President's Commission on the Assassination of - The Warren Commission (Complete Edition)

Mr. Oswald. That is correct.

She does not grasp enough, and by this I mean, sir, to any extent—perhaps it might be best if I compared that with my experience with my children, approximately a three or four year old—if that much.

Mr. Jenner. In other words, do I fairly state that your testimony, even to the present time, and including all of the period preceding the present time, in your contacts with her, it is your opinion that she has a very limited command of the English language, whether you speak in terms of reading or understanding or speaking?

Mr. Oswald. That is correct.

I might further qualify that, sir—that she could perhaps speak more English words than she can read or understand.

Mr. Jenner. And you do not, therefore, share your mother's expressed view and opinion that she understands the English language to a greater extent than, to use the vernacular—than she lets on?

Mr. Oswald. That is correct.

Mr. Jenner. Did your mother mention to you or has your mother mentioned to you at any time any—or asserted any claims on her part, that there were any stolen documents, either stolen from her or stolen from anyone else, that would be relevant to this matter?

Mr. Oswald. No, sir; she has not.

Mr. Dulles. Has he spoken to you about the disposition of funds that might have come without a clear address or indication as to for whom they were intended as between herself and Marina?

Mr. Oswald. No, sir; she has not.

Mr. Jenner. Now, Mr. Oswald, when your brother returned from Russia, was there ever an occasion, to the time of his death, when he discussed with you the subject as to why he had returned from Russia? This is, apart from the correspondence. Did you ever have a discussion with him on that subject, or he with you, or a discussion that occurred in your presence?

Mr. Oswald. None, sir, that I recall.

Mr. Jenner. None whatsoever?

Mr. Oswald. None.

Mr. Jenner. Now, is that likewise true of your sister-in-law? Did she ever discuss it in your presence, or with you?

Mr. Oswald. No, sir; at no time has she.

Mr. Jenner. Did you ever inquire of either of them on that subject?

Mr. Oswald. No, sir; I do not recall at any time discussing it.

Mr. Jenner. Nor were you present at any time when anyone else ever inquired of either of them on that subject, up to and including November 23, 1963?

Mr. Oswald. No, sir; I was not.

Mr. Jenner. I take it from previous questions that you have no knowledge of Marina ever having had a black eye or being otherwise molested or beaten by your brother, or anyone else.

Mr. Oswald. That is correct.

Mr. Jenner. Were members of your family together, including Marina, to celebrate, to the extent it might have been celebrated, Christmas of 1963?

Mr. Oswald. Christmas of 1963, sir?

Mr. Jenner. Yes, sir.

Mr. Oswald. I am sorry—I misinterpreted that.

Christmas of 1963—Christmas Eve of 1963 my wife and I and my children traveled from our home in Denton to the Martin's residence in Dallas, Texas, and spent Christmas Eve, or the biggest part of that day, with Marina.

Mr. Jenner. Did you remain over to Christmas Day?

Mr. Oswald. No, sir; we did not.

Mr. Jenner. Was your mother present on Christmas Eve while you were there?

Mr. Oswald. No, sir; she was not.

Mr. Jenner. Do you know whether she was invited to attend?

Mr. Oswald. No, sir; she was not.

Mr. Jenner. As far as you know, she didn't know you were attending there on Christmas Eve, is that correct?

Mr. Oswald. That is correct, sir.

Mr. Jenner. Was there any discussion that occurred during the time of your visit on Christmas Eve, 1963, of your mother? Was she mentioned?

Mr. Oswald. No, sir; she was not.

Mr. Jenner. Do you have an opinion as to whether the Secret Service kept your sister-in-law Marina secluded against her will following November 22, 1963?

Mr. Oswald. I have an opinion, sir, that they did not keep her secluded.

Mr. Jenner. Then you do not—all right.

Representative Ford is particularly concerned as to how stable a person your mother is, which would be of interest, of course, I must tell you, to the Commission, in judging the weight they might give to her testimony. And while I did ask you some questions on that subject this afternoon, would you give us your opinion on that?

Mr. Oswald. I believe, sir, I would refer to my prior testimony on that.

Mr. Jenner. Nothing has occurred since that you would seek to elaborate upon that?

Mr. Oswald. Perhaps one thing, sir.

Mr. Jenner. All right.

Mr. Oswald. That occurred during the week of December 2, 1963. It came to my attention from my wife, during the latter part of that week, that my mother said on one occasion, when I talked to her over the phone, a phone call that she had originated from her home in Fort Worth, Texas, while the Secret Service agents were still present with her, as they were in my home in Denton, Texas, that she turned around at the end of the conversation and said that I requested that they leave her home. And this, to my knowledge, was the reason why they left my mother's home prior to the time they ever left my home. And, as a matter of fact, some of the agents that were at my mother's home came out to Denton to stay at my home. And one of them had conveyed to my wife what was said that night.

Mr. Jenner. And that is an additional factor affecting your opinion as to the stability of your mother?

Mr. Oswald. Yes, sir.

Mr. Jenner. Which leads you to the view that she, since this tragic event, she is not as stable as she was prior thereto?

Mr. Oswald. That is correct.

Mr. Jenner. Now——

Mr. Oswald. And I might add, sir—I don't believe I stated this. I, of course, did not request that the agents be removed from my mother's residence.

Mr. Jenner. All right, sir.

You have testified to ownership of rifles.

Mr. Oswald. That is correct.

Mr. Jenner. And do you still own a rifle?

Mr. Oswald. Yes, sir; I do.

Mr. Jenner. Did you own and possess a rifle—I will withdraw that.

Did you ever take a rifle to the Irving Sports Shop in Irving, Tex.?

Mr. Oswald. No, sir; I did not.

Mr. Jenner. Have you ever been in the Irving Sports Shop in Irving, Tex.?

Mr. Oswald. No, sir; I have not.

Mr. Jenner. Did anybody ever take any firearm owned by you or possessed by you and take it to the Irving Sports Shop in Irving, Tex.?

Mr. Oswald. No, sir; they have not.

Mr. Jenner. May I inquire of you, Mr. McKenzie—I have a question here dealing with the nature of Marina's contract—if there is still one between Robert, Marina, and Thorne.

Do we have that contract?

Mr. McKenzie. Yes, it is in evidence and has been given an exhibit number.

And I might also state that I have just left Mr. Rankin's office where I was contacted by long distance telephone from my office in Dallas, Tex., and had a letter read to me over the telephone that Mr. Thorne has sent to Marina Oswald at the home of Mr. Declan P. Ford, in Dallas. Tex., to the effect that he has had and received a letter from me, but regardless of my letter to him, that she cannot unilaterally cancel his contract, and that his contract is one that is coupled with an interest and that it would be to her best interest to immediately contact him directly in order that certain probate papers may be filed in connection with the death of Lee Harvey Oswald, to establish her community interest under the laws of the State of Texas in the estate of Lee Harvey Oswald; and, further that there was some $7,000 being held for Marina Oswald in Fort Worth, Tex., subject to the payment of $100 by Marina N. Oswald, and that likewise there were other business contracts needed to be affirmed or discussed with Marina Oswald by Mr. Thorne.