the dishes, and then the poppas, and I am satisfied it was that same way that day. But from this here, to me, that would indicate that that was that same morning.
Mr. Griffin. Did you have a clear recollection at that time that it was that morning, or were you just surmising?
Mr. Hansen. I don’t, but I do recall this—I don’t have a clear recollection now, but you know, there is a little concrete thing around the city hall up there about this high, and they got some flowers in there, and on a normal day, just any regular run-of-the-day week, I mean a day in the week, you wouldn’t find anybody sitting on that thing unless it is men that work for the schools and get their paychecks. I do recall there were four or five people, come to think about it. I remember they were spotted. Maybe a guy sitting here, and there.
Mr. Griffin. The fact that there were four or five people, that makes you think it was the day of the motorcade?
Mr. Hansen. Well, a normal day, like I said, Monday through Friday, there wouldn’t be anybody sitting on there unless it was a day that the old men come down to get their paychecks.
Mr. Griffin. Would that have been on Thursday?
Mr. Hansen. It would have been more than four or five, because I can’t help but remember because they blocked the whole sidewalk and spit snuff.
Mr. Griffin. Is there anything that makes you think it was the day of the President’s motorcade?
Mr. Hansen. Nothing else that I can remember outside I do remember there was several people sitting on that, which is unusual unless there is something going on.