Well, more specifically, do you remember a discussion of the possibility that some member even of the police department who was unsteady might, as a single-man action, take some such action?
Chief BATCHELOR. I don't recall a discussion about that.

Mr. Hubert.

Do you remember whether you yourself or anyone else that you know of adverted to the possibility that the number of people involved increased the risk of single-man action, but that the plan went ahead as a calculated risk?
Chief BATCHELOR. I don't recall that that was discussed. I am sure that we all assumed that there is a risk in such matters, because we could have possibly taken him out in secret and avoided the press.

Mr. Hubert.

Was that considered at al1, taking him out in secret?
Chief BATCHELOR. I don't recall a discussion of it myself. I am sure that Chief Curry and the rest of us possibly felt that the press had been allowed in the quarters and they got in there quite by, or were in there long before we got back from the President's assassination. They were there when we got there, when we returned to the office.

Mr. Hubert.

That is ou November 22?
Chief BATCHELOR. Yes; and we had gone that far with them, and I suppose it was a matter of tacit understanding that they had been allowed to report the news as it developed, and in keeping the public aware, perhaps it was felt that they should be allowed to complete, if that is the word to use, their reporting on the actual transfer. This, however, was never discussed. This is just a little mental browsing on my own. I don't know that that is the way everybody felt, but it is the way it was done at any rate.

Mr. Hubert.

You were aware, of course, of, I think it is called General Order No. 81 and a supplement concerning press releases?
Chief BATCHELOR. Yes; I am aware of that.

Mr. Hubert.

I think that the general tenor of those directives is that they shall cooperate with the press to the extent that such does not interfere with police operations?
Chief BATCHELOR. Yes.

Mr. Hubert.

Did you ever consider that the chaotic condition, that I understand existed from what I have learned, constituted interference, or did you think so?
Chief BATCHELOR. It wasn't for me to say, Mr. Hubert, whether they should or should not be there. They were kept, as far as possible, out of the bureaus in which the investigation was going on. They were in the hallways.
We have never thought it wise to try to hide from the press the course of investigation except as it might interfere with the further investigation of a crime.
We have at the end of the hallway in the CID, the pressroom. When we remodeled the city hall, we purposely had glass doors put in all the bureaus and in the offices so that there could be no accusations that underhanded things or unlawful force or intimidations were used against these people.
We have always considered that the press was entitled to know the news, and that as long as it didn't interfere with the course of an investigation, we have allowed them out at the scene of crimes, but have kept them back from places where they might disturb evidence and this sort of thing. But have never tried to exclude them from knowledge of what was going on.
We make offense reports on every crime that is committed, and these offense reports are subject to being looked at by the press. They go over them nearly every morning looking for stories.
Sometimes they will find one that they want to ask someone about. We have always tried to cooperate with the press.

Mr. Hubert.

It is your thought then that the mass confusion which has been described, which existed in the hallway of the third floor at least, did not actually interfere with Captain Fritz' investigative steps excepting insofar as it made it difficult to move Oswald?
Chief BATCHELOR. Well, it increased the difficulties; yes, but it didn't actually interfere with the investigation. It added to the confusion, but as far as

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