Mr. Ball.

And you asked him also if he had ever owned a rifle?

Mr. Fritz.

Yes, sir.

Mr. Ball.

What did he say?

Mr. Fritz.

He said he had not. He said a long time ago he owned a small rifle.

Mr. Ball.

What size did he say?

Mr. Fritz.

He didn't say. He said small rifle.

Mr. Ball.

Did you ask him if he kept a rifle in Mrs. Paine's garage at Irving, Tex.?

Mr. Fritz.

Yes, sir; and I asked him if he brought it from New Orleans and he said no.

Mr. Ball.

Did you ask him where he kept, if he did keep a rifle in a blanket?

Mr. Fritz.

I asked him if he kept it in a blanket and he said no.

Mr. Ball.

Didn't you tell him someone told you he had kept it there?

Mr. Fritz.

Someone told me he had a rifle and wrapped in a blanket and kept it in the garage and he said he didn't. It wasn't true.

Mr. Ball.

Did he at any time tell you when you asked him if he owned a rifle, did he say, "How could I afford to order a rifle on my salary of a dollar and a quarter an hour," something like that?

Mr. Fritz.

I don't remember that.

Mr. Ball.

You asked him whether or not he shot President Kennedy, didn't you?

Mr. Fritz.

Yes, sir.

Mr. Ball.

What did he say?

Mr. Fritz.

He said he did not.

Mr. Ball.

And you asked him if he shot Governor Connally?

Mr. Fritz.

Yes. sir; he said he didn't do that, he said he didn't shoot Tippit.

Mr. Ball.

With reference to where he was at the time the President was shot, did he tell you what floor of the building he was on?

Mr. Fritz.

I feel sure that he told me he was on the second floor.

Mr. Ball.

Look at 136B.

Mr. Fritz.

All right, sir.

Mr. Ball.

The second paragraph down, 136B.

Mr. Fritz.

Yes, sir; second floor; yes, sir. He said he usually worked on the first floor. I asked him what part of the building at the time the President was shot. He said he was having lunch at about this time on the first floor.

Mr. Ball.

In his first interview you say that Hosty asked him if he had been to Mexico.

Mr. Fritz.

Yes; he did.

Mr. Ball.

He denied it. Did he say he had been at Tijuana once?

Mr. Fritz.

I don't remember him saying he had been at Tijuana.

Mr. Ball.

What did you remember him saying?

Mr. Fritz.

I remember him saying he had been to Russia, told me he had been to Russia, and was over there for some time, and he told Hosty that he had a record of that, knew he had been there, told him a number of things so far as that is concerned.

Mr. Ball.

What did he say about Mexico?

Mr. Fritz.

Mexico, I don't remember him admitting that he had been to any part of Mexico.

Mr. Ball.

What do you remember him saying?

Mr. Fritz.

I remember he said he did not go to Mexico City and I don't remember him saying he ever went to Tijuana.

Mr. Ball.

In your report at 138E you have made a statement there of the conditions under which this interrogation proceeded, haven't you?

Mr. Fritz.

Yes; I did.

Mr. Ball.

Will you tell us about that. You can describe it either as you state it here in your own words, but tell us what your difficulties were?

Mr. Fritz.

I can tell you in just a minute. My office is small as you know, it is a small office, it doesn't have too much room to begin with.
With all the outer office full of officers who all wanted to help and we were glad to have their assistance and help, and we appreciate it, but in the hallway we had some 200 news reporters and cameramen with big cameras and little cameras