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

"The Commission is authorized to reimburse you for your expenses in connection with your appearance before the Commission, and the necessary details will be arranged when you are here.

"Attached herewith are copies of Executive Order No. 11130, dated November 29, 1963, S.J. Res. 137—88th Cong., 1st Session, and the rules of this Commission in connection with hearings conducted for the purpose of taking of testimony or the production of evidence."

I assume, gentlemen, you did receive a copy of that letter?

Mr. Leech. Yes, we did.

The Chairman. I will not be able to be here at all times today because we have, we are hearing arguments in the Court at 10 o'clock and I must leave to be there, but Mr. Dulles anticipates being here all day so in my absence he will conduct hearings.

Congressman Ford has some unfinished business at the Congress as I have at the Court so he probably will not be here all through the day.

Mr. Martin, will you please rise and be sworn?

Do you solemnly swear in this proceeding before the Commission to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help you God?

Mr. Martin. I do.

Mr. Leech. Your Honor, who are these other gentlemen here. I haven't been introduced to them.

The Chairman. This is Mr. Charles Rhyne, who represents the American Bar Association.

Mr. Leech. Former president of the American Bar Association?

The Chairman. Yes, and Mr. Murray who is also in the Public Defender's office of the District of Columbia.

Mr. Rankin. He represents Mr. Walter Craig, too.

The Chairman. He and Mr. Rhyne represent Mr. Walter Craig.

Mr. Leech. Who is that?

Mr. Rankin. Mr. Craig is the President of the Bar Association and was asked to act in order to protect or advise the Commission as to any interests of Lee H. Oswald because of—you probably saw the notice in the paper and so forth.

Mr. Leech. You represent the man from Arizona?

Mr. Rhyne. Walter E. Craig, President of the American Bar Association.

Mr. Rankin. Mr. Storey is the representative of the Attorney General of Texas.

Mr. Leech. He is Dean of the Southern Methodist Law School.

Mr. Rankin. Yes.

The Chairman. Of course, this is Professor Redlich of our staff. And this is the reporter.

All right, Mr. Rankin will conduct the examination.

Will you proceed, Mr. Rankin?

Mr. Rankin. Mr. Leech, does the reporter have your full name?

Mr. Leech. Yes, sir; he does.

Mr. Rankin. Mr. Martin, will you tell us your name, please?

Mr. Martin. James Herbert Martin.

Mr. Rankin. Where do you live?

Mr. Martin. Dallas, Tex.

Mr. Rankin. How long have you lived there?

Mr. Martin. Since 1956.

Mr. Rankin. What is your occupation?

Mr. Martin. Hotel executive.

Mr. Rankin. Are you now connected with the Six Flags Motel?

Mr. Martin. No.

Mr. Rankin. Were you at one time?

Mr. Martin. Yes.

Mr. Rankin. And during what period?

Mr. Martin. From May of 1962 until January 1, 1964.

Mr. Rankin. What was your position with that institution?

Mr. Martin. Resident manager.

Mr. Rankin. While you were at the Six Flags Inn, did you become acquainted with Marina Oswald?

Mr. Martin. Yes.

Mr. Rankin. About when was the first time that you met her?

Mr. Martin. I guess it was November 24.

Mr. Rankin. Of what year?

Mr. Martin. 1963.

Mr. Rankin. And will you tell us how that acquaintance started?

Mr. Martin. Well, I was called by the Tarrant County sheriff on Sunday.

Mr. Rankin. Who was that?

Mr. Martin. Lew Evans.

Mr. Rankin. Yes.

Mr. Martin. About 11 o'clock in the morning, and they wanted a room where they could question the Oswald family. I told them they could have it, and about four o'clock, I guess, four or four-thirty, I don't know the exact time they came in with the whole family, and we gave them several rooms to accommodate the family.

Mr. Rankin. Were you introduced to Marina Oswald at that time?

Mr. Martin. Well, I don't believe I was ever really introduced to her.

Mr. Rankin. How did you come to know her then?

Mr. Martin. Well, just through association.

Mr. Rankin. I see. Did you know the county sheriff before that?

Mr. Martin. Vaguely, not to any great extent.

Mr. Rankin. Do you know of any particular reason why he chose your establishment?

Mr. Martin. Because of the central location between Dallas and Fort Worth and the isolation of it.

Mr. Rankin. At that time who came to stay with you at the Six Flags Inn, Marina and some of her family?

Mr. Martin. Well, Marina and the two children and Robert and Marguerite Oswald.

Mr. Rankin. Did they have several suites there?

Mr. Martin. They had one room, well, one suite, room 423 and 424 and then we gave them two other rooms for the Secret Service.

Mr. Rankin. Did anyone make arrangements with you besides the county sheriff about how this would be handled?

Mr. Martin. Yes, Secret Service.

Mr. Rankin. Who, for the Secret Service?

Mr. Martin. Let's see, Charles Kunkel, and Howard—I can't remember his first name.

Mr. Rankin. Secret Service man?

Mr. Martin. Yes.

Mr. Rankin. Where was this arrangement made?

Mr. Martin. Well, down in the room in the suite.

Mr. Rankin. There at the Six Flags Inn?

Mr. Martin. Yes.

Mr. Rankin. And the three of you were there together, were you?

Mr. Martin. Yes, there were also Arlington police officers and several other Secret Service men.

Mr. Rankin. Who participated in the conversation?

Mr. Martin. Well, I don't know who else was in the conversation. It was primarily between Kunkel and Howard and myself.

Mr. Rankin. What was said in regard to this arrangement at that time?

Mr. Martin. Well, they said that they would need these rooms to accommodate the family and they had no idea how long they would need it.

Mr. Rankin. Was anything said about the price and who would make payment?

Mr. Martin. Yes. They said that the Government would take care of the room rate on it.

Mr. Rankin. Did you have to submit this matter to any of your superiors or did you make the decision at that time?

Mr. Martin. No, I made the decision.

Mr. Rankin. Had you had any prior dealings with the Secret Service people before that?

Mr. Martin. No.

Mr. Rankin. How long did Marguerite Oswald stay there?

Mr. Martin. I believe she left on Friday.

Mr. Rankin. What day?

Mr. Martin. Or maybe Thursday. Would be the 28th or 29th, I am not certain as to the exact date.

Mr. Rankin. Do you recall any incidents where Marguerite Oswald sought to leave prior to the Thursday or Friday that she left?

Mr. Martin. No, I don't recall anything like that.

Mr. Rankin. Have you ever assisted the local police officers in any other way at your Six Flags Inn before that?

Mr. Martin. Yes.

Mr. Rankin. In a general way what was the nature of that assistance.

Mr. Martin. Well, of course, I can't recall any specific instances. I know we cooperate with the law enforcement officers in anything they have to ask us, and we cooperate with them, giving them information. I don't know of any particular incidents other than——

Mr. Rankin. Would you describe briefly just where these rooms were in your Inn and where the Secret Service were compared with Marina Oswald's rooms?

Mr. Martin. Well, Marina Oswald was in Rooms 423 and 424, which were connecting rooms, and the rooms faced away from the entrance to the motel. And then the Secret Service had 422 and 421 also. They were rooms next door to it, but not connecting.

Mr. Rankin. After Marina first came there did the Secret Service have someone on duty while she was at the Six Flags?