Mr. Martin. The only one would be Levine.
Mr. Dulles. The only one would be Isaac Don Levine?
Mr. Martin. Levine told me she told him that her husband was a Trotskyite. Now what that means, I don't know but he seemed to think quite a bit.
Mr. Dulles. Marina told Isaac Don Levine?
Mr. Martin. Yes.
Mr. Dulles. That Marina's husband?
Mr. Martin. Lee Oswald was a Trotskyite.
Mr. Dulles. He was a Trotskyite.
Mr. Redlich. Mr. Martin, in what way do you consider yourself a patsy?
Mr. Martin. Well, because this, for instance——
Mr. Redlich. May we introduce this in evidence so we know what we are talking about?
Mr. Chairman, I offer——
Mr. Dulles. Identify it.
Mr. Redlich. In the course of the witness' explanation of his business representation of Mrs. Oswald the witness has presented before this Commission a list of arrangements that he has entered into or is considering entering into concerning the sale of certain aspects of Mrs. Oswald's story. This document is, we are told, written in Mr. Martin's handwriting. I show the witness Commission Exhibit No. 325 and ask you whether this document is one that you have brought before the Commission and whether its contents are as I have described them.
Mr. Martin. Yes, it is.
Mr. Redlich. Mr. Chairman, I ask that Commission Exhibit No. 325 be admitted.
Mr. Dulles. It shall be admitted.
(The document referred to was marked Commission Exhibit No. 325 for identification and received in evidence.)
Mr. Redlich. It is understood that a photostat of this exhibit will be made part of the permanent record of the Commission, and that the original will be returned to the witness.
Mr. Dulles. I wonder if you wouldn't leave us the original in this case because this was prepared for the Commission?
Mr. Martin. You can have the original.
Mr. Dulles. We will keep the original and we will be glad to give you a photostat for your records.
Mr. Martin. I have it right up here.
Mr. Dulles. Do you want to read that into the record, it is quite short and it might make the record more intelligible.
Mr. Redlich. Since this is in the handwriting of the witness may I suggest that the witness read it?
Mr. Dulles. Right.
Mr. Martin. Texitalia Films, $75,000 movie and the TV rights, World Wide plus $7,500 plus expenses per film appearance, plus $1,500 per—plus expenses for personal appearance. Contract was signed February 11.
Life Magazine was $5,000, North American rights for Lee had photo with rifle and pistol.
Stern Magazine, $12,500, story serial rights for Germany and Italy only, with a 70–30 percent reciprocal for serial rights in Europe, 70 percent to Marina.
Stern Magazine, $2,650 picture rights on the seven photos with same arrangements as above.
Mr. Redlich. Finish the documents.
Mr. Martin. Meredith Press, $25,000 advance on world book rights.
London Daily Mirror $2,200 guarantee on 50–50 reciprocal for British Commonwealth rights on rifle photo.
Detroit Free Press stole photo and has sold it to foreign news media thereby leaving themselves liable.
This Week Magazine, $1,500 for 500-word article.
Total is $132,350.
Mr. Redlich. Mr. Martin, it is in connection with this document that you have referred to yourself as a possible patsy?
Mr. Martin. Yes.
Mr. Dulles. Could I ask just one moment before that, how much has been received and how much is——
Mr. Martin. $50,000 of it. The rest is being held, $75,000 in Texitalia Films they have the money.
Mr. Dulles. Who is they?
Mr. Martin. Texitalia Films. But they don't want to part with it until this is settled.
Mr. Redlich. Until what is settled?
Mr. Martin. Until there is an amicable settlement between Marina Oswald and myself.
Mr. Redlich. Concerning your representation of her?
Mr. Martin. Yes.
Mr. Dulles. You mean they are holding their own money and not paying it at the present time?
Mr. Martin. Yes.
Mr. Redlich. It hasn't been put in escrow or anything of that kind?
Mr. Martin. No. We have received $5,000 from Life Magazine. That is in an escrow account. I have a check for $2,400 from Stern Magazine, which is uncashed because the attorney McKenzie who has been hired by Robert wrote a letter to Stern Magazine saying that I had no authority to make any deals for Marina. So they stopped payment on the check. Of course, I haven't tried to cash the check, so it is sitting.
Mr. Redlich. At this time, rather than go into the details of these business arrangements, I would like to revert to the question posed earlier in connection with this document, you referred to yourself as a patsy.
Would you care to explain that?
Mr. Martin. Well, I have put in approximately 2½; months of good, hard work and grief trying in the first place, trying to keep the news media away from her and at the same time trying to sell her story.
Mr. Redlich. Don't assume we know anything, tell us everything.
Mr. Martin. I had to leave my job at the Inn of the Six Flags to properly handle this which was the first of the year. I could not keep going on both jobs. These contracts were negotiated on the basis of my contract with her, which states that I have full power to sign any contracts for her in these fields.
William McKenzie, who is, was hired, apparently, by Robert Oswald, and is acting in his behalf, I guess, although he is using Marina Oswald's name, has tried to cancel my contract retroactively, in other words, just like it was never there at all, and it just happened too suddenly for it not to have been planned.
Mr. Redlich. What would have been planned? What is the plan that you suspect?
Mr. Martin. Well, the dropping of it—as soon as the money starts to come in, then the first thing they want to do is get rid of the personal manager and the attorney who has been taking all, who have been the buffers for the 2½; months prior to that.
The Secret Service was pulled off, there is apparently no danger at all concerning her life or anyone connected with her. So they feel perfectly safe in taking off, carrying on where we left off, utilizing all the work that we had put into it.
This was not a decision that was made in two days.
Mr. Redlich. Could you be more specific in terms of your suspicions with regard to the plan which you have alleged here was designed to get you off this job?
Mr. Martin. Well, I have letters from—one from Marina and one from McKenzie, that requests my discharge from this contractual agreement.
Now they have actually no reason to cancel the contract. I have performed as far as these sales are concerned quite well, and, of course, those are just advance payments of $132,000. There would be more on royalties after that.
Mr. Dulles. Did you sign these agreements or Mr. Thorne or did Marina sign them?
Mr. Martin. I did.
Mr. Dulles. These agreements with the news media?
Mr. Martin.