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Warren Commission Hearings: Vol. XII - Page 15« Previous | Next »

(Testimony of Assistant Chief Charles Batchelor)

Mr. Griffin.
Chief BATCHELOR. I turned around and walked back in there. They had parked Chief Curry's car out east of the Commerce Street ramp on the street, double parked, parallel to some parked cars that were already there. Then I drove my car out of the basement and parked it west of the Commerce Street ramp exit, and I double parked it also right behind his, the intention being that when this convoy came out, that he would lead off and I would drop in behind Chief Curry with Chief Stevenson-
Mr. Griffin.
Would you mark on the map where Chief Curry's car was and where your car was placed on Commerce Street?
Chief BATCHELOR. This confuses me a little here. There is not any offset.
Mr. Griffin.
Unfortunately, this black line that confuses you represents a basement wall. It doesn't represent the street. Chief BATCHELOR. [Marks on map.]
Mr. Griffin.
What did you do after you moved your car out on Commerce Street?
Chief BATCHELOR. Shortly after that just within a few minutes these armored cars arrived.
Mr. Griffin.
Where were you standing when the armored cars arrived?
Chief BATCHELOR. I was in the basement, but somebody told me down there, shouted that these armored cars had arrived, so I came up again out of the ramp to look at the two cars to see which one we wanted. I looked in the inside of the larger armored car and decided that this one is the one we would have to use because it had room not only for the prisoner, but two guards to be placed in there with him.
And this one Mr. Hall, I believe is his name I think it is Mr. Hall that drove the truck up there. And this truck was too large or too tall to drive clear to the foot of the basement ramp. It wouldn't clear this ceiling at that point, so I asked Mr. Hall to back it in, and he started backing it in, and he got the truck inside of the ramp with all of the body inside and the cab on the outside, on the sidewalk. He stopped and suggested that he not go to the bottom of the ramp with it because of its weight. He was afraid that in trying to pull out, he might kill the motor and stall it on the ramp, and suggested that since it blocked the entrance, if we could use it from that point, he would rather it go from that point.
Mr. Griffin.
At the point this conversation took place, had you or anyone else to your knowledge told Hall what route would be taken ?
Chief BATCHELOR. No; we told him he would follow a lead car, and pointed out the car that he would follow.
Mr. Griffin.
At that point, did you indicate to him how soon it would be before Oswald would be brought down?
Chief BATCHELOR. No, sir; this truck was parked in the ramp, and I thought that this would be a safe place to park it because on one side of the truck next to the west wail of the ramp there was only about 12 inches of space. And between the truck and the east wall, there was only 18 to 24 inches of space. I placed an officer between the west wall and the truck, which totally blocked it. And I placed two officers between the truck and the east wall, and that totally blocked that. Then I believe it was Lieutenant Smart and I got in the truck and searched it. We found a soft drink bottle in the truck, which we took out. I found a loose bolt lying on the floor, which I took out.
There was a device on the back side of the truck which was sort of a gauge and a lever which I didn't understand what it was and I asked Mr. Hall what that was, and he said it was an emergency brake in the event something happened to the driver, that whoever was in the back of the truck could pull that lever and stop the truck. We got these items out of the truck and took them away, left the back doors of the truck open to receive the prisoner, and then I went back down to the foot of the ramp and waited, and in a few minutes shortly after the arrival of the truck, Chief Stevenson came down, and this was, oh, nearly 11:30. It was just a matter of minutes before and told me of the change of plans, and that they were going to send the truck in convoy

down through Elm Street, and that the car carrying
Mr. Griffin.
You mean Main Street?
Chief BATCHELOR. No; Elm Street, and that the truck carrying Oswald and
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