Mrs. Oswald. That is a long, long story.
The Chairman. I think she has gotten to the point——
Mrs. Oswald. I got to the point. I finished this story, really, don't you think—about the gun?
The Chairman. I don't know.
Mrs. Oswald. I think about Robert knowing Lee was left handed.
The Chairman. Has anything happened since that, that you care to call to our attention, things that you know about?
Mrs. Oswald. On the particular story that I have said this morning—you mean of Lee?
This is where it gets confusing.
Representative Ford. Where did you go after the Parkland Hospital? What happened then?
Mrs. Oswald. Oh, yes. This is interesting.
After the Parkland Hospital, then this Mike Howard said, "Well, what we will do, we have a place, and this is where we will take them."
And they took us to the Inn of the Six Flags, which is on the outskirts of Arlington, Tex. They took us there.
And I am assuming that it is a Secret Service hideout or something, because they had made no arrangements or anything. We just were welcomed right in the Inn. They knew where to go.
Mr. Rankin. What happened there?
Mrs. Oswald. Well, now, Mr. Rankin, that is so important—if we are going to recess, I am going to ask not to start that story, because that is a very long, important story to this Commission.
Mr. Dulles. How far is that from Dallas—the Six Flags Inn?
Mrs. Oswald. Well, it is in between Dallas and Fort Worth, Tex. It is near Arlington, Tex.
The Chairman. We will recess now until 2 o'clock.
(Whereupon, at 12:55 p.m., the President's Commission recessed.)
Afternoon Session
TESTIMONY OF MRS. MARGUERITE OSWALD RESUMED
The President's Commission reconvened at 2 p.m.
The Chairman. The Commission will be in order. Mrs. Oswald, you may continue with your statement.
Mrs. Oswald. On the way leaving, I remarked to Mr. Doyle that I had forgotten one very important factor in the story.
I had in Mrs. Paine's home, when Marina closed the door, and I was in the room—before she showed me the picture—she told me at the police station that they had showed her Lee's gun and asked her if that was Lee's gun, and she said she didn't know, that Lee had a gun, but she could not say whether that was Lee's gun or not. But that she knew that Lee had a gun.
Mr. Rankin. When was this?
Mrs. Oswald. This was in Mrs. Paine's home the night of November 22, when we came from the jail. She told me that she told the police. I am going to explain, because I don't want to be put in why I didn't say it.
Mr. Mark Lane had hoped to come before the Commission, and he wanted to ask me two questions. He didn't say what the questions were. But I know the affidavit presented to the Warren Commission passed on that. And so that is why I had put that particular thing off my mind, thinking Mr. Lane would bring it up. But I immediately told Mr. Doyle when I left, that Mr. Lane not being here I should have made that statement.
Was there something else I told you?
Mr. Doyle. No. I think that was the matter you had mentioned to me, ma'am.
Mr. Rankin. You mean the gun or the picture of the gun?
Mrs. Oswald. No—the gun. The police showed Marina a gun—showed Marina a gun, and asked Marina if that was Lee's gun, because Marina had testified at the police station, she told me that Lee had a gun in Mrs. Paine's garage, and this was the gun that was presumably used to assassinate the President, that the police had and showed it to Marina, and asked Marina if that was Lee's gun that was in the garage. She said she didn't know—that Lee had a gun in the garage, but she did not know whether that was the gun or not.
Mr. Rankin. Did you have any discussion with Marina about the gun after that?
Mrs. Oswald. No, sir—when she said that, that was it. Any comments—as I said before—that was it.
Now, where did I finish, please, so I can continue?
Mr. Rankin. Well, you had gotten to the Six Flags, and you had heard about your son being killed. And then you had gotten to the Parkland Hospital.
Mrs. Oswald. We were through at the Parkland Hospital.
Mr. Rankin. You had gotten through with the Parkland Hospital.
Mrs. Oswald. And then we got to the chief of police's home in Irving. And we finished that. So now we are at the Six Flags.
Mr. Rankin. Correct.
Mrs. Oswald. So the FBI agent took us to the Six Flags.
I was never questioned by the Secret Service or the FBI at Six Flags. My son, in my presence, was questioned and taped, and Marina was continuously questioned and taped. But I have never been questioned.
I had all the papers from the State Department, and all of my research from Lee's I say so-called defection. And I wanted them to have them. All the papers were at home.
I told them I thought I could save a lot of manpower, while they were getting the original papers, because I know that each department in the State Department had a reference on Lee, and I had the whole thing condensed, and by them having my papers, they could get the picture. They were not interested in any papers I had. They were not interested.
Mr. Rankin. Were you not questioned on November 22, 1963?
Mrs. Oswald. No, sir. Here is what you may have on tape.
I insisted so much that they talked to me, because I had all this—that Mr. Mike Howard finally agreed—not 22d, though.
Mr. Rankin. This is Mr. Harlan Brown and Mr. Charles T. Brown?
Mrs. Oswald. That is the two FBI agents, Mr. Brown, questioned me in the office. But all they wanted to know is how did I know my son was an agent, and how did I know that he had the money from the State Department. And I told them Congressman Wright knew, and that they would investigate Congressman Wright. That was a very short questioning. I mean I explained that before. I told them I wanted to talk to the FBI, and I did. And it was the two Mr. Browns, and there were two other men.
Mr. Rankin. Then Mr. Howard was what date?
Mrs. Oswald. Mike Howard? Mike Howard was toward the end, because I was so persistent in them talking to me, that finally he decided he would put me on tape. But I do not consider this questioning. It was the date of the funeral—I remember now.
Mr. Rankin. November 25th?
Mrs. Oswald. Was that the day of the funeral? If this was the day of the funeral—I can tell you why. He decided he would put me on tape. So I started to tell him about my having the papers, and Lee's defection. And then Robert came out of the room and was crying bitterly. I saw Robert crying.
Wait, I am ahead of my story.
You have to understand this. As a family, we separated—not maybe for any particular reason, it is just the way we live. I am not a mother that has a home that the children can come to and feed them and so on. I am a working mother. I do 24-hour duty. So I am not that type mother, where I am a housewife with money, that the children have a home to come to.
So I said to Mike Howard, "I would like Robert to hear this. Maybe he will learn something." Because Robert never did want to know about my trip to Washington. He doesn't know. Robert never was interested in anything. Lee