Mrs. Oswald. June.
Mr. Rankin. Did you talk to Marina, and did she speak English to you?
Mrs. Oswald. Yes, she spoke English, Mr. Rankin. Like she would say—and we used the dictionary when she didn't understand.
She would say—I would say, "Marina, you now nurse your baby."
"Yes, Mama. The time."
Or "No time."
With motions—"no time. Mama."
She spoke English.
Mr. Rankin. What I would like to find out for the Commission, if we can, in regard to speaking English, did you think she was able to talk English fluently, or did you think she was in the process of learning it?
Mrs. Oswald. She was in the process of learning. But she understood more than she could talk.
And I have a letter from Lee stating that Marina also speaks and understands French, that she had learned at grammar school.
Mr. Rankin. Did you know French?
Mrs. Oswald. No, sir.
Mr. Rankin. So you could not tell?
Mrs. Oswald. I could not tell.
And I didn't think a thing of it.
And, of course. Marina and Lee spoke Russian all the time, even in front of me.
And you asked about this time—it was a very happy time. They would sit at the table. They were playing a game, and I said to Lee, "What is it you are doing?"
Because they were always talking in Russian.
"Mother, we are playing a game which is similar to American tic-tac-toe."
And they also taught each other. They had books. They are both children—very intelligent and studious. Lee was teaching Marina English, and Marina was teaching him some things that he wanted to know about Russia, in my home.
Mr. Rankin. Now, you were saying that he got this job at the Leslie Manufacturing Co.
Mrs. Oswald. Yes, sir.
And then his first pay—he kept his first pay. And then the second pay, he rented the home on Mercedes Street, which is the south side, and approximately 10 blocks from where I lived at the Rotary Apartment, and approximately 10 blocks from where he was to work.
Lee had no car, and Lee walked to and back from work, which helped to save money.
Now, you must understand that this couple had no money, and had nothing. I gave them some dishes, and some silverware, and just a few little things that I could help out with.
But Lee did have the first week's pay.
And then the second week's pay. And he rented this home which was $59.50 a month. It was a nice little one-bedroom furnished duplex, in a nice neighborhood, convenient to his work.
But then that leaves the boy broke.
I brought food into the house. I never like to talk about the other members of the family, because to me that is speculation. But I know that Robert brought food, also, in the house. And they were not in want. Marina nursed June.
Now, it has been stated in the paper that the Russian friends have gone into the home and they are talking about this home, and found that they were in desperate straits, that there was no food in the house, and no milk for the baby.
I say Marina nursed the baby.
They may have walked into this home, where maybe they didn't have at that particular time any milk in the box. Maybe Lee was going to bring groceries home. But I know they were not in destitute circumstances in that respect.
They had no money and didn't have anything. I brought groceries, and I brought a roll of scotch toweling. I had bought two packs and I gave them one.
And the next day when I went by, the scotch toweling was in the kitchen, on a coat hanger, with a nail.
And I think that is real nice, a young couple that doesn't have any money, that they can use their imagination, and put up the scotch toweling to use on a coat hanger. They are just starting married life in a new country. And they have no money. But here is the point. The Russian friends, who were established, and had cars and fine homes, could not see this Russian girl doing without. They are the ones that interfered. They are the ones that interfered, and were not happy the way this Russian girl—and within a short time, then, this Russian girl had a playpen, had a sewing machine, had a baby bed, and a Taylor Tot. And this all came out in the paper—that they supplied this to the girl, because she was in need of these things.
I say it is not necessary for a young couple to have a playpen for a baby. We have millions and millions of American couples in the United States that cannot afford playpens for the children. I, myself, have been in that position.
So I think those things were immaterial.
The point I am trying to bring out is that these Russian friends have interfered in their lives, and thought that the Russian girl should have more than necessary.
And my son could not supply these things at that particular time. He was just starting to work.
This, to me, is very strong in my mind, that there are a lot of Russian friends that were made immediately, that have interfered and have publicly stated—a circle of friends, approximately eight or nine, that would not give their names in the paper, they were interviewed by Mr. Tinsley of the Star Telegram—that has downed Lee for every way possible.
So these are the Russian friends who are established with cars, and didn't think that the Russian girl was getting a good break in America.
Mr. Rankin. Were there any differences between you and Lee Oswald or Marina while they were in your home? Did you have any quarrels?
Mrs. Oswald. No, sir, no, sir, none at all.
Now, there was one thing. And I will point out the character of my son, and what I am saying about the playpen and so on.
Now, this was all done within a few weeks time. They moved there—they left my home in July, and they moved there in August, and then they moved to Dallas in October. So it was in this period of time that all these things were accumulated from Russian friends.
And no man likes other people giving—interfering in his way of living, and giving all these things to his wife that he himself cannot supply. This is a human trait, I would say.
Now, I want to bring this story up.
I could not afford to buy a bed for my grandchild, because I have worked prior to this for nothing. The job that I had quit I was making $25 a week, gentlemen—a 24-hour live-in job. The jobs prior to this I worked for $10 a week, 7 days a week, a live-in job.
Because of Lee's so-called defection, and my accident, the way I was treated, left destitute, without any medical or compensation, I decided to devote my life to humanity, and I became a practical nurse. And I have worked for $5 a week, living in the place.
So I had no money, I had $200 saved, when I came to Fort Worth, and that is what I rented the house with, and brought the food with.
So then that leaves me broke.
So I gave up a job in order to help this girl.
So to get back now to the home, Mr. Rankin—we had no quarrels. This month was beautiful. Marina was very happy.
I had the car and the television, and we went around.
As I say, they were free to go and come like they want. They would take long walks.
If you are not familiar with Fort Worth, Tex., from the Rotary Apartment to Leonard Brothers is approximately 3 miles, and they used to walk there, and they came home—Marina came home with a Cancan petticoat and some hose that Lee bought here with a few dollars that Robert and I had given him—he spent on his wife.
So