Mr. Benton. No, sir.
Mr. Hubert. At any time was the route to be used, within the jail, first, and then after leaving the jail, or either of those two routes, discussed or commented upon by any public official that you know?
Mr. Benton. I think the route from the jail to the courthouse was discussed.
Mr. Hubert. That is to say, outside the jail?
Mr. Benton. That’s right.
Mr. Hubert. On the streets?
Mr. Benton. Yes, sir. My memory is hazy. I can only say I think, because I am not sure. I think that in the interview I had with Chief Curry that that route was discussed and that—please understand this is a vague recollection. You plan on one thing and then it gets torn up and you lose a few details. But as I recall, I think I was told, in the discussion of the armored car, that he would be taken down Commerce Street to the jail, which, as I recall, Commerce Street goes past one side of the building, and it’s only necessary to make a right turn onto Houston Street to get to the jail entrance. I believe that’s correct.
I remember looking at a picture on the wall in that anteroom to which Chief Curry’s office adjoins. It’s a picture taken from a high angle beyond the triple overpass which shows Main Street, Elm Street, Commerce Street—you can see the jail building, and, if someone will point it out to you, you can also see the top of the jail building, and it seems to me there was some discussion of that route. There was some discussion of a route between Chief Curry and myself, and whether we discussed merely landmarks, and this was the way the President’s motorcade went, or whether we discussed the actual route of transportation for a prisoner, I don’t remember.
Mr. Hubert. Do you recall whether the time was discussed?
Mr. Benton. No, sir; I don’t recall the time being discussed.