Mr. Benton. Well, this was not to go and stay. This was a shuttle. I went over there several times. The first time I went was after interviewing Senator Yarborough, which I would guess to be shortly after 1 p.m. The next time I went was after Mr. Kilduff had announced that the President was dead.
Mr. Hubert. Could you tell us the circumstances under which that announcement was made?
Mr. Benton. Yes, sir. There was a room with, I would guess, 40 to 50 reporters in it. Mr. Kilduff came in and yelled to everybody to be quiet and sit down. He said, “I have to announce that the President of the United States died at approximately 1 p.m. central standard time of bullet wounds in the head. I have no further details.” His statement was a little more complete. I think he said President John F. Kennedy.
Mr. Hubert. At approximately what time was that?
Mr. Benton. Right at 1:30 central standard time.
Mr. Hubert. Can you fix that by reason of some event that stays in your memory?
Mr. Benton. I looked at my watch and tried to compute the time, or was looking to see how fast we had been advised.
Mr. Hubert. Had you been told previous to the announcement by Mr. Kilduff that there would be an announcement and to congregate at that time and place or how did it happen?
Mr. Benton. Someone suggested we congregate there. A Wayne Hawks, who is a White House aide, a civil service person, he suggested we all move up there. There had been a large number of people congregated around the emergency entrance.
Mr. Hubert. And that suggestion by Mr. Hawks was made at what time?