Mr. Lehrer.

there was a witness who could verify that there was such a conversation and he said, "Who is that, what are you talking about?" And he said, "Why didn't you tell me before?" I said I didn't think there would be any problem--I just mentioned it to Martha Jo in passing here one day.

Mr. Liebeler.

You say this morning Schmidt told you he had been over here last night and he had been questioned?

Mr. Lehrer.

Yes.

Mr. Liebeler.

Did he tell you the details of his experience last night?

Mr. Lehrer.

A little bit.

Mr. Liebeler.

He told you that Mr. Ryder had been in here?

Mr. Lehrer.

Yes; that Ryder was here.

Mr. Liebeler.

But in point of fact and indicating for the record, the way the information came most recently to my attention. that you had overheard this, because Mrs. Martha Jo Stroud, an assistant U.S. attorney in this office, told me that you had come over here after we had asked Schmidt to come over and testify.

Mr. Lehrer.

Right.

Mr. Liebeler.

And you mentioned to her in passing that you thought probably we wanted Schmidt to come over so we could ask him about this newspaper story that was written in connection with the Irving Sports Shop; isn't that right?

Mr. Lehrer.

Well, specifically, when Martha Jo called Hunter and told him that somebody from the Warren Commission wanted to talk to him on a certain day, Hunter came over to me and said, "Somebody from Washington is coming in," and you know, I didn't know that anybody was coming in. You know, you are unannounced on your trips here and this is part of my responsibility to cover Warren Commission people when they come and I try to do it, and I said--we discussed, "Maybe they want to talk to you about this deal, because the FBI had talked to you before," and so the next day when I was down talking to Martha Jo, we were talking about it and I indicated to her this was probably what it was. I told her what it was probably about and I said there was no problem--I was just sitting there and just sitting there very casually.

Mr. Liebeler.

You don't have any doubt in your mind whatsoever that Schmidt actually talked to Ryder that morning, do you?

Mr. Liebeler.

No.

Mr. Liebeler.

You are aware of the fact, of course, that Ryder denies talking to this man?

Mr. Lehrer.

That's what I understand.

Mr. Liebeler.

And you have no information that would suggest any reason why Ryder would deny this?

Mr. Lehrer.

I can't think of any reason unless he denies the information, if he just denies the technicality that he didn't talk to a newspaperman or didn't talk to Schmidt specifically, that's one thing; if he's denying the whole bit, that's conceivable.

Mr. Liebeler.

No; he doesn't deny the whole bit, he just denies that he was the one that gave that story out.

Mr. Lehrer.

I see; I don't know what it could be in that.

Mr. Liebeler.

Can you think of any reason why Schmidt might be lying about it?

Mr. Lehrer.

No; he had nothing to gain by it. It was just a story, and my goodness, we were working--I mean--there were a multitude of stories and a multitude of checking out and we were deluged just like everybody was with rumors and things of this and that and he would have no reason to write something that wasn't true. The fact is, he didn't even have his name on it, so he didn't have anything to gain by it.

Mr. Liebeler.

All right, thank you very much.

Mr. Lehrer.

Thank you.

Mr. Liebeler.

We appreciate your cooperation.

Mr. Lehrer.

All right.

Bardwell D. Odum