(Testimony of M. W. Stevenson)
Mr. Stevenson.
By the officers checking them and checking his credentials.
Mr. Hubert.
I think you had gone there earlier on the occasion of about 9:45, I believe it was, when you and Batchelor went to get coffee?
Mr. Stevenson.
That was Chief Lumpkin and I drank the coffee, Mr. Hubert.
Mr. Hubert.
Anyhow, I am thinking about the last time that you were there prior to your going down finally, or to put it another way, the second to the last time you were down ?
Mr. Stevenson.
The next to the last time was after I drank the coffee, Chief Batchelor and I went down there.
Mr. Hubert.
What time was it then?
Mr. Stevenson.
About the best I recollect, around 10:30.
Mr. Hubert.
Now were these news media people in those areas at that time?
Mr. Stevenson.
Not on the Main Street or north ramp, not at that time.
Mr. Hubert.
Do you know where they were?
Mr. Stevenson.
They were back in here.
Mr. Hubert.
That is to say, back in the basement area ?
Mr. Stevenson.
Yes; in the basement area.
Mr. Hubert.
So at that time you think there were approximately, well, twice the number of people that you have since described as were in the Main ramp and the basement area, roughly about a hundred people?
Mr. Stevenson.
At that time there might not have been, because that was some 40 or 50 minutes before the prisoner was transferred.
Mr. Hubert.
Were there people upstairs or elsewhere ?
Mr. Stevenson.
Some of them were on the third floor. Some of them were on the first floor. Now just where they all were, Mr. Hubert, prior to the time the transfer was actually made, I don't know, but about 10:30, I would say that there was not that many down there at that time.
Mr. Hubert.
When you said the first floor, you meant the first floor of the police and courts--of the police department?
Mr. Stevenson.
Of the police and courts building; yes.
Mr. Hubert.
You have already testified concerning the relation of what you call the courts ?
Mr. Stevenson.
The police and courts building.
Mr. Hubert.
To the municipal building or the city hall ?
Mr. Stevenson.
Right.
Mr. Hubert.
Do you know of your own knowledge whether there was any security as to the entrance to the city hall's first floor ?
Mr. Stevenson.
Oh, only what Captain Talbert advised me, that they did have it sealed off and had the elevators stopped on the first floor and nothing to come below the first floor of the city hall proper.
Mr. Hubert.
Do you know about what entrances do exist to the city hall municipal building's first floor?
Mr. Stevenson.
Yes.
There is an entrance off of Main Street. There is an entrance off of Commerce Street. There is also an entrance into what we call a freight elevator off the alley on the east side which the alley runs between Commerce and Main and right up to the east side of the city hall.
To my knowledge, those are the three entrances to the city hall proper other than from the basement and the elevators up from the basement.
Mr. Hubert.
Isn't there a corridor, however, that leads from the first floor of the city hall to the first floor of the police department?
Mr. Stevenson.
Yes.
Mr. Hubert.
Do you know what security there was with respect to that corridor ?
Mr. Stevenson.
To my own knowledge, Mr. Hubert, I don't know other than he did have, Captain Talbert said he had men on the first floor of the police and courts building and I believe that you will find a steel gate that closes off the police and courts building from the municipal building.
Mr. Hubert.
Do you know whether that gate was closed ?
Mr. Stevenson.
No, sir; I do not. I did not inspect that.
Mr. Hubert.
Do you know whether the entrance to the first floor of the municipal building on Main and Commerce were locked or not locked?
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