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
Captain TALBERT. I did it on my own due to the buildup of public
curiosity seekers around the building, as well as the buildup around
the city jail, and traffic conditions in the downtown area on Sunday
were extraordinarily heavy due to the situation that had just occurred.
And I thought that if a transfer were made, then we should have some
precautions to safeguard it, and also to keep from having chaos in
attempting to do it immediately.
Mr. HUBERT. Were you aware then that the transfer of Oswald would be
made by utilizing some part of the basement area, or were you just
assuming that it would?
Captain TALBERT. Strictly an assumption, sir, and from the fact that he
might not. Transfer was strictly an assumption from the press, what had
been released in the press the day before.
Mr. HUBERT. In other words, you did not know at that time that Oswald
would be transferred on Sunday?
Captain TALBERT. No, sir.
Mr. HUBERT. Had you been in contact with any superior prior to the
institution of these security precautions you have just described?
Captain TALBERT. I had talked to Chief Curry on the telephone in the
early morning hours just prior to 7, somewhere along there.
Mr. HUBERT. I think you have already covered that in your previous
deposition.
Captain TALBERT. Yes.
Mr. HUBERT. Did he at that time direct you to institute any security
precautions?
Captain TALBERT. No.
Mr. HUBERT. Did you institute any security precautions other than the
ones that you just described concerning the basement?
Captain TALBERT. That I described in the previous deposition, or
presently?
Mr. HUBERT. No; in the present one.
Captain TALBERT. You mean further along in the morning, sir?
Mr. HUBERT. Well, no. I was thinking about security precautions in
other areas than the basement at that time.
Captain TALBERT. No, sir. I didn’t have the personnel.
Mr. HUBERT. Did you take any steps to initiate security precautions as
to other areas than the basement at any time on Sunday?
Captain TALBERT. When the crowd began to get heavy, began to gather
on Commerce Street, then on the Commerce Street side we had had the
previous warning from the FBI and an anonymous caller of a possible
mob action, so we moved the civilians from the north side of Commerce
to the south side of Commerce and stationed, or had Sergeant Steele
station some reserve officers out there to maintain the free sidewalk
as well as the surveillance of the ground.
Mr. HUBERT. Was that done at your direction and order?
Captain TALBERT. Yes, sir.
Mr. HUBERT. Did you receive instructions from some person higher in
command than you to do it, or did you do it on your own initiative?
Captain TALBERT. I just saw the necessity of doing it, so I did it on
my own initiative.
Mr. HUBERT. Did you ever receive from anyone any specific instructions
concerning security precautions other than what you have mentioned?
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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