(Testimony of Winston G. , Accompanied By Fred B. Smith, Lawson)
Mr. Lawson.
Quite a bit was happening. I got the impression they had squads of detectives doing all kinds of things, people working on the Presidential assassination, people working on the Tippit killing. I know that they had squads of men going out doing various things and coming back, and it was quite hard just to keep abreast of things that were breaking as to what each group was finding out as it was happening, and quite often we were way behind.
Mr. Stern.
What about the. appearance of the press and television reporters and cameramen at that time?
Mr. Lawson.
At least by 6 or 7 o'clock they were quite in evidence up and down the corridors, cameras on the tripods, the sound equipment, people with still cameras, motion picture-type hand cameras, all kinds of people with tape recorders, and they were trying to interview people, anybody that belonged in police headquarters that might know anything about Oswald----
Mr. Stern.
Can you estimate how many reporters?
Mr. Lawson.
There were quite a few. The corridors, up and down the corridors •towards the chief's office to the right of the elevator, around the elevator landing and down the corridors to the left of the elevator towards the homicide area were quite packed. You had to literally fight your way through the people to get up and down the corridor.
Representative Ford.
Did you stay with Chief Curry most of the time?
Mr. Lawson.
No, sir; I was in various rooms and with various people for the rest of the evening. I saw Chief Curry quite often that evening.
Mr. Dulles.
Who was in command at that time of the Secret Service detachment in giving the orders and coordinating the Secret Service men?
Mr. Lawson.
Sorrels. My advance as such, was over, and I was just another Secret Service agent.
Mr. Dulles.
He was in command?
Mr. Lawson.
Sorrels would be in command of any Secret Service activity.
Mr. Dulles.
Subject of course to orders from Washington; I realize that.
Mr. Lawson.
Yes, sir; and we understood that Inspector Kelley, on one of our frequent phone conversations with Washington, we were told that Inspector Kelley, one of our inspectors, was being sent out to coordinate the Secret Service investigation and to be the overall commander of the Secret Service out there, and he did arrive at approximately 11 o'clock that evening and was met by an agent.
Mr. Dulles.
Does the Secret Service have a facility for' commandeering, getting airplanes when it needs them fast?
Mr. Lawson.
In certain instances, sir, I believe we use the Air Force and the MATS people for advance trips, or if the Presidential airplanes are full and they still need agents to go some place, why they will put on another airplane for us. Sometimes we use Air Force transportation, sometimes commercial.
Mr. Dulles.
You have adequate facilities, have you, to get around in time of emergency like this, quickly?
Mr. Lawson.
I wouldn't be in a position to answer that, sir.
Mr. Dulles.
Chief Rowley would probably be the one.
Mr. Lawson.
Yes, sir.
Mr. Stern.
When did you first observe Lee Harvey Oswald, Mr. Lawson?
Mr. Lawson.
It was early in the evening of November 22. He had been in police headquarters for a little while at least before I first saw him, and they had already interrogated him as I understand it, and various detectives, police officials, and Mr. Sorrels and a couple other agents and myself saw Lee Harvey Oswald when he was brought in for Mr. Sorrels to talk to at Mr. Sorrels' request.
Mr. Stern.
Did you interrogate him?
Mr. Lawson.
No, sir; I did not.
Mr. Stern.
Did Mr. Sorrels handle the. interrogation alone?
Mr. Lawson.
Yes, sir; that particular one.
Mr. Stern.
What were the questions and answers as best you can recall?
Mr. Lawson.
He asked information as to name.
Mr. Dulles.
Who is "he" How?
Mr. Lawson.
Mr. Sorrels in asking the questions already had some background on Mr. Oswald before he started questioning Mr. Oswald. The detectives or
|
