(Testimony of Dial Duwayne Ryder Resumed)
Mr. Ryder.
on the Oswald gun and I told him I had no comment and I hung up, I mean. I took the receiver off the hook and that's all I done and all I said here.
Mr. Liebeler.
Now, Mr. Schmidt, after listening to Mr. Ryder's voice, can you identify it as the voice you say you spoke to on the telephone that day, or are you unable to do it?
Mr. Schmidt.
No; I couldn't honestly identify him by voice now. It was 6 or 7 months ago and I only talked to Ryder once.
Mr. Liebeler.
Mr. Ryder, do you know of any other Ryders out there in the area who would have any knowledge of this gun ticket at the Irving Sports Shop?
Mr. Ryder.
Not that I know of--not that I know of.
Mr. Liebeler.
Now, as I indicated to you, Mr. Schmidt has volunteered and requested a polygraph examination to try to clear this matter up, and I wonder if you have any suggestion that you think of as to how it might be done?
Mr. Ryder.
Well, I'll take the thing if you want me to take it.
Mr. Liebeler.
Well, I don't want to ask you to do it, but if you want to request it and assist the Commission in clearing this matter up, I think we could make arrangements. to have a polygraph examination administered to both of you.
Mr. Ryder.
Well, I'm not one to volunteer for anything.
Mr. Schmidt.
I am perfectly willing to, because I stand beside that story. I don't know this man personally, if this is the Ryder of the gun shop, the Irving Sports Shop, and the same one that identified himself that morning--that was the information I got from him and I don't have any reason to lie about it, you know, I get the same amount of pay, I don't get any extra money for that story and I didn't even get a byline for the story. I knew that it would be just part of a story. So, I feel like I am a professional with my business and I just don't like to be doubted.
Mr. Liebeler.
Do you remember whether or not there was anybody else in your office at the time you heard this conversation that you had with Ryder?
Mr. Schmidt.
There were several men around there but I'm not sure whether they recall this conversation or not or whether they were even paying any attention. There are a couple of men that sit right to my left and a couple to my right.
Mr. Liebeler.
Well, the Commission has followed the practice of due regard for the civil rights of the people who have been involved in this thing and it is not requesting anybody to take a polygraph examination, and it is not prepared to make an exception in this case for you, Mr. Ryder. If you want to volunteer to do so, the Commission will take it under advisement and decide what it wants to do, but it is not going to request you to do so, and I cannot even put myself in the position of even asking you to or urging you to or suggesting that you do so. That's entirely up to you.
Mr. Ryder.
Well, like I said, I will take the thing if it boils down to that. Like I say, and I have contended all along, that I did not talk to anybody on Thanksgiving Day, that morning. I didn't talk to anybody. That was my day off.
Mr. Liebeler.
Did you have any conversations with any other newspaper reporters--that afternoon, but of course, that day--which you said you wanted to enjoy as your day off, but' you did go over to the shop that afternoon and meet the television people, did you not?
Mr. Ryder.
Right, that's after the story broke over the radio.
Mr. Liebeler.
And in the newspaper?
Mr. Ryder.
Yes; and in the newspaper, and then we got with the CBS boys and made the little film that they wanted.
Mr. Liebeler.
Do you remember talking to any newspaper reporters at any time the next day or the day after that about this whole story?
Mr. Ryder.
Well, they were all over the place the next day-on Friday--Friday and Saturday.
Mr. Liebeler.
But you still take the position that you had nothing to do with the original story that came out and you never talked to the newspaper reporters prior to the time the story came out in The Dallas Times Herald?
Mr. Ryder.
Right.
Mr. Liebeler.
Do you have any idea where they got the story?
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