Mr. Hubert. Did you hear him say anything?
Mr. Combest. Again, I heard him talking when he came into the jail office proper, where the booking office is located. As I recall it, they laid him on the floor to put the handcuffs on him more securely. He was talking then as they led him past the spot where Oswald was laying, near the elevator, to take him to jail. He was also talking. He was looking in the direction of Oswald and was talking to the officers that were leading him away. I don't recall any specific statement he made.
Mr. Hubert. Did you hear Oswald say anything?
Mr. Combest. No, sir. He—I didn't hear him say a word hardly, after he had been shot. He was moaning at the time Jimmy Leavelle, Graves, and I laid him down on the floor and removed the handcuffs that he had on him.
Mr. Hubert. That was in the jail office?
Mr. Combest. Yes, sir. At the time I asked him and talked to him trying to get him to make a statement to me at the time. Especially, after I realized how serious the wound was. When we first asked him he appeared to comprehend what I was saying.
Mr. Hubert. What did you ask him?
Mr. Combest. Well, I told him was there anything that he wanted me to tell anybody or was there anything he wanted to say right now before it was too late, and I don't remember my—exactly the words that I did say to him, but after I realized the seriousness of the wound, of course, trying to let him know if he was ever going to say anything he was going to have to say it then.
Mr. Hubert. You thought he was dying?
Mr. Combest. Yes, sir; I did.