Mr. Beaty.

get past this line here, and we weren't too concerned with them, because they had uniform officers out here in the basement and they brought those down earlier and shook down all the cars a time or two, and I don't know what was going on out here.

Mr. Griffin.

Now, how many uniformed officers did you see stationed back here in the basement area ?

Mr. Beaty.

Earlier?

Mr. Griffin.

No; at the time Oswald came out.

Mr. Beaty.

I didn't see any.

Mr. Griffin.

Is it possible that there might not have been officers there?

Mr. Beaty.

No; there were some earlier, about

Mr. Griffin.

About 50 in there? Did you see them search the basement?

Mr. Beaty.

Yes, sir.

Mr. Griffin.

Did they search the basement, can you remember, before or after you got the instructions from Captain Jones?

Mr. Beaty.

I couldn't remember. I don't know.

Mr. Griffin.

Were you down in the basement?

Mr. Beaty.

What do you call the basement now, this or this ?

Mr. Griffin.

I am talking about the whole bottom area, all the way from the elevators that come down from the upstairs.

Mr. Beaty.

After the instructions, because I wouldn't be out here.

Mr. Griffin.

Were you, prior to the time that your friends planned to go out for coffee, down in the basement at all ?

Mr. Beaty.

No, sir.

Mr. Griffin.

But you were down in the basement at the time the search of the basement was conducted ?

Mr. Beaty.

This was a good hour and a half or something like that, later on.

Mr. Griffin.

The basement was searched substantially after you got down there?

Mr. Beaty.

Yes. And I understand that this was the second time it happened. In other words, well, I heard somebody say we have swept the basement out twice already and I don't remember who said this. This is to indicate that they searched the cars.

Mr. Griffin.

Do you recall who was in charge of the search that you saw take place?

Mr. Beaty.

I would assume that since it was uniformed officers, it would be Captain Talbert, because they were all uniform officers.

Mr. Griffin.

Do you remember whether or not Sergeant Dean was in charge of that search?

Mr. Beaty.

No; Sergeant Dean was there and so was Sergeant Putnam, and I don't think you could say one was in charge or the other one was in charge. It was a Joint operation. I would say Captain Talbert was in charge. And, actually, he wasn't down there. He would drop by and leave a few instructions, some for Dean and some for Putnam and the like.

Mr. Griffin.

During the period that you were down in the basement, did you see cars going in and out, coming up and down the ramp?

Mr. Beaty.

Saw one leave, it was a squad car, and it left and went this way.

Mr. Griffin.

Up the Main Street ramp. Did you see any other cars coming in the basement? Were officers coming in on routine duty and so forth?

Mr. Beaty.

I am sure there were, but I don't remember whether they were or not. I know that they closed it from 9 o'clock on, but I can't remember exactly what time they shut it off.

Mr. Griffin.

Now, when you first walked out in here in front of the swinging doors toward the ramp, do you recall if the TV lights were on?

Mr. Beaty.

No, sir; they weren't.

Mr. Griffin.

Now, do you recall when the armored car came in?

Mr. Beaty.

Yes, sir.

Mr. Griffin.

Do you recall if the TV lights were on at that time?

Mr. Beaty.

No, sir; I am quite sure that they took some picture of it, but I don't remember whether, and there again which lights are you talking about?