Mr. Benton.

were picking up, rather than only on one scene. I knew that he was at the basement entrance to the jail and I knew that we were covered there. Consequently, I felt free to roam, to a certain extent, and pick up information.

Mr. Hubert.

Do you remember about what time it was that the movement of the. press people on the third floor began?

Mr. Benton.

No, sir; and I don't think it was any unanimous thing at all. I think it was just strictly moving around.

Mr. Hubert.

Let's put it this way. I understand there was quite a crowd of people there, say an hour before the transfer?

Mr. Benton.

That's true.

Mr. Hubert.

And then 10 minutes or so before you left, the crowd had cleared out considerably?

Mr. Benton.

That is correct.

Mr. Hubert.

Do you remember any announcement or any statement by anyone that Oswald would be moved by use of the basement ramps?

Mr. Benton.

No, sir; I don't. I think this may have been something that we assumed since we knew that there was a basement entrance to the jail which connected to an elevator. I think we assumed he would be moved by some sort of vehicle. There were some of us who were not convinced the armored car was going to be used, and, as I later found out, there was no intention of using the armored car, which later I was told.

Mr. Hubert.

Now, at the time you left, which you stated was roughly 10 minutes before the shooting occurred, did you see any movement in Captain Fritz' office to indicate that movement was imminent?
.Mr. BENTON. No, sir.

Mr. Hubert.

Did you see Oswald, particularly, in Captain Fritz' office at that time?

Mr. Benton.

No, sir; I did not see Oswald at all on the morning of the 24th. The only place I saw him was on a television screen.

Mr. Hubert.

Were you able to observe whether the detectives from the bureaus were leaving their offices to go down to the basement area?

Mr. Benton.

I don't recall specifically noticing that. I do recall on one of my trips that there was a large number of people congregated at the basement entrance and--

Mr. Hubert.

Which basement entrance?

Mr. Benton.

This is the entrance in which Oswald was shot.

Mr. Hubert.

Oh, you mean--

Mr. Benton.

The ramp.

Mr. Hubert.

The corridor that goes through the little jail office from the elevator?

Mr. Benton.

It doesn't go through the jail office, sir.

Mr. Hubert.

Well, there is a corridor

Mr. Benton.

There's a corridor that leads from, I believe, the spot where you pay traffic tickets that leads out.

Mr. Hubert.

Swinging doors and then the corridor and then it leads into the basement ramp?

Mr. Benton.

That's right.

Mr. Hubert.

Which goes both ways, to Main and to Commerce. There is some indication that at 10 o'clock on Sunday morning, that there was an expectation as to a time when Oswald would be moved. Do you recall anything about that, sir?

Mr. Benton.

No, sir; I don't. I may have heard it at the time but I remember no official announcement whatsoever that: we're going to move him at such and such an hour.

Mr. Hubert.

I gather from your statement that your interview with Curry must have ended prior to 10 o'clock?

Mr. Benton.

Yes, sir; I'm sure that it did.

Mr. Hubert.

That would mean there was an hour and 20 minutes between the end of the interview and the actual shooting of Oswald. During that interval, I take it, also, you were moving around as you described?

Mr. Benton.

That's correct.