Warren Commission (15 of 26): Hearings Vol. XV (of 15)United States. Warren Commission
History
Warren Commission (15 of 26): Hearings Vol. XV (of 15)
United States. Warren Commission
Kennedy, John F. (John Fitzgerald), 1917-1963 -- Assassination; Oswald, Lee Harvey
Mr. HUBERT. I understand that a suggestion had been made that Oswald be
moved at night, possibly Friday night or Saturday night.
Captain FRITZ. Who made the suggestion? By whom, please, sir?
Mr. HUBERT. I don’t know. I think it was passed on to you, and I
understand that you recommended against it.
Captain FRITZ. A call at home--no, sir; I didn’t exactly recommend
against it. If you would ask me now, I really don’t favor nighttime
moves, because I can’t see any further at night than I can in the
daytime, and if a man shoots a man, you can see him just as far in
daylight as at night, and with proper security, you should be able to
move anyone through town without waiting for nightfall.
We don’t go to court at night, and we take prisoners back and forth
to court all the time during the daylight, so I wouldn’t see any
particular need to wait for nighttime.
I did have a call out to my home from a uniformed captain who told me
they had had a threat which sounded very much like a trick, the FBI got
a call, I believe, near the same time saying we had better transfer
him, that 200 or 300 men are going to take him away from us.
I certainly wouldn’t send a man out with two or three officers. Two or
three hundred men could be just as bad at night as during the day.
I told him he had better talk to the chief, because he was making some
preparations. And I found out later that he did. He called the chief,
but I don’t think he could reach him, and he decided not to transfer
him, I was told.
That call came after my call from the chief asking me about the 10
o’clock transfer.
Mr. HUBERT. There have been some reports that have reached us that
at the very moment of transfer, that is to say, when you were coming
out, and until the shooting, that the various police officers who were
lining the wall had their sidearms drawn and in their hands. Did you
see anything like that?
Captain FRITZ. I didn’t see anything like that as I came out. I think
probably what they are telling you about, is that some of the officers
drew their sidearms after the shot was fired.
Mr. HUBERT. Was there any----
Captain FRITZ. I didn’t see anyone with a pistol in their hand as we
came out. If we had seen that, we probably would have gone back to the
jail, because we wouldn’t have known what an officer was doing with a
gun drawn. He had no need to have a gun out at that time.
Mr. HUBERT. Did you see any shotguns visible or riot guns?
Captain FRITZ. No, sir; I didn’t. We had shotguns and rifles in my car
for this transfer. I had already put them on the floor of the car where
we could pick them up easily.
Mr. HUBERT. Were they visible?
Captain FRITZ. No, sir; they weren’t visible. There was an officer with
them.
Mr. HUBERT. Captain, I believe that is all I have. Is there anything
else you can say?
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